Tuesday, March 24
Google Street View Video Report - Fox News
http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=3945189&referralPlaylistId=e059f7416cd3e6a978256d927c7bb152d9988581
Saturday, March 21
Mark Paul Serafin new Mayor of the Village of Manlius, NY
My hometown, the Village of Manlius, voted a new Mayor and my family who still lives in Manlius supports Mark Paul Serafin. A lifelong resident of Manlius, NY, Mark brings the business knowledge, community outreach and the passion for "doing what is right" in the best interest of the people of Manlius. http://videos.syracuse.com/post-standard/2009/03/markpaul_serafin_elected_villa.html
Congratulations Mark Paul!
Congratulations Mark Paul!
Ex-Googler: Google Depends Too Much On Data Over Instinct For Design
Does Google depend too much on data over design instinct? Yes, says former Googler Douglas Bowman, who posted a goodbye note to the company on his last day there today. From his post:
Without a person at (or near) the helm who thoroughly understands the principles and elements of Design, a company eventually runs out of reasons for design decisions. With every new design decision, critics cry foul. Without conviction, doubt creeps in. Instincts fail. ?Is this the right move?? When a company is filled with engineers, it turns to engineering to solve problems. Reduce each decision to a simple logic problem. Remove all subjectivity and just look at the data. Data in your favor? Ok, launch it. Data shows negative effects? ?.
Yes, it?s true that a team at Google couldn?t decide between two blues, so they?re testing 41 shades between each blue to see which one performs better. I had a recent debate over whether a border should be 3, 4 or 5 pixels wide, and was asked to prove my case. I can?t operate in an environment like that. I?ve grown tired of debating such miniscule design decisions. There are more exciting design problems in this world to tackle.
Postscript from Matt: For those who may not know, Doug Bowman is a star in the web design world. You?ve probably seen a lot of his work without realizing it ? he created several of the most popular Blogger templates after Google bought the popular blogging platform software, and led the redesign of Blogger itself, too. He also helped design/develop Google Calendar, among other Google products.
Without a person at (or near) the helm who thoroughly understands the principles and elements of Design, a company eventually runs out of reasons for design decisions. With every new design decision, critics cry foul. Without conviction, doubt creeps in. Instincts fail. ?Is this the right move?? When a company is filled with engineers, it turns to engineering to solve problems. Reduce each decision to a simple logic problem. Remove all subjectivity and just look at the data. Data in your favor? Ok, launch it. Data shows negative effects? ?.
Yes, it?s true that a team at Google couldn?t decide between two blues, so they?re testing 41 shades between each blue to see which one performs better. I had a recent debate over whether a border should be 3, 4 or 5 pixels wide, and was asked to prove my case. I can?t operate in an environment like that. I?ve grown tired of debating such miniscule design decisions. There are more exciting design problems in this world to tackle.
Postscript from Matt: For those who may not know, Doug Bowman is a star in the web design world. You?ve probably seen a lot of his work without realizing it ? he created several of the most popular Blogger templates after Google bought the popular blogging platform software, and led the redesign of Blogger itself, too. He also helped design/develop Google Calendar, among other Google products.
Friday, March 20
CyberSecurity Briefing
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=d59f00d0-0ad9-41cd-bde8-b96babb08b7e
Monday, March 16
Community Sharing with Community Supported Agriculture
Nothing says springtime in New York like community-supported agriculture. But before you re-up your regular share of mixed produce and call it a day, consider this new crop of other foods now available on a subscription basis.
The basic concept is the same: You purchase a full or half-share of a supplier's upcoming yield and receive scheduled food deliveries in return. This allows small-scale suppliers who need up-front capital to get in on the action. And because a number of these alt-CSAs also offer home delivery, there's no concern about missed pick-ups. Here are four worth the investment:
Meat The Brooklyn Kitchen is bringing monthly deliveries of pasture-raised chicken ($5.50 a pound; $10 deposit required) and half ($11 a pound, $75 deposit) and whole lambs ($10.50 a pound; $150 deposit) from upstate New York's Awesome Farm (pictured) to its Williamsburg shop. Pick-up begins June 20.
Bread This summer, Hot Bread Kitchen will partner with a handful of local CSAs to offer bread shares ($180). Shareholders can expect to receive corn tortillas, artisanal loaves and the bakery's crispy lavash nine times during the season.
Seafood Upper Meadows Farm in Montague, New Jersey--which supplies the Hell's Kitchen CSA--offers wild-caught seafood (clams, scallops and assorted fish) from local fishermen to premium shareholders ($845 for CSA membership, plus $105 a week). Non-premium shareholders can purchase fish on a per-order basis.
Dairy Though it's not a CSA in the traditional sense, Manhattan Milk nevertheless delivers farm-fresh cheese, eggs, milk and yogurt from local farms to your doorstep every Wednesday. No subscription necessary; delivery service begins April 21.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml
The basic concept is the same: You purchase a full or half-share of a supplier's upcoming yield and receive scheduled food deliveries in return. This allows small-scale suppliers who need up-front capital to get in on the action. And because a number of these alt-CSAs also offer home delivery, there's no concern about missed pick-ups. Here are four worth the investment:
Meat The Brooklyn Kitchen is bringing monthly deliveries of pasture-raised chicken ($5.50 a pound; $10 deposit required) and half ($11 a pound, $75 deposit) and whole lambs ($10.50 a pound; $150 deposit) from upstate New York's Awesome Farm (pictured) to its Williamsburg shop. Pick-up begins June 20.
Bread This summer, Hot Bread Kitchen will partner with a handful of local CSAs to offer bread shares ($180). Shareholders can expect to receive corn tortillas, artisanal loaves and the bakery's crispy lavash nine times during the season.
Seafood Upper Meadows Farm in Montague, New Jersey--which supplies the Hell's Kitchen CSA--offers wild-caught seafood (clams, scallops and assorted fish) from local fishermen to premium shareholders ($845 for CSA membership, plus $105 a week). Non-premium shareholders can purchase fish on a per-order basis.
Dairy Though it's not a CSA in the traditional sense, Manhattan Milk nevertheless delivers farm-fresh cheese, eggs, milk and yogurt from local farms to your doorstep every Wednesday. No subscription necessary; delivery service begins April 21.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml
Sunday, March 8
2009 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers
2009 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers: "Paul Cosgrave, CIO, New York City and Commissioner, New York City Department of Information Technology and Communications"
$1.6 Billion Stimulus Funding Allocation Announced by Virginia Governor
$1.6 Billion Stimulus Funding Allocation Announced by Virginia Governor: "Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced the allocation of $1.6 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to education, public safety and transportation needs in Virginia. He also announced that Chief of Staff Wayne Turnage will lead a working group that, starting today, will evaluate and appropriately route projects submitted on the Stimulus.Virginia.Gov Web site. Once work begins, Virginians will be able to track the spending of recovery funds through a Web site currently being developed by the commonwealth, and expected to launch shortly."
Friday, March 6
Terrorist group recruits in Midwest
Washington Times - Terrorist group recruits in Midwest: "As people crowded into the capital for Barack Obama's inaugural celebration, senior counterterrorism officials huddled in the White House situation room, frantically trying to unravel intelligence about a possible attack on Washington.
By the afternoon of Jan. 20, as Mr. Obama took the oath of office, the threat of a terror plot by the Somalia-based al-Shabab organization had been debunked, but the flurry of activity underscored growing worries about this Islamic militant group."
By the afternoon of Jan. 20, as Mr. Obama took the oath of office, the threat of a terror plot by the Somalia-based al-Shabab organization had been debunked, but the flurry of activity underscored growing worries about this Islamic militant group."
Thursday, March 5
ASIS members say bad economy means both budget cuts and a need for more security
A survey of the economic downturn's impact on the security functions performed by ASIS International members at various-sized companies found them in agreement that the need for security has increased.
Seventy-eight percent of large-firm chief security officers (CSOs) saw an increased need, while 66 percent of security managers at smaller firms saw an increased need.
According to ASIS, "increases in crime and theft, followed by employee lay-offs and furloughs, topped the CSOs' list of reasons," while the security managers at smaller firms "reported increases in theft of, and damage to, physical property, as their primary concerns."
http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/1592.html
Seventy-eight percent of large-firm chief security officers (CSOs) saw an increased need, while 66 percent of security managers at smaller firms saw an increased need.
According to ASIS, "increases in crime and theft, followed by employee lay-offs and furloughs, topped the CSOs' list of reasons," while the security managers at smaller firms "reported increases in theft of, and damage to, physical property, as their primary concerns."
http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/1592.html
TSA seeks security info from highway and pipeline owners
TSA is seeking permission from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to continue making on-site visits under its Corporate Security Review program, in which two or three TSA employees spend a full day in face-to-face discussions with the owners of highway and pipeline assets to learn about any security programs they may have in place.
TSA estimates it conducts 184 such on-site visits per year, each running between three and eight hours.
?At the conclusion of these site visits, TSA completes the Corporate Review form, which asks questions concerning eleven topics: Threat assessments, vulnerability assessments, security planning, credentialing, secure areas, infrastructure protection, physical security countermeasures, cyber security, training, communications, and exercises,? said a TSA notice published in the Federal Register on March 5.
TSA is seeking comments from the public by May 4 on its request to continue this information-gathering effort. Comments can be mailed to ? and further information is available from ? Ginger LeMay, a Paperwork Reduction Act Officer at TSA, at 571-227-3616.
TSA estimates it conducts 184 such on-site visits per year, each running between three and eight hours.
?At the conclusion of these site visits, TSA completes the Corporate Review form, which asks questions concerning eleven topics: Threat assessments, vulnerability assessments, security planning, credentialing, secure areas, infrastructure protection, physical security countermeasures, cyber security, training, communications, and exercises,? said a TSA notice published in the Federal Register on March 5.
TSA is seeking comments from the public by May 4 on its request to continue this information-gathering effort. Comments can be mailed to ? and further information is available from ? Ginger LeMay, a Paperwork Reduction Act Officer at TSA, at 571-227-3616.
Command Web Consolidation - Daylight Savings Time March 8th
Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command is consolidating the command's web presence in accordance with Department of Defense (DoD) and Navy guidance. The U.S. Naval Oceanography portal will be the single access point for all public facing Meteorology and Oceanography products and services. This publicly-accessible portal is currently online at http://www.usno.navy.mil and is being populated. In the near future, non-DoD users will be redirected to this portal.
DoD customers can access all operational data, products and services via the NIPRnet Naval Oceanography Portal site at https://oceanography.navy.mil (CAC required).
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/daylight_time.php
DoD customers can access all operational data, products and services via the NIPRnet Naval Oceanography Portal site at https://oceanography.navy.mil (CAC required).
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/daylight_time.php
Saturday, February 28
Future security threats: Enterprise attacks of 2009
Future security threats: Enterprise attacks of 2009: "Based on last year's threats and exploits, here are some brief information security predictions for 2009. But remember, many of the new threats we will face in the near and distant future will look similar to the ones we have faced in the past."
Friday, February 27
U.S. spy agency may get more cybersecurity duties by Reuters: Yahoo! Tech
U.S. spy agency may get more cybersecurity duties by Reuters: Yahoo! Tech: "'A number of nations, including Russia and China, can disrupt elements of the U.S. information infrastructure,' Blair said. 'Cyber-defense is not a one-time fix; it requires a continual investment.'
Billions of dollars are at stake. Defense contractors Northrop Grumman Corp, Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co are working on classified cybersecurity projects for the U.S. government.
Software and telecommunications companies also are likely to play a major role, said Democratic Representative Dutch Ruppersberger, whose Maryland district includes the NSA.
Earlier this month, President Barack Obama ordered a 60-day cybersecurity review and named Melissa Hathaway, the top cyber official with the intelligence director's office, to a White House post overseeing the effort."
Billions of dollars are at stake. Defense contractors Northrop Grumman Corp, Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co are working on classified cybersecurity projects for the U.S. government.
Software and telecommunications companies also are likely to play a major role, said Democratic Representative Dutch Ruppersberger, whose Maryland district includes the NSA.
Earlier this month, President Barack Obama ordered a 60-day cybersecurity review and named Melissa Hathaway, the top cyber official with the intelligence director's office, to a White House post overseeing the effort."
Thursday, February 12
1 in 5 kids solicited for sex online; Only 25% of parents know | LOCAL NEWS | Local Breaking News and Weather from AZFAMILY.COM & KTVK 3TV - Arizona's Family
1 in 5 kids solicited for sex online
Parents warned to keep kids safe while online PHOENIX - Parents are being warned to keep children safe on the information super-highway due to internet predators, online pharmacies and virtual-bullying. The statistics are alarming. One out of every five children is solicited for sex online but only 25% of parents ever hears about it."
Parents warned to keep kids safe while online PHOENIX - Parents are being warned to keep children safe on the information super-highway due to internet predators, online pharmacies and virtual-bullying. The statistics are alarming. One out of every five children is solicited for sex online but only 25% of parents ever hears about it."
Wednesday, February 11
Muslims in US are hopeful but wary of status under Obama
<http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2009/01/31/religion.qp-7689896.sto> ...
Thomas Nicpon, assistant special agent in charge in the FBI's New York intelligence division, said deciding which Muslim groups to work with is a " difficult ...
Thomas Nicpon, assistant special agent in charge in the FBI's New York intelligence division, said deciding which Muslim groups to work with is a " difficult ...
Lights Out for Earth Hour
Mark your calendars...
March 28, 2009, at 8:30 pm. Turn out. Take action.
Excitement is building all over the US and around the world. Here's a quick update on what's developed this week for Earth Hour:
*
More cities turning out: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis and the Village of Homer Glen, Illinois. We've heard rumblings from Houston and Seattle as well and would also love to get Washington, DC on board. If you're a DC resident, let Mayor Fenty know you want the city to turn out!
*
Help us turn out the lights on the US Capitol Dome—write to your Senators or Member of Congress. <http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/site/R?i=zc1Dqesr4g6DvcINoZD1aw..>
*
What goes on in Vegas doesn't always stay there: Earth Hour officially launched in Sin City at a press event featuring a Panda Bear and Vegas showgirls. The Strip will indeed go dark for the full 60 minutes—the only time the lights have been dimmed except briefly in 1998 in honor of Frank Sinatra's death.
*
Other city news: Chicago held its official launch event last week, with Mayor Daley again pledging his support. Next up? Nashville, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas!
*
The city of lights goes dark: Paris and 27 other French cities announced they'll take part in Earth Hour, with the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame going dark. A total of 405 cities in 74 countries have pledged to participate—double the number of countries from last year.
*
Download a very cool Shepard Fairey poster: The famed Obama-portrait artist has created a series of "Vote Earth" posters urging people to turn off their lights during Earth Hour. Available at www.earthhourUS.org
March 28, 2009, at 8:30 pm. Turn out. Take action.
