"Lovingly Holding Hands for Oil"
COMPETITION
==========
EU warns Microsoft to follow '04 order
European Union tells company it must comply immediately with the year-old
order related to Windows or face action.
Cheap Exclusion
Susan Creighton, Bureau of Competition Director, Remarks Before the Charles
River Associates 9th Annual Conference on Current Topics in Antitrust Economics
and Competition Policy, Washington, DC, February 8, 2005
A “Check-Up” of Selected Health Care Activity at the Federal Trade Commission
Pamela Jones Harbour, ABA Antitrust Section Spring Meeting “The Agencies’
2004 Report on Improving Health Care: Comments on the Report and Its Aftermath”,
March 30, 2005
“The Cost of Filling Up: Did the FTC Approve Too Many Energy Mergers?”,
Remarks of Luke M. Froeb, Director, Bureau of Economics and John H. Seesel,
Associate General Counsel for Energy, Federal Trade Commission before The Fuel
and Energy Committee Section of Antitrust Law, American Bar Association,
Washington, D.C. (March 31, 2005)
Korean Company--Hynix--Agrees to Plead Guilty to Price Fixing and Agrees to
Pay $185 Million Fine for Role in DRAM Conspiracy - Company Pays Third Largest
Antitrust Criminal Fine in History (04/21/2005)
Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Urge Texas Real Estate
Commission to Continue to Allow Flexibility in Brokerage Services - Regulation
Would Cause Consumers to Pay More for Real Estate Services and Reduces Consumer
Choice (04/21/2005)
Antitrust Sentencing In the Post-Booker Era: Risks Remain High For
Non-Cooperating Defendants (03/30/2005)
FTC Chairwoman to Sit Out Valero Case
The chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission will not take part in the
antitrust review of Valero Energy Corp.'s $6.9 billion bid for rival independent
oil refiner Premcor Inc. because of a conflict of interest. Chairwoman Deborah
Platt Majoras recused herself from reviewing the merger _ which would create the
largest refiner in North America _ because a client of her husband's law firm,
Jones Day, is involved in the transaction, said FTC spokeswoman Nancy Judy.
Microsoft will pay Gateway $150m to end antitrust case
Microsoft Corp. will pay computer maker Gateway Inc. $150 million over four
years to end a long-running legal dispute, and Gateway says it will market and
develop products that run Microsoft software. As part of the settlement unveiled
yesterday, Gateway will release all antitrust claims against Microsoft based on
past conduct. Microsoft denies any wrongdoing.
MARKETS
==========
Podcasting Killed the Radio Star
The popular audio distribution method is about to take to the airwaves. A
failing talk-radio station in San Francisco will be converted to an all-podcast
format.
I Left My iPod in San Francisco
Apple did a bang-up job revolutionizing the way that millions of people use
music, but did the company ever think that it would revive AM radio?
Amazon.com Profit Declines 30 Percent
Sales rose strongly, but net income sagged 30 percent at Amazon.com Inc. on
tax expenses and a new fee-based membership program that expands the online
retailer's foray into free shipping even further.
Internet advertising
Taking on traditional media—and spurring a host of innovations
The future of journalism
Is Rupert Murdoch right to predict the end of newspapers as we now know them?
Yahoo debuts personalized search
Company launches beta of individualized archives of Web searches, following
launch of similar technology by Google last week.
Wal-Mart Unveils Customized Music CDs
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is now offering customized music CDs for its online
customers. The world's largest retailer launched the new service Tuesday. Like
other companies, the Bentonville-based Wal-Mart already offers customers music
they can download at their home computers for a fee. Customers with the proper
technology can burn those songs to a CD.
Online music lovers 'frustrated'
UK music lovers are getting frustrated with restrictions placed on digital
music tracks once they buy them from online stores, says PC Pro magazine. The
magazine reported that people are also being turned off net music stores because
of pricing and disappointing sound quality compared to CDs.
Microsoft slams XP in call for Longhorn support
In an effort to sell hardware makers on new technologies planned for
Longhorn, Microsoft officials yesterday bad-mouthed its own work in Windows XP.
SAP's Kagermann sees competition, cooperation with Microsoft
SAP expects to compete against Microsoft in the midsize market for business
software but will collaborate in the development of technology that links their
core ERP and Office products.
Microsoft and SAP to link Office with ERP
SAP AG and Microsoft Corp. plan to deliver a jointly developed product that
links SAP's ERP software and Microsoft's Office products.
Microsoft aims Longhorn's 'Metro' at Adobe
The next version of Windows will include a new document format called Metro
to print and share documents, a move that appears to rival Adobe Systems'
PostScript and PDF technologies.
Storm brewing over online data from National Weather Service
U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) has introduced a bill that would curb efforts
by the National Weather Service to expand the detailed forecasts it makes
available online for free.
THE PEQUOD
==========
Bush Signs Bill to Let Parents Strip DVDs
President Bush on Wednesday signed legislation aimed at helping parents keep
their children from seeing sex scenes, violence and foul language in movie DVDs.
The bill gives legal protections to the fledgling filtering technology that
helps parents automatically skip or mute sections of commercial movie DVDs. Bush
signed it privately and without comment, White House press secretary Scott
McClellan said.
PRIVACY
==========
Feds Rethinking RFID Passport
In the wake of privacy concerns about the government's new RFID passports,
the State Department is reconsidering a plan it previously rejected. The plan
would offer privacy protection, including encryption.
HOLDING HANDS FOR OIL
==========
Bush urges Saudis to increase oil production
President Bush on Monday pressed Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah to help
curb skyrocketing oil prices that are hurting American families and businesses,
and a top adviser said a Saudi plan to increase production would have an impact.
Microsoft draws new fire for lobbyist ties
Gay rights groups say software company should sever relationship with former
Christian Coalition director.
Internet and Society News -- 050427
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