60% uptime!

Secret Service Computers Only Work at 60 Percent Capacity; Agency Uses 1980s Mainframe

Excerpt:

A classified review of the United States Secret Service's computer technology found that the agency's computers were fully operational only 60 percent of the time because of outdated systems and a reliance on a computer mainframe that dates to the 1980s, according to Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.

"We have here a premiere law enforcement organization in our country which is responsible for the security of the president and the vice president and other officials of our government, and they have to have better IT than they have," said Lieberman, who is chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.

Sources tell ABC News that the Secret Service was so plagued by computer problems that the agency invited the National Security Agency to formally review its information technology systems. The Secret Service's databases are outdated and users are at times unable to conduct searches from one system to another.

Lieberman says he's had "concern for a while" about the Secret Service computers. A 60 percent, fully operational average is far worse than "industry and government standards that are around 98 percent generally," Lieberman said.

Comment: We (unnamed bank) have like 99.98% uptime. Observation from some experience here. If you have systems, they have to be updated every several years. The conversion from very old (and obsolete systems) to current systems is very expensive. To bring it down to the personal level: I used to have files on 5.25" floppies, then 3.5" floppies, etc. Imagine skipping all the intermediate upgrade steps and then finding yourself with critical files on a 5.25" floppy! Back in the early 80's I helped a ministry get set up with a TRS Model 16 running Xenix. It was state of the art for small businesses. The ministry kept that system to the point of obsolescence. The director contacted me and asked for help upgrading to Windows. They ended up doing a completely manual conversion of printing off inventory records from the old system and manually keying them into the new system. I know of some businesses that have databases on Microsoft Access 95! Guess what ... it is no longer supported.

Picture above is a Tandy 6000 HD. My friend's computer was basically this machine but it had 2 8" floppies and an external hard drive.

Democrats don't "mind if it costs too much or has some bad consequences"

Joe Lieberman: The Other Senate Maverick

Excerpt:

For Democrats, getting a big health-care bill to Barack Obama's desk is akin to FDR's signing the Social Security Act.

Never mind if it costs too much or has some bad consequences. Ask yourself this: Whether it's Social Security or public education, when have Democrats ever cared whether government programs are meeting their goals? The important thing is that massive health-care spending shows they care.

So when Mr. Lieberman says he's going to filibuster, he's not just working against a piece of legislation. He's taking on an almost religious faith—and the opportunity to push through something Democrats believe will secure their place in history.

Comment: I'm a Joe fan!

Fort Hood shooter a "self-radicalized, home-grown terrorist"?

Lieberman Suggests Army Shooter Was 'Home-Grown Terrorist'

Excerpt:

Mr. Lieberman said that if news reports were true that Mr. Hasan had turned to Islamic extremism, "the murder of these 13 people was a terrorist act and, in fact, it was the most-destructive terrorist act to be committed on American soil since 9/11."

Comment: Consider Fort Hood suspect said his goodbyes before rampage

Soldiers reported that the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar!" — an Arabic phrase for "God is great!" — before opening fire Thursday, said Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the base commander.

CNN questioned whether religion was a factor in the shooting. LIKE DUH!

Updated: Alleged shooter tied to mosque of 9/11 hijackers - Hasan apparently attended mosque when a radical imam preached there

The alleged Fort Hood shooter apparently attended the same Virginia mosque as two Sept. 11 hijackers in 2001, at a time when a radical imam preached there.

Whether the Fort Hood shooter associated with the hijackers is something the FBI will probably look into, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

The family of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist who killed 13 and wounded 29 at the Texas military base, held his mother's funeral at the Dar al Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, Va., on May 31, 2001, according to her obituary in the Roanoke Times newspaper.

Bravo for Joe!

Lieberman Steps Up - Opposing Reid's public option gambit

Excerpt:

The health-care debate isn't over, notwithstanding the White House-Nancy Pelosi attempt to make it seem inevitable. Majority Leader Harry Reid had barely announced his plan to include a public insurance option when Connecticut Independent Joe Lieberman declared yesterday that he'd join a filibuster against such a Senate bill.

"We're trying to do too much at once," Mr. Lieberman said. "To put this government-created insurance company on top of everything else is just asking for trouble for the taxpayers, for the premium payers and for the national debt. I don't think we need it now."

Bravo, Joe. It's a relief to see at least someone standing up to the Washington rush to rearrange 18% of the U.S. economy without carefully inspecting the cost and the consequences. (See above for what the Senate Finance bill that is the basis for Mr. Reid's bill would do to insurance premiums.)

Comment: One of my favorite Democrats (err ... Independent!).

Will Joe Lieberman experience "long knives"?

An Embrace of Lieberman? Not Exactly

Excerpt:

The political status of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut was indefinite on Thursday after he met with Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic majority leader, to discuss Mr. Lieberman’s support of Senator John McCain, the Republican candidate for president.

Mr. Lieberman, a one-time Democrat who became an independent, could be stripped of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, although neither he nor Mr. Reid addressed that issue after their meeting.

“I’m thinking about what my options are,” Mr. Lieberman said.
Mr. Reid issued a statement notably lacking in warmth in which he called the meeting “the first of what I expect to be several conversations.”

“No decisions have been made,” Mr. Reid said. “While I understand that Senator Lieberman has voted with Democrats a majority of the time, his comments and actions have raised serious concerns among many in our caucus. I expect there to be additional discussions in the days to come, and Senator Lieberman and I will speak to our caucus in two weeks to discuss further steps.”

Comment: Joe will pay the price for support of McCain.

Joe Lieberman may attend GOP convention

Lieberman Rules Out Running With McCain

Excerpt:

"No, I'd tell him, 'Thanks, John, I've been there, I've done that. You can find much better,'" Lieberman told The Associated Press during an interview Tuesday in his Senate office. "I'm not seeking anything else."

