Dead or alive?

Thu, 02 Nov 2000 20:30:00 +0000

The release of bacteria into the air as part of a biological weapons training program at a military base in Missouri has sparked alarm in the surrounding area -- and the Army's belated acknowledgement that it was using a live rather than a dead variant of the bacteria has exacerbated the situation.

The bacteria, bacillus subtilis, is being used to simulate an attack with the deadly disease anthrax. B. subtilis is not generally considered harmful, but some evidence suggests that it can cause infections and flu-like symptoms for individuals with compromised immune systems. When local residents and officials learned recently about the spraying, officials at Fort Leonard Wood told the public and members of the media that the bacteria being used had been killed through a process called irradiation.

When Salon requested documentation last week to verify the irradiation claim, base spokesman Derik Crotts said he would get the records. Two days later, another official, Col. Alan Hardy, commander of the 3rd Chemical Brigade, called back and acknowledged that the bacteria was, in fact, live.

Squatting for dollars

Mon, 12 Jun 2000 19:15:00 +0000

A cyber-squatter from Baltimore with a nose for mischief has become something of a menace in a pair of statewide races in Vermont. Scott Loughrey has become a bit player in both the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races in Vermont after buying up a series of domain names similar to official candidate sites and -- if politicians refused to buy back the name -- cross-linking them to opponents' pages or posting candidate parody sites.

"I hit the roof," said Kathie Summers, campaign manager for Vermont gubernatorial candidate Ruth Dwyer. Last week, Summers took a call from a supporter who tried to access the Dwyer2000 Web site with a dot-com rather than the proper dot-org suffix. The URL led directly into the cyber arms of her opponent: It opened the Web site of fellow Republican William Meub, whom she will face in a primary this September.

Salon.com > Terry J. Allen

Dead or alive?

Squatting for dollars