I realize that this page is largely for announcements, but I couldn’t let this article from today’s New York Times go unremarked: The Comma That Costs 1 Million Dollars (Canadian)

The dispute between Rogers Communications of Toronto, Canada’s largest cable television provider, and a telephone company in Atlantic Canada, Bell Aliant, is over the phone company’s attempt to cancel a contract governing Rogers’ use of telephone poles. But the argument turns on a single comma in the 14-page contract. The answer is worth 1 million Canadian dollars ($888,000).

Citing the “rules of punctuation,” Canada’s telecommunications regulator recently ruled that the comma allowed Bell Aliant to end its five-year agreement with Rogers at any time with notice.

IBM’s Senior VP of Enterprise On Demand Treansformation and Information Technology Linda Sanford will speak in 34-101 on Tuesday, October 17, beginning at 4:00 pm. The topic will be “Engineering Systems Solutions to Real World Challenges.” The event, co-sponsored by IBM and MIT’s Engineering Systems Division, is open to the public. A reception with refreshments will follow.

Ms. Sanford leads the strategy for IBM’s internal transformation to the industry’s premier on demand business. In this role, she is responsible for working across IBM to transform core business processes, create an IT infrastructure to support those processes, and help create a culture that recognizes the value that on demand leadership can bring to IBM.

Previously Ms. Sanford was Senior Vice President & Group Executive, IBM Storage Systems Group, where she helped take IBM from fifth place in storage market share to second in two years. Prior to assuming that position, Ms. Sanford headed IBM Global Industries, the organization that manages relationships with IBM’s largest customers worldwide and is responsible for generating almost 70 percent of IBM’s revenue.

One of the highest-ranking women at IBM, Ms. Sanford is a member of the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame and the National Academy of Engineering. She has been named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Business by Fortune Magazine, one of the Top Ten Innovators in the Technology Industry by Information Week Magazine, and one of the Ten Most Influential Women in Technology by Working Woman Magazine.

Ms. Sanford is the chairman of The Business Council of New York State, Inc. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Partnership for New York City, ITT Industries, St. John’s University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Ms. Sanford co-authored “Let Go To Grow: Escaping the Commodity Trap” a book that details how successful companies are pursuing strategies to drive long-term growth and innovation. The book was published by Prentice Hall in December 2005.

A graduate of St. John’s University, Ms. Sanford earned an M.S. in Operations Research from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Details of this event are at http://esd.mit.edu/HeadLine/calendar/2006/101706sanford.html

This event is part of the IBM-MIT/ESD Innovation Lecture Series. Each session will demonstrate how today’s leaders and practitioners are using engineering systems and services sciences approaches to address complex problems. Drawing from real-life examples, the series will explain how these approaches were applied at IBM and other organizations, and demonstrate how to achieve breakthrough solutions that deliver sustained value to enterprises and society as a whole.The next event, which will feature senior executives from the healthcare industry, is scheduled for December 14, 2006. Details TBA.

I wanted to let you know that Yoko has officially started her maternity leave and we do not expect her back in the office until February. She will be taking some time to rest up at home before she is due to give birth and we promise to pass along any news, once we get it. Yoko plans to check her e-mail occasionally in the next weeks and months and I’m sure that she would appreciate receiving e-mail messages of your best wishes, if you’d like to communicate with her.

We will be staffing the office with some temporary and interim help. Danielle Kayal started last week and is here until the end of the week and Shane Newell is expected to start next week for a longer period. I know that you will work with them as they endeavor to get acquainted with you and with TPP/MIT. There’s a lot to learn and we particularly appreciate your assistance during this busy time.

Please help us to keep the area tidy and clean, let us know about any dwindling supplies in the Lounge and Computer Lab, and try to manage any administrative or other needs in a timely manner, sharing information, suggestions, and solutions with us and with each other.

This week’s Internship Seminar features 3 speakers who worked at the Office of Management and Budget this past summer. OMB is part of the Executive Office of the President in Washington DC and they worked in 3 very different areas, which could give you an idea of the range of activities at OMB and other organizations. We look forward to hearing from Deanna Laufer, Bob Rudin and John MacNeil on Wednesday, from 12:15 - 2:15.