JBC was HERE

One Mans Life

2011-11-23T10:41:00.001-05:00

I've been looking back over the posts here and realizing that this blog has been all over the place. I started it off with the objective of chronicling my writing - but as my life began to twist and turn, it followed. The blog seemed like a good place to chronicle the things I was thinking and doing. Looking back now it seems more like a hodgepodge of activities and thoughts than anything cohesive. But, as this has pretty much been my experience in the last few years it does at least fall into a central theme in that way.

I thought about trying to tie things down to a single topic but at this point that doesn’t seem very interesting. Since blogs are essentially shouts into the empty cosmos in 2012 it will be more of the same. Only with some song and dance numbers this time to keep things interesting.

Cut to the chase!

Comparitive Analysis of Communications Systems

2011-08-04T13:37:00.000-04:00

I wrote this last year for an online class I was taking while stationed in Iraq. Probably boring to all but Coms Policy Wonks. Of interest for perpetuity is that I pulled much of my information about Iraq from sources on the ground there. I contacted and interviewed UN and USAID staff actually working on Iraqi communications infrastructure programs. I was able to link these contacts up with our PRT & Embassy cohorts working on similar programs. My little contribution to international cooperation and development.

Comparative Analysis of Communications Systems:
Iraq, Puerto Rico & Pakistan

by JBC

Introduction

In the early 1960s researchers began to notice a change in the economic climate in western society. The number of jobs related to agriculture and industry were decreasing while the number of jobs related to the technology of information storage, transport and retrieval was increasing. Researcher Daniel Bell theorized that western civilization had entered into a new age. Much like the agricultural age had enabled man to use farming techniques to transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and the industrial age had facilitated a move from farms to factories he theorized that this new “post industrial” age would shepherd society from a goods production to a (knowledge based) service economy (Martin, 1995).

The term “information society” emerged in the 1970s as a way to describe this new postindustrial age where “quality of life as well as prospects for social change and economic development depend upon… information and its exploitation (Martin, 1995).”

Although the exact definition and criteria for an information society would continue to be debated, by the turn of the century it was clear that information and technology was a major player in global economics, politics and culture. It was also clear that wealthier nations had greater access to emerging information technologies and networks than those with more limited economic means. This disparity became known as the “digital divide” and the United Nations convened World Summits on the Information Society (WSIS), in 2003 and 2005, to discuss the issue, identify methods for measuring it and develop strategies for closing the gap (World Summit on Information Society Report, 2007).

The WSIS resulted in a set of standardized measures and indexes that could be used to compare nations equally. These measures were to be applied and reviewed in 2010 and 2015 to determine if progress was being made in closing the digital divide. Although these calculations are incomplete we can use the data currently available from WSIS and other sources to analyze groups of nations. This will give us an indication of the status of these countries on the spectrum of digital inclusion.

Purpose

The following paper presents a comparative analysis of the impact of the information society in three countries; Puerto Rico, Iraq and Pakistan. These nations represent a diverse spectrum of history, geography, culture, economy, infrastructure and access to technology. They were selected because they represent low, middle and high income nation states and will help illustrate the impact of the global information and knowledge society in differing political and cultural platforms.

The purpose of this report is to compare and contrast how each of these countries have received and responded to information and knowledge society concepts.

An analysis of activities and statistics related to these concepts is provided in an effort to highlight how these nations are similar and different. For background this paper includes a brief description of each country’s history, culture, political environment and economy. This paper also reviews social, technological, and infrastructural and policy issues that may contribute to promoting, stalling or reversing progress.

The structure of this report is broken into two parts. In the first section each country will be discussed individually to give the reader a sense of its national character. The second section will compare and contrast the countries using available statistics.

Iraq

It is impossible to discuss Iraq without understanding its long and ancient history. The modern Republic of Iraq occupies an area of the middle (or near) east that was once the Kingdom of Mesopotamia and known as the “cradle of civilization.” The Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow down its center creating a fertile agricultural region along which early man flourished. This climate and prosperity gave early leaders and thinkers time to issue the first written laws (the Code of Hammurabi) and develop intellectual complexities (such as algebra). The region was the center of Islamic Empire until the late middle ages when it was overrun by the Mongols. From the 15th Century until the early 20th Century the area was ruled by the Ottoman Empire (BBC History, 2010).

Great Britain briefly controlled Iraq after World War I and many of its military and government traditions are based on the systems established during that time. The British installed a Monarch who ruled from 1932 until he was overthrown in 1958. For a short time the region was governed by a Republic (albeit with strong central leadership). This essentially ended when the Arab Nationalist Ba’ath Party came to power in 1968. A little over a decade later, in 1979, Saddam Hussein became President (BBC History, 2010).

Saddam Hussein inherited a nation with a fairly modern infrastructure that was wealthy from oil profits. By the end of his reign, however, the country would be destroyed and its coffers emptied. The invasions of Iran in 1989 and of Kuwait in 1991 lead Iraq’s military into destructive conflicts that they could not win. In 2003 a coalition of forces lead by the United States enforcing United Nations sanctions invaded and overthrew Saddam’s Ba’athist government (CIA Fact Book, 2010).

The conflict and its aftermath has kept Iraq’s economy in limbo for nearly a decade. As insurgent activity subsides and the overall security climate improves the burden falls on the government to implement policy reforms to facilitate business development and develop oil reserves. Stabilization of the financial sector is needed to encourage and build confidence in the banking system. Working toward this goal Ministers have been meeting with the IMF and World Bank to design a system that would meet international requirements and encourage both investment and reliable business loans. Some progress has been made and inflation has decreased steadily since 2007 with the dinar to dollar exchange rate holding at 1170.

With little in the way of an enforceable internal tax structure, 90% of government revenue comes from oil exports. Ministers are working on legislation that would regulate the oil industry and distribute revenues evenly around the country. However, to fully realize benefits from these actions Iraq will need to update its oil processing and refining infrastructure.

Conventional operations in the 2003 war were short and effective, but with no strong government, police or military in place violent power struggles quickly began between various internal and external groups. In addition to the problems of rebuilding infrastructure the violence drove many entrepreneurs and the best educated from the country. This brain drain has reduced the pool of experts with the know-how and inclination to rebuild. Still, there are those who have re-emerged and not given up. And, in mid 2010 the violence has significantly decreased allowing local government, private business and international bodies to become more active (CIA Factbook).

This author is currently working with the Baghdad Chamber of Commerce to re-develop their web site in order to be more competitive internally and internationally. Use of the web for client communication and for teaching business skills to members is new to them but they are actively pursuing its implementation. Almost everyone has access to the internet and anyone doing business has an e-mail address. Most business leaders are very anxious to have a web presence that is interactive and allows them to present a modern professional image to the world.

Recognizing the need for regulation until a permanent government was in place, in 2003, the Iraq Coalition Provisional Authority established the Communications and Media Commission. The Commission is lead by a Chief Operating Officer and 9 Board Members. New Board Members are nominated by the Prime Minister and approved by the Parliament. The Commission is self funded by licensing fees paid by telecommunications and broadcasting companies (Stanhope Centre for Communications Policy Research).

The freedom following Saddam’s demise enabled the media market to go from a few state controlled outlets to one where there are hundreds of independent newspapers and dozens of radio and TV stations from which to choose. In addition to internal broadcasts Iraqis now have easy access to news and programming from abroad. British, French and US services broadcast directly to the Iraqi market through local relays. 70% of Iraqi viewers watch satellite TV and pan Arab stations such as Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera and Al Alam are popular (BBC History 2010).

