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Firm Behind Novell Bid Has Shady Past, Could be Tied to Microsoft (Paul E. Singer's 'Vulture Fund')

"...Microsoft wished to promote SCO and its pending lawsuit against IBM and the Linux operating system. But Microsoft did not want to be seen as attacking IBM or Linux."

--Larry Goldfarb, Baystar, key investor in SCO





Summary: A detailed analysis of the pseudo-firm (Elliott) that wants to buy Novell and how the bid came about

OVER the past couple of days we have written three posts about the bid to buy Novell, namely:

  1. Novell May be Going Private, Hedge Fund Has Cash
  2. Analyst Expects Microsoft Bid to Buy Novell
  3. Ron Hovsepian Receives Another Large Lump of Cash as Novell Sale Looms


Few people appear to have actually paid attention to the source of the funds. We had a long discussion about this in IRC last night and we append the logs at the bottom (the relevant parts). While Novell's whitepapers against Red Hat are being bumped up (we mentioned this twice last week and it still happens), there is also a great deal of distraction away from Novell's trial against SCO. It is almost as though the bid came at a very strategic time, as we shall explain a little later.

Some Background



First of all, where did the bid come from? It's a man called Paul E. Singer, who has a shady past; he also engages in some outrageous activities, which in some countries might actually land him in jail. Singer is the man behind Elliott and here is the type of things he is doing:

His other activities do not strike me as exactly praiseworthy, either. Buying up debt from poor countries and forcing repayment may make him rich, but it does not help out the masses in those places, people who are hardly to blame for the fecklessness of their leaders.

Men like Singer, operating under the radar, have distorted our national life and international reputation to such a degree that we are really having trouble figuring out what's causing our current malaise. They simply do what they please and make the rest of us stick it. It seems like the NYT has finally done its job here of informing the public.


To put a long story short (in a nutshell), this guy probably belongs in prison. He is a parasite to entire nations. In the New York Times, Singer's firm is described as a "vulture fund". Here is another item about him, titled "Vulture Economics"

Elliott has done this in strapped developing countries such as Peru, Argentina, and the Republic of Congo where local press reports have labeled the company a “vulture investor.”


Peru, Argentina, and the Republic of Congo are all the countries we were able to identify as victims of Singer's infinite greed. The word "vulture" in the name fits well also with Intellectual Vultures (another common nym for Intellectual Ventures, which we covered in the previous post). Intellectual Ventures is picking up patents from dead/dying companies, whereas Singer does that with national debt. He also preys on dying companies as we will show in a moment.

Novell's Stake



Groklaw cites an article that says "Linux finally breaks even" [at Novell] and then it says: "So is that indicating that Elliott Management has it exactly backwards?"

“So... would that mean all the dirt on Microsoft or whoever else is behind the SCO attack on Linux that likely surfaced in discovery in SCO v. Novell would disappear from the planet?”
      --Pamela Jones, Groklaw
Not really. We'll get to that later. Linking to this article from a Microsoft booster, Groklaw speculates: "Taking profits... is that all this was about, maybe?"

Groklaw explored the background of Singer and his pseudo-firm (they contribute nothing). It links to many reports about Novell's results and then comes to the realisation that Singer wants to take Novell private. "Private," asks Groklaw, "They want to take it private? So... would that mean all the dirt on Microsoft or whoever else is behind the SCO attack on Linux that likely surfaced in discovery in SCO v. Novell would disappear from the planet?"

Nice timing, eh?

Here is the press release, which had Groklaw say: "What a coincidence. Just on the eve of trial in SCO v. Novell. Elliott says they own 8.5% of Novell's common stock."

The Inquirer links this disruptive news to the SCO trial as well:

JUST BEFORE the trial opens in the SCO v. Novell lawsuit, investment fund Elliott Associates has offered to buy Novell for $2 billion.

[...]

While Novell seems fairly likely to win, SCO seems to have a sympathetic federal judge on its side and will certainly try to sway the jury. Since the issue is over whether Novell actually owns the Unix copyrights then it could get messy.

For Elliott to benefit from its offer to buy Novell, it might be gambling either that the share price might increase dramatically after the trial is over and the inevitable appeals are decided, or that the shares might take a real battering during the judicial process, making the company relatively cheap to acquire, or both, in which case it might stand to make a lot of money.


Regarding this coverage from Boston, Groklaw says: "If this is a Microsoft play, I would imagine the antitrust complaints will be filling the sky in no time."

Well, guess what? "Novell, Inc. Investor Alert: Offer under investigation," says this new press release.

An investigation on behalf of current long term shareholders in Novell, Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:NOVL) concerning shareholder claims over potential breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law in connection with an alleged unfair takeover was announced.


It's not too crazy to assume or at least suspect that Microsoft is playing by proxy here. Microsoft did fund SCO in this way, in order to prolong the lawsuit against Linux. As we showed a few days ago, Microsoft is attacking Google by proxy and no longer hides this, either. "So Microsoft admits it is behind the investigations that have been initiated," wrote Groklaw. "They make it sound like they just answered some questions, but the truth is, I remember very well Microsoft predicting this was going to happen. It *could* be a coincidence, I suppose. Snort. Anyone can lodge a complaint, and when that happens, it has to be investigated to see if it's legitimate, I suppose, so anyone who wants to harass a competitor certainly can. By the way, would you like to know why more people use Google? I can tell you why I do. Because their algorithms work better and you can find what you are looking for reliably and quickly, and Google Search worked better FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY it was made available to the public, before there was any effect from any numbers of users."

Watch Steve Ballmer and his buddies being a bunch hypocrites, suggesting that Google did not play by the rules. Who on Earth do they think they are to make such allegations? Wow. Just wow.

Let's look at Singer again. Groklaw goes back to older articles from months ago. From December it pulls:

“Now the party is truly over,” Paul Singer, founder of the $16 billion hedge fund, wrote in a confidential letter to investors Oct. 15, obtained by MarketWatch. “The current economic and market environment resembles the one for which Elliott was formed.”

To do so, Mr. Singer is looking to to raise money from investors, the report said. Elliott could round up roughly $2 billion next year by inviting existing investors to commit more money, MarketWatch said, citing one investor who’s adding to positions and spoke on condition of anonymity.


Here is that magic number again:

Elliott, which Singer started in 1977, is looking to raise money to take advantage of the situation. The firm could take in about $2 billion next year by inviting existing investors to commit more money, according to one investor who's adding to positions and spoke on condition of anonymity.

[...]

Most investment firms shun large, complicated bankruptcies and other complex situations, but Elliott actively seeks them out. As a former corporate-finance attorney and Harvard Law School graduate, Singer seems to relish the chance to control the outcome of investments through litigation.

The current bankruptcy wave should provide lots of complex situations for Elliott to delve into. Moody's Investors Service counted 250 defaults by companies it rates, through the end of November. That's already higher than any previous year.


$2 billion? What an interesting number. Coincidence? It was less than a month later (just after calling for raising of money) that Singer put money in Novell.

Elliott began acquiring Novell stock on Jan. 4 and controls about 8.5 percent of the company.


Almost exactly 2 month later he sent a letter offering to buy the whole of Novell, via someone called Cohn (see details in the log below). From late January we have this:

Hedge Funds Sue Porsche for Billion Lost on VW



A group of hedge funds filed a lawsuit on Monday against Porsche SE and two former executives, accusing the German sports car company of lying and illegally manipulating shares of Volkswagen A.G., thus costing the funds more than $1 billion in trading losses.

The funds — Elliott Management, Glenview Capital Management, Glenhill Capital Management and Perry Partners — say Porsche schemed to secretly corner the market in VW’s stock beginning in early 2008 as part of calculated attempt to eventually take over the company.


