I O Software Inc

Microsoft Corp. said it plans to adopt biometric technology in its Windows software that will allow computer users to sign on using their fingerprints or other physical characteristics. The software giant said it has acquired biometric authentication technology from I/O Software Inc. in a major endorsement of this increasingly popular form of security that many consider more secure and convenient than passwords.

It's hardly surprising that many see California as a Republic of Bananas -- "Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything." From the coast of Orange County to Ventura County and beyond, the slow-growth and no-growth movements have made their mark in recent years, leaving developers, home builders and entrepreneurs shaking their heads in anger and despair. And then there's the Inland Empire, where "grow" is viewed as anything but a four-letter word.