Articles: A Look Back In Search History

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor



Internet Articles -- History buffs will be interested to see a simple but fairly detailed chart of the history of search engines dating back to the development of ARCHIE in 1990. The chart has only eight entries between 1990 and mid 1993, but things start to pick up in March of '93 when Bill Clinton sent the first email message.

According to the chart, Yahoo! was released days after the release of WebCrawler in April 1994. Two months later, Lycos began sorting the web. Within two years, another dozen search tools joined the original 3.

The chart provides a nostalgic look at the history of search engines.


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Daily News: AJAX: The New Web Revolution

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor

Internet News -- Recent innovations in web design are ushering in a new era for internet-based software applications. That’s giving software developers a wide open platform for creating new programs that have no relation to the underlying operating system that runs a PC. Meaning less reloading, faster navigation.

Evidence of this evolution has been popping up everywhere in recent months, with examples that include Google's online map rendering software and its Gmail service, Amazon's A9 search engine and NetFlix's DVD rental platform. All highlight a dramatic rethinking of web applications, using a programming technique dubbed AJAX (for asynchronous JavaScript and XML) that significantly improves how web pages interact with data, for the first time rivaling programs that run natively on the desktop.

GOOGLE MAPS


A9 AMAZONE SEARCH


"For a user it is fundamentally different -- it feels like a real application," said Rael Dornfest, chief technology officer for O'Reilly Media.

AJAX overcomes a severe limitation in traditional web interfaces, which must reload anytime they try to call up new data. By contrast, AJAX lets users manipulate data without clicking through to a new page, Dornfest said. That's putting an end to page refreshes and other interruptions that have handicapped wweb-based applications until now.

Web developers are creating AJAX code libraries and conventions to ease the burden of making applications that speak several computer languages. Even Microsoft is jumping into the game, albeit with hooks that aim to keep it tethered to its Windows OS. The company recently announced it is developing its own AJAX toolbox, called Atlas, for web developers who use Microsoft's ASP.NET technologies to build websites.

Perhaps the best known example of AJAX is Google Maps, whose improbable drop shadows and absurdly movable maps spread shock and awe among web developers in February.

Jesse James Garrett, a co-founder of the Adaptive Path consulting firm gave AJAX its name in an influential essay.

"The deep trend here is that we are really starting to figure out what the web is good for," he explained in an interview with some Tech publications. "This is the web coming into its own as a medium for software applications."

According to Garrett, designers of the first generation of web applications relied on the model of desktop software, and then dumbed them down to fit in a browser. Gmail, the Google webmail service released last year, awakened Garrett and many others to the possibility of a new style of web applications.

"Everyone thought the story of web user interface for e-mail ended in 1999," Garrett said. "Then Google comes along five years later and says 'There is more we can do here,' and demonstrated it in an uncompromising way -- not relying on Flash but simply using browser-native technologies and pushing them as far as they can go."

While Microsoft wants to be part of the AJAX revolution, its major focus for developers is on helping them build lively, multimedia Windows desktop applications for its next operating systems.

To that end, Microsoft included a user interface development tool called Windows Presentation Foundation (formerly codenamed Avalon) in last week's release of a small batch of test versions of Vista, its long-delayed successor to Windows XP.

Atlas, Microsoft's AJAX equivalent, won't likely be shown to web developers before the company's developer conference in September.

Microsoft said "We recognize the need in certain scenarios for browser-based, standards-based stuff and that’s where we have ATLAS technology, which is going to simplify the development of AJAX content," Key said, "But when you are talking about richness and fullness and really doing amazing things that approach cinematic user interfaces, you are going to need a richer technology, and that’s what Windows Presentation Foundation is all about."

Experts say they don't expect AJAX will make desktop applications obsolete. But it has already affirmed the viability of the web as a standalone software development platform.



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Daily News: How Cell Phone Radiation Function

By Luis Galarza, Cheap Telecom Services



Cell Phone News -- Just by their basic operation, cell phones have to emit a small amount of electromagnetic radiation. As you know cell phones emit signals via radio waves, which are comprised of radio-frequency (RF) energy, a form of electromagnetic radiation.

There's a lot of talk in the news these days about whether or not cell phones emit enough radiation to cause adverse health effects. The concern is that cell phones are often placed close to or against the head during use, which puts the radiation in direct contact with the tissue in the head. There's evidence supporting both sides of the argument.

