Pakistan has and overthrown government, a report from a resident (not your usual news sources): That's confirmed. I've been watching news for the past few hours and about all they talk about is this. I even saw the Pakistani Army Chief (who's sacking was the immediate impetus for the coup) address the nation, and accuse the (former) Prime Minister of politicizing the Army, and ruining the nation in various ways by destroying public institutions. He says that therefore, the Army has seized control in the interests of the Nation. He says that he will make a detailed policy statement soon, and that the situation is calm. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is "dismissed" and under house arrest. There was NO mention of even a possible future return to democracy. Pakistan has been Army ruled for 25 of 52 years of Independence; this is the fourth military coup. Whatever the allegations against Nawaz Sharif, he WAS democratically elected with a majority in Parliament. Apparently the Army was upset over him ordering the withdrawal of Pakistani troops (Well, the Pakistani Government calls them freedom fighters given moral support) from the Kashmir region in the conflict over India. One wonders what the Army proposes to do - the latest IMF loans which Pakistan *desperately* needs will surely not be given now - so how will they stabilize the country? And will there be democracy soon? Its quite interesting really - the main story for us here in India, partly because of our own security considerations and also because Pakistan is a neighbour. Its a pity that democracy has to be so fragile, although Pakistan has been under civilian rule for 10 years. There are a lot of Indians today gleefully rubbing their hands together and going "See, I told you so - they can't even run their own country without the military taking over." While thats a little prejudiced, perhaps, I'm personally very glad that despite being the same country 50 years ago, India has never developed this tradition of the Army in politics, and has always been democratically ruled. Okay, there was one period of martial rule under an elected Prime Minister who was subsequently demolished in the elections.. Badri Bangalore, India

Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisian was wounded Wednesday when gunmen opened fire in the Armenian parliament. The government would not disclose his condition, but reporters at the scene said Sarkisian had died from gunshot wounds to the chest. The Armenian Church said it held a requiem Mass for Sarkisian, also indicating he had died. The gunmen reportedly took several people hostage and remained in the building, officials said.

The British House of Lords has all but disbanded as hereditary privileges were formally terminated today for most of the peerage. Ordinarily littered with fat, dozing old men digesting their dinners, the place was a hotbed of political activity today as the chamber's future was disclosed.

And in more news. Yankees sweep. Armenian gunmen surrender. Payne crash recorder found. Gore and Bradley agree. Gorbley? And the House bans assisted suicide (still legal in Oregon). That's it from your Spring newsdesk.

Thanks for the headlines. I have a Reuters Ticker running across my desktop but it tends to freeze the entire computer whereas yours is PC-friendly.

Today, Oregon's up in arms about this decision. Today tech stocks are soaring. Payne Stewart is buried.

A major airline accident occurred this morning. A Flight with over 200 people crashed just off the East Coast of the USA. An Egyptair 767 headed for Egypt from LA and NYC. Just sketchy details on the news so far.

see Obits for the outcome of Egyptair's crash...

and, in case anyone didn't know... Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisian was actually killed in the attack on 10/27

Big news today is the ILOVEYOU virus. It's an email attachment that spreads rapidly and infects your computers files, deleting many .mp3, .jpg and .css files replacing them with copies of itself which is called LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT.vbs (visual basic). There is detailed information in the internet conference on how to clean your system if you get infected. *DON'T OPEN IT.* *DELETE IT* and be very careful to open any email attachments. It also masquerades with the name JOKE.

Authorities close in on 'ILOVEYOU' suspect Clues provided from chat rooms lead Filipino police to suspect the 'ILOVEYOU' author may be a young man living in a Manila suburb. By Sharon Buan, Reuters May 5, 2000 5:27 AM PT MANILA, Philippines -- The "Love Bug" virus wreaking havoc on computer systems worldwide appears to have originated in the Philippines, and the author may be a young man living in a Manlia suburb, police and local Internet firms said Friday. Police sources said the local National Bureau of Investigation was investigating the case following a request from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. A Manila Internet service provider (ISP) had earlier said the virus appeared to have first spread from two of its e-mail addresses. "What happened is the author of the virus used two e-mail addresses through Supernet -- spyder@super.net.ph and mailme@super.net.ph," Jose Carlotta, chief operating officer of Access Net Inc., a Manila Internet company, told Reuters. .

I wonder if your posts about the virus would not reach more people in "How's your connection to the Spring." That way Drool ladies would be more likely to see it.

Sure, you can post or repost something there. And I'll followup.

Will do so, but please include what to do about it as you posted in Virus and other more remote places. Thanks!

http://www.cryptome.org/twa800-emi.htm Special Supplement The Fall of TWA 800: The Possibility of Electromagnetic Interference By Elaine Scarry Elaine Scarry teaches at Harvard University, where she is Cabot Professor of Aesthetics and the General Theory of Value. Her writings include The Body in Pain and articles on war and the social contract. Reconstructing the wreckage of TWA 800 in a Long island hangar, November, 1997. The piles of wire visible in the foreground are only a part of the plane's 150 miles of wiring. For more than a year, the inquiry into the fall of TWA 800 has addressed three questions: whether mechanical trouble can be ruled out, whether a bomb inside the plane can be ruled out. whether a missile or other high-velocity object (such as a meteorite) can be ruled out. But there is a fourth possibility that has been ignored and that needs to be raised in the inquiry. To a civilian, the phrase "electromagnetic interference" may at first sound puzzling, even though every commercial flight begins with the instruction to passengers to turn off during takeoff all computers, headsets, radios, and telephones. The power radiated by these objects is tiny. But their emissions can travel out of the cabin windows to the antennas on the outer body of the plane; therefore the FAA regulation requiring airlines to prohibit passenger use of such objects has remained firmly in place.1 Interference from military equipment can be thousands, even millions, of times as great,2 and can have much more serious consequences for airborne planes. Because ten military planes and ships were in the vicinity of TWA 800 that night, we need to ask the airmen and sailors on the planes and ships to describe with precision the pieces of equipment that were in use. HOW REAL IS THE PROBLEM OF HIGH INTENSITY RADIATED FIELDS? Much more follows - please visit the url and let me know what you think.