Introduction There is an almost injudicious love of science by the military academic community. Within the deep reaches of the Pentagon and the service schools and academies there is an intellectual reach and lust for the trapping of academia. I…
Lessons in writing: Tools, techniques, methods for writing
There are a lot of writing tools, methods, books, and in general help on the Internet. The Online Writing Laboratory at Purdue is linked to by many schools as it so helpful. But, this little post isn’t about that. It…
A response to the DARPA national cyber range BAA
Introduction If you are going to make war you should practice war. No Marine traverses the line of departure without spending quality time at the rifle range. No Army tanker enters the theater of battle without spending time with a…
Air force cyberspace symposia: Loose ends in cyber space
The definition of cyber space came up again as a primary topic at the United States Air Force Cyberspace symposia at Maxwell Air Force Base. The Air University has a strict non attribution policy so all comments that follow are…
Cyberspace a terrain: Weaponization of the global grid
In a discussion with a senior official of the Air Force he made an off hand comment that perhaps the day that an individual non-state actor working independently could use cyber means to injure a nation-state has passed. According to…
Creating appropriate fear and respect within information assurance and security courses
Abstract – The requisite behaviors of fear and respect in dealing with information assurance and security topics building towards a professional or subject matter expert is highly valued. Creating situational and security awareness is an important behavior modification. Specifically the…
The Socratic compass: Giving students directions not answers
I was recently told that there was no place in the world of the academy, in the University, for the Socratic philosophizing of grey haired intellectuals. There is no room in a curriculum filled and brimming with Bloom learning objectives,…
House committee moves to censor and circumscribe representative to constituent communcation
United States Government House of Representative seeks to close, restrict, and disenfranchise the American public access to their representatives. In a move that blatantly exposes the absolute totalitarian nature that American agencies are willing to use in efforts to shut…
On criticism of “Violence: A micro-sociological theory by Randall Collins”
Abstract Randall Collins in “Violence” makes the tragic mistake of relying heavily on S.L.A. Marshall and the many scholars of Marshall. The interviewing technique of S.L.A. Marshall and the evidence he collected was not without criticism or challenge. The soldiers…
What are the tactical and strategic implications of an economic downturn/recession/depression?
If you were a general sitting in the Pentagon it is doubtful you would be concerned about refugees from the largest economic destabilization in recent history, the substantial number of people who are homeless from a foreclosure “market”, and the…
The Internets meets its match in search of a hitch
So, I’m a reasonable individual. I make fair money, I live a great life, my family is healthy, and my community is filled with good people. I am a socially sophisticated, highly trained, wired, enabled, savvy, powerful, user of the…
Cyber Warfare as Low Intensity Conflict
Click on image to get a larger version.
Statement as regards Media Bloggers Association
Selil.com and the contributors of Selil Blog have NO ASSOCIATION with the Media Bloggers Association (MBA). Both Professor Liles have no ties nor desires to be represented by the MBA. As with others we represent ourselves and only ourselves. Selil.Com…
How I learned to love the bomb: Why bad science fiction informs Department of Homeland Security policy
Watch enough bad science fiction and you can tell that science fiction as a genre has often used specific plot devices to grapple with current fears of the public. Even the Department of Homeland Security realizes the worth of looking…
Thesaurantenical: On refuting arguments based on grammar and spelling
The obvious grammatical effluvia of academic discourse wrapped in the absent specter of Pericles pen shows the dishonesty of the academician. There is only shame for the academic hiding behind bellicose diatribes in obfuscation of honest discourse. An attack on…