Short Takes – 12-12-24

GOP senators fear House chaos could derail Trump’s agenda. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “Some Republican senators fear that House conservatives may try to drag out any spending deal next year past April 2025 to trigger automatic spending cuts, which would affect defense and nondefense programs alike.”

Steady leadership prepares TSA to face evolving cyber threats. CyberScoop.com commentary. Pull quote: “Under Pekoske’s leadership, TSA learned to do better, vastly increasing collaboration with industry. Over the past three years, TSA has held more than 300 meetings with stakeholders to gather feedback and has hosted numerous classified briefings for c-suite leadership. In November, TSA officials testified before Congress, admitting their initial security directives were “too prescriptive,” shifting instead to an “outcome-focused, performance-based model.” At that same hearing, the American Gas Association praised TSA’s willingness to listen and learn from operators, resulting in a “major course correction” toward a more effective, risk-based approach.” Makes the assumption that the willingness to stay on is the sole predictor of remaining the head of a federal agency under the new President.

This drug is the 'breakthrough of the year' — and it could mean the end of the HIV epidemic. NPR.org article. Pull quote: “"The burden of taking daily medicine varies for each individual and may well be perceived as an even greater burden for healthy people who feel fine," says Weld. "The finding that twice yearly injections have high efficacy in preventing HIV, lowers the amount that an individual has to do over the course of a lifetime to protect themselves. It puts lenacapavir much closer to the domain of other preventive paradigms such as vaccination."”

These are the viruses that defined 2024. ScienceNews.org article. Pull quote: “Health officials recorded 16 cases of eastern equine encephalitis, or Triple E, across eight states along the U.S. East Coast. This mosquito-borne viral infection pops up every year in eastern and Gulf Coast states. The virus normally circulates in waterfowl, and occasionally makes the jump to horses and people. Most human cases go undetected because most people don’t develop symptoms. Those who do might have fever, body aches and joint pain. But in about 5 percent of cases, the virus invades the central nervous system, causing headaches, seizures or behavioral changes. About a third of people with severe disease die. All reported cases in 2024 were neuro­invasive, and three people died.”

The ‘Ghost Gun’ Linked to Luigi Mangione Shows Just How Far 3D-Printed Weapons Have Come. Wired.com article. Pull quote: “Exactly why Mangione allegedly used a 3D-printed gun in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s Thompson—whether as a political statement or in the belief that it would help him evade identification—remains far from clear. But as a coder and technologist, he may have been attracted to the idea. “This is the US. It’s not the easiest way to get your hands on a gun,” says another DIY gunsmith who spoke to WIRED but asked not to be named, in reference to 3D-printed firearms. “But he’s a techy guy, and he may have just owned a 3D printer. It wouldn’t be a bad way to make an untraceable gun.””