Monday, April 30, 2001

U.S. Report Details Global Religious Persecution

An item for your persecution files, a U.S. commission has releases a report on violations of religious freedom in many countries, particularly China and Sudan. Yes, the usual suspects.
First Strike: Chinese Hackers Hit U.S. Sites

I'm not sure if this would fall under Rumor of War or not, since it is more than a rumor. It has been confirmed that USGOV sites have been attacked by Chinese hackers. Of course, the reporting and other similar news stories make it sound like the hackers are not associated with the PRC government, as if China has a large civilian computer industry with lots of indie hackers. I'm not sure that is really the case.
Russia and China to Sign Deal

Those of you monitoring the Jerusalem Strategic Area, specifically with regard to the "king of the north" and "kings of the East" may be interested in this report of a new treaty of friendship and cooperation between Russia and China. Yes, the treaty does call for expanded military cooperation, in case you were wondering.
G7 Signals Commitment to Global Free Trade

Another item for your Ten Kings files: the G7 supports free trade. Wow, there's a real news flash.

Sunday, April 29, 2001

Jerrold Kessel: Israel, Palestinians at diplomatic crossroads

Some Q&A with CNN's star reporter in Jerusalem. He offers a more balanced analysis of the situation here than he usually does in his on-air reporting, IMHO.
EU force may plan apart from Nato

It now seems clear the EU officials are determined to forge ahead with the new rapid reaction force regardless of the consequences for NATO. And they worry about American unilateralism? Anyway, this item will no doubt be of interest to those of you watching the Jerusalem Strategic Area (JSA).
Protesters plan rally against space weapons

There is going to be war in the heavens, folks, you might as well get used to the idea. After all, someone has to make space safe for democracy.
Search for the Right Church Ends at Home

An item for your Gospel Preached to All files, it seems that house churches are catching on. No, not just in rural China, but in the USA. Imagine that.
Arabs push Mid-East peace plan

An item for your Covenant With Many files, it looks as if there may be a little (stress on the little) movement in the Middle East peace process.

Saturday, April 28, 2001

Chinese, American hackers declare war in cyberspace

Can war in cyberspace lead to actual war? We may be about to find out. Submitted for your Rumor of War files.
The Sun Also Rises

One of the greatest military powers of the 20th Century is back on the road to militarization. Japan has pledged to boost military spending, while at the same time attempting to reassure neighbors that they are still pacifists.
Iraq Says One Killed, Two Hurt in Western Air Raid

An item for your Rumor of War files, Iraq is claiming that U.S. and British planes bombed targets in Iraq, no confirmation yet from the allied powers. Way to go Allies!
G7 To Address Global Economy

An item for your Ten Kings files, Reuters is reporting that finance officials from the world's leading industrial nations were expected to seek a solution on Saturday for a global economic slowdown while still providing help to embattled emerging countries. It's worth noting that the G7 finmin summits usually also include representatives from Russia and the EU. It's not formally the G10, but could easily become that in the future.
Solar Flare Reported

An item for your Signs In The Sun files: SpaceWeather is reporting that a giant sunspot 9393 unleashed a powerful solar flare and hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space on Thursday, April 26. The CME will probably hit Earth's magnetosphere on Saturday or, perhaps, early Sunday. NOAA forecasters estimate a 10% chance of a major geomagnetic storm at middle latitudes.

Friday, April 27, 2001

Cell Phone Giants to Promote Wireless IM

Three of the four largest cell phone handset makers have announced a plan to promote a common standard that will allow users to send instant messages to each other, regardless of what model cell phone is being used. This will take point of presence to the next level, allowing people to contact one another in a new way at any time at any place. No longer will you have to be in front of the computer to receive an IM. This sort of technology also magnifies the immediacy of events, allowing people to react instantly to events far outside the normal scope of their life. I think this is going to be big. For the prophetic implications of this, see Rev 11:9. IM me and let me know what you think, portents2 on AOL/AIM and Yahoo IM.

Thursday, April 26, 2001

Astronomers View Violent World of Planet Formation

An item for your "signs in the heavens" files. I really love these. I've been an astronomy buff for a long time and it seems clear to me that Luke 21:11 has really come to the fore with the latest advances in astronomy. Thank you Mr. Hubble.
Human Mad Cow Disease Claims Oldest Victim

Hey, almost forgot about mad cow disease, but it claimed another victim today in Great Britain. There have been 95 cases so far. Mad cows and Englishmen. An item for your pestilence files, of course.
Warpdrive Underwater

Scientific American reports that we may be on the verge of a new generation of marine warfare in which "supercavitating systems could alter the nature of undersea warfare, changing stealthy cat-and-mouse stalking contests between large submarines into something resembling aerial combat, featuring noisy high-speed dogfights among small, short-range "subfighters" shooting underwater bullets at one another after having been launched from giant 'subcarriers'." Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.

Wednesday, April 25, 2001

Meningitis Outbreak Kills Thousands

While health minded types are focused on Europe and foot-and-mouth disease (which has actually killed few humans), there is an outbreak of meningitis in Africa that has already killed thousands of people. Guess which one gets the most press coverage?

Tuesday, April 24, 2001

Who Let the Blogs Out

I'm inspired. After reading an article about the proliferation of blogs in Yahoo Internet Life, I've decided to devote a bit more time to this blog. It seems blogs are very big now. I may change the format a bit or maybe change the coding, background, etc. Big changes, coming soon.

Sunday, April 08, 2001

What A Week!

Well, that was one amazing week. For your "rumor of war" files we had, and continue to have, a contest of wills between two nuclear powers, the U.S. and China, and the U.S. and Great Britain again bombed Iraq; for your pestilence files we had news of the foot and mouth epidemic in Europe and an outbreak of tuberculosis in the UK; in the "signs in the sun" department, the solar flare reported in the last entry was the largest ever recorded and produced spectacular auroral displays; in the quake department, India struggles to rebuild; and, famine and persecution continues to be reported in the Sudan, and these are only the highlights of the weeks events. Stay tuned for the events of the new week.