Only two months ago, Erroll Southers withdrew his name from nomination for TSA Administrator. His withdrawal came after months of waiting, with holds placed on his confirmation for various reasons; largely, because of the much-debated issue of collective bargaining rights for TSA employees. Recently, he made a move to the private sector.
At the most recent in the excellent Federal Computer Week/Juniper Networks series of cyber discussion breakfasts, Alan Paller gave us a wake up call. He said the biggest problem was that we have tilted the entire tech world to the point where the “talkers” appeared to be of more value than the “doers.” The talkers get paid more than the technicians. Paller likened it to a system that would pay doctors less than you do the guy who is the hospital manager.
White House details ethics agreement with TSA nominee – GovExec
The White House on Tuesday described in detail the steps it is taking to ensure that President Obama’s choice to head the Transportation Security Administration does not have a conflict of interest related to his past business dealings.
On Tuesday, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano halted further funding for SBInet, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program designed to create a virtual fence of sensors and cameras along the U.S.-Mexico border. This may be one of those confusing acts of alleged fiscal responsibility that is applauded by liberals and panned by conservatives. Given the current Administration’s previously established anti-enforcement tactics, this most recent scheme may be too much for a public disinclined to trust Washington with immigration reform.
In what was one of his typically colorful appearances, ret. US Army LTG Russel Honore, the famed “Ragin Cajun” of Hurricane Katrina fame did not disappoint the assembled audience of the 4th Annual DHS University Network Summit. Before a packed hotel ballroom of PhDs, graduate students, DHS S&T leaders, industry reps and more, Honore dropped one-liners and candid, colorful observations that literally had the audience roaring in laughter. Amidst the laughter though were some very frank observations about our nation’s preparedness and overall resilience posture.
We often talk about cyber threats in different ways. Some speak of them based on who the bad guys are: hackers, terrorists, cyber criminals or nation states. Others use the bad guys’ technical approach as a means to define them: SQL injection, Memory Scrappers, DDoS Attacks, etc. A third way, one based on distance from targets, was used by Steven Chabinsky of the FBI recently in several venues. I think it adds to the depth of our analysis, and bring to the fore some key areas that are often overlooked.
Contest to organize airport screeners heats up – Government Executive
The American Federation of Government Employees on Tuesday announced progress on its petition to hold a unionization election at the Transportation Security Administration. But the rival National Treasury Employees Union remains close behind AFGE in the race to represent airport screeners exclusively, according to its leader.
There is a comforting feeling in attending a meeting with the National Emergency Managers Association (NEMA). You are literally surrounded by some of the world’s best and brightest emergency managers in the public and private sectors. Probably no where else in the world could you assemble the talent, experience, and character in one room and fulfill the Allstate marketing adage of “you’re in good hands.” Such was my experience last weekend at NEMA’s annual mid-year conference in Alexandria, VA.
By Julie Myers Wood and Dawn Lurie
A recent report conducted on behalf of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by Westat highlighted what some employers using E-Verify know all too well – when unauthorized workers roll the dice and try to get a job, far too often the E-Verify system lets them win. The report estimates that the inaccuracy rate for unauthorized workers on E-Verify is 54 percent. 54 percent! Those are incredibly tempting odds for those seeking employment. Considering all of the improvements made to the E-Verify system over the past two years, this report is disappointing but will surely serve as a motivator for the government to place additional focus on the number of false positives passing through the system.
Kerry Frustrated By Pace Of Smart Grid – Tech Daily Dose
Senate Commerce Communications, Technology, and the Internet Subcommittee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., expressed “frustration” Tuesday that the Obama administration has not moved fast enough to build out the country’s electricity infrastructure.
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