The Iraqi government has begun laying fiber optic lines in an effort to improve domestic and international communications. Private cell companies are providing services and subscribers are steadily increasing as upgraded towers, switches and lines are installed. Nation-wide connections are now available via 3GSM networks (BBC History 2010).

In the west it is common for libraries to act as a hub for internet and communications activity but in Iraq they are just beginning to address the structural issues of where to store materials. The Iraqi National Library and Archives was built in the 1920s and stored documents dating back to the era of Ottoman rule. Unfortunately, Saddam loyalists burned much of the archives at the National Library and its affiliates during the 2003 war. Most of the buildings suffered major damage as well. The new National Library has a web site (www.iraqnla.org/wpeng/) but, at the moment, is more focused on accounting for lost documents and rebuilding facilities than becoming an internet hub (Wikipedia – Iraq, 2010).

Iraq is clearly only beginning its efforts to rebuild in all areas including that of communications. Despite its most recent troubles and a history of tyrannical rule Iraq has the resources necessary to quickly re- join the digital age and begin to bridge the divide. With a population of nearly 30 million, a GDP of $112 billion and literacy rate of 74% there is already a market that can take advantage of information technology. The question is whether Iraq can continue on its current course of growth when the final coalition forces depart in mid 2011.

Pakistan

Human civilization has existed in Pakistan for at least 5,000 years. The modern nation sits east of Iran and surrounds the Indus Valley where one of the world’s earliest civilizations arose. Since the second millennium BC the region has been invaded and influenced by many others including the Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Afghans and Turks. In the 18th century the British controlled the area which was all known as India.

Conflicts between Pakistani Moslems and Indian Hindus lead to the succession of Pakistan from British India in 1947. It was, however, a messy divorce and conflict on the borders of the two nations continued. Wars were fought over the northern territory of Kashmir in 1948, 1965 and 1971. Pakistan was further divided after the 1971 war when its eastern province succeeded to become the independent nation of Bangladesh (CIA Factbook).

Government institutions and leadership in Pakistan have a reputation for corruption, inefficiency and in fighting. The country has been ruled off and on by civilian and military authorities with little improvement to its bureaucracy. A military coup in 1999 installed General Pervez Musharraf as President. Musharraf straddled a political fence as he tried to maintain peace between internal Islamic factions and powerful western interests following 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. This and the continued troubles with government services lead to his resignation in 2008 when a civilian coalition government was installed (BBC History).

Islamic militants linked to the terrorist group known as the Taliban have continued to fight with the Pakistani military over territories along its border with Afghanistan. Skirmishes with India over the Kashmir region have regularly threatened the fragile peace between these two nations. Both India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons and given the depth of ongoing institutional disagreements have seemed at times likely to use them.

Economically the CIA Factbook refers to Pakistan as “an impoverished and underdeveloped country.”

Political strife and corruption has kept foreign investors away and stunted internal business development. After a brief period of growth from 2001 – 2007, due to government development spending, the economy slumped again in 2007 – 2008. Inflation continues to plague the nation with rates this decade between 7.7% and 20.3%. Textiles make up the majority of exports but a lack of diversity has made it difficult for Pakistan to respond quickly to changes in world demand.

Although Musharraf was a military ruler for much of his term he relaxed restrictions on broadcast and print media. In contrast, the current civilian coalition government has pledged to undo many of his reforms. All news broadcasts are from the official government channel as all private news outlets were forced to close in 2007. The government can restrict reception of foreign television channels and web sites. This happens most often with Indian and Afghani programs when tensions are raised (BBC History).

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was created in 1996 and oversees most industry licensing and regulation. The PTA is lead by a Chairman and 3 Board Members who serve 4 year terms. The body reports to the legislature and Cabinet and is funded by proceeds from licensing fees, penalties and fines. The PTA regulates licensing, radio frequencies, connection rates, technical standards, and internet content. Broadcasting content is overseen and regulated by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).

There are laws that limit the freedom of the press and journalists have been prosecuted under the “blasphemy” legislation. Despite these laws the printed press in Pakistan is known for being highly critical on many issues. Also, with approximately 18.5 million internet subscribers the number of political blogs is growing. Unfortunately, much of this is lost on the greater population which has a literacy rate of just under 50%,

News programs come from the government but other broadcasts are from the free market. Cable television has the largest media audience with approximately 50 private channels to choose from. Radio too is popular with over 100 FM radio stations licensed to operate. There are no private local television stations but the tribal area in the north-western frontier region is host to many unlicensed pirate radio stations. These stations mostly broadcast religious programs and have been blamed for stirring up militant Islamists in the area (BBC History).

Domestic and international spending on telecommunications infrastructure (installation of microwave radio relay, coaxial & fiber optic cable, and satellite networks) has greatly improved availability of both fixed and mobile systems. Almost 90% of Pakistanis now reside within a mobile network. The number of cell subscribers has increased from around 300,000 in 2000 to over 91.4 million in 2010 (CIA Factbook). Despite its many challenges it appears that the communications market in Pakistan will continue to grow into the foreseeable future.

Pakistan’s National Library was chartered in 1993 and sees its mission as being a place for the storage and research of national documents. Its main facility houses over 130,000 volumes in its 169,000 SF building. It has a web site (http://www.nlp.gov.pk/Index.htm) which primarily serves as an informational portal on the web. In its current state the Pakistani library system does not seem inclined to become a hub for citizens seeking access to an electronic based information society linked by the internet.

Puerto Rico

The island of Puerto Rico stretches along the eastern shelf of the Caribbean Sea between north and south America. Prior to the arrival of Europeans in 1493 the island was populated by the aboriginal, Taino, people of the region. Christopher Columbus declared Puerto Rico as a Spanish colony on his second voyage to the Americas. Over the next 400 years European migration increased, unfortunately, bringing with it many diseases previously unknown in the hemisphere. The diseases nearly wiped out the indigenous population who had no natural immunities. The lack of local workers resulted in African slaves being brought in to work in the sugar plantations (CIA Factbook).

In 1898 the islanded was transferred to the United States as part of the resolution of the Spanish American war. In 1917 Puerto Ricans were given US citizenship but it wasn’t until 1948 that they were given a choice of who would serve as their Governor. Four years later a constitution was enacted giving the island its own government similar to a US State. Over the years there has been much debate about whether the protectorate should indeed be the 51st State but this idea has historically been rejected by voters. However, the most recently elected Governor, Luis Fortuno and his New Progressive Party support this notion (BBC History).

The United States is not only a protector of the island but a major source of revenue. Puerto Ricans pay no US taxes but their government benefits from its federal funds. US military presence on the island has historically bolstered the economy with jobs created on and off base for civilians. In recent years this military presence has shrunk with the closure of bases and a general realignment of US strategic needs (BBC History).

According to the CIA Fact Book the island’s economy is one of the most vibrant in the Caribbean. Starting in the 1950s private companies began investing heavily there in order to take advantage of tax incentives and duty free access to the US market. Because of this the historical dominance of its agricultural sector has been outpaced by industry in recent years. Pharmaceutical production has been a particularly successful element of this investment. Sugar production has given way to dairy and livestock in the agricultural sector. Tourism remains a key element of Puerto Rico’s economic sector with more than 3.6 million people visiting the island in 2008.

Broadcasting in Puerto Rico is regulated by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in a broad national sense. As part of reform laws passed in 1996 the island created a Telecommunications Regulatory Board (TRB) to act as a pseudo judicial body charged with regulating telecommunications and cable television service, consumer protection and ensuring compliance with applicable laws. The TRB also establishes construction standards for new telecommunication and cable infrastructure.

