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IN SPORTS

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SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2007

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE VOLUME 103, NO. 125

7 SECTIONS

A GANNETT NEWSPAPER

More people leave the U.S. for surgery ‘Medical tourists’ from Midstate say savings can be big By JOY BUCHANAN Staff Writer

A White Bluff woman had drastic weight-loss surgery in Mexico and saved $21,000. A Murfreesboro man had double hip replacement, saving more than $30,000. And a Franklin couple saved

more than $10,000 on mouthfuls of expensive dental work in Hungary and vacationed in the Eastern bloc, visiting historic cities and dining on local cuisine. These Middle Tennessee residents are part of a growing group of Americans seeking medical care abroad to save money. They say their experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. But some doctors are leery of the practice. “The hospital was immacu-

strongly objects to overseas medical travel. “I obviously have grave reservations about flying to Mexico, staying on the beach and having a gastric bypass,” he said. “What if you don’t do well? What if there’s a complication?” “You get what you pay for,” he said. “A surgeon is not just a technician. They provide follow-up care and extensive monitoring. If you go out of the

Josef Woodman, author of Patients Beyond Borders, offers advice for medical travelers. Search MEDTRAVEL to read his tips.

late,” said Barbara Morris of White Bluff, who had weightloss surgery in Mexico. “The nurses just hovered over you. The doctor e-mailed me 100 times a day. He answered all my questions.” Dr. George Lynch, a bariatric surgeon at Baptist Hospital,

Please see TRAVEL, 6A

SURGERY ABROAD

The most common surgeries for medical travelers are (in order): 1. Dental work (usually cosmetic) 2. Cosmetic surgery 3. Orthopedic surgery 4. Cardiovascular surgery People also travel abroad for cancer treatment, sports injury treatment and reproductive therapy. SOURCE: Patients Beyond Borders: Everybody’s Guide to Affordable, WorldClass Medical Tourism, Healthy Travel Media, 2007

INSIDE DIPTI VAIDYA / THE TENNESSEAN

Barbara Morris is glad she had weight-loss surgery in Mexico.

Reactors return to utilities’ plans after 30-year halt SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Ben Folds performs a live concert streamed on MySpace. Folds’ MySpace page has helped build his fan following.

Fan-hungry indie bands play in whole new world Search MUSIC to find links to popular sharing sites.

Staff Writer

Nashville musician Matthew Ebel’s payout for a 15-date March tour was modest — he took home about $500 between CD sales and tips, playing to crowds of 30 to 50 folks a night. But considering the singer didn’t have to leave his pajamas, much less his ZIP code, the jaunt wasn’t exactly a bust. Ebel’s trek was inside “3-D virtual world” Second Life, where his digital avatar counterpart, avian pianist Hali Heron, provided real-time

CONTENTS

Sections: Local News . . . . . . . . . . .B Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . .S Editorials . . . . . . . . . . . .16-17A Faith & Values . . . . . . . .3B, 5B Get Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2D Sports A.M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2C Stocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5E

IN BUSINESS

Some YouTube stars get share of ad money. On Page 1E

visuals for the live, Internetstreamed sound his owner cooked up back in the real world. “It’s not enough to pay the bills,” Ebel says, “but considering they’re concerts that I played in sweat pants in my

house, (there’s a) return on investment.” The growth of social networking — from podcasting networks to MySpace, Facebook and Second Life’s virtual-reality socializing — is, in the eyes of techie indie musicians like Ebel, shifting the music-business model “for the benefit of the independent performer.” It works best, Ebel says, “if you stay on top of it.” For Ebel, smart investing in a music career means keeping !

Please see MUSIC, 10A

Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON — Stepping into the rancorous national debate over global warming, the U.S. intelligence community has launched an examination of the security threats that could be triggered by rising tempera-

tures and climate change, officials said Thursday. The review was announced by the nation’s intelligence director even as congressional Democrats and Republicans sparred over whether it was appropriate for the beleaguered U.S. spy services to spend

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Avian pianist Hali Heron is Nashville musician Matthew Ebel’s digital alter ego inside virtual world Second Life.

