Loyd Schutte: news

US at War 2 : The Sequel

Thu, 15 May 2003 13:15:43 GMT

Here we go again.

N Korea threat 'to be halted'. Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and George W Bush say they will not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea. [BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition]

Homeland security tests nations readiness...

Mon, 12 May 2003 13:41:05 GMT

The US Department of Homeland security is testing the readiness of US defenses as Seattle and Chicago run terrorists attack simulations.

US drills for terror attacks
The US is embarking on a five-day simulation of attacks on two major cities by a terrorist group. [BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition]

The one thing the drills are leaving out though, is the mass exodus by millions of panicked people as they try to flee the devastation.

A new source for stem cells found in childrens baby teeth...

Wed, 23 Apr 2003 12:39:21 GMT

Potent Stem Cells Found in Baby Teeth
When his six-year-old daughter pulled out her baby tooth, Songtao Shi of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in Bethesda, Md., washed it off to prepare it for the tooth fairy. Holding his daughter's partial tooth, the stem cell researcher noticed living tissue inside and wondered whether it might contain relatively young stem cells. Shi took the tooth to his lab and found that he was indeed able to isolate such cells from the tooth pulp left in the crown. [Scientific American]

Hmmm...don't tell the kids or they'll be wanting more than a quarter.

In defense of democracy and freedom...

Tue, 22 Apr 2003 04:29:57 GMT

Local officials defy Patriot Act
ARCATA WAS one of the first cities to pass resolutions against global warming and a unilateral war in Iraq. Last month, it joined the rising chorus of municipalities to pass a resolution urging local law enforcement officials and others contacted by federal officials to refuse requests under the Patriot Act that they believe violate an individual’s civil rights under the Constitution. Then, the city went a step further.

This little city (pop.: 16,000) has become the first in the nation to pass an ordinance that outlaws voluntary compliance with the Patriot Act. [MSNBC]

Fuel smart cars becoming smart money...

Mon, 21 Apr 2003 13:21:00 GMT

Concept Cars Hop on Eco-Bandwagon. At the New York Auto Show, carmakers roll out a pair of concept vehicles designed to give a little back to nature. A new Volvo filters the air outside as you drive it, while a Ford boasts an interior made of recyclable materials. By John Gartner. [Wired News]

Personally I've been wating a long time to see the Toyota Prius. I've heard rumors that it is supposed to be the same size as the Corolla but I have yet to see a picture of it next to any other car currently on the market.

Is Canada next...

Mon, 21 Apr 2003 13:12:57 GMT

This is a very interesting piece from Kuro5hin.org.

World's largest oil reserve. Technically speaking the Middle East is not the largest oil reserve in the world. In fact the largest oil deposits are very close to the United States of America. They lie north of the border. [kuro5hin.org]

Now I just have to wonder, viewing our recent pattern of invading countries and fighting wars to secure the nations future fossil fuel power needs, is Canada next?

So much for freedom...

Mon, 21 Apr 2003 12:47:09 GMT

Well. The DOJ (Department of Justice) has sided with RIAA (Really Is just Another Anacronym) making your ISP (Internet Service Provider) responsible for what's on your computer.

U.S. Backs Record Labels in Pursuit of Music Sharer. The Bush administration has sided with the recording industry in its court battle to force Internet providers to disclose the identities of subscribers who may be illegally trading materials online. By Amy Harmon. [New York Times: Technology]

Makes me want to move to Canada. Personally, I don't believe that ANYONE has the right to tell me what should or should NOT be on my home computer.

Ain't it great to be free...

Mon, 14 Apr 2003 12:28:02 GMT

It seems the post September 11th regime (and it is one too) has stretched its long McCarthy-ist fingers into the tech industry. I remember reading the story of how this young man was arrested but then I had heard nothing more until this article.

