SecurityInfoWatch.com Blogs

This security business is serious stuff, but sometimes you just have to have a bit of a laugh. That was my reaction to the news on CNN that the city of Boston had rolled out its Homeland Security counter-terror team today.

The dangerous opponent? Turner Broadcasting’s marketing department. The marketing department, it seems, had hung some lightboards around town featuring a cartoon character (the Mooninite from Adult Swim’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force cartoon show) a few weeks ago in a number of U.S. cities. Apparently our highly trained counter-terror intelligence staff at the Boston PD decided that Mooninite = Jihadist and decided to send the department into turmoil for 12 hours as they negated the marketing threat and tracked down nine of the billboards in the city, believing they may have been bombs. (It’s highly common that terrorists conceal bombs as advertisements for cartoons, I’m told, by sources who asked to remain very anonymous.)

Chalk that up as Homeland Security 1, Turner Broadcasting 0. Personally, I would have loved to have seen them destroy the lightboards. Talk about marketing “impact.” But I’m still laughing, and come to think of it, that may mean the Mooninites have won their attack on Boston.

In case you’re still confused what a Mooninite is, here’s an image of the suspicious lightboards displaying a common Mooninite welcome (they greet others with a middle-finger gesture). That gesture from the Atari-like cartoon character might have been what really set off the Boston police this morning.

–Geoff

Ever been standing in a security line at ATL, LAX, ORD, facing a TSA screener sporting a nasty look, a blank stare, a cheerful face (probably not this last one), and wondered, What on Earth are they thinking about?

I stumbled upon a Web site this morning that may give a little insight into this question. TSA-Screeners.com claims to serve the TSA screener community with screening-related news, advocacy, editorials, a comic strip, parodies and forums. Its opening banner reads “This is a private website not affiliated with the U.S. government … so speak freely.” 

The site was created by a military and law enforcement veteran whose wife worked as a TSA screener before leaving the organization with four official complaints in her wake. So is it unbiased coverage of this federal organization’s news and operations? Um … no. But it represents a side of the coin not often publicized, and it’s certainly an interesting read.

So in case you missed this story on SIW, a man was arrested last year in New Hampshire for video recording police officers at his front door.  Apparently when he went into the police station to complain about the officers’ conduct he brought tapes as evidence.  He was arrested and the tapes were never returned because the police said they were “illegal.” 

I could understand if the guy had invited the police officers into his house and secretly recorded them using the restroom, but the front door?

The good news is that this case has resulted in a new bill being introduced in the state’s House which would allow property owners to record their own premises without giving notice.

Although, we can’t beat up New Hampshire too much for this situation.  After all, every state has dumb laws.  Click here to see for yourself.

-Greg

Robert LaPenta believes in biometrics. After all, you don’t put your money where your mouth is if you don’t believe. This is the guy who just today has offered $1.05 per share for each share of ComnetiX, a Canadian biometrics company that does fingerprint recognition, especially ones for police departments.

Of course, LaPenta (via his biometrics investment arm L-1) isn’t the only one going after ComnetiX. BIO-key, another fingerprint recognition player is also making a thirsty offer for the shares of Comnetix.

So, who are they after? Well, Comnetix has been around for quite sometime. I dug up some earlier info on this company and it seems that back in the summer of 2004, for every 2 dollars they brought in, 3 dollars went out the door. This was a company that had previously operated with profits. Then in the summer of 2005, the company jumped on the chance to acquire Paragon Total Solutions, a biometrics firm based out of a small town near Atlanta, Ga. That acquisition further placed ComnetiX in the public safety/law enforcement space.

So now, with L-1’s offer topping a previous offer by BIO-key, and with the ComnetiX B.o.D. telling its shareholders that this is a good thing, it looks like the L-1/ComnetiX deal is about to be served. And that will further grow L-1, which has been buying up the biometrics space with a little bit of a splash.

LaPenta is waiting for, of course, that critical instance when biometrics technology starts to take off like personal computers. It took a long time, admittedly, before PCs were commonplace in U.S. homes, but I’m not sure we’re that far away from it happening with biometrics. And that, I think, is what makes LaPenta — who is first and foremost a savvy investor — a true believer.

-Geoff

Since the title of my blog is The Security Check, it’s only appropriate that I address a topic of marginal importance at the TSA’s security checkpoints. A great story from USA Today (now posted on SecurityInfoWatch.com at this link) makes note of how the TSA is selling advertising space in the bottom of the security bins that we all deposit our laptops, shoes and belongings in as we make our way through metal detectors and X-ray machines at U.S. airports.

Now at first, I’m a bit miffed by this idea. If TSA has me captive for a security check, should I be treated like a captive audience and shown marketing messages? (Rolodex was the first advertiser — who knew that company was even still in business since the age of the computer address book left them in the dust.) So then I got to thinking about security fees and put my research hat on. Here’s what I’ve got:

– $2.50 per enplanement that must be paid to the TSA — this is added to ticket cost and is called the September 11 Security Fee.
– Then they hit the air carriers with a Aviation Security Infrastructure Fee that is supposed to be the same cost as what the airlines had to pay in 2000 before TSA took over screening duties
– then add in the cost of Air Marshalls (we’re not supposed to know how many are on duty, but the word is that though the number jumped after 9-11, it’s been sliding back)
– Extra costs of new detection system equipment from companies like GE and L-3 and Smith’s (and you won’t even touch an upgrade to new equipment from these companies without dropping a quick $1M for your (small) airport, and it’s a staggering number when you’re looking at detection systems upgrades for full-size passenger airport like JFK or Denver).

I don’t know, but I’m going to venture a rough guess that there are probably about $15 in additional security costs per enplanement (not all paid by the ticket purchaser directly) since 9-11. And that gets me thinking — maybe they can keep those costs flat or slightly shrink them if this advertising program works.

So I say, “Keep on trying to sell me a Rolodex as long as TSA security costs are managed.”

An addendum: Maybe you should consider selling Starbucks or Costco advertising space on your employee IDs if your corporate security budget was a little short for 2007.

-Geoff

Right now, the U.S. House is debating HR1, “Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007.” Some news outlets (Fox) have noted that HR1 will require private companies to prepare for terrorism. From a quick reading of Title XI of the bill, “Private Sector Preparedness,” I would say “require” may be a strong word. In its current form, the bill seems to be after only voluntary preparedness standards. But however this bill turns out, it’s something you’re going to want to keep an eye on. You can read the text of the bill in its original form at http://thomas.loc.gov. Search for HR1.

Marleah

Well, the year 2007 is here and, believe it or not, this decade is already more than 70% over.  Although, I’m not sure if we have a name yet for this decade… is it the 00’s (i.e., Zeroes)?

Anyway, the year is young and full of promise.  For those of you in the field of security, keep up the great work.  Here’s wishing you the best!

-Greg