July 27, 2000: [•] Napster has been shutdown until their trial with the RIAA is over. Of course, now the RIAA realizes that centralized services such as Napster, which can be controlled, are going to be replaced with distributed systems like Gnutella that can’t be controlled. [•] The FCC is investigating AOL-Time Warner as a possible monopoly. [•] Four major health groups have found a link between exposing children to violence in the media and a growing propensity for violent acts by children. The MPAA has no comment (why don’t you try suing them LOL). [•] A new exhibit details the Armenian Holocaust that occurred during the early 1900’s. [•] North Korea has been inducted into Asia’s top security forum and recognized by Canada as a country. [•] Now that Milosevic has secured his power in Yugoslavia he has scheduled elections for September 24. [•] Muslim Filipino rebels have a released a German reporter. [•] Wildfires are the worst in four years. [•] Massachusetts has been hit by the West Nile Virus. [•] US agents intercepted a $40 million shipment of ecstasy in LA. [•] An ex-LAPD officer, Rafael Perez, has testified that six fellow officers shot two people and killed another for no reason and then falsified evidence to clear themselves of wrong doing. BTW Perez is currently under investigation for stealing cocaine seized by the LAPD. [•] A Russian flight control specialist drowned after drinking too much. I guess it took a rocket scientist to figure out that drinking and swimming isn’t a good idea. [•] CBS and three newspapers are willing to pay for DNA testing to see if a man was wrongly executed. [•] Edgar Adamson of the US Customs Service explained to a House Committee that many nations lack the laws to prosecute computer crime. [•] If terrorists took out the biggest nodes of the Internet then the network would fragment rendering it useless. [•] TRUSTe is running an ad campaign to make web consumers more savvy and understand that TRUSTe Certification doesn’t mean your information won’t be shared with anyone. [•] Take a look at how CERN is upgrading to 1 GB LANs. [•] Macromedia Flash 5 is out and it looks great. Flash rules 🙂 [•] X-Men: Mutant Academy looks like a great one on one fighter game. [•] Scientists are launching microbes into space to test if life could have survived an asteroid ride to Earth. [•] Removing damaged lung tissue can give temporary relief to emphysema patients. [•] A stomach cancer vaccine is in human trials. [•] Methoxsalen slows the breakdown of nicotine in the bloodstream and therefore helps people quit smoking easier. [•] UPN is changing its name to The Paramount Network. [•] Duh Study of The Day: Big ships are a major source of pollution. Dirty smoke emitting engines tend to be pretty big polluters. [•] The EPA is making nine refineries owned by BP Amoco and three refineries owned by Koch Petroleum Group pay fines and reduce toxic emissions. More refineries are expected to do the same soon or else face similar fines. [•] The Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico has been created to preserve 90,000 acres of land. [•] Another oil spill in Brazil is threatening beaches and resorts. [•] Norwegian whale meat is so contaminated with heavy metals that if the meat were soil it would be considered toxic waste. [•] A new wheelchair, the IBot, can do anything that someone without a wheelchair could do. Amazing. [•] Microsoft has reclaimed microsoft.org and proponents of Microsoft aren’t happy. [•] Bioware will be developing the first Star Wars role-playing video game for Lucas Arts. [•] Intel will abandon its Rambus only relationship when the Pentium 4 is released in 2001 as previously expected. [•] Cuba is now going online. [•] John Rudden of Monroe pointed a gun at a group of 13 and 14 year old kids after colliding with them on a bike path by mistake. He says he felt threatened. Okay then. [•] William Peoples has been sentenced to a year in jail for attempting to bury a puppy alive. [•] An escaped Otisville prisoner has been recaptured. [•] Drop one phone on kid’s head and the next thing you know you’re a child abuser. [•] Oakridge Shepherds in Williamsport, PA have been charged with selling sick animals and falsifying AKC papers. [•] EMS workers want the Town of Shawangunk to get 24 hour police coverage since it takes too long for Sheriff’s units to respond. [•] Did the police catch the wrong BMW? [•] A mother covers for her son’s possible raping of a girl, an illegally tinted car stop turns into a illegal gun and drug bust, a man dies in a head on collision when he tries to illegally pass a car, and police are looking for a thief. [•] Remember the live album that U2 wasn’t supposed to do from yesterday? Well, now they decided they’ll do it for a promo. [•] Prepare for Eminem: the movie. [•] Pras has formed a film company. [•] Digimon: The Movie is in the works and Len is contributing to it with a cover of Kids In America that should cause people to change radio stations rapidly upon its playing. [•] Attention ladies and gentleman– boycott the RIAA now! As today don’t buy another CD! [•] Kid Rock’s ex-girlfriend is suing him for slander. [•] Uncle Kracker is a dad. [•] Apparently the brick wielding homeless man who attacked a woman is still out there. [•] Cracker is back and touring. [•] Microsoft smashes a monster truck through a wall to stop piracy. Ummm… [•] Can the Duron beat the Celeron? [•] Cool your system down. [•] Maximum PC reviews the I-Jam 100. [•] Road & Track Briefs: Daimler-Chrysler says the PT Cruiser is safe; owners of Ford Explorers equipped with Firestone ATX, ATX II and Wilderness tires are having deadly crashes due to tire tread issues; and Mitsubishi denies they covered up customer complaints even though those complaints were found hidden in an employee locker. [•] Guitar.com teaches you how to play Phish style (Kevin’s favorite band). [•] Red Raven is going on vacation and won’t be posting (doh!). [•] Azazel, I love you! [•] Tomorrow we shall reconvene. Class dismissed.