by David Steven | Apr 1, 2008 | North America
Most politician bloggers are somewhat half-arsed, but when Barack Obama posted for the first time on uber-leftie group blog, Daily Kos, back in 2005, his post essay was so impressive that he had to come back a while later for two reasons. First, to reply to eight hundred or so comments, and second to chide those who “wondered whether I wrote the post myself.” (He did.)
Sample extract:
Let me be clear: I am not arguing that the Democrats should trim their sails and be more “centrist.” In fact, I think the whole “centrist” versus “liberal” labels that continue to characterize the debate within the Democratic Party misses the mark. Too often, the “centrist” label seems to mean compromise for compromise sake, whereas on issues like health care, energy, education and tackling poverty, I don’t think Democrats have been bold enough. But I do think that being bold involves more than just putting more money into existing programs and will instead require us to admit that some existing programs and policies don’t work very well. And further, it will require us to innovate and experiment with whatever ideas hold promise (including market- or faith-based ideas that originate from Republicans).
Our goal should be to stick to our guns on those core values that make this country great, show a spirit of flexibility and sustained attention that can achieve those goals, and try to create the sort of serious, adult, consensus around our problems that can admit Democrats, Republicans and Independents of good will. This is more than just a matter of “framing,” although clarity of language, thought, and heart are required. It’s a matter of actually having faith in the American people’s ability to hear a real and authentic debate about the issues that matter.
Finally, I am not arguing that we “unilaterally disarm” in the face of Republican attacks, or bite our tongue when this Administration screws up. Whenever they are wrong, inept, or dishonest, we should say so clearly and repeatedly; and whenever they gear up their attack machine, we should respond quickly and forcefully. I am suggesting that the tone we take matters, and that truth, as best we know it, be the hallmark of our response.
by Charlie Edwards | Apr 1, 2008 | Cooperation and coherence, Influence and networks, Off topic
Google is working with US intelligence agencies in a bid to connect the dots.
Many of the contracts are for search appliances – servers for storing and searching internal documents. Agencies can use the devices to create their own mini-Googles on intranets made up entirely of government data. Additionally, Google has had success licensing a souped-up version of its aerial mapping service, Google Earth. Agencies can use it to plot scientific data and chart the U.S. coastline, for example, giving ships another tool to navigate safely.
Spy agencies are using Google equipment as the backbone of Intellipedia, a network aimed at helping agents share intelligence. Rather than hoarding information, spies and analysts are being encouraged to post what they learn on a secure online forum where colleagues can read it and add comments.
According to Sean Dennehy, chief of Intellipedia development for the CIA Each analyst, for lack of a better term, has a shoe box with their knowledge, they maintained it in a shared drive or a Word document, but we’re encouraging them to move those platforms so that everyone can benefit.”
So far, 37,000 users have established accounts on the network, which contain 35,000 articles encompassing 200,000 pages. Google supplies the computer servers that support the network, as well as the search software that allows users to sift through messages and data. Whether the network actually leads to better intelligence will largely depend on agents sharing some of their most important files and then their colleagues chiming in with incisive commentary – issues that are out of Google’s hands.
Normally, Google ranks results on its consumer site by using the number of links to a Web page as a barometer of its importance. Doing so on Intellipedia isn’t as effective because the service lies behind a firewall and is used by a limited number of people. Instead, material gets more prominent placement if it is tagged, or appended by the network’s users, with descriptive keywords.
by Charlie Edwards | Apr 1, 2008 | UK
Following David’s post on morons – Harriet Harman, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party goes walkabout in her constituency… is the stab proof vest really necessary?
by David Steven | Apr 1, 2008 | North America
A few weeks back, John McCain was asked whether taxpayers should fund contraception to combat AIDS. Here’s the response:
Mr. McCain: “I haven’t thought about it. Before I give you an answer, let me think about. Let me think about it a little bit because I never got a question about it before. I don’t know if I would use taxpayers’ money for it.”
The reporter asks the obvious follow-up: “Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”:
Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”
Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”
Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the president’s policies on it.”
Fortunately, bloggers have now persuaded themselves that McCain, at 5′ 7″ is too short to be elected. Don’t be too sure, though. Maybe he’ll follow the example of the even-shorter Nicholas Sarkozy, who sick of being compared to his taller wife, is said (ahem) to be planning surgery that will stretch him by 5 inches over the next year.
There should be plenty of time for McCain to add a couple of inches, while Hilary continues her kamikaze destruction of Obama…
by David Steven | Apr 1, 2008 | Conflict and security
The US military wonders whether it makes sense to co-opt bloggers:
Since the start of the Iraq war, there’s been a raucous debate in military circles over how to handle blogs — and the servicemembers who want to keep them. One faction sees blogs as security risks, and a collective waste of troops’ time. The other (which includes top officers, like Gen. David Petraeus and Lt. Gen. William Caldwell) considers blogs to be a valuable source of information, and a way for ordinary troops to shape opinions, both at home and abroad.
This 2006 report for the Joint Special Operations University, “Blogs and Military Information Strategy,” offers a third approach — co-opting bloggers, or even putting them on the payroll. “Hiring a block of bloggers to verbally attack a specific person or promote a specific message may be worth considering,” write the report’s co-authors, James Kinniburgh and Dororthy Denning.
