by Robert X. Cringely®

Murdoch auctions a snack, MSN rejects IE for Mac

analysis
Nov 18, 20052 mins

Even aging boomers need love -- or at least a nice lunch

Several readers wrote in to correct a recent column in which I accidentally reversed my Generation X and Y coordinates: X are the slackers, whereas the Y generation is into self-mutilation. Another reader called me an “aging boomer” and blamed my generation for Enron and Iraq, among other debacles. Personally, this XYZ stuff gives me a headache. Why don’t we just call them all Generation Whine?

Bidder Off Dead: Last week, media mogul Rupert Murdoch auctioned off lunch for five guests and himself at the News Corp’s HQ in NYC. (The menu included liver-spot pâté, freshly boiled kittens, and the head of a recently fired exec.) Proceeds from the eBay auction benefited Israel’s Jerusalem College of Technology. The $57,100 winning bid came from “Wabanhood,” aka Learning Annex prez Bill Zanker, who outbid the GoldenPalace.com casino (proud owners of the Virgin Mary on grilled cheese). No word on whether Waban will be joined at table by his band of mewwy men.

Desperate House+Wife: In other auction news, a boomer-aged Denver woman named Deborah Hale is auctioning off her house — with herself in it. Her asking price is $600K. The good news? The winning bidder won’t have to eat lunch with Rupert Murdoch.

At Least Shipping Was Free: Cringester Tom M. was shopping for a Dell Axim X50 case when he stumbled across one on DealTime.com listed for only $266,250 with tax. (The price had been corrected at press time.) DealTime says the $25 item was probably entered into its database as “$25.0000”; it seems extra zeros can throw the site into a decimal-point tizzy. Funny, I use the same excuse when submitting expense reports.

Rhymes With Aiyeee!: Microsoft has confirmed the news, reported here last week, that MSN won’t display correctly inside Mac IE 5.2.3. Microsoft’s advice? “If you are using Internet Explorer for Mac, we recommend that you use another browser to have an optimal experience on MSN.” The spokeshuman added that MSN works just fine in Safari, Netscape, or Firefox. Spoken like someone who’s already submitted his resume to Google.

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