For the past five years, hackers have been infiltrating the networks of some of the world’s largest and most influential organizations, and security consultants just noticed. Revealed by software security firm McAfee at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas this week, the scale of “Operation Shady RAT”–a code name referring to a remote access tool used to break into networks–makes it somewhat shocking that a government agency didn’t spot the attack sooner. Hackers targeted the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee, the World Anti-Doping Agency as well as several governments and American corporations. In fact, out of the total 72 organizations targeted, 49 are based in the United States. McAfee suspects that it’s another government that’s been doing the hacking, and experts say signs point to China.
So why didn’t we spot this sooner? The quick answer is that we did, but it was kept a secret.
Let’s look further into this – the last two decades have shown a decline in women church attendance.
Do you think this has anything to do with the War on Women that Conservative Christian Republicans are currently waging on women?
I cannot help but think declining trend might be due to the fact that Reagan had just been in office for 8 years and the middle class was starting to show the results of Reagan’s decimation axe. This was when alot of women had to go to work outside the home to simplly pay the bills to survive.
And let’s not forget how Republicans have routinely rejected any equal pay for women legislation. So I assume these employers wanted women in the workforce because they were cheaper labor.
And maybe in the last two decades, these so-called churches have changed from the traditional Christian message of being good citizens, helping the poor and hungry, and doing what is morally right to the current crop of churches being nothing more than Corporate Churches whose main focus seems to be making millions of tax-free money in order to buy their own set of politicians?
Women are usually the ones that are the most concerned about the real social issues – raising their kids by having a living wage earner in the household, clean air and water, good schools, affordable and accessible health care.
Somehow, I don’t think these women from the last two decades are going to be flocking towards the Tea Party/Religious Right Republicans when these are the folks that are currently pushing for abolishing public schools, abolishing all business regulations affecting the environment and the total assault on the accessibility of healthcare.
I can’t see young women embracing today’s GOP because mean-spirited-ness isn’t a female trait. Oh, the kooks like Palin will use any gimmick to be in the spotlight and make money off it, but real honest women who have no desire to make it on the back of another person won’t. There isn’t a single area of Republican philosophy that is family friendly and women know that. They’ll be called RINO and worse (see Meaghan McCain for example) but they will either remake the GOP or leave it. We won’t necessarily hear from many of them because they’ve learned long ago how to “take it” and know the futility of dishing it back. There are many more efficient ways of accomplishing a goal than arguing about it.
Interesting reading about the Koch-Bros funded Tea party group and their alleged dirty tricks in the wisconsin recall elections.
How pathetic do you have to be that you need to deliberately deceive voters in an effort to win at all costs?
What does it say about self proclaimed Democracy loving patriots when they have to deliberately deceive voters in order to win at all costs?>
I wonder if the Koch Brothers are cursing the day they decided to fund these Tea Party mad hatters? If it had not been for the TP funding, the old way that Koch Brothers influenced politicians would have been kept secret,.
But now the truth is out – and they are being watched. Somehow I suspect that neither one likes all this scrutiny and media coverage about their involvement in this mess.
But hey, they created the monster, deal with it and all the consequences that comes from it.
Democrats are upset that the deal does not include increasing revenues. But that’s not accurate. In fact, it virtually guarantees a revenue increase by the end of 2012. And Boehner knows it.
Here’s how it works: Part of the deficit reduction estimates used to sell this deal to the Republicans count on Congressional Budget Office estimates. Those estimates set a baseline. All reductions have to come from that baseline and if any additional spending is to be made, offsetting cuts must also be enacted.
Here’s where it gets interesting. The CBO baseline already assumes that the Bush Era tax cuts will expire at the end of 2012. The spending levels for 2013 include the additional revenue from those cuts expiring. If Republicans want to extend those tax cuts (which are considered spending), they will have to make cuts to the budget to offset every penny. They won’t have the political control needed to do that before the end of 2012, even if the President loses his office and they take control of the Senate, as the cuts expire in 2012, and a new administration and Congress would not be seated until January 2013.
