Gen-X retirement homes in the future

Experience vs. Experimentation: Who Should Lead ONR Defense Research in Peacetime?

⚓ Experience vs. Experimentation: Who Should Lead ONR Defense Research in Peacetime?

In recent news, the Trump administration is planning to replace the head of the Office Of Naval Research with a former DOGE consultant.  I thought it would be fun to explore how this could play out.  Let’s take a look.

Relevant Skills & Credentials
Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus — PhD (Software Engineering), 30+ years as a Navy engineering-duty officer, Program Executive Officer for C4I, deep acquisition and classified R&D experience.
Dr. Rachel Riley — Rhodes Scholar, former McKinsey partner, senior advisor in the Department of Government Efficiency, known for large-scale transformation and budget optimization programs.

Two impressive résumés — but vastly different toolkits. One built for operational continuity and technical depth, the other for reform and rapid efficiency gains.

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Risk / Benefit Comparison
In a peacetime military research environment, the question isn’t who’s smarter — it’s who reduces strategic risk while sustaining innovation.

• Rothenhaus offers continuity, trusted networks, and technical assurance — ideal for maintaining the research pipeline and classified program integrity.
• Riley brings fresh energy, civilian accountability, and the promise of modernizing bureaucracy — but carries higher near-term disruption and cultural risk.

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Quantified Risk Scores (1 = low risk, 25 = critical)

Factor	Rothenhaus	Riley
Operational Stability	7 / 25	14 / 25
Security & Compliance	✅ Low risk	⚠️ Elevated onboarding risk
Fiscal Efficiency	⚠️ Moderate	✅ Potentially High (conditional)
Talent & Culture	✅ Stable	⚠️ Fragile during transition
Innovation Potential (3 yr)	⚠️ Moderate	✅ High (if well executed)

Overall, Rothenhaus yields roughly 70 % higher benefit-per-risk efficiency under current conditions.

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Outcome Summary
For a peacetime Navy focused on readiness through science, the data points to continuity.
Aggressive reform can be valuable — but only when reforms are vetted, risks are mapped, and institutional knowledge is preserved.

Innovation in defense isn’t just about moving faster; it’s about moving securely, with context.

Continuity ensures readiness. Reform succeeds only when guided by discipline.

Given the private sectors current love affair with AI, AI related security concerns are a big issue here.

Real innovation in defense science is measured not by how many programs we cut, but by how securely and sustainably we build the ones that matter.

My takeaway:

In peacetime, continuity ensures readiness. Reform succeeds only when paired with rigorous vetting, staged adoption, and technical oversight.

Note: I created this with the help of ChatGPT 5.  To aid in accuracy and balance, I instructed the GPT to balance for political bias using multiple sources and to then do an adversarial analysis of the data in this report.

 

 

Neuromorphic Computing: The Next Big Shift in Edge AI?

🚀 When we talk about the “future of AI,” the spotlight often falls on quantum computing. But while quantum still wrestles with cost, error correction, and scale, another brain-inspired approach may be closer to reshaping how we deploy AI at the edge: neuromorphic computing.
Neuromorphic systems mimic the way neurons and synapses process information—event-driven, low-power, and highly adaptive. That makes them a natural fit for future healthcare tech, industrial control systems, aerospace navigation, logistics, and even cybersecurity operations centers where speed and efficiency matter.
In my latest article for CIO, I explore:

✅ Why neuromorphic may be a more practical disruptor than quantum (for now)
✅ How it tackles edge challenges like latency, power, and bandwidth
✅ Use cases across healthcare, logistics, defense, and cybersecurity
✅ Does this herald the coming of the Terminator?

🔗 Read the full article here: CIO Article
💡 I’d love to hear your thoughts:
Where do you think neuromorphic computing will find its killer app first—healthcare, industrial IoT, or security?
#EdgeAI hashtag#NeuromorphicComputing hashtag#CIO hashtag#FutureOfAI hashtag#Cybersecurity

Freeze by Default

🚨 New Op-Ed in The Hill "Freeze by Default Can Help Fight Credit Fraud" by Daniel Hoffman, CISSP

Most Americans don’t realize their credit files are open by default—until it’s too late. In my latest piece for The Hill, I make the case for reversing that default.
💡 Imagine a world where your credit is frozen by default, and only opened when you say so. It’s time to stop making consumers do the heavy lifting after their data is stolen—and start requiring consent up front.
Read the full article here: 👉 https://thehill.com/opinion/cybersecurity/5426553-freeze-by-default-can-help-fight-credit-fraud/
This is about more than credit—it’s about restoring digital trust and applying cybersecurity principles like “default deny” to personal finance. 🔐 Question for you: Have you frozen your credit yet? If not, what’s stopping you? #cybersecurity #identitytheft #creditfraud #opinion #dataprivacy #FortivaIT #freezebydefault

Continue Reading Here.