Multiple television and radio channels are available in English and Spanish. News is provided by private sector journalists and the press has the same freedoms as in the United States. Popular broadcasts include locally produced comedies, talk shows, soaps (tele-novellas), and music. With a population of nearly 4 million and a GDP of over $68 billion Puerto Rico has the market and financial power to keep pace with communications infrastructure innovations.

Similar to the United States there are many libraries in Puerto Rico. These are connected to government entities, schools, universities and private collections. The public libraries offer internet services and access to such modern mediums as e-books. Some, like at the University of Puerto Rico, are even open 24 hours. Libraries on the island connect people to the world via internet and provide all the tools needed for citizens to participate in the online knowledge and information society (http://wwwbib.upr.edu/).

TABLE 1 Compiled from the CIA Fact Book 2010

PUERTO RICO IRAQ PAKISTAN

POPULATION 3,977,663 29,671,605 177,276,594

GDP $68,140,000,000 $112,000,000,000 $449,300,000,000

GDP RANK 82 64 28

GDP PER PERSON $17,131 $3,775 $2,534

TELE LINES 1,038,000 1,082,000 4,546,000

TELE USER % 26% 4% 3%

TELE RANK 78 76 33

CELL LINES 3,354,000 20,000,000 91,440,000

CELL USER % 84% 67% 52%

CELL RANK 104 39 9

AM RADIO STNS 74 0 31

FM RADIO STNS 53 55 68

TV STATIONS 34 28 20

WEB CODE .pr .iq .pk

WEB HOSTS 700 11 236

WEB RANK 167 219 61

WEB USERS 1,000,000 300,000 18,500,000

WEB USER RANK 88 126 20

WEB USER % 25% 1% 10%

MED AGE 36.7 20.6 21.2

URBAN POP 98% 67% 36%

LITERACY 94.1% 74.1% 49.9%

LITERACY M 93.9% 84.1% 63%

LITERACY F 94.4% 64.2% 36%

ELEC PROD (B KW) 23,720,000,000 46,390,000,000 90,800,000,000

ELEC USE (B KW) 22,060,000,000 52,000,000,000 72,200,000,000

ELEC USE PER PERSON 5,546 1,753 407

Comparisons

Table 1 (pg 11) is compiled from the CIA Factbook. It provides a wide range of information on information and knowledge society infrastructure status in the studied countries. These figures allow us to study the countries side by side so that we may get a better understanding of their differences and similarities.

When comparing Iraq, Pakistan and Puerto Rico in this way it is important to note that some of the data, when viewed independently, may paint a rosier picture than when seen in a global context. For example Pakistan ranks 20th in the world in web users. This seems impressive when compared to a first world country like Puerto Rico, which is only ranked at 88, and the war ravaged Iraq, ranked at 126. Similarly, Pakistan is ranked 61st in the number of internet hosts while Puerto Rico falls in at 167 and Iraq at 219.

When the numbers above are viewed in the context of the populations of these countries we see that Pakistan may not have a great lead over Puerto Rico and Iraq after all. The most recent measure of the population of Pakistan places it around 177 million. Only 10% of its population are web users. By volume this amounts to 18.5 million users but reveals that only a small portion of the population has access, or use, the internet. Pakistan is further limited in that its literacy rate is less than 50% so of those who can access the web less than half are able to navigate due to language barriers. Perhaps there is good news in the sheer number of people who use the internet in a country where the average citizen’s annual contribution to the GDP is just $2,534.

In contrast, Puerto Rico ranks sixty points below Pakistan and has only 1 million web users but 25% of its (3.9 million) population has direct access to the internet. With a literacy rate around 94% (for both men and women) islanders have a much greater chance of being able to navigate and take advantage of the web once they are connected. Despite its smaller population, each citizen of the Caribbean country contributes about $17,131 per year toward the GDP. This contributes to the presence of 700 web hosting services while Pakistan has only 236.

Bringing up the rear just 1% of Iraq’s 29.7 million population are recorded as having a regular online connection provided by 11 web hosts. Anecdotally, Iraq’s connectivity may currently be low in comparison to the others but internet café’s are booming businesses in Baghdad and everyone seems to have a “yahoo” e-mail address. Despite its other ills the Saddam government promoted education which has lead to a 74% literacy rate (84% among men and 64% among women) among the people. There is also a strong desire to learn English. These basics would seem to provide a solid foundation for Iraqis to take full advantage and promote the expansion of internet infrastructure.

TABLE 2 PUERTO RICO IRAQ PAKISTAN

2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010

NETWORK READY 39 42 45 89 98 87

Table 2 (pg 13) is compiled from information found in the 2010 Global Information Technology Report published by the World Economic Forum and INSEAD. This tracks data related to the information and communications technology (ICT) readiness of Puerto Rico and Pakistan over the last three years. Unfortunately, the information isn’t available for Iraq, probably due to the unstable security environment, during this time.

In the report “Readiness” is defined as “economic preparedness to leverage ICT advances for increased competitiveness and development.”

Readiness is a summary of data that tracks overall business environment, government regulation and infrastructure. It also looks at key societal players (business, government and individuals) inclination and actual use of ICT.

According to this report Pakistan dropped from 89th in 2008 to 98th the following year and rebounded to 87th in 2010 in world readiness rankings. No specific reason is highlighted in the report to explain Pakistan’s rise but a period of increased government spending on infrastructure between 2001 and 2007 may be paying off through improved readiness in the following years. During the same time Puerto Rico fell from 39th to 45th. While its business sector seems to be advancing in its use of ICT Puerto Rico’s overall decline is attributed to a reduced focus by government on ICT issues.

Referring back to Table 1 (pg 11) some similarities emerge in the use of mobile and cell phone technology. In regard to cell phone usage; 84% of the people in Puerto Rico, 67% in Iraq and 52% in Pakistan take advantage of this communications tool. This most likely speaks to the widespread availability, ease of use and low cost of this technology. Also, for basic usage, literacy is not a barrier. For emerging nations such as Iraq and Pakistan the infrastructure for cell phones is much easier to apply.

Although not as secure for communications purposes and more vulnerable to weather conditions cell towers and satellite links are much easier for building networks than running hard land lines. Planning and permits are required for mobile infrastructure but without the extensive property and right of way issues associated with land lines. In addition, in areas where there is political unrest hard cased items such as telephone lines and switch stations may be easily targeted and interrupted by insurgents (or the government). The diversity of companies, locations and networks makes this difficult with cell lines.

In Puerto Rico 26% of the population use phones connected to traditional (cable & pole) telephone lines. In contrast these are used by just 4% in Iraq and 3% in Pakistan. This disparity may be linked to the broader reach of Puerto Rico’s existing infrastructure built along with that of the United States. Iraq and Pakistan do not have similar networks. As traditional telephone usage drops globally this may turn out to be an advantage for such emerging economies whose people will have no nostalgic affinity for hard lines.

For Iraq and Pakistan, whose median age is 21, the largest part of the population is young. This may mean a quicker adoption of new technologies, again, because there is no nostalgia for, or time invested learning, older methods of communication. However, this may be balanced by the percentage of people residing in areas who may not be exposed to things like mobile technology at all. In Pakistan 64% of the population live in rural areas. In Iraq the figure is 33%.

In Puerto Rico the median age is 37 and 98% live in urban areas. Given that 84% are already cell users it seems that there is little impediment to adapting to new technology.

Another similarity, numerically, are the number of traditional broadcast outlets. Pakistan leads with 68 FM stations, followed by 55 in Iraq and 53 in Puerto Rico. If divided evenly by the population each Pakistani station would serve 2.6 million listeners. Each Iraqi station would serve a little over 539,484 and each Puerto Rican station 75,050 listeners.

