A Silicon Valley judge is being asked to stop an aviation designer from gabbing about a plan by high-flying Google’s founders to convert a wide-body passenger jet into a globe-ranging party plane. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Joseph Huber scheduled an August 7 hearing to resolve the dispute.
Online search giants Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft are not doing enough to combat fraud that cost United States advertisers $800-million last year, a study released on Wednesday claimed. "Pay-per-click" advertising is a core revenue source for search engines and has come under attack by those concerned about fraud.
Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, said on Thursday he would give up the daily running of Microsoft by July 2008 to concentrate on his foundation’s work tackling health and education problems. The Microsoft co-founder wanted a two-year transition "to ensure that there is a smooth and orderly transfer of Gates’ daily responsibilities", Microsoft said in a statement.
Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft will unleash their latest video game offerings as they battle it out at a premier showcase of new products in the -billion global gaming market. The United States and Japanese computer game titans were among game-makers from 90 countries converging on the Los Angeles Convention Centre for an Electronic Entertainment Expo which begins on Tuesday.
The renowned Michelin Guide, which rates restaurants and hotels, announced on Wednesday that it is producing its first review of the US West Coast. The guide will cover the San Francisco and San Jose areas as well as the increasingly chic ”Wine Country” of the Sonoma and Napa valleys.
Cyber-sex, war, and erection-inducing drugs are a recipe for a more socially inept, violent culture, according to a panel of top United States sex experts. The concern was raised as researchers discussed the future of sex at an unprecedented summit near Santa Fe, New Mexico, late last week.
Oak barrels are obsolete, according to United States vinters, who say aging wine in metal tanks with pieces of oak thrown in costs less and tastes just as good. Braving the stigma of being branded ”voodoo vintners” by traditionalists, oak alternative vinters have produced award-winning wines at bargain prices.
A San Francisco man with a knack for numbers has come up with a formula to help United States wine lovers figure out when a vintage is a bargain. QPR Wines compares critic reviews and retail price data to reveal which bottles are steals and which are rip-offs, according to its founder, Neil Monnens.
Apple Computer on Tuesday unveiled a new mini-computer designed as a hub for digital entertainment, and a home stereo system linked with its popular iPod music player. The mini-PC is Apple’s answer to the so-called digital media hubs that run on Microsoft’s Windows Media Centre platform.
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/ 16 February 2006
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered California to reformulate the lethal-injection method used to kill condemned inmates, saying the original might be unconstitutionally painful. United States District Judge Jeremy Fogel refused to stop the February 21 execution of Michael Morales in San Quentin State Prison, but ruled it can proceed only if a quick-killing drug cocktail were used.