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Today, FEMA released the structure and ground rules for the media conference which Administrator David Paulison will participate in. The Twitter Media Conference on Monday, January 12th from 3:00 to 3:30 PM., titled, “FEMA In Focus: Where FEMA Was, Is Now, and Where FEMA Is Going”, is a part of an ongoing effort to use social media in emergency management.

The Congressional Research Service provides analysis of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and what they mean for U.S. interests abroad and counterterrorism policy.

At the present time, the Department has its component headquarters spread all over downtown DC while its top executive leadership, support offices and personnel operate out of facility that would probably make a North Korean prison camp look like a three-star hotel.

The FBI assesses that Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, which is well known to the U.S. Intelligence Community, remains a threat to U.S. interests in South Asia and, to a lesser extent, the U.S. Homeland.

What constitutes a suspicious incident in aviation today? This is the fundamental question that led to nine Muslim passengers being kicked off an Air Tran Airways flight on New Year’s Day.

FEMA Administrator David Paulison will hold a social media press conference through Twitter on Monday, January 12th at 3 PM. Mr. Paulison will communicate using FEMA’s Twitter account @FEMAinFocus, and will open the floor to questions after making a brief opening statement.

The Obama transition team leaks possibility of merging the Homeland Security Council with the National Security Council. In this New York Times article, Security Debrief’s Stewart Verdery endorses the idea while others raise concerns it could muddy focus on critical homeland security issues.

Al Jazeera has created a “Gaza Channel” on Twitter, which is says provides real-time updates on “all the latest developments on the violence in and around the Gaza Strip.”

I am guessing that a capable executive like Governor Napolitano will recognize quickly upon her confirmation that having multiple committees pulling the department in conflicting directions, and having senior officials spending an inordinate time testifying before and briefing multiple committees, is untenable.

ABC will air the first episode of “Homeland Security, USA,” which claims to offer “an unprecedented look at the agencies and people who protect our border.” The question is: can you make the story interesting enough without exposing the techniques and methodologies employed by law enforcement to that end – and thereby giving invaluable intelligence to the criminals and terrorists?

If you’re like me, you no doubt are back at work trying to get restarted on your ‘To Do’ list following the Holiday Break. While shaking off the fog, hustle and break from the office of the past several weeks, you may have missed some pretty big things that have occurred in the homeland security world. Some of these items will have some far reaching ramifications for the incoming Obama Administration as it takes the reigns of the federal government in just under three weeks.

British police have set up colour-coded maps online that show the levels of burglary, car crime, robbery and other offenses, and include charts showing whether crime is rising or falling, for local neighborhoods.

Panetta’s management skills can’t be questioned. As White House chief of staff, he held one of the toughest management jobs around. But the man has no background whatsoever in intelligence.

Implementing new cargo-scanning regulations that have questionable security value and will assuredly disrupt the global supply chain and further undermine American commerce, jobs and the economy at large seems like a remarkably bad idea.

Ten resolutions the United States should adopt for 2009 to make the country safer.