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EU Trade Commissioner Enjoyed MS Hospitality
Brian Blessed writes "Today's edition of The Times contains a report that Peter Mandelson, the EU (European Union) Trade Commissioner, spent New Year's Eve as a guest of Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, in the Carribean on Mr Allen's luxury yacht. The story mentions the conflict of interest that this causes because of the protracted legal battle between Microsoft and the European Commission. Perhaps the Trade Commissioner has also been in a position to influence the progress of European Software Patent legislation?"
Although Mr Allen is no longer directly involved in the management of Microsoft, he remains its second biggest shareholder. There is no suggestion that Mr Mandelson has broken the Commission's code of conduct.
As a rule, rihc and powerful people tend to hang out with other rich and powerful people. I suspect this is more about giving the appearance of impropriety rather than any impropriety itself. Political opponents will try to make hay from this.
"I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey
They buy everything else in sight -- how much can the EU possibly cost, anyway?
Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
What happened to cut-throat politics and business? "If you scratch my back, I still won't scratch yours, but thanks for the scratch."
Well at least we have proof positive that U.S. polititians aren't the only dirty ones.
--"Sorry for the inconvience." Gods Last Words to his Creation
DNA, So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
Ahhh the benefits of centralizing power. Now Microsoft only has to buy off a few flunkies in the EU as opposed to each former European country. Much better for business.
Service guarantees Citizenship! Questions Guarantee GITMO.... Amerika Uber Alles!
During the party on the Octopus, Mr Mandelson and Mr Allen greeted each other, but his spokesman insisted that "there was no substantial conversation" and that the pair merely exchanged pleasantries. This was merely an introduction. The bribes come later.
If you give a liberal an enema, he'll turn transparent.
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This tastes like tinfoil to me. Paul Allen may be the second largest shareholder at Microsoft, but he's long since moved on from the Redmond giant.
I don't think it's a great idea for people like this to be enjoying the luxuries of other rich influential people at all, but I doubt this is a Microsoft specific thing.
This looks more improper than it truly is.
Conservative leaders say that Mr Mandelson, who was twice forced to resign from the Cabinet over allegations of sleaze, should learn the lessons of the past, demanding that he should be "totally open" and branding him "naive".
TWICE?! he was twice forced to resign over allegations of sleaze?! Wow, he either has vicious enemies or he's not so much on the up and up.
Starsucks
I'll extend an invitation to the TC for a hiking/camping trip any time he wants to discuss FOSS. If everything goes well, I'll even break out the marshmallows.
try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
It all started at the party. Peter noticed Paul staring at him the whole time, and knew that he had to do something about it. He walked over to Paul and waited for him to say something. ... talk about those patents?"
Mandleson and Allen gazed longingly into each other's eyes. They knew that the moment was right, and if everything was perfect, there would be magic tonight.
"Whatever shall we do, Paul?" Peter said with a coy smile.
Paul just grinned and patted his hand. "How about we go into the bedroom and
Seriously. Homoeroticism abounds in this article. Two men spending New Year's Eve on the Caribbean in a private yacht? Whoa.
Anyways, to continue the story...
It was a night to remember. The two were up all night long, engaging in passionate discourse about patent restrictions on software in Europe. They say that private bargaining is like eating at a Chinese restaurant - it's not over until everyone gets their cookies. Paul got his patent cookies, and Mandelson got his legal jibblies off.
They knew that they could tell no one, so they told their spokespeople that "there was no substantial conversation" and that they had merely exchanged pleasantries.
I like my version better.
I am scientifically inaccurate.
Political enemies don't have to be personal enemies too, even as fun as it'd be if they were all out for each others blood off of work hours.
If you think you're a hardcore roleplayer, come prove it to us at ArmageddonMUD.
How in the hell he thought it , Either A: acceptable , or B: a good idea , is simply beyond me .
.
.A letter is sometimes all it takes (oh and while you at it , make sure to bug you MEP again about the patents issue)
Here is a man of immense power and persuasion taking what ammounts to a large bribe from microsoft and i have no doubts he was having a good drink enjoying ways to amicably let microsoft off on the fine , the opening up thing , oh and the Patent issue.