Excitement is building all over the US and around the world. Here's a quick update on what's developed this week for Earth Hour:
*
More cities turning out: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis and the Village of Homer Glen, Illinois. We've heard rumblings from Houston and Seattle as well and would also love to get Washington, DC on board. If you're a DC resident, let Mayor Fenty know you want the city to turn out!
*
Help us turn out the lights on the US Capitol Dome—write to your Senators or Member of Congress. <http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/site/R?i=zc1Dqesr4g6DvcINoZD1aw..>
*
What goes on in Vegas doesn't always stay there: Earth Hour officially launched in Sin City at a press event featuring a Panda Bear and Vegas showgirls. The Strip will indeed go dark for the full 60 minutes—the only time the lights have been dimmed except briefly in 1998 in honor of Frank Sinatra's death.
*
Other city news: Chicago held its official launch event last week, with Mayor Daley again pledging his support. Next up? Nashville, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas!
*
The city of lights goes dark: Paris and 27 other French cities announced they'll take part in Earth Hour, with the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame going dark. A total of 405 cities in 74 countries have pledged to participate—double the number of countries from last year.
*
Download a very cool Shepard Fairey poster: The famed Obama-portrait artist has created a series of "Vote Earth" posters urging people to turn off their lights during Earth Hour. Available at www.earthhourUS.org
DHS Enforcement News available with updates
Border Patrol Agents Arrest 77 in Arizona
February 9, 2009 (Tucson, Ariz.) - CBP agents arrested 77 Mexican nationals after camera operators identified the unusually large group crossing the international border fence from Mexico. As the group crossed, a coordinated effort between agents of the Douglas and nearby Naco stations, along with Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, resulted in the arrest of 77 individuals. More at CBP.gov
CBP Agents Arrest 12 Illegal Aliens
February 4, 2009 (San Clemente, Calif.) - Border Patrol agents apprehended 12 Mexican nationals suspected of illegally entering the country at sea using a smuggling boat. More at CBP.gov
ICE Teams Arrest 95 in Georgia, Carolinas
February 3, 2009 (Atlanta) - ICE officers arrested 92 fugitives aliens and three immigration violators throughout Georgia and the Carolinas during a four-day initiative. Of those arrested, 92 had final orders of deportation, three were immigration violators encountered during the course of the targeted operation; 24 of those arrested had previous criminal convictions that spanned from DUI, larceny and felony credit card fraud, assault, and first degree burglary. More at ICE.gov
ICE Arrests 117 in Florida
February 3, 2009 (Miami) - ICE officers arrested 117 fugitive aliens and immigration violators during a five-day fugitive enforcement operation. ICE officers arrested 89 immigration fugitives who ignored lawful orders of removal and 28 other immigration violators. Of the 117 arrested, 30 had criminal histories that spanned from assault, battery, DUI, aggravated battery, trespassing, larceny, burglary, resisting arrest, soliciting prostitution, cocaine possession, marijuana possession, molestation and transporting narcotics. More at ICE.gov
Coast Guard Conducts Two Migrant Interdictions
February 1, 2009 (San Diego) - The U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego interdicted two separate vessels that tried to illegally enter the U.S. The eight illegal immigrants identified on board were turned over to Maritime Task Force officers for further processing. U.S. Customs and Border Protection marine enforcement agents took custody of the two vessels. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Rescues, Returns 242 Haitian Migrants
January 30, 2009 (Miami) - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Diligence returned 242 Haitian migrants to Port-au-Prince, Haiti after the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca located a grossly overloaded 50-foot sail freighter about 25 miles west of Ile de la Tortue, Haiti and immediately began rescue efforts due to the large number of migrants aboard the unseaworthy vessel and rapidly increasing seas and winds in the area. More at UCSG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 61 Haitian Migrants
January 22, 2009 (Miami) - Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned 61 Haitian migrants to Cap Haitien, Haiti, after rescuing them from their overloaded vessel in the waters northwest of Pointe Ouest, Ile de la Tortue, Haiti. More at USCG.mil
ICE Team Arrests 45 Aliens in Colorado
January 20, 2009 (Denver) - ICE agents arrested 45 fugitives and immigration violators throughout Colorado during a three-day initiative. Of those arrested, 28 were fugitives who already had final orders of deportation and 17 were immigration violators encountered by ICE officers during their targeted arrests. Of the total arrested, 28 had criminal convictions, including sexual assault of a child, car theft and resisting arrest. More at ICE.gov
ICE Teams Arrest 69 Aliens in Dallas Area
January 16, 2009 (Dallas) - ICE officers arrested 69 fugitive aliens and other immigration violators from China, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Mexico and Venezuela. Of those arrested, 55 had final orders of deportation and 14 were immigration violators. More at ICE.gov
Coast Guard Repatriates 37 Haitian Migrants
January 15, 2009 (Boston) - Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned 37 Haitian migrants to Port au Prince, Haiti. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 37 Haitian Migrants
January 14, 2009 (Miami) - Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned 37 Haitian migrants to Port au Prince, Haiti. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 100 Haitian Migrants
January 13, 2009 (Miami) - The Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned 100 Haitian migrants to Cap Haitien, Haiti, after the Coast Guard Cutters Bear and Seneca rescued them from their grossly overloaded vessel in the waters northeast of Cuba. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 63 Cuban Migrants
January 7, 2009 (Miami) - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur repatriated 63 Cuban migrants from four separate interdictions at sea in six days to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 218 Haitian Migrants
January 5, 2009 (Miami) - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear repatriated 218 Haitian migrants from three separate interdictions at sea in five days to Cap Haitien, Haiti. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 39 Cuban Migrants
January 4, 2009 (Miami) - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Kodiak Island repatriated 39 Cuban migrants, from three separate interdictions at sea to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba. More at USCG.mil
ICE Arrests 110 in Florida
December 23, 2008 (Miami) - ICE agents arrested 110 fugitive aliens and immigration violators in a five-day targeted fugitive enforcement operation in Miami, Broward, Palm Beach, Orlando, and Tampa areas. Of those arrested, 81 were immigration fugitives who ignored lawful orders of removal and went into hiding and 24 had criminal histories that spanned from aggravated assault, battery, marijuana possession, cocaine possession, heroin possession, trespassing, disorderly conduct, resisting officer with violence, sexual battery, social security fraud, burglary, carrying concealed firearm, larceny, grand theft and lewd and lascivious assault on a child. More at ICE.gov
ICE Team Arrests 84 Aliens in Dallas
December 19, 2008 (Dallas) - ICE agents arrested 84 fugitive aliens and other immigration violators in Dallas and surrounding communities as part of a five-day operation. Of those arrested, 64 had final orders of deportation; the remaining 20 were immigration violators. More at ICE.gov
ICE-led Operation Nets 6 Gang Members
December 11, 2008 (Sturgis, Mich.) - ICE agents, in partnership with local law enforcement officers, arrested six illegal alien gang members from Mexico. One of the individuals arrested provided fraudulent documents to the gang members. The operation targeted foreign-born members and associates of the Sureños 13 and Southside 18 street gangs. All six of the individuals were illegally present in the U.S. and will face deportation proceedings. More at ICE.gov
ICE Arrests 15 at Indiana Oil Refinery
December 10, 2008 (Whiting, Ind.) - ICE agents arrested 15 illegal aliens working as contract janitorial workers, 14 from Mexico and one from Guatemala. ICE initiated the investigation after receiving information that illegal aliens had access to secure areas of the plant. ICE identifies oil refineries as critical infrastructure, which are vulnerable to sabotage, attack or exploitation. More at ICE.gov
CBP, State Police Arrest 29 Aliens in Louisiana
December 4, 2008 (Lake Charles, La.) - The Lake Charles Border Patrol station assisted Louisiana State Police by translating for 31 Spanish-speaking subjects at a worksite during a search for a fugitive. The wanted subject was not among the group, but 29 of the individuals were illegally present in the United States. More at CBP.gov
ICE Arrests 16 Mexicans in Idaho
December 4, 2008 (Boise, Idaho) - ICE agents arrested 16 Mexican nationals on administrative immigration violations at an Idaho wood framing company. The illegal workers, all of whom are male, were employed by Idaho Truss in Nampa, Idaho, and will be placed in deportation proceedings. Some of the workers may have secured employment using false Social Security numbers and other counterfeit identity documents. More at ICE.gov
February 9, 2009 (Tucson, Ariz.) - CBP agents arrested 77 Mexican nationals after camera operators identified the unusually large group crossing the international border fence from Mexico. As the group crossed, a coordinated effort between agents of the Douglas and nearby Naco stations, along with Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, resulted in the arrest of 77 individuals. More at CBP.gov
CBP Agents Arrest 12 Illegal Aliens
February 4, 2009 (San Clemente, Calif.) - Border Patrol agents apprehended 12 Mexican nationals suspected of illegally entering the country at sea using a smuggling boat. More at CBP.gov
ICE Teams Arrest 95 in Georgia, Carolinas
February 3, 2009 (Atlanta) - ICE officers arrested 92 fugitives aliens and three immigration violators throughout Georgia and the Carolinas during a four-day initiative. Of those arrested, 92 had final orders of deportation, three were immigration violators encountered during the course of the targeted operation; 24 of those arrested had previous criminal convictions that spanned from DUI, larceny and felony credit card fraud, assault, and first degree burglary. More at ICE.gov
ICE Arrests 117 in Florida
February 3, 2009 (Miami) - ICE officers arrested 117 fugitive aliens and immigration violators during a five-day fugitive enforcement operation. ICE officers arrested 89 immigration fugitives who ignored lawful orders of removal and 28 other immigration violators. Of the 117 arrested, 30 had criminal histories that spanned from assault, battery, DUI, aggravated battery, trespassing, larceny, burglary, resisting arrest, soliciting prostitution, cocaine possession, marijuana possession, molestation and transporting narcotics. More at ICE.gov
Coast Guard Conducts Two Migrant Interdictions
February 1, 2009 (San Diego) - The U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Diego interdicted two separate vessels that tried to illegally enter the U.S. The eight illegal immigrants identified on board were turned over to Maritime Task Force officers for further processing. U.S. Customs and Border Protection marine enforcement agents took custody of the two vessels. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Rescues, Returns 242 Haitian Migrants
January 30, 2009 (Miami) - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Diligence returned 242 Haitian migrants to Port-au-Prince, Haiti after the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca located a grossly overloaded 50-foot sail freighter about 25 miles west of Ile de la Tortue, Haiti and immediately began rescue efforts due to the large number of migrants aboard the unseaworthy vessel and rapidly increasing seas and winds in the area. More at UCSG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 61 Haitian Migrants
January 22, 2009 (Miami) - Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned 61 Haitian migrants to Cap Haitien, Haiti, after rescuing them from their overloaded vessel in the waters northwest of Pointe Ouest, Ile de la Tortue, Haiti. More at USCG.mil
ICE Team Arrests 45 Aliens in Colorado
January 20, 2009 (Denver) - ICE agents arrested 45 fugitives and immigration violators throughout Colorado during a three-day initiative. Of those arrested, 28 were fugitives who already had final orders of deportation and 17 were immigration violators encountered by ICE officers during their targeted arrests. Of the total arrested, 28 had criminal convictions, including sexual assault of a child, car theft and resisting arrest. More at ICE.gov
ICE Teams Arrest 69 Aliens in Dallas Area
January 16, 2009 (Dallas) - ICE officers arrested 69 fugitive aliens and other immigration violators from China, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Mexico and Venezuela. Of those arrested, 55 had final orders of deportation and 14 were immigration violators. More at ICE.gov
Coast Guard Repatriates 37 Haitian Migrants
January 15, 2009 (Boston) - Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned 37 Haitian migrants to Port au Prince, Haiti. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 37 Haitian Migrants
January 14, 2009 (Miami) - Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned 37 Haitian migrants to Port au Prince, Haiti. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 100 Haitian Migrants
January 13, 2009 (Miami) - The Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned 100 Haitian migrants to Cap Haitien, Haiti, after the Coast Guard Cutters Bear and Seneca rescued them from their grossly overloaded vessel in the waters northeast of Cuba. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 63 Cuban Migrants
January 7, 2009 (Miami) - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur repatriated 63 Cuban migrants from four separate interdictions at sea in six days to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 218 Haitian Migrants
January 5, 2009 (Miami) - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear repatriated 218 Haitian migrants from three separate interdictions at sea in five days to Cap Haitien, Haiti. More at USCG.mil
Coast Guard Repatriates 39 Cuban Migrants
January 4, 2009 (Miami) - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Kodiak Island repatriated 39 Cuban migrants, from three separate interdictions at sea to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba. More at USCG.mil
ICE Arrests 110 in Florida
December 23, 2008 (Miami) - ICE agents arrested 110 fugitive aliens and immigration violators in a five-day targeted fugitive enforcement operation in Miami, Broward, Palm Beach, Orlando, and Tampa areas. Of those arrested, 81 were immigration fugitives who ignored lawful orders of removal and went into hiding and 24 had criminal histories that spanned from aggravated assault, battery, marijuana possession, cocaine possession, heroin possession, trespassing, disorderly conduct, resisting officer with violence, sexual battery, social security fraud, burglary, carrying concealed firearm, larceny, grand theft and lewd and lascivious assault on a child. More at ICE.gov
ICE Team Arrests 84 Aliens in Dallas
December 19, 2008 (Dallas) - ICE agents arrested 84 fugitive aliens and other immigration violators in Dallas and surrounding communities as part of a five-day operation. Of those arrested, 64 had final orders of deportation; the remaining 20 were immigration violators. More at ICE.gov
ICE-led Operation Nets 6 Gang Members
December 11, 2008 (Sturgis, Mich.) - ICE agents, in partnership with local law enforcement officers, arrested six illegal alien gang members from Mexico. One of the individuals arrested provided fraudulent documents to the gang members. The operation targeted foreign-born members and associates of the Sureños 13 and Southside 18 street gangs. All six of the individuals were illegally present in the U.S. and will face deportation proceedings. More at ICE.gov
ICE Arrests 15 at Indiana Oil Refinery
December 10, 2008 (Whiting, Ind.) - ICE agents arrested 15 illegal aliens working as contract janitorial workers, 14 from Mexico and one from Guatemala. ICE initiated the investigation after receiving information that illegal aliens had access to secure areas of the plant. ICE identifies oil refineries as critical infrastructure, which are vulnerable to sabotage, attack or exploitation. More at ICE.gov
CBP, State Police Arrest 29 Aliens in Louisiana
December 4, 2008 (Lake Charles, La.) - The Lake Charles Border Patrol station assisted Louisiana State Police by translating for 31 Spanish-speaking subjects at a worksite during a search for a fugitive. The wanted subject was not among the group, but 29 of the individuals were illegally present in the United States. More at CBP.gov
ICE Arrests 16 Mexicans in Idaho
December 4, 2008 (Boise, Idaho) - ICE agents arrested 16 Mexican nationals on administrative immigration violations at an Idaho wood framing company. The illegal workers, all of whom are male, were employed by Idaho Truss in Nampa, Idaho, and will be placed in deportation proceedings. Some of the workers may have secured employment using false Social Security numbers and other counterfeit identity documents. More at ICE.gov
Monday, February 9
U.S. Financial Crisis: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The United States is in the midst of a serious financial crisis. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is a new plan to address the crisis currently being debated in the U.S. Congress. It was passed by the House of Representatives on January 28, 2009, but must also pass the Senate before it can be presented to the President to sign into law. This bill proposes unemployment and welfare expansion, tax cuts, and investment in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and energy.
