Thursday, October 31, 2013
"You will be able to keep your healthcare plan PERIOD".
That is what he said: "You will be able to keep your healthcare plan PERIOD". Not "You can keep your [what we say is a] healthcare plan". Not "You can keep your healthcare plan [if it is are REAL - in our eyes - healthcare plan] period".
That my friends is a lie. No two ways about it. A lie. He new it was a lie at least by the time he signed the bill and most definitely by last week when he was still saying it.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Another Obamacare success story!
Cupcake Store Among Wrong Businesses Listed on State Obamacare Signup Site
This is just another recent example of the incompetence of this administration and the totality of the people involved in the Obamacare program and roll-out. These will also be the people that will have control over YOUR data. Your health records, your tax/payroll records, all of it. If they can't get the little things right, what makes you think they will do better with the big things?
These are the same people (the Government) that has been so successful with:
Has this government really done ANYTHING recently to earn your trust? Obama himself said many times over many, many months "If you like your health insurance, you can keep it." Well 16 million people [so far] have learned what the shelf life of that statement was AND even Obama knew it was a lie. He may not have known it the first time he said it but he surely knew by the 40th. He surely knew last month when he was still saying it!
Welcome to the new America where the disaster that is the Obamacare web site and roll-out is merely a "glitch". Where the president can lie. Where the Attorney General can lie. Where the speaker of the House can lie. Where no one, not the media, not the opposing party, no one will call them on it.
This is just another recent example of the incompetence of this administration and the totality of the people involved in the Obamacare program and roll-out. These will also be the people that will have control over YOUR data. Your health records, your tax/payroll records, all of it. If they can't get the little things right, what makes you think they will do better with the big things?
These are the same people (the Government) that has been so successful with:
- The IRS (targeting conservative groups while green-lighting liberal ones)
- BATF (fast and furious anyone?)
- State Department (remember Benghazi - "a video did it")
- The VA (understaffed and over budget)
- Homeland Security
- TSA
- NSA
- etc., etc., etc.
Has this government really done ANYTHING recently to earn your trust? Obama himself said many times over many, many months "If you like your health insurance, you can keep it." Well 16 million people [so far] have learned what the shelf life of that statement was AND even Obama knew it was a lie. He may not have known it the first time he said it but he surely knew by the 40th. He surely knew last month when he was still saying it!
Welcome to the new America where the disaster that is the Obamacare web site and roll-out is merely a "glitch". Where the president can lie. Where the Attorney General can lie. Where the speaker of the House can lie. Where no one, not the media, not the opposing party, no one will call them on it.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
And the fleas continue to bite at the dog...
End of an era: Last U.S. lead smelter to close in December
Doe Run made significant efforts to reduce lead emissions from the smelter, but in 2008 the federal Environmental Protection Agency issued new National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead that were 10 times tighter than the previous standard. Given the new lead air quality standard, Doe Run made the decision to close the Herculaneum smelter.
What is clear is that after the Herculaneum smelter closes its doors in December, entirely domestic manufacture of conventional ammunition, from raw ore to finished cartridge, will be impossible.
This will drive up ammunition prices, there is no way it can't. US manufacturers will have to rely on lead from recycling and imports which will be more expensive than domestically smelted lead. Other businesses that rely on lead will be affected too. Car battery prices will increase.
The industry has tried to switch from lead to alternate materials but most of these do not have enough of the properties and characteristics of lead to be a viable long term substitution. Government agencies at all levels rely on the biolistic properties of lead projectiles as part of their CSI programs. The substitutes do not match and will need to be studied and their behaviors coded.
There will be ripples...
Doe Run made significant efforts to reduce lead emissions from the smelter, but in 2008 the federal Environmental Protection Agency issued new National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead that were 10 times tighter than the previous standard. Given the new lead air quality standard, Doe Run made the decision to close the Herculaneum smelter.
What is clear is that after the Herculaneum smelter closes its doors in December, entirely domestic manufacture of conventional ammunition, from raw ore to finished cartridge, will be impossible.
This will drive up ammunition prices, there is no way it can't. US manufacturers will have to rely on lead from recycling and imports which will be more expensive than domestically smelted lead. Other businesses that rely on lead will be affected too. Car battery prices will increase.
The industry has tried to switch from lead to alternate materials but most of these do not have enough of the properties and characteristics of lead to be a viable long term substitution. Government agencies at all levels rely on the biolistic properties of lead projectiles as part of their CSI programs. The substitutes do not match and will need to be studied and their behaviors coded.
There will be ripples...
Monday, October 28, 2013
Durbin Amendment Costs Consumers $22 Billion
All in all, consumers took it on the chin for $22 billion and possibly more. That $22 billion is the present discounted value of the losses to consumers, starting in October 2011 when the caps went into effect, and off into the future.
...
The fact that the Durbin Amendment resulted in a wealth transfer to retailers from consumers and banks is not surprising. The regulations shifted more than $7 billion of money from the annual income of banks to the annual income of merchants. There is no reason to believe that merchants would give this windfall back to consumers or that the banks could absorb the full loss in their profits. A wealth of economic studies shows that does not happen in the real world. But, the bill to consumers over time will add up to at least $22 billion, and potentially more.
It is hard for me to believe that Congress could not see this coming. You take away profit from a business and they have to replace it somehow. In this case, banks lost revenue due to interchange caps and as a result profits. Those profits needed to be replaced and so banking fees to consumers increased and other free services were cut to reduce costs.
One of the scariest things a person can say is "I am from the Government and I am here to help!"
...
The fact that the Durbin Amendment resulted in a wealth transfer to retailers from consumers and banks is not surprising. The regulations shifted more than $7 billion of money from the annual income of banks to the annual income of merchants. There is no reason to believe that merchants would give this windfall back to consumers or that the banks could absorb the full loss in their profits. A wealth of economic studies shows that does not happen in the real world. But, the bill to consumers over time will add up to at least $22 billion, and potentially more.
