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herding cats

herding cats's Journal
herding cats's Journal
July 30, 2014

Internet privacy service Tor warns users it was attacked

Source: Reuters

"While we don't know when they started doing the attack, users who operated or accessed hidden services from early February through July 4 should assume they were affected," Tor said in a blog entry.

Tor is an anonymity tool designed to protect the identity of Internet users by routing traffic through multiple nodes around the globe. It is used by human rights activists, criminals and others looking to evade surveillance.

The blog post said that it was not sure how much information the attackers were able to obtain in their efforts to monitor traffic on Tor.

It advised users to upgrade to the latest version of its software, which addresses the vulnerability that the attackers had exploited in this particular case, but said that may not guarantee the anonymity of users.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/30/us-privacy-software-attack-idUSKBN0FZ1RZ20140730

July 29, 2014

Body of young stowaway found in US cargo plane

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The body of a young stowaway was found inside a compartment near the wheel well of an Air Force cargo jet that had landed in Germany, U.S. military officials said Tuesday, triggering questions about the security of an aircraft that had made several stops in Africa.

Air Force personnel found the boy's body Sunday night after spotting an orange cloth in a small opening by the landing gear while airmen during a detailed inspection of the C-130J aircraft when it landed at Ramstein Air Base. When they tugged on the wet cloth, they discovered it was attached to a boy in the compartment, officials said.

The Pentagon's press secretary, Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, said the stowaway was a black male who may have been of African origin. The plane was on a routine mission in Africa and had made stops in Senegal, Mali, Chad, Tunisia and Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily before arriving at Ramstein.

A stowaway aboard a military plane is a significant security breach. No Africa Command senior leaders were on the flight.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/body-child-stowaway-found-us-cargo-plane

July 29, 2014

Imprisoned Pussy Riot Members Sue Kremlin for $175,000

Two members of Pussy Riot are suing the Russian Government. The feminist, punk rock group members imprisoned after trying to perform their song "Mother of God, Drive Putin Out" in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in February 2012.

Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova have filed their case with the European Court of Human Rights against the country of Russia. They are seeking financial compensation, to the tune of 120,000 euros, plus 10,000 euros in court fees. That is about $175,00 USD total.

Considering the pair served 21 months in jail, Andrey Tolokonnikov, Nadezhda's father, believes they should have asked for more. "What can I say? Good girls! But, in my opinion, the requested amount is too small."

http://www.thewire.com/global/2014/07/imprisoned-pussy-riot-members-sue-kremlin-for-175000/375227/#disqus_thread


July 29, 2014

Boehner Calls Impeachment Talk Democratic 'Scam'

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/boehner-c

House Speaker John Boehner (BAY'nuhr) says the House has no plans to impeach President Barack Obama. He says talk of impeachment is all a scam by Democrats at the White House.

Boehner says Democrats are trying to rally their supporters ahead of November's mid-term elections to give money and show up to vote.

Some Republicans have said Obama would open the door to impeachment if he takes steps to end deportations of large numbers of immigrants here illegally, as the White House is contemplating. Other Republicans, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, already are calling for Obama to be impeached.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/boehner-calls-impeachment-talk-democratic-scam-24756851

July 29, 2014

States Rush To Get Ahead Of SCOTUS Ruling Against Obamacare Subsidies

Some states are publicly clarifying that they consider their health insurance marketplace created under Obamacare to be state-based, according to the Wall Street Journal.

That would prevent their residents from losing their tax credits under the law if the Supreme Court were to decide that tax credits were not available through the federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov. Two federal appeals court ruled differently on the issue last week -- one upheld the subsidies; the other struck them down -- and the issue could be heading to the high court.

Two officially state-based marketplaces, Idaho and New Mexico, used HealthCare.gov's technical platform this year. But in their decision, the federal appeals court judges who struck down subsidies through the federal website lumped them in with the other 34 states using the federal marketplace. Idaho quickly proclaimed itself to be state-based after the ruling, the Journal reported.

"Your Health Idaho has always been a state-based exchange," an Idaho spokeswoman told the newspaper. "During the first year, Your Health Idaho borrowed [the] federal application platform because there was not enough time to properly build the required technology."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/wsj-halbig-state-exchanges-obamacare-subsidies
July 28, 2014

Scarborough: Scalise's Nutty Talk Of Impeachment Is 'Devastating' For GOP

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough tried to give GOP leaders a lesson on Monday in how to answer questions about President Obama's impeachment: Just say "no."

The "Morning Joe" host went on a tear a day after House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) dodged several questions about whether the House plans to attempt to impeach the President. Scalise made the comments during "Fox News Sunday."

Scarborough said Republican legislators needed a tutorial on how to answer such questions. He called on GOP legislators watching the show at home to "take out a pen and notepad." In order for Republicans to “ever win an election again,” Scarborough said, they need to answer “no.”

