July 29, 2017


News and Views


THIS ARTICLE AGAIN CONTAINS A PHRASE WHICH THROWS ME, SINCE IT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL AND TOTALLY NEW TO ME. THAT IS “A 4G THREAT.” IT HAS A SCIENTIFIC USAGE INVOLVING COMPUTER-BASED COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS SITUATION AS FAR AS I CAN SEE.

I COULDN’T BELIEVE THAT 4G MEANING “GLOBAL, GRAVE, GIVEN AND GROWING,” WOULD BE AN OFFICIAL TERM FOR ANYTHING, AND I’M STILL NOT CONVINCED THAT IT IS. THE ONLY 4G THREAT THAT I FOUND PERTAINS TO COMMUNICATIONS. 4G MEANS 4TH GENERATION OF SPEED, ONE LEVEL UP FROM 3RD GENERATION. SEE: IEEEXPLORE.IEEE.ORG BELOW.

PERHAPS THAT WORDING IS PART OF DIPLOMATIC TERMINOLOGY, OR PERHAPS THE AMBASSADOR WAS GIVING IN TO AN INFORMAL WAY OF SPEAKING. IT WAS SAID BY A FRENCH DIPLOMAT. ODDLY, THOUGH, I COULD FIND NO DEFINITION EVEN VAGUELY REFERRING TO DIPLOMACY EXCEPT THIS ONE ARTICLE WHICH WAS REPEATED NUMEROUS TIMES UNDER THOSE SEARCH WORDS, ALL OF WHICH CREDIT THE SAME SOURCE. STRANGE.... ANYWAY, IT IS A GRAVE SITUATION, FOR SURE, AND WORTHY OF A SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING. I HOPE PRESIDENT TRUMP DIDN’T TWEET OUT HIS COMMENT ABOUT IT BELOW.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-calls-for-emergency-security-council-meeting-over-north-korean-icbm-test/
By PAMELA FALK CBS NEWS July 29, 2017, 12:05 PM
U.S. calls for emergency Security Council meeting over second North Korean ICBM test

UNITED NATIONS -- The U.S. mission to the U.N. has requested an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Monday in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a Security Council diplomat tells CBS News.

The U.S. is asking the Security Council to meet and discuss the international community's response to the North Korean test, its second ICBM launch in a month. The missile launched on Friday traveled 1,000 km before landing in the Sea of Japan. Analysts said the missile puts cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York within range of a North Korean strike.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson denounced the missile launch, saying in a statement Friday that North Korea was "in blatant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions that reflect the will of the international community."

Tillerson also called Russia and China "the principal economic enablers of North Korea's nuclear weapon and ballistic missile development program."

North Korea test-fires second ICBM
Play VIDEO
North Korea test-fires second ICBM

North Korea conducted its first successful launch of an ICBM on July 4, firing a missile that analysts said was capable of reaching Alaska. Following that test, the Security Council was unable to agree on a statement condemning Pyongyang after Russia objected to language referencing an ICBM.

The U.S. and China have since been negotiating over the terms of a new resolution against North Korea.

After the July 4 launch, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley called for existing sanctions on the North Korean regime to be tightened. She also pushed the Security Council to levy new sanctions to cut off currency that the North uses to finance its nuclear program.

The new sanctions proposed by the U.S. include restricting oil imports, increasing air and maritime restrictions and naming additional officials to sanctions freezing assets and banning travel.

Two diplomats familiar with the negotiations told CBS News that the U.S. wants to add Kim Jong Un's name to the list of officials subject to the assets and travel ban. China, North Korea's closest ally, is unlikely to allow such a move against Kim.

China's Ambassador to the U.N. Liu Jieyi confirmed to CBS News that the U.S. and China are working on a new resolution.

"The context of a new resolution is that we both agree on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," Liu said. "But we have to try to get back to talks and de-escalate tension."

Western allies of the U.S. on the Security Council support additional sanctions against the regime.

"[North Korea] is a 4G threat: global, grave, given and growing," French Ambassador to the U.N. Francois Delattre said. "That's why we call for a firm and quick reaction including the adoption of strong additional sanctions by the Security Council."

Pamela Falk
Pamela Falk is CBS News Foreign Affairs Analyst and an international lawyer, based at the United Nations.


http://www.wwltv.com/news/nation-world/japan-nkorea-fires-possible-missile-could-land-off-japan/460200157

“...The French Foreign Ministry condemned the launch and called for "strong and additional sanctions" by the United Nations and European Union. "Only maximal diplomatic pressure might bring North Korea to the negotiating table," the ministry said in a statement.

"This is a 4G threat: global, grave, given and growing," France's U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre told The Associated Press. That's why we call for a firm and quick reaction including the adoption of strong additional sanctions by the Security Council." ....”


