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  • Two messages to Alberta PC & Premier Ed Stelmach (and Liberal & NDP)

    As reported by CBC today, two legislature members from Alberta’s governing Progressive Conservatives have defected to the Wildrose Alliance party. Take a look of the following well-spoken video messages by the two MLA who crossed the floor today.

    Airdrie-Chestermere MLA Rob Anderson explains why he’s joining the Wildrose Alliance (4:59)

    Calgary-Fish Creek MLA Heather Forsyth explains why she’s crossing the floor to the Wildrose Alliance (4:43)

    Here is a report from CTV Calgary “Two Alberta Tories defect to Wildrose Alliance” (with video).

    P.S. Frankly, Paul, Danielle and I don’t quite see eye-to-eye in the last Calgary-Glenmore campaign (especially the techniques used on election day). Setting that issue and Wildrose policies aside, I believe the two addition Wildrose MLAs will help the party to gain its needed momentum in Alberta.

    In the long run, I hope these two deflections will benefit Albertans and inject some needed democracy and representation into the Alberta’s provincial legislature.

    Alberta’s other opposition parties (Alberta Liberal and NDP) may wish to think this is just a lost for the Alberta PC. I honestly hope they are not that naive as the consequences of today’s defections when combining with some sensible and popular policies means their legislative seats may not be as secure as they wish.

    On a personal note, amongst the three neighbours in my aread, where we are very helpful to each others, there are supporters of Wildrose, PC, and Liberal parties. I truly believe the diversity is what make us strong. Political differences should not detract from our dedications, hopes, and dreams for a better and stronger Alberta.

    Posted in Alberta, Calgary, Canada, Law, people, politics

  • “The Bachelor” Scandal “Unfortunate,” Says Host Chris Harrison

    Season 14 of The Bachelor premieres tonight on ABC. Of course, The Bachelor wouldn’t be The Bachelor without a healthy dose of drama — after all, it is a reality show. Chris Harrison, host of The Bachelor for the past eight seasons, is opening up about the scandal surrounding the new season of the hit docusoap.

    On Monday, Harrison confirmed that a male producer was fired from The Bachelor: On The Wings Of Love after confessing to beginning a romantic relationship with one of the female contestants that was supposed to be competing for the affection of pilot Jake Pavelka.

    “It was incredibly unfortunate, horrible decisions were made, this is something we took very serious and we couldn’t just sit by,” Harrison told 104.3 MYfm’s Valentine in the Morning.” “In fairness to Jake and the other women, [we thought] let’s just nip this in the bud, take care of it and that’s what we did.”

    The explosive scandal, which includes a confrontation between Chris and the producer, will play out on the show.

    “When it unfolds, it’s pretty uncomfortable… I felt bad for everyone.”


  • [Jastrzębie Zdrój] Zdjęcia

    Nie znalazłem Jastrzębskiego tematu ze zdjęciami więc postanowiłem go założyć. Na początek wrzucam jedną od siebie zrobioną dziś na lekcji. Mam nadzieje, że rozwinie się nam niezły album. Może pojawią się nawet jakieś ładne panoramki 🙂

    Sorry za jakość robione telefonem…

    [/URL]

    Osobiście co parę dni będę starał się wrzucać nowe fotki

  • Report: Audi A7 will match A8 quality at a lower price point

    Audi Sportback Concept

    Audi says that its upcoming A7 four-door-coupe will have interior quality that is equal to the new 2011 A8 when it goes on sale in the later part of next year. The model will be a direct competitor to the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo and the Mercedes-Benz CLS.

    Achim Badstubner, the brain behind the A7, told AutoCar that the model will sit between then A6 and A8, but will cost less than the A8 sedan. “In Germany there is nearly 20,000 euro (£18k) between the most expensive A6 Avant and the cheapest A8,” he said. “The A7 will fill that gap.”

    The A7 shares many of its components with the A6 and A8 and will also carry a similar engine lineup when it hits Audi showrooms, Badstubner said.

