~e; Electromagnetic News & Views #10

[bc <human@electronetwork.org>]

===================================================
Electromagnetic News & Views -- #10
===================================================

00) Electronetwork.org Commentary (1/15/2003)

01) Top Stories of Electromagnetism
02) Electromagnetic health & medicine
03) Electromagnetic trash & treasure
04) Electromagnetic security & surveillance
05) Electromagnetic power & energy
06) Electromagnetic current & human affairs
07) Electromagnetic transportation & communication
08) Electromagnetic matter & information
09) Electromagnetic trends & inventions
10) Electromagnetic weaponry & warfare
11) Electromagnetic business & economics
12) Electromagnetic art & artifacts

===================================================
00) --commentary--
---------------------------------------------------

No comments this issue except for the continual wondering
if these categories make sense to people, or if others
would be better. They change a little every few issues,
and there are some gaps and categorical crossovers, so if
anyone has suggestions for improvement, please send them.

Also, experimenting with trying to keep an open-file to
collect EM newsfacts each day, instead of waiting for a
large pile of URLs to build up in a folder, and then to
double-click on each, launch 100+ browser windows and do
a brute-force URL-matching newsletter. often, it seemed,
some of the best stories were lost, as a browser would
refresh an url in an already opened browser from the last
set of launched (from the URL folder). thus, this is one
attempt to deal with lost EM stories and it works so far.

And while being introspective about the EM newsletter it
would be nice to know if formatting works or there are
any suggestions for improvment in readability. some mail
programs (and fonts, and URL-handling) may present this
newsletter in various forms and spacing, making it easier
or harder to read. if you have tips for improvement they
will be taken into account and tweaks will continue to
be made.

EM newsletter internal decisions are made as follows:
gather up interesting EM news and stories from various
sources (probably around 20+) and bring them into one
newsletter every 1-2 weeks before the filesize becomes
too big for one post. decisionmaking on what files to
include are based, thus, mostly on one person's culling
of various media sources and some referred articles by
people on the list (thanks!). if you'd like to share
some EM news story that may be out of the channels that
are normally included here, or of particular interest,
please send an e-mail to me with an URL and headline.

The one thing that would help the EM newsletter and the
electronetwork.org website project would be if you would
forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues so that
more people can share their interests and ideas about the
electromagnetism from particular and general experiences.
so, the newsletter is occassinally sent out to another
list as a 'sample issue' to try to build a subscriber
base, and if others are on lists whose members may find
it of interest, it would be helpful if you'd consider
sending a future post to lists, to help with the project.

In any case, it's been a while for saying thanks to
everyone for being on the list, and for contributing and
helping out, and especially for the help of Openflows.org
<http://www.openflows.org/> for keeping the list afloat.
whatever new year it may be-- may it be among the best.

brian


===================================================
01) --top stories--
---------------------------------------------------

Vatican warning on danger of 'online confession'
<http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-538079,00.html>

"THE Vatican has warned Catholic bishops and priests not
to use the internet to hear "online confessions" in case
they are read by "ill-intentioned people such as hackers"
for purposes such as blackmail."

// you would FTP files or check e-mail from a wi-fi cafe?

Expert: Alleged Wi-Fi Risks Are Nonsense
By Mitch Wagner
<http://www.internetweek.com/story/INW20030109S0001>

"The solution is not to limit Wi-Fi, but rather to install
personal firewalls on each computer, and encrypt all traffic
going over the network, Doctorow said."

// waiting for ISPs and Webhosts to offer this service to
// avoid liability issues for unsecured access/transit...

How Secure Is Secure Shell?
Despite its vulnerabilities, SSH is far better than its
unsecure cousins, including Telnet, the "r" commands and FTP,
which transmit usernames and passwords -- and everything else,
for that matter -- as clear text.
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20432.html>

Stealth Antennae Try to Blend In 
<http://wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,57199,00.html>

"There are about 130,000 communications antennae in place across
the United States, according to industry officials. Roughly 75
percent are standard antennae. The rest have been surreptitiously
stashed in scenic simulations.

