NewsScan Daily, 31 October 2003 ("Above The Fold")

NewsScan Daily, 31 October 2003 ("Above The Fold")
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NewsScan Daily is underwritten by RLG, a world-class organization
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"ABOVE THE FOLD"
       Google and Microsoft?
       White Spots on Powerbook Screens
       They Want Your Business (or Do You Already Know This?)
       Sci-Fact Science
       CSN: The Cable Science Network

FEATURES
       Flash Card
       Honorary Subscriber: Barney Ross
       Mailbag: The World As We Find It

GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT?
Google, which is now preparing to issue an Initial Public Offering, has
recently been exploring a partnership with Microsoft, after Microsoft made
overtures that included the possibility of a takeover. In its forthcoming
IPO, Google will be selling a 10-15% stake to the public to raise more than
$2 billion to be used to invest in the business and create wealth for its
employees, venture capitalists and early investors. (New York Times 31 Oct
2003)
http://partners.nytimes.com/2003/10/31/technology/31net.html

WHITE SPOTS ON POWERBOOK SCREENS
The new 15-inch-screen PowerBooks have unexplained white blotches showing up
on the LCD screens. Some customers say they sent their laptops in for
repair, only to see the spots reappear when the systems came back. A
statement from Apple says: "The new 15-inch PowerBook has been a big hit
with customers since its introduction last month. However, some customers
are reporting the appearance of faint, white spots on their displays after
using the system for a short period of time, and Apple is investigating
these reports right now. Any customers experiencing this problem should
contact AppleCare." (San Jose Mercury News 31 Oct 2003)
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/7148746.htm

THEY WANT YOUR BUSINESS (OR DO YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS?)
The wireless companies are now engaged in one of the most expensive
advertising wars in American business history. Verizon Wireless alone will
be spending nearly $1 billion on advertising this year, and the wireless
industry as a whole has already spent $1.7 billion in just the first half of
this year. What are the wireless companies selling you? Your life. Neve
Savage, marketing and communications VP of AT&T Wireless, has revived AT&T's
famous slogan, "Reach out and touch someone," to inspire the company's new
"Reach Out" campaign; she says, "It's one of the great slogans of all
advertising. There's a huge amount of advertising in this industry, and a
lot of it focuses on rates, rate plans, equipment and so forth, but people
don't buy that. They buy the ability to reach out." Savage thinks that
wireless communication is ultimately "about relationships. Verizon can't
reach out, Cingular can't reach out, T-Mobile can't reach out. It's ownable
by us."... Well, maybe they can't reach out, but they sure can spend money
on advertising. (Washington Post 30 Oct 2003)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44465-2003Oct30.html

SCI-FACT SCIENCE
Science teachers in Minnesota are complaining about proposed new curriculum
standards that restrict what will be taught in courses. One critic says,
"This is like talking science. This would be driving testing. We could be
falling into teaching to the test. Science is doing. Science is messy,
smelly. It involves projects. You see things." The new proposal, which was
developed by a citizens panel, enumerates what students should know at
different stages in their studies, and recommends the use of standardized
testing to determine student proficiency. Jerry Wenzel, president of the
Minnesota Science Teachers Association, criticizes the proposed standards
and benchmarks because they do not encourage "thoughtful learning" but
instead promote "a mad race from one disjointed fact to another." (USA Today
30 Oct 2003)
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-10-30-mn-teacher-restrictions_x.htm

CSN: THE CABLE SCIENCE NETWORK
Now in the proposal stage: a cable science network (CSN), modeled on C-SPAN.
Its promoters write: "C-SPAN began in 1979, with a shoestring budget, a
handful of viewers, and a crusading spirit. In its mission statement, C-SPAN
promised its audience live, unedited, balanced access to the major forums
where public policy was discussed. Production values were largely
irrelevant. What counted was simple, unvarnished information. C-SPAN was --
and remains -- the original no-spin zone. And it has prospered because it
has encouraged, and enlarged, the national conversation about politics. In
the same way, we propose that a Cable Science Network (CSN) can encourage,
and enlarge, the national conversation about science. Like C-SPAN, CSN will
provide context for the debate by airing unedited speeches from scientists
committed to different viewpoints. As C-SPAN has done with political
figures, we will conduct extended interviews with scientists. And as C-SPAN
has covered political meetings, we will cover scientific meetings." Offering
on CSN would include such programs as Science Week in Review, Next (an
interview program), The Podium (keynote speakers at scientific meetings),
Science Book TV, Great Teachers, and Science Road Show. Sounds good.
http://www.csntv.org/

