BRANDT'S RANDOM GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASES

MEMBER OF "STICK UP KIDZ" CRIME GANG APPREHENDED

2013-01-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE

U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force Arrests “Stick Up Kid”

January 07, 2013 - The U.S. Marshals Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force assisted by officers from the Erie Bureau of Police arrested James Gates III. Gates was taken into custody in Erie, PA. Gates is believed to be a member of the “Stick Up Kidz” in Erie. Several members are alleged to have committed home invasion robberies and burglaries in the Erie County area. Gates is wanted on charges of Robbery, Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal Conspiracy to a Corrupt Organization, Burglary, Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, Theft by Unlawful Taking and Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Deception.

USA.GOV GIVES ADVICE ON FINDING A CREDIT COUNSELING AGENCY

2013-01-09T04:21:00.000-05:00

FROM: USA.GOV
How to Choose a Credit Counseling Agency
It’s easy to get into debt. It’s much harder to get out of it.

Fortunately, there are credit counseling agencies that can help you get your finances in order. They can help you figure out a budget and stick to it while managing your debt and avoiding future financial pitfalls.

However, not all credit counseling agencies are the same. Some offer free or low-cost services while others charge high fees or might not be trustworthy. The following tips will help you choose the right credit counseling agency.

Look for Agencies with a Good Reputation

Most reputable credit counseling agencies are nonprofits that offer free or low-cost services. However, the fact that an agency is a nonprofit does not guarantee that it is affordable or that it has a good reputation. Here are some tips for selecting a credit agency you can trust:
Ask family members and friends if they can recommend an agency. It’s best to pick one that has been around for several years and has a well-established reputation.
Use credit agencies or credit counseling services referred by credit unions, banks, universities or military bases.
Choose a credit agency that’s been approved by the Federal Government.
You can also check out state and local consumer agencies to find out if a credit agency has complaints.

Compare Services and Costs

Once you have a list of agencies you can trust, the next step is to take a closer look at the services and costs they offer so that you can choose the one that best serves your needs. Be careful with credit agencies that charge high fees for services that you can get for free somewhere else.

Some of the most common services offered by credit agencies include:
Professional, person-to-person assistance with managing your money and debt.
Help putting together a family budget and sticking to it.
Free workshops and educational material.
Ask Lots of Questions

Before finally choosing a credit agency, it’s worth writing down a list of questions you might have so that you can avoid surprises such as hidden fees or limited services. Here are some questions to help you pick the right credit agency.
Are there different fees for different services? Some agencies might charge for initial consultations or a monthly fee. Be careful with agencies that pay their employees more depending on the services you sign up for.
Will you be signing a contract before getting counseling? If so, be sure to read the contract before signing it.
Does the agency have the right certifications to provide credit counseling? It’s best to use agencies that have been certified by independent organizations.
What is the privacy policy of the agency? It’s important that your personal and financial information is protected.

ROBONAUT 2: FIRST HUMANOID IN SPACE

2013-01-09T02:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: NASA

Robonaut Operates Task Board in Space
In the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory, Robonaut 2 is pictured on Jan. 2, during a round of testing for the first humanoid robot in space. Ground teams put Robonaut through its paces as they remotely commanded it to operate valves on a task board.

Robonaut is a testbed for exploring new robotic capabilities in space, and its form and dexterity allow it to use the same tools and control panels as its human counterparts do aboard the station.

Photo Credit: NASA

U.S. GIVES TERRORIST DESIGNATIONS TO TWO MEN TIED TO 2008 KHARTOUM ATTACK

2013-01-09T01:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Terrorist Designations of Abdelbasit Alhaj Alhassan Haj Hamad and Mohamed Makawi Ibrahim Mohamed
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
January 8, 2013

The U.S. Department of State has designated Abdelbasit Alhaj Alhassan Haj Hamad and Mohamed Makawi Ibrahim Mohamed under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. As a result of this designation, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Abdelbasit and Makawi have any interest is blocked and any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. This action will help stem the flow of financial and other assistance to these terrorists.

Abdelbasit and Makawi participated in an armed attack in Khartoum, Sudan on January 1, 2008, which resulted in the deaths of a U.S. diplomat serving with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), John Michael Granville, and Adbelrahman Abbas Rahama, a Sudanese USAID employee. Abdelbasit shot Granville and Makawi killed Abbas Rahama during the attack. Both Abdelbasit and Makawi were convicted of murder and sentenced to death in a Sudanese criminal court in 2009. In 2010, they killed a Sudanese police officer and wounded another while escaping from prison. They remain at large.

