Monday, April 27, 2009

Mexico faces criticism over swine flu response

Mexico faces criticism over swine flu response

This kid is obviously not wearing his filter mask. I’m pretty sure this is how the disease is spread, as well as hoof-to-mouth disease, botulism, and whatever else filthy buggers are contained in this swine’s mucous.

I constantly marvel that we made it as a species. As children, we eat dirt, play with our own pooh, lick animals, vegetables, and minerals, stick non-food substances in our mouths, and yet we live. Each generation is stronger than the last. After I get done typing on strange keyboards, I usually lick my fingers clean, just to make sure I expose myself to as many microbes as possible, thereby ensuring my survival when others succumb to germs that Germ-X won’t kill. Or, I’ll die from something that kills me, thereby proving Nietzsche correct.

The spread of SWINE flu – which after listening to NPR today appears to be a misnomer, as the new virus seems to be comprised of equal components of swine DNA, bird DNA, and human DNA – will be a good case study for the SPATIAL DIFFUSION. Strange brew that is.

CONTAGIOUS DIFFUSION will occur when healthy people come into contact with infected people. AAChhooo! Pucker up, buttercup!

HIERARCHICAL DIFFUSION will occur as the infection moves from Mexico City into the surroundings.

RELOCATION DIFFUSION will occur as people return from holiday in Mexico to their homes in California, New York, and elsewhere, bringing the virus back with them. Unfortunately, viruses do not carry passports.

EXPANSION DIFFUSION will occur as people move out of the core, or source region, to adjacent regions, spreading the disease as they travel.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Eduify

http://eduify.com/beta/

This is a Beta application. Sounds interesting, promising. One of my larger concerns is the ability of students to write, to construct one meaningful sentence after another. Furthermore, I am concerned that students do not know how to document a source, or if they realize the source needs to be documented, knowing how to do so correctly.

A tagline on the site says, “Plagiarizing gets you an F.” We use “E,” and undocumented sources in papers written for my class will earn a zero, which is different than an E. A student could still earn points with an E. An E could be anything less than 60 points or greater than 1 pt. I give zeros.

The application sounds promising in that services are offered to help students write better and avoid problems associated with plagiarism. Sounds almost too good to be true.

I have asked for a Beta invitation to try it out, perhaps to recommend to my students, and use myself if it appears useful.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Movie Review: A Mighty Heart

In January 2002, Daniel Pearl, a reporter for the New York Times, was beheaded by an extremist group operating in Pakistan. I will not use “Islamic” to describe the extremist group, as the group does not adhere to Islamic principles, as clearly stated within the context of the movie. To label the group thusly would be erroneous.

Daniel was covering the rise of extremist groups in Pakistan for the New York Times and was abducted while on his way to a meeting with an important contact. The contact would eventually be found as responsible for Daniel’s murder.

A number of interesting themes should be noted. Tensions between Pakistan and India are running very high during the timeline of the events portrayed. Pakistanis are concerned that Indians working the case are nothing other than Indian spies. Asra, a fellow reporter, and an Indian, is harassed by the Pakistanis. The Pakistan intelligence office, ISI, believes that Daniel was abducted by Indian spies in order to embarrass Pakistan on the world stage.

Daniel also erred by admitting to being a Jew, admitted to a suspicious and paranoid Pakistani businessman. Pakistanis and many in the Muslim world felt that the 9/11 attacks were perpetrated by the Jews and orchestrated to frame Saudis and Muslims, in general. Furthermore, as a Jew in Pakistan, Pearl was also suspected of being a member of the Israeli spy agency, Mossad.

Blames shifts again as Pearl is then publicly accused of being an agent of the United States spy agency, the CIA. The action that creates this element occurred when the Wall Street Journal turned a computer over to the CIA. As a result, journalists are viewed as potential spies. As an agent or operative of the CIA, the kidnappers indicate their motives are to treat Daniel Pearl in the same way as Guantanamo Bay prisoners are kept.

Other interesting elements are also present in the movie. Sheik Gilani is described as being a direct descendent of Muhammad, making him a Pir, or a holy man.

Eid-ul-Adha is portrayed. Eid-ul-Adha is an important Muslim festival when all Muslim families sacrifice an animal to Allah (God) in memory of Ibrahim’s (Abraham) willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. Of the meat, 1/3rd stays with the family, 1/3rd is given to the neighbors, and 1/3rd is given to the poor.