The numbers are similar with Television outlets however in this case with Puerto Rico in the lead. The island boasts 34 TV stations which, if potential viewers were equally divided, would have an audience of 116,990. Iraq comes in second with 28 TV stations which if the audience were divided by the population represents a little over 1 million viewers. Pakistan only has 20 stations but if the population were divided equally would result in over 8.8 million viewers each.

CONCLUSION

In the three countries studied; Puerto Rico, Iraq and Pakistan the information and knowledge society has begun to make an impact but in different ways and at different levels. The geography and history of each nation effects the availability, format and sharing of information. Politics, proximity and war have shaped how communications systems are implemented. Economics have dictated what technology is available and how its networks are constructed. Each nation has situational resources that if exploited could benefit their status on the knowledge and information society ladder.

Puerto Rico, with its proximity and link to the United States benefits the most from geography and history in the march toward an information society. These ties have enabled a relatively small Caribbean protectorate to expand its infrastructure along with the advances of its North American benefactor. Despite some rocky times, the population, its politicians and policies have, in general, facilitated the growth and construction of infrastructure to improve communications systems. Mid century policies in the United States created incentives for doing business in Puerto Rico and thus created an economic environment that would allow wealth to be diverted toward these projects. If Puerto Rico’s government takes the hint of the 2010 WSIS report and focuses more resources on this sector they should continue to rise in the rankings of nations that are most connected.

Pakistan’s geography and history seems to be something of a hindrance to its progress in bridging the digital divide. Conflicts with its neighbors and internal struggles with a population of diverse and intolerant religions combined with a multitude of languages and dialects make Pakistan a hard place to standardize anything. But, cell towers and satellite dishes have made it easier to increase the communications footprint. Those who find the technology useful are already learning its standards and taking advantage of the benefits of doing so.

Iraq’s oil and other natural resources are able to provide enough income for building civil society as well as technological infrastructure. Its citizenry too are ready to rejoin the civilized world after more than 10 years of war. However, it sits on a political divide that will determine if it has the motivation to pursue knowledge society goals. If it is able to continue with the democratic reforms of the post Saddam era it may not be long before technology becomes not just a communications method but also a means to increase jobs and businesses related to it. If Iraq succumbs the chaotic desires of its neighbors, and internal foes, this will most likely delay any such progress.

All three countries go forward at the mercy of the international economy and political will of the nations they are allied with. All three, to some extent, depend on the generosity of the United States in order to sustain and grow their fortunes. But, internal fortitude will also be important. Their leaders and citizens alike must have the vision and will to do what is necessary to close the digital divide.

END

References

BBC History. (2010). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/791014.stm

Iraq - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/791014.stm

Puerto Rico – http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/3593469.stm

Pakistan - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/country_profiles/1157960.stm

CIA Fact Book. (2010). www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Iraq - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/iz.html

Puerto Rico – https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rq.html

Pakistan - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html

Global Information Technology Report. (2010). Publication of the World Economic Forum and INSEAD. Geneva, Switzerland. www.itu.int/wsis/implementation/2010/forum/geneva/docs/publications/GITR%202009-2010_Full_Report_final.pdf

Martin, W. (1995). The Global Information Society. London, UK. AslibGower.

Wikipedia (2010).

Iraq - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_National_Library

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2010). http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=1657&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

http://www.unesco-ci.org/cgi-bin/portals/information-society/page.cgi?=1

Stanhope Centre for Communications Policy Research. (January 2007). Republic of Iraq Communications and Media Commission Policy Recommendations Concerning Broadcasting in Iraq

Critical Chain Paper

2011-08-04T13:17:00.000-04:00

The second paper I wrote for my Project Management class. Main point - people procrastinate, complete work first and schedule buffer at the end in case anything slips. But, don't tell the folks doing the work that they have extra time or Parkinson's Law will apply itself.

Critical Chain

A review of the book and its concepts

By JBC
Critical Chain is a business book written by Eliyahu Goldratt (1947 – 2011). Goldratt’s approach is similar to his previous book, The Goal, in that it suggests solutions to process problems in a narrative format. These solutions are woven into the plot which follows a middle aged university professor, Rick Silver, who is seeking to be selected for a tenured position in his Department. As the book progresses we learn that enrollment in the School of Business where the professor teaches is dropping and this will no doubt impact his chances of promotion. Opportunities and challenges arise when Silver is assigned to teach a Project Management class in an Executive MBA course. Goldratt uses this platform to introduce the theory of constraints (previously introduced in The Goal) and develop methods for its application to project management.

In the first few chapters we learn that Dr. Silver is a skilled teacher who aspires to a tenured position as a full Professor with his university. Students flock to his classes and his instructional talents are clear to his peers and his supervisors. However, he is aware that he falls short in the areas of research and publishing. He knows that these are critical outputs of anyone seeking to advance along an academic career path. When his Dean suggests that teaching a Project Management course might give him the opportunity to increase this skill set he jumps at the chance.

As he maneuvers for his future Silver does not know that overall enrollment in Business Schools has been dropping. Based on this hard truth University President, B.J. vonBraun, has begun to think the market for MBAs may soon be dried up. She knows she cannot afford to bring the superstar Professors and researchers to her small University to attract more MBA students. She doubts that there is any internal talent that could develop any ground breaking research. In light of this she informs the Dean of the Business School, Chris Page, that she does not want to promote any additional faculty into tenured positions.

As is the norm in Executive MBA programs the students in Dr. Silver’s Project Management class are all experienced, up and coming, managers in the business community. On the first day of his class Silver asks if they would rather hear him lecture on known techniques and theories or attempt to develop new solutions that address actual problems. The class opts for the latter in the hopes of learning methods that can help them with their own ‘real world’ projects. As they conclude the first day they identify 3 problems faced by all their projects.

The three common problems they identify are budget overruns, time overruns and compromised content. Budget overruns are when costs exceed the resources originally assigned to the project. Time overruns are when projects run longer than intended. Content is compromised when the parameters of the project are reduced in order to stay within budget or time requirements.

When class re-convenes they discuss the reasons for the various overruns in their projects. This leads to a discussion about how schedules are developed. The hypothesis is posed that when developing a schedule people will automatically build in a time buffer based on their worst case experience. The class estimates that when building a time line managers will pad their estimates so that they have an 80% - 90% chance of completing each step within the time allowed. This happens at each level of planning so that overall project schedules may be expanded 200% beyond the actual time required.

If this is the case, they wonder, why so many projects fall behind. One student suggests that this is because there is a tendency to stretch work out so that it takes up the entire amount of time given (Parkinsons Law). This deadline effect occurs because people tend to wait until the latest possible start time to begin a task. In doing this they use up their entire buffer at the beginning. This is also called student syndrome due to students’ tendency to procrastinate on homework until the last minute.

The class looks further for issues that cause the bloating of project schedules until they identify multi-tasking requirements as another problem. The extra time built into the student effect means that there are long lead times between each stage of a project. In an effort to keep people, or resources, working during these gaps many projects encourage work on other requirements. This leads to a loss of focus on tasks that should take priority. In addition, set up and break down time for multiple projects cuts into work on more critical items.

The third item identified as contributing to project overruns is not taking advantage of buffer or early finish time when it is available. Instead, delays are compounded and when steps are completed sooner it does not lead to moving on to the next step. Even when projects are ahead of schedule the next step in the critical path is often delayed until its original start time, rather than progressing ahead.

