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If you had access to a senior Japanese naval officer involved in the Japanese submarine fleet, what questions would you ask about the Soryu class boats as potential replacements for the Collins class?
Royal Australian Navy – Turning Japanese? "I really think so…"
The latest controversy to rock the State of South Australia is the Abbott government's broadcast to build the replacement for the Collins class submarines in Japan. The reason? Well may you ask. To his thinking, this will 'give value' to the Australian taxpayers' dollar. Really? Ripping jobs and potential new future employment/investment out of a state equates to the PM's interpretation of 'value' does it?
The economy of South Australia is not very diversified. Essentially it is a farm and a mine. South Australia's 'value' relies on its fresh produce, its wines, its wheat and meat. Our mining and active mineral exploration sector does and will continue to add to the State's coffers. But, these two commodities (farming & mining) are not consistent earners. A bad harvest can shear millions off the State's agricultural bottom line. Lack of demand can affect the amount of raw, unrefined mining products we can sell to the international markets, locking us into a perennial boom and bust cycle. Car manufacturing and naval shipbuilding were the only other significant economic assets we had in South Australia. The impending closure of the General Motors plant at Elizabeth in 2016 will take auto manufacturing out of the equation. The Abbott government's consideration regarding the building of 12 next generation Royal Australian Navy subs, ignores 20 years of local investment in creating a sophisticated conventional submarine construction plant.
It is interesting listening to politicians and punditry talk about the potential saving of billions of Australian dollars. Figures bandied around are a moveable feast i.e., from AUD30 billion (built in Japan) versus AUD33 billion (built in Australia) to AUD20 billion (built in Japan) versus AUD40 billion (built in Australia). Have we inculcated that our boats will require different types of systems and sub-systems to that of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force? Will the Japanese builders 'get it right' first time around? There are more questions than answers that Mr Abbott needs to disclose to the Australian taxpayers before presenting the public with a fait accompli. My book On Weapons Decisions published in 2002, where I wrote on Australian acquisitions between 1963-96, included the Collins class submarines and I must say that so far we hear only of the boats' failings, never about their successes.
Then there is the social cost. Rising unemployment and problems associated with it. Surely this can't be good for the people, nor can it be good for national security. People's hopelessness, disillusionment, disadvantage brought about by the endless struggle to make ends meet, can't be good for any government once the "she'll be right" mentality has lost its meaning.
And finally there is the strategic cost. Farming critically important aspects of self-reliance out to a foreign government is never a good idea, especially were that foreign government caught up in its own strategic dramas which could skew the production of military hardware towards domestic rather than foreign requirements.
It is spurious politics to talk about savings when the costs are so highly speculative. And, it is bad politics to condemn a mainland state of Australia to economic under-development and strategic irrelevance.
Putin and the Ukraine: The quintessential Russian chess master
Using the political turmoil in Ukraine and perceptions of Western weakness to his advantage, Putin hatched a plan designed to keep hold of Russia's strategic interests in the Crimea by sending in his soldiers, capturing or surrounding airfields and other important military infrastructure, without a shot being fired. Under the cover of military manoeuvres along the Ukrainian-Russian border, 25,000 soldiers wearing no insignia were given strict orders not to provoke a clash with Ukrainian forces, but to move into the Ukrainian autonomous province of Crimea in what can only be interpreted as 'occupation by stealth'. However, in doing so, President Putin broke a tenet of law that bound together the post-Soviet periphery around Russia (that Russia would respect the territorial sovereignties of post-Soviet states). This now is void. Perhaps now the 1997 agreement between Moscow and Kiev that allowed Russia to use Crimea till 2042 as the base for its Black Sea Fleet – the only ice-free naval port Russia has, and one that allows Russia to exert power into the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond, is void too. So was it therefore necessary to take the area by force? Well, that would certainly depend on one's perspective. The ousting of pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was considered by some interests in Moscow a 'game changer'. Bereft of a natural ally in Kiev, Putin and his inner circle may very well have thought that ownership of Crimea is nine-tenths of the law. No one could make a play to push Russia's naval presence out of Crimea if Russian troops were there in numbers. Indeed. But the risks associated with this move may have some unforeseen consequences. One of the most pressing issues confronting Russia is the prospect of economic harm. Since Friday February 28 to the time of writing, March 4, foreign investors, no longer convinced that Russia is a 'good bet', are selling Russian assets. The value of the rouble, as well as Russian stocks and bonds, have tanked. Russia's MICEX stock index fell by $60 billion. According to the ING Bank, Russia spent 2 percent of its gold and foreign exchange reserves to prevent the rouble from free fall. But Russia is not the Soviet Union and trade is a two-way street. Russia still controls the flow of significant oil and gas supplies to Western Europe. Russia is a premier nuclear weapons state. And Russia is an exporter of key commodities to the international market. So the question then becomes, how much Western economic pressure can be applied to a state that is essential to a large segment of the international community? Can today's Russia be economically isolated and treated like North Korea or Iran? Possibly not. Furthermore, there is the potential to amplify Russian nationalism. For the US and Western Europe to throw Russia into the economic deep-end would in all likelihood create a 'laager' mentality where Russian memories of international isolation during Soviet times catalyse into a more virulent form of nationalism to that practiced by Putin. Then there is the very real dilemma of hurting the former Soviet states dependent on a relatively healthy Russian economy. If the West punishes Russia too severely over its push into Crimea, Central Asian countries, not in anyone's firing line, might be crippled and destabilised. This obviously would have very real implications on the spread of jihadist sentiment throughout this fragile region. There is a lot at stake and none of it easy to deal with.
Returning to the domestic situation in Russia, should the oligarchs currently favouring Putin's hardline against Ukraine be asked to sacrifice too much of their profitability for 'Mother Russia', what may come back to haunt the Russian president is then their reliability as partners in modern Russia's experiment with 'authoritarian-capitalism'. Having suffered their first negative run on the markets and money being king in today's neo-Liberal international order, it may be that the oligarchs' tolerance for playing the nationalist card with Putin over Crimea could quickly fade, and may lead Kremlin power-brokers to replace the Putin-Medvedev political duopoly that has ruled Russia since 2000. But then again, Russian political culture favours a strong leader and Putin is extremely clever in playing to the sum of all Russian fears of Western post-Cold War triumphalism. If Crimea is kept in Russia's orbit without enduring too much more economic punishment, perhaps Putin and his supporters will be vindicated. Crimea from a strategic perspective may very well be worth the price of a temporary lull in economic activity. If on the other hand Ukraine provokes a Russian use of force which escalates into something less controllable, the only real option President Putin will have is to use massive, decisive conventional force to deal Ukraine and by extension, the West, a sharp, irreversible shock. Cooler heads may prevail, but looking at how Russia has emerged as a real challenger to American international power without being as strong as the US or as rich as the US, Washington might have to act to halt the perception of its own decline. Putin has been given much room to manoeuvre. Providing sanctuary to former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden has not been forgiven. Russia's involvement as protector of the Syrian regime and as a silent partner and protector of Iran has not been forgiven. A potential USD2 billion arms deal to Egypt in February, even though welcomed by the Egyptians, (old American geostrategic turf), has not been forgiven. Washington will be working on a check on Putin's ambitions and Russia's re-emergence as a significant power. Cashed-up, angry and vengeful the US may well use the Crimean crisis as Putin's tipping point. But against a skilled player like Putin, President Obama will need a nimble and highly targeted strategy. Wielding a hammer to kill a fly will net no gain and may well work against the Americans as others become collateral damage to American blind fury.
Unemployment – the greatest national security threat of all
Free trade, globalisation, national politics, national community. What is wrong with this picture? Simple, these four terms are not mutually complementary. With no political imagination or 'chutzpah', we of the First World now lie prostrate before the 'Masters of the Universe' on Wall Street. To them everything and everyone is a commodity to be traded; there is a general consensus that without these captains of industry, we the people would be destitute. But wait! Aren't we the people staring destitution in the face? The EU's middle class and working class have been dealt a severe blow by the transformative event of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). In the US, the centre of Western manufacturing and innovation, those hurt the most by the GFC's transformation are the working poor who are now poorer. People who were on the lower socio-economic scale and aspired to be middle class have nothing to hang their dreams on. People who were middle class and aspired to higher ranking, lost houses, cars and other symbols of 'social mobility'. People in Australia, the 'lucky country' are giving up on hope after the various governments of Australia foolishly bet everything on the one horse race called China. Now that China is buying less of Australia's unrefined commodities – the fuel of China's boom – there is a sense that the country is about to face a long avoided financial reckoning. However, the idea of Australia being the farm and the mine to Asia has yet to pass from view since the alternatives are too hard to imagine. This is what globalisation has done. This is what our political elites have bought into and this unfortunately, is what we seem to be stuck with. Free trade is ethically superior to propping up 20th Century industries. Free trade makes money and drives innovation. But it also has no social basis for egalitarianism, no inherent fairness. It's the markets that create demand. But what are the markets? What drives demand? People: advertising and PR companies who manipulate the public's desire for things of little intrinsic value. Fast food, mobile phones, and the 'common luxuries' that everyone seems to want and want at bargain basement prices. So, what happens when political parties of all persuasions buy into this? The political class becomes co-opted by the economic class. They essentially become a ruling group, localised fractures and differences notwithstanding. The politicians, in spite of the glaring social problems that unfettered globalisation has created, will defend free trade and globalisation and convince the great unwashed – the public – that there are no alternatives. That there is no human ability to innovate politically so one can make money, even be rich and yet ensure that fairness is central to this enterprise.