"Hedge fund Elliott accuses rival of espionage," said Reuters on February 26th (less than one week before the Novell bid):

Hedge fund Elliott Management Corp sued Cedar Hill Capital Partners LLC on Tuesday, alleging its rival engaged in corporate espionage by misappropriating its proprietary software used for trading.


In February we find this:

Greenlight and Elliott Said to Help Ross Raise $1.1 Billion



[...]

Ross and his partners in the real estate firm Related Companies, Jeff Blau and Bruce Beal Jr., got the funds in a private placement managed by Deutsche Bank, said the person, who declined to be identified because the talks are private.


Here is some more coverage about the bid which came less than a month later:



Elliott said it would pay $5.75 a share in cash for Novell, a price that is 21 percent higher than Novell’s closing stock price on Tuesday. Wall Street’s initial response to the bid, announced after the stock market closed, was to anticipate the possibility of a higher offer


It's unsolicited, so it's somewhat hostile. In the logs below we show the connections between Singer and Icahn, who helped Microsoft take over Yahoo! without paying much at all. "Elliott Associates makes $2 billion unsolicited bid for Novell," says this article.

New York based Elliott Associates manages more than $16 billion of capital for large institutional investors and wealthy individuals, and already holds 8.5 per cent stake in Waltham, Massachusetts-based Novell and has offered to acquire the remaining 91.5 per cent at a premium of 21 per cent over Novell's Tuesday closing price.


It's important to remember that Singer only put his tokens in Novell two month ago. The takeover is a recent idea, which dates back to the latest round of SCO-Novell litigation. Here is an interesting new post from Reuters. It's saying that "Elliot’s Novell buyout [has] approach to making money".

In fact, Elliott is no stranger to this type of deal, having made similar offers to a handful of small tech companies in the past. Typically, it owns large stakes in the companies it goes after. Last year, it was part of a private equity team that acquired MSC Software for about $360 million.

Elliott also offered to buy Packeteer, another small Nasdaq-listed tech company it owned a large stake in, but it was eventually acquired by Blue Coat Systems in 2008. Another company Elliott went after was Epicor Software, but that bid was unsuccessful.

In 2006, Elliott was part of a group led by tech-focused private equity firm Francisco Partners that took bar-code scanner maker Metrologic private. Two years later, Honeywell acquired Metrologic for $720 million.


Novell and SCO



There is something similar happening in SCO at the moment, amid seemingly-endless litigation. Groklaw has some new articles that include Novell's objection to Yarro's proposed loan to SCO. We wrote about it last week. Former SCO executives offer to rescue SCO financially while the company sells whatever it has left, except the lawsuit against Linux. "SCO Proposes Selling its Mobility 'Business'... to Darl McBride," reports Groklaw. This is pretty major because SCO fired Darl McBride a while back. Had he not been fired, nothing would be sold to him for a cash infusion to enter SCO's coffers.

SCO's Chapter 11 Trustee Edward Cahn not only proposes to let Ralph Yarro "loan" some money to the company at what Novell calls egregiously inequitable terms -- inequitable to everyone but Ralph Yarro and the gang, that is -- but now he proposes to sell SCO's "mobility business", which not long ago SCO said was worth millions, if I recall correctly, to another SCO insider, Darl McBride, for $35,000.

[...]

Update 2: Get a load of the assets going for $35,000. Not only do the copyrights and the source code go to the buyer, but there are 12 servers in the deal, 13 domain names, and 10 developer smartphonees. You find the list in Exhibit C Part 6, which begins with a list of the source code products involved in this transaction, but I notice something else.


This has been covered by the British press [1, 2, 3] and by Slashdot. They all cite Groklaw.

BLUSTERING BAD-BOY SCO is the zombie of the IT industry. The outfit keeps getting pummelled in court but it keeps on coming.

For ages SCO and its lawsuits should have died, serveral times. The company has run out of cash and its claims looks deader than Ramesses III without the bandages.

However, according to Groklaw the outfit's Chapter 11 Trustee, former federal Judge Edward Cahn, has asked the bankruptcy court to let SCO sell off its "mobility business" for just $35,000.


Groklaw then wrote about "Petrofsky's objection to SCO's Yarro 'loan' motion"

Novell objected vigorously to SCO's Motion for PostPetition Financing, the proposed Ralph Yarro "loan" to SCO which also involves granting "security interests and superpriority administrative expense status", and now there's a second objection, from Al Petrofsky. This will not surprise us. What would surprise us would be the court granting the motion. To give you a taste of the flavor of this filing, here's the first paragraph of the introduction:


SCO is running out of money (no money to even pay lawyers) and Novell is blocking a cash infusion to SCO. How timely is that takeover attempt by Singer and his new, unspecified funds that he rallied for?

Novell's Finances



For completeness, we also wish to remind readers that Novell's financial results actually disappointed investors (Groklaw apparently gets it wrong). Here is a report titled "Novell Sales Fall 6% and Disappoint Investors (NOVL)" (also in Fox and in Trading Markets).

Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL) reported fiscal Q1 EPS of $0.07, inline with consensus estimates.

Sales in the quarter fell 6% year-over-year to $202.6 million, and came in short of consensus estimates of $207.6 million.


Here is a video from a financial Web site that covers this and here is the discussion at LWN.

Other coverage of interest:

Trading Update for Novell Inc

Stocks Levitating Above Unchanged Mark In Mid-Afternoon Trading - U.S. Commentary

After the markets closed for trading on Thursday, software solutions provider Novell Inc. (NOVL) reported a higher profit in its first quarter, helped by lower operating expenses. Earnings for the quarter were in line with estimates, but revenues fell short. Looking ahead to the second quarter, Novell expects revenues to be flat sequentially.


Novell Q1 Profit Rises - Quick Facts

Novell, Inc. (NOVL: News ) Thursday reported first quarter GAAP net income of $20 million or $0.06 per share, compared to $11 million or $0.03 per share in the prior year period. Non-GAAP net income for the quarter was $25 million or $0.07 per share, compared to $24 million or $0.07 per share in last year quarter.


Novell Bids Farewell to NetWare

Novell NOVL reported mixed first-quarter results and our fair value estimate is unchanged. Total revenue fell 6% over the prior-year quarter, as a steady stream of maintenance revenue offset a 25% decline in software licenses.


Novell says Linux now breaking even

Novell profits increase in 2010's first quarter

Novell reports increase in profit despite sales decline

Options Activity for Novell Inc

Novell Q1 net revenues down 6% to $202m

A lot of people mention Novell's cash reserves but rarely do they mention Novell's huge debt

Here is Novell India's Country Head speaking about stimulus:

Sandeep Menon. Country Head, Novell India, said the budget reflects the governments confidence in the Indian economy. “I am particularly please to note that there has been no knee jerk reaction to withdrawing the fiscal stimulus, as I don’t think the time is right yet,” he said.


Last year we wrote about the rumour that Novell was selling at least parts of the company, but Novell probably didn't see the Singer bid coming. Where did the money come from? To summarise the above, Singer sought $2 billion from investors back in December, then he bought part of Novell's shares in January. He made the bid ($2 billion) just days before the SCO trial was supposed to resume; the funds he received remain secret because it's a private firm and if he takes over Novell, then Novell's secrets (including discovery in the SCO case) will also remain secret, unless they choose another route (which Singer et al can veto).