It is hard for me to believe that Congress could not see this coming. You take away profit from a business and they have to replace it somehow. In this case, banks lost revenue due to interchange caps and as a result profits. Those profits needed to be replaced and so banking fees to consumers increased and other free services were cut to reduce costs.
One of the scariest things a person can say is "I am from the Government and I am here to help!"
Friday, October 25, 2013
AWK Musings
I like AWK and have used it for years. I feel that it is an elegant language that does what it was designed to do quite well. I don't use it very much at all anymore due to how what I do has changed over the years. It is still in my toolbox and every now and then I like to pull it out, dust it off and use it even if I really don't have a need.
While thinking about this on my way to work this morning, I wondered if there was a web hosted version of AWK (figured there had to be as everything is on the internet) and lo and behold there is! It is an implementation of AWK in JavaScript and is available here. Have not used it much so can not say what (if any) the limitations are but it has worked for the simple things I have thrown at it.
There is also an AWK PDF manual available here (as well as many other places).
Additionally there is also an online "run anything" web site here that supports a great many languages including ADA, AWK, C#, COBOL, Fortran, etc. It has a nice editor and it has worked on the C and AWK that I have submitted. Very nice!
While thinking about this on my way to work this morning, I wondered if there was a web hosted version of AWK (figured there had to be as everything is on the internet) and lo and behold there is! It is an implementation of AWK in JavaScript and is available here. Have not used it much so can not say what (if any) the limitations are but it has worked for the simple things I have thrown at it.
There is also an AWK PDF manual available here (as well as many other places).
Additionally there is also an online "run anything" web site here that supports a great many languages including ADA, AWK, C#, COBOL, Fortran, etc. It has a nice editor and it has worked on the C and AWK that I have submitted. Very nice!
Why it is always 1984, example 1
Here is a perfect example of why it will always be "1984" (the land of double-speak) in this country.
Someone in the White House was briefing Democrats on a meeting that took place involving the President and high ranking members of Congress.
That someone described the meeting to Sen. Dick Durbin and here is what happened next: Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., wrote Sunday on Facebook that “Many Republicans searching for something to say in defense of the disastrous shutdown strategy will say President Obama just doesn’t try hard enough to communicate with Republicans. But in a ‘negotiation’ meeting with the president, one GOP House Leader told the president: ‘I cannot even stand to look at you.”
It turns out, no Republican actually said that. Here is how ABC describes what happened: White House Bungles Leak About GOP Leader Trashing Obama
Not sure what journalism school Arlette Saenz went to but a LIE is not the same as a LEAK. The definition of a leak is: an intentional disclosure of secret information. The definition of a lie is: a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth. See how they are different? There is an expectation that a leak is factual. Arlette even states in his article "Turns out, it never happened". Why does he call it a leak then? The headline should have read: White House Bungles LIE about GOP Leader Trashing Obama. Is it because it was done by a Democratic administration and involved a Democratic Senator?
Someone in the White House was briefing Democrats on a meeting that took place involving the President and high ranking members of Congress.
That someone described the meeting to Sen. Dick Durbin and here is what happened next: Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., wrote Sunday on Facebook that “Many Republicans searching for something to say in defense of the disastrous shutdown strategy will say President Obama just doesn’t try hard enough to communicate with Republicans. But in a ‘negotiation’ meeting with the president, one GOP House Leader told the president: ‘I cannot even stand to look at you.”
It turns out, no Republican actually said that. Here is how ABC describes what happened: White House Bungles Leak About GOP Leader Trashing Obama
Not sure what journalism school Arlette Saenz went to but a LIE is not the same as a LEAK. The definition of a leak is: an intentional disclosure of secret information. The definition of a lie is: a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth. See how they are different? There is an expectation that a leak is factual. Arlette even states in his article "Turns out, it never happened". Why does he call it a leak then? The headline should have read: White House Bungles LIE about GOP Leader Trashing Obama. Is it because it was done by a Democratic administration and involved a Democratic Senator?
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Obamacare “Navigators"
"Application assisters listed on this page may still be completing federal and state certification requirements. They are obligated to let you know if they are certified or not if you contact them. If they are not certified, they cannot help you."
If you choose to call an entity from this database, the only action Healthcare.gov has taken — or the only action you are permitted to know about — towards preventing fraudulent actors/identity thieves from taking part in a process involving your private information is this: they have been told they are “obligated” to turn you away.
So the Obamacare web site that asks you every manner of personal question to ascertain what insurance plans you might want and what subsidies you might be entitled to (to help pay for it) has a database of "navigators" to help you through the process except the site warns you not all of the people the site shows you and has made available to you to pick from, have been "certified". Don't worry though, they are OBLIGATED to let you know if they are not yet certified! Why worry? They only have access to ALL of your personal information!
Why not just show those who have completed the certification process? Could it be because so few have?
Obamacare - the gift that keeps on giving.
If you choose to call an entity from this database, the only action Healthcare.gov has taken — or the only action you are permitted to know about — towards preventing fraudulent actors/identity thieves from taking part in a process involving your private information is this: they have been told they are “obligated” to turn you away.
So the Obamacare web site that asks you every manner of personal question to ascertain what insurance plans you might want and what subsidies you might be entitled to (to help pay for it) has a database of "navigators" to help you through the process except the site warns you not all of the people the site shows you and has made available to you to pick from, have been "certified". Don't worry though, they are OBLIGATED to let you know if they are not yet certified! Why worry? They only have access to ALL of your personal information!
Why not just show those who have completed the certification process? Could it be because so few have?
Obamacare - the gift that keeps on giving.
President Barack "Sgt. Schultz" Obama
Sgt. Schultz of Hogan's Heroes was famous for his "I hear nothing, I see nothing, I know nothing!" refrain and appears to be the guiding mentor of our current President, not Rev. Jeremiah "God Damn America" Wright as you might have expected. It seems that President Obama and his handlers go to great lengths to give him plausible deniability for every government failure and scandal.
