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Tuesday November 4, 2014

// November 4th, 2014 // Daily News

Apple’s move to raise money is smart: Ex-CEO

Apple’s move to tap the bond market – despite sitting on a hoard of cash – is a smart one, according to John Sculley, the former CEO of the company.
“It’s probably a smart thing to do, the access to capital is good. And as we say in the high-tech world: you raise money when you can,” he told CNBC at the Web Summit tech conference in Dublin.
Apple held calls with debt investors on Monday about a potential bond sale – a part of which would be denominated in euros. It has surprised some analysts given the company’s record-high share price, $155 billion in cash and a successful launch of its latest smartphone.
But Sculley said the move would give the tech giant more flexibility than if it tapped its own reserves.
“I think it will just give Apple more flexibility to things they want to do in the future. They can buy their stock back; they can do other things with it,” he added.
Sculley’s latest venture is smartphone company Obi Mobiles – but he insists that it poses no threat to his previous employer. With devices priced between $100 and $200, Obi aims to capture a market ignored by Apple: youth in emerging markets.
Smartphone technology is “pretty much commoditized”, according to Sculley, who has brought in a design team from both Apple and Beats to work for the company. “And we think we can differentiate in a commoditized market at very disruptive prices with great design and with good marketing,” he said.
He added that Obi will “never” have a U.S. presence. “We’re focused on an entirely different market.”

Today’s Inspiration

No More “Selective Hearing”

by Joyce Meyer – posted November 04, 2014

But the house of Israel will not listen to you and obey you since they will not listen to Me and obey Me, for all the house of Israel are impudent and stubborn of heart.
—Ezekiel 3:7

God has taught me that when we are unwilling to hear in one area, it may render us unable to hear in other areas. Sometimes we choose to turn a deaf ear to what we know the Lord is clearly saying to us. We only hear what we want to hear; it’s called “selective hearing.”

A woman once shared with me that she asked God to give her direction concerning what He wanted her to do. He clearly put in her heart that He wanted her to forgive her sister for an offense that had happened between them months earlier.

Because this woman wasn’t willing to do so, she pulled away from her prayer time. When she did seek the Lord again for something, He responded, “Forgive your sister first.”

Over a period of two years, every time she asked the Lord for guidance about something new, He gently reminded her, “I want you to forgive your sister.” Finally, she realized that she would never grow spiritually if she didn’t do the thing God had told her to do.

She got on her knees and prayed, “Lord, give me the power to forgive my sister.” Instantly she understood many things from her sibling’s perspective she hadn’t considered before, and within a short time their relationship was healed and made stronger than it had ever been before.

If we really want to hear from God, we can’t approach Him with selective hearing, hoping to narrow the topics down to only what we want to hear. People want God’s direction when they have issues they want solved. But, don’t just go to God and talk to Him when you want or need something; spend time with Him just listening. He will open up many issues if you will be still before Him and simply listen.

Trust in Him Is there anything God has spoken to you that you have not yet obeyed? Why are you hesitating? Trust God to give you the strength to do whatever He has asked of you, knowing that He always has your best interest in mind. Your obedience will lead to your blessing.