STRATFOR E-Mail #6: Re: [alpha] sourcing insight

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Re: [alpha] sourcing insight
Email-ID 	909781
Date 	2011-07-29 22:58:35
From 	[email protected]
To 	[email protected]
List-Name 	[email protected]
We need to change that. A simple email to IT before a trip gets you off
the list.
From: Kamran Bokhari
Reply-To: Alpha List
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:51:42 -0400
To:
Subject: Re: [alpha] sourcing insight
Ok, but even when I have been outside the continent I have still been on
secure.
On 7/29/11 4:03 PM, scott stewart wrote:

Yeah. We don't consider Canada to really be overseas.
From: Kamran Bokhari
Reply-To: Alpha List
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:49:34 -0400
To:
Subject: Re: [alpha] sourcing insight
I have always been secure even though I am always overseas.

On 7/29/11 2:59 PM, Jennifer Richmond wrote:

Ok, good question.

The secure list is not supposed to have anyone overseas on it. (And
as a side note, if you are traveling overseas you need to get yourself
off this list while out of the country.) We have many WOs overseas
and so when we send something to secure it is just one more way we are
trying to protect sourcing by not having it sent over international
wires (yes, of course, there are many ways that foreigners can access
any insight sent from anywhere at anytime, but it is somewhat more
secure when we email only within CONUS). So either a source or
insight that is highly sensitive needs to go to the secure list only,
and that means that we send it in ourselves because the overseas WOs
won't be able to pick it up.

Alpha goes to analysts/writers (and the few others selected on this
list) and not ADPs or Interns, including to analysts/writers overseas.

On 7/29/11 1:50 PM, Lauren Goodrich wrote:

your last line in the P.S.... said to send things directly to
secure... I wanted to know if that meant only to secure or to alpha
too.
I think there is still some confusion over which list is which.
On 7/29/11 1:47 PM, Jennifer Richmond wrote:

I don't understand your question. This applies to both lists.
All sources need IDs (as mentioned in my PS - does that answer
your question?).

As to the question of sending from BBs, I definitely understand
that issue. When you return to your computer, please reply to the
insight sent out with the full coding. We need this info to
really track insight and any changes over time.

On 7/29/11 1:45 PM, Lauren Goodrich wrote:

secure or alpha?

On 7/29/11 1:41 PM, Jennifer Richmond wrote:

We've gotten lazy on insight source IDs again. Not only do you need to
put the source code in the subject line, but all of these categories
need to be filled out for every single insight sent to the list.

SOURCE: code
ATTRIBUTION: this is what we should say if we use this info in a
publication, e.g. STRATFOR source/source in the medical industry/source
on the ground, etc
SOURCE DESCRIPTION: this is where we put the more concrete details of
the source for our internal consumption so we can better understand the
source's background and ability to make the assessments in the insight
PUBLICATION: Yes or no. If you put yes it doesn't mean that we will
publish it, but only that we can publish it.
SOURCE RELIABILITY: A-F, A being the best and F being the worst. this
grades the turnaround time of this source in responding to requests
ITEM CREDIBILITY: 1-10, 1 being the best and 10 being the worst (we may
change the range here in the future). this changes a lot based on the
info provided. 1 is "you can take this to the bank" and 10 would be an
example of maybe - "this is a totally ridiculous rumor but something
that is spreading on the ground"
SPECIAL HANDLING: often this is "none" but it may be something like, "if
you use this we need to be sure not to mention the part about XXX in the
publication" or any other special notes
SOURCE HANDLER: the person who can take follow-up questions and
communicate with the source

If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, let me know. I'll
be back in the office next Tues so if you want to discuss this process
in person we can do so soon. In the meantime, remember that every piece
of insight needs this ENTIRE ID unless it is just something that you
picked up off the ground from a source that you will likely not hear
from again. Even then, you should fill out the entire ID and in the
SOURCE field simply say - n/a with a description on why we are not
coding them.

Jen
PS: Also remember that is something is highly sensitive to send directly
- not thru a WO - to the "secure" list. Secure list insights still need
the above ID tags.


--
Lauren Goodrich
Senior Eurasia Analyst
STRATFOR
T: 512.744.4311
F: 512.744.4334
[email protected]
www.stratfor.com

--
Jennifer Richmond
STRATFOR
China Director
Director of International Projects
(512) 422-9335
[email protected]

--
Lauren Goodrich
Senior Eurasia Analyst
STRATFOR
T: 512.744.4311
F: 512.744.4334
[email protected]
www.stratfor.com

--
Jennifer Richmond
STRATFOR
China Director
Director of International Projects
(512) 422-9335
[email protected]