Some other cultural traits are evident. Women in burqas can be seen trying to navigate the streets. In other scenes, neither women nor men pay much attention to their state of dress. Some women wear head scarves, others do not. Some men are heavily bearded and may wear a skull cap. In other words, contemporary dress.

The streets of Karachi are crowded, full of people, cars, trucks, and many, many motorbikes. Signs are both in Arabic script and English.

In Pakistan, the names, addresses, and phone numbers of people the police investigate as well as the crime being investigated, are published in the newspaper.

The movie helped me understand better the complexity involved in covering extremist groups in tense and dangerous situations. From 2002 to 2007, 56 journalists have lost their lives in covering terrorism, terrorists, and extremist groups.

The agony of Mariane Pearl when she finds out about Daniel’s death is gratuitous. While I was somewhat impressed by AJ ability to pull of a Cuban accent, the spontaneous grieving of Daniel’s death was just too theatric and could never be adequately captured. I would have preferred the scene fade-to-black with Mariane wailing in the darkness.

Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire

How does a Chai Walah become a contestant on the most popular game show in India? What motivates someone to want to be on a game show? Money and fame would be two obvious answers. Good answers, yet wrong answers.

Love. Love is the motivation to appear on this game show. For Jamal, love is the motivation. Not love of money, nor does he really want the money he would go on to win. His real motivation was love, the love for a young woman, a young woman who is consistently wrenched from his life time and time again.

But why a game show? Why choose a game show as a vehicle for love? The answer is simple, really. How else can one find someone in a city of 19 million people? Mumbai is a huge, complex, and densely populated city. Finding a single needle in a haystack would be easier. However, everyone watches the "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" game show. And what better way to find someone, or let someone know you are trying to find them then use the publicity of the game show to find that person.

Jamal's life is complicated when Prem, the host of the game show, suspects Jamal of cheating. Prem arranges for Jamal to be arrested after the game show closes down after the first round. Jamal is then interrogated by Irrfan Khan, the police inspector, and the movie then is told in a series of flashbacks.

The lives of Jamal and his brother Samil unfold through these flashbacks, life on the streets of Mumbai, working as street beggars and the horrors of the physical abuse these children endure. Latika is introduced to us soon after Jamal and Samil lose their mother in an attack by Hindis upon a Muslim neighborhood.

Controversy has arisen from the images of Mumbai slums, street children, violence perpetrated upon these children by the police, and the stark poverty evident. Shantytowns are visible in several scenes, people are seen bathing and washing in filthy water, and the available toilets are little more than crude outhouses perched upon a wooden platfrom, emptying onto the ground below.

Throughout Jamal's young life he was exposed to many different influences. These events and circumstances prepare him for his success later when he becomes a contestant. Dharma plays an role, as the many injustices committed against Jamal and Latika are later balanced.

Dharma permeates Slumdog Millionaire, the life of Samil, Jamal, and Latika, even the villains that appear throughout the movie. Jamal working as a Chai Walah at a call center, one of those infamous call centers that people here in the United States complain about, has the opportunity to fill in for a friend. While one or two of these “opportunities” might be coincidence, the abundance of coincidences really leans more towards a cosmic arrangement at work.

The movie works as an interesting love story, as a somewhat expose of the underbelly of urban street life present in a large Indian city, and means of conveying the message that sometimes balance comes to life.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Contrary to What Mass Media Would Have You Believe, Piracy Is Not The Problem.

Piracy is not the problem. Piracy is the symptom. It’s like the guy who goes to the doctor because his thumb hurts. “Why does your thumb hurt?” the doctor asked. “I hit it with my hammer,” the nitwit answers. The problem is not the thumb, the problem is the guy hitting himself with the hammer. Stop hitting yourself with a hammer and your thumb will heal and the pain will go away.

Piracy is a side-effect, an economy that has prevailed off the coast of Somalia since the government of Mohammed Siad Barre collapsed in 1991. The Rule of Law has been suspended, local warlords and militias rule the territory, and thusly, without a strong, central government, people have fallen into whatever they can to survive.

Coupled with a non-existent government, Somalia has also claimed, and apparently these claims have been confirmed that many travesties of justice have victimized the Somali population.

First, we have the illegal dumping of waste. For decades, due to the lack of a strong Somali government that would enforce international law, European countries have used the Somali coast as a dumping ground for medical waste, nuclear waste, and industrial waste. How would you like it if someone dumped there shit in your backyard?

Secondly, since there is no central government in Somali to cry foul, international fishing fleets have used this power vacuum to take advantage of the lack of enforcement to fish the waters around Somalia. Again, this stabs at the livelihood of the Somali people.

