It is not often that we see government change as fast as the weather. This morning I read the NY Times article, "On Day One, Obama Sets a New Tone." It is hard to disagree with freezing the salaries of aides, setting new limits on lobbyists, and demanding less secrecy in government.
It is a good start to the needed changes. To get things moving again good things must happen. The economy is still challenged. With Microsoft announcing large layoffs and Sony losing billions, there are few bright spots in the economy.
Even Apple which is one of the bright spots is undergoing some challenges. I just read about the "Cook Doctrine" at Apple.
This phrase caught my attention.
That must be a new Apple. Over the years I reported to a number of vice presidents who reported to Tim Cook who made the statement. The rule when I was at Apple was that being an Apple vice president meant not having to say sorry for any mistakes. I saw some amazing blunders, but I never in my twenty years at Apple heard a vice president take the blame for a mistake. I saw lots of field employees laid off as a result of vice presidential incompetence and mistakes, but I can only remember one vice president being removed.
Most just wandered off into the sunset with bags full of cash and options.
I actually believe there is far better chance of our government changing than there is of Apple finding new stripes. A lot of people just got replaced in our government. A new tone has been set, my expectation is that we will see some change. Maybe it will not be as much as we had hoped, but at least we will be off the disastrous road that we have followed for the last few years.
Apple on the other hand lost Steve Jobs. Management is intact and no one that I know at Apple has indicated a shift in values in the company. I expect secrecy still rules, and mistakes are still not made by anyone with a title of vice president.
On the other hand, the temperature here on the coast is already at forty three degrees and headed over fifty today and sixty tomorrow.
Our snow is pretty well gone which is fine by me.
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