The Sunday Herald reports that President Bush planned an Iraq 'regime change' before becoming President. The Herald claims it uncovered a 'blueprint for pax americana' drawn up by veep Dick Cheney.

A choice quote: "The United States has for decades sought to play a more permanent role in Gulf regional security. While the unresolved conflict with Iraq provides the immediate justification, the need for a substantial American force presence in the Gulf transcends the issue of the regime of Saddam Hussein." [Adam Curry: Adam Curry's Weblog]

Well, it is nice to know that, as we plan to attack a city with 4 million civilians (about the size of Los Angeles) in a country of 23 million, that it is a well thought out plan, devised by men who fought in no war, with a keen perception of its place in history. I find chilling the recent statements suggesting that we must not allow any nation to ever challenge our hegemony, even if they are our allies today. Look how we treat our former allies (i.e. Saddam) when their purposes no longer align with ours. I am sure China, not to mention India, Pakistan and the EU, finds the reading fascinating. Are we setting ourselves up to go after ANYONE who does not toe the line WE draw in the sand? It seems to me that this is a road to the very tyranny that our Founding Fathers fought against. Of course, by modern definitions, they were terrorists. At least in the eyes of that century's only real superpower. This is such a slippery slope. Who will determine what are legitimate things that a country can do? We have overthrown legitimately elected governments because we did not like the people that were elected. What would we do if Saddam had been elected? Overthrow him and put in a puppet? Now we are making it an open part of US policy. You can read it on the web. Read the security statement. Then reread 1984. No, don't. It will depress you to see the path we are walking. Because the justifications we are making now for legitimate reasons can so easily be used for illegitimate purposes. One of the big lessons from 'The Once and Future King' is that might does not make right. We appear to be acting today with the view that our might does make us right. God, I hope not. Sorry, it is late and I am getting depressed. I've got to look good for the job fair tomorrow.

And anyone who really thinks knocking off Saddam will bring ANY stability in Iraq is dreaming. The area is so large and so fracticious that it will probably burst into a dozen samller states, all fighting for the oil, power, etc. while killing hundreds of thousands of people. Will we just leave the people of Iraq wishing for the relative stability of Saddam? It is already happening in Afghanistan. What is the end game for this whole process going to be?  11:20:04 PM    

New Bill: More Digital TV Limits. A bill up for debate in the Senate could make VCRs obsolete. On the bright side for U.S. consumers, it could force cable companies to adopt open standards. By Brad King. [Wired News]

Don't you love it. The government will mandate that ALL TVs, the broadcasts and cable be digital. The customer is not clammering for this. Why is it happening? Well, the government willalso outlaw any sort of analog output, so VCRs will be obsolete. No one will be able to record ANYTHING unless the government and the media companies say so. Do you really think they will say yes!!   11:03:04 PM    

Biotech Drug Copycats Get Ready to Pounce. iWon Sep 21 2002 6:52AM ET [Moreover - moreover...]

The last sentence is telling. Safety will be a big problem. J&J made a small change in its process for making EPO in Europe. Aplastic anemia turned up in detectable numbers of people, not everyone but some 10s of people per 100,000 taking it. Not enough to overcome the positive benefits. Except that the material made in the US by Amgen or even by J&J did not show this side effect. So, making a making a small change in the process resulted in a drug with a new detectable nasty side effect that was not there before. What will happen when generics, who are after cost cutting, get to work? Making a biologic that is helpful is a whole different ball game than a small chemical therapeutic. And, even with small chemicals there are noticeable side effects present in the generics that is not seen in the original drug. There really is a reason that the drugs are so expensive. It is not purely to line the pockets of the executives.  10:25:20 PM    

Then on Tuesday, the WBBA is having a Breakfast for Success that I can do some more networking at, but it is at 7:30!! Hope they have lots of coffee.  9:47:52 PM