Tonight i am going to write a letter to my MEP and urge that they raise a question as to whether he should be thrown out of this position imediatly , and at the very lest that he get some awnsers as to why he thought this behaviour beffiting of a politican.
I do not want large lobby groups and private industry to have a strangle hold over the european commision , and if people like this are in office then i am begining to lose hope
This will not stop me kicking up a fuss , and if you agree with me i urge you to do the same
The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
Reminds me of former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young, who had quite the large collection of priceless gems, for someone who got by on a mayor's salary. There was a reason Detroit kept getting worse and worse and it couldn't all be blamed on Ford, GM and Chrysler.
Isn't Paul Allen away from Microsoft? I thought he left the company and took his billions of $ to pursue his own dreams.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
..his own power.
For those who are not familiar with him, Peter Mandelson is one of the most skilled, cynical and cunning politicians in recent British history. A true heir to Macchiavelli's crown, he has shown himself unparelleled in his ability to attain and retain power. The guy has been sacked from the British cabinet on two occasions, but still managed to emerge with his acreer intact. His trick is to make himself invaluable as the right hand man of the guy with the power. First Blair, now Barrosso. He is not the sort to be bought by Microsoft. He will stay close to them just as long as they are useful to him and no longer. I think this a case where the cynical MS lobbyists have met their match.
First up, he was in the cabinet culminating in Trade Secretary, but had to resign after it was discovered he had taken a loan of £373,000 (about $700,000) from another minister and not declared it in the public records.
A few years later, long enough for Blair but not the rest of the population to forget, he was back "resurrected" as it were (apt, as he's also known as the Prince of Darkness) to be the Northern Ireland secretary. Guess what, not that long after it transpired he was involved with a dodgy claim by some rather wealthy businessmen to gain British passports.
He got the Trade Commissioner job by merit Blair being blind to his foibles. So, now we discover that he's been taking benefits in kind, presumably rather on the sly, from a co-founder of Microsoft that just happens to have been landed with a hefty fine by the EU.
Why am I not surprised?
More here on the esteemed gentlemans career if you don't like bitter and twisted British political mumblings.
ooooooh! What does this button do? - DeeDee, Dexters Lab.
It should say twiced disgraced Peter Mandelson:
m
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1134868.st
Peter Mandelson a very despised person in the UK who much suspicion surrounds (even by his own fellow Labourites). He is associated with New Labour's spin and deceit. Anything new he has his dirty fingers in comes as no suprise.
Like a zombie Mandelson is hard to kill, and keeps coming back in new forms everytime he is gibed.
Linus invited this guy on the same day to hang out, discuss kernal optimization and play some D&D but was turned down in favor of Allen.
Slashdot's first reaction to VMware
Does it not make more sense that the meeting, would involve Allen's role in Virgin Galactic (owned by Richard Branson you remember him, british guy)not his ties with Microsoft and their role in the EU.
A bunch of Tech Stuff
Paul Allen is no longer an employee, partner or shareholder at Microsoft anymore. He gave up everything. The European Council put on Microsoft one of the largest fines EVER imposed by the EU so I doubt very much he was influenced. As for Software patents, I cant wait until they pass, Im a huge supporter.
This suprises you because...? It's peter mandleson, the prince of darkness, the arch overlord of the bad-things.
Gasp! Who would have ever thought.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
In the UK Peter Mandleson was referred to in some sections of the British Media as 'The Prince of Darkness'. I'll leave it up to /. readers to guess why.
He could also be called the 'Comeback King.' He has had to resign twice from high ranking British government positions due to misdemeanors yet has rebounded on both occasions. See http://www.answers.com/topic/peter-mandelson for details.
He is a man to watch closely.
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Slashdot editors can be so disgusting sometimes. The name is "Peter Mandelson", not Mandleson. BBC News Online's Nick Assinder looks at the turbulent career of Peter Mandelson. His "career had twice been dashed on the rocks of sleaze,
Peter Mandelson is apparently the go-to guy in the EU when someone wants something illegal done: "Mr Mandelson had come under pressure to explain his involvment in the passport application of Srichand Hinduja, an Indian billionaire who, along with his brother Gopichand, appeared in court in connection with a 1986 arms dealing scandal."
Conflict of interest is extremely destructive of good government even when it is only the appearance of conflict of interest.
