WS-Security Standard Is Ready to Roll.

Oil and Gas Inventories Tanked

With U.S. stockpiles declining and oil prices rising, prices at the pump seem to be in further trouble. Light sweet crude prices closed at $52.50 after dropping below $50 a share earlier in the week. Brent crude also closed higher, up 80 cents for the day.

Piper Jaffray Has a Bad Quarter

Piper Jaffray announced net income of $7.3 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2005, down from net income of $13.8 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2004.

An Editor Spins Her Thoughts about Web Content

A glossy magazine placed an advertisement on its Web site, targeting the publication's upscale subscribers. The expensive ad emphasized how perfect the tiniest detail would be for guests who stayed at a certain, very fancy hotel.