Some of the goals of the Act are to:
Create 3 to 4 million jobs over the next two years.
Computerize every citizen's medical records in five years.
Double renewable energy generating capacity over three years.
Provide healthcare coverage for nearly 8.5 million Americans.
Enhance the security of 90 major ports.
Increase food stamp benefits for over 30 million Americans.
If the Act is passed, citizens will have the ability to see how the funds are spent at Recovery.gov.
http://answers.usa.gov/cgi-bin/gsa_ict.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=8486
Some of the goals of the Act are to:
Create 3 to 4 million jobs over the next two years.
Computerize every citizen's medical records in five years.
Double renewable energy generating capacity over three years.
Provide healthcare coverage for nearly 8.5 million Americans.
Enhance the security of 90 major ports.
Increase food stamp benefits for over 30 million Americans.
If the Act is passed, citizens will have the ability to see how the funds are spent at Recovery.gov.
http://answers.usa.gov/cgi-bin/gsa_ict.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=8486
Technology | Dangerous coding errors revealed
BBC NEWS Technology Dangerous coding errors revealed: "'The top 25 list gives developers a minimum set of coding errors that must be eradicated before software is used by customers,' said Chris Wysopal, chief technology officer with Veracode.
'There appears to be broad agreement on the programming errors,' says SANS director, Mason Brown, 'Now it is time to fix them.'
'We need to make sure every programmer knows how to write code that is free of the top 25 errors.'
'Then we need to make sure every programming team has processes in place to find and fix these problems [in existing code] and has the tools needed to verify their code is as free of these errors,' he said. 'The top 25 list gives developers a minimum set of coding errors that must be eradicated before software is used by customers,' said Chris Wysopal, chief technology officer with Veracode.
'There appears to be broad agreement on the programming errors,' says SANS director, Mason Brown, 'Now it is time to fix them.'
'We need to make sure every programmer knows how to write code that is free of the top 25 errors.'
'Then we need to make sure every programming team has processes in place to find and fix these problems [in existing code] and has the tools needed to verify their code is as free of these errors,' he said."
'There appears to be broad agreement on the programming errors,' says SANS director, Mason Brown, 'Now it is time to fix them.'
'We need to make sure every programmer knows how to write code that is free of the top 25 errors.'
'Then we need to make sure every programming team has processes in place to find and fix these problems [in existing code] and has the tools needed to verify their code is as free of these errors,' he said. 'The top 25 list gives developers a minimum set of coding errors that must be eradicated before software is used by customers,' said Chris Wysopal, chief technology officer with Veracode.
'There appears to be broad agreement on the programming errors,' says SANS director, Mason Brown, 'Now it is time to fix them.'
'We need to make sure every programmer knows how to write code that is free of the top 25 errors.'
'Then we need to make sure every programming team has processes in place to find and fix these problems [in existing code] and has the tools needed to verify their code is as free of these errors,' he said."
Yahoo names new chief executive
BBC NEWS Business Yahoo names new chief executive: "Yahoo has named Silicon Valley veteran Carol Bartz as its new chief executive.
Ms Bartz, 60, is a well-respected industry figure who led business software maker Autodesk for 14 years before becoming its chairman in 2006.
Her appointment follows a search for a replacement for the internet portal's co-founder Jerry Yang. Yahoo has named Silicon Valley veteran Carol Bartz as its new chief executive.
Ms Bartz, 60, is a well-respected industry figure who led business software maker Autodesk for 14 years before becoming its chairman in 2006.
Her appointment follows a search for a replacement for the internet portal's co-founder Jerry Yang."
Ms Bartz, 60, is a well-respected industry figure who led business software maker Autodesk for 14 years before becoming its chairman in 2006.
Her appointment follows a search for a replacement for the internet portal's co-founder Jerry Yang. Yahoo has named Silicon Valley veteran Carol Bartz as its new chief executive.
Ms Bartz, 60, is a well-respected industry figure who led business software maker Autodesk for 14 years before becoming its chairman in 2006.
Her appointment follows a search for a replacement for the internet portal's co-founder Jerry Yang."
Sunday, February 8
David Carpenter - re. USSS SAIC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7qlCY8OyGQ This 2004 video depicts Secret Service agents Larry Cockell, Brian Stafford, David Carpenter, and Clint Hill ...
David Carpenter formerly the head of Clinton's Secret Service detail and assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security and now vice president of global security for PepsiCo.
David Carpenter formerly the head of Clinton's Secret Service detail and assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security and now vice president of global security for PepsiCo.
Wednesday, February 4
Obama vs. Osama
by David Silverberg http://www.hstoday.us/content/view/6905/151/
The fight for the moral high ground takes a new turn. On Jan. 20, 2009, Bin Laden finally met his match when the United States put forward a leader with even greater moral authority and a vision far more promising than jihad's bleak, unending struggle. In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama retook the moral high ground for the United States with a vision that was not only inspiring and inclusive for Americans but for all the people of the world. It will go down as one of the great addresses in American history.
He reached out directly to Bin Laden's audience, saying: "To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect." But at the same time he made clear that the fight will continue to be waged: "We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."
The fight for the moral high ground takes a new turn. On Jan. 20, 2009, Bin Laden finally met his match when the United States put forward a leader with even greater moral authority and a vision far more promising than jihad's bleak, unending struggle. In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama retook the moral high ground for the United States with a vision that was not only inspiring and inclusive for Americans but for all the people of the world. It will go down as one of the great addresses in American history.
He reached out directly to Bin Laden's audience, saying: "To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect." But at the same time he made clear that the fight will continue to be waged: "We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."
Union Calls for Removal of FEMA from DHS
http://www.hstoday.us/content/view/7097/128/
Standalone agency would receive attention to fix problems, AFGE says The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) remains a failed agency that would become more effective if it were removed from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to a list of recommendations from the president of a union chapter of FEMA employees."In the three years since Hurricane Katrina, FEMA's public relations efforts have pushed the story that the agency has learned from its mistakes, telling the public that the agency has been improving coordination, adding leadership, and recruiting talent to successfully support numerous disasters since those fateful days in the late summer of 2005," wrote Leo Bosner, president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 4060, which represents 400 FEMA employees in Washington, DC."The harsh truth is that the disasters FEMA has supported in recent years are basically mid-level disasters, and not large-scale catastrophes on the scale of Hurricane Katrina or the 9/11 attacks. These more recent mid-scale disasters caused swaths of devastation, but did not for the most part destroy local and State governments' ability to coordinate and manage their own responses to affected areas. Should a disaster on the scale of Hurricane Katrina strike today, we do not believe FEMA is ready," concluded Bosner, who is an emergency management specialist at FEMA.As such, Bosner's list of recommendations, circulated to government officials and reporters Tuesday, calls for the restoration of FEMA as a standalone agency under the rationale that it would receive more individual attention to correct its management and operational shortfalls.
Standalone agency would receive attention to fix problems, AFGE says The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) remains a failed agency that would become more effective if it were removed from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to a list of recommendations from the president of a union chapter of FEMA employees."In the three years since Hurricane Katrina, FEMA's public relations efforts have pushed the story that the agency has learned from its mistakes, telling the public that the agency has been improving coordination, adding leadership, and recruiting talent to successfully support numerous disasters since those fateful days in the late summer of 2005," wrote Leo Bosner, president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 4060, which represents 400 FEMA employees in Washington, DC."The harsh truth is that the disasters FEMA has supported in recent years are basically mid-level disasters, and not large-scale catastrophes on the scale of Hurricane Katrina or the 9/11 attacks. These more recent mid-scale disasters caused swaths of devastation, but did not for the most part destroy local and State governments' ability to coordinate and manage their own responses to affected areas. Should a disaster on the scale of Hurricane Katrina strike today, we do not believe FEMA is ready," concluded Bosner, who is an emergency management specialist at FEMA.As such, Bosner's list of recommendations, circulated to government officials and reporters Tuesday, calls for the restoration of FEMA as a standalone agency under the rationale that it would receive more individual attention to correct its management and operational shortfalls.
SecurityDreamer - US Passports Hacked using a $250 reader
Now he's hacked US Passports using a $250 RFID reader!
http://www.securitydreamer.com/2009/02/now-hes-hacked-us-passports-using-a-250-rfid-reader.html Is he evil? Ask some manufacturers and they'll say yes, emphatically. Ask privacy advocates, and they'll praise him for exposing the seeds of Big Brother. Chris Pajet didn't stop at cloning your HID prox card while standing next to you in line at the 7-Eleven.* Now he has begun war-driving through San Francisco, gleaning RFID tags from US Passports. This is another assault on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Read about it here.
White hats like Chris find the holes in our tech infrastructure that the bad guys also find. I'd rather know about it than keep my head in the sand. Besides, these problems are ususally fixable, so let's fix the problems and not ignore them. *not sure if he ever did that, but the cloning device he showed me sure could have been used that way.
http://www.securitydreamer.com/2009/02/now-hes-hacked-us-passports-using-a-250-rfid-reader.html Is he evil? Ask some manufacturers and they'll say yes, emphatically. Ask privacy advocates, and they'll praise him for exposing the seeds of Big Brother. Chris Pajet didn't stop at cloning your HID prox card while standing next to you in line at the 7-Eleven.* Now he has begun war-driving through San Francisco, gleaning RFID tags from US Passports. This is another assault on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Read about it here.
White hats like Chris find the holes in our tech infrastructure that the bad guys also find. I'd rather know about it than keep my head in the sand. Besides, these problems are ususally fixable, so let's fix the problems and not ignore them. *not sure if he ever did that, but the cloning device he showed me sure could have been used that way.
BBC NEWS | Technology | Sex offenders booted off MySpace
BBC NEWS Technology Sex offenders booted off MySpace: "Social networking site MySpace has deleted the accounts of 90,000 users it has identified as sex offenders. The site was responding to a call from state attorneys general in the US to provide a list of offenders on its roster. MySpace and rival site Facebook have committed to making their sites safer for the growing number of young users.
However, Facebook's measures to keep sex offenders off its site have been called into question.
The 90,000 sex offenders found on MySpace represent a significant increase and the figure is nearly twice that predicted by MySpace officials last year in a preliminary estimate. Social networking site MySpace has deleted the accounts of 90,000 users it has identified as sex offenders.
The site was responding to a call from state attorneys general in the US to provide a list of offenders on its roster. MySpace and rival site Facebook have committed to making their sites safer for the growing number of young users. However, Facebook's measures to keep sex offenders off its site have been called into question. The 90,000 sex offenders found on MySpace represent a significant increase and the figure is nearly twice that predicted by MySpace officials last year in a preliminary estimate."
However, Facebook's measures to keep sex offenders off its site have been called into question.
The 90,000 sex offenders found on MySpace represent a significant increase and the figure is nearly twice that predicted by MySpace officials last year in a preliminary estimate. Social networking site MySpace has deleted the accounts of 90,000 users it has identified as sex offenders.
The site was responding to a call from state attorneys general in the US to provide a list of offenders on its roster. MySpace and rival site Facebook have committed to making their sites safer for the growing number of young users. However, Facebook's measures to keep sex offenders off its site have been called into question. The 90,000 sex offenders found on MySpace represent a significant increase and the figure is nearly twice that predicted by MySpace officials last year in a preliminary estimate."
Friday, January 30
Evaluating Internet Research Sources
Evaluating Internet Research Sources: Evaluating Information: The Tests of Information Quality
"You may have heard that 'knowledge is power,' or that information, the raw material of knowledge, is power. But the truth is that only some information is power: reliable information. Information serves as the basis for beliefs, decisions, choices, and understanding our world. If we make a decision based on wrong or unreliable information, we do not have power--we have defeat. If we eat something harmful that we believe to be safe, we can become ill; if we avoid something good that we believe to be harmful, we have needlessly restricted the enjoyment of our lives. The same thing applies to every decision to travel, purchase, or act, and every attempt to understand."
Robert Harris Version Date: June 15, 2007 (recd from fellow IACA member)
"You may have heard that 'knowledge is power,' or that information, the raw material of knowledge, is power. But the truth is that only some information is power: reliable information. Information serves as the basis for beliefs, decisions, choices, and understanding our world. If we make a decision based on wrong or unreliable information, we do not have power--we have defeat. If we eat something harmful that we believe to be safe, we can become ill; if we avoid something good that we believe to be harmful, we have needlessly restricted the enjoyment of our lives. The same thing applies to every decision to travel, purchase, or act, and every attempt to understand."
Robert Harris Version Date: June 15, 2007 (recd from fellow IACA member)
Wednesday, January 28
Pacific Shipper Online -- Napolitano refocuses security efforts
Pacific Shipper Online -- Napolitano refocuses security efforts: "In my view — from a prevention and protection stand point, not just aviation, but surface transportation — that is a work in progress,” Napolitano said during her Jan. 15 confirmation hearing. “We haven’t done as much there as we have done on the aviation” side."
US Muslims hopeful but wary of status under Obama
US Muslims hopeful but wary of status under Obama: "The FBI is among the law enforcement agencies that attend the Islamic Society conventions to recruit Arabic speakers.
Thomas Nicpon, assistant special agent in charge in the FBI's New York intelligence division, said deciding which Muslim groups to work with is a 'difficult question' since within many groups, members may differ widely in their outlook. But he said the FBI 'tries to vet it out' before working with a Muslim organization — or any community group.
'The overwhelming majority of American Muslims are loyal, patriotic Americans who obviously are very upset by and very concerned about what happened on 9-11,' said Nicpon, who leads the FBI's New York outreach to Muslims. 'They're generally a lot more well-integrated in society than they perhaps are in London or Britain in general. They identify a lot more with America and American culture.'"
Thomas Nicpon, assistant special agent in charge in the FBI's New York intelligence division, said deciding which Muslim groups to work with is a 'difficult question' since within many groups, members may differ widely in their outlook. But he said the FBI 'tries to vet it out' before working with a Muslim organization — or any community group.