    We’re already looking forward to an S7 because we’re very greedy.

    Audi Sportback Concept:

    – By: Kap Shah

    Source: AutoCar


  • FINRA Warns Investors: “Green” Is The New Breeding Ground For Scammers

    Scam truck

    The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States, recently issued an alert for avoiding and dealing with green energy scams.

    Fraudsters have reportedly been luring investors in green technology by promising outrageous returns.

    FINRA.org: In one recently filed case, the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that promoters of purported eco-friendly investment opportunities lured 300 investors into a $30 million Ponzi scheme, encouraging participants to finance such “green” initiatives of Mantria Corporation as a supposed “carbon negative” housing community in rural Tennessee and a “biochar” charcoal substitute made from organic waste. Investors were falsely promised returns ranging from 17 percent to “hundreds of percent” annually.

    But, according the SEC’s complaint, Mantria did not generate any income from which such extraordinary returns could be paid.

    How do you spot potential scams and distinguish frauds from legitimate investment opportunities? Rip off tip-offs include:

    • Unsolicited communication such as faxes, emails, text messages tweets, and strategically placed “opinions” in blogs and message boards, usually related to a very low-priced stock.
    • Seminars and webinars that use short-term incentives and bonuses, along with aggressive sales tactics, to encourage you to liquidate your current savings and go “all in” on a new investment initiative.
    • Price targets or predications of swift and exponential growth.
    • The use of facts from respected news sources to bolster claims of the size of the market for a new product or technology (“this is a billion dollar market…”).
    • Mention of associations with or actions by federal and international governments that bolster a company’s product or service (“The President wants hydrogen to be part of the solution for Detroit…”).

    Read the whole thing here.

    Join the conversation about this story »

    See Also:


  • Homeopathy and the 10:23 project | Bad Astronomy

    1023Campaign_logoI received a mysterious email recently, promoting what to me sounds like a great idea: a concerted effort in the UK to increase the public awareness that homeopathy is quackery, pure and simple. It’s called the 10:23 Campaign, and it’s being promoted by various skeptic groups in Britain. The website is a placeholder for now, but you can sign up there for updates.

    Why do this? Well, as they say,

    Homeopathy is an ancient, pre-scientific and absurd pseudoscience. Yet it persists today as an accepted complementary medicine, largely because people don’t know what it is.

    The 10:23 Campaign aims to show the public what homeopathy is and explain how we know it doesn’t work. It will launch in early 2010.

    Excellent. And why call it the 10:23 Campaign? Well, happily I have a mole who informs me of such things.


  • Mobile Tech Minutes: My CES Gear Bag

    That Kevin is a bright guy and his idea to shoot a video of his CES gear bag made a lot of sense. I decided to follow his lead and shot this video showing my bag and all the gear that will accompany me to provide you the coverage of the big CES out in Vegas. Two things I forgot while shooting the video, let’s hope I don’t forget them for the trip, the Verizon MiFi and the Mophie Juice Pack for the iPhone 3G. The MiFi is my must-have gadget and will fit in the bag pocket along with the Mophie which makes sure the iPhone 3G has enough power to last all day no matter what.

    JK Gear Bag

  • Rumormill: 2011 BMW 1 Series to get DCT

    Filed under: , , , ,

    2009 BMW 135i – Click above for updated high-res image gallery

    The BMW obsessives at Bimmerfile supposedly have it on good authority that the 2011 BMW 1 Series will be available with the same seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox fitted to the current Z4 and a handful of Euro-only models.

    Although a six-speed manual will still be available, the proliferation of BMW’s DCT throughout its line up — including the 335i, M3 and Z4 — makes adding the Getrag-source dual-clutch ‘box to the 1 series a no-brainer. Specifically, it should be fitted to the updated 135i when it arrives later this year, which means launch control on BMW’s smallest offering is just a few months away.