A lecture from a professor returning from a sabbatical in the corporate world provides a brief explanation of Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints introduced in The Goal. It is explained that production is hampered by bottle necks (or constraints) in the process. In order to maximize potential managers must first, identify the bottle neck or point in the process where capacity is equal to or less than capability. Second, they must exploit the bottle neck by ensuring that it is running at full capacity all the time. Third, all other steps leading up to the bottle neck must be subordinated so that their out puts do not overwhelm its abilities. Fourth, resolving the bottle necks must be elevated in importance above all other problems. Finally, when the bottle neck is resolved the process must be started over while being careful not to allow inertia to keep focus on areas no longer needing attention.

After explaining the Theory of Constraints the Professor continues the lecture with a discussion of his experience applying these principals in a steel mill. He also notes that many of the problems faced by the mill were caused by scheduling and the way performance was measured. The mill measured success in tons of steel produced per hour. This ignored the fact that individual steps required to produce the steel were different and had different capacities for throughput.

The Professor points out two main contributors to the mills inefficiencies. First, the mill had excessive inventory. This was because they over produced some materials in order to ensure they had enough on hand when needed. Second, the mill suffered from a shortage of materials needed at bottle necks because they had been used to produce items in the excess inventory. The solution was to apply the theory of constraints so that materials were only created at a rate determined by the bottleneck’s capacities.

Back in the classroom Dr. Silver and his students set about determining how to combine the principals of the Theory of Constraints with their own observations about Project Management. Over time they define a set of terms that they can use to differentiate between production and project management. The production terms Work Center, Product, Pre-work Center Inventory and Bottleneck Work Center may be translated as Task, Time, Feeding Buffer and Bottleneck Resource in Project Management.

Because many project schedules are bloated with as much as 200% safety margins it is estimated that many could be drastically reduced. A more realistic estimate would be to place the odds of completing a task on time at around 50% to 60%. This would be closer to the actual time required to complete a step if all resources were fully focused on doing so. There is a danger with placing the safety so close to capability that ‘murphys law’ may cause some steps to take longer than expected. This, however, would likely be made up as other steps took less time than expected. Also, removing the excess safety takes out delays associated with the deadline effect, student syndrome and multitasking distractions.

The class arrives at the revelation that buffer should not be completely removed from the path but rather placed at the end. Some buffer is also required in the “feeder paths” but this is also placed at the end just prior to joining the main path. This ensures that each step follows a reasonable schedule and allows for any delays at the end of the project.

In order to combat the habit of starting steps on time project managers must understand that schedule estimates are just that. These are not absolutes. If a step is finished early then the next step should begin as soon as is appropriate. Approaching the project in this way can result in reducing project times by 25% - 50%.

The class struggles with how to solve various applications of these approaches and makes several determinations. First, since in project management the critical path can itself be a constraint/bottle neck they develop a new term – critical chain. This identifies the path to be scrutinized. Second, since organizations seldom only have one project going at a time there should be a method for approaching multiple projects simultaneously. This requires that schedules be developed in a way that allows resources/people to focus on the highest priorities first (ie. depending on the due date). Finally they look at the cost of money. This is a method for deciding which projects to take on. Organizations should make these decisions based on “dollar days” or the value of the product produced compared with its cost and time spent working on it.

As Silver’s MBA students implement their theories at their own companies the new approach to project management begins to develop a reputation as a recipe for success. Other companies, and Silver’s university, begin to take note.

In the end Dr. Silver achieves his goal of being appointed a tenured professor and University President vonBraun sees the value of the MBA program. With his theories on critical chain methodology being implemented and proven in the business world other opportunities open up to Silver in the way of consulting. The students in his class take their knowledge back to their companies to spread the word about the benefits of critical chain thinking.

THE END

REFERENCES

Goldratt, Eliyahu and Cox, Jeff, 1984, The Goal third Edition, Massachusetts, North River Press

Goldratt, Eliyahu, 1997, Critical Chain, Massachusetts, North River Press

A DISCUSSION OF ‘THE GOAL’

2011-07-27T15:47:00.002-04:00

I'm taking a Project Management class for my Masters. Here is my latest paper. Actually, some interesting concepts for anyone interested or involved in managing things.

A DISCUSSION OF ‘THE GOAL’

A review of the book and its concepts

By JBC
The Goal, by Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox, is a business management book that proposes the ‘theory of constraints’ in the form of a parable. The book’s main character is faced with challenges in his personal and professional life that must be overcome or he will lose everything he’s worked for in both. With the help of an old mentor he learns, over time, that in order to achieve his goals he must re-think his business and focus on how each element of production impacts end profit. Fortunately, he has a talented and loyal management team who help him implement changes that sometimes defy established business practices. The results of his efforts are greater challenges for he and his team but they face these with a new perspective formed by their journey and experiences.

The Goal’s protagonist is Alex Rogo who discovers that the factory he runs will be shut down if profits are not increased within three months. To make matters worse; Alex’s marriage is on the rocks from the long hours he has already been putting in at the plant. He wonders how he can do more to improve operations and save his marriage. After a chance meeting with an old physics professor, Jonah, he begins to seek him out for advice. Rather than provide direct answers Jonah uses the Socratic Method to guide Alex towards an appropriate course of action. “The Modern Socratic Method is a process of inductive questioning used to successfully lead a person to knowledge through small steps,” (Maxwell, 2009).

At their first meeting Alex tells Jonah that his plant is increasing productivity by adding robots and improving efficiencies in its processes. But, Jonah questions whether this is helping Alex, or his company, meet their ultimate goal. Jonah asks if the new procedures and equipment have reduced inventory, lowered costs or sold more products. Alex isn’t sure, but argues that increasing productivity within the manufacturing process should increase overall productivity and thus, support company goals. Jonah advises him that his thinking is wrong and that in order to survive he needs to identify his company’s true goal.

Back at his plant Alex does some soul searching and comes to the conclusion that making money should be the goal of his factory and his company. He determines that this is, and always has been, the goal of any for-profit venture. He meets with his factory Comptroller and decides that the best way to know if a company is profitable is to determine if profits, return on investment and cash flow are increasing. But, he is still perplexed by how to connect the complexities of his individual factory processes to the overall goal of making money. He decides to contact Jonah again for advice.

Jonah affirms that profit is indeed the goal of any company and that Alex is on the right track by assigning simple measures for success. To link operational activities to the ultimate goal of making a profit Jonah informs Alex that he has come up with his own three distinct measures.

The first measure is throughput. Jonah tells Alex that this “is the rate at which the system generates money through sales.” He goes on to say the second measure is inventory or “all the money that the system has invested in purchasing things which it intends to sell.” The third measure is operational expense or “all the money the system spends in order to turn inventory into throughput,” (Goldratt, 1984, p60-61).

Alex has more questions but Jonah dashes off again leaving him to ponder them on his own. Alex gathers his management team together to discuss how each of these concepts can be applied to their plant. They surmise that they can translate these measures to their situation by defining ‘throughput’ as money being funneled in, ‘inventory’ as money tied to production resources and ‘operational expense’ is the cost of moving it through.

Looking at things in this light the team realizes that the robots they had been so proud of are actually increasing costs and reducing productivity. The employees that the machines replaced were reassigned (resulting in no savings) and the capacity of the robots created bottlenecks in the system (adding cost). This revelation causes them to begin thinking about how local changes impact the balance of the entire production system.

