| Monday March
19, 2007
Apologies: I'm way behind in work, and
today will be Short Shrift...
Subject: Letter from England
I'll start with the commentary. The current Government
has reached the point that those with agendas are starting to realise that
it's now or never for their social experiments. I'll label those stories
(SE). Gordon Brown is due to replace Tony Blair shortly, and he's concerned
with keeping the trains running on time long enough that he has a chance in
the next general election. So those stories are labelled (GB). Then there's
everything else (EE).
Now for the news:
Blair exit timetable (GB) <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6456945.stm>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/16/ nbrown416.xml>
University places based on social class (SE) <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/
education/6459551.stm>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6458217.stm>
<http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/open_thread/
2007/03/ graduation_day_photographer_ap.html>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?
xml=/opinion/ 2007/03/17/do1701.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=
/news/2007/03/17/ nschools217.xml>
<http://education.independent.co.uk/
news/article2366510.ece>
<http://education.independent.co.uk/
news/article2362777.ece> <http://www.thes.co.uk/latest_news/main.aspx>
Scientific experiments too dangerous (EE)
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6459035.stm>
Waste of food (SE)--read the stories carefully to see
what they're actually saying... <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ nfood17.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh
tml?xml=/news/2007/03/17/ nfood117.xml>
<http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/
this_britain/article2364588.ece>
<http://news.independent.co.uk/uk
/this_britain/article2363895.ece>
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/Environment/
waste/story/0,,2036146,00.html>
Zimbabwe chaos (EE) <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6462117.stm>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_
our_own_correspondent/ 6458979.stm> <http://www.guardian.co.uk/zimbabwe/article
/0,,2036161,00.html> <http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world
/africa/article1528080.ece> <http://news.independent.co.uk/
world/africa/article2366501.ece> <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/
17/ wzim217.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/16/ wzim216.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/16/ wzim16.xml>
Olympic games costs skyrocketing (GB)
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?
xml=/opinion/ 2007/03/17/do1706.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ nfunds17.xml>
Russian devolution (EE) <http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,2036221,00.html>
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,2036205,00.html>
Gordon Brown stories (SE and GB)
<http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/
columnists/
matthew_parris/ article1528019.ece>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ nbudget117.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ nbudget17.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ ndole17.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ ndole117.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/16/
nbrown316.xml>
Lack of housing (SE?)
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/Business/s
tory/0,,2036023,00.html>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ nhouses17.xml>
Bombs designed not to explode (EE), yeah, right... <http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2036162,00.html>
<http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/article2366508.ece>
Big oops--expensive artwork destroyed as rubbish (EE)
<http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2366572.ece>
<http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/news/story/0,,2036207,00.html>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ nkapoor17.xml>
NHS problems (GB)
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ ndoc117.xml>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ ntory17.xml>
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-6487470,00.html>
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/Politics/
conservatives/story/ 0,,2036449,00.html> <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6457901.stm>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6461847.stm>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6459337.stm>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6436549.stm>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/6460351.stm>
<http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2366549.ece>
Train problems (EE)
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ nrail17.xml>
Food poisoning alert (probably EE)
<http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/
news/uk/health/ article1527892.ece>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6460077.stm>
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-6485971,00.html>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6457901.stm>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml
=/news/2007/03/17/ nsandw17.xml>
Caution urged about climate risks (possibly SE)
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/6460635.stm>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6440715.stm>
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/03/17/ noleary17.xml>
Evoting problems in the Netherlands (EE) <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/17/foi_dutch/>
Cash for honours story continues to unwind (SE) <http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/
politics/article2362760.ece>
-- Harry Erwin, PhD, Program Leader, MSc Information
Systems Security, University of Sunderland.
<http://scat-he-g4.sunderland.ac.uk/~harryerw> Weblog at:
<http://scat-he-g4.sunderland.ac.uk/~harryerw/blog/index.php>
===================
Reminder:
Joanne Dow's "daily diatribes" documenting sharia and dhimitude are
found on their own page.
=========
Subject: Right to resist?