The attack occurred when Granville and Abbas were leaving a New Year’s Eve party in Khartoum. Abdelbasit shot Granville and Makawi killed Abbas Rahama during the attack. Both men and two co-conspirators were convicted of murder and sentenced to death in a Sudanese criminal court in 2009. In 2010, they killed a Sudanese police officer and wounded another while escaping from a maximum security prison through a tunnel. One of the escapees was captured; another was reportedly killed in Somalia in May 2011.

SOLAR PANELS AT WEST POINT

2013-01-08T23:00:00.000-05:00

The installation of solar panels on top of the Lichtenberg Tennis Center has become a visible sign of progress in West Point’s Net Zero Energy goals. Photo by Nicole Ciaramella, West Point DPW

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
ARMED WITH SCIENCE
Solar Panels Deliver New Energy To West Point's Net Zero Initiative
Written on January 7, 2013 at 7:50 am by jtozer

Since becoming a Net Zero Energy pilot installation last April, West Point has been making strides toward the ultimate goal of producing as much energy as it uses by 2020.

According to an environmental assessment for the U.S. Army Environmental Command and West Point Garrison, the installation currently generates less than .02 percent of the energy it consumes from renewable sources. Matt Talaber, Department of Public Works engineer and director, said the solar panels will be a step in the right direction.

"The solar panels are very visible and a very recognizable part of our renewable energy initiative that can immediately click with the general public," Talaber said.
"It’s a positive image that shows West Point is interested in renewable energy and is working on its Net Zero energy goals."
The work began Oct. 15 with minor roof repairs before the panels were attached to a metal rack system. When the wiring to the interior controls is completed, the photovoltaic technology will service approximately 50-60 percent of the building’s energy consumption annually.

The tennis center was an ideal location for the panels due to its southern exposure; lots of light and an uninterrupted rooftop, with no parking or other activity.

lots of light and an uninterrupted rooftop, with no parking or other activity.

"We have our projections about how well these panels will do, but now we have a real functional lab, if you will, in a single building where we can really track current usage against past usage," Talaber said.

Talaber admits the solar panels are high on the list of visible achievements for Net Zero, but they’re not the sole accomplishment to date. Talaber cited several multi-million dollar projects underway, all designed to improve energy savings so the installation will reach its goals.

"These (projects) are energy saving related projects happening in mechanical rooms and rooftops that aren’t as widely recognized as, say, solar panels or wind turbines," Talaber said.

Paul Simihtis, DPW’s Energy Branch chief, said as the Net Zero process continues at West Point, it’s important to acknowledge that a major component in the end state is general conservation–reducing the post’s energy consumption.
"That’s the kind of thing that isn’t visible and hard for most people to see because those are the things we do inside the buildings–the controls and HVAC upgrades," Simihtis said. "Creating renewable energy becomes the next piece in this."
Behavior change is hard, Talaber said, but the message needs to be constant and continual in this process.

"It’s about getting into the basics of cutting back … shutting the window or turning the air condition down or the lights off," Talaber said. "If many people do a lot of small things, we will realize great gains, and that’s the area we need to attack first."

That’s where garrison tenants meet with academic departments to combine expertise, explore research opportunities and provide meaningful capstone projects for cadets to become involved. Talaber also credited the West Point Energy Council for its role in integrating subject matter experts to solve the installation’s energy problems.

Even before West Point was named a Net Zero installation, Talaber said it’s been a longstanding goal for all new construction to go beyond minimal energy efficiency standards.

As the Science Center and Bartlett Hall continue to take shape, signs have been posted around this construction indicating compliance to this mission. Any new building construction, Simihtis said, is targeted with an aggressive BTU-per square foot number to ensure optimal energy efficiency. He cited the Science Center and barracks projects as measuring up to these high standards.

"We’re on track to have one of the most efficient new barracks designs in the Army right now," Simihtis said.

"When we renovate now we are much more sensitive to energy standards and new energy codes," Talaber said. "But because we are Net Zero we’ve tried to go above and beyond the simple things like glazing of windows and building insulation. Part of our Energy Savings Performance contract, the first one we had, the company is conducting work on behavioral change and getting the message out about conservation."

