Clipmarks | rmowery's Government collection

Pentagon's Mind-Reading Computers Replicate

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:21:54 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Pentagon's Mind-Reading Computers Replicate

"Augmented Cognition," the Darpa program to build computer interfaces that adapt to their users' brains, has officially run its course. But efforts to build mind-reading PCs continue throughout the military establishment.

Augmented Cognition relies on the idea that people have more than one kind of working memory, and more than one kind of attention; there are separate slots in the mind for things written, things heard and things seen. By monitoring how taxed those areas of the brain are, it should be possible to change a computer's display to compensate. If people are getting too much visual information, send them a text alert. If they reading too much at once, present some of the data visually -- in a chart or map.

Tags: eeg, darpa, airforce, brain, quantum

1,000 Tibetans arrested in Chinese crackdown

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:31:45 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

1,000 Tibetans arrested in Chinese crackdown

Rioters in Lhasa: many have been rounded up by the Chinese authorities

Close to 1,000 Tibetans have been detained in two days of sweeps across Lhasa, the capital, by paramilitary police hunting down those who took part in last week’s deadly anti-Chinese riots.

Sources in the city said 600 people had been detained on Saturday and another 300 had been picked up on Sunday. They said it was not clear where those rounded up were being detained because the main Drapchi prison in Lhasa is believed to be virtually full.

Tags: china, tibet, protests, arrests

Bolton Says Cheney Has ‘Enormous Credibilty’ In Iraq, But Iraqis Suggest Otherwise

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:49:42 GMT

clipped by: rmowery
clipper's remarks: This is coming from the guy who looks like a muppet character. And besides that - I am surprise Cheney can even speak words of one syllable....

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

Bolton Says Cheney Has ‘Enormous Credibilty’ In Iraq, But Iraqis Suggest Otherwise

As the Iraq war’s fifth anniversary approaches, Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in Baghdad today on an unannounced trip to meet with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Gen. David Petraeus, and Amb. Ryan Crocker. Cheney said he seeks to reaffirm “the unwavering commitment” of the U.S. in Iraq.

Commenting on the surprise visit, conservative war hawk and former U.N. ambassador John Bolton said Cheney can make the Iraqis “get their act together” because he has “enormous credibility” in Iraq:

“He’s got enormous credibility there, and is able to say to them in words of one syllable that they need to get their act together,” John Bolton, the former UN ambassador, said.

Tags: bolton, cheney, government, iraq

Fed Chief Shifts Path, Inventing Policy in Crisis

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:43:34 GMT

clipped by: rmowery
clipper's remarks: Fail to Plan......Plan to fail.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Fed Chief Shifts Path, Inventing Policy in Crisis

WASHINGTON — As chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben S. Bernanke has long argued that a central bank should base its policies as much as possible on consistent principles rather than seat-of-the-pants judgment.

But now, as the meltdown in credit markets threatens major institutions on Wall Street and a recession appears inevitable, Mr. Bernanke is inventing policy on the fly.

“Modern monetary policy-making puts a lot of weight on rules, but there is no rule book for an economic crisis,” said Douglas W. Elmendorf, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former Fed economist.

Tags: economy, federal reserve, recession, depression, wall street

NSA shifts to e-mail, Web, data-mining dragnet

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:58:40 GMT

clipped by: rmowery
clipper's remarks: Any bets they are watching clipmarks

Clip Source: www.news.com

NSA shifts to e-mail, Web, data-mining dragnet

The National Security Agency was once known for its skill in eavesdropping on the world's telephone calls through radio dishes in out-of-the-way places like England's Menwith Hill, Australia's Pine Gap, and Washington state's Yakima Training Center.

Today those massive installations, which listened in on phone conversations beamed over microwave links, are becoming something akin to relics of the Cold War. As more communications traffic travels through fiber links, and as e-mail and text messaging supplant phone calls, the spy agency that once intercepted telegrams is adapting yet again.

Tags: nsa, spying, citizens, government

International Olympic Committee concern over China's clashes in Tibet

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:15:35 GMT

clipped by: rmowery
clipper's remarks: I will hedge a bet the Olympics are boycotted by some countries.

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

International Olympic Committee concern over China's clashes in Tibet

With the start of the Beijing Olympics now just 145 days away, clashes between protesters and Chinese security forces in Tibet have sparked serious concerns among senior officials at the International Olympic Committee.

