Just saw this as I was looking for information on the hostage


Europe - in particular, France is looking to cream the US with a new version of Google:

Link: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...9F9E8ED01B.htm

My question is - why? If they want to snub the US - make an advance in something new in IT - not revamped something already done. And maybe they are - maybe it's a multi-pronged attack - I don't know - but it is interesting nonetheless.

Also a quote from the story:
Quaero is billed as Europe's answer to Google, but it has a lot to live up to.

The awkward word - which means "to search" in Latin - is unlikely to flash across the continent's computer screens anytime soon.

So far Quaero is just a scattering of top tech minds in labs across France and Germany, working on what they hope will be the world's most advanced multimedia search engine.

Quaero epitomises European ambitions - especially for French President Jacques Chirac - of creating alternatives to US technological prowess.
Anddddd...
Quaero is the latest in a string of largely French-led efforts to compete with America's dominance of the global marketplace, a theme of Chirac's foreign policy.
And they call us imperialist pigs - interesting - hold on... I needs more slop.... hmmm-mmm - good. I don't know where they get that!

Separate topic - I found the news I was orginally looking for as well - I hope something can be worked out post-haste:

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...C2DFBD63F6.htm