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2. januar 2005
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The top of the "pirate" foodchain
Jeff Howe has written an interesting Wired piece about how "the shadow internet" works: how movies, records and software are ripped off even before release and eventually find their way to millions of p2p file sharers.
I must be more savvy than I thought, because I knew all this already. But I guess this article will create a bit of a stir.
11:42:37 PM 
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Kuwaiti minister resigns after failing to censor western media
Kuwait's information minister Mohammed Abul-Hassan, who is the only Shia in the cabinet, has handed in his resignation after facing grilling from hardline Sunni members of parliament.
Three fundamentalist Sunni lawmakers were scheduled to question the Mr Abul-Hassan in parliament on Monday, over failing to protect "values and morals" by allowing pop music concerts.
They have also accused his ministry of failing to do enough to censor books, magazines, and videos.
Run that by me again: these are our allies?
10:08:30 PM
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Dead bodies pose few health risks
It has been common after natural disasters to rush to bury or burn the dead, fearing that bodies may cause epidemics. Many recent media reports have spread this belief. Hopefully rescue workers are aware of some quite recent research showing that this risk is minimal.
Dr Morgan found that in natural disasters people usually die from trauma and are unlikely to have acute or “epidemic-causing” infections. This indicates that the risk that dead bodies pose for the public is extremely small.
However, people who are involved in close contact with the dead—such as military personnel, rescue workers, volunteers, and others—may be exposed to chronic infectious hazards, including hepatitis B and C viruses, HIV, enteric pathogens, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Suitable precautions for these people include training, use of body bags and disposable gloves, good hygiene practice, and vaccination for hepatitis B and tuberculosis.
But Dr Oliver found little evidence of microbiological contamination of groundwater from burial. Concern that dead bodies are infectious can be considered a “natural” reaction by persons wanting to protect themselves from disease. “However, clear information about the risks is needed so that responsible local authorities ensure that the bodies of disaster victims are handled appropriately and with due respect,” Dr Oliver writes.
Here is the actual study (PDF).
Rushing to dispose of the bodies in mass graves or by burning may prevent many grieving relatives from reaching closure.
7:01:24 PM
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Lost far from home
Leif Knutsen writes about the impact of the tsunami disaster on Norway and Sweden. Norway has around 1,400 people missing, and Sweden has 3,500. In Norway, the list of names will be released tomorrow.
In both countries, there has been sharp criticism from survivors, relatives and others against the government for slow reaction and bad management of the crisis. The political opposition has had the sense to shut up about it, knowing the public grief may well to its work for it. Besides, voicing criticism publicly now may well backfire, as it would appear people are exploiting the disaster for political gain. Journalists have no such concerns, of course.
6:33:15 PM
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Record companies use spyware to harass downloaders
Overpeer, the company that record and movie companies has employed to attempt to swamp peer-to-peer networks with fake media files to reduce their usefulness, have gone a few steps further: they exploit a weakness in Microsoft Windows Media DRM to install adware, harassing the user with popups and who knows what else.
So, be wary of Windows Media files (WMA, WMV).
Will not this activity violate California's new anti-spyware law?
5:39:52 PM
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Aid reaches Sumatra
US military helicopters reached the survivors in the hardest-hit areas of Indonesia, where land-based aid has been hapered by a destroyed road network.
"They came from all directions, crawling under the craft, knocking on the pilot's door, pushing to get into the cabin," said Petty Officer First Class Brennan Zwack. "But when they saw we had no more food inside, they backed away, saying `Thank you, thank you.'"
"The mob decided how we distributed the food. There were so many hands outstretched I don't think any package touched the ground," added Zwack, of Sioux Falls, S.D.
The helicopters took off from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, staged in calm waters about three miles off the Indonesian province of Aceh along with four other vessels to launch the sprawling U.S. military operation.
Even Norwegian broadcasting (NRK) correspondents in Aceh could not fail to note that the only significant presence in Indonesia is the hated US military, but trying to brush it off with the remark that "the Americans are trying to help." It was obvious the quick US aid really hurt the journalists more than the effects of the tsunami itself. Quite distasteful, in fact.
PS: Clare Short must be devastated that aid reaches the Indonesians without those evil Americans having filled in the proper UN paperwork. You know, only they have the "moral authority" to land helicopters with food and water.
4:07:24 AM
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© Copyright 2005 Jan Haugland.
Last update: 01.02.2005; 02:16:24.
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