Businessweek – Big Brother's Passport to Pry. Privacy advocates are appalled by the ongoing plan to equip all U.S. passports with RFID chips that can be read surreptitiously from a distance The U.S. is moving closer to requiring citizens to have an identity card that could be scanned from a distance. By the end of… Continue reading Businessweek – Big Brother's Passport to Pry
Category: News
Scientists find global warming melting Arctic quickly
Scientists find global warming melting Arctic quickly. Scientists say changes in the earth's climate from human influences are occurring particularly intensely in the Arctic region, evidenced by widespread melting of glaciers, thinning sea ice and rising permafrost temperatures. [Salon.com]
Attorney General and Commerce Secretary Resign From Cabinet
Attorney General and Commerce Secretary Resign From Cabinet. John Ashcroft and Don Evans are the first members of President Bush's cabinet to leave as he heads into his second term. By DAVID STOUT. [NYT > Home Page]
Lind on generations in warfare.
Second Generation warfare is relevant to us today because the
United States Army and Marine Corps learned Second Generation warfare
from the French during and after World War I. It remains the American
war of war, as we are seeing in Afghanistan and Iraq: to Americans, war
means “putting steel on target.” Aviation has replaced artillery as the
source of most firepower, but otherwise, (and despite the Marine's
formal doctrine, which is Third Generation maneuver warfare) the
American military today is as French as white wine and brie. At the
Marine Corps' desert warfare training center at 29 Palms, California,
the only thing missing is the tricolor and a picture of General Gamelin
in the headquarters.
I suggest that the war we have seen thus far (in Iraq) is merely
a powder train leading to the magazine. The magazine is Fourth
Generation war by a wide variety of Islamic non-state actors, directed
at America and Americans (and local governments friendly to America)
everywhere. The longer America occupies Iraq, the greater the chance
that the magazine will explode. If it does, God help us all.
[John Robb's Weblog
Second Generation warfare is relevant to us today because the United States Army and Marine Corps learned Second Generation warfare from the French during and after World War I. It remains the American war of war, as we are seeing in Afghanistan and Iraq: to Americans, war means “putting steel on target.” Aviation has replaced artillery as the source of most firepower, but otherwise, (and despite the Marine's formal doctrine, which is Third Generation maneuver warfare) the American military today is as French as white wine and brie. At the Marine Corps' desert warfare training center at 29 Palms, California, the only thing missing is the tricolor and a picture of General Gamelin in the headquarters.
I suggest that the war we have seen thus far (in Iraq) is merely a powder train leading to the magazine. The magazine is Fourth Generation war by a wide variety of Islamic non-state actors, directed at America and Americans (and local governments friendly to America) everywhere. The longer America occupies Iraq, the greater the chance that the magazine will explode. If it does, God help us all.
Lind on generations in warfare. Second Generation warfare is relevant to us today because the United States Army and Marine Corps learned Second Generation warfare from the French during and after World War I. It remains the American war of war, as we are seeing in Afghanistan and Iraq: to Americans, war means “putting steel… Continue reading Lind on generations in warfare.
Second Generation warfare is relevant to us today because the
United States Army and Marine Corps learned Second Generation warfare
from the French during and after World War I. It remains the American
war of war, as we are seeing in Afghanistan and Iraq: to Americans, war
means “putting steel on target.” Aviation has replaced artillery as the
source of most firepower, but otherwise, (and despite the Marine's
formal doctrine, which is Third Generation maneuver warfare) the
American military today is as French as white wine and brie. At the
Marine Corps' desert warfare training center at 29 Palms, California,
the only thing missing is the tricolor and a picture of General Gamelin
in the headquarters.I suggest that the war we have seen thus far (in Iraq) is merely
a powder train leading to the magazine. The magazine is Fourth
Generation war by a wide variety of Islamic non-state actors, directed
at America and Americans (and local governments friendly to America)
everywhere. The longer America occupies Iraq, the greater the chance
that the magazine will explode. If it does, God help us all.
John Robb's Weblog
Here's a good question. What will change over the next four years? What issues will we be facing in the next election? [John Robb's Weblog]
CSM
CSM. Iraq's growing insurgency has no shortage of funds, and it is waging ever more lethal and sophisticated attacks against a US-led coalition still hampered by a paucity of on-the-ground intelligence. “We just don't believe there's any lack of funding,” says a senior US military intelligence officer with extensive experience in Iraq. Indeed, the insurgency… Continue reading CSM
China Checkmates the US in the Middle East
China Checkmates the US in the Middle East. AT. China locked in part of its future energy needs with a long-term arrangement with Iran via a $100 billion 25-year deal (for 10 million tons of LNG a year). It is expected to increase to 15-20 million tons a year. An additional agreement on oil worth… Continue reading China Checkmates the US in the Middle East
Bush's Bait and Switch… and Why I Like It
Bush's Bait and Switch… and Why I Like It. George Bush got re-elected on the strength of two issues: the “War on Terrorism” and “Moral Values.” That's what motivated a decisive share of the electorate to come out and vote. So, isn't it a bit surprising that the two pillars of his agenda for the… Continue reading Bush's Bait and Switch… and Why I Like It
The US election and oligopolies
Whatever
else the U.S. election means for a variety of issues and groups, among
the biggest winners are oligopolies. That's not just my opinion; it is
the opinion of the pro-business Wall Street Journal (“Another Winner Is Big Business”, 11/4/04).