THIS IS ALMOST CERTAINLY NOT THE 4G THAT THE ARTICLE REFERS TO, BUT IT IS INTERESTING NONETHELESS.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4437813/
A Survey of Security Threats on 4G Networks

Abstract:
Many communication societies such as ITU and IEEE are working on 4th generation (4G) communication. This paper provides an overview of standardization activities focusing on the network security architectures and a survey of security threats on 4G networks. Our survey shows that a number of new security threats to cause unexpected service interruption and disclosure of information will be possible in 4G due mainly to the fact that 4G is an IP-based, heterogeneous network. We also found there still remain several open issues although many are working on fixing and/or designing new security architectures for 4G.
Published in: Globecom Workshops, 2007 IEEE
Date of Conference: 26-30 Nov. 2007
Date Added to IEEE Xplore: 22 January 2008



THIS REALLY IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR NOT ONLY THE PRESIDENT BUT SO MANY OF HIS STAFF TO HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS, AND THE GENERAL ATMOSPHERE OF CONFUSION IS UNNERVING. CAN WE HANDLE AN EMERGENCY IF WE SHOULD HAVE ONE? I DON’T KNOW WHERE WE’RE GOING, AND I DOUBT THAT THE PRESIDENT DOES EITHER. I HOPE THIS TERMINATES SOON WITH THE IMPEACHMENT OF THE PRESIDENT. WE NEED SOME HONEST, DECENT, COMPETENT PEOPLE TO STEER THIS SHIP. I’M NOT IMPLYING THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT, OF COURSE. ON THE OTHER HAND, I DIDN’T RUN FOR IT, EITHER. I HOPE AND PRAY THAT SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENS SOON.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bob-schieffer-anthony-scaramucci-interview-embarrassing/
CBS NEWS July 28, 2017, 10:47 AM
Bob Schieffer calls Scaramucci interview "embarrassing"

Incoming White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci took aim at Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and others Thursday in an expletive-filled interview.

He threatened to "fire everyone" to get to the bottom of White House leaks and called Priebus a "paranoid schizophrenic."

During a conversation on "CBS This Morning" on Friday, CBS News contributor Bob Schieffer described the interview as "embarrassing."

"It is just embarrassing for the nation," Schieffer said. "And the idea that someone who represents the president of the United States…"

Scaramucci, apparently believing that Priebus had leaked information about a dinner President Trump had Wednesday night with Fox News host Sean Hannity and former Fox executive Bill Shine, first threatened to fire the entire communications staff if reporter Ryan Lizza did not divulge the source of the leaks.

Schieffer said that he believes this week might be "some kind of a turning point" in the presidency, citing the turmoil surrounding Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Mr. Trump has publicly slammed Sessions for recusing himself from the Justice Department investigation into whether the president's campaign had anything to do with Russian interference in the election last fall.

"I tell you, the way that Jeff Sessions has been treated, it did not go over well with the Republicans in the United States Senate," Schieffer said. "They don't like it. He gave up a Senate seat to go serve the president. That's an honorable thing to do. To hang him out to dry like they've done, I think that made more of an impression on the senators than any other has done and that does not help him."

"I think, if the president does not get his business in order here, I think it's going nowhere," Schieffer added. "I think his agenda is going to go right out the window. He's got to get together with people in Washington and find some way to work together."


RACHEL MADDOW AND OTHER VIDEOS

Rachel Maddow is at the top of her game in this recent monologue: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/gop-deploys-counter-narrative-amid-continued-trump-disgrace-1011790915788?cid=eml_mra_20170728
Go to her site and watch it.


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/russian-kaspersky-labs-faces-new-scrutiny-suspicion-1012640835507
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 7/28/17
Russian Kaspersky Lab faces new scrutiny, suspicion
Richard Engel talks with Eugene Kaspersky, whose Kaspersky Lab anti-virus software is widely used around the world, including the United States, and who has come under increasing scrutiny and suspicion for his ties to Russian intelligence. Duration: 17:47


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/latest-russia-intrigue-follows-long-history-of-espionage-1012662339921
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 7/28/17
Latest Russia intrigue follows long history of espionage
Richard Engel reports on the long history of espionage and agent recruitment between the United States and Russia. Duration: 6:34


THIS TIM WEINER INTERVIEW IS SOOTHING TO MY NERVES. HE SEEMS GENUINELY SURE THAT A DONALD TRUMP CAN'T FIRE MUELLER, OR BEAT HIM, EITHER. THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/expert-nothing-can-stop-bobby-mueller-1011853379801
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 7/27/17
Expert: 'Nothing can stop Bobby Mueller' despite Trump's efforts
Tim Weiner, historian of the FBI and CIA, talks with Rachel Maddow about the Republican effort to discredit the FBI and the Trump Russia investigation, and what Donald Trump doesn't understand about the FBI. Duration: 7:50


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-employs-christie-style-bully-politics-in-health-bill-push-1011868739903
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 7/27/17
Trump employs Christie-style bully politics in health bill push
Rachel Maddow points out the parallels between the bully tactics at the root of the Bridgegate scandal and the pressure Donald Trump is trying to put on Senator Lisa Murkowski by threatening Alaska, noting also that Chris Christie's former campaign manager now works as Trump's political director. Duration: 4:48



AULD ACQUAINTANCE REMEMBERED 2017

http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/notable-deaths-in-2017/
Notable deaths in 2017
Photographs 90 with short bios