charisstoma: (Default)
https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA18-074A

Alert (TA18-074A)
Russian Government Cyber Activity Targeting Energy and Other Critical Infrastructure Sectors Original release date: March 15, 2018

Systems Affected
Domain Controllers
File Servers
Email Servers

Overview
This joint Technical Alert (TA) is the result of analytic efforts between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This alert provides information on Russian government actions targeting U.S. Government entities as well as organizations in the energy, nuclear, commercial facilities, water, aviation, and critical manufacturing sectors. It also contains indicators of compromise (IOCs) and technical details on the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by Russian government cyber actors on compromised victim networks. DHS and FBI produced this alert to educate network defenders to enhance their ability to identify and reduce exposure to malicious activity.

DHS and FBI characterize this activity as a multi-stage intrusion campaign by Russian government cyber actors who targeted small commercial facilities’ networks where they staged malware, conducted spear phishing, and gained remote access into energy sector networks. After obtaining access, the Russian government cyber actors conducted network reconnaissance, moved laterally, and collected information pertaining to Industrial Control Systems (ICS).

For a downloadable copy of IOC packages and associated files, see: Go to the original link above.

Description
Since at least March 2016, Russian government cyber actors—hereafter referred to as “threat actors”—targeted government entities and multiple U.S. critical infrastructure sectors, including the energy, nuclear, commercial facilities, water, aviation, and critical manufacturing sectors.

Analysis by DHS and FBI, resulted in the identification of distinct indicators and behaviors related to this activity. Of note, the report Dragonfly: Western energy sector targeted by sophisticated attack group, released by Symantec on September 6, 2017, provides additional information about this ongoing campaign. [1] (link is external)

This campaign comprises two distinct categories of victims: staging and intended targets. The initial victims are peripheral organizations such as trusted third-party suppliers with less secure networks, referred to as “staging targets” throughout this alert. The threat actors used the staging targets’ networks as pivot points and malware repositories when targeting their final intended victims. NCCIC and FBI judge the ultimate objective of the actors is to compromise organizational networks, also referred to as the “intended target.”Read more... )

Mom

Nov. 4th, 2017 10:52 am
charisstoma: (Default)
6:08 this morning. RIP Momma.
charisstoma: (Default)
Woman pulls out gun in Walmart during row over last notebook
https://www.yahoo.com/news/woman-pulls-gun-walmart-during-151015240.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma

A woman is facing criminal charges after pulling a gun on two other women in a row over a school notebook.

The argument, captured on video filmed by a bystander, broke out between two pairs of women over the last notebook at a 'Back to School' sale at the Walmart in Detroit, Michigan.Read more... )

It is unclear who got the notebook.

~~~~~~~

Because of the Hurricane knocking out the oil refineries on the Texas gulf coast, someone put 2 and 2 together and started a gas panic.
Lines of cars at the stations and gas pumps going empty. It was bizarre.

One of the teachers said one man came in with garbage cans to fill up with gas. This is illegal of course. Gasoline containers have to conform to set requirements. Being colored red is one of those. They had to call the local police to come because he was forcefully determined to fill those containers up.

As it is, the stations are back up and running. They were replenished by the next day. The gas panic caused the shortage.

~~~~~~

Nurse screams for help as she is arrested for saying she can't draw blood from unconscious patient
https://www.yahoo.com/news/nurse-screams-help-she-arrested-093436094.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma

A nurse was allegedly assaulted and illegally arrested when she told a detective she could not take a blood sample from an unconscious patient.

Alex Wubbels told a police officer she could not take blood from the victim of a lorry crash because he could not consent, and the officer had produced no warrant.

Footage taken by University Hospital, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Detective Jeff Payne's body camera show he threatened Ms Wubbels with jail if she did not comply, despite her having checked the policy with her bosses, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.Read more... )
charisstoma: (Default)
On the eastern part of Houston is the town of Crosby Texas where there is a Arkema Production Plant. They took precautions with backups and backups to the backups and when those didn't withstand the flooding they put the chemicals into diesel powered refrigeration containers. The chemicals have to be kept cool to prevent fire and/or explosion.
The water level has compromised the refrigeration containers. Arkema has withdrawn their people from the area and notified the authorities.

They produce liquid organic peroxides.
Authorities have issued an immediate evacuation of 1.5 miles from around the plant.
Now they wait for the water to go down or the fire/explosion whichever happens first.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/08/30/texas-town-under-emergency-evacuation-as-flooded-chemical-plant-nears-explosion/?utm_term=.9f4da7d35f35


http://www.houstonchronicle.com/chemical-breakdown/4/
Some highly reactive chemicals are included under the EPA’s Risk Management Program for their toxicity or flammability; others aren’t covered.