Later, when Alex speaks to Jonah about this he is surprised at what he is told. Conventional thinking is that the goal of a plant is to be perfectly balanced so that output exactly meets the demands of the market. To do this many companies focus on improving metrics and efficiencies of individual segments of their systems so that all the parts are working at their maximum capacity. Jonah disagrees and counsels Alex that a balanced plant is actually one on its way out of business. Further, he says, it’s ok to occasionally have idle equipment and staff if having them working creates excess inventory or pile ups at choke points. This is the difference between activating and utilizing resources. Activating a resource (labor or equipment) simply to keep it working can cause a strain on, or add cost to, the system. Utilizing a resource, however, puts it to work only to ensure that products are built and sent through the system when they are needed.

The objective is not to have everything working all the time, Jonah says, but rather to reduce operational expenses and inventory while increasing throughput. This helps achieve the goal of making money by lowering the costs of overhead and storage while speeding up the process for producing products that customers want.

To meet this objective, Jonah explains, it is important to understand the concepts of dependent events and statistical fluctuations. Alex is told that dependent events are those that rely on some previous activity to finish before they can start. Statistical fluctuations are things that cannot be precisely predicted. Alex fails to see the relevance of these ideas until that weekend when he is able to put them into practice while serving as a Boy Scout Troop leader.

He theorizes that walking the Scouts along a trail in single file is essentially like a factory assembly line. Each Scout depends on the one directly in front of them to keep moving along the trail so that they may subsequently pass the same points. Actions, such as length of stride, are different for each Scout and fluctuate depending on conditions. This fluctuation can cause the line to spread out or bunch up.

The final product (the hike) cannot be complete until the last hiker reaches the end so speeding the faster Scouts along the trail first does not benefit the overall goal. After some trial and error Alex places the slowest Scout first and spreads his gear out among the others. The result is that the Troop moves at a fairly even pace and finish the hike together. The business analogy is that this reduces the time that inventory (Scouts waiting at the end of the trail) must be stored until the final product (the last Scout arrives at the end) can be shipped.

The next time Alex speaks with Jonah they discuss balance and bottlenecks. From his hike Alex has learned the importance of moving production along at a regular and balanced pace. Jonah suggests that one way to speed up this pace is to increase the flow at the bottlenecks. In Alex’s factory the bottlenecks are machines but, in general, these represent constraints that can come in many forms including technological, human, procedural, etc. “A bottle neck” Jonah explains, “is any resource whose capacity is equal to or less than the demand placed upon it. A non-bottle neck is any resource whose capacity is greater than the demand placed upon it,” (Goldratt, 1984, p139).

On a visit to the plant Jonah explains that because products have no value for the customer until final completion, any extra time spent at a bottleneck represents a loss to the entire system. With a few calculations he determines that when crucial machines (bottlenecks) are down, this costs the company thousands of dollars per minute in lost throughput. Alex and his team quickly reorganize the system to optimize use of the machines causing the bottlenecks. This reorganization itself causes some problems but they eventually figure out a method for balancing the flow so that the bottleneck areas only receive the exact components they need, when they need them.

The team is so successful in turning the plant around that Alex is promoted to Division Manager. But, he soon learns that the whole division is in trouble. Determined that other plants can benefit from their methods Alex gathers his team together to hash out some rules for their system. What they develop is the Theory of Constraints.

The Theory of Constraints holds that business processes must continually be evaluated and acted on in five ways. First, its bottlenecks, or constraints, must be identified. Second, these must be exploited for optimum performance. Third, all other considerations must be made subordinate to the need to do this. Fourth, resolving and relieving the constraints must be elevated and made a top priority. The fifth and final step is a warning; when a constraint is resolved it is critical to return to step one. Decision makers should be careful not to be caught up in the inertia of continually focusing on bottlenecks that have already been overcome.

After some tough days Alex and his team are able to save the division. Looking back at their experience Alex philosophizes that the purpose of a manager is three-fold. A manager must be able to use the Theory of Constraints to determine what to change, what to change to and how to cause the change. A good manager should be able to do these things by implementing solutions that solve problems without creating new ones. Those who can do this while creating organizational enthusiasm for the change are true masters.

In conclusion, Goldratt & Cox use the Goal to propose several problem solving techniques. These techniques are presented for their application to business but would be valuable in other settings as well. The first is the ‘Socratic method’ which teaches students to resolve problems by asking questions. Next it reveals throughput, inventory and operational expense as the three most important measures of business. The difference between activating and utilizing resources is explained, as are dependent events and statistical fluctuations. In the book, the key to resolving production problems is developing an understanding of bottlenecks and non bottlenecks. Once the authors have explained these concepts they reveal the theory of constraints. The theory holds that for a system to operate at a profit its bottlenecks (or constraints) must be continually sought out and resolved.

After his factory tour Jonah all but vanishes from the book. His role is taken over by Alex who uses the techniques he has learned to teach his team how to be successful. The thread that is not addressed is what Alex will pay Jonah for his consulting work. Early in the book Jonah suggests that Alex pay him the value of his advice based on earnings from implementing his theories. At the time Alex thinks his factory will be closed in a few months and probably doesn’t think he will have to pay at all. Since the division was saved almost entirely due to Jonah’s advice it would be interesting to know how Alex intends to reimburse his mentor.

As the book closes we see that Alex’s use of Jonah’s methods have brought him success with the company and his personal life. His wife and he are reconciled and back on good terms, the plant is doing well and he has earned the respect of his team.

END

100 Books to read before you die

2010-11-23T03:00:00.000-05:00

Slightly off topic and outside the (sand) box today. Thoughts of home, family and the holidays naturally make me think of literature. Below is the 2010 BBC list of 'must read' books. The BBC says that most people have actually read fewer than 6 of these.

I beat the odds with 12 (in bold) but have a long way before I'm fully literate according to the Brits. Some of these represent multiple volumes of works (ie. the Complete Works of Shakespeare, the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and the Lord of the Rings). I've read several of the Shakespeare plays, all of the Holmes books and the 3 Rings books. Also notable, most of these (except for Dan Brown) I read either in grade school or in college.

Some writers, I think, are over represented (probably because they are British). Jane Austen for example shows up multiple times on the list. Seems so long as they are lumping Shakespeare, Doyle and Tolkein's works together they could have done the same with Austen. This would have made room for a few more must reads like Crane's 'Red Badge of Courage,' Cornwell's 'Sharpe' series and Forester's 'Hornblower' books. Notably missing are Mark Twain's American saga of 'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huck Finn.'

How many have you read?

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Yes!)

2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien

3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling

5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6. The Bible

7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell

9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott

12. Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

14. Complete Works of Shakespeare

15. 15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk

18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

19. The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

20. Middlemarch - George Eliot

21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens

24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25. The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh

27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis

34. Emma - Jane Austen

35. Persuasion - Jane Austen

36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis

37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

38. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres

39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne

41. Animal Farm - George Orwell

42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery

47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

48. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding

50. Atonement - Ian McEwan

51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel

52. Dune - Frank Herbert

53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon

60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt

64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac

67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68. Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding

69. Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie

70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville

71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72. Dracula - Bram Stoker

73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson

75. Ulysses - James Joyce

76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78. Germinal - Emile Zola

79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80. Possession - AS Byatt

81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker

84. The Remains of the Day - Kazu Ishiguro

85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87. Charlotte’s Web - EB White

88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom

89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94. Watership Down - Richard Adams

95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare

99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

FNGs and others

2010-11-14T05:22:00.000-05:00

For those who don't know FNG stands for "Freakin' New Guy." Sometimes this is used as a compliment to point out the new blood in the room and sometimes its ribbing to do the same.  Most often its a warning to look out for the FNG because he doesn't have a clue what he's doing and may well cause harm to himself/herself or others.

