iPad iove.

iPad 

Men's new toy?

According to a Nielsen Report, young men love iPad the best. Research shows that  iPad owners tend to be young men that own more devices than other users, averaging six devices total. These individuals tend to will to share their devices with others, spend more time interacting with content and like to buy apps. Statistics show that the most popular apps are: Games (62 percent), books (54 percent), music (50 percent), shopping (45 percent), news and Headlines (45 percent). 

The most interesting fact about this report was that it states that Kindle owners (Amazon's most popular e-reader) as "wealthier and better educated" than iPad owners, making more than $100.00 a year and 57 percent having a bachelor's degree or better. I find this research fascinating.

Isn’t it interesting how researchers can categorize users and how unwillingly you can become part of a certain group by simply buying/using a technological product? However, to add to it, 'Cunningham Says Amazon's New Kindle to Hurt      IPad Sales. Follow the link below for the video with more detail about this smaller and a lot better value new device that it seems to be willing to hurt iPad's popularity.  (http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/cunningham-says-amazons-new-kindle-to-hurt-ipad-sales/2011/09/28/gIQAlqR25K_video.html)

  

http://adrianasassoon.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/ipad-jobs.png?w=472&h=660

         http://www.sellmymobile.com/blog/nielsen-report-young-men-love-ipad-    best/

Does oil hinder democracy?

                             What is a hollow state? What is a failed state?  

Recently, I have been reading a lot about what’s happening in Libya. I started off with a random research after I read a journal article by Michael Ross "Does oil hinder democracy" and became quite fascinated with the political issues that each article I found disclosed. However, I must say that, part of the reason I became that interested had a lot to do with some readings I did on Colonel Gaddafi’s biography – I find dictators lives quite interesting.

In the article where Michael lays the question about the oil industry, Michael talks about three aspects of “the oil-impedes-democracy” claim. He examines the question under geographic dimensions as well as sectorial. Ross questions and examines also if other types of minerals and other types of commodities have similar effects on government.

Does lack of democracy lead to a failed state?

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is warning that Libya is not far from becoming a failed state.

What is a failed state and what is the difference between a failed state and a hollow state?

A hollow state is used as a metaphor to explain the degree of separation between a government and the services it funds. Hollow has been an adjective used to describe problems of the 20^th century, such as in the poem of T.S.Eliot with “the hollow men” poem.

Hollow state vs. failed state

Hollow state is different from a failed state. A Failed state is a complete breakdown in the delivery of political goods such as education, health, security, infrastructure etc. A hollow state is different from a failed state because it exists in an international stage and it has all the standard edifices of governance even though very heavily corrupted.

References:
http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2009/03/hollow-states-vs-failed-states.html
http://thesinosaudiblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/libya-flag.jpg
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-04-13/clinton-s-failed-state-warning-hangs-over-libyan-conflict.html