Researchers from U. Cambridge (UK) and CNRS (France), in the 07 Feb 2002 issue of Nature.

Abstract: The explosion in demand for increased data-storage density is driving the exploration of new magnetic media. Here we describe a new type of magnetic medium in which the spin configurations are engineered in chemically homogeneous magnetic films: regularly arranged in-plane and out-of-plane spin configurations are defined by altering the magnetic anisotropy. These spin-engineered media not only maintain the surface planarity but also the homogeneity of the magnetic materials, and our method is likely to find immediate application on account of its simplicity and ease of integration.

Microstructures: Spin-engineering magnetic media | _Nature_

Harvard researchers report on recent progress in the 07 Feb 2002 issue of _Nature_.

Abstract: The assembly of semiconductor nanowires and carbon nanotubes into nanoscale devices and circuits could enable diverse applications in nanoelectronics and photonics. Individual semiconducting nanowires have already been configured as field-effect transistors, photodetectors and bio/chemical sensors. More sophisticated light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and complementary and diode logic devices have been realized using both n- and p-type semiconducting nanowires or nanotubes. ... [W]e demonstrate the synthesis of semiconductor nanowire superlattices from group III–V and group IV materials. ... Compositionally modulated superlattices ... have been prepared ... [and] modulation doped nanowires have been synthesized. Single-nanowire photoluminescence, electrical transport and electroluminescence measurements show the unique photonic and electronic properties of these nanowire superlattices, and suggest potential applications ranging from nano-barcodes to polarized nanoscale LEDs.

Growth of nanowire superlattice structures for nanoscale photonics and electronics

A pre-print by researchers from Northwestern University's Center for Nanofabrication and Molecular Self-Assembly and the University of Chicago's Institute for Biophysical Dynamics.

Abstract: "Dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) was used to construct arrays of proteins with 100 to 350 nanometer features. These nanoarrays exhibit almost no detectable nonspecific binding of proteins to their passivated portions even in complex mixtures of proteins, and therefore, provide the opportunity to study a variety of surface-mediated biological recognition processes. For example, reactions involving the protein features and antigens in complex solutions can be screened easily by atomic force microscopy (AFM). As further proof-of-concept, these arrays were used to study cellular adhesion at the submicrometer scale."

Protein Nanoarrays Generated By Dip-Pen Nanolithography | _Science_ pre-print

Summary from Virtual Acquisition Shelf: "The Charlie Rose Show airs nightly on public television. Rose conducts interviews with newsmakers, business leaders, authors, educators, politicians, and entertainers. This archive (audio only) provides streaming coverage of content back to October 29, 2001."

Available interviews include: Former SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt, Former Disney President Mike Ovitz, Filmmaker Ridley Scott, Author Lawrence Lessig, Film Director Ron Howard, NY Times Publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr., Columnist William Safire, AOL Time Warner's Stephen Case, Intel's Andrew Grove, Iranian President Khatami, Vivendi CEO Jean-Marie Messier, Robert Altman, Julian Fellowes, Palestinian Ambassador Rahman, Microsoft's Bill Gates, Former GE CEO Jack Welch, N.Y. Times Columnist Thomas Friedman, Sandy Berger, Hillary Clinton, and many more.

The Charlie Rose Show | Online Streaming Audio Archive

An Interdisciplinary Integrative Forum on Nanotechnology Computational Efforts in the Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Materials fields. April 22-25, 2002

Topics of the talks include: National Nanotechnology Initiative; Manipulating Quantum Information with Semiconductor Spintronics; Circuit Laws and design rules for molecular wires and logic circuit integrated in a single molecule; Design and Engineering of Bio-Molecular Devices and Microsystems; Complex Fluid Dynamics in BioMEMS Devices; Molecular and Nanoelectronics; Mechanical Properties at the Nanoscale.

2002 International Conference on Computational Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Pre-publication report of a National Academy workshop. Workshop panels include: Defining and Measuring the New Economy; Drivers of the New Economy; Communications and Software; Applications and Policy Issues.

From the Executive Summary: "Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Americans and American businesses regularly invested in ever more powerful and cheaper computers. ... By the mid-1990s, however, new data began to reveal an acceleration of growth accompanying a transformation of economic activity. ... This period also coincides with the widespread adoption of the Internet ... The New Economy addresses changes in the US economy ..."

"Change is often slow to become apparent in ways that can be readily measured ... Innovations in information technologies are believed to be fueling [a] boost in productivity. ... Developments in the semiconductor industry have enabled a swift decline in the price of information technologies. ..."

_Measuring and Sustaining the New Economy_ | Nat'l Academy Press

The U.S. House of Representatives today overwhelmingly approved a bill that offers $880 million in funding to government agencies for researching ways to improve U.S. computer and network security. ... "Security has to mean more than locking doors and installing metal detectors," said Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., speaking in support of the bill, which contains language he sponsored. "The virtual systems that are vital to our nation's economy must be protected." ...

House Passes Computer Security Bill | WashPost

In the Jan. 28 issue of Physical Review Letters, the scientists revealed the results. They didn't find anything. ...

Years of Research Yield Nothing, and That's Good News ...

Interesting. Very interesting. Follow this link!

Does anyone know how long "CNN Arabic" has been in operation? Is there a cable/broadcast television component, as with CNN en Español? It looks like they're going head-to-head with al-Jazeera, although I suspect that Ted Turner and Steve Case put CNN at a nontrivial disadvantage in this market.

CNN arabic.com

Link and excerpt from Ditherati:

Freedom of the Press Belongs to the Guy With The T-3 Connection

"Sure I want to be the biggest telecom company in the world, but it's just a commodity. I want to be able to form opinion. By controlling the pipe, you can eventually get control of the content."

    -- IDT chairman Howard Jonas, on his plan to be Rupert Murdoch without the subtlety

For IDT, the Big Flameouts Light Its Fire | NYT