A partial list is available at Legal Insurrection and includes:
A partial list is available at Legal Insurrection and includes:
- Obamacare web site issues
- IRS targeting of non-liberal groups
- The Petraeus extramarital affair
- Benghazi
- Fast and Furious
- The AP taps
- GSA 2010 scandal
- Solyndra
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
No really! Voter fraud is a myth!
The former chief of staff of a Democratic Florida congressman will serve 90 days in jail after admitting to a voter fraud scheme during the 2012 election.
Monday, October 21, 2013
But again, election fraud is a myth!
Christina Ayala also wouldn't talk about the state panel's recommendation that her mother, Democratic Registrar of Voters Santa Ayala, be criminally investigated for fraud and conspiracy for allowing her daughter to use a false address on Noble Avenue as her place of residence between 2009 and 2013. The investigation revealed evidence that Santa Ayala knew of and may have cooperated in the fraud.
An elections commission investigation found that Ayala voted in nine different elections using that address, when she actually resided elsewhere.
"There is evidence that she ran for elected office twice from this false address during the period, including for the office she currently holds," said the report of a commission attorney. "There is evidence that she also applied for funds from the Citizens' Election Program using this false address.
So, she not only listed her "not address" on her election papers, she also voted from her "not address" at least nine times and she applied for public funds to help her run for elected office for the district of her "not address".
It only took till the 8th paragraph to learn her mother is a Democrat and not till the 13th paragraph do you learn that Ayala is a Democrat. Have to wonder why they bothered mentioning it at all.
An elections commission investigation found that Ayala voted in nine different elections using that address, when she actually resided elsewhere.
"There is evidence that she ran for elected office twice from this false address during the period, including for the office she currently holds," said the report of a commission attorney. "There is evidence that she also applied for funds from the Citizens' Election Program using this false address.
So, she not only listed her "not address" on her election papers, she also voted from her "not address" at least nine times and she applied for public funds to help her run for elected office for the district of her "not address".
It only took till the 8th paragraph to learn her mother is a Democrat and not till the 13th paragraph do you learn that Ayala is a Democrat. Have to wonder why they bothered mentioning it at all.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
New Kid at School
Congressional Republicans act like the new kid at school who has a self esteem problem. They will do whatever the other kids (Democrats & MSM) say in order to be accepted and to fit in. Every once in a while they remember who they really are and try to resist but in the end they always surrender to peer pressure.
It is like an after school special. You always root for them hoping this time they will stand firm. That they will finally realize the cool kids will never like them but if they take a stand for what is right, for their convictions, they just might get some respected. Alas it is not to be. We have been down this road before and it is to the point where you know, in your heart that they will let you down.
The Republican party can't seem to understand why support from the base is so low. Why voters are just not turning out. This is why. You take the right road and we think maybe this time will be different but as soon as you see the first pothole you turn the car around and go the other way.
As a fiscally conservative voter I feel like I am being played for a sucker and I am tired of it. Based on the turn-out for the last election, I am not the only one. Apparently the national Republic party is happy to be "Democrat Light", fine. You can have it. I am tired of going into the voting booth, holding my nose and pulling the lever for the "lesser of two evils". That road has gotten us here, where we are today. I might as well have just stayed home the last few election cycles. If this is the best that the Republican party can do then in the future I will. The Republican party has spend years making this bed with the Democrats, I hope you enjoy sleeping in it.
It is like an after school special. You always root for them hoping this time they will stand firm. That they will finally realize the cool kids will never like them but if they take a stand for what is right, for their convictions, they just might get some respected. Alas it is not to be. We have been down this road before and it is to the point where you know, in your heart that they will let you down.
The Republican party can't seem to understand why support from the base is so low. Why voters are just not turning out. This is why. You take the right road and we think maybe this time will be different but as soon as you see the first pothole you turn the car around and go the other way.
As a fiscally conservative voter I feel like I am being played for a sucker and I am tired of it. Based on the turn-out for the last election, I am not the only one. Apparently the national Republic party is happy to be "Democrat Light", fine. You can have it. I am tired of going into the voting booth, holding my nose and pulling the lever for the "lesser of two evils". That road has gotten us here, where we are today. I might as well have just stayed home the last few election cycles. If this is the best that the Republican party can do then in the future I will. The Republican party has spend years making this bed with the Democrats, I hope you enjoy sleeping in it.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Republicans Surrender
Looks like the Republicans have once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. They agreed to reopen the government, not defund Obamacare, to extend the debt limit, and publicly say to the country that they are very, very sorry (that last one is not officially in the deal but is the result of this capitulation).
As a country, we can not get rid of this bunch of spineless losers fast enough. They are a disgrace to what once was the Republican party. They were winning, again. The government was shutdown and NO ONE noticed! They could have at least passed a CR with funding levels per last year, no increases and let the Democrats pick what to reduce but NO, they have to be total wimps and give away the entire farm.
Sad and pathetic, AGAIN...
As a country, we can not get rid of this bunch of spineless losers fast enough. They are a disgrace to what once was the Republican party. They were winning, again. The government was shutdown and NO ONE noticed! They could have at least passed a CR with funding levels per last year, no increases and let the Democrats pick what to reduce but NO, they have to be total wimps and give away the entire farm.
Sad and pathetic, AGAIN...
Another Obamacare "rube" self identifies...
My wife and I just got our updates from Kaiser telling us what our 2014 rates will be. Her monthly has been $168 this year, mine $150. We have a high deductible. We are generally healthy people who don’t go to the doctor often. I barely ever go. The insurance is in case of a major catastrophe.
Well, now, because of Obamacare, my wife’s rate is gong to $302 per month and mine is jumping to $284. I am canceling insurance for us and I am not paying any fucking penalty.
