'I fell short of that standard'

'Effectively slow-rolled'

Just as Baltimore Harbor was finally cleared of debris following the March 26 maritime incident with the container ship Dali striking and causing the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six, another bridge incident just occurred. On June 5 in Charleston Harbor in South Carolina, a container ship lost throttle control going full speed under the Ravenel Bridge. Thankfully, no one was injured, nor was significant damage sustained. But this near-miss is a reminder that our maritime infrastructure is vulnerable and that often, cyberthreats are overlooked.  The frequency and severity of incidents involving critical infrastructure have noticeably increased, raising alarms about the robustness of our defenses and the thoroughness of our investigative processes. From power grid failures and transportation system malfunctions to disruptions in water supply and health care services, the stakes have never been higher. While traditional factors such as aging infrastructure and human error contribute to these incidents, there’s a growing concern that nefarious cyberactivity is also playing a significant role. The complexity and interconnectivity of modern infrastructure means that the consequences of these incidents are often far-reaching, affecting millions of people and costing billions of dollars in economic losses. When the Dali incident occurred, Baltimore was the 10th-busiest port in the U.S., and Charleston, the 8th- busiest, could have been shut down, too. The question that arises is whether these and similar incidents across our nation’s critical infrastructure are merely a coincidence or whether there are deeper, more sinister causes at play, such as the ones alluded to by U.S. government officials in a January hearing before the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. For instance, the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in 2021 caused significant fuel-supply disruptions across the eastern United States while highlighting the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyberthreats. We must apply lessons learned and thoroughly investigate cybereffects operations as causes for maritime incidents. Notably, the preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report for the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse failed to mention whether the possibility of it being a cyberattack was even being investigated. The near-miss last week at the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charleston underscores the urgency of addressing these multifaceted threats to our critical infrastructure. To navigate this intricate landscape, it’s crucial that the agencies tasked with investigating maritime incidents—such as the National Transportation Safety Board and the Coast Guard—are not only adequately resourced, but also endowed with the requisite knowledge, authorities, and collaboration to conduct thorough and comprehensive investigations. Then-President Donald Trump’s 2020 National Maritime Security Plan underscores the importance of implementing priority actions in three key categories: risks and standards, information and intelligence sharing, and creating a maritime cybersecurity workforce. Effective execution of that plan and President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 14116 aimed at bolstering the cybersecurity of U.S. ports will ensure that investigative agencies have the necessary tools and frameworks to address and mitigate threats in maritime cybersecurity comprehensively. These investigative agencies need advanced forensics tools to detect, analyze, and accurately attribute cyberattacks with urgency. In a phone interview, Rob Bair, former National Security Council director for intelligence and cyberpolicy, said, “Time is certainly of the essence when responding to a malicious cyberincident. Forensic evidence may be overwritten or lost with routine or unplanned system changes. Additional variables include the maturity of the victim’s security posture, the type of attack, and the sophistication of the threat actor.” That highlights the importance of beginning deliberate incident response as soon as an event is detected and acknowledged to preserve critical evidence. While robust investigation mechanisms are vital, they are only part of the solution. We must also adopt proactive measures to fortify our defenses against cyberthreats. That involves a multifaceted approach that includes investment in cybersecurity infrastructure, workforce development, public-private partnerships, legislative action, and technological innovation. Policymakers must enact and enforce stringent cybersecurity laws and regulations. That includes establishing minimum cybersecurity standards for critical infrastructure and ensuring that there are consequences for noncompliance. For its part, the Coast Guard is working through the rulemaking process to establish the minimum cybersecurity requirements for U.S. flagged vessels, outer continental shelf facilities, and U.S. facilities subject to the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. The alarming rise in maritime incidents is a stark reminder of our vulnerabilities in an increasingly interconnected world. To safeguard our society, it’s imperative that the agencies responsible for investigating these incidents are empowered with the necessary tools, authorities, and workforce to uncover and address potential cyberthreats. Safeguarding our infrastructure requires accountability and transparency, especially considering the cyberthreats of today and tomorrow. Continuing to absorb the impact of cyberattacks is not a sustainable strategy. The time to act is now. The post Another Bridge Incident Demands Urgency for Cybersecurity Probes of Maritime Incidents appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Lawmakers in New York have passed the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and the Child Data Protection Act. Assembly Bill A8148A and Senate Bill S7694A (that became the SAFE Act) were introduced as aiming to prevent social platforms from showing minors “addictive” (i.e., algorithmically manipulated) feeds, among a host of other provisions. Parental consent is now required for children to have access to the latter versions of the feeds – which in turn means that the controversial age verification for adults must be introduced into the mix. The new rules will not prohibit children from searching for particular keywords but social platforms will not be able to send notifications to their phones “regarding addictive feeds” from midnight to 6 am – again, this will be possible, but only with parental consent. Could this be the true impetus behind the two bills – to usher in age verification and digital ID, some skeptics might wonder. Regardless, Governor Kathy Hochul was in a celebratory mood late last week announcing the outcome that she pushed for, with the backing of some parent and student organizations. The Democrat is expected to sign the bills shortly. The SAFE and Child Data Protection Acts are touted as proof that legislators in New York are not beholden to Big Tech – and the bills and their passage are being described as “historic and transformative,” likely because this is the first set of their kind in a US state. How the laws get enforced and what positive, or negative (given the age verification factor) consequences they will have, will become evident in time. Meanwhile, heads of various legislative bodies, the state Attorney-General, and assembly members are congratulating each other and talking up the new legislation. Age – and how to determine it (that is, uncontroversially, while protecting people’s right to privacy and anonymity) – crops up again with The New York Child Data Protection Act, which says data belonging to anyone under 18 cannot be collected, used, shared or sold – “unless they receive informed consent or unless doing so is strictly necessary for the purpose of the website.” There’s room to breathe here for Big Tech, but their trade groups are still framing all this as a First Amendment violation issue. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post New York Passes Online Age Verification Digital ID Law appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Democrats Running Scared on Immigration

