Sunday, April 06, 2003

News Feeds MOUStech.INFO: April 6, 2003 World News, “The Week in Hyperlinks”:   North Korea's pattern of escalation on hold - for now. UN Security Council meets Wednesday to discuss how to handle the nuclear crisis.  Christian Science Monitor   U.S. Enlists Iraqi Exiles, Dissidents.  The United States is beginning to build a new Iraqi army even before Saddam Hussein's forces are defeated, deploying some of the nation's exiles and internal dissidents around the country.  Several hundred soldiers of the Iraqi National Congress exile group were flown to an area near the city of Nasiriyah, the group said Sunday.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Australia Admits ‘Smoking Guns’ Not Found.  ArabNews: World   The trails left in Web server logs - and who's seeing them.  Fear of a million Big Brothers.  The Register   The new departmentLink macro for news item oriented Manila sites generates a link to a page, which displays recent news items from a given department.  Manila.UserLand.Com: "Today, an update was released for Manila which adds support for categories to RSS feeds, for news item oriented sites.  For news items which have a department specified, the corresponding item in the RSS feed for the site will contain a category sub-element with the name of the department."  Frontier News   Technology Briefing: Biotechnology.  HUMAN GENOME TO ANNOUNCE NEWS ON HEALING DRUG.  New York Times: Business   Iraq Is Planning Protracted War.  The Iraqi defense minister suggested Iraq would use guerrilla tactics to prolong the war into the summer heat.  By Patrick E. Tyler.  New York Times: NYT HomePage   Head of Military Denounces Critics of Iraq Campaign.  Gen. Richard B. Myers, the nation's highest-ranking military officer, said complaints about the campaign hurt U.S. troops.  By Thom Shanker and John Tierney.  New York Times: NYT HomePage   Christopher Lydon: A War to End War? The gist: ...The Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh observed in a long interview yesterday for our radio program (www.thewholewideworld.net) that the war will punctuate the end of the 300-year history of the Anglophone Empire.  See also his piece in the current New Yorker. Into the confusion, I throw out the perhaps insanely cheerful thought that this could be the war to end war.  Meaning that the neo-con adventurers have decisively lost the world's vote on the war and will lose the peace, no matter how long or brutal the battle of Baghdad.  More particularly: that the sole superpower has met its adversary for the future in the stubborn, unintimidated, and close to universal peace movement that has found its medium on the Web. The question, paraphrasing Stalin on the Pope, is: how many divisions has the Internet?  More and more every day clearly.  The most provocative elaboration of the ans! wer comes from our colleague Jim Moore of the Berkman Center at Harvard Law School.  Meet "the second superpower." http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/jmoore/secondsuperpower.htm I tend to agree with both of them. On the one hand, I'm weary of wall-to-wall war on every other medium, and don't want it around here too, much as I been contributing to it myself. On the other hand, I think the blogosphere, on the whole, is doing a good job of fact-checking and -sharing; and of creating, finding and linking to some terrific thinking on the whole war subject. A reader points here and asks, “...do you really believe the best thing for the World would be for the US to pull out now and leave one of the cruelest dictatorships in modern times at the helm in Iraq, with all the cruel and innocent deaths that would follow in the wake of such a move.” The Doc Searls Weblog   eWeek: Open-Source Growing Pains Give Sun Aches.  Hack the Planet   Soldiers' Employers Boost Pay, Benefits. When National Guardsmen and reservists ship off to war in Iraq, their employers often answer the call too, with care packages, extra paychecks and continued health care benefits.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Congressman Calls for War's End in Speech.  Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich took his anti-war campaign to the House floor Tuesday, calling for an end to the fighting in Iraq to allow weapons inspectors to return.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Halliburton Wants Secondary Iraq Contract.  Vice President Dick Cheney's former company is interested in Iraq reconstruction work, but declined to bid for a primary contract under a State Department procedure open to only a few experienced firms.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Diversa Awarded Patent for Tunable GeneReassembly (TGR) Technology   PR Newswire: Biotech/Healthcare   REMINDER/Spotfire, Biogen, Rosetta to Present Joint Webcast on Building a Complete Microarray Information Management System   BioWire 2k: Biotech   For Arabs, New Jihad Is in Iraq New York Times: International News   Tourists Think Twice About Travel to Europe During War New York Times: Travel   UN expert highlights need for sustained action to promote human rights in Iraq UN News Service: Human Rights   Columbia Guide to Digital Publishing - covers the entire range of activities involved in creating, processing, producing, protecting, and prese...  Peter Scott's Library Blog   Paul Wood, Baghdad : We're in a Shiite house in Baghdad; it's just been bombed. Doors are blown off their hinges, there's blood on the floor, brok...  BBC Reporters' Log: At war in Iraq   In pictures: Anti-war protests BBC News | War in Iraq   Web Surfers Flock to Al-Jazeera.  Despite repeated hacks, the website of Arab TV network Al-Jazeera was one of the most popular Internet destinations at the end of March, as huge numbers of U.S. readers visit foreign sites for news on the war.  Wired News   Building the Secret War Machine.  Vice Admiral John Poindexter's role as cyber guru to the feds comes as a shock to those who think of him as just another convicted conspirator in the Iran-Contra scandal.  A commentary by Bruce Sterling, from Wired magazine.  Wired News   Baghdad hospital bombed.  2pm: US forces '19 miles from capital'· Saddam defiant in TV statement · UK 'will not attack Iran and Syria.'  Guardian Unlimited   Microsoft unveils Office 2003 lineup IDG InfoWorld   Andrew North, Nasiriya : I've just arrived at the Saddam hospital in central Nasiriya, where doctors are saying that they've registered almost 250...  