Iraqi Deserter Tells of Desperation "The soldier - part of a front-line unit - was among at least 18 Iraqi deserters who staggered into the Kurdish town of Kalak as U.S. warplanes stepped up airstrikes on Iraqi positions near the Kurds' autonomous region. He agreed to share his story, but with conditions: no details about him or his military service could be revealed. Call him Ali. He feared Saddam loyalists could retaliate against his family. They may have already, he said." - Salon.com

Segway Update They're great and all, but nobody is buying them.

New Logo for UPS UPS has a new logo. (via Meg)

Blogs and the War Globe & Mail: "The first Gulf War did it for CNN. The new one may do it for blogs."

Arnett Fired by NBC/National Geographic Arnett Fired - Sounds like he can get a job working for Saddam.

Where's Saddam? "Where is Saddam?" Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld asked today during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard Myers said during appearances on various news programs that there has not been a verifiable appearance by the Iraqi dictator or his sons since the war began. In that time, Rumsfeld and Myers said, coalition forces have been pushing on many fronts to liberate Iraq. Forces have control of western Iraq, and coalition conventional forces are massing in northern Iraq as special operations forces lead local forces there in much the same way they did in Afghanistan."

Spy Satellites to Photograph Future Shuttles "The military has agreed to a request by NASA to regularly capture detailed satellite images of space shuttles in orbit, amid persistent questions about why no such pictures were taken of possible damage to Columbia's wing. NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe on Friday announced the agreement with the U.S. National Imagery and Mapping Agency to use the agency's spy satellites "during targets of opportunity" without NASA having to make specific requests for such images." Hindsight is 20/20.

The Command Post The Command Post - An Iraq War blog. Lots of good links.

Air Attacks Targeting Iraq's Elite Guard "Three-quarters of allied airstrikes are now targeting Republican Guard forces that stand between advancing columns of U.S. ground troops and Saddam Hussein's government. U.S. and British warplanes over the past week have attacked virtually every military airfield in Iraq believed to number roughly 100 and have seen only a small number of planes."

Survivor Amazon: Inside the Tribe DVD I've got an item for sale on Ebay: Survivor Amazon: Inside the Tribe DVD. We watched it and enjoyed it.

Saddam's Bunker Stands Tough "The German architect of one of Saddam Hussein's main bunkers in Baghdad said on Friday the Iraqi leader can survive anything short of a direct hit with a nuclear bomb if he stays within its four-feet-thick walls. "It could withstand the shock wave of a nuclear bomb the size of the Hiroshima one detonating 250 meters away," said Karl Esser, a security consultant who designed the bunker underneath Saddam's main presidential palace in Baghdad. U.S.-led troops will also find it hard to fight their way in through its three-ton Swiss-made doors, Esser told Reuters in an interview. A retired Yugoslav army officer who helped build other bunkers for Saddam also told Reuters this week that the shelters were impenetrable and could survive an atomic bomb."

Kottke On Movies Jason Kottke: A Trip to the Movies. LOL!

Windows XP SP1a Windows XP SP1a has been released. It's slightly different from SP1. Here is a direct link to the 134 MB file.

Detailed Look at the Battlefield and U.S. Military Firepower in Iraq ABCNews: Battlefield & Firepower in Iraq

Paramilitary Forces Hit Army "Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein yesterday threw waves of marauding paramilitary forces from Baghdad against the Army's mechanized 5th Corps, while Iraqi tanks dashed from the besieged southern city of Basra, only to be pounded by waves of air strikes. The 5th Corps and its tank-laden 3rd Infantry Division, on their drive to Baghdad, have killed more than 1,000 of the fanatical fighters led by Saddam's personal militia, the black-hooded Fedayeen Saddam, commanders said."

Shock & Awe Ralph Peters: "The best way to shock and awe an enemy is still to kill him."

Army Hits Republican Guard "U.S. Army units attacked the Iraqi Republican Guard for the first time yesterday south of Baghdad, while enemy paramilitary units doggedly refused to let go of the strategic port city of Umm Qasr. In the land engagement by 40 U.S. Army Apache helicopters, ground fire brought down one chopper. Its two American pilots survived a "hard landing," only to be captured by Iraqi forces, becoming the war's first allied aviators taken as prisoners of war."

Researchers Study Using Diamonds in Bio-Weapon Detectors "Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Office of Naval Research, and Argonne National Laboratories have been working on making diamonds the heart of a new type of sensor to detect dangerous biological agents such as anthrax and smallpox."