Boycott Novell logo

IRC: #boycottnovell @ FreeNode: March 4th, 2010

Chips_B_MalroyHello, some background on Eliot the hedge fund.  Its run by Paul E. Singer    http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/22/us/politics/22singer.html?_r=2&oref=sloginMar 04 00:21
phIRCe-BNcTitle: The New York Times > Log In .::. Size~: 9.61 KBMar 04 00:21
MinceRschestowitz: the Free State of Indiana? :>Mar 04 00:21
DaemonFCif some drunk breaks in, I'd want her to be able to shoot them before they did who knows whatMar 04 00:21
DaemonFCMinceR, I'm not going to start something, but you better believe that I'll end itMar 04 00:22
DaemonFCyou better have a death wish if you break into my homeMar 04 00:22
*vermilionnnn has quit (Quit: Leaving.)Mar 04 00:22
Chips_B_MalroyElliott Associates, L P is a "private" company, meaning I cannot find out who deposits money thereMar 04 00:23
DaemonFCChips_B_Malroy, I think that's the pointMar 04 00:23
Chips_B_MalroyBut that in itself should be a problem for the Fund trying to try over Novell, shouldn't it?Mar 04 00:23
Chips_B_Malroyanti-trustMar 04 00:24
DaemonFCMinceR, If they fire the police and there's nobody to "protect" me, I'm going to assume that leaves me to protect myselfMar 04 00:24
DaemonFCand will do soMar 04 00:24
DaemonFCthat's what they're sayingMar 04 00:24
DaemonFCeveryone for themselvesMar 04 00:24
Chips_B_MalroyIcahn and Elliot both conspired on one takeoverMar 04 00:24
Chips_B_Malroyor should I say agreedMar 04 00:25
DaemonFCChips_B_Malroy, I'd just sit back and see how this pans outMar 04 00:25
DaemonFCit's a novel concept that Microsoft would like to buy Novell to make it Microsoft SuseMar 04 00:25
DaemonFC;)Mar 04 00:25
Chips_B_Malroyalso in that link, there is more on just the vulture stuff on the Congo, Singer hit Peru as wellMar 04 00:25
DaemonFCChips_B_Malroy, This is Ballmer drive-by bidding, like when he offered to buy Yahoo just to make their stock go downMar 04 00:26
DaemonFCmake them weaker and more pliableMar 04 00:26
DaemonFCnow he basically owns Yahoo and it cost nothingMar 04 00:26
Chips_B_MalroyI would bet money, that Gates, MS, the Gates Foundation, Ballmer, Allen, have money behind this fundMar 04 00:27
DaemonFCthat's what I thinkMar 04 00:27
DaemonFCdrive by Ballmer bidding by proxyMar 04 00:27
DaemonFCto soften Novell upMar 04 00:27
DaemonFCI think he's behind the offerMar 04 00:27
Chips_B_Malroyyou maybe rightMar 04 00:27
*jono (~jono@ubuntu/member/jono) has joined #boycottnovellMar 04 00:28
DaemonFChe chose an offshore private company so he wouldn't call attention to himselfMar 04 00:28
DaemonFCor have regulators blocking the bidMar 04 00:28
Chips_B_Malroywhat is funny, is tht hedge funds have been shrinking the last couple of years, and only Elliot and a very few others grew, Elliot grew by quite a bit actuallyMar 04 00:29
Chips_B_MalroyElliot is actually two funds, one is internationalMar 04 00:30
Chips_B_Malroybut both founded and  controlled by Paul E. Singer, who started out as a lawyerMar 04 00:30
Chips_B_MalroyHarvard lawyer I thinkMar 04 00:30
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[schestowitz] These guys use an ancient #KDE for their "new" OS. http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-03-01/north-korea-cyber-weapon.htmlMar 04 00:30
phIRCe-BNcTitle: North Korea’s “secret cyber-weapon”: brand new Red Star OS - RT Top Stories .::. Size~: 59.62 KBMar 04 00:30
Chips_B_MalroyThere is a lot of dirt on Singer in that NY Times articleMar 04 00:31
Chips_B_Malroyhe is a big republicanMar 04 00:31
Chips_B_Malroynot that this is bad by itselfMar 04 00:31
schestowitzAny more info?Mar 04 00:33
Chips_B_MalroyIf Novell still has 1 billion dollar cash reserveres (what I seen in a link) and the offer was for $2 billion, its really only an 1 billion offer, isn't it?Mar 04 00:34
Chips_B_MalroyThere is lots, actuallyMar 04 00:34
Chips_B_Malroybut mostly only a small fact here and thereMar 04 00:34
Chips_B_MalroyWhat I really was searching for was a link between Singer and MS/GatesMar 04 00:35
schestowitzWhat does Groklaw say?Mar 04 00:35
schestowitzIt put many links there, I haven't checked those yetMar 04 00:35
Chips_B_Malroynot sureMar 04 00:37
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schestowitzLet me check now...Mar 04 00:38
Chips_B_MalroyI will keep looking for a link onlineMar 04 00:39
Chips_B_Malroyhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Paul_E._SingerMar 04 00:39
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Paul E. Singer - SourceWatch .::. Size~: 29.87 KBMar 04 00:39
schestowitzInterestingMar 04 00:42
schestowitzIt seems like SCO suitorsMar 04 00:42
schestowitzWho were close to gatesMar 04 00:42
schestowitzNorris, York, etc.Mar 04 00:42
schestowitzBunch of private shellsMar 04 00:42
DaemonFCChuck Norris Venture CapitalMar 04 00:43
DaemonFCahhh, yesMar 04 00:43
*Ender2070 (~Ender2070@bas1-toronto12-1128666738.dsl.bell.ca) has joined #boycottnovellMar 04 00:43
DaemonFCI hear they negotiate with roundhouse kicksMar 04 00:43
DaemonFC:PMar 04 00:43
schestowitzSHut yo mouth or Norris will shoot ya!Mar 04 00:44
DaemonFChe doesn't do thatMar 04 00:44
DaemonFChe roundhouse kicksMar 04 00:44
DaemonFCmy gun is useless in that situationMar 04 00:44
Chips_B_MalroyI say it might fail anti-trust in EUMar 04 00:45
Chips_B_Malroybut its a rubber stamp here in USAMar 04 00:45
*bruce89 (~bruce89@78.33.73.43) has joined #boycottnovellMar 04 00:45
schestowitzHow so?Mar 04 00:46
Chips_B_Malroypicture, if you need one:  http://hattie.typepad.com/hatties_web/2007/11/paul-e-singer.htmlMar 04 00:47
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Hattie's Web: Paul E. Singer .::. Size~: 44.09 KBMar 04 00:47
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: http://boycottnovell.com/2010/02/21/sco-infighting-and-infiltrations/Mar 04 00:48
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Just in Time: SCO Finds Another Cash Injection Proposal& from Former SCO Chairman | Boycott Novell .::. Size~: 108.35 KBMar 04 00:48
Chips_B_Malroyhttp://dailynews1001.blogspot.com/2010/03/elliott-offers-2-billion-buyout-of.html   "In a letter to Novell's board, Elliott portfolio manager Jesse Cohn said the offer, net of about $1 billion in cash in the company, implies a $1 billion enterprise value, a 49 percent premium to the company's current enterprise value."Mar 04 00:50
phIRCe-BNcTitle: DailyNews1001.Blogspot.Com: Elliott Offers $2 Billion Buyout of Novell .::. Size~: 154.83 KBMar 04 00:50
Chips_B_Malroyso Novell still has 1 billion in cash, if I read this right, and the offer really is only for another billionMar 04 00:51
schestowitzYesMar 04 00:51
schestowitzBut Novell also has debtMar 04 00:51
schestowitzAbout half a billionMar 04 00:51
schestowitzhttp://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/01/sco_mcbride_to_buy_mobile_assets/Mar 04 00:51
phIRCe-BNcTitle: SCO's Linux litigation architect angles for SCO's mobile biz ● The Register .::. Size~: 24.51 KBMar 04 00:51
