iTHINK ZONE

John Savageau presents a White Paper on Net Neutrality and Carrier Hotels.  As telecommunications worldwide continues movement towards packetnetworks and services, Internet protocol exchanges and interconnection points will add even greater value to the global telecom community. READ IT ALL AT http://www.onewilshire.com/meet_me_room/WhitePapers/NetNeutralityandtheCarrierHotel.pdf

TERROR ZONE

THE GLOBAL INCIDENT MAP

This "live" site updates every 30 seconds. Just move your cursor over the 'incident icon' for a description of what's going on. A box at the bottom gives updates in text form http://www.globalincidentmap.com/home.php

CYBERZONE

PRETEXTING IS NOW A FEDERAL CRIME BY LAW President George W. Bush signed the Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006 into law, which means anyone found guilty of pretexting could serve up to 10 years in prison. Law enforcement will be exempt from the law http://news.com.com/President+signs+pretexting+bill+into+law/2100-1028_3-6150572.html

DIGITAL MUSIC SALES DOUBLE IN 2006

A strong rise in digital sales has not solved the music industry's problems, according to a report.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/entertainment/6270855.stm

SCIENCE ZONE

ANTI-CANCER CHICKEN EGGS PRODUCED

Chickens that can lay eggs containing cancer-fighting proteins have been created by scientists in Scotland.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/sci/tech/6261427.stm

STUDY SHEDS LIGHT ON LETHALITY OF THE 1918 FLU VIRUS

A virus recovered from victims of the 1918 influenza pandemic kills by replicating so rapidly that it revs the immune system into overdrive, turning the body against itself, a team of scientists report in today's issue of the journal Nature.

The finding, from a small study done in cynomolgus macaque monkeys, appears to confirm historical accounts of the 1918 pandemic that describe victims drowning from within as their lungs filled with blood and fluid.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/panflu/news/jan1707kawaoka.html

ROBOTS BEING DEVELOPED TO BUILD HOUSES

Engineers are developing the worlds first robots capable of building a complete house. __One method, inspired by the inkjet printer, involves computer-controlled robotic nozzles which pipe quick-drying liquid gypsum and concrete to form walls, floors and roofs, building the shell of the house in 24 hours.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-2546574,00.html

BRAIN ACTIVITY PROVIDES NOVEL BIOMETRIC KEY An electronic security system that identifies people by monitoring the unique pattern of electrical activity within their brain is being tested by scientists at the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, in Greece. The authentication system requires a user to have EEG measurements taken beforehand. The result of each authentication test is compared with the user's pre-recorded measurements, using signal-processing algorithms.

http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn10963-brain-activity-provides-novel-biometric-key.html

FUEL CELL CONTROL

Engineers at Princeton University recently discovered an innovative control mechanism for fuel cells that varies the flow of hydrogen fuel to control the power generated. The mechanism was previously thought impossible and is a potentially major development in fuel cell technology.

The secret of their success is a system in which the fuel input changes the size of the reaction chamber, and therefore the amount of power produced. The design also adds to the understanding of water management in fuel cells -- a major obstacle to large-scale deployment of the technology in automobiles.

The first applications of the design are likely to be in small machines such as lawn mowers. The machines would be easy to use, incorporating a design similar to the familiar acceleration systems of cars that use a pedal to increase the flow of fuel and the power output.

http://link.abpi.net/l.php?20070118A2 for the full story.

ASIA PACIFIC ZONE

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SINGAPORE AWARDS IPTV LICENSE

SingNet secured a Nationwide Subscription TV Service license that will enable the company to introduce mass-market IPTV services, including programming from Rainbow Media. The Media Development Authority is issuing licensing to increase competition in the IPTV market.

http://www.worldscreen.com/newscurrent.php?filename=sing11607.htm

AUSTRALIAN ECONOMISTS CREATE iPOD INDEX

In a sign of the times, a Sydney, Australia-based bank has developed a new indicator for foreign exchange movements based on Apple's iPod music player, and as an alternative to the long-standing Big Mac Index. Launched Thursday, the CommSec iPod Index is predicting a 15 percent drop in the Australia dollar against the U.S. dollar -- music to exporters' ears.

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/55227.html

WIRELESS ZONE

QUICK OVERVIEW OF WiFi HEALTH CONCERNS

Wi-Fi Planet offers a short but thorough look into the concerns about Wi-Fi radios' effects on human health: The article includes comments from several researchers, all of which agree that the signals from wireless LANs fall well below any minimum level of concern based on decades of research, and that specific projects used to measure electromagnetic radiation confirm Wi-Fi's small role in an overall hum of background noise.

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/news/article.php/3653711

SITE CITE

IS IT GENETICS OR NUTRITION?

How much of human height is genetic and how much is due to nutrition? Molecular biologist Chao-Qiang Lai of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University answers.

www.sciam.com/askexpert_question.cfm?articleID=6448FEA1-E7F2-99DF-381DA73773AF3446&catID=3