Audrey Hale Left a Suicide Note for Her Family (Plus 'White Nothingness')

Geese are renowned for their loyalty, often forming lifelong bonds and standing by their partners through thick and thin. This unwavering dedication is particularly evident in the story of Arnold and Amelie, a pair of Canada geese residing near the Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable, Massachusetts. The center’s staff are well-acquainted with this devoted couple,... The post Wild goose refuses to leave her mate’s side when he’s taken to the vet for surgery appeared first on Animal Channel.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis noted how the left threatens Americans' safety through Soros-backed prosecutors after nationally syndicated radio host Mark Levin brought up the left’s war on the middle class. During an appearance on the June 9 edition of Fox News’s Life Liberty and Levin, DeSantis tore into President Joe Biden and Soros-backed prosecutors such as former Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren and former Osceola County State Attorney Monique Worrell. “A lot of these big city mayors and prosecutors deserve a lot of the blame for the crime, but Biden is right in there with them on wanting to put people back on the street. He supports eliminating cash bail. He supports all these Soros-funded prosecutors across the country,” DeSantis said. The governor went on to mention that he removed Warren and Worrell, adding, “They are gone because they put their ideology and their political agenda over their duty to enforce the law, and that put people in their jurisdictions at risk. So we are not standing for that in the state of Florida. Biden wants to facilitate that all across this country.” On June 6, the Florida Supreme Court rejected Worrell’s appeal of her suspension, after DeSantis ousted her from office for “neglect of duty” and “incompetence.” Specifically, DeSantis made the case that she had failed to observe mandatory minimums for serious offenses. The governor stated that Worrell “has authorized or allowed practices or policies that have systematically permitted violent offenders, drug traffickers, serious-juvenile offenders, and pedophiles to evade incarceration, when otherwise warranted under Florida law.” Worrell also signed a pledge not to enforce any laws protecting children from genital mutilation and chemical castration. Warren, the other Soros-backed DA suspended by DeSantis, signed both this pledge and a similar one pledging not to enforce laws protecting babies from abortion.  George Soros admitted in an op-ed to supporting what he calls “prosecutors who support reform.”  The Capital Research Center documented thirty of these radical leftist public officials, including infamous names like Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and former St. Louis District Attorney Kimberly Gardner, who Soros has supported through donations to political action committees and funded trips and conferences. Levin mentioned Worrell’s recent defeat in court, before lauding DeSantis for taking action:  “This is what I mean: Conservatives need to take risks. I don’t mean reckless risks. They need to follow their principles and take them through action. And this is one of the things you've been doing as governor over, and over, and over again. It's not enough for conservatives to whine and complain and wring their hands, when we are in positions of power, we actually have to do things and if people look at your experience and your success as governor, this is what it’s about. It’s, ‘I promise this, these are my principles, I’m implementing it, and we’ll duke it out if we’re sued.’”  Conservatives are under attack! Contact ABC News (818) 460-7477, CBS News (212) 975-3247 and NBC News (212) 664-6192 and demand they report Soros’ connections to radical district attorneys throughout the country.

During her set at the New York’s Governors Ball festival on Sunday, singer Chappell Roan, born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, told the audience that she declined an invitation to sing at a White House "Pride" event, noting that our nation doesn’t honor “liberty and justice for all.” It really is comical when the left goes after the left. Roan was painted head-to-toe in green paint and sported a green wig in a supposed effort to look like the Statue of Liberty. “In response to the White House, who asked me to perform for Pride: we want liberty, justice and freedom for all. When you do that, that’s when I’ll come,” Roan told the crowd as she began her song entitled, “My Kink is Karma.” Later, as Variety reported, Roan told the crowd, “I am in drag of the biggest queen of all. But in case you had forgotten what’s etched on my pretty little toes, ‘Give me your tired, your poor; your huddled masses yearning to breath free," referencing the poem that’s etched at the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in New York. “That means freedom and trans rights, that means freedom and women’s rights, and it especially means freedom for all people in oppressed, Roan said as she began tearing up, concluding, “It especially means freedom for oppressed people in occupied territories.” chappell roan not only talking about but getting emotional while speaking about all the oppressed people on occupied lands oh let me stan immediately pic.twitter.com/EgfLXkB2tI — ave (@grandykerenee) June 10, 2024 The audience, predictably, cheered in approval. Roan, who was raised in a Christian home in Missouri, has been vocal about the gays for a while now, telling Variety last year, “I love the queer community." Yet, she didn’t want to sing for the White House "Pride" event, as she doesn't think our administration is doing enough to push the LGBTQ agenda. Related: Video Shows 'Pride' Mural Covered in Tire Marks Two Days After Repainting In response to her decision to turn down the White House’s offer, fans cheered her via X.  “Oh I f**king love Chappell Roan,” a user wrote on X when sharing a video from the concert. “Wait this is so iconic,” one user commented. “I just keep loving her more” another said while one called her a “queen.” oh i fucking love chappell roan. pic.twitter.com/sWZD1LEUIU — Ari ?ྀི (@arianasupland) June 9, 2024 On the contrary, some people wrote that Roan was “ignorant,” and another said, “this is just performative dog s**t.” One more accused Roan of having a “low IQ.” The thing is, Roan isn’t even that famous (or that good). To be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of her, but her social justice warrior stance may have been just the thing she needed to become relevant with the social justice warrior fans from whom she desperately wants attention. Not that I’d be watching the White House event either - but still, I’m glad she’s not going. Follow MRCTV on X! The American people have had enough of the LGBT Mafia painting Pride flags on their streets. pic.twitter.com/eUPs3wamSs — MRCTV (@mrctv) June 10, 2024

The Fraternal Order of Police for the U.S. Park Police is speaking out to explain why anti-Israel protesters were able to freely vandalize statues and attack officers without any arrests being made in Lafayette Square, a park that sits right across the street from the White House. The police union told Blaze News that the police were "set up to fail" in containing the unruly mob. Over 9,000 anti-Israel and pro-Hamas protesters gathered around the White House on Saturday to protest the Biden administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. As has been a common occurrence at these large protests, some in the crowd started to vandalize the Rochambeau statue, the General Marquis de Lafayette statue, and the statue of former U.S. President Andrew Jackson. 'It's extremely upsetting. It's another blow to our morale that's already low ...' Park Police attempted to make an arrest, but they were quickly surrounded by the mob and the person got away. The crowd then chased the officers out of the park. The crowd shouted, "F*ck the police!" and "Kill yourself" as officers walked away. Police were on standby in the area, but they did not enter Lafayette Square until the protest was over. — (@) In a video released on Sunday, the USPP FOP revealed there were only 71 officers assigned to the area, mainly because of a years-long staffing shortage. But more than that, the USPP command staff did not deploy a civil disturbance unit, and riot gear was not distributed to officers on Saturday. — (@) USPP FOP Chairman Kenneth Spencer, who was one of the officers attacked and chased away, told Blaze Media in an interview that the officers were "100%" set up to fail. "It's extremely upsetting. It's another blow to our morale that's already low, knowing that we didn't have the resources that we needed to go out there and effectively do our job. We had to watch the resources we're supposed to protect get damaged and vandalized," Spencer said. "My membership — they're furious. They feel they weren't supported, logistically, operationally. We didn't have any of the support that we needed to effectively carry out our mission," he added. Spencer could not say whether or not politics played into the officers being unprepared. "I don't know where the determination came from. ... So right now, I don't know why this happened the way it did." Neither the National Park Service nor the Department of the Interior, the parent agencies for the Park Police, responded to a request for comment in time for publication. Spencer said at the end of the day, the officers don't feel supported by the command staff and that staff "hung us out to dry." Congress is aware of the critical staffing shortages, but unlike other federal law enforcement agencies, nothing has been done to raise pay and offer incentives for retention. The Park Police are short 200 officers, a big number for a smaller department that has federal and local jurisdiction, has large patrol areas in three big cities, and has to protect some of the nation's most iconic monuments and parks that see large numbers of visitors from around the country and the world. Spencer warned that if nothing is done to address staffing issues, the current members are worried about the future of the department. "We need some better equipment. ... The way we do things [in general] is completely unsafe," he noted. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!