This morning an expert on social issues on a local talkback radio show, tried to explain the virtues of all those 'high-tech', 'high-value' knowledge-based goods yet to be thought of, that will, in the future (which as we know is an undiscovered country), require a skilled workforce. In the opinion of some, the prospective closing of the auto industry in Australia, largely based in the states of South Australia and Victoria, is really not that bad. Really? The jobs that according to economists have 'no commercial value', generally low-skilled jobs, are being shunted off-shore to low cost countries. The knock-on effects are naturally felt further up the chain. Shopkeepers, who depend on 'cashed-up' factory workers to keep their businesses viable, are no longer needed. Small/medium businesses that service the manufacturing hubs of developed nation-states are closing and their work is being outsourced to developing world countries. Western countries are bleeding essential services from their economies. What remains is the hope that salvation will come with a formula to absorb the newly unemployed. The commentariat are full of helpful suggestions. Their new buzzword 'Knowledge Based Industry' is as confusing as it is patronizing. If 'Knowledge Based Industry' is a term based on reality, then Western states would have naturally and seamlessly transited to this more sophisticated mode of production two or more decades ago. Green industry? Yes, we can produce giant fields of windmills with no discernable effect on climate change or base load power. This quixotic exercise is wasteful in financial and human capital. A continuation of the current state of affairs will certainly enrich poorer, lower skilled countries. The West will certainly get cheaper manufactured goods, but conspicuous consumption on welfare payments puts a huge crimp on spending. What economists should acknowledge is that sometimes there is social value in keeping local factories open so that people who otherwise have no hope, have employment and a chance at raising their social and income levels. Furthermore, national leaders of all stripes must surely see the sense in providing the part of their populations that need it, access to low skilled work since at a bare minimum, these people can still contribute their taxes for the provision of government services. This would be what a socially responsible government would think. Social responsibility is the highest social, economic and political good a government can provide its citizens.
And what of the national security threat posed by protracted high unemployment – boredom. De-industrialised urban areas are already filled with young, angry and disenchanted people fuelled by a mixture of drugs and alcohol, left to their own devices and poorly policed. Such areas of urban decay will impact on the wealthier suburban areas, creating what will be tantamount to urban warzones – poor against rich. Governments without vision of which there are many, will resort to brutal policing tactics to curb some of the worst of the violent crimes but will be loath to anger the 'high-born' economists or traders who made their fortunes by advising to sell or selling factories off-shore. Buying back the farm is no longer considered an option in a globalised, borderless world. Political agitation may in some circumstances give rise to political violence and terrorism, not of the Osama bin Laden type, but of the violent domestic left wing terrorism the West experienced in the 1970s-80s. Some developed countries may have outbreaks of social instability, bringing down governments. So far, the Masters of the Universe have won some significant battles, but have not yet won the war for control. However, as the means of production (low skilled and otherwise) is shifted to less developed states, economic growth in the West will falter unless saved by an as yet unforseen technology or method of re-training the existing 'antiquated' labour force. In a new cycle of history, the poorer countries that had been on the periphery of modern, post-Cold War geopolitics will take centre stage. Armed with Western means of production sold to them by Western interests for a tidy profit, an understanding of Western social norms and conditions and with a burgeoning youth bubble, these once underprivileged societies may end up looking more like what the West used to be. It happened before when Rome accustomed and integrated the German tribes to Roman standards, only to have the German tribes visit fire on the 'Eternal City' with German-made Roman-style weapons. There may be a lesson in this.
By Dr. John Bruni, Director SAGE International
Idle hands are the devil's playthings…
The Syrian civil war (2011-), just as the civil war that wracked Iraq after the toppling of Saddam (2003-11), and the civil war that toppled Col. Gaddafi in Libya (2011), act as magnets for foreign fighters, people drawn into the conflict, often because of a shared sense of loyalty to the ethnic or sectarian value of one or the other side. Presently Australian intelligence suggests that there are some 200 Australian-born/or permanent residents who have found their way into Syria, most to fight against the incumbent government of Bashar al-Assad. These same estimates purport to know that of these 200 individuals, most have joined the ranks of the hardcore jihadist elements – the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) and the Al-Nusra Front. That the handful of people who have committed themselves to the 'cause' might potentially pose a threat to Australia upon their return from the Syrian battlefields is obvious. Armed with jihadist ideology that is anti-Western, and with the practical knowledge of how to rig IEDs or conduct small-scale paramilitary assaults, people who have volunteered their service to groups like ISIL or Al-Nusra, are rightly considered 'suspect' in their enduring loyalty to the state in which they reside – for the sake of this blog – Australia. But what made these volunteers volunteer in the first place? Many are of Sunni Lebanese origin. Many are economically disadvantaged and socially alienated. Life in Australia can be tough and people need to hold onto something to give their lives meaning and hope. In this case they turn to extreme Islam and to the struggles of their ancestral homes. Realistically though, even if one were to argue that of the 200 individuals, 50 were fighters, what threat do they pose to Australia? Of our hypothetical figure of 50 fighters, some would have come home with physical or psychological trauma from the conflict. Some would have come home thoroughly jaded with political Islam and abandon it altogether, perhaps leaving as many as 10 jihadists. From these 10 jihadists possibly as few as 5 able-bodied, radicalised fighters may consider to take up arms against Australia. Assuming that 5 hardcore fighters exist, they would probably attempt to attack large, soft targets like open markets, malls and places of symbolic value. However, since 9/11, the Bali (2002) bombings and the London (2005) bombings, these soft targets are now covered by CCTV cameras – all linked to state and territory policing agencies. Local intelligence agencies are also confident of identifying and tracking those they believe pose some threat to Australia. There are no guarantees of perfect information, but it is better than total ignorance. Coming from the school of thought that prevention is better than cure, one has to wonder, why did the Australian government subscribe to multicultural theory, when the practice of multiculturalism is fraught with issues of national discord and discourages social cohesion? A strong country that values its own people from whatever background, and actively integrates them into the rich tapestry of one over-arching national culture, is surely better than a country that breeds disgruntlement, resentment and allows ancient feuds to fester under the guise of minority rights and freedoms. But then again such a country would probably have an economic model that allowed its human capital to be gainfully employed rather than trapped in the crushing dependence of welfare.
Democracy is dead, long live democracy!
As we rush into the 21st Century, one thing is becoming more and more apparent and that is that the old ideals that were fundamental to great civilisations, no longer hold currency. Living in freedom doesn't have the same ring to it, unless it refers to the freedom to shop as an atomised consumer, unencumbered by weighty thoughts like politics. Indeed 'citizenship' itself seems redundant, like so many other words that used to hold sway for good or bad. Words like treason, betrayal, nationalism, faith and community – anachronisms all – now replaced by globalisation, consumerism, social media and the Internet. These latter points are what matter today; it is what mobilises the masses; what dulls their senses to what may very well be the inevitable – a world where power politics lacks power. Where the only power worth having is economic power. And in this world, a world of over 7 billion and counting, greed is not only good, it is the preserve of the über rich who are detached from the banalities of ordinary life. Anecdotal evidence for this may very well be the formulation of new trade treaties such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). These trade treaties are not just multilateral experiments in 'free trade', they are rapidly becoming a new mode of global governance, where the state, the last vestige of public participation in politics (democratic or autocratic), becomes the servant to the new God of economics, driven not for the good of the people, nor out of a sense of fairness or justice, but for the good of the super wealthy and the market. Indeed, so overt is this, that if we take the TPP as prime example, we see that no government involved in this 'trade deal' is challenging the extreme secrecy surrounding its negotiations. What has been leaked to us via Wikileaks is that the TPP will be a monster like no other. It will force us to eat genetically modified food; it will rollback national health laws regarding the use of tobacco and it will increase the cost of medicines because international 'Big Pharma' is a conglomerate, acting in unison. It will in effect curtail national political power through the ability to challenge national laws created to protect the public from harm. This may in effect pose a clear and present danger to the notion of national sovereignty itself.
With the support of modern technologies and the ever-present architecture of the surveillance state penetrating the stratum of society to tempt the unaware, the strong-willed as well as the gullible, the politically engaged, the bystanders and the apathetic, these new trade deals will manipulate our desires, thus keeping us chained to never-ending debt and create a web of dependence that only organised violence can break. And why? Because politicians of all persuasions, have given up on hope. Their incapacity to wield their power for the public good, says something about their ultimate corruptibility as much as their hopelessness. Perhaps the secrecy of the talks on the TPP & TTIP has something to do with the obvious international political malaise and lack of leadership.