U.S. spy agencies check for threats from climate changes By GREG MILLER

Sunday — Tennessee roots: Class cutup grows up quickly after becoming a young husband and father. Monday — Political arena: Watergate and a red pickup truck propel him to national prominence. Tuesday — Before the camera: He’s been In the Line of Fire and handed out Law & Order. Could president be his next role? Series starts in Sunday’s Tennessean.

resources studying threats posed by the environment. The review is expected to identify security problems that could erupt if rising global temperatures cause flooding, food shortages, migration shifts and !

On Page 6A

TVA plant signals start of nuclear renaissance

MUSIC MARKETING GOES HIGH-TECH

By NICOLE KEIPER

Find out how you can learn the quality of a foreign hospital.

Please see SECURITY, 8A

FIGHTING FORECLOSURE Since 2005, more than 3,000 Nashvillians have lost their homes to foreclosure. Their experience is a cautionary tale for potential home buyers and highlights the perils and hidden traps of a mortgage industry with few regulations and little oversight. In Sunday’s Tennessean

By DUNCAN MANSFIELD

Nashville 40

Florence Decatur MISS. ALABAMA

Associated Press

KNOXVILLE — For the first time in 22 years, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s oldest nuclear reactor — the site of one of America’s worst nuclear accidents — is expected to be operating soon, after a fiveyear, $1.8 billion restoration. The anticipated reopening of the Unit 1 reactor at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in Athens, Ala., about 110 miles south of Nashville, marks a revival of the country’s nuclear energy program. The facility is to be reborn as a modern 1,200megawatt atomic generator capable of lighting 650,000 homes. Mothballed since 1985, the Browns Ferry reactor was the

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scene of a major fire sparked by a candle three decades ago. No new nuclear plants have been built in the U.S. since the 1970s, but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects to receive fast-track construction and operating license applications for 28 reactors at 19 sites by 2009, most in the energyhungry Southeast and Southwest. !

Please see NUKE, 8A

Dirty air on old school buses may jeopardize kids’ health Midstate students say pollution isn’t an issue By APRIL CASTRO Associated Press

Children across the U.S. are riding to school on aging buses, breathing what some activists say is a dangerous brew of pollutants up to five times dirtier than the air outside. Breathing high concentrations of diesel emissions — known as particulates — can cause minor ailments such as headaches, wheezing and dizziness. Studies have found the contaminants can also lead to asthma and lung cancer. Researchers say older buses also let lots of emissions enter through doors and windows. “The exhaust that swirls around the bus gets into the bus and can stay elevated throughout the ride,” said Betin

Santos, an air quality specialist for the nonprofit group Environmental Defense. But pollutants seem to be among the least of bus-related woes in Middle Tennessee, where the state school board has set mandates to ensure air quality on school buses. Leslie Powers said her son, a sixth-grader at Croft Middle School, has never complained about pollution. “We’ve had many more issues concerning behavior on the school bus.” Brittany Hummer, a junior at Antioch High School who rode the bus her whole school life before getting a car last year, said she often found it hard to breathe — but not because of diesel emissions. “The air’s really thick and hot, and everybody’s really nasty,” Hummer said. Staff writer Michaela Jackson contributed to this report.

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10A

Saturday, May 5, 2007

THE TENNESSEAN

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FROM PAGE ONE

WHERE TO SHARE ONLINE PureVolume.com

Overview: Aimed largely at fans and bands from the punk/emo scene, PureVolume offers a simple, slick design with networking-site standards such as streaming audio, photos, tour dates and blogs. Why should I care? With a more focused user base (and a smaller one, with fewer than 2 million users between artists and fans), navigating the glut of music is a little more manageable.