Jerry: A man's home is his castle? Maybe, in Sarasota.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
article?AID=/20070314/NEWS/703140547
Chris
-- Right now the Republicans and Democrats in
Washington seem, from the outside, to be an elite colluding against the
voter. Peggy Noonan
=========
Subj: MIT ambient intelligence group
http://ambient.media.mit.edu/vision.html
Nice PowerPoint slide show!
Rod Montgomery==monty@sprintmail.com
Good stuff. Thanks
========
Subject: That Global Warming Swindle program
Dr Pournelle,
Thanks for the link to that program on YouTube, I had
missed it when it aired. A friend of mine then pointed out the controversy
surrounding the show.
It is reported that the program maker had altered and
misrepresented the data he was using. Leading to serious questions about the
conclusions. One newspaper has used the word "charlatan" to describe him.
Two UK newspapers have articles on the Swindle
program:
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/
climate_change/article2355956.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/
science/article1517515.ece
and another has an article on the maker, Martin
Durkin:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment
/story/0,3604,181798,00.html
However I note this morning (Sat 17th March) that the
BBC News is leading with an article on overplaying the risks of climate
change!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/6460635.stm
I guess the question is still do we have enough data?
Al Gore seems to think so.
regards James
As I said in Sunday's View
As to the
Channel 4 programme, see this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.
jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/18/ngreen218.xml
==========
Subject: Re. Bovine contribution to global warming
Dear Sir:
According to the latest (1999) USDA census there were
a total of 121,306,000 cows and calves in the United States and Canada
combined. That is a lot of cows. On the other hand, it is worth noting that
the domesticated animals that supposedly threaten our very existence,
replace 60,000,000 or so, equally flatulent Buffalo.
With the decline of the vast herds in Africa, whale
populations, etc., it would not at all be surprising to discover a world
wide net decrease from say, the state of affairs in 1700.
Very truly yours, Paul Bloom
I have never seen numbers on flatulent bovines....
(see below)
==========
Subject: Walter Reed,women in comabt, iMac
Dr. Pournelle, The commanding general may never have
inspected Mr Hamit's barracks, but mine did when I was at Ft. Polk in 86-88.
The company CO and 1SG went through every day. The battalion commander once
every few months. We had a division command inspection once in a year and a
half. The division commander and a chunk of his staff, including the
division command sergeant major, spent the day going over our company with a
fine tooth comb. My understanding was that most stateside commands were like
that, and I was surprised that Walter Reed wasn't. According to the Post
(and some troops I've talked to personally (none of them around now, this
isn't new)) the soldiers had complained to their chain of command and the
inspector general. They went to the press as a last resort.
The BRAC and Army, between them, did lots of damage
there. The Army outsourced the maintenance of Walter Reed to a civilian
firm. The BRAC then decided to close Walter Reed. (During a war! But the
idiocies of various government entities during this war are entire other
rant...) The civilians, understandably, then went looking for more permanent
employment.
On another subject. The only problem with not allowing
women in combat is that you would then have to find replacements for them.
Since any military job is, potentially (at least in the Army) a combat job,
you would need to replace all the women in the Army. The only way I can see
to do that would be to bring back the draft, or have a substantially smaller
army. Either way the Army couldn't then do things like invade Iraq or Iran,
for political or logistical reasons and, ummm. Hmmm. Well, I'm sure someone
would have a problem with that.
No intarweb problems here in Nova, the tubes seem to
be clear. Maybe a bad router on your (or your ISPs) end?
Last weekend I bought an iMac after my 6 year old
Linux box died. Rather spectacularly, in fact, with smoke coming out the
back. In a couple of weeks I may write up my entire Linux->Mac migration
experience. No problems yet, but Mac does have some quirks.
I wonder how many Mac developers had to sell their
Immortal Souls to make a user friendly unix?
Kit Case
There's a lot here worth comment, but it was short
shrift or nothing, I fear.
