Thursday, December 10, 2009

“TSA puts 5 employees on leave over online posting - GOPUSA” plus 4 more

“TSA puts 5 employees on leave over online posting - GOPUSA” plus 4 more

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger

TSA puts 5 employees on leave over online posting - GOPUSA

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 05:30 AM PST

 TSA puts 5 employees on leave over online posting
By EILEEN SULLIVAN
Associated Press
December 10, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Five Transportation Security Administration employees have been placed on administrative leave since it was discovered that sensitive guidelines about airport passenger screening were posted on the Internet.

The move was disclosed as senators questioned administration officials Wednesday about the second embarrassing security flap at the Homeland Security Department in as many weeks. The Secret Service, also part of the sprawling department, is investigating how a couple of would-be reality TV stars were able to get into a White House state dinner without an invitation.

Assistant Homeland Security secretary David Heyman told senators Wednesday that a full investigation into the Internet security lapse is under way and the TSA employees have been taken off duty pending the results of that probe. He did not say how many employees were put on leave. A TSA official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation said five employees were placed on administrative leave Tuesday.

The Homeland Security Department has also stopped posting documents with security information either in full or in part on the Internet until the TSA review is complete, Heyman told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told a separate hearing by the Senate Judiciary committee Wednesday that the department is taking steps to make sure this never happens again, and the department's inspector general is conducting its own investigation.

Napolitano added, however, that "the traveling public was not at risk."

The passenger screening document was improperly on the Internet in a way that could offer insight into how to sidestep security.

"Even what appeared to be an innocent posting to help federal contractors can have serious consequences for our security," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Wednesday.

Heyman said he did not know who at TSA signed off on the document going on the Web.

The TSA removed the document from the Internet on Sunday after the lapse was reported on a blog.

Among many sensitive sections, the document outlines who is exempt from certain additional screening measures, including members of the U.S. armed forces, governors and lieutenant governors, the mayor of Washington, D.C., and their immediate families.

It also offers examples of identification documents that screeners accept, including congressional, federal air marshal and CIA ID cards; and it explains that diplomatic pouches and certain foreign dignitaries with law enforcement escorts are not subjected to any screening at all. It said certain methods of verifying identification documents aren't used on all travelers during peak travel crushes.

TSA said the document is now outdated. It was posted in March by TSA on the Federal Business Opportunity site. The posting was improper because sensitive information was not properly protected, TSA spokeswoman Kristin Lee said.

As a result, some Web sites, using widely available software, were able to uncover the original text of sections that had been blacked out for security reasons. On Sunday, the Wandering Aramean blog pointed out the document in a posting titled "The TSA makes another stupid move."

>> Continued -- Page 1 2

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

New STAR Program from Fujitsu Provides Resellers with Benefits to Help ... - PR Inside

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 05:59 AM PST

2009-12-10 14:59:54 -

Fujitsu Network Communications : , a leading provider of business, information technology, and communications solutions, announced today the launch of its new Strategic Authorized Reseller (STAR) Program that offers rewards and dedicated services to qualified resellers. The program combines marketing and educational support from Fujitsu with each partner's individual expertise to bring the proven benefits of Fujitsu's industry-leading telecommunications

products and professional services to new customers and markets.

The new STAR Program comprises three distinct partner levels.

Authorized, Expert, and Premier, designed to align business objectives with program components such as the development and implementation of direct marketing campaigns, acquiring demonstration equipment, training, certifications and sales lead generation needed to insure successful positioning of Fujitsu solutions. All levels share several key benefits, including.

- Participation in a Channel Marketing Funds program
- Preferred pricing
- Participation in target-based incentive programs
- Access to extensive on-line information resources
- Exclusive product and solution training opportunities


"Channel partners are critical to our success and we are committed to providing them with the proper tools and resources to develop and optimize opportunities in both new and existing business," said Jim Hintze, senior vice president of sales at Fujitsu Network Communications. "We created the STAR Program to facilitate easy access to the resources they need to be successful, while also giving them the rewards they deserve for opening up new lines of business for our products and services."


