NewsScan Daily, 17 October 2003 ("Above The Fold")

NewsScan Daily, 17 October 2003 ("Above The Fold")
***********************************************************
NewsScan Daily is underwritten by RLG, a world-class organization
making significant and sustained contributions to the effective
management and appropriate use of information technology. NSD is
written by John Gehl and Suzanne Douglas, [email protected].
***********************************************************

"ABOVE THE FOLD"
        Cell Re-Sell Strategy May Move from Philippines to Rest of World
        Important New Online Journal of Science
        That Unlucky Ol' Sun Can't Just Roll Around Heaven Anymore
        Apple iTunes Does Windows
        VeriSign Sheds Network Solutions
        Dot-Com Refugees Suffer a Hard Landing

FEATURES
        Flash Card
        Honorary Subscriber: Frida Kahlo
        Mailbag: The World As We Find It

CELL RE-SELL STRATEGY MAY MOVE FROM PHILIPPINES TO REST OF WORLD
Philippine cellular operator Smart Communications has more than 100,000 
mobile phone users re-selling its cellular services through a prepaid 
program that allows a person to transfer bits of air time to the phones of 
friends and acquaintances for as little as 30 pesos (about 55 cents). For 
every 1,000 pesos sold, an individual collects 150 pesos in commissions, 
turning the mobile phone into a second source of income. Industry analyst 
Karen Ang says: "It's a good idea in encouraging air time. It widens the 
affordability of the product without Smart having to reduce prices." And 
consultant Bengt Nordstrom in Sweden sees a place for this strategy in 
Europe and elsewhere in the world: "Young people without steady income 
always need to be creative about how to spend their money." (New York Times 
17 Oct 2003)
http://partners.nytimes.com/2003/10/17/business/worldbusiness/17smar.html

IMPORTANT NEW ONLINE JOURNAL OF SCIENCE
Published from San Francisco, the new online journal Public Library of 
Science (plos.org) hopes to radically alter scientific publishing, and its 
first issue showed the seriousness of that hope by offering an important 
paper by highly respected Duke University researchers Miguel Nicolelis and 
Jose Carmena, in which they reported that they had successfully trained 
monkeys with brain implants to move a robot arm with their thoughts. 
Nicolelis says, "It was perhaps our best paper ever. But the PLoS 
philosophy is part of the philosophy I share. The scientific data has to 
reach the community." Instead of charging for a subscription to its 
journal, PLoS charges scientists $1,500 each to publish their papers. 
Librarian Barbara Epstein of the University of Pittsburgh says, "There is a 
lot of excitement in the library community about this. PLoS will certainly 
benefit a lot of institutions that had their budgets crunched." (AP/USA 
Today 17 Oct 2003)
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2003-10-16-plos-online-sci 
-journal_x.htm

THAT UNLUCKY OL' SUN CAN'T JUST ROLL AROUND HEAVEN ANYMORE
Sun reported a loss for its first fiscal quarter and acknowledged a 
negative cash flow for the first time in nine years. Wall Street is 
anxious, and has called for Sun to lay off more employees and pare down its 
operations, but Sun chief executive Scott McNealy remains committed to a 
continuing presence in research and development and to a full product-line 
offering, from high-end to low-end. Sun's proprietary hardware and software 
has to compete against less-expensive PCs and Linux servers. Harvard 
Business School professor Clayton Christensen says Sun's problem is that 
sales of older products run the risk of declining much faster than the 
sales of new products grow. "They are just about out of headroom at the 
high end and Dell is coming up underneath them. Their model is right for a 
particular time in history, and wrong for other times when it becomes an 
albatross." (San Jose Mercury News 17 Oct 2003)
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/7035826.htm

APPLE iTUNES DOES WINDOWS
Apple is expanding its popular iTunes music download service into Windows 
territory, promising a wider selection of songs and some new features to 
maintain its lead in an increasingly competitive market. The launch was 
accompanied by the usual Apple glitz -- CEO Steve Jobs chatted via remote 
link-up with U2 lead man Bono and the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger in a 
prelude to a live performance by singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. "It's 
like the pope of software meeting up with the Dali Lama of integration," 
gushed Bono -- referring to the iTunes software and Apple's integrated 
online music store. Analysts say that iTunes faces stiff competition in the 
Windows space, but that its flexibility to download tunes onto multiple 
devices gives it an edge. "There's going to be a lot of jockeying for 
position in the next 12 months," says a Forrester Research analyst. "But I 
think iTunes is a real winner because it has the portable player, the 
jukebox and the store all together." (Reuters 16 Oct 2003)
http://news.excite.com/tech/article/id/329433|technology|10-16-2003::17:32|reuters.html

VERISIGN SHEDS NETWORK SOLUTIONS
VeriSign is selling its Network Solutions domain registrar business to 
Pivotal Private Equity for about $100 million, but plans to retain control 
over the .com and .net database that Network Solutions operates. The domain 
registration business has essentially become a commodity service as more 
registrars have entered the field. VeriSign has been in the news recently 
for its controversial Site Finder service, which redirects all mistyped 
URLs to a search page that it operates. It suspended the service under 
pressure from ICANN, which expressed concern over the technical 
ramifications of the Site Finder service, but VeriSign said Wednesday that 
it plans to restart the service after having found "no identified security 
or stability problems" in the system. (CNet News.com 16 Oct 2003)
http://news.com.com/2102-1025_3-5092316.html?tag=st_util_print

DOT-COM REFUGEES SUFFER A HARD LANDING
While many older workers caught up in the dot-com frenzy probably feel like 
they've regained some sense of normalcy now that companies are refocusing 
on bottom lines and ROI, some of the twenty-somethings who entered the 
workforce during the dot-com heyday are facing a brutal reality: for the 
first time they're encountering lower salaries, set hours, rigid corporate 
policies and a more staid pace of business. "Some are [coping], and some 
are in culture shock," says John Challenger, CEO of outplacement firm 
Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "Some people are having a difficult time with 
the process orientation, the caution and the lack of freedom and autonomy 
in more traditional companies." However, while they may not be practicing 
their golf swing in the company cafeteria anymore, some perks have carried 
over into traditional business practice, says Challenger. "There is more 
freedom to utilize technology-telecommuting [today.] There's more openness 
about managing based on someone's output rather than clock-punching." 
Challenger notes that the best way to reward employees is not through fancy 
gifts or outlandish toys, but through old-fashioned values like respect and 
competitive pay; challenging tasks and responsibilities; a caring and 
supportive work environment; and visionary leadership. (E-Commerce Times 16 
Oct 2003)
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/31854.html

*****

FLASH CARD
      "To see we must forget the name of the thing we are looking at." 
(Claude Monet)

HONORARY SUBSCRIBER: FRIDA KAHLO
      Today's Honorary Subscriber is the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo 
(1907-1954), who in the last decades of the 20th century became an 
international icon for the power and intensity of her art, and the 
extraordinary suffering that she experienced in life. The Mexican 
government has acknowledged her stature as a major Mexican artist when it 
declared her work part of the national patrimony. Her worth as an artist 
was also recognized when in 1943 she was appointed a professor of painting 
at La Esmeralda, the Education Ministry's School of Fine Arts. Kahlo had a 
relatively short working life, but she produced some 200 paintings -- 
mostly self-portraits painted in a brilliantly colored primitivistic style 
-- that speak directly to contemporary and feminist issues. Her works can 
be shocking in their stark portrayal of pain and the harsh lives of women. 
While she was alive, her creative life was largely overshadowed by the fame 
of her muralist husband, Diego Rivera. In the years since her death, she 
has become an iconic figure, posthumously showered with critical and 
popular acclaim.
      Born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Y Calderón, she was the daughter of 
a German photographer and his Mexican second wife. In 1925 at age 18 she 
was so seriously injured in a bus accident that she had to undergo some 35 
medical operations. She had to abandon her plans for a medical education, 
but during her slow recovery, she taught herself to paint. Her painting was 
influenced by indigenous Mexican culture, aspects of which she portrayed in 
bright colors, with a mixture of realism and symbolism. When she showed her 
work to Rivera, whom she had met a few years earlier, he encouraged her to 
continue to paint. They fell in love and were married in 1929. During the 
years 1930 to 1933 Kahlo traveled with Rivera, who had received commissions 
for murals from several cities in the United States. Their marriage was 
tumultuous but artistically rewarding (they separated in 1939 but remarried 
in 1941).
      Although Kahlo's work is sometimes classified as surrealist because 
of its dreamlike quality, she always resisted being called a surrealist. It 
is true, however, that she allowed the Surrealists André Breton and Marcel 
Duchamp to arrange exhibits of her work in the U.S. and Europe. More to her 
liking was the recognition of the feminist cast of her work, which she 
expressed with figurative candor. Today, examples of her work are exhibited 
at the Frida Kahlo Museum, situated in her birthplace and subsequent home 
in suburban Mexico City. Kahlo's life and artistic achievements were 
celebrated in director Julie Taymor's 2002 film, Frida, which starred Selma 
Hayek as Kahlo..

