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The Darth Vader of information technology has been very active this year. Precisely when the United States is in the midst of a national debate on critical issues, Bill Gates stands as the poster boy for what is wrong with corporate America. While spewing pleasant sounding descriptions on his version of American history mixed with less than subtle promotion of his corporate agenda, Gates again used the influence of his obscene wealth to ‘encourage’ Congress to do as he says. Here is the first excerpt from his testimony before a Senate hearing in March of this year.

Unfortunately, America’s immigration policies are driving away the world’s best and brightest precisely when we need them most. I appreciate the vital national security goals that motivate many of these policies. I am convinced, however, that we can protect our national security in ways that do less damage to our competitiveness and prosperity.

Moreover, the terrible shortfall in our visa supply for the highly skilled stems not from security concerns, but from visa policies that have not been updated in over a decade and a half. We live in a different economy now. Simply put: It makes no sense to tell well-trained, highly skilled individuals – many of whom are educated at our top colleges and
universities – that the United States does not welcome or value them.

Are you convinced that Bill Gates only has our best interests at heart? You will notice he did not mention why he prefers imported labor rather than the home grown variety. This early in the testimony Mr Gates declined to insult Americans about their abilities to compete for jobs in the tech sector. Later he expresses a ‘concern’ that Americans educated in American schools are 2nd rate but has just stated foreign-born individuals taught at the same schools are the best and the brightest. This is the less than subtle promotion Mr. Gates uses to express his desire for cheaper, more obedient and submissive foreign talent over American candidates.

You are encouraged to read the entire testimony at the link provided. Mr Gates lobbies for American business to be able to educate all the world in our schools and immediately allow the rest of the world to live and work here or else, as he warns, American business will continue to sidestep their responsibility by moving jobs offshore. Here is the most recent evidence of his lack of patience and intent to use whatever means necessary to reach his objective.

Toronto Mayor and Microsoft Canada open digital arts and technology skills centre in Jamestown, Rexdale

Rexdale Pro Tech Media Centre to offer community members skills
development through access to technology and education

MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 3 /CNW/ - Together with Toronto Mayor David Miller,
Microsoft Canada today launched the Rexdale Pro Tech Media Centre in Jamestown
- one of 13 priority neighbourhood areas identified by the City of Toronto for
focused support and investment. The Centre will provide free access to
state-of-the-art technology including digital arts and Microsoft curricula to
introduce Jamestown and Rexdale youth to potential careers in new media while
providing computer literacy skills. The Centre was made possible through joint
collaboration with community partners and by a Microsoft Community Technology
Skills (CTS) grant which includes a cash donation, software, hardware and
technical support valued at over $400,000 CDN.

The story above is one of many examples of Bill Gates and Microsoft bribing officials and communities who are quite willing to accept a deal with the devil to achieve their goals, right or wrong. The country where Gates amassed his wealth receives no ‘give back’ sentiment from the world’s wealthiest individual. His apparent true philosophy is what have you done for me lately.

Canada’s cities shortchanged and tapped out

Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, July 06, 2007
If big cities are to fulfil their potential as the principal drivers of Canada’s economy, they must go far beyond their original role as simple providers of property-related services such as street-building and repair, police and fire services, garbage collection, water and sewer services.

They also need to make themselves attractive to the new generation of knowledge-based revenue generators — those highly skilled people who can live anywhere they choose.

Thursday’s announcement that Microsoft’s first Canadian software development centre will be located in Vancouver underlines the importance of civic amenities that tip the balance when a company can locate wherever it wants.

That’s right. Cave to the power and influence of corporate greed. Nothing helps sustain the repeated use of unethical business practices more than public officials willing to abandon principle to achieve short term gains. Engaging in long term alliances that will require continued disregard for proper public policy runs counter to good government.

The latest indication of Microsoft/Bill Gates’ disinterest in the public good is featured in news related to the GPLv3 licensing and the software giant’s entrance into matters of open source. Currently this blog has no opinion on MS’s responsibility under law, if any, on matters of open source. The only point to be made is whether anyone sincerely expected Microsoft to be truly concerned about advancing the promise of open source? Offering the swamp land in Florida or the Brooklyn Bridge for sale to those who believe that is another scam that would succeed with that mentality.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Microsoft tries evading new GPL grasp

By Stephen Shankland
Fri Jul 06, 2007
Microsoft on Thursday took steps to avoid entanglement with a new version of the General Public License, the most widely used license in the free and open-source software domain.

Microsoft: ‘Your Puny GPLv3 Can’t Hold Us!’

By Terrence Russell
July 06, 2007 | 2:00:52 PM
Steve_ballmer Strange things are afoot over in Redmond. With the release of the GPLv3 last week, it’s already been suspiciously quiet over at Microsoft. Even more perplexing was the software giant’s statement yesterday regarding the GPLv3:

Linux official lines up with Microsoft against GPLv3

‘Too many owners of Linux’ to change basis of free software license
By Paul Krill
The new GNU General Public License (GPL) version 3 is not a fit for Linux because switching would require permission from the kernel’s thousands of de-facto owners, a maintainer of the SCSI portion of the kernel said on Thursday.

At the same time Microsoft released a statement that the company has no obligations under GPLv3.

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Virtuous Republic, Rosemary’s Thoughts, DeMediacratic Nation, Big Dog’s Weblog, Webloggin, Stuck On Stupid, Leaning Straight Up, The Amboy Times, Cao’s Blog, Conservative Thoughts, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, third world county, Planck’s Constant, The Pink Flamingo, Dumb Ox Daily News, Right Voices, and Public Eye, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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