Fedayeen Saddam "On Sunday, U.S. Marines pushing their way northward across the Euphrates River were approached by an Iraqi vehicle waving a white flag near the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriya. Assuming the vehicle was packed with Iraqi civilians wishing to surrender to coalition forces, the Marines awaited the approach of the surrendering Iraqis. But it turned out to be an old trick from the bag of devious military deceptions, one with deadly consequences. U.S. military officials said the Iraqi vehicle was packed with members of the Fedayeen Saddam, or "Saddam's Men of Sacrifice," a notoriously violent paramilitary group specializing in counterinsurgency operations for the regime in Baghdad. Within minutes, according to reporters on the scene, there was mayhem in the area. The Iraqi fighters, dressed in civilian clothing, opened fire on the Marines, using small arms, assault rifles and some rocket-propelled grenades."

Polls Suggest Bush's Approval Surging "Public approval of President Bush has surged after the start of the war with Iraq, but not to the levels of support his father enjoyed during the Persian Gulf War a dozen years ago, polls suggest. About two-thirds of Americans approve President Bush's handling of the Iraq situation and think he did enough diplomatically before invading, according to polls released Friday. An ABC-Washington Post poll found the president's job approval rating at 67 percent, up from prewar polls that showed his approval level ranging from the middle 50s to about 60 percent."

Team to Search for Scott Speicher "Defense and intelligence agencies have formed a special unit that will go into Iraq to search for Capt. Michael Scott Speicher, a missing U.S. Navy pilot believed to have been held captive in Iraq since 1991. Creating the special unit comes as U.S. intelligence agencies reported last week that an American pilot believed to be Capt. Speicher was spotted alive in Baghdad earlier this month. A classified intelligence report circulated to officials March 14 stated that Capt. Speicher was seen as he was being moved in Baghdad, although officials said the sighting could not be confirmed." (via Matt)

Can You Hear Me Now? Stephen Green brings us this. LOL!

Iraq War Photos, Maps, Day-by-Day Guide

L.A. Times Photos (Added 4-5-03)

AFP Photos (Added 4-5-03)

Associated Press Photos (Added 4-5-03)

Corbis Photos (Added 4-5-03)

Getty Images (Added 4-5-03)

NY Times Photos (Added 4-5-03)

Reuters Photos (Added 4-5-03)

BBC Photo Galleries

Yahoo! Photos of Iraq War

RexFeatures Photos of Iraq War

Army Times: Frontline Photos

The BBC also offers Maps of the area and a Day-by-Day Guide.

(Several links via Jason Kottke)

French Connection II William Safire: "Let me supply Mr. Chirac with some documentation that the Inspector Clouseau in his foreign ministry cannot find." Ouch.

Smarty Pants My wife and I enjoyed this exchange last night...
Courtney (referring to Survivor): I wonder who they're going to vote off tonight?
Me: (seizing the moment): I'm thinking it's Saddam.

U.S. Targets Saddam "U.S. forces launched their long-awaited war against Saddam Hussein, targeting him personally with a barrage of cruise missiles and bombs as a prelude to invasion. Iraq responded hours later, firing missiles Thursday toward American troops positioned just across its border with Kuwait. None of the Iraqi missiles caused injuries or damage, and one was intercepted by a Patriot missile, according to U.S. officers. American and British soldiers in the region briefly donned gas masks or protective suits, but officers later said the missiles apparently were not armed with chemical or biological weapons."

Al Gore Joins Apple's Board "Apple Computer on Wednesday named former Vice President Al Gore to its board of directors. In a statement, CEO Steve Jobs noted that Gore is an avid Mac user who edits his own videos using Final Cut Pro. However, Gore's support of the Mac has not been unwavering, with the politician having said three years ago that he had switched from a Mac to a PC. Gore was chosen as a director at a meeting of Apple's board earlier Wednesday."

HP Teams with Linux HP will Sell and Support Linux

Swiss Cheese Update Microsoft Flaw Leads to Military Hack

Paul in Russia For the first time ever, Paul McCartney will play in Russia.

Reuters to Stream Video of Iraq Conflict "News agency Reuters has unveiled a streaming video service on its Web site that will offer footage of the impending conflict with Iraq, in an effort to reach news-hungry viewers at work. Called Reuters Raw Video, the free service will stream unnarrated footage of the U.S. military campaign in Iraq, which is widely expected to begin within the next few days. Footage will be streamed 24 hours a day on Reuters.com, and the service will include other breaking news such as news conferences and government briefings. Reuters will also make the service available to users of its proprietary service." - ZDNet

Janet Reno Humor This little gem from ScrappleFace should tickle your funny bone. LOL!