By Dr. John Bruni, Director SAGE International
A never-ending cycle of blame
Just as Australia is bedding down the Snowden spying controversy (documents revealing that Australian intelligence agencies tapped the phones of the senior Indonesian leadership, including Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife), another scandal is emanating, this time from the 'halfling-island' of East Timor. A former mal-administered colony of Portugal, and brutally oppressed former province of Indonesia, East Timor is taking the Australian government to The Hague claiming that in 2004, Canberra spied on negotiators in order to give unfair advantage to Australian oil and gas giant Woodside Petroleum during the bilateral treaty – Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea (CMATS).
A retired (un-named) ASIS officer who was allegedly ordered to plant a bug in the East Timorese cabinet room, had an attack of conscience and decided to act as a star witness against the Commonwealth of Australia. Attorney General George Brandis ordered raids on the office of Canberra lawyer Bernard Collaery (acting on behalf of the East Timorese government), and on the home of the retired ASIS officer and whistleblower, preventing him from appearing in The Hague by confiscating his passport.
The Left of Australian politics has come out in force to criticise Prime Minister Tony Abbott for defending the 'unethical behaviour' of the former LNP Howard government. And while it may seem that the un-named ASIS whistleblower was morally correct to rat on his colleagues and on Howard officials who used an arm of Australian intelligence for the commercial gain of an Australian company, we have to look a little deeper into this to understand why this happened.
East Timor in 2004 was far from a stable country. Having been liberated by an Australian-led military intervention in 1999 (INTERFET) at an approximate cost of AUD 400 million to the Australian taxpayers, (an Australian action which by its very nature almost sparked a war with Indonesia), the domestic political wash-up in the East Timorese capital Dili, post-liberation, was far from clear. Deep-seated ethnic divisions and antagonisms wracked the new nation. It was unclear whether the duumvirate of then President Xanana Gusmao and nationalist agitator José Ramos-Horta would hold. In fact the newly formed military (the Falintil-Forças de Defesa de Timor Leste or F-FDTL), clashed with police units in September 2003 and December 2004, leading to speculation that East Timor might in fact become a failed state on the door-step of both Indonesia and Australia. In this climate of uncertainty it was in the national interest to determine just how resilient the East Timorese leadership was and what their plans and motivations were regarding the rich oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea. That East Timor would always feel an aggrieved party to the negotiations stands. As one of Asia's poorest countries and with a population of over 1 million, Dili could not have realistically expected the lion's share of the oil and gas due to a number of factors. Woodside Petroleum, the commercial entity that would provide the monies and technologies to extract and distribute the resources, needed more than simple assurances from East Timor that 'everything would work out OK'. Woodside would not have made a commitment unless they knew that their part in this deal was secure. Furthermore, as one of Australia's largest commercial entities, it was not unreasonable for the Howard government to use Australian intelligence assets to assess the lay of the land. There was a lot to lose had things gone wrong. As it stands, the treaty that was negotiated in 2004 would still make the East Timorese a much richer society. But now, using the skills of an Australian lawyer, the confession and 'moral anguish' of the very person who allegedly spied on the East Timorese, and support of a part of the anti-establishment Australian media and the East Timor lobby, a case is being made to scrap the 2004 CMATS treaty. So, who loses if the treaty is scrapped? The East Timorese. Renegotiating a new treaty with East Timor is not expected to be a quick undertaking. And even if it were, there is one screamingly obvious point that needs to be made. East Timor is rated 119/177 by the recently released Transparency International Report, the 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index. What does this mean? It means that even if a successful renegotiation of the oil and gas treaty and a successful legal push by the East Timorese in The Hague were to happen, there remains the central question – how would this wealth be spent?
While the now East Timorese Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmao claims: "Raiding the premises of a legal representative of Timor-Leste and taking such aggressive action against a key witness is unconscionable and unacceptable conduct. It is behaviour that is not worthy of a close friend and neighbour or of a great nation like Australia," it is worth remembering that just because a country is 'poor' does not give it a greater case for ever increasing charity. As Australia 'birthed' and subsidized a large proportion of post-liberation East Timor through government assistance and other programs, East Timor should approach its relations with Australia from a position of enduring gratitude and friendship without which they would not have had independence. For those who believe in redistributing wealth in favor of the 'downtrodden', let's be under no illusion; the downtrodden are usually in their position not just because of prevailing unfavorable externalities, but also because in many instances their privileged elite lack the moral and ethical capital to improve the situation of their people and take comfort in blaming others for their position.
By Dr. John Bruni, Director SAGE International
Peace in our time?
The announcement by the Obama Administration that a deal had been hammered out with the Iranians over their nuclear program caused mixed reactions. Open consternation came from House Republicans, who have demonised the Mullahs in Tehran since their ascension to power in 1979. Also openly critical is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while more muted criticism came from the Sunni Gulf (GCC) States. On the other side of the ledger are Obama's supporters and the governments of the P5+1 group (the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany), that worked tirelessly to extract what is being widely touted as an Iranian climb-down after years of eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation, (under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad), with the West.
So, is a celebration premature? Or are the doomsayers in Tel Aviv and among the GCC States reflecting a more accurate reality? Only time will tell. And there are so many different variables to consider, not just the nuclear situation in Iran. There is Iran's support of various militant factions in the Palestinian territories (Hamas) and southern Lebanon (Hezbollah); Iran's hand in the Syrian civil war (backing the Assad regime); the power play between Saudi Arabia, the seat of the Sunni Islam versus the 'Shia' of Iran; Israel's nuclear weapons; Israel's reluctance toward the creation of a Palestinian state; Israel's relations with the Arab world; Israel's hostility toward Iran. Then there is the fact that this agreement between the West and Iran leaves out the region's other diplomatic players, the Gulf States and Israel. No long-standing peace can be guaranteed with these actors merely sitting on the sidelines. These are just some of the complicating issues that might well see any deal between the P5+1 dissolve before the 6-month life span given.
On a more optimistic note, if Iranian motives for peace are indeed 'pure', then we are in the midst of a power change in the Middle East that may see Iran secure for itself a long-term position as a preferred US security partner (in conjunction with, not against Israel). Given that Iran sits astride the Gulf, is a neighbour to problematic Pakistan, Afghanistan and the politically unstable, energy rich Central Asian Republics, there is some utility for US policy planners to prepare for such a scenario. What needs to be watched carefully over the next few weeks and months ahead, is local Iranian reaction to what will be extremely intrusive IAEA inspections at some very sensitive sites. Not all Iranians, especially those who were heavily invested in the Ahmadinejad years, will be happy to facilitate an IAEA run on Iran's sovereignty at the behest of the United States. Watch this space, we are in for interesting times.
By Dr. John Bruni, Director SAGE International
Levée en masse: Napoleon's legacy to the world
Upon listening to the latest edition of Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast, the following blog came to mind.
Today, the influence of Napoleon Bonaparte is hardly considered when contemporary strategists pen their tomes on the way of warfare. Today it is all about drones, robots, all forms of automation and cyberspace. And perhaps it is true to say that in our more sophisticated, politically correct world, we are post-heroic, post-modern, post-ideological, post-religious, post-industrial shadows of our former selves. Gone are the 20th Century existential threats to world peace. Gone is NAZI Germany, the Soviet Union and Maoist China. But with the demise of these powers which required the mobilisation of national resources in preparation for total war – a peculiarly 20th Century notion of warfare – we now face a very different strategic environment, one that requires much smaller and dare I say restricted or limited force-structures. Perhaps when historians reflect on the international military changes during the early part of the 21st Century, they may suggest that man's military necessities returned to a default setting of sorts i.e., back to 'limited war' settings. Even the mightiest forces (in numbers of personnel) are shrinking, cutting the idea of citizen-forces and conscripts from the equation. Smaller, high-tech, professional forces are certainly easier to fund during a time of austerity and are certainly more appropriate to use where countries no longer confront globalised threats from highly militarised, belligerent powers. But this is also a great leveller. Historically speaking, in the 17th Century, the great powers of Europe balanced off each other in a stable environment where no one great power possessed the means to overwhelm its rival. Today, we are approaching a similar strategic landscape, but on a global scale. Conventional forces around the world are being cut back, and apart from those states that possess nuclear weapons and the means of delivering them, no country can actually overwhelm another. The French Revolution was the turning point that broke old Europe's notions of stability. Mass recruitment of able-bodied men, 'levée en masse' created a pool of conventional manpower designed to defend the first republic against the small, professional and mercenary armies of the European absolutist monarchs. It was a game changer. Wielded by the military and administrative genius of Napoleon Bonaparte, the French masses crushed the armies of absolutist Europe and then went on a rampage that saw much of continental Europe under French control from 1799-1814. But during this period of time, the absolutist enemies of France learnt a painful lesson and created their own variants of levée en masse. The post-Bonapartist period saw all European kingdoms and empires retain the ability to mobilise their respective populations and keep larger 'peacetime' standing forces in-being. This, coupled with the rapid changes of the industrial revolution that proliferated new military technologies, improved mobilisation schedules. By the eve of World War I, continental Europe was primed for annihilation. Twenty-five years later, with a steeper evolutionary climb by European armed forces, and building on the Bonapartist tradition, European powers fought another savage war. Indeed the idea of levée en masse continued throughout the Cold War period, kept in check only by the advent and proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. In an interesting historic counter-factual, would World War III have ignited in central Europe or northeast Asia were there not the fear of weapons of mass destruction overarching and all-destructive, keeping leaders and their ambitions under control? With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the idea of another total war being fought for global supremacy, the vacuum was not filled by states willing to maintain a large force in-being. Quite the contrary, every country sought to capitalise on a 'peace dividend'. Even states that had long-standing quarrels and skirmishes with neighbours. Today, even the biggest militaries struggle to maintain themselves in the absence of a major threat to global peace. The reasons are complex. Yes, the Global Financial Crisis has impacted on defence budgets worldwide and will continue to do so for some time to come. But the creation of semi-automated and automated weaponry is replacing the need for large numbers of combatants. As force structures shift to accommodate and embed new technologies, larger powers and many medium-sized powers will become equally capable. Manpower won't matter and certainly won't intimidate. Does this mean that levée en masse; the legacy of Napoleon has been dealt the deathblow? No. Countries that are poor and underdeveloped will still use a form of levée en masse in order to recruit terrorists, insurgents, militias in numbers, in areas and in ways designed to complicate, confuse and push back against the automated, professionalised mechanised forces of others, Iraq and Afghanistan should act as salutary warnings of things to come.
