Lessons in Free Market Economics; and, My Last Mac

A very dull story: a few weeks ago, Apple Computers acquired a small semiconductor manufacturing group, P.A. Semi, which is based in California. As usual, the information technology industry - kind of like the banking industry - has nothing to do with so-called "free market economics." In this case, the Department of Defence and major contractors like Raytheon and Lockheed promptly got involved because, you see, P.A. Semi is one of their own, and the DOD wants to make sure it gets a continued supply of P.A. Semi's products after the merger.

Being a defence contractor is generally a pretty good deal. On the one hand, you're helping people kill people. On the other, you get a continuous stream of top-notch government welfare, the sort conservatives usually deny to poor people on the grounds that it "enables dependence."

Unfortunately, this is where the story gets personal because


Source: Wikimedia

my favourite computers now come from a defence contractor. I think the army actually used to order the odd Apple server anyways, but now via P.A. Semi they're part of the regular dedicated contractor system.

I'm sad to say that now I will never get to buy a new Mac again.

The Church of the Orange Sky's continuing policy of minimizing beneficial association with professional killing institutions requires that purchases which benefit military contractors be kept to an absolute minimum.