"The next time you see a picturesque shot of rocks, a flagpole,
a church steeple, cacti or trees, consider that there might be
more there than meets the eye..."

Phone Units Join in Effort for Seamless Wireless Net
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/14/business/14MOTO.html>

"Most Wi-Fi networks have focused on transfer of e-mail
messages and other forms of data from laptop computers
but the goal of the three companies is to offer seamless
transitions to cellphone users as well."

IBM's New PDA Provides a Measure of Security
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20470.html>

"Instead of swiping a badge through a reader, the employee places
his or her thumb on the Paron's small fingerprint-recognition
screen. A wirelessly connected server reads the fingerprint,
makes an identification,  and grants access if a match is found
between the individual making the request and the stored data.

Do told NewsFactor that the Paron features CDL's proprietary
encryption processor, the CDL-82, enabling secure wireless
transmission of sensitive voice calls and data. It also has
a smart-card reader for ID cards."


---------------------------------------------------
02-- electromagnetic health & medicine
---------------------------------------------------

When the Athlete's Heart Falters, a Monitor Dials for Help
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/09/technology/circuits/09next.html>

"Soon, machines may be able to do some of this emergency
dialing on their own. Manufacturers are working on wearable
heart monitors linked to cellphones that can sound an alert
automatically, contacting a doctor, family member or Web
site when trouble beckons."

Chip Plants Take Heat for Toxics 
<http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57191,00.html>

"A government health agency ordered Motorola and two other
leading semiconductor makers to tighten up their handling
of carcinogenic and toxic materials after a groundbreaking
investigation uncovered holes in their safety procedures."

Charting the hidden force at street corners
<http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/ 
Layout/ 
Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=1035776231161&call_pageid=9683321887 
74>

"Havas is quick to point out there is no proof, as yet, that
electromagnetic fields directly cause illnesses. But there is
plenty of evidence showing they are associated with illnesses
and can promote them.

Her work on Main Street, Ontario, should be a wake-up call to
public utilities and other businesses generating electromagnetic
fields, such as banks and cellphone companies, which one day
could face lawsuits from people claiming compensation for
impaired health."


---------------------------------------------------
03-- electromagnetic trash & treasure
---------------------------------------------------

What to Do With That Old, Slow PC
Don't throw away your old computer. Some manufacturers
offer trade-ins and rebate programs so you can recycle
what you no longer want to use. By Kendra Mayfield.
<http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57096,00.html>

// will the 4-fold increase in e-waste be due to HDTVs?

E-Waste: Dark Side of Digital Age
U.S. computer makers are improving recycling programs,
but they still lag behind Europe and Japan in managing
toxic e-waste. Most U.S. manufacturers received failing
grades in an annual Computer Report Card survey.
By Kendra Mayfield.
<http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57151,00.html>

"The SVTC report card evaluated the firms based upon
criteria gleaned from the companies' websites. Only
one company, Fujitsu, received a passing grade.

Fujitsu...developed technologies to eliminate toxic
chemicals by developing lead-free products.

"The leadership continues to be by and large the Japanese
companies, and the U.S. companies tend to be far behind,"
Smith said."
...
"The report also criticizes Dell's use of federal prison
labor to recycle old computers, which it says exposes
inmates to toxic chemicals without the same health and
safety protections as workers at other facilities."

Consumer Electronics Show Panel Addresses E-Waste
<http://ens-news.com/ens/jan2003/2003-01-13-02.asp>

For videocassettes, the end is near
<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-01-13-vcr_x.htm>


---------------------------------------------------
04-- electromagnetic security & surveillance
---------------------------------------------------

George Orwell, here we come
By Declan McCullagh
<http://news.com.com/2010-1069-979276.html?part=ctx&tag=chl>

"But what could Poindexter and the Bush administration devise in
five or  10 years, if they had the money, the power and the will?

