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South America
Special Section
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Clash of the Titans
Home-theater enthusiasts, beware. Almost a decade after DVD reshaped multimedia distribution, two new disc formats promise to revolutionize the industry — and pick up where the VHS/Betamax wars left off. In one corner, there’s Blu-ray, which holds up to 50 GB of data (nearly six times the amount that today’s DVDs can hold), backed by industry leaders such as Sony and Panasonic. In the other corner is Toshiba- and NEC-endorsed competitor HD-DVD, packing 30 GB of storage space. Both use blue-laser technology; both can warehouse entire high-definition films, albums, and video games; and both enjoy widespread Hollywood support. To learn more and to see how the competition stacks up, turn the page. — Scott Steinberg
WIN, LOSE, OR DRAW, THESE ARE THE LATEST LIVING-ROOM-READY PLAYERS CURRENTLY MANNING THE BATTLE’S FRONT LINES. — S.S.
 HD-A1 $499
Format: HD-DVD
From: Toshiba, www.toshiba.com
It’s backward compatible with standard CDs and DVDs (and provides picture up-conversion), and it offers stunning HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) video output and ultrahigh-quality, multichannel audio decoding for improved sound.
 HD-XA1 $799
Format: HD-DVD
From: Toshiba
A sleeker, sexier version of the HD-A1, it sports superior construction that’s custom-engineered to dampen vibration. The unit’s enhanced design also includes stabilizing feet, a motorized front panel, a backlit remote control, and USB ports.
 BD-P1000 $1,000
Format: Blu-ray
From: Samsung, www.samsung.com
Packs true 1080p (translation: graphically jaw-dropping picture quality) and surround-sound HDMI audiovisual output, plays current-generation CDs and DVDs, provides user-friendly pop-up menus, and even boasts a 10-in-2 memory-card reader.
 DMP-BD10 $1,299
Format: Blu-ray
From: Panasonic, www.panasonic.com
Easily syncs with other Panasonic products, including plasma TVs and stereo receivers; runs all your old CD and DVD favorites; and fits comfortably into most home entertainment centers.
 BDR-101A $1,000
Format: Blu-ray
From: Pioneer, www.pioneerelectronics.com
A combination Blu-ray and DVD reader/writer for PCs that’s designed for high-capacity storage (up to 25 GB on a single-layer Blu-ray disc). Have fun recording high-definition content and creating your own mind-blowing movie collection.
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 We Now Return You to Your Regular Programming
Thank
our lucky stars, fall prime-time TV is finally back. And in homage to
the past and present shows that have shaped our lives over the years
(yes, we’re TV addicts, we admit it), we decided to put together a
little page on all things television. When we were done, we realized we
might actually need to give up the tube. Or at the very least, cut
back. Drastically. — John Gonzalez
The Guessing Game
1. Notoriously, the first toilet flush on prime-time TV was heard on this show.
2. The main character from this show tells a polygraph examiner that his address is 129 West 81st Street.
3. Walter Bradley was the real name of Cockroach on what show?
4. This show won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in each of its first four seasons.
5. At the 2000 Emmys, what show won a record nine awards — the most for any season of a TV series?
6. On Cheers, the role of Sam was originally slated to be played by whom?
7. Which famous longtime TV character said, “Alcohol — the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.”
Television ... permits millions of people to
listen to the same joke at the same time, and yet remain
lonesome.
— T.S. Eliot
Now You Know
-Television was first introduced to the American public at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City.
-A total of 369 Dodge Chargers were used as the General Lee car throughout the course of The Dukes of Hazzard (because the car took so much wear and tear).
-Ben Jones (Cooter) on Hazzard was actually a U.S. congressman in the late ‘80s but lost his reelection bid to Newt Gingrich.
-MASH, set during the Korean War, lasted 11 seasons. The actual Korean War lasted three years.
-In the Italian version of The A-Team, B.A. is known as P.E., or Pessimo Elemento (“terrible element”).
-Barney Fife kept one bullet in his shirt pocket and his citation booklet in his cap.
-On Magnum P.I., producers wanted Orson Welles to be revealed as Robin Masters, but Welles died before the series ended its run.
-Jorge Garcia (Hurley) missed his sister’s wedding to shoot an episode of Lost.
-Wisteria
Lane includes houses used that have appeared on-screen numerous times
in the past. Their names include the “Hardy Boys House,” the “Leave It
to Beaver House,” the “Providence House,” and the “Animal House.”
-On 24,
each episode is supposed to take one hour of real time, but in
actuality, three minutes are gradually added to the timer during the
commercial breaks. The last three minutes of air time are used for
commercials, station identification, and scenes from the next episode.
