(Source: Jalopnik)

The story goes like thiss:  Back in the 70s Libya’s new-embattled ruler – Gaddafi – pays millions of dollars for some 8 US built planes. He never got full possession of the machines due to various geo-political games that got played over the decades, leading up to the machines rotting away in an airfield in Georgia. Now the dictator wants his money back and the US is saying a big, Thanks but No Thanks. Read up the full story here.

Eight U.S.-built C-130 Hercules military transports bought by Libya are sitting in a field on the grounds of Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia. Moammar Gaddafi bought the planes but, when politics shifted, the U.S. military grounded them. Now the crazy dictator wants a $70 million refund.

The planes are the ultimate ran-when-parked proposition, appearing to have not been used in the last 30+ years. Though they technically belong to the Libyan government, who purchased them in the early 1970s, the current military action in the country and the “no fly zone” make it unlikely they’ll be leaving any time soon.

Click image to access the announcement

Integrity, confidence, discipline and commitment define your career in Battelle’s National Security Division.  Battelle was built on a firm foundation of honesty, integrity, and outstanding service and the work we do in national security impacts lives around the world; whether we’re creating armor for military applications, testing a life-saving vaccine, or developing a more efficient hydrogen fuel cell. At Battelle, we reward the best work with more responsibility, positions to grow and develop, and the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world.  Are YOU ready for your Next Mission?

As part of our National Security Global Business, our Transportation business specializes in improving the factors that are critical to our country’s transportation systems – safety, efficiency, and environmental acceptability. Battelle develops and deploys creative technology solutions to meet challenges faced by the U.S. Department of Transportation, other federal and state transportation agencies, and the commercial transportation industry. We deliver high-value, technology-oriented answers to problems in the areas of highway, aviation, marine, rail, and transit by combining unique capabilities in transportation engineering, technology development and deployment, system safety, regulatory and operations analyses, and human factors.

Our Transportation Research and Engineering group is currently seeking a Transportation Engineer/Planner.   This position will be located in our Washington, DC offices.  Working with Battelle’s transportation staff, the successful candidate will use their solid background in engineering and planning work on national and state-level projects in the area of transportation systems management, highway policy, and intelligent transportation systems to contribute to our  research and technology evaluation programs.

The successful candidate will participate with the members of the Transportation Group in the proposal development, project management and technical analysis associated with planning and conducting transportation technology and policy studies in:

1.     Transportation Systems Management and Operations

2.     Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Research

3.     Transportation Policy

4.     Program Evaluations

THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION:

• Graduate Degree in Transportation Engineering,  Transportation Planning or a Transportation-related field, OR an undergraduate degree in Transportation Engineering,  Transportation Planning or a Transportation-related field with 2+ years of directly-relevant experience in similar job description
• ·Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA for both undergraduate and graduate level degrees.
• Must be a US citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a government Security Clearance
• Ability to execute analyses, design reviews and evaluations of assigned projects using sound engineering principles, adhering to business standards and procedures in accordance with product/ program requirements
• Must have excellent communication skills, both written and oral.  This includes providing a writing sample (if selected for an interview) such as a thesis, research/technical report or other evidence of writing capability.
• Self starter, able to work independently with a sense of urgency and network effectively to gather data from different sources in a team environment
• ·Must be a detail-oriented individual, thoughtful and deliberate in your approach to conducting research and analyses.
• Be an effective listener and contributor at client meetings.  Demonstrated ability to document the pertinent information/action items/opportunities discussed in a client meeting and provide a written summary of that material for management and senior technical staff.  Excellent Microsoft Office software skills (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; also skills in Project preferred)
• Must possess a strong work ethic and be task focused.  Must be willing to “do what it takes” to get the job done within the allotted timeframe while maintaining the highest levels of quality in the products you produce.

THE FOLLOWING IS DESIRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION:

• Experience in Project Management a plus, including ability to work with Microsoft Project.
• Formal project management training (i.e., coursework, continuing education, CAPM or PMP certifications) a plus.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research for USDOT a plus.

BENEFITS

Battelle’s competitive benefits program includes comprehensive medical and dental care, matching 401K, employee pension, tuition reimbursement, work/life balance, paid time off, flexible spending accounts, disability coverage, and other benefits that help provide financial protection for you and your family.