'The overwhelming majority of American Muslims are loyal, patriotic Americans who obviously are very upset by and very concerned about what happened on 9-11,' said Nicpon, who leads the FBI's New York outreach to Muslims. 'They're generally a lot more well-integrated in society than they perhaps are in London or Britain in general. They identify a lot more with America and American culture.'"
Monday, January 26
Critical Infrastructures
Agriculture
Aviation
Bridges & Tunnels
Cyber
Dams
Drinking Water
Energy
Food Manufacturing
Hazardous Waste
Navigable Waterways
Parks and Recreation
Ports
Rail
Roads
Schools
Security
Solid Waste
Transit
Wastewater
Aviation
Bridges & Tunnels
Cyber
Dams
Drinking Water
Energy
Food Manufacturing
Hazardous Waste
Navigable Waterways
Parks and Recreation
Ports
Rail
Roads
Schools
Security
Solid Waste
Transit
Wastewater
Cybercrime's global reach affects us all
New York
It's hard to imagine a safer place than the International Conference on Cybersecurity, held earlier this month at Fordham University in New York City.
A New York Police Department mobile command post bus was parked outside; uniformed officers searched every bag of every participant; and serious-looking FBI agents sporting earpieces guarded the doors to the sessions. A hilarious side effect was that almost nobody tried to break the "no food or drinks" rule in the auditorium. Sneaking in a shot of joe just didn't seem worth tangling with a beefy Fed. I got stopped just because my conference badge had flipped around the wrong way.
Anyway, nobody needed coffee to stay awake, as speaker after speaker revealed new and frightening facts about the global reach of cybercrime.
This event marked the first such collaboration between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a university, driven by a growing awareness of the serious threats to business, military, and even personal computers in North America.
Shawn Henry, Assistant Director of the FBI's cyber division, said the U.S. government now considers cybercrime the most critical threat "after a weapon of mass destruction in one of our cities.
To emphasize this commitment, 22 federal departments and agencies have been told to work together on a comprehensive national cybersecurity initiative, some of whose details remain classified.
Sandra Sanar-Johnson, senior executive at the spooky U.S. National Security Agency, described cyberwarfare attacks against government and business computers in Estonia, and more recently in Georgia, as well as cyberfrauds such as a phishing scheme in Romania that just saw 40 people arrested. read the full article at http://www.businessedge.ca/article.cfm/newsID/19288.cfm
It's hard to imagine a safer place than the International Conference on Cybersecurity, held earlier this month at Fordham University in New York City.
A New York Police Department mobile command post bus was parked outside; uniformed officers searched every bag of every participant; and serious-looking FBI agents sporting earpieces guarded the doors to the sessions. A hilarious side effect was that almost nobody tried to break the "no food or drinks" rule in the auditorium. Sneaking in a shot of joe just didn't seem worth tangling with a beefy Fed. I got stopped just because my conference badge had flipped around the wrong way.
Anyway, nobody needed coffee to stay awake, as speaker after speaker revealed new and frightening facts about the global reach of cybercrime.
This event marked the first such collaboration between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a university, driven by a growing awareness of the serious threats to business, military, and even personal computers in North America.
Shawn Henry, Assistant Director of the FBI's cyber division, said the U.S. government now considers cybercrime the most critical threat "after a weapon of mass destruction in one of our cities.
To emphasize this commitment, 22 federal departments and agencies have been told to work together on a comprehensive national cybersecurity initiative, some of whose details remain classified.
Sandra Sanar-Johnson, senior executive at the spooky U.S. National Security Agency, described cyberwarfare attacks against government and business computers in Estonia, and more recently in Georgia, as well as cyberfrauds such as a phishing scheme in Romania that just saw 40 people arrested. read the full article at http://www.businessedge.ca/article.cfm/newsID/19288.cfm
Sunday, January 25
Dial-a-recall? Stores use cards to warn buyers - Food safety- msnbc.com
Dial-a-recall? Stores use cards to warn buyers - Food safety- msnbc.com: "1 million calls to Costco customers
About 1 million of Costco’s 54 million card-carrying members got calls about peanut butter products this week, said Craig Wilson, assistant vice president of food safety for the Issaquah, Wa., company.
And in the Northeast, the Wegmans regional grocery store chain completed more than 17,000 calls about potentially tainted ice cream on Tuesday, and nearly 3,000 calls about suspect peanut butter cup candy on Thursday, all to holders of the store’s “Shoppers Club” cards who bought the affected items, according to a spokeswoman.
“It was really amazing that so many customers had no idea about the recall,” said Jeanne Colleluori, of the Rochester, N.Y.-based chain."
About 1 million of Costco’s 54 million card-carrying members got calls about peanut butter products this week, said Craig Wilson, assistant vice president of food safety for the Issaquah, Wa., company.
And in the Northeast, the Wegmans regional grocery store chain completed more than 17,000 calls about potentially tainted ice cream on Tuesday, and nearly 3,000 calls about suspect peanut butter cup candy on Thursday, all to holders of the store’s “Shoppers Club” cards who bought the affected items, according to a spokeswoman.
“It was really amazing that so many customers had no idea about the recall,” said Jeanne Colleluori, of the Rochester, N.Y.-based chain."
Jennifer Venditti
Home: "RESEARCH INTERESTS: Acoustic and articulatory phonetics, language disorders, laboratory phonology, spoken language processing, intonation theory and modeling, cognitive science, computational and experimental psycholinguistics, Japanese BPMs, Japanese ToBI, discourse structure and reference resolution, prosodic interference and transfer, under-studied languages ....
TEACHING INTERESTS: Phonetics, intonation systems, ToBI prosodic transcription, psycholinguistics ...."
TEACHING INTERESTS: Phonetics, intonation systems, ToBI prosodic transcription, psycholinguistics ...."
Police Chief Magazine - View Article
New Member Announcements - Police Chief Magazine - View Article: "New York
*Battle, Frank, Corporate Director of Security, L-3 Communications, 600 Third Ave 35th Fl, 10016
*Delaney, Pamela D, President, New York City Police Foundation, 345 Park Ave, 10154
*Dynia, Judith, Director of Development, New York City Police Foundation, 345 Park Ave, 10154
*Venditti, Laurie A, Security Advisor Intelligent Surveillance, PartnerForSecurity, E 88th St, 10128"
*Battle, Frank, Corporate Director of Security, L-3 Communications, 600 Third Ave 35th Fl, 10016
*Delaney, Pamela D, President, New York City Police Foundation, 345 Park Ave, 10154
*Dynia, Judith, Director of Development, New York City Police Foundation, 345 Park Ave, 10154
*Venditti, Laurie A, Security Advisor Intelligent Surveillance, PartnerForSecurity, E 88th St, 10128"
Wednesday, January 21
Pipeline Manager Identified as a Salesperson's "Must-have" In a Down Economy
Pipeline Manager Identified as a Salesperson's "Must-have" In a Down Economy: "About David Gewirtz
David Gewirtz has written more than 600 articles about technology, competitiveness, and national security policy. He is a member of FBI InfraGard, the Cyberterrorism Advisor for the International Association for Counterterrorism & Security Professionals, a columnist for The Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security, and has been a guest commentator for the Nieman Watchdog of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.
David is the Editor-in-Chief of the ZATZ magazines and is a member of the instructional faculty at the University of California, Berkeley extension. He is the recipient of the Sigma Xi Research Award in Engineering and was a candidate for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Letters."
David Gewirtz has written more than 600 articles about technology, competitiveness, and national security policy. He is a member of FBI InfraGard, the Cyberterrorism Advisor for the International Association for Counterterrorism & Security Professionals, a columnist for The Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security, and has been a guest commentator for the Nieman Watchdog of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.
David is the Editor-in-Chief of the ZATZ magazines and is a member of the instructional faculty at the University of California, Berkeley extension. He is the recipient of the Sigma Xi Research Award in Engineering and was a candidate for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Letters."
North America's 'largest transportation command center' opens it doors - Security Director News
North America's 'largest transportation command center' opens it doors - Security Director News: "NEW YORK--The city's Joint Transportation Management Center, which is being touted as North America's largest transportation command center, opened late last year, a project that has brought various agencies and disparate technologies together.
The JTMC is focused on around-the-clock coordination and communication among the New York State Department of Transportation Region 11, New York City Department of Transportation, New York Police Department, the Federal Highway Administration and other partner agencies in the metropolitan area to manage daily transportation incidents and reduce congestion on some of the busiest expressways in the world. It is also designed to safely and efficiently move people, goods, services and information through the state and city of New York."
The JTMC is focused on around-the-clock coordination and communication among the New York State Department of Transportation Region 11, New York City Department of Transportation, New York Police Department, the Federal Highway Administration and other partner agencies in the metropolitan area to manage daily transportation incidents and reduce congestion on some of the busiest expressways in the world. It is also designed to safely and efficiently move people, goods, services and information through the state and city of New York."
Monday, January 19
The Doomsday Memo, The Outcoming Administration Prepares The Incoming For The Worst-Case Scenarios - CBS News
The Doomsday Memo, The Outcoming Administration Prepares The Incoming For The Worst-Case Scenarios - CBS News: "That is why the administration has been preparing an unprecedented set of scenarios for a dark day that could come to the next White House.
'In the post-9/11 world, this isn't just good manners, good government; it's a national security responsibility,' said outgoing White House chief of staff Josh Bolton."
'In the post-9/11 world, this isn't just good manners, good government; it's a national security responsibility,' said outgoing White House chief of staff Josh Bolton."
Sunday, January 18
Napolitano, Obama's Homeland Security Nominee, Vows to Prosecute Employers of Illegal Immigrants - washingtonpost.com
Napolitano, Obama's Homeland Security Nominee, Vows to Prosecute Employers of Illegal Immigrants - washingtonpost.com: "In remarks and written answers to senators, the two-term Arizona governor offered few details but said she would lead a broad reexamination of the department's security policies in the coming year. Among other things, she said she would revisit a controversial and costly plan to tighten national standards for driver's licenses, would devote more resources to rail and maritime security, and may push back a 2012 deadline to screen all U.S.-bound containers at foreign ports.
'The department has come a long way, but there is a ways to go,' Napolitano, 51, told members of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. '. . . Changes need to be made.'"
'The department has come a long way, but there is a ways to go,' Napolitano, 51, told members of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. '. . . Changes need to be made.'"
Friday, January 16
On guard: InfraGard makes strides under new leadership - SC Magazine US
On guard: InfraGard makes strides under new leadership - SC Magazine US: "With federal law enforcement veteran Kathleen Kiernan leading the way, InfraGard is ready for its coming-out party, reports Dan Kaplan.
In one of her first acts as chairwoman of the InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA), Kathleen Kiernan distributed the first-ever “Chairman's Corner” e-newsletter to the organization's 27,000 members."
In one of her first acts as chairwoman of the InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA), Kathleen Kiernan distributed the first-ever “Chairman's Corner” e-newsletter to the organization's 27,000 members."
Drug Enforcement Administration Home
Drug Enforcement Administration Home: "JAN 12 -- WASHINGTON- Rite Aid Corporation (Rite Aid) and nine of its subsidiaries in eight states have agreed to pay $5 million in civil penalties to settle allegations of violations of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the Department of Justice announced today.
In addition to the $5 million penalty, Rite Aid and all of its subsidiaries agreed to a compliance plan with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to ensure compliance with all requirements of the CSA and applicable DEA regulations and to prevent diversion of controlled substances. The compliance plan also requires Rite Aid to implement a pseudoephedrine and ephedrine tracking system in each of its 4,915 stores that is designed to prevent the abuse of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products, which are used to make methamphetamine."
In addition to the $5 million penalty, Rite Aid and all of its subsidiaries agreed to a compliance plan with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to ensure compliance with all requirements of the CSA and applicable DEA regulations and to prevent diversion of controlled substances. The compliance plan also requires Rite Aid to implement a pseudoephedrine and ephedrine tracking system in each of its 4,915 stores that is designed to prevent the abuse of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products, which are used to make methamphetamine."
Monday, January 12
Fordham conference sheds new light on computer crime -- Newsday.com
Fordham conference sheds new light on computer crime -- Newsday.com: "In what the FBI calls Major Case 216, a 16-year-old Swedish hacker breaks into and rummages through the files in hundreds of U.S. computer systems, including sensitive ones involved in industrial secrets, nuclear power-plant operation and the military. Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point take a training course in which they construct computer networks that teams from the supersecret National Security Agency attempt to hack."
FOX New FBI Center in Omaha Aims to Combat Cyber Crimes
KPTM FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; Nebraska News, Sports; kptm.com New FBI Center in Omaha Aims to Combat Cyber Crimes: "'They're the best in the world, and they have the state of the art equipment, these individuals can do it all,' Robert Georgi,FBI Special Agent said.
It's a one of a kind all-encompassing cyber crime lab, combining the best brains in the business with the latest computer technology to track cyber criminals. 'For many years we've been playing catch up with computer crimes and cyber related crimes,' Georgi said.
Now with this new center policing the world wide web, the tables are turning and experts hope to stay one step ahead of cyber predators and thieves. Georgi says it's been a two year project in the works and two million dollars."
It's a one of a kind all-encompassing cyber crime lab, combining the best brains in the business with the latest computer technology to track cyber criminals. 'For many years we've been playing catch up with computer crimes and cyber related crimes,' Georgi said.
Now with this new center policing the world wide web, the tables are turning and experts hope to stay one step ahead of cyber predators and thieves. Georgi says it's been a two year project in the works and two million dollars."
Former judge hunts terrorists on the Internet
Former judge hunts terrorists on the Internet: "U.S. counterterrorism agents have found that it is important for leaders of different countries to share their solutions and challenges in fighting cybercrime. FBI Special Agent Anthony J. Ferrante was part of the New York squad that in 2006 uncovered a plot to blow up the Port Authority transit tunnel. Law enforcement agencies lurked in Internet jihadi meeting rooms, monitoring chatter about the plans.
'That case involved targets scattered in 22 countries,' Ferrante said."
'That case involved targets scattered in 22 countries,' Ferrante said."
Sunday, January 11
Fighting Cyberterror
http://www.foxnews.com/video-search/m/21742015/fighting_cyberterror.htm#q=cyber+fbi
Video to text transcript from the Fox report"on Capitol Hill it's no secret that al-Qaeda and other terrorists have been using high tech. And the Internet to advance their causes and for years the feds have had success running on line anti terror stings. Now they're ramping up their efforts bringing together hundreds of the world's top experts in cyber security. And looking for more people like a certain well mom from Montana. Okay. The terrorists who struck Mumbai weren't just armed with -- weapons and explosives. Blackberries and cell phones helped them carry out the attacks and they -- their targets on Google earth. Look radicals and extremists are using technology and the Internet to train for terror according to experts. Blasting US soldiers in the president and video games using thousands of web sites for recruiting fundraising and coordinating strikes.'