Bush Gives Hussein 48 Hours to Leave Iraq "President Bush delivered an ultimatum that Saddam Hussein and his sons have 48 hours to leave Iraq. "Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict commenced at a time of our choosing," the president said in an address to the nation from the White House. "It is too late for Saddam Hussein" to remain in power," Bush said. "It is not too late for the Iraqi military to act with honor and protect your country by permitting the peaceful entry of coalition forces to eliminate weapons of mass destruction." Bush's speech was broadcast via Commando Solo aircraft to the Iraqi people. He spoke directly to the Iraqi military, saying coalition forces will give Iraqi military units clear instructions on actions they can take to avoid being attacked and destroyed."

Fake Nokia Ad Zack sends along this link to the controversial fake Nokia ad featuring the kitty.

The Tyranny of Email "Email is one of the greatest things the computer revolution has done for personal productivity. Used improperly, it can also hurt your productivity. This article discusses ways to use email effectively. Then it goes beyond that and talks about how to be productive, period."

Ebert's Oscar Picks Eberts' 2003 Oscar Picks

Longhorn Paul Thurrott: Longhorn Alpha Preview 2: Build 4008

Linux Debunking the Linux-Windows Market-Share Myth

Protesters Destroy Dixie Chicks CD's "Using a 33,000-pound tractor to obliterate compact disks and other items, a few hundred protesters, referring to themselves as backers of President Bush and Barksdale Air Force Base, lashed back at lead singer Natalie Maines."

Eddie Bauer Bankrupt? Say it ain't so!

Slick


It's getting hot outside! Time to shave your cat! (Hat tip to Steve.)

NYC Subway Tokens Going Bye-Bye What the ....? NYC is "phasing out" subway tokens! It's a plastic world! Arghh!

Blogging from Iraq Reporter Takes His Weblog to War

Dixie Chicks "Some country music stations in Texas and other parts of the country stopped playing Dixie Chicks music after lead singer Natalie Maines criticized President Bush and possible war against Iraq. Shortly after reports of her statement got out, radio stations began receiving angry calls from listeners. In Talladega, Alabama, WTDR-FM dropped the group Friday morning after more than 250 listeners called in a two-hour period complaining about Maines' comments." I suppose this could cause the the anti-war crowd to buy their records.

Hacker Student Charged with Hacking His College

Bruce Almighty This looks stinking funny.

Honey Got a Gun Tony Woodlief is as funny as ever in this post. Good stuff!

Opening with a Bang TIME.com - "The Pentagon believes - and prays - an awesome first act would enable U.S. forces to quickly take down Iraq. The second Gulf War, if it comes, would be more like the Big Bang - hundreds of towering explosions all across Iraq all at the same time. The Pentagon buzz word for this is simultaneity. The plan would have unprecedented numbers of smart, satellite-guided bombs attack a multitude of targets over a great sweep of territory, swiftly followed by U.S. troops seizing key objectives."

Saddam's Wrath Gulf War POW's Tell of Horrors Troops Could Face

Will Saddam Start the War? U.S. Military Concerned Saddam May Strike First

Who's Googling You? CNN: Who's Googling You Right Now? "Savvy Web users are using Google.com and other powerful Web search tools to track down or keep tabs on long-lost acquaintances -- be they former lovers, classmates, friends or enemies."

California Quarter Here is a photo of what the new California Quarter will look like.

MOAB Tested in Florida "The Pentagon gave a threatening show-and-tell to Iraq that consisted of footage of a massive 21,000-pound bomb live-tested for the first time in the Florida panhandle today. The MOAB, or Massive Ordnance Air Burst bomb - affectionately called the "mother of all bombs" by military insiders - was tested on the western range of Eglin Air Force Base at approximately 1 p.m. Central Standard Time. Pentagon officials have declared the test a success. The massive blast rivals that of a small nuclear weapon, though the damage from it is much less."

MLB to Offer Live Internet Telecasts "MLB.TV is a service of MLB Advanced Media, which does Web business for Major League Baseball, and is offering season audio and video packages for $79.95, or pay-per-view options for $2.95 a game. For the season service, viewers will be able to log on to MLB.TV and get about 45 games a week, some of which are bound to be Royals games. The full schedule will be released March 25."

Welder for Sale My older brother is selling a welder. Not sure if any of my readers do any welding, but it's a great deal. Here are some photos. Specifications: Miller Dialarc 250, AC/DC, Serial # KH560750, 80 hours total on machine, asking $800.00. If you have any questions about it, you can contact him via email at kbroome AT missionpluto DOT com.

Serbian Prime Minister Assassinated "Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic a key leader of the revolt that toppled former President Slobodan Milosevic in October 2000 was assassinated Wednesday by gunmen who ambushed him outside the government complex, police sources said. Djindjic died of his wounds in a Belgrade hospital after having been shot in the abdomen and back, the sources told The Associated Press. Police arrested two suspects."

