Short Takes – 11-21-23

A mysterious illness is sickening dogs in several states. Some are dying. WashingtonPost.com article. Pull quote: ““I would strongly recommend that people avoid boarding facilities, doggy day care, anything that’s going to be a high volume of dogs in a space,” Ganzer said. “I know it’s going to be hard with the holidays coming up, but trying to find somebody that will come to your house and take care of your dog is a better option.”” According to the article the currently affected States are: Colorado, Rhode Island, Oregon, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

NASA's 'flawless' heat shield demo passes the test. Phys.org article. Pull quote: “Also known as a Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) aeroshell, this technology could allow larger spacecraft to safely descend through the atmospheres of celestial bodies like Mars, Venus, and even Saturn's moon, Titan.”

The Biden administration announces its new acting cyber director, as nominee awaits Senate vote. GovExec.com article. Pull quote: “In her current role, Dudley sets strategy and budget priorities for the office, working with partners including the Office of Management and Budget. She has worked at ONCD since August 2022, when the White House announced her as the assistant national cyber director for budget review and assessment in a round of hires for the then-new cyber office.” Admin background, not cyber.

2022 Liquid Chemical Categorization Updates. Federal Register CG final rule. Summary: “The Coast Guard is issuing this final rule to align liquid chemical categorization tables in its tank vessels and bulk dangerous cargo regulations with the 2020 Edition of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk. The updated tables provide a list of the liquid hazardous materials, liquefied gases, and compressed gases approved for international and domestic maritime transportation and indicate how each substance is categorized by its pollution potential, safe carriage requirements, chemical flammability, combustibility, and compatibility with other substances. This rule imposes no additional costs to chemical shippers or vessel owners.” Effective Date: December 21, 2023.

New Source Performance Standards Review for Volatile Organic Liquid Storage Vessels (Including Petroleum Liquid Storage Vessels); Extension of Comment Period. Federal Register EPA comment extension. Summary On October 4, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed amendments to the “Standards of Performance for Volatile Organic Liquid Storage Vessels (Including Petroleum Liquid Storage Vessels).” The EPA is extending the comment period on this proposed rule that currently closes on November 20, 2023, by 18 days. The comment period will now remain open until December 8, 2023, to allow additional time for stakeholders to review and comment on the proposal.”

Canadian police warn crypto investors on growing home robbery trend. CoinTelegraph.com article. Pull quote: ““The suspects gain access to a victim’s home by posing as delivery people or persons of authority. Once let inside the home, the suspects rob the victims of information that gives access to their cryptocurrency accounts.””

Worker Hurt In Platform Decommissioning Fire. ISSSource.com article. Pull quote: “This happened because an oxygen bottle regulator suddenly burst, starting a flash fire while the crew member was turning the valve to supply oxygen for welding, according to a report from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). The crew member’s wounds ended up treated with burn gel.”

Hackers are taking over planes’ GPS — experts are lost on how to fix it. NYPost.com article. Pull quote: “But the tactic has now become so sophisticated that nefarious hackers, still at large, have recently learned how to override an airplane’s critical Inertial Reference Systems (IRS). That crucial piece of technology is commonly called the “brains” of a craft by manufacturers.” Okay, it is the NY Post, but…

Electronic Warfare Confounds Civilian Pilots, Far From Any Battlefield. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “Spoofing is harder to handle because the signal appears legitimate. Only the European navigation satellite system, Galileo, incorporates an authentication system that can provide confidence that a signal is from its satellites. Galileo, which currently is the most accurate and precise navigation satellite system, plans to introduce an even stronger level of authentication, according to a spokesperson for the European Commission.”