International Olympic Committee concern over China's clashes in Tibet

Following film director Steven Spielberg's decision last month to pull out as an adviser to the Beijing Games opening ceremony over China's support for Sudan, the IOC were already bracing themselves for a wave of protests in the run up to the start of this summer's Olympics.

Tags: olympics, china, beijing, tibet

Fed takes boldest action since the Depression to rescue US mortgage industry

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:11:03 GMT

clipped by: rmowery
clipper's remarks: How low can it go? Almost feels like that party game.

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Fed takes boldest action since the Depression to rescue US mortgage industry

The US Federal Reserve has taken the boldest action since the 1930s, accepting $200bn of housing debt as collateral to prevent an implosion of the mortgage finance industry and head off a full-blown economic crisis.

The Bank of England, the key European central banks, and the Bank of Canada all joined in a co-ordinated move with a mix of policies to halt the dowward spiral in the credit markets, expanding on the "shock and awe" tactics used late last year.

The Fed's dramatic step came after an emergency conference call by governors on Monday night. It followed the melt-down of the US chartered agencies -- Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other lenders -- which together guarantee 60pc of the entire US home loan market. Fannie Mae's share price fell 19pc in panic trading on Monday after Barron's magazine said it may need a rescue package.

Tags: housing, government, mortgage, debt, depression, us

Dollar plunge sets off global alarm bells

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:07:15 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Dollar plunge sets off global alarm bells

The dollar has plummeted against all major currencies on dire US retail sales and fears that the Federal Reserve may need to slash interest rates further to stop the downward spiral in the credit markets.

The greenback broke below 100 yen in a day of wild trading, setting off alarm bells at Japan's Keidanren industry lobby. It touched a record $1.5620 against the euro and came within a whisker of parity with the Swiss franc for the first time in history.

The plunge came amid an investor flight into commodities, seen as a way of insulating wealth from the dollar's decline. In the US, crude oil reached a record $111 a barrel despite rising inventories.

A shock fall of 0.6pc in February retail sales cemented fears that the US is sliding into a fully fledged recession. The markets are now pricing in a three-quarter point cut in rates to 2.25pc next week.

Tags: dollar, economy, currency, economic failure

'Darth Vader's' Advice on Missile Defense

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:02:05 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.humanevents.com

'Darth Vader's' Advice on Missile Defense

On Tuesday, “Darth Vader” Vice President Dick Cheney explained that to make the Democrats’ 3 a.m. presidential crisis calls unnecessary, we need to move forward with President Ronald Reagan’s 1983 plan to neutralize the threat of ballistic missiles.

At a Heritage Foundation dinner celebrating the 25th anniversary of President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (then labeled derisively as “Star Wars” by Sen. Ted Kennedy) keynote speaker Vice President Cheney began by saying, “Well, if we’re going to talk about Star Wars, we might as well invite Darth Vader.”

Last fall, presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said, “You can always tell when the Republicans are getting restless, because the vice president’s motorcade pulls into the capitol, and Darth Vader emerges.” Darth Vader, a fictional character from the movie Star Wars Universe, is the brutal head enforcer of the Galactic Empire’s rule.

Tags: missiles, government, cheney, bush, darth vader

Security guide to customs-proofing your laptop

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:51:12 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.news.com

Security guide to customs-proofing your laptop

If you travel across national borders, it's time to customs-proof your laptop.

Customs officials have been stepping up electronic searches of laptops at the border, where travelers enjoy little privacy and have no legal grounds to object. Laptops and other electronic devices can be seized without reason, their contents copied, and the hardware returned hours or even weeks later.

Executives have been told that they must hand over their laptop to be analyzed by border police--or be barred from boarding their flight. A report from a U.S.-based marijuana activist says U.S. border guards browsed through her laptop's contents; British customs agents scan laptops for sexual material; so do their U.S. counterparts.

Tags: government, big brother, security, customs

'Magic is over' for the U.S., says foreign minister of France

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:28:24 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.iht.com

'Magic is over' for the U.S., says foreign minister of France

PARIS: Bernard Kouchner, the foreign minister of France and a longtime humanitarian, diplomatic and political activist on the international scene, says that whoever succeeds President George W. Bush in the White House may restore something of America's battered image and standing overseas, but "the magic is over."