By Dr. John Bruni, Director SAGE International
Shaking Hands with Clenched Fists II
A number of years ago (2002), my colleague at the University of Adelaide, Professor Purnendra Jain and I wrote a piece for the Asian Times entitled, 'Shaking Hands with Clenched Fists'. In short it described the issues the Howard government faced in its bilateral relations with Indonesia following the MV Tampa incident, and the surprising success it had in rebalancing relations based on pragmatism, countering mutual threats such as People Smugglers and Terrorists. In short, the article demonstrated that in spite of the very real differences between Australia and its northern neighbour, it did not all have to be bad. The Abbott government has moved relatively quickly in its attempt to re-establish good relations with Indonesia after a period of drift & mixed signals during the Rudd-Gillard years. The problem of course is that governance and international relations are like two sides of a coin – espousing both declaratory policy (open source) and operational policy (secret) concurrently. Often, declaratory policy runs contrary to operational policy, and when this conflict of interest takes place in the public domain, government-to-government relations can sour and bring about unwelcome knock-on effects. For example, Prime Minister Abbott's recent visit to Indonesia (early October) was seen and perceived to be a success, yet, in light of the revelations from the Snowden leaks which suggest that the Australian Embassy in Jakarta was used to facilitate American spying on that country, (and that such activities involved more than one Australian embassy in the region), it comes as no surprise that on her visit to Australia (November 12, 2013), Professor Dewi Fortuna Anwar, adviser to the Indonesian Vice-President, stood firm that her country reserved the right not to take asylum seekers retrieved from Australia's maritime search and rescue zone. People smuggling agreements between Australia and Indonesia that were hard fought and largely hammered out behind closed doors are thankfully not imperilled, but the rhetorical battle played out in the headlines has caused some consternation for the Abbott government, especially for the new immigration and border protection minister, Scott Morrison. Morrison was forced on the defensive, conceding that Indonesia has blocked Australian efforts at returning Indonesian-based asylum seekers. This has now hit the national headlines with much of the Australian media running stories suggesting that there is a real crisis in the making. Much of this tinderbox reaction fuels long-held bias in Australia that somehow, Indonesia, because of its embryonic democracy and corruption-ridden government, poses a lurking threat to Australian interests. This public perception ignores the fact that the Australian government has an enduring interest in keeping Indonesia's experiment with democracy going, no matter how messy or uncertain. Speaking of politics, while Australia has just finished its electoral cycle, Indonesia's is only now starting to ramp-up with presidential elections due in mid-2014. Political transitions are hotbeds of jockeying for position, and using external controversies to shore up domestic support is an age-old tactic. We in Australia should not be overly concerned by the headlines. The ties that bind Australia and Indonesia will remain. But we do have to manage our public diplomacy better. Australia is a status quo power and Indonesia is a rising power and how we relate to each other will increasingly determine how comfortable our respective leaderships are with each other.
By Dr. John Bruni, Director SAGE International


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Hemp seed hummus
I am happy to share this recipe for hemp seed hummus from the new book Super Seeds: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Chia, Quinoa, Flax, Hemp & Amaranth (Superfood Series) from my friend Kim Lutz, author of the Welcoming Kitchen blog and book. Here's my book review. If you haven't ever cooked with […]
BLT salad with spicy tomato dressing
If you're surprised to see me posting this BLT salad, you're probably not any more surprised than I am. Since we ate plant-based for more than four years, I thought my days of eating bacon were long over. My diagnosis in January of Meniere's Disease with migraine variant caused me to completely rethink everything I […]
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subset: commoncrawl


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Two juveniles escape wrecked vehicle before fire
WOONSOCKET -- Two juveniles were able to escape from a wrecked vehicle before it became engulfed in flames after a crash shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday on a gravel road southwest of Woonsocket.
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Thanksgiving vegetable ideas other than green beans
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I am not a big fan of green beans in general and my family detests the "tradtional" green bean casserole. What else would be good and relatively easy? Spinach? Broccoli?
The rest of the sides are mashed russet and sweet potatoes, and cornbread dressing with turkey sausage.
What about this creamy carrot casserole?
I don't think we should try to pretend that the meal has a ounce of healthiness in it :)
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NYT posts a wild rice salad with celery and walnut as a side for Thanksgiving dinner:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/hea...Even if you stick with green bean, you can make a new version. I have had this sesame tempura green beans in a restaurant and that's pretty much the only way that I will eat green beans:


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Cyber-Scammers Exploit Typing Errors to Intercept Email, Phish Details
Cyber-Scammers Exploit Typing Errors to Intercept Email, Phish Details
Fahmida Y. Rashid
Posted 2011-09-11
Research from M86 Security and Godai Group highlights the importance of typing correct domain names when sending emails and surfing the Web.
Typosquatting is a widespread problem on the Web, as scammers register domains similar to popular Websites to trick users who accidentally mistype a domain name. Several recent Web security studies suggest that Internet users need to be more careful about their typing to avoid Web scams and getting compromised by malicious sites. Researchers at the security consultancy Godai Group set up domain names that were variations of legitimate Websites belonging to Fortune 500 companies. Over the course of six months, the researchers collected more than 120,000 individual emails containing trade secrets, business invoices, employee personal identification information, network diagrams, usernames and passwords, the researchers said in a report released Sept. 6.
The domains used in the research were not misspelled, but were missing the "dot" between the subdomain and the domain in the address. For example, Yahoo uses "mail.yahoo.com" for its mail service. A doppelganger domain would be "mailyahoo.com"
The attacker would purchase the doppelganger domain and configure an email server as a catch-all account to receive all messages to that domain, regardless of the username that the message is addressed to. People often mistype email addresses when sending out messages, and attackers rely on this natural human error to collect sensitive information, the researchers wrote. "Essentially, a simple mistype of the destination domain could send anything that is sent over email to an unintended destination," the authors wrote in the report. About 30 percent, or 151, of the Fortune 500 companies the researchers analyzed were susceptible to this kind of man-in-the-mailbox attack, the report said. Researchers Peter Kim and Garrett Gee recommended that organizations buy doppelganger domains as a preventive measure against these kinds of attacks.
In fact, researchers discovered that some of the largest companies already had doppelganger domains registered to locations in China and to domains "associated with malware and phishing." Some examples included Cisco, Dell and Yahoo. "If in six months we were able to collect 20 gigabytes of data, imagine what a malicious attacker could gain," the researchers wrote. In another example of typosquatting, M86 Security researchers found domains with URLs like YoutTube.com (an extra "t") redirect unsuspecting users to an online survey site, such as videorewardsonline.com, Rodel Mendrez, a researcher at M86 Security, wrote on the company blog Sept. 8. The survey site looks like a YouTube site, with similar fonts and logos. There has been a "rapid spike in traffic" to the survey site recently, most likely as a result of traffic from typosquatted domains, Mendrez speculated. The malicious site uses IP address geolocation to create localized versions for users and requires users to participate by entering an email address and mobile phone number, Mendrez said. The main purpose of the survey is to get people to subscribe to an auto-renewing prime-rate SMS subscription service, he found. Similarly, researchers at Avast Software found that scammers are disguising malicious files by changing file extensions to look innocuous. The "
Unitix" technique
changes malicious Windows executable files (.exe) into benign graphic images or Word documents by means of a hidden Unicode entry, Avast said. Unicode is an industry standard in how text is represented using alphanumeric codes and can be used to display languages not based on the Roman alphabet. It can also be used for scripts that go right to left, such as Arabic and Hebrew. Scammers use a specific Unicode to force the system to read the filename from right to left, Avast said. For example, the hidden code could be used to disguise a malicious file "gpj.exe" to be part of a photo file that ends with "exe.jpg." It looks like a photo file because of the .jpg extension, but when it's accessed, the computer sees the Unicode and reads it in reverse, running the file as an executable instead, Avast said.
