New rave topic: girls with brains-Franziska Michor

http://www.esquire.com/michor1207

It wasn’t until physics became a mathematical discipline that it began to get things right, began to be more than heroically perplexed and began charting the courses first of planets and then of atoms. And that’s where medicine is right now.

It’s not a blintz-krieg any more. Thursday August 16, 2007

 

As I was making lemon curd last night, a digestive substitute for the Jewish style blintzes I normally make my Catholic Grandmother, it occurred to me that Israeli policy is influencing US strategy. I know, duh. But I’m not referring to the typical relationship of Israeli threats being backed by US bills and brawn. This time, Israel has taught US a strategy.

Remember the so called “war on Hezbolah”? A conflict supposedly between a state and a military force; officially ignoring the civilian implications. A brilliant ploy, really, “We’re not targeting the civilians of a non-aggressive state, we’re attacking the camouflaged positions of a rogue militia”.

Israel got away with astounding violence by selling it in a novel package.

This week, a rumor has been circulating. The US plans to list Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. Sound familiar?
Except that this is, in effect, like Russia listing the Navy Seals as a terrorist group. First, they are paid by, run by, and selected by the Iranian government. Like our Seals, they don’t do anything without explicit government direction.
Second, they are an internationally recognized branch of the Iranian military. Like all military, a state-blessed terrorist organization. If they are named terrorists worthy of having their assets frozen and their connections hunted, how can that definition remain credible?

The US may hope to take advantage of a recently exposed exception to international law, but they risk giving the game away.

The definitions of war may seem to be changing, with terrorist groups and insurgent factions comprising most of the enemies of todays states of the UN. What is interesting though, is how the states are changing, allegedly in response. Has human nature, or the basic structure of social groups changed too? What an amazing jump in evolution that would pose.

Making lemon curd is an odd experiment in a variation on Ockham’s Razor; after stirring the mixture over low heat for what seems like hours, you only know that’ it’s done when, well, it looks like lemon curd.

And internationally outlawed state to state aggression is recognized in much the same way.