War

Paul Virilio, on possession and movement

In Military, War on 20 September 2008 with no comments

Whoever controls the territory possesses it. Possession of territory is not primarily about laws and contracts, but first and foremost a matter of movement and circulation.
—Paul Virilio (2000)

Blood in the Water

In Hungary, Russia, Sports, War on 14 August 2008 with no comments

During NBC’s coverage of the Olympics tonight, they paid tribute to the moments during The Games when warring nations’ athletes have come together in peaceful competition. The host reminded us that the “Blood in the Water” polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics—not a month since the end of [...]

David Axe, on urban life in Mogadishu

In Africa, Axe, Local Government, Mogadishu, Slums, War on 27 November 2007 with 1 comment

David Axe, a good friend and fellow blogger, recently sent me the following guest post from Mogadishu [map, wiki].
Imagine a city with all the usual gripes: a growing population, ethnic tension, strained utilities, crime. Now cut off essentially all spending for 17 years. That’s right: no meaningful investment of any kind. No road repair. No [...]

A wartime empathy device

In Fashion, Social Media, War on 2 November 2007 with no comments

Pasta&Vinegar points to the Beat wartime empathy device; it’s a POW-MIA bracelet for the digital age. On one end, a dogtag-like device records and transmits the heartbeat of a deployed soldier to a civilian back home wearing another device that simulates the heartbeat.