My second guess would be that it means something along the order of 'flash in the pan'
Not bad, Gymkhana. The "dot com bubble" lasted approximately 3 years from fall 1998 when the NASDAQ began its spectacular ascent from 1357 to the pinnacle (over 4000) and then back under 1400 again in September, 2001. This life cycle parallels almost exactly the life cycle of the "Blovian brericauda" (short-tailed shrew), as you will see in the "Lifespan" Chart below. "Blovian" Shrews have more than longevity in common with the "dot com" flame-outs, so it appears. Some extracts from an Encyclopedia will demonstrate.
1. Shrews have the shortest life span of all mammals.
2. The age of senescence is the same for shrews as it is for dot com start-ups - approximately 16 months. The Nasdaq went into its first dramatic and ultimately fatal decline in April 2000, corresponding to the first appearance of "old age" in shrews (and dot coms) after 16 months.
3. Bigger dot coms (like Yahoo!) have a longer life span than smaller, incandescent ones (like Boo.com) ... just like shrews. "The larger species usually have a longer life span than the smaller species." "Life expectancy increases with body weight."
4. Shrews travel at "Internet speed" ... just like the once high-flying dot coms. Shrews almost never sleep and they are always foraging ["looking for first mover advantage]. "The large heat loss experienced by small animals [cash burn rate] must be balanced by a practically uninterrupted intake of calories [venture capital funding]. Accordingly shrews forage continuously and their ravenous appetites are proverbial." See Mammalian Life Spans beginning with the shortest: "Blovian brericauda" (Short-tailed Shrews) below. ("What does the "brericauda" stand for?", you are asking. It stands for "New Era". )
Some Potential Lifespans of Mammals - Group Common Name Scientific Name Years
Insectivores Short-tailed shrew Blovian brericauda 2.5 Lesser Hedgehod-tenrec Echinops telfairi 16
Greater White-toothed shrew Crocidura russula 4