Dave Meyer

Microsoft is appealing a $1.3 billion fine from European antitrust regulators. But its antitrust worries in the United States appear to be over. The consent decree with the US Justice Department expired May 11th. A lot has changed since Microsoft crushed Netscape in the browser wars of the 1990s. This month on The Digital Future, Strategic News Service publisher Mark Anderson says Microsoft has transformed itself into a much better corporate citizen.

LinkedIn's IPO seemed like a flashback to the heyday of the 1990's. The company's stock doubled in value on its first day of trading. On this week's Money Matters, financial commentator Greg Heberlein thinks this will be a good year for IPOs. At least three locally based companies are preparing to go public, and more may be waiting in the wings.

As reported earlier, Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo has been asking the public for help in naming its new reticulated python. The zoo conducted polling on its Facebook page and the top vote getter was Kaa, which was also the name of the snake in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. The 8-year-old, 100-pound male snake was introduced to the community last week and can be seen at the Day Exhibit during zoo hours.

Shareholders often get excited when their companies announce share buyback programs. If a company reduces shares in the marketplace, an investor’s share of the company goes up. So that's good, right? Usually, it is, but sometimes it can be a sign that the company is in trouble.

Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist has charged eleven people with gang-related crimes. The defendants are all alleged to be members or associates of the Tillicum Park Gangsters, also known as the TPG. The Lakewood Police Department says the TPG is a criminal street gang associated with the Tillicum neighborhood of Lakewood.

An 8 year old male reticulated python (Python reticulatus) is settling into its new home at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. The new 100 pound snake needs a name, and you can submit your suggestion via the Zoo's facebook page through May 13 at noon. Zookeepers will select their five favorite names and fans will then vote May 17 on facebook for their top pick.

The Social Security Administration has released its list of the most popular baby names in Washington for 2010. Sophia is number one for girls and Jacob tops the list for boys.

Gas prices are topping $4/gallon. Oil is over $100 a barrel. Gold and silver are at record highs. Food is more expensive. Does all this mean inflation is about to pounce on us? On this week's Money Matters, KPLU financial commentator Greg Heberlein says things may look discouraging, but there's no need to worry about runaway inflation.

Remember the bidding wars over Seattle area homes before the housing bubble burst? Well, we're not returning to those crazy days just yet, but the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) says there are signs that the market may be warming up a bit. Home sellers in some neighborhoods are seeing multiple offers again. But it's not a boom; overall, the latest numbers show fewer sales and lower prices than a year ago.

An alert Washington State Patrol officer noticed something a little odd about the passenger in a car using the HOV lane in Federal Way Wednesday morning. "She" was an inflatable doll wearing a wig.

The south Seattle community of South Park is celebrating the beginning of construction on its new bridge over the Duwamish with a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Instead of a groundbreaking, they'll break what's believed to be the largest piñata ever made in the Northwest...a 20 foot long miniature replica of the new bridge. You can see photos of the piñata under construction at the South Park facebook page.

Got a rodent problem? Traps and poisons can endanger people and pets. Live on a farm, ranch or other rural location? Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) offers a natural pest control solution:  colonies of barn cats. Provide them with food, water and shelter...such as a barn...and they'll do the job.

What is Google's business plan? The company, fueled by its successful search engine, seems to be going off in a zillion different directions: Android, Youtube, Gmail, Voice, Maps, Blogger, Picasa, and Docs, just to name a few. Many Google products are given away for free. 

Analysts have recently noted Google's expenditures are rising faster than its revenues. This comes as no surprise to our technology commentator, Strategic News Service publisher Mark Anderson. It reinforces what he said about Google in his list of predictions for 2011.

Why were "bath salts" for sale in head shops? Because they contained stimulants known as substituted cathinones that can affect user behavior and judgment. They've been growing in popularity as a legal alternative to cocaine or methamphetamine.

As of April 15th, they're no longer legal in Washington; the state Board of Pharmacy has approved emergency rules classifying the salts as Class I controlled substances, banning their manufacture, sale, delivery and possession.

Should you pull out of the stock market?

Standard & Poor's downgraded its credit outlook for the United States this week; gas prices are rising; Europe is facing serious debt problems and Japan continues to struggle with its nuclear crisis. There's an awful lot to worry about these days.

But financial commentator Greg Heberlein reminds us that Wall Street climbs a wall of worry, and says you should stay in the market and look for buying opportunities.