BBC Reporters' Log: At war in Iraq   Fortune Says 802.11g Half-Baked.  Fortune's Pete Lewis says that 802.11g is definitely not ready yet: Pete makes a good case from his experience that current gear needs a little more time in the oven.  I've been working with AirPort Extreme and Linksys's 54G equipment, and am not quite as disappointed as him, but I'm expecting less.  Pete does make a statement that I have to object to: 802.11b was ratified several years ago, and yet it's not uncommon for 11b wireless networking products from one company to be incompatible with 11b products from another.  There's no reason to believe that 802.11g will be any different.  Later in his blog entry he notes that 802.11b and Wi-Fi aren't interchangeable terms, of course: Wi-Fi means certified interoperable.  I don't know of any Wi-Fi equipment that doesn't work with other Wi-Fi equipment, and I'm not sure if he has specific products in mind when he makes that statement....  Wi-Fi Networking News   Blog Confab in Vienna, May 23 - 24, 2003. Beverly Tang sends this link to an upcoming conference about blogs in Vienna, Austria: "BlogTalk - A European Conference On Weblogs: Web-based publishing, communication and collaboration tools for professional and private use."  Papers are still accepted through April 30.  Among the sponsors: Microsoft and TechGate Vienna. [One of the purposes of] the conference is to bring together active bloggers from all over the world as well all those people from the business world and else who havn't heard the word Weblog or Blog before.  We think we are at a historical tipping point.  There are lots of Weblogs already around but only the tip of the iceberg is visible.  The goal... is to boost the awareness of Blogs as proper means for diverse modes for personal and collaborative publishing. Discuss  Boing Boing Blog   rss comes of age.  Progress!! RSS comes of age as Microsoft starts publishing feeds of for their developers.  I hope that as developers see the benifit(s) of this format, the more it will be supported in applications and operating systems.  (Is that even appropriate?).  Dave's piece mentions future iterations of rss probably won't be called that.  I agree, in future, it might even be what we call 'email'.  Adam Curry: Adam Curry's Weblog   McLuhan's Messages, Echoing in Iraq Coverage.  The war in Iraq — particularly the television coverage of the war — brings out something fresh and bright in Marshall McLuhan, the media prophet of the 1960's.  By Sarah Boxer.  New York Times: Business   Iraqi Shadow Government Cools Its Heels in Kuwait.  Paul D. Wolfowitz, the undersecretary of defense, has dispatched some of his protégés to prepare key Baghdad ministries for American management.  By Jane Perlez.  New York Times: NYT HomePage   Iraq Shows Casualties in Hospital.  Iraqi officials took reporters to a hospital to show them scores of civilian casualties they claimed were the results of American indiscriminate bombing.  By Tyler Hicks with John F. Burns.  New York Times: NYT HomePage   Photography Is Easy; It's the Shopping That's Hard.  New digital cameras are better and less expensive than ever, but they are not any easier to understand.  Here's a look at a dozen models in the $400 range.  By David Pogue.  New York Times: Technology   UK forces use cluster bombs.  UK forces say they have used cluster bombs in Iraq but only in open areas away from built-up cities like Basra.  BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition   Microsoft details Office 2003 lineup.  The company is adding several new application bundles to the Office 2003 suite due out in June, including a new Small Business edition.  Computerworld News   U.N. Food Agency Asks for $86M for Iraq.  A U.N. food agency appealed Thursday for $86 million to help farmers in Iraq protect crops and stave off disastrous food shortages.  The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization's appeal was part of a total $2.2 billion request by the United Nations.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   US missiles "kill several" at Baghdad hospital   EuroNews - Top News (English)   Andrew North, Nasiriya : I'm just outside the main hospital - the Saddam hospital - where many of the injured have been taken after the recent bom...  BBC Reporters' Log: At war in Iraq   Damian Grammaticus, Damascus : Syrian anger at what is happening in Iraq runs deep. At the first official briefing given since the war began, Syri...   BBC Reporters' Log: At war in Iraq   Geron Reports Advances in Its Human Embryonic Stem Cell Programs   BioWire 2k: Biotech   The cluster bomb controversy   BBC News | War in Iraq   Start Menu News Aggregator for Radio.  If you're an adventurous guy or gal, you can try out the new Start Menu user interface for the aggregator.  I've been using it without a glitch for the last couple of days.  It's nice! The caveats are that to configure it (you may not have to) you have to use Radio's object database, there's no browser interface.  If pressed, I may actually make a Web interface.  Scripting News   RSS Gets a HUGE Backer.  Dave Winer: Microsoft Supports RSS.  A true milestone, a BigCo that's not throwing it's weight around, for now -- letting...  Dan Gillmor's eJournal   slides from John Wilkes's keynote (huge PDF).  If you like storage and pretty pictures, check out the slides from John Wilkes's keynote (huge PDF) at FAST.  Hack the Planet   How Iraqi democracy might look.  Some Arab countries blend monarchies with parliaments and elections to form 'Oriental democracy.'  Christian Science Monitor | Top Stories   Plan Would Block French Iraq Contracts.  Undeterred by a defeat in committee, a Republican congressman is pushing ahead with a plan intended to prevent French and German companies from getting U.S. contracts to rebuild Iraq.  The proposal failed in a 35-27 vote in the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, but Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Wash., prevailed in the full House.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   U.S. Needs U.N. OK on Iraq Oil Revenues.  The United States will have to go back to the bitterly divided U.N. Security Council for approval to tap Iraqi oil revenues for reconstruction or to award contracts to modernize the oil industry, a senior U.N. official said. Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Airport Could Be Used As 'Superbase'.  For the U.S.-led forces on Baghdad's doorstep, Saddam International Airport is potentially a massive military base for bringing in weapons and troops and channeling aid to the Iraqi people.  Iraqi President Saddam Hussein liked the first-class air hub, complete with its duty-free shops, so much that he named it after himself.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Urgent: Russia willing to work with US on global crisis: Putin    Xinhua News   N. Korea blasts U.S. human rights report   UPI: International   In a Far-Off Galaxy, Astronomers See Concurrent Star Birth, Black Hole Growth   Scientific American   Will Russia Deliver Arms to North Korea?  Pravda.RU:Main   API Survey Illustrates How Biometrics Are Changing the Face Of Healthcare; Survey Illustrates the Need for Authorized Access Control Solutions in H...  BioWire 2k: Biotech   No immediate prospect for Iraq ceasefire - Annan   UN News Service   Children Killed and Maimed in Cluster Bomb Attack on Town  CommonDreams NewsWire   UNICEF chief in southern Africa to focus attention on food, HIV crises  UN News Service: Children, Women & Population   UN agency protests Israeli military’s occupation of refugee camp girls’ school  UN News Service: Humanitarian Aid, Refugees   Iraq: UN aid agencies appeal for emergency funds for health and other relief  UN News Service: Humanitarian Aid, Refugees   UN committee recommends working group for anti-terrorism treaties  UN News Service: Law, Crime, Prevention   The New Library: Challenges and Opportunities will discuss libraries and technological issues in the 21st century - May 16, 2003 - LaGuardia Co...  Peter Scott's Library Blog   American diplomacy  Economist: World   Valerie Jones, Kuwait City : Cafod, the Catholic aid agency, has a team in Umm Qasr. They say the biggest need is for water. The military authorit...  BBC Reporters' Log: At war in Iraq   Iraqi Man Risked All to Help Free American Soldier  Washington Post: Front Page   Women issued emergency call-ups do their part  Jerusalem Post   Bombings Affecting Pregnant Women Badly  ArabNews: World   War Spawns New Arab Nationalist Mood, Pride  ArabNews: World   U.S.: Mass surrender of Iraqi troops  CNN – World   Death trap.  Iraqis tell their American relatives of the daily horror of being caught between Saddam's death squads and the ferocious firepower of the U.S. military.  Salon.com   Tuning Into the Hype About Wi-Fi.  Wi-Fi Internet access is popping up in all kinds of businesses, including fast-food restaurants and coffee shops.  But do customers really want it? By Elisa Batista.  Wired News   War on Iraq in Arab press headlines  UPI: International   Powell Proposes Interim Iraqi Government.  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Colin Powell proposed on Friday that an interim administration be set up quickly in Iraq with exiled Iraqis playing a prominent role but also including ``those inside'' who opposed Saddam Hussein.  By The Associated Press.  New York Times: NYT HomePage   Thousands in Pakistan, Mideast Protest.  More than 50,000 people marched through the streets of this central Pakistani city on Friday, denouncing the U.S.-led war in Iraq and urging Muslims to prepare for holy war against "American infidels."  Across the world, tens of thousands protested against the war Friday in the Middle East and Asia.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Red Cross Registers Over 3,000 Iraqi POWs.  The international Red Cross said Friday it has seen more than 3,000 Iraqi prisoners of war but has yet to receive permission from Iraqi officials to visit the Americans they are holding.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Russian Parliament Puts Off Iraq Debate.  Russia's lower house of parliament on Friday put off debate of a resolution harshly criticizing the U.S.-led war in Iraq, reflecting the new, softer position by President Vladimir Putin and the Russian leadership.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   The end of malaria in sight?.  A biologist at Imperial College in London, Austin Burt, has suggested (technical overview) a dramatic scheme for eradicating the world's most deadly disease, malaria.  He proposes the use of cutting-edge genetic technology to make entire species of malaria-carrying mosquitoes of extinct.  This was widely reported in popular media around the time of publication (20 March).  If his plan were to be realized, it could be the greatest application of genetic science so far.  It may also be akin to opening a Pandora's box, giving humans the god-like power to annihilate entire species at will.  Either way, it is an important issue worthy of discussion, which is a life and death issue for the millions who suffer from malaria each year.  kuro5hin.org   Analysis: There are two wars for Baghdad  UPI: International   Exclusive: 3 CIA assets killed in Baghdad  UPI: International   Join the Experts to Learn About Chemical-Biological Terrorism  PR Newswire: Biotech/Healthcare   There's No Business Like War Business  CommonDreams NewsWire   UNICEF calls for shielding children from ‘silent dangers’ of abuse, violence, exploitation  UN News Service: Children, Women & Population   UN expert urges world governments to take real action to eradicate hunger  UN News Service: Health, Poverty, Food Security   UNICEF kicks off online campaign to collect pledges for girls' education  UN News Service: Culture & Education   Iraq Conflict: Following the "Laws of War"?  National Geographic News   Iraqi Conflict Opens Debate on Laws of War  National Geographic News: People & Culture   Main Shiite Opposition Vows to Stay Neutral Until Regime Toppled  ArabNews: World   Covert Units Conduct an Invisible Campaign.  More than 9,000 Special Operations forces are conducting some of the riskiest missions of the war in Iraq.  By Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt.  New York Times: NYT HomePage   N Korea condemns UN 'meddling'.  The Security Council meeting over the North Korean nuclear crisis is a prelude to war, says Pyongyang.  BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition   Russian envoys attacked in Iraq.  The US and Iraqi ambassadors in Moscow are summoned after a convoy taking diplomats out of Baghdad is fired on.  BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition   NBC News' David Bloom Dies in Iraq.  