World Business Quick Take

PHOTO: AFP

■ 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.

■ 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.