=========
Subject: The Trouble with Science
It seems the consensus group-think in science problem
is not limited to just climatology and virology. I'm currently reading,
The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory,
the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next by Lee Smolin
http://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Physics-String-
Theory-Science/dp/0618551050/ref=pd_bbs_sr_
1/103-4642873-0869415?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=
1173983763&sr=8-1
and the author makes a convincing statement that
theoretical physics is suffering from the same problem and has been for
decades. If you're not a string-theorist, it seems, you're not taken
seriously. I grieve for the future -- the current generation of scientists
is competent but lacks objectiveness, and future generations may lack basic
competency.
.mg
That was the book of the month in one of my
columns.
=========
Subject: Gurkha pay and pensions
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/
htmoral/articles/20070315.aspx
=... [U]ntil the new changes, when Gurkhas signed up
for the British army (and there is fierce competition for the few hundred
openings each year), they agreed to receive a pension based on what soldiers
get in the Indian army. ... The Gurkhas want to dispense with the two
century old colonial arrangement, and get paid the same as any other
foreigner who joins the British army. ...=
Rod Montgomery==monty@sprintmail.com
========
The Youtube version of the Global Warming thing was
good, even if some parts were possibly out of sync or misrepresented. At
least the scientists who spoke against the man-made causes of it all, were
sincere and made good points. Absent of course from the arguments of
skeptics of the program was the effect of global water vapor as a greenhouse
gas. The water vapor factor has always been a worry as it immediately is
translated into the cloud argument.
Also, there are historical effects that don't get
entirely included as there are few methods of capturing them. Volcanic
activity can probably produce enough high level particulate matter to
significantly effect the albedo. So the important thing is that some
scientists get a chance to comment on the issue. And also important is that
when the computers go wild in speculation, there is no backward calculations
that demonstrate how the historical climate was created. As we witness the
terrible winter in the northeast, and a cool to mild, dry, late winter on
the west coast, it is important to understand that the climate scientists
are not good weathermen, and it is the wise course to be conservative in
accepting their projections as those are driven by political considerations.
It is still a good idea to instead lobby for a wise
nuclear energy policy and admit that the local political opposition to
permanent high level waste storage, non-retrievable, is not going to go
away. So what is wrong with doing a high level storage, with provisions for
regularly retrieving the materials and inspecting them, even repackaging it
if necessary, in order to mute the critics that look hundreds of thousands
of years into the future, in fear of a neutron or so getting loose?.
CBS
Volcanoes produce all kinds of things including
methanes, CO2, and fine dusty particulate matter that can change planetary
albedo. Do you recall "nuclear winter?". Tambora caused "The Year Without A
Summer". Benjamin Franklin speculated about volcanoes and The Little Ice Age
when he saw Iceland and its volcanoes. Climate models can't possibly take
this into account since we can't predict volcanism, but volcanic activity
can make for hotter or cooler climates. The Solar Cycle is somewhat
predictable; volcanoes hardly at all.
=========
Subject:
"flatulent" bovines"
My family raised cattle in Missouri for years,
and there ain't no flatulent bovines.
Ruminants can't expel gas from the "South end of a
north-bound critter". They actualy emit the methane produced by their
cellulose-digesting bacteria from their mouths.
As a better term, might I suggest "belching bovines"?
All in service of better science!
Whimsically yours,
Petronius
Thanks for clarifying that... (but
see below)
=========
Subject: the hooters
Hello Dr. Pournelle
America lobs a weapon of cultural mass destruction,
into the Middle East. I particularly like the quote by Ofer Ahiraz, who
advises, "I strongly believe that the Hooters concept is something that
Israelis are looking for." Well, he might just be right. If they actually
ever manage to get the franchise extended to Iraq, and the rest of the Mid
east, we will have won the war. I wonder if the waitresses in an Iraqi
Hooters would have to wear veils, along with their shorts and halters.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,259621,00.html
Neal Pritchett
=========
Subject: FW: Islamist Site Instructs Mujahideen to
Foster Anti-War Sentiment in U.S.
Jerry,
This article from MEMRI is interesting...jim
------ Forwarded Message From: Memri <memri@memri.org>
Organization: MEMRI Reply-To: <memri@memri.org> Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007
12:45:57 -0400 To: <jimdodd@san.rr.com> Subject: Islamist Site Instructs
Mujahideen to Foster Anti-War Sentiment in U.S.