Video to text transcript from the Fox report"on Capitol Hill it's no secret that al-Qaeda and other terrorists have been using high tech. And the Internet to advance their causes and for years the feds have had success running on line anti terror stings. Now they're ramping up their efforts bringing together hundreds of the world's top experts in cyber security. And looking for more people like a certain well mom from Montana. Okay. The terrorists who struck Mumbai weren't just armed with -- weapons and explosives. Blackberries and cell phones helped them carry out the attacks and they -- their targets on Google earth. Look radicals and extremists are using technology and the Internet to train for terror according to experts. Blasting US soldiers in the president and video games using thousands of web sites for recruiting fundraising and coordinating strikes.'
Nitesh Dhanjani: International Conference on Cyber Security 2009
Nitesh Dhanjani: International Conference on Cyber Security 2009: "International Conference on Cyber Security 2009
I'll be speaking at the International Conference on Cyber Security 2009 in New York (Jan 5 - 9). My talk is titled Suddenly Psychic (content modified from the talk of the same name I discussed before). The agenda is below."
I'll be speaking at the International Conference on Cyber Security 2009 in New York (Jan 5 - 9). My talk is titled Suddenly Psychic (content modified from the talk of the same name I discussed before). The agenda is below."
Cyber-spy shares her know-how tracking terrorists
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cyberterror11-2009jan11,0,7148230.story
....Experts from Bulgaria, the Netherlands, China and the U.S. spent three days at the New York conference tackling the issue of cyber-crime -- including terrorism, child pornography and the underground economy in which passports, bank accounts and Social Security numbers are stolen, bought and sold. U.S. counter-terrorism agents are increasingly convinced it is important for countries' leaders to share experiences fighting cyber-crime. FBI Special Agent Anthony J. Ferrante was part of the New York squad that in 2006 reported uncovering a plot to blow up the PATH commuter train tunnel beneath the Hudson River. Law enforcement agencies lurked on Internet jihadi meeting rooms, monitoring chatter about the plans."That case involved targets scattered in 22 countries," said Ferrante. "Clearly, the Internet is a tool for recruitment, radicalization and raising money for terrorists," said FBI Special Agent Thomas Nicpon. "Working on our mission, it has become apparent to me that many of these countries do not possess the cyber skills we have in New York."
....Experts from Bulgaria, the Netherlands, China and the U.S. spent three days at the New York conference tackling the issue of cyber-crime -- including terrorism, child pornography and the underground economy in which passports, bank accounts and Social Security numbers are stolen, bought and sold. U.S. counter-terrorism agents are increasingly convinced it is important for countries' leaders to share experiences fighting cyber-crime. FBI Special Agent Anthony J. Ferrante was part of the New York squad that in 2006 reported uncovering a plot to blow up the PATH commuter train tunnel beneath the Hudson River. Law enforcement agencies lurked on Internet jihadi meeting rooms, monitoring chatter about the plans."That case involved targets scattered in 22 countries," said Ferrante. "Clearly, the Internet is a tool for recruitment, radicalization and raising money for terrorists," said FBI Special Agent Thomas Nicpon. "Working on our mission, it has become apparent to me that many of these countries do not possess the cyber skills we have in New York."
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Faces of the FBI - Video
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Faces of the FBI - Video: "The face of the FBI has changed over the past century, but the core mission remains the same—to protect the nation from dangerous threats."
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Congressional Testimony
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Congressional Testimony: "Increasingly, the FBI is called upon to address criminal and terrorist threats to U.S. interests in countries across the globe. Advances in technology, communications, and transportation have done more to blur international boundaries in the past decade than ever before. As a result, effectively combating transnational crime and terrorism now requires significantly greater cooperation among law enforcement, domestic security, and intelligence agencies on a global scale."
CyberCrime & Doing Time: US Army hacked as Gaza protest
CyberCrime & Doing Time: US Army hacked as Gaza protest: "Today the anti-Israeli hackers for the first time brought their Cyber Propaganda War to Washington DC in the form of their attack against the United States Army's Military District of Washington website, www.mdw.army.mil"
Friday, January 9
Massapequa native tracks cybercrime for FBI :: Hack In The Box :: Keeping Knowledge Free
Massapequa native tracks cybercrime for FBI :: Hack In The Box :: Keeping Knowledge Free: "He's known as the 'human firewall.' Massapequa native Shawn Henry is the head of investigating computer crimes for the FBI, and after he was introduced with that informal title, he talked of the breadth of the computer-crime problem facing the country and the world at a conference in New York of many of the world's computer experts Tuesday."
Web-based terrorist hunter to teach | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/09/2009
Web-based terrorist hunter to teach Philadelphia Inquirer 01/09/2009: "Shannen Rossmiller, a former Montana judge whose late-night hunts for al-Qaeda on the Web led to the two largest terror convictions in U.S. history, announced yesterday that she would begin teaching others her arcane and dangerous craft."
Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency - Huntington News Network
Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency - Huntington News Network: "The CSIS Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency has released its final report, 'Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency.' The Commission’s three major findings are:
1. Cybersecurity is now one of the major national security problems facing the United States;
2. Decisions and actions must respect American values related to privacy and civil liberties; and
3. Only a comprehensive national security strategy that embraces both the domestic and international aspects of cybersecurity will improve the situation."
1. Cybersecurity is now one of the major national security problems facing the United States;
2. Decisions and actions must respect American values related to privacy and civil liberties; and
3. Only a comprehensive national security strategy that embraces both the domestic and international aspects of cybersecurity will improve the situation."
El Defensor Chieftain: N.M. Tech Out $165,000 in Cyber Theft
El Defensor Chieftain: N.M. Tech Out $165,000 in Cyber Theft: "The Kansas City bank revealed that the money was processed on behalf of Fidelity and routed to the account of a man in Indiana who was listed as living in Casper, Wyo.
Agents who interviewed the man found that he had never lived in Wyoming, didn't use the e-mail address associated with the fund transfers and had never done business with Fidelity even though his birth date and Social Security number were used on the account."
Agents who interviewed the man found that he had never lived in Wyoming, didn't use the e-mail address associated with the fund transfers and had never done business with Fidelity even though his birth date and Social Security number were used on the account."
FBI Coordinates Global Effort to Nab 'Dark Market' Cyber Criminals
http://www.govtech.com/gt/582293?topic=117671
FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Shawn Henry said, "In today's world of rapidly expanding technology, where cyber crimes are perpetrated instantly from anywhere in the world, law enforcement needs to be flexible and creative in our efforts to target these criminals. Leads in many of these investigations take us to the online world of Internet forums, where criminals go to engage in the business of selling and trading an innocent person's credit card numbers and other personal information. By joining forces with our international law enforcement counterparts, we have been, and will continue to be, successful in arresting those individuals and dismantling these forums. The arrests in the U.K. are a good demonstration of the coordination taking place today between the FBI, the Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA), and other law enforcement agencies around the globe."
FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Shawn Henry said, "In today's world of rapidly expanding technology, where cyber crimes are perpetrated instantly from anywhere in the world, law enforcement needs to be flexible and creative in our efforts to target these criminals. Leads in many of these investigations take us to the online world of Internet forums, where criminals go to engage in the business of selling and trading an innocent person's credit card numbers and other personal information. By joining forces with our international law enforcement counterparts, we have been, and will continue to be, successful in arresting those individuals and dismantling these forums. The arrests in the U.K. are a good demonstration of the coordination taking place today between the FBI, the Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA), and other law enforcement agencies around the globe."
TG Daily - FBI ranks cyber attacks third most dangerous behind nuclear war and WMDs
TG Daily - FBI ranks cyber attacks third most dangerous behind nuclear war and WMDs: "Washington (DC) - Yesterday, the FBI announced it considers cyber attacks to be the third greatest threat to the security of the United States. The only two preceding it are nuclear war and weapons of mass destruction (WMD)."
National Journal Online -- Tech Daily Dose -- FBI Experts To Discuss Cyber Threats
National Journal Online -- Tech Daily Dose -- FBI Experts To Discuss Cyber Threats: "FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Shawn Henry and Deputy Director Christopher M.E. Painter are among several key law enforcement officials slated to speak at the International Conference on Cyber Security next week in New York City."
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Cyber Investigations - Cybercrime
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Cyber Investigations - Cybercrime: "The FBI's cyber mission is four-fold: first and foremost, to stop those behind the most serious computer intrusions and the spread of malicious code; second, to identify and thwart online sexual predators who use the Internet to meet and exploit children and to produce, possess, or share child pornography; third, to counteract operations that target U.S. intellectual property, endangering our national security and competitiveness; and fourth, to dismantle national and transnational organized criminal enterprises engaging in Internet fraud. Pursuant to the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace signed by the President, the Department of Justice and the FBI lead the national effort to investigate and prosecute cybercrime."
Thursday, January 8
TG Daily - FBI ranks cyber attacks third most dangerous behind nuclear war and WMDs
TG Daily - FBI ranks cyber attacks third most dangerous behind nuclear war and WMDs: "Shawn Henry, assistant director of FBI's cyber division, said terrorists are attempting to create a type of 'virtual 9/11' by 'inflicting the same kind of damage on our country, on all our countries, on all our networks, as they did in 2001 by flying planes into buildings.' Though, he indicates, this time the damage will come without commensurate levels of visible destruction."
'Cybergeddon' fear stalks US: FBI - Yahoo! News
'Cybergeddon' fear stalks US: FBI - Yahoo! News: "'Other than a nuclear device or some other type of destructive weapon, the threat to our infrastructure, the threat to our intelligence, the threat to our computer network is the most critical threat we face,' he added."
FBI warns of cyber attack threat - Breaking News - World - Breaking News
FBI warns of cyber attack threat - Breaking News - World - Breaking News: "Shawn Henry, assistant director of the FBI's cyber division, told a conference in New York on Tuesday that computer attacks pose the biggest risk 'from a national security perspective, other than a weapon of mass destruction or a bomb in one of our major cities.'"
National Journal Online -- Tech Daily Dose -- FBI Experts To Discuss Cyber Threats
National Journal Online -- Tech Daily Dose -- FBI Experts To Discuss Cyber Threats: "This gathering of international cyber security experts will host more than 300 delegates from around the world, officials said in a press release. ICCS -- which is sponsored by Google, Booz Allen Hamilton, BAE Systems and others -- will consist of three full days, 50 unique lectures, cutting edge demonstrations and networking opportunities."
[Owasp-nynjmetro] MEETING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIC EXPERTS
[Owasp-nynjmetro] MEETING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIC EXPERTS: "As many of you on the NY/NJ Metro chapter list already understand NYC is a very tight community in INFOSEC. We frequently see our peers at Infragard, ISSA, ISACA, HTCIA, ASIS, NYCBUG, NYCPHP and OWASP meetings. For example, the OWASP APPSEC 2008 event in NYC last month was a DIRECT result of that collaboration with volunteers and attendees from all organizations resulting in over 700 people - Thank you. If you did miss that event you can now
watch ALL of the 50+ presentations online at http://www.owasp.tv"
watch ALL of the 50+ presentations online at http://www.owasp.tv"
Fordham/FBI Conference Draws Experts In Fight Against Cyber Crime
Fordham/FBI Conference Draws Experts In Fight Against Cyber Crime: "Some 300 international experts on cyber security gathered at Fordham University Tuesday, Jan. 6 for a three-day conference on the emerging global threat of cyber crime and cyber terrorism.
The conference, which attracted representatives from 37 nations, runs through Thursday and is sponsored jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Division and Fordham’s Department of Computer and Information Sciences."
The conference, which attracted representatives from 37 nations, runs through Thursday and is sponsored jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Division and Fordham’s Department of Computer and Information Sciences."
FBI Thanks Fordham for Partnering on Conference
FBI Thanks Fordham for Partnering on Conference: "'The conference has been an apparent, and huge, success,' said Joseph M. Demarest, assistant director in charge (ADIC) of the FBI’s New York Division. 'We’re giving this to you to express our sincere appreciation to Fordham University.'"
Monday, January 5
LAPD Advertising Crime-Fighting Jobs as Rescession-Proof: Top News Stories at Officer.com
LAPD Advertising Crime-Fighting Jobs as Rescession-Proof: Top News Stories at Officer.com: "Applications for Los Angeles police officer jobs surged last month as LAPD recruiters began advertising crime-fighting as one of the few recession-proof careers.
The spike in interest, from 401 people taking the applicants' written test in December 2007 to 870 a year later, followed months of sharp but less eye-popping increases, recruiters said."
The spike in interest, from 401 people taking the applicants' written test in December 2007 to 870 a year later, followed months of sharp but less eye-popping increases, recruiters said."
Thursday, January 1
Please watch these videos!
Please watch these video clips. If you wondered how the technology and data age has impacted our world, and what the future looks like, watch closely!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8
As you watch keep in mind the technology space that Ms. Venditti focuses on, visualization and intelligent search of data for crime analysis. Technology is available that helps form an understanding ...conceptually, of disparate (structured and unstructured) data sources. This technology combined with sophisticated visualization technology allows us to present quality data to the crime analyst to help them with their daunting task of identifying suspicious activity, behaviours and trends. A critic on YouTube commented that this is all computing power, not thinking. They are wrong. Artificial intelligence is here and technology, affordable technology, is designed to help understand this massive and growing amount of data. If you have to look up Terebyte (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terabyte) then do yourself a favor and look up Petabyte (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petabyte) and Exabyte (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exabyte) because they are measurement terms used with sizing data ...NOW! There are very few search technologies that are capable if searching the Petabyte volumes of data, let alone EB.... As an independent security advisor, Ms. Venditti puts you in touch with the technology providers who are offering the solutions (that are deployed now) to meet your needs. She is a virtual Business Development Manager working for YOU the client instead of the manufacturer, taking a reverse engineering approach to providing a security solution. Contact her via email to venditti@partnerforsecurity.com or visit http://www.partnerforsecurity.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8
As you watch keep in mind the technology space that Ms. Venditti focuses on, visualization and intelligent search of data for crime analysis. Technology is available that helps form an understanding ...conceptually, of disparate (structured and unstructured) data sources. This technology combined with sophisticated visualization technology allows us to present quality data to the crime analyst to help them with their daunting task of identifying suspicious activity, behaviours and trends. A critic on YouTube commented that this is all computing power, not thinking. They are wrong. Artificial intelligence is here and technology, affordable technology, is designed to help understand this massive and growing amount of data. If you have to look up Terebyte (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terabyte) then do yourself a favor and look up Petabyte (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petabyte) and Exabyte (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exabyte) because they are measurement terms used with sizing data ...NOW! There are very few search technologies that are capable if searching the Petabyte volumes of data, let alone EB.... As an independent security advisor, Ms. Venditti puts you in touch with the technology providers who are offering the solutions (that are deployed now) to meet your needs. She is a virtual Business Development Manager working for YOU the client instead of the manufacturer, taking a reverse engineering approach to providing a security solution. Contact her via email to venditti@partnerforsecurity.com or visit http://www.partnerforsecurity.com/
Tuesday, December 23
What can you afford NOT to do on IT security? - Network World
What can you afford NOT to do on IT security? - Network World: "Even in an economy gone sour, a growing number of government and industry regulations impose security compliance costs that there is simply no getting away from. For instance, new data-protection laws in states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut and Nevada require companies to use data encryption tools and implement other security controls to safeguard the personal information of state residents.
