WP. An increasing division in the US senior military ranks over success in Iraq. Army Col. Paul Hughes, who last year was the first director of strategic planning for the U.S. occupation authority in Baghdad, said he agrees with that view and noted that a pattern of winning battles while losing a war characterized the… Continue reading WP
Author: Vince Kimball
Update: DEVONagent 1.3
Update: DEVONagent 1.3. The Internet search agent adds a proximity operator for partial words and substrings, scanners for Safari bookmarks and history, and many other changes. [MacInTouch]
Beta: theConcept Preview
Beta: theConcept Preview. Mesa Dynamics released a preview version of theConcept, a language processor that reads and analyzes electronic documents and produces a condensed report of ideas in the text. [MacInTouch]
Just how unaffordable is the Bay State?
Just how unaffordable is the Bay State?. Most Bay State families long ago reconciled themselves to the idea that they'll never live in Boston's most famously posh suburbs — places like Wellesley, Weston, and Duxbury. But the zone of communities whose homes are beyond the reach of all but the most affluent families has expanded… Continue reading Just how unaffordable is the Bay State?
'Plan of Attack': All the President's Mentors
'Plan of Attack': All the President's Mentors. Bob Woodward's book lives up to the hype, offering by far the most intimate glimpse we have been granted of the secretive Bush White House. By Ted Widmer. [New York Times: Books]
'Mind Wide Open': This Is Your Brain
'Mind Wide Open': This Is Your Brain. Becoming his own test subject, Steven Johnson explores the new technologies that can plumb the workings of the mind. By Jonathan Weiner. [New York Times: Books]
PBS Frontline
PBS Frontline: Loose Nukes. Also, Cyberwar. [John Robb's Weblog]
Guardian
Guardian. The statement below is more than true. I spent some time checking this out and most positions, from analyst to senior analyst positions, require only a high school diploma and an active security clearance. The security clearance is the only gating factor. If a bachelors is required, the experience required is minimal. This is… Continue reading Guardian
hits
Oil hits $40 a barrel. “Forty-dollar oil might be here for a while,” said Bill O'Grady, analyst at A.G. Edwards. “As long as there is the possibility of a terrorist attack against Saudi oil facilities, oil will have its fear-premium.” “All you need is one person with a block of explosive in their lunchbox in… Continue reading hits
If we win the global war on terrorism, it will be through a moral victory. How did abu Ghraib impact that war (from the perspective of those watching from the sidelines, mostly outside the US)?
- It demonstrated a lack of respect for Arabs, Muslims, and Iraqis.
- It belied the American claim it was in Iraq for the betterment of Iraq's people.
- It demonstrated that American values — process of law and human rights — are false.
How do you recover from this? Are we even making any progress in this war?
NOTE: Beyond the humiliation captured in the famous photos, I have read of rape (including using implements), murder, and severe beatings. It's been implied that Rumsfeld's unreleased video/pictures depict these crimes. [John Robb's Weblog
If we win the global war on terrorism, it will be through a moral victory. How did abu Ghraib impact that war (from the perspective of those watching from the sidelines, mostly outside the US)? It demonstrated a lack of respect for Arabs, Muslims, and Iraqis. It belied the American claim it was in Iraq for the… Continue reading If we win the global war on terrorism, it will be through a moral victory. How did abu Ghraib impact that war (from the perspective of those watching from the sidelines, mostly outside the US)?
- It demonstrated a lack of respect for Arabs, Muslims, and Iraqis.
- It belied the American claim it was in Iraq for the betterment of Iraq's people.
- It demonstrated that American values — process of law and human rights — are false.
How do you recover from this? Are we even making any progress in this war?
NOTE: Beyond the humiliation captured in the famous photos, I have read of rape (including using implements), murder, and severe beatings. It's been implied that Rumsfeld's unreleased video/pictures depict these crimes. [John Robb's Weblog