There’s a host of other energy savings initiatives being explored at DPW, from micro-hydro power and waste-to-energy projects to geothermal systems on the waterfront.

"There’s a wide array of possibilities and corresponding research being done," Talaber said. "Our effort is being complemented by three different research labs across the country with foremost experts in energy conservation and renewable energy."

The deadline to become energy efficient is several years away, but there’s still much to do to achieve its goals.

"We have quickly moved into project execution and are well on our way," Talaber said. "Net Zero really helped focus us across the academy with this common goal."

By Mike Strasser, U.S. Military Academy Public Affairs

　

U.S. State Department Daily Press Briefing - January 8, 2013: Transcript

2013-01-08T22:35:00.001-05:00

Daily Press Briefing - January 8, 2013

VIDEO: BUBBLES IN THE HELIOSHEATH

2013-01-08T22:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: NASA

Sea of Bubbles at Edge of Solar System
This animation summarizes the new heliospheric scenario and the formation of the "sea" of bubbles in the heliosheath. The Sun’s magnetic field points toward the Sun in the Northern hemisphere and away from the Sun in the Southern (shown in red and blue). These oppositely pointing magnetic fields are separated by a layer of current called the heliospheric current sheet. Due to the tilt of the magnetic axis in relation to the axis of rotation of the Sun, the heliospheric current sheet flaps like a flag in the wind. The flapping current sheet separates regions of oppositely pointing magnetic field, called sectors. As the solar wind speed decreases past the termination shock, the sectors squeeze together, bringing regions of opposite magnetic field closer to each other. When the separation of sectors becomes very small, the sectored magnetic field breaks up into a sea of nested "magnetic bubbles" in a phenomenon called magnetic reconnection.

Press Briefing For January 8, 2013 | The White House

2013-01-08T20:59:00.001-05:00

Press Briefing | The White House

DVIDS - Video - DoD Briefing For January 8, 2013

2013-01-08T20:23:00.001-05:00

DVIDS - Video - DoD Briefing

DOD News Briefing with George Little from the Pentagon

2013-01-08T20:16:00.001-05:00

DOD News Briefing with George Little from the Pentagon

FEMA HURRICANE SANDY CLEANUP PHOTOS

2013-01-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Breezy Point, N.Y., Jan. 3, 2013 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers begins residential demolition and debris removal of houses fully destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in Breezy Point, NY. FEMA is providing public assistance funds to aid partners in the cleanup of Breezy Point and the Rockaways in Queens, NY. Andre R. Aragon-FEMA

DOD COMPTROLER SAYS NEED MORE STABILITY IN BUDGET SIZE, PROCESS

2013-01-08T16:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DOD Comptroller: Budget Stability Key to National Security
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2013 - Stability in the size of the Defense Department's budget -- and especially in the process of funding it -- is critical to maintaining national security, DOD Comptroller Robert F. Hale said here yesterday.

During a keynote address at the Brookings Institution here, Hale discussed three steps that must be taken to accommodate lean budget times.

Two of the steps already are in place, he said: determining a defense strategy to guide spending and instituting initiatives that stretch defense dollars.

"And third, we need -- I would say desperately need -- more stability, both in terms of budget size and, maybe particularly, budget process," Hale added.

In more than three decades of working in and around the defense budget, he said, he has never seen a period featuring greater budgetary uncertainty than the next few months present.

Meanwhile, Hale said, he hopes to submit the fifth defense budget he's overseen as comptroller.

"The first two [budgets] featured increases in the top line," he said. "The third one, in February 2011, featured substantial top-line reduction, and the last one featured a significant reduction: about $260 billion over a five-year period relative to our planned $487 billion [reduction] over 10 years. And we may not be done."

The 2012 American Taxpayer Relief Act, which Congress passed Jan. 1, may force further reductions, Hale said. Although the law avoided activating a "sequestration" mechanism in a budget law passed last year, the threat of that mechanism's automatic across-the-board cuts now looms beginning March 1, he added.

"We're still working on the details, but the total sequestration for DOD appears to be roughly $45 billion if it all goes into effect -- about 9 percent of our budget," Hale explained.

"That is less than the sequestration [amount of about $62 billion] we faced before passage of the New Year's Day act. That could have been as much as 12 percent. But we also have two fewer months in which to accommodate those changes," he said.