Guilty until proven innocent. CNET News.com's Declan McCullaghchronicles the bizarre tale of an Intel engineer thrown into U.S. solitary confinement for reasons that remain confidential. [CNET News.com]

Makes me wonder if I can be arrested for donating to the Sierra Club. They oppose Bush's plan to drill for oil in Alaska you know. I have friends who are Palestinian that I have not seen since slightly after September 11th. I wonder what's became of them.

Woo hoo! I think...

Sun, 13 Apr 2003 04:18:28 GMT

Borders Goes Live. Borders launches its T-Mobile service in several states, 145 stores: Borders had announced last November that it had partnered with T-Mobile to put hot spot service in all Borders stores in the US. Today, they announced all stores in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas, and Washington have gone live, or 145 stores total.... [Wi-Fi Networking News]

Bush guilty of war crimes?...

Sun, 13 Apr 2003 04:06:58 GMT

Former congressman asks court to decide if Bush committed war crimes
Former U.S. Rep. Clair Callan of Nebraska has asked a federal court to determine if President Bush is guilty of war crimes in Iraq.

Callan has filed a motion for a temporary restraining order in U.S. District Court in Lincoln that would stop the president from ordering further attacks in Iraq.

Callan argues that Bush is in violation of international law, including United Nations treaties and the findings of the Nuremburg Tribunal, for ordering the invasion of a country that has not attacked the United States. [The Independent]

The facts ma'am. Just the facts...

Sun, 13 Apr 2003 03:58:46 GMT

CNN's Incredible Admission. UPDATED In an appalling op-ed piece in the New York Times, "The News We Kept to Ourselves," CNN's chief news... [Dan Gillmor's eJournal]

I guess when you're not reporting the raw facts but reporting what someone else is telling you is the facts, you're merely reporting someones opinion.

Kevin Sites captured outside Tikrit...

Sat, 12 Apr 2003 01:22:38 GMT

Kevin Sites captured and released. Kevin Sites was captured on the front lines outside Tikrit a few hours ago. He and his team were held at gunpoint, accused of espionage, fired at, interrogated, threatened with execution, then released after about a four-hour hell. All of us are relieved that he is now safe and sound. [Kevin Sites Blog]

Wow! Listen to the audio feed as Kevin recounts the ordeal live to Wolfblitzer via Videophone.

Live!...

Wed, 09 Apr 2003 13:33:15 GMT

The most amazing thing is going on in Baghdad. I'm watching the Live Feed from CNN as Iraqi's are attempting to topple the statue of Saddam. If I can pull off a screen capture I'll post it.

There are Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Marines everywhere around. Big crowd of people.

"It was a place of evil."...

Wed, 09 Apr 2003 13:16:07 GMT

Iraqis Show Journalists Secret Jail. Iraqis showed journalists a white stone jail where they claim Saddam Hussein's secret police for decades tortured inmates with beatings, mutilations, electric shocks and chemical baths. [Associated Press war headlines via GoUpstate.com]

Free at last, free at last...

Wed, 09 Apr 2003 02:51:23 GMT

Party in Basra. Liberated Iraqis in Basra discuss the past with a member of Saddam's Fedayeen goon squad. Perhaps this helps explain... [Richard Bennett's Omphalos]

Nicely put. Follow link to see picture for clarification.

Not-as-lethal...

Tue, 08 Apr 2003 13:35:31 GMT

Rubber Bullets. garret comments on the use of rubber bullets in Oakland against anti-war protesters and dockworkers. Most people know this, but it never hurts to keep on repeating it: Rubber bullets are tools for experts to use. And even in the most expert of hands, they can kill. You aim low, because a shot to the face can leave a lasting... (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) .. and even a fatal impression - and not just in children. These can cause a messy closed head injury when improperly used. Here... [Code The Web Socket]

To continue on with Alwin's post, there was a great special on the History Channel's Modern Marvels called "Super Guns" (See the 1pm-2pm time slot) while I was on lunch yesterday. It seems rubber bullets are actually hardended plastic and vulcanized rubber much harder than a hockey puck. Now renamed from the misnomer "non-lethal", not-as-lethal weapons are still deadly. Rubber bullets, when fired at the ground, shatter and produce sharpnel as dangersous as a handgrenade. Rubber bullets still break bones, cause internal trauma, and may even kill. It pays to pay attention.

