Sun Microsystems has put its weight behind up and coming web 2.0 companies with the launched this week of a new initiative designed to provide UK startups with discounts on Sun technology and services.

"They will also get free technical support – the idea is to help startups make good decisions up front so as their needs go up they can sustain higher traffic," said Sun's Juan Carlos Soto.

War of the Worlds Redux

While the show contained several disclaimers that its contents were fictional, the first came right the beginning of the 55-minute broadcast and the second wasn't aired until 40 minutes later.Watching news coverage of last week's Cartoon Network marketing stunt that put Boston on high alert, I was reminded of the Welles' broadcast. It is clear in hindsight that the reactions to both were overblown and more than a bit comical. But it is equally clear in hindsight, at least to this observer, that the geopolitical backdrop for each provided ample justification for the reactions that followed.Only a month before the Welles' broadcast, England and France relented under pressure from Adolf Hitler and allowed Germay to seize the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia. By then, Germany had already annexed the Rhineland in violation of the Treaty of Versailles and manipulated an Anschluss unification with Austria, land of Hitler's birth.By the time Hitler was demanding the Sudetenland, Western leaders had grown distrustful of the German leader.

Interview With Mike Huckabee; Interview With Mike McConnell

Last night you tried your hand at "Saturday Night Live," during the "Weekend Update" segment. I want to play a little segment of the show. And then we'll talk about it on the other side.

Let's listen.

HUCKABEE: All right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SETH MEYERS, "SNL WEEKEND UPDATE ANCHOR": Even if you won every remaining unpledged delegate, you would still fall 200 delegates short.

(LAUGHTER)

HUCKABEE: Wow. Seth, that was an excellent explanation.

(LAUGHTER)

But I'm afraid that you overlooked the all-important superdelegates. Don't forget about them.

MEYERS: Well, I won't forget about them. But the superdelegates are only in the Democratic primaries.

Tourism Congress celebrates N.D.'s booming industry

The banquet hall of El Rancho Motor Hotel was abuzz with big numbers and fresh ideas Wednesday morning when area tourism stakeholders gathered for a regional 2008 Tourism Congress meeting.At the conference, initiatives were developed for advancing the tourism industry and recent data was presented reflecting growth of the industry throughout the state. After kicking off the tour in Minot on Tuesday, Williston was the second of eight locations that will be hosting these conferences throughout the state, taking place March 4-6 and 11-12.The Tourism Congress is coordinated by the North Dakota Tourism Alliance Partnership (TAP), the Destination Marketing Association of North Dakota (DMAND), and the North Dakota Department of Commerce Tourism Division (Tourism Division). Stakeholders also discussed tourism's economic impact, identified industry challenges and growth opportunities, developed strategies for growth, and prioritized programs and action items for the 2009 Legislative Session.The tourism industry structure was identified in terms of outward oriented industries, supporting industries and economic infrastructure.

Bernard Kerik Enters 'Not Guilty' Plea in Response to Federal ...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Bernard Kerik, former New York City police commissioner and failed nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security, on Friday pleaded not guilty to federal corruption and tax fraud charges, which were announced in an unsealed indictment.

In a news conference Friday with Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service officials, Kerik was painted as a man who used his position as New York's top cop, as well as the city jail commissioner, to gain financially. And officials said he lied to conceal shady dealings with mob-connected businessmen when he applied for his DHS job.

Video: PR Newswire to Acquire Leading Hispanic Press Release, Clipping ...

NEW YORK, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- PR Newswire today announced its acquisition of Hispanic PR Wire, LatinClips, and Hispanic Digital Network, recognizing the need for highly targeted marketing tools among those who communicate with the influential, fast-growing Hispanic market.

"The acquisition of Hispanic PR Wire, LatinClips and Hispanic Digital Network is in line with PR Newswire's mission to enhance our multicultural services in the U.S.

Recession-proofing your career

Far less intense and time-consuming than an MBA program is the in-house training that many employers offer in the latest computer software programs, as well as management techniques. In signing up for such training, you win not only if you stay but also if you have to go.

Update skills

Even if your employer won't pay for updating your skills, do it yourself -- and look at it as a career investment. Elana Zolfo, vice president of corporate programs and continuing education at Dowling College, says she is getting more questions from people she meets at business events regarding what skills they are wise to brush up on in an iffy economy.

Among the most popular short-term classes at Dowling, she says, are business writing, marketing, time management, speaking/presentation skills and customer service.

Wave of New Microsoft Enterprise Products Bring Big Benefits to IT ...

Largest enterprise launch in company history includes Windows Server 2008, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2008; focuses on security, Web, virtualization and better business intelligence.

The launch represents a major milestone to help customers on the road to Dynamic IT, Microsofts initiative to help customers optimize their people, processes and technology, and in turn position IT as a strategic asset for their business.

Breaking News:

The week's second snowstorm could cover the region with twice as much snow as Tuesday's snowfall.The National Weather Service predicted four to six inches of snow would fall north of Dallas before midnight Thursday, causing hazardous road conditions, wrecks and city, school and county department closures all afternoon.In fact, the Melissa ISD decided to open school two hours late on Friday.Greg Patrick, a meteorologist with the NWS office in Fort Worth, said such heavy snow accumulation for the area is very unusual."It's really something," Patrick said. "It's kind of gotten into an active pattern where we've had some strong weather systems that typically move north of Oklahoma and have been moving from January and February moving across Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. Then this past week, this will be the second major storm system that's moved across North Texas."Patrick said a collection of colder air created the heavy snowfall."It basically has to do with where the cold air sets up, where the cold air and warm, moist air sets up," Patrick said.

With Signals Mixed, Stocks Score Few Gains

Bulls, however, took comfort in stocks' ability to hold above their January lows, which suggests that much of the unfolding economic torpor may be reflected in share prices. Late Friday reports suggesting a pending bailout of bond insurer Ambac Financial (ticker: ABK) helped stocks recoup the day's losses quickly and dramatically.

A new stage in the world class struggle: November-December 1995

In December 1995, David Walsh travelled to Europe as part of an international team of reporters to provide on-the-spot coverage of the massive strike wave in France. They studied the strike movement and the political crisis it produced and interviewed strikers, union officials and representatives of various "left" organisations, as well as non-strikers from various layers of the population.

For three and a half weeks in November and December, masses of French workers did battle with the right wing government of President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Alain Juppé.