Thursday, December 18, 2008
Internet Attacks Are a Real and Growing Problem
A new report says cyberwar isn't science fiction
Last week's Center for Strategic and International Studies report disclosed that the departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security and Commerce all have had intrusions by unknown foreign entities.
The Pentagon's computers are probed "hundreds of thousands of times each day." An official at the State Department says terabytes of its information have been compromised. The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security had to go offline for several months. NASA has stopped using email before shuttle launches. Jihadist hackers are trying to confuse military computers into mistaking the identities of friendly and unfriendly forces in Afghanistan and Iraq... [snip]
It's telling that the U.S. doesn't have a publicly stated doctrine on cyber defense that warns enemies and commits to taking action in response. Likening today's issues to the Cold War, the report says there should be clear rules about who will be punished how for what. It's in the nature of cyber attacks that it's hard to know exactly who's responsible, but some response must be made.
"These uncertainties limit the value of deterrence for cybersecurity," the report says. "The deterrent effect of an unknown doctrine is quite limited"
The report has recommendations for the Obama administration, including a new government structure for cyber protection and working more closely with the private sector on security research. The broader point is that it's about time that we knew the extent of the cyberwarring against us. The first step to fighting back is to admit that there's a fight...
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Secret Rocket Balls Target WMD Bunkers
The Pentagon has a new secret weapon to neutralize sites containing chemical or biological weapons: rocket balls. These are hollow spheres, made of rubberized rocket fuel; when ignited, they propel themselves around at random at high speed, bouncing off the walls and breaking through doors, turning the entire building into an inferno. The makers call them "kinetic fireball incendiaries."
The Pentagon doesn't want to talk about them, but published documents show that the fireballs have undergone tests on underground bunkers.
[correction: the Pentagon had a secret weapon]
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'Christmas is the pathway to hell'
A Muslim lawyer has launched an extraordinary rant against Christmas, branding the celebration 'evil'. Hate preacher Anjem Choudary claimed the festival was the 'pathway to hell' and urged his followers to boycott it. 'In the world today many Muslims, especially those residing in Western countries, are exposed to the evil celebration Christmas,'
'The very concept of Christmas contradicts and conflicts with the foundation of Islam.'
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How Canada's Little Mosque on the Prairie is aiming for our souls
Muslim integration in those early years was high (mostly through inter-marriage), and Muslim immigration was a bare minimum. In the 1930s, there were about 700 Muslims throughout Canada. Now, there are over 700,000. The original Al Rashid mosque attendees were never allowed to forget or ignore Canada's foundations and values.
Contemporary Muslims, their large numbers exempting them from assimilating into the dominant society, are not only ignoring these values, but are subtly using mainstream imagery and cultural symbols and trends as a strategy to assimilate Canadians into their Islamic culture.
They have no real attachment to Laura Ingalls' lovely family, the true pioneers and nation-builders of the Midwestern prairies. Instead, they are using her cultural influence surreptitiously as a way to get to the Canadian soul (and soil). And given the international popularity of Little Mosque on the Prairie, the agenda is to do the same world-wide.
REAAD MORE
Ctrl-Alt-Delete
[HT:RB]
"Barack Obama says his presidency is an opportunity for the United States to spread a message of tolerance," the Los Angeles Times reports in "Obama's first newspaper interview since his Nov. 4 election":
"I think we've got a unique opportunity to reboot America's image around the world and also in the Muslim world in particular," Obama said Tuesday, promising an "unrelenting" desire to "create a relationship of mutual respect and partnership in countries and with peoples of goodwill who want their citizens and ours to prosper together."
The world, he said, "is ready for that message."
Sorry, what is that message again? He's promising an unrelenting desire to create a relationship with peoples of goodwill? What about peoples of badwill? What about peoples of goodwill who are ruled by corrupt and oppressive governments?
READ MORE
twofer
.