“What is wrong with him?” Scarborough, himself a former congressman, asked MSNBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd. “[Scalise] is the number three guy! He is not a back bencher! Not a crazy nut like I was. He is a number three ranking Republican in the House of Representatives! And you can’t say no to that? It’s devastating.”

<>

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/scarborough-scalise-impeachment-devastating


Worth laughing at if for no other reason Scarborough's admission he's a "crazy nut."

I had thought all this impeachment talk was them pandering to their Tea Party fringe, but I'm beginning to wonder if they've really lost it and are starting to warm up to the idea.
July 28, 2014

FAA proposes to fine Southwest Airlines $12M

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it is proposing a $12 million civil fine against Southwest Airlines for failing to comply with safety regulations related to repairs on Boeing 737 jetliners.

Beginning in 2006, Southwest made "extreme makeover" alterations to eliminate potential cracking of the aluminum skin on 44 jetliners, the FAA said. An FAA investigation determined that Southwest's contractor, Aviation Technical Services Inc. of Everett, Washington, failed to follow proper procedures for replacing the fuselage as well as other work on the planes, the agency said. All of the work was done under the supervision of Southwest, which was responsible for seeing that it was done properly, the FAA said.

Southwest then returned the planes to service in 2009 and began flying them even after the FAA "put the airline on notice that these aircraft were not in compliance" with safety regulations, the agency said.

During its investigation, the FAA also found that Aviation Technical Services' workers applied sealant beneath the new skin panels but did not install fasteners in all of the rivet holes fast enough for the sealant to be effective.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/faa-proposes-fine-southwest-airlines-12m

July 28, 2014

Photos show border militias moving across Texas

It's a slide show, so you'll have to go to the article to view the pictures if you're interested. I will say I found photo #16 was telling of the mindset of the idiots there.


This one is mild compared to some of them.


SAN ANTONIO – Photos showing dozens of members of the militia groups on the U.S.-Mexico border carrying semi-automatic rifles and wearing masks, camouflage and tactical gear provide one of the first glimpses into the group's activities on the border.

Members of the militia groups, who say they have 10 active "teams" along the state's southern border, are seen at campsites, walking along the Rio Grande River, pointing rifles and pistols out of frame and flipping off the camera in the photos obtained by the San Antonio Express-News.

<>

In an interview with the Express-News, Chris Davis, commander of the militia's "Operation Secure Our Border: Laredo Sector", who is seen in some of the photos, said members would secure the border in a "legal and lawful manner."

However, in a since-deleted 21-minute YouTube video of Davis, he said: "How? You see an illegal. You point your gun dead at him, right between his eyes, and you say, 'Get back across the border or you will be shot.'"

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Photos-show-border-militias-moving-across-Texas-5647487.php#photo-6643827



Maybe we'll get lucky and the heat will force them back to their air conditioned home "bases" before they hurt someone.

July 28, 2014

Libya is on fire, literally.

Libya oil-tanker fire blazes out of control
"Environmental disaster" feared after rocket lights second oil depot on fire in Tripoli amid militia clashes.

A fire from fuel tanks near Tripoli's international airport that has been ignited by rocket attacks is out of control as clashes between rival militias have resumed in the area, the National Oil Company says.

Six million litres of fuel were set ablaze by a rocket late on Sunday, with the second depot hit on Monday.

"It is out of control. The second tank has been hit and the firefighters have withdrawn from the site as the fighting has resumed in the area", National Oil Company spokesman Mohamed Al-Harrai told Reuters on Monday.

"The situation is very dangerous after a second fire broke out at another petroleum depot," the government said, warning of a "disaster with unforeseeable consequences".

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/libya-seeks-help-battle-oil-tanker-blaze-201472884020151782.html
July 28, 2014

North Carolina GOPer: Party Will Lose In 2014 Over Not Expanding Medicaid

The Republican mayor of Bellhaven, N.C. has been pushing for his state to expand Medicaid under the health care law, and argues that failing to do so will cost the GOP in the 2014 elections.

Mayor Adam O'Neal places at least some of the blame for the closure of his town's hospital on the state's failure to expand Medicaid. He is making a 273 mile trek on foot from North Carolina to Washington, D.C. to call attention to the hospital's closure, Blue Virginia reported.

Vidant Health purchased the Pungo District Hospital in 2011, but then ended up closing the facility, which had been designated a critical care center.

"We’ve had our health care stolen,” O'Neal said during a speech in Woodbridge, Va. on Saturday, adding that Vidant makes millions each year even though it's a non-profit. "It’s immoral for a company to take health care away from people and keep your non-profit designation."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/gop-mayor-pushing-medicaid-expansion

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