WorldCom's stock has lost 80% of its value this year, and fell nearly 30% on Monday alone. Investors fret that the prospects may be strong for default on its $30B debt.

Is Bernie Ebbers running away, or only walking? The answer may tell us how much time WorldCom has left.

WorldCom CEO Resigns

The scientists performed a further test of their technique by analyzing a single text that has been translated into many different languages in this case the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The researchers used their method to measure the linguistic "distance" between more than 50 translations of this document. From these distances, they constructed a family tree of languages that is virtually identical to the one constructed by linguists.

Fun With Your Compression Program

Since losing the use of his vision system and computer memory several weeks ago, he said, he cannot concentrate and is behaving differently. He is now undergoing tests to determine whether his brain has been affected by the sudden detachment from the technology.
Alejandro R. Jahad, director of the University of Toronto's Program in E-Health Innovation, who has worked closely with Dr. Mann, said that scientists now had an opportunity to see what happens when a cyborg is unplugged. "I find this a very fascinating case," he said.

OH MY GOD. THOSE BASTARDS!

At Airport Gate, a Cyborg Unplugged

Vivendi's legal counsel sent Internet Gateway, a regional ISP, a letter late last month demanding that the company stop offering downloads of bnetd, volunteer-created software that allows individuals to run servers to host several popular online games. Games supported by bnetd include "Diablo II" and "StarCraft," both published by Blizzard Entertainment, a subsidiary of Vivendi.

EFF Responds to Vivendi DMCA Based Attack on Gamers

"``This technology is not going to be put back in the bottle,'' he said. ``They can slow down progress, but they cannot stop it.''"

The IT guys make a shitload more then the media guys. I think they have enough power to stop the SSSCA dead in its tracks.

Intel backs consumers over Hollywood

Behind the smiles, a particularly troubling set of circumstances is plaguing the record industry, which is in dire straits on almost every front. The major record labels depend on three things to survive: the money of fans, the music of their artists and the support of the multinational corporations that own them. But the labels are suddenly realizing that they can't depend on any of these. ... "If the industry doesn't change the way we do business," said Val Azzoli, co-chairman of Atlantic Records, "we're going to be bankrupt." While it has been widely reported that music sales were down 5 percent last year, this is the least of the music business's woes. ....

Neil Strauss of the New York Times issues a report on the (sad) state of the music industry, including the tough economic tradeoffs faced by conglomerates like Sony.

Maybe we just don't need these people anymore! The recording industry as a whole can go up in flames for all I care. Its time we simply start building the REAL communication infrastructure necessary for artists to self-promote. More blank CDs are sold now then pre-recorded, the hardware is in place. This can't result in anything other then more choice for the consumer. I don't know _anyone_ who is truly happy with the crap that gets handed down the the corporate pulpits of American culture, otherwize knows as record labels. No sympathy for the devil, fuck em. Change can be painful, so don't well up with pitty when you hear the screams.

Make your money on performance folks.. And I'm not talking about ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.

Behind the Grammys, Revolt in the Industry

Listening to such artists isn’t just about the music: it’s the smart people’s secret handshake.

Unless we direct this information technology crap in the right direction, its going to be what shackles our cultural growth and identity to the LCD. Generic American culture, available for purchase at your local Target, Wallmart, and Blockbuster.

As I have said for years now: Change is coming

"We are blinded by an American character trait, which is to feel contempt. College sophomores are regularly asked every year, "To what do you attribute your beliefs? Almost universally, they say, "I believe what I believe because I've evaluated the evidence. My idiot opponent got their evidence because of flaws in their character. "

Privacy Foundation: Privacy Watch

Cnet interview with John Perry Barlow

"(The .com crash has) been good for the Internet, and in the long term it's going to be very good for the dot-communists. Never has there been a time when there are so many young people who have been poor and then rich and then poor again. I think it's an educational experience that teaches you what's valuable in life. To have a whole bunch of money at a really young age and see how completely useless it is--it trains a lot of folks in the real value of things. "

Tech News - CNET.com

If you look close at the bottom level on the right side, you can even see the little terrorist board room.. Cute!

Bin Laden's Mountain Fortress