Betterness by Kawika Holbrook

She Said Yes

Life begins anew.

Forward, Ho!

I have, finally, transfered all the entries from Fluxray -- my previous weblog -- to iType's archives. That means I will have time to write, to write well, and to write often. iType, therefor iAm. (Or something like that.)

Awe Shocks

Newsweek interviews Harlan Ullman, who coined the doctrine of "shock and awe," and even introduced it to Colin Powell. Ullman's out-of-print book, "Shock and Awe: Achieving Rapid Dominance" has a lone reviewer -- a "reader" from Langely, Virgina (home of the CIA). From the reader we read that Ullman's doctrine is different from Hitler's blitzkriegs or "lightening wars" because, "Shock and awe is using a minimum amount of force to achieve a maximum amount of gain."

Slim Pickings

Few blogs on the war worth reading right now. IraqWar.info is the best news aggregator, and Andrew Sullivan has reporting chops (though leans so far right he might tiop over). I'm looking for links to in-depth, unbiased reports. Something with a glossary. Something with large photos. Something worth updating hourly. I can't find it yet.

Hit Parade

Prediction's for March’s chart toppers:

1. Shock and Awe
2. Embedded
3. Steel Wave
4. UN Res. 1441

A Hole in One?

On the first shot? Even if we didn't, the idea that we may have tossed the playbook before the game should keep us all on our toes.

Framed

How did opponents of "partial-birth abortions" win their Senate vote by such a wide margin? Simple: framing. Critics defined the procedure because supporters never provided a viable alternative. I never read or heard a news story explaining the procedure any other way. "Partial-birth abortion" is not a recognized medical phrase. A fetus cannot be partially born. It is either born or it isn't. Yet the Senate voted overwhelmingly to ban the "killing of a fetus at least 20 weeks old and whose entire head is outside of the mother's body." Now, "partial-delivery abortion" might have worked, but I never heard it used. Too bad for women who need one or they'll die.

Obviating Oil

Spending $100 billion on Gulf War II doesn't sound as satisfying as spending $100 billion on replacing hydrocarbons with hydrogen. Hydrogen stores energy more effectively than current batteries, burns twice as efficiently in a fuel cell as gasoline does in an internal combustion engine, and leaves only water behind. It's plentiful, clean, and capable of powering cars. With an Apollo-style program, the technology could be deployed in a decade. Best of all, hydrogen obviates Middle East sheiks and dictators.

Sublime Stupidity

Business 2.0, the magazine pamphlet formerly known as eComany Now, published it's third-annual "101 Dumbest Moments in Business" including my personal favorite, number 11; "Swiping your competitor's idea and completely screwing it up."

Backlogged

I've imported Fluxray's weblog entries from May 8, 2001 through March 20, 2002. Nine more months to go until I'm caught up. Brick by brick....