I Hate Basketball

The title is a disclaimer to this post.

I’ve written before on why I think the sport is evil, but I seem to be caught in a perfect storm. I’m watching the last half of the fifth game of the NBA finals (the first game I’ve watched in years), because for me, it’s a twofer. I’m living in LA, which is Lakers crazy (and since I hate basketball, that just makes me hate it all the more). And I was born and bred in southeastern Michigan, so my tribal instincts out, and I get to watch the Pistons dismantle them.

The fact that they were supposed to have already lost the championship by now makes it all the sweeter. Detroit was supposed to get creamed, and instead, the Lakers would have already lost their shot at their legacy if the accused rapist hadn’t had a lucky shot in the second game. I’m going to savor the fourth quarter.

Then, I’ll hope once more that the sport implodes once and for all, with the collapse of the supposed superstars.

A couple of computer security issues

The latest Crypto-gram is out, and it’s got the usual good stuff in it. Two things that stand out are the Witty Worm, and a letter on computer security (the last one).

The Witty worm is particularly scary because it was so well written (700 bytes!) and so destructive (infected 100% of targeted systems in 45 minutes). The only reason it wasn’t a major story is that the worm targeted only systems running a particular company’s security software, and there were only a limited number of installations.

“The Future Is Becoming Frightening”

I find it difficult to understand how anyone can read things like this and not understand that Iraq is a fundamental front in the war on Islamic fundamentalism.

Titled “The text of al-Zarqawi’s message to Osama bin Laden about holy war in Iraq,” the statement appeared on Web sites that have recently carried claims of responsibility for attacks in Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

“The space of movement is starting to get smaller,” it said. “The grip is starting to be tightened on the holy warriors’ necks and, with the spread of soldiers and police, the future is becoming frightening.”

The statement says the militant movement in Iraq is racing against time to form battalions that can take control of the country “four months before the formation of the promised Iraqi government, hoping to spoil their plan.” It appears to refer to the government that would take office after the elections scheduled for January 2005.

It also says insurgents are planning to intensify attacks on Iraqi soldiers and police, seen as collaborators with the U.S.-led coalition. Calling Iraqi forces “the occupier’s eye, ear and hand,” the statement says: “We are planning on targeting them heavily in the coming stage before they are fully in control.”

[Tuesday update]

Citizen Smash says that this is old news.

The point remains, however.

“The Future Is Becoming Frightening”

I find it difficult to understand how anyone can read things like this and not understand that Iraq is a fundamental front in the war on Islamic fundamentalism.

Titled “The text of al-Zarqawi’s message to Osama bin Laden about holy war in Iraq,” the statement appeared on Web sites that have recently carried claims of responsibility for attacks in Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

“The space of movement is starting to get smaller,” it said. “The grip is starting to be tightened on the holy warriors’ necks and, with the spread of soldiers and police, the future is becoming frightening.”

The statement says the militant movement in Iraq is racing against time to form battalions that can take control of the country “four months before the formation of the promised Iraqi government, hoping to spoil their plan.” It appears to refer to the government that would take office after the elections scheduled for January 2005.

It also says insurgents are planning to intensify attacks on Iraqi soldiers and police, seen as collaborators with the U.S.-led coalition. Calling Iraqi forces “the occupier’s eye, ear and hand,” the statement says: “We are planning on targeting them heavily in the coming stage before they are fully in control.”

[Tuesday update]

Citizen Smash says that this is old news.

The point remains, however.

“The Future Is Becoming Frightening”

I find it difficult to understand how anyone can read things like this and not understand that Iraq is a fundamental front in the war on Islamic fundamentalism.

Titled “The text of al-Zarqawi’s message to Osama bin Laden about holy war in Iraq,” the statement appeared on Web sites that have recently carried claims of responsibility for attacks in Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

“The space of movement is starting to get smaller,” it said. “The grip is starting to be tightened on the holy warriors’ necks and, with the spread of soldiers and police, the future is becoming frightening.”

The statement says the militant movement in Iraq is racing against time to form battalions that can take control of the country “four months before the formation of the promised Iraqi government, hoping to spoil their plan.” It appears to refer to the government that would take office after the elections scheduled for January 2005.

It also says insurgents are planning to intensify attacks on Iraqi soldiers and police, seen as collaborators with the U.S.-led coalition. Calling Iraqi forces “the occupier’s eye, ear and hand,” the statement says: “We are planning on targeting them heavily in the coming stage before they are fully in control.”

[Tuesday update]

Citizen Smash says that this is old news.

The point remains, however.