The U.S. government has become a conflict of interest machine: Unprecedented Corruption: A guide to conflict of interest in the U.S. government.
He left MS in 1983.
If only microsoft hadn't dropped its support for gay rights yesterday.
I can see the headlines already:
"Peter, Paul, Married"
There are 2 kinds of people in this world. Those that can keep their train of thought,
Well I never. But then Mandelson is famous for doing this sort of thing.
Does a Christian soccer team even need a goalkeeper?
Hoho, Mandelson never learns.
That is _so_ cute! Cute but annoying.
Pull up a pouffe, son, and allow me to explain. He has learned that he can get away with anything -- because who's going to demand honesty? You? The Labor Party?? He knows you'll vote for whatever keeps the Evil Capitalists away. He's adapted well to the environment you have created for him. A+ for learning, Mr. Mandelson!
You, like the rest of the British public, have failed to learn, preferring the 'bluebottle trying to fly through a closed window' model. This is because as a community you have the self-preservation instincts of a kamikaze plane full of lemmings.
All clear? Recap: he and his freinds are exploiting you and your peers to a degree quite unprecedented in the last 100 years in the UK -- and you are tutting fondly because 'he never learns'. The next phase of this process is extinction.
Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
served some Guacamole.
Wanted : A Signature.
This is old sh1t. Try a similar comparison with SELECT [MEMBER] & [PARTY]_[FROM]_[COUNTRY] & [BACKHANDERS]
From a Politico/al group of your choice - they are all Wealthy|Corrupt|Slippery.
The only difference is that 'some' political systems are a 'little' less twisted+rich (& likely to be lawyers) outside the Rulers Of The World.
Please go stand by the stairs.
If you think that there's no corruption, lobbyism or influence in these spheres, you need a reality check. It is quite possible that Mandleson was influenced by Allen, and it's quite possible that it's exactly why he accepted to go on that yacht. I mean, come on. If OSS developers could afford the same things, you think they wouldn't show off how lucrative their endeavours are? In this particular case, i think the goal was more to share this lucrativity and showing it off just to send the message "What if..".
Or they could just be friends, you know. Those things happen.
A computer makes it possible to do, in half an hour, tasks which were completely unnecessary to do before.
I admit that the powers that be in the US are corrupt. There are many people that claim we have a monopoly on that. It's nice to actually see some evidence on Slashdot that the holier-than-thou Europeans are just as greedy... that subject tends to get ignored by a lot of people around here.
Now mod me flamebait...
if you were a politician, which would you rather do, given the choice?
Right after you're finished with that 3rd world country called Iraq, huh? LOL.
....EU lifted all penalties, sanctions and restrictions from Microsoft. Quoted from the commissioner "After long hard thinking through the New Year, we decided to turn over a new leaf. Those MicroSoft guys work really hard to provide us with an extravegant holiday season...I mean well written software."
I mod down so you can mod up. Your welcome.
Mandleson resigned from the British Cabinet twice for sleaze related activities; it's nice to see that times don't change the man, and he can really stand on his moral podium in Brussels.
You don't want to take a ride on his yacht. It might sink.
The fact is, no one knows exactly what went on except a handful who were on the boat and they aren't going to give a straight answer.
One of the REQUIREMENTS for a job of public responsibility is to be seen AT ALL TIMES to be behaving properly. Don't make excuses for this guy, he knows what is expected of him and it that's too difficult then by all means he can hand his EC job over to someone more deserving of the position.
That Mandleson has been exposed as being bent
Exactly where does it say he's the #2 shareholder of Microsoft? Specifically, it says:
"Has been slowly selling off Microsoft stake ever since [1983."
Moron.
A very impressing ship indeed! Very interesting detail of his yacht... http://kimmershow.com/fileTamer/TheOctopus.pps#54
I'd say that he's also beaten John Morton, too. (Although the specifics of Morton's Fork are to do with tax, the premise can be used anywhere. Just decide the conclusion first, and show how all possible situations will lead to it.)
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
Paul Allen is not affiliated with Microsoft any longer and is not a major shareholder:
sez Yahoo
You may want to revise the incorrect headline.
Frickin' slashdot "editors."
