It was announced yesterday that Louisiana-based CenturyTel is buying Qwest, marking the second major takeover in ten years for the Denver telco. I have some history with the US West iteration of the company, having worked there from 1997 until the ill-fated Qwest “merger” in Summer 2000. I was fortunate enough to be a part of USW’s PR group, which
Read moreDr. Slammy offered up some thoughts the other day on Joe Nacchio, the prison-bound former CEO of Qwest. For the good doctor, the case is both public and personal. For my part, I don’t know Joe, but do take some satisfaction in the knowledge that he’s going to Hell. And yes, I do have insider knowledge on that subject. The
Read moreDon’t call it schadenfreude. That’s the term for taking pleasure in the misfortune of others, and I’m not guilty of that. What I feel today, as I review the news that former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio’s conviction has been upheld, isn’t about pleasure in his mighty fall from power. In fact, it’s not “pleasure” at all. Instead, tell me what
Read moreI come before you this morning with a morality play, a modern-day American fable. I’d call the following, which made its way to me a few days ago, a true story, but since I wasn’t actually present I suppose I can’t swear to its accuracy. I will say that the source is someone I have come to respect and trust,
Read moreIt’s FISA Day in your Senate – amazing how this was scheduled for Potomac Primary Day, huh? – and Matt Browner Hamlin has the agenda up at Holdfast. My big issue is item #4: retroactive immunity for telecoms. Verizon and AT&T have done all they can to pretend that they had no idea that their participation in warrantless wiretapping might
Read moreI really have mixed feelings about the outcome of yesterday’s Super Bowl. It was a fantastic game, no matter who you were rooting for, and that’s always nice. Historically a lot of Super Bowls have been yawners. I wasn’t really pulling for the Giants so much as I was against the Patriots, and that was tough for me, too. See,
Read moreThis is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles. We’re stealing it back. – Bono Business issues have been much on my mind of late, and not just for the obvious reasons. Gavin (Whythawk) has pounded this space with a steady stream of posts that come at us from some really different angles. The S&R crew is largely American
Read moreIn Spring and Summer of 2000, as the Qwest takeover of US West unfolded, those of us at USW saw the writing on the wall. Though billed as a merger of equals, the financial realities of the deal meant that Q was going to control the merged company. Who was going to run things? USW had CEO Solomon Trujillo, a
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lullaby pit 