Analog cellular tossed by the wayside...

Tue, 08 Apr 2003 04:09:27 GMT

Analog cellular being phased out by carriers, suppliers
AT&T Wireless, one of the two primary supporters of low-speed 19.2Kbps network, will discontinue its service as of June 2004, according to a spokesperson. [InfoWorld]

I guess I chose the perfect time to upgrade to GPRS.

Upgrade your Apache server now...

Mon, 07 Apr 2003 13:34:07 GMT

Apache urges update ahead of DoS risk alert.
Details of the problem, discovered by security outfit iDefense, are to be made available later today. [The Register]

Wow! Somebody who actually know's to warn then send the disclose the details of the problem before it can be exploited. How refreshing. You think Microsoft is listening?

Plagarism?...

Mon, 07 Apr 2003 13:22:35 GMT

Noted War Blogger Cops to Copying. Sean-Paul Kelley, the man behind the immensely popular Iraq war blog The Agonist, admits he posted information from a highly regarded commercial intelligence company on his site without sourcing it -- and in some cases credited it to unnamed sources. By Daniel Forbes. [Wired News]

Whoa! What an interesting turn of events.

He had what???

Fri, 04 Apr 2003 13:23:58 GMT

An unconfirmed report on NPR just aired that the US has found lots of an anthrax-like white powder near Baghdad. [Scripting News]

Whoa! That's what I like about Dave being on the east coast now....he gets up earlier and post's the news earlier.

Straight from the horses mouth...

Fri, 04 Apr 2003 02:27:51 GMT

Former hacker warns lawmakers about dangers to personal financial information
Kevin Mitnick, whose federal probation on hacking charges ended in January, said businesses need to better protect their computers from newly discovered security flaws and train employees to spot the tricks of identity thieves. [SignOnSanDiego]

Don't call me, I won't call you...

Wed, 02 Apr 2003 13:32:24 GMT

Californians swamp anti-telemarketer site. Web surfers are flocking to a new site that lets residents in the state add their names and numbers to a national "do not call" list being compiled by the FTC. [CNET News.com]

This would be because on average we get between 5 and 10 calls per day(!!!) from telemarketers. This weekend I received a call from a Sears telemarketer selling a credit notification service. After politely saying "no thank you" I hung up the phone to promptly pick it up with another person selling the same thing. At that point I became mad and someone got an ass chewing.

This law is great but not nearly stringent enough. If you've shown an interest in a product or a like product, or have purchased from a company, then the company has "implied consent" to call you.

Here's a clue....don't call me, I won't call you.

"He gave his life for you, for all of us,"...

Wed, 02 Apr 2003 13:11:24 GMT

Marine Dies Before Becoming U.S. Citizen.
Francisco Martinez Flores was to become a U.S. citizen in two weeks. But the 21-year-old Marine, who had moved to California from Mexico at age 3, was killed before he could take an oath of allegiance to the country he died fighting for.

Martinez was killed in Iraq on March 25 when the tank he was in traveled over a collapsing bridge and tumbled into the Euphrates River.
[NBC San Diego]

Budget woes threaten California schools...

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 12:41:31 GMT

Mass Layoffs Threatened for Teachers in California. With the state's budget problems, many districts fear they cannot afford to pay those already in the classroom. By Dean E. Murphy. [New York Times: Education]

Somebody tell me again why I live in California. Must be the cheese.

From the front line....

Tue, 25 Mar 2003 12:36:31 GMT

Possibly the most enlightening 12 minutes you'll spend this day. Michael Moore's after Oscar interview with the press. A must see.