So, unless Republicans want to try to pass an extension along with offsetting cuts during an election year, those cuts will expire. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has already said he will not allow the issue to come to a vote, and the President has vowed he will veto it. So if Republicans want to extend those cuts, they will have to come up with $4T in spending cuts to offset the tax cuts. To make it more difficult still, the deal makes it clear that those cuts must come in a 50/50 ratio between defense and non-defense spending, with Social Security, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, civilian and military retirement off the table. Medicare cuts would only come from the provider side, not the individual.
I suspect we will be hearing alot of things like this and,as you said, let’ s hope it is true and factual.
I also suspect that Republicans think that once they get back into the White House, they can forget about any 10-year debt reducing deal and pass any new bill that will allow them to spend as much as they want.
You see, leopards do not change their spots. From the Republicans’ past history of not being able to govern nor control their drunken sailor spending habits, it will not take them long before they are back to their old ways.
Of course, before these buffoons get back into the White House, they will do alot of damage to our country and our fragile economy.
But, hey, Ronald Reagan also did alot of damage to our country and the economy during his 8 years reign of terror. Is it any coinicidence these same buffoons worship Reagan?
The tea partiers who held all the poorly spelled signs about keeping hands off their Medicare are going to help Republicans push the Ryan Plan to decimate Medicare?
Read this article about the Texas Miracle Gov Rick Perry keeps yamminng about. It sounds like that miracle only applies to all the ‘right’ people.
I wonder if any of these Evangelical Christians at Perry’s upcoming Prayer Rally this Saturday will be driving past these homeless people, riding in their air-conditioned luxury cars, planning to eat at a gourmet restaurant after the prayer “show’ will even think about the true meaning of Christianity?
Oh, what am I thinking? Of course these Evangelicals know what is important, the American Family Association is proud to spend the $1 million for this prayer ‘show’ because how else would the world know that these folks are God’s favorites?
I am being very sarcastic and cynical here – and I confess I am biased – about these Evangelical Christians. But it angers me so much when I see such blatant hypocrisy.
But the sad part of this story – Rick Perry will probably throw his hate into the 2012 presidential candidate ring and he will continue to toot his own horn as to how he has made Texas so wonderful.
But I wonder, how many people will actually know the truth?
Yes, it is true. As many of you know, I am the World’s Best BBQ Chef. Being that it is so freakin’ hot due to global cooling, I haven’t hit the grill much this year, doin’ most of my cooking inside. In addition to BBQ, I also make the World’s Best Meatloaf.
I keep my secret recipe for meatloaf hidden away in a very dark and scary place, inhabited by Consters and Evangelical Ministers. No one dare venture into this frightening abode without the protection of Halle Berry, who’s beauty is so awesome that it renders the creatures that reside in this Hell Hole helpless, so that she may gain safe passage.
Today, I am making meatloaf for my family and the dark and sinister forces have threatened me unless I turn over the recipe for the World’s Best Meatloaf. I refuse to be intimidated into releasing my recipe, so I may not return to the light side unscathed.
All I can ask, is that you pray for me.
.
Pray for me and my meatloaf.
.
.
.
.
(Served with real mashed potatoes, gravy and corn. Ice cream for dessert.)
In the words of the family on Hee Haw when they asked Grandpa what’s for supper – yummmm, yummmmmm…..
(or something like that)
Meatloaf is often the most underappreciated dish – IMHO. I like to take leftover meatloaf and make it into sandwiches the next day…..(or later that night – LMAO).
In Sarah Palin’s never-ending quest to try to sound relevant – she is again dredging up the Obama pals with terrorist line of B.S. that has been debunked as many times as the birther story.
If my biographical movie had flopped as bad as Ms Sarah’s did – I think I would take myself back to Alaska and stop putting my face in front of the camera belonging to a network whose owner is currently being investingated for phone hacking in the UK and the US for 9/11 phone hacking.
After all, we must appear godly, morall superior and above reproach – shouldn’t we?
It almost 30 years since Reagan fired the striking Air Traffic Controllers. Back then, these strikers were fighting with the FAA.
Now since technically the entire FAA has been currently defunded – I guess these new and improved Republicans found a new way to get rid of dealing with the unions?
