I got a better feel, today, for the content of some of the Wikileaks documents. Reuters has a nice review:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AT1I720101130
Despite the sometimes childish nature of the contents, in general, they appear to have what would be considered to be normal internal information (with a few exceptions).
It is interesting, though, that there are numerous examples of unethical behavior, at least according to the yearly ethics training that my employer provides.
We offered money and meetings with the president in exchange for taking prisoners out of Gitmo. This would be an offense that would land you in jail if you did something similar in exchange for business.
There were numerous examples of authors inserting personal opinion in the technical analysis that often bordered on slander. My company has explicit training on what to lay down in print and always says to ask yourself the question: "How would that look and how would I feel if this memo ever got into the media?"
This speaks very poorly of our diplomatic corps, not to leave out our ineptitude to safeguard State Department communications.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Budapest
About 8 weeks ago, I was at a conference in Budapest, Hungary. Each day, there was a two-hour time frame for lunch and one evening there was a group activity. These small windows allowed me to get out for walks and see a bit of this charming city (cities? Buda and Pesht).
My first walkabout was along the Danube river. It was there that I crossed over on an impressive iron bridge.
Crossing from one side to the other, I stumbled onto the Cave Church in Gellert hill, that I had glimpsed on the taxi ride to the hotel.
I did not get a chance to go into this structure, but it's mere construction into the hillside was fascinating.
On day two, I went a different direction and visited the opera house. Unfortunately, it was closed. I must continually remind myself to check times before trying to work a visit into a small time window. Nonetheless, I found the St. Stephens Basilica, which was quite lovely. Interestingly, having read Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, I was chuckling when I found the obelisk just outside the church.
The inside of the church was beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed a quick walk through.
Crossing a beautiful park (which was schizophrenic ... beautiful by day, homeless and drug infested at night), I meandered toward parliament. On the way, there was a last vestige of the cold war (the engraving that said something about the Soviet Union and the star on top were dead give aways) ...
Parliament was a very impressive building:
On day three, I went to the castle at lunch. Quite impressive, but not like other castles I have visited; perhaps the Heidelberg castle in Germany or, more appropriately, the one in Schwetzigen, Germany.
The old city nearby offered beautiful views across the Danube.
You may notice the church steeple in the mid-ground. All across the city the steeples were elaborately tiled ...
That evening, my last before leaving to return home, I visited the Duna Palota to watch Hungarian folk dancers.
Of course, no trip to Europe would be complete without the street guy ...
Budapest was interesting from another standpoint. All I heard all week was English. It must be a popular tourist spot because it was amazing hearing the Swedes, Italians, French (yes French), German, and other visitors all ordering at restaurants in English (as well as out on the street).
Finally, there is the European custom of wearing one's scarf around the neck ...
These guys are clearly European. I often want to ask them if they wear their socks tied around their ankles.
My first walkabout was along the Danube river. It was there that I crossed over on an impressive iron bridge.
Crossing from one side to the other, I stumbled onto the Cave Church in Gellert hill, that I had glimpsed on the taxi ride to the hotel.
I did not get a chance to go into this structure, but it's mere construction into the hillside was fascinating.
On day two, I went a different direction and visited the opera house. Unfortunately, it was closed. I must continually remind myself to check times before trying to work a visit into a small time window. Nonetheless, I found the St. Stephens Basilica, which was quite lovely. Interestingly, having read Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, I was chuckling when I found the obelisk just outside the church.
The inside of the church was beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed a quick walk through.
Crossing a beautiful park (which was schizophrenic ... beautiful by day, homeless and drug infested at night), I meandered toward parliament. On the way, there was a last vestige of the cold war (the engraving that said something about the Soviet Union and the star on top were dead give aways) ...
Parliament was a very impressive building:
On day three, I went to the castle at lunch. Quite impressive, but not like other castles I have visited; perhaps the Heidelberg castle in Germany or, more appropriately, the one in Schwetzigen, Germany.
The old city nearby offered beautiful views across the Danube.
You may notice the church steeple in the mid-ground. All across the city the steeples were elaborately tiled ...
That evening, my last before leaving to return home, I visited the Duna Palota to watch Hungarian folk dancers.
Of course, no trip to Europe would be complete without the street guy ...
Budapest was interesting from another standpoint. All I heard all week was English. It must be a popular tourist spot because it was amazing hearing the Swedes, Italians, French (yes French), German, and other visitors all ordering at restaurants in English (as well as out on the street).
Finally, there is the European custom of wearing one's scarf around the neck ...
These guys are clearly European. I often want to ask them if they wear their socks tied around their ankles.
Can Anyone Say "George Orwell"
George Orwell's 1984 was a bit early in its prediction of an all-seeing government. The recent hoopla about invasive screening at airports is just another example for us. Since 9-11, the government has been particularly adept at removing our personal freedoms in the name of security and safety. I am not saying we should not have security and safety. Anyone who remembers airlines being hijacked to go to Cuba knows that some level of security is required. However, we, as Americans, seem to be all to eager to turn in our freedoms when the government yells safety and security and terror. In fact, our appointed officials, like Janet Napolitano, simply refuse to listen to the brave few who would question the TSA tactics. They just don't "understand why people are so upset".
I am really tired of the media on this one, too, because, until it became scandalous (someone was touched improperly), they did not care. Even now, they seem more than able to find some dolt who says ... "Well, if it makes us safer I am ok with it." Well, I am not ok with it. It is ineffective, looks for the wrong things on people, screens those who don't need screening and costs billions of dollars while we are going broke.
Since I cannot complain without offering alternatives, here is a partial list ...
I am really tired of having my civil rights removed from me and am afraid that we are edging ever closer to a police state, at least when it comes to group travel.
I am really tired of the media on this one, too, because, until it became scandalous (someone was touched improperly), they did not care. Even now, they seem more than able to find some dolt who says ... "Well, if it makes us safer I am ok with it." Well, I am not ok with it. It is ineffective, looks for the wrong things on people, screens those who don't need screening and costs billions of dollars while we are going broke.
Since I cannot complain without offering alternatives, here is a partial list ...
- profile based on criminal background
- profile based on probing questioning
- vigorously x-ray all baggage - cargo and otherwise
- make better use of psychological training for employees
- mine the vast information network that has been built up on every American by our and other's governments
- develop a friend-foe system (the theory is that if one has not been a problem the past years on any number of flights, it is unlikely that they will be a problem)
I am really tired of having my civil rights removed from me and am afraid that we are edging ever closer to a police state, at least when it comes to group travel.
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