4-6 weeks

The more I read about the new rules on Qantas, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic about banning Dell and Apple laptops unless the battery is removed, the more it makes me grumpy.

I have cooperated. I am getting my new battery sent to me in the promised 4-6 weeks (how many weeks has it been?). Doesn't that mean that my new battery is not in danger of catching fire? Shouldn't that mean my laptop - with its battery - is safe to take on the plane?

Let me ask another question. How many years have business travelers been using laptops? How many laptops have been on planes in that time? How many of them have caught on fire on the plane? NONE. ZERO.

By the way, all the folks who are praising Richard Branson for being a great philanthropist -- in the league of Bill Gates or Warren Buffet -- after his recent announcement that he is investing $3 billion from his airline's profits into renewable energy technologies. You're missing something. He's not giving the money away. He's INVESTING it. It will remain his money and, if his investments do well, they will result in him having even more money. That's not philanthropy. That's being a smart businessman. And we all know it.

I was going to keep my mouth shut, but then he decided I couldn't bring my iBook on his damn planes and I just couldn't hold back anymore.

Update - someone at Virgin has had some sense. But Richard Branson is still not a philanthropist.