-On CSI, under the glass top of Grissom’s desk, there is a photo of the series’s executive producer, Jerry Bruckheimer.
-On The Office,
Dwight has a “Froggy 101” bumper sticker on the filing cabinet next to
his desk. Froggy 101 is the top-rated country-western station in
Scranton, Pennsylvania, the setting for the show.
-On 24, cast members are required to have their hair trimmed every five days.
-Scrubs was originally planned to air on ABC, but then ABC turned it down and NBC picked up the show.
-The first TV broadcasts with a modern level of definition (240-plus lines) were made in England in 1936.
Sources: IMDB.com, Wikipedia.com, ClassicTV.about.com
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 The 411 on Competitive Intelligence
Leonard Fuld, author of The
Secret Language of Competitive Intelligence: How to See Through &
Stay Ahead of Business Disruptions, Distortions, Rumors & Smoke
Screens (Crown Business, $25), takes a moment to speak with us about his new book and what “CI” really is. — Chris Tucker.
What’s Competitive Intelligence, and where do we find it?
It’s
all kinds of bits and pieces of information that give insight and
competitive advantage. It could be something learned from a trade show,
a document, or a conversation your sales people have.
So it’s not spying, but it’s not just browsing the New York Times either?
No. Browsing is not in the CI lexicon. It’s not a laid-back pursuit. It’s aggressive.
What’s Rule No. 1 of CI?
Wherever money is exchanged, information is exchanged. It’s there if you know how to look.
What are some of the enemies of good CI?
Groupthink
is one — drawing conclusions based on what “everybody knows is true.”
And there’s denial. For almost a decade, Kodak denied that digital
cameras threatened its business. They said sales declined because of a
recession or some other problem.
Of course, the IBMs and Microsofts of the world make big investments in CI. Can little guys also play the game?
Everyone
should play. Small companies may actually have an advantage because
they’re closer to the street and what’s really going on, with fewer
layers of bureaucracy to penetrate.
 Call It In
Can
the commute. The first travel-ready (6.5" by 3.3" by 1.2") handheld to
marry a Windows XP–enabled computer with a Windows Mobile 5.0–equipped
smartphone, DualCor’s cPC brings the office to your front
pocket. Place calls, check e-mail, access PDA functions, or fill a 30
GB hard drive with videos and presentations. A five-inch LCD touch
screen makes navigation even more simple than stuffing it in your
carry-on. $1,500. www.dualcor.com
— S.S.
 Brain Food
Urbanites
wanting to sharpen mental acuity are reviving conversational salons
across the United States — and in doing so, they’re fulfilling a need
for intellectual exercise and a desire for stronger community ties.
(Not to mention that medical research shows that people who engage
their minds well into old age can stave off memory loss and disease.)
The
most common salon format is the neighborhood book club, though some
salons are more radical — members meet with the goal of effecting
social or political change. Indeed, Napoleon Bonaparte confessed to
having more difficulty quashing opposition from brilliant women like
original salon hostess Madame de Staël than from jealous generals. —
Amanda Howe
Some of the best places to fill up on food for thought
Institute for Interesting People (www.iipdallas.com). Salon hostess Regen Fearon brings thought leaders such as Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell and satirist Andy Borowitz to Dallas. | Elgin Salon (www.elginsalon.org). A group of self-described vintage hippies who converse for pleasure’s sake near Chicago. | The Future Salon (www.futuresalon.org). The future is now, according to these San Francisco–area digerati. | Cambridge Saloon Salon
(www.naturalism.org/css.htm). Leave it to civilized Bostonians to
combine beer and stimulating conversation. | Meetup.com. Start your own
salon offline by using this popular website that brings together people
with shared interests or causes.
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The Once-Over
The kids have had their pre-start-of-school
shots and go-arounds with tongue depressors. Now isn’t it time you took
stock of your own health? Just say “aaaaaaahhhhhh.” — Jenna Schnuer
Top Tests Worth Taking …
While
you’ve left the algebra and chemistry tests behind, there are a handful
of tests you should consider taking on a regular basis, according to
the American Medical Association Family Medical Guide, 4th Edition
(Wiley, $45). The following are just general recommendations — you and
your doctor should tailor your tests to fit your health needs.
In your 20s, get a:
• physical every one to two years
• pelvic exam annually
• Pap smear, every six months to annually
• cholesterol test only if you smoke, are obese, or have high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease
In your 30s, stick with everything you were doing (or should have done) in your 20s, but add a cholesterol test every five years.
