What We Read Today 06 October 2014

Econintersect: Every day our editors collect the most interesting things they find from around the internet and present a summary “reading list” which will include very brief summaries (and sometimes longer ones) of why each item has gotten our attention. Suggestions from readers for “reading list” items are gratefully reviewed, although sometimes space limits the number included.

• Hewlett-Packard plans to break into two (Wendy Koch, USA Today) Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) plans to follow IBM and spin off its “Q”. The tech giant wants to focus on its technology services businesses and set up its personal computer and printer operations as a new standalone enterprise. The “Q” in the HP ticker represents Compaq Computer which merged with HP in 2002 to establish a then dominant position in the PC space. The story was broken Sunday morning by The Wall Street Journal. See also next article.

• HP’s Split: Why PCs And Printers Might Be The Better Of Two Bad Bets (Peter Cohan, Forbes) Cohan says that, even if it benefits no one else, it enriches investment bankers and lawyers. Cohan says that even though the new PC business may struggle to compete with Lenovo, the IBM spin off beneficiary, it may be more successful than the commercial business which “has been shrinking at an alarming rate“. See also story from Reuters: Silicon Valley giant Hewlett-Packard to split in two: WSJ.

• Recent articles about Scotland Independence and Similar Movements :

Scotland’s deputy first minister says Scottish independence is unstoppable (BBC News)

Call to rule out early Scottish independence referendum repeat (BBC News)

After Scotland, now it’s Catalonia’s turn. But pro-union voices struggle to be heard (The Guardian)

• Articles about conflicts and disease around the world:

Hong Kong protests: Civil servants at work as numbers dwindle (BBC News)

Is it fair to blame the West for trouble in the Middle East? (The Conversation)

Cost to rebuild Gaza? $4 billion, political will (Yahoo! News)

Israel lets hundreds of Palestinians leave Gaza to mark Muslim holiday at Jerusalem’s holiest mosque (National Post)

Somali troops ‘capture key port town’ from al-Shabab (BBC News)

British hostage released in Libya after five months (Yahoo! News)

Jordan tackles homegrown Islamists as it joins attacks on Isis (Financial Times)

Turkish police tear-gas BBC team near Syrian border (BBC News)

Islamic State Takes Hill Over Kurdish Border Stronghold (Bloomberg)

Pakistan Taliban vow support for IS in Syria and Iraq (BBC News)

‘Boots in the air’: U.S. helicopters return to combat in Iraq for first time (McClatchy DC)

Report: ISIS plots to seize Iran’s nuclear secrets (Al Arabiya News)

Ukraine Military Says Separatists Violated Month-Old Ceasefire (NBC News)

Germans set to send first troops to Ukraine since WW2 (Daily Mail)

At least 5 police killed in suicide blast outside concert hall in Chechnya, Russia (RT)

Latvia’s ruling coalition keeps Russia-leaning party at bay in election (The Guardian)

There are 14 articles discussed today ‘behind the wall’.

Today we have a lengthy rant on proper use of significant figures in economic data.

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