Short Takes – 9-2-23

Derailment Performance of DOT-117J Tank Cars. NTSB.gov investigation report. Pull quote: “The majority of the ethanol released leaked from tank car service equipment (such as manway covers and bottom outlet valves) that remained intact during the derailment but sustained damage from the pool fire. We found that the gaskets used in the service equipment were made of materials that are vulnerable to damage when exposed to fire. Using gaskets made of more thermally resistant materials would likely increase the survival time of tank cars exposed to fire and reduce the severity of hazardous material releases.”

Member Conference Call | September 26, 2023. CISA.gov NSTAC meeting summary. Summary of September 26^th, 2023, meeting.

It's official: Gaetz to force vote on McCarthy's speakership. Politico.com article. Pull quote: “Democratic leaders have stayed quiet so far about their own approach to the McCarthy ouster vote, waiting for Gaetz to make good on his promise to come after the speaker. Now that the gambit has become official, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will have to decide whether to push his members — particularly centrists who might be tempted to bail out McCarthy — to withhold their votes.”

Johnson Controls' attack on the heels of MGM and Caesars fuels speculation for a mega-disruption. InsideCyberWarefare.com article (subscription required). Pull quote: “Two back-to-back ransomware attacks against Caesar’s and MGM Resorts on September 10 and 13 respectively have insiders worrying that these attacks might have been test beds for much more ambitious ransomware attacks that are in the works against the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix (Nov 16-18) and/or Super Bowl LVIII (Feb 11, 2024) at Allegiant Stadium.”