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Otherwise, how would it work with Fantasmic!?
Otherwise, how would it work with Fantasmic!?
Actually, "Fantasmic!" has been changed (due to waning popularity) to "Arrrr-tasmic on Fantasmic!". The show will remain exactly the same except all characters will be replaced with pirates, and the musical score, of course, will be "refurb"ed to reflect the new "enhancements". Tomorrowland's borders will now be extended to include the frontage path along the ROA to better enhance the new (but exactly the same) theming.:)
No, those additions are not just for the premier. They are part of the new Pirates Lair. They are removable though so that they don't interfere with Fantasmic! (according to latest reports. see Al Lutz's latest report on miceage.com).
Ummm...it's a Pirates of the Caribbean film premiere, the surrounding "crap" is pirate stuff... do you HAVE to be such a stick in the mud about every last little bit of this??? Pirate really isn't a dirty word, swab, regardless of the pain the success of all this has caused you.


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Garcia has MRI on right forearm
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Quarterback Jeff Garcia was added to the San Francisco 49ers injury list Thursday and did not practice due to a bruise on his throwing arm.
Garcia experienced pain and swelling in his right forearm after practicing Wednesday and had an MRI on Thursday morning after it continued to bother him.
"That's exactly what it is, a bruise," coach Dennis Erickson said. "We'll see how it is. He'll play in the football game (Sunday), but it's a day-to-day thing."
Erickson said Garcia injured his arm during San Francisco's 24-17 victory last week over the Detroit Lions, but apparently did not realize the extent of the injury until participating in Wednesday's drills.
Garcia has started 61 consecutive games for the 49ers and is listed as probable for Sunday night's game at in Seattle Seahawks.
Garcia, who wore a brace on his right wrist and forearm as he watched practice, did not speak with reporters Thursday.
"I thought he threw it pretty good (Wednesday)," Erickson said. "You'd like to have him out there. He's been around long enough that it wouldn't affect him as much as it would others."
Backup Tim Rattay took all the snaps with San Francisco's first-team offense in practice.
Garcia also has been hampered this season by back and groin problems. The NFL's all-time leader in touchdown passes-to-interception ratio entering the season, Garcia has thrown six touchdown passes and seven interceptions while San Francisco has struggled to a 2-3 start. He ranks just 27th in the league with a 67.4 passer rating after three straight seasons of finishing among the NFC's top four quarterbacks.
PLUMMER NFC'S BEST: Cornerback Ahmed Plummer was announced as the NFC's Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against Detroit. Plummer had an interception and knocked down two other passes against the Lions. Plummer leads the team and ranks fourth in the NFC with three interceptions.
The fourth-year cornerback has 24 passes defensed since the start of last season -- ranking him sixth in the league during that span. Plummer bulked up to 198 pounds in the offseason, about 15 more than he weighed last year, and he said that has made him stronger and more confident.
"Ahmed's been a solid player for a good three years now, and I think people are finally starting to take notice upon him," Niners defensive coordinator Jim Mora said. "If he can keep making plays on the ball and have big games like that, then people will continue to take notice."
TE JOHNSON COULD MISS SEASON: Erickson said for the first time that it's possible tight end Eric Johnson could miss the remainder of the season because of a broken clavicle he sustained in an Aug. 23 exhibition game against New Orleans.
The Niners originally expected Johnson would be able to return by mid-November and play in the team's final six games.
"That's kind of an iffy thing now," Erickson said. "They take a bone scan every week. It's starting to mend, but we were hoping it would heal faster than it has. In another week or two, we'll know more whether he'll even be able to play this year or whether we'll have to put him on" injured reserve.
Erickson said Johnson, the team's starting tight end since his rookie season of 2001, has lost almost 20 pounds since being injured. It could take weeks for Johnson to get back in playing shape after he is cleared to practice.
"If you're only going to have him back for the last two or three games, it's not worth it," Erickson said. "There's some roster things we can probably do with that spot. But we're going to wait a couple weeks to see where we're at."
EXTRA POINTS: All-Pro receiver Terrell Owens returned to practice after missing Wednesday's session with an Achilles strain. ... Receivers Arnaz Battle (hamstring) and Tai Streets (quadriceps) and cornerback/kick returner Jimmy Williams (back) were added to San Francisco's injury list Thursday. All are listed as probable. ... Seattle coaches ought to know the 49ers system well. Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren was a San Francisco assistant for six years, defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes was a San Francisco assistant 12 years, linebackers coach John Marshall spent 10 years with the 49ers and defensive line coach Dwaine Board coached the past 13 seasons with the Niners before joining the Seahawks this year.
This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index
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The latest education technology news and trends for college and university ed tech professionals. Looking for more in-depth coverage of important topics? Visit our feature article pages!
Two doctoral students in linguistics at the University of Colorado Boulder have created a gesture-based language learning game for the iPad and iPhone.
An Iowa college is replacing its legacy learning management system (LMS) in an effort to move from managing learning to improving it.
Seminole State College of Florida has decided to extend the contract it has with Greenwood Hall, which provides the 32,000-student college in Sanford, FL, with specialized counselors and a technology platform for a number of student services.
A competition to find the best educational models in 3D printing will accept entries through March 18.
Looking for a more efficient way to provision user accounts for its 3,200-plus students, faculty and staff, Marywood University in Pennsylvania has rolled out the User Management Resource Administrator from identity and access management provider Tools4ever.
The concept of the Carnegie unit as one of the defining measurements in education will be tough to uproot, according to a new report out by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
A business school based in France but with a campus in China as well is working with IBM to create a "smart business school" environment. Emlyon, with sites in Lyon, Saint-Etienne and Shanghai, hopes to deliver personalized education to its students through the cloud.
Grayson College in Denison, TX, has selected a new enterprise resource planning software in an effort to improve academic success for its 5,000 students and provide more accountability in its financial systems.
Texas A&M University-Commerce has implemented a new financial aid management system to support its competency-based online degree, the Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Program.
Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications has launched a new online master's degree focused on digital trends and communications industry innovations.
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Lincoln's award-winning 4-star premier restaurant, currently holding 2 AA Rosettes and featured in the Hardens 2009 guide in the category of 'Commended', The Old Bakery is a family-run establishment, serving first class cuisine favoured by celebrities and locals alike. Previously a bed and breakfast, it was reopened as a restaurant in December 2004, with a fully air-conditioned garden under glass added three years later. With the internationally-experienced Head Chef Ivano de Serio at the helm of its kitchen, The Old Bakery offers meals of an excellent quality, without pretension, and cooked to individual requirements. All food is prepared on the premises from start to finish and served in a comfortable, relaxing and well-furnished environment, ideal for meeting up with family and friends for everyday dining, as well as celebrating more special occasions.
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Rush Limbaugh Says Idris Elba Can't Be James Bond Because He's BlackShare Words by Nelson Liu / 2 months ago The radio host compared Elba playing Bond to George Clooney being cast as President Barack Obama. Film
According to Twitter Black People Can't Do ShitShare Words by Tinora Locke / 12 months ago Twitter, you mad or nah? Real Talk


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'Bears' speak Lakota: Cartoon aims to boost struggling language
FARGO - The Berenstain Bears, a popular educational children's cartoon program on public television, soon will be speaking in the language of the Lakota Sioux.
Public television networks in North Dakota and South Dakota will begin broadcasting the Lakota Berenstain Bears episodes Sunday in an effort to help children learn the endangered language.
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Atul Aneja
DUBAI: India has urged oil-producing and consuming countries to evolve a mechanism that would regulate oil prices, by allowing them to fluctuate within a fixed range.
Speaking at a meeting of oil-producing and consuming countries in Saudi Arabia's port city of Jeddah, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram proposed the adoption of a "Price Band Mechanism."
"We have a proposal that will instil mutual confidence. We propose that we adopt a Price Band Mechanism. Consuming countries must guarantee that oil prices will not fall below an agreed level and producing countries must guarantee that oil prices will not rise above a guaranteed level," the Minister observed. He added that market forces should be allowed to determine prices "in the band between these levels."
Voicing concerns of the developing world, Mr. Chidambaram said the current level of oil prices was neither in the interest of oil-producing countries nor the consuming countries. "If the global economy slows down or slips into a recession due to high oil prices, that will eventually hurt all of us."
The Minister stressed that the rising demand for oil was not responsible for the surge in prices. Instead, speculators had played a key role in pushing the price to record highs within the last one year. "Respectfully, we reject the suggestion that rising demand is the cause for spiralling oil prices. Surely, demand and supply dynamics cannot explain what has happened over the last 12 months. How is it that the oil price was $70 a barrel in August 2007 and how is it that it has doubled when there has been no dramatic change in demand?"
Mr. Chidambaram added that the current pandemonium in oil prices lay in "unregulated over-the-counter markets and futures trading in oil."
