another site
There’s an old saying, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Unfortunately for yours truly, The Wife and I, we have a much different idea of where that place should be.
In every relationship there’s one who picks up things around the house, and one who doesn’t. Guess which one I am.
In my defense, I do have a place for everything. It’s just not the same place The Wife wants it to be.
via The Citizen http://www.thecitizen.com/blogs/rick-ryckeley/11-15-2013/everything-its-place
The Republicans' "Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013" bill has passed the House (as somewhat expected). However, what is more critical – as we noted previously – is that a large number of Democrats broke ranks and voted for the bill.
39 House Democrats voted in favor, shunning Obama's proclamation that he would veto the bill (which he described as "threatening the health care security of hard working, middle class families,") anyway if it came to his desk. It is unlikely to pass the Senate.
Why this is a big deal? Here's what Obama said about the bill:
With health care costs rising at such low rates, "this bill would be a major step back," reads the White House statement on the law. H.R. 3350 rolls back the progress made by allowing insurers to continue to sell new plans that deploy practices such as not offering coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, charging women more than men, and continuing yearly caps on the amount of care that enrollees receive. The Administration supports policies that allow people to keep the health plans that they have. But, policies that reverse the progress made to extend quality, affordable coverage to millions of uninsured, hardworking, middle class families are not the solution. Rather than refighting old political battles to sabotage the health care law, the Congress should work with the Administration to improve the law and move forward. The final line reads, "If the President were presented with H.R. 3350, he would veto it."
     |
via Zero Hedge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/zerohedge/feed/~3/jk43maOTcIE/story01.htm Tyler Durden
The Republicans' "Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013" bill has passed the House (as somewhat expected). However, what is more critical – as we noted previously – is that a large number of Democrats broke ranks and voted for the bill.
39 House Democrats voted in favor, shunning Obama's proclamation that he would veto the bill (which he described as "threatening the health care security of hard working, middle class families,") anyway if it came to his desk. It is unlikely to pass the Senate.
Why this is a big deal? Here's what Obama said about the bill:
With health care costs rising at such low rates, "this bill would be a major step back," reads the White House statement on the law. H.R. 3350 rolls back the progress made by allowing insurers to continue to sell new plans that deploy practices such as not offering coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, charging women more than men, and continuing yearly caps on the amount of care that enrollees receive. The Administration supports policies that allow people to keep the health plans that they have. But, policies that reverse the progress made to extend quality, affordable coverage to millions of uninsured, hardworking, middle class families are not the solution. Rather than refighting old political battles to sabotage the health care law, the Congress should work with the Administration to improve the law and move forward. The final line reads, "If the President were presented with H.R. 3350, he would veto it."
| |
via Zero Hedge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/zerohedge/feed/~3/jk43maOTcIE/story01.htm Tyler Durden
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange admits that in July it was hacked:
Algos # 0001 through #9999 now have their Vacuum Tube Security Number leaked
Via CME,
In a communication to certain customers today, CME Group confirmed it was the victim of a cyber intrusion in July, making it one of the many organizations subject to this type of crime in recent months.
To date, there is no evidence that trades on CME Globex were adversely impacted, or that the provision of clearing services by CME Clearing or CME Clearing Europe, or trading in CME markets, were disrupted.
CME Group takes these events very seriously and places a high priority on protecting its customers’ information and ensuring the integrity of its markets. Though CME Group maintains sophisticated systems, teams and processes to prevent such incidents, and promptly took significant actions to address the incident, CME Group has learned that certain customer information relating to the CME ClearPort platform was compromised. To protect participants, CME Group forced a change to customer credentials impacted by the incident, and is corresponding directly with the impacted customers.
The incident is the subject of an ongoing federal criminal investigation and CME Group is cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation into this matter.
| |
via Zero Hedge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/zerohedge/feed/~3/9eHrskcCU3U/story01.htm Tyler Durden
I can’t vouch for the chemistry here, but independent security
researcher Evan Booth has a video up at LiveLeak demonstrating the
construction of a grenade with materials purchased at an airport
after passing through TSA security. This is just the
latest very interesting revelation from Booth, who runs Terminal Cornucopia, a site
dedicated to tapping into your inner MacGyver at the airport. So
far, he’s built blowguns, incendiaries, and crossbows, among other
items the Transportation Security Administration might wish you not
acquire at the airport gift shop. The fragguccino
grenade made with a coffee mug, body spray, and other goodies
is a new addition.
The blurb over at LiveLeak reads:
Security researcher builds grenade in under 8 minutes using
items available in airport terminal. All materials required to
build this weapons were purchased in an airport AFTER the security
screening.
Booth says “All of these findings have been reported to the
Department of Homeland Security (TSA) to help them better detect
these types of threats,” so if, on your next trip, you find that
thermal coffee mugs have been replaced at the airport by
old-fashioned styrofoam cups, you know who to blame.