The media within the last few days have been running interviews with many nitwits who are suggesting arming fleets of ships to deter pirates. Again, this is tantamount to treating the symptoms rather than treating the underlying cause.

Placing guards on 30,000 to 40,000 ships could be expensive. They need training, would be at sea for days, would need to be paid, and each ship would need 3-4 perhaps to ensure safety. Also to consider, by adding armed guards to a ship, the level of violence required to take a ship would escalate. Furthermore, the territory through which the ship would need protection is nearly the same, distance-wise as the entire coast of the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S.

The long-term fix for piracy is to eliminate the need for piracy. What I am saying is that to fix piracy Somalia needs to be fixed. Figure out a way to bring long-term, sustained order to Somalia and piracy will go away.

The Somalis are desperate. They are good people but they are desperate to provide for themselves, their families, their neighbors. Without a government to act on their behalf, to advocate for them, they are left to fend for themselves, Mad Max-style.

Shooting them is not solving the problem, and will just amp up the amount of violence they are willing to do. People have been lucky, until today. While I applaud the rescue, I am concerned that the equation has no been altered.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

China's Gender Equity: Too many guys; too few gals

China's guy problems only getting worse [Source: Salon.com}

“Population Control is Good for the Human Race”

 

China is a “Boys Club.” Not will be – is.

According the article

  • In 2005, China had 32 million more males under the age of 20 than females.
  • In 2005, 1.1 million more boys were born than girls.
  • In the age group 1 to 4, boys outnumber girls 124 to 100.

Why did this happen?

  • Selective abortion. Chinese culture prefers males over females. When considered against the One-child policy and inheritance laws that may not be entirely enforced, male children prevail against female.

What does this mean?

  • Men will have a difficult time finding a partner
  • Women will have a lot of guys to choose from
  • Men may go abroad to find a wife, traveling to Southeast Asia, as described in the Salon article from 09/21/2006

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Happy-assed Nebraska FTW!!

Happiness Index: Nebraska Nabs Top Spot [Source: MainStreet.com]

 

According to MainStreet.com, powered by TheStreet.com (ever heard of Jim Cramer?), Nebraska of all states ranks as the “Happiest State” in the Union.

When all of the statistics were massaged, Nebraska rose to the top. Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the world, makes his home in Nebraska. Apparently, Nebraska is the home to “Kool-Aid” and “Cliffnotes” and, as the sign above states, “Arbor Day.”

Kansas ranked near the top. That’s a mystery. Those people are obviously easy to please. Being born in Kansas, and having lived in Kansas, I can make fun of them. And I’m half Nebraskan, and I am pretty sure that the Happiness endemic in the Nebraskan population is clearly the result of smoking too much of the demonweed which grows freely beside most every roadside.

I can understand why Hawaiians would be happy; who wouldn’t be happy to live in Hawaii. That one is a gimme.

I was surprised this week when Iowa voted to allow same-sex marriages. If there was any state that I thought would be last in allowing people of the same gender to marry, my money would have been on Iowa. Maybe Iowa is a lot more gay-friendly than I thought.

I don’t get Louisiana. Louisiana is mostly poor people. That isn’t being mean, just stating the facts. After Hurricane Rita and Katrina, maybe they are just happy to be alive. And all the criminals left for Texas. That helps, too.

Oregon ranked dead last. That stunned me. How could a bunch of rich, educated people be so unhappy? After a couple of minutes spent in deep thought, the answers arrived. First, Seasonal Affective Disorder can be to blame. Oregon is a cloudy state, rain frequently; without large doses of regular sunlight, people get sad. Ok, that explains a little of their low rank. But something else must be to blame. Then, the realization dawned on me: All of those rich, intelligent hippies are sad because of what the human race has done to the environment. They are shouldering the guilt and shame that the rest of America would bear if we had a conscience about our smoking, littering, and lack of exercise. Ta Da!

Monday, April 6, 2009

M6.3 – Central Italy

M6.3 Magnitude Earthquake – Central Italy [Source: al-Jezeera]

City map

A significant earthquake struck central Italy about 1:30am UTC (Universal Coordinated Time). The quake appears to really have struck at or near the geometric center of Italy. The medieval town of L’Aquila is located nearby, which is about 60mi (100km) northeast of Rome.

Of importance, note that the L’Aquila University hospital had to be closed as fears mounted that the building would collapse.

