Republican Bill Would Expand Use Of Private Airport Screeners – HSToday
Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee introduced a bill Friday to expand the use of private screeners at US airports that choose to hire a commercial company rather than rely on the federal workforce of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since the BP Oil Spill occurred. There are a lot of important voices to be heard, but for me, the most important one comes from the man who led the months-long response efforts, Admiral Thad Allen, the former Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
By Doug Doan
The FDA has decided to start monitoring the radiation levels of Japanse Exports. No doubt the announcement was carefully constructed to make Americans feel better about the food they eat, while simultaneously reminding everyone that the FDA is on the job of food safety. It might just work too. Most Americans, have absolutely no idea how products are screening at our various Ports of Entry before they enter the United States. But for anyone that has been around a bit, the FDA announcement can only be viewed with intense skepticism.
Last week, I wrote about the two main tribes that face off against each other when we discuss or try to do cybersecurity. These are the Wooly Headed Wonks and the Propeller Headed Geeks. But if the Wonks are mainly lawyers and political science/international relations types, there is a sub-tribe of behavioral social scientists. America and her allies have the people to deal with the challenges of cybersecurity; we simply need to get them all in harness and pulling together.
The TSA is still engaged in a game of intellectual Twister, bending every which way to meet an impossible congressional mandate that it enforce the screening of 100 percent of all cargo — domestic as well as international. The new suggested deadline shoots for all inbound cargo to be screened by December. God bless the TSA for continuing in its creative efforts to meet the mandate without undermining security, provoking allies and clogging commerce.
The vast expansion of mobile computing capabilities and usage has enormous benefits but down sides as well. Most folks fail to understand that their smart phones and tablets are every bit as much computers as their laptops, and they are just as vulnerable to attack and exploitation. The bad guys have always targeted what was easy or what was lucrative. PC’s are easy; smart phones are lucrative.
Congressman John Mica used a recently updated GAO report to claim that TSA has “cooked the books” when it comes to comparing costs under the Screening Partnership Program. When Administrator Pistole is testifies before the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, members should ask Pistole some questions to clarify his decision on SPP.
IATA calls for intelligent approach to air cargo security – Flightglobal
Improving the security of air cargo consignments must not be achieved at the cost of crippling the industry, says IATA.
Washington’s Cyber Security landscape has two tribes. One is the Wooly Headed Wonks. This tribe’s members are into policy, law and regulations. The other tribe is the Propeller Headed Geeks. This tribe’s members are scientists, computer engineers and software architects. The growing cyber threat that we all face is such that the two groups MUST learn to cooperate. If they do not, we are in big trouble.
TSA-Friendly Sneakers Cash In on Security Theater – Gadget Lab
Airport “security” theater may be sickeningly pointless, but this stealthy introduction to a police state brings certain commercial advantages to those willing to cash in. First, it was the baggie makers that got rich. Then, it was the turn of laptop bag and sleeve manufacturers. Now its the turn of sneaker makers.
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