In this article, we will further explore this controversial issue. You'll find out how cell phones generate radiation and how they are tested for radiation levels.

Source of Radiation
When talking on a cell phone, a transmitter takes the sound of your voice and encodes it onto a continuous sine wave. A sine wave is just a type of continuously varying wave that radiates out from the antenna and fluctuates evenly through space. Sine waves are measured in terms of frequency, which is the number of times a wave oscillates up and down per second. Once the encoded sound has been placed on the sine wave, the transmitter sends the signal to the antenna, which then sends the signal out.


Radiation in cell phones is generated in the transmitter and emitted through the antenna.


Cell phones have low-power transmitters in them. Most car phones have a transmitter power of 3 watts. A handheld cell phone operates on about 0.75 to 1 watt of power. The position of a transmitter inside a phone varies depending on the manufacturer, but it is usually in close proximity to the phone's antenna. The radio waves that send the encoded signal are made up of electromagnetic radiation propagated by the antenna. The function of an antenna in any radio transmitter is to launch the radio waves into space; in the case of cell phones, these waves are picked up by a receiver in the cell-phone tower.

Electromagnetic radiation is made up of waves of electric and magnetic energy moving at the speed of light, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). All electromagnetic energy falls somewhere on the electromagnetic spectrum, which ranges from extremely low frequency (ELF) radiation to X-rays and gamma rays. Later, you will learn how these levels of radiation affect biological tissue.

When talking on a cell phone, most users place the phone against the head. In this position, there is a good chance that some of the radiation will be absorbed by human tissue. In the next section, we will look at why some scientists believe that cell phones are harmful, and you'll find out what effects these ubiquitous devices may have.


The Potential Health Risks
In the late 1970s, concerns were raised that magnetic fields from power lines were causing leukemia in children. Subsequent epidemiological studies found no connection between cancer and power lines. A more recent health scare related to everyday technology is the potential for radiation damage caused by cell phones. Studies on the issue continue to contradict one another.
All cell phones emit some amount of electromagnetic radiation. Given the close proximity of the phone to the head, it is possible for the radiation to cause some sort of harm to the 118 million cell-phone users in the United States. What is being debated in the scientific and political arenas is just how much radiation is considered unsafe, and if there are any potential long-term effects of cell-phone radiation exposure.

There are two types of electromagnetic radiation:

Ionizing radiation - This type of radiation contains enough electromagnetic energy to strip atoms and molecules from the tissue and alter chemical reactions in the body. Gamma rays and X-rays are two forms of ionizing radiation. We know they cause damage, which is why we wear a lead vest when X-rays are taken of our bodies.

Non-ionizing radiation - Non-ionizing radiation is typically safe. It causes some heating effect, but usually not enough to cause any type of long-term damage to tissue. Radio-frequency energy, visible light and microwave radiation are considered non-ionizing.

On its Web site, the FDA states that "the available scientific evidence does not demonstrate any adverse health effects associated with the use of mobile phones." However, that doesn't mean that the potential for harm doesn't exist. Radiation can damage human tissue if it is exposed to high levels of RF radiation, according to the FCC. RF radiation has the ability to heat human tissue, much like the way microwave ovens heat food. Damage to tissue can be caused by exposure to RF radiation because the body is not equipped to dissipate excessive amounts of heat. The eyes are particularly vulnerable due to the lack of blood flow in that area.


Cell-phone use continues to rise, which is why scientists and lawmakers are so concerned about the potential risks associated with the devices.


The added concern with non-ionizing radiation, the type of radiation associated with cell phones, is that it could have long-term effects. Although it may not immediately cause damage to tissue, scientists are still unsure about whether prolonged exposure could create problems. This is an especially sensitive issue today, because more people are using cell phones than ever before. In 1994, there were 16 million cell-phone users in the United States alone. As of July 17, 2001, there were more than 118 million.

Here are a few illnesses and ailments that have potential links to cell-phone radiation:

Cancer

Brain tumors

Alzheimer's

Parkinson's

Fatigue

Headaches

Studies have only muddled the issue. As with most controversial topics, different studies have different results. Some say that cell phones are linked to higher occurrences of cancer and other ailments, while other studies report that cell-phone users have no higher rate of cancer than the population as a whole. No study to date has provided conclusive evidence that cell phones can cause any of these illnesses. However, there are ongoing studies that are examining the issue more closely.

