Taking a close look at all technical options is the right thing for them (AOL and MSN) to be doing.

It's the same reason why someone has a Web page or why people feel comfortable going on reality TV.

If you think you are in control, you're fooling yourself. As soon as you start listening, you realize you're not in control. And letting go will yield more and better results.

In theory, it makes a lot of sense to combine the two operations, especially on the back end. But merging the two actual portal consumer experiences into a unified site will be a nightmare.

From the consumer point of view, there may be questions about whether you'll have to be an AOL subscriber to get Time magazine, ... That combination of media with the access is one through which you may be able to block access to your competitors' subscribers.

I see women going anywhere they want to. And I do mean want to. Because a lot of people measure success merely by position, title and salary. I think women feel comfortable enough in their own skin to put that secondary to what they want. They don't have to define success by the measure of society.

Some of the power has shifted from companies to people. Using social media tools (blogs, wikis, tagging, etc.) more individuals are creating semi-spontaneous 'groundswells' of opinions to which companies and other institutions are realizing they must respond. From marketing to consumers organizations are being pulled into engaging with individuals.