See http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060085894/newsscancom/ref=nosim 
for a biography of Kahlo by Hayden Herrera -- or look for it in your 
favorite library. (We donate all revenue from our book recommendations to 
adult literacy programs.)

MAILBAG: THE WORLD AS WE FIND IT

DESIGN AND PRICE
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9389
      Your article today on the Joy of Good Design cites Sony and Apple as 
being two good examples of companies that get the link between good design 
and the enhanced brand loyalty that results. These are good examples but on 
the recent scene I think recent cars from Mercedes Benz (and maybe BMW) are 
an even better example, although of course probably not as widely enjoyed. 
As a dedicated car lover, six months ago I made my first lease from a 
growing market of 'entry level luxury' cars. I carefully analyzed the many 
competitors in this new hot segment and strongly suspect that the BMW and 
the Audi and many Japanese cars might be equal or perhaps even better cars 
mechanically, but in the end I felt that the exterior and interior design 
of the latest Mercedes C coupe (not that expensive at about $25K US) 
completely blew away the competition. Six months later I am now entering 
the zone familiar to Mercedes and BMW marketers. (BMW has a 94% retention 
rate!) When I think of my next car purchase the very good Japanese 
competition simply drops out of sight leaving only Mercedes and maybe BMW. 
I also know that this is happening at the very base level noted in the 
article as my more rational self cannot provide any better explanation.
      What a wonderful zone for a firm to get into! (Patrick Girard)

CALLER ID ON THE TV SCREEN
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9367
      There are lots of people who can get caller ID info on their TV 
screen. I switched from cable to satellite about a year ago.  I use Dish 
Net.  Their satellite tuner hooks to the phone line to report pay-per-view 
usage, and all you have to do is go into the setup screen to enable caller 
ID on the screen. (Norm Samuelson)

VoIP AND RISK ASSESSMENT
Re: 
http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&dateissued=2003 
1009
      Regarding the three stories "New Breed of 'Spackers' Eludes 
Antispammers," "VoIP is the New Gold Rush in Telecom," and "VoIP Gets 
Reprieve From Regulation": The pessimistic article regarding network abuse 
by spammers/crackers being juxtaposed with the two upbeat articles about 
VoIP was ironic. I've read somewhere recently that corporate types are 
beginning to be wary about VoIP, not because of the technology itself, 
which is very promising, but rather because of the risk assessment about 
whether the IP network is reliable enough to put your 
phone-contact-with-business-partners/clients in the same basket as email. 
If IP network traffic is disrupted (by DoS attacks or direct physical 
terrorist acts), that business would be absolutely dead in the water. (Mark 
Zollinhofer)

MEASURING UP TO BAD REVIEWS
      Anxious to read customer reviews on Clay Aiken's new album "Measure 
of a Man," I went to Amazon.com on the release date and found two ecstatic 
and two negative reviews. The next day I was about to post my review when I 
noticed the tie had been broken--Amazon had simply removed the negative 
reviews. What's up here?! Wait and watch. So on Thursday a new negative 
review was posted, but by late afternoon Amazon was on it and had deleted 
it too.
      While Amazon broke new ground years ago by allowing customer to post 
honest feedback on every product, it appears that honest feedback from 
customers is not in Amazon.com's interest any more-- but, of course, 
they'll keep the ones that support sales. So now the original dot com, 
throws the dot bomb at its own customers. And I no longer trust any of 
their reviews. (Corl DeLuna)

ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTS
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9363
      Regarding  "Worth Thinking About: Did You Work Hard Today?" -- After 
reading Dr. Jose Barchilon's comment about the forest and the bear, it 
struck me that this 1960 observation can be seen today in the propensity by 
the "youts" of the day for rock climbing, bungee jumping, hang gliding and 
their other useless "adrenalin rush" activities. I'd like to gather them up 
and plant them in Baghdad for a couple of days if they are really looking 
for an adrenalin rush! (Michael H. Bell)

BAD NEWS IS GOOD NEWS
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9355
      Regarding the letter on offering up 'good news,' it was ages ago when 
Eric Severeid was commentator for Walter Cronkite on the CBS news, said 
that when good news became news, we were in trouble. Something is 
newsworthy, he said, because it was out of the ordinary. It is indeed 
fortunate for us that bad stuff is still news. (Richard Campbell)

