Ex-AOLer acquitted in 2001 PurchasePro scheme Another vestige of the dot-bomb era was cleared last week when a civil jury cleared ex-AOL executive Kent Wakeford and Michael Kennedy, chief technology officer of software company PurchasePro, on federal charges that they schemed to increase the latter’s revenue during the worst of the web economy bust. A third man implicated in the scheme, PurchasePro senior vice president Christopher Benyo, was found guilty on one count but acquitted of misleading accountants, circumventing accounting regulations and preparing false books. The three had been accused of deceiving investors about the stability of PurchasePro’s business and making side deals with companies who dealt with the software maker to make it seem more solvent than it was. The defendants had already been found not guilty in a criminal case following a long Securities and Exchange Commission investigation. The latest trial took place in a U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.   Metallica changes its tune on the online music craze Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has been of the biggest critics of the digital music craze and the ensuing peer-to-peer sharing mess, but apparently tough times have forced him to reconsider his opinion. His group tells Rolling Stone that it’s considering following in the pioneering steps of Nine Inch Nails lead singer Trent Reznor and Radiohead when it comes to distributing music online. Both acts have distributed their music over the internet in the past six months without using a recording company. Metallica is under contract for only one more album with Warner Music Group, but it has been the poster child for anti-piracy efforts. In 2000, Ulrich confronted Napster with the names of more than 300,000 people the band believed had illegally downloaded its tunes and demanded that Napster put a stop to it.   Saudi blogger released from jail after four-month stay Some four months after being tossed in jail for airing his pro-reform opinions, a Saudi blogger has been freed, albeit with little to do upon his release. Saudi officials shut down Foaud Farhan’s web site, www.alfarhan.org, earlier this month. Farhan was thrown in jail by Saudi authorities without formal charges after starting an online campaign to help 10 men who have been detained since February 2007. Authorities say the men are suspected of financing militant groups, but Farhan and other supporters believe the men are in trouble for their pro-democracy views. Friends of Farhan expressed pleasant surprise at his release and said he is doing well. Saudi authorities would not confirm whether Farhan had been released or what charges he was being held on. The Saudi Arabia government has blocked a number of web forums calling for political reforms.   Detroit Symphony's new conductor is rather robotic Some of the best in the music industry have almost robot-like precision, and perhaps that’s never been truer than now. On May 13 the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by a humanoid robot called Asimo for a performance of the song “Impossible Dream,” from the musical “Man of La Mancha,” in an attempt to promote interest in science, technology and music. The robot, designed by Honda Motor Co., will also present a lifetime achievement award to cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who will play at the concert but won’t be conducted by Asimo. This isn’t the first public appearance made by Asimo. In 2002 the humanoid made its debut by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Asimo can walk forward and backward, walk up and down stairs and run nearly four miles per hour.