The BBC has announced that it will release its own video codec. After years of work, the subsidized BBC will release software that competes directly with Microsoft, Apple, and Real, with one predictable slant. The software is being released under an open-source license, and will be called Dirac, because the name stuck.

A law suit against Wal-Mart by employees led a court in Wuppertal to rule that under German labor law, anything regulating the personal lives of employees requires prior consent from the employee.

Michelle Malkin is taking the weekend off to go fishing. Right after she appears on tonight’s Hannity and Colmes. But, does she know what she’s fishing for?

Unacceptable taxpayer plundering. That’s exactly what the Commerce Department’s Advanced Technology Program is. A financial grab from hard working Americans that is handed over to some of the most lucrative businesses in the country.

BlackBerry users are such devoted gadget fondlers they are sometimes refered to as “CrackBerry” addicts. Today they are all shivering in the shadows, suffering from withdraw, as Research in Motion (RIM) deals with a nationwide network outage.

Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist, did something today that so many people are reluctant to do: he changed his position as new information was made available.

Michael Dell, a prominent business leader recognizes the business strategy that Apple Computer is employing. And what he recognizes is the same thing I’ve been saying since the Apple/Intel announcement on June 6th.

I’ve written before about the undesirable outcome that originates from our habit of placing increased importance on the individual. I’m not talking about focusing on personal responsibility, but rather the effort by parents, teachers, psychologists, and the like to shelter children from any type of psychological struggle. It is damaging to our youth and to our society as a whole, and completely ignores personal responsibility.

Apparently, at least one European Union leader wanted to keep the text of the new constitution private. How private? Valery Giscard d’Estaing didn’t want any French voters to read it!

The European Union’s landmark ruling against Microsoft gets a healthy dose of reality today. Not only did the EU impose arguably ridiculous legal requirements upon the software company, they were also the second jurisdiction to judge Microsoft based on the common arguments of the plaintiffs.

Michelle Malkin has stepped outside her usual blog topics today, and offers a point of view that likely has its roots in jealousy or chauvinism. Lets hope she’s just joking.

While I don’t usually spend any of my energy following sporting events, I do take notice of new world records, particularly when there is no indication of steroids or other unfair advantages involved.

Gentoo founder, Daniel Robbins has accepted a position at Microsoft. Open Source betrayal? A Linux spy? An honest employee?

Happy Flag Day

 

“Our mission is to carry on the tradition of the first flag day observance. On June 14th, 1885, Bernard J. Cigrand, a 19 year old teacher at Stony Hill School, placed a 10 inch, 38- star flag in a bottle on his desk then assigned essays on the flag and its significance. This observance, commemorated Congresses adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. This observance was also the beginning of Cigrand’s long years of fervent and devoted effort to bring about national recognition and observance of Flag Day. The crowning achievement of his life came at age fifty when President Wilson, on June 14, 1916, issued a proclamation calling for a nation wide observance of Flag Day.”

 

-The National Flag Day Foundation

In my previous writing, I suggested that Apple’s decision to use Intel processor technology represented a long-term business shift that would carry the company into the mainstream PC market. Most people disagreed with me…

In case the previous entry didn’t convince you of the cultural difference between Americans and Muslims, this picture may help drive the message home.

When a handful of alleged Koran violations reach the media, Muslims riot, kill each other, and denounce America. This is part of the major cultural difference, and shows that Americans really are more understanding.

10 ways to Look Better at work…

Light-hearted humor for the weekend...

A British bus company backed by Hampshire County believes they have the solution to automobile emission problems: sheep urine.