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It takes a lot to get me to write about politics, especially when there’s plenty of other stuff on my plate, but the National Strategy for Victory in Iraq(PDF Courtesy of the Beeb) is the most laughable document I’ve had the pleasure of reading in a while. It is little more than overt propaganda for the war and current administration, chock full of the best-of-the-best sound bites from National Security Council Members since 2003.

“There’s always a temptation, in the middle of a long struggle, to seek the quiet life, to escape the duties and problems of the world, and to hope the enemy grows weary of fanaticism and tired of murder. This would be a pleasant world, but it’s not the world we live in. The enemy is never tired, never sated, never content with yesterday’s brutality. This enemy considers every retreat of the civilized world as an invitation to greater violence. In Iraq, there is no peace without victory. We will keep our nerve, and we will win that victory.”

-President George W. Bush, October 6, 2005 (emphasis in original)

I suppose I wouldn’t have such a problem with this document if it were written as, say, a position paper, with thoughtful, well-researched opinions from someone not a bedfellow of the White House. But the format of this document is what pisses me off most: it’s a PowerPoint slide show in printed form.

There are no less than 4 levels of data: The title at the top of a section, a big arrow point, a bullet point, and a potentially misleading checkmark point. At first glance, it seems like we’ve already done the things checked off (especially after reading the introduction, which declares “The following document articulates the broad strategy the President set forth in 2003 and provides an update on our progress as well as the challenges remaining.” Emphasis mine, but there is no section labelled accomplishments anywhere in the document.)

I have to think the style of the document is intentional, since this is for mass public consumption. In a society where some 100 Billion PPT slides are manufactured yearly, how better to gloss over 2 years and 2,000 American Casualties than by watering down the war into a few bullet points?

I’m not asking for a timetable to end the war. We’ve tried that already, and the White House has balked. Fine. But I do expect the troops home soon. I expect that American problems should be treated with more importance than building a society centered around 8 pillars of varying Republican-Conservative ideals like non-regulated business and self-reliance. In a scary thought, as their own country turns against them slowly, the Bush White House is forcing more and more of itself onto Iraq.

“America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to
help others find their own voice, to attain their own freedom and to make their own way.”

Yeah, right.

Tagged with: News

Filed by Adam College at 12:10 pm under Everything Else
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In the pursuit of tweaking firefox constantly until I find the most productive and least annoying way to tab, I think I may have gotten one step closer to my goal: Tab Mix Plus

It’s definitely not for the weak of heart. This manly extension is for folks who take their tabbed browsing seriously. The default settings are ultra crappy, but fear not: this puppy’s got all you want and more. (You’ll definitely want to uninstall quite a few other extensions if you switch to this. While a stable install, I got a few “settings-don’t-catch”) quirks while setting it up. The big happy? A setting that allows you to set your return tab to last viewed, so that when you view a popup-link, you don’t spend 15 seconds looking for the tab you launched from. This extension would probably take a bullet in your ass if you were in a combat situation.

Another dude you want on your team? Session Saver Nothing pleases me more in my internet addiction than the ability to close the browser, realize I pulled a stoopid, open it back up, and have it exactly the same way I left it. Not only does it fix human error, but on those rare often occassions when I’m sucking down the blue screen like it was Sharkleberry Fin (NSFW potentially due to ads, but I’m inclined to try the Trojan “Vibrating Ring” sometime. I digress.), Session Saver comes back A-Ok. It may be looking over my shoulder, but that’s only because it’s got my back. (Thanks, Colbert.)

I would try CoBrowse, but I have no friends. It looks ultra-sweet, and I just sold the guy who wrote it a few steaks. Seriously.

Filed by Adam College at 12:27 am under Technology
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Over the next 36 hours, I think a grand total of zero of them are not scheduled (though I did pansy out and schedule a few hours of sleep tonight, but I think I got a meeting request during that time…)

In short, I am so busy, taking the time to write down that I am busy will probably set me back and make me late for the rest of the day.

Here’s what’s up:

Comparch Exam
SERV Live Auction
TechVentures
Discrete Math Meeting
ECE Advising
NU Hockey Game
Cabot’s
SLEEEEEEEEP
BU Trivia Tournament…… and on.

I’m not really complaining. I’m looking forward to everything on that list (even the CA midterm I’m taking in 30 minutes…). And this is the last full weekend before Thanksgiving, which is also nice. Hard to believe I’ll be on a plane home in 8 days. I haven’t celebrated a “traditional” Thanksgiving in a while (we’ve always gone out to Vegas to hang out with my uncle during Thanksgiving week, which is fun, but will be moreso post-21st birthday).

I need to write more, about my life and creatively. I’m thinking about taking a course at Wellesley in the spring in Short Narrative to fill in that last pesky AHS class.

And, finally, props to the “new” Shihblog.

Filed by Adam College at 9:34 am under Life
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While I was finishing the Big Conversations video (which went off without a hitch, even though I’m still covered in rice powder) my computer died. Thus, the long, laborious process to restoring my life begins. Nothing feels the same: I can’t find my favorite extensions for firefox, I have to reinstall everything, etc. etc. Sigh. Something about the phoenix rising from the ashes should go here.

I’m so thrilled BC day went off well. It’s a truly different experience being on the other side of the curtain, so to speak. Thanks to everyone who has commented on the video. I’m glad people had as much fun watching it as I did making it. (By the way, the old guy in the commercial is Matt Donahoe’s dad. Next time you see him, remind him about it.).

My afternoon session, “Let the Music Play”, was also good fun. If you don’t know, we picked the “best” 21 songs from the last four/five years (since Partner year.)…. It was ridiculous paring down from the 63 we picked.

The final list:

Lose Yourself - Eminem
Such Great Heights - Postal Service
Hey Ya! - Outkast
Clocks - Coldplay
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Bring Me to Life - Evanesence
Don’t Know Why - Norah Jones
Jesus, Etc. - Wilco
Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
Dragostea din tei - O-Zone (Yes, that one.)
Toxic - Britney Spears
Island in the Sun - Weezer
Fell in Love With a Girl - White Stripes
Vertigo - U2
Yeah! (feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris) - Usher
Numb - Linkin Park
Let’s Get It Started - Black Eyed Peas
Courtesy Of The Red White & Blue (The Angry American) - Toby Keith
This Love - Maroon 5
Wish You Were Here - Incubus
Let Go - Frou Frou

I’m proud of the list. I think we got a pretty good mix of songs that were important to the Olin community, songs that were important to the time (Courtesy of the Red White & Blue). Feel free to rip the list apart.

Time to get some sleep.

Filed by Adam College at 8:44 pm under Life
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