Director of Homeland Security at the Center for American Progress Action Fund P.J. Crowley says that we must figure out how dangerous al-Qaida is right now. (0:54) Share This Less

Former Assistant to President Bush on Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Frances Townsend says that communication between the government and citizens must me modified. (1:05) Share This Less

Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) explains how terrorists have a history of striking at times of governmental transitions (0:31). Share This Less

The Department of Homeland security plans on using counter intelligence to preemptively stop cyber attacks. (0:15) Share This Less

Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Paul A. Schneider says that the government has the right to monitor those who try to gain access to their networks. (0:23) Share This Less

Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Paul A. Schneider says that the government has the right to monitor those who try to gain access to their networks. (0:23) Share This Less

Daily TIPs, Cybersecurity, greenhouse gases Neil Savage wrote: No Honor Among Internet Thieves Even phishers—people who fake legitimate-seeming sites to trick people out of their financial information—are subject to phishing attacks, according to the Wall Street Journal. Apparently more seasoned scam artists are targeting newbie hackers and stealing the same credit card numbers they steal. For instance, they’ll sell would-be criminals software to set up a fake bank website, and then get their own copy of all the information the website collects. Homeland Security Chief Talks of Cyber Threats Fearing online attacks that could compromise intelligence information or shut down utilities, the government is taking an increased interest in cybersecurity, head of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff says. Wired has a long and varied interview with Chertoff that also touches on the issue, currently percolating in the blogosphere, of border guards seizing laptops from travelers. Group Promotes Cybersecurity for Next President A private organization is looking for ways the government can make cyberspace more secure. The Commission on Cyber Security for the 44th Presidency, a group organized by a Washington think tank, is working on recommendations it can make to the next president. CNET News reports that four members of the commission discussed some of their work at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas this week. Ethanol Demand May Pose Health Risk In a somewhat round-about way, the increasing demand for ethanol from corn may be leading to an increased risk of lead poisoning in children, some researchers warn. An article in the American Chemical Society’s journal Environmental Science and Technology points out that ethanol demand, as well as increasing demands for food from emerging economies, are driving the demand for phosphates used in fertilizers. Those same phosphates are added to water supplies to prevent lead pipes from corroding, and a shortage could mean more of the metal in drinking water, where it can harm children’s cognitive development. California Company Captures Carbon for Concrete A California company, Calera, has developed a process in which it captures the carbon dioxide emitted by a natural-gas-burning power plant, pumps it through seawater, and produces the materials needed to make cement. Normally the process of making cement releases at least a ton of carbon dioxide for every ton of cement, but the company says it captures half a ton of C02 for each ton of cement it makes, according to Scientific American. Since cement and its sister material, concrete, are widely used in buildings all over the world, such a change could have a significant impact on global warming. UN Wants to Tighten Carbon Offset Rules The United Nations wants to make sure its system of trading carbon credits actually results in a reduction of the greenhouse gas. Under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism, companies can buy the right to emit more carbon into the atmosphere by purchasing carbon offsets, which fund projects that reduce carbon emissions elsewhere. The International Herald Tribune reports that the UN wants to make sure any reductions are a direct result of the purchasing system, and aren’t just from projects that would have gone ahead without the incentive. Computer Giants Have Their Heads in the Cloud The current high-tech flavor of the month is cloud computing, in which applications and computing power run on remote machines that don’t necessarily belong to the user, saving time and expense. Technology Review tells us that Intel, Yahoo, and HP, along with research groups in Illinois, Germany, and Singapore, have formed a cloud computing initiative. The aim is to develop an Internet-based infrastructure that is stable enough to host companies’ more critical data processing tasks. IKEA to Offer Cleantech Products It’s not just bookcases and build-it-yourself credenzas for Swedish furniture store IKEA anymore. As the Cleantech Group reports, IKEA plans to invest in clean energy startups over the next five years to the tune of 50 million euros (about $77 million). Its goal is to eventually start selling cleantech technology, including smart meters and solar panels, in its stores. No word on whether solar panel installation requires more than that little wrench thingie. Daily TIPs (technology, innovation, policy) is produced in collaboration with Comments | Permalink | Share |  E-mail Less

The Feds Are Trying to Deport Slick Rick Again by Davey D Friday October 19 2006: We caught up with Slick Rick the Ruler this afternoon and talked with him about the new campaign hatched by the US Gov’t, INS and Hmeland Security to deport him from the US. This case is ususual because Rick th laws being applied to him are retroactive. In other words, Rick served 3 yars in jail 16 years ago and has been clean as a whistle ever since. Because of new INS Immigration laws, Rick finds himself under the threat of being deported to a country (the UK) he hasn’t lived in since he was 11. He breaks down the sordid detals of this case Also joining us are Rick’s attorney Alex out of Miami and veteran publicist Bill Adler. They give us the full run down of this very strange and twisted case and the long term implications it will have not only for Rick but for other immigrants. You won’t believe your ears. Less