Similarly, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, created by the major credit card companies, requires all businesses that accept credit and debit transactions to adopt a broad set of data protection controls. And the federal HIPAA law includes data security and privacy rules for health care providers in order to protect patient information."
Similarly, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, created by the major credit card companies, requires all businesses that accept credit and debit transactions to adopt a broad set of data protection controls. And the federal HIPAA law includes data security and privacy rules for health care providers in order to protect patient information."
Wednesday, December 17
Retired Marine, State Trooper Missing In Idaho - Boston News Story - WCVB Boston - Memorial Service
Ronald Gray Memorial Service - A Celebration of Ron's Life will be held on September 26th. Information regarding the memorial services and hotel arrangements can be found on http://www.findrongray.com/?p=92#more-92
Retired Marine, State Trooper Missing In Idaho - Boston News Story - WCVB Boston: "BOSTON -- Relatives fear officials aren't doing enough to find a war and state police veteran who disappeared during a hunting trip in Idaho.
Ronald Gray, of North Brookfield, disappeared 12 days ago while on a hunting trip in the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho."
....it isn't unusual for me not to hear from Ronnie for a couple of months, but today I said to myself, why haven't I heard from Ronnie. I tried calling his cell phone, but it was disconnected. I said this can't be good, I called the home phone and left a message. I then called ret. Sgt Bobby Anderson down in Florida and he confirmed my sinking feeling that I had, that something had happened. Ronnie has been missing and last seen on 9-19-08 in Idaho and no one knows anything. This is a very, very sad day. 12-17-08 Lv
Retired Marine, State Trooper Missing In Idaho - Boston News Story - WCVB Boston: "BOSTON -- Relatives fear officials aren't doing enough to find a war and state police veteran who disappeared during a hunting trip in Idaho.
Ronald Gray, of North Brookfield, disappeared 12 days ago while on a hunting trip in the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho."
....it isn't unusual for me not to hear from Ronnie for a couple of months, but today I said to myself, why haven't I heard from Ronnie. I tried calling his cell phone, but it was disconnected. I said this can't be good, I called the home phone and left a message. I then called ret. Sgt Bobby Anderson down in Florida and he confirmed my sinking feeling that I had, that something had happened. Ronnie has been missing and last seen on 9-19-08 in Idaho and no one knows anything. This is a very, very sad day. 12-17-08 Lv
Thursday, December 11
FBI CIO - Chad Fulgham
For Immediate ReleaseDecember 8, 2008
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel08/fulgham120808.htm
Washington D.C.FBI National Press Office(202) 324-3691
Chad Fulgham Named Chief Information Officer
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III today announced the appointment of Chad Fulgham as the Bureau’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), responsible for directing the organization’s overall information technology (IT) efforts.
“In today’s global environment, information technology remains key to how the FBI conducts its business—capturing information that can be instantly retrieved and shared as we build our investigations, providing the means to collaborate across distances, and keeping our information secure,” Mueller said, noting that Fulgham’s extensive experience working with multi-national corporations and cutting edge technology fit well with the Bureau’s IT needs.
Before being hired by the FBI, Fulgham worked in the Information Technology Division of Lehman Brothers, where he served as a senior vice president in various capacities over the past four years. In addition to being credited with the transformation of much of its technological infrastructure, he was responsible for performing organizational needs assessments, developing policy and instituting IT strategies, managing budgets, directing products and services selection, and overseeing technology operations. He will have many of the same responsibilities at the FBI.
Previously, he carried out many aspects of computer security and information risk management for IBM, JPMorgan Chase, and Arthur Andersen. He is a member of three Microsoft Advisory Boards and serves on the Financial Services Industry Advisory Boards for both AT&T and Verizon.
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Fulgham spent five years in the Navy where he also worked with information security, network management, and communications, ending his tour of duty at Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.Fulgham replaces Zal Azmi, who left the FBI last October to enter private industry.
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel08/fulgham120808.htm
Washington D.C.FBI National Press Office(202) 324-3691
Chad Fulgham Named Chief Information Officer
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III today announced the appointment of Chad Fulgham as the Bureau’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), responsible for directing the organization’s overall information technology (IT) efforts.
“In today’s global environment, information technology remains key to how the FBI conducts its business—capturing information that can be instantly retrieved and shared as we build our investigations, providing the means to collaborate across distances, and keeping our information secure,” Mueller said, noting that Fulgham’s extensive experience working with multi-national corporations and cutting edge technology fit well with the Bureau’s IT needs.
Before being hired by the FBI, Fulgham worked in the Information Technology Division of Lehman Brothers, where he served as a senior vice president in various capacities over the past four years. In addition to being credited with the transformation of much of its technological infrastructure, he was responsible for performing organizational needs assessments, developing policy and instituting IT strategies, managing budgets, directing products and services selection, and overseeing technology operations. He will have many of the same responsibilities at the FBI.
Previously, he carried out many aspects of computer security and information risk management for IBM, JPMorgan Chase, and Arthur Andersen. He is a member of three Microsoft Advisory Boards and serves on the Financial Services Industry Advisory Boards for both AT&T and Verizon.
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Fulgham spent five years in the Navy where he also worked with information security, network management, and communications, ending his tour of duty at Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.Fulgham replaces Zal Azmi, who left the FBI last October to enter private industry.
Wednesday, December 10
City gets 'crime-detecting' CCTV
City gets 'crime-detecting' CCTV: "Anti-social behaviour has become a familiar site in some towns and cities across the country. Anti-social behaviour has become a familiar site in some towns and cities across the country."
What technology is deployed in NYC and DC?
What are the 7 cities in the US that are deploying this technology?
The last I heard this technology existed in a lab at a University in CA, looking for a funding source to launch it into the commercial marketplace. IBM is close but no news has been released on just where they are deployed....unless they finally got Chicago to launch it.
What technology is deployed in NYC and DC?
What are the 7 cities in the US that are deploying this technology?
The last I heard this technology existed in a lab at a University in CA, looking for a funding source to launch it into the commercial marketplace. IBM is close but no news has been released on just where they are deployed....unless they finally got Chicago to launch it.
Tuesday, December 9
Taj Mahal Hotel - India November 27, 2008
It was August of 2001 when I traveled to Mumbai and stayed at the lovely Taj Mahal Hotel. The terrorist attacks of November 2008 serve as a reminder that it is critical to remain vigilant with our efforts to secure our nations infrastructure, our homeland, our citizens. Trust but VERIFY... is the motto I now live by. I ate at the Golden Dragon and drank at the Harbour Bar. I recall arriving late in the evening into the grand lobby of the TAJ, a woman from behind the desk wisked me up to my room where she checked me in "in room". This I later learned was for my safety.
This story is told of a family that survived the attacks in Mumbai.... courage and heroism ring loudly from the experiences they share.
American freed at TAJ Mumbai narrates his story Subject: American Freed At TAJ (Mumbai) narrates his story Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 10:12:08 +0530 Heroes At The Taj Michael Pollack 12.01.08, 7:40 PM ET My story begins innocuously, with a dinner reservation in a world-class hotel. It ends 12 hours later after the Indian army freed us.
My point is not to sensationalize events. It is to express my gratitude and pay tribute to the staff of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, who sacrificed their lives so that we could survive. They, along with the Indian army, are the true heroes that emerged from this tragedy.
My wife, Anjali, and I were married in the Taj's Crystal Ballroom. Her parents were married there, too, and so were Shiv and Reshma, the couple with whom we had dinner plans. In fact, my wife and Reshma, both Bombay girls, grew up hanging out and partying the night away there and at the Oberoi Hotel, another terrorist target.
The four of us arrived at the Taj around 9:30 p.m. for dinner at the Golden Dragon, one of the better Chinese restaurants in Mumbai. We were a little early, and our table wasn't ready. So we walked next door to the Harbor Bar and had barely begun to enjoy our beers when the host told us our table was ready. We decided to stay and finish our drinks.
Thirty seconds later, we heard what sounded like a heavy tray smashing to the ground. This was followed by 20 or 30 similar sounds and then absolute silence. We crouched behind a table just feet away from what we now knew were gunmen. Terrorists had stormed the lobby and were firing indiscriminately.
We tried to break the glass window in front of us with a chair, but it wouldn't budge. The Harbour Bar's hostess, who had remained at her post, motioned to us that it was safe to make a run for the stairwell. She mentioned, in passing, that there was a dead body right outside in the corridor. We believe this courageous woman was murdered after we ran away. (We later learned that minutes after we climbed the stairs, terrorists came into the Harbour Bar, shot everyone who was there and executed those next door at the Golden Dragon. The staff there was equally brave, locking their patrons into a basement wine cellar to protect them. But the terrorists managed to break through and lob in grenades that killed everyone in the basement.)
We took refuge in the small office of the kitchen of another restaurant, Wasabi, on the second floor. Its chef and staff served the four of us food and drink and even apologized for the inconvenience we were suffering.
Through text messaging, e-mail on BlackBerrys and a small TV in the office, we realized the full extent of the terrorist attack on Mumbai. We figured we were in a secure place for the moment. There was also no way out. At around 11:30 p.m., the kitchen went silent. We took a massive wooden table and pushed it up against the door, turned off all the lights and hid. All of the kitchen workers remained outside; not one staff member had run.
The terrorists repeatedly slammed against our door. We heard them ask the chef in Hindi if anyone was inside the office. He responded calmly: "No one is in there. It's empty." That is the second time the Taj staff saved our lives.
After about 20 minutes, other staff members escorted us down a corridor to an area called The Chambers, a members-only area of the hotel. There were about 250 people in six rooms. Inside, the staff was serving sandwiches and alcohol. People were nervous, but cautiously optimistic. We were told The Chambers was the safest place we could be because the army was now guarding its two entrances and the streets were still dangerous. There had been attacks at a major railway station and a hospital.
But then, a member of parliament phoned into a live newscast and let the world know that hundreds of people--including CEOs, foreigners and members of parliament--were "secure and safe in The Chambers together." Adding to the escalating tension and chaos was the fact that, via text and cellphone, we knew that the dome of the Taj was on fire and that it could move downward.
At around 2 a.m., the staff attempted an evacuation. We all lined up to head down a dark fire escape exit. But after five minutes, grenade blasts and automatic weapon fire pierced the air. A mad stampede ensued to get out of the stairwell and take cover back inside The Chambers.
After that near-miss, my wife and I decided we should hide in different rooms. While we hoped to be together at the end, our primary obligation was to our children. We wanted to keep one parent alive. Because I am American and my wife is Indian, and news reports said the terrorists were targeting U.S. and U.K. nationals, I believed I would further endanger her life if we were together in a hostage situation.
So when we ran back to The Chambers I hid in a toilet stall with a floor-to-ceiling door and my wife stayed with our friends, who fled to a large room across the hall.
For the next seven hours, I lay in the fetal position, keeping in touch with Anjali via BlackBerry. I was joined in the stall by Joe, a Nigerian national with a U.S. green card. I managed to get in touch with the FBI, and several agents gave me status updates throughout the night.
I cannot even begin to explain the level of adrenaline running through my system at this point. It was this hyper-aware state where every sound, every smell, every piece of information was ultra-acute, analyzed and processed so that we could make the best decisions and maximize the odds of survival.
Was the fire above us life-threatening? What floor was it on? Were the commandos near us, or were they terrorists? Why is it so quiet? Did the commandos survive? If the terrorists come into the bathroom and to the door, when they fire in, how can I make my body as small as possible? If Joe gets killed before me in this situation, how can I throw his body on mine to barricade the door? If the Indian commandos liberate the rest in the other room, how will they know where I am? Do the terrorists have suicide vests? Will the roof stand? How can I make sure the FBI knows where Anjali and I are? When is it safe to stand up and attempt to urinate?
Meanwhile, Anjali and the others were across the corridor in a mass of people lying on the floor and clinging to each other. People barely moved for seven hours, and for the last three hours they felt it was too unsafe to even text. While I was tucked behind a couple walls of marble and granite in my toilet stall, she was feet from bullets flying back and forth. After our failed evacuation, most of the people in the fire escape stairwell and many staff members who attempted to protect the guests were shot and killed.
The 10 minutes around 2:30 a.m. were the most frightening. Rather than the back-and-forth of gunfire, we just heard single, punctuated shots. We later learned that the terrorists went along a different corridor of The Chambers, room by room, and systematically executed everyone: women, elderly, Muslims, Hindus, foreigners. A group huddled next to Anjali was devout Bori Muslims who would have been slaughtered just like everyone else, had the terrorists gone into their room. Everyone was in deep prayer and most, Anjali included, had accepted that their lives were likely over. It was terrorism in its purest form. No one was spared.
The next five hours were filled with the sounds of an intense grenade/gun battle between the Indian commandos and the terrorists. It was fought in darkness; each side was trying to outflank the other. By the time dawn broke, the commandos had successfully secured our corridor. A young commando led out the people packed into Anjali's room. When one woman asked whether it was safe to leave, the commando replied: "Don't worry, you have nothing to fear. The first bullets have to go through me." The corridor was laced with broken glass and bullet casings. Every table was turned over or destroyed. The ceilings and walls were littered with hundreds of bullet holes. Blood stains were everywhere, though, fortunately, there were no dead bodies to be seen.
A few minutes after Anjali had vacated, Joe and I peeked out of our stall. We saw multiple commandos and smiled widely. I had lost my right shoe while sprinting to the toilet so I grabbed a sheet from the floor, wrapped it around my foot and proceeded to walk over the debris to the hotel lobby.
Anjali and I embraced for the first time in seven hours in the Taj's ground floor entrance. I didn't know whether she was dead or injured because we hadn't been able to text for the past three hours. I wanted to take a picture of us on my BlackBerry, but Anjali wanted us to get out of there before doing anything. She was right--our ordeal wasn't completely over. A large bus pulled up in front of the Taj to collect us and, just about as it was fully loaded, gunfire erupted again. The terrorists were still alive and firing automatic weapons at the bus. Anjali was the last to get on the bus, and she eventually escaped in our friend's car. I ducked under some concrete barriers for cover and wound up the subject of photos that were later splashed across the media. Shortly thereafter, an ambulance came and drove a few of us to safety. An hour later, Anjali and I were again reunited at her parents' home. Our Thanksgiving had just gained a lot more meaning.