Iran rejects Obama's carrot-and-stick approach
Iran has rejected a "carrot-and-stick" approach from president-elect Barack Obama that would combine economic incentives and threats of sanctions to try to change Tehran's plans for its nuclear program.
''The carrot-and-stick policy has no benefit,'' Qashqavi told reporters during his weekly press briefing. ''It is unacceptable and failed.''READ MORE
Iran accuses Barack Obama of 'cowboy talk'
Iran's conservative parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani has branded US President-Elect Barack Obama's comments on Tehran's nuclear activities as "cowboy" talk, the ISNA news agency reported. "These comments resemble those of old American cowboys. If you have something to say about (Iran's) nuclear issue, just say so. Why wave a stick," asked Mr Larijani, in a speech in Qazvin province.
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Blind man's guide dog barred from restaurant for offending Muslims
A blind man has been turned away from a fashionable Indian restaurant because his guide dog offended Muslim staff.
Alun Elder-Brown, a recruitment executive, said he was left feeling "like a piece of dirt" after being barred from bringing the animal into Kirthon Restaurant in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, on religious grounds.
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association said the decision was illegal under the Disability Discrimination Act.
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Tampa Mayor Honors Extremism
In April of 2007, Pam Iorio was sworn into office for her second term as Mayor of Tampa Bay, Florida, given the confidence of Tampa’s citizens that she will help protect them from harm. Yet every year for at least the last four years of the six-plus years she has served, Mayor Iorio has honored CAIR, a radical Muslim organization, with a Proclamation naming a day for the group...
READ MORE
[See:
Jihad Watch: CAIR and terrorism
CAIR: 'Moderate' friends of terror - article by Daniel Pipes
CAIR: Islamists Fooling the Establishment - Middle East Quarterly
CAIR called 'turnstile' for terrorist suspects
CAIR and Terrorism: Blanket Opposition to U.S. Investigations ...
ad infinitum - but I guess if they make political contributions...]
Russia in talks with Iran over sale of anti-aircraft missiles, despite Israeli objections
Earlier this year, Russia said it would not move forward with the transaction. In October, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert visited Russia, where he met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (Snip) in spite of these statements, Israeli officials say Russia and Iran renewed negotiations on the purchase of the missile system several weeks ago. The sources confirmed a report that appeared in the foreign press on the matter two weeks ago.
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Iran raises profile in Latin America
CALABOZO, Venezuela — The foremen bark out instructions in broken Spanish, saying "aqui" and "mas" as they direct crews to lay water pipes and smooth out cement. But on their lunch break, they switch into Farsi — the language of Iran...
Their Iranian company is building thousands of apartments for Venezuela's poor. Iran is also helping to build cars, tractors and bicycles in Venezuela and has opened new embassies in Bolivia and Nicaragua.
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U.S. Hits Alleged Iranian Terror Front
The Bush administration moved Wednesday to clamp down financially on a New York City business suspected of acting as a front company for Iran's Bank Melli, which has been accused of providing support to Iran's nuclear program.
"This scheme to use a front company set up by Bank Melli - a known proliferator - to funnel money from the United States to Iran is yet another example of Iran's duplicity," said Stuart Levey, the Treasury Department's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
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'Iran could attack US with nuclear bomb'
Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned Wednesday that if Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, it could try to attack the United States. Barak said the world should press Iran to stop it from building nuclear weapons.
"If it built even a primitive nuclear weapon like the type that destroyed Hiroshima, Iran would not hesitate to load it on a ship, arm it with a detonator operated by GPS and sail it into a vital port on the east coast of North America."Indicating the possibility of a military strike, Barak said,
"We are not taking any option off the table, and we recommend to the world not to take any option off the table, and we mean what we say."[this is where Russia's sale of anti-aircraft systems to Iran is particularly 'helpful'...]
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Scientists Denounce AP For Hysterical Global Warming Article
Scientists from around the world are denouncing an Associated Press article hysterically claiming that global warming is "a ticking time bomb" about to explode, and that we're "running out of time" to do anything about it.