That's the real question, and therein lies the true threat. Even if
all  of our current elected representatives, appointed officials and
unappointed bureaucrats are entirely trustworthy--and that's a pretty
big assumption--what could a corrupt FBI, Secret Service or Homeland
Security police force do with advanced technology by the end of the
decade? What if there was another terrorist attack that prompted
Congress to delete whatever remaining privacy laws shield Americans
from  surveillance?"

What CIOs Need To Know About New Firewall Tech
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20374.html>

N.R.C. Excludes Terrorism as Licensing Consideration
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/07/politics/07NUKE.html>

'The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has ruled that the
threat of terrorism cannot be considered when licensing
reactors or other nuclear installations because the risk
is too speculative.

The commission also said discussing the issue in licensing
hearings would give too much information to terrorists
and might "unduly alarm the public."'

// for those who can still sleep, this may be unwelcome
// news. especially given the fact that a nuclear reactor
// _was officially targeted by a hijacked airplane on 9/11...

Nuclear Licenses Need Not Consider Terrorism Threat
<http://ens-news.com/ens/jan2003/2003-01-07-09.asp#anchor3>

"The threat of terrorism is too nebulous to be considered
when licensing nuclear reactors and other such facilities,
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has concluded."

U.K. school to use eye scanner for lunch fees
<http://salon.com/tech/wire/2003/01/09/uk_school/>

IT Resists Mandatory Cyber-Security  // absurdity
<http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,,813715,00.asp>

// else, there is always the 'terrorism' weather map,
// where hotspot zones are shown during TV newscasts...

Officials consider faster ways to alert U.S. to terrorism
<http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030110-90194169.htm>

"[The Commerce Dept.] would also explore new ways to
disseminate the warnings through the Internet, cell
phones and new technology to turn on TV sets.

Specially equipped televisions, radios, pagers and
other devices already exist to decode EAS messages,
according to a fact sheet distributed by the Federal
Communications Commission.  Consumers can program
these products to turn on automatically for the
messages they want to receive."

Top Vulnerabilities in Web Applications from
the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP)
<http://www.owasp.org/>

Nuclear Terrorism --- How To Prevent It
<http://www.nci.org/nci-nt.htm>

"Less than 18 pounds of plutonium or 55 pounds of highly enriched
uranium are sufficient to make a nuclear bomb, but these materials
circulate in civilian nuclear commerce by the ton."

Security cameras are getting smart -- and scary
<http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/4883623.htm>
  +
Hong Kong gym pulls plug on camera cell phones
<http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/4943283.htm>
  +
Tiny Cell Phone or Big Brother?
<http://wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,57040,00.html>


---------------------------------------------------
05-- electromagnetic power & energy
---------------------------------------------------

White House Installs Solar Panels
<http://ens-news.com/ens/jan2003/2003-01-08-09.asp#anchor7>

"The Bush administration has installed the first-ever
solar electric system on the grounds of the White House."

'Fog City' Catches a Few Rays 
<http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57046,00.html>

"A principal goal of the Vote Solar Initiative is to
lower the cost of solar energy by increasing demand.
More demand will lead to greater production capacity
through the creation of new solar-power systems. While
those systems initially represent an added cost, they
will be paid off over time with savings from lower
energy bills. And once that happens, consumers can
end up spending less on electricity generated through
solar power than other means."

U.S. Senate Bill Would Cap Greenhouse Gas Emissions
<http://ens-news.com/ens/jan2003/2003-01-08-06.asp>

"WASHINGTON, DC, January 8, 2003 (ENS) - A bipartisan bill
introduced in a U.S. Senate hearing today would attempt to
curb global warming by establishing a market based trading
system in greenhouse gas emissions. The bill, the first
major piece of environmental legislation to be introduced
in the 108th Congress, was met with rousing endorsements
from the conservation community.

