The world's oldest man died Sunday evening at his home on the Japanese island of Kyushu. Yukichi Chuganji, who once made his living breeding silkworms, was 114 years old.

Chuganji was not the oldest living person, however. That honor still belongs to 116-year old Kamato Hongo, a lady the Associated Press describes as "famous throughout Japan for her habit of sleeping for two days and then staying awake for two days."

Here's the kicker (pardon the pun): Hongo is also from the island of Kyushu. What's more, Kyushu was home to Japan's all-time record holder, a woman who died at the age of 120.

We hope the island residents are familiar with our Retirement Center.

In today's Motley Fool Take:

Sun's Woes Continue

Yesterday, Sun Microsystems(Nasdaq: SUNW) revised its fourth-quarter results, taking a $1.05 billion charge to increase an allowance for net deferred tax assets. For the period ended June 30, the networking giant will show a loss of $0.32 per share, rather than a $12 million profit.

While this is a non-cash charge, the move signals a weaker outlook. The deferred tax assets are used to offset future taxable income. So, by taking the charge in the fourth quarter, Sun suggests that it is not confident in a high level of future profitability -- a possible indictment on the bullish thesis for increased technology spending.

Accordingly, Sun now expects a fiscal 2004 first quarter GAAP loss of $0.07 to $0.10 per share, compared to the analyst estimate of a $0.02 loss. Included is a tax provision worth $34 million, or about a penny per share.

Sun's equipment running its Unix operating system has suffered from increasing competition on all fronts. Newer competitors such as Dell Computer(Nasdaq: DELL) are using cheaper Intel(Nasdaq: INTC) chips and Microsoft(Nasdaq: MSFT) software to pick Sun off the low end. IBM(NYSE: IBM) and Hewlett-Packard(NYSE: HPQ), which offer consulting services, are attacking the high-end market.

Squeezed at both ends, Sun's competitive position has dramatically decayed in recent years. Watch its competitors for signals -- if these guys show top-line improvement and better margins in their operating system divisions, it may well be that Sun just blinked at the wrong time.

Shares of Sun Microsystems are down 15% to $3.29 midday.

Sell Us a Stock!

The Motley Fool Radio Show is playing "Sell Me A Stock." Here's how it works: In 50 words or less convince us that your favorite publically owned company has the right stuff. Simply leave a message at 866-NPR-Fool or email [email protected] making your case, and if you are chosen to participate, David and Tom Gardner will each ask you a question via telephone on the show. Then, we'll pick a couple of our favorite callers and give them a Fool ballcap, plus a one-year subscription to Tom Gardner's Motley Fool Hidden Gems newsletter!

DirecTV Booming

DirecTV, owned by Hughes Electronics(NYSE: GMH), itself partly owned by General Motors(NYSE: GM), reported some good news last night. Subscriptions are increasing faster than expected, partly due to an enthusiastic reception of its NFL Sunday Ticket package, which means revenues should also end up higher than initially expected for the year.

This is probably generating some smiles over at News Corp.(NYSE: NWS), since News Corp. is buying GM's 20% stake in Hughes for around $6.6 billion.

According to DirecTV chief operating officer Roxanne Austin, the company should end the quarter with roughly 320,000 new subscribers and the year with a little more than 1 million new subscribers. Revenues for the year are expected to come in around $7.6 billion -- which is darn good for an operation that's essentially been up and running for only about a decade.

Meanwhile, while DirecTV is marketing a digital video recorder (DVR) that's co-branded with the popular TiVo(Nasdaq: TIVO), many are wondering whether that might end soon. The reasoning is that since News Corp. owns NDS Group PLC(Nasdaq: NNDS), which has a similar technology, it might lose interest in TiVo once it controls DirecTV.

Cable companies are also likely wringing their hands and perhaps even gnashing their teeth. DirecTV, growing quickly, already sports more than 11 million subscribers, while its closest competitor, the DISH network of EchoStar Communications (NYSE: DISH), has some 9 million. Both membership bases are still small compared to the likes of leader Comcast(Nasdaq: CMCSA), with around 21 million subscribers. But satellite TV services are growing and are taking customers from the cable companies, despite cable's introduction of digital services.

Discuss these developments on our discussion boards for TiVo and Hughes Electronics -- or at least drop in to see what others are saying. We offer a painless free trial of our enormous and happening discussion board community.

Quote of Note

"Men are not disturbed by things, but the view they take of things." -- Epictetus.

Don't Knock Wal-Mart

If you're a mom and pop-hugging traditionalist, maybe it's best to cover your eyes for the next few paragraphs. Wal-Mart(NYSE: WMT) revealed its latest plans for world domination, and that might include a big lot of cleared land next to you.

While the retail giant is looking to add 50 million square feet of selling space during the next fiscal year -- or nearly 500 new stores worldwide -- that's actually just an 8% increase from its existing chain base. Yes, when you're that big, even the smallest footsteps make the ground rumble.

The company also reaffirmed that it's on target to nail $0.46 a share in earnings during the current quarter, but let's get back to the expansion plans. Yesterday, Jeff Hwang took a look at the growing Wal-Mart empire and the implications of gargantuan living.

Oh, great. Here's another writer about to kick Wal-Mart in the shins for sport. No. Not me. I have no problem with Wal-Mart. I think the arguments against the company's growth spurts ignore how much the discounter contributes to the local community through jobs, benefits, and tax revenue. Providing cheaper goods also leaves more disposable income floating around the community, no?

But is it fair that Wal-Mart can sell groceries as loss leaders just to drive in store traffic and move higher-priced ticket items at modest markups? Won't that drive supermarket chains like Kroger(NYSE: KR) and Safeway(NYSE: SWY) out of business? Isn't this hitting below the belt to warehouse club concepts like Costco(Nasdaq: COST), BJ's(NYSE: BJ), and even Wal-Mart's own Sam's Club?

Perhaps, but what's the point? The same free market that let Wal-Mart blossom will roll out the welcome mat for the better mousetrap. Unfair advantages? Unfair playing field? That's just buggy whip talk.

Discussion Board of the Day: Wal-Mart

Is Wal-Mart great for the country, or does it really manhandle its suppliers, workers, and communities to the point of doing more harm than good? Is there such a thing as fair competition when every company would like to think that it has distinct advantages? How will Wal-Mart fare over the upcoming holiday season? All this and more -- in the Wal-Mart discussion board.

And Finally...

Are you ready for a Biotech Rebirth? Fool contributor David Nierengarten argues that it just may be time -- and that there's absolutely nothing bland about GERN. Tom Jacobs, meanwhile, never argues with anyone, though he does admit to the occasional tears of joy in his must-read opus Popular vs. Unknown Stocks. He's probably just happy because Dayana Yochim showed him the way to a Simple, Happy Life.

Contributors:
Bob Bobala, Robert Brokamp, Paul Elliott, Mathew Emmert, Jeff Fischer, Tom Jacobs, Jeff Hwang, LouAnn Lofton, Alyce Lomax, Bill Mann, Selena Maranjian, Dave Marino-Nachison, Rex Moore, Rick Munarriz, Matt Richey, Reggie Santiago, Dayana Yochim