As reported by NewsBusters, Seth Borenstein, the AP's "national science writer," published a piece Sunday entitled "Obama Left With Little Time to Curb Global Warming."
Scientists from all over the world have responded to share their view of this alarmist propaganda:
- How can this guy call himself a "science reporter?"
- He is perhaps the worst propagandist in all the media, and that's stating something.
- In his latest screed, he screams: "global warming is accelerating"
- How then does he explain the fact that the mean global temperature (as measured by satellite) is the same as it was in 1980?
- How can global warming be "accelerating" when the last two years have seen dramatic cooling? Is this guy totally removed from all reality?????
- He completely ignores any evidence contrary to his personal beliefs, and twists everything to meet his preconceived notions.
- How can anyone so ignorant be a reporter for AP? Seriously?
-- David Deming, University of Oklahoma
[the problem is that the AP piece will be repeated thousands of times world wide. The response from the scientific community? This is probably it.
Again, time is not on the alarmists side; they need get legislation on the books before the evidence of their maleficence breaks]
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Meanwhile, Back on Earth
[HT:WT]
Here’s a bailout we should welcome:
Some rich countries are planning a “great escape” - from promises to fight climate change as recession bites and a deadline nears to agree a new treaty, China’s climate ambassador Yu Qingtai told Reuters on Wednesday.
“The only conclusion many people like me are drawing is that countries are preparing for the great escape from Copenhagen,”His comments underlined concerns that U.N.-led climate global negotiations in Poznan, Poland, are treading water as many delegates and observers question agreeing to a comprehensive treaty as planned in Copenhagen next year.
It’s time to stop treading water and get out of the pool altogether. After an endless election season of myth and fantasy, it feels as if we’re finally entering the season of long-awaited truths...
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Opec agrees record oil output cut
The oil producers' cartel Opec has agreed to make a record cut in output, slashing 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from its current supply. Opec has made two other cuts since September, meaning it has cut a total of 4.2 million bpd in four months. (Snip) Opec said that it hoped the record cut would boost prices but that it had no formal price target...
[if only we had our own oil reserves to develop]
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Another oil firm puts base overseas
The chief executive of Weatherford International said Thursday he and his company headquarters will move from Houston to Switzerland, joining at least two other top Houston oil services executives in seeking closer proximity to emerging oil producing regions overseas.
Halliburton Co. relocated its top executives to a Dubai headquarters in 2007 and offshore driller Transocean has announced plans to move to Geneva.
[while we sit atop the largest known-recoverable reserves on the planet. Why leave the US? Next...> ]
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Energy squad to wean US off oil 'addiction'
Washington - Barack Obama intends to round out his environmental and natural resources team with three former Environmental Protection Agency officials from the Clinton administration. The president-elect's energy policy team will be responsible for implementing a far-reaching plan to wean the US off oil and bolster the economy by increasing energy efficiency and building renewable energy plants. [anyone believe that last bit about 'bolstering' the economy?]
[energy policy - from environmental protection advocates]
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Biodiesal tax break fackfires
Federal subsidies to the U.S. biodiesel industry were supposed to help wean the nation from foreign oil, and a new law in 2009 will bolster the effort, but the money has fueled a controversial side business. Domestic producers of the renewable fuel have been selling huge quantities of biodiesel in Europe and in other foreign markets, where prices are often better, and then receiving a $1-per-gallon tax credit from Uncle Sam...
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Who's Losing the U.S. Car Business?
Right after the UAW vetoed a compromise, bankruptcy-lite, Detroit-little-three rescue plan put together by Tennessee Republican Bob Corker, UAW president Ron Gettelfinger played the blame game by blasting Corker and the Republican party for “singling out” union workers to shoulder the burden of reviving the U.S. car business.