"There is ample evidence that large financial institutions, pension funds, hedge funds, etc., have channelised billions of dollars, nay, trillions of dollars, into commodity investments. It is common knowledge that these financial transactions are unregulated and highly opaque. The demand for oil generated by these funds is purely speculative demand. In our view, the time has come for producers — especially OPEC — and consumers to wrest control over oil trading from the hands of the speculators."
The Minister acknowledged that heavy investments were required in oil exploration and refining to augment long-term supplies. He proposed that oil-producing countries, which benefited from high prices, should fund capacity expansion requiring an investment of $10 trillion.


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Plain and simple, this is delicious, organic malbec, perhaps the best $12 and under version we've tasted all year. It is produced from 15 year-old vines in sandy, rocky clay in the high (5,500 feet plus) elevations of Cafayate, Argentina. A brief four month elevage in used French oak helps to add some texture without taking away from the wonderful fruit. Rich dark fruit aromas lead to a seriously structured palate, full of dark plum fruit and a refreshingly dry, serious quality.
Below is a listing of the wine review scores we frequently reference in our notes. While these sources remain an excellent source of information, we always recommend that you trust your own palate. Scores in these publications often represent the personal taste of an individual critic, which may not always coincide with your own. We have a huge team of excellent wine professionals that can match wines you've had in the past with new arrivals that meet your flavor profile.
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2012 Bodegas Sur de los Andes Malbec Reserva Mendoza $9.99
2014 Valentin Bianchi "Elsa Bianchi" Malbec Mendoza $9.99
2012 Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Maipo Valley $13.99
2013 Pascual Toso Malbec Maipú $11.99
2012 Luca Malbec Uco Valley $29.99


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Located 7km Tomar, in the Village of Paialvo, is situated Quinta do Lagar de São José. The spaces, rooms arise... More Info »
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Lobbyists representing Wellcare Health Plans, 2009:
Lobbying Firm Hired | Amount | Subsidiary (Lobbied For) | Lobbyist |
Greenberg Traurig LLP | $140,000 | Wellcare Health Plans |
Dunn, Brendan Feraci, Holly Kolton, Eleanor Mahoney, Katie North, Nan Franklin Taylor, Nancy E |
Hogan & Hartson | $160,000 | Wellcare Health Plans |
Archibald, Jeanne S House, W Michael Stuntz, Reid PF Warnke, Christine M Wickett, James M |
Wiley Rein LLP | $140,000 | Comprehensive Health Management |
Bone, Shawn Andrew Slattery, Jim Weaver, Scott |
*Each quarterly filing is treated as a separate report.
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center.


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Children's Literature
Kids will like this book so much they will actually enjoy learning a little math as they read. Harley Harrison, a bristle-haired tattletale and excellent math student, is the scourge of the second grade. He keeps notes documenting the other students' transgressions and then presents them to those in charge. He reports Erwin for chewing erasers after adding up just how many erasers Erwin chews in a week. He reports Cindy and Mindy for forgetting to clean under their desks for three days, after he counts the items they have neglected. He also reports Luis for drinking two chocolate milks a day at lunch. Of course, he totals Luis' intake for the week. Enter Emma Jean, a new student in the class who is also good at math and who reports Harley for spending too much time at the water fountain. Emma Jean adds up the total time before handing the teacher a note. There are a few more rounds before Harley and Emma Jean learn to work together and find they are too busy to tattletale any longer. The illustrations, especially those of pencil-chewing Erwin, capture the flavor of second grade. In addition to the math included in the story, there are "Math Tattle Battle Teasers" for youngsters to solve in the back of the book. 2006, Albert Whitman, Ages 5 to 8.—Carolyn Mott Ford


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Here's The First Official Trailer For Season 3 Of "Orphan Black"
Someone needs to make this film. Immediately.
Lionsgate re-cut a new trailer for Secretary in the style of Fifty Shades, and it is everything.
Not much is known about the upcoming season of House of Cards, so we decided to take some guesses based on the very dramatic first trailer.
The Underwoods aren't murderers — they're survivors. And sometimes Golden Globe winners.
And will make you feel 5 years old again in the best way possible.
While no release date has been set, the game will be exclusive to PS4 and PC.
Something, something, awakens.
Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund, and Rooney Mara join newcomer Levi Miller in a reimagining of the classic story, which files into theaters on Jul. 17, 2015.
Proving that if you put serious music to anything it makes it 1000x crazier.
Iron Man and Hulk are fighting, the new villain, Ultron, is running amok, and Thor is (briefly) naked! What is happening?!
"What if there was a place where nothing was impossible?"
The Newsroom star plays a New Yorker concerned his online girlfriend is not what she appears to be in this trailer, exclusive to BuzzFeed.
"So far I'm not turned on."
Watch the trailer for Eden, the new movie from Mia Hansen-Løve set in the '90s French dance music scene, only on BuzzFeed.
Give it up for the classic YA novel coming to the big screen! Receive your destiny and catch The Giver in theaters August 15!
Hi, Sauron!
Steve Carrell, Mark Ruffalo, and Channing Tatum star in the tragic true story of wrestling, patriotism, and murder. And this teaser will haunt you.
However, his wife might not be too pleased.
Nursery rhymes are terrifying.
And the first "I am Groot" we've heard. Can't wait for this bunch of a-holes to save the universe!
Watch BuzzFeed's exclusive trailer for Michael Showalter and David Wain's rom-com skewering They Came Together. The film will be released in theaters and on VOD on June 27.
Okay? No, nothing about this is okay.
The film Who is Dayani Cristal? – featuring the Mexican actor and activist – tells the story of an unidentified migrant who lost his life in an Arizona desert.
Something tells me this is not going to end well.
The best-selling book is being adapted to film, and the eerie trailer will get you pumped for the highly anticipated movie.
The world's only penis museum needs a human specimen to complete its collection. And these guys are going head to head to be it.
It contains interviews with all the major cast members as well as clips from upcoming episodes and is predictably wonderful. Season 4 is coming April 6.
It's like a modern-day Parent Trap.


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Contest Poll: 2015 Primal Blueprint Recipe Videos
A couple weeks back I asked you to film and share your favorite Primal Blueprint recipes for a chance to $1500 in gift certificates to US Wellness Meats. We've got some great entries this year, from liquid bone and lamb burger handrolls, to baked lamb shanks and paleo chili. Many thanks to everyone that submitted a video. I hope you had as much fun making them as we have watching them!
As you might imagine, my crew and I had a tough time narrowing the field, but we were able to get it down to the top five. To everyone that didn't make the cut, many thanks from myself and (yes, I'll take the liberty) the MDA community for your contributions.


