RBOC Victory

The Bush Administration has handed the Regional Bell Operating Companies a huge victory with its decision to reverse Clinton-era telecom policy regarding local/long distance land-line telephony. Today, the Wall Street Journal Editorial Page puts the best face on this decision, basically arguing that the RBOCs need pricing power.

The spectacular collapse of telecom (roughly one trillion dollars in global market cap has evaporated) required some kind of action to stabilize the sector. All things considered, shoring up the RBOCs is probably the safest policy path to a reconfigured and rationalized telecom market. The decision is bad news for WorldCom and ATT and various local resellers. It's good news for text messaging services and Internet telephony companies.

In fact, I would bet that this decision leads to a revival of interest and investment in Internet telephony. Not that anyone at AOL is paying attention.

Inside Al Qaeda

I'm about halfway through Rohan Gunaratna's book, which is -- for now -- the definitive study. Russ Howard, who along with Reid Sawyer edited the definitive textbook on terrorism and counter-terrorism, says that Gunaratna's book is essential reading for anyone interested in the subject. He's right.

Day Six

233 lbs. Weight training today.

Day Five.

233 lbs.

Day Four

235 lbs. Off to the "Athletic Center."

What Happens When You Promote Karen Eliot House to Publisher?

You're down a great foreign affairs columnist. Her piece yesterday on North Korea and Iraq was clear and cogent. And an antidote to all the drivel that has been written on the subject in recent weeks.

Day Three

236. Off to the gym.

When Is A Columnist The Lonely Voice of Truth?

When he's Paul Krugman! Here's what he told Der Spiegel:

"Instead [of writing a column about the New Economy], I now find myself once again as the lonely voice of truth in a sea of corruption. Sometimes I think that one of these days I'll end up in one of those cages on Guantanamo Bay (laughs). But I can still seek asylum in Germany. I hope you'd accept me in an emergency."

Andrew Sullivan has more.

When Is A Scribe Like Billie Holiday?

When he works at The New Yorker! Here's New Yorker editor David Remnick on New Yorker "essayist" Hedrick Hertzberg:

"He's the political voice of the magazine....Rick's writing has a kind of moral tone that is irreplaceable—he has tone control the way Billie Holiday had tone control, and his sentences are as well-timed as the most brilliant joke or song phrasing."

Not just a moral tone! Moral tone control! I bet you don't have that.

Dear Fatso

Thanks to all those who have e-mailed diet/exercise advice. I appreciate it. I haven't consulted a nutritionist or dietician (or whatever they're called). I'm just going with the "eating less" diet (and no sweets). And working out every day. I've postponed the nicotine patch until Monday, just because.

Virginia Postrel, whose excellent site you should bookmark if you haven't already, has taken an interest in my progress and reports today that I have gained six pounds. This is incorrect. When I began this drill, my weight on our bathroom scale was 229 pounds. My weight on the gym scale was 233 pounds. I threw out 229 pounds as my benchmark weight and reset it at 233 pounds, after I was informed that the gym scale was (alas) accurate. Since then, I've gained three pounds which I expect will be gone by Monday.

The workouts are great. 30 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes on the tread or the bike and then weight-lifting for 15 minutes, followed by stretching and adios. The I-Pod makes it move along nicely. I've started at the "2" level of exertion and will stay there for two weeks. Then up to "3." Then up to "4." Etcetera.

I'm using the blog to discipline myself. No matter what happens, I have to post my weight every day until April 10th. Needless to say, my "friends" are using this to set up over-under betting pools. One of them was kind enough to inform me that the over-under on my weight for February 1, 2003 was 236 pounds. Another emailed to say that he was betting heavily that I would be 240 pounds by April 1st. Another emailed with the salutation: "Dear Fatso."

I wish them all luck with a capital "F."