CIA + Wikipedia = Intellipedia

In the buildup to war, US intelligence agencies failed to deliver an independent, accurate view of the situation in Iraq. Cowtowing to pressure from above, spy bosses silenced or downplayed analysts' assessments that didn't support the march to war. Now the intelligence community is taking software from Wikipedia to create an intelligence structure that supports capturing a diversity of ideas, the LA Times reports. "We're trying to transform the way we do business," Michele Weslander, who oversees the initiative for John Negroponte, says.

The system allows analysts from all 16 U.S. intelligence agencies to weigh in on debates on North Korea's nuclear program and other sensitive topics, creating internal websites that are constantly updated with new information and analysis, officials said.

While it's hardly taken over as the primary method for developing National Intelligence Estimates, it is being used "to develop preliminary judgments" for the NIE on Nigeria.

"I think in the future you'll press a button and this will be the NIE," said Michael Wertheimer, assistant deputy director of national intelligence for analysis.

Stock option watch

Andrew McKelvey, former CEO of Monster Worldwide, refused to answer questions from an internal investigating committee and resigned from his holdover position as chairman emeritus, the company said. "Mr. McKelvey had declined to be interviewed" and "would not provide assurance that he would appear at a later date." Monster will restate earnings from 1997 to 2005 and hopes to start 2007 on a "clean slate."

Microprocessor maker Atmel said it would restate its earnings for 2003 through the first quarter of '06. An internal investigation is continuing ...
The SEC is investigating chipmaker Silicon Image's stock options practices from Jan. 1, 2004 through yesterday. ... The SEC has ended its investigation of Intuit without recommending enforcement action ... Look for more action from the agency in the very near future, Chairman Cox told a conference this week: "I expect that we'll be seeing more, as a result of that process, in days ahead." ...