Some may say our survival was due to random luck, others might credit divine intervention. But 72 hours removed from these events, I can assure you only one thing: Far fewer people would have survived if it weren't for the extreme selflessness shown by the Taj staff, who organized us, catered to us and then, in the end, literally died for us.
They complemented the extreme bravery and courage of the Indian commandos, who, in a pitch-black setting and unfamiliar, tightly packed terrain, valiantly held the terrorists at bay.
It is also amazing that, out of our entire group, not one person screamed or panicked. There was an eerie but quiet calm that pervaded--one more thing that got us all out alive. Even people in adjacent rooms, who were being executed, kept silent. It is much easier to destroy than to build, yet somehow humanity has managed to build far more than it has ever destroyed. Likewise, in a period of crisis, it is much easier to find faults and failings rather than to celebrate the good deeds. It is now time to commemorate our heroes. Michael Pollack is a general partner of Glenhill Capital, a firm he co-founded in 2001
This story is told of a family that survived the attacks in Mumbai.... courage and heroism ring loudly from the experiences they share.
American freed at TAJ Mumbai narrates his story Subject: American Freed At TAJ (Mumbai) narrates his story Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 10:12:08 +0530 Heroes At The Taj Michael Pollack 12.01.08, 7:40 PM ET My story begins innocuously, with a dinner reservation in a world-class hotel. It ends 12 hours later after the Indian army freed us.
My point is not to sensationalize events. It is to express my gratitude and pay tribute to the staff of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, who sacrificed their lives so that we could survive. They, along with the Indian army, are the true heroes that emerged from this tragedy.
My wife, Anjali, and I were married in the Taj's Crystal Ballroom. Her parents were married there, too, and so were Shiv and Reshma, the couple with whom we had dinner plans. In fact, my wife and Reshma, both Bombay girls, grew up hanging out and partying the night away there and at the Oberoi Hotel, another terrorist target.
The four of us arrived at the Taj around 9:30 p.m. for dinner at the Golden Dragon, one of the better Chinese restaurants in Mumbai. We were a little early, and our table wasn't ready. So we walked next door to the Harbor Bar and had barely begun to enjoy our beers when the host told us our table was ready. We decided to stay and finish our drinks.
Thirty seconds later, we heard what sounded like a heavy tray smashing to the ground. This was followed by 20 or 30 similar sounds and then absolute silence. We crouched behind a table just feet away from what we now knew were gunmen. Terrorists had stormed the lobby and were firing indiscriminately.
We tried to break the glass window in front of us with a chair, but it wouldn't budge. The Harbour Bar's hostess, who had remained at her post, motioned to us that it was safe to make a run for the stairwell. She mentioned, in passing, that there was a dead body right outside in the corridor. We believe this courageous woman was murdered after we ran away. (We later learned that minutes after we climbed the stairs, terrorists came into the Harbour Bar, shot everyone who was there and executed those next door at the Golden Dragon. The staff there was equally brave, locking their patrons into a basement wine cellar to protect them. But the terrorists managed to break through and lob in grenades that killed everyone in the basement.)
We took refuge in the small office of the kitchen of another restaurant, Wasabi, on the second floor. Its chef and staff served the four of us food and drink and even apologized for the inconvenience we were suffering.
Through text messaging, e-mail on BlackBerrys and a small TV in the office, we realized the full extent of the terrorist attack on Mumbai. We figured we were in a secure place for the moment. There was also no way out. At around 11:30 p.m., the kitchen went silent. We took a massive wooden table and pushed it up against the door, turned off all the lights and hid. All of the kitchen workers remained outside; not one staff member had run.
The terrorists repeatedly slammed against our door. We heard them ask the chef in Hindi if anyone was inside the office. He responded calmly: "No one is in there. It's empty." That is the second time the Taj staff saved our lives.
After about 20 minutes, other staff members escorted us down a corridor to an area called The Chambers, a members-only area of the hotel. There were about 250 people in six rooms. Inside, the staff was serving sandwiches and alcohol. People were nervous, but cautiously optimistic. We were told The Chambers was the safest place we could be because the army was now guarding its two entrances and the streets were still dangerous. There had been attacks at a major railway station and a hospital.
But then, a member of parliament phoned into a live newscast and let the world know that hundreds of people--including CEOs, foreigners and members of parliament--were "secure and safe in The Chambers together." Adding to the escalating tension and chaos was the fact that, via text and cellphone, we knew that the dome of the Taj was on fire and that it could move downward.
At around 2 a.m., the staff attempted an evacuation. We all lined up to head down a dark fire escape exit. But after five minutes, grenade blasts and automatic weapon fire pierced the air. A mad stampede ensued to get out of the stairwell and take cover back inside The Chambers.
After that near-miss, my wife and I decided we should hide in different rooms. While we hoped to be together at the end, our primary obligation was to our children. We wanted to keep one parent alive. Because I am American and my wife is Indian, and news reports said the terrorists were targeting U.S. and U.K. nationals, I believed I would further endanger her life if we were together in a hostage situation.
So when we ran back to The Chambers I hid in a toilet stall with a floor-to-ceiling door and my wife stayed with our friends, who fled to a large room across the hall.
For the next seven hours, I lay in the fetal position, keeping in touch with Anjali via BlackBerry. I was joined in the stall by Joe, a Nigerian national with a U.S. green card. I managed to get in touch with the FBI, and several agents gave me status updates throughout the night.
I cannot even begin to explain the level of adrenaline running through my system at this point. It was this hyper-aware state where every sound, every smell, every piece of information was ultra-acute, analyzed and processed so that we could make the best decisions and maximize the odds of survival.
Was the fire above us life-threatening? What floor was it on? Were the commandos near us, or were they terrorists? Why is it so quiet? Did the commandos survive? If the terrorists come into the bathroom and to the door, when they fire in, how can I make my body as small as possible? If Joe gets killed before me in this situation, how can I throw his body on mine to barricade the door? If the Indian commandos liberate the rest in the other room, how will they know where I am? Do the terrorists have suicide vests? Will the roof stand? How can I make sure the FBI knows where Anjali and I are? When is it safe to stand up and attempt to urinate?
Meanwhile, Anjali and the others were across the corridor in a mass of people lying on the floor and clinging to each other. People barely moved for seven hours, and for the last three hours they felt it was too unsafe to even text. While I was tucked behind a couple walls of marble and granite in my toilet stall, she was feet from bullets flying back and forth. After our failed evacuation, most of the people in the fire escape stairwell and many staff members who attempted to protect the guests were shot and killed.
The 10 minutes around 2:30 a.m. were the most frightening. Rather than the back-and-forth of gunfire, we just heard single, punctuated shots. We later learned that the terrorists went along a different corridor of The Chambers, room by room, and systematically executed everyone: women, elderly, Muslims, Hindus, foreigners. A group huddled next to Anjali was devout Bori Muslims who would have been slaughtered just like everyone else, had the terrorists gone into their room. Everyone was in deep prayer and most, Anjali included, had accepted that their lives were likely over. It was terrorism in its purest form. No one was spared.
The next five hours were filled with the sounds of an intense grenade/gun battle between the Indian commandos and the terrorists. It was fought in darkness; each side was trying to outflank the other. By the time dawn broke, the commandos had successfully secured our corridor. A young commando led out the people packed into Anjali's room. When one woman asked whether it was safe to leave, the commando replied: "Don't worry, you have nothing to fear. The first bullets have to go through me." The corridor was laced with broken glass and bullet casings. Every table was turned over or destroyed. The ceilings and walls were littered with hundreds of bullet holes. Blood stains were everywhere, though, fortunately, there were no dead bodies to be seen.
A few minutes after Anjali had vacated, Joe and I peeked out of our stall. We saw multiple commandos and smiled widely. I had lost my right shoe while sprinting to the toilet so I grabbed a sheet from the floor, wrapped it around my foot and proceeded to walk over the debris to the hotel lobby.
Anjali and I embraced for the first time in seven hours in the Taj's ground floor entrance. I didn't know whether she was dead or injured because we hadn't been able to text for the past three hours. I wanted to take a picture of us on my BlackBerry, but Anjali wanted us to get out of there before doing anything. She was right--our ordeal wasn't completely over. A large bus pulled up in front of the Taj to collect us and, just about as it was fully loaded, gunfire erupted again. The terrorists were still alive and firing automatic weapons at the bus. Anjali was the last to get on the bus, and she eventually escaped in our friend's car. I ducked under some concrete barriers for cover and wound up the subject of photos that were later splashed across the media. Shortly thereafter, an ambulance came and drove a few of us to safety. An hour later, Anjali and I were again reunited at her parents' home. Our Thanksgiving had just gained a lot more meaning.
Some may say our survival was due to random luck, others might credit divine intervention. But 72 hours removed from these events, I can assure you only one thing: Far fewer people would have survived if it weren't for the extreme selflessness shown by the Taj staff, who organized us, catered to us and then, in the end, literally died for us.
They complemented the extreme bravery and courage of the Indian commandos, who, in a pitch-black setting and unfamiliar, tightly packed terrain, valiantly held the terrorists at bay.
It is also amazing that, out of our entire group, not one person screamed or panicked. There was an eerie but quiet calm that pervaded--one more thing that got us all out alive. Even people in adjacent rooms, who were being executed, kept silent. It is much easier to destroy than to build, yet somehow humanity has managed to build far more than it has ever destroyed. Likewise, in a period of crisis, it is much easier to find faults and failings rather than to celebrate the good deeds. It is now time to commemorate our heroes. Michael Pollack is a general partner of Glenhill Capital, a firm he co-founded in 2001
Tuesday, December 2
Wal-Mart Assailed on Death - WSJ.com
Wal-Mart Assailed on Death - WSJ.com: "Wal-Mart Stores Inc. should have had better crowd control to prevent the death of a worker who was trampled the day after Thanksgiving amid the bargain-hunting frenzy whipped up by the sales known as door-busters, according to local police and a lawyer for the worker's family."
Monday, December 1
NYPD to Upgrade 911 System: Top News Stories at Officer.com
NYPD to Upgrade 911 System: Top News Stories at Officer.com: "The city plans to upgrade its 911 system after a six-year, multimillion-dollar delay.
The NYPD recently signed a $73 million contract with Alabama-based Intergraph Corp. for a state-of-the-art emergency dispatch system that can instantly compile location and caller histories, create maps, and locate the appropriate units to respond.
'It integrates everything available and sends it straight to the dispatchers in a much more user-friendly way,' said NYPD Deputy Chief Charles Dowd, commander of the communications division. 'It's automatic. It's faster.'"
The NYPD recently signed a $73 million contract with Alabama-based Intergraph Corp. for a state-of-the-art emergency dispatch system that can instantly compile location and caller histories, create maps, and locate the appropriate units to respond.
'It integrates everything available and sends it straight to the dispatchers in a much more user-friendly way,' said NYPD Deputy Chief Charles Dowd, commander of the communications division. 'It's automatic. It's faster.'"
What The Data Miners Are Digging Up About You
ABC News: What The Data Miners Are Digging Up About You: "In today's technological world we leave electronic traces wherever we go, whether shopping online or on the high street, at work or at play. That data is the raw material for a new industry of number crunchers trying to explain and influence human behaviour, as Stephen Baker explains in his new book The Numerati."
Sunday, November 30
BBC NEWS | South Asia | India considers anti-terror body
BBC NEWS South Asia India considers anti-terror body: "Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has opened cross-party talks on setting up a federal agency of investigation after the Mumbai attacks.Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has opened cross-party talks on setting up a federal agency of investigation after the Mumbai attacks."
Friday, November 28
2 AMERICANS KILLED IN MUMBAI ATTACKS - New York Post
2 AMERICANS KILLED IN MUMBAI ATTACKS - New York Post: "FABER, Va. - A meditation group in Virginia says a father and his 13-year-old daughter were killed in Mumbai's terrorist attacks. The Synchronicity Foundation says four more of its members on a trip to India were also injured when Islamic terrorists attacked a cafe in the Indian port city Wednesday night. Spokeswoman Bobbie Garvey says 58-year-old Alan Scherr and his daughter Naomi were identified by colleagues. The U.S. State Department has not yet confirmed any deaths of American victims, but colleagues and family members have given reports about some of the injured and missing.
Two Tennessee women were among the four people injured from the Synchronicity Foundation, which studies holistic meditation."
Two Tennessee women were among the four people injured from the Synchronicity Foundation, which studies holistic meditation."
Friday, November 14
Early Departures at the Bureau
Early Departures at the Bureau: "Joseph Demarest and Joe Billy. Demarest headed the New York office’s counter-terrorism division, one of the Bureau’s most vital jobs. He oversaw top secret investigations and ran the Joint Terrorist Task Force [JTTF] of 350 or so FBI agents and NYPD detectives."
InfraGard National Members Alliance
Laurie Venditti is appointed to the National Board of InfraGard Members Alliance as VP of Regional Communications.
InfraGard began as a collaborative effort 1996 between the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Cleveland Field Office and SMEs from local industry and academia. This effort was designed to harness private sector expertise for investigative efforts in the cyber and physical security arenas. Due to its immediate success, the program quickly expanded to other FBI Field Offices – leading the FBI to assign national program responsibility of InfraGard to FBI Headquarters in Washington DC and local program responsibility to each of the FBI’s 56 field offices. In 2003, the private sector members of InfraGard formed the “InfraGard National Members Alliance” (INMA).
The InfraGard National Members Alliance’s (INMA) mission is to provide a trusted forum for the exchange of knowledge, experience and information related to the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure from both physical and cyber threats. The INMA is a non-profit Delaware LLC with 501(c)3 status. The INMA LLC is comprised of 86 separate 501(c)3 InfraGard Member Alliances (IMAs) that represent over 26,000 InfraGard Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) nationwide. A Board of Directors comprised of the following Directors and Officers serve as the leadership of the INMA.
InfraGard Members: "Welcome and congratulations for taking the first step to building a safer and more secure Country by joining a tremendous organization with over 26,000 members in 86 chapters, representing all 18 sectors of our Nation’s critical infrastructures. These are selfless men and women who choose to volunteer their time, their knowledge, and their experience to make a difference through collaboration, the sharing of best practices and building relationship based on trust to protect critical infrastructure from physical and cyber threats. If you are already a member, thank you! If not, what are you waiting for?