In truth, the UAW is to blame. [snip]
All Corker asked was a 2009 date for union pay restructuring. Sen. Corker never specified his date. He asked the UAW to name its date for a new pay package. But it had to be in 2009. In return, union members would get a lot of stock in this deal -- up to $10.5 billion of new equity as GM’s heavy debt burden would be converted into common shares.
But the UAW refused to make concessions. Instead, it insisted it would only renegotiate its current contract when it ends in 2011. That was the sticking point that killed the deal.
You have to ask this question: If the Detroit carmakers are in dire straits, going broke in two weeks, right now in late 2008, how can the UAW wait until 2011 to make its concessions?
[A: scream that the world will end, rely on the old media to dupe TV watchers into believing that fallacy, and wait for Bush to cave.
Worked like a charm.]
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MEDIA MISTAKES ON DETROIT'S DIVE
Take this line from David Leonhart's article on Page One of Wednesday's New York Times:
"The real problem is many people don't want to buy the cars that Detroit makes."
Fact: For the past several years, GM sold one out of every four cars bought in America. Add the rest of Detroit, and it's close to one out of every two. Last I counted, that's a lot of people.
Then there's Times columnist Tom Friedman - who referred to GM as terrorists for marketing a campaign that provided gas relief and praising "green" Toyota.
Fact: Auto insiders know that Toyota's pose as "the green car company" is a brilliant marketing ploy - and deflected attention away from Toyota's own bid to get a bigger share of the highly profitable "truck" market with the launch of the eight-cylinder Tundra. Yet Friedman failed to even mention Toyota's gas-guzzling trucks... [snip]
The truth is, most Americans don't want to drive a Prius - especially not Americans with large families and lots to transport. And, while they want cars and trucks that are more fuel-efficient, they also want ones that are functional and safe - and the answer isn't just "hybrids, hybrids, hybrids,"
[which is why the Ford F-150 continues to be Ford's sales leader to this day. The cars are fine - quality wise and particularly design wise as the Big 3 are better a making the bigger vehicles most Americans (away from the coasts) want. I.e., it's not the cars...
It's the unions, period. Last year Toyota and GM both sold 9.3 Millions vehicles in the US (a bad year, it's usually double that). Toyota made ~17 billion doing it, GM lost 38 billion doing it. You figure it out.]
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PROGRESSIVE' POLICIES WOULD CAUSE ECONOMIC REGRESSION
The governmental takeovers of the banking and auto industries have raised important questions concerning the future course of our country. Should America become a Europeanized sort of a nanny state in which the government manages our industries, their boards of directors, their products and their finances?
It shouldn't, but it is clear that the incoming administration believes strongly in governmental control of a great many parts of our economy:
- During the campaign, Barack Obama called for a 10 percent to 12 percent annual increase in government spending, on top of our current congressional spending surge.
- According to USA Today, this "is increasing the federal share of the nation's economic activity close to $1 out of every $4, the highest level since World War II," and will give us "a budget deficit headed towards a record $1 trillion."
- Government run health care: a federal statute regulating the price, content and supervision of health care, and a government council to significantly regulate the content and cost of health care policies.
- Downsizing of trade: trade creates jobs -- some five million Americans work for overseas companies; the export of American products support some six million domestic jobs, the export of services another five million, and U.S. trade as a share of gross domestic product reached 29 percent in 2007.
- From his previously stated opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement, to his dislike of other regional trade agreements, Obama's intentions will clearly shrink our economy to the degree he acts on them.
In short, bigger and more intrusive government is rolling down the tracks toward us, says du Pont. Taxes will be higher, government spending will be larger, and matters from automobile manufacturing to health care and trade will be Europeanized. The government will be in charge.
[OR - we could inform our representatives that these things will not transpire - ready? Silence will be taken as consent...]
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WHAT CAN A HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT DO FOR YOU?