Battelle is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or sexual orientation. For more information about our other openings, please visit www.battelle.org/careers.

Note:  Access the Job Posting Link directly here: https://performancemanager.successfactors.com/career?company=battelle (Select “Washington Navy Yard” as the location choice)

(Source: Wall Street Journal)

The first clear pictures of what appears to be a Chinese stealth fighter prototype have been published online, highlighting China’s military buildup just days before U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates heads to Beijing to try to repair defense ties.

The photographs, published on several unofficial Chinese and foreign defense-related websites, appear to show a J-20 prototype making a high-speed taxi test—usually one of the last steps before an aircraft makes its first flight—according to experts on aviation and China’s military.

China was probably several years behind Russia, whose first stealth fighter, the Sukhoi T-50, made its first flight in January 2010, but that Beijing was catching up faster than expected.

The Chinese prototype looks like it has “the potential to be a competitor with the F-22 and to be decisively superior to the F-35,” said Mr. Fisher. The J-20 has two engines, like the F-22, and is about the same size, while the F-35 is smaller and has only one engine.

China’s stealth-fighter program has implications also for Japan, which is considering buying F-35s, and for India, which last month firmed up a deal with Russia to jointly develop and manufacture a stealth fighter.

Editor’s Note: This development is not only a challenge to the American dominance and technological superiority in the world of military aviation but also a test (and a considerable threat) to many of so-called China’s regional adversaries, especially the ones noted above – Russia, Japan and India.  Anyone aware of the regional geopolitics in South Asia can likely expect China to pass along the technology (at the least, sell these stealth fighters) to its regional-ally Pakistan in the decades ahead, to counter India’s edge with the joint-production of a stealth fighter using Russian technology.  This will not only up the “heat” at a regional level, but will further push the two nations, as well as the entire region, towards another wave of arms buildup. Though there is no mention of the high-altitude capability of this stealth fighter, it would be interesting to watch how China would deploy these fighters along its disputed border regions with India to guard against any threats from the Tibetan side.  Also, the capability of this new war machine to operate from a sea-borne platform (aircraft carrier, which China is building) would definitely test the power balance between the US and the Chinese in the South China Sea. Above all, I believe this development will encourage other nations to accelerate their own efforts to build a stealth fighter.

Related articles

• China prototyping J-20 stealth fighter? (panasianbiz.com)
• Photographs reveal secret J-20 Chinese stealth fighter (culturalhealth.blogspot.com)
• China media report mystery stealth fighter photos (sfgate.com)
• Chinese J-20 Stealth Fighter Pictures Leak (VIDEO) (blippitt.com)
• China media report mystery stealth fighter photos (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Photos of China’s Stealth Fighter Emerge (newser.com)
• Photos of Stealth Chinese Fighter Jet Emerge (patspapers.com)
• China Leaks Pictures Of New Stealth Bomber On Internet [Picture] (realestateradiousa.com)
• U.S. officials cast doubt on China stealth jet reports (nationalpost.com)
• East Chases West: China’s Stealth Fighter, Japan’s Own GPS (fastcompany.com)
• “China Now Has A Stealth Fighter, Aircraft Carrier And “Aircraft Carrier Killer” Missiles” and related posts (businessinsider.com)
• China has a prototype stealth fighter (nextbigfuture.com)
• Chinese Fighter Photos Up Ahead of Gates Visit (foxnews.com)
• A Stealth Challenge? (online.wsj.com)

(Source: Al Jazeera News)

This above video was a part of an Al Jazeera news story of migrants experiencing violent deaths in the hands of drug cartels during their journey northwards towards United States from their homelands in South America.  We in the western world often read stories over the years about this tough journey of migrants, who often pay thousands of dollars for their smugglers/handlers and risk their lives while traveling through what’s one of the worst, violence-ridden narco corridors in the entire world. For the first time, I had an opportunity to visually experience this monumental struggle of life and death experienced by the migrants through a recent movie, Sin Nombre by Cary Joji Fukunaga. It was a very painful portrayal of migrant life and the dangers these people face making the trek northwards, while dodging the brutal world of narcotics smugglers.  This above video story from Al Jazeera is not much different than what is shown on the movie, but the only difference here is there are no actors in real life and no-retakes if something were to go wrong.  Here is a trailer of Sin Nombre, that gives you a candid window into the difficult life of a migrant on the road, making it not just a journey in search of a decent livelihood, but also one where he/she often risks life riding those deadly rails.