I would suggest that the age of many of the structures surrounding the epicenter, and perhaps many older buildings throughout Italy, were not built with earthquakes in mind, despite being in a seismically active region.

The article posted comes from al-Jezeera.

Movie Review: Body of Lies

This thought just occurred to me: what better way to finance our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan than to place an “operational surchage or tariff” on all of these movies that have come out over the last eight years in which our military and intelligence operations have played a role.

These movies wouldn’t exist if we hadn’t invaded Iraq or Afghanistan. Why should Jamie Foxx, Leonardo Dicaprio, or George Clooney take home a big ol’ paycheck, riding on the backs of all of our soldiers who are putting their balls, or, er, other parts, as some ladies are doing it, too, on the line?

Just a thought.

Movies are great. “Body of Lies” is pretty good.  The film follows CIA operative Roger Ferris, played by Leonardo Dicaprio, and his handler, Ed Hoffman, played by Russell Crowe, as they set about trying to get at a well-known terrorist, Al-Saleem.

The plot is rather intricate, and action moves from place-to-place somewhat rapidly. Manchester, England; Samarra, Iraq; Langley, Virginia; Amman, Jordan; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Incirlik, Turkey; and Dar’a, Syria are some (if not all, I may have missed a couple places) of the places action within the movie takes place. Not a movie that you can read a book, or do homework to; you will miss something and be somewhat lost.

A number of different themes are addressed throughout the movie. We hear the Islamic Call to Prayer a few times. The United States war-fighting concerns and implementation issues were a constant over-arching theme throughout the movie. Stereotypes were addressed; how does one go about creating an adequate intelligence network when the people look different than a Caucasian?

From the Islamic perspective, a couple interesting themes were mentioned. First, we have the idea of the Takfir Methodology. The Takfir Methodology stipulates that Muslims are allowed to act un-Islamic in order to deceive for the purpose of exposing and fighting against the sinful.

Secondly, the notion of dar al-Harb arises. Dar al-Harb refers to the “House of War.” The House of War is that portion of the world where Islam is not the dominant religion. Additionally, if a Muslim were to become one with the dar al-Harb, then that Muslim would become the ‘enemy.’ Muslims are supposed to strive towards making the world dar al-Islam, the World of Islam.

These are notions I have not seen portrayed in other cinematic efforts.

Ferris develops a friendly relationship with a Palestinian woman (I think), and that relationship has some very subtle and some very real consequences.

As the movie unfolds, watch for the constant use of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). About 1/2 way through the movie, while in Dubai, the Burj Dubai is clearly visible in the background. When complete, the Burj Dubai will be the world’s tallest building, a little over 1/2-mile tall.

The movie is worth watching, without a doubt. Enough action and dialogue to keep the plot moving and maintain interest.

The movie is also based on the book of the same name, written by associate editor of the Washington Post, David Ignatius.

Queue it up in NetFlix.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Movie Review: Persepolis

Persepolis

A number of elements about Persepolis will bother many people in the general movie-going population. First, Persepolis is an animated feature. Not anime, per se, and not in color, for the most part. The true biographical story of Marjane, an Iranian girl, is told in mostly black, white, and grey.

Another element many in the general movie-going population will find annoying are the English subtitles, as the story of Marjane is told in French.

Being an animated feature, one might be tempted to think this movie is more for children. If I had children, and they were in high school, I would watch the movie with them. Otherwise, the movie is for children through adults, ages 14 through infinity.

Let’s face reality, the vast majority of movies produced are not going to change one’s life. Good movies will open one’s eyes, though, and allow unique perspectives through that will offer us an opportunity to view life from another perspective. To put us in another’s shoes, in other words. Persepolis puts us in the shoes of an Iranian girl, and we grow as she grows.

Set aside the biases against watching movies with subtitles, and against watching animated movies, and allow Marjane to tell her story!

Her story is not only a story of herself; no, her story is a story of Iran. From the days of the Shah of Iran through the Iranian Revolution and into the 1990s, the compelling story of Iranian religion and politics is witnessed first-hand by Marjane.

Through Marjane, we see revolution, war, punishment, Sharia, and oppression. Iranians, despite these elements in their lives, still continue to find ways to lives the lives they want, to find ways of holding onto the lives they knew. Dancing and music, alcohol, smoking, and consorting with the opposite sex were punishable offenses. The risks of defying the religious regime could result in fines, prison, or death, yet they still found ways to have fun. Who could think that a Michael Jackson pin on a jacket, or debating the best rock band might result in such severe punishments?