Indie911.com

Overview: Standard social-networking site functions are paired with clunky design, but a cool marketplace option called a “hoooka,” which users can use on and off-site to stream and sell media. Why should I care?: The site offers an easy way to sell music online, whether it’s yours or someone else’s. If you’re selling your own music via the hoooka, you keep 80 percent, while Indie911 takes 20 percent. If you add someone else’s media to your hoooka and it sells, the artist gets 70 percent, and you earn 10 percent.

Virb.com

Overview: Similar in its basic functionality to MySpace, but with a few particular pluses: A clean basic design that’s easy to customize, and a user-driven music-recommendation program that’s similar to Last.fm’s. Why should I care?: Web design-savvy users will find Virb’s advanced page-editing options a thrill; less-savvy users will find the basic editor easy and clean. Users frustrated by the spam at other sites will find Virb’s newness helpful there. Bonus: If someone else uglies up a page, you can turn off the customization while you look at it.

SecondLife.com

Overview: Second Life is a “3-D virtual world,” which means it looks like a video game and functions like super-powered social networking. Users create a digital alter egos and navigate Second Life’s world, doing anything from playing poker to watching live music. Why should I care?: Musicians can hold live concerts, manipulating their avatar to live, streamed music, and fans can leave tips in Second Life’s currency, Linden Dollars. Those can be converted to actual dollars. (Particularly savvy musicians can get in on selling avatar merchandise, too.) It has its limitations — the average show is largely capped at 30-50 fans, or there’s a server crash.

Twitter.com

Overview: The site’s interface asks, “What are you doing?” and users answer via text message, instant message or the Web. Those answers go out in “tweets” via the same methods to folks you’ve befriended. Why should I care?: For musicians, Twitter makes it possible to get the word out en masse and quickly about things like last-minute shows, ticket-presales or cancellations.

Last.fm

Overview: Last.fm’s Audioscrobbler tracks what users are listening to (you run the software and it keeps taps on your iTunes/digital music player), and based on their proclivities, helps make music recommendations and connect users with similar taste, among other things. Why should I care?: Musicians can gauge who’s listening to their music, and how often; fans can get personalized music-hunting help. — NICOLE KEIPER, STAFF WRITER

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Music:Artists find a high-tech niche FROM PAGE 1A

on top of fresh ways to share and market music online, like working the growing Second Life live-music circuit. He obsessively uses Twitter, too — a service that fires quick news updates to friends and fans via Web, instant message or phone. Staying on top of changes, however, isn’t always easy. For less tech-obsessed musicians, keeping ahead of social networking’s light-speed expansion is a head-spinning task. And it’s a task whose benefits still aren’t totally clear. Ebel’s tech-savvy do-it-yourself marketing may have helped him ditch his day job, but it has not made him a megastar.

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Singer Ben Folds and his avatar likeness on Second Life.

For those who are already stars, keeping abreast of the techie curve already seems to have its uses. Nashville piano-pop star Ben Folds jumped into Second Life last October, holding a launch party for his supersunnyspeedgraphic LP, and left with a pile of press clippings from The New York Times, Billboard and the Chicago Tribune, among others. “Not only did his MySpace hits go up tremendously, so people were being turned on to him through it,” says co-manager Ken Levitan, “but the press that fell out of it, in a sense, was very, very big.” Young local singer Jeremy Lister just got into performing live on Second Life, and the response was fun, he says, but not exactly big. Lister figures he’s pulled in 50 to 100 new fans through his performance with friends Sam Brooker, Ruby Amanfu and Semisonic’s Dan Wilson. “Obviously things like MySpace are a lot bigger” for marketing one’s music, he says. “But (Second Life is) growing. And it was fun for us to kind of be pioneers.” Second Life is growing — maker Linden Lab claim 6 million-plus users. But Lister’s approach is probably the more common one among musicians: He’s long been up on social networking as a marketing tool, but as the landscape broadens, he’s still focusing most of his promotional efforts on MySpace, which topped 100 million users last year. Glenn Peoples, editor of music-industry blog Coolfer.com, says, “I don’t run across any band that does not have a MySpace page.”