What the hell kind of reform is this?
It is EXACTLY the kind of reform you were warned it would be BUT the warning came from those evil Tea Party people, those evil Republicans and those evil libertarians SO you would not listen. Plus like all of the rest of you progressives, you agreed with Nancy and just wanted SOMETHING passed. You did not know or care what was in it and figured it would be anyone else's problem but yours. Sorry to point this out but you were EXACTLY who this was aimed at. Young people who did not really need insurance. Congratulations, you get to be forced to have more coverage than you want and much more expensive insurance than you need (to also help pay for grandma's policy). Well Merry Friggin Christmas to you!
Well, now, because of Obamacare, my wife’s rate is gong to $302 per month and mine is jumping to $284. I am canceling insurance for us and I am not paying any fucking penalty.
What the hell kind of reform is this?
It is EXACTLY the kind of reform you were warned it would be BUT the warning came from those evil Tea Party people, those evil Republicans and those evil libertarians SO you would not listen. Plus like all of the rest of you progressives, you agreed with Nancy and just wanted SOMETHING passed. You did not know or care what was in it and figured it would be anyone else's problem but yours. Sorry to point this out but you were EXACTLY who this was aimed at. Young people who did not really need insurance. Congratulations, you get to be forced to have more coverage than you want and much more expensive insurance than you need (to also help pay for grandma's policy). Well Merry Friggin Christmas to you!
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 16
The default that wasn't...
[T]here is no such thing as default unless there is an actual evil attempt from the administration. When you have 18 percent of GDP coming in in cash, less than 2 percent going out in debt coverage—I’m stunned you all fall for it in the press. None of you were math majors, were you?”
We are all (well most of us) are being played for suckers, again, with a complicit press dutifully playing their part. Remember, if this were past shutdowns like when Republicans were in charge this would all be the President's fault for refusing to compromise. With the press, it is ALWAYS the fault, no matter what it is, of the Republicans.
By the way (and because I KNOW you did not hear this from the MSM) the House GOP voted 11 times to reopen the government.
As Obama is fond of saying "Never let a crisis go to waste".
If you are really serious about wanting to fix things (which most politicians on both sides are not) here is a plan that would actually work: An across-the-board cut of 5% in every government department's budget line. (You can't convince me -- and you'll certainly have a hard time convincing voters -- that there's not 5% waste to be found in any government program.) Then a five-year freeze at that level. Likewise, a one-year moratorium on new regulations, followed by strict limits on new regulatory action: Perhaps a rule that all new business regulations won't have the force of law until approved by Congress.
As has been noted here (earlier) and elsewhere, this may have started with (the train wreck known as) Obamacare but this issue is bigger than that and the GOP really NEEDS to draw a line in the sand here and now. No more. Enough is enough. We are bankrupting this country and enslaving our children for generations to come. The debt is too large and is growing every day. The government is printing money as fast as they can to prop up this mess of an economy while they continue to regulate what is left of it to death. Quantitative easement (fancy talk to printing more money than is needed to replace money physically destroyed) is flooding the economy with paper that is melting the buying power of your current earnings as well as your retirement account. Wages are flat, growth is flat, more people are out of work (officially unemployed as well as having just given up looking for work) at levels not seen for decades. The country is burning and while Obama plays the fiddle.
[T]here is no such thing as default unless there is an actual evil attempt from the administration. When you have 18 percent of GDP coming in in cash, less than 2 percent going out in debt coverage—I’m stunned you all fall for it in the press. None of you were math majors, were you?”
We are all (well most of us) are being played for suckers, again, with a complicit press dutifully playing their part. Remember, if this were past shutdowns like when Republicans were in charge this would all be the President's fault for refusing to compromise. With the press, it is ALWAYS the fault, no matter what it is, of the Republicans.
By the way (and because I KNOW you did not hear this from the MSM) the House GOP voted 11 times to reopen the government.
As Obama is fond of saying "Never let a crisis go to waste".
If you are really serious about wanting to fix things (which most politicians on both sides are not) here is a plan that would actually work: An across-the-board cut of 5% in every government department's budget line. (You can't convince me -- and you'll certainly have a hard time convincing voters -- that there's not 5% waste to be found in any government program.) Then a five-year freeze at that level. Likewise, a one-year moratorium on new regulations, followed by strict limits on new regulatory action: Perhaps a rule that all new business regulations won't have the force of law until approved by Congress.
As has been noted here (earlier) and elsewhere, this may have started with (the train wreck known as) Obamacare but this issue is bigger than that and the GOP really NEEDS to draw a line in the sand here and now. No more. Enough is enough. We are bankrupting this country and enslaving our children for generations to come. The debt is too large and is growing every day. The government is printing money as fast as they can to prop up this mess of an economy while they continue to regulate what is left of it to death. Quantitative easement (fancy talk to printing more money than is needed to replace money physically destroyed) is flooding the economy with paper that is melting the buying power of your current earnings as well as your retirement account. Wages are flat, growth is flat, more people are out of work (officially unemployed as well as having just given up looking for work) at levels not seen for decades. The country is burning and while Obama plays the fiddle.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 15
And the insanity continues!
I hear tell that the great powers that be are in heated negotiations with the hope of bringing this civilization destroying government shutdown to an end (even if only temporarily). I have to ask, why? We have gone on now for 15 days with the government "shutdown" (in reality it is a "slowdown" as many workers have continued to work based on the designation of being critical to the country) and truth be told the impact for everyone but government workers has been so inconsequential that the Obama administration has been forced to make the shutdown more public by using the parks and recs service to strong arm and bully citizens and tourists.