This Week I'll be posting more articles about the studies and other stuff...


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Articles: Blogging and Aging

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor

Byline: Ronni Bennett

Blog News -- Ronni Bennett, author of the blog "Time Goes By," was online Tuesday, August 2, at 11:30 a.m. ET to discuss her experiences with getting older and writing about it in her blog.

If you'd like to share your own thoughts about getting older or if you have any questions about blogging, feel free to bring your own experiences to the table and to ask Ronni Bennett about her own.

Explaining about her blogging, Bennett says on "Time Goes By":

"In my private hours now -- age 63 at this writing (March 10, 2005) -- I am excited about exploring what getting older is really like. There is precious little information available in popular writing that is not negatively focused on disease, debility and decline. But I don't believe getting older could possibly be as bad as our culture makes it out to be.

"To the contrary, I find aging to be fascinating and even mysterious. I've never been this old before and I want to know a lot more about it. Since no one else is writing in any genuine, real-world way about the later years of life, I have taken on the challenge, and if the many thoughtful comments posted here in response are any indication we are, over time, lifting the veil on this mystery together, creating a remarkable record."

Bennett worked as a producer in radio and television for most of her career. As part of her television career, she has produced local morning programs and spent a decade at The Barbara Walters Specials and 20/20 on ABC Television. She has also written scripts for such documentary series as The 20th Century and Biography.

In 1996, Bennett moved on to the Internet as the first managing editor at cbsnews.com and then as director of content and Web best practices for several other Web sites.

Bennett has made her home in Greenwich Village since 1969. She was born in Portland, Ore., and spent her later teen years in Sausalito, Calif. She has also lived in San Francisco, Phoenix, Houston, Minneapolis and Chicago.

A transcript follows.

____________________

Vienna, Va.: How did you learn to create the blog? How did you manage to get such a high profile? Also--how do you feel about so many folks knowing the kinds of things most of us express very privately, in a journal?

Thanks!

Ronni Bennett: Re learning how to blog? I had worked at Web sites for ten years before starting, so I knew a lot about creating web sites. And, I read a lot of blogs for a long time before I started. But you don't need to do that. There are many blogging services that make it easy for people who know nothing about creating web sites.

You can find out a lot about how to blog at wikipedia.org, then search the word "blogs" or "blogging."

I'm a strong believer in excellent content to draw readers. I've been doing Time Goes By for 18 months and only in the past few months has my traffic really jumped as more people have found the site.

Everyone has different privacy boundaries and you need figure those out for yourself. I always ask myself, would I care if this were published on the front page of the Washington Post with my name attached?

_______________________

Fort Worth, Tex.: There are 45 million people in the U.S. over the age of 60 and 117 million over the age of 40 -- and a very underserved group at that. Scientists tell us that people, on the average, live 7.5 years longer when they have a positive self-perception of themselves and the aging process in general.

How does blogging fit into this equation? Can blogging be a tool to overcome the stereotyping we have learned and internalized for years upon years?

Oh, and let me say that "Time Goes By" is a must read for me every day.

Thanks.

Ronni Bennett: Thanks for reading TGB. I appreciate it. Reading older bloggers' sites are an excellent way to improve one's self-image. If you haven't - check out the people on my "older bloggers" list at my site. Altogether, those folks - who may not be writing about age precisely - still tell us more about what getting older is really like than all the experts put together. At least I think so.

Blogging is also an excellent tool for keeping one's mind active. A study was done about how blogging improves critical thinking. I don't have the link right now, but here's a list of what they discovered:

Blogs can promote critical and analytical thinking.

Blogging can be a powerful promoter of creative, intuitive, and associational thinking.

Blogs promote analogical thinking.

Blogging is a powerful medium for increasing access and exposure to quality information.

Blogging combines the best of solitary reflection and social interaction.

_______________________

Guixi, China: Actually, I am only 20, but someday, I forgot when, my cousin saw me, he said, wow, Danw, see how have you changed -- you had a round face when I parted last September, but now, you have a "mother-like face." I had a complex feeling then -- is this what you call "becoming old"? I do not reject that, but is it the cost to grow up? I mean losing what used to have or used to be?

