States seek extra oversight of Microsoft
,----[ Quote ]
| The antitrust settlement barred Microsoft from certain anticompetitive
| behaviors, such as seeking deals with computer makers to exclude competing
| software, and sought to ensure that Microsoft couldn't use its operating
| system monopoly to stifle competition.
`----
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070911/ap_on_hi_te/microsoft_antitrust
Microsoft's 2004 EU-imposed antitrust sanctions
,----[ Quote ]
| The European Commission imposed two remedies and a fine against Microsoft
| in March 2004 after judging the software giant competed unfairly. The
| company challenged that decision at the Court of First Instance
| in Luxembourg.
`----
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKL0174832320070910?rpc=44
Convicted criminal. Fact, not opinion. And guess what? It has just gotten its
way after heavy lobbying and extortion (Canada, see below).
Governors throw support behind H-1B increase
,----[ Quote ]
| A congressional push this year for an increase in the H-1B visas coveted by
| Silicon Valley companies seemingly evaporated with the death of a contentious
| immigration bill. But 13 state governors say the politicians must revive that
| effort--and soon, please.
`----
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9776360-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
How many of those are the ones Microsoft pays to lobby?
Related:
Microsoft sings 'O Canada' amid immigration challenges
,----[ Quote
| The new software development center will open somewhere in the
| Vancouver, British Columbia, area and will be "home to software
| developers from around the world," Microsoft said in a statement
| on Thursday.
|
| "The Vancouver area is a global gateway with a diverse population,
| is close to Microsoft's corporate offices in Redmond, and allows
| the company to recruit and retain highly skilled people affected
| by immigration issues in the U.S.," Microsoft said.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6195049.html
Microsoft laments demise of immigration bill
,----[ Quote ]
| The major immigration reform bill that was heavily lobbied by Microsoft and
| other technology companies was dealt its death blow in the Senate today and
| appears to be done for the next two years at least.
`----
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/techtracks/archives/2007/06/microsoft_laments_the_demise_of_immigration_bill_1.html
Study: There Is No Shortage of U.S. Engineers
,----[ Quote ]
| ...a new study from Duke University calls this argument bunk, stating
| that there is no shortage of engineers in the United States, and
| that offshoring is all about cost savings.
`----
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2111347,00.asp
Is There a Shortage of U.S. Tech Workers?
,----[ Quote ]
| Speaking before a Senate committee earlier this month, Gates said
| that America is facing a critical shortage of tech workers. He
| recommended boosting the number of H-1B visas to allow more foreign
| tech workers into the U.S.
|
| [...]
|
| "I think that has created an environment where the population of advanced
| skill workers has shrunk a lot in the U.S., because we just haven't created
| a fair system," he says. "Where if you go to other countries, you'll find
| national policy around broadband deployment, which creates a much more even
| playing field for people of all income levels to learn by and work by."
|
| "We did it to ourselves," he says.
`----
http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/career/article.php/3667376
Visas for High-Tech Workers Draw Query
,----[ Quote ]
| Two senators are questioning several companies about their use
| of a visa program for highly skilled workers.
|
| [...]
|
| The high-tech industry has long complained that too few visas are
| available. Microsoft Corp. is among a group of companies that has
| pushed for increasing the available visas.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070514/high_tech_visas.html?.v=1
Gates calls for 'infinite' H-1Bs, better schools
,----[ Quote ]
| Politicians indicated they're also willing to take cues from Gates
| as they craft new laws in the immigration area. In his testimony,
| Gates said there's only one way to solve what he deemed a
| "crisis"-level shortage of qualified scientific talent: "Open our
| doors to highly talented scientists and engineers who want to live,
| work and pay taxes here."
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-11153_22-6165166.html
Bill Gates to address Senate panel
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates is scheduled to descend on Capitol Hill
| next week to pepper a U.S. Senate committee with his suggestions for
| boosting American competitiveness.
`----
http://news.com.com/2061-10796_3-6163930.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-20&subj=news
Politics and tech companies: follow the money
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft took first place with $651,100 given out, while
| Hewlett-Packard gave only $185,550, and Gateway gave a paltry
| $2,000. Microsoft's donations certainly illustrate well the true
| size of the company and the extent of its political concerns.
|
| [...]
|
| For instance, Microsoft's PAC spent $1.7 million in the 2006 election
| cycle, but only a third of this went to federal candidates. What
| happened to the rest? It went to local campaigns, paid out a few
| thousand dollars at a time to groups like "Boal for Iowa House" in
| Ankeny, IA. It also funded other PACs like the "Associated Republicans
| of Texas" and the "Blue Dog Political Action Committee." No race is
| apparently too small to be funded; even Indiana State Representative
| Terri Austin of Anderson, IN got $500.
| Lobbyists
|
| But the real money isn't even given to the candidates directly. It
| goes to lobbyists, which can be safer investments since they stand no
| chance of losing at the polls. The complete-year figures from 2005
| show that Microsoft spent $8.7 million on lobbyist expenses. Almost
| a million dollars of that money went to Covington & Burling, a
| lobbying firm that also represents the National Football League and
| the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America. Microsoft's
| total spending on lobbying has risen substantially from the $4
| million it spent in 1998.
|
| [...]
|
| Where does it come from?
|
| Although some of this money comes from large employee donations,
| most of it does not. Take Microsoft, for instance; the Center for
| Responsive Politics says that the company received only $302,599
| from individual donors who gave more than $200 in this election
| cycle, only a small fraction of the $1.7 million actually spent.
| As is typical, much of this money came from the company's top
| brass, while the rest was made up of small contributions.
|
| The maximum individual contribution to a PAC is $5,000 a year.
| Melinda, whose occupation is listed in Federal Election Commission
| records as "homemaker," regularly contributes this amount, as does
| Bill. Steve Ballmer coughed up, too. Microsoft can use general
| company funds to support the PAC and its operations, but cannot
| give directly to candidates.
`----
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061110-8194.html
|
|