Cumene hydroperoxide is one that is not covered, though it’s the reason five Houston-area companies in the Chronicle/A&M analysis posed a high potential for harm. It explodes when combined with a number of other chemicals and can catch fire or explode if it is shocked or heated.

Arkema, up the street from KMCO, is one of those five companies. It reported housing up to a half-million pounds of cumene hydroperoxide. The nearest homes are less than a half-mile away.

Janet Smith, a company spokeswoman, said Arkema takes numerous measures to prevent a reactive incident. A valve on a line containing cumene hydroperoxide, for instance, requires two employees to verify that it’s closed. The company’s process control system automatically checks that the correct amount of the chemical is in the reactor before anything is added. Arkema does file a Risk Management Plan, but for other compounds.


https://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/chemical/478 CUMENE HYDROPEROXIDE

Alright, should I be worried at the 'interesting' "USCG CHRIS Code" label for this chemical, which is listed here https://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/chris/CMH.pdf.

This stuff is super nasty and very reactive. Lead alloys for pity sake, it reacts with lead alloys.
charisstoma: (Default)
mowing the lawn

Not me but the lawn height looks about right.
Ran out of light.
3/4 done but at least the front yard is done.
Ran over a rubber ball, probably from the neighbors' dog? For those that don't known lawn mowers don't like mowing 5" rubber balls. Think the ball survived relatively uninjured and the lawn mower just stopped.
Am so tired. Na-May the Cat sniffed me and went to lie down else where.

My Mom

Mar. 24th, 2017 10:59 pm
charisstoma: (default)
Mom is afraid of spiders and detests crickets, the latter she will beat to death with a flipflop. But she taught us how to catch bees and wasps and spiders using facial tissues and jars so we could release them out into the wild where they belong. She is not afraid of snakes.

Copperheads are a poisonous variety of snake. Early one cold morning while camping she came upon a curled up snake on the path to the campground restrooms. She picked it up, uncoiled it, marvelled at how beautiful it was then put it off the path and curled it up again. Cold snakes are sluggish so she didn't get bit.

Now she is in her nineties and has a walker and lives with my sister. During the time my sister is working there's a nice lady who comes in and helps her but there is a bit of time when she is able to be left alone without any problem. They have cats.

So while in the bathroom she notices a thin 4" black snake. She knew it was a mud snake, non-poisonous and rarely if ever would bite. She was worried for the snake in a house with cats. Unable to rescue the snake what does she do... I was on the phone with her when she told my sister what had happened. She's unable to get down to the floor and back by herself so... she calls 911. A very nice police officer came to the house and rescued the snake. My sister is hysterical with laughter with the occasional cries of, 'it's written up on the police blotter. Rescued snake from house.'
charisstoma: (default)


Each dot is an hour. We're not done for the day yet.
Values of the dots; 76, 59,77,72,56,64 books checked out per hour. Adds on 54 for the last hour.
Am up to 234 students and 21 students per school we serve, that have come into the library for books alone. ie. not research which we also have students in here for.

459 books checked out.

There are 17 school days after this before approx. half of our one school's pop goes onto a regular school. Stress trying to get their books back before they leave. Some will return to their home countries.
charisstoma: (default)
Was looking for how to make a living through photography, freelance and stumbled on this site. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Thought, oh that's a nice photograph of a new baby in the family and then I twigged to what it really was. The baby had died and this was a photo memory for the family.



Recruit a Photographer Month

Join our Affiliated Photographer community!


A family in your community needs you and there's never a better time to do something bold and extraordinary for yourself and others!

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS) photographers capture special moments of love for parents experiencing the loss of an infant. This precious gift helps provide healing for a family while honoring the baby's legacy.

There's a link for the parents to click.

A walk for those impacted by
Miscarriage, SIDS, Stillbirth or Infant Loss
Join us in honoring your baby
charisstoma: (default)


Thank you to TX Supreme Court Justice Willett for posting this.

Dallas Texas 07/07/2016

Dallas shooting kills five police officers; suspected attacker was Army veteran
charisstoma: (default)


Last evening we lost power for an hour. Of course some caller who I don't know drained my cell phone battery.

After the wind and the fast moving rain the sunlight was a golden glow that lit up everything against the dark sky to our east. No I have no pictures of that. One of my friends posted the photo I put here.
This is almost as good, posted by another friend.
charisstoma: (default)
Attorney General Ken Paxton rebukes fort worth bathroom policy/


FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Texas’ attorney general says Fort Worth schools may be violating state education law with new restroom guidelines for transgender students.

Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday became the latest high-ranking Republican to condemn Texas’ sixth-largest school district. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called for the resignation of Fort Worth Superintendent Kent Scribner, who says he’s staying put.