CISA Issues 22 ICS Vulnerability Advisories – What You Need to Know

🚨 CISA Issues 22 ICS Vulnerability Advisories – What You Need to Know 🔐 On May 15, 2025, CISA released 22 Industrial Control System (ICS) advisories targeting a broad range of critical infrastructure technologies across multiple vendors. These advisories underscore just how vital proactive patching and secure configurations are to operational safety and business continuity. 📌 Who’s affected? Siemens (18 products): Building automation, EV charging, industrial networking, safety systems, and process control ECOVACS: Consumer robotics (DEEBOT vacuums) Schneider Electric: Electrical design software Mitsubishi Electric: Factory automation tools ⚠️ What could happen if unpatched? Unauthorized system access Manipulation of safety and industrial control logic Energy grid disruptions Privacy breaches in consumer robotics Compromised engineering designs and operations 🛡️ Mitigation Strategies Apply vendor patches immediately Restrict network access to ICS components Segment control systems from business networks Monitor and log access to critical devices 💡 ICS environments are tempting targets. A single unpatched vulnerability can cascade into a full-blown operational outage or worse. 🔗 View the full list and mitigation guidance: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2025/05/15/cisa-releases-twenty-two-industrial-control-systems-advisories #cybersecurity #ICS #CISA #OTsecurity #infosec #riskmanagement #Siemens #MitsubishiElectric #SchneiderElectric #cyberrisk #FortivaIT

OCR Cuts Affect Audits and Investigations. More Burden on You.

OCR Cuts Affect Audits and Investigations – More Burden on You

How HHS budget cuts to OCR have reduced investigations and increased risk for Covered Entities and Business Associates.

Published by Fortiva IT · May 2025

 

Trump, Middle East Business Deals, and the Jet from Qatar: What If a CEO Did This?

As President Donald Trump continues his high-profile visit to the Middle East, headlines are dominated by staggering developments: multi-billion-dollar arms deals, business ventures tied to his private empire, and a $400 million luxury jet “gift” from Qatar. These overlapping personal and national interests have reignited an uncomfortable question:

What if a corporate CEO did this?

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🚨 The Situation

Let’s look at the facts:

• In Saudi Arabia, Trump secures a $142 billion arms deal for the U.S., while his family’s business partners with Dar Global to launch Trump-branded real estate projects in Riyadh and Jeddah.

• In Dubai, the Trump Organization unveils plans for an 80-story tower—coincidentally as the U.S. announces new tech and infrastructure collaborations with the UAE.

• In Qatar, the Trump Organization signs a luxury golf resort deal, while the Qatari government offers the president a Boeing 747-8 valued at over $400 million, intended for personal use and eventual donation to his presidential library.

These aren’t isolated events. They’re part of a pattern of presidential power converging with private enrichment—a scenario that would lead to swift and severe consequences in any corporate environment.

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🧾 What Happens When a CEO Does This?

In the private sector, this would be called self-dealing—and it would set off alarms across the board:

• 🔍 Internal investigations: A board of directors would immediately launch an inquiry into unethical behavior and breach of fiduciary duty.

• ⚖️ Regulatory action: The SEC or DOJ could investigate under laws like the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), especially if gifts or deals influenced business decisions.

• 💼 Termination for cause: The CEO would likely be fired, with bonuses clawed back and their career irreparably damaged.

• 📉 Shareholder lawsuits: Investors would sue the executive for putting personal profits above the company’s interests.

In other words: resignations, indictments, or both.

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🏛️ Why Is It Different for the President?

As President, Trump is bound by the U.S. Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts or payments from foreign states without congressional approval.

But unlike in the corporate world, enforcement mechanisms are blurry:

• There's no independent board.

• Oversight is political, not legal.

• Accountability is often delayed, watered down, or dismissed along partisan lines.

So when a sitting U.S. president receives a $400 million plane from a foreign government—during arms and diplomatic negotiations with that same country—there is no automatic consequence. Just public outrage, legal ambiguity, and congressional inaction.

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🔍 Final Thought

This isn't just about one person—it’s about how power is structured in America. If a CEO did what President Trump is doing, they’d be under indictment, out of a job, and barred from future leadership roles.

But in politics? The rules are different.

And that should worry all of us.