Carefull what you wish for

- you might just get it, but not the way you wanted to.

Steven Kurtz was a professor and an artist. Now he stands accused of bio-terrorism. Sure, he wanted attention, to make an impact and maybe even provoke a few people. But things have certainly gone "above and beyond" a simple matter of what you can have and use. Protest have gotten the case noticed from the LA Times, Wired and The Guardian amongst others.

End result? Still not known. Major impact? "Those paranoid Americans..." or "Those crazy artist" depending on where you are looking from. (more thoughts and links at Valley)

...and the sun has started back south - but is well hidden today by rain coming down...

Suit up

The US Army is developing a brand new uniform - the ACU or Army Combat Uniform - to be used all over the place (rather than swapping back and forth between urban, woodland and desert equipment). So say bye bye to those black boots with their spit-shine, and hello to "mandarin" collar for easy use under bodyarmour (kevlar and so forth). To be launched for US forces from 2005 until 2007 - so maybe a variety well end up in Norway around 2020...? [more glossy info]
On that note - at the end of August there will be a "commando raid" arranged in Norway, a team competition with four men or women to each side, traversing 30 km and stopping by 12-25 checkpoints. At each point the team might be tested in various military skills - set against the backdrop of anit-terror and crisis management, so urban warfare, climbing, first aid and escort are good guesses. What a way to spend a weekend and visit Norway, eeeh? Once upon a time the goal was stopping nazi atomic development, but now it is all about the challenge. Maybe better that way... at least around here.

Back on

Status; back from both China and the military, spent a week out in the woods with the National Guard and now the net connection is more or less back again. So naturally, I have a lot of notes, thoughts and questions to get out here.

First off, it is Euro 2004 time - so in respect for Zin Zid, Mr French football saviour:

A German named Paul Friese from Rendsburg in northern Germany has build a Lego model of his local football stadium "Fritz Walter Stadium", complete with 40 000 fans, buses outside and ads on the side. 130 cm tall, 56 square meters (500+ sq. feet) and wheiging in at 1000+ kilos - a lot of fun for the four months it took him...? (more german info: 1 and 2 )

...and the sun is clouded so I can use the computer for a while longer - new drapes next week, can hardly wait...

History and blood

History coming back
According to the BBC, the British Library is spending £2 million on digitizing old newspapers, more than a million pages, going back to 1800. Estimated launch in 18 months, so come New Year 2006 we should be able to get a good look at how our ancestors viewed their great changes. Stay tuned?

[filling my head with the beats of: Yeah - Usher and then some ]

Working - what does it take do be an attractive employee these days, after the dot com bubble, and in a day and age where cost-cutting and efficiency are the key drivers? According to Finn Skårderud, it is not about what you know (how to do), but rather how flexible you are in terms of changing skills, responsibilities and goals/owners. So how do you prepare yourself for long term commitment if it is all about flux and change? Are quarterly reports and short term stock price fluctuations eroding the long term viability of business? With CEOs floating between companies and industries at least every five years, how do you motivate the employees to go further - to give more?



Incoming
After spending a bit more time than normal outdoors lately - I started thinking about mosquitoes and their various cousins. Shouldn't they give off a "stay away" scent when they are swatted, to warn others to stay clear or be extra careful? Or would it be overpowered by the possible scent of the blood they had started extracting - and in total actually attract MORE flying pests?

...the sun is mostly out in full as I sit in the middle of nowhere waiting to be found

Back and out again

After three weeks in China, and delayed luggage coming back - I've barely had time to turn around - tomorrow it is out into the wilds to defend king and country... or train for doing it someday, since we are not at war (even if we have several soldiers in warzones - from NATO ops in Bosnia to "humanitarian" ops in Iraq)

so do I remember anything from back when I became a sergant? Well, not that much, but I guess I'll have some time over the next seven days to get back into it.

...and as soon as I'm back the too large stack of clippings will get a good thinking and posting round! Semper Fi.

...and the sun is naturally hiding behind rainy clouds tonight...