At a time when U.S. national security challenges have never been more complex, Hale said, the lack of budgetary stability and the reliance on continuing resolutions, which fund only a portion of the fiscal year budget at a time, makes it very hard to plan and extremely hard to plan well.

"We also cannot rule out an extension of the continuing resolution throughout the rest of this year, and that would sharply reduce the operation and maintenance funds that we have available and that we need to maintain readiness," one of the department's highest priorities, the comptroller said.

And while U.S. troops are in Afghanistan, protecting funds for wartime operations means even larger cuts in base budget dollars available for readiness, he noted.

"I think the nation's security would be better served if Congress adopted and then stayed with a more stable budget plan," Hale said.

The department hasn't enjoyed much budget-process stability during his tenure as comptroller, Hale added.

"I have personally coordinated four shutdown drills," he said. "During two of them, I was sitting in my office at 8 at night, not knowing whether at midnight we would shut down the department or not. Fortunately, we didn't in either case."

Continuing resolutions -- the nation is operating under one right now, he pointed out -- "really hogtie the department and its ability to manage," Hale added.

A questioner asked Hale how industry can help the department navigate in a leaner budget environment. "We need you to sharpen your pencils as much as we are trying to do with regard to your overhead and anything else that would help us hold down costs," he replied.

The department's Better Buying Power initiative, established in 2010, was directed at improving efficiency and productivity for the $400 billion DOD spends annually on goods and services. Part of the initiative seeks to work "more closely with industry to see what you can do there. In return, we owe you some stability, and ... we're not there yet," Hale said.

"My hope is that in the next two months, all of us in the leadership of the nation and the Congress can work together to provide that stability," he added. "Our national security demands no less."

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 8, 2013

2013-01-08T15:00:00.000-05:00

Photo: Destroying Captured Weapons. Credit: U.S. DOD

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

U.S., Afghan Forces Arrest Taliban Facilitator
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator today in the Pul-e Khumri district of Afghanistan's Baghlan province, military officials reported.

The facilitator belonged to a group of insurgents who carry out bomb attacks in the province. He was personally responsible for assisting in the transfer of improvised explosive devices and conducting IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force killed two insurgents, including the Taliban leader Khanjar, in Nangarhar province's Khugyani district. Khanjar, also known as Izat and Abu Khaled, directed attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also arrested a local Taliban leader who oversaw the transfer and delivery of weapons and ammunition.

-- An Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, arrested two insurgents during a search for a Haqqani network leader in Khost province's Sabari district. The Haqqani leader directs and conducts attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

In an operation yesterday, a combined force killed Taliban leader Mohammad Sayed and another insurgent in Helmand province's Washer district. Sayed distributed weapons and ammunition to Taliban fighters and was trying to acquire rockets for attacks targeting Afghan government officials.

Una cuna de estrellas

2013-01-08T14:32:00.001-05:00

Una cuna de estrellas

The drug-free kids tool

2013-01-08T14:03:00.001-05:00

The drug-free kids tool

WOMAN INDICTED FOR IDENTITY THEFT TO OBTAIN TAX REFUNDS

2013-01-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Monday, January 7, 2013
Georgia Woman Indicted for Stealing Identities to Obtain Tax Refunds

A federal grand jury in Montgomery, Ala., returned a superseding indictment charging Deatrice Smith Williams and Quentin Collick for their roles in a stolen identity refund fraud conspiracy, Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama George L. Beck Jr. and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. The 13 count indictment charges Williams and Collick with conspiracy to file false claims, theft of public funds, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

On Aug. 9, 2012, Quentin Collick was indicted for his role in the conspiracy. In November 2012, pursuant to a criminal complaint, Williams was arrested for her role in the conspiracy. The superseding indictment was unsealed today.

According to court documents, Williams worked for a debt collection company in Georgia. As part of her employment, Williams had access to names and social security numbers. She provided several names and Social Security numbers to her son-in-law, Quentin Collick. Collick, and his co-conspirators used those names to file false tax returns from the Middle District of Alabama. Collick and his co-conspirators, in turn, cashed several fraudulent federal refund checks.

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Collick and Williams each face maximum potential sentences of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy count, up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, and a mandatory 2-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft counts. Collick also faces up to 10 years in prison for each theft of public funds count. They are also subject to fines and mandatory restitution if convicted.