Chips_B_MalroySo maybe Novell only has enough cash to last a couple of quarters then, without going into debt?Mar 04 00:54
Chips_B_MalroyHorseplan has not been good for NovellMar 04 00:54
schestowitzHorseplan?Mar 04 00:54
schestowitzTrojan?Mar 04 00:55
MinceRhovsepianMar 04 00:55
Chips_B_Malroyshould have been shown the door long agoMar 04 00:55
schestowitzYesMar 04 00:55
Chips_B_MalroyI like the Horseplan name betterMar 04 00:56
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[schestowitz] #Dell #Fail http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2010/03/dell_mistakenly_charges_100k_for_linux_netbook.htmlMar 04 00:56
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Dell Mistakenly Charges $100k For Linux Netbook .::. Size~: 30.68 KBMar 04 00:56
DaemonFCwell, they have a lot of patentsMar 04 00:57
DaemonFCputting their future in question means "Who gets the patents?"Mar 04 00:58
DaemonFCsomeone will get them, even in a bankruptcy saleMar 04 00:58
Chips_B_Malroycheck out this site Roy, its a resource:  http://www.nndb.com/org/774/000167273/Mar 04 00:59
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Bluegrass Committee .::. Size~: 14.23 KBMar 04 00:59
schestowitzI sometimes think of these people in PeruMar 04 01:01
schestowitzSome are not literateMar 04 01:01
schestowitzAnd some jerk in New York and ripping them off even moreMar 04 01:01
schestowitzPretending to helpMar 04 01:01
schestowitzIf only they knew how it worksMar 04 01:01
Chips_B_Malroythey exploit the poorMar 04 01:01
schestowitzThis Singer guy belongs in prisonMar 04 01:01
schestowitzHe seems to use proxiesMar 04 01:01
schestowitzLike the one in an Island for a Congo loanMar 04 01:01
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: yes, exploit the poor to get even more rich from millions of farmersMar 04 01:02
schestowitzIcahn seems like peanuts next to this personMar 04 01:02
schestowitzNo wonder he's keeping so discreetMar 04 01:02
schestowitzVoting RepublicansMar 04 01:02
Chips_B_Malroynot all republicans are badMar 04 01:02
schestowitzTo turn a blind eye with "free market" BS while he commit white-collar crimesMar 04 01:03
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: neo-consMar 04 01:03
schestowitzMar 04 01:03
schestowitz[00:56] <Chips_B_Malroy> I like the Horseplan name betterMar 04 01:03
Chips_B_Malroythey use the law, to their own meansMar 04 01:03
schestowitzHe's from IBMMar 04 01:03
schestowitzLike JaffeMar 04 01:03
schestowitzBut Jaffe leftMar 04 01:03
schestowitzLevy tooMar 04 01:03
schestowitzBefore the bidMar 04 01:03
schestowitzJITMar 04 01:03
schestowitzAlso Zonker and FriedmanMar 04 01:03
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: yes, he's a lawyerMar 04 01:03
Chips_B_MalroyEric Scmidt, who runs Google, used to run Novell?Mar 04 01:03
schestowitzYesMar 04 01:04
Chips_B_Malroywonder if the link I should be using for Singer, since he went to Harvard, is Gates Senior instead?Mar 04 01:04
Chips_B_MalroyThey probably smart enough so no real link can be establishedMar 04 01:05
schestowitzCheck their agesMar 04 01:06
schestowitzI think Gates Sr. is olderMar 04 01:06
Chips_B_Malroy63 I thinkMar 04 01:06
Chips_B_Malroymore Bill ageMar 04 01:06
schestowitzMaybe they went to the same class or somethingMar 04 01:06
Chips_B_Malroycould beMar 04 01:06
schestowitzBut Microsoft has other execsMar 04 01:06
schestowitzNo Harvard grads I can think ofMar 04 01:06
schestowitzNot even BillGMar 04 01:07
schestowitzHe dropped outMar 04 01:07
tessierhttp://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2010/03/04/201003040036.aspMar 04 01:07
Chips_B_MalroyBilly G, wasn't it Harvard he dropped out?  and later got an honorary?Mar 04 01:07
phIRCe-BNcTitle: The Korea Herald : The Nation's No.1 English Newspaper .::. Size~: 6.37 KBMar 04 01:07
DaemonFCschestowitz, he has an honorary degree from HarvardMar 04 01:07
MinceRso harvard sucks up to criminals tooMar 04 01:09
DaemonFChttp://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/032207-bill-gates-to-finally-receive.htmlMar 04 01:09
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Bill Gates to finally receive his Harvard degree .::. Size~: 85.17 KBMar 04 01:09
Chips_B_MalroyDaemonFC, you see some of the candidates that Singer gave money to?Mar 04 01:09
schestowitzMinceR: well, duh. I've fallen behind in Linux newsMar 04 01:09
schestowitzbrbMar 04 01:09
schestowitzDaemonFC: I knew thatMar 04 01:09
schestowitzIt doesn't countMar 04 01:09
Chips_B_Malroysorry, I distract with thisMar 04 01:09
MinceRnot just corvinus university of budapest doesMar 04 01:09
schestowitzMaybe he committed crimes for a few decades, so he got the diplomaMar 04 01:10
schestowitzIt shows he managed to hack the systemMar 04 01:10
schestowitzThat grants him good honoursMar 04 01:10
DaemonFCit's a harvard degreeMar 04 01:10
MinceRthis is a new sense of "honor" to meMar 04 01:10
schestowitzSome lawyers become patent trollsMar 04 01:10
schestowitzLike Ray iNiroMar 04 01:10
Chips_B_Malroyits all about moneyMar 04 01:10
schestowitz*NiroMar 04 01:10
MinceRi thought harvard was a reputable universityMar 04 01:10
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: at someone's expenseMar 04 01:10
schestowitzMinceR: so was StalinMar 04 01:11
schestowitzReputableMar 04 01:11
schestowitzHe had statuesMar 04 01:11
MinceRlolMar 04 01:11
Chips_B_Malroyits seems Harvard is in busness of turning out some real heartless lawyersMar 04 01:11
MinceRif only they were heartless.Mar 04 01:12
MinceRthen their cells would quickly die of hypoxia.Mar 04 01:12
DaemonFCschestowitz, Just ask MinceR what the Hungarians did to his statuesMar 04 01:13
DaemonFChint "He's a little shorter than he used to be"Mar 04 01:13
MinceR:>Mar 04 01:13
DaemonFChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stalin%27s_Boots.jpgMar 04 01:13
phIRCe-BNcTitle: File:Stalin's Boots.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .::. Size~: 37.95 KBMar 04 01:14
MinceRsadly they didn't do that to the soviet monument on Kossuth squareMar 04 01:14
DaemonFCMinceR, is it still there?Mar 04 01:14
MinceRand our corrupt russianophile government insists on protecting itMar 04 01:14
DaemonFCsurely notMar 04 01:14
MinceRit's still thereMar 04 01:14
MinceRthey say it's protected by an agreement with the russiansMar 04 01:14
DaemonFCdefaced at least?Mar 04 01:14
MinceRi say fuck the russiansMar 04 01:14
MinceRthere were defacements, but it was restoredMar 04 01:14
DaemonFCno.....Mar 04 01:14
DaemonFCdamnMar 04 01:14
DaemonFCblow it up?Mar 04 01:15
MinceRthese spineless criminals don't mind at all that we have a memorial that mentions the occupation by russians as "liberation"Mar 04 01:15
*qu1j0t3 (~FurnaceBo@BAS1-TORONTO10-1279748949.dsl.bell.ca) has joined #boycottnovellMar 04 01:15
MinceRit should be blown upMar 04 01:15
MinceRpreferably with our politicians neatly tied to itMar 04 01:15