Ronni Bennett: For everything you lose in aging - which is mostly physical - energy, slowing down in general - you gain so much: understanding, knowledge, and even you're really lucky, some real wisdom. I've enjoyed every era of my life, but I'm so much more comfortable with me and happier at 64 than at any other time in my life. I also know me a lot better, much more comfortable in my own skin.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: Instead of sitting around "blogging," you should be outside exercising!

Ronni Bennett: You're right about that :-) - and I get out and move around a lot too.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: What do you feel you're learning from this? Are you finding what you thought you'd find? How has blogging affected your life? Thanks.

Ronni Bennett: I started the blog to find out what getting older is REALLY like because no one was writing anything about aging except disease, debility and decline. I knew it couldn't possible be that bad, so the blog was started to investigate that.

I'm finding a world - literally people from many countries besides the U.S. - of older people who prove every day that this era of life is as rewarding, exciting and fulfilling as every other era. U.S. culture is so youth-centric that there are a lot of obstacles to overcome. Age discrimination in the workplace, general ageism - bad jokes that reinforce the belief that old is bad. The age and beauty police urge us to undergo surgery, use poison injections, etc. to remain faux young people. I refuse to do that and more and more people are joining me in that belief at the blog.

_______________________

Anonymous: Can you tell us more about blogging? Is there really a "community"? If so, what's it like in terms of scope and people? Thanks.

Ronni Bennett: There are thousands of communities in the blogging world. Many are centered around shared interests - anything from politics, to knitting to model trains and...getting older.

There are many regulars on my site that have become real friends, no less friends for being distanced physically. As you recognize some of the people who regularly leave comments on your blog and something they say resonates, you begin emailing too and really getting to know one another.

I think for people who are old enough that they can't get around well anymore, whose older friends may have died, whose families live far away, blogging is a godsend of creating real community and friendship.

_______________________

Waynesboro, Va.: Why should it be so difficult and such a burden on family when one decides to give up driving a car? Public transport is a huge failure outside metropolitan areas.

Ronni Bennett: Most cities are hugely deficient in making it easy for older people who don't drive anymore to get around. This must change, and I have hopes that as the baby boomers (78 million of them) begin to get older, there will be a big enough pressure group to change things.

Meanwhile, my favorite author about older people, Dr. William H. Thomas, has discussed some excellent new ideas for multi-generational housing for older people that help make it much easier for old people to live full lives. His book, if you're interested, is "What Are Old People For?" I highly recommend it.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: What is getting older like for you? Is it what you expected?

Ronni Bennett: I didn't know what to expect (which is why I started the blog). And although I know more now, it's not enough. After all, I haven't ever been this old before.

What I most appreciate is that I'm "smarter" than I've ever been. There are a lot of mistakes I don't have to make anymore. As I said somewhere else here, I know myself so much better and makes many day-to-day things and interactions with people easier.

I know when to say no now, which I had a terrible time with when I was younger.

I learned that nothing very interesting happens at the party after about 11PM, so I can leave and get a good night's sleep without missing anything :-)

My body may have slowed down, but my mind - contrary to what they tell us all the time in the media - is faster and sharper than ever before. I make connections between disparate ideas more quickly and easier. Perhaps that is a function of the experience we all collect in the decades we've lived.

Did I answer this well enough?

_______________________

Cleveland, Ohio: Ronni,

Aging creates the opportunity to develop wisdom. Is wisdom an important concept for you and the world? Do you think about wisdom-your own or others? How does blogging help create collective wisdom and birth action?

Thanks.

Ronni Bennett: Yes, I think about the wisdom of all older people - the experience and knowledge we've collected that is so valuable, and how little it is tapped because of the ageist culture we live in.

Until the last hundred years or so, all cultures recognized that their elders were the keepers of tribes'/communities' knowledge and they were revered for their wisdom and advice they could contribute to the society. Now (unless you're a senator, I guess) we are brushed aside and made invisible, never consulted on what might be best for our communities - whether that community is our town, neighborhood, country.

We need to change this.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: I am attempting to put together a Web site for older individuals interested in blogging. However, I have experienced some difficulty in finding older individuals that are willing to actually write. Would you say there is a certain type of older individual that is willing to express themselves via this medium? Do you have any advice for ways to attract older individuals that are willing to blog.

Ronni Bennett: Start with the Older Bloggers list on my blog (http://www.timegoesby.net). I've vetted these over a long period of time (and continue to add to the list) and they are the best - whatever different subjects they are writing about of all I've looked at.

