Stanislav Petrov - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOn this day, in 1983, the end of the world was almost accidentally triggered.Stanislav Petrov chose to consider that it was highly illogical that just 5 missiles should be detected by new satellite detection systems when ground radar picked up nothing (in tense ensuing minutes). Instead of triggering a …
Month: September 2007
Burma’s poverty
China makes contingency plans for junta's fall - International Herald TribuneWhat is the point of calling the Myanmar government "a communist regime" if a country becomes an "economically embattled nation" when it is sitting on massive "estimated reserves of three trillion cubic meters of natural gas and three billion barrels of crude oil"?Myanmar is ruled …
No love lost
Perhaps President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a little taken aback to be diminished by a university chancellor, no matter how qualified. It was an extraordinary snub on the face of it, a foreign President visits and instead of finding a path to resolve differences it appears that the Iranian President was reduced, by diplomatic snub. It …
The Agenda Setting Edge
On a MB (Message Board) on The Agonist - one of the best blogs in the business:"I meant Trade Center Bombing 1993, first year of Clinton in office same as 2001 for Bush. I think Al Qaeda likes first term Presidents, a point of weakness before they get their bearings."Perhaps that is the pattern and …
Bill Clinton on the Daily Show
Clinton's main point toward the end of this friendly interview is how pork barrel politics - election fundraising activity is depriving the future leaders of sleep - and makes a case for public funding of campaigns.It would make sense - where the Republicans have huge contributions from Halliburton and Diebold to their election efforts - …
Arctic sea ice melts to its lowest level ever
Arctic sea ice melts to its lowest level ever - Independent Online Edition > Climate Change
The Rise of Private Armies
Making a killing: how private armies became a $120bn global industry - Independent Online Edition > Middle EastThe evil side of war is the people who profit from it, and mercenaries are increasingly taking on this role with some enthusiasm. So much so, that the private armies of the world have created a massive $120bn …
Iraq Expels Blackwater Security
Iraq Expels American Security Firm | World Latest | Guardian UnlimitedThe Iraqi government sits up and pays attention. A military contractor Blackwater is in Iraq on protection detail to protect diplomatic personnel in Iraq. In one operation, eight Iraqi were shot after a car bomb attack. This presents a major problem to American negotiation efforts. …
Ahmed Zaoui Free – Is New Zealand a soft touch
Ahmed Zaoui has been accepted as a refugee in New Zealand and - finally - given clearance as not a security risk. Letters to the Editor seem to be very divided about this. On one hand (the Left) there are those who see this as a victory over paranoia, and for human rights. On the …
Continue reading Ahmed Zaoui Free – Is New Zealand a soft touch
Challenge to Scientific Consensus on Global Warming
Challenge to Scientific Consensus on Global Warming: Analysis Finds Hundreds of Scientists Have Published Evidence Countering Man-Made Global Warming Fears - Press Release"Global Warming" (and cooling) has always been a natural process! So are the natural processes that excessive pollution threaten to upset. What about the scale of extinctions since the industrial age started to …
Continue reading Challenge to Scientific Consensus on Global Warming