Summary: Washington's commerce to be handled by a Microsoft person as Microsoft's H-1B workers fiasco continues; DHS, Harvey Mudd College, and VMware/EMC influence noted

Microsoft's former employees -- including some from the executive/senior ranks -- are still entering positions of political or corporate power where they can cause greater harm to society and promote Microsoft's interests that are typically adverse to society's. Microsoft's Rogers Weed is the latest example:

Gov. Chris Gregoire has named former Microsoft Vice President Rogers Weed to lead Washington's commerce activities.

She made the announcement Tuesday at a speech to business groups in Seattle. Gregoire says he'll work to keep the companies and jobs Washington has and to bring new ones to the state.

The Seattle Times covered this too.

Washington needs to stake out its future even as it struggles to cope with a deepening national recession, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Tuesday, introducing a former Microsoft executive to run a newly named state Department of Commerce.

Later on we realise that Microsoft is using its positions to harm the interests of the entire country. With its cronies in charge of important chairs, Microsoft gets to do whatever it feels like and always as it pleases. In fact, it's already hiring more cheap labour that it defrauded the States for.

Microsoft cut some H-1B workers but will hire more

Microsoft Corp. is letting H-1B workers go as part of its plan to lay off about 5,000 employees over 18 months, but the vendor will continue to hire visa holders as well, according to a letter that it sent to Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) last week.

We've already covered Microsoft's intervention in the Department of Homeland Security and here is some more coverage, for future reference:

• Microsoft exec appointed to DHS post
• Microsoft exec appointed to DHS post (mirror/copy)
• Microsoft exec to join DHS as CIO nominee gets tangled in FBI raid
• Microsoft Executive Tapped For Top DHS Cyber Post

Interestingly enough, it's a only the 'Microsoft press' where we could find coverage of this, namely CNET (with copy in CNN), BetaNews where Scott F. is still writing, and the Washington Post, which the Gates family keeps under its thumb. As the following article explains very briefly (it's a potpourri of reports):

Phil Reitinger, who is the Chief Trustworthy Infrastructure Strategist in Redmond, late this week was appointed the nation's new Cybersecurity Czar.

This came one day after his VP testified in congress about cyber terrorism, and within a week of the previous czar's resignation. Rod Beckstrom claiming a turf struggle with the National Security Agency over Cybersecurity was too much to take.

Why is Microsoft allowed a place in the DHS anyway? Microsoft's intentions of solving a problem that Microsoft itself created?

Another case of Microsoft influence will be Harvey Mudd College, whose President Maria Klawe joins Microsoft's board of directors. This was covered in:

• Noted Canadian Joins Microsoft's Board
• Microsoft names Maria Klawe to board of directors

Last but not least, Microsoft's grip on VMware is tightening, thanks to its partner of the year, EMC. Vance reports:

If EMC does plan to sell off its controlling stake in VMware, the company is maintaining a spectacular poker face.

On Tuesday, EMC held its first broad strategy update in almost three years. The company’s chief executive, Joe Tucci, presided over the affair, more than half of which centered on the virtualization software sold by VMware.

[...]

Mr. Maritz, once a top executive at Microsoft, boasted that VMware has shifted towards building a virtual operating system that runs not just servers but also storage and networking gear.

For a bit of background on Microsoft's role, confer [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. ⬆

Screwing one's way into rival territory