■ Restaurants
1953 prices mark birthday
Hundreds of people lined up on Monday in Downey, California at the oldest-operating McDonald's fast food restaurant in the world as it celebrated its 50-year anniversary. The "Speedee" McDonald's, so named for the original chef logo, was the third restaurant built by the McDonald brothers Dick and Maurice and is a national landmark. To celebrate the anniversary, the restaurant's prices were rolled back to those charged in 1953. The restaurant still sports the original golden arch architecture design of the hamburger chain and crew members continue to wear the chain's original uniform: white shirt, bolo tie and paper hat.
PHOTO: AFP
■ Internet
RIAA not after small crooks
The Recording Industry Association of America says it will not go after small violators when it sues people who illegally share songs on the Internet. The assurance came in a written response to questions by Senator Norm Coleman, chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs' Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Coleman plans to hold hearings on the RIAA's campaign, which he has labeled "excessive." "RIAA is in no way targeting `de minimis' users," wrote Cary Sherman, the group's president, in a letter the subcommittee released Monday. "RIAA is gathering evidence and preparing lawsuits only against individual computer users who are illegally distribu-ting a substantial amount of copyrighted music." Sher-man added that his group "does not condone any illegal copying and does not want anyone to think that even a little illegal activity is acceptable."
■ Internet
Microsoft tough on spam
Microsoft Corp senior vice president Maggie Wilde-rotter said US companies should be barred from taking e-mail addresses off the Internet to find targets for unwanted e-mail adver-tisements. Wilderotter, who runs business strategy for Microsoft, said the practice of "harvesting" used by spammers should be ban-ned. The US government should "strengthen the ability" of Internet service providers to sue senders of spam on behalf of custo-mers, she said. Wilderotter spoke at the Progress and Freedom Foundation's Aspen Summit. Microsoft this year announced a campaign to reduce spam by improving its software, working with competing Internet service providers and encouraging the passage of new laws.
■ Singapore
Tiny credit card set to go
United Overseas Bank is set to launch its "Mini" credit card next month in an assault on the likes of Citibank's "Clear" and MayBank's "Flash," UOB said yesterday. In keeping with the name, the 6.8cm by 4cm card is about half the size of regular ones. UOB is hoping the Mini will appeal primarily through its range of benefits, adding sporting and hobby privileges to club priority entries. Cardholders will get free entry to certain sports clubs and discounts on activities such as ultralight flying, diving and climbing expeditions. UOB hopes to gain 30,000 new cardholders within three months of its launch next month.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from