Hulleye Comes By!

eWEEK reports that Bill Gates told PBS talk show host Charlie Rose and a Stanford University audience at TechNet Wednesday that ‘We’re at the beginning of something important again’ in the development of technology — just as in the 1980s with the advent of the PC. He also discussed the growing Microsoft-Google competition, world health issues, how to give lots of money away to the benefit of mankind, and whether he’ll return to Harvard to finish his studies.” From the article: “On whether there’s another idea today that is as powerful as the idea of the personal computer in the 1970s: ‘If I knew medicine like I do computers, I would like to be able to control the [human] immune system, to fight against the onset of disease on a world level … but I think the idea of the PC still would have topped that.

via slashdot.

The U.S. government has entrusted billions of dollars in Iraqi reconstruction funds to outside contractors. But how is all that money actually being spent? In this week’s List, Foreign Policy mag takes a look at some of the major missteps made by private firms in Iraq.

Bechtel

An engineering and construction firm based in San Francisco, California
What it’s doing: Repairing key components of Iraq’s infrastructure, including the power grid, water system, schools, healthcare clinics, bridges, and telephone service

Value of contracts in Iraq: $2.3 billion, including its undisclosed profit

Major missteps: Before pulling out of Iraq last month, Bechtel failed to complete several tasks it had agreed to take on. Its biggest failure? Not completing the construction of a new children’s hospital in Basra. The hospital, which was trumpeted by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and First Lady Laura Bush, fell a year behind schedule and overran its original budget by as much as 150 percent.

Bechtel’s take: The company claims security was the biggest obstacle to its operations in Iraq, pointing to 52 company casualties (47 of whom were Iraqi nationals). As to why the company failed to finish building the children’s hospital, Bechtel also points to difficult soil conditions in the area.

CACI
Information technology contractor based in Arlington, Virginia

What it’s doing: Interrogation services and intelligence gathering

Value of contracts in Iraq: More than $66 million

Major missteps: More than 30 CACI interrogators have operated alongside U.S. Army counterparts in Iraq, and at least one was implicated in the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison that was uncovered in 2004. The abuse scandal led to private lawsuits accusing the company of torture. CACI responded in September 2005 by announcing it would no longer perform interrogations in Iraq.

CACI’s take: None of the company’s employees was ever charged for the Abu Ghraib scandal, and the company continues to assert that its employees met the requirements stipulated by its contract with the U.S. military.

KBR
The major engineering and construction arm of Houston, Texas-based Halliburton.

What it’s doing: Reconstruction of Iraq’s oil industry, as well as providing logistical support and services to the U.S. military

Value of contracts in Iraq: More than $10 billion

Major missteps: U.S. government auditors have slammed Halliburton for weak cost controls, mismanagement, and overbilling. Overhead costs accounted for 55 percent, or $163 million, of its contract to restore Iraq’s oil industry to working order. It also billed the government for work it didn’t do and overpriced gasoline it imported into the beleaguered country.

Halliburton’s take: The company blames the high overhead costs on poor planning by the U.S. government, including requiring the company to prepare for work that did not begin for nearly a year.

Parsons Corp
A Pasadena, California, engineering and construction company

What it’s doing: Rebuilding Iraq’s infrastructure, including healthcare and security facilities and water and sewage systems

Value of contracts in Iraq: More than $5 billion

Major missteps: The Pentagon terminated one of its contracts with Parsons when only six of the 142 health clinics the company was contracted to build were completed after more than two years. The company also cut corners on a $75 million police academy, leaving bathrooms that leak into student barracks.

Parsons’ take: The contractor cites a lack of security in Iraq when explaining its construction shortcomings. The company’s executives also blame subcontractors for the mess.

i’ve written up another rant over at metroblogging on transit issues and how it relates to other cities on a global level. check it out and drop some feedback if you got a minute.

so one of the rarest things happens. a star wars virgin sits through a 14 hour marathon and watches all six episodes as lucas had actually intended them to be seen. he meticulously documents the sessions here. i’m not saying that there aren’t very many star wars virgins out there. there just aren’t that many who would get out and voluntarily watch all six films in one setting. and then document them.

For me, the biggest problem with seeing these films in their intended order is that Episodes IV-VI offered little surprises. I know who Luke’s father is; I know that the little creature is Yoda. I have to sit through that uncomfortable kiss between Luke and Leia knowing that they are indeed brother and sister. Most of the mysteries and questions that drive the plots of the later episodes are nullified by having seen the first three. I almost envied those who saw them in original order, so I too could have enjoyed the shock and surprise of some of the plot’s twists and turns. Luckily I was never a fan of bellbottoms, so I will indeed stick with the intended order.

Seeing the movies the way Lucas intended us to see them also lets us see how his power and clout in Hollywood have changed over the years. The scripts in the earlier movies are significantly stronger. The dialogue is more mature and smart. They had to be, if he was going to get the funding to continue his saga. For the newer Episodes, you can practically see George sitting at his Mac on top of his pile of money and giggling as he types lines line ”Whoa, that’s tense” and ”How rude!” I looked it up and he was never a writer for Full House, which means he came up with those ditties all on his own. It could be the 4 o’clock in the morning talking, but it’s almost as if he didn’t have anyone proofreading his scripts. And did he even hire a casting director?