Alcatel - Lucent : the swiftness of paper

5 years ago, Lucent would refuse a merger with Alcatel because it wasn't a merger of equals. I'm not sure it is this time either, but do Lucent shareholders have a choice ?
This non-event simply epitomizes the end of Ma Bell as we knew her. AT&T, the born again brand, seems to enjoy a new life from Plano, TX... but whatever happened to those prestigious labs ?
It's no more about the creativity of human beings, the ability to cope with new environments, to face the future. It's about the swiftness of paper, the ability to purchase evolutivity, to buy a few months.
Today's R&D does require a pervasive networking approach, but beyond the imperialistic / Cisco model. At the end of the day, you can waste a few months if you gain a beautiful mind.