THE REWARDS OF CREATIVITY
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9354
      In response to James Chu's letter about patents and copyrights, I 
have to ask how you would decide who "all the people who rightfully 
deserve" a share of the profits derived from any copyrighted work. As a 
writer, I live by my ability to gather everything I've learned from others, 
sift through it, and come up with my own way of expressing a thought. Just 
because I've learned, should everyone who has contributed to me in some 
fashion have a share in the profits of my work? If so, how much? Do I get 
to claim any or is everything I've done too derivative for me to make a 
living from it? I don't think so. Others have given me the impression they 
didn't think so either. So where do we draw that particular line? Now, 
finding a way to keep corporations from deriving the majority of patent and 
copyright profit and giving more of it back to the creator is a far better 
idea. Especially from where I sit... Thanks again for your publication‹it 
does make us think! (Sherilyn B. Dunn)

WE'VE GOT THEM ON OUR LIST... BUT THEY CERTAINLY WERE MISSED
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9409
      "Included among you are sociologists, psychologists, accountants, 
lawyers, architects, physicians, anthropologists, software developers, 
CIOs, CFOs, CEOs, entrepreneurs, authors, mathematicians, physicists, 
chemists, biologists, nuclear scientists, newspaper people, theater folks, 
corporate managers, students, homemakers, designers, and others. Your 
politics are from left to right, and your religious opinions are similarly 
diverse"
      What, no engineers??? :-)  My fault for not responding to the 
survey...you guys are doing a great job, thanks, and keep it up... (Rajib 
Sinha, P.E. Chemical Engineer) [Oh, we had replies from plenty of 
engineers, but unfortunately left them out of the list. Shame on us. -- J&S)

SUBSCRIPTION INFO FOR NEWSSCAN DAILY:
      To subscribe or unsubscribe to the text, html, or handheld versions 
of NewsScan Daily, send the appropriate subscribe or unsubscribe messages 
(i.e., with the word 'subscribe' or 'unsubscribe' in the subject line) to 
the addresses shown below:
      Text version: Send message to [email protected]
      HTML version: Send mail to [email protected]
      NewsScan-To-Go: http://www.newsscan.com/handheld/current.html

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT NEWSSCAN DAILY! Send them our little frog: 
http://www.newsscan.com/newsscan/newscup.html

***********************************************************
Please visit the site of RLG, the great organization that makes NewsScan 
Daily possible. (RLG has no influence over, nor any responsibility for, our 
editorial content.) Created in 1974 as the Research Libraries Group, RLG is 
a not-for-profit membership corporation of more than 160 universities, 
national libraries, archives, museums -- and other institutions with 
remarkable collections for research and learning. Its major initiatives are 
long-term retention of digital materials, resource sharing among member 
institutions, and improvement of researcher access to primary source 
material. RLG supplies online research resources worldwide. Visit RLG at 
http://www.rlg.org.

*********

To subscribe or unsubscribe to the TEXT version of NewsScan Daily, send an 
e-mail message to [email protected] with 'subscribe' or 'unsubscribe' 
in the subject line. To subscribe to our HTML version of NewsScan Daily, 
send mail to [email protected], with the word 'subscribe' as the 
subject. (Subscribing to the HTML version won't automatically unsubscribe 
you from the text version; please unsubscribe yourself as explained above.) 
Please note: To unsubscribe from an account to which you no longer have 
access, send mail to at [email protected].

*********

We call our news section "Above The Fold" to honor the tradition of the 
great "broadsheet" newspapers in which editors must decide which news 
stories are of such importance that they should be placed "above the fold" 
on the front page. The NewsScan Credo: Be informative, have fun, and get to 
the point! See http://www.newsscan.com/, and send us mail: John Gehl 
<[email protected]> and Suzanne Douglas <[email protected]>, or call 
770-704-7517.

*********

Get a free 6-week trial subscription to Innovation Weekly, an executive 
summary of trends, strategies and innovations in business and technology. 
Send mail to [email protected] with the word 'subscribe' in the 
subject line.

What customized news and information services do you need for your company? 
Get in touch with us at [email protected] or call 770-704-7517 to talk 
over the possibilities.

Copyright 2003. NewsScan Daily (R) is a publication of NewsScan Inc.
***********************************************************