Around here its fairly easy to tell the FNGs. The new troops who are on their first tour. Their uniforms are fresh, colorful and unfaded by the desert sun and harsh laundry detergents. Their eyes are big and you can tell they are all nerves. You can pick them out especially in the DFAC (chow hall). They fumble through the lines because they haven't figured out the system yet.  In a few weeks they'll have it down pat. But until then they will get in the way.

Sometimes you can tell with returning troops as well. Especially those who were in Iraq back when things were really hot. These guys have a different look. More angry and dissapointed. Things have changed a lot since their last tour and they don't like it. Like having to live your Freshman year over again after having been a Senior. They came back expecting the country at war and got a fairly consistent peace. No more high octane, adreneline rushes and crashing around blowing things up. Lots of paperwork and advise and assist missions. Many, especially the fast types (or those who consider themselves so) seem to resent this state of affairs and feel like its a waste of their time to be here.

For those of us who have been here a while I guess we are somewhere in between these two stages. We know where things are and how to get things done. We know the jobs we're doing and are fairly focused on our daily routines. I won't say we aren't afraid of the chance of being hit by one of the regular mortars or rockets that drop in on us, or indirect shots fired, or IEDs but we have accepted it. Its so random these days that there is little that could be done to prevent it. So you get up every day and do the best you can. We are in a perpetual state of casual, hyper alertness. Not quite the 1000 yard stare but quietly aware of everything going on around us at all times.

Its the routine that gets you through. Focusing on the job that has to be done rather than the conditions in which you are doing it. After a while you get numb to the environment. It is what it is. Of course, some handle it better than others. I've seen people snap over little things - or things that can't be figured out at all. Everybody handles it differently.

We are yesterday's FNGs, todays old guys and, en shalla, won't be tomorrow's troops returning to cover the same ground.

Baghdad IZ at Night

2010-10-23T07:57:00.000-04:00

Baghdad IZ at Night

2010-10-23T07:49:00.000-04:00

Baghdad IZ at Night

2010-10-23T07:36:00.000-04:00

The Palace, a walkway and a side road. The high T-Walls surround everything and are a way of life in the IZ.

Baghdad IZ at Night

2010-10-23T07:14:00.000-04:00

Prosperity Chapel

Some pictures of the Baghdad IZ at night. Some are a little blurry as I had no tripod and was doing my best to hold the camera still for the required long exposure period. Still, most came out well and give a good depiction of camp activity after dark.

This is Prosperity Chapel. There is a small man made lake between the Chapel and the Palace making for some nice lighting. To the right of the chapel is one of the many large oudoor fireplaces located throughout the area.

Prosperity Chapel through the Palm Trees

Mop Man

2010-10-12T03:18:00.000-04:00

The Army dining facility (DFAC) here is like a giant buffet restaurant without any of the frills.  The DFAC is run by a contractor and every few months the contract seems to be rebid. The same people run the facility and serve the same food but the contract changes so one day they are all wearing blue GCC vests and the next day they are wearing red KBR vests.

There are several long self serve islands that divide the DFAC into a number of what interior designers would call "spaces." Near the area where we usually sit for lunch one of the islands has self serve tea dispensers. Since Ive been here the sweet tea dispenser has had a fault such that when tea pours out it comes at a high velocity. If you're not expecting it the tea hits the ice in your cup and sprays back all over everything. It also, of course, drips after you've pulled your cup away.

The result of the tea overspray and drip is that there is a constant puddle of tea on the tile around the dispenser. This is not unnoticed by the management as there is also a perpetual yellow "Caution - Wet Floor" tent on the ground just in front of the tea machine (which has to be stepped over or around to get to the tea in the first place). In addition to the wet floor signage there is also a man whose job it is to mop up spills. He is the Mop Man.

Mop Man's job description must be to mop up spills as quickly as possible and Mop Man takes this very seriously. Those of us who have been around a while always look to determine Mop Man's whereabouts before we lean in to fill our cups with tea. This is because at the sound of overspray Mop Man charges the tea station like an NHL player driving a puck at a goal. He swings his mop like a hockey stick and is not above body checking anyone who stands between him and his objective - mopping up the spill. You can feel Mop Mans displeasure with you for spilling on his floor.  One must be aware of where he is in the DFAC in order to estimate the time required to fill up their cup and get out of the way. Mop Man is never far away and pretty much spends his day mopping up the spills under the tea machine.

One day I made the observation that KBR could save a lot of money in labor if they just fixed the tea machine. Then Mop Man could do something else or they could have one less employee to pay.

A few weeks later the contract changed and everyone put on their new vests. At lunch that day I noticed that the "Caution" tent was no longer under the tea machine. Indeed, neither was the regular puddle. And Mop Man was nowhere in sight. Looking up I observed that the entire array of tea dispensers had been replaced with new machines. As I poured my tea I noted that the liquid flowed at a slow, even rate such that no overspray or spill resulted. Problem solved, but there was no more Mop Man.  I felt bad for him.

I shouldn't have. A few days later I went to pour my tea and the spiggot gurgled and sprayed tea every where. I noted that the "Caution" tent had returned below my feet and, almost too late, my hair stood on end and I somehow knew that Mop Man was bearing down on me from behind at high speed. I leapt out of the way just in time as Mop Man slid up to the spill with ice skater precision and quickly weilded his mop to absorb the spilled tea. Although this time, rather than disdain in his eye I detected a litle bit of a twinkle as he went about his task.

Mop Man had returned! Now I wonder if Mop Man had anything to do with the damaged tea dispenser. Hmmm?

Zombie Safety Tip

2010-10-04T06:30:00.000-04:00

Living on a military base in Iraq you see a lot of things. One thing you see a lot of are warning signs and posters. These are usually along the lines of "dont unload your weapon in a crowded room, always wear your seatbelt, don't litter, eat your vegetables," etc. Then there are notices about upcoming events like "karate class Wednesdays" and "learn to salsa dance."

Walking out of the DFAC yesterday I stopped at the T-Wall, which was covered in the usual safety notices and announcements. Among them was this flyer that said "Attention!! Zombies have only one weakness. You must detroy the brain. Aim for the Head! I'm glad the Army is preparing its troops for the inevitable Zombie apocalypse."

Oh yea, and the ad for our Navy Birthday 5K run is next to it on the left.

1000 words for Hot

2010-09-19T09:57:00.000-04:00

I was thinking recently about how, I've heard, that Eskimos have 1000 words for "snow" so I asked an Iraqi friend if Arabic has 1000 words for "hot." He said no but there are probably 1000 words for "camel."

Sand Storm

2010-09-19T09:52:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we had the first clouds I've seen in many months. They were white and whispy against the usual clear blue sky. Things cooled down late in the evening and the sky darkened almost as if it were about to rain. Should have known better. Its way too early for rain in Iraq. Today the sky is red and brown as a sand storm blows through.

If you've never seen a sand storm it looks much like a heavy fog. In fact, if you take pictures thats exactly what it looks like. The sand is a talcom powder fine mist so the way you can tell it isn't a fog is that you're eyes start to burn and you start to sense the copper taste of sand on your tongue. Visibility drops such that when moving you seem to be in a bubble approximately 100 yards wide. It always looks like the heavy part of the storm is swirling around you just down the road.

Its also a heady time for insurgents who use the cover of the storm to practice their mischief.

PRTs highlighted on West Wing Week

2010-09-04T07:28:00.001-04:00

Last week White House videographer, Arun Chaudhary, visited Iraq and covered some of the work of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Baghdad. This week his report appears in a YouTube segment called West Wing Week.

