The tech world entered Halloween weekend with a chill and a gloom: E-Parasites, introduced Wednesday as the House version of the Senate’s “Protect IP” bill — generated immense opposition from bloggers and techies. Critics point to MonsterCable.com as the perfect example of why the legislation is dangerous and overreaching. (more)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hewlett-Packard Co.’s decision to fire CEO Leo Apotheker after just 11 months and replace him with former eBay chief Meg Whitman is another dizzying turn of the executive merry-go-round at a company whose leadership issues are tearing it apart. (more)
Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman is poised to be named CEO of Hewlett-Packard later today after the markets are closed, said multiple sources close to the situation. (more)
Amazon and Ebay, two of the biggest names in online retail, have staked out contrary positions in a debate over the taxation of U.S. Internet shopping, which enables many buyers to escape paying sales tax. (more)
LONDON (AP) — Online auctioneer eBay says that bids for one of the wackiest pieces of royal wedding headgear have approached 18,400 pounds ($30,000.) (more)
Editor’s Note: Have a question for Matt Labash? Submit it here (more)
I think it is finally time to take that trip to Egypt I have been putting off. Chaos. Discontent. Violence in the streets. Witnesses say as many as 10,000 prisoners have escaped amidst the unrest. In Egypt, they call it Cairo. In America, we call it New Jersey. (more)
Despite what many people seem to believe — including more than a few prominent politicians — capitalism cannot happen without capitalists. Put another way: the enormous benefits that come from free enterprise and free markets are not possible without those who have accumulated capital and are willing to place that capital at risk. (more)
By now every observer of American politics is familiar with the phrase “Fire Nancy Pelosi,” especially the soon-to-be-former speaker herself. But even the wonkiest of political creatures will be surprised to learn how a software algorithm led to that meme entering the political landscape. What is bound to shock data-driven technology people is that many Republican insiders completely disagreed with the data, and thought that a campaign targeting Speaker Pelosi wouldn’t ignite public ire. This is the inside story of how Speaker Pelosi found herself the target of the brand of politics she has practiced for years, and how this may well be the year that consumer technologies chose a winning political message; it is also a warning tale to people in the public opinion and mobilization businesses. (more)
Editors Note: Have a question for Matt Labash? Submit it here (more)
How’s this for a provocative start of an article: the Tech Guys advocate attracting 100 million new immigrants to the United States in the next 20 years. Why? For three simple reasons: to expand the economy, to remain the world’s strongest country and to be consistent with American values. (more)
“I’d be safe and warm if I was in L.A. California dreaming on such a winter’s day.”
-The Mamas & The Papas (more)
A star high school athlete is the chief suspect in a recent burglary at the United States Naval Academy that netted the thief gloves, bats, and spikes used by midshipmen, equipment that began appearing for sale on eBay shortly after it was stolen. (more)
Heading into the last couple days of the 2010 midterm election season, Republicans are likely to pick up several statehouses all over the country. (more)
To spend any time at all in California these days is to feel the gale force of Meg Whitman’s money. (more)
It seems unfathomable that Meg Whitman’s $120-million spending bonanza aimed at transforming her from a former eBay CEO into an influential California governor could yield anything less than a victorious return. (more)
California may lean left, but Meg Whitman promised Tuesday that if elected, she would govern from the “right of center” and offered a few new details on her business-friendly agenda to repair the state’s financial ship. (more)
Washington has already moved on to analyzing the impact of a Republican-controlled House, skipping past the question of whether such a change will in fact occur. The avalanche of stories gaming out the angles of a power reversal has begun to run away with the news cycle. (more)
Meg Whitman, the California Republican candidate for governor, has spent a record $104 million of her personal fortune on her campaign, blanketing the state in slick television ads and adding high-priced consultants to her pay roll. (more)
Facebook is now worth as much as $33.7bn based on secondary market transactions, giving the privately held company an implied valuation greater than the market capitalisations of publicly traded internet stalwarts such as Ebay and Yahoo. (more)