Senators Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat, and John McCain,
an Arizona Republican, said their bill would spur innovation
by giving companies maximum flexibility in meeting national
greenhouse gas emissions goals."

Brazil wants to master all facets of nuclear technology
<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030107/ 
ap_wo_en_po/la_sci_brazil_nuclear_technology_1>

""Nuclear energy represents a wide field of knowledge and
the nuclear bomb is just a fragment of that knowledge,"
spokeswoman Fernanda Melazo quoted Amaral as saying Tuesday.
"We want to acquire this knowledge because of its applications
in medicine, food production and in many other peaceful endeavors.""

Ice storm danger melting away
<http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993209>

"...when ice storms strike as they did in Canada and the
American north-east in 1998, power lines can become so
encrusted with ice that they collapse, leaving millions
without electricity.

But Victor Petrenko, at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire,
thinks he has a smarter idea - use the ice itself as the element.

Working with a consortium of US and Canadian power companies,
he has developed a system that sends high-frequency electrical
signals along the cables to create a current in the ice build-
up and melt it."

OPEC Agrees to Increase Its Oil Production Quotas by 6.5%
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/13/business/worldbusiness/13OPEC.html>

"Though the new quota is an increase from the 23 million
level set only a month ago, analysts said the actual amount
of additional oil that enters the market will be smaller,
meaning that its effect on prices could be muted.

"This isn't going to lead to any collapse in prices," said Raad
Alkadiri, a consultant at PFC Energy in Washington."

// another way of constituting the European Union...

European Cross-Border Power Costs Halved in 12 Countries
<http://www.slb.com/ba.cfm?baid=4&storyid=592421>

'"The agreement marks a further step in the construction
of a single European market in electricity," said GRTN
Chairman Salvatore Machi.'


---------------------------------------------------
06-- electromagnetic current & human affairs
---------------------------------------------------

Study: Online Polls Skew to Right // Conservatives media
<http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,57093,00.html>

In Italy, an SMS a Day Can Keep the Devil Away
<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=581&ncid=581&e=1&u=/ 
nm/20030108/tc_nm/italy_prayers_dc>

"Italy's largest mobile phone operator, TIM, has begun
a service to offer clients SMS messages with "the prayer
of the day," "saint of the day" or "gospel of the day.""

TV Ads Say S.U.V. Owners Support Terrorists // oil addiction
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/08/business/media/08SUVS.html>

"Patterned after the commercials that try to discourage
drug use by suggesting that profits from illegal drugs
go to terrorists, the new commercials say that money
for gas needed for S.U.V.'s goes to terrorists."

// how much of this is social programming, from youngest
// ages to college career paths? personal evidence in math
// classes never indicated any difference in abilities. and
// a young niece is fascinated and loves to learn about how
// computers work, cables, printers, soon, circuitboards. if
// young people were all given equal access to this knowledge,
// a lot of it is simply fun, and at the same time, they can
// gain confidence. especially if programming skills were to
// be taught at an early age, before the complexities of real
// life overwhelm the abstractions of computer programming...

Where the Girls Aren't  // inequalities in Computer Science...
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/12/edlife/12STABINE.html>

Fight with computer brings SWAT team
No charges filed after misunderstanding cleared up
<http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/city_news/article/ 
0,1713,BDC_2422_1661447,00.html>

"It turned out that the man was simply upset at his computer —
which he had called a "bitch" he "wanted to kill," police said
— and the gun was a plastic pellet gun, not the .45-caliber
automatic handgun it was made to resemble."


