Tag: SliderFodder

FrontPageChoices

Should our soldiers be armed?

security, terrorism
Should our soldiers be armed?
Where? They already are armed in combat situations, but are not generally armed in headquarters locations. Arms are kept safely in the Unit Arms Room, a secured area designed for that purpose.
We might have to revisit that, in light of recent events where, as Pogo said, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”
Arguing that our soldiers should always be carrying their weapons does not address the problem, but it does give some light to the problem — how is it that the armed defenders of freedom are as vulnerable to the whim of some deranged character as those of us innocents walking along the city streets? Shouldn’t they be able to protect themselves, if we call on them to protect us? But knowing how to “kill people and break things” does not a good tactical defender make.
I’ll have more to offer later. Developing, as they say. In the meantime, take a look at this from the WaPo.

The Dynamics of Evolving Beliefs

9/11, Education, Politics, security, September 11, terrorism
We found that heightened responses after September 11 dissipated and reached a plateau at various points in time over a five-year period.
The folks over at USC’s CREATE site have released a fascinating report about the way we respond to catastrophe in general by documenting the responses to the 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States.
It’s a twenty-page report in pdf. Report
I’m curious; what did you do afterward? I joined a CERT group in my county, and trained over 200 radio operators in the skills required for effective communications under trying circumstances. And, as far as I know, the sponsors of both these programs have seen a leveling off of interest over time. As humans, that’s they way we are–until the next time.

Online Anonymity Project ProxyHam Mysteriously Vanishes | WIRED

Communications/Electronics

The highly anticipated anonymity project may be the subject of a law enforcement gag order.

Fascinating.

Now, I’m a radio amateur myself, and I have a fairly good idea about the FCC Rules and Regulations regarding what can and cannot be done under Part 97, which governs the service. I’m interested in this project because of its name, as well as its purpose.

Notice that the article mentions that the FCC was not in touch with the inventor. Apparently not even to give advice (not surprising, really). They are after all, a policy-making agency with an enforcement branch, but “prior restraint” doesn’t historically fit with the agency’s behavior.

So, who?

Source: Online Anonymity Project ProxyHam Mysteriously Vanishes | WIRED

Now, where did I read that?

Life in general

A friend of mine has located the entire set of The Harvard Classics which for those of you who are saying “Wha?” is a collection, printed and bound, which one could use as a basis of a very substantial personal library–back in time, when books were on paper–and which in fact my own father had in his den. I was saddened when the volumes were damaged beyond salvage in a flood at his Florida home some years ago. BUT they are on the web, so I have access to them after all. The “Five foot shelf of books” is not lost; it resides at Bartleby. How cool is that.

There are of course, other sources for literature, on and off the web. One that makes me a penny or two when you visit is a well-managed source of literature designed (or re-designed) for electronic consumption, with the rather catchy title as I’ve posted below. You could do worse. After all, free is still free, and they have a good search engine.

Download and read eBooks for Free – For Life