I wonder why he didn't spend time on Eric S. Raymond's luxury yacht? (I suspect because it's actually pronounced Throat Warbler Mangrove.)
bytesmythe
Hypocrisy is the resin that holds the plywood of society together.
-- Scott Meyer
Steve Ballmer is:
Yahoo Finance
You had the tinfoil on and didn't realize it.
http://www.thisishartlepool.co.uk/history/thehartl epoolmonkey.asp/
Although at least they don't have sex with sheep like the Welsh.
Jonathan
...and he doesn't represent one of the major players in terms of patent issues, so the whole "conflict of interest" concern wouldn't be there.
Context is important.
The question is, can you point to the means by which the company in which Allen owns a lot of stock is going to have a "strangle hold" over the commission?
Good question. How did Microsoft manage to pull it off with the US Justice Department?
Mainframe/UNIX Bit Twiddler and long time Windows/Linux Hobbyist.
The Theorem Theorem: If If, Then Then.
check out the list of shareholders:
from Yahoo.
Hey -- it could be! :-)
Mainframe/UNIX Bit Twiddler and long time Windows/Linux Hobbyist.
The Theorem Theorem: If If, Then Then.
More about Mandelson's activities: See "Mandelson and Mortgage Fraud", for example.
Information for non UK readers.
This could be considered off-topic but it looks at the Machiavellian [Niccolò Machiavelli] practice closely associated with Mandelson and the party he serves (UK Labour Party), that of being a spin doctor.
The term spin doctor could be interpreted politely as one who is "responsible for ensuring that others interpret an event from a particular point of view." But the term has grown to cover many dirty tricks.
Now I know that the link between Paul Allen and Microsoft today is at best tenuous, but one does smile over the dreamed of connection between the UK's once King of Spin and the dastardly Microsoft.
Now witness a spin doctor, attached to the same party as Mandelson, in action. This is taken from Britain's Independent newspaper. It has a delicious ending.
While others watched the horrific television pictures from New York and Washington on 11 September last year [2001], Jo Moore, personal spin doctor to the Transport Secretary, Stephen Byers, sent an email saying that it would be a good day to "bury bad news". Obviously, it did not occur to her that emails can be stored on computers - and passed on to journalists. Ms Moore lost her job.
Spin is dreadful practise and sadly its not confined to Politics. For those wishing to pursue further reading on the matter check out SpinWatch
Note to the Slashdot staff. You should ask for readers to write in sometime of their experiences of spin in the companies they work for. Should make for some enlightening reading on a Friday afternoon or a Monday morning for that matter.
From the PowerPoint presentation:
"In 2003, the launch of Paul Allen's 127m (416ft) "Octopus" secured its number one position as the world's largest yacht.
Microsoft's "accidental billionaire" Paul Allen - worth US$20 billion according to Forbes, the third richest man in America and 7th in the world - owns two other monsters yachts such as Tatoosh ranked 3rd in the World in 2003.
Octopus cost Allen over US$200 million and has Permanent crew of 60, including several former Navy Seals. It has two helicopters, seven boats, a 10 man submarine and a remote controlled vehicle for crawling on the Ocean floor. The submarine has the capacity to sleep eight for up to two weeks underwater.
On average, owners must spend a minimum of 10 percent of the purchase price every year to keep these yachts in good working condition and cover crew salaries. Therefore "Octopus" which cost Allen US$200 million requires a US$20 million annual budget."
Dude, an 8 man submarine that can stay underwater for two weeks? Holy fucking shit on a stick.
With the first link, the chain is forged.
Mandelson is also famously closeted, and he has a strange power over the media that once made discussion of his sexuality off-limits on every newspaper and TV channel --- even when it directly affects his job, as happened when he was Northern Ireland secretary and some of the more bigoted terrorist factions refused to deal with him.
There was a hilarious moment when another gay MP accidentally outed him on live TV. The normally very aggressive interviewer was speechless, and wrote Mandy a personal note of apology.
Apparently, neither one of them can obey laws, though both serve to influence their creation. Seems quite the abuse of power to me.
RHCE; are you certified? Karma: ambiguous.
Yes the US is very good at instiutionalized corruption and so is the Old World. To see what fully implemented corruption can really achive take a trip to Africa.
One man's troll and all that.
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.