Many people - not just older ones - are shy about writing for the web, even commenting on web sites is hard for them. Mostly, they're afraid to appear stupid, but I'm here to tell you that no one who's ever commented on my blog or anyone else's I read has said anything stupid.

The good news is, if you can talk people into starting, that you get over the shyness about your own words in public within a couple of weeks.

_______________________

Manassas, Va.: Just wanted to remind people that aging is unavoidable, but retiring, and having a full life physically, intellectually, and emotionally is a choice. Martha Washington said, when she and George went back to Mt. Vernon, that they felt like little children let out of school for the summer. That's how I feel much of the time. I do what I want to. Glad you're telling people that ageing (aging?) is rewarding. Thanks!

Ronni Bennett: As we used to say in the sixties, Right On! And I can't remember who said it right now, but: "Getting old isn't bad, if you consider the alternative."

_______________________

Houston, Tex.: Hi Ronni, Wondering if the Blogher conference had any/many other bloggers there of the mature persuasion and, if so, were you of like minds on the issues related to aging?

Ronni Bennett: I was so pleasantly surprised at the number of older faces at Blogher. For those of you who don't know what that is - it was a conference I attended last weekend in California for women bloggers who don't get the exposure online that men to (what else is new?)

It was such an exciting, illuminating conference that I didn't get to talk about older blogging much, but I'm lobbying to run a session at next year's conference that I want to call "Generations" about what older and younger bloggers can learn from and teach one another.

_______________________

Lunch Break: I just tuned in during an early lunch break. I am 29. Can I learn a thing-or-two from the TGS Blog. Where can the Blog be found? Thanks!

Ronni Bennett: One of the most gratifying things about my blog is the number of 20- and 30-somethings who regularly read it. At the Blogher conference, a lot of young women sought me out to tell me how much they like my blog. I write for the 50-plus audience and I'm not sure what those young folks are getting, but I'm am abashed and pleased.

The site is at: http://www.timegoesby.net

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: Thank you for answering my question about what it's like to get older, and yes, you did answer it. One more for you - are scared to get older? Thank you again.

Ronni Bennett: I've been scared about getting older all my life. The culture does that to us with hundreds of messages every day that young is good, old is bad.

I can't take credit for this, it just happened: I'm fascinated with getting older - my own experience as it goes along and everyone else's I meet. We're different, if we pay attention to our inner voices and not the media, and I'm having a wonderful time seeing how I've become more tolerant, less impatient, more understanding of people who disagree me - except for those who insist that old people are useless :-)

Even in a culture that wants everyone to look young unto death, I wouldn't consider cosmetic surgery; I'm too interested now to find out how my looks will change as the years go by.

_______________________

Anonymous: Ronni, You are not yet old. You are 63.

Ronni Bennett: Tell that to all the young hiring managers who thought I was hot stuff in a pre-interview on the telephone while I've been looking for work during the past year, and whose faces dropped when I walked in for the face-to-face interview looking like their grandmother or mother. Mysteriously, the jobs had been filled overnight and they "forgot" to call me.

_______________________

Anonymous: Hey -- what is so special about you? Every person born ages right from the beginning. And, 63 is not exactly ancient. I know a number of people who are 63 or GASP even older who are working, who are engaged in life, who are not spending their private hours contemplating the inevitable.

Ronni Bennett: There is absolutely nothing special about me. If you mean by "inevitable" that I'm sitting around thinking about death, no. I'm thinking about what it's like be an old person since no one in the media will talk about anything except disease, debility and decline. Old age is a whole lot better than that.

_______________________

Alexandria, Va.: How is a blog different from a chat room?

Ronni Bennett: Chat rooms are "live" talk in that people carry on a typed conversation like this one in real time. Blogs are like having your own op-ed column. You publish a real Web site of a kind called a blog (there are services that supply the software, many are free) and people read and comment on what you've said.

Does that answer the question?

_______________________

New York, N.Y.: As my friend, you have helped me immeasurably in getting the basics of my blog set up. I haven't gone public yet, as you know. One question I have is about frequency of posting. How often do you find one has to post new comments in order to keep readers coming back, and finding new ones?

