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Bush signs stimulus package
My guess is that that of the $110 billion to $120 billion of tax rebates, about half will go to U.S. products and services," said David Wyss, chief economist for Standard & Poor's. There are also questions about whether the stimulus will actually be the key to ending or preventing a recession. Even many of those who believe the U.S. is already in a recession are forecasting that the economy is poised to pull out of the recession in the second half of this year -- regardless of the stimulus package -- thanks to several big interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve since last September. "I don't think this is too little, but it might be too late," said Jeoff Hall, the chief U.S. economist for Thomson Financial. "By the time you get the intended effect, you may not need anything." Other economists believe the economy is falling into a much more severe recession than can be turned around by this type of tax cut.
MWSF: Macworld Best of Show 2008
It's a great update for a much-loved product. MacBook Air, from Apple: In the history of Apple announcements, this was one of the least surprising: Pretty much everyone in the room at Steve Jobs's Expo keynote was expecting a thin notebook. But they probably weren't expecting this: The MacBook Air is almost frighteningly skinny. And yet it really is a full-fledged Mac, with a 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU and reasonable quantities of RAM, hard drive, keyboard, and screen. Sure, you have to give up an optical drive, Ethernet, FireWire, stereo speakers, and a few other amenities. But tell that to the hundreds of Mac users who crowded the Apple booth at Expo, balancing their MacBook Air daintily on their fingertips, and beaming widely. Guitar Hero III, from Aspyr: This game lets you live out your rock star fantasies as you "play" guitar or bass along with your favorite rock songs.
Sicknote crackdown will hit 30,000 in Hampshire
A Government crackdown on benefits will hit more than 30,000 claimants acorss Hampshire, it has been revealed. From October next year individuals applying for incapacity benefits will be asked to undertake a new test to establish what they are capable of doing, rather than simply having their disabilities measured, Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain said yesterday. The new regime, which will initially cover only new claimants, will eventually be imposed on all those receiving incapacity support. As of May this year there were more than 30,000 such people in south west Hampshire - including nearly 10,000 in Southampton. The harder test will assess claimants' abilities to perform certain work-related tasks, such as using a computer keyboard and mouse.
Starbucks switches to free AT&T Wi-Fi
Starbucks Corp. and AT&T Inc. will start offering a mix of free and paid wireless Internet service in most of the international coffee retailer's U.S. shops, beginning this spring. The move announced Monday ends a six-year partnership T-Mobile, which did not include free Wi-Fi and charged higher fees than AT&T will. Starbucks said it will give customers who use a Starbucks card two hours of free wireless access per day. More time than that will cost $3.99 for a two-hour session. Monthly memberships will cost $19.99 and include access to any of AT&T's 70,000 hot spots worldwide. Nearly all of AT&T's broadband Internet customers, about 12 million, will automatically have unlimited free Wi-Fi access at Starbucks, the companies said. The deal boosts the number of AT&T hotspots in the U.S.
CES: Reactrix, Samsung show off Wii-like game system for TVs
Software developer Reactrix Systems showed off a gaming system made for LCD TVs that mimics the Wii game console in that people punch in the air to hit a boxing opponent or swing their arms to return the ball in a game of volleyball.
The system is actually designed for large advertising displays, to draw in people to become part of the advertisement by playing an interactive game. The Reactrix technology is called WaveScape, and it was demonstrated on Samsung's large-format 570DX display at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Above the display was a sensor that kept track of a person's hand and body movements so they could interact with an on-screen game. The sensor can cover five meters.
"Our first application is going to be advertising and interactive signage," said Matt Bell, who is chief scientist at Reactrix and developed the system.
Berlusconi redux?
ITALIAN heads of state have only limited powers. But one of them is the enviable ability to drive would-be prime ministers into an agony of frustrated expectations. Ever since the fall of Romano Prodi's centre-left government, which lost a vote of confidence in the Senate on January 24th, Italy has had, in effect, a hung parliament. There is a centre-left majority in the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies. But the confidence vote that toppled Mr Prodi's 20-month-old administration showed it to be four votes short of the necessary majority in the Senate. .
A security nightmare
Just because you don't see us doesn't mean we don't see you," Colburn said. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers from northern border states remain frustrated. Given the outrage over undocumented workers flooding in from Mexico, they remain skeptical the Border Patrol will ever pay enough attention to the northern border. "They aren't leaning forward on this," said Rep. Norm Dicks, DWash., a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. Congress wants to add as many as 600 additional agents to northern border patrols. But some say even that isn't enough. "There will still be a huge inequity," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "We do have problems with illegal immigrants on the southern border, but we have problems with terrorists on the northern border." CANADA'S TERRORISM RISK Given Canada's open immigration policies, terrorist organizations have established cells there seeking "safe havens, operational bases and attempting to gain access to the USA," according to a 1998 report from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
Bush signs stimulus package
My guess is that that of the $110 billion to $120 billion of tax rebates, about half will go to U.S. products and services," said David Wyss, chief economist for Standard & Poor's. There are also questions about whether the stimulus will actually be the key to ending or preventing a recession. Even many of those who believe the U.S. is already in a recession are forecasting that the economy is poised to pull out of the recession in the second half of this year -- regardless of the stimulus package -- thanks to several big interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve since last September. "I don't think this is too little, but it might be too late," said Jeoff Hall, the chief U.S. economist for Thomson Financial. "By the time you get the intended effect, you may not need anything." Other economists believe the economy is falling into a much more severe recession than can be turned around by this type of tax cut.