---------------------------------------------------
07-- electromagnetic transportation & communication
---------------------------------------------------

Is that "hot spot" hot or not?
A group whose certification mark for wireless gear is
considered essential by U.S. manufacturers has now developed
a seal of approval for commercial wireless "hot spots," places
where wireless Web access is available to the public for a fee.
<http://news.com.com/2100-1033-979959.html?part=dtx&tag=nhl>

"To earn its new Wi-Fi Zone label, hot spots will have to use
Wi-Fi certified products. They will also have to make it possible
for someone to connect using a Virtual Private Network, which is
used to secure the data over the air. The Alliance, however, isn't
requiring hot spots to use any stronger forms of security, including
Wi-Fi Protected Access , a security standard the Alliance proposed
in October, Wi-Fi Alliance representative Brian Grimm said Thursday."

A defining moment for TV. Mike Snider, USA TODAY
"This could be digital television's year."
<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-01-06-digital-tv_x.htm>

Laos Online: Pedal for Its Mettle
<http://wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,57061,00.html>

  "...volunteer tech experts working with the Remote IT
  Village Project in rural Laos say that all it takes is
  some pedal-powered generators, a few wireless antennas
  and some rugged, Linux-powered computers."

Plug Power Announces Agreement With Honda R&D
to Jointly Develop Home ReFueling System
<http://www.es.wapa.gov/renew/green/wapa010603.htm>

"Plug Power will integrate one of its GenSys (TM)
5C stationary fuel cell systems with additional
components necessary for the home refueling concept,
which will be supplied by Plug Power and Honda R&D."

Gentlemen, Start Hacking Your Engines
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/09/technology/circuits/09rods.html>

"Engine control units first appeared in cars in the late
1970's. By regulating fuel injection, air and ignition far
better than older systems that relied on carburetors and
distributors, the E.C.U. resulted in better gas mileage and
fewer emissions. These "black boxes" are now so ubiquitous and
advanced that if your car has an engine problem, a mechanic
can diagnose it by simply plugging the car into a computer."

How Caching Works
<http://www.howstuffworks.com/cache.htm>

"Caching greatly increases the speed of data retrieval
from your computer's memory. Know how? Find out why a
little cache goes a really long way."

More Cities Set Up Wireless Networks
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/06/technology/06WIFI.html>

"Add urban renewal to the growing list of reasons to deploy
wireless computing networks."

Wi-Fi takes to the skies // from 500mph @ 30,000 feet...
<http://212.100.234.54/content/59/28875.html>


---------------------------------------------------
08-- electromagnetic matter & information
---------------------------------------------------

// excellent article, if interested in particle physics...

In a Lab on Long Island, a Visit to the Big Bang
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/14/science/physical/14COLL.html>

"The time machine — the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, known
affectionately at the Brookhaven National Laboratory here on
eastern Long Island as RHIC (pronounced rick) — is designed
to make a Little Bang, recreating a tiny dollop of the hot,
mysterious soup of particles that scientists say existed a
split second after the gargantuan blast that started it all.
...
"Theory holds that less than a trillionth of a second after the
Big Bang (and after a sudden growth spurt known as inflation),
the early universe, about the size of a marble or a grapefruit,
underwent a transition to a new state of matter, as water does
in cooling to form ice.

"In this new phase, the cooling particle soup consisted mainly
of quarks, a species of subatomic particle, and force carriers
known as gluons. This small universe, after expanding to about
the size of this solar system, then underwent another transition,
forming subatomic particles like the protons and neutrons of
everyday matter."

Nanotech Scientists Build Super-Small Circuit
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20377.html>

"Electrons will jump from the metal tip of an electrical
source to a lever coated in nanoparticles made of gold,
the researchers discovered. The jumping electrons pull
the lever toward the tip, closing a simple circuit that
may be the smallest ever devised."

First speed of gravity measurement revealed
<http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993232>

"The speed of gravity has been measured for the first time.
The landmark experiment shows that it travels at the speed
of light, meaning that Einstein's general theory of relativity
has passed another test with flying colours."

Beyond the Blackboard
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/12/edlife/112MART.html>

"The board shows whatever a professor writes on it as well
as anything -- text, charts, still and moving pictures --
stored in a computer plugged into it. With a remote mouse,
teachers can edit and move the material around on the board,
which has the touch sensitivity of an A.T.M. screen."

