Saturday Night and Into Sunday Musings and "News on the Run"

What a stunningly beautiful day today was...warm enough to wear a light spring jacket, temperatures well up into the 40's.  Wish I had had the time to enjoy more of it in an outdoor kind of a way, but was just not to be. Mean time, we had all best enough the respite from winter, as the weather forecast is calling for a dusting of snow overnight, and colder temperatures returning over the next couple of days.

It's sad going into Uccelli's Restaurant at just after seven on a Saturday night and see no one in there dining.  One has to wonder what the future holds, one has to hope that spring brings a larger crowd.

Saturday/Sunday "News on the Run"

The kiss of death?  Hermann Cain endorses Newt Gingrich...seriously, is that an endorsement Newt really wants?  Thinking here is Herman Cain really wants Gingrich to win that he should have taken his endorsement and given it to Mitt Romney.  GO HOME PIZZA MAN.

Police arrest over 300 Occupy Movement protesters in Oakland as American Flag is burned on the steps of City Hall.  Again, the Oakland Police used overwhelming force (POLICE BRUTALITY) to control those legally exercising their "First Amendement Rights".  The exasperated mayor accused the protesters of using Oakland as their playground...here is a clue Ms. Jean Quan...these protesters are NOT PLAYING, but are very serious in calling for change, in demanding that the one percent are no longer catered to by politicians, and local police departments. 

Oakland Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente, echoed Reid's sentiments and said that what was going on amounts to "domestic terrorism."   Domestic Terrorism?  Curious, what do you call it when corporations and our government oppress tens of millions of Americans in the name of GREED?  Lets look at the definition of terrorism:

1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.

2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.

3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

Police used tear gas, the police used intimadation, the police shot projectiles at citizens...just who is using violence and threats to intimadate. and who wants to BREAK THE BACK OF THE MOVEMENT for Political Purposes? 

 Rick Santorum has cancelled his campaign stops in Florida to be by his daughter Bella's side, as she has been admitted to the hospital.  Bella suffers from Trisomy 18, a genetic condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 18th chromosome...most children with this condition rarely live more than one week.  Our prayers are with Rich and his family.

Should Yoga be regulated?  There is zero government regulation of Yoga, no formal licensing requirements for those teaching it.  Problem is, people can get hurt through improper teachings...so, the question is, has the time come to require formal training and licensing of Yoga instructors, rather than letting the market and the Yoga industry to self police?  Yoga is a great and wonderful thing, but as they used to say on "Hill Street Blues", "Let's be careful out there."

Hacktivists...Beware of US Army Cyber Command

The news is racing through the ether's of cyberspace...The Department of Homeland Security is monitoring our Social Media Communications, basically infringing upon our "civil rights", threatening our "Freedom of Speech".  That news from my perspective is no news at all, it is something we all knew, or at least expected. Perhaps more alarming to hacktivists should be the US Army Cyber Command which was founded in 2010.  some "Cyber Security" experts have labeled 2012 as the year of the "Cyber War".

If one reads the McAfee  Report which forecasts cyber threats in 2012 you find disturbing ideas that require further scrutiny...for instance, would like to see the Pentagon report wherein our military says it will treat cyberspace as an "Operational Domain."  Included in said report, though little was made of it is a hint that the Department of Defense is creating a new doctrine that will highlight how the United States military will retaliate for a cyberattack, and one has to pose the question, "Will our military look to make a public demonstration of their doctrine by using our military might to go after say members of Anonymous?

(Reuters) - The Defense Department unveiled a new strategy for protecting military computer networks from hackers on Thursday, designating cyberspace as an "operational domain" U.S. forces will be trained to defend.

When you have determined individuals publishing attack codes, one can understand the worry that our military has...I mean it is their duty to protect America's corporate assets right?  God forbid that online protests using DoS are successful in shutting down say Mastercard or PayPals servers for awhile. Herein is the crux of that slippery slope...is the Pentagon's plans to make cyberspace a "Operational Domain" planned to protect military web portals and servers, or will said plans, and the force of the military be deployed to protect corporate interests and stifle free speech?  

Groups all over the world including our own "Occupy Movement" here in America use the internet, social media as an organizational tool to get their information out...could and would the United States Military shut down certain sites, or limit access in the name of "National Security"?  When one considers the new military vision for the future, when one realizes that the Pentagon sees a future where they use military assets to aid the Department of Homeland Security, the scary answer has too be yes, and in that yes is the very startling reality that our own American Democracy is now under attack from within, our military and the Department of Homeland Security threatening our civil liberties in the name of keeping us safe.

Army Cyber's Creed is a bit Scary

Cyber is not just a network. We operate in a contested environment which therefore makes it critical to improve our defense systems. These key defensive positions are manned by our Soldiers, civilians and contractors who need support to maintain the immediate tactical edge and expand strategic boundaries.
Network dominance is an integral part of the cyber fight – today and tomorrow. Cyber threats demand new approaches to managing information, securing information, and ensuring our ability to operate. Cyberspace is on par with the other war-fighting domains of land, sea, air and space. It is in cyberspace that we must use our strategic vision to dominate the information environment throughout interdependencies and independent systems.

The U.S. Army Cyber Command/2nd Army's breadth of responsibility spans the entire Army and the entire world - from the tactical edge to the strategic enterprise-level or national levels. Traditional boundaries no longer exist and anonymous attacks can occur literally at near light speed over fiber optic networks. Our enemies will deny the freedom of movement on our networks and use whatever they can from wherever in the world they are to gain advantage.

Army Cyber Command/2nd Army plans, coordinates, integrates, synchronizes, directs, and conducts network operations and defense of all Army networks; when directed, conducts cyberspace operations in support of full spectrum operations to ensure U.S./Allied freedom of action in cyberspace, and to deny the same to our adversaries. The total command strength will exceed 21,000 Soldiers and civilians and will be funded from within existing fiscal resources.

Cyber Command is composed of a professional team of elite warriors defending Army networks and providing full spectrum cyber, enabling mission command and providing global advantage! The cyber war fighting requires impact, integration, risk, and knowing ourselves, the enemy, and the cyber terrain.

We are the Army leader in operating, maintaining, and defending the network.