Ronni Bennett: If building up traffic is your goal, most experts believe you need to post every day - or at least five days a week. These don't need to be long, but the content needs to be compelling, something interesting whether it is your own thoughts about whatever your blog is about or what you've read or whatever, or linking to something online that you find interesting with a sentence or two about why other should read it.

_______________________

Pownal, Maine: The conventional wisdom about blogging is that it is very personal, like a diary, and that definition, I'm sure, turns many people off to blogging. They think it's something akin to "navel-gazing." Your blog, however, maintains a crucial balance between external news, research, and facts about aging, and your internal explorations. How did you carve out and maintain this balance?

Ronni Bennett: I use small personal episodes from my life as jumping off points to discuss larger issues about aging. A personal story can often illustrate a point that is otherwise just an intellectual exercise that doesn't relate very well to life.

BTW, in my session at Blogher titled "How To Get Naked" - about revealing personal information online - the question came up about isn't this kind of blogging (now called "identity blogging") just egotism? One of my panel members answer, "With the first word you put on your first blog entry, it's egotism." Everyone in the room laughed.

There is nothing wrong with it.

_______________________

Philadelphia, Pa.: I am a regular reader of Time Goes By, and blogger of 7 months, and I must say I have learned a lot about age discrimination. It has raised my awareness and made me more sensitive to this issue. As a person in my starting to be late 60's I appreciate Ronni's personal stories and professional research-based articles. I think I learn something new, or am able to identify with some aspect of what she is writing about almost daily.

Thanks Ronni and keep it up for all of us!

Ronni Bennett: Oh, thank you, Philadelphia. I'm so pleased.

_______________________

Fort Worth, Tex.: I wonder, what age would most of us consider being a benchmark for a qualification of "old"?

And age is such a relative thing. I have a friend who is 93 and to speak with her, you would place her physical age at about 45. Then, the flipside, I have friends who are not yet 65, and they behave as if they were 105.

Ronni Bennett: As you note, people physically age at wildly different chronological ages. That can be genetics, health problems and probably attitude. I used the cutoff of 50 as my the audience I am at because U.S. culture begins to think of people as old at at about 50. Though I want to point out that studies show that age discrimination in the workplace begins as young as 40 for men and 35 for women.

My question is - does that mean the culture finds us acceptable adults for only about 15 or 20 years?????

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: It's interesting to me that many older people complain about age discrimination. While I don't doubt it goes on, you should also be aware that reverse discrimination happens to. I'm 29, and always have people ask how old I am and condescend to me, saying that I should let their 25 years of experience teach me how to do a thing or two. It's annoying. I believe both older and younger workers would gain valuable insight if they would just not see each other as adversaries.

Ronni Bennett: I have two things to say about this:

1. Age discrimination is a terrible problem. As awful as it is for those who suffer it, the country, corporations are losing vast amounts of knowledge and experience that we need.

I wrote a long piece on my blog awhile back about the advantages of a multi-generational workplace. For the past ten years, I've worked on web sites where I was the oldest employee and most others were at least 20, often 30 and 40 years younger than I am. We learned from each other every day. They had fresh insights; I have experience and judgment. Together, we could save the world, heh, heh, heh.

2. You know, I looked like I was 15 until I was 30 and it was really annoying that no one paid attention when I had an opinion. All I can say is that it goes away, quite naturally as the years pile up.

_______________________

Manassas, Va.: Well -- I can't say that I'm "interested" in seeing how I look as I age. Maybe I'll be a purist someday like you. But I've been noticing some pretty bad cosmetic surgery recently. Scary! Also, forget the interviewers who rejected you. You're doing SO MUCH good with this wonderful, fresh theory about aging. More good than you'd be doing in some job for which you have to be interviewed! (So now I'm giving you advice? Oh dear!)

Ronni Bennett: I'm laughing out loud. Now if I could just get paid for this blog :-)

Thank you, Manassas

_______________________

Alexandria, Va.: Quote from Bruce Catton:

At Sixty-Two

"Just sixty two? Then trim thy light

And get thy jewels all reset;

"Tis past meridian, but still bright,

And lacks some hours of sunset yet.

At sixty-two

Be strong and true,

Scour off the rust and shine anew."