Magnetars
Some stars are magnetized so intensely that they emit
huge bursts of magnetic energy and alter the very nature
of the quantum vacuum
<http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?colID=1&articleID=0006E08D-C754-1E1C- 
8B3B809EC588EEDF>

Explaining the Moon's Ancient Magnetism
<http://www.scientificamerican.com/ 
article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=0008899C-90A8-1E1C-8B3B809EC588EEDF>

Device demos terabit storage // ferroelectric vs. magnetic
<http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2003/011503/ 
Device_demos_terabit_storage_011503.html>

// also for dumb-terminals via fiberoptics and home servers..?

Remote monitoring aids data access // sends video vs. data
<http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2003/011503/ 
Remote_monitoring_aids_data_access_011503.html>

"The Sandia method doesn't transfer data at all, but instead
transfers the video signal that normally carries image information
from a computer to its monitor. "The video card is designed to put
out a video signal to a local monitor... we extend the signal,"
said Eldridge."


---------------------------------------------------
09-- electromagnetic trends & inventions
---------------------------------------------------

Physicist proposes deeper layer of reality
New theory takes the chance out of quantum mechanics.
<http://www.nature.com/nsu/030106/030106-6.html>

"'t Hooft is not about to resurrect hidden variables.
But neither is he convinced that quantum uncertainty
has to be the final word. "Contrary to common belief,"
he says, "it is not difficult to construct deterministic
models where quantum mechanics correctly describes stochastic
behaviour, in precise accordance with the Copenhagen doctrine."
...
The key, says 't Hooft, is information loss. At the smallest
conceivable size scale - the Planck Scale, many trillions of
times smaller than the nucleus of an atom - there exists
complete information about the world."

'Gadget printer' promises industrial revolution
<http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993238>

"The idea of printing a light bulb may seem bizarre,
but US engineers are now developing an ink-jet printing
technology to do just that. The research at the University
of California in Berkeley will allow fully assembled electric
and electronic gadgets to be printed in one go."

What Happened to 3G? // more confusing than ever...
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20387.html>

"The unhappy conclusion is that Europe, after the
runaway success of Global System for Mobile Communications
(GSM), may have got it very wrong with 3G and may now be
five years behind the U.S."

// when will Japan start exporting everything they make?

Trendsetting Wireless Wares
Interchangeable face plates, lighted keypads and flashy
antennas make cell phones cool for trend-conscious users.
Because teenagers are a large and growing segment of the
wireless consumer market, customized looks likely will
dominate accessory lines.
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20401.html>

The Honda Humanoid Robot: ASIMO
<http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/>

// here is one way they are being imported...

The Coolest Notebooks You Never Saw
<http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=1093&ncid=1093&e=9&u=/ 
pcworld/20030113/tc_pcworld/108756>

"Major Japanese computer companies such as Sony, Toshiba, Fujitsu,
and Panasonic make some amazing notebooks that pack style and
functionality into cases that weigh as little as 1.8 pounds.
There's just one catch: They produce them for their home market
and don't sell them in the United States."

Massive Data Storage in Tiny Devices
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20435.html>

Redefining the PC
INVENTOR THROWS CURVE AT SCREENS TO MAKE THEM MORE USER-FRIENDLY
By Kristi Heim  Mercury News Seattle Bureau
<http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/4924188.htm>

"Starkweather's new prototype screen is 12 inches high, 44 inches wide
and curved 90 degrees. He uses digital light projectors and telescope
mirrors to remove the distortion caused by the curved screen. The screen
is five times as bright as a standard cathode ray tube or liquid crystal
display monitor, helping to reduce eye fatigue."

