Short Takes – 12-1-22

Lockheed Martin's Army cyber training platform goes civilian. TheRegister.com article. Not much detail. Pull quote: “MR2 is also able to synchronize data between the military's segmented classified and non-classified communication networks and "allows cyber operators to get a full view of capability and skill levels across the entire workforce, removing the need to consult multiple systems and networks," Lockheed Martin said.”

Senate GOP battles over spending strategy. TheHill.com article. Update with little change. Pull quote: “McConnell on Tuesday made his opinion publicly clear in the fight, saying there was “widespread agreement” among himself, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Democratic leaders on the need to pass an omnibus spending bill.”

Friends to the left of him, critics to the right: McCarthy's stuck in the chase. Politico.com article. Republican squabbles in the House. Pull quote: “Five Republicans so far are threatening to oppose McCarthy in that vote, a number that’s possibly enough to derail him given the slim GOP majority next year. But other GOP lawmakers have grown increasingly frustrated as those conservatives decline to float a viable alternate candidate, with some predicting that McCarthy’s foes don’t have a fallback plan or any possible consensus pick.”

Whistleblower Reports of Lax Cybersecurity Expected to Rise. WSJ.com article. Pull quote: “Whistleblowing can be lucrative for those who take the risks to do so. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, for instance, can award 10% to 30% of the money collected from successful cases to those who provide significant support. The agency said it gave out about $229 million in 103 awards last year, and has received more than 12,300 tips reporting potential wrongdoing so far this year.”

It’s Costing Peanuts for the US to Defeat Russia. Cepa.org article. “Second, the war has served to destroy the myth that Russian military technology is somehow comparable to that of the US and West. Remember that Ukraine is using only upgraded second generation US technology but is consistently beating whatever Russia’s military can deploy. Wars are shop windows for defense manufacturers; any buyer in their right mind will want the technology made by the winner. Putin’s misjudgment has merely provided a fantastic marketing opportunity for its Western competitors.”

College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams in 2024 after Rose Bowl backs down. TheAthletic.com article. “The six highest-ranked FBS champions will be guaranteed access to the Playoff, and the remaining six spots will go to the best at-large teams. The top four seeds will receive first-round byes, and Nos. 5-8 will host on-campus games for the first round. The rest of the rounds will be played at bowl sites.” More chances for Alabama to make it to the Championship Game (GRIN).

U. S. to Pay Millions to Move Tribes Threatened by Climate Change. NYTimes article. Pull quote: “The project, funded by the Interior Department, is an acknowledgment that a growing number of places around the United States can no longer be protected against changes brought by a warming planet. The spending is meant to create a blueprint for the federal government to help other communities, Native as well as nontribal, move away from vulnerable areas, officials said.”