Instead of the GOP snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, they should instead press on with the shutdown and continue to submit department by department funding measures with each department being funded at 2005 levels (as a start) for those that have to be continued while saving for last (or not at all - even better) those less critical departments like the Department of Education. There is NO government department that can not survive a 15% budget cut (or more). The real fear in Washington is that the longer this shutdown goes on the more obvious it becomes how little we the people need our current, bloated government. That is what those in Washington are really afraid of and that is what all of this blatant disregard for their parks shutdown theater is showing everyone. People are beginning to wake up to how little the government impacts their daily lives, how little we need them. So GOP, if you want to have any hope of staying relevant and preserving any chance of regaining your political clout, DON'T BE STUPID and DON'T CAVE. Stand firm and keep the breaks on.
I hear tell that the great powers that be are in heated negotiations with the hope of bringing this civilization destroying government shutdown to an end (even if only temporarily). I have to ask, why? We have gone on now for 15 days with the government "shutdown" (in reality it is a "slowdown" as many workers have continued to work based on the designation of being critical to the country) and truth be told the impact for everyone but government workers has been so inconsequential that the Obama administration has been forced to make the shutdown more public by using the parks and recs service to strong arm and bully citizens and tourists.
Instead of the GOP snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, they should instead press on with the shutdown and continue to submit department by department funding measures with each department being funded at 2005 levels (as a start) for those that have to be continued while saving for last (or not at all - even better) those less critical departments like the Department of Education. There is NO government department that can not survive a 15% budget cut (or more). The real fear in Washington is that the longer this shutdown goes on the more obvious it becomes how little we the people need our current, bloated government. That is what those in Washington are really afraid of and that is what all of this blatant disregard for their parks shutdown theater is showing everyone. People are beginning to wake up to how little the government impacts their daily lives, how little we need them. So GOP, if you want to have any hope of staying relevant and preserving any chance of regaining your political clout, DON'T BE STUPID and DON'T CAVE. Stand firm and keep the breaks on.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 14
Round-up:
Not long ago, the conventional wisdom in official Washington held that the so-called sequester spending cuts would be a disaster for the Republican Party. They were expected to rise up in vehement protest once the “cuts” went into effect.
Instead, nobody outside of Washington noticed.
And
Reid and other Democratic leaders Saturday rebuffed Collins’ proposal to fund the government through March and lift the debt ceiling through January. In return, Collins’ plan would have delayed for two years a tax on medical devices implemented through Obamacare and created income-verification measures for those receiving subsidies under the new health law.
And don't miss...
On Sunday, protesting the barricades placed at memorials around Washington D.C. by the vindictive Obama administration, veterans removed the barricades and proceeded to take them to the White House.
Not long ago, the conventional wisdom in official Washington held that the so-called sequester spending cuts would be a disaster for the Republican Party. They were expected to rise up in vehement protest once the “cuts” went into effect.
Instead, nobody outside of Washington noticed.
And
Reid and other Democratic leaders Saturday rebuffed Collins’ proposal to fund the government through March and lift the debt ceiling through January. In return, Collins’ plan would have delayed for two years a tax on medical devices implemented through Obamacare and created income-verification measures for those receiving subsidies under the new health law.
And don't miss...
On Sunday, protesting the barricades placed at memorials around Washington D.C. by the vindictive Obama administration, veterans removed the barricades and proceeded to take them to the White House.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Obamacare - tick, tick, tick
The American public is being hooked on a plan being implemented without planning which has a timebomb set to expode in 2015.
This goes far beyond RI. It will affect every state that has setup an exchange. Come 2015 the infrastructure funds from Washington end and each state will have to come up with another way to fund it. Won't that be fun!
Aren't you glad we had to pass it in order to find out what was in it?
This goes far beyond RI. It will affect every state that has setup an exchange. Come 2015 the infrastructure funds from Washington end and each state will have to come up with another way to fund it. Won't that be fun!
Aren't you glad we had to pass it in order to find out what was in it?
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Government waste - "You can't make this stuff up" department
USPS to Destroy ‘Just Move’ Stamp Series Over Safety Concerns
"the USPS will be destroying the entire press run after receiving concerns from the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition over alleged “unsafe” acts depicted on three of the stamps (cannonball dive, skateboarding without kneepads and a headstand without a helmet)."
Headstand without a helmet? Who the heck wears a helmet to do a headstand? What the heck are these people doing to this country? If that is an issue, why no complaints about skipping rope without a safety harness?
"the USPS will be destroying the entire press run after receiving concerns from the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition over alleged “unsafe” acts depicted on three of the stamps (cannonball dive, skateboarding without kneepads and a headstand without a helmet)."
Headstand without a helmet? Who the heck wears a helmet to do a headstand? What the heck are these people doing to this country? If that is an issue, why no complaints about skipping rope without a safety harness?
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 10
Really? Has it really come to this?
National park goons remove handles from trail water fountains...
and
Shutdown-busting gardener tells how he was ordered off Lincoln Memorial by 'bully robocops'
How much money is the government spending, trying to make everyone understand what happens when they don't have money? Only in a truly partisan liberal mind does any of this make any kind of sense.
That everyone can not just agree (regardless of how you feel about the shutdown) that these kinds of antics are just plain wrong, stupid and petty is an example of just how far this country's politics has fallen. No one in the Obama administration has pointed out how ridiculous these kinds of theatrics are?
National park goons remove handles from trail water fountains...
and
Shutdown-busting gardener tells how he was ordered off Lincoln Memorial by 'bully robocops'
How much money is the government spending, trying to make everyone understand what happens when they don't have money? Only in a truly partisan liberal mind does any of this make any kind of sense.
That everyone can not just agree (regardless of how you feel about the shutdown) that these kinds of antics are just plain wrong, stupid and petty is an example of just how far this country's politics has fallen. No one in the Obama administration has pointed out how ridiculous these kinds of theatrics are?
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 9
Well here we are at day 9 and the pettiness of the current administration continues...
At least many people understand where the issue really is...
