Alec Saunders SquawkBox

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RECORD: Local firm ups video standard - Gary Will’s Waterloo Technology weblog published this this morning.   A bunch of ex-PixStream employees who’ve developed an encoder that dramatically increases the amount of video that can be stored or transmitted. 

And, in an interesting development elsewhere, News.COM reports that Conexant is now marrying 802.11 with DSL modems. Wi-Fi to climb aboard modems. A combination communications-802.11b semiconductor will help build a set-top box that creates its own wireless network instead of just connecting to an outside wireless network.

The Conexant spokesperson is quoted as saying that this will allow manufacturers to build set-top boxes that automatically create a home network, and "use one device to send digital TV signals and computer games wirelessly to different computers or TVs".  Maybe this year, but with HD signals requiring 19.2 Mb/s of bandwidth, I don’t see this being a long term technology direction.  Unless, of course, developments like the PixStream encoder continue to roll out.

Lots of back and forth in the news this morning on Chretien’s decision to ratify Kyoto. 

Klein prepares for battle over Kyoto. OTTAWA and EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Ralph Klein has declared war on Prime Minister Jean Chretien’s plan to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, but acknowledged yesterday that he faces an uphill battle to stop it.

The Ottawa Citizen reports that Alberta is threatening a legal and constitutional challenge. 

Industry to bear Kyoto’s initial brunt.  Some info here from the Globe on how the accord might be implemented in Canada.

Klein’s principle argument for not ratifying, and the reason that he is planning to battle this, is that the costs are unknown.  Does Klein have a price in mind that he’s willing to pay, or his he just constructing straw-man arguments to rally the faithful? It’s true that Alberta’s petroleum industry might be harmed, but aren’t Alberta farmers important too?  All summer long we have heard that Alberta’s feed crops have failed (for the second year), and farmers are sending their herds to the slaughterhouses because they can’t afford to feed them.  Is there an economic price tag associated with the environment that is really too high, Ralph?

Pilgrim flock to ‘divine potato’.  A potato has appeared in the image of the Hindu God Ganesh, and pilgrims are flocking to seek the blessings of the divine vegetable.   

Iraq: Schroeder shuns Blair, U.S..  Germany’s Schroeder says that Blair does not speak for Europe.

Asian nations debate Iraq stance.  Headline is a little misleading.  Asia wants to stay out of the Iraqi fight.  There’s no debate, per se.  Australia’s Howard is saying that he would have to be absolutely convinced that this is in Australia’s interests before committing any resources, and New Zealand has gone a step further stating that there would have to be definitive proof that "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction and there is a direct, likely and immediate threat that such weapons would be employed.

EU, U.S. to push Iraq on arms. As widely reported already, the EU and the US will push for a return of arms inspectors, but Powell and other members of the US administration are dismissing the latest Iraqi offer as a con.

Rumsfeld, Aziz in verbal war. WASHINGTON — Saddam Hussein’s right-hand man, Tariq Aziz, and the Bush administration’s oldest hawk, Donald Rumsfeld, are rattling sabres at each other again.Each accused the other of warmongering yesterday, and Mr. Rumsfeld dismissed Mr. Aziz as a deceitful toadie. I had no idea that Rumsfeld was Reagan’s go between to Iraq in the early 1980’s. 

Bush to Put Case for Action in Iraq to Key Lawmakers.  Good stuff here from the NY Times on the current mood of congress. Most seem to be treading cautiously.

Excellent editorial from the Washington Post.  Heading for Trouble

More later… rushing out to lunch.