In a wide-ranging conversation Tuesday with Roger Cohen of the International Herald Tribune at the Forum for New Diplomacy in Paris, Kouchner also held out the eventual hope of talking with Hamas, the Palestinian movement that controls the Gaza Strip but has been ostracized by the West and by its Palestinian rival, Fatah.

Asked whether the United States could repair the damage it has suffered to its reputation during the Bush presidency and especially since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Kouchner replied, "It will never be as it was before."

Tags: government, bush, usa, foriegn policy

Bush invokes faith to defend war policy

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:22:12 GMT

clipped by: rmowery
clipper's remarks: His assumption is that everyone believes. His other assumption is everyone is Christian.
That is two strikes on his justification.

So at the moment he is breaking the US guidelines on separation of Church and State.

I think the Romans tried the same approach centuries ago - enforcing the logic of War based on their religion?

Clip Source: www.iht.com

Bush invokes faith to defend war policy

NASHVILLE, Tennessee: President George W. Bush delivered a rousing defense of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on Tuesday, mixing faith and foreign policy as he told a group of Christian broadcasters that his policies in the region were predicated on the beliefs that freedom is a God-given right and "every human being bears the image of their master."

With the fifth anniversary of his invasion of Iraq coming next week, and a decision on troop cuts in Iraq on his plate, Bush used a 30-minute speech before an enthusiastic audience - the National Religious Broadcasters association - to make the case that liberty is on the march, so long as the United States does not lose its nerve.

"The decision to remove Saddam Hussein was the right decision early in my presidency," he said, to rousing applause and a standing ovation. "It is the right decision at this point in my presidency, and it will forever be the right decision."

Tags: bush, faith, chuch, state, god

Fallon's Exit Provokes Concern on Path of Bush's Iran Policy

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:15:37 GMT

clipped by: rmowery
clipper's remarks: Ok - the most intelligent person is now officially departing.

We are now left with the likes of a Lenny & George in the Whitehouse running the show.

Clip Source: www.bloomberg.com

Fallon's Exit Provokes Concern on Path of Bush's Iran Policy

March 12 (Bloomberg) -- Admiral William Fallon's resignation as U.S. commander in the Middle East provoked criticism that President George W. Bush won't tolerate dissent and fed speculation his Iran policy could become more confrontational.

``Congress needs to determine immediately whether Admiral Fallon's resignation is another example of truth tellers being forced to the sidelines in the Bush administration,'' said Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who lost to Bush in the 2004 election. ``His departure must not clear the way for a rush to war with Iran.''

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that Fallon, 63, was resigning over perceived differences on Iran policy with the Bush administration as Fallon was starting an Iraq visit yesterday. Fallon will retire from the Navy at the end of March.

Tags: goverment, military, bush, fallon

Wife of missing ex-agent wants answers from Iran

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:21:37 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

Wife of missing ex-agent wants answers from Iran

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- It has been a year since retired FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran, and his family still has no idea where he is.

Christine Levinson, his wife of 33 years, and their family and friends staged a "rally of hope" in their South Florida hometown of Coral Springs on Sunday -- a day before his 60th birthday.

Outside a restaurant whose owners know and miss Bob Levinson, a crowd gathered wearing yellow ribbons. They signed a petition that will be sent to Iran's Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appealing for the Iranian leader to help find their missing relative.

"The rally of hope is to let everyone know that we have not forgotten Bob, that we will continue to search for him and that we hope that anyone that might have information about him will get in touch with us ... and help us bring him home," Christine Levinson said. Watch an interview with Christine Levinson »

Tags: government, iran, levison

Senators: Where is Iraq's oil money going?

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:16:27 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

Senators: Where is Iraq's oil money going?

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two senators are asking congressional investigators to look at Iraq's oil revenues and see if the war-ravaged nation can pay for its own reconstruction, an effort that has been bankrolled to this point mostly by U.S. taxpayers.

Carl Levin, D-Michigan, and John Warner, R-Virginia, said in their Friday letter to the Government Accountability Office that Iraq has "tremendous resources" in banks worldwide but is doing little to improve security and reconstruction efforts.

Iraqi officials did not immediately respond to the senators' allegations.

"We believe that it has been overwhelmingly U.S. taxpayer money that has funded Iraq reconstruction over the last five years, despite Iraq earning billions of dollars in oil revenue over that time period that have ended up in non-Iraqi banks," wrote the senators, who are their party's top members on the Armed Services Committee.

Tags: iraq, revenue, oil, us