A group of people got together in Mountain View, CA last week to donate Linux-releated computer books to the Linux Users' Group of Iraq. Brilliant. Unlike the cronies and one-bid auctioneers who got the huge contracts to "rebuild" Iraq, these folks are helping develop Iraq without commercializing it.
With lots of governments around the world moving to standardize on open-source software (in order to save money and avoid being dependent on Redmond-based companies) this is a a good move on the part of the donors. Apparently there are computers in Iraq but technical books are hard to come by. If there's a glut of information about Linux, there might be a good rate of adoption and this might set a precedent for open-source use in that country.
The Astros have been in even worse shape, using three starters with less than two years of major-league experience. Signing Clemens to go with right-hander Roy Oswalt and left-hander Andy Pettitte again gives them a legitimate Big Three once again. If Clemens, after several minor-league tuneups, proves anywhere near as good as he was last season, he will give the team precisely the lift it needs.
The Astros have been in even worse shape, using three starters with less than two years of major-league experience. Signing Clemens to go with right-hander Roy Oswalt and left-hander Andy Pettitte again gives them a legitimate Big Three once again. If Clemens, after several minor-league tuneups, proves anywhere near as good as he was last season, he will give the team precisely the lift it needs.