A study of the reproductive apparatus of a model virus is bolstering the idea that broad classes of viruses -- including those that cause important human diseases such as AIDS, SARS and hepatitis C -- have features in common that could eventually make them vulnerable to broad-spectrum antiviral agents.

Filed under: GPS

While some courageous individuals may not mind a lifeless being slicing them up in the name of health, there remains a number of us who'd still rather have a human counterpart handling their operation. Thankfully, even skilled doctors could soon be given a hand by GPS location techniques, which have already assisted in some joint-replacement procedures. Essentially, the technology dishes out a "three-dimensional view of the joint area on a television monitor," and enables the knife wielder to make "more accurate cuts and place prostheses much more accurately." The signals are generated by a trio of tiny satellites that are inserted into the surgical incision and "triangulate the exact position of surgical instruments and the anatomy of the patient." Just be careful one of those things don't get sewn up in you, or else you'll likely be a walking beacon for the rest of your days.

[Via TGDaily, image courtesy of AVHaspen]

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Remember the story back in June about how ATT had extremely quietly started offering $10 DSL as was required in its deal to buy BellSouth? The company was promoting many other, more expensive, DSL options, but the only way you could get the required $10 version was if you specifically knew to ask about it. Broadband Reports points to an interview from an Atlanta newspaper with ATT CEO Randall Stephenson where he's asked about the $10 DSL. The interviewer points out that no story about ATT resulted in a more irate response from ATT customers as its story about the hidden offer for $10 DSL, suggesting that this was a huge issue for ATT customers. Stephenson's response? First he denies that the company made it hard to find, and then he says that they're not promoting it because customers don't want it. This, despite the clear response from customers to the very newspaper who was conducting the interview. Then, he basically admits that the $10 DSL doesn't work very well, saying that they don't promote it because they don't want to give customers a product that sucks. Of course, he says that as if it's not his company that has quite a bit of control over whether or not the product sucks. Yes, that's right. ATT actually thinks you'll believe that they're hiding their cheap broadband offering because, seriously, who wants cheap broadband when more expensive broadband is available? Of course, this isn't a new strategy from ATT. Back when it was SBC and refused to offer naked DSL, the claim was that customers didn't want naked DSL either, despite the success many other companies were having with it, and numerous articles with people clamoring for it. It appears that ATT has figured out that when there's really no competition, you get to decide what it is your customers really do or do not want.