Internet browser that quadruples surf speed wins Irish science prize
<http://newsobserver.com/24hour/technology/story/712974p-5244591c.html>

"Adnan Osmani, 16, a student at Saint Finian's College in
Mullingar, central  Ireland spent 18 months writing 780,000
lines of computer code to develop the  browser. Known as "XWEBS",
the system works with an ordinary Internet connection  using a
56K modem on a normal telephone line."

Leapfrogging to Cellular // in Central and Eastern Europe...
Wireless telephony is a prime example of technological leapfrogging.
Faced with crumbling fixed line networks, years on waiting lists,
frequent interruptions of service and a venal bureaucracy, subscribers
opt to go cellular.
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20465.html>

Full-Length Movies Play on Palm-Size Computer // VCR quality
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20473.html>

Giant electromagnets to moor ships // remove metal jewelry...
<http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993270>


---------------------------------------------------
10-- electromagnetic weaponry & warfare
---------------------------------------------------

Scientists seek 'super-soldiers' formula
<http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/01/05/1041566309313.html>

"One of the agency's plans for keeping warriors awake is
to "zap" their brains with electromagnetic energy. Much
of the research is being conducted at Columbia University
in New York, in the laboratories of the neurological
science department.

Researchers have identified a small area of the brain
above the left ear that they would zap either before
or during missions. "When he needed it, the pilot could
just be zapped during operations," said one leading
research scientist."

Robots for the masses
<http://news.com.com/2100-1041-979841.html>

"Pasadena, Calif.-based Evolution Robotics said its
technology that lets a robot determine its position
relative to its environment is based on wheel sensors and
a Webcam that cost less than $50. That's a fraction of the
cost of current robot navigation systems relying on laser
range finders, which can cost $5,000, the company said."

N. Korea leaves nuclear weapons treaty
<http://salon.com/news/wire/2003/01/10/nkorea/>

"As it announced it would pull out of the treaty, a keystone to
global nuclear nonproliferation, the North warned the United
States not to take military action against it. Pyongyang said
a "new Korean War will finally lead to the Third World War"
and that the North could hold its own in a "fire-to-fire
standoff." The comment was distributed by the official
North Korean news agency in English."

US Government Starts E-Mail Campaign to Key Iraqis
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42919-2003Jan11.html>

"The U.S. military has begun an e-mail campaign urging
military and civilian leaders in Iraq to turn away from
President Saddam Hussein as the Pentagon builds forces
for a possible invasion of the country, defense officials
said on Saturday.

Visitors to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, confirmed the
electronic mail campaign, part of a psychological war
mounted by elite U.S. Special Operations who also have
been broadcasting messages from planes over the past month."

(and in related news...)

Iraq pulls plug on e-mail
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2655315.stm>

"Iraq has blocked access to e-mail following an electronic
campaign by the US urging key military and civilian figures
to turn against President Saddam Hussein."


// note: this sabotage is similar to that which killed an
// opposition leader in the days preceding 9/11 via either
// a gun/bomb disguised as a television camera. same locale.

Tape-recorder bomb kills 2 in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- An electronics repairman in
northern Afghanistan and his friend were killed by a bomb
in a tape recorder that exploded when batteries were inserted
into the device, a regional military commander said Monday.
<http://salon.com/news/wire/2003/01/13/recorder_bomb/>

ELECTRONIC BATTLEFIELD: The Laser Storm (Jan 14th)
<http://www.strategypage.com/fyeo/howtomakewar/ 
default.asp?target=HTECM.HTM>

// hybrid-electric and fuel-cell vehicles in new .mil gear...

Future Combat Systems (FCS)
<http://www.scientificamerican.com/ 
article.cfm?chanID=sa004&articleID=000C031A-12A4-1E1E-8B3B809EC588EEDF>

"For transportation, the FCS will rely on hybrid electric vehicles,
which use less fuel and have the added advantage of being able to
recharge batteries used for the other FCS electronic systems.
Research is also being funded for the development of electricity-
producing fuel cells for the same reasons. Some FCS vehicles will
be robots whose job will be to scout ahead of the main force to
test for nuclear, biological and chemical threats..."


