Cracks seen in Microsoft pricing | CNET News.com:

“But that changed in Thailand this summer when Microsoft decided to offer Thai language versions of Windows XP Home and Office Standard Edition for a mere $40. The special deal is part of a low-cost PC program run by Thailand’s Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) ministry. When the program began earlier this year, the Thai government was only offering the computers with the open-source Linux operating system. ”
…

“Wiggins predicts that by the middle of next year, Microsoft prices in developing countries could be halved. “Some markets may even see adjustments as early as year-end 2003,” he said.”

It’s starting

I am so pissed
I just wrote a long post with a bunch of links and IE/Blogger ate it!!

So, rather than recreate it, i’m just going to do this.

1. Rumors kick around that Iraq is trying to acquire yellowcake uranium ore in Niger.
2. In early 2002, a former US ambassador goes to Niger to investigate the rumors and reports back that the rumors are almost certainly bogus.
3. A few weeks ago, the ambassador goes public with his findings, embarrasing the Bush administration further.
4. A few days ago, an article in Time Magazine reports that the same ambassador’s wife is a CIA operative based on communication from two senior administration officials. This seems like a bad thing for two senior administration officials to do, the sort of thing that can ruin reputations, put lives at risk and destroy a lot of time and hard work. Probably criminal, to boot.

WTF!!!! How can we explain this?
a) Are the senior administration officials stupid?
b) Are they paying back the former ambassador (and sending a message to others) by coming after his family?
c) Are they firing a shot across the bow of the CIA, warning it that it better tow the line, or else?
I don’t like any of these explanations.

I also don’t like that this is happening at the same time that Rumsfield is building his own intelligence infrastructure — especially since they are the ones responsible for a lot more dubious intelligence about Iraq, indicating that either they are particularly stupid, particularly partisan, or both.

Original Link from Metafilter
Original Analysis from The Nation

This isn’t very precise, but it gives an idea of our “investments” in the world outside our borders.

~$3.9 billion a month to operate in Iraq, not including reconstruction costs.

$10-20 billion, in very round numbers, for the entire US non-military aid budget

1/3 of US non-military aid to israel
egyptian aid pegged to 2/3 of israel’s US aid grant

Even if you cynically view foreign aid as a bribe, it looks like we could still afford to pay more such bribes if it means we avoid just one exercise in regime change.