Sandia scientist and lawsuit:
http://scienceblog.com/74074/former-sandia-scientist-pleads-guilty-taking-government-property-china/#fFdBB0kcTSVsrRkp.97
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
More cyber intrusions
More cyber intrusions at the "for-profit" federal organization tasks with doing clearances! The latest one targeted employees of DHS. What a mess:
Official says hackers hit up to 25,000 fed workers
Aug 22, 7:16 PM (ET) By STEPHEN BRAUN
WASHINGTON (AP) — The internal records of as many as 25,000 Homeland Security Department employees were exposed during a recent computer break-in at a federal contractor that handles security clearances, an agency official said Friday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an incident that is under active federal criminal investigation, said the number of victims could be greater. The department was informing employees whose files were exposed in the hacking against contractor USIS and warning them to monitor their financial accounts.
Earlier this month, USIS acknowledged the break-in, saying its internal cybersecurity team had detected what appeared to be an intrusion with "all the markings of a state-sponsored attack." Neither USIS nor government officials have speculated on the identity of the foreign government. A USIS spokeswoman reached Friday declined to comment on the DHS notifications.
apnews.myway.com/article/20140822/ us--security_clearances-hacking -3bd5aa797f.html
Official says hackers hit up to 25,000 fed workers
Aug 22, 7:16 PM (ET) By STEPHEN BRAUN
WASHINGTON (AP) — The internal records of as many as 25,000 Homeland Security Department employees were exposed during a recent computer break-in at a federal contractor that handles security clearances, an agency official said Friday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an incident that is under active federal criminal investigation, said the number of victims could be greater. The department was informing employees whose files were exposed in the hacking against contractor USIS and warning them to monitor their financial accounts.
Earlier this month, USIS acknowledged the break-in, saying its internal cybersecurity team had detected what appeared to be an intrusion with "all the markings of a state-sponsored attack." Neither USIS nor government officials have speculated on the identity of the foreign government. A USIS spokeswoman reached Friday declined to comment on the DHS notifications.
apnews.myway.com/article/20140822/ us--security_clearances-hacking -3bd5aa797f.html
Friday, August 22, 2014
Fired Los Alamos nuclear expert files appeal
Fired Los Alamos nuclear expert files appeal
Center for Public Integrity - August 22nd
A former Los Alamos nuclear policy expert has filed an appeal in a whistleblower case to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, arguing that the Energy Department had abused its power to label documents secret and retaliated against him for expressing his views.
James E. Doyle was fired July 8 after spending 18 months trying to force Los Alamos officials to reverse their ruling that an article he published in a foreign journal, which questioned the rationale for nuclear deterrence, had disclosed state secrets. The Center for Public Integrity first reported on Doyle's case last month...
news.yahoo.com/ fired-los-alamos-nuclear-expert-090000252.html
Center for Public Integrity - August 22nd
A former Los Alamos nuclear policy expert has filed an appeal in a whistleblower case to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, arguing that the Energy Department had abused its power to label documents secret and retaliated against him for expressing his views.
James E. Doyle was fired July 8 after spending 18 months trying to force Los Alamos officials to reverse their ruling that an article he published in a foreign journal, which questioned the rationale for nuclear deterrence, had disclosed state secrets. The Center for Public Integrity first reported on Doyle's case last month...
news.yahoo.com/ fired-los-alamos-nuclear-expert-090000252.html
Energy secretary finally states the obvious at WIPP
Albuquerque Journal - Editorial
August 19, 2014
After months of the congressional delegation and the Gov. Susana Martinez administration asking, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz made time last week to visit the nation’s only underground nuclear waste disposal facility – still closed after two serious safety breaches in February. It may be several years before it reopens.
At a town hall in Carlsbad, Moniz attempted to reassure Waste Isolation Pilot Plant workers and members of the community of how important the facility really is to the U.S. government. Well, the people of southeastern New Mexico knew that, but the U.S. Department of Energy hasn’t been acting like it is convinced or it would have made sure:
* That the 29-year-old salt mining truck that caught fire on Feb. 5 in the 2,150-foot-deep mine had been properly maintained and had a working fire suppression system.
* That its Carlsbad Field Office had corrected long-running problems related to nuclear safety, maintenance and emergency management.
* That it had provided better oversight of the field office and the WIPP contractor.
In other words, that it had paid better attention.
The cherry on top of this sundae of neglect was that the DOE gave the WIPP contractor a nearly $2 million bonus for exemplary performance just five days after the truck fire and just four days before the radiation leak, even though investigations into the incidents show deficiencies that go back years.
The safety breaches represent unprecedented warning signs. When it comes to the federal government, just what does it take not to get a bonus?
All along, DOE officials blindly held that a radiation leak couldn’t happen, putting the odds of such an accident at one chance in 10,000 to one in 1 million during any given year of WIPP operations.
Now nearly six months after the Feb. 15 radiation leak, Moniz tells New Mexico, “This is really an absolutely core facility for the country,” getting it back online is “a very high priority” and “safety has to be the driver” of that recovery.
Indeed. Secretary Moniz should make sure that happens – and that oversight is given a higher priority.
Experiences with LLNS Staff Relations?
- Experiences with LLNS Staff Relations?
How would you rate the new Staff Relations Division Leader and how does she compare to Bob (retired) in terms of objectivity, patience, or work style? Be constructive please.
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Anonymous said...
- I'm not being rude....I didn't know we had a new SRDL.
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Anonymous said...
- Bob retired from Staff Relations nearly a year ago.
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Anonymous said...
- Bob Perks was a lamb compare to Jennifer S. This woman lies to
her teeth. She hides her claws and fangs very well, until you have a
complaint against the lab. I had personal experience with her. She only
works for the lab. Fortunately I was well represented by the SPSE and
won the case. This shows that the LLNL nowadays only can afford to have a
lawyer without integrity to deal with its employees.
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Anonymous said...
- I didn't agree with Bob on most matters involving LLNS policy and
employment practices but he was approachable, polite, and professional.
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Anonymous said...
- You're not being rude for not knowing there was a "new" Staff Relations Division Leader. It's because the position was never posted!! It was just given to Szutu. Of course, that's o.k. if you are a lawyer, because Lawyers don't have to follow the rules. Where was HR and why do they condone and allow this type of activity?
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
From fission to fusion
Yale's Jason Parisi thinks fusion power may provide the answer for clean, safe energy.
Best,
Janice
From fission to fusion: http://thebulletin.
Janice Sinclaire
Internet Outreach Coordinator
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
1155 East 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
U.S.A.
T. 707.481.9372
F. 773.980.6932
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What is the value added of bringing in a new contractor to manage LLNL by ending the LLNS contract ASAP? Without exclusive UC management of LLNL, would we be better or worse off with another LLC? Be specific please.
August 26, 2014 at 8:26 PM"
Yes, as long as the for profit companies make sure certain ex-DOE employees get get lucrative jobs in the end. Will congress see this as a problem? No because they too want to get on on the big money by working for corporations. Everyone is seeing the end name and wants to make as much as they can before the whole thing goes down. They know this system cannot and will not last and they are hoping to be the last ones before the end.