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the IRS - Criminal Investigation. Tax Division Trial attorneys Jason H. Poole and Michael Boteler and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Brown are prosecuting the case.

U.S.-CHILE JOINT COMMISSION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION

2013-01-08T11:00:00.000-05:00

Map: Chile. Credit: CIA World Factbook

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Sixth Meeting of the U.S.-Chile Environmental Affairs Council and Fourth Meeting of the U.S.-Chile Joint Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
January 7, 2013

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones will lead the United States delegation and co-chair the sixth meeting of the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Environmental Affairs Council and fourth meeting of the U.S.-Chile Environmental Cooperation Agreement Joint Commission for Environmental Cooperation in Santiago, Chile on January 9. Acting Assistant Trade Representative for Environment and Natural Resources Jennifer Prescott will co-lead the U.S. delegation at the Council meeting.

Ana Novik, Director of Multilateral Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Relations’ Directorate for International Economic Relations will co-chair the Council for Chile. The Commission will also be co-chaired by Ambassador José Luis Balmaceda, Director of Environment and Natural Resources in Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Relations.

These meetings reaffirm the strong commitment of the United States and Chile to work together to preserve and protect the environment by implementing the FTA’s Environment Chapter and the U.S. Chile Environmental Cooperation Agreement. As part of these meetings, Commission and Council members will also host a public session with representatives from civil society to discuss Environment Chapter obligations and the results of environmental cooperation activities in Chile.

Since the United States and Chile signed the Environmental Cooperation Agreement in 2003, the United States has dedicated more than $4 million to support trade-related projects in Chile under this agreement. Joint efforts have brought more than six million hectares of land under improved natural resource management; reached approximately 30,000 people though informational guides to promote public participation; and, trained over 300 officials in natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental enforcement.

The success of this bilateral cooperation demonstrates how increased trade and stronger environmental protection can complement each other and how the two nations are leveling the playing field by helping ensure that businesses in Chile are playing by similar environmental rules as businesses in the United States.

EPA AND NEW CINGULAR WIRELESS REACH AGREEMENT TO RESOLVE VIOLATIONS AT 332 SITES

2013-01-08T05:00:00.001-05:00

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Settlement with New Cingular Wireless to Resolve Violations at Hundreds of Legacy AT&T Wireless Sites

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Cingular Wireless (NCW) have reached an administrative settlement requiring the company to pay a civil penalty of $750,000 and spend $625,000 on environmental projects to resolve alleged reporting, planning and permitting violations at 332 legacy AT&T Wireless (AWS) sites now owned by NCW.

The violations, which occurred at AWS sites in 43 states, such as cellular towers, transmitter sites, switching stations and warehouses, included failure to comply with Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) reporting requirements related to the presence of sulfuric acid and diesel fuel at sites, inadequate or no Clean Water Act (CWA) Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans, and Clean Air Act (CAA) minor source permitting requirements.

The EPCRA requirements help communities plan for emergencies involving hazardous substances, the CWA’s SPCC rule requires facilities to have oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response plans to help prevent oil discharges to navigable waters and adjoining shorelines, and the minor source permitting requirements under the CAA ensure that air emissions limits are met.

Under the settlement, NCW will provide a certification of EPCRA compliance at 1,356 sites and conduct comprehensive compliance audits of CAA and CWA/SPCC requirements at 1,361 and 41 legacy-AWS facilities, respectively. NCW has also agreed to pay stipulated penalties for all disclosed and corrected violations discovered through these audits.

NCW has also agreed to conduct environmental projects, which will provide hazardous materials awareness and health/safety training to building inspectors and fire fighters. The projects will also support the procurement of emergency response equipment such as fire-fighting equipment, gas meters, hazmat identification equipment, satellite phones and other emergency communications equipment. The seven entities, located in four states that will benefit from the projects are: Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and Georges Lake Volunteer Fire Department, Putnam County, Fla., New York City Fire Department, N.Y., Yancey, Texas Volunteer Fire Department, Texas, and San Diego, County California Office of Emergency Services, Bodega Bay, California Fire Protection District, and Los Angeles, California Police Department Calif.

Since 1998, nearly 6,000 telecommunications facilities have been brought into compliance through more than 30 settlements as part of EPA’s effort to improve compliance in the telecommunications sector.