The
Bush administration makes no secret of its pro-business policies. But
it might be more accurate to call them pro-big business strategies. And
more such activities will come. As the article puts it, “many
companies and industries expect specific gains from new federal
policies and programs, and the Republican Party's stronger hand in
Congress will mean that those legislative proposals will face
relatively fewer hurdles.”
Among the areas where big business expects to gain:
- The government to reduce corporate liability by putting limits on jury awards and class-action suits.
- Privatizing social security and pushing for health savings
accounts, which will tend to flood the stock market with new private
investment money, much to the advantage of most publicly-traded
companies and especially of the financial service companies.
- A further relaxing of environmental policies to the advantage of manufacturers.
- Few restrictions on coal, oil, and natural gas companies.
- No move on fuel economy standards, to the delight of the auto industry.
- A loosening of labor rules and nor raise in the minimum wage, a big plus for the McDonalds' and Wal-marts of the world.
- No fear that the government would bargain directly with drug
companies to lower drug prices for Medicare and Medicaid recipients.
- An open checkbook for defense contractors, especially those favored by the government.
- A continuation of the tendency to allow big media companies redefine the copyright laws.
- No limits on outsourcing, relocating companies operations abroad, or any restraint on free trade.
- Making permanent tax cuts for big companies and for their richly rewarded CEOs.
- Even the tobacco industry may see some relief from government regulation and a settlement of federal lawsuits.
- A continued easing of antitrust regulation.
- In general, an invitation for the biggest companies to help draft regulations and laws and sit on key advisory groups
Whatever else the U.S. election means for a variety of issues and groups, among the biggest winners are oligopolies. That's not just my opinion; it is the opinion of the pro-business Wall Street Journal (“Another Winner Is Big Business”, 11/4/04).
The Bush administration makes no secret of its pro-business policies. But it might be more accurate to call them pro-big business strategies. And more such activities will come. As the article puts it, “many companies and industries expect specific gains from new federal policies and programs, and the Republican Party's stronger hand in Congress will mean that those legislative proposals will face relatively fewer hurdles.”
Among the areas where big business expects to gain:
The US election and oligopolies Whatever else the U.S. election means for a variety of issues and groups, among the biggest winners are oligopolies. That's not just my opinion; it is the opinion of the pro-business Wall Street Journal (“Another Winner Is Big Business”, 11/4/04). The Bush administration makes no secret of its pro-business policies.… Continue reading
The US election and oligopolies
Whatever
else the U.S. election means for a variety of issues and groups, among
the biggest winners are oligopolies. That's not just my opinion; it is
the opinion of the pro-business Wall Street Journal (“Another Winner Is Big Business”, 11/4/04).
The
Bush administration makes no secret of its pro-business policies. But
it might be more accurate to call them pro-big business strategies. And
more such activities will come. As the article puts it, “many
companies and industries expect specific gains from new federal
policies and programs, and the Republican Party's stronger hand in
Congress will mean that those legislative proposals will face
relatively fewer hurdles.”
Among the areas where big business expects to gain:
- The government to reduce corporate liability by putting limits on jury awards and class-action suits.
- Privatizing social security and pushing for health savings
accounts, which will tend to flood the stock market with new private
investment money, much to the advantage of most publicly-traded
companies and especially of the financial service companies. - A further relaxing of environmental policies to the advantage of manufacturers.
- Few restrictions on coal, oil, and natural gas companies.
- No move on fuel economy standards, to the delight of the auto industry.
- A loosening of labor rules and nor raise in the minimum wage, a big plus for the McDonalds' and Wal-marts of the world.
- No fear that the government would bargain directly with drug
companies to lower drug prices for Medicare and Medicaid recipients. - An open checkbook for defense contractors, especially those favored by the government.
- A continuation of the tendency to allow big media companies redefine the copyright laws.
- No limits on outsourcing, relocating companies operations abroad, or any restraint on free trade.
- Making permanent tax cuts for big companies and for their richly rewarded CEOs.
- Even the tobacco industry may see some relief from government regulation and a settlement of federal lawsuits.
- A continued easing of antitrust regulation.
- In general, an invitation for the biggest companies to help draft regulations and laws and sit on key advisory groups
They are right: Public Education onto the trash heap
They are right: Public Education onto the trash heap. I spent a little time abusing, reviling, and revising U.S. Public Education. It's a relic of an earlier time and completely out of line with what could be useful in today's society. We need experimental schools that pursue something like what I outline, staffed by bright… Continue reading They are right: Public Education onto the trash heap