Chips_B_Malroyso here is a lawyer trying to buy Novell with the hedge fund that he controls, which the investors are private.  Should the question be, what does Novell have, or could have after the SCO trial, that certain companies, or patent trolls, would want?  Mar 04 01:15
DaemonFCMinceR, That's a crime against the citizens that suffered under that regime and died trying to free themselves of it.Mar 04 01:16
DaemonFCIt should be bulldozed Mar 04 01:16
MinceRit isMar 04 01:16
MinceRbut you can see their agenda pretty clearlyMar 04 01:16
DaemonFCpreserving it should not be toleratedMar 04 01:16
DaemonFCstorm the fucking thing and tear it apart before they can disperse youMar 04 01:17
DaemonFCdon't give them a choiceMar 04 01:17
sebsebsebDaemonFC: jono  By the way here's an interview with one of the Ubuntu ops http://fridge.ubuntu.com/node/1988Mar 04 01:17
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Interview With Melissa | The Fridge .::. Size~: 12.48 KBMar 04 01:17
MinceRthey effect censorship on talk about the holocaust but protect a monument that calls the russian occupation "liberation"Mar 04 01:17
MinceRand they go around calling themselves democratsMar 04 01:17
DaemonFCMinceR, I noticed the Communists anywhere never invade or mass murderMar 04 01:18
DaemonFCit's always "liberate"Mar 04 01:18
DaemonFCliberate them from the way of life they previously enjoyed?Mar 04 01:18
DaemonFCliberate them from their life?Mar 04 01:18
sebsebsebbruce89: oh you are in here, go on the above link I guessMar 04 01:18
MinceRliberate them from the previous oppressors... only to take overMar 04 01:18
schestowitzMinceR: the Democrats liberate them from the DemocratsMar 04 01:19
schestowitzMinceR: the Democrats liberate them from the DemocratsMar 04 01:19
DaemonFCjono, That's terribly unprofessional and unsportingMar 04 01:19
MinceRthey say the Democrats liberated us from the NazisMar 04 01:19
schestowitzMinceR: the Democrats liberate them from the RpublicansMar 04 01:19
DaemonFCyou do know that?Mar 04 01:19
jonoDaemonFC, what is?Mar 04 01:19
schestowitzMinceR: the Republicans liberate them from the  DemocratsMar 04 01:19
schestowitzLove choiceMar 04 01:19
DaemonFCjono, http://fridge.ubuntu.com/node/1988Mar 04 01:19
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Interview With Melissa | The Fridge .::. Size~: 12.48 KBMar 04 01:20
MinceRone dictatorship after the other, with different logosMar 04 01:20
jonoDaemonFC, what about itMar 04 01:20
MinceRand different affiliationsMar 04 01:20
schestowitzBlackwater liberated Iraq from SaddamMar 04 01:20
DaemonFCjono, Just poor taste is all. Those CDs could have helped people.Mar 04 01:20
jonoDaemonFC, lol, I didnt do itMar 04 01:21
jono:)Mar 04 01:21
schestowitzIt looks like they are eaten, DaemonFCMar 04 01:21
sebsebsebDaemonFC: CD's????Mar 04 01:21
bruce89I think it's called sarcasmMar 04 01:21
DaemonFCfriendly competition, jono Mar 04 01:21
DaemonFC:)Mar 04 01:21
jono:)Mar 04 01:21
DaemonFCFRIENDLYMar 04 01:21
bruce89or something along those linesMar 04 01:21
DaemonFCmeans don't steal :PMar 04 01:21
jonoDaemonFC, appreciate the adviceMar 04 01:21
DaemonFCceiling cat is watching you Mar 04 01:21
jonololMar 04 01:21
schestowitz"Ubuntu" means "CD-ROMs for others"Mar 04 01:22
MinceRwhat's with the stealing CDs?Mar 04 01:22
sebsebsebbruce89: remember that roved guy?Mar 04 01:22
bruce89noMar 04 01:22
MinceRthe article doesn't say anything about itMar 04 01:22
sebsebsebbruce89: well anyway he has meet elky/melissa at the Sydney Lug a few times, and he said he took the photo in  the thing I linked toMar 04 01:22
bruce89I seeMar 04 01:23
DaemonFCschestowitz, Have you read that lolcat bible?Mar 04 01:23
DaemonFCIt's actually kind of funnyMar 04 01:23
sebsebsebbruce89: so I guess he has mett her more than a few timesMar 04 01:24
bruce89DaemonFC: "At start, no has lyte. An Ceiling Cat sayz, i can haz lite? An lite wuz. (Genesis 1, 3)" and so on?Mar 04 01:24
schestowitzDaemonFC: noMar 04 01:24
DaemonFCbruce89, Leviticus chapter 18Mar 04 01:24
sebsebsebDaemonFC: so I wasn't following, why exactly don't you like that linkMar 04 01:25
sebsebseb?Mar 04 01:25
DaemonFCread that and lolMar 04 01:25
DaemonFCsebsebseb, Snatching Fedora CDsMar 04 01:25
schestowitztake your lol and shove it up your catMar 04 01:25
*jono has quit (Quit: Ex-Chat)Mar 04 01:25
DaemonFCsebsebseb, http://www.lolcatbible.com/index.php?title=Leviticus_18Mar 04 01:25
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Leviticus 18 - LOLCat Bible Translation Project .::. Size~: 21.74 KBMar 04 01:25
sebsebsebDaemonFC: snatching Fedora CD's what? also now your linking to some  sort of werid page or something, why?Mar 04 01:26
DaemonFCLeviticus 18Mar 04 01:26
MinceRlol, "beej"Mar 04 01:26
DaemonFChilarious either way, but moreso in lolcatMar 04 01:26
DaemonFCMinceR agrees I think :)Mar 04 01:27
DaemonFC16 No can has teh secks wif ur broes hoes. Dats ur bro d00d!Mar 04 01:27
DaemonFC:DMar 04 01:27
MinceRyhwh seemed to be kind of obsessed with repeating his titleMar 04 01:27
MinceReven in the originalMar 04 01:27
MinceRconfidence issues?Mar 04 01:28
DaemonFChuh?Mar 04 01:28
MinceR"i am the lord" over and overMar 04 01:28
DaemonFCoh rightMar 04 01:28
DaemonFCall throughout the bibleMar 04 01:28
DaemonFC17 No can has gangbang wif grandma and granddawter. Has to big age difrns. Srsly. Mar 04 01:28
MinceRlolMar 04 01:28
DaemonFC19 No can get ur harbl wetted when ur hoes has teh bluds in hur harbl. Mar 04 01:29
DaemonFCfunniest chapter in the lolcat bibleMar 04 01:29
MinceR:DMar 04 01:29
DaemonFC22 No can has ghey... srsly. srry, but no. Mar 04 01:30
DaemonFCoh noez!Mar 04 01:30
MinceRpwntMar 04 01:30
Chips_B_Malroyhttp://www.thealphaninja.com/2010/03/novell-up-30-after-hours-on-buyout.htmlMar 04 01:30
phIRCe-BNcTitle: AlphaNinja: Novell up 30% after hours, on buyout offer from Elliott International (NOVL) .::. Size~: 84.63 KBMar 04 01:30
DaemonFCdon't get why that makes them more valuable?Mar 04 01:31
DaemonFChmmmmMar 04 01:31
MinceRbecause they expect Elliott to pay more than novell is worthMar 04 01:31
schestowitzhttp://mac.blorge.com/2010/03/02/the-main-thing-is-not-to-install-flash-says-hacker-miller/Mar 04 01:31
phIRCe-BNcTitle: The main thing is not to install Flash, says hacker Miller - MAC.BLORGE .::. Size~: 39.29 KBMar 04 01:31
schestowitzMinceR: Ellio^H^H^H^H^H^HSingerMar 04 01:31
Chips_B_MalroySince Elliot already owns 8.5% of Novell, a 30% increase is almost insider tradingMar 04 01:32
schestowitzYou mean if they fake desire?Mar 04 01:32
MinceRdo you want to keep your mac secure? upgrade to gnu/linux.Mar 04 01:32
schestowitzThey could have a mate do thatMar 04 01:32
schestowitzThat's how it's done, Chips_B_MalroyMar 04 01:32
schestowitzThey put a mate in to reduce suspicionMar 04 01:32
Chips_B_Malroyquote from that link:  "  Shares of enterprise software concern Novell (NOVL) are trading up sharply after hours, after multi-strategy Elliott International put out an offer to acquire the entire company for $5.75 per share. Elliott will now reap an instant windfall from the shares they've recently purchased between 4.30 and 4.75 in recent months."Mar 04 01:32
