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| compos mentis. Concision. Media. Clarity. Memes. Context. Melange. Confluence. Mishmash. Conflation. Mellifluous. Conviviality. Miscellany. Confelicity. Milieu. Cogent. Minty. Concoction. |
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Building Intelligence to Fight Terrorism |
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| Topic: War on Terrorism |
11:27 pm EST, Dec 4, 2003 |
Know Thy Enemy. The cold war intelligence model in which analysts became specialists is ill-suited to the challenge of counterterrorism. Incremental changes implemented since 9/11 are not enough. Policymakers must build a new intelligence system to fight terrorism. Nearly two years after 9/11, it is clear that actions couched as emergency measures represent important building blocks for a new generation of intelligence policy. Building Intelligence to Fight Terrorism |
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500 Greatest Albums of All Time |
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| Topic: Music |
11:14 pm EST, Dec 3, 2003 |
A Special Collectors Issue of Rolling Stone magazine has selected the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Reviews are provided for the top 50. 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |
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Patents: Idea for Online Networking Brings Two Entrepreneurs Together |
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| Topic: Intellectual Property |
9:47 am EST, Dec 1, 2003 |
The last few months have brought a flurry of new Web sites devoted to social networking -- that is, helping people use friends of friends to do such things as find better dates or more lucrative jobs. Now, as some industry insiders rush to protect their intellectual property in this arena, others are murmuring about an impending patent war that they expect to bring an industry shakeout. You might want to be sitting down before you follow this link. Patents: Idea for Online Networking Brings Two Entrepreneurs Together |
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Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny |
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| Topic: Science |
7:41 pm EST, Nov 30, 2003 |
An informative and insightful book that examines the sociocultural evolution of our species toward ever-greater complexity, advancing technology, and scientific information. This book sends an important message that, as human beings make moral progress, history, in its broadest outlines, is getting better all the time. "Whether you are a bunch of genes or a bunch of memes, if you're all in the same boat you'll tend to perish unless you are conducive to productive coordination." Why hadn't you told me about this book before now? (Excerpts above from book description at Amazon) Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny |
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| Topic: War on Terrorism |
7:36 pm EST, Nov 30, 2003 |
Unless we begin the long process of partnering with the Arab world, [this will go on forever.] The next six months in Iraq -- which will determine the prospects for democracy-building there -- are the most important six months in US foreign policy in a long, long time. The Chant Not Heard |
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Roy Disney Resigns and Urges CEO Eisner to Follow Suit |
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| Topic: Business |
6:02 pm EST, Nov 30, 2003 |
The vice chairman of the Walt Disney Company, Roy E. Disney, resigned from the board of directors today, citing his "serious differences of opinion" with the chairman, Michael D. Eisner, "about the direction and style of management in the company." Mr. Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney, also called for Mr. Eisner's resignation. Roy Disney Resigns and Urges CEO Eisner to Follow Suit |
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Patriot Act Author Has Concerns |
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| Topic: Politics and Law |
5:15 pm EST, Nov 30, 2003 |
A chief architect of the USA Patriot Act is voicing concern about aspects of the administration's anti-terrorism policy. At issue is the government's power to designate and detain "enemy combatants." After thinking about Jose Padilla, he came to the conclusion that the administration's case was "unsustainable." Another former top official said, "We need to debate a long-term and sustainable architecture." A concerned Harvard Law professor said, "You are talking about overthrowing 800 years of democratic tradition." There isn't much substance to this article, but it serves as a data point. Patriot Act Author Has Concerns |
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| Topic: Miscellaneous |
1:22 pm EST, Nov 30, 2003 |
A mob of shoppers rushing for a sale on DVD players trampled the first woman in line and knocked her unconscious as they scrambled for the shelves at a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Pay retail. Save lives. I can hear the store manager now, addressing the customers ... "My friends, I beg of you, be calm, and do not despair. Rest assured that there will be no rain checks today. My cut-rate Chinese laborers have been working around the clock since August to assemble enough $29 DVD players for all of you." Not So Smart Mobs |
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Necessity Is the Mother of Invention |
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| Topic: Science |
10:28 am EST, Nov 30, 2003 |
Striding down a hallway at MIT, Amy Smith is a woman on fast-forward, and she does not so much talk as download information. She is one of the brightest minds in a movement that sets out to prove that the best technology can be cheap and simple. In a culture that hails mobile phones and plasma-screen televisions as the great innovations of our time, Smith is gloriously out of step. Bravo! During the midsemester break, her undergraduate students will travel to Haiti, Brazil or India. There, they will act as consultants in remote villages, helping locals solve technical problems. What did you do on your spring break? Necessity Is the Mother of Invention |
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