Recently Chris Kammermann, owner and founder of CLK Executive Decisions, was named a fellow in the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (CADS).

In an effort to promote global security, this non-profit, non-government organization, researches, educates and implements intent-driven approaches both within the U.S. and worldwide.  It does this through partnering with educational and research institutions, international organizations, government bodies and other institutions, focusing all attention to issues crucial to global security.

Using an intent based and interdisciplinary approach, CADS researches all areas of security, from physical and human, to information and cyber security as well as economic security. A small sample of the areas of current research are:
•    Global security policy
•    Decision making under conditions of uncertainty
•    Integrated situational awareness
Click here for more information on CADS research

Through CADS educational programs more than 6,000 law enforcement, intelligence and military personnel have been trained in a wide variety of security-related disciplines. CADS does this by partnering with institutions such as the Rochester Institute of Technology, George Washington University and La Sorbonne in Paris. Click here for more information on CADS educational programs

The Center’s implementation programs seek to provide start to finish solutions for the development and deployment of new security technologies and approaches.  CADS areas of expertise are Systems Engineering and Integration, Physical Security Assessments and Solutions, Strategic Project and Program Management, and Technology Acceleration. Click here for more information on CADS implementation programs

For additional information on the above and to learn more about The Center of Advanced Defense Studies go to http://www.c4ads.org/

It’s all over the newspapers and news channels. For the first time, Somali pirates captured a  U. S. captained and manned cargo ship.  And although they got away with no money, they certainly got some attention.

Moving through the world’s major shipping routes has become increasingly dangerous. Robbery, kidnapping, armed assault and the threat of maritime terrorism have put new pressures on owners, masters, crews, companies and even tourists. And these threats cause an estimated $13 to $16 billion in worldwide financial losses per year.

Countries where these attacks commonly occur as well as the international companies who use these dangerous routes, are now relying not only on their military to thwart these attacks but on private security companies as well. The pirates are businessmen, and have become technologically advanced and brazen in their attacks. In response so must the ships that pass through their waters and those who protect them.

The list of non-lethal anti-pirate weapons continues to get longer as piracy continues to worsen. Here is just a sample of some of the many weapons currently in use:

• Long Range Communication Deterrence (LRAD)
• Fire Hose
• Automated Fire Monitor
• Crowd Control Munition
• Non-lethal Slippery Foam
• Active Denial Technology - using millimeter-wave electromagnetic energy
• Robot Anti-Pirate Boats
• Long Range Acoustic Device
• Optical Laser Distractor
• Boat Trap Nets

The International Maritime Bureau has now established the 24 hour IMB Piracy Reporting Center in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia.  The PRC works closely with various governments and law enforcement agencies in an attempt to reduce and ultimately eradicate this type of crime.

According to PRC reports, in 2008 there were 109 attacks on vessels off the coast of Somalia with 42 ships successfully hijacked.

Just like with about everything in life, certain items fit certain people. There are laptops and PDA’s built for those who spend their days in the boardroom and those whose jobs take them into the most severe situations Mother Nature can throw their way. If you fall into this second category, you need a laptop and/or PDA that is truly built to withstand even the most extreme of conditions. You won’t get a slick, little, lightweight streamlined model, but if you’re in the military or your job takes you into the middle of really hazardous environments then you’re not into slick little streamlined machines anyway. These are truly rugged laptops and PDA’s. Some are even built to military standards, such as MIL-STD-810F, which means they’ll withstand everything from extreme heat and humidity, to immersion and even the occasional explosion. To find these machines you can go to a company that sells them or go to a specialty company that will turn your lightweight model into one of these truly robust machines. And when shopping be prepared to pay for the durability, and be careful, as the word rugged in the products description doesn’t necessarily mean it’s truly robust. So, do your research and shop smart. For more information go to:

• CIO Article on rugged laptops
• Additional information on the MIL-STD-810F standard

Received this from a colleague of mine. I would be glad to facilitate a conversation with her company, ThoughtLink. Read the excerpt below of her new venture.

Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Associates of ThoughtLink,

I am pleased to announce ThoughtLink’s new line of professional services designed to help organizations use collaboration technologies more effectively to improve team performance. Services range over the entire life cycle of collaboration tool adoption, from early business process and needs assessment to user training, legacy system integration and tool design and development.

One collaboration tool we are supporting is Groove. Groove is bundled in the latest release of Microsoft’s Office Enterprise 2007 edition. Microsoft estimates 40 million Office users will upgrade and have access to the Groove software.

ThoughtLink has joined forces with Blue Atlas Interactive, a Microsoft partner, to provide services to support Microsoft’s Groove and other collaboration solutions. This exciting partnership brings a combination of talents to help your organization go beyond simply learning Groove….. but, to also identify how Groove can best be used within your existing environment to improve the productivity and performance of your teams.

We hope we can help your organization use collaboration tools like Groove and others to improve your organization’s performance.