    Gallery: 2009 BMW 135i

    [Source: Bimmerfile]

    Rumormill: 2011 BMW 1 Series to get DCT originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

  • Will AppMakr’s Self-Serve Apps Flood The App Store?


    AppMakr screengrab

    Looks like the App Store is about to get even more crowded—if that’s possible. App developer PointAbout has rolled out AppMakr, a self-serve platform that lets anyone create an iPhone app for about $200, in “under an hour.” That means everyone from indie bloggers, to small business owners, to hobbyists can at least create an app. And while AppMakr doesn’t guarantee that Apple will ultimately approve every app it generates, it offers detailed guidelines and best practices for approval.

    Publishers need an existing website to supply the apps with content; they plug in the URL, choose targeted keywords, and then AppMakr creates a sample app. They can customize the app by adding content feeds from Twitter, YouTube, and iTunes; they can also choose new icons, header images and color schemes. AppMakr even includes e-commerce: Publishers can decide to make a paid app or embed ads from Google (DoubleClick, AdSense and AdMob) or Medialets; it appears that in-app purchase is not an option at this time.

    Rivals include open-source tech developer Appcelerator, which has already partnered with agencies like Razorfish and Tribal DDB to help speed up their app development processes. But as Mediapost notes, Appcelerator shortens the time frame to about two weeks—not an hour. This makes AppMakr competition for both third-party services like Appcelerator, and the agencies themselves.

    Still, the quick, self-serve nature of AppMakr does raise the question of app quality. Analytics, for example, are limited to third-party tracking codes, or stats that come from the ad providers like Admob. PointAbout also includes bug fixes for free, but any feature upgrades are counted as completely new app submissions. Meanwhile, for people that want a bit more control (like an app completely free of AppMakr branding), the cost is more like $600: $99 for an Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) Developer Account and then $499 for the “provisioning, building and management” of the apps by PointAbout.

    D.C.-based PointAbout previously created apps for clients including Burger King and The Washington Post. The company launched in mid-2008 on a $7,400 budget. Release.

    Related


  • One of Germany’s ugliest Cities in Winter

    Bielefeld, Northrhine-Westphalia
    330,000 inhabitants
    Has a low purchasing power – only 104% of German average, quite small for a West German city and one of the cities with the highest millionaire densities.
    Unemployment is above West German average. The city is in transition from an industrial to a services city.
    It is the safest city with >100k population in Germany.
    Most of the historical buildings and houses got lost during WWII. Rebuilt in favour of traffic and industry. This is the main reason for it’s ugliness.
    The light metro system is 35km of street level and tunnel rails.

    28th of December, still with sunshine:

    Looking down on my roof:

    Some hill top views:


    New Year in my neighbourhood. Grey and dark day with snowfall…

    Furtwängler Residenz. The 2nd biggest villa in my neighbourhood:

    Behind the castle:

    Looking up the castle into the grey sky:

    Today with more snow and street view from downtown:

    Starting with a stroll over the icy cold windy hills:

    Castle in the snow:





    Seniors’ residence:

    The old and New buildings of the Court of Justice:

    A street:

    Old City Hall and Theatre:

    Theatre:

    Looking towards the city centre with it’s ugly 50’s buildings:

    Ugly "Altstädter Nicolaikirche":


    Gehrenberg (this street connects the church with the medieval city centre):

    Patrician Houses of the 17th century:

    One of the oldest in the Old City: Crüwell-Haus:

    Other impressions:

    Philipp Johnson Sculpture Park (named after the NYC architect who designed the neighbouring Art Museum:




    Ice:

    Believe it or not, this is a historical building!

    NaMu, Museum of Natural Science:

    Neustädter Marienkirche:

    My street:

    Neighbours’ gardens: 😀

    Coming home (no this is not my house, but I won’t show it here anyway 😆 ) :
    :cheers:

    Maybe some more later.

  • AirStash Is a Pocket-Sized Wireless Media Server For Your iPhone [Storage]

    It looks like a thumb drive at first glance, but AirStash is actually a pocket-sized media server that can wirelessy expand the memory of your iPhone or iPod touch.