If the republicans were smart (which they usually are not) they would [daily] send department specific spending bills to the Senate and report far and wide which ones they submitted and that Reid is not moving on them. They should also take the time to review each department budget and adjust the appropriations bill according to NEED verses desire. These auto-budget increases NEED to stop. Most should be slashed, The longer this "shutdown" continues, the more people will realize just how little they need the government at its current size and scope.
- You can't recreate here.
- Maybe people are beginning to wake up and remember that this is THEIR country, it does not belong to the government...
- Obama’s goons trucked in barricades to keep out World War II vets and other visitors. By one estimate, the barricades and workers cost $100,000.
At least many people understand where the issue really is...
- #PresidentStompyFoot: Obama’s shutdown snit fits inspire another ‘nails it’ hashtag
- The Spite House
- OBVIOUSLY, THE PRESS HASN’T BEEN DOING ITS JOB
If the republicans were smart (which they usually are not) they would [daily] send department specific spending bills to the Senate and report far and wide which ones they submitted and that Reid is not moving on them. They should also take the time to review each department budget and adjust the appropriations bill according to NEED verses desire. These auto-budget increases NEED to stop. Most should be slashed, The longer this "shutdown" continues, the more people will realize just how little they need the government at its current size and scope.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
ColdFusion (Railo) and RSA Public Key Encryption
I was working on a project that involved having to encrypt some data with a public RSA key that is retrieved from a web service, used to encrypt some data and submit that data as part of a larger XML document back to the service. The data is for performing a web based credit card authorization. The card number and security code need to be individually encrypted using a public key. As this is for a web project, my web language of choice is ColdFusion. I have used it since version 4 and think that you can not beat it for power and speed of development. I just expected that this would be no problem. I was wrong...
I am fond of ColdFusion but not so fond of the most recent releases (since MX). Just did not like where it was going and was not fond of the cost. I like the earlier releases though I thought the move to a true Java core was spot-on. I kept a lookout at the various open source efforts but was not committed.
I had reason to look back into this a couple of months ago (not for this project but close) and came across the Railo project. I am impressed. The quick start version is just fantastic. Download, unzip, and launch. There you go. A local CF development environment at no cost. So far it is really compatible (with the CF versions that I like) and I have not run into any issues to speak of. What is not to love?
Back to my current project.
So, I have to retrieve a public RSA key from a remote web service (any one of many keys will be returned and so when I submit my encrypted data I have to include the ID of the key used), rebuild the public key, use the public key to encrypt sensitive card data and then submit that data to a web service for processing. I had everything done but the encryption part. I searched the web for CF examples/samples of doing RSA and most of the examples I came across assumed you are issuing the key and so show you how to make both the public and private keys and how to encode using the private key. Not a lot on rebuilding a public key. Also, a good bit of "Bouncy Castle" but I wanted to stick with the basic Java (and I had some issues with the BC solution).
To make it function, I wound up using a number of Java classes from within CF. I have stripped out most/all of the error checking and the non-encryption related code. I also slimmed down the comments to fit within the formatting limitations. Even with that, this should still be plenty to get you going and I hope it saves someone the effort I had to go through. If you already have the key parts and just need to build a public key, lines 50 through 83 are the meat and 96 to 99 do the actual data encryption.
Have fun!
I then include the web safe, encrypted strings in my larger XML document, BineryEncode the entire thing and submit.
Good luck and hope this helps!
Update: 5/12/2016
OK, looks like Railo is dead and a replacement is available called Lucee. I am just starting to use it so can not say much about it at this time. If I get a chance [and think about it], I will update with additional information.
I am fond of ColdFusion but not so fond of the most recent releases (since MX). Just did not like where it was going and was not fond of the cost. I like the earlier releases though I thought the move to a true Java core was spot-on. I kept a lookout at the various open source efforts but was not committed.
I had reason to look back into this a couple of months ago (not for this project but close) and came across the Railo project. I am impressed. The quick start version is just fantastic. Download, unzip, and launch. There you go. A local CF development environment at no cost. So far it is really compatible (with the CF versions that I like) and I have not run into any issues to speak of. What is not to love?
Back to my current project.
So, I have to retrieve a public RSA key from a remote web service (any one of many keys will be returned and so when I submit my encrypted data I have to include the ID of the key used), rebuild the public key, use the public key to encrypt sensitive card data and then submit that data to a web service for processing. I had everything done but the encryption part. I searched the web for CF examples/samples of doing RSA and most of the examples I came across assumed you are issuing the key and so show you how to make both the public and private keys and how to encode using the private key. Not a lot on rebuilding a public key. Also, a good bit of "Bouncy Castle" but I wanted to stick with the basic Java (and I had some issues with the BC solution).
To make it function, I wound up using a number of Java classes from within CF. I have stripped out most/all of the error checking and the non-encryption related code. I also slimmed down the comments to fit within the formatting limitations. Even with that, this should still be plenty to get you going and I hope it saves someone the effort I had to go through. If you already have the key parts and just need to build a public key, lines 50 through 83 are the meat and 96 to 99 do the actual data encryption.
Have fun!
