avy veteran David Cohen knew he had a history of colon cancer in his family, but his repeated requests for early cancer screenings were turned down by his local VA hospital, CNN reports.
Now, Cohen is facing his worst fears: a diagnosis of stage four colorectal cancer and a prognosis of 26 months left to live.
In a massive security breach, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inadvertently posted online its airport screening procedures manual, including some of the most closely guarded secrets regarding special rules for diplomats and CIA and law enforcement officers.
The most sensitive parts of the 93-page Standard Operating Procedures manual were apparently redacted in a way that computer savvy individuals easily overcame.
The document shows sample CIA, Congressional and law enforcement credentials which experts say would make it easy for terrorists to duplicate.
The improperly redacted areas indicate that only 20 percent of checked bags are to be hand searched for explosives and reveal in detail the limitations of x-ray screening machines.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE SCREENING MANUAL and HERE TO SEE THE SAMPLE CIA CREDENTIAL
"This is an appalling and astounding breach of security that terrorists could easily exploit," said Clark Kent Ervin, the former inspector general at theDepartment of Homeland Security. "The TSA should immediately convene an internal investigation and discipline those responsible."
"This shocking breach undercuts the public's confidence in the security procedures at our airports," said Senator Susan Collins, R-Me., ranking Republican member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. "On the day before the Senate Homeland Security Committee's hearing on terrorist travel, it is alarming to learn that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inadvertently posted its own security manual on the Internet."
"This manual provides a road map to those who would do us harm," said Collins. "The detailed information could help terrorists evade airport security measures." Collins said she intended to ask the Department of Homeland Security how the breach happened, and "how it will remedy the damage that has already been done."
A TSA spokesperson says the document posted online is an outdated version "improperly posted by the agency to the Federal Business Opportunities Web site wherein redacted material was not properly protected."
The TSA requested the document be taken offline, but by then it had spread around the Internet and is still available today.
The document contains a list of items for which screening is not required including wheelchairs, footwear of disabled individuals, casts and orthopedic shoes.
The redacted portions also indicate which law enforcement personnel are specially screened or exempt from some screening procedures, and indicate what requirements they must meet to be eligible for special screening.
TSA screeners are also told to require extra screening for any passenger whose passport was issued by Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Syria, Sudan,Afghanistan, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Yemen or Algeria.
The document also reveals that during peak travel times, TSA screeners who check identification can reduce from 100 percent to 25 percent the times they use black lights to authenticate documents.
"Screening is like a big puzzle and this SOP gives you directions on putting the puzzle together," said Robert MacLean, a former Federal Air Marshal who was fired for revealing holes in TSA's security after the 9/11 attacks. MacLean added that TSA's assertion that the documents posted are old holds no merit. "How much in screening procedure changes in 17 months?" asked MacLean. "It's a one-dimensional process."
The TSA says it is taking the release of the sensitive information "seriously" and is conducting a full review.
"TSA has many layers of security to keep the traveling public safe and to constantly adapt to evolving threats," the agency said in a statement. "TSA is confident that screening procedures currently in place remain strong." The document also provides a glimpse of the special treatment available for governors, lieutenant governors and the mayor of Washington, D.C., as well as their spouses and family and staff.
This just in from the LATimes...
Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, look what the pollsters just brought in.
A pair of new surveys revealing that President Obama is still declining and has hit a new low in job approval among Americans just 56 weeks after they elected him with a decided margin.
And -- wait for it -- Republican Sarah Palin is successfully selling a whole lot more than books out there on the road. Even among those not lining up in 10-degree weather to catch a glimpse of pretty much the only political celebrity the GOP has these days.
First, el jefe. Facing double-digit unemployment, rising spending, deficits and Afghan war casualties plus a keystone but stalled healthcare reform effort that caused a rare Sunday presidential visit to Capitol Hill, Obama recently fell below 50% job approval for the first time.
Then, last week's deft dance of rhetoric over sending reinforcements to Afghanistan but, on the other foot, bringing them home quickly maybe gave him a brief boost. That, however, collapsed with equal rapidity.