Health savings accounts (HSAs) were introduced in 2004 and allow individuals to pay for medical services upfront through funds they deposit tax-free into a personal account. A required insurance policy then kicks in for catastrophic expenses. Any unused funds build up from year-to-year and collect interest in the process. [snip]
"Put simply, no other account has the tax advantages that HSAs do," "Throughout the life of an HSA its owners can withdraw funds for medical care tax-free. Because of this, taxpayers should consider fully funding their HSAs first, before other types of retirement accounts."
"With health care costs continuing to outpace wage increases and companies trimming retiree health benefits," said Fidelity Executive Vice President Brad Kimler in a recent release, "financing health care has to be central to retirement planning."
The beauty of HSAs is that they can be used to pay Medicare premiums, out-of-pocket expenses, long-term care insurance premiums, and many long-term care expenses, say researchers. Even better, HSAs can do all of this tax-free.
However, if you don't end up incurring these types of expenses, you can still use your HSA funds for other purposes and pay only regular income tax on your withdrawals after age 65.
[this is how we allow our children to avoid the coming bankruptcy re: medicare, and (finally) begin reducing the run away costs of medical treatment by spending our own money {the missing component that's allowed this asinine situation to grow in the first place}]
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Marking in red pen 'can damage students'
Teachers who mark work in red pen could be inflicting psychological damage on their students, according to new guidelines. Australian educators are being urged to correct homework in less aggressive colours like green and blue, in an attempt to improve mental health in the classroom.
[ok, UK needs vouchers as bad as we do]
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HOME SWEET HOME SCHOOL
The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that from 1999 to 2003 the number of home-schooled children increased from around 850,000 to roughly 2.5 million, a 29 percent jump in four years.
Some states keep their own figures: Virginia had 3,816 registered home schoolers in 1990; by 2007 the number had grown to 20,694; Maryland saw similar growth, from 2,296 in 1990 to 24,227 in 2006.
Survey research has revealed a heterogeneous population of home schoolers and higher rates of minority home schooling than expected, with the Black homeschool movement growing at a faster rate than the general homeschool population.
"Families are running out of options," says Jennifer James, National African-American Homeschoolers Alliance. "There's this persistent achievement gap, and a lot of black children are doing so poorly in traditional schools that parents are looking for alternatives."
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History twofer...
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They Won't Give Him Credit
From the beginning of his administration, President Bush has pushed for more aid to Africa. The president has pressed for greater aid to Africa across the board. The original PEPFAR legislation (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), which passed in 2003, was the largest single health investment by any government ever ($15 billion).
At the time the initiative was launched, only about 50,000 sub-Saharan Africans were receiving antiretroviral treatment for AIDS. Today, 1.7 million people in the region are receiving such treatment.
In July of this year, the president requested that funding for PEPFAR be doubled to $30 billion. The new funding will be used to train 140,000 new health care workers. It would also address other illnesses, like tuberculosis, that often complicate AIDS. [snip]
But for the beautiful people in America -- the Hollywood and university types, the book and magazine publishers, and of course, the major media -- have shown complete indifference to George W. Bush's dedication to a cause they purport to value. In fact, they've pointedly ignored it...
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WaPo Recycles Myth of Reagan Inaction on AIDS
On the front page of Tuesday’s Washington Post, reporter Anne Hull recalled the devastating trail of the AIDS epidemic as marked by the moving of the D.C.-based Whitman-Walker AIDS clinic. But deep in the piece, in the 35th paragraph, Hull unearthed an old anti-Reagan myth:
Several blocks from the clinic was the White House, where President Ronald Reagan had barely uttered the word "AIDS" in his eight years in office. In 1989, the Centers for Disease Control reported 22,082 deaths from AIDS.
The real Reagan record on AIDS is different. AIDS funding skyrocketed in the 1980s, almost doubling each year from 1983 – when the media started blaring headlines – from $44 million to $103 million, $205 million, $508 million, $922 million, and then $1.6 billion in 1988. Reagan’s secretary of Health and Human Services in 1983, Margaret Heckler, declared AIDS her department’s "number one priority."READ MORE
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