"Intel, IBM and AT&T have officially thrown their combined weight behind the effort to create a nationwide network of public 'hot spots' that would give people wireless broadband Internet access from just about anywhere." Terrific. But do these multi-mega-parent bastard offspring companies ever work (hmm, maybe in telecommunications...)? My money's on the underdog.
Addendum: Luke Seeman offers Orbitz as a counter example — a bastard offspring that does work (at least as a service).