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Report Shows TSMC Hitting Demand Maximum

William Attardi on March 24, 2026

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is reportedly reaching its limit for supply chain demand, creating bottlenecks for the first time in the company’s history. As demand if AI chips grows, the company that once thought it would never hit capacity is now falling behind. In a report in Reuters, the strain is forcing TSMC to build more facilities by the end of next year. TSMC announced it was struggling with demand earlier this year, as the AI infrastructure grow at a rapid pace. The company is continuing its partnerships with Nvidia and Apple. Business News Today – tEDmag

Apple’s First Foldable iPhone Set for 2026 as Hinge Suppliers Compete

William Attardi on August 26, 2025

Apple is expected to launch its first foldable smartphone in 2026, and competition among potential component suppliers is already intensifying. According to Patently Apple, which cited a well-known analyst, Samsung Display is likely to supply a crease-free display solution for the device. The internal hinge, according to the report, plays a crucial role in minimizing screen creases when the device is unfolded. TrendForce’s latest investigations reveal that the anticipated launch of Apple’s first foldable device in the second half of 2026 is expected to lift foldable phone penetration from 1.6% in 2025 to over 3% in 2027. According to TrendForce, the global foldable hinge market is projected to reach US$1.2 billion in 2025, with hinges currently accounting for about 5–8% of the BOM cost per device. [News] Apple’s First Foldable iPhone Set for 2026 as Hinge Suppliers Compete – LEDinside

Trump Sets 100% Chip Tariffs Unless Firms Invest in U.S.

William Attardi on August 7, 2025

President Trump said he would impose roughly 100% tariffs on all chips coming into the U.S. but exempt tech companies that have promised to manufacture domestically, a big win for Apple and other electronics firms worried about new trade challenges. Trump’s announcement came at an event trumpeting a new $100 billion investment pledge from Apple. The company has increased its commitments in the U.S. but stopped short of moving iPhone production to the U.S. as Trump wants. The company’s $100 billion promise adds to a $500 billion, four-year commitment Apple made in February that repackaged much of Apple’s existing spending plans in the U.S. Nearly every major tech firm has promised to put more into their U.S. operations, resulting in over $2 trillion in new pledges in the past seven months. f16AjRmObp1pmp4xDQAH-WSJNewsPaper-8-7-2025.pdf

Apple Just Gave This Rare-Earth Company $500m

William Attardi on July 16, 2025

 It’s been a long time since an expensive magnet has been able to sport a “Made in America” sticker, but recent massive investments in one private company could change all that. Apple announced yesterday that it would commit to a $500 million deal with the only US-based rare-earth producer, MP Materials.  The company was founded in 2017 to bring production back to Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine in Southeast California, about 50 miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada, which is the second largest rare-earth mine in the world—and the only one operational in the US.  MP Materials’ stock has skyrocketed almost 500% since going public in 2020. Morning Brew crew@morningbrew.com

Apple Will Spend More Than $500 Billion in the U.S. Over the Next Four Years

William Attardi on February 24, 2025

Today, Apple supports more than 2.9 million jobs across the country through direct employment, work with U.S.-based suppliers and manufacturers, and developer jobs in the thriving iOS app economy. As part of its new U.S. investments, Apple teams and facilities to expand in Michigan, Texas, California, Arizona, Nevada, Iowa, Oregon, North Carolina, and Washington, and hire 20,000 people.

  • Opening a New Manufacturing Facility in Houston
  • Doubling Apple’s U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund
  • Growing R&D Investments Across the U.S.
  • Supporting American Businesses with a New Manufacturing Academy in Detroit

Apple will spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years – Apple

The Statue of Liberty was made with copper but due to oxidation, it turned green.

When the “Lady in the Harbor” first arrived in New York in 1886, she didn’t look like the mint-green icon we know today. In fact, for the first twenty years of her life, she stood as a towering, metallic beacon of reddish-gold. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and engineered by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the statue was a gift from France to America. To build her, Bartholdi chose copper for three practical reasons:

  • Malleability:It could be hammered into elaborate, thin sheets.
  • Weight:Copper is lighter than stone or bronze, making it easier to ship 350 individual pieces across the Atlantic.
  • Durability:It was strong enough to survive a 27-day ocean voyage and the harsh winds of the harbor.

When she was unveiled on October 28, 1886, her skin—made of 300 copper sheets roughly the thickness of two pennies—shone with a bright, metallic brown luster. The transformation from “penny-colored” to “patina-green” wasn’t planned. Bartholdi actually expected the statue to age into a deeper, darker red. However, the unique environment of New York Harbor—a mix of salt air, moisture, and industrial pollution—triggered a process called oxidation.

The Timeline of Change:

  1. 1886–1900:The bright copper dulled into a dark, muddy brown.
  2. 1903:The first hints of a light green crust, or “patina,” began to appear.
  3. 1906:The color change was so controversial that Congress nearly stepped in. They appropriated $62,000 to paint the statue back to its original color, but the public protested, calling the idea “sacrilege.”
  4. 1910–1920:The statue was a patchy mix of brown and green until 1920, when the oxidation was complete, leaving her entirely teal.

While we now view the green color as iconic, it actually serves a vital structural purpose. The layer of verdigris (the green patina) acts as a protective shield. It seals the copper underneath, preventing the metal from further corrosion and weathering.  By the time the color fully changed, a new generation of immigrants had arrived in America seeing a green statue.