Obama's new Gallup Poll job approval number is 47%. Last month it was 53%.
Regular Ticket readers will recall how in this space in late November we pointed out that Obama's closely watched job approval slide was coinciding with Palin's little-noticed rise in favorability. And it appeared they might cross somewhere in the 40s.
Well, ex-Sen. Obama, meet ex-Gov. Palin.
The new CNN/Opinion Research Poll shows Palin now at 46% favorable, just one point below her fellow basketball fan.
(The same poll, btw, has bad news for Dick Cheney-haters; the outspoken former VP has climbed out of the 29% basement, back up to 39% now. How do you suppose he's done that without a new book? But that's another story.)
Not that either Palin or Obama will admit caring about such trivial things as disparate political polls....
...1,071 days before the 2012 election, when Republicans will have the concept of change on their side. Obama's camp is already using the looming Palin pall as a fundraising tool. Never let any potential threat go unmonetized.
The new numbers seem to indicate that despite oft-cited predictions about the dire impact of Palin resigning her Alaska governor's job in July, a lot of people who don't live in Alaska (and, come to think of it, most people don't live in Alaska) don't seem to care. She wasn't their governor then and she still isn't.
Palin's low favorable poll point of 39% came right after the midsummer resignation and she's been slowly climbing since, fueled by media attention, eager reader response over her book contents, her tour and the spontaneous outpouring of support at her carefully-calculated bus stops along the way -- 31 appearances in 25 states, many of them politically crucial.
Imagine what critics would be saying now if Palin was neglecting her elected Juneau job to sell books in the Lower 48 and talk to an elite club of Washington journalists, if there is such a thing.
The view, Palin told the capital's Gridiron Club Saturday night in her self-deprecating and at times pointed remarks (full text right here), is a whole lot better from inside the bus than from under it.
Palin critics -- and, by golly, there still are some, believe it or not -- say that she's a polarizing political figure.
And they're dead-on correct: 46% like her (including eight of 10 Republicans), 46% don't (including seven of 10 Democrats) and only 8% are undecided (no doubt including many who've been living underground sinceJohn McCain unveiled his VP GOP running mate in Dayton, Ohio, some15 months ago).
But here's the fascinating, little-noticed catch:
The very same polarization now holds true for Obama, the fresh fellow from the old Chicago Democratic machine who was supposed to bring hope and change to a nation tired of divisive politics and the harsh partisan tone of Washington.
Fully 83% of Democrats approve of him, but only 14% of Republicans do.
Among independents, who provided the crucial winning boost for the Democratic ticket in November 2008, Obama's support has melted to 42% today, in large part over immense spending and deficit concerns.
And as political veteran Dave Cook points out over on the Vote blog, just since last month, 3% of Obama's own Democrats have abandoned his ship, another 4% of Republicans and fully 7% of independents.
Other recent polls have shown Republicans leading for the first time this year on the generic congressional ballot and self-identified Republicans closing the gap with self-identified Democrats.
Meanwhile, Palin continued her book/celebrity sales tour across the heartland, stopping Sunday in --oh, look! -- Iowa. "No politician comes to Iowa by accident," Republican strategist Tim Albrecht told AP's Mike Glover.
More significantly, Palin was in western Iowa, which is ruled by the Republican Party, which in the Hawkeye state these days is ruled by conservative evangelicals, who form a large chunk of Palin's evolving base. As another ex-governor, Mitt Romney, learned to his dismay in the 2008 GOP caucuses won by another ex-governor (and Baptist preacher), Mike Huckabee.
Obviously, not every politician visiting Iowa each election cycle ends up running for president. And not every Iowa winner collects the big prize. But no one gets to the White House without going to Iowa. Which Palin has now done on her own. Purportedly selling a book.
-- Andrew Malcolm
Nordegren’s family is hoping the high-profile couple will somehow work through the scandal.
Tiger Woods and his wife Elin Nordegren have avoided contact with the public by hiding out in their family home in a Florida gated community since news of Woods' alleged affairs broke two weeks ago.
Now a source close to Nordegren's family tells Pop Tarts that the two are considering putting even more distance between themselves and Tiger's cheating scandal.
The insider says the couple is planning to leave the country “very soon.”
“Elin and Tiger are planning to temporarily move closer to Sweden, possibly to a private island, to get away from it all,” the insider said.
The news comes after Elin’s mother Barbro Holmberg, visiting from Sweden to assist her daughter during this trying time, was rushed to Florida’s Health Central hospital Tuesday morning after suffering stomach pains. She was released later in the day and reportedly returned to her daughter's house.
Despite the number of women coming forward to claim affairs with Woods, Nordegren’s family is hoping that the high-profile couple will somehow work through the scandal, the insider told Tarts.
“Elin’s family couldn’t be more devastated,” the source said. “But they want [Tiger and Elin] together for the kids’ sake.”
The family's efforts to keep it together come as more news on Tiger 
A source told Pop Tarts that Woods was at New York’s club The Griffin numerous times during the summer of 2009, where he met up with his first outed alleged mistress, Rachel Uchitel, who worked at the club as a VIP hostess.
“He was always very flirty as he partied, and kept coming back,” a club insider told Tarts. "A few people started to think it was suspicious that Elin was never there.”
Even in Melrose Place’s heyday starring deranged Kimberly, I don’t recall an underwater catfight that resulted in murder. So congratulations, Melrose Place 2.0, you have set a new benchmark with this episode.
I had hoped our patience with so-so plotlines like Anton V and his boring denim line would pay off – and Melrose writers gave us a early Christmas present with this episode cramming in everything but the kitchen sink. Let’s see, “San Vicente” gave us murder, sex, drugs, theft, broken hearts, kidnapping, a Hollywood deal, a relapsed alcoholic, police deception, adultery, Katie Cassidy in black lace underwear – and a partridge in a pear tree. Whew.
In flashback, we found out what Amanda was hoping to find in Sydney’s safe. Amanda confronted Sydney in a church – possibly just to set up her insult: “Atoning for your laundry list of sins? You’re going to be here a long time.” (Meanwhile, that micro-mini of Amanda’s seemed like it was destined to burst into flames in any house of worship.) It turns out these two Melrose veterans had been working together on an art-heist ring (move over, David) and Amanda accused Sydney of stealing a $19 million painting. To add to the drama, it seems like each of them had been having special “reunions” with Michael in the not-too-distant past — we knew Sydney was in on the father-son act, so now how long before Amanda makes a move on David?
But back to father and son, and enter evil stepmother! From the comments in past recaps, I know I’m not the only one who found Michael’s wife Vanessa to be increasingly shady. So it turns out she did kill Sydney after learning of her affair with Michael; it didn’t help that Syd also called out Vanessa for sleeping with David before she married Michael – and she insinuated that Noah could be David’s son. Do family trees get any worse?
Michael doesn’t know that potential paternity tidbit, and he’s the one that called (from prison) to tell David that Vanessa killed Sydney and David needed to go save Noah. Instead of saving Noah, David was called again to save Lauren and left Violet to babysit the little lad. (It’s not the murder scenes that will give me nightmares, it’s the thought that somebody entrusted a child to Violet.)
Lauren was in the hospital after her client Rick drugged her with a new club drug called “Nexus.” (TV industry, did you learn nothing from that ridiculous Brandon Walsh U4EA episode? Fake drugs look stupid, as do drugged-up blurry point-of-view shots before a character passes out.) Anyway, David came to the rescue but now he’ll find out about Lauren’s secret sideline.
When Vanessa came looking for Noah and found him with Violet, it was Ashlee Simpson’s BIG ACTING MOMENT: “Sydney Andrews was my mother. She was the only person who ever loved me and you took her away.” I guess they don’t give Emmys for “almost rising to the challenge” but Ashlee didn’t ruin the scene as much as I feared. And with no time for small talk, Vanessa pulled out a gun and threatened Violet, they tumbled into the pool, at which point Violet killed her. Deliciously, Amanda came home in the midst of the action and provided a fake story to the cops, which should leave Violet in her eternal debt. When does the blackmail start?
With all that mayhem, thank goodness (unintentional) comedic relief came from that insane portrait of Auggie that Violet painted then burned in a firepit. I was kind of hoping that Ashlee and Colin would be saying their goodbyes before we head into the holiday break, but no such luck tonight.
Of course, I saved the best for last – after Riley had cold feet and postponed their wedding, Jonah got revved up and dumped her. Perhaps he was high off that big Hollywood deal Ella has in the works for him. So he left sad Riley and their sad yellow station wagon and went straight to Ella (cue my heart leaping). We’ve been seeing some build-up to this all season, and I feared when it happened it wouldn’t seem natural But these two have real chemistry. Ella makes Jonah seem sexier and more rebellious; Jonah makes Ella seem almost sweet and lovestruck – this vixen is just a girl excited to finally get her guy! I look forward to seeing how they keep up the sparks for longer than one night.
Line of the night: Sydney to Amanda, in church: “Don’t you ever get tired of falsely accusing people? Even the lord rested on the seventh day.”
So, Melrose Place watchers, there is a lot of excitement to discuss – sound off in the comments below. Was it too much action for one episode or did you like that we got Sydney’s murder solved and Vanessa out of the picture in one quick move? Who else loves Ella and Jonah getting together?
Did Michael Jordan, jealous of being replaced as the world's most famous athlete, cut the brakes on the Escalade? Did Jack Nicklaus, threatened by the potential loss of his most hallowed golfing record, pump truth serum into the nation's cocktail lounges?
Nah. Those are just crazyTiger Woodsconspiracy theories we made up, and are not to be confused for—ta-da!—the Top Five Sometimes-Crazy, Sometimes-Not Tiger Woods Conspiracy Theories We Did Not Make Up.
Let the countdown begin:
5. Fake Tiger did it!
Jim Pavoldi's unsolicited celebrity advice blog,You Should Have Run It by Me First, is giving Woods the tongue-in-cheek benefit of the doubt on at least one of the golfer's transgressions.
"Tiger, you're probably feeling like the wheels have already come off the cart here," the blog commiserates, "but when it comes to Mindy Lawson most men agree that you probably didn't do it."
A Woods lookalike—a Woods lookalike who trolls Orlando, and picks up women like some guys win majors—is discussed, although the item mainly makes its case with a big ol' photo of the lounging Lawson.
4. "Someone" did it!
"Just seems that things aren't always as they seem, and perhaps Tiger has made someone unhappy and they have it out for him," the African-American-news blog Ebony Report speculated back on Nov. 28, the day after Woods' car accident.
Not only did this item mine our headline territory first, it arguably predicted the parade of Woods' alleged women. After all, they, the alleged women, do have it out for him, don't they? (Or maybe they just have it out for themselves—and their corresponding bank accounts?)
3. We did it!
To be fair, this is a very poor summation of what sports columnist Jason Whitlock has been arguing very well online, and over the air. To try to be fairer, Whitlock is saying the media has charbroil-grilled Woods because Woods has frozen out the media, and suggesting that, where the general public is concerned, racial dynamics may be stoking the fire.
2. Follow the global warming!
Did you ever wonder why Woods is a hotter topic than the ramped-up war in Afghanistan? Well, then write your own conspiracy theory. This one, courtesy the Melchizedek Communique, is about why Woods is a hotter topic than Climategate. Before you speed-dial Rush Limbaugh, who's name-checked in the piece, scroll to the bottom: "The preceding story, above, is mostly bullsh--." (Sorry, Tiger. It might've been nice to blame everything on the KGB, huh?)
1. Tiger Woods didn't do it—because Tiger Woods doesn't exist!
This conspiracy theory, as floated by BadGolfer.com, was unveiled last year, and inspired by Woods' uncanny ability to be anything but a bad golfer. Assuming Woods really is a person, then he really ought to check this piece out. With his mother-in-law fainting, and his Gatorade deal fading, now may be the perfect time to just cop to being the world's biggest fraud.
Then maybe we can all just move on.