NBC correspondent David Bloom has died of a pulmonary embolism, the network reported Sunday.  Bloom's death was announced on the "Today" show.  Bloom was the anchor of the weekend "Today" show and was embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq.  He was 39.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Pope Calls for Iraq War to End Soon.  Pope John Paul II pleaded Sunday for a swift end to the conflict in Iraq, expressing special concern for civilians affected by the fighting.  The pontiff, who has strongly opposed the military action, told followers gathered for his weekly address in St. Peter's Square that working toward peace is "a permanent obligation."  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Red Cross: Iraq Wounded Too High to Count.  The number of casualties in Baghdad is so high that hospitals have stopped counting the number of people treated, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   North Korea and the US 'on a slide towards conflict'.  World: War in North Korea is now almost inevitable, a senior UN official claims.  Guardian Unlimited   Inter-Parliamentarian Union UN partnership with parliamentarians key to building better world – Annan  UN News Service   Civilian Casualties 'Horrifying'; Truck Delivered Dismembered Women, Children  CommonDreams NewsWire   Widespread Use of Cluster Bombs Sparks Outrage  CommonDreams NewsWire   U.S. Postwar Plans Under Scrutiny  CBS News: Iraq Crisis   Croatia Nabs Bosnian War Crimes Suspect  AP World News   InfoToday 2003 - three core conferences: National Online 2003, KnowledgeNets 2003, and E-Libraries 2003, offering dozens of stimulating session...  Peter Scott's Library Blog   Somber Epilogue to Daring Rescue  Washington Post: Front Page   Cholera Epidemic Hits Mogadishu  ArabNews: World   Kerry on supporting troops.  Senator John Kerry describes the Bush administration's one-sided approach to "supporting troops," which seems to consist of lambasting anyone who decries the war as unsound policy while simultaneously slashing veteran's benefits and education for military families. Unfortunately, this administration has failed to honor the service of citizens who are doing what's right.  After Sept. 11, Americans wanted to contribute and to serve.  This administration told them to go shopping.  They have cut AmeriCorps when we should be expanding it so every young person has the opportunity to perform national service.  But nothing flies in the face of the values of duty and service more than what this administration is doing when it comes to fulfilling our obligation to our troops, our veterans, and their families.  We can do better -- and our soldiers deserve no less... And at the same time that American soldiers are engaged in battle at home, this administration is proposing substantial cuts in federal school aid to children of military families.  As we learned the hard way after Vietnam, our duty to our troops doesn't end when the battle is won.  Those that put their lives on the line have earned a lifetime of support.  And America must live up to that commitment. Yet, two months ago, this administration announced it would suspend enrollment in the healthcare system of at least 160,000 qualified veterans.  And now they want to deny another 230,000 veterans the healthcare they deserve.  Boing Boing Blog   E-sheep creator on how anti-war activists are characterized.  Patrick Farley -- brilliant creator of e-sheep, The Spiders, The Guy I Almost Was, and other wonderful, thought-provoking genre cartoons -- has posted a great prose piece, a parable about the characterization of anti-war activists.  Link Discuss (Thanks, Pat!)  Boing Boing Blog   U.N. to Discuss Reconstruction in Iraq.  The bitter subject of Iraq is returning to the United Nations.  But this time the issues are how to rebuild the country and who, ultimately, will pay for it.    Hospitals struggle to cope with war wounded  EuroNews - Top News (English)   FEATURE- DuPont, MIT look to equip the future soldier  Forbes: Breaking News   Permanent war means permanent erosion of liberties  bOing bOing   Canadian donations for Iraq disappointing  The Globe And Mail – National   Antiwar Marchers Invoke Ideas of King 35 Years After His Death  CommonDreams NewsWire   Poverty, Military Service Seem to Go Hand-in-Hand  CommonDreams NewsWire   U.S. Friendly Fire Kills 18 Kurds  CBS News: Iraq Crisis   In pictures: 'Friendly fire' tragedy  BBC News | War in Iraq   Concern Grows for Iraqi Civilians.  Gunfire erupts from a side street on the outskirts of Baghdad, sending Marines diving for cover.  They crawl behind storefronts, scanning the area for their attackers.  Suddenly, a shout comes from a Marine armored vehicle, a loud and desperate American voice.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Human Suffering Begins in Baghdad.  When Ali Kazem's house cracked from the force of a nearby blast, the family grabbed a copy of the Quran and the lunch they had yet to touch and set off cross-town to a relative's home Sunday.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   Numbers and Estimates From Iraq.  The war in Iraq by the numbers: -Casualties: Among U.S. troops, 79 dead, eight missing and seven captured, according to the Pentagon.  Among British troops, 28 dead.  Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com   'Friendly fire' plagues U.S., Britain in Iraq war  Forbes: Breaking News   WHO polio eradication campaign to vaccinate 80 million children in India  UN News Service: Health, Poverty, Food Security   Nick Childs, Pentagon : The US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz has said it'll take more than six months to set up an Iraqi government afte...  BBC Reporters' Log: At war in Iraq   Andrew North, Central Iraq : American forces in central and southern Iraq are stepping up efforts to tackle humanitarian problems in towns and vil...  BBC Reporters' Log: At war in Iraq   U.S.: Libyan pursuit of nukes increases  UPI: International   American peace activist in serious condition  USA Today: Top News   Evidence Contradicts Rumors of Torture  New York Times: International News   Human shields, undeterred by death of colleague, confront IDF in Rafah  Jerusalem Post   Exclusive: US Military Police Are Acting as ‘Censors’ in This War  ArabNews: World   Planning the peace  BBC News | War in Iraq  8:47:34 PM    comment []

