The Other Digital Business Facilities

Did you know that there is another digital edition of Business Facilities? That's right, I mean other than the Web version. It works through your Web browser, though. It loads up a program called Nxtbook (why they lost an 'e' in their name, I don't know) and you can flip through a virtual version of the print edition. All the content and layout is the same as the print version, but it's enhanced: you can click on any Web address you see, for example, to be taken to the site. The Table of Contents is also clickable, as are other parts of the issue that make sense in context. You can even do things like embed audio and video, though we haven't tried that yet.

I saw this concept tried out years ago, but computers were slower and screen resolution was coarser, so it was overall not really a satisfying experience. Even today, I really feel that to get the most out of Nxtbook, you should have a 19-inch monitor or larger, and your resolution should be set to something nice and high--1280x1024 or better, ideally. With today's widescreen, high-res monitors, you can view two pages at a time, just as if the magazine were spread open in front of you--and with a large enough monitor, the image is the same size as the print version.

Anyhow, give it a try (on our January 2008 Site Seekers' Guide) here:Êhttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/groupc/bf_200801

Half-price Stars and Stripes?

A recent article entitled "America for Sale" caught my attention this morning. Why?

Just a few days ago, I was writing an article about Virginia's new initiative, VITAL (Virginia International Trade Alliance), which essentially creates a network of companies committed to luring foreign investments into the commonwealth and marketing it globally. And this is a goal of numerous states, of course--branding, trading, and investing overseas. A no-brainer, right?

Well, I didn't think of it until I read the "America for Sale" article, but suppose a state is too successful at attracting foreign investors and shareholders. At what point does an American business become an unAmerican business? Does it matter where a corporation's origin is if its investors use a different language and currency? Do we have national safeguards to prevent an overload of foreign investment? If not, shouldn't we?

Can we recognize the line between selling stocks and selling out?