Chips_B_MalroyyesMar 04 01:32
schestowitzThen they make the announcement and have the friend dumpMar 04 01:33
bruce89one good thing to come of the whole iPhone thing is flash being not liked so muchMar 04 01:33
schestowitzThe stock market is more corrupt than casinosMar 04 01:33
schestowitzSome people had to wait till the mltdown to realiseMar 04 01:33
schestowitzThey put their whole savings/pensions/cash in thereMar 04 01:33
schestowitzAnd got robbedMar 04 01:33
schestowitzBanks then looted what's left in the form of deficitMar 04 01:33
schestowitzI.e. the kids and grandkids will pat bankers tomorrow for what they pocket _today_Mar 04 01:34
Chips_B_MalroyyesMar 04 01:34
schestowitzBonuses. Yay !! :-)Mar 04 01:34
MinceRbruce89: isn't it balanced by lock-in and DRM being liked more?Mar 04 01:34
schestowitzGS - 23 billion on bonuses this yearMar 04 01:34
schestowitzReward for bankrupting Greece? :-)Mar 04 01:34
Chips_B_MalroyWill Greece drag down the whole EU?Mar 04 01:35
schestowitzIt's sad that the world's biggest criminals walk away freeMar 04 01:35
schestowitzSome are even admired as national heroesMar 04 01:35
schestowitzLike TrumpMar 04 01:35
bruce89MinceR: of courseMar 04 01:35
Chips_B_MalroyThen there's Spain and Britian, neither one of them is in great shape eitherMar 04 01:35
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: well, we have to bail them outMar 04 01:35
schestowitzSome say that GS may have 'pulled a Greece'  in the UKMar 04 01:35
schestowitzBut I never saw much evidence, yetMar 04 01:36
bruce89Britain's currency doesn't helpMar 04 01:36
schestowitzhttp://www.hpcwire.com/features/Fixstars-Launches-Linux-for-CUDA-86044987.htmlMar 04 01:36
phIRCe-BNcTitle: HPCwire: Fixstars Launches Linux for CUDA .::. Size~: 97.91 KBMar 04 01:36
schestowitzI have a quick questionMar 04 01:37
Chips_B_Malroywhat is happening in Britian, is starting to happen here in the USA.  In that the second round of layoffs are now starting to happen at the State level,  California is of course first.Mar 04 01:37
schestowitzNow that Singer wants to conquer Novell...Mar 04 01:37
schestowitzShould we call for Singer's imprisonment?Mar 04 01:37
schestowitzAnd at least exposed his crimes against socity?Mar 04 01:37
schestowitzLike we did Monsanto?Mar 04 01:37
schestowitzOr would that be a distraction?Mar 04 01:38
cubezzzwhat bad stuff did Trump do?Mar 04 01:38
schestowitzGoogle itMar 04 01:38
MinceRgnMar 04 01:38
schestowitzAlso BuffetMar 04 01:38
DaemonFCChips_B_Malroy, Califnoria is a bunch of money wasting uber-liberalsMar 04 01:38
schestowitzThe rich people have a great crime behind their great wealthMar 04 01:38
schestowitzOtherwise they don't get theirMar 04 01:38
schestowitz*thereMar 04 01:38
DaemonFCthey could tax 100% and not balance the budgetMar 04 01:38
schestowitz*BuffettMar 04 01:38
Chips_B_MalroyIts obvious that Icahn was a Ballmer/Gates puppet.  Question is, is Singer?Mar 04 01:39
schestowitzhttp://www.financierworldwide.com/article.php?id=6286Mar 04 01:39
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Elliott offers $2bn to buy Novell .::. Size~: 21.77 KBMar 04 01:39
schestowitzCheck out publication nameMar 04 01:39
schestowitzThat word make me hurlMar 04 01:39
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: Icahn spoke to themMar 04 01:40
schestowitzCNET reported itMar 04 01:40
schestowitzLeaves little room for questionsMar 04 01:40
schestowitzBN has an overview for the whole thingMar 04 01:40
Chips_B_MalroySinger would not have a problem using Novell to sue others, like SCO is doing.  But then, it could be he just will cut it back, and run the profitable part.  Mar 04 01:40
schestowitzBut for the media, it's a quiet coup and story they won't tellMar 04 01:40
schestowitzCrime makes IT too go round sometimesMar 04 01:40
schestowitzSee SCO case foir detailsMar 04 01:40
schestowitzAlmost 7 years nowMar 04 01:40
Chips_B_Malroyobsence amount of time for a bankrupcy, 7 years SCOMar 04 01:41
schestowitz"New York based Elliott Associates manages more than $16 billion of capital for large institutional investors and wealthy individuals, and already holds 8.5 per cent stake in Waltham, Massachusetts-based Novell and has offered to acquire the remaining 91.5 per cent at a premium of 21 per cent over Novell's Tuesday closing price."Mar 04 01:42
schestowitzhttp://www.domain-b.com/infotech/itnews/20100303_elliott_associates.htmlMar 04 01:42
phIRCe-BNcTitle: domain-b.com : Elliott Associates makes $2 billion unsolicited bid for Novell .::. Size~: 11.2 KBMar 04 01:42
schestowitzIt used to have about $5 a few years agoMar 04 01:42
schestowitzIt sure attracts a lot of interestMar 04 01:42
schestowitzLike another IVMar 04 01:42
Chips_B_MalroyHorseplan ran it into the groundMar 04 01:42
schestowitzhttp://techdirt.com/articles/20100301/0202228334.shtml http://www.law.com/jsp/PubArticle.jsp?id=1202444627585Mar 04 01:43
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Intellectual Ventures Lending Its Patents To Members To Sue Others | Techdirt .::. Size~: 54.83 KBMar 04 01:43
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Law.com - Verizon Case Marks a First for Patent Holder .::. Size~: 14.29 KBMar 04 01:43
Chips_B_MalroyAgain a quote from the last link I posted:  " It will be interesting to see what happens here. Elliott International has been a shareholder for literally days, something that won't exactly win them favor with management. The letter they shared today does not cite a commitment to finance this deal, and they are quite clear about this being a very "casual" buyout offer. I'm left to wonder if they're actually serious abMar 04 01:47
Chips_B_Malroyampaign to draw attention to management's under-utilization of this company's profit potential. The best outcome for Elliott - in my view - is interest from other parties or a big new cost-cutting commitment from management."Mar 04 01:48
Chips_B_MalroyMaybe Miguel needs to look eslewhere for a jobMar 04 01:50
Chips_B_Malroycost cuttingMar 04 01:51
schestowitzhttp://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1594527/staff-cuts-ibm-alarm-unionMar 04 02:00
phIRCe-BNcTitle:                     Staff cuts at ibm alarm union - The Inquirer          .::. Size~: 57.45 KBMar 04 02:00
schestowitzhttp://www.scotusblog.com/2010/03/analysis-problems-with-enron-jury/Mar 04 02:05
phIRCe-BNcTitle: SCOTUSblog €» Analysis: Problems with Enron jury       .::. Size~: 36.59 KBMar 04 02:05
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: I'm checking what PJ makes of it...Mar 04 02:06
schestowitzIn any case, I'll post tomorrowMar 04 02:07
sebsebsebSpanish police arrest masterminds of 'massive' botnet http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8547453.stmMar 04 02:07
phIRCe-BNcTitle: BBC NEWS | News Front Page .::. Size~: 86.94 KBMar 04 02:07