CentCom Offers Official US View of War The view from CentCom [BBC News | War in Iraq] 4:52:47 PM    comment []

Public Relations War Not Winning Arab Minds Escaped Arab Journalist Questions Western Media’s War Coverage [ArabNews: World] 4:51:08 PM    comment []

National Geographic Reports on International Humanitarian Law Iraq Conflict: Following the "Laws of War"? [National Geographic News] 4:47:56 PM    comment []

OpenXP OpenXP: From Shareware to Free Software. OpenXP (German page) is a combined open source (GPL) mail/news client for Linux and Windows. It is interesting because of its history and its functionality. OpenXP was originally known as CrossPoint. Development started in 1992, and the program quickly became one of the most popular mail/news clients in Germany. The program was used primarily to connect to Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). BBS, for those who don't know, are computers, usually run privately, with a dial-in network connection (modem, ISDN etc.). There are still some BBS around, many of which now use the Internet infrastructure (you can log into them via telnet). But before everyone had Internet access, you could dial into your next local BBS and get files, messages (from the eponymous bulletin boards) etc. Also popular were direct chats, with the sysop of the BBS or other users in case it had multiple dial-in lines. [kuro5hin.org] 4:34:48 PM    comment []

War in Iraq Called an Outrage Against Humanity Mary Riddell: A morally hollow victory. Iraq comment: No amount of PR will disguise the fact that this war is an outrage against humanity, says Mary Riddell. [Guardian Unlimited] 4:23:02 PM    comment []

Will US Soon Shift War Against Axis of Evil to North Korea? North Korea and the US 'on a slide towards conflict'. World: War in North Korea is now almost inevitable, a senior UN official claims. [Guardian Unlimited] 4:14:58 PM    comment []

US Special Ops Disguised as Civilians in Iraq Pentagon Defends Use of Civilian Clothes. The Pentagon on Friday defended the use of some civilian clothes by U.S. special operations forces, a tactic used to help them blend in with the local population. [Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com] 3:46:48 PM    comment []

International Humanitarian Law Debate Continues Iraqi Conflict Opens Debate on Laws of War [National Geographic News: People & Culture] 3:44:53 PM    comment []

Alan Reiter on WiFi Rates Reiter Bites the Hand that Wires Convention Centers. Alan Reiter's typically deep analysis of a flawed approach by a former client to add connectivity at conference and exhibition centers: Smart City Networks debuts a clueless model of pricing that they will hear screams and howls of derision about, starting with their former consultant Alan Reiter. The company is pricing for a captive market at a rate that's probably very reasonable compared to what wired rates in convention centers cost: I've heard ridiculous stories of how many thousands of dollars per booth people pay for a few hundred Kbps of access. Alan cites rates that are different from the service agreement listed at the site he links to: Alan shows $5 per hour, $25 per day, and $650 for seven days. The site shows $10 per hour and $50 per day. All of these are clock/calendar times: it's an hour or a day from when you sign up, not an hour or day of usage overall. There are certainly daypricing models like that but very few hour-pricing ones. (Update: Alan just confirmed with Smart City that the rates are $5 and $25; the ones on their site are incorrect.) The cost is, of course, ridiculous, and people will rebel. I'd rather use a dial-up phone or spend $10 per day (or get a monthly account at $30 to $50) than pay $50 per day to have low-speed access all the time. This is the cell operators mistake, confusing ubiquity with utility. It has to be calculated as speed over cost times availability as a percentage: the faster the speed the less the absolute price matters and the multiplier is availability percentage or ubiquity percentage. Thus having 64 Kbps at a very low cost 95 percent of the time could be seen as good as 1 Mbps for a somewhat higher cost 5 percent of the time. But 64 Kbps at a very high cost just in a convention center will drive rejection, not adoption.... [Wi-Fi Networking News] 3:42:39 PM    comment []

United Nations Security Council Condemned by North Korea: "Prelude to War" N Korea condemns UN 'meddling'. The Security Council meeting over the North Korean nuclear crisis is a prelude to war, says Pyongyang. [BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition] 3:19:03 PM    comment []

An Arab Free Press Presents Alternative Point of View The Arab TV Wars. The view from the other side: lots of close-ups of Iraqi casualties, all the air time Saddam needs, rumors of an Israeli connection and a fight for millions of viewers. By Daoud Kuttab. [New York Times: Business] 3:14:29 PM    comment []

