Yesterday, the German government released a statement slamming the security of the Internet Explorer browser and telling all users to find an alternative.

Today, the French "Certa" government agency has followed suit, warning users against using versions 6,7, and 8 of the browser. "Pending a patch from the publisher, Certa recommends using an alternative browser," says the agency.

Microsoft, in the midst of a public relations disaster, has said that IE8 is the "most secure browser on the market" and users of older versions should upgrade. Cliff Evans, IE head of security and privacy said the "risk is minimal," and that to be affected a user must be using IE6 and visit "a compromised website."

Despite only admitting problems with IE6, security company Sophos says all Microsoft browsers are affcted: "Microsoft themselves admit there is a vulnerability, even in IE8," added Graham Cluley.

Internet Explorer, in 2003, had a 97 percent dominate market share position that has continuously declined to its current 65 percent range.

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According to Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, the Sony PlayStation line of consoles is "poison" and is leading children down the "capitalist road to hell."

The PS wasn't the only product feeling the heat from the President however, as he called on Venezuelan manufacturers to create "educational" toys with the features of those indigenous to the nation and not capitalistic dolls such as Barbies that "have nothing to do with our culture."

After dissing Nintendo for promoting "selfishness, individualism and violence," Chavez took aim at the PS line.

"Those games they call 'PlayStation' are poison. Some games teach you to kill. They once put my face on a game, 'you've got to find Chavez to kill him.'" The games sold for the PS are used as propogando to "later sell weapons," and they "promote the need for cigarettes, drugs and alcohol so they can sell them. That's capitalism, the road to hell."

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