*****

FLASH CARD
     "Shake hands and come out fighting." (Referee Exhortation at
Prizefights)

HONORARY SUBSCRIBER: BARNEY ROSS
     Today's Honorary Subscriber is the American boxer Barney Ross
(1909-1967), who was one of the greatest welterweights of all time. In 1933
he fought Tony Canzoneri in Chicago for the world lightweight title, winning
a ten-round decision. Six months later he defeated Canzoneri again in a
fifteen-round decision in New York City. A weight gain put him in the
welterweight division where he met and fought the champion Jimmy McLarnin
three times, winning the first and third bouts. His initial defeat of
McLarnin made him the first fighter to hold the lightweight and welterweight
titles simultaneously.
     In 1934 he gave up the lightweight title and lost the welterweight
title, but regained it in 1935. He defended that title until 1938 when Henry
Armstrong gave him a terrible beating in New York City, ending his boxing
career. His final ring record was 82 fights, with 24 knockouts and four
losses, all on decisions. He was never counted out in his ten-year career,
and in his final brutal defeat by McLarnin he amazed the crowd by staying on
his feet for the full fifteen rounds. In summing up his career, Ross once
said: "I couldn't hit hard, but I could hit them more than they hit me. I
made them fight my fight."
     Ross was born Barnet Rasofsky in New York City and raised in Chicago
where his Orthodox immigrant parents operated a neighborhood grocery store.
Tragedy struck the family when his father was killed in a robbery attempt,
forcing his younger siblings to be placed in an orphanage. The
fifteen-year-old Ross began hanging out with some of Chicago's notorious
gangsters, and only his interest in boxing saved him from a life of crime.
Starting in the Golden Gloves he became an outstanding amateur boxer before
turning pro in 1929. Four years later he had earned enough money to reunite
his family.
     When the United States entered World War II, Ross joined the Marines
and was sent to fight at Guadalcanal in the South Pacific, where he earned
the Silver Star for valor by defending his wounded comrades with rifle fire
and hand grenades, killing twenty-two of the enemy. He came out of the
encounter with shrapnel wounds and malaria. Treated for pain by excessive
doses of morphine, he became drug addicted by the time of his discharge in
1944. He voluntarily committed himself to a federal hospital where he was
cured of his drug dependency. He then spent his remaining years as a
labor-management consultant, a businessman, and inspirational speaker on
conquering drug addiction. His autobiography, "No Man Stands Alone,"
appeared in 1957, ten years before his death in 1967.

See 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0806522011/newsscancom/ref=nos
im for "An Illustrated History of Boxing" -- 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

INTEL DREAMING?
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9449
     Regarding the story "Craig Barrett's Crystal Ball Sees Double": Like,
who are we trying to confuse here? I've been running, Mac OS, Windows,
Linux, and Unix on my twin-processor Mac for over a year, and can switch
profiles in an instant. Craig thinks he has something new? Good Grief! It
looks like he's just dreaming of catching up with Apple sometime in the
distant future. (John Hankwitz)

SPAM BALANCE-OF-TRADE ISSUE
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9448
     Regarding "Senate Votes to Can Spam," all I can say to Senator Ryden is
that most of my spam appears to originate FROM the USA, so all I can say is
"please make your initiative work"; and that it's not just the American
people who want it stopped -- we all do -- so please feel free to bar US
exports of spam!! From here in England, if anyone in the US Senate would
like to gamble, buy drugs online, access weird sites and/or invest in
strange stocks -- wow, do I have a list of addresses reflecting actions
sourced in your country... Over to you then, Senator... I'm quite happy to
have my mailbox protected by any US Act. Just please tell me where and how I
can communicate with one of your Federal Authorities that will enable me to
feel effective action has been taken to stop your exports of this garbage.
(Scott Pollard, UK)

CAVING IN TO COMPUTER STRESS
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9452
     Regarding "Computers May Be Bad For Your Health": OK, I do every one of
the things the anger management people talk about when my computer is bad to
me. I swear (even inventing rather clever new epithets), pound on the screen
and the keyboard, throw stuff and invoke the wrath of all known deities.
However, I behave exactly the same way when chopping wood, hitting my finger
while nailing, or banging my hand into the wall because I have no depth
perception. Computers don't stress me out any more than the news,
politicians or my dog's bad breath. The technology may be new, but the
reactions go back at least to the caves. (Derek Davis)

MUGGED BY REALITY
Re: 
http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=honorary_subscriber&id=715
     When I was attending NYU in the early 50's, his sobriquet was, "Left
Hook." I guess later on he was "mugged by reality?" (Gene Laughlin)

INNOVATION, NOT LEGISLATION, KEY TO AMERICA'S FUTURE
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9485
     The president of Motion Picture Association of America sees the fight
against digital piracy as vital to America's economic future? A hundred
years ago, I'm sure the Buggy Whip Association of America railed against the
horseless carriage in much the same way. Mr. Valenti is way off the mark.
Like it or not, this is a free market economy; if people can obtain products
for a lower price, they usually will. Of course it's wrong to make/buy
copied DVDs, but many people feel it's just as wrong to overcharge for a
product and thus justify their action. Once the industry devices a way to
meet the needs of the public at a fair price, piracy will be no more
commonplace than any other form of theft. Innovation, not legislation, is
the key to America's economic future. (Louis Jezsik, Montreal)

JUNKYARD DATA
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9486
     Regarding "Whole Lot of Data Piling Up," perhaps they should measure
NOT with Libraries of Congress but with junkyards? (Or maybe a few libraries
and the rest junkyards.) (Barry Karas)

MICROSOFT ADMISSION OF FAILURE
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9447
     "Microsoft is now designing technology to shield Windows from malicious
email messages, viruses and worms." Seems like an odd approach to me (or an
admission of failure). Why not make the OS itself more robust and less open
to attack? (Richard Rathe, MD)

LOWER THE PRICE OR IMPROVE THE ARTISTS
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9475
     I read your article, "Students Create a File-Swap Workaround," with
great interest. Has this "analog transmission" loophole been used to defend
MP3 swapping itself? MP3s, like analog transmissions, are degraded copies of
a CD source. MP3s ripped at the "CD-quality" rate of 128kbps contain
noticeable defects on any reasonable stereo or headphone set. Higher
bit-rates are acceptable for headphones or my car; but for home listening,
the MP3 format is still inferior to the compact disc. (It's true that once
the CD source has been ripped to MP3, the resulting files can copied without
*further* degradation; but this is true of any digital recording.) Instead
of suing 12-year-olds for an activity remarkably similar to recording songs
off the radio, the RIAA would have better spent its time and money promoting
superior music. They could encourage a new (unencrypted) audio format whose
sound leaves CDs and MP3 in the dust. They could lower the price of CDs. Or
-- here's a thought -- they could promote artists who are actually worth $15
per CD. (Jon DeShazo)

SAMPLING LEADS TO BUYING
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9489
     Maelstrom's latest missive is rather contradictory. In the opening
paragraphs he says that he has listened to downloaded music, liked it and
then bought the CD. Later on he says that Amazon is unethical because it
makes full text searchable copies of books available online. It seems to me
that Amazon is trying to get its customers to do just what Maelstrom said he
did -- sample and then buy. I can tell you from personal experience that
this plan works. At Safari.com hundreds of technical books are available for
reading in full text. For a $15 monthly subscription, I can put up to 10
books on my bookshelf and read them online. I can even print a page whenever
I want. After a book has been there 30 days, I can swap it for another. And,
yes, I've gone and bought some of them. Now there's a model I'd like to see
the record labels try. (Steve Kalman)

MAELSTROM IS ON THE MARK
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&id=9489
     I find maelstrom to be on the mark. One thing to tell him -> DO NOT
attempt to show businesses about the access -- they will call the police,
who are technically clueless, who will then proceed to throw maelstrom into
the clink, to be arraigned in front of a technically clueless judge for
extortion or some other charge. Businesses want to remain willfully ignorant
-- if they know, they'd have to pay to secure it. Let businesses keep on
going -- when some hacker uses their AP, and the FBI shows up and arrests
them, maybe they'll get the message. It's not worth the personal risk of
being jailed - innocence is no defense in the legal system. I know I've told
business executives in the private sector about security for years -- at
least defense is quasi-serious about it. (Ralph S. Hoefelmeyer, CISSP)

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