Ronni Bennett: That's terrific. I love it.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Comment: My philosophy (at 27 yrs. old) is that aging is the result of a person destroying all the natural systems internally and externally surrounding their existence. When you begin to care for these systems---emotionally, spiritually, physically, and yes, environmentally---the devastating effects of aging will decrease and the positive outcomes of a happy and healthier life will dramatically increase! I think of aging as pollutants invading all my systems that must be destroyed!! When we can began to understand and respect how these systems are all interconnected we will not take our precious delicate lives for granted anymore.

Ronni Bennett: You sound like you've been following the methuselah debate - treat aging as a disease and we can cure it. I suspect mother nature has a few surprising tricks up her sleeve about that...

_______________________

Anonymous: I am 72 years old and during the last two years my health have declined considerable. It seems to be arthritis but after 6 MRI and a lot of experimental drugs I cannot find an answer or real relief. I do not exercise anymore but would like to if I was physically able. by this I mean long walks, aerobics weight lifting, but I don't seem to be able to do any of this on a regular basis. My arms and legs have become flabby and I seem to be gaining weight, but I do not know what to do? Any suggestions?

Ronni Bennett: Aging brings inevitable physical decline, which I believe we must accept and adjust to, so some degree.

But this sounds serious and you should continue to consult physicians who can best advise you on what to do.

_______________________

Ronni Bennett: This has been excellent. What terrific questions. If you have any further questions about how to start blogging, you can email me from the link on my blog: http://www.timegoesby.net

Thank you all. I've had a great time.




Compare, Shop, and Save on all your telecommunication needs, like: Domain names, web hosting, web design, and more. Also get the best deals on computer products and office supplies, you can customize your own Gateway, MCpc, or Systemax system for less.

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author's byline must be included and all links must be hyperlinked.

Daily News: The costs of regulation can be very high

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor

Broadband News -- Jerry Ellig, "Costs and Consequences of Federal Telecommunications and Broadband Regulations," Mercatus Center Working Paper, February 2005 (mercatus.org)

Americans love their high-tech communications gadgets and have benefited from falling prices in broadband Internet and cell phone service. But are they still paying too much? Yes, says Mercatus Center fellow Jerry Ellig. The culprit, however, is not monopolistic service providers, but costly government regulation.

Examining the effects of economic regulation on telecommunications service in the U.S., Ellig finds that government has cost consumers up to $105 billion annually in higher prices and foregone services. The most harmful of all the federal communications regulations--management of the communications spectrum--costs consumers $77 billion a year.

Ellig's study found only a single telecommunications program--"Enhanced 911" service--that demonstrates clear public benefit. All other regulations created more economic harm than good in the long run. Some regulations did show some benefit--which could have been achieved more effectively through other, non-regulatory means.



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Daily News: InvestNet Now On Telecommunications

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor

Telecom News -- InvestNet Inc. Monday announced the execution of a memorandum of understanding with Dragon Telecom Co. Ltd., whereby Dragon has decided to allow InvestNet to install and customize its Advance Switch software engine to provide telecommunication integration services in Tianjin, China.

Additionally, Dragon has agreed that should utilization of InvestNet's Advance Switch prove successful during a six month evaluation period, it will buy the Advance Switch source code for U.S. $800,000 payable in four equal installments commencing on March 1, 2005 with the final payment on Dec. 1, 2005. Dragon plans to commit additional research and development resources to augment the Advance Switch source code for the purpose of enhancing telecommunication applications throughout China.



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Daily News: Sprint-Nextel merger was approves by FCC

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor.

Cell Phone News US -- August 2005-FCC approves Sprint-Nextel merger(C)1994-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the US Justice Department have approved the USD35bn acquisition of Nextel Communications Inc by Sprint Corp, a US wireless company, following shareholder approval last month.

The newly merged Sprint Nextel Corp is expected to spin off Sprint's local telephone service at the beginning of 2006, forming the USA's fifth biggest local telecommunications company with 7.6m access lines across 18 states. According to the FCC the benefits of wireless competition, such as improved coverage and lower prices, will continue after the deal and improvements in service quality and services offered are anticipated.

Sprint is to gain access to Nextel's 15.3m customers, including many business subscribers, as a result of the merger while Nextel is said to avoid an upgrade of its own network. Some job cuts are anticipated. The merged company is reported to have USD40bn in annual revenue and over 40m wireless customers and it has apparently agreed to offer wireless broadband services to around 30m people in large and small markets.

