MobileChelonian

That's the new verb for getting canned from work for blogging. (See ref. A) And it just happened to Christie Axsmith, who got fired from the CIA for having the gall to blog, on Intelink, that torture was bad. For those who don't know, which is probably everyone, Intelink is the Top Secret network that the DoD has set up for everyone with an accredited computer and clearance to communicate and Google the hell out of each other's Intelligence briefs. Last year, they started allowing blogging, which amuses the crap out of me. I've tried reading some of them, and they are very, very dry. I must have missed this woman's. Here is the text that she got fired (and lost her TS clearance for):

Waterboarding is Torture, and Torture is Wrong

Not to mention ineffective. Econo-Girl has serious doubts as to whether European lives were saved. Econo-Girl's purpose in writing this blog is to start a dialog on the Geneva Convention, since it now applies to the Department of Defense again. Guess it's not quaint anymore, eh?

Over the next few weeks, Econo-Girl would like to post articles about the Geneva Convention, like its origin and major provisions. Legal analysis is not the magic some would have you believe. If the grunts and paper pushers are knowledgeable, the anti-torture infrastructure will be strengthened.

I'm going to have to start reading Intelink more, if there are people with actual souls writing on there, even if for a short time. Thing is, it's not like she went to the press with a story - the only way you can get into Intelink is if you have a clearance. It's not exactly mass media. I found out about this story on Wonkette, but it's also made its way into Boing Boing, and a few press outlets. All of this continues to confirm, I really need a new job. As much fun as it all is, the military-industrial-oedipus complex is not the place for me.

Hmm, what else has been going on?

If you like animation, clever writing, steampunk-esque technology, you should check out The Amazing Screw On Head, coming soon to the Sci-Fi Channel. Here's the pilot episode, free online.

In how-small-the-world is news, one of the staff artists for Daytrotter.com turns out to be from Shreveport and have a most excellent .mp3 blog and amazing art. We've exchanged a couple of emails, so next time I'm back in River City I might actually get to meet the Shreveport indie-music scene, of which I had no clue existed.

And that's about it from me.

Posted by Aaron on Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 9:06 AM | Permalink