SECRETARY OF STATE PANETTA LAUDS NOMINEES FOR CIA DIRECTOR AND DEFENSE SECRETARY

2013-01-08T05:00:00.000-05:00

President Barack Obama thanks Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta after Obama announced his nomination of Chuck Hagel as the new defense secretary at the White House, Jan. 7, 2013. Hagel, a former U.S. senator from Nebraska, earned two Purple Hearts as an infantry squad leader during the Vietnam War. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Panetta Lauds Nominees for Defense Secretary, CIA Director
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2013 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today endorsed President Barack Obama's nominee to succeed him at the helm of the Pentagon.

Obama announced his nomination of Chuck Hagel as the next defense secretary at the White House today. The president also announced he has nominated John Brennan as the next CIA director.

If confirmed by the Senate, Hagel will replace Panetta, who confirmed today that he plans to retire. Brennan, if confirmed, will replace retired David H. Petraeus, who resigned as CIA director in November. Michael Morell, the agency's deputy director, has been acting director since Petraeus stepped down.

"Let me express my deepest gratitude to the president for giving me the honor and the privilege of serving in your administration over these last four years as director of the CIA, and now as secretary of defense," Panetta said after Obama's announcement.

Panetta said he is proud of what he and the rest of the national security team accomplished during those years. He commends the president on today's nominations, he said, and added that Brennan "will be a strong leader" for the CIA.

Hagel, Panetta said, is a patriot, a decorated combat veteran and a dedicated public servant.

"I believe his experience, his judgment [and] his deep understanding of the security issues facing this country make him the right choice to be secretary of defense," the secretary said.

Panetta said he plans to retire to his walnut farm in California with his wife, Sylvia, their three children and their families, including six grandchildren. The secretary said he is deeply grateful to his family "for giving me the fullest measure of love and support during my many absences from home throughout my long career of public service."

Panetta added he will leave Washington with a deep sense of pride in "what we have accomplished during these last four years."

As both CIA director and as defense secretary, he said, "I have always believed that our fundamental mission is to keep America safe."

America is safer and more secure today, Panetta said, because of the "outstanding dedication of our intelligence and military professionals."

The secretary concluded his remarks by thanking the service members and civilians he has served with and led in the Defense Department.

"In particular, let me deeply thank the outstanding men and women in uniform ... who put their lives on the line every day, on distant battlefields, for this country," Panetta said. "Their sacrifices teach us that freedom is not free -- a strong democracy depends on a strong defense. But you can also not have a strong and stable defense without a strong and stable democracy."

Panetta noted the nation continues to face financial challenges and global security threats. "My hope for the future," he added, "is that the sense of duty our service members and their families exhibit every day inspires the leaders of this nation to have the courage to do what is right: to achieve the American dream to give our children a better life, and to build a more secure future."

Hagel, 66, is a former U.S. senator from Nebraska. He served as an Army sergeant in the Vietnam War, and earned two Purple Hearts as an infantry squad leader there. He later co-founded a cellular telephone company.

Hagel's experience includes stints as deputy administrator for the Veterans Administration -- now the Veterans Affairs Department -- and as CEO and president of the USO. He served in the Senate from 1997 to 2009, where he was a member of the foreign relations and intelligence committees.

Hagel currently is a professor at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He also is chairman of the Atlantic Council and co-chairman of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.

Brennan, 57, is the deputy national security advisor for homeland security and counterterrorism. He spent 25 years at the CIA, during which he worked as a Near East and South Asia analyst, served as station chief in Saudi Arabia, and directed the National Counterterrorism Center.

Your health info, on the go

2013-01-08T02:31:00.001-05:00

Your health info, on the go

ROMANIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR REMOTE HACKING SCHEME

2013-01-08T02:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Monday, January 7, 2013
Romanian National Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Role in Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Remotely Hack into and Steal Payment Card Data from Hundreds of U.S. Merchants’ Computers

WASHINGTON – A Romanian national was sentenced today to serve 21 months in prison for his role in an international, multimillion-dollar scheme to remotely hack into and steal payment card data from hundreds of U.S. merchants’ computers, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire John P. Kacavas; and Holly Fraumeni, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Manchester, N.H., Resident Office.

Cezar Butu, 27, of Ploiesti, Romania, was sentenced by Judge Steven J. McAuliffe in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire.