In your 40s,
keep on keeping on. Women, add a mammogram once a year or every other
year, and if you’re approaching menopause, get a bone density test. Men
should start getting prostate examinations at age 45.
In your 50s and beyond,
continue what you’ve been doing, but add:
• an annual rectal exam and fecal occult blood test
• a sigmoidoscopy every five years
• a colonoscopy every 10 years
… and Some Worth Holding Out On
With
all these tests to take, you’ll be glad to know there are a few you may
be able to skip. A study from Georgetown University Medical Center and
Johns Hopkins University made it clear that some medical tests are
overused — and false positives on those tests add insult (and expense)
to lack of injury (or illness). Topping the list of unnecessary exams:
urinalysis. “If you’re a 30-year-old male or female without any medical
problems, you’re probably going to run into some problems by just
ordering that test,” says the study’s lead author, Dan Merenstein, MD,
director of research programs in the Department of Family Medicine at
Georgetown. Other not-always-necessary exams sitting pretty on the
overuse list: electrocardiograms, X-rays, hematocrits, and complete
blood counts (or CBCs to you ER and Grey’s Anatomy fans).
 Day to Day
Think getting on the health bandwagon is just too difficult? Michael Roizen, MD, coauthor of You: The Owner’s Manual (Collins, $25), gave us a whirlwind tour of an easy-to-implement healthy weekday. His prescription:
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Travel with Ease
An assemblage of perfect travel sets (our
favorites, if you must know) that will make your next trip as easy as,
well, ours. — Becca Hensley
 Revive, Rejuvenate, Replenish
Fight the aging effects of travel with Molton Brown’s New Age Traveller set
for women on the go. Ten must-have, all-natural skin, body, and hair
therapies are tucked into a chic pistachio leather case. Potent
remedies we love include White Mulberry Air, a crisp mist of mimosa,
green tea, and elemi; and Facezone Overnight Renewal, enriched with
rosa mosqueta oil and Chinese rosebuds. $89. www.moltonbrown.com
 Brother, You Gotta Take Care
The Travel Logistics kit by Anthony Logistics for Men
is jam-packed with good-for-you body-care products. When making a quick
getaway, grab this set that contains everything from glycolic facial
cleanser to shave cream, coconut shampoo, and vanilla lip balm. You’ll
be the best-groomed guy on the plane. $40. www.anthony.com
 Peacefully Seeking Solace
F-1 Jet Comfort Kit induces
snugness with its fully loaded long-haul set. It has everything and
then some: earplugs, dental products, a neck rest, a chocolate candy
bar, slipper socks, an eye shade, moist towelettes, a deck of cards,
and a pen — all ensconced in a microfiber case. Viva the ease! $45. www.flight001.com
 Grin and Bear It
GoSmile’s Jet Set kit
ensures that you don’t leave dental hygeine behind. The compact kit
contains a travel toothbrush and two unique toothpastes: AM tingles you
awake with its blend of stimulating essential oils (lime, orange, and
peppermint); PM’s relaxing concoction (lavender, valerian root, and
vanilla) soothes you to dreamland. $12. www.gosmile.com or www.sephora.com
 Your Guiding Light
Prepare for new adventures with Lonely Planet’s folded, laminated city maps
(London, Paris, New York) — the perfect perk for the peripatetic
wanderer ($9). Background information and things to do can be found in Lonely Planet’s guides ($18 to $25). And, perhaps most important, learn the language by using Lonely Planet’s succinct phrase books ($8). www.barnes andnoble.com
 Organizational Intelligence
The secret of the organized traveler is out: Eagle Creek’s Pack-It Cubes and Folders.
Cubes become instant compartments within your suitcase to hold socks,
undergarments, T-shirts, and accessories. Available in a variety of
sizes, they make unpacking a dream — and it’s always a snap to find
what you seek. Folders are like envelopes for your clothes. They
prevent wrinkles and keep everything from jackets to suits compactly
folded. From $8. www.container store.com
 Aromatherapy — Two Ways
Keep clothes smelling fresh while on the road with Tocca’s Delicato da Viaggio Laundry Set
($50) — complete with four travel-size fabric washes in scents as
exotic as your locale (Cleopatra and Florence, to name a couple). And
it’s all packed in a pink canister that looks as if it ought to contain
chocolates — not cleaning supplies.
Infuse your hotel room with a hint of scent —try using Ashleigh and Burwood of England’s Aromatherapy Travel Kit
($18 to $25). With six palm-oil candles, incense sticks, and two
scented cushions (perfect for tucking under your pillow), it’s destined
to change your mood. www.flight001.com
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