1: <!--- create a web service object --->
2: <cfset webService =
3: createobject("webservice", "https://URL/RequestHandler.svc?wsdl")>
4:
5: <!--- build request for public RSA encryption key --->
6: <cfxml variable="xmldoc" caseSensitive="yes">
7: <requestHeader>
8: <stuff />
9: </requestHeader>
10: </cfxml>
11:
12: <!--- make xml document internet safe --->
13: <cfset xmldoc64 = toBase64( #xmldoc# )>
14:
15: <!--- make the request (via web services) --->
16: <cfset resultsRaw =
17: webService.ProcessRequest( "#xmldoc64#" )>
18:
19: <!--- convert/format results into an xml object --->
20: <cfxml variable="resultsXmlDoc" caseSensitive="yes">
21: <cfoutput>#ToString( ToBinary( resultsRaw ) )#</cfoutput>
22: </cfxml>
23:
24: <!--- check the results code to see if it worked --->
25: <cfif resultsXmlDoc.EncryptionKey.ResponseCode.XmlText eq "0">
26: <!--- now convert the encryption key information
27: into an xml object so it is easier to use (the
28: initial XML doc actually contains another XML doc
29: with the key info) --->
30: <cfxml variable="xmlResultsPublicKey" caseSensitive="yes">
31: <cfoutput>#resultsXmlDoc.EncryptionKey.responseMessage.PublicKey.XmlText#</cfoutput>
32: </cfxml>
33:
34: <!--- save the parts of the RSA key data --->
35: <!--- service can return many keys, save ID --->
36: <cfset publicKeyID =
37: resultsXmlDoc.EncryptionKey.responseMessage.ID.XmlText>
38: <!--- main part of the public key (to be) --->
39: <cfset epublicKeyModulus =
40: xmlResultsPublicKey.RSAKeyValue.Modulus.XmlText>
41: <!--- minor part of the public key (to be) --->
42: <cfset epublicKeyExponent =
43: xmlResultsPublicKey.RSAKeyValue.Exponent.XmlText>
44: </cfif>
45:
46:
47: <!--- now that we have all of the parts, we need to
48: make a valid java RSA key object from the parts --->
49:
50: <!--- create java string object for key modulus --->
51: <cfset encodedKeyModulus =
52: createObject( "java", "java.lang.String" ).init( epublicKeyModulus )>
53: <!--- create java string object for key exponent --->
54: <cfset encodedKeyExponent =
55: createObject( "java", "java.lang.String" ).init( epublicKeyExponent )>
56:
57: <!--- need a java BigInt AND decoding on the fly --->
58: <cfset modulusKey =
59: createObject( "java", "java.math.BigInteger" ).init( 1, BinaryDecode( encodedKeyModulus.getBytes( "UTF-8" ), "base64" ) )>
60: <cfset exponentKey =
61: createObject( "java", "java.math.BigInteger" ).init( 1, BinaryDecode( encodedKeyExponent.getBytes( "UTF-8" ), "base64" ) )>
62:
63: <!--- build the KeySpec and load it with key parts --->
64: <cfset javaKeySpec =
65: createObject( "java", "java.security.spec.RSAPublicKeySpec" ).init( modulusKey, exponentKey )>
66:
67: <!--- build RSA key factory for rebuilt public key --->
68: <cfset javaKeyObject =
69: createObject( "java", "java.security.KeyFactory" ).getInstance( "RSA" )>
70:
71: <!--- use the keyspec to initialize the key factory,
72: instantiating a RSA public key from its encoding and
73: recreating a valid public key --->
74: <cfset javaKey = javaKeyObject.generatePublic( javaKeySpec )>
75:
76:
77: <!--- create a new java cipher object and load it with
78: our new (rebuilt) RSA public key --->
79:
80: <!--- mode tells the Cipher we will be encrypting --->
81: <cfset cipher =
82: createObject( "java", "javax.crypto.Cipher" ).getInstance( "RSA" )>
83: <cfset i = cipher.init( cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE, javaKey )>
84:
85: <!--- convert strings into java strings --->
86: <cfset stringCardData =
87: createObject( "java", "java.lang.String" ).init( Session.data.card )>
88: <cfset stringCvvData =
89: createObject( "java", "java.lang.String" ).init( Session.data.cvv )>
90:
91: <!--- ensure strings are the proper character set --->
92: <cfset stringCardDataBytes = stringCardData.getBytes( "UTF8" )>
93: <cfset stringCvvDataBytes = stringCvvData.getBytes( "UTF8" )>
94:
95: <!--- now to perform the encryption on each string --->
96: <cfset encryptedCardData =
97: cipher.doFinal( stringCardDataBytes, 0, len( StringCardData ) )>
98: <cfset encryptedCvvData =
99: cipher.doFinal( stringCvvDataBytes, 0, len( StringCvvData ) )>
100:
101: <!--- base64 them so they are internet safe --->
102: <cfset base64CardData =
103: BinaryEncode( encryptedCardData, "base64" )>
104: <cfset base64CvvData =
105: BinaryEncode( encryptedCvvData, "base64" )>
106:
107: <!--- DONE, we should now have proper, public key
108: encrypted data! Congratulations! --->
I then include the web safe, encrypted strings in my larger XML document, BineryEncode the entire thing and submit.
Good luck and hope this helps!
Update: 5/12/2016
OK, looks like Railo is dead and a replacement is available called Lucee. I am just starting to use it so can not say much about it at this time. If I get a chance [and think about it], I will update with additional information.
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 8
In other government shutdown news:
- ‘Catch us if you can’: Gettysburg visitors defy #SpiteHouse cones and Barrycades
Monday, October 7, 2013
Obamacare realities
And yet more rubes self identify...
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
The law's intent is to cover people who are now uninsured by making insurance accessible to everybody. But that means rates will rise for many because sick and healthy people will now be charged the same premium.
I love that line: I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally. Like the money fairy was going to fart out the billions this mess of a program is going to cost. Well welcome to the real world.
They try to end this article on a high note but the reality is a lot of people that were taking care of themselves responsibly by having insurance will be punished to help others pay for insurance. Also, young people that need insurance the least are now force to have more expensive insurance than what they could have gotten before. The minimum mandates don't help either.
If this beast is so good, why is the government exempt?
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
The law's intent is to cover people who are now uninsured by making insurance accessible to everybody. But that means rates will rise for many because sick and healthy people will now be charged the same premium.
I love that line: I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally. Like the money fairy was going to fart out the billions this mess of a program is going to cost. Well welcome to the real world.
They try to end this article on a high note but the reality is a lot of people that were taking care of themselves responsibly by having insurance will be punished to help others pay for insurance. Also, young people that need insurance the least are now force to have more expensive insurance than what they could have gotten before. The minimum mandates don't help either.
If this beast is so good, why is the government exempt?
