‘Selling the Airwaves’ July 16, 2007
Posted by ianmartinez in : General , add a commentWell, it seems the 700 MHz auction has finally jumped the shark.
If WaPo’s writing your issue you know its time has come.
Overall, a good job of outlining the issues. I’d like to see more of the idea that this isn’t the proper venue to determine open access, a “third way” policy proposal that wasn’t really discussed and falls between the poles represented in Hart’s story.
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How Friday 13th Is Like Net Neutrality July 13, 2007
Posted by ianmartinez in : General, Trends, Networking, Policy , add a commentI subscribe to dictionary.com’s word-of-the-day email service (another example of “gestalt” services enhancing the technology itself), and I simply love today’s word:
Word of the Day for Friday, July 13, 2007
triskaidekaphobia \tris-ky-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\, noun:
A morbid fear of the number 13 or the date Friday the 13th.
Thirteen people, pledged to eliminate triskaidekaphobia, fear of the number 13, today tried to reassure American sufferers by renting a 13 ft plot of land in Brooklyn for 13 cents . . . a month.
— Daily Telegraph, January 14, 1967Past disasters linked to the number 13 hardly help triskaidekaphobics overcome their affliction. The most famous is the Apollo 13 mission, launched on April 11, 1970 (the sum of 4, 11 and 70 equals 85 - which when added together comes to 13), from Pad 39 (three times 13) at 13:13 local time, and struck by an explosion on April 13.
— “It’s just bad luck that the 13th is so often a Friday”, Electronic Telegraph, September 8, 1996Triskaidekaphobia is from Greek treiskaideka, triskaideka, thirteen (treis, three + kai, and + deka, ten) + phobos, fear.
In Christian countries the number 13 was considered unlucky because there were 13 persons at the Last Supper of Christ. Fridays are also unlucky, because the Crucifixion was on a Friday. Hence a Friday falling on the thirteenth day is regarded as especially unlucky.
Some famous triskaidekaphobes:
* Napoleon
* Herbert Hoover
* Mark Twain
* Richard Wagner
* Franklin Roosevelt
Speaking of irrational fears based on nothing…
(more…)
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Internationality (Part IV) July 12, 2007
Posted by ianmartinez in : General , add a commentSitting in on the US-India Dialogue at the State Department has been a novel, eye-opening experience. Of course I’m biased, but watching TIA International Director Mike Nunes at work is sight to see. I think he’s a got a future in this whole diplomacy thing.
What may be most amazing is watching some real key players in industry and government from both countries come together and show a real willingness to compromise and hammer out agreements over telecom issues between the countries.
As the Dialogue continues, today and tomorrow, we’ll probably see more progress on issue specifics. But the tone of the telecom subgroup has been incredibly positive, with players on both sides in agreement on most issues.
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Internationality (Part III) July 11, 2007
Posted by ianmartinez in : What's New?, Networking, Policy , add a commentSouth Korean Minister of Information and Communications Jun-Hyong Kim, speaking Tuesday in San Fransisco on the benefits of the recently signed US-Korea Free Trade Agreement. From Communications Daily (subscription only):
South Korea’s government is pushing a telecom deregulation program… “to allow new services to enter the market more easily” and stimulate competition, Kim said in his prepared remarks… He said the government will will clear the way for a smooth revamp by reforming laws and regulations.
Kim’s comments were in the context of a speech about how the deal helps Korean companies enter the the U.S. market. But it’s not to be overlooked that the Koreans know their obligations. The government is actively moving to lower trade barriers and make the regulatory environment one in which American companies can function — on the tech/telecom front, it has already made great strides, in part due to the work of TIA and other industry players sitting down with Korean officials.
This FTA and the others like it (Panama, Columbia) represent an unparalleled opportunity for manufacturers. I hope Congress was listening to Mr. Kim’s speech.
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A Little Help From Our Friends July 9, 2007
Posted by ianmartinez in : General, Trends, Networking, Policy , add a commentOne of the best parts about the informal nature of the blogosphere is how easy it is to shout-out to colleagues and to cross reference great posts, especially as we get off the ground here at TIA. I’d like to try and feature new TIA members’ blogs as frequently as once per week if possible, and in that spirit, check out our good friends at Cisco.
Note recent posts on the FTC’s Net Neutrality decision, which as we’ve said gets it totally right, and CWA’s broadband speed report, which is thought-provoking if nothing else.
Hopefully, Cisco’s blogging team will keep up the good work.
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Home on the Range July 3, 2007
Posted by ianmartinez in : General , add a commentWell, there’s something special about this place.
Washington may be where all the policy is decided, but Long Island is where the magic happens.
Seriously, whie enjoying my vacation — I turn 77 tomorrow!! — I’ve really realized how lucky I am to have the trust of my bosses at TIA. This is just a silly little summer-week blog post, but I’ve had the autonomy since day one to write in the voice and on the topics that I saw fit. I’ll certainly be writing more about this, but I hear stories all the time about companies and associations who think these kind of external communications are more trouble than they’re worth because they can’t deal with managing them.
Few think the answer might just be to manage them less.
But I’ve recently spoken with several of my colleagues around Washington and there’s a slow tide of bloggers, PR folks and social networking types (like our good friend Geoff Livingston), and it’s clear what the answer is. TRUST people. Not MANAGE them. Because there will always be third party bloggers and media, not to mention competitors, out there setting their own agenda, unconstrained by the traditional rules of brand creation. So the more companies and associations try to manage their own message, to play it safe, the less effective they’ll be in the face of those other forces.
I’m just really thankful that TIA gets that. I’d love to see more players in our industry adopt the same mindset.
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