2003 Oscar Snubs MSN: We Wuz Robbed!

Blogging Goes Mainstream CNN: Blogging Goes Mainstream

Bubba is Back Clinton/Dole on 60 Minutes

Airlines to Loosen Rules if War Starts "This month, five major airlines announced plans to waive some ticket change fees, which can reach $100, in case of military action. American and US Airways said they will also waive some fees if the U.S. government issues a Code Red alert, indicating the highest threat of terrorist activity. None of the airlines is offering refunds if war or terrorism disrupts travel. Most major U.S. airlines are losing money, and United and U.S. Airways last year sought bankruptcy protection from creditors. US Airways' "Peace of Mind" policy lets customers apply an unused ticket's full value to future travel within 90 days of a war or Code Red alert." I think I'll just stay out of the skies unti the war is over.

Neowin Neowin is back up. It's a about new software and such.

A Real Hollywood Horror Story "To date, Napster and its music-sharing offspring have reigned supreme as Hollywood's biggest headache. But four insurgent technologies that will make George's Sunday possible are fast picking up steam. Together, they promise to turn the gamut of copyrighted programming into convenient files that can be downloaded, stored, and shared almost as easily as e-mail. And this shift could happen quickly--within 18 months--because early forms of these technologies are here now."

Search for Bin Laden Narrows "The CIA and Pakistani Army are electronically tracking the large caravan of people on foot and horseback through the rugged mountain area of Pakistan between the borders with Iran and Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden may be traveling with the caravan and may be on foot. Officials have cast a net around the caravan - using electronic U.S. surveillance and planes with cameras that can see through darkness to monitor its movement along a trail."

New Internet Speed Record "Scientists at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center used fiber-optic cables to transfer 6.7 gigabytes of data -- the equivalent of two DVD movies -- across 6,800 miles in less than a minute. The center is a national laboratory operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy." File sharers across the globe shout with glee!

Peacenik Top 10 Fred Barnes: The Peacenik Top 10

Kobe Hits 10,000 Mark Kobe Bryant has become the youngest player in NBA history to score 10,000 points. He hit the plateau last night in the Lakers' victory over the Pacers. The crowd gave him a standing ovation. He's 24 years old. He's good, but will he be better than Jordan? I honestly haven't seen him play.

Osama Update Dead and Alive? Near Capture? Living in Border Region?

Along Came Jones "Avril Lavigne and Pink go home empty-handed, and on the podium, juggling eight awards, is Norah Jones. Even more beguiling, Jones did it without corporate angst, glossy videos, overworked stylists or big budgets. Indeed, the Grammys' Song of the Year, Don't Know Why, is the stark and simple demo version Jones recorded with her band, then could never better."

Luxury Movie Theaters "Believing that customers will pay $14 to enjoy perks such as extra-wide seats and audiophile-quality sound, Pacific built a 14-screen, 2,000-seat luxury cinema complex called ArcLight, which opened last March in Los Angeles. If it succeeds, Forman plans to open as many as 30 such facilities around the country." Great idea. I would pay $14 to see longer films and/or epic films that I'm interested in.

Gas Over $2 in San Francisco "San Francisco Bay area gas prices are breaking records and irritating motorists, and the price is not much lower in Southern California. In San Francisco, regular unleaded fuel now costs an average of $2.19 a gallon, according to a survey by AAA of Northern California. In Oakland, gas averages $2.09 a gallon, and in San Jose it has hit $2.08."

Chuckle I got a chuckle out of this photo. More.

Vinegar N' Salt Potato Chips


Let me say this: I love Tom's Vinegar N' Salt Potato Chips. Never had 'em? You're missing out!

Harley-Davidson Turns 100 Harley-Davidson's 100th Anniversary

New Version of Windows Leaked to the Web "An early test version of the next major release of Microsoft Windows has been leaked onto the Net, offering a glimpse of the company's plans for the new software. The leaked version of the upcoming desktop operating system, code-named Longhorn, hints of major changes under the Windows hood, as Microsoft radically improves file management and searching features in Windows and in Yukon, the code-name for the next version of SQL Server, due out later this year."

Second-Wind Films CNN: Film Flops Get New Life on VHS, DVD

Selected Civil War Photographs Over one thousands photographs from the U.S. Civil War.

Supergrass I was introduced to the music of Supergrass while listening to NPR yesterday afternoon. Their album, Life On Other Planets, was featured.

2003 and Beyond Andrew Grygus:Technology Trends that Will Affect Your Business

Klez: Still Going Strong Klez Still Atop the Top-10 Virus List

Fatter Through Fatter and Thinner