Humanitarian Aid Guidelines Issued by United Nations U.N. Issues Guide for Humanitarian Aid. The United Nations has issued guidelines to keep humanitarian aid workers as far away as possible from American soldiers, a move that could pacify relief agencies angered by the Bush administration's decision to have the military supervise the operations. [Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com] 3:08:57 PM    comment []

His Holinesss Pope John Paul II Continues to Plead for Peace in Iraq Pope Calls for Iraq War to End Soon. Pope John Paul II pleaded Sunday for a swift end to the conflict in Iraq, expressing special concern for civilians affected by the fighting. The pontiff, who has strongly opposed the military action, told followers gathered for his weekly address in St. Peter's Square that working toward peace is "a permanent obligation." [Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com] 3:06:13 PM    comment []

Red Crescent Society in Jordan Condemns War in Iraq Jordan Red Crescent condemns war [UPI: International] 3:02:28 PM    comment []

Putting A Human Face On US Troops Who Have Died in Iraq Capsules of U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq. Sgt. George Edward Buggs had spent 10 years in the Army and was considering making it a career when the convoy he was riding with was ambushed in southern Iraq. His 12-year-old son had been "worried about his dad not seeing him grow up," said his wife, Wanda Buggs. "It's not something you get over," she said. [Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com] 2:55:30 PM    comment []

War in Iraq Increases Worldwide Volunteer Spirit of Service Above Self New Generation of al-Qaida Feared. On Web sites, in chat rooms and at radical mosques across the Muslim world, followers of al-Qaida and other jihad movements are using the war in Iraq to recruit and reconnect with cohorts committed to holy war against America. [Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com] 2:50:30 PM    comment []

Who Will Pay to Rebuild Iraq to be Discussed at United Nations U.N. to Discuss Reconstruction in Iraq. The bitter subject of Iraq is returning to the United Nations. But this time the issues are how to rebuild the country and who, ultimately, will pay for it. [Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com] 2:47:19 PM    comment []

Annan Sets Out a United Nations Vision for Post-War Iraq Inter-Parliamentarian Union UN partnership with parliamentarians key to building better world – Annan [UN News Service: Peace & Security] 2:44:34 PM    comment []

Support Your Local Library National Library Week - April 6-12, 2003 [Peter Scott's Library Blog] 2:41:55 PM    comment []

Ft. Myers Area Newspapers Publish Ways to Support Troops During my recent trip outside of Fort Myers, Florida, the daily newspapers listed a number of methods open to citizens wishing to demonstrate their support for the US troops stationed in the Middle East.   -Bernie Dunham   From the Tuesday, April 1, 2003 edition of The News-Press of Fort Myers, Florida:   An excerpt from, “Care packages not as welcomed as you’d think,” by Amy Williams   “Items will be shipped to Red Cross workers stationed with the troops in Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf and distributed free,” says Keith Denning, director of (American Red Cross) emergency services at the Fort Myers office.  “We keep hearing that they really want lip balm and sunscreen,” he says.  “And greeting cards.  If their mother is having a birthday, they cannot just go out and buy a card, but they can go to the Red Cross canteen and get one.  They really appreciate that.”   What: Operation Gift Drop, sponsored by the Fort Myers Chapter of the American Red Cross. Where: Lee, Collier, and Charlotte Counties. When: Donations should be delivered to the Red Cross by the end of May 2003. Contact Information: http://www.arclcc.org Details: Items must be new and in the original packages.  Items preferred: Individually wrapped pieces of hard candy, no homemade items or chocolate Twizzlers o       Tootsie Rolls o       Tootsie Pops o       Bubble Gum o       Skittle o       Lollipops o       Life Savers o       Candy Sticks o       Sweet Tarts o       Mary Janes Packages Snacks Microwave Popcorn Peanuts Pretzels Packaged Drinks Sweetened Kool-Aid Gatorade Coffee Hot Chocolate Hot Cider Sweetened Drink Mixes Toiletry Items Shaving Cream Razors Toothbrushes Shower Soap Bars or Gel Hand Sanitizer Hand Lotion Wet Wipes Sun Protection Sunscreen Sunglasses Batteries of All Assorted Sizes Blank Greeting Cards Birthday Anniversary Get Well Miss You Holiday Mother’s Day Entertainment Videos DVDs Music CDs Music Cassettes Chess Games Dominoes Checker Games Parcheesi Uno Cribbage Jigsaw Puzzles Playing Cards Paperback Books Recent Publications Mysteries Action Drama Sci-Fi Puzzle Books Comic Books Holiday Decorations   From the Tuesday, April 1, 2003 Naples Daily News, of Naples, Florida.   “Supporting the Troops”   Here are some ways we can support deployed troops fighting the war in Iraq: Donate items for the Lee and Collier County chapters of the American Red Cross care-packages: Collier Red Cross, 2610 Northbrooke Plaza Drive, North Naples, FL Lee Red Cross, 2516 Colonial Blvd., Suite 201, Fort Myers, FL Participate in Operation USO Care Package by donating $25, which goes toward sending a care package along with a personal message through the United Service Organizations.  Send checks to: USO-Operation Care Package, c/o Pentagon Federal Credit Union, PO Box 19221, Alexandria, VA 22320-9998, or call 1-866-876-4483, or email at www.usocare.org. Donate a phone card so troops can stay in touch with family members.  Log onto www.operationuplink.org for more information. Send a virtual thank you card to www.defendamerica.mil. Donate to one of the medical relief societies. Army relief society at www.aerhq.org. Navy/Marines at www.nmcrc.org. Air Force at www.afas.org. Coast Guard at www.cgmahq.org. Send an email greeting through Operation Dear Abby at www.operationdearabby.net.   2:38:41 PM    comment []

