Beautiful Case Modding. Miles S.F. writes “Thought you guys might appreciate this little project I’ve been working on. This is what happens when the left and right brain get bored and … [Slashdot]

Workstation makers switch off Intel tool. Intel’s hyperthreading, a performance-enhancing technology that lets one chip act something like two, has been available on workstations since April. So far it’s mostly been taking a nap. [CNET News.com]

Russia: Dial ‘H’ for Hostage. A Russian dancer held captive in the recent standoff with Chechen rebels uses his cell phone to post a message to the world. Neither his captors nor government censors can stop him. Sergey Kuznetsov reports from Moscow. [Wired News]

Sergeant Major Brian Pratt: “If anyone’s found my tank, please give us a bell” [BBC News]

Canada Cautions Some on U.S. Travel [Washington Post]

PalmOS 6 details emerge. Be-atified, biometric, .NET friendly [The Register]

How the left became irrelevant. Christopher Hitchens talks about his beef with the Nation, the “filthy menace” of Saddam Hussein, and how the left ceded its moral credibility by opposing the war against Islamic fascism. [Salon.com]

Microsoft’s media monopoly. Bill Gates wants to control the delivery of digital entertainment into your home. And according to a lawsuit brought by a pioneering software company, he’s prepared to crush anything that gets in his way. First of two parts. [Salon.com]

Pet vs Pet: .NET ‘trounces’ Java. It’s a dog’s life [The Register]

Doc likes my definition of SOAP. If it’s going to become official, I’d like to add Richard Stallman to the list of people we don’t have to pay taxes to. “;->” [Scripting News]