And if he isn’t so fearsome, then I think Manzi’s ultimate conclusion, with its invocation of “reasoned courage” in thinking through how far we should go in counterterrorism, should be much more widely argued for and shared. It doesn’t ask the public to reject waterboarding on abstract moral grounds that seem to set cost-benefits issues aside entirely (I speak from long experience as a Catholic when I say that such arguments don’t usually suffice in contemporary American debates), and it doesn’t ask them to go down the rabbit hole of trying to figure out definitively whether this hypothetical attack or that potential plot was in some way foiled or furthered by some piece of intelligence with some connection to enhanced interrogation. Instead, it asks them to look with clear eyes at the actual landscape, the actual threat, and to recognize that whatever danger they might think justifies compromising our moral standards for security’s sake, what we know now about our post-9/11 situation calls instead for keeping calm and keeping our principles intact.
Warming Trend and Variations on a Greenhouse-Heated Planet →
With high-level talks over a new international climate agreementbeginning in Lima, Peru, it’s worth reviewing some basic points about climate change driven by the buildup of human-generated greenhouse gases. One, of course, is that the growing human influence on the system remains mixed in with a lot of natural variability in conditions.
Desperate workers on a Mexican mega-farm: 'They treated us like slaves' →
One part of globalization and our expectation of cheap food:
Scorpions and bedbugs. Constant hunger. No pay for months. Finally, a bold escape leads to a government raid, exposing deplorable conditions. But justice proves elusive...
How terrorism fears are transforming America's public space →
The recent security lapses at the White House have brought to the forefront the 13-year-old question of how to effectively secure public spaces. As officials weigh increasing perimeter security and installing additional checkpoints at public areas adjacent to the White House, it's worth examining the effects of counter-terrorism measures on our urban experience.
Jersey barriers, bollards, restricted areas, CCTV cameras, and security guards have transformed public space in many cities. At the same time, planners and urban advocates strive to balance the desire for safe cities with the need for vibrant and connected public spaces. One hallmark of a democratic society is the ability of citizens to gather and move freely about the city.
People have lost faith with companies and governments →
While much political debate takes place on a macro level, focusing on large-scale changes in spending, tax or regulatory policies, I suspect that much of what frustrates the public happens on a more micro scale. A government that has to install nets under bridges to catch falling debris will not inspire confidence when it aspires to rebuild other nations. When major companies cannibalize their machinery for spare parts, it is hardly surprising that they are not trusted to embark on voluntary long-run programs to control greenhouse gases, promote diversity or develop technologies.
NSA Hacking of Cell Phone Networks →
As I keep saying, we no longer live in a world where technology allows us to separate communications we want to protect from communications we want to exploit. Assume that anything we learn about what the NSA does today is a preview of what cybercriminals are going to do in six months to two years. That the NSA chooses to exploit the vulnerabilities it finds, rather than fix them, puts us all at risk.
Start Worrying About Your Tap Water →
Trouble is the act has proved fairly easy to circumvent: It has been interpreted as applying to "navigable" waters. That reading would mean that polluters only face clear limits on dumping waste into waterways that allow ships, but as soon as a river gets too shallow, those constraints are ill-defined.
Waters of the U.S. would specify that the CWA extends to streams and wetlands that drain into larger bodies of water. It's a logical effort to control so-called externalities -- in this case, when the expense and harm caused by a polluter are borne by the public.
The 8 biggest lies the CIA told about torture →
A rather important one...
Lie: The program was cleared with leaders in Congress