Even the NSA wouldn't cause a disaster of this magnitude just to spy on everyone.

http://www.opencompute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Open_Compute_Project_Micro-Server_Card_Specification_v0.5.pdf

It uses that connector but the signals are ethernet, SATA, etc. RAM and optionally mSATA are on board.

The failure modes of worn out tyres and lack of fuel suggests that taxing fuel makes a lot more sense from a safety perspective. Tyres don't get replaced that often so the tax on them would have to be fairly significant.

I don't want to share the road with drivers who are being encouraged to get as much use as they can out of their tyres. I don't even want to be a pedestrian near those roads.

Samsung announced they were terminating the LCD supply a few weeks ago:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/10/22/1757207/samsung-terminates-lcd-contract-with-apple

Now we have CPU price going up.

Some commentators have been predicting this for a while:
http://semiaccurate.com/2012/10/23/apple-vs-samsung-samsung-put-the-boot-in-hard/

The other big news in New Zealand related to Kim Dotcom got a very different reaction from the Prime Minister

John Banks ran for the may of Auckland a few years ago and lost. Dotcom and a few others say that he asked Dotcom for a campaign contribution, and then that it should be two lots of $25000 rather than one donation of $50000 because "I want to help you Kim and I can help you more effectively if no-one knows about this donation". Dotcom's security guard late said that Banks confirmed the cheques had been cleared.

Banks later signed the declaration about campaign contributions saying that those (and others) were anonymous. He claims that some staffer filled in the form and that he wasn't responsible even though he signed it. He also can't remember flying to and from Dotcom's mansion in Dotcom's helicopter.

Banks is now the only remaining Member of Parliament for the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers party, having been added to the party shortly before the last election in their only safe seat. Well, it was safe. That party was the most libertarian-leaning in New Zealand. Banks isn't quite that, and any remaining ACT party members probably aren't quite so happy that he is leading changes that look set to spend taxpayer money on schools that teach creationism.

The police have said that they can't charge him with some things as the statute of limitations has passed, and can't prove other things. Dotcom is talking to the media as much as he can, and going to parliament for photo ops. The police have released their file but say that Banks won't allow his statements to be included. Banks says that was the police's decision.

Anyway his one vote is needed by the government so the Prime Minister is saying that he accepts Bank's word that he didn't break the law. He refuses to read the police file.