Jack on the Net 2/13/09

Things I've done on other sites/blogs on the internet in the last few days.

Lucianne

War: The Cyber Front - Der Spiegel [GER]

This is what an officially appointed hacker looks like: A man with gray hair and a moustache, wearing a blue German Air Force uniform. His name is Friedrich Wilhelm Kriesel, and he's 60 years old, a brigadier general and the head of the Bundeswehr's Strategic Reconnaissance Unit.

Computer viruses, hacking, worms - oh, the possibilities! Just wondering about cold wars, trade wars - or even just attacks on another country's computers in lieu of recall of ambassadors. You and me - we could find our computers down. This is known as "collateral damage."

Iran’s Election: Back to the Future? - The Economist [UK]

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, Iran’s president, faces a disgruntled people, an election in June, and now a strong new challenger for his job. This week Muhammad Khatami, a jovial, 65-year-old reformist cleric, who is more softly spoken and gentler-looking than the incumbent, finally decided to throw his turban into the ring. He previously served two terms as president, from 1997 to 2005.

I don't believe this. Iran was on the Axis of Evil before MA came to power. MK may be marginally better than MA but will the difference matter much? When it comes to the Middle East, the Brits have such a blind spot!

S. Africa's Uncertain Future - The Economist [UK]

With business confidence at a six-year low, GDP growth forecast to slow to around 0.75% in 2009 (down from an annual average of 4.5% over the previous five years) and the government promising more populist policies after this May’s presidential and parliamentary elections, South Africa’s investment image is taking a battering.

I like the article's last paragraph. Just how is increased taxes and more government intervention supposed to increase private sector investment?

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