The Names of American Casualties, POWs, MIAs: Service Above Self Coalition Troop Casualties, POWs, MIAs. The names of troop casualties, provided by relatives or military officials. The military totals include casualties whose names may not yet be available. [Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com] 1:06:49 PM    comment []

Numbers of Iraqi Wounded Becoming Uncountable for International Red Cross Red Cross: Iraq Wounded Too High to Count. The number of casualties in Baghdad is so high that hospitals have stopped counting the number of people treated, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday. [Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com] 1:03:33 PM    comment []

Al-Jazerra Sets up Temporary English Web SIte: Al-Jazeera World News Links: Headlines: 'Dirty war' allegations cut both ways 17 civilians killed in airstikes on Basra Are Christian evangelists eyeing Iraq? A double take on Saddam Hussein Human bomb issue shrouded in uncertainty Former general to head post-war administration Britain admits there may be no WMD's in Iraq Nasiriyah citizens claim mistreatment Can the Republican Guard still spring a surprise? Lead role for US, UK in post-war Iraq reaffirmed British troops wooing Iraqis with leaflets Ban on Al Jazeera lifted Will Iraq’s Shia revolt ? British bid to land troops near Mosul foiled Lead role suggested for oil majors in post-war Iraq Remains of 200 killed in Iran-Iraq war found near Basra Training of the "future" Iraqi administration is underway Al Jazeera accused of running ‘shock and awe’ campaign US faces severe criticism from global leaders The US-led invasion of Iraq was criticised by world leaders on Monday, who claimed military action was unilateral, discarded the views of the international population, and would create more problems than it solved France worried over rise in anti-Americanism Alarm bells ring in French government circles as poll shows French want America to lose Iraq war Al Jazeera shunned, intimidated in Western capitals With the war not panning out as planned, the unsavoury side of it as presented by Al Jazeera is prompting the corporate West to find ways of muzzling it More protests demanding a halt to military action in Iraq A global wave of protests against the US-led war on Iraq continues for the eighth consecutive day Lawsuit filed against Aznar for backing war A group of lawyers, judges and anti-war activists, filed a lawsuit against Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar on Wednesday, charging that his support for the US-led war on Iraq is illegal 911 families say lashing out is not the answer Those who lost family in the 911 atrocity accuse President Bush of exploiting the tragedy for political gain Hollywood artists use Oscars to decry US war on Iraq Iraq has "invaded" the glitzy portals of Hollywood, dividing stars over the US-led war. Stars aired their anger against the war at the Oscars ceremony to a mix of applause and catcalls from the audience. Cairo witnesses largest demonstrations in years Anti-war protests in Cairo are largest demonstrations since 1970's as Egyptians show solidarity with Iraq Anti-US sentiment in Arab world soars to new heights A poll of Arab opinion on the eve of the US-led reflects broad scepticism of war aims and fear of the wider fallout Protests on the streets offer hope to dissenters Unprecedented global street-level protests against US attack hold out hope against feelings of helplessness Iraq ill-equipped to cope with a humanitarian crisis The Red Cross says Iraq is too weak to manage the grave humanitarian crisis war is inflicting Landmines pose risk to fleeing refugees Iraq is littered with millions of landmines and an unspecified number of unexploded ordnance that will constitute a hazard to refugees Oiling the wheels of government A leadership team with roots in the same industry and much to gain from a successful campaign in Iraq British Muslims feel heat from Iraq inferno The Iraqi chapter of the US-led war on terror has sent fresh shivers through an already ill-at-ease community Iran struggles to keep stance of active neutrality Tehran’s stance remains one of the great unknowns in the unfolding invasion of Iraq When the pipeline vision vanished The lesson of the Aqaba pipeline, and the present conflict, is that an “evil dictator” is a friend of the US when he is ready to make an oily deal, and a mortal enemy when he is not Why Britain wants this war The Prime Minister and his foreign policy advisors are evidently convinced that supporting and following US foreign policy for Iraq is more important than upsetting NATO, EU and the UN War leaders may face war crimes charges Legal experts say there may be serious legal consequences for George Bush and Tony Blair after the war Turkish-US ties may take precedence over Kurds’ fate Fanned Kurdish hopes for an independent homeland may be nothing more than another short-lived dream Journalism takes another hit on the battlefield The dismissal of Peter Arnett, comes after a series of detentions, expulsions and manipulations by forces on both sides of the conflict Glossing civilian atrocities The tendency to patriotism is allowing the usually rigorous British press to avoid uncomfortable questions about civilian casualties Al Jazeera “magnifies the minor successes of the regime” The US administration has once again suggested that Al Jazeera is a mouthpiece for anti-American forces War journalism is guided by military precision Previous conflicts have taught the US-led force the value of controlling news output. This will be the most spun war in history Anti-war camp silenced by media The anti-war movement in the US complains that it is ignored by the mainstream media Iraq TV 'not a military target' Many felt that the assault carried out by US and British fighter planes smacked of “censorship.” Others said it “violated the Geneva Convention” that prohibits any military forces engaged in a conflict from hitting civilian targets Audiences flock to the net to view war TV audiences are turning off the box and flocking to the internet to follow the latest Gulf War Headlines: Then and now Silent spring Though the war on Iraq rages, Palestinians live their own hell and think about both front lines Killing the few to liberate the many is a line most Iraqis reject The killing of Iraqi civilians has prompted renewed speculation that the Anglo-American forces are losing the battle for ‘hearts and minds’ in Iraq. Jordan looks nervously west as well as east While the world’s gaze is turned towards Iraq, Jordan fears its western neighbour may take advantage of the shift in focus to fulfill an age-old dream War in Iraq shows first signs of destabilising Saudi Arabia Saudi press agency warns of 'serious consequences' as anti-US feeling climbs in kingdom Washington sidesteps Turkish parliament Washington returned to public diplomacy after a two week hiatus on Wednesday with United States Secretary of State Colin Powell’s one-day visit to Ankara to secure a much scaled-down request for Turkish assistance in the US-led invasion of Iraq Britain, US drift apart Differences between staunch allies – Washington and London – emerge as German, Russian and French attitudes toward the Iraq war change as the focus turns to post-war phase Ankara power struggle raises fears of army putsch The Turkish government's performance over Iraq may be just the excuse its generals need to reassert themselves Headlines: Semantic games Bombing endangers invaluable heritage sites across Iraq Saddam dead until proven alive Has Israeli lobby influenced this war? What the war is and isn't about Fighting misinformation: an Iraqi scientist’s lonely battle US war may halt reform progress in Bahrain Reshaping the Middle East in America's image Coalition of the willing has become a joke US post-war plans face powerful Shi'ite and Kurdish aspirations $75 billion added to US war budget Israel’s double conundrum The mind war Unilateralism has trumped diplomacy in US administration Baghdad resident's revealing blog site attracts traffic 12:52:49 PM    comment []

