Lieberman bill would give Feds ability to take over computer networks if there's an imminent threat

Whee! I'm sure there will be zero mission creep on this one.

Let's take a look at the current 'threat level', shall we? It's currently yellow, the second highest of a five level scale. Has it ever been in the bottom two values since 9/11? I doubt it. Will it ever be in the bottom two levels? I doubt it. There's too much profit, both $$$ and political, to be made by keeping the populace afraid.

This bill is to ensure that "critical infrastructure" will remain up during an emergency. WE ALREADY DO THAT. I've worked in government for over 15 years in several different agencies, AND WE HAVE THOSE PLANS IN PLACE. Whether or not they would work is another question entirely and not easily tested without serious operation disruption. But how could the Feds effectively swoop in and take over our network effectively? They don't know passwords, they don't know architecture, they don't know valid users, they don't know valid services. They don't know ANYTHING about our configuration.

What could possibly go wrong?

Could you imagine if your network were running something like Plan 9 or was totally mainframe based? They wouldn't have a clue.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/06/lieberman-bill-gives-feds-emergency-powers-to-secure-civilian-net/

http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/06/03/038203/Bill-Gives-Feds-Emergency-Powers-To-Secure-Civilian-Nets

Oil plume from the Gulf spill likely to spread in to the Atlantic and up the eastern seaboard

This is a computer model and hasn't been peer-reviewed yet. It demonstrates a virtual die and shows how it could spread based on modeling of loop currents connecting to Atlantic flows. The oil could go up to North Carolina at a rate of 100 miles a day before it hits the eastern flow into the Atlantic.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/gulf-oil-could-spread-to-atlantic-coast/

Iran offers naval protection for the next attempt to run Israel's blockade of Gaza

What a mess. Well, Israel and Iran have both been itching for a shooting war, this could very well give it to them. And then we might find out if either or both of them have nukes.

They had a great piece re: Glenn Beck on The Daily Show last week. It seems that Beck showed footage of the Israeli commando assault on the flotilla, in international waters, and Beck claimed that it was exclusive footage and that 'no other network would show it.' Meanwhile, before and after his show, that same footage was aired on CBS, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, and PBS. Fact checkers: a useful thing.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/06/gaza-blockade-iran-aid-convoy