The Anchoress

::::UPDATE BUMPED TO TOP::::
Statement from Los Alamos National Laboratory

The Laboratory is treating this matter with the utmost seriousness. Los Alamos National Laboratory has done a careful and comprehensive analysis of the materials that we believe may have been compromised as part of this matter. Based on that assessment, we have determined that the majority of the material was classified at the lowest levels and was twenty to thirty years old. None of the documents in question were classified Top Secret. None of the materials included any of the most sensitive nuclear weapons information.

Additionally, we are currently taking decisive actions to further enhance our existing security measures that protect classified information employing both administrative and engineering controls.

Can we get a big “whew” for that one?
:::END UPDATE:::

A recent drug bust at a Los Alamos home made an additional discovery: Top-level information on deactivating locks on nuclear weapons were found in that home. CBS is breaking the story.

The recent security breach at Los Alamos National Laboratory was very serious, with sensitive materials being taken out of the facility — possibly including information on how to deactivate locks on nuclear weapons, officials tell CBS News.

The woman had top secret “Q-clearance” with access to all the U.S. underground nuclear test data. Additionally, she had “Sigma 15″ clearance, which allows her access to info on how to deactivate locks on nuclear weapons.
[...]
Los Alamos has a history of high-profile security problems in the past decade, with the most notable the case of nuclear scientist Wen Ho Lee. After years of accusations, Lee pleaded guilty in a plea bargain to one count of mishandling nuclear secrets at the lab. [Note: Wen Ho Lee was fired from the Los Alamos labs, and arrested, in 1999 - admin,]

Meanwhile, there are more questions about the security of our votes in the upcoming election. Seems to me paper ballots and voter ID is the way to snuff out the threat of fraud, but that idea is not grabbing on.

Security is the issue. Are we secure at home, from terrorists? Are our labs secure from opportunists and spies? Is the government able to perform its defensive, clandestine operations without those programs constantly being undermined and compromised by leaks to the press?

Oh, silly me. The press is always very concerned about leaks of classified information. They’ll go out of their way to spin this latest story, the Los Alamos story, as the fault of stupid evil Bush (everything is his fault) and pound the desk about security leaks (which a reputable press SHOULD pound about, btw)…but then if they get the chance to leak something else on Monday or Tuesday…they’ll do it. The world is rich with irony. The press is stuffed to the gills with it.

Admin Note: (removed because it was too long…I’ll find a better way to say it and repost later in seperate post)