Entries Tagged 'Military' ↓
December 15th, 2008 — Controversy, Journalism, Media, Military
Also, he should be thankful that Muntader al-Zaidi, 28, the Iraqi journalist who, yesterday, one at a time, threw both of his shoes at President Bush, but missed, above, though fairly accurate, doesn’t exactly have a killer right arm, or pitch for Baghdad’s Salam baseball team.
According to The New York Times, al-Zaidi,
a correspondent for Al Baghdadia, an independent Iraqi television station, stood up about 12 feet from Mr. Bush and shouted in Arabic: “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog!” He then threw a shoe at Mr. Bush, who ducked and narrowly avoided it.
As stunned security agents and guards, officials and journalists watched, Mr. Zaidi then threw his other shoe, shouting in Arabic, “This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq!” That shoe also narrowly missed Mr. Bush as Prime Minister Maliki stuck a hand in front of the president’s face to help shield him.
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December 11th, 2008 — Books, Military
The above graphic accompanies a compelling, recent New York Times piece on the history of nuclear proliferation, as documented in two new books: The Nuclear Express: A Political History of the Bomb and its Proliferation, by Thomas C. Reed and Danny B. Stillman, and The Bomb: A New History, by Stephen M. Younger.
The piece begins by quoting J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project, which developed the first working atomic bomb. As the Times reports, Oppenheimer thought the technology would soon be held by every nation.
“They are not too hard to make,” he told his colleagues on the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, N.M. “They will be universal if people wish to make them universal.”
The piece then, in some detail, looks at the spread of weapons, and the forces that both grew atomic arsenals and forbade them. Certainly, the area of highest concern on the graphic, to proliferation experts, remains the far right section of nuclear aspirants, any and all of them, but particularly those without warm feelings for our country IRAN. Before closing, the piece adds this pointed summary.
The take-home message of both books is quite the reverse of Oppenheimer’s grim forecast. But both caution that the situation has reached a delicate stage — with a second age of nuclear proliferation close at hand — and that missteps now could hurt terribly in the future.
An understatement if ever there was one.
October 30th, 2008 — Military, Science
New York University’s GreenDot Project attempts to computerize the identification of individuals on the basis of unique, unconscious movements and gestures as exclusive to each person as their fingerprints.
The goal of the project is to train a computer to recognize a person based on his or her motions, and to identify the person’s emotional state, cultural background, and other attributes.
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July 15th, 2008 — Controversy, Journalism, Military, Politics, Terrorism
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle: Christopher Hitchens gets inarticulate
While perhaps not exactly an advocate for waterboarding, journalist / pro cynic Christopher Hitchens has certainly been seen as an apologist for the highly debated technique of “information extraction.”
But no one would accuse Hitchens of being uncurious. So, when Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Graydon Carter asked him if he’d like to be waterboarded, then live to tell about it, the doughy, two-pack-a-day smoker leaped at the chance.
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June 30th, 2008 — Controversy, Military, Politics
It’s 3 1/2 in. by 11 in., available in either adhesive ($3.50) or magnetic ($5.50) form, from CarryaBigSticker.com.
April 30th, 2008 — Controversy, Culture, Government, Military, Politics, Race, Religion
As anyone whose read MEDIA ASSASSIN, or any significant portion of my two decades-plus writing about race, might venture, I probably agree with almost everything Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, above, has said, in his oft-quoted and misquoted public statements.
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April 24th, 2008 — Advertising, Controversy, Fashion, Military, Politics, Pop Culture, Sex
“Schtupp” just didn’t test well: The new Teutonic scent
The Germans: They went there. They totally went there. (Respect due to BoingBoingTV for the tip.)
Because it’s the question overloading your neurons right this moment, yes, this package, above, is totally real. The scent is called VULVA—a rather pretty word, it occurs to me—Original.
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April 18th, 2008 — Art, Aviation, Design, Government, Journalism, Military, NONFICTION, Photography, Technology
Typically, if you found yourself this close to the working end of an aerobatic sports plane, not to mention a Boeing 777, below, you’d be in a world of mess.
But if you’re Erik Hildebrandt, you’re, basically, at your desk. (Hey: That rhymes!)
One of the today’s most skilled aviation photographers, the Minnesota-based Hildebrandt is the guest on my WBAI-NY / 99.5 FM radio show, NONFICTION, this afternoon, Friday, April 18, 2 pm ET.
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April 16th, 2008 — Controversy, Journalism, Media, Military, Politics
I’m gonna get you, sucka: John McCain flashes those pearly whites
It’s such an obvious question that it seems bizarre few in the media have asked it:
Does John McCain, the Republican nominee for president, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
And, outrageously, did he refer to his wife with the evil “C-word,” during an outburst?
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April 14th, 2008 — Aviation, Government, Military, Race, Technology, Work
To quote rapper Craig G, from “The Symphony,” mm mm mm, ain’t that somethin’: Maj. Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell is the first African-American female fighter pilot ever in the United States Air Force. (Thanks to Black Spin for the tip.)
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