Friends, acquaintances, and students often ask me after viewing such movies, “did that really happen; is that true?” For some movies, obviously some details are embellished by Hollywood, some stereotypes are overblown. Hollywood can mix truth and fiction remarkably well – but that is their job: entertainment at the price of truth.

To the best of my knowledge, all of the events, the fall of the Sh

ah (whom the U.S. put into power in the first place – see Operation Ajax [1952]), the Iranian Revolution, the purges, the War with Iraq, the execution of prisoners, along with the strict enforcement of cultural and religious codes, are all true. I would say that even today, most of these restrictions are still currently true.

As the movie is watched, note the changes in the Iranian culture and how those are made manifest upon the genders. Watch as those rules are placed upon Iranian society and how Iranian society responds.

As Americans, we tend to think that people who live in countries outside of ours like their government, particularly if we have little to no understanding of that country. “Oh, they must like it, or they would do something about it.” We stereotype people, judge people, and by judging people, we judge their culture. By viewing Persepolis, the powerlessness of the Iranian people should come through. Iranians are not that much different that Americans.

If our government became a hard-line Christian regime, do you think that many people would take the alcohol, smokes, dancing, magazines, and music underground? Hell, yeah, we would!

Watch this movie!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Obama is Fighting the War on Terrorism But Without the Name

 

Obama is Fighting the War on Terrorism But Without the Name [Source: Washingtonpost.com]

Thank God, Allah, Yahweh, Ganesh, whoever.

The so-called “War on Terror” has been one of the most misguided American policies ever conceived. How can one have a “war” on a concept, a feeling, or an idea? Might as well have a “War on Sadness” or a “War on Laziness” or a “War on Day-dreaming.” Stupid, plain and simple.

To have a war, an enemy is required. Al-Qaeda is a good enemy (something logically inconsistent with that); why not a “War on Al-Qaeda?” How about a “War on the Taliban?” Those are substantive enemies, they can be seen, felt, heard, touched, and communicated with.

Now with sensible leadership at the helm, we can get away from, hopefully, such amorphous terms that not only lack substance but seek to undermine confidence and play on people’s fears. Unconscionable.

The use of the military should support diplomacy, not substitute for diplomacy. Minds will never be changed by force. Typically, the only result is that the people become more convinced of their beliefs. Just like beating, whipping, or spanking a child will not convince the child of his/her wrongness but will make them mad at the parent and perhaps convince his/her that the parents are mean, we cannot expect that shooting, bombing, shelling, or strafing people will help them see the error of their ways. Just like torture can result in poor intelligence.

We owe General Petraeus so much. His work, his diligence, listening and learning, has helped turn the corner in Iraq, and may help us turn the corner in Afghanistan. Protect the people, make them your friend, show them that we can help – in other words, EDUCATE them.

Education is the key. Always.

The French are right (again)

The French are right (again) | [Source: Salon]

News

Let’s not say the French are correct. If we say they are “right,” then someone must be “wrong.” I am not willing to go that far – yet.

European states adhere to a variety of forms of socialism. Socialism is not Communism, though one could argue that Communism is a form of Socialism, taken to the extreme.

In particular, European states adhere to Democratic Socialism. In Democratic Socialism, the people, through a representative government, institute laws and policies that are designed to help the people reach and attain their goals, protect and provide for their population.

Yes, taxes are higher, yet so are the benefits. Read through the article on maternity leave in France, daycare, and the shorter workday in Norway so that parents can be home from work when their children arrive home from school. Over the last decade, divorces have reduced by 6%, according to the article, anyway.

The biggest difference between Europe and the United States, that I can discern, is the perspective each Union has regarding the protection of its citizens. Let me describe the idea this way:

In the United States, we work, yes, for ourselves, but also for our place of business in order to make that business better. Many of us in the workforce not just work for that business, but for all the shareholders of that business. We pay taxes, and the business pays taxes, and those taxes really are not enough to cover the true cost of business when one considers the environmental impact of every business. The burden of taking care of ourselves falls upon each of us, though, the burden of protecting our own health, or own education, and our own families. The business, the corporation, has no such desire.

Many of the highly-developed European states, and again, this is only my perspective, works the other way. The corporations and businesses are there to provide a means to provide for the people. Businesses and industries are present provide a sufficient income stream in order to cover the expenses of providing a variety of services and benefits to improve the overall quality of life for the residents. Through higher taxes, taxes on the employee, on the business, and from income the government receives, the populations are able to receive a subsidized education, free to low-cost medical care, subsidized daycare – for everyone.

In other words, their governments work for the people, which, to me, appears to follow the spirit of our Bill of Rights, “of, by, and for the People.”

Not “of, by, and for the Corporation,” or, “of, by, and for the Shareholders.”

I often speak about the dangers of comparing the United States to individual European countries. However, I know that we have much to learn from them, especially when the rights and benefits of our people are involved.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Afghan 'anti-women law' attacked

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Afghan 'anti-women law' attacked [Source: BBC News]

photo

This news article leaves me a little speechless. The Afghan government is wholly supported by the United States government. That is to say, if our military was not present, this government would not exist. Said again, if our military could all come home from Afghanistan tomorrow, the government would fold before the last plane left the Kabul airfield.

The law, signed into being last month, limits the rights of Shia women. No longer can they leave the house without their husband’s permission. Wives cannot deny their husbands sex. I am sure other restrictions apply, these are the only two notable restrictions. I also found from a Canadian source that the law stipulates that wives and daughters must “preen” themselves whenever the husband/father orders.

The argument set forth is that Hamid Karzai needs votes to win the next election. The Shia Muslims represent 10% of the population. In allowing the Shia to establish their own family laws, the possibility exists that the Sunni Muslims will also be allowed to establish their own family laws, as well. By allowing various segments of society to establish their own rules, everyone wins, and, I am guessing, Hamid Karzai wins, too.

However, I feel that the U.S. is somewhat complicit in all of this, since we are propping up Hamid Karzai. What good is supporting a “democracy” that allows its population to be subjugated? How much of a “democracy” can the government in Kabul be if an entire gender has laws passed that keep that gender repressed?

Our connection to the Afghani government, the human rights concerns that these laws fly in face of, continues to put the United States on the edge of a moral precipice, an edge I wish we could back away from – safely.

Tech Startups Don’t Need the Valley Unless They Need VC

Tech Startups Don’t Need the Valley Unless They Need VC [Source: Gigaom]

 

Technopole: a location with plenty of venture capital, a highly educated workforce, ancillary and support businesses, a research university in close proximity, a climate conducive to business ventures, and a pleasant atmosphere for raising a family.

But is venture capital really required? Is growing fast and growing big really a condition for technology startups?

Business founders and consultants suggest that the days of reliance upon the Bay Area (San Francisco Bay) may be numbered. Educated people of entrepreneurial spirit can be found around the world, from Madison, Wisconsin to Beijing, China.

Entrepreneurs are also looking for ways to balance family life, and women entrepreneurs are finding ways around the startup culture found in Silicon Valley.

The United States government should foster the grow of technopoles beyond those that exist today. Distributing technopoles around the country helps lessen the reliance upon few center of technology, helps distribute the possible wealth of such a location, helps distribute talented people, and assists in dispersing the technology infrastructure of the country.

Geography professor claims to have found Osama bin Laden - [Source: Telegraph]

Geography professor claims to have found Osama bin Laden – Telegraph

map.JPG

An interesting article, and for my geography students, excellent Geography Journal fodder. Geographers, not just one as this article title alludes, have developed a model to narrow the search for Osama bin Laden. In fact, their analysis have identified the area within the red box as the most likely candidate for his home.

The article cites animal distribution theories as the basis for establishing this location. GIS is a potent tool for the analysis of habitats, whether those habitats be associated with squirrels or terrorists. Software tools are available that use Animal Movement algorithms for crime analysis. Why not use these same tools to find UBL?

The geographers, according to the article, narrowed the scope of UBL’s habitat to about three houses in a city, Parachinar, of about 500,000 people. That, to me, anyway, seems like a stretch.

Noting the map above, the city is a plausible host for UBL. The city is the closest one can get to Afghanistan without crossing into Afghanistan. A city of 500,000 would allow someone like UBL to hide without his presence being common knowledge. Many services would most likely be available to him, medical, telecommunications, internet, grocery stores, and the like. The close proximity to Kabul would allow him to maintain contact with Al-Qaeda associates within Afghanistan. Parachinar also lies along the route to Peshawar (pop: 3 million) and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan (pop: 1.5 million) and Rawalpindi (pop: 3 million).

Parachinar is also located in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), which is an oxymoron. The FATA is anything but administered by the Pakistani federal government; more like an area owned and operated by the same tribes that the government would like to think that it administers. By taking up residence within the FATA, UBL is assured protection by Taliban supporters, Al-Qaeda supporters, anti-American factions, and those seeking to topple the Pakistani government.