I didn't get any camera time but I was along on the Um Al Abeed trip. The Sheik in the video has been a strong force for good. These are the kinds of folks who are actually making a positive difference in Iraq. These farmers are working hard to survive and improve the plight of their villages. The question is; with PRTs and the last of the US military leaving Iraq next year will the work have a lasting economic and political impact on the region and Iraq as a whole?

Be sure to check out West Wing Week on YouTube.

Navy Flag

2010-08-26T02:27:00.000-04:00

This is one of the lakes on Victory Base. At the center are the remains of a Saddam era sculpture of dolphins and a giant clam shell. It has some sort of Arabic mythical significance that I can't recall at the moment.

NAVCENT Forward is the Navy Command in Iraq that oversees all Navy activity in the region. Their offices are in one of the Palaces overlooking the lake.

A while back some Sailors rowed out and planted a Navy flag on the Oyster. Within days the Army slipped out and took it down. Now, every week the Navy goes out and plants its flag - and a few days later the Army takes it down. Its these sorts of inter service rivalries that keep things interesting.

Doing Good Things & Traveling in Style

2010-08-24T11:10:00.003-04:00

Several memorable trips this week. One to a farm where we assisted a local cooperative build some water pumps for irrigation and purchase some sheep for widows to raise. We took a Veterinarian with us who conducted training for the women. I heard the training went well but all the men had to leave the room during that portion of the visit. Discussions of breeding and birthing sheep being too sensitive a topic for proper ladies to discuss in front of men folk.

Afterward the co-op served us a wonderful traditional Iraqi meal of lamb, chicken & rice with fresh vegetables. It is Ramadan and a time of fasting for many Muslims so we were afraid that eating might insult them but many of them weren't fasting and joined us. The Iraqi way of dining is buffet style with everyone standing around the table. Leafs of flat bread are stacked around the table. Everyone just digs in with their hands and uses the flat bread for sandwiches. It is messy but delicious!

Another visit was to a university where we had helped build a library and donated books. They have students studying US history but have few books in Arabic or English on the topic. Most of the students read English but it does make it more difficult.

The second trip was made nicer because of the comfort of the ride there and back. Usually when we travel overland we are in military Humvees. If you have ever been in a Humvee you know that there is not much room and they are not built for comfort. Also, although they have AC there is a big hole in the roof for the gun turret. When its 120 outside its pretty much that temp inside. Two hours crammed in a hot metal box is no fun, trust me.

For the trip to the University the RSO from the Embassy provided transport and security. This means nice, clean, up armored Suburbans with big comfy seats. They also have a nice quiet ride so you can have a conversation with the people around you. Nice!

Taji Heliport

2010-08-13T10:16:00.000-04:00

118 degrees

2010-08-13T10:10:00.000-04:00

Its 118 degrees in Baghdad today and has been for most of the week. The joke is that it "cools off" when the temp drops below 115. Some have said that you can't tell after it gets above 110. But, Ill argue that you notice every point as the thermometer goes up. 121 is definitely and noticebly hotter than 120. On the bright side the skies are a robin's egg blue and there is a breeze. Its a hot breeze but at least the air is moving.

The Chief moved all the desks arround in Ops this week. Now staff face out at the center of the room rather than facing the walls. It looks better. Its also good for security because people cant walk up and "accidentally" see info on our SIPR & NIPR servers. Anyone in OPS has clearance but there is "need to know."

Lunch Today

2010-07-27T10:15:00.000-04:00

Ive taken to fixing my own burrito. Tortillas are provided on our sandwich lane and the meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatos, jalapenos etc are on the Mexican lane. Im not sure why they dont put them together. Cherry yogurt for desert. Iced tea to wash it down.

Country Safari

2010-07-27T10:06:00.001-04:00

I visited several farms a few hours out of Baghdad recently. It was nice to get out of the city and see something different. This was an area that has suffered during and after the war as they had been unable to grow anything during the fighting. Also much of their equipment, and homes, were destroyed. Now, with the fighting over and security restored, they are trying to make their fields profitable again.

One location, near a river, we had helped the farmers install several pump stations to draw water up so that it could be used to water the fields. The clear and cool looking water was being pumped into several large pool sized sisterns at the tops of the river banks. All the local kids were having a great time jumping in, splashing and swimming. It was very hot (about 120 degrees) and, of course, we were all in armored vests and helmets. The temptation to jump in with them was very strong and I'm not sure how we all resisted. I got some good pictures that I'll post at some point.

The second stop we made was a deserted area between two villages. One of the villages wants help with re-routing part of the river so they will have their own water source. We visited the dry creek bed where they want to send the water through.

The guys all made fun of me because I got my first "man kiss" from the local Sheik. When Arabs meet and depart from friends they kiss on the cheek. The more kisses, the more respectful, or close, the two are with each other. Ive meet the Sheik we were working with several times and have developed a cordial & friendly relationship. Anyway, as we were about to go we shook hands and he pulled me in for a hug and one kiss. So, Im doing my part for international relations. Hey that BA is paying off!

On the way there and back we drove through several small farming towns and they reminded me a lot of agricultural towns anywhere - only more dusty. There were stores selling farm equipment, feed and other standard tools. One interesting thing is they don't have gas stations like we might recognize in the west. They have these little carts along the sides of the roads. Each cart has several dozen gas cans lined up. When customers get gas they just pay for however many cans they use. These merchants are enterprising and also sell water and sodas.

Back in Baghdad

2010-07-17T09:30:00.000-04:00

Well, my blackberry was stolen as I was preparing to leave Kuwait. Another reason to hate Ali al Saleem. A textbook example of how not to run an operation. Plus they don't serve McLatte's at the McDonalds. I'll write a blog about it one day. Until then, feel my frustration. Grrr.

Golden arches in kuwait

2010-07-11T13:24:00.001-04:00

Located in a small group of corrigated containers are several fast food walk ups.

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Sunny Day

2010-06-19T08:56:00.000-04:00

Sunny day today. Blue skies. Hot. Preparing to go on leave. Lots to get done before I go. Brings to mind all that needs to get done in this country before we (the US) fully pull out next year. There is not nearly enough time. Many people (Iraqi and foreign) have worked hard, many paying with their lives, to bring progress to the region and it is unfortunate that we will go before it truly has a chance to take root. What we have done here is give them a brief glimpse of what could be. Hopefully that will be enough to grow but with all the internal and external forces at work there are many who doubt it.

Lunch: Baked chicken & green beans. Side spinach salad with low fat Italian dressing. Strawberry yogurt and sweet tea. A few moments alone to read Stars and Stripes. Nice.

Details & Devils

2010-06-16T10:02:00.000-04:00

Lots of detail work today. Dates, names, signatures, totals, sub-totals, etc. People handing me things unfinished and then looking at me with blank stares when in ask them to finish it before they turn it in. If the forms aren't filled out correctly I can't release the funds. Simple as that. Why have I got to go run people down and remind them? Its not my project. I have a million things to do and I'm running people down for fill in the blanks stuff.

Last night I finally finished a writing assignment for an online class I'm taking. When I start a paper I always hope that I will have enough material to fill out the requisite number of pages but by the time I'm done I'm wondering how I squeezed it all in. I suppose editing down is easier than staring at a blank page and trying to build up.

Lunch: Pot roast, peas & carrots and sweet tea. Side salad with spinach, sliced carrots, tomatoes, cheese & low fat Italian dressing. Black cherry yogurt for dessert. Usually Wednesday is carrot cake day but there was none today. So I had a peanut butter cookie. That will teach them!