Scribner announced rules last month allowing transgender students access to single-stall restrooms. Alternatively, they’ll be allowed to use restrooms when other students aren’t around.

Scribner didn’t go through the school board, which Paxton suggests violates state law. He also questions whether the district can withhold information from parents about a transgender student.

The pushback from Texas Republicans comes as the U.S. Justice Department sues over a North Carolina law restricting transgender bathroom access.

Dan Patrick coming to Fort Worth to protest ISD’s trans guidelines

Fairness Fort Worth was already asking for LGBT people and their allies turn for the Fort Worth ISD board meeting tonight (Tuesday, May 10) to show support for guidelines on how the district’s personnel and students are expected to interact with transgender students, faculty and staff, including guidelines on public bathroom use.

Now Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — who issued a statement yesterday calling for FWISD Superintendent Kent Scribner to resign for putting his personal political agenda ahead of the well-being of the district’s students — has announced he is coming to Fort Worth tonight to hold a press conference outside the school district’s administration building to, well, to say why his personal political agenda should be put ahead of the well-being of FWISD students. You know, this school district that Patrick has no children in, in a city where Patrick does not live.

There have been rumors that Glenn Beck, the right-wing radio host who also does not live in Fort Worth and does not have children in the district, will attend tonight’s meeting as well.

The guidelines, which have been under construction for about a year, are not new policy, but simply a more detailed explanation of existing policy. (inset- before Scribner was hired for the position) As such, they needed only Superintendent Kent Scribner’s signature to go into effect, rather than approval by the FWISD’s board.

Despite the uproar and Patrick’s call for Scribner to resign, FWISD School Board President Jacinto “Cinto” Ramos Jr. issued a statement Monday declaring the board’s support for Scribner:

“Mi querida gente. Rest assured, the safety of ALL children is our highest priority on the Board. We are completely capable of handling this in Fort Worth. We are applying the existing policy to make sure ALL children feel safe at school. We are here to look out for ALL children; not some, not most, but ALL children. ‪#‎AsiDerechito‬ con puro amor…no odio. ‪#‎WeGotThis‬.”

(Not sure about the translation, but I believe it says, basically, “We’re gonna do this right, with pure love, no hate.” The #WeGotThis is pretty obvious.)

Fairness Fort Worth President David Mack Henderson today re-issued the call for supporters to flood the board meeting tonight, and to wear red. But he also stressed the importance of supporters of Scribner and of the guidelines, behaving respectfully:

“If you are coming to the FWISD board meeting today we (LGBTQA community leaders) are asking people to please wear red, and we urge people to avoid letting agitators press our buttons. Some would like nothing more than to distract us. No thanks. Our kids come first. That includes those present tonight for athletic honors and also their teachers of the year who we rely upon. We want our message to be positive, clear and unequivocally grateful to Supt. Scribner and our trustees for true leadership. Our focus is to make sure ALL our students have equal and safe access to education with dignity. Please, help us keep our message clear and constructive and concise. Thank you all for making Cowtown proud!”
charisstoma: (default)
My Librarian is leaving me to go to this conference in Houston.
Librarians in our school district are emailing back and forth about it. Normally this would be trying to carpool *snickers* a ride down to save on gas and it costs $30 A DAY to park down there.

And then this showed up as the subject on some of the emails:
TLA Scuba Gear for Houston Conference


Houston largely shut down amid rain, flooding
By Michael Pearson, CNN
Updated 11:28 AM ET, Mon April 18, 2016
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/18/us/houston-texas-flooding/index.html
Read more... )
charisstoma: (default)
Had more test security training this morning (different testing) of which almost nothing has to do with me but 'the rules say' everybody in the testing environment must be trained. Two mugs of coffee and I'm still trying to get my mind back.

So in an email subject line was:
"Refugee Panel Presentation"
and my mind read it as:
"Fugitive Panel Presentation".

*plop*
charisstoma: (default)
Spent about 40 minutes in the school basement with students, one school's worth. Other school hadn't been delivered yet. That must have been fun for the bus' because they pick them up from just about all over the city.

Phone reception isn't great in the basement for some reason. Went up into the stair well, where I shouldn't have been, trying to call home to see if the son had heard the tornado sirens. Don't know where the thing touched down if it did but it started south of us and moved north. Expect everything is okay because I finally did get the son on the phone and surely he'd have mentioned if part of the roof was missing or a tree had come down or the electricity or cable television was out. Daughter is okay too. 70 mph is great in a car, ZOOOOM, but winds doing that by themselves not so much.

School was fine. Just rain.

We might get to do this again tomorrow.

Portents 2?

Mar. 1st, 2016 06:08 pm
charisstoma: (default)


Okay this is scary.

