While researching the “Lessons From Saddam” post, I came across The National Security Archive of George Washington University. The National Security Archive is a repository of information and documents, many obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. In short, it’s…
This post is available as a PDF document here: http://www.hackneys.com/docs/lessonsfromsaddam.pdf ******* For the 23 people in the United States who have not been wholly consumed by the All Michael, All The Time media onslaught, it’s been an interesting week. For…
My wife claims there is something very important regarding understanding women in this comic strip, but I just don’t get it… Click the strip to view the full size version.
One of the great things about hanging out in mom’s kitchen are the things that just pop up. For instance, while searching for a recipe she pulled out this vintage cookbook, which is such a staple of my lifetime, I almost…
Last night I did a very unusual thing. I was in the room while CNN was on and I watched Sarah Palin’s goodbye-for-now press conference. It was unusual because a) I don’t watch television and b) I especially don’t watch…
We’re visiting my mother and grandmother in northwest Arkansas. They are at an age and in a place where politics are discussed, religion is assumed and passion is reserved for the important things, such as the best variety of peach…
This year we’re participating in an American summer tradition: The Drive Across The Country. Our route this year takes us from San Diego, California to Austin, Texas. Via Minneapolis. Illogical and inefficient–true, but it gives us the chance to see the kids…
To all those I know who are Apple-onians (or is it Apple-ites?) – First, let me say that I think the iPhone is a very cool device. I may even end up with one. Soon. But before I drink the…
One of the downsides of the insularity of the American culture and the self-enclosed European culture is its bounding effect on opportunity space thinking. One example that is easy to illustrate is in technology. People in the post-development societies of…
After 9/11, and especially after visiting ground zero, I had some strong personal reactions. I wrote some magazine columns and also wrote quite a bit about the issues and challenges surrounding the event in non-commercial venues. In addition to doing…