VISIT THE NEW MEMRI BLOG AT
www.thememriblog.org
Special Dispatch-Jihad & Terrorism Studies
Project March 20, 2007 No. 1508
Islamist Website Instructs Mujahideen in
Using Popular U.S. Web Forums to Foster Anti-War Sentiment among
Americans
To view this Special Dispatch in HTML,
visit: http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD150807 .
In the past few months, Islamists engaged
in "media jihad" have increased their efforts to expose as broad a
Western audience as possible to their jihad films, which purport to
document the growing success of the mujahideen in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As part of this endeavor, they have posted jihad films on popular free
video-sharing websites such as YouTube, LiveLeak, and Google Video,
hoping that such films will tip public opinion in the West against the
war in Iraq and Afghanistan thus pressuring Western governments to
withdraw their troops from these countries.
As part of the campaign to foster anti-war
sentiment among Westerners, and more specifically among Americans, a
member of the Al-Mohajroon Islamist website with the username Al-Wathiq
Billah instructed mujahideen in how to infiltrate popular American
forums and to use them to distribute jihad films and spread
disinformation about the war.
The following are excerpts:( 1)
"Raiding American Forums is Among the Most
Important Means of Obtaining Victory in the Fierce Media War... and of
Influencing the Views of the Weak-Minded American"
"There is no doubt, my brothers, that
raiding American forums is among the most important means of obtaining
victory in the fierce media war... and of influencing the views of the
weak-minded American who pays his taxes so they will go to the infidel
American army. This American is an idiot and does not [even] know where
Iraq is... [It is therefore] mandatory for every electronic mujahid [to
engage in this raiding]."
"It is better that you raid non-political
forums such as music forums and trivia forums... which American
people... favor... Define your target[ed forum]... and get to know it
well... Post your contribution and do not get into... futile
arguments..."
Indicate You Are an American
"Obviously, you have to register yourself
using a purely American name... Choose an icon that indicates that you
are an American, and place it next to your nickname [in the forum]."
"In my experience, the areas most visited
in American forums... [are titled] 'Random Thoughts' and 'What's going
on in your mind?'... [The former] takes priority in the American forums,
and is highly popular. You should post your contribution there... This
should include films of the mujahideen in Iraq, mujahideen publications
in English, and images and films of the Americans' crimes, [such as]
killing unarmed civilians in Iraq... etc."
"Invent Stories About American Soldiers You
Have [Allegedly] Personally Known"
"Obviously, you should post your
contribution... as an American... You should correspond with visitors to
this forum, [bringing to their attention] the frustrating situation of
their troops in Iraq... You should invent stories about American
soldiers you have [allegedly] personally known (as classmates... or
members in a club who played baseball and tennis with you) who were
drafted to Iraq and then committed suicide while in service by hanging
or shooting themselves..."
"Also, write using a sad tone, and tell
them that you feel sorry for your [female] neighbor or co-worker who
became addicted to alcohol or drugs... because her poor fiancé, a former
soldier in Iraq, was paralyzed or [because] his legs were amputated...
[Use any story] which will break their spirits, oh brave fighter for the
sake of God..."
How to Make Americans Feel Frustrated With
Their Government
"You should enter into debate or respond
only if it is extremely necessary... Your concern should [only] be
introducing topics which... will cause [them to feel] frustration and
anger towards their government..., which will... render them hostile to
Bush... and his Republican Party and make them feel they must vote ton
bring the troops back from Iraq as soon as possible."
"Do not... discuss issues pertaining to
Arabs or Muslims at all, whether negatively or positively... because
this could be a trap for you... In addition, do not ask people to
circulate the material [you have posted] in other forums... as these
types of requests will expose you..."
Endnote: (1) http://www.mohajroon.com/vb/showthread.php?t=48233
.
********************* The Middle East Media
Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization
that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East. Copies of
articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are
available on request.
MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations.
Materials may only be used with proper attribution.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837 Phone: (202) 955-9070 Fax:
(202) 955-9077 E-Mail: memri@memri.org
=================
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