Antiwar.com Hyperlinks to World Coverage of War in Iraq Headlines from Antiwar.com: 'Friendly Fire' Kills 17 in US-Kurdish Convoy Ex-General to Take Over Iraq 'Government' Next Week Neoconservatives' Postwar Vision: American Empire Wolfowitz of Arabia: Postwar Iraq a Bureaucratic Battlefield British Troops Storm Basra US General: 'We're Not Softening Them Up, We're Killing Them' US Says 3,000 Iraqis Killed in Baghdad Battle Endgame in Baghdad? White House Hawks View Iraq War as Lesson to the World North Korea Vows to Defy Any UN Nuclear Resolutions The Minute We Invent the News, You'll Hear About It by Mark Steel War Provides Cover for a Fresh Israeli Crackdown by Robert Tait The Israelization of America by Gideon Samet Pentagon Postwar Plan Takes a Hit US: Control of Basra Key to Oil Russian Convoy Attacked Near Baghdad, Some Wounded US Intel on Iraq Still 'Weak' US: 9,000 Special Ops Forces Conduct Invisible Campaign Iraq's Elusive WMDs New Dangers in Final Push Fog of War Shrouds the Facts Incursion Aims to Show Residents That US is in Charge Unlike US, British Leaflet Promises Early Self-Rule UK Official Admits Iraq May Have No WMDs Israelis Shoot US Peace Activist Baghdad's Nerve Center Thousands of Iraqis Abandon Homes, Hope Israel Ready to 'Get Up From the US Peace Table' Iraq: In Syria It Comes Down to a Cartoonist War of Words Erupts Over Progress of US Troops 'Dirty War' Allegations Cut Both Ways Liberators and Enemies Can Look a Lot Alike 'Slowly, the Suburbs Were Turned Into Battlefields' Hundreds of Iranian Soldiers' Remains Found in Iraqi Warehouse The Saddest Story of All One Boy's War... Bathed in Blood of His Family Clinic Reveals Human Cost of Iraq War Trail of Death Leads Into the Capital A Muslim World Torn Colorado Physician Aids Troops: War 'Disgustingly Sanitized' on TV History Has Honed Iraqi Suspicions of Foreign 'Liberation' alt.war Different Networks, Different View of War Antiwar Irish to Confront Bush US Forgives Pakistan's Debt Afghan Commander Killed in Blast Karzai Ally Gunned Down in Afghanistan UN Envoy: Korea Stand-Off Could Lead to War US Accused of Hypocrisy on Human Rights NBC 'Today' Co-Anchor David Bloom Dies in Iraq Powell Denies US Plans to Attack Iran or Syria US: Control of Basra Key to Iraqi Oil ChevronTexaco Expresses 'Interest' in Iraqi Oil Rice Tries to Downplay White House Feud on Postwar Plans Cronies Set to Make a Killing Baath Party is Bedrock of Saddam's Base Underground Facilities May Bedevil Coalition Forces in Baghdad British Soldiers Order Union Jacks to Repel US Friendly Fire Iraqis Push US, Kurdish Forces Back in Northern Battle Cautious Kurdish Fighters Break for Lunch Suicide Bomber Attacks US Unit at Baghdad Airport Allies Guard Crucial Supply Lines from Traps and Ambushes Deaths Shine Light on Noncitizens in the Military Refugee Children Haunted by War Rattled and Exhausted Residents of Baghdad Sure the End is Nigh Online Antiwar Activism Gains Momentum in Japan Security Forces Nab Egyptian Antiwar Activists British Poet Laureate Attacks War in Iraq Minister of Mendacity Strikes Again by Robert Fisk The Message Coming from Our Families in Baghdad by Haifa Zangana Will Baghdad Finale Delay Peace? by Farhan Bokhari   12:33:52 PM    comment []