Short Takes – 3-28-23

Russian gamers race to prevent nuclear ‘war’. CNN.com article. A small dose of FUD. Pull quote: “It’s complete fantasy; just an interactive game hosted in a building in a former industrial area of the city, harking back to the fears of the Cold War.

“But amid the current tensions with Russia, in which potential nuclear confrontation with the West has again been raised, it feels a little unsettling.”

Republicans’ best hope for Wisconsin Senate is a Trump critic. Politico.com article. Pull quote: “Wisconsin Republicans close to the congressman describe him as “whip smart,” but also “incredibly risk averse” and “extremely deliberative,” sometimes to a point where he’s slow to make decisions. They expect him, however, to likely leave the House after his current or following term in Congress, given his push early in his congressional career to limit House members to six terms in office.”

Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award. Federal Register Education 30-Day ICR Notice. Summary: “The Executive Order on America's Cybersecurity Workforce (Executive Order 13870), signed on May 2, 2019, included a directive for the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the DAPHSCT and the National Science Foundation, to develop and implement an annual Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award to be presented to one elementary and one secondary school educator per year who best instill skills, knowledge, and passion with respect to cybersecurity and cybersecurity-related subjects.” Comments due April 27^th, 2023.

Increasing Public Access to the Results of USDOT-Funded Transportation Research. Federal Register, DOT request for information. Background: “On August 25, 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a memorandum entitled “Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research” << https://www.whitehouse.gov/​wp-content/​uploads/​2022/​08/​08-2022-OSTP-Public-Access-Memo.pdf >> which establishes new guidance for improving public access to scholarly publications and data resulting from Federally supported research. This second OSTP memorandum calls on all Federal Departments and Agencies to prepare new or updated Public Access plans to ensure the Public's immediate access to the results of Federally funded research, which will further advance research transparency and advance U.S. economic competitiveness by raising awareness of new research discoveries and innovations.”

Comments in Aid of Analyses of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program. Federal Register, Treasury request for information. Summary: “The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 (TRIA) created the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program (Program) to address disruptions in the market for terrorism risk insurance, to help ensure the continued availability and affordability of commercial property and casualty insurance for terrorism risk, and to allow for the private markets to stabilize and build insurance capacity to absorb any future losses for terrorism events. The Secretary of the Treasury (Secretary) administers the Program, with the assistance of the Federal Insurance Office (FIO). Treasury requests comments from interested parties regarding some of the issues that FIO will be analyzing in connection with its next report related to the participation of small insurers in the Program, including any competitive challenges such insurers face in the terrorism risk insurance marketplace.”

What’s next in cybersecurity. TechnologyReview.com article. Lots of interesting stuff. Pull quote: “Moreover, Ukraine, under the leadership of  Zhora and his cybersecurity agency, has been working on its cyber defenses for years, and it has received support from the international community since the war started, according to experts. Finally, an interesting twist in the conflict on the internet between Russia and Ukraine was the rise of the decentralized, international cyber coalition known as the IT Army, which scored some significant hacks, showing  that war in the future can also be fought by hacktivists.”

War on cow gas is stinky but necessary job in climate-change struggle. Reuters.com article. Pull quote: “The current regulatory push could also have some negative consequences. ‘Cow fart’ taxes will make New Zealand’s milk exports more expensive, driving consumer goods companies and retailers to seek cheaper supplies from countries like Saudi Arabia, which emits even more methane. Closing down farms will also kick small players out of a fragmented farming market.”

Did a Norfolk Southern Train Take a ‘Spill’? ChemicalProcessing.com article. Pull quote: ““Might I point out that for all the attention paid to vinyl chloride in this accident, none of those cars breached in the derailment?  There was only an issue when the decision was made to empty them and burn the material in the open air, a decision that others might have made differently.””