    Apparently, the files are stored on an SD card that you insert into the device—giving you the ability to expand capacity when needed. I assume AirStash will be compatible with more devices that the iPhone and iPod touch, but we won’t know the exact details until it is officially unveiled at CES. Personally, I wouldn’t be all that thrilled about having to keep track of another device because I went with an 8GB iPhone, but I am all for technologies that reduce the need for a set amount of internal storage. [AirStash via Engadget]







  • MENC Announces Search for Next Executive Director

    The MENC National Executive Board has announced the search for MENC’s next executive director. 

    "John J. Mahlmann, Executive Director of MENC: The National Association for Music Education, who has served in that position with great distinction for 27 years, has announced his retirement effective April 30, 2010," said MENC President-Elect Scott C. Shuler and Past National President Paul Lehman in a statement. "During John’s tenure MENC has increased greatly in size, broadened considerably the scope of its activities, and assumed a vastly expanded role as an effective voice on behalf of education in music and the other arts. We thank John for his exemplary work, which has brought MENC to a position of national leadership in the field of arts education, and we wish him well.

    "At the same time MENC announces a search for a replacement as its Executive Director. This is an exceptional leadership opportunity for a talented applicant in association management. Today MENC claims a membership of 75,000, a vast network of affiliated and partnering organizations, a full-time staff of 50, and annual revenues of $7 million."

    The application deadline is February 15, with the announcement of Mahlmann’s successor expected in April.

    MENC Executive Director Position Description and Application Information

     

    Elizabeth Lasko, January 4, 2010. © MENC: The National Association for Music Education
     

     

  • Loures – Noticias e Projectos

    Thread para todas as Noticias e projectos no concelho de Loures

    Para começar vou meter aqui uma noticia antiga que data de 2007, muito interessante porque fala de projectos dos proximos 10 anos, projectos hoteleiros.

    Hotelaria & RestauraçãoLoures na “mira” dos investidores

    Patricia Neves
    12 de Dezembro de 2007

    Holiday Inn Express, Quinta da Francelha, Quinta do Pinheiro e um hotel de charme para a Quinta da Murta são os projectos que Loures vai acolher nos próximos dez anos, através da aplicação de mais de 100 milhões de euros.Estes investimentos enquadram-se nos objectivos da proposta de revisão do Plano Director Municipal (PDM) da autarquia, que estabelece o desenvolvimento do sector turístico como alavanca para a qualificação sócio-económica do concelho. Esta proposta foi apresentada durante o seminário “Perspectivas Turísticas para Loures”, uma iniciativa da Comissão Municipal de Turismo, em colaboração com a Câmara Municipal, que decorreu no Palácio dos Marqueses da Praia, no passado dia 29 de Novembro.

    O arquitecto Paulo Pais, da autarquia de Loures, defendeu na ocasião que “o desenvolvimento do turismo no concelho depende necessariamente do ordenamento do território, logo a revisão do PDM é uma questão fundamental”, acrescentando que “os objectivos estratégicos referentes a 1994-2004 não foram atingidos”.

    “O novo PDM pretende criar uma oferta turística qualificada e diversificada, por isso, o turismo em Loures passará por projectos ligados ao turismo activo, de natureza e enoturismo nas zonas rurais (corredor ecológico da Várzea), para além de projectos de turismo de lazer e recreio nas zonas urbano-rurais e de turismo de negócios nas áreas urbanas”, sustenta Paulo Pais.

    HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ABRE EM 2008

    O Holiday Inn Express Lisboa Aeroporto será a primeira unidade a abrir portas em Loures, já no próximo ano, em Setembro ou Outubro, através de um investimento de cerca de 6,2 milhões de euros, avança Eurico de Almeida, da Palminvest, empresa detentora da marca em Portugal. O hotel de três estrelas vai surgir da reconversão do edifício da Hidrotécnica Nacional, junto ao aeroporto de Lisboa, em Sacavém, ocupando uma área de 4.475 metros quadrados. A construção arranca no próximo mês de Janeiro.