---------------------------------------------------
11-- electromagnetic business & economics
---------------------------------------------------

// this appears to be about commercial rents, not residential
// yet the wildest story i heard about during the late 1990s
// was a single-bedroom house (very very small) going for one
// million US dollars, as the housing market was so competitive.
// rents have been so high that lower-paid workers cannot find
// housing in the area, too, which explains the freeway gridlock.

Silicon Valley rent plunges
Rent in Silicon Valley for high-tech commercial real
estate fell almost 30 percent in 2002, extending a slide
that began a year earlier, according to a new study.
<http://news.com.com/2100-1017-979024.html?part=dtx&tag=nhl>

// of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags... R.I.P UPC?

Major retailers to test "smart shelves"
Two major retailers and a consumer products giant are
teaming up to test a new "smart shelf" technology that
allows for real-time tracking of inventory levels.
<http://news.com.com/2100-1017-979710.html?part=dtx&tag=ntop>
&
Gillette To Test MIT 'Smart Tags'
MIT's Auto-ID Center developed the technology. Center
executives claim it could revolutionize supply chain
and inventory management and save businesses billions
in losses from out-of stock, stolen or wasted products.
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20398.html>
&
Tech riding on wave of cheap chips
Consumer technology in the near future will be driven by
low-cost microprocessors, says an industry trend-spotter
<http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2128334,00.html>

"Embedded processor technologies that will lead to new
applications include cheap sensors, such as those used
in global positioning systems and video cameras, as well
as radio frequency identification tags, Saffo said."

Electronics Gives Chaos a Good Name
Minimizing the amount of spray used in a manufacturing
process can have other than fiscal benefits. For instance,
zinc-based shielding materials used on computer terminals
to eliminate electromagnetic interference are toxic in
large doses. <http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20399.html>

Schools' Internet Subsidies Are Called Fraud-Riddled
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/10/education/10FRAU.html>

New Respect for the Internet Bubble-Blowers
Today's business models must be solid, even if the underlying
e-commerce ideals are the same as those heralded during the
dot-com heydey.
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20402.html>

"Indeed, even if they lose money, Web sites are increasingly
key for any business..."

Help for life-cycle assessments for electronic equipment
<http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/6492.cfm>

// something WiFi is going on... Duracell batteries is
// also cutting its base prices by a large percentage...

Intel shaves mobile chip prices
<http://news.com.com/2100-1040-980436.html?part=dtx&tag=nhl>


---------------------------------------------------
12-- electromagnetic art & artifacts
---------------------------------------------------

sonic light: composing light, articulating space
<http://www.sonicacts.com/frame01.html>  // thanks H

"The vision of a 'music for the eye' is centuries old
and forms an important undercurrent in the recent history
of art and the new media: from the construction of the
first colour organs, light sculptures and the first use
of coloured lighting in theatre, through abstract film
animation and synthetic video images, to the design of
interactive software to generate light and sound.
The idea of a music and light art form to be presented
in an environment specially designed for that purpose
becomes topical every time a new visual medium appears
on the horizon. Among the present generation of computer
artists a new type of visual music is being created which
can be performed live or made specially for the Internet.

// related to EM media's predominance in copyright issues

An Exhibition That Borrows Brazenly
By CHRIS NELSON
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/07/arts/design/07SAMP.html>

The rapper has long fought restrictions on sampling...Where
does it stop?" he asked. "Does a lawn mower company copyright
its sound? Does a Macintosh copyright its sound when you hit
the keyboard? I don't think you can copyright sound. You can
copyright compositions. But nobody invents a sound."

How Electromagnets Work
<http://www.howstuffworks.com/electromagnet.htm>

// maybe applicable to certain artists explorations...

Grants Available for Environmental Education
<http://ens-news.com/ens/jan2003/2003-01-09-09.asp#anchor6>


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