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 7
The pettiness of tyrants:
We were told sequester would be a disaster and it was not. We were told the government shutdown would be a disaster and so far other than the President being spiteful about it, it is not too bad. We clearly do not as a country NEED all of these government workers. As part of any funding bill, all departments should undergo a 10% budget cut, year over year until the budget is balanced. I suspect since Harry Reid has not even submitted a budget in over 5 years, we should be able to trim the budget by a good 40% to 50%. Now THAT would be progress.
- “We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting.”
- “It takes more manpower and costs the government more money to close down an outdoor wall than to let people walk past it and pay their respects.”
- Police prevent drivers from pulling over and viewing Mt. Rushmore...
- Amber Alert vs. ‘Let’s Move’: Two screenshots say it all about the vindictive Obama admin [pics]
- “Just 17 percent of the government is shut down, and Friday the Obama administration allowed union representatives to return to work. So, union members could return to work, but the website to alert Americans to missing children had to be taken down?”
- National Park Service officials cited the government shutdown as the reason for ordering an elderly Nevada couple out of their home, which sits on federal land. Similarly, the NPS forced privately-operated inns on the Blue Ridge Parkway to close during the shut down.
- John Ondrasik (of Five For Fighting) shoved out of Jefferson memorial
- On the other hand, congress and Obama plan to give those furloughed government workers back pay, so they are all just on a free vacation!
We were told sequester would be a disaster and it was not. We were told the government shutdown would be a disaster and so far other than the President being spiteful about it, it is not too bad. We clearly do not as a country NEED all of these government workers. As part of any funding bill, all departments should undergo a 10% budget cut, year over year until the budget is balanced. I suspect since Harry Reid has not even submitted a budget in over 5 years, we should be able to trim the budget by a good 40% to 50%. Now THAT would be progress.
Obamacare Poster Boy NOT!
Obamacare Poster Boy Chad Henderson and His Dad Didn't Really Buy Insurance
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 3
Well we are into "Day 3" of the 2013 government shutdown. The government has furloughed non-critical employees due to the lack of money. Since they are out of money (have NONE to spend), what have they done to adjust to this new austerity based reality? Here is a small list:
- So why is the White House closing private operations that require no government money to keep open and actually pay a percentage of their gate revenues back to the Treasury?
- Democrats Pay Union Members to Protest World War II Vets
- Park Service intends to block access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, even though it literally costs them nothing to leave them open
- While yesterday many of the major trailhead pull-outs were not yet blocked, this evening they all were.
- The park service ordered state officials to close the northern unit of the Kettle Moraine, Devils Lake, and Interstate state parks and the state-owned portion of the Horicon Marsh, but state authorities rebuffed the request because the lion’s share of the funding came from state, not federal coffers.
- WWII veterans storm DC memorial closed by government who put barricades around an open-air park that’s normally open 24/7/365
- National Park Officials closed down the educational Claude Moore Colonial Farm near the CIA in McLean, Va., even though the federal government doesn't fund or staff the park
- “What utter crap. We have operated the Farm successfully for 32 years after the NPS cut the Farm from its budget in 1980 and are fully staffed and prepared to open today. But there are barricades at the Pavilions and entrance to the Farm. And if you were to park on the grass and visit on your own, you run the risk of being arrested. Of course, that will cost the NPS staff salaries to police the Farm against intruders while leaving it open will cost them nothing.”
- Obama to veto NIH funding – will liberals who screamed about kids with cancer call him out?
- Bus turnaround shut down at Mount Vernon
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 2
The big "shutdown" news is that a group of rabble-rousers WWII veterans stormed a government facility the WWII memorial and illegally occupied it for most of the day toured the facility. This appears to be the first of a number of anarchist like moves by this group and they report that not only do they expect to continue but to expand their occupation efforts to other facilities citizen owned memorials and parks.
"Wheelchair-bound elderly veterans pushed aside barricades to tour the World War II Memorial Tuesday morning, in defiance of the government shutdown which closed all of the memorials in the nation’s capital."
The government put barricades around the WWII memorial, really! A venue that is typically open 24/7 though it is staffed during normal business hours. This is "shutdown theater" and you can expect more of this in the future. I have read other accounts of citizens taking back their parks and other national areas from the government and occupying them. Good for you! These national treasures are entrusted to the government, not owned by them. They are owned by all of us.
"Wheelchair-bound elderly veterans pushed aside barricades to tour the World War II Memorial Tuesday morning, in defiance of the government shutdown which closed all of the memorials in the nation’s capital."
The government put barricades around the WWII memorial, really! A venue that is typically open 24/7 though it is staffed during normal business hours. This is "shutdown theater" and you can expect more of this in the future. I have read other accounts of citizens taking back their parks and other national areas from the government and occupying them. Good for you! These national treasures are entrusted to the government, not owned by them. They are owned by all of us.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Government Shutdown, 2013 - Day 1
Well the Government shutdown is in affect and the internet still works, the sun still shines, and Cthulhu has not yet returned from the far darkness...
There has been scattered reports of looting and rioting by Congressmen but it is expected that they will tire themselves out fairly quickly and go back to napping shortly.
The mail will still be delivered (at current levels of competence), SSN checks will continue to get printed and congress will continue to appear on TV so for most of us, nothing should change.
“This is an unnecessary blow to America,” Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said. We are not sure if he meant the shutdown, ObamaCare or Congress. Our local reporter was not able to get in a follow on question for clarification.
There has been scattered reports of looting and rioting by Congressmen but it is expected that they will tire themselves out fairly quickly and go back to napping shortly.
The mail will still be delivered (at current levels of competence), SSN checks will continue to get printed and congress will continue to appear on TV so for most of us, nothing should change.
“This is an unnecessary blow to America,” Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said. We are not sure if he meant the shutdown, ObamaCare or Congress. Our local reporter was not able to get in a follow on question for clarification.
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