Most of the cast of “Ted Lasso” is headed to the White House to talk mental health. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts and Ken talk about some of the great stories on Apple TV+. Plus – the “Steve Jobs” auction revisited, and a quick dip into Mailbag Monday.
White House
Cybersecurity Threats Bring Tim Cook and Others to Meet With President Biden
The serious increase in cybersecurity threats is bringing Apple CEO Tim Cook to a meeting with President Biden and other top tech executives.
White House in Talks With Intel, TSMC to Build U.S. Chip Foundries
Officials at the White House are reportedly in talks with Intel and TSMC to build semiconductor facilities in the United States.
U.S. tech companies and the government have been trying to reduce the country’s dependence on chip factories in Asia for years, underscored by national security concerns […]
In an April 28 letter obtained by the WSJ, Intel CEO Bob Swan told Defense Department that the company is willing to build a commercial foundry in partnership with the Pentagon “given the uncertainty created by the current geopolitical situation.”
The newspaper reports that TSMC has been in talks with Commerce and Defense department officials and Apple, one of the biggest clients, about building a semiconductor factory in the U.S.
Corporations have spent the last 30 or so years moving manufacturing to China in search of cheap labor. Did they not expect China to start competing with them?
White House Blocks Audit of its Offensive Hacking Strategy
The White House is blocking an audit by Congress for its offensive hacking policy it has already used for cyberattacks against Russia and Iran.
The policy, which loosened the reins on military strikes against U.S. adversaries, has been withheld for more than a year from lawmakers — even those who regularly review classified material. Lawmakers from both parties are concerned the Trump administration could plunge the country into a cyberwar without congressional approval or oversight, or at the very least, provoke retaliation that causes serious damage at home.
The White House hacking strategy is: “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.“
White House Drafts Order to Investigate Alleged Social Media Left-Wing Bias
The White House is drafting an executive order that would address alleged left-wing bias by social media companies, with an official saying:
If the internet is going to be presented as this egalitarian platform and most of Twitter is liberal cesspools of venom, then at least the president wants some fairness in the system. But look, we also think that social media plays a vital role. They have a vital role and an increasing responsibility to the culture that has helped make them so profitable and so prominent.
A WH official actually used the phrase “liberal cesspools of venom.” What a trashy administration.
iPads, other Electronics Banned on Flights to US from Several Islamic Countries
If you’re planning on working on that big project on a flight to the U.S. from several airports in Muslim-dominant countries, think again because the Trump administration just banned anything larger than a smartphone in the passenger cabin. The ban restricts iPads and other tablets, Kindle ebook readers, laptops, and other larger electronic devices to checked luggage over terrorism concerns.
Turn $1 Into an Augmented Reality Tour of the White House
Forget Pokémon. A really cool use for augmented reality on your iPhone is an animated 3D model of the White House, complete with an audio tour of its importance and history. The new app 1600, released this week by the White House Historical Association, uses AR to build a fully animated 3D model of the White House on a $1 bill while White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest narrates a miniature history lesson. Users can also tap on various parts of the model to reveal additional information and a few hidden secrets. Check it out now for free on the iOS and Android app stores.