intelligence

Intelligence
$59.99
Intelligence is the best weekly TV show I have ever watched. Truly I think Intelligence is better than Prison Break or Lost.
My wife said I was addicted to the show but once she started watching from the beginning of the first season she found out why I was addicted. She too became an Intelligence Addict along with my sister who is now watching season 1 & 2.
Once ya start watching Intelligence it is tough to get to bed on time, it's late nights at the big screen till the end of season 2.
I sure hope they make a season 3.

Intelligence: Season 2
$59.99
Intelligence is the best weekly TV show I have ever watched. Truly I think Intelligence is better than Prison Break or Lost.
My wife said I was addicted to the show but once she started watching from the beginning of the first season she found out why I was addicted. She too became an Intelligence Addict along with my sister who is now watching season 1 & 2.
Once ya start watching Intelligence it is tough to get to bed on time, it's late nights at the big screen till the end of season 2.
I sure hope they make a season 3.

Analyzing Intelligence: Origins, Obstacles, and Innovations
$29.95
The `intelligence' that this book refers to is what was once known as `finished intelligence' that is intelligence designed primarily to inform the President and members of the National Security Council (NSC). It directly supports the executive level formation of national policies relating to national security and foreign affairs. In theory this policy level intelligence is produced by intelligence analysts who combine subject matter knowledge with research and analytic techniques to transform all source information into the most accurate intelligence possible. As the various contributors to this book sometimes make clear this level of intelligence is a matter of probabilities not absolutes.

Because finished intelligence is so closely associated with policy formation, the book includes a variety of thoughts on the relationship between the intelligence analyst and policy makers and national strategists. Since this level of intelligence often requires the analyst to make subjective judgments based on often inconclusive evidence, the book also has useful discussions of the dangers of politicization to sound intelligence products. These two threads appear to run throughout the book and are illustrated in concrete examples that highlight the thin line between informing policy making and politicization.

The first half of this book deals with what are by necessity fairly high level issues that impact the analytic processes, but not necessarily the intelligence analysts except indirectly. The second half of the book is a general, but serious look at the process of analysis and the analysts who execute that process. On this subject Jack Davis and Carmen Medina have some very interesting things to say about the analytic process (and those who execute that process). Also one of the book's editors, James Bruce, makes an observation on the relationship between epistemology and intelligence production. This relationship should be obvious, but until someone like Bruce makes it, the relationship is often ignored.

A good treatment of an important subject, but for details on what a finished intelligence analyst actually does for a living read "Lost Promise" by John Gentry.

Intelligence and How to Get It: Why Schools and Cultures Count
$26.95
Like almost all other books on the subject, this one tries to make sure
that you understand that the writer does not have an agenda (hidden or not).
And like most other books on the subject the contrary is quite evident.
While Prof. Nisbett gives a clear presentation of a number of interesting
studies that support his views, he does not fully explain the
inherent difficulties in interpreting their results. I believe that doing so would result
in a technical discussion without a clear conclusion or message. But
I also believe that this is where we currently are - and why the particular
debate of nature vs. nurture will go on for generations to come.

Let me be clear - I enjoyed the book, and I do ultimately believe that
many of the conclusions are true. However, not being a specialist in
the area, and without going to the original literature, I am at a
loss about how to evaluate the supporting evidence. For instance,
I can't take seriously anybody claiming that this factor or that is responsible for
.5 SD in IQ. While it has the feel of nicely summarizing the outcome of
one or more studies, I don't think the statement is interpretable.

With this in mind, I would still recommend the book - it tries to address
a very relevant topic. It serves as a good introduction to the questions, and the
difficulties in studying them. However, one should be very cautious in
accepting the proposed answers.