On Sept. 17, 2012, Butu pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

In his guilty plea, Butu admitted that, from approximately 2009-2011, he participated in a Romanian-based conspiracy to hack into hundreds of U.S.-based computers to steal credit, debit and payment account numbers and associated data (collectively "payment card data") that belonged to U.S. cardholders. According to court documents, Butu and his co-conspirators used the stolen payment card data to make unauthorized charges on, and/or transfers of funds from, cardholders’ accounts (or alternatively to transfer the stolen payment card data to other co-conspirators who would do the same). Butu admitted that he repeatedly asked an alleged co-conspirator to provide him with stolen payment card data and that the alleged co-conspirator provided him with instructions for how to access a website where a portion of the stolen payment card data was stored. Butu later attempted to use the stolen payment card data to make unauthorized charges on, or transfers of funds from, the accounts. According to Butu’s plea agreement, he also attempted to sell, or otherwise transfer, the stolen payment card data to other co-conspirators for them to use in a similar manner. Butu admitted to acquiring stolen payment card data belonging to approximately 140 cardholders during the course of the scheme.

In his plea agreement, Butu agreed to be sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Butu’s co-conspirator Iulian Dolan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, and has agreed to be sentenced to seven years in prison. Dolan’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 4, 2013.

Alleged co-conspirator Adrian-Tiberiu Oprea is scheduled for trial on Feb. 20, 2013, in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire.

The case was investigated by the USSS, with the assistance of the New Hampshire State Police and the Romanian Directorate of Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Mona Sedky in the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen from the District of New Hampshire.

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

2013-01-08T01:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: U.S. NAVYAn EA-18G Growler from Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 returns from a mission and taxis on the Naval Air Facility Misawa flight line. VAQ-132 is deployed to northern Japan supporting U.S. 7th Fleet. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Alfredo Rosado (Released) 130107-N-ZV190-006

130103-N-AF626-001 SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras (Jan. 3, 2013) Builder 2nd Class Brandon Smith, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 27, constructs formwork in preparation for a concrete pour at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. Smith is part of a team of Seabees supporting construction operations for the base and U.S. Special Operations Command South. The Seabees from NMCB-27 are forward deployed throughout South and Central America in support of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/ U.S. 4th Fleet multinational partnership and humanitarian assistance missions. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Teresa Bustamante/Released)

Press Briefing For January 8, 2013 | The White House

2013-01-08T00:03:00.001-05:00

Press Briefing | The White House

President Obama Makes a Personnel Annoucement | The White House

2013-01-08T00:02:00.001-05:00

President Obama Makes a Personnel Annoucement | The White House

ISS UPDATE FOR JANUARY 7, 2013

2013-01-07T22:00:00.000-05:00

FROM: NASA VIDEO

BRANDT'S RANDOM GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASES

MEMBER OF "STICK UP KIDZ" CRIME GANG APPREHENDED

USA.GOV GIVES ADVICE ON FINDING A CREDIT COUNSELING AGENCY

ROBONAUT 2: FIRST HUMANOID IN SPACE

U.S. GIVES TERRORIST DESIGNATIONS TO TWO MEN TIED TO 2008 KHARTOUM ATTACK

SOLAR PANELS AT WEST POINT

U.S. State Department Daily Press Briefing - January 8, 2013: Transcript

VIDEO: BUBBLES IN THE HELIOSHEATH

Press Briefing For January 8, 2013 | The White House

DVIDS - Video - DoD Briefing For January 8, 2013

DOD News Briefing with George Little from the Pentagon

FEMA HURRICANE SANDY CLEANUP PHOTOS

DOD COMPTROLER SAYS NEED MORE STABILITY IN BUDGET SIZE, PROCESS

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 8, 2013

Una cuna de estrellas

The drug-free kids tool

WOMAN INDICTED FOR IDENTITY THEFT TO OBTAIN TAX REFUNDS

U.S.-CHILE JOINT COMMISSION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION

EPA AND NEW CINGULAR WIRELESS REACH AGREEMENT TO RESOLVE VIOLATIONS AT 332 SITES

SECRETARY OF STATE PANETTA LAUDS NOMINEES FOR CIA DIRECTOR AND DEFENSE SECRETARY

Your health info, on the go

ROMANIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR REMOTE HACKING SCHEME

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

Press Briefing For January 8, 2013 | The White House

President Obama Makes a Personnel Annoucement | The White House

ISS UPDATE FOR JANUARY 7, 2013

ISS Update - Jan. 7, 2013