(Source: Boston Globe)

Boston MBTA’s General Manager Richard Davey was headed to Ashmont on the T’s Red Line for the unveiling of banners created by youth artists from Dorchester when he spotted the scofflaw attempting to climb over the fare gates at the lesser-used Winter Street entrance to Park Street.

He walked up the evader and confronted him for jumping over the turnstiles.  Caught by surprise and enveloped in shame, the  scofflaw retreats back. This is where it gets better.

“He kind of fumbled around, and he did not have the CharlieCard (aka the fare card) and had just a couple of bucks on him, so I actually offered to pay for him,” Davey said. “He declined and said he would get his own ticket.”

Oh well, at least the young man had the pride to pay for his own ticket after getting caught red handed.  Good job, Richard Davey.  MBTA should be proud to have a vigilant man at the top running the show.

(Source: The Guardian, UK)

Tube worker says station manager at King’s Cross refused to let him take bandages from control room to treat victims

A London Underground worker who was among the first to arrive at one of the bombed tube carriages on July 7 was told to “piss off” by his superior when he rushed back to collect more first aid equipment to treat the injured and dying, he said today.

Imran Chaudhury fought back tears as he said one of the duty station managers at Kings Cross, Ken Leach, tried to obstruct him from collecting bandages from the station’s control room, despite the fact that his clothing was covered in blood and injured passengers could clearly be seen on CCTV emerging from the ruined train.

Leach’s superior, group station manager Peter Sanders, had also been in the room but had said nothing, said Chaudhury, which still “haunts” him, he told the inquest into the deaths of the victims of the bomb attacks. Fifty-two people died in the attacks, 26 were killed in the Kings Cross blast.

Click here to read the entire story

Note: It scares me to think how ill-prepared many of our U.S. transit systems across the country are even after such a coordinated mass-casualty event occurred in one of the busiest and well-policed systems around the world.  In Washington, DC I see so many security lapses day in and day out when I ride the system but given the complexities of the system and its vast network, it is definitely difficult to have a 100% fool-proof security.  While it is not possible to put a policeman in every station every hour of the day, I can see a lot of vigilant riders who help keep a watch on the system.  The system riders are sensitized to such dangers and have been repeatedly requested over the PA system, over the years, to inform station managers or authorities if they spot an unattended bag or any object that looks suspicious. As I write this, I can feel that stern lady voice over the DC Metro’s PA system: “Hi, Is That Your Bag?”, a part of the “See it Say It” public safety campaign, suggesting people to report any suspicious object they spot while riding the trains or on the Metro facilities such as stations and parking lots.   At times, I can’t help but feel over a period of time after listening to the announcements a gazillion times,  I feel like I have a part to play in keeping the system safe and secure.  The sense of alertness goes up when I read about a bomb threat or a situation regarding transportation security (the downside of being in transportation business). At times I feel that any failure on my part,  as a rider and user heavily-dependent on the system, to be vigilant may result in a possible strike keeps me alert (I admit sometimes it’s hard to stay awake after a long day at work).   I assume this social policing (rather social conditioning/sensitizing) initiative involving our public definitely has helped the transit police.  It will be great  to know if the if the Metro has ever compiled an evaluation report of sorts explaining how many calls were received and how many threats (minor and major) were averted/prevented/addressed since this campaign went into effect.

Related articles

• 7/7 inquest: Passengers showed ‘remarkable heroism’ after London bombings as pics revealed of carnage (mirror.co.uk)
• Metro calls for vigilance by riders and employees – Washington Post (news.google.com)
• 7/7 inquest: staff tell of devastation (guardian.co.uk)
• Feds: Man Sought to Blow Up DC Metro Stations (abcnews.go.com)
• US: Man arrested over “plot to bomb Washington DC metro” (teaandpolitics.wordpress.com)
• 7/7 inquest: Phone calls reveal chaos – listen here (mirror.co.uk)
• 7/7 inquests: Aldgate manager ‘didn’t want to cause panic by mentioning bomb’ (telegraph.co.uk)
• 7/7 footage at inquest shows final bomber Hasib Hussain (guardian.co.uk)
• 7/7 inquest: Tube refused first aid kit (guardian.co.uk)
• You: Confusion after King’s Cross 7/7 blast (guardian.co.uk)
• 7/7 officer tells of frustration over firefighters (independent.co.uk)
• Firefighters delayed entering 7/7 tunnel (independent.co.uk)
• You: 7/7 bombers were seen ‘celebrating’ (guardian.co.uk)
• 7/7 inquest hears recordings of tube staff following blasts (guardian.co.uk)
• A.M. Top News: Washington DC Metro stations are allegedly targeted in terror plot (nj.com)
• Passengers showed ‘remarkable heroism’ after bombings (independent.co.uk)
• 7/7 inquests: firefighters refused to follow police onto tracks (telegraph.co.uk)

(source: Washington Post’s Federal Eye)

This is very disconcerting, to say the least. But I’m glad at ths ame time they are working to fix the problem.

Federal agents responsible for driving nuclear weapons and other sensitive materials sometimes got drunk and were detained by police while on the job, according to a new watchdog report.

A report released Monday by the Energy Department’s Office of Inspector General found 16 alcohol-related incidents between 2007 and 2009 involving personnel with the National Nuclear Security Administration‘s Office of Surface Transportation (OST). About 600 OST agents are responsible for safely transporting or shipping nuclear weapons and other materials across the country.

Two incidents involved extended overnight missions where OST agents parked convoy vehicles in safe harbor before checking in at nearby hotels, the report said. In separate incidents, an agent was arrested in 2007 for public intoxication while two agents were handcuffed and temporarily detained by police officers in 2009, according to the report.

Click here to read the entire story.

(Source TSA via You Tube via  Gizmodo)

Dear Mr. Pistole , here are some responses (a mere sampling) from concerned citizens’  about this situation at airport security check points:

Image Courtesy: Land of the free? by David Vincent Wolf

Image Courtesy: Slate.com

Related articles

• TSA Agents Respond To Pat-Down Anger (PHOTOS, POLL) (huffingtonpost.com)
• The History of Airport Security, Visualized [Tsa] (gizmodo.com)
• “Going commando” on the TSA (arstechnica.com)
• Video: TSA chief Pistole says no immediate changes to airport screening – Christian Science Monitor (news.google.com)
• With Saturday Night Live spoof, TSA is losing the internet war on pat-down searches (venturebeat.com)
• TSA Says Pilots Will Be Exempt From Invasive Pat-Downs, Scanners – ABC News (news.google.com)
• My liberty is worth more than my security… (shannonturlington.com)
• TSA Chief Asks Holiday Travelers for Patience – ABC News (news.google.com)
• Is TSA Setting A New Legal Precedent On What Defines A Sexual Assault? (womenincrimeink.blogspot.com)
• TSA workers face verbal abuse from travelers (msnbc.msn.com)

(Source: Infographia via El Chimpance)

(Source: AFP via Yahoo)

The Portuguese hosts of Friday’s NATO summit hoped to use the event to promote clean-energy and electric cars, but all eyes were on US President Barack Obama’s diesel-guzzling “Beast” instead.

As is usual when he travels, Obama’s eight-tonne armoured behemoth of a limousine was flown out to Lisbon before the US leader’s arrival, and it ferried him from the airport tarmac to his first meetings of the weekend.

Doubtless he didn’t intend the Beast’s roar to drown out his hosts’ green message, but a US presidential motorcade and its attendant escort of Secret Service SUVs do attract attention, even at the most elite gatherings.

Click here to read the entire article

Related articles

• Obama’s gas-guzzling ride anything but green (capitolhillblue.com)
• Obama’s ‘Beast’ of a limo stands out at green NATO summit (alternet.org)
• At NATO summit, Obama’s ride is talk of the town – Christian Science Monitor (news.google.com)
• Obama is right (blogs.dailymail.com)
• Obama promises renewed NATO at summit (alternet.org)
• NATO summit of the decade opens in Lisbon (topinews.com)
• Obama In Lisbon: U.S. Looking Forward To NATO Alliance ‘For The 21st Century’ (huffingtonpost.com)
• WHITE HOUSE NOTEBOOK: Bo and ‘the Beast’ (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• WHITE HOUSE NOTEBOOK: Bo and ‘the Beast’ (foxnews.com)
• Obama arrives in Portugal for NATO summit (foxnews.com)