Sound the Alarm
Crisis Alert in Critical State
While TV viewers and radio listeners have long suffered through ear-piercing emergency-alert tests, the system has had a spotty record in actual crises. That's why critics are leery of plans to expand the system to cell phones and PCs. By Randy Dotinga.

Music Services Score an A-Plus
More colleges and universities are embracing music services for their students in an effort to cut down on peer-to-peer traffic that clogs school networks and puts students at risk for lawsuits. By Katie Dean.

JibJab Is Free for You and Me
Turns out that Ludlow Music, which claims to own the copyright on a classic Woody Gutherie song, may not actually own it after all. Which means JibJab, a scrappy web animation site, gets to use "This Land Is Your Land" to its heart's content. By Katie Dean.

Boring Game? Outsource It
It's not just work that's being outsourced from wealthy nations to poorer ones. These days, online gamers in developing countries are being paid to earn virtual goods that wealthier players are too lazy or unskilled to win on their own. By Laila Weir.

Site Is Mac Daddy of Apple Deals
A site for cut-rate Apple products has amassed a loyal following by taking the unusual approach of relying on readers for bargain-hunting tips. By Leander Kahney.

Contraceptive May Up STD Risk
Science: In Brief » Women who use an injected contraceptive have a higher rate of disease, even when behavior is taken into account. Also: Researchers genetically engineer sheep to get Huntington's disease.... Viagra also may raise STD risk.... and more.

E-Vote Rigging in Venezuela?
The failed attempt to recall the country's populist president has the losing party crying foul, even though the electronic voting machines used in the election produced a voter-verified paper audit trail. By Kim Zetter.

Riders Segway Through the Zoo
Fans of the Segway -- the gyroscopically controlled scooter that has been banned on many sidewalks -- are taking solace in the company of other enthusiasts. In San Francisco, this extends to the animal kingdom, as Segway users commandeer a zoo. By Rachel Metz.

Scientists Breed a Tougher Mouse
Med-Tech » Through genetic engineering, scientists have bred a mouse capable of running twice as far as other mice before exhaustion. Medical researchers believe some of their findings could apply to humans. By Kristen Philipkoski.

Games People Played
Atari addicts young and old attend the seventh annual Classic Gaming Expo, getting a rare chance to mingle with their favorite game designers and stock up on rare collectibles. Chris Kohler reports from San Jose, California.

BugMeNot Gets Booted, Restored
The site that helps people evade registration roadblocks on websites couldn't evade trouble itself. Its server host, perhaps bowing to pressure, pulled the plug last week. But a new host is found and BugMeNot is back up. By Rachel Metz.

The New American Idol
Politics as usual? Hasta la vista, baby. The radical center has flexed its muscle in California, short-circuiting the parties and going directly to the people. Now it could sweep the nation. By Jill Stewart from Wired magazine.

In Case You Missed It

Is Real a Real Hypocrite?
Aug. 23, 2004 Real's recent marketing campaign purporting to promote choice in digital music fails to rally music fans. Instead, the blitz provokes nasty comments from Apple users and cries of hypocrisy from critics. By Katie Dean.

Congress Wants Rights Board
Aug. 21, 2004 Key members of Congress and the 9/11 commission make it clear that a federal board to protect civil liberties in the age of terrorism is not optional. But they're struggling to figure out how to establish it. By Ryan Singel.

Swap Your PC, or Your President
Aug. 20, 2004 The producer of ads featuring PC users who switched to Macs is applying the same tactic to political commercials. This time, he'll focus on former backers of President Bush, recruited online, who've changed their political allegiance. By Louise Witt.

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