MWSF: Macworld Best of Show 2008
It's a great update for a much-loved product. MacBook Air, from Apple: In the history of Apple announcements, this was one of the least surprising: Pretty much everyone in the room at Steve Jobs's Expo keynote was expecting a thin notebook. But they probably weren't expecting this: The MacBook Air is almost frighteningly skinny. And yet it really is a full-fledged Mac, with a 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU and reasonable quantities of RAM, hard drive, keyboard, and screen. Sure, you have to give up an optical drive, Ethernet, FireWire, stereo speakers, and a few other amenities. But tell that to the hundreds of Mac users who crowded the Apple booth at Expo, balancing their MacBook Air daintily on their fingertips, and beaming widely. Guitar Hero III, from Aspyr: This game lets you live out your rock star fantasies as you "play" guitar or bass along with your favorite rock songs.
Sicknote crackdown will hit 30,000 in Hampshire
A Government crackdown on benefits will hit more than 30,000 claimants acorss Hampshire, it has been revealed. From October next year individuals applying for incapacity benefits will be asked to undertake a new test to establish what they are capable of doing, rather than simply having their disabilities measured, Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain said yesterday. The new regime, which will initially cover only new claimants, will eventually be imposed on all those receiving incapacity support. As of May this year there were more than 30,000 such people in south west Hampshire - including nearly 10,000 in Southampton. The harder test will assess claimants' abilities to perform certain work-related tasks, such as using a computer keyboard and mouse.
Starbucks switches to free AT&T Wi-Fi
Starbucks Corp. and AT&T Inc. will start offering a mix of free and paid wireless Internet service in most of the international coffee retailer's U.S. shops, beginning this spring. The move announced Monday ends a six-year partnership T-Mobile, which did not include free Wi-Fi and charged higher fees than AT&T will. Starbucks said it will give customers who use a Starbucks card two hours of free wireless access per day. More time than that will cost $3.99 for a two-hour session. Monthly memberships will cost $19.99 and include access to any of AT&T's 70,000 hot spots worldwide. Nearly all of AT&T's broadband Internet customers, about 12 million, will automatically have unlimited free Wi-Fi access at Starbucks, the companies said. The deal boosts the number of AT&T hotspots in the U.S.
CES: Reactrix, Samsung show off Wii-like game system for TVs
Software developer Reactrix Systems showed off a gaming system made for LCD TVs that mimics the Wii game console in that people punch in the air to hit a boxing opponent or swing their arms to return the ball in a game of volleyball.
The system is actually designed for large advertising displays, to draw in people to become part of the advertisement by playing an interactive game. The Reactrix technology is called WaveScape, and it was demonstrated on Samsung's large-format 570DX display at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Above the display was a sensor that kept track of a person's hand and body movements so they could interact with an on-screen game. The sensor can cover five meters.
"Our first application is going to be advertising and interactive signage," said Matt Bell, who is chief scientist at Reactrix and developed the system.
Berlusconi redux?
ITALIAN heads of state have only limited powers. But one of them is the enviable ability to drive would-be prime ministers into an agony of frustrated expectations. Ever since the fall of Romano Prodi's centre-left government, which lost a vote of confidence in the Senate on January 24th, Italy has had, in effect, a hung parliament. There is a centre-left majority in the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies. But the confidence vote that toppled Mr Prodi's 20-month-old administration showed it to be four votes short of the necessary majority in the Senate. .
A security nightmare
Just because you don't see us doesn't mean we don't see you," Colburn said. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers from northern border states remain frustrated. Given the outrage over undocumented workers flooding in from Mexico, they remain skeptical the Border Patrol will ever pay enough attention to the northern border. "They aren't leaning forward on this," said Rep. Norm Dicks, DWash., a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. Congress wants to add as many as 600 additional agents to northern border patrols. But some say even that isn't enough. "There will still be a huge inequity," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "We do have problems with illegal immigrants on the southern border, but we have problems with terrorists on the northern border." CANADA'S TERRORISM RISK Given Canada's open immigration policies, terrorist organizations have established cells there seeking "safe havens, operational bases and attempting to gain access to the USA," according to a 1998 report from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
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