Consumer advocates are said to be concerned that the merger will only leave three main players in the market though it is felt that the merged company will be in a stronger position to compete against market leaders Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless. It is understood that antitrust investigators felt the merger would not give the companies market power in areas in which they compete and that customers would still have a choice of other wireless carriers.



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Daily News: No criminal charges for MCI

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor.

Telecom News -- Federal prosecutors said the public interest has been vindicated in the $11 billion MCI fraud case and that the government does not plan to bring criminal charges against the company.

Daily News: Verizon Wireless sues telemarketers

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor.

Telecom News -- Verizon Wireless filed lawsuits against California-based Intelligent Alternatives and Florida-based Resort Marketing Trends, alleging the companies made illegal telemarketing calls to Verizon subscribers. The carrier is seeking monetary damages and wants the telemarketers barred from making more calls. Neither of the defendants commented on the lawsuits, which Verizon says are the first involving marketing calls to wireless phones.

Daily News: What is Google up to?

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor.

VoIP News -- Some people have speculated that Google launched a VoIP service to compete with Skype Technologies, or that it may get into the pay-per-call business. But TMC's Rich Tehrani says what Google really wants is to monitor conversations for advertising purposes.

Daily News: Verizon's Revision A speeds transition to cellular VoIP

By Luis Galarza, Telecommunication Advisor.

Verizon Wireless' trials of CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Revision A technology are a major step toward putting wireless calls on IP networks, a transition that could take place in 2007, says Ed Chao, director of CDMA product management at Lucent Technologies.

Daily News: At long last, the Wi-Fi camera arrives

By Luis Galarza, Free Telecommunication Advice Blog.

Wireless News -- In case taking digital pictures isn't enough for you, Nikon is now offering a camera equipped with Wi-Fi. The device enables users to transmit pictures to computers or printers.

Daily News: Major WiMAX rollout begins in U.K.

By Luis Galarza, Free Telecommunication Advice Blog.

Broadband News -- After months of testing, a company called Telabria has launched its Skylink WiMAX service in some U.K. locations. The service will enable users to surf the Web at 10 Mbps and also make VoIP calls.

Daily News: Madonna, celebs to promote iTunes-enabled phone

By Luis Galarza, Free Telecommunication Advice Blog.

Motorola has pulled together an all-star cast of musicians, led by Madonna, to promote its Apple iTunes-enabled Rokr phone. The highly anticipated phone is set to debut next week on the Cingular network.

Daily News: Intel, Philips team up in digital home deal

By Luis Galarza, Free Telecommunication Advice Blog.

Tech News -- Intel and Philips have cut a deal to integrate Intel's processor, chipset and software into the Philips Showline Media Center. The end result will be a digital media gateway that combines multiple entertainment functions on a single platform.

Daily News: Is the "digital home" just hype?

By Luis Galarza, Free Telecommunication Advice Blog.

Tech News -- The wired, interconnected home with networked appliances and home entertainment promises to be the next wave in consumer electronics. However, many researchers think marketers are overestimating the extent to which Americans want digital control over every facet of their lives.

Daily News: Wireless gaming is red hot, especially in Seattle

By Luis Galarza, Free Telecommunication Advice Blog.

Wireless Industry News -- Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist John Cook takes a look at the market for wireless gaming, which is expected to explode in coming years as cell phone operators roll out 3G networks. Seattle has emerged as a hot city for companies focusing on the market, Cook says.

Daily News: DT to upgrade network, launch 3G service

By Luis Galarza, Free Telecommunication Advisor.

Deutsche Telekom said it plans to invest $3.7 billion over the next two years to replace its copper network with fiber-optic cables. The move is part of a plan to offer multimedia services such as TV over fixed/mobile calling networks. The company also said it is launching HSDPA 3G service, which will ultimately deliver download speeds up to 7.2 Mbps.

Daily News: Sprint Nextel pares EV-DO price

By Luis Galarza, Free Telecommunication Advisor.

Sprint Nextel said it will reduce the monthly price for its EV-DO service from $79.99 to $59.99 to match Verizon Wireless' recent price cut. The price reductions will put the heat on Cingular Wireless, which is not yet offering a high-speed network.

Daily News: Nokia names new head of cell phone unit

By Luis Galarza, Free Telecommunication Advisor.

Nokia today tapped Kai Oistamo, who has been with the company since 1991, as head of its cell phone division, effective Oct. 1. Oistamo will replace Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, who will move into the president and COO roles.