The Connecticut senator said he was unequivocally ruling out sharing the GOP ticket with McCain.

Lieberman's endorsement of McCain in December and the campaigning he since has done in states such as New Hampshire, Michigan, South Carolina and Florida have stoked speculation that the Arizona senator might choose Lieberman as his running mate.

Lieberman planned to be back on the road for McCain as the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday contests near.

Lieberman's flirtations with Republicans worry Democrats. His defection to the GOP could tip the balance of power in the narrowly divided Senate away from Democrats, who need Lieberman's vote to maintain their fragile 51-49 Senate majority.

Lieberman, in his fourth term, said his decision to endorse a Republican should not be seen as a step toward him jumping to the GOP.

"I don't have any intention of leaving the Democratic Party," he said. "I want to be a senator."

But Lieberman did say that if McCain wins the nomination, he'd likely attend the Republican convention.

"I'd probably be more welcome there," he said.

Comment: Joe, you can stay at my house! Call me.

Joe Lieberman's endorsement of John McCain

My Fellow American,

Last week I went to New Hampshire to ask Republican and Independent voters to support John McCain in the first-in-the-nation primary on January 8.

I know that it is unusual for someone who is not a Republican to endorse a Republican candidate for President. And if this were an ordinary time and an ordinary election, I probably would not have done so. But this is no ordinary time -- and this is no ordinary election -- and John McCain is no ordinary candidate.

In this critical election, no one should let party lines be a barrier to choosing the person we believe is best qualified to lead our nation forward. The problems that confront us are too great, the threats we face too real, and the opportunities we have too exciting for us to play partisan politics with the Presidency.

My friend John McCain is that candidate, and that is why I am so proud to endorse and support him for President.

I have worked closely with John for many years on many issues. I have seen John, time and again, rise above the negativism and smallness of our politics to get things done for this country we love so much. John McCain has proven that we can trust him to do what is right for our country, not only when it is easy, but when it is hard; to do what is necessary, not only when it is popular, but when it is not; and to tell us the truth, not only when it is easy to hear, but when it is not.

As President, John McCain will bring America together again. He will inspire a new American unity and a new American patriotism. He will push all of us to work together to solve our biggest problems, and defeat our most dangerous enemies.

Throughout our history, succeeding generations of brave Americans have risked their lives for the cause of freedom -- which is America's cause. Throughout his career, from the ranks of the military to halls of the Congress, John McCain has made freedom's cause his own. He learned the ideals of patriotism and service from his father, he taught them to his sons, and he will hold those ideals high as an inspiration for all Americans.

When others were silent, and it was thought politically unpopular, John had the courage and common sense to sound the alarm about the mistakes we were making in Iraq and to call for more troops and a new strategy there. And when others wavered, when others wanted to retreat from the field of battle, John had the courage and the common sense to stand against the tide of public opinion and support the surge in Iraq, where we are at last winning.

There are many fine people running for President. Many of them are good friends of mine. But I have concluded -- and I hope you will, as well -- that John McCain is the candidate who can best reunite our country and lead us to victory.

Now I ask you to do all that you can to elect John McCain the next President of the United States. Every one of us should make a contribution. You can follow this link and make a secure donation right now.

After you have contributed to the cause I want you to follow this link to volunteer to make phone calls into the early primary states on behalf of the campaign. John McCain is the right man for the times and we all need to do our part to further the cause of liberty and freedom for all Americans.

Sincerely,

Joe Lieberman
United States Senator

PS. When it comes to keeping America safe in this time of war, John has proven that he has the experience, the strength, and the character, to be our commander-in-chief from day one. I have traveled the world with John, so I can tell you how much he is liked and admired by leaders across the globe. He will be a President our friends will respect and our enemies will fear, and a President who will lead our nation on the world stage with purpose and principle. Please join me in doing all that we can to support the election of John McCain

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Comment: Previous CFG Joe Lieberman posts

Breaking through "reflexive partisanship"

Lieberman: McCain can reunite our country

Excerpt:

"Being a Republican is important. Being a Democrat is important. But you know what's more important than that? The interest and well-being of the United States of America," the Democrat-turned Independent said in announcing his decision Monday morning in New Hampshire.

"Let's put the United States first again, and John McCain is the man as president who will help us do that," he said.

Lieberman, the Democrats' vice presidential nominee in 2000, said the next president needs to "break through the reflexive partisanship that is poisoning our politics today and stopping us from getting anything done in Washington."

In accepting Lieberman's backing, McCain said, "It is one of the great honors of my political career to have known him, to have worked with him and to have received his endorsement."

The Connecticut senator decided to endorse McCain because he considers him "the most capable to be commander in chief on day one of his administration, and the most capable of uniting the country so that we can prevail against Islamic extremism," a Lieberman aide said earlier.

Comment: McCain needs to win New Hampshire & South Carolina!

The two mavericks

Lieberman to Endorse McCain

Excerpt:

Sen. John McCain, trying to build momentum toward a reprise of his 2000 New Hampshire primary victory, is piling up high-profile endorsements, including one from another political maverick, Sen. Joseph Lieberman.

The Connecticut senator, an independent who was the Democrats' 2000 vice presidential nominee, was scheduled to announce his support for McCain at a town hall meeting Monday morning in Hillsborough.

A Lieberman adviser said the senator decided to back McCain despite being a Republican because he believes his colleague from Arizona "has the best chance of uniting the country in its fight against Islamic terrorism."

Comment: Maverick: an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party. Cold Fusion Guy is a Joe Lieberman fan: Previous CFG Lieberman posts! From August 2006: "I regard Joe Lieberman is one of the finest, genuine, effective Senators of our time."