Obama To Name Melissa Hathaway Cybersecurity Chief 188
hargrand writes "President Obama has found the cyber tsar to head his new White House office of cybersecurity.
According to US press reports this morning, an announcement expected later today will confirm Melissa Hathaway is to come in as cyber chief, after being cyber coordination executive for the director of national intelligence."
Re:CYBER (Score:2, Insightful)
No, I was groaning all through the summary. The term utterly lacks dignity, in my opinion. It is hard to imagine a "Cyber-Czar" doing anything worthwhile. "Cyber-" invariably summons up images of bad 90's movies (though I never saw Lawnmower Man), and William Gibson's earlier novels, the technology in which seems even more quaint and anachronistic today. Creating an office of Cybersecurity just makes Obama seem foolish and out of touch (even if the system of nomenclature originated elsewhere, he's the president); there is no reason that it couldn't be called "Information Security," "Network Security," or something equally mundane and relatively dignified.
From TFA:
It takes a more serious person than I to read a sentence like that without giggling. Please. I'm sure thousands of bureaucrats have wet dreams about being "instrumental" in developing a "Cybersecurity Initiative." I hope that put that in her epitaph some day.
I think that's so funny (Score:5, Insightful)
The US government appointing delegates with huge powers to regulate and oversee entire swaths of industry with very little personal accountability (heaven forbid!), and the irony in calling them tsars.
Well when the "Land of the Free" finally stops being free, you won't be able to argue that you didn't see it coming.
Re:What's the difference between a "cybersecurity. (Score:5, Insightful)
Gurlz iz rare in IT. The work/life balance sucks hard. I hope she knows that.
Yes, because obviously being female and having only made it to a senior position appointed by the most powerful man in the world, she must be a clueless newbie in need of advice on work-life balance from Slashdot...
Re:Well, it's a good bet... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:why are we using the term in a democracy? (Score:1, Insightful)
And we're still under 3 weeks in folks!
Only 206 to go!
Obama and the democrats seem to be on the Peg Bundy economic plan. Just replace the cosmetics with whatever bailout, hand out, loan, stimulus, etc. bullshit they're pushing.
Al: You see, Pookie, since you're the only one buying your cosmetics, you're not making any money.
Peggy: Oh, yes I am. They send me checks.
Al: Ah yes, but you send them much bigger ones. And that's what we call in the world of business "sending your husband rocketing to the poor house!" Why didn't you sell any make-up, Peg?
Peggy: Well, like I told the girls, it's not very good.
Al: Then why did you keep buying it?
Peggy: Because that's how I make my money!
Re:What's the difference between a "cybersecurity. (Score:3, Insightful)
How about posting questions straight to slashdot, you might just get some true, no kiss-ass, answers for once from people who aren't trying to make points and kissing up to ambitions.
Of course, the advice from Slashdot would be completely neutral and have no bias at all... except where anything to do with software or databases was concerned, but I can't imagine how this role would be affected by that sort of contraint!
Re:Change (Score:3, Insightful)
If she can somehow become the poster girl for geeky women and bring more of those into our line of work to lighten up the workplace, that'll be awesome. Now that's progress my friends.
We'd have to start wearing pants ;-(
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:What's the difference between a "cybersecurity. (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course it could be that. I just think it's sad how many people around here seem to be assuming that it is that, just because this particular high-ranking official is female. I hope it's just a young male insecurity thing amplified by the profile of Slashdot posters, and not a reflection of how sexist society as a whole still remains.
Re:Well, it's a good bet... (Score:4, Insightful)
* Though I do find it most out of character that "no-drama Obama" missed that shit