schestowitzI've asked another person who's close to NOVLMar 04 02:07
schestowitzsebsebseb: they arrested Ballmer??Mar 04 02:07
schestowitzThey need to get to the root of the problemMar 04 02:07
schestowitz"[PJ: What a coincidence. Just on the eve of trial in SCO v. Novell. Elliott says they own 8.5% of Novell's common stock.]"Mar 04 02:09
schestowitzSame in the INQMar 04 02:09
schestowitzhttp://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1594559/elliott-novell-privateMar 04 02:10
phIRCe-BNcTitle:                     Elliott wants to take novell private  - The Inquirer          .::. Size~: 54.98 KBMar 04 02:10
schestowitz"JUST BEFORE the trial opens in the SCO v. Novell lawsuit, investment fund Elliott Associates has offered to buy Novell for $2 billion."Mar 04 02:10
Chips_B_Malroyyes, the timing is perfectMar 04 02:11
sebsebsebschestowitz: that article doesn't mention that it's Windows computers that get taken over, also the image they used, I think I seen that before in some other BBC botnet articleMar 04 02:11
schestowitz'To do so, Mr. Singer is looking to to raise money from investors, the report said. Elliott could round up roughly $2 billion next year by inviting existing investors to commit more money, MarketWatch said, citing one investor who’s adding to positions and spoke on condition of anonymity.'Mar 04 02:11
schestowitzhttp://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/elliott-eyes-assets-in-distress-report-says/Mar 04 02:12
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Error processing the URL:  .::. Size~: 0 KBMar 04 02:12
sebsebsebschestowitz: however it seems that important companies as well as banks, have computers that have come part of the botnet, or did I read that wrong?Mar 04 02:12
schestowitz'“Now the party is truly over,” Paul Singer, founder of the $16 billion hedge fund, wrote in a confidential letter to investors Oct. 15, obtained by MarketWatch. “The current economic and market environment resembles the one for which Elliott was formed.” 'Mar 04 02:12
sebsebsebschestowitz: "It included PCs inside more than half of Fortune 1000 companies and more than 40 major banks, investigators said."Mar 04 02:13
schestowitzHedge fund giant Elliott ramps up in wake of credit 'party'Mar 04 02:13
schestowitzhttp://www.marketwatch.com/story/hegde-fund-giant-elliott-ramps-up-after-credit-woe-2009-12-09?reflink=MW_news_stmpMar 04 02:13
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Giant Elliott ramps up after credit crisis - MarketWatch .::. Size~: 86.38 KBMar 04 02:13
Chips_B_Malroywould those 8.5% of the stocks that Elliot has, be voting shares?Mar 04 02:13
Chips_B_Malroywould guess yesMar 04 02:13
cubezzzfound some not-so-good info on TrumpMar 04 02:14
cubezzzhttp://www.arystoteles.pl/nmf/acn-scam.phpMar 04 02:14
sebsebsebschestowitz: it's a joke really,  computers out there that are meant to be important/special  and since they run Windows,  and I guess have people who don't know how to keep it secure enough after all, well those computers become part of a botnetMar 04 02:14
Chips_B_MalroyTrump is small changeMar 04 02:14
cubezzzhe gets a lot of publicity thoughMar 04 02:15
sebsebsebschestowitz: oh if only most computer users knew,  about botnets, and that they tend to be Windows computers the infected onesMar 04 02:15
bruce89there would be lot more macs around in that caseMar 04 02:16
sebsebsebbruce89: Macs can become part of a botnet as wellMar 04 02:16
sebsebsebI think that's happended before evenMar 04 02:16
bruce89anything theoretically canMar 04 02:16
sebsebsebbruce89: well yeahMar 04 02:16
sebsebsebexcept for really really basic OS's for example I guessMar 04 02:16
bruce89although Atari STs are probably safeMar 04 02:17
schestowitzhttp://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/hedge-funds-sue-porsche-for-1-billion-lost-on-vw/Mar 04 02:17
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Error processing the URL:  .::. Size~: 0 KBMar 04 02:17
sebsebsebbruce89: Atari STs ???Mar 04 02:17
sebsebsebbruce89: There would be much more Desktop Linux around, if all of a sudden most computer users,  stopped being so ignorant.Mar 04 02:18
cubezzzduh duh DUHMar 04 02:19
schestowitz"[PJ: Private? They want to take it private? So... would that mean all the dirt on Microsoft or whoever else is behind the SCO attack on Linux that likely surfaced in discovery in  SCO v. Novell would disappear from the planet?] -"Mar 04 02:20
schestowitzThis is like organised crime AFAICTMar 04 02:20
Chips_B_Malroyor someone else could use the Unix copyrites to sue IBM and LinuxMar 04 02:21
Chips_B_Malroyif Novell winsMar 04 02:21
Chips_B_Malroyor sue MSMar 04 02:21
Chips_B_Malroybut mostly the money behind this is probably MS moneyMar 04 02:21
cubezzzbusiness isn't prettyMar 04 02:21
cubezzzit would be nice if everyone played fairMar 04 02:22
Chips_B_MalroySun/Oracle could also be in the crosshairsMar 04 02:22
Chips_B_Malroyfor open sourcing Solarous, and paying SCO to do it.Mar 04 02:23
Chips_B_MalroyAlthough, I think Sun would win that court caseMar 04 02:23
schestowitz"Elliott began acquiring Novell stock on Jan. 4 and controls about 8.5 percent of the company. -  AP on Google"Mar 04 02:26
schestowitzbingoMar 04 02:26
schestowitzCahn...Mar 04 02:27
schestowitzFor SCOMar 04 02:27
schestowitzCohn for ElliotMar 04 02:27
Chips_B_MalroySuse needs to folkMar 04 02:28
schestowitzhttp://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2010/tc20100228_486251.htm?campaign_id=rss_topStoriesMar 04 02:31
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Fighting a Flood of Counterfeit Tech Products - BusinessWeek .::. Size~: 53.33 KBMar 04 02:31
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: yesMar 04 02:31
schestowitzSome read BNMar 04 02:31
schestowitzThey'll get the message about Novell one dayMar 04 02:32
-BNi/#boycottnovell-[sagarun/@sagarun] Just checked my weight, it is 66.6 :D - beast of the evilMar 04 02:32
Chips_B_MalroyAddresses for Elliot and Icahn are very close togeather on 5th AveMar 04 02:33
Chips_B_MalroyElliot:  712 5th Ave Fl 36    Icahn Associates (Carl Icann):    767 Fifth Ave Suite 4700Mar 04 02:35
sebsebsebschestowitz: something about the buttons on the left in the new theme for 10.04Mar 04 02:35
sebsebsebschestowitz: yeah they are trying to copy OS X a bit here and there it seemsMar 04 02:35
sebsebsebDaemonFC  hi ^^^^^Mar 04 02:35
Chips_B_Malroyof course, that could just be coinincedenceMar 04 02:35
sebsebsebin another channel I got someone that wants me to give proper reasons for why the  buttons should be on the rightMar 04 02:36
sebsebsebtelling them that it should be on the right since that's how Windows does it,  doesn't seem to be enough for this personMar 04 02:36
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[qu1j0t3] My brother has been working on Linux/mac68k port. He just booted 2.6.31 on a IIfx - 20 year old machine. #linux #kernel #mac #m68k #geekMar 04 02:36
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[qu1j0t3] Hm, why can't I block 'protected' ppl?Mar 04 02:37
bruce89both are equally valid, but right seems to be more normalMar 04 02:38
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[qu1j0t3] RT @JesusChristHere @DesseMundo There's only 1 god Lord Jesus Christ He ws never caught lip-synching /gawd, what kind of twits have we hereMar 04 02:41
-BNi/#boycottnovell-[sagarun/@sagarun] just checked my weight it is 66.6 - weight of the evil :DMar 04 02:42
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[qu1j0t3] For those keeping score a #Mac IIfx does ~ 9.75 #BogoMips. An SE/030 does about 3.81 (friend tested in 2003). #linux #benchmarksMar 04 02:44
*jweyrich (~none@201-15-164-18.nhoce701.dsl.brasiltelecom.net.br) has joined #boycottnovellMar 04 02:45
schestowitzhttp://www.prlog.org/10556630-novell-inc-investor-alert-offer-under-investigation.htmlMar 04 02:45
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Novell, Inc. Investor Alert: Offer under investigation .::. Size~: 32.99 KBMar 04 02:45
schestowitzhttp://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/33802.htmlMar 04 02:47
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Book: HP eyed Fiorina as dad ruled on case  - Josh Gerstein - POLITICO.com .::. Size~: 60.95 KBMar 04 02:47
DaemonFC"Good catch, let's see if old Steve-o will work for free like he's asking the firefighters to." -Me on the mayor's proposalsMar 04 02:50
DaemonFClolMar 04 02:50
schestowitzUbuntu is still UBD (ugly by default): http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2010/03/ubuntu-dumps-the-brown-introduces-new-theme.arsMar 04 02:50
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Ubuntu dumps the brown, introduces new theme and branding .::. Size~: 29.08 KBMar 04 02:50
schestowitzDaemonFC: steve-o from jackass?Mar 04 02:50
DaemonFCour mayor's name is Steve and he is a jackassMar 04 02:50
DaemonFCB-)Mar 04 02:50
DaemonFCSteve-oMar 04 02:50
DaemonFCheheMar 04 02:50
DaemonFChell, I'm an asshole but I'm not stupid, make me the mayorMar 04 02:51
DaemonFCI'll fix his bungling :PMar 04 02:51
schestowitzI knowMar 04 02:51
schestowitzI was jokingMar 04 02:51
schestowitzDo what steve-o didMar 04 02:51
schestowitzPlunk his eye blowMar 04 02:51
schestowitz*eyebrowsMar 04 02:51
schestowitzLike in that episode where he's hairlessMar 04 02:52
schestowitzHe looked an alienMar 04 02:52
DaemonFCschestowitz, You figure this is a good setup though? Pointing out the mayor is drawing a salary while he asks firefighters to work free and fires cops?Mar 04 02:52
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[qu1j0t3] >@shoq you're so cute when you're outraged #hcrMar 04 02:52
DaemonFCif the firefighters are expected to work free, so should the mayorMar 04 02:53
DaemonFCif there's no money to pay emergency workers, there's no money to pay himMar 04 02:53
DaemonFCI'm going to hit him with that at the next town meetingMar 04 02:54
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[qu1j0t3] But I can top the Mac IIfx running 2.6.31. That's only 20 years old. I have #VAX es 10 years older than that which can in theory boot #LinuxMar 04 02:54
DaemonFC"What about the Mayor? Why can't HE take a paycut? How much does he make? Why was he hiring his wife as "Executive Assistant" like this is frapping Chicago or something and he needed a secretary paid out of the town's treasury?"Mar 04 02:55
DaemonFCheheMar 04 02:55
DaemonFCtrying to incite some popular angerMar 04 02:55
DaemonFCI'm just going to let loose on him there with a stream of this stuffMar 04 02:56
Chips_B_MalroyRoy, you can add Argentina to the list of Elloits victims  http://blog.managingautomation.com/edge/2008/11/vulture-economics/  "Elliott has done this in strapped developing countries such as Peru, Argentina, and the Republic of Congo where local press reports have labeled the company a “vulture investor.”"Mar 04 03:04
phIRCe-BNcTitle: Vulture Economics .::. Size~: 29.64 KBMar 04 03:04
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[qu1j0t3] Server consolidation getting to be a hot topic. #Sun hardware and software does this *really* well. #sun #sparc #solaris #zfs #green #energyMar 04 03:04
Chips_B_Malroyah, here it is, the tie-in with Carl Icahn:  "But, like other well-known hedge fund investors, Singer also likes to throw his weight around. Last year, along with hedge fund mogul Carl Icahn, Singer invested in troubled Motorola and, after an unsuccessful takeover bid, forced the resignation of CEO Ed Zander."Mar 04 03:06
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: nice oneMar 04 03:07
Chips_B_MalroyBallmer--Icahn--SingerMar 04 03:07
DaemonFChttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DTjLG3usQoMar 04 03:08
phIRCe-BNcTitle: YouTube- Worst Video Games Ever - ET .::. Size~: 122.22 KBMar 04 03:08
Chips_B_MalroyThe same bid, then reduce the bid ploy Singer uses that Ballmer also doesMar 04 03:09
Chips_B_Malroylot of good material in that last linkMar 04 03:09
Chips_B_MalroyI fear a sale of Novell to Elliot is not a good thing for GNU/Linux Mar 04 03:10
Chips_B_MalroyIcahn and Singer both were on the Rudy Giuliani's national finance executive committee during the presidental election.  Also big contributors.   http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/04/romneys_straw_p.phpMar 04 03:15
phIRCe-BNcTitle:                 Romney's Straw Poll Victories, Rudy's Finance Team, Edwards Outapces Clinton In WNY - Hotline On Call             .::. Size~: 38.05 KBMar 04 03:15
Chips_B_Malroyanother tie-inMar 04 03:15
Chips_B_Malroy"Ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani unveiled his national finance executive committee today and a list of three dozen regional finance chairs. Bigger names include Carl Icahn, ex-VA Gov. candidate Jerry Kilgore, MD developer John C. Reith, ex-IL Gov candidate Ron Gidwitz, Nat'l Assoc. of Wholesaler-Distributors pres. Dirk Van Dongen and Paul Singer, general parter of Elliott Associates."Mar 04 03:15
Chips_B_Malroyits obvious these guys know each other, and seem to be in lock stepMar 04 03:17
Chips_B_MalroyWonder if Bill Senior has offices nearby tooMar 04 03:18
-BNtwitter/#boycottnovell-[aondo] Good memories from old track, Mahadeva by Astral Projection. Wonder if they are gonna play close to norway in the future. Last was denmark.Mar 04 03:19
DaemonFChttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kot6JND1uQ&feature=relatedMar 04 03:21
phIRCe-BNcTitle: YouTube- Worst Video Games Ever - Ring King .::. Size~: 115.86 KBMar 04 03:21
*bruce89 has quit (Quit: What's this button do?)Mar 04 03:33
Ender2070hahaMar 04 03:38
Ender2070reiser4 ownsMar 04 03:38
schestowitzChips_B_Malroy: Gates has about 300 offices, IIRCMar 04 03:50
schestowitzLook it up at WikipediaMar 04 03:50
schestowitzGaats Sr's firm also handles some of the SCO moneyMar 04 03:51
Chips_B_MalroyokMar 04 03:52


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