Manifesto

[Jan Klimkowski]

Thanks for the clarity, Jan. I don't particular like posting what is obviously a sales pitch that shows the gloss but not the inside truth, and Wired/Defense is often (if not always) a mouthpiece for the US DOD and DARPA but, on the other hand, it sometimes is the only way those of us on the outside, up in the cheap seats, can have a clue as to what is really going on way behind the scenes. And, as I am sure you appreciate, if we are seeing it addressed in a public outlet in late 2009, it's probably been in development for at least a year, maybe more, and even already in use somewhere in some dark hell-hole of a corner.

Ed -I absolutely agree that the likes of "Wired" can shine valuable light on otherwise largely hidden scientific or technological developments.

I worked for MSM for nearly 20 years. Sometimes the price of access is that you have play by Their rules. Sometimes getting the information into the public domain, on the record, may justify an uncritical editorial line.

When I was at the BBC, I was once offered access to a new non-lethal technology, a viscous kind of chemical net that could be fired by cops at fleeing criminals to apprehend them.

I was sorely tempted to accept the offer and make the short film. The company who'd produced this "non-lethal technology" was desperate to publicize it and agreed to set up a great "chase scene" for me to film. I could have justified filming it as the price of revealing this crazy nonsense to the world. Ultimately, though, I just couldn't stomach the thought of writing a script extolling the brave new world of law enforcement agents humanely pursuing and catching the bad guys with Company Z's patented SpiderWeb stuff.

I also suspected that sooner or later some "villain" would get a mouthful of goo and choke to death on it. Or meet some other non-lethal end...

On reflection, I was perhaps a little harsh on the author of the World Politics Review piece. I also agree that it contains much important and little known material.