At a P/E ratio of just over 10, Microsoft is historically low. Likely priced into that is the relative dearth of upcoming, impact product revenue streams. Windows 7 has peaked. Windows 8 is still a year or so out. Nextgen consoles are years away. The first fruit from the Nokia partnership, still to be determined. The P/E ratio reflects this. They are an entrenched company, large and powerful, but without mushrooming, new product lines - save the Kinetic.

Apple has a P/E ratio of around 19. Still historically low from the perilous heights of the dot.com bubble and roughly in-line with a growth company (with upside to a ratio of 25). Their EPS are booming each quarter. They have potent new product cycles that are impacting bottom lines every 6 months (if the iPhone 5 launches in September, which would improve product spacing). They are currently searching for a way to leverage the popularity of iOS into the desktop environment and retain great margins across all product lines.

Like Intel, Microsoft has flatlined. The growth is in area where Microsoft doesn't hold any substantial footprint, yet.

President Obama never said space isn't worth out time (your generalization has to hit something), but at $500m per launch, the aging shuttle fleet wasn't cost effective. It never achieved the goal of becoming our affordable pick-up truck to space. Bush's replacement solution for the shuttle was to build the biggest rocket ever, and Texas sized boondoggle that was beset by engineering problems. It was already over-budget and behind schedule. In order to provide more money for proven exploratory solutions (rovers and space telescopes), Obama sought out companies trying to become the first corporations providing LEO solutions. His aim was to reduce the cost of getting to space through free market solutions (which Republicans ironically criticized). Why should we do all the heavy lifting? This way NASA can focus on doing more of the exciting space stuff (Hubble, Spirit, Opportunity, James Webb, Pluto Express) without the cost overruns associated with big lift rockets and an aging shuttle fleet. Obama has stated a goal of a manned mission to an asteroid. Space planes are great optics, and inspiring, but NASA has been moving towards faster/cheaper/better now for years and the aging fleet doesn't meet that standard.

I've got an iPhone 4, with it's associated death grip(e) and continuing proximity sensor issue. It's worked OK to date, a bit slippery, and I love it's electro ice-cream sandwich design (even if it was made to be broken).

That said, this thing seems so problematic that I can't help but think it's Apple's S-Type or X-Type Jaguar. The smart phone everyone will forever associate with problems. It's beautiful form that doesn't allow for any real-life durability.

Kind of like a celebutante.

Peter Gibbons: What would you do if you had a million dollars?

Lawrence: I'll tell you what I'd do, man: two photons at the same time, man.

...non-reflective cuboids whose dimensions are in the precise ratio 1:4:9. They're often accompanied by a creepy atonal choir. Also, they might be full of stars. They were last seen in 2010 turning Jupiter into a mini-star.

PS - hands off Europa

Have they checked the air quality and ventilation of these buildings before ascribing blame to some new technology? Sick school syndrome is real and to blame for many of the symptoms believed to be caused by the offending gamma-powered wi-fi routers.

...a tiny mote of dust listening for a wisp of lint.

With apologies to Carl Sagan

Not sure where I see the logical leap you're to outsourcing our radiology or pathology to foreign countries. The article mentions that this is an emerging marketspace in many countries, but doesn't indicate any multi-national linkage of these telemedicine facilities.

Prince says the 'tubes are over. This from a guy who keeps partying like it's 1999.

"Andrew estimates that the asteroid which struck the Timor Sea was between 5 and 10 km" The crater left was up to 100km in diameter.

What planet did I wake up on today? Republicans criticizing the commercialization of low-orbit space flights? Demanding the return of a gigantic, overbudget, behind schedule rocket to nowhere? Obama for the privatization of space and Conservatives for the continuation of a government monopoly on space? Has everyone gone space crazy?!

Written in '81 and released in '83 by Mattel for Intellivision. It was a first-person perspective "action" RPG. It was likely inspired by Rogue, but provided a unique 3D perspective that provided the game with an immersive quality. Opening a door to find a deadly wraith or the dreaded Minotaur was genuinely spooky. Due to the 3D perspective and the quiet, exploratory nature of the game where you look about levels by roaming hallways and opening doors; It was one of the first games to provide me with sweats, shocks and scares. The sound effects really ratcheted up the tension during "turn-based" battles. My brother and I played this game for months and became addicted to "phat" lootz like platinum shields and weapons. We're surprised it's never mentioned during a discussion of "classic" games from the Atari-age.

Should be noted that this regulation doesn't apply to sets larger than 58" and the reg about using 1 watt during standby is something that should have been done with all electronics years ago.