So you're thinking about upgrading to Microsoft Vista

After about six years Microsoft has come out with a new and exciting operating system, Microsoft Vista. Most people that have tested it have given it high marks compared to Windows XP. But what's required to run this new OS? I've got a rundown for you from Microsoft's web site.

1. 800mhz CPU
2. 512MB RAM
3. 20GB HD with 15GB free
4. CD-ROM drive/DVD

From what I hear, it might come as a DVD disc.

Hacker [Muslix64] makes name for himself, cracks Bluray and HD DVD code

The Advanced Access Content System Licensing Authority (AACS LA) on its Web site stated that it "confirmed that AACS Title Keys have appeared on public Web sites without authorization."

They have attempted to seal up HD DVDs and Bluray DVDs from being copied. Unfortunately, since these DVDs were readable on PCs, Muslix64 was able to find the keys that was residing in memory.

Doh.

Florida state legislators worked hard over the weekend to reduce skyrocketing home insurance rates

Citizens across the state of Florida were looking to the state to help them against losing their homes. And it seems like they have something in the making. After being flooded by calls, mail, and faxes, state legislators are frantically looking for a solution on how to preserve the economy admist a growing home insurance crisis. Due to the increased hurricane activities, home insurance rates have gone up across the state.

Sun Sentinel, one of the newspapers in south Florida, described it best. This is a historic, almost unprecedented event...both Democrats and Republicans sitting in meeting rooms working together to try to come up with an answer.

By Sunday evening, a deal came together that highlighted a level of bipartisanship and urgency in the Legislature that hasn't been seen for years in Tallahassee.

Source: Sun Sentinel

If you're a Florida resident, you should be proud -- your legislators worked hard to get this issue fixed!

Apple Lawyers Bully Bloggers Over iPhone Skins

You would think Apple would learn from bullying geeks from blogging. They've already lost one case when they attempted to get the anonymous source that tipped off one of their releases. Now they are bullying people that's posting about their iPhone user interface...claiming copyright infringement!

It might just be a freshman lawyer who doesn't understand the idea of fair use and free speech. But one thing is clear, Apple is no Google. Google's ideology is exchange and freedom of information, "do no evil"...while in contrast, Apple is restrictive, making any excuse to threaten bloggers if they feel their intellectual property rights are stepped on (which they aren't in this case).

For more information on how Apple's been threatening geeks and bloggers, view these links:

Techcrunch: Apple Bullies Bloggers, Again

Techdirt: ould Apple's Lawyers Really Not Understand That Reporting Isn't Copyright Infringement?

So how's the Internet reacting? Just view these comments from techcrunch.com:

# hornswaggled
January 13th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
First Cisco and now this. I am not a Mac guy but they are not winning me over with these kind of moves. When will these companies embrace the blogging community?

# Morgan
January 13th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
I’ve never seen a community more willing to bend over for a company than Apple fans. Totally closed, secretive, often overpriced and protective, defaults to DRM in iTunes, litigious, and just arrogant. If it were any other company people would get truly angry. With Apple it’s always a sigh leading into breath-holding for the next big announcement.

# Robert Dewey
January 13th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
I’m an Apple fan, and I can surely say this is crap. If they want users to switch from PC to Mac, they need to take the “don’t be evil” approach. When a prospective Mac user sees this, you can bet they’ll change their mind…

# John
January 13th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
When Jobs and Apple get out from under their “options” scam I’ll bother to look at Apple Inc’s issue with bloggers and legality.

# Jorge
January 13th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Apple users are like abused lovers: you can beat them all you want, but they’ll never complain, and they’ll even defender the abuser.
So much for Apple empowering its users…

# Spencer P
January 14th, 2007 at 6:37 am
Apple is definitely the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation of our day.

# Scott N.
January 14th, 2007 at 9:57 am
It’s incredible to me that apple is able to preserve their reputation when they pull this sort of thing on a semi-regular basis. They’ve become just as ridiculous as the competition.

Pelosi shows her stupidity - wants to increase American Samoa's wages

I have studied American Samoa and its economy last year for an IPP report (business paper). I looked at its history, and where it stands in the world. They are one of our territories. They are U.S. nationals but not citizens; hence, they cannot vote but has every other privilege an American has. One of their main industries is tuna processing and they are being paid at a lower wage than mainland USA because of the cost of living. This gives employers like Del Monte the ability to employ a significant amount of the population which would otherwise go to jobs in Asia or other low-cost countries. In short, Del Monte and StarKist (yes makers of Chicken of the Sea) have been able to single handedly feed the island.

Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi apparently wants this all change. She wants to increase the minimum wage laws in the area and double the cost of labor for these companies. The Samoan people have asked these companies to hire them and have had public hearings on how much they should be paid. Now Pelosi and her aides want to ruin that.

What's the risk of increasing minimum wage?

Non-voting Rep. Eni Faleomavaega said, "decrease in production or departure of one or both of the two canneries in American Samoa could devastate the local economy, resulting in massive layoffs and insurmountable financial difficulties."

The island's prominent politician has clearly said it. If you increase the labor pressures against the two tuna companies that have done so much for American Samoa, two things will happen. Either the price of tuna will increase and the two companies will probably go bankrupt because foreign tuna companies will beat its pricing, or they will simply leave the island and go to an offshore location.

Why I call this the stupidity of Pelosi

Any congressman or senator that goes along with this plan I consider stupid. Why such a harsh word? Because they are about to make a whole island suffer and a significant amount of the population will become unemployed. There are no other major employers in American Samoa. It isn't like they could just move around freely and get a job like in the mainland.

Politicians who do not take into account local culture and the local economy are stupid. Very very stupid.

Update - What gift to get my wife "contest"

Just an update of what I got for my wife's birthday. I stuck with the classics - flowers and dinner with friends and family. I threw in a digital camcorder and a black video iPod for kicks.

Now on to Valentines Day gift ideas. If you have a gift idea that I will use, I'll ship you a free business investment book titled Investing Without Losing as a thank you!

Why People Give Gifts
There are many ways to show love. You can do it by an action of kindness, a song, a hug, or a gift. As we give gifts to our love ones for whatever reason, whether it's Christmas or a birthday, always remind yourself why you are giving. It's not to meant to impress but to show that you love.