McCain hails benefits of free trade for Colombians

CARTAGENA, Colombia (AP) — John McCain hailed the economic benefits of free trade to Colombians Wednesday, raising the possibility of an eventual hemispheric-wide agreement even though a weak economy at home has soured many U.S. voters on trade agreements.

The GOP presidential nominee-in-waiting also toured Colombia’s largest port by speedboat to review the country’s U.S.-backed drug interdiction programs, a day after he praised President Alvaro Uribe for Colombia’s anti-drug efforts but pressed him to improve the government’s record on human rights.

McCain was in the country when Colombia freed Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. military contractors from leftist guerrillas, but he didn’t learn of the rescue until he was aboard a flight to Mexico. Uribe called McCain to inform him of the success.

“He told me some of the details of the rescue, the dramatic details,” McCain told reporters. “It’s a very high-risk operation. I congratulate President Uribe, the military and the nation of Colombia.”

As China Prepares For Summer Business Boom, Security Does The Complete Opposite

As China is expecting a boom in business during the 2008 Summer Olympics, its security arrangements are doing the polar opposite.
Beijing, China, is busy preparing to welcome people across the world as it is set to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. China is expecting a boom of business across various industries before and during the Olympic Games. However, China’s security arrangements are doing the exact opposite of what it is preparing to do. Due to the security arrangements, visa restrictions have become increasingly tightened.

Those that are working and/or studying in China find themselves being forced to leave as a result of the tightening restrictions. Those that plan to visit China for leisure or business have to cope with such difficulties.

Making Desktop Linux Work for Business

Today’s IT managers face tough choices. PCs that run fine today have an uncertain upgrade path, now that Microsoft has chosen to discontinue Windows XP. Upgrade costs associated with Vista, coupled with the ever-escalating cost of application licenses, make switching to desktop Linux an increasingly attractive option.

For many businesses, however, it’s difficult to know where to begin. The Linux market is broad and thriving, with myriad options to choose from. Most organizations will want to phase in Linux gradually, which in many cases will mean supporting a heterogeneous computing environment for the first time. As a result, it can be hard to predict where software incompatibilities might affect critical business processes.

[ If Vista has you looking to make the Linux switch, be sure to also check out Linux-based alternatives to Vista and The great desktop switch: From Windows to Linux ]

Fortunately, the future of Linux on the business desktop has never been brighter. Bolstered by contributions from some of the biggest names in IT, today’s Linux offers a rich, highly functional user experience to compete with any proprietary OS. With appropriate planning, integrating a limited number of Linux desktops into your existing environment can be undertaken with minimal difficulty, paving the way for a broader migration tomorrow.

Fiddler MacIsaac offers half of future revenues to winning eBay bidder

Fiddler Ashley MacIsaac, as known for his attention-seeking stunts as his musical talents, has launched an online auction to sell half of his future revenue.

In an eBay listing, the 33-year-old musician says he’ll share 50 per cent of his future receipts with a winning bidder until the day he dies.

The deal also includes a concert a year for the next decade, located wherever the winner chooses.

As of Wednesday afternoon, one anonymous eBay account holder has met MacIsaac’s starting bid of $1.5 million. The auction ends July 7.

The Cape Breton-born, Toronto-based fiddler is reportedly working on a new album.

Considered a musical prodigy since his childhood, MacIsaac rose to fame in the mid-1990s for mixing contemporary rock ‘n’ roll elements with traditional Celtic music.