MySpace gains rivals

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The use of MySpace by so many folks as a marketing tool, however, leads some techie fans and musicians to flee for less cluttered pastures. “Every band in the world jumped onto MySpace, (and it) unfortunately became nothing more than a giant spam pot,” Ebel says. “It became a place where all the bands in the world started promoting their stuff, so nobody actually wanted to hang out, because everyone there was only trying to promote their stuff.” Some are migrating to Virb, launched in mid-March by the company that built musicfocused social networking site PureVolume three years ago. Virb’s thrust, says director of business development Todd Palmer, is a clean, more easily customizable networking hub. That’s already been enough for some early-adopter bands and fans to switch. Web designer and blogger Michael Eades thinks Virb offers a “much, much better design, intuitive interface and a whole lot less clutter to get through,” and that on MySpace, “there is no context in which to find good new music.” Context, in the over-saturated social networking world, might prove to be a big driver.

Peoples figures that’s one thing the smaller, emo/punk nichefocused PureVolume got right. “They’ve done a great job in just really finding their niche, and they have a really good brand awareness,” he says. “And I think that helps people sift through a lot of the crap. … We might be looking at the era of the niches.” The social networking curve does seem to be headed there. MySpace competitor Facebook thrived on its original students-only niche. Billboard reported in April that radio megalith Clear Channel is launching station-themed sites that cater to a local community’s music fans. Google’s site orkut wasn’t marketed specifically to Brazil, but has gained a massive niche following there. Niche-specific features are emerging as a driving force, too. Recent addition Kyte, like Twitter, focuses on users who want mobile connectivity, allowing them to watch and feed video content through their cell phones. More complex destinations like Second Life appeal to techies like Ebel.

Artists refine own niches One of social networking’s strengths as a marketing tool, according to Levitan, is its ability to help an artist define his niche. Folds enjoys a particularly tech-savvy fan base, so keeping on top of tools like Second Life makes sense. “Ben was one of the first artists to do really, really well on iTunes, so he’s always loved that,” Levitan says. “He’s always stayed very attached to his Web site and his MySpace page, and wanted to communicate with his fans. … It’s always been very, very important to him to stay on the cutting edge of doing those kinds of things.” As to whether or not launching a career off Second Life tours is likely, Coolfer’s Peoples figures it’s a long shot. “You’re going after people who may or may not be music fans, avid music consumers, the type of people who go out to shows,” he says. “Maybe somebody’ll have some success there; I think it’s probably too small an online crowd to really have a huge impact.” So far, that’s been musician Ebel’s experience exactly — his online fans, he says, “are not typically the types that’ll go out on a Friday night to watch a live show. So it’s difficult to translate any kind of online marketing into actual butts in seats.”

MySpace gets results Perhaps the reason MySpace continues to dominate despite user gripes is that it can help get butts in seats. Universal South online marketing director Ethan Opelt spends the lion’s share of his workdays navigating MySpace, and sees palpable results in using it for tour marketing. Locally, with artist collective Movement Nashville, Opelt’s MySpace-led promotional efforts helped make the bands AutoVaughn and Bang Bang Bang some of the local rock scene’s strongest draws. “I’m a MySpace rat,” he says, “and it’s been very effective.” What level of techie musicmarketing attention will be most effective largely just depends on the artist, from Peoples’ perspective. “I think there are some bands who probably have made part of their reputation on how they use technology, and they’re gonna be trying everything and they’re gonna be the early adopters,” he says. “And for a lot of bands, I think it might be smart just to let the technology play out a little bit and see how it goes, and not worry about adopting every little thing.” Contact Nicole Keiper at 259-8041 or by e-mail at nkeiper@tennessean.com.