Fsotee's Blog

a strong second

fsotee — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:34:29 +0000

http://www.theonion.com/articles/us-finishes-a-strong-second-in-iraq-war%2C1237/

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/17/israel-weeks-end-strike-iran-nuclear-facility-bolton-says/

why so incendiary?

START planning for future weapons

fsotee — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:53:17 +0000

START is smart, because how many ICBMs and SLBMs do you really need? 1550 is still like 5 for each country, plus a few left over to use as emergency hostess gifts or tourist attractions (should the economy fail). It’s all about the defense system now. Besides, DARPA has some alternatives in mind as we technologically outgrow the need for those dusty “20th century” hot dogs.

Re: Pakistani Schoolchildren Prefer Guns to Books. Is this a new thing or just news? And are these students suddenly realizing their calling, or is it the result of guiding schoolchildren into extremist mindsets from an early age?

Also…. I am sheepishly terrified to link this. Mission accomplished I guess.

As for studying today, more Chinese! 太好了. 需要吃松饼.

wicked creepy….

fsotee — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:30:44 +0000

Automated license plate reader

Robot Traffic Cameras

MAC makeup inspired by Mexican violence

600 Kph Maglev train.. ok not that creepy

Pakistan’s Heavy Machinery Complex, can build practically anything

China’s got a spill, too.

Not fiberglass, not steel, but a plastic boat. Moving away from creepy.

Yes, do address these burning questions, Zardari. If you were on facebook, you would be considered creepy, but we’ll let it fly since you’re awesome Benazir Bhutto’s widower.

true legitimacy of governance

fsotee — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:43:21 +0000

This morning I cried for Afghanistan. The Taliban’s revamp of last year’s code of conduct includes a provision for leaving civilians unharmed~ as long as they have no loyalty to the Afghan government or NATO forces. Punishable by death. It is the move of a political party definitely not on its way out. As an American, my first instinct is to look at the legitimacy of the country’s fledgling government, undermined by its players’ reveling in the relative opportunities that come with democracy, especially one whose oversight is too new to be 20/20 (of course, homegrown aegis could also use some work).

This type of self-strengthening move needs to happen more: Afghan parliament’s lower house rejects Karzai election proposals.

Also an improvement of the banking system and other infrastructure items that contribute to quality of life, as mentioned in a recent state-of-Afghanistan hearing. Could it be possible that with better oversight of USAID and other funds, there could be enough money to bolster the government which is so necessary to the country’s stability? And again– I can’t get out of my anti-anarchist mindset, welcome new views on this.

the world’s worst power figures

fsotee — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:16:01 +0000

Supervillains!

Ahh, it’s that time of year: Foreign Policy’s annual “Worst of the Worst” dictator list. Who will rise to the occasion? And do they get to host the corrupt charity ball? Personally, Zimbabwe’s Mugabe gets my vote, for classic Darth Vader quotes like “We have bullets for all of you”, directed at supporters of el Prez’s electoral opponent. The distinction of Most Fluffheaded goes to His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Azziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh, Chief Custodian of the Sacred Constitution of The Gambia. Although he has maintained a somewhat secular state, which is not always easy with a 90% religious majority.

Today is geo quiz. countries/capitals can I name?

Blank maps / interactive maps

good timing

fsotee — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:52:52 +0000

http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg782.htm

It’s possible that the WikiLeaks documents have opened a window of opportunity to tighten up Pakistani fiscal relations, closing loopholes etc. that were awkward to get out of before. Conveniently, the documents allow someone else, not a direct policy player, to point out the complexity of P’s political web, which includes anti-US elements. Save face while nudging P. to stay GWOT with us: check.

Chinese lessons

fsotee — Mon, 24 May 2010 19:10:01 +0000

Ok, it’s time to do some serious work on my Chinese. Don’t forget: Subject- situation- verb- modification. This is the basic sentence structure. It’s another example of how, in my humble opinion, the Chinese language is a microcosmal institution of Chinese society. (PS, I make up words a la John Locke.) There is a word: zi, so useful, which exactly describes this phenomenon. Its official definition is offspring, child, fruit, seed of. It means a tangible thing which draws its essence from a larger, possibly abstract item.

For example, a Baozi (yummmm, steamed bun with meat inside) is an everyday item that is named for Bao, meaning to carry. It’s a carrying-thing.

Kuaizi, chopsticks, are little pieces of bamboo (kuai). Bamboo-things.

Hanzi, Chinese characters, are a concrete representation of the Chinese people, commonly identified as Han (dating back to the dynasty of the same name, under which China prospered). They’re Chinese-people-things!

It is one of my favorite things about China: there’s always a connection to some higher, purer idea. It’s such a relief for practical me, in almost a spiritual way~ insinuating that even our very lives always have a higher purpose.

Going to study vocab now. Peace!

Linx that were interesting today:

http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/report/911Report_Ch13.pdf interesting observation around p 403, that although American intelligence has been reorganized under DHS, the administrative side is in danger of being consumed by day-to-day concerns at the expense of long-term planning.

http://jurist.org/paperchase/2010/05/obama-administration-seeking-to-limit-miranda-rights-in-terror-cases.php how can you delay the right to remain silent?

http://jurist.org/paperchase/2010/05/australia-government-announces-new-military-court.php Australia has divided its court system by subject area: the family issues court is separate from the regular court, and they are adding a new military court under under federal jurisdiction. It will have “the same independence and constitutional protections” as the regular court. Could this be the herald of a new military-but-under-supreme-court-jurisdiction system, a response to the question of how to try anti-state agents? But who is an anti-state agent? let;’s not get into that rats nest right now…

the whole wide world

fsotee — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:48:17 +0000

Welcome to a new project. My goal is to ace the FSOT within 2 years. It is a “monster”, as my French teacher would say to describe phrases like Qu’est-ce que c’est. Its purpose is to determine whether a candidate can function with grace and intelligence in the sticky, supersensitive world of foreign affairs. Do you know about the world? Are you going to make us look like jackasses, or Martians, or stuck-in-the-peat mammoths, or Mrs. Potts, or leprechauns? Can you compute the interest decrease of a bond whose country’s currency took a 45% nosedive against the dollar? Do you know where Yap State is? Do you know where OBL is? Nah, just fishing for some free info.

Then there is the massive psych-out session aka oral portion. Official descriptions are vague at best, but it sounds eerily akin to a firing squad, or ANTM panel, except that first they put you in a room with your competitors to see who comes out on top in a group setting. 20 ambitious people, overeducated, overstimulated in the CNS region, all trying for that prime Fiji assignment…and..GO.

Day one: prognosis: DRECK!