It is interesting to me when I see people with grand visions of the future of computing. I enjoy the excitement of some relatively arcane conceptual leap somebody makes regarding technology. I just rarely share that excitement. Most people when…
Category: Politics
The collision of small wars and cyber wars is not a wikileaked Internet
What is cyber warfare? The term sent around the Internet like some kind of rhetorical catch all for computing abuse is nearing on useless. There are concepts that are inclusive of cyber warfare and what it likely means. If we…
Wikileaks: Admirals in armchairs not realizing they are in fifth generation war
Admiral Mullen (Joint Chiefs of Staff) tweeted “Meant what I said: Mr. Assange & his source might already have on their hands the blood of our troops or that of our Afghan partners.” I have some issues with this comment.…
If I was czar for a day: Poking stakeholders is fun
The new cyber coordinator position (AKA cyber czar) as described is a position with no real authority, lots of responsibility, and minimal resources. In most worldly views this is an abhorrent lack of command and control for the cyber security…
Oh no my parents joined FaceBook: Where lame 20 something’s blindly blather like the idioterati
Seeing this meme roll through the Web 2.0 sphere as shocked and horrified stories of adult children are arrogantly disgusted that their social activities are ousted to their parents is hilarious. What isn’t so hilarious is the whimsical childishness of…
Information security, privacy, Einstein, Echelon and crazy people
Want to put a deep crimp in cyber warfare capability of foreign nations? Do you have a nagging desire to give indigestion to NSA analysts? Do you lie awake at night worried that the latest emails from foreign governments might…
Assessing the information onslaught of protests and terrorist attacks via social media
When the terrorist attacks occurred in Mumbai local media was able to report extensively as it occurred. Social media pundits were able to analyze and evaluate the different channels of communication. Social media tools like Twitter with near real time…
Computers Freedom & Privacy conference at George Washington University
I don’t get invited to cool conferences to speak. I don’t live in Washington D.C. More importantly I’m a relative nobody and that empowers me. I have nothing to lose and I can be forthright in what I say. Heck…
Cybersecurity Act of 2009: A-tisket a-tasket all our eggs in one basket
The blogosphere is alight with discussion over section 18 “Cybersecurity responsibilities and authority” of the draft Cybersecurity Act 2009. The key phrase that has multiple organizations in a dither is located on page 44 and states “…The President… (2) may…
The Cybersecurity Act of 2009: Trying to create order from chaos
The cyber arena is filled with the effluvia of vendor driven agendas and political wrangling for budgetary dollars. As a topic cyber security is especially vulnerable as the waning leadership and expertise is so centralized in so few individuals that…
Thoughts on the Quadrennial Roles and Missions Review report (January 2009)
The Quadrennial roles and mission review report is from the Department of Defense (DOD) to congress and highlights key aspects of the core mission areas and competencies of the military. The documents as written also includes a section on roles and…
Clausewitz, On War Book 3: A consideration of cyber strategy
Our long dead Prussian friend understood that tactics change with time and technology, and that strategies remain similar even if the metaphors change. When he tells us that strength of will is more to make a change in strategy versus…
University systems at a crossroads: Furloughs and funding of futures and fantasies
As the nation comes to grips with what is likely another great depression. Regardless of categories or quantities it is THE worst recession since the great depression. As the nation attempts to consider the ramifications of double-digit unemployment (I know…
Evil Google: What you don’t know just might hurt you
A common refrain of the uninformed is that I have nothing to hide so therefore I don’t care who peeks through my window. Until the power balance of the country or community changes and when political views are no longer…
Clausewitz, On War Book 2: The breath of war is the exhaustion of ideas
As I turn Carl Von Clausewitz over in my mind the writing of a long dead Prussian floats forward in time hopefully to inform decision about future conflict. If, as I have said, the concept that tactics and strategy are…