Then again, if I remember my misspent youth, you can do
fascinating things with styrofoam. Or sugar. Or…
Booth is available for conferences and events. Parties, too, I
hope.
from Hit & Run http://reason.com/blog/2013/11/15/forget-the-tsa-you-can-buy-bomb-making-m
via IFTTT
As Barack Obama’s signature
health insurance program implodes, some observers are speculating
that regulatory action on climate change could afford the
beleaguered president a second chance at establishing an enduring
policy legacy. Unfortunately, Obama’s climate policies, like his
health care policies, highlight his fondness for centralized
economic planning. Reason Science Correspondent Ronald
Bailey argues that the Obamacare fiasco should be a warning to the
president and other policymakers that a comparable ClimateCare
program of top-down centralized planning will miscarry just as
spectacularly.
from Hit & Run http://reason.com/blog/2013/11/15/ronald-bailey-on-obamas-climatecare-prog
via IFTTT
As Barack Obama’s signature
health insurance program implodes, some observers are speculating
that regulatory action on climate change could afford the
beleaguered president a second chance at establishing an enduring
policy legacy. Unfortunately, Obama’s climate policies, like his
health care policies, highlight his fondness for centralized
economic planning. Reason Science Correspondent Ronald
Bailey argues that the Obamacare fiasco should be a warning to the
president and other policymakers that a comparable ClimateCare
program of top-down centralized planning will miscarry just as
spectacularly.
from Hit & Run http://reason.com/blog/2013/11/15/ronald-bailey-on-obamas-climatecare-prog
via IFTTT
Al Qaeda-linked fighters in Syria are
asking for forgiveness after mistakenly beheading a fellow rebel,
thinking that the man was a Shiite fighter from Iraq.
After video footage of members of the Islamic State of Iraq and
the Levant holding the severed head was released rebels in another
Islamist group, Harakat Ahrar al-Sham, said they recognized the
head as that of Mohammed Fares Maroush, one of their
commanders.
From the
BBC:
An al-Qaeda affiliated rebel group in Syria is reported to have
asked for forgiveness after beheading a fellow rebel in a case of
mistaken identity.A video recently posted online showed members of the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) brandishing the severed,
bearded head of a man.They said was an Iraqi Shia caught fighting on the government
side.But other rebel fighters watching the video recognised the man
and said he was one of their commanders.
Follow this story and more at Reason
24/7.
Spice up your blog or Website with Reason 24/7 news and
Reason articles. You can get the widgets
here. If you have a story that would be of
interest to Reason’s readers please let us know by emailing the
24/7 crew at 24_7@reason.com, or tweet us stories
at @reason247.
from Hit & Run http://reason.com/blog/2013/11/15/al-qaeda-linked-group-asks-for-forgiven
via IFTTT
Starting from a simple loan (remember them), credit markets have evolved many innovations to cater to an increasing need for leverage (intrinsic firm leverage – levered loans to high-yield bond market; and extrinsic instrument leverage – securitizations and derivatives) for issuers, traders, and investors. However, as the following maze of the history of debt, NY Times shows these have led to many costly crises (and will do in the future…)
| |
via Zero Hedge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/zerohedge/feed/~3/kqMkBBujRkk/story01.htm Tyler Durden
A rhetorical question that was apocryphal a mere year ago, has emerged as a very realistic option: is Barack Obama the second coming of Dubya? Policy initiatives aside, in this case we simply look at the plunging popularity ranking of both presidents in their second term as shown on the chart below.
Driven primary by the horrifying rollout of Obamacare in the aftermath of the government shutdown distraction (whose stated motive ironically was the delay of Obamacare which one can imagine is precisely what Obama wishes would happen right now), the Real Clear Politics popularity tracker shows that as of the latest week, the president Disapproval rating has risen to a record high, coupled with a record drop in his approval rating:
This is what a recent Pew study had to say:
In contrast, the two prior presidents who won reelection – Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan – enjoyed positive ratings over the course of the next year. At comparable points in their fifth year in office, 58% approved of Clinton’s job performance while Reagan’s job rating stood at 62%.
The new survey finds that majorities disapprove of the way Obama is handling four of five issues tested, with terrorism the lone exception (51% approve, 44% disapprove). For every issue, including terrorism, his ratings are lower than they were earlier this year.
Obama’s job ratings on the economy have been more negative than positive for more than four years, but the current measure is the worst of his presidency. Just 31% approve of the way Obama is handling the economy, while 65% disapprove.
Only about one-in-five independents (21%) give Obama positive marks on the economy, while 75% disapprove. About a third of Democrats (34%) disapprove of the way Obama is handling the economy (64% approve).
Obama also gets negative ratings on health care policy (37% approve, 59% disapprove). In January, views of Obama’s handling of health care policy were mixed (45% approved, 47% disapproved).
The administration has come under intense criticism for the flawed roll-out of the Affordable Care Act. In a recent interview with NBC News, Obama apologized to those who have lost their health insurance under the law, despite his assurances that they would be able to stay on their plans.
Only about a third of the public (32%) approves of the job Obama is doing on immigration policy; 60% disapprove. Obama’s ratings for this issue among Democrats are mixed: About half (53%) approve of his handling of the issue while 42% disapprove.
Finally, as Bloomberg Bloomberg News Political Analyst Matthew Dowd discusses in observing that the “campaigner in chief” may not have been the governor in chief so many expected, “when presidents drop this low in their second term, they have never recovered.”
So as a result of a rushed rollout to cement his sterling legacy, has Obama instead doomed himself in the history books to be the second coming of Dubya?
It remains to be seen: Obama still has three more years and thus enough opportunity to make his predecessor truly shine in retrospect.
| |
via Zero Hedge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/zerohedge/feed/~3/GaEXrITH890/story01.htm Tyler Durden