I wonder what will happen if – God forbid – some airplanes crash and alot of people die and since the FAA workers are all furloughed – except for those 40 safety inspectors who are working without pay – but I’m sure these for-profit airlines will step up to the plate and take responsibility – won’t they?
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
For having the highest-priced health care, wouldn’t you think we would have better results than this?
http://www.nationalledger.com/lifestyle-home-family/life-expectancy-by-country-201-185296.shtml
Let’s look further into this – the last two decades have shown a decline in women church attendance.
Do you think this has anything to do with the War on Women that Conservative Christian Republicans are currently waging on women?
I cannot help but think declining trend might be due to the fact that Reagan had just been in office for 8 years and the middle class was starting to show the results of Reagan’s decimation axe. This was when alot of women had to go to work outside the home to simplly pay the bills to survive.
And let’s not forget how Republicans have routinely rejected any equal pay for women legislation. So I assume these employers wanted women in the workforce because they were cheaper labor.
And maybe in the last two decades, these so-called churches have changed from the traditional Christian message of being good citizens, helping the poor and hungry, and doing what is morally right to the current crop of churches being nothing more than Corporate Churches whose main focus seems to be making millions of tax-free money in order to buy their own set of politicians?
Women are usually the ones that are the most concerned about the real social issues – raising their kids by having a living wage earner in the household, clean air and water, good schools, affordable and accessible health care.
Somehow, I don’t think these women from the last two decades are going to be flocking towards the Tea Party/Religious Right Republicans when these are the folks that are currently pushing for abolishing public schools, abolishing all business regulations affecting the environment and the total assault on the accessibility of healthcare.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/02/women-church-attendance_n_916604.html?ir=Women
I can’t see young women embracing today’s GOP because mean-spirited-ness isn’t a female trait. Oh, the kooks like Palin will use any gimmick to be in the spotlight and make money off it, but real honest women who have no desire to make it on the back of another person won’t. There isn’t a single area of Republican philosophy that is family friendly and women know that. They’ll be called RINO and worse (see Meaghan McCain for example) but they will either remake the GOP or leave it. We won’t necessarily hear from many of them because they’ve learned long ago how to “take it” and know the futility of dishing it back. There are many more efficient ways of accomplishing a goal than arguing about it.
Interesting reading about the Koch-Bros funded Tea party group and their alleged dirty tricks in the wisconsin recall elections.
How pathetic do you have to be that you need to deliberately deceive voters in an effort to win at all costs?
What does it say about self proclaimed Democracy loving patriots when they have to deliberately deceive voters in order to win at all costs?>
I wonder if the Koch Brothers are cursing the day they decided to fund these Tea Party mad hatters? If it had not been for the TP funding, the old way that Koch Brothers influenced politicians would have been kept secret,.
But now the truth is out – and they are being watched. Somehow I suspect that neither one likes all this scrutiny and media coverage about their involvement in this mess.
But hey, they created the monster, deal with it and all the consequences that comes from it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/03/koch-brothers-americans-for-prosperity-wisconsin-recalls_n_913561.html
Please, please let this be true and factual.
http://www.editedforclarity.com/2011/08/01/debt-ceiling-deal-the-devil-is-in-the-details/
I suspect we will be hearing alot of things like this and,as you said, let’ s hope it is true and factual.
I also suspect that Republicans think that once they get back into the White House, they can forget about any 10-year debt reducing deal and pass any new bill that will allow them to spend as much as they want.
You see, leopards do not change their spots. From the Republicans’ past history of not being able to govern nor control their drunken sailor spending habits, it will not take them long before they are back to their old ways.
Of course, before these buffoons get back into the White House, they will do alot of damage to our country and our fragile economy.
But, hey, Ronald Reagan also did alot of damage to our country and the economy during his 8 years reign of terror. Is it any coinicidence these same buffoons worship Reagan?
Speaking of doing damage to our fragile economy……
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/03/tea-party-medicare-paul-ryan_n_917347.html
The tea partiers who held all the poorly spelled signs about keeping hands off their Medicare are going to help Republicans push the Ryan Plan to decimate Medicare?