Initial channel partners in the STAR Program include Comstock Telecom, GSS Global, JM Fiber Optics, LightRiver Technologies, Madison Group, Power and Telephone Supply, Shields Environmental, VarData, and Walker and Associates, with plans to expand the program selectively engaging top-producing, strategic partners in targeted verticals.


About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is a leading provider of IT-based business solutions for the global marketplace. With approximately 186,000 employees supporting customers in 70 countries, Fujitsu combines a worldwide corps of systems and services experts with highly reliable computing and communications products and advanced microelectronics to deliver added value to customers. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.6 trillion yen (US$47 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. For more information, please see: www.fujitsu.com : .


About Fujitsu Network Communications

Fujitsu Network Communications Inc. is an innovator in Connection-oriented Ethernet and optical transport technologies, and is a market-leading provider of SONET, WDM, and packet optical networking solutions. Fujitsu enables its customers to migrate to fully converged packet optical networks that improve performance and profitability. Over 400,000 Fujitsu network elements have been deployed by all major carriers across North America. Fujitsu maintains a longstanding and highly-regarded position as a market leader by providing best-in-class data networking solutions optimized for Ethernet aggregation, transport and service delivery. For more information, please see: us.fujitsu.com/telecom : .

FUJITSU (and design) ® are trademarks of Fujitsu Limited. All rights reserved. All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.


Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6117507&lang=en :

Fujitsu Network CommunicationsBob Laurent, 972-479-3480 bob.laurent@us.fujitsu.com : mailto:bob.laurent@us.fujitsu.com orJenny
Zapoli, 972-479-2855 jenny.zapoli@us.fujitsu.com : mailto:jenny.zapoli@us.fujitsu.com orNews
Room www.fujitsu.com/us/services/telecom/news/newsroom.html :

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger

117-year-old Cleveland area fur business closing - Akron Beacon Journal

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 05:38 AM PST

Events Calendar

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The Heldenfiles:
Thursday Notebook

Patrick McManamon:
Can the Browns (actually) beat the Steelers?

Akron Zips:
Notre Dame assistant rumored to be next head coach

Tribe Matters:
Santana and Miller have surgeries

Cleveland Browns:
Steelers' Harrison on Polamalu: 'He's greatly missed'

Kent State Sports:
Kent State completes search committee for new AD

Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs at Memphis Grizzlies – Abbreviated Version

Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeye Football – Present and Future

Varsity Letters:
Orrville confirms Miller's commitment

All Da King's Men:
Obama's TARP Magic

Blog of Mass Destruction:
Medicare Buy-In

Akron Law Café:
Richard Cheney and American Exceptionalism

See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering

Car Chase:
What Automotive Thing Are You Thankful For?

Let's Talk Real Estate:
Loan Modification – You Qualify!

Ohio Travels with Betty:
Miranda asks about a place sacred to the Indians where magnetic fields converge.

Sound Check:
Keys side project Blackroc performs on 'Late Night'

HRLite House:
Genetic Discrimination

Akron Gamer:
Obsessive compulsive gaming

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger

McDonald's sales take hit from national joblessness - Mercury

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 03:07 AM PST

By Ashley M. Heher, AP Retail Writer

Click to enlarge

A neon sign reminds patrons at a McDonald's restaurant of the 24-hour service in the Wrigleyville neighborhood of Chicago. AP Photo

CHICAGO — The supersized recession that was a boon for business last year caught up further with McDonald's Corp. in November, as high unemployment ate into sales.

While the world's largest burger chain is still faring better than its competitors, who've increasingly been pushing value menus and discounts of their own, the restaurant's fortunes likely won't improve unless the U.S. economy does.

"I think ultimately, we'll need job growth to get things turned around to get back in the positive territory," said Morningstar restaurant analyst R.J. Hottovy.