Dr. Kathleen L. Kiernan
Chairman of the Board
InfraGard National Members Alliance"
InfraGard began as a collaborative effort 1996 between the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Cleveland Field Office and SMEs from local industry and academia. This effort was designed to harness private sector expertise for investigative efforts in the cyber and physical security arenas. Due to its immediate success, the program quickly expanded to other FBI Field Offices – leading the FBI to assign national program responsibility of InfraGard to FBI Headquarters in Washington DC and local program responsibility to each of the FBI’s 56 field offices. In 2003, the private sector members of InfraGard formed the “InfraGard National Members Alliance” (INMA).
The InfraGard National Members Alliance’s (INMA) mission is to provide a trusted forum for the exchange of knowledge, experience and information related to the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure from both physical and cyber threats. The INMA is a non-profit Delaware LLC with 501(c)3 status. The INMA LLC is comprised of 86 separate 501(c)3 InfraGard Member Alliances (IMAs) that represent over 26,000 InfraGard Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) nationwide. A Board of Directors comprised of the following Directors and Officers serve as the leadership of the INMA.
InfraGard Members: "Welcome and congratulations for taking the first step to building a safer and more secure Country by joining a tremendous organization with over 26,000 members in 86 chapters, representing all 18 sectors of our Nation’s critical infrastructures. These are selfless men and women who choose to volunteer their time, their knowledge, and their experience to make a difference through collaboration, the sharing of best practices and building relationship based on trust to protect critical infrastructure from physical and cyber threats. If you are already a member, thank you! If not, what are you waiting for?
Dr. Kathleen L. Kiernan
Chairman of the Board
InfraGard National Members Alliance"
InfraGard Members - INFRAGARD NATIONAL MEMBERS ALLIANCE AND iKEEP SAFE ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF A PARENT RESOURCE CD TO HELP ALL PARENTS TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM ONLINE THREATS - Articles
InfraGard Members - INFRAGARD NATIONAL MEMBERS ALLIANCE AND iKEEP SAFE ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF A PARENT RESOURCE CD TO HELP ALL PARENTS TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM ONLINE THREATS - Articles: "(Washington, DC) – In recognition of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA) and the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKSC) announced today the creation of a Parent Resource CD to help parents keep their children safe from the growing threat of Internet predators. The CD will be released by the end of November.
The CD includes a message from the FBI encouraging parents to take action to protect their children on the Internet. A tutorial for parents walks them through the steps to ensure that their children are protected from dangerous sites and that home computers are secured by safety measures such as firewalls."
The CD includes a message from the FBI encouraging parents to take action to protect their children on the Internet. A tutorial for parents walks them through the steps to ensure that their children are protected from dangerous sites and that home computers are secured by safety measures such as firewalls."
Investigating Terrorism Tips Video - CBSNews.com
Investigating Terrorism Tips Video - CBSNews.com: "New York's Joint Terrorism Task Force, JTTF, is a highly secretive facility where officers investigate tips on terrorism daily. Bob Orr interviews Tom Nicpon FBI ASAC NYC Field Office.
June 20, 2008"
June 20, 2008"
Thursday, November 13
Tracking Terror Video - CBSNews.com
Tracking Terror Video - CBSNews.com: "Tracking Terror
Only On The Web: David Martin spoke to NCTC Director Admiral Scott Redd about the U.S. government's antiterrorism apparatus and how it deals with potential threats.
September 6, 2006"
Only On The Web: David Martin spoke to NCTC Director Admiral Scott Redd about the U.S. government's antiterrorism apparatus and how it deals with potential threats.
September 6, 2006"
Searching For Terrorists Video - CBSNews.com
Searching For Terrorists Video - CBSNews.com: "Searching For Terrorists
As al Qaeda strengthens, FBI officials are looking for any clues that might tip off a possible attack against the U.S. during the summer months. Bob Orr has the story.
July 13, 2007"
As al Qaeda strengthens, FBI officials are looking for any clues that might tip off a possible attack against the U.S. during the summer months. Bob Orr has the story.
July 13, 2007"
Target Targets Criminals Video - CBSNews.com
Target Targets Criminals Video - CBSNews.com: "Target Targets Criminals
The U.S. retail company Target has turned to the forensics field, a la 'CSI.' As Priya David reports, Target's security division has aided the FBI and other officials with solving gruesome crimes.
October 5, 2008"
The U.S. retail company Target has turned to the forensics field, a la 'CSI.' As Priya David reports, Target's security division has aided the FBI and other officials with solving gruesome crimes.
October 5, 2008"
The Associated Press: US cracks down on Islamic charity
The Associated Press: US cracks down on Islamic charity: "WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration acted Wednesday against an Islamic charity suspected of helping to bankroll Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that the United States considers an international terrorist organization.
The Treasury Department's action against the Union of Good means that any bank accounts or other financial assets belonging to the charity found in the United States will be frozen. Americans also are barred from making donations to the group, which the U.S. government alleged was created by leaders of Hamas to transfer money to Hamas.
'Terrorist groups such as Hamas continue to exploit charities to radicalize vulnerable communities and cultivate support for their violent activities,' said Stuart Levey, the Treasury Department's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence."
The Treasury Department's action against the Union of Good means that any bank accounts or other financial assets belonging to the charity found in the United States will be frozen. Americans also are barred from making donations to the group, which the U.S. government alleged was created by leaders of Hamas to transfer money to Hamas.
'Terrorist groups such as Hamas continue to exploit charities to radicalize vulnerable communities and cultivate support for their violent activities,' said Stuart Levey, the Treasury Department's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence."
Obama Team Faces Major Task in Justice Dept. Overhaul - washingtonpost.com
Obama Team Faces Major Task in Justice Dept. Overhaul - washingtonpost.com
Obama Team Faces Major Task in Justice Dept. OverhaulGoal Is to Restore Confidence in Law Enforcement Actions
By Carrie Johnson Washington Post Thursday, November 13, 2008; A02
As a transition team for the Obama administration begins work on a Justice Department overhaul, the key question is where to begin… Although retired federal judge Michael B. Mukasey, who took charge of the department in the winter, has drawn praise for limiting contacts between White House officials and prosecutors, and for firmly rejecting the role of politics in law enforcement, restoring public confidence in the department's law enforcement actions will be central, lawmakers and former government officials say… Topping the list of concerns is the Office of Legal Counsel, a once-obscure operation whose advice guides some of the government's most sensitive and controversial policies, from domestic wiretapping to the appropriateness of handing out public funding to religious groups… David Ogden, a chief of the department's civil division in the Clinton years, will lead the transition effort. Thomas J. Perrelli, who was a counselor to Attorney General Janet Reno and a classmate of Obama's at Harvard Law School , will serve as a deputy
Obama Team Faces Major Task in Justice Dept. OverhaulGoal Is to Restore Confidence in Law Enforcement Actions
By Carrie Johnson Washington Post Thursday, November 13, 2008; A02
As a transition team for the Obama administration begins work on a Justice Department overhaul, the key question is where to begin… Although retired federal judge Michael B. Mukasey, who took charge of the department in the winter, has drawn praise for limiting contacts between White House officials and prosecutors, and for firmly rejecting the role of politics in law enforcement, restoring public confidence in the department's law enforcement actions will be central, lawmakers and former government officials say… Topping the list of concerns is the Office of Legal Counsel, a once-obscure operation whose advice guides some of the government's most sensitive and controversial policies, from domestic wiretapping to the appropriateness of handing out public funding to religious groups… David Ogden, a chief of the department's civil division in the Clinton years, will lead the transition effort. Thomas J. Perrelli, who was a counselor to Attorney General Janet Reno and a classmate of Obama's at Harvard Law School , will serve as a deputy
Top Two Officials In U.S. Intelligence Expect to Lose Jobs - washingtonpost.com
Top Two Officials In U.S. Intelligence Expect to Lose Jobs - washingtonpost.com: "The nation's top two intelligence officers expect to be replaced by President-elect Barack Obama early in his administration, according to senior intelligence officials." A number of influential congressional Democrats oppose keeping Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and CIA Director Michael V. Hayden in their posts because both have publicly supported controversial Bush administration policies on interrogation and telephone surveillance. One Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee said there is a "consensus" view on the matter.
Sunday, July 27
Big Brother's new software - Network World
Big Brother's new software - Network World: "Any way you look at it, video surveillance technology is becoming more sophisticated.
A recent report by ABI Research projects that revenue generated from surveillance software will more than triple from $245 million this year to $900 million-plus in 2013. Technological breakthroughs have added several more capabilities to surveillance cameras in recent years, from face-recognition software to cameras designed to mesh with radio-frequency identification tags. Added to this, ABI Vice President and Research Director Stan Schatt says that the advent of Wi-Fi has made it possible to place wireless cameras just about anywhere while still being able to send footage back to a central location."
A recent report by ABI Research projects that revenue generated from surveillance software will more than triple from $245 million this year to $900 million-plus in 2013. Technological breakthroughs have added several more capabilities to surveillance cameras in recent years, from face-recognition software to cameras designed to mesh with radio-frequency identification tags. Added to this, ABI Vice President and Research Director Stan Schatt says that the advent of Wi-Fi has made it possible to place wireless cameras just about anywhere while still being able to send footage back to a central location."
We're Watching, How Chicago Authorities Keep An Eye On The City - CBS News
9-2006
We're Watching, How Chicago Authorities Keep An Eye On The City - CBS News: "Chicago has had a head start over most cities – in 1995, Mayor Daley had a vision of putting police, fire and emergency responders into one building. The project cost $217 million.
'I said, just build me something that we know is gonna last. And, basically technology would change. It was controversial. Someone said it was a waste of money,' Daley says. 'And unfortunately, when 9/11 came, 'You're a genius.''
It is considered state of the art. But there are still large holes in this 'virtual shield.'"
We're Watching, How Chicago Authorities Keep An Eye On The City - CBS News: "Chicago has had a head start over most cities – in 1995, Mayor Daley had a vision of putting police, fire and emergency responders into one building. The project cost $217 million.
'I said, just build me something that we know is gonna last. And, basically technology would change. It was controversial. Someone said it was a waste of money,' Daley says. 'And unfortunately, when 9/11 came, 'You're a genius.''
It is considered state of the art. But there are still large holes in this 'virtual shield.'"
STRIKE ON VERIZON HORIZON - New York Post
STRIKE ON VERIZON HORIZON - New York Post: "Thousands of Verizon workers took to the streets yesterday as a warning shot to company officials ahead of a threatened strike that would cause major disruptions along the East Coast.
About 5,000 employees of the communications giant rallied outside the company's Financial District headquarters - demanding a contract that protects their current health-care benefits and union jobs.
About 65,000 technicians, operators and sales reps could walk off the job as early as Aug. 3."
About 5,000 employees of the communications giant rallied outside the company's Financial District headquarters - demanding a contract that protects their current health-care benefits and union jobs.
About 65,000 technicians, operators and sales reps could walk off the job as early as Aug. 3."
TERROR THREAT IS IN THE CARDS - New York Post
TERROR THREAT IS IN THE CARDS - New York Post: "NYPD detectives are investigating a chilling new terror threat - a series of cards from a 'New York Jihad' that look like birthday-party invitations but warn of bombs in lower Manhattan this summer, The Post has learned.
The cards were mailed last week to the homes of seven city residents, including former Fox News television producer Kelley Vick and a person in the 26th Police Precinct, which covers West Harlem, according to Vick and police sources."
The cards were mailed last week to the homes of seven city residents, including former Fox News television producer Kelley Vick and a person in the 26th Police Precinct, which covers West Harlem, according to Vick and police sources."
Monday, July 14
A New Fashion Catches On in Paris - Cheap Bicycle Rentals - NYTimes.com
A New Fashion Catches On in Paris - Cheap Bicycle Rentals - NYTimes.com: "About 20,600 Vélib’ bicycles are in service here, with more than 1,450 self-service rental stations. The stations are only some 300 yards apart, and there are four times as many as there are subway stations, even in a city so well served by its metro system."
MSU Researcher Creates System Matching Tattoos to Suspects: Top News Stories at Officer.com
MSU Researcher Creates System Matching Tattoos to Suspects: Top News Stories at Officer.com: "A Michigan State University researcher has created an automatic image retrieval system, whereby law enforcement agencies will be able to match scars, marks and tattoos to identify suspects and victims (see also Michigan State University)."
ACLU files lawsuit to challenge surveillance law - Network World
ACLU files lawsuit to challenge surveillance law - Network World: "The new law, approved by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, allows the U.S. National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies to conduct surveillance of a wide range of people 'reasonably believed' to be outside the U.S. The law also will likely require a U.S. court to dismiss more than 40 lawsuits that have been filed against telecommunication carriers that allegedly participated in the NSA program before there was court oversight of the surveillance.
The FISA Amendments Act still allows broad, untargeted surveillance, including spying on U.S. residents who are talking with people overseas, said Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU National Security Project."
The FISA Amendments Act still allows broad, untargeted surveillance, including spying on U.S. residents who are talking with people overseas, said Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU National Security Project."
CCTV camera identifies people by race - Network World
CCTV camera identifies people by race - Network World: "Males, 25, a mechanical engineer who recently graduated with a master's degree from London's Royal College of Art, wrote the software for a camera that determines a person's race."
Is public CCTV effective? @ The Latest for Security Executives SecurityInfoWatch.com
http://www.securityinfowatch.com/online/The-Latest-for-Security-Executives/Is-public-CCTV-effective/16559SIW305: "While we continue to spend more on public CCTV systems, the debate on CCTV effectiveness has reached a polarizing and inconclusive standoff. On the one side, you have a number of studies and leading thinkers who cleary contend that CCTV systems are ineffective. On the other, you have numerous municipalities who are weekly green-lighting new CCTV projects."
Sunday, July 13
Salute the Sky - Fly Over Tributes
http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80924c91
Friday, July 4, 2008 11:08 AM
In honor of Independence Day, NFL Films takes a look at the always exciting pregame flyby.
Friday, July 4, 2008 11:08 AM
In honor of Independence Day, NFL Films takes a look at the always exciting pregame flyby.
A suburban housewife's 911 Call to Action - Shannen Rossmiller
Rossmiller developed her remarkable talent for chatting up terrorists after September 11, when she started going into online forums and cajoling valuable information from other visitors. She has passed along numerous case files to federal authorities. Her information has led US forces abroad to locate Taliban cells in Afghanistan, discover a renegade stinger-missile merchant in Pakistan, and help another foreign government identify a ring of potential suicide bombers. She has also assisted in nabbing two domestic would-be terrorists and seen them both convicted of felonies: National guardsman Ryan Anderson received five concurrent life sentences, and Michael Reynolds, convicted in July and awaiting sentencing, faces a similar fate. Timothy Fuhrman, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City office, says Rossmiller was “instrumental in the successful outcome of those cases.”http://sfcmac.wordpress.com/2007/10/30/one-of-the-best-counter-terrorist-agents-is-a-suburban-housewife/
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