I’m heartbroken by the news of the death of Steve Jobs. Few people have contributed as much to the American technology revolution as he has. He will be sorely missed.

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As you may be aware, I am following very closely the media’s coverage of the topic of cybersecurity. This field is quickly gaining in importance — not just for American individuals and businesses, but also for our national defense.

I recently read an interesting article in the Los Angeles Times about the Department of Homeland Security’s program at the Idaho National Laboratory to find and stop cyberattacks before they occur. According to the article, cyberterrorists could potentially disable water systems, chemical plants, or parts of the electrical grid to catastrophic effect.

We here in San Diego witnessed for ourselves last month the confusion that comes with a complete blackout of the electrical grid over a wide area. I believe that we will hear much more about this topic in the future, and I am glad that our government is keeping up with the rising challenge.

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I would like to congratulate Lee Ann Hawkins, who recently won the Heart Failure Society of America Nursing Research Award for her research presentation “Is Cognitive Impairment Associated with Medication Adherence in Outpatients with Heart Failure?” Lee Ann is the recipient of an Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) scholarship funded by the Beyster Family Foundation.

– Bob