    “O hotel servirá de suporte ao pólo industrial da região e ao show-room de negócios, sendo dirigido ao mercado corporate, para estadias de um ou dois dias, baseando-se no conceito de “limited service”", explica Eurico de Almeida. “Este poderá tornar-se no segundo hotel da marca em Portugal, depois do existente em Oeiras, podendo abrir portas antes do Holiday Inn Express Porto Exponor”, acrescenta.

    Esta unidade vai dispor de 119 quartos, uma sala de conferências, bar, sala de pequenos-almoços e estacionamento privativo.

    O projecto enquadra-se no plano de expansão da marca económica Holiday In Express, do grupo InterContinental, em Portugal e Galiza, sob regime de franchising. Estão previstos cerca de 12 a 13 hotéis até 2012, através de um investimento de 75 milhões de euros, nomeadamente para Porto, Lisboa, Leiria, Paços de Ferreira e Braga, para além de Vigo e La Coruña (Galiza).

    Quinta da Francelha

    Também em 2008, a Imorequerente vai desenvolver o projecto na Quinta da Francelha de Cima, no Prior Velho, que tem o início da construção agendado para o primeiro trimestre. O empreendimento contará com a construção de um hotel com 114 quartos duplos e 13 suites, de um conjunto de 81 apartamentos turísticos T0 e 52 T1 e de um condomínio privado com 63 fogos, entre T2 e T5.

    “O hotel contará com três pisos desenvolvidos na horizontal e terá um Spa de mil metros quadrados”, explica a arquitecta Isaura Pedreira.

    A conclusão da Quinta da Francelha está prevista para os próximos dois anos.

    Charme e vinoterapia

    Francisco Castelo Branco, proprietário da Quinta da Murta, em Bucelas, vai iniciar ali a construção de uma unidade de charme com 36 quartos e de um mini-aldeamento turístico com quatro casas, no final do próximo ano. O projecto está ainda a ser desenvolvido para ser apresentado em breve à câmara de Loures e a sua execução deverá implicar um investimento de 2,5 milhões de euros.

    “O hotel, cuja designação ainda não está decidida, vai aproveitar a produção de vinho da quinta para oferecer tratamentos de vinoterapia no Spa que será construído, estando ainda previstas salas de reunião, de modo a conseguir-se ainda captar mercado corporate”, explica Francisco Castelo Branco.

    O proprietário pondera ainda se vai fazer a gestão da unidade ou se irá optar pela negociação com uma cadeia hoteleira. A conclusão do empreendimento deverá acontecer em 2009.

    Golfe e negócios
    Em São Julião do Tojal, a sociedade imobiliária Espaço Cuba vai desenvolver o projecto Quinta do Pinheiro, que irá ocupar uma propriedade de 101 hectares com vista para Lisboa e para o Tejo.
    O empreendimento deverá estar concluído em 10 anos, implicando um investimento total de 90 milhões de euros.

    A arquitecta Sandra Santos defende que se decidiu apostar nesta localização “pois a propriedade é muito bonita e, essencialmente, porque Loures deixou de ser um concelho-dormitório, apresentando bastantes vantagens de localização, pois está a 10 minutos de Lisboa e ainda é uma novidade”.

    A Quinta do Pinheiro será desenvolvida em quatro fases de construção, que deverão arrancar com a execução das infraestruturas e centro de gestão em 2009, depois de se obter a emissão das aprovações necessárias, processo que está a decorrer.

    Numa segunda fase do projecto vai proceder-se à construção de um campo de golfe, que para já deverá ter nove buracos, mas que poderá estender-se a 18, estando a hipótese em estudo. Para além do campo, será ainda criado um clube de golfe, uma clínica de assistência médica com habitações turísticas assistidas e uma quinta pedagógica.

