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Auto Dealers Paid for Just 2 Percent of 'Clunkers' Claims, Congressman Says - Political News - FOXNews.com: "In the letter, Sestak said only 2 percent of claims have been paid and that four of every five applications have been 'rejected for minor oversight.'"
Not surprising for a government-run program.
Monday, August 17, 2009
How 10 digits will end privacy as we know it | Security - CNET News
How 10 digits will end privacy as we know it | Security - CNET News: "A study of 1990 U.S. Census data revealed that 87 percent of the people in the United States were uniquely identifiable with just three pieces of information (PDF): five-digit ZIP code, gender, and date of birth. Internet surfers today spew considerably more information than that."
"Database dossiers, too, carry surprising amounts of identifying information, even when specifically anonymized for privacy. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin last year studied a set of movie-rating profiles from about 500,000 unnamed Netflix subscribers (PDF).
Knowing just a little about a subscriber--say, six to eight movie preferences, the type of thing you might post on a social-networking site--the researchers found that they could pick out your anonymous Netflix profile, if you had one in the set."
"Scientists at ETH Zurich recently showed how to identify microchips uniquely using radio waves (PDF)--and consequently to see through the disguise of pseudonyms. Their experiments showed that thanks to manufacturing variations, microchips, laