Political Participation
WP: A Generation Of Public, Not Civil, Servants
Internet/Online Services
NYT: Ruling on Trademarks Is Called 'Watershed' For Domain Disputes
WP: What's in a Net Name?
WSJ: Inside AOL's Bid to Develop Its Own Hot Sites
WSJ: Click & Shift: Workers Control Their Benefits On-Line
Competition
TelecomAM: Competition Has Driven Wireless Rates Down By
As Much As A Third, study says
TelecomAM: Bell Atlantic CEO Attacks 'MCI Myths' About Local Market
Microsoft
WSJ: Microsoft Internal E-Mail Bolsters Case Against Software
Maker, U.S. Contends
WP: Microsoft's Bill Gates: Software's Hard-Liner
TelecomAM: Texas PUC Opposes SBC Lawsuit to Overturn Telecom Act
Interlata Restrictions
Health
NYT: Eye Drops Aim for Computer Users
NYT: Bedside Manner With a Twist
** Political Participation **
Title: A Generation Of Public, Not Civil, Servants
Source: Washington Post (A25)
http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-11/21/082l-112197-id...
Author: Stephen Barr
Issue: Political Participation
Description: The Ford Foundation and the Council for Excellence in
Government helped organize the Partnership for Trust in Government, a
coalition of 22 organizations including the Girl Scouts, the AFL-CIO, the
United Negro Fund, Good Housekeeping magazine, IBM and the Discover Channel.
In a recent study commissioned by the Partnership, they find that young
Americans have "a thirst for public service" and to make a difference in the
lives of individuals -- but they give the government a mixed grade on
whether or not it helps them attain the American Dream. The Partnership
hopes to counter the government-bashing in politics and the media. American
in the 18-34 age group rank teaching as the most appealing profession
followed by social work (for young Democrats) and corporate management (for
young Republicans) [big surprise there]. "When asked their extremely
important priorities, respondents chose a close-knit family life over a good
job."
** Internet/Online Services **
Title: Ruling on Trademarks Is Called 'Watershed' For Domain Disputes
Source: New York Times/CyberTimes
http://www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/week/112197trademark.html
Author: Jeri Clausing
Issue: Internet
Description: According to a recent court ruling, Network Solutions Inc.
(NSI) the company that is the sole registrar of the top-level domains
".org," ".net" and ".com," cannot be held liable in trademark disputes.
With the registration process changing next year, this ruling could prove
crucial in keeping such disputes out of court. Ed Poplawski, NSI's lead
lawyer, said Thursday: "This is a watershed ruling that indicated the NSI's
involvement with potential trademark infringement is so peripheral that it
could not conceivably be held accountable for a domain registrants
infringement. The bottom line is the NSI is not an Internet gatekeeper,
police officer or sentry for trademark owners."
Title: What's in a Net Name?
Source: Washington Post (A26)
http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-11/21/035l-112197-id...
Author: WP Editorial
Issue: Internet
Description: "Anyone who wants to relive the gold rushes of the last century
should be keeping an eye on the complex struggle to determine the allocation
of new Internet addresses." There's big money at stake here -- both for
companies that want to have easy-to-remember Net addresses and for the
people who allocate the registrations. The latest plan is to drop Network
Solutions Inc's monopoly control to make the registry system open, global,
and decentralized. "As national governments struggle with the challenge of
asserting control over a global and borderless medium, that medium's
internal institutions have their own heavy responsibility."
Title: Inside AOL's Bid to Develop Its Own Hot Sites
Source: Wall Street Journal (B1)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Jared Sandberg
Issue: On-Line Services
Description: For cash-strapped and idea-rich Web-site creators, AOL is
becoming the best game in town. It has what they need most: a waiting
audience of more than 10 million subscribers. AOL built its business by
"rebroadcasting" the content of such suppliers as Time Warner Inc. and the
New York Times. AOL had a Greenhouse unit invest only small sums for tiny
stakes in start-ups. Now, they want it all: total ownership and control as
it tries to create a slew of new "programming" from scratch; this way AOL
can garner all the revenue from related advertising. But independent
suppliers worry the big online company will favor its own homegrown fare
and give short shrift to theirs. AOL has also reversed the economics of
their business. Instead of paying producers for their wares, it now demands
that some producers pay AOL for prime placement on the service.
Title: Click & Shift: Workers Control Their Benefits On-Line
Source: Wall Street Journal (C1)
http://wsj.com/
Author: Lynn Asinof
Issue: Internet Content
Description: A handful of U.S. companies have begun to place their
benefit plans online. New Jersey utility Public Service Electric & Gas Co.
and Digital Equipment Corp. are among the pioneers in adopting interactive
computer technology that allows workers to access benefit information, make
changes and conduct related business. Once connected, employees can get
real-time information on company savings or 401(k) plans, and even track
historical performance updated daily over the past month. Interactive
employee-benefit systems are expected to be mainstream by the turn of the
century. These new systems are expected to change fundamentally the way
people deal with their benefits by giving them "more ownership, more
control", says Steve McCormick of Watson Wyatt Worldwide. Part of the appeal
is that employees will be able to get information on their own timetable.
Priscilla Craven, U.S. benefits communications and vendor manager at Digital
Equipment, said, "You no longer need to call a person when an office is open
to get a form or make an enrollment choice."
** Competition **
Title: Competition Has Driven Wireless Rates Down By As Much As A Third,
study says
Source: Telecom A.M.---Nov. 21, 1997
http://www.capitol( at )cappubs.com/
Issue: Competition
Description: Turf battles among cellular, new PCS's, and ESMR operators
have driven per-minute use charges down by more than a third in some areas
of the country, according recent research by Paul Kagan Assoc. Wireless
carriers in metropolitan areas where multiple cellular and PCS carriers have
faced off for about nine months have drastically cut rates, according to the
Kagan study. Sharon Armburst, VP and senior analyst at PKA, said, "PCS
operators, as well as Nextel with its ESMR web, are pushing the edge of the
envelope, and cellular carriers must counter PCS moves or risk unacceptably
high churn. The good news is aggressive ad campaigns and heated price
competition are growing the pie for all."
Title: Bell Atlantic CEO Attacks 'MCI Myths' About Local Market
Source: Telecom A.M.---Nov. 21, 1997
http://www.capitol( at )cappubs.com/
Issue: Competition
Description: James G. Cullen, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic's
Telecom Group, told the Economic Strategy Institute that "Local telephone
markets are open to scores of competitors today, thanks to aggressive
efforts by Bell Atlantic and other regional companies. Meanwhile, the
nation's long distance markets continue to be locked tight...customers are
held in the iron grip of AT&T, MCI and Sprint." Cullen called on the FCC to
abandon the outmoded policies of the past and let the Telecom Act work. He
said, "Debunking six myths perpetuated by MCI and the other long-distance
giants is critical to understanding the true state of competition in local
and long-distance markets." They are: 1-Local markets are closed to
competition. 2-Bell Atlantic is dragging its feet in opening up local
networks. 3-The only true test of open markets is that competitors offer
local residential service. 4-Consumers need protection from local providers
offering long distance service. 5-Consumers need to be protected from the
Bells offering Internet transport. 6-Regional Bell companies like Bell
Atlantic are slow and inefficient monopolists who are unable and unwilling
to compete.
** Microsoft **
Title: Microsoft Internal E-Mail Bolsters Case Against Software Maker,
U.S. Contends
Source: Wall Street Journal (B20)
http://wsj.com/
Author: John R. Wilke
Issue: Antitrust
Description: The Justice Dept. disclosed an e-mail document from James
Allchin, a Microsoft VP, that discusses the company's strategy for
overtaking Netscape. The e-mail, from Dec. 20, 1996, said, "The current path
is simply to copy everything Netscape does...my conclusion is we must
leverage Windows more." He also said that treating it as a separate product
"is losing our biggest advantage, Windows market share" and that "we should
think first about an integrated solution." The document goes to the heart of
the Justice Dept.'s case against Microsoft's business practices that hint at
market domination. Microsoft denies the allegations, but the document shows
that less than a year ago, execs were still talking about combining Windows
and Internet Explorer. The Justice Dept. contends that the e-mail makes
clear the real reason Microsoft makes computer makers install Explorer with
Windows. It "has nothing to do with updating Microsoft's operating system"
or integrating new functions. The Dept. said, "Rather, it is intended to
allow Microsoft to use the leverage of Windows to increase distribution of
Explorer" and win the Internet browser war.
Title: Microsoft's Bill Gates: Software's Hard-Liner
Source: Washington Post (G1)
http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-11/21/170l-112197-id...
Author: Elizabeth Corcoran
Issue: Antitrust
Description: A talk with Mr. Bill about the accusations that Microsoft is a
monopoly. "What's the most pro-competitive thing that's ever happened in the
economy?" he asks. "Personal computers connected to the Internet, by far."
Gates is worth $35 million and Microsoft has 22,000 employees world-wide --
12,000 at the Redmond campus. Revenue for the company in 1997 was $11.36
billion. But to Gates, Microsoft is still a feisty start-up, poised to do
battle with a legion of giants.
Title: Texas PUC Opposes SBC Lawsuit to Overturn Telecom Act Interlata
Restrictions
Source: Telecom AM
http://capitol.cappubs.com/am/
Issue: Telecom Act of 1996
Description: The Texas Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has filed a brief
in a US district court saying that Texas consumers would be harmed if the
court were to find in favor of SBC Communications challenge to long distance
restrictions on the Baby Bells in the Telecom Act. The PUC told the court
that the Telecom Act's link between open local market and BOC InterLATA
entry "strikes the balance necessary to achieve lasting competition in both
local and long-distance markets. The conditions on entry are sound public
policy."
** Health **
Title: Eye Drops Aim for Computer Users
Source: New York Times/CyberTimes
http://www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/week/112197eyedrops.html
Author: The Associated Press
Issue: Health
Description: Tired of that dry, red, fatigued, cross-eyed feeling after
hours of computer use? [Then stop reading this and go enjoy your weekend,
silly] Bausch & Lomb has got the answer for this
occupational hazard -- Computer Eye Drops! (I kid you not, that really is
the 'catchy' name) These sparkling new drops were one of the coolest hot
items at this week's Comdex exhibition in Las Vegas. As the only item of its
type on the market, the drops contain 1 percent glycerin, the maximum amount
of the lubricant allowed by the Food and Drug Administration. The use of
glycerin is due to its high water-bonding properties which help to restore
moisture to the eyes. Bausch & Lomb's 'Computer Eye Drops' should be in
stores before Christmas.
Title: Bedside Manner With a Twist
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/nation/112197nation.html
Author: Jason Chervokas and Tom Watson
Issue: Health
Description: The American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) is
conducting a yearlong study evaluating what happens when direct digital
communications are established between patients and medical professionals in
a clinical setting. While there are all sorts of issues involved, including
privacy and the amount of advice that should be dispensed online, the
positive clinical implications are quite high. The hope is that by
introducing information technology into the physicians office, the medical
field will be able to reintroduce the types of close, everyday relationships
that doctors once enjoyed with people in their communities."
*********
...and we're outta here. Have a great weekend.