    Depois será criado um hotel com 60 quartos, um centro hípico e hipódromo e, numa fase final, será construído um outro hotel ligado ao golfe com 100 quartos e 26 unidades turísticas de longa permanência. O projecto engloba ainda a criação de um centro de congressos, piscinas, ginásio, ténis e salas polivalentes de espectáculos.

    Sandra Santos afirma que a sociedade “está flexível a negociações quanto ao modelo de gestão hoteleira a ser adoptado, referindo que poderá ser entregue a uma ou várias cadeias, com a opção de compra ou não, dependente das propostas que forem feitas”.

    A Espaço Cuba adianta, porém, que os hotéis deverão ser de quatro e cinco estrelas.

    http://www.publituris.pt/2007/12/12/…-investidores/

    Encontrei 2 renders sem mais explicações no site da Concepsys que não sei se têm ligação directa com esta noticia. O 1ro està em estudo prévio e é construção nova e o segundo està em consulta e trata-se de uma remodelação.

    http://www.concepsys.pt/pt_main.html

  • Running on Algae – E/The Environmental Magazine

    E/The Environmental MagazineRunning on AlgaeE/The Environmental MagazineThe company Solazyme's algal biofuel production is achieved by using industrial wastes, sugar and wood chips to feed the algae. In this process, the algae …EYE ON RESEARCH: T…


  • Touch Revolution Brings Android to Appliances

    When it comes to Android-based “appliances”  there are basically two routes a company can take.  First, there are standalone devices like Touch Revolution’s NIMble (Natural Interface Module), which was shown off at last year’s CES.  Designed as a unit that can work in any room, NIMble would bring emails, news, weather and more to your coffee tables and night stands.  The other Android-based “appliance” would be take existing devices like microwaves and washing machines and load Android onto it.  That’s exactly what Touch Revolution is doing this year.

    Check out the NIM1000 being demonstrated at CES 2010 later this week. It’s a capacitive touch-sensitive Android module that can be integrated into washer/dryers, microwaves, and, presumably, refrigerators and more. Similar to what the ZII Labs has done with their EGG and TRINITY, the NIM1000 is only designed for other manufacturers like GE and Whirlpool to use. You can see below how Touch Revolution’s module would work. The washer/dryer features slide controls, stain guides, and more while the microwave can pull double duty as a “kitchen control center”.




    Unfortunately, we have yet to see the NIMble from last year so who knows if/when we’ll have washing machines with NIM1000’s installed.

    Source: Gizmodo


  • warum nicht mehr Wohnhochhäuser in Zürich?

    http://www.bankapartments.com.au/

    http://www.qv.com.au/#/top/about-qv/living

    beginne hier mal mit einem neuen treat:

    in Zürich herrscht doch seit langer Zeit eine Wohnungsknappheit, immer mehr Menschen ziehen in die Stadt..
    gleichzeitig will man das Ausbreiten der Städte und Agglomerationen verhindern und das verdichtete Bauen in der City fördern.

    Nur meine Frage: in Zh-West werden zur Zeit etliche Büro oder Hotel Hochäuser hochgezogen, weshalb nicht wie in anderen Städten auch zusätzlich Appartment Hochhäuser, mit supermarkt im EG und ZB indoor Pool (siehe oben). ?

  • Are the Games Really Green? – E/The Environmental Magazine


    E/The Environmental Magazine

    Are the Games Really Green?
    E/The Environmental Magazine
    that worked with the nonprofit Carbon Neutral Network to quantify and certify the 330000 tons of GhG emissions, and 500000 tons' worth of offsets for


  • Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe to get twin-turbo V6, possible hybrid variant

    We’ve been hearing for some time now that Mercedes-Benz is planning a true C-Class Coupe to replace the confusing lineup of the CLK (which was based on the C-Class priced at an E-Class level) and the CLC. Mercedes-Benz started clearing things up earlier this year with the introduction of the E-Class Coupe, which replaced the CLK. The CLC is scheduled to be replaced by a true C-Class Coupe sometime in 2011.

    According to Inside Line, Mercedes-Benz plans on going head-to-head with the BMW 1-Series with the C-Class Coupe.

    Power for the C-Class Coupe will come from a new family of 3.5L DOHC direct-injected V6 powertrains including a 300-hp twin-turbocharged. Sources say that hybrid version is also in the works.

    Later on down the road, Mercedes-Benz will also introduce an AMG version with a new 5.5L twin-turbo V8.

    – By: Omar Rana

    Source: Inside Line


  • Verizon Wireless ordered 400,000 Palm devices

    We’ve been told by one of our VZW connects that the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi are both starting to appear in Verizon Wireless’ inventory systems. In addition, we’ve also heard from the same source that Verizon placed an order for approximately 200,000 Palm Pre handsets as well as 200,000 Palm Pixi handsets.

    Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

    Read Original Article

  • TSA Threatens Bloggers Who Published Security Info, Then Backs Off | 80beats

    TSARemember the embarrassment that the Transportation Security Administration suffered last month, when a bout of lax editing allowed the TSA standard operating manual to leak across the Web? Last week, the TSA inflicted another public relations snafu upon itself. Agents subpoenaed two travel bloggers who published the organization’s temporary procedures in the wake of the attempted Christmas Day airline bombing, only to drop the subpoenas shortly thereafter.

    The document, which the two bloggers published within minutes of each other Dec. 27, was sent by TSA to airlines and airports around the world and described temporary new requirements for screening passengers through Dec. 30, including conducting “pat-downs” of legs and torsos. The document, which was not classified, was posted by numerous bloggers. Information from it was also published on some airline websites [Wired.com]. Still, the TSA (which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS) decided to target the two bloggers, Chris Elliott and Steven Frischling, to make them reveal who leaked the information to them. And the strong-arm tactics the agency used quickly made it look draconian and repressive.

    After both men published accounts (Elliott, Frischling) of the TSA threats on their blogs, media outlets picked up the story and the TSA dropped both subpoenas. Public embarrassment could have induced the TSA to leave the bloggers be, but the agency may have already had what it wanted by the time the story broke. DHS officials returned to Mr Frischling’s home on Wednesday morning and forced him to hand over his laptop computer. The TSA has since dropped both subpoenas, but it’s certainly possible that the agency was able to discern the leaker’s identity by sifting through the information on Mr Frischling’s computer [The Economist].

    Perhaps the TSA simply wanted to find out who sends its info to members of the media, even though the information in this case wasn’t actually classified. In a statement Friday, the the agency wrote, “TSA takes any breach in security very seriously. In light of the posting of sensitive security information on the web, TSA sought to identify where the information came from. The investigation is nearing a successful conclusion and the subpoenas are no longer in effect” [CNN]. Frischling said the TSA also apologized to him, but only after taking the laptop and threatening to get him fired from his job writing a blog for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Wired.com reports. Frischling also says the TSA agents indicated that they could have him declared a security risk, which presumably meant he’d be flagged for additional screening at airports.

    The TSA’s public stance, expecting privacy for information sent to thousands of people around the world (and posted on some airline Web sites), smacks of the same unfair finger-pointing that the U.S. Senate was guilty of when it lambasted the TSA in response to the leak of the standard operation manual in early December. At that time, the TSA lacked an official head because of a political fight in the Senate over nominee Erroll Southers, led by Senator Jim DeMint. The South Carolina Republican wants Mr. Southers to promise that he would oppose granting collective-bargaining rights to the TSA’s tens of thousands of employees [Wall Street Journal]. A month later, that fight still goes on, and the TSA remains without a Senate-approved leader.

    Related Content:
    80beats: Editing Goof Puts TSA Airport Screening Secrets on the Web
    80beats: Are Digital Strip Searchers Coming Soon to Every Airport Near You?
    80beats: Computer Glitch Delays Airline Flights Around the Country
    DISCOVER: A Wing and a Prayer: The U.S.’s Crumbling Air-Travel Infrastructure

    Image: TSA