Monday, on the way to work after dropping son at school on that same road where flying things joust with car grills ...

Okay I don't drive in the middle lane any more if I can help it. Used to feel safe there but not so much now after that flying thing.
So I'm driving in the slow lane, the furthest from the center median over which the other direction's road traffic lanes are.
Luckily we'd gotten out of bed and on the road early so traffic wasn't thick.

There's this object in my lane.. about the height of the car's front hood and about that wide and deep. Had time to slow down to let the car in the 'dangerous' middle land get by so I could move over. Someone lost either their refrigerator or maybe their heat pump. I was a bit too busy mentally patting myself and the car down even if we didn't make contact with 'the thing'. Holy Fricking Shit. Tomorrow we'll be back on that highway. Need to pack a change of underwear. Am thinking that the only lane that's safe is the one where you drive 10 miles over the speed limit.

Also it's March 1st Presidential (and other elected offices) Primary voting Day today. Temperature outside is 68 F/20 C. It's been a warm winter this year. And my son had to rescue me from a spider the same color as the recliner chair. Thing was on the chair arm, on its 8 spidy legs as bold as can be, walking towards me. We keep clean glass jars for spider removals. Spider is relearning how to live outside where there are geckos to eat it.
charisstoma: (default)
One of the former teachers at my school posted this yesterday:
I need a little luck in the morning. Tonight the gas pedal on my car decided to get stuck in the down position. Yes, I was driving. Yes it scared me to death. It is parked in a random parking lot tonight thanks to the off duty FW firefighter that helped me (hope it is okay until morning). Now, I have to figure out how to get it to a place that can hopefully fix it quickly.

Today she posted this:
Stuck Gas Pedal Saga:
Finally got the call from the service center...they have found the problem.
For the low, low cost of $217.00, they will remove the acorn that got stuck behind the cable that releases the gas pedal. They even agreed to remove any other acorns that they find under the hood.
Lesson of the day: Tree nuts are dangerous!!!

I asked her, did the service center explain 'how' the acorn got there?:
Her answer --- Ninja Squirrels.

charisstoma: (default)
This is mainly for me.
That road (bridge) is crossing the Red River, which is the boundary line between the states of Texas and Oklahoma. My sister told me that they closed one today when the water was high enough to cover the road and reopened it later when the river lowered enough.




Benbrook Lake is down the street and another street and over the ford from me.
One of these (bottom one) with the 2 seemingly small signs sticking up out of the water at the golf course, yeah those are where the water that is pumped out from the dam exits, I think. Usually that's a fairly steep drop off from the road so the water runs off and southeast away from us. Welcome to Benbrook Dam, built in 1950. My wonderful Mom chose this house that we live in with the idea that we were uphill safe if the dam should give way. Am very very happy about that right now.








Away across the ford below the dam is a great place to go fossil hunting. I have so many ammonite fossil impressions it's silly.
charisstoma: (default)
Students are writing in the books again. Underlining, circling words,numbering the sentence that is probably the answer of a test question for that book's Accelerated Reader quiz, and then there's the translating the words above the printed English text. Seems that some kid is doing this for other students 'for a price'. So I check in the books, check the pages for all markings, erase or JOY white outing the ink that was used instead, harass the student who returned the book with markings, and tell them that it's $1.50 per book that is returned this way or they can erase the book themselves for me. Have to listen to:
"No Miss, I no do that?".
Did you read the book?
"yes."
"Then why didn't you erase the marks?"
"But I no do that."
"I DON'T CARE. YOU RETURNED IT THAT WAY. Erase or pay."
They erase.

Some time in there I shelve the books.
Took me 3 hours to eat my lunch.

We usually make hash marks on a scrap paper for how may students come in to exchange books. I think it was 160 students but there were times when it was too busy to make hash marks.

I hate the teachers right now. I understand why they were letting their students come down in steady streams and I was stupid enough to send out overdue book lists to the teachers.
This is Thursday. Fridays are usually worse.
A week from tomorrow.... my Librarian will be out of the Library all day.
Library circulation stops on the 26th of May. That week will be student panicking days.

Y axis is books per hour checked out.
charisstoma: (default)
Don't know how long it'll be up.
Unplugged the outside lines, waited and then plugged in phone from outside. Got scratchy dial tone.
Put everything back together again. Went inside plugged in internet thingy (don't judge) after a bit it green lighted up, after red blinking for a bit then green blinking then all green. Had scratchy dial tone inside house on phone and then that went away. If you call in you get a busy signal from outside BUT the internet is up.

Am going to have to have a talk with the phone company. But for now, for this brief shining moment, I have internet.

Profile

charisstoma: (Default)
charisstoma

October 2023

S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jun. 8th, 2025 11:52 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios