Close encounters of the tornado kind
I've only seen one tornado in my life and never anything as close as what we experienced tonight. We were in the car and managed to get ourselves out of the way of one that was about 300 yards away from us tonight. We literally circled around it and worked our way behind it only to see tires, construction debris, and porta-potties that had been tossed around. Intense experience!
Note: I didn't take this picture. We were much closer than this!
Al Qaeda's Geek
Congrats to the folks within the U.S. intelligence community. Turns out the cyber component of this arrest was the most significant.
The unannounced capture of a figure from Al Qaeda in Pakistan several weeks ago led the Central Intelligence Agency to the rich lode of information that prompted the terror alert on Sunday, according to senior American officials. The figure, Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan, was described by a Pakistani intelligence official as a 25-year-old computer engineer, arrested July 13, who had used and helped to operate a secret Qaeda communications system where information was transferred via coded messages.
A senior United States official would not confirm or deny that Mr. Khan had been the Qaeda figure whose capture led to the information. But the official said "documentary evidence" found after the capture had demonstrated in extraordinary detail that Qaeda members had for years conducted sophisticated and extensive reconnaissance of the financial institutions cited in the warnings on Sunday.
One senior American intelligence official said the information was more detailed and precise than any he had seen during his 24-year career in intelligence work. A second senior American official said it had provided a new window into the methods, content and distribution of Qaeda communications.
"This, for us, is a potential treasure trove," said a third senior American official, an intelligence expert, at a briefing for reporters on Sunday afternoon.
The documentary evidence, whose contents were reported urgently to Washington on Friday afternoon, immediately elevated the significance of other intelligence information gathered in recent weeks that had already been regarded as highly troubling, senior American intelligence officials said. Much of that information had come from Qaeda detainees in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia as well as Pakistan, and some had also pointed to a possible attack on financial institutions, senior American intelligence officials
said.
The American officials said the new evidence had been obtained only after the capture of the Qaeda figure. Among other things, they said, it demonstrated that Qaeda plotters had begun casing the buildings in New York, Newark and Washington even before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Among the questions the plotters sought to answer, senior American intelligence officials said, were how best to gain access to the targeted buildings; how many people might be at the sites at different hours and on different days of the week; whether a hijacked oil tanker truck could serve as an effective weapon; and how large an explosive device might be required to bring the buildings down.
Keep your finger off the trigger...we're only at Code Yellow
As the Democratic National Convention opens Monday, the city of Boston will be under an unprecedented $60 million security curtain. Federal agents have inspected manholes, welding them shut for safety. Mailboxes and most trash cans have been removed from businesses around the FleetCenter, where more than 4,300 delegates and 15,000 members of the media will gather for four days. Interstate 93, the main highway on which traffic flows in and out of the city, will be closed during convention hours because it passes within 10 feet of the convention site. About 40 miles of roads will be closed in total. Full Story
The New Face of Terrorism?
A lot has been written, broadcast and discussed regarding Annie Jacobsen's recent piece for WomensWallStreet.Com recounting her recent experience on a flight from Detroit to Los Angeles. Jacobsen expressed sincere concern regarding the activity of several Syrian passengers on the flight she was on and her disbelief that they were, as described by authorities, a music group. Additional research has been conducted, including an accounting for which musicians were on the flight. If you've read the original account, you ought to read this follow-up article.
Upgrading Experience
I decided to upgrade my Apple Powerbook from the 12in model to the 15in one. Thus far, I am extremely impressed with how great this machine is. I've owned laptops from all the major manufacturers and this one is simply the best. In addition, they were running a special on iPods that allowed me to pick up a Gen4 model with the academic discount and a $200 rebate. You do the math.
Thinking Defensively
This is an article that was done last year by the Alumni magazine for Saint Michael's College. The article is available in PDF format. Download Devost-SMC.pdf
Failure of Imagination
Given I've briefed the term "Failure of Imagination" to thousands of people in over 100 presentations in the past couple of years, I thought it might be important to note the original source. Other things I heard that I agree with "America is safer but not safe" and "It is time to focus on need to share, instead of need to know".
New Book is Out
If you were drawn here basd on my cyber security and information terrorism material, you would probably enjoy my latest book. Copies are on their way to Amazon, so ORDERS should be shipped soon. Please feel free to let me know what you think!
Save the summer!
In talking with my parents and others on the Canadian border, I am amazed to hear the impact this is having on the local economy and the tourism industry. I am also amazed at the complete lack of attention from U.S. government to remedy the situation. What am I talking about? Visit RAISE THE CAP! for more information.
Hockey bonding
There is something about watching hockey with a three year old that lends magic to the game. Amazingly, my daughter comprehends the basics of the game. Since she ice skates on Sundays, she can relate to the flow of the game and the concept of scoring is not lost on her, nor are the many penalties of the game where players go to "time out" for being bad and tripping or fighting. It has been well worth the extended hour past her bed-time to share a period or two of hockey with her over popcorn.
I also had the opportunity to watch "Miracle" last night with my brother-in-law. It was a great movie and brought back lots of memories from the days of college hockey practices in the early morning and late on Saturday nights. Herb Brooks was fantastically played by Kurt Russell, from his early break-down of the individual personalities to create a team, down to his inspiring pre-USSR game lockerroom speech...."Great moments are born from great opportunity. Great opportunity is what you have here tonight. Nine games out of ten, they will beat us, but not tonight." Great stuff.