Unbelievable but true….
Read this article about the Texas Miracle Gov Rick Perry keeps yamminng about. It sounds like that miracle only applies to all the ‘right’ people.
I wonder if any of these Evangelical Christians at Perry’s upcoming Prayer Rally this Saturday will be driving past these homeless people, riding in their air-conditioned luxury cars, planning to eat at a gourmet restaurant after the prayer “show’ will even think about the true meaning of Christianity?
Oh, what am I thinking? Of course these Evangelicals know what is important, the American Family Association is proud to spend the $1 million for this prayer ‘show’ because how else would the world know that these folks are God’s favorites?
I am being very sarcastic and cynical here – and I confess I am biased – about these Evangelical Christians. But it angers me so much when I see such blatant hypocrisy.
But the sad part of this story – Rick Perry will probably throw his hate into the 2012 presidential candidate ring and he will continue to toot his own horn as to how he has made Texas so wonderful.
But I wonder, how many people will actually know the truth?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/03/governor-perrys-texas-economy_n_917460.html
Wow – talk about a Freudian slip….
I meant to write – throw his ‘hat’ into the 2012 ring but I typed ‘hate’…
On second thought, I might have typed the correct word in the first place?
I have been threatened.
Yes, it is true. As many of you know, I am the World’s Best BBQ Chef. Being that it is so freakin’ hot due to global cooling, I haven’t hit the grill much this year, doin’ most of my cooking inside. In addition to BBQ, I also make the World’s Best Meatloaf.
I keep my secret recipe for meatloaf hidden away in a very dark and scary place, inhabited by Consters and Evangelical Ministers. No one dare venture into this frightening abode without the protection of Halle Berry, who’s beauty is so awesome that it renders the creatures that reside in this Hell Hole helpless, so that she may gain safe passage.
Today, I am making meatloaf for my family and the dark and sinister forces have threatened me unless I turn over the recipe for the World’s Best Meatloaf. I refuse to be intimidated into releasing my recipe, so I may not return to the light side unscathed.
All I can ask, is that you pray for me.
.
Pray for me and my meatloaf.
.
.
.
.
(Served with real mashed potatoes, gravy and corn. Ice cream for dessert.)
In the words of the family on Hee Haw when they asked Grandpa what’s for supper – yummmm, yummmmmm…..
(or something like that)
Meatloaf is often the most underappreciated dish – IMHO. I like to take leftover meatloaf and make it into sandwiches the next day…..(or later that night – LMAO).
What time are we eating?
My mother made the world’s worst meatloaf. It tasted like dog food. Seriously. Even my dad agreed, although he never told her.
Therefore, I do not make meatloaf, because no one gave me a decent recipe. I really think you should take pity on me, Will.
Signed,
CanYouHearMeBegging
Your father was a wise man……
In Sarah Palin’s never-ending quest to try to sound relevant – she is again dredging up the Obama pals with terrorist line of B.S. that has been debunked as many times as the birther story.
If my biographical movie had flopped as bad as Ms Sarah’s did – I think I would take myself back to Alaska and stop putting my face in front of the camera belonging to a network whose owner is currently being investingated for phone hacking in the UK and the US for 9/11 phone hacking.
After all, we must appear godly, morall superior and above reproach – shouldn’t we?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/03/sarah-palin-tea-party-terrorist_n_917102.html
It almost 30 years since Reagan fired the striking Air Traffic Controllers. Back then, these strikers were fighting with the FAA.
Now since technically the entire FAA has been currently defunded – I guess these new and improved Republicans found a new way to get rid of dealing with the unions?
I wonder what will happen if – God forbid – some airplanes crash and alot of people die and since the FAA workers are all furloughed – except for those 40 safety inspectors who are working without pay – but I’m sure these for-profit airlines will step up to the plate and take responsibility – won’t they?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12292.html
I haven’t finished reading all of this. It’s a bit long for this skimmer, but thought you all would like a chance at it.
http://news.yahoo.com/special-report-washington-took-u-brink-222113953.html
Holy shit!