As AOL goes on another self-discovery retreat ("What is my business model? What is my power animal?"), here's what's beleaguering the portal/ISP/messaging service/media conglomerate in the real world.

• Valleywag's Nader-wannabe brother Consumerist nabbed internal memos sent during the Vincent Ferrari cancellation call scandal. [Consumerist]
• AOL might give away free broadband access — while still charging its dial-up customers. Yeah, that'll go over well with rural users. [Washington Post]
• Speaking of AOL's ISP arm, an insider says that that department may indeed be dropping staff as I reported. The tipster blames the Audience department for siphoning the Access department's cash for its "Web 2.0 crap." [e-mail]

Contact information for this author is not available.