On Tuesday, McDonald's said sales at restaurants open at least a year fell 0.6 percent in the U.S. It was the second consecutive monthly decline for the measure, an important indicator of a restaurant chain's health, and a steeper fall than October's 0.1 percent.

November's overseas results were better but still mixed, helped by a softening dollar that translated foreign revenue into more dollars. Around the globe, sales in locations open at least a year rose 0.7 percent.

Because of its size and its ability to trounce competitors with its increasingly popular dollar menu, McDonald's was one of the early beneficiaries of the recession as diners traded down from pricier restaurants. In fact, last November, sales in locations open a year climbed 4.5 percent in the U.S. and 7.7 globally.

But earlier this fall, McDonald's cautioned it wasn't immune to the recession, either, and in October, the U.S. figure fell 0.1 percent.

Tuesday's results were only the fourth U.S. decrease in 6½ years.

The results come as McDonald's also faces increased competition from rivals trumpeting their own deeply discounted menus. Among them: Taco Bell's value menu that begins with items for 79 cents, and Wendy's $2.99 combos. Burger King has also heavily pushed a $1 double cheeseburger that it touts as being a bigger and better value than McDonald's $1 McDouble.

"It appears that after nearly six years of consistent gains, further increases in U.S. comps will be more labored," Standard & Poor's restaurant analyst Mark Basham said in a research note.

That's because until the U.S. unemployment rate — which was 10 percent in November — recovers significantly, McDonald's customers are less likely to visit the chain — picking up coffee and a McMuffin for breakfast, or dashing in for a Big Mac for lunch with co-workers.

In Europe, sales in locations open at least a year rose 2.5 percent, thanks to stronger business in the U.K. and France. But the figures were still short of forecasts and were the second-worst figures from the continent this year, said Janney Capital Markets analyst Mark Kalinowski.

"McDonald's did not provide much in the way of explanation for the lower-than-anticipated European (figure), suggesting to us that the region may remain under a cloud of uncertainty," Kalinowski told investors in a research note.

Sales in locations open for at least a year in the Middle East, Africa and Asia/Pacific dropped 1 percent. Last year, the figure rose 13.2 percent in the region.

Meanwhile, systemwide sales — a figured based on results at company owned restaurants as well as those operated by franchise owners — climbed 10.1 percent. Adjusting for currency fluctuations, systemwide sales were up 2.3 percent.

The company, based in Oak Brook, Ill., runs more than 32,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries.

AP Retail Writer Michelle Chapman contributed to this report from New York.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger

Report: Green jobs growing in California - San Jose Business Journal

Posted: 10 Dec 2009 06:49 AM PST

"Green" jobs increased at close to three times the rate of total jobs in California between 1995 and 2008, according to a report.

Green jobs range from those in air quality emissions monitoring and control to other jobs in the fuel cell and renewable energy industries.

The report, "Many Shades of Green: Diversity and Distribution of California's Green Jobs," was released Wednesday by the nonpartisan organizations Next 10 and by Mountain View-based Collaborative Economics, a research and consulting firm.

According to the report, as the economy slowed between 2007 and 2008, total employment fell 1 percent, but green jobs grew by 5 percent.

Between 1995 and 2008, total jobs in California grew by 13 percent, while green jobs grew by 36 percent, from 117,000 to 159,000 jobs, and green businesses increased by 45 percent, according to the report.

Sacramento led the state with green job growth of 87 percent between 1995 and 2008, from 7,019 jobs in 1995 to 13,102 jobs in 2008. Sacramento was followed by San Diego (57 percent), the Bay Area (51 percent) and Orange County and Inland Empire (50 percent), according to the report.

"Data show that green sector businesses are taking root across every region in California, generating jobs across a wide spectrum of skill levels and earnings potential," said F. Noel Perry, a venture capitalist and philanthropist who founded Next 10.

"While green jobs clearly cannot solve the state's current unemployment challenges, over time these jobs could become a growing portion of total jobs in California," he said.

While the absolute green job numbers are not large, according to the report the numbers are comparable to the biotech and software sectors.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger
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