Saturday, Nov. 6 —
Something important happened yesterday. A federal judge, appointed by the president most opposed to the enforcement of antitrust laws in recent times, said what is obvious to anyone with an ounce of common sense: Microsoft has a monopoly in the operating-systems market, and has systematically used — I believe the correct word is “abused” — its position to stomp out competition.
This plain truth, part of the court’s “findings of fact,” is a victory for the free-market system. It is not a victory for the blind-to-reality libertarians who can’t bring themselves to find any flaw with capitalism.
It now seems likely the court will find Microsoft guilty of antitrust violations under the law. And that will raise the question of penalty.
If you were the court, what would you do?
Is Hank Rolling in his Grave?
This band was playing Friday night in a Hong Kong restaurant/club that attracts well-off locals, tourists and expatriates. When I took this picture, the musicians were in the middle of a Hank Williams song, “Your Cheatin’ Heart.”
No, they didn’t play it very well. But the musicians were no slouches. Earlier, they’d been playing the songs that filled Shanghai nightclubs in the 1930s, and that was wonderful.
I liked the Williams tune, anyway. It was one of those bizarre and, in its own way, delicious cross-cultural moments. And no, I think Hank Williams would be happy to hear it, too, because he wrote his music for all people.