__ Wired News __
__ Justice Beat __
The US Department of Justice appointed Jeffrey Blattner, former chief counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, as information technology counsel to the antitrust division. Microsoft adversaries such as Gary Reback applauded the choice.
__ Tech Trio __
Gates, McNealy, and Barksdale appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the invitation of Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) in an event akin to Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad performing on the same stage. The script was as fresh as the Dead Sea Scrolls. But Hatch did force a key admission from Bill G.: Microsoft set up exclusive contracts that prevent content providers from promoting Netscape products.
__ Antitrust-worthy __
The Federal Trade Commission is looking into Compaq's proposed US$9.6 billion acquisition of Digital Equipment Corporation. The Justice Department opened an antitrust investigation into the $7 billion WorldCom/MCI merger and subpoenaed 13 Internet-backbone companies.
__ WorldlyCom __
Undeterred by the DOJ, WorldCom and MCI announced an alliance with Telefònica, the telecom giant of the Spanish-speaking world.
__ Net Issues __
The White House appeared to soften its crypto stance... Clinton endorsed House and Senate bills to impose a moratorium on new Net taxes, despite the initial objections of governors and mayors, who described the measure as a drain on ecommerce tax revenues. By mid-March, the concerned parties had embraced the compromise Internet Tax Freedom Act. ... The European Commission criticized Clinton's domain-name plan, noting that the US would retain its influence on DNS issues.
__ Hot Issues __
Investors smiled on a pair of new stock offerings - Net ad firm DoubleClick and online music emporium CDnow. DoubleClick rolled up gains of at least 110 percent in its first month on Nasdaq; CDnow was up as much as 63 percent. Ecommerce skeptics still see an uphill struggle for market share against foes like Tower Records.
__ Book Issues __
Amazon.com has a new competitor: Bertelsmann AG. The German publishing house entered the online-bookstore fray in February.
__ Security Hacks __
Deputy Defense Secretary John Hamre disclosed that Pentagon, military, and other federal computers had been under cyberattack. The FBI swooped down on the suspects - two high schoolers in Cloverdale, California. The teens' mentor, a cracker in Israel who called himself Analyzer, was arrested a few weeks later.
__ National Band-Aid __
Attorney General Janet Reno followed up Hamre's news with a call for a National Infrastructure Protection Center - a $64 million institution that would thwart assaults on computer networks, the power grid, and other parts of the national central nervous system. Critics argued that cyberattacks occur because of inadequate planning, flimsy software security features, and poor public understanding - not because of weak infrastructure.
__ The Great Kiwi Blackout __
Downtown Auckland, New Zealand, went dark during a February heat wave and remained without electricity for several weeks. The cause: Cables carrying juice into the city gave out, and the local utility was caught unprepared. A case study on the collapse of critical infrastructure for Reno's new center?
__ Asian Virus __
In China 1998 is shaping up to be the Year of the Net-Regulating Tiger. The latest Beijing cybershackles: The police took charge of all antivirus efforts, and programmers studying computer viruses must register with the authorities.
__ Fox's Gossiphound __
Matt Drudge now has something more than Sidney Blumenthal's $30 million defamation suit to prove he's hit the big time: a three-year contract with Fox News to host a celebrity current-events wrangle. Terms were not disclosed; the show débuts around Memorial Day.
__ New Media Morgue __
Total New York, the Digital City Web site, passed away in early March. Icon CMT unplugged the money-losing Word the same week (though the webzine may find the funding to live on). But Time Warner's Netly News survived the departure of founding editor Noah Robischon, who left for Steven Brill's print start-up Content.
__ Cyber Sting __
The FBI filed charges against 14 people associated with six offshore gambling companies.
__ "Newton Is My Pilot" __
Apple developers mourned the February death of the Newton with placards and speeches. Meanwhile, 3Com announced the birth of the PalmPilot III, which will sell for around $399.
__ From HMO to Crypto __
Americans for Computer Privacy, a new bipartisan, corporate-backed coalition (see "Pretty Good Pols," page 55), enlisted the help of spin artists Goddard-Claussen, the ad agency that fragged President Clinton's health-care plan with its "Harry and Louise" spots.
