The European Court of First Instance reaffirmed that Microsoft had abused its market power by adding a digital media player to Windows, undercutting the early leader, Real Networks. It also ordered Microsoft to obey a March 2004 commission order to share confidential computer code with competitors. The court also upheld the record fine levied against …
Continue reading EU encourages open IT as it upholds monopolistic judgement on Microsoft
Month:September 2007
Blackwater plays a Hollywood reality show
A great name for a security company staffed with mercenaries paid to look after top American officials in a hot spot with immunity from prosecution for killing anyone. Will Matt Damon be the good guy? In fact, Blackwater USA is a private contractor employed by the US State Department. The ban on their operations for …
Continue reading Blackwater plays a Hollywood reality show
TV beats family, hands-down
Sad but unsurprising results of a UK survey show that children spend far more time watching TV than spending time with family, or anything else. A survey of of 1,800 families with primary school-age children was part of research accompanying the government-backed Booktime literacy project. The survey suggested that children were more likely to be …
Continue reading TV beats family, hands-down
NBC Universal to allow free TV show downloads
NBC Universal is going to make some of its TV shows available for free web download. Under NBC Direct consumers will be able to download programmes on the night that they are broadcast and keep them for seven days. They would also be able to subscribe to shows, guaranteeing delivery each week. The files, which …
Continue reading NBC Universal to allow free TV show downloads
Watching Myanmar atrocities
The past couple of weeks have brought an unusual bout of coverage of politics in Myanmar. But now the killing has started publicly. Unfortunately we will do nothing. Myanmar has suffered under a brutal military regime that has been propped up by oil deals with western companies and countries while it enslaves and tortures peaceful …
Continue reading Watching Myanmar atrocities
Iran’s defiance of the security council might motivate arms reduction …?
Iran’s defiance of security council resolutions (declared again this week by President Ahmadinejad at the UN general assembly) is discomfiting, but not unreasonable. Iran’s stubbornness is fueled by the autocratic approach of the security council and its members, particularly the US. Iran’s testament that the security council should lead by example is more appropriate than …
Continue reading Iran’s defiance of the security council might motivate arms reduction …?
Global CSR review by EIRIS
EIRIS‘ new report “The State of Responsible Business” details growing corporate responsibility in businesses worldwide. The study, “The State of Responsible Business: Global corporate response to environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges” casts a wide net, offering an overview of current corporate responsibility. It also points out trends in corporate responsibility. Generally, more and more …
Continue reading Global CSR review by EIRIS
Further indictment of US oil industry corruption
The US love of energy has been supported by subsidies and protection of the oil industry. Last month the administration took a step to reducing those subsidies in a new energy bill. And now a report confirms the collusion and apathy among regulators and the industry. A report has unsurprisingly declared that the Interior Department’s …
Continue reading Further indictment of US oil industry corruption
Let poor children suffer
Despite the rhetoric being bandied about by Presidential candidates Bush has threatened to veto additional federal funding for a the State Children’s Health Insurance Program which insures children from low-income families. Another sad sign of where the current administration’s priorities are. Our hope for enlightened leadership from the global superpower dims a bit more.
Should the state be on death row
The US Supreme Court agreed to reevaluate execution by lethal injection just as Texas was preparing for its 27th execution this year on 27 September. This article summarised the recent trend. But reading it made it clear that there is a self-evident inequity in capital punishment in an advanced nation. It seems that the proportion …
Continue reading Should the state be on death row