December 2, 2002

Does Free Linux Have Hidden Costs? PC World - Organizations running Windows 2000 spend less in the long run for some tasks, such as print and file serving, than organizations running Linux, according to a new survey from research company IDC. 10:46:47 PM

Britain Accuses Hussein of Systematic Torture and Killing New York Times -  Britain released a dossier today on what it called the systematic rape, torture, gassing and executions of Iraqis by Saddam Hussein. The document listed what it said were Mr. Hussein's favored methods of torture. Where is Amnesty International on this?  Well, Irene Khan, Amnesty International Secretary General would like to remind us that the United Nations Security Council, and those pesky sanctions cause grave violations of the rights of the Iraqi population.  Dear Ms. Kahn, get rid of the sanctions, and the human rights abuses continue, get rid of Saddam and the sanctions are lifted, and the country can begin to heal.  Please try and think about the long view. 2:48:03 PM

Top Court to Hear Challenge to Texas "Homosexual Conduct" Law Washington Post - The Supreme Court has decided to hear a challenge to a Texas law that makes it a crime for gays and lesbians to have consensual sex in their own homes. Therefore agreeing to consider overruling its 1986 decision that upheld the state law. 11:52:08 AM

Intifada will cost us everything, says Palestinian leader news.telegraph.co.uk - A senior Palestinian leader called yesterday for a complete halt to armed attacks on Israeli targets, giving warning that Israel could use the intifada to destroy the last vestiges of Palestinian autonomy. Mahmoud Abbas, often regarded as a likely successor to Yasser Arafat, said all Palestinian militant groups should agree to a "pause" in the two-year uprising to avoid giving Israel a pretext to seize "what remains of our fledgling state". 10:27:15 AM

Hearing today in Kazaa suit ZDNet - Lawyers for the music and movie industries gathered on Sunday ahead of a hearing in a copyright infringement case against popular file-sharing services, Kazaa, Grokster and Morpheus MusicCity, now named Streamcast, industry trade group officials said. 8:57:21 AM

Sega Shares Rise After Microsoft Buyout Rumors Gamers.com - Shares in Sega went wild on the Tokyo market on Friday as rumours of a Microsoft buyout swirled around the company. Sega's share price rose to the maximum allowed limit by the Tokyo exchange before dipping slightly in afternoon trade to end up a hefty 11.3% -- the fourth-largest gain of the day. 8:25:24 AM

Kenyan May Have Talked to Bombers Washington Post - A fisherman who lives less than two miles from the Israeli-owned hotel that was bombed here Thursday said that minutes before the attack he noticed a four-wheel-drive vehicle idling on his property with two men inside who were acting suspiciously. 8:08:06 AM

Hollywood, tech become wary partners against piracy Seattle Times - Peter Chernin joked that he was walking into enemy territory last month at the Comdex computer trade show, but maybe he wasn't far from the truth. Chernin, the chief executive officer of Fox Group and president of News Corp., came to address an industry that media companies have railed against as purveyors of piracy. The entertainment world has complained for years that tech companies have done little to stem the online trading of music and movies. But Chernin was not there to chastise or berate. He was hoping to make peace, and, more importantly, to enlist support. 8:05:50 AM

2 Palestinians Killed by Israeli Troops in Separate Incidents Voice of America - A 16-year-old Palestinian was killed and at least 16 others were wounded by Israeli troops Monday in the West Bank City of Jenin. In another incident just south of Gaza City, a Palestinian gunman was killed trying to infiltrate the Jewish settlement of Netzarim. 8:03:18 AM