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Thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Copper Kettle, found staff at the Fairview to be extremely friendly and helpful, upon check-in. It is a stones throw from the centre of Killarney, and it's buzzing nightlife. The bedroom was immaculately clean, with a pleasant cottage style decor. Parking was available outside the front of the building, failing that, there is a... More
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text: EUROSEC 2011 Gábor Pék , Boldizsár Bencsáth and Levente Buttyán Laboratory of Cryptography and Systems Security Budapest University of Technology and Economics nEther: IN-GUEST DETECTION OF OUT-OF-THE-GUEST MALWARE ANALYSERS Short Summary We successfully achieved In-guest detection of an out-of-the-guest malware analysis framework (Ether) In-guest timing attack Detection based on CPUID information Detecting hardware assisted virtualization (can be a bit of information for analysis ) Detection based on errata in Intel CPUs Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 2 3/31/2012 Goals in Malware Analysis Analyser: dissecting and figuring out the operations of the analysed program Author of the malware: thwarting the analysis of the code and hiding its real intents, operations, execution Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 3 3/31/2012 What is Malware Analysis? Analysing malware Static (entire program, thwarting disassemblers) Dynamic (one control path) we focus on this Two types of dynamic analysis: Native and Virtualization based Main tricks of detecting dynamic analyzers Timing information Special data structures, e.g., PEB Single-step debugging (trap flag) Exception handling Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 4 3/31/2012 HW Assisted Virtualization New and higher CPU privilege level (Ring -1) Native instruction execution Intel VT VMX root mode for VMM/Hypervisor VMX non-root mode for guest OS VMX transitions: VM Exit / VM Entry Rich feature set and control of operation Xen, KVM Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 5 3/31/2012 Ether – Malware analysis via HW Virtualization Extensions Transparent, out-of-the-guest malware analysis platform based on Xen and Intel VT Transparency of Ether: the malware cannot detect Ether Transparency requirements as of the Ether paper: Higher privilege of analyser environment No non-privileged side effects Same instruction execution semantics X Identical exception handling Identical notion of time X Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 6 3/31/2012 Advantages of Ether and challenges to detect it No in-guest memory presence Hide of changes made on CPU registers Memory protection: modifies only shadow page tables Privileged instruction handling No instruction emulation Controlling timing (e.g., RDTSC instruction) Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 7 3/31/2012 Contributions Design and implementation of an application framework to detect Ether based on multiple feature tests Feature tests for Ether and Intel VT A practical in-guest timing attack against Ether Detecting Ether via CPUID information Detection of HW assisted virtualization utilizing CPU errata Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 8 3/31/2012 System Overview Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 9 3/31/2012 Various uses of RDTSC Different behaviour of sensitive instructions (e.g., RDTSC) in VMX non-root mode Normal operation Operation of Ether Guest OS Guest OS … Guest OS rdtsc faketime (FT) rdtsc FT+Y rdtsc TSC VM Exit VM Entry CPU Virtual … Virtual CPU CPU Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 10 3/31/2012 Facts about Ether Alleged operation: FT = TSC, Y = TSC_OFFSET but TSC_OFFSET is disabled Real operation: Monotonic increase of FT for every RDTSC call (Y =1) There can be external RDTSC calls during an analysis The TSC difference between two RDTSCs of the analysed program = # of RDTSCs of the Guest during analysis (~9-171) Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 11 3/31/2012 Practical implementation of in-guest timing attack Call an RDTSC and store it Create a loop of non-sensitive instructions (e.g., nop) Call an RDTSC and compare it with the stored value (diff) if (diff < length of the loop) Ether is present else Ether is not present Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 12 3/31/2012 CPUID information CPUID instruction: processor identifcation and feature information Allegedly: Ether has no in-memory presence Reality: The TSC bit returned by CPUID is unset under Ether Other bits of information PAE and PSE are disabled Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 13 3/31/2012 CPU Errata Design deficiencies of CPUs Some of them are unpredictable Cause unexpected system behaviour Several have "No Fix " status Xen creates virtualized CPUs for privileged instructions We have an erratum using MSRs (AH4) The access of MSRs are privileged VM exit Errata are not emulated by virtual CPUs Bingo, we have a new feature test Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 14 3/31/2012 Detecting Intel VT Erratum AH4 Number of updates # of tests Native Xen Xen + Ether 100 59 0 0 1000 650 0 0 10000 4232 0 0 100000 20870 0 0 Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 15 3/31/2012 Future Work Fundamentality of these problems Updating the theoretical model and practical implementation of Ether Finding more feature tests against other out- of-the-guest approaches (e.g., Azure) Proving that perfect transparency has practical limitations Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 16 3/31/2012 Thanks for Your Attention! Questions? email@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com email@example.com CrySyS Lab. http://www.crysys.hu Budapest University of Technology and Economics Gábor Pék, CrySyS Lab. 17 3/31/2012


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Time Warner Cable Reports 2012 Fourth-Quarter And Full-Year Results
Residential services revenue
Residential services revenue growth for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012 was primarily driven by an increase in high-speed data revenue, partially offset by declines in video and voice revenue.
- The growth in residential high-speed data revenue was the result of growth in high-speed data subscribers and an increase in average revenue per subscriber, primarily due to price increases (including equipment rental charges) and a greater percentage of subscribers purchasing higher-priced tiers of service.
- Residential video revenue decreased driven by declines in video subscribers and transactional video-on-demand and premium network revenue, partially offset by price increases, a greater percentage of subscribers purchasing higher-priced tiers of service and increased revenue from equipment rentals.
- Residential voice revenue decreased slightly due to a decrease in average revenue per subscriber, partially offset by growth in voice subscribers.
Business services revenue
Business services revenue growth for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012 was primarily due to increases in high-speed data and voice subscribers and growth in Metro Ethernet revenue.
Advertising revenue Advertising revenue increased for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012 primarily as a result of increases in political advertising, revenue from advertising inventory sold on behalf of other video distributors and the advertising sold on the Company's two Los Angeles regional sports networks, which were launched on October 1, 2012 and carry Los Angeles Lakers' basketball games and other sports programming. Other revenue Other revenue increased for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012 primarily as a result of fees from distributors of the Los Angeles regional sports networks. Fourth-quarter 2012 Adjusted Operating Income before Depreciation and Amortization ("Adjusted OIBDA") increased 5.6% from the fourth quarter of 2011 to $2.0 billion driven by revenue growth, partially offset by a 12.5% increase in operating expenses. In particular, employee costs were up 11.4% to $1.2 billion, video programming expenses grew 7.0% to $1.2 billion, marketing costs increased 18.3% to $181 million, voice costs were up 10.6% to $156 million and other operating costs increased 27.0% to $649 million. Full-year 2012 Adjusted OIBDA increased 8.3% from 2011 to $7.8 billion. The year-over-year increase in Adjusted OIBDA was driven by revenue growth, partially offset by an 8.9% increase in operating expenses. For the full year, employee costs were up 10.7% to $4.5 billion, video programming expenses grew 6.4% to $4.6 billion, voice costs were up 3.2% to $614 million and other operating costs increased 15.6% to $2.3 billion.Check Out Our Best Services for Investors
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if I have a known COM library (the .ocx file itself) is there any way in C# to extract the CLSID info of it? Basically I need the same infos from the file Visual Studio adds to its project file when you add a reference to the file. Can these be retrieved from the ocx file directly or by searching the registry?
Also if i know a prog-id, how can I find the CLSID and the corresponding ocx file?
Thanks for your helping out a COM novice!


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Diffractive–reflective optical interconnects
Applied Optics, Vol. 27, Issue 20, pp. 4251-4254 (1988)
Enhanced HTML Acrobat PDF (621 KB)
We have demonstrated the feasibility of diffractive–reflective optical interconnects. These interconnects consist of a sandwich of a holographic plane and a reflective plane. Various possibilities like beam relaying, connection switching, and broadcasting are discussed.
© 1988 Optical Society of America
Original Manuscript: January 25, 1988
Published: October 15, 1988
Karl-Heinz Brenner and Frank Sauer, "Diffractive–reflective optical interconnects," Appl. Opt. 27, 4251-4254 (1988)
Sort: Year | Journal | Reset
- J. W. Goodman, F. J. Leonberger, S. Y. Kung, R. Athale, "Optical Interconnections for VLSI Systems," Proc. IEEE 72, 850 (1984). [CrossRef]
- R. K. Kostuk, J. W Goodman, L. Hesselink, "Optical Imaging Applied to Microelectronic Chip-to-Chip Interconnections," Appl. Opt. 24, 2851 (1985). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- L. A. Bergman, W. H. Wu, A. R. Johnston, R. Nixon, "Holographic Optical Interconnects for VLST," Opt. Eng. 25, 1109 (1986). [CrossRef]
- M. R. Feldman, C. C. Guest, "Computer Generated Holographic Optical Elements for Optical Interconnection of Very Large Scale Integrated Circuits," Appl. Opt. 26, 4377 (1987). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- H. Kogelnik, T. P. Sosnowski, Bell Syst. Tech. J. 49, 1602 (1970).
- B. J. Chang, S. K. Case, "Nonlinear Holographic Waveguide Coupler," Appl. Opt. 15, 1800 (1976). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- A. W. Lohmann, F. Sauer, "Holographic Telescope Arrays," Appl. Opt. 27, 3003 (1988). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- K.-R. Hase, "Theoretical Model for Light-Guiding-Plates in Bus Systems," Arch. Elektronik Übertragungstechnik, 41, 156 (1987).
- A. C. Walker, "Application of Bistable Optical Logic Gate Arrays to All-Optical Digital Parallel Processing," Appl. Opt. 25, 1578 (1986). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- C. R. Paton, S. D. Smith, A. C. Walker, "An All-Optical Switch for Signal Routing Between Fibres," in Technical Digest of Topical Meeting on Photonic Switching (Optical Society of America, Washington, DC, 1987).
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Ratings based on 812 Verified Reviews
They paid and stayed. We double-checked.
4.4 Room cleanliness
4.5 Service & staff
4.0 Room comfort
4.3 Hotel condition
They paid and stayed.
We double-checked.
We double-checked.
for Couplesby A verified travelerfrom Philadelphia
Great hotel and service- in the great hotel spot
Posted Feb 25, 2015Pros: Location and staff
Cons: Bigger gym, perhaps a second hot tub/small pool for adults as there were a lot of young ( and appropriately noisy) kids at the pool
Property is small and the rooms "tight", but that is a given- and since you are in heart of South Beach, you should be in the action and outside. Staff was wonderful and acted as though they really cared- they went out of their way to provide service. We had several instances where the staff was really "living the brand"- if you owned the property or responsible for its management you would be proud.
for Everyoneby A verified traveler
Posted Feb 25, 2015
Second time here - nice, good bar, nice pool, great rooms, very nice staff
for Otherby A verified travelerfrom Toronto, ON
A Luxe Experience without the Attitude
Posted Feb 15, 2015Pros: The architecture and decor was lovely. And the staff were outstanding, as usual. Kenneth at the front desk was fun and very helpful.
Cons: I had read that the rooms are on the small side, but since it was just for one, I found mine to be perfect. I wouldn't change a thing.
Location: I loved the location, as I was right by the beach and could walk everywhere I wanted to check out.
Kimptons cater wonderfully to those of us who want a glamorous hotel experience with down-to-earth, friendly service. The Surfcomber didn't disappoint! I travel on my own and am always looking for a nice place to stay where I don't have to feel awkward sitting on my own. Everything about this hotel was comfortable and unpretentious, but you definitely do feel like you're staying somewhere very special. Kimptons excel at all the quirky touches that just keep delighting you during your stay.
for Everyoneby A verified traveler
Southbeach adventure
Posted Feb 14, 2015Small accommodations considering price. But going to south beach was disappointing
for Everyoneby A verified travelerfrom indiana
Posted Feb 7, 2015
Great place...but really small bathrooms and lousy showers. Also tiny elevator, which is slow. But, super friendly and helpful staff, great location, lovely pool area. Great coffee/tea service bright and early, and complimentary wine hour which were great. Rooms are small, yoo. But, nice overall feel to the place.
for Everyoneby A verified traveler
Mid-week stay
Posted Jan 25, 2015Pros: staff, wine
Cons: nothing
Location: SB..enough said
Great staff, pool and beach staff out there were exceptional
for Everyoneby A verified traveler
Nice hotel close to it all incl beach!
Posted Jan 23, 2015Friendly & helpful staff. Small clean & nicely updated hotel in the center of south beach!
for Couplesby A verified travelerfrom noisy le grand
Hôtel très bien situé.
Posted Jan 16, 2015Pros: sa situation géographique et son style. Sa restauration est très bonne.
Cons: revoir la tarification des chambres et faire un tout compris cela évitera des surprise au départ.
Location: Quartier vivant et près de tous les commerces.
J'ai été très surprise de ma note en fin de séjour. En effet, nous avons payé un supplément quotidien pour l'utilisation des transats + serviettes même si nous ni sommes pas allés tous les jours. cela devrait être compris dans le prix de la chambre.
for Everyoneby A verified travelerfrom Wiesbaden
Hübsches Hotel am Strand, sehr freundliches Person
Posted Jan 15, 2015Pros: Poolbereich, die Lage , sehr gute Atmosphäre
Location: direkt am Strand, 1 Block von der Einkaufsmeile (Lincolnroad) und ca 1 km vom Ocean Boulevard entfernt
Sehr gute Lage, alles fußläufig zu erreichen und doch ruhig, schöner gepflegter Pool, Sehr freundliches Personal, Zimmer etwas klein, winziges Bad aber ok
for Everyoneby A verified travelerfrom Hamburg
Posted Jan 13, 2015Pros: Garten, wunderbar zentrale Lage
Cons: Teppichböden sowohl im Zimmer als auch auf den Fluren könnten mal wieder ausgetauscht werden... Oder besser durch einen Hartbelag ersetzt werden!
Location: Zentral am Strand, direkt um die Ecke der Lincoln Road, kurze Wege zu allen relevanten Restaurants, Bars etc.
Wunderbarer Pool im sonnigen Garten, alles angenehm unaufgeregt. Direkt am Strand!


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As an avid lurker, I've learned a lot from you all. I thought I'd post my stability test results to contribute a trifle at least. Maybe it'd help somebody decide what they want to buy or not buy. I got the Hach Pro+ and used it for the first time yesterday. It came with only a few micro-specs of liquid in the sample cup. I missed the part of the instructions that said it should be "conditioned" in tap water for a couple of hours before use. Without doing this, I calibrated it twice and did a stability test yesterday. Stability test results were good for one hour (4.01 to 4.03) but got wobbly after that (rising to 4.11 after 3 hours). Overnight I let it soak in Hach storage solution with the buffer containers nearby so they all came to the same temperature by morning. This morning I calibrated again giving it 7 minutes to soak in 7.00 and 8 minutes to soak in 4.01 before saving the settings. Then I did a stability test with the results below. The extra care taken helped a lot. It is so stable, I kept thinking the display lock was on. As I read in the lurked posts, it does take some practice to learn how to use it, to get confidence in your technique, and to get confidence in the meter. Time is hr:min Time pH Deg F 0:00 4.00 71.1 0:05 4.00 71.1 0:10 4.00 71.6 0:15 4.00 72.1 0:20 4.00 72.5 0:25 4.01 72.7 0:30 4.01 72.9 0:35 4.01 73.0 0:40 4.01 73.2 0:45 4.01 73.4 0:50 4.01 73.4 0:55 4.01 73.6 1:00 4.01 73.8 1:05 4.01 73.8 1:10 4.01 73.9 1:15 4.01 74.1 1:20 4.01 74.3 1:25 4.01 74.5 1:30 4.02 74.7 1:35 I tested some 7.63 pH pool water 1:40 4.05 75.4 <-- meter not stabilized after one minute soak in 4.01?? 1:45 4.04 75.6 1:50 missed test time 1:55 4.02 75.7 2:00 4.02 75.7 2:15 4.02 75.9 2:30 4.02 75.9 2:45 4.02 75.9 3:00 4.02 75.9 3:30 4.02 75.7 4:00 4.02 75.6 5:00 4.01 74.7 5:40 4.01 74.5 I can't hover over it any more today. Maybe I'll let it sit all night and see what it looks like tomorrow morning. Is there a way to read calibration info like slope % with autocalibration on the Pro+? I couldn't find a way on this unit. Anyway hope the info helps or interests someone. Cheers!
No, I don't believe there is a way. The meter itself doesn't display offset and slope and there is no way to get a mV display (from which you could calculate slope and offset) either AFAIK.
My Hach didn't work on the second brew day I wanted to use it. The pH display only read "----", so I brewed without it. I emailed Hach about it and confessed to dropping it a couple of feet onto a towel-covered counter once. The storage cap was on at the time and didn't come off. I didn't think that broke it, but felt obliged to tell them about it. They replied quickly asking for answers to a few questions and asking for photos of it. I sent them and offered to pay for repairs if they felt I broke it. If the repairs were a big percentage of the original cost, I wouldn't have opted out of paying. The next day they said to call them to arrange for a warranty replacement, which I did. I don't even have to return the faulty one! Impressive support! I may take the old one apart and look for an electrical problem. It shows a pH reading for a couple seconds before going out when first turned on. There could still be some life left in it. Temperature displays just fine. So ends my report.
So they sent me a new one, I calibrated it, and it seemed fine. On the first brew day with it, it was not reading what I thought the mash should be. I tried recalibrating but it seemed locked up. Took a while before I noticed that the glass bulb on the sensor was broken. Half of the sphere was gone. I have no clue how that happened because I didn't bump it on anything. pH testers and me were not meant to be. The are fiddly and not durable IMHO. Could it just be the Hach or are all of the 100 dollar(ish) testers the fragile and flukey?
After thinking about it for a while, I bet I used it on a mash sample without cooling it first. The manual says 122F max but I think that is an ambient temperature limit. Could 146F mash have thermally shocked the glass bulb and shattered it? Maybe. They are sensitive little flowers.
122 °F is the maximum operating temperature and 140 °F the maximum storage temperature. It looks as if you busted both. I am a bit surprised that the bulb actually shattered from exposure to temperature as little as 6 ° above the limit but yes, thermal shock is a possible explanation. It is the reason we measure pH at room temperature. You can certainly buy pH electrodes that will sustain higher temperature and this may be a factor in some people's choice of a meter but even with a meter specified to higher temperature we take readings at room temperature in order to reduce thermal stress and thereby prolong electrode life. The Milwaukee MW102 would be the main competitor to the Hach unit in this forum at least. Its storage temperature max is 50 °C (122 °F - less than the Hach) but its specified ATC compensation range is up to 70 °C (158 °F). I'm not sure how to interpret that and don't really know whether they are talking about the meter's limitations or the electrode's (or perhaps even the temperature probe). Yes, pH meter bulbs are very delicate as the 'membrane' has to be very thin because of the high resistivity of the glass it is made of. Note how the bulb is shrouded to prevent you from bumping it into anything. There is another technology, the ISFET (Ion Specific Field Effect Transistor) which is much more rugged but I haven't seen that technology emerge the way I thought it would but ISFET meters are still sold. You might con Hach out of another meter or electrode. I'll leave the ethics of trying to do so up to you. You could also buy another one from them. It's more than half the cost of the meter though. They say wisdom is the perspective that comes from having the experiences one wouldn't have were he wise.
Can you replace the probe with the one from the first meter?
DH, I did try the sensor from the first meter; it made the new meter act like the old one. So I think I have two meters that are possibly good and two bad sensors. AJ, neither manufacturer is clear as to what the max temperatures mean, max ambient temp or max sample temp. Whatever they mean, I feel it must have been my quest for wisdom and thermal shocking that did it in. I don't have the heart to get them to replace anything for free after they already sent me a new meter. I feel that somehow I screwed this one up. I'll probably order a new sensor and try it on both meters. If one works, I'll use it. The Milwaukee has a similar glass ball? I'd try one of those if it was more dependable. I haven't read anything leading me to believe that though. I'm starting to think that pH meters will kill themselves rather than drink my mash.
It does sound like you have two bad probes and probably two good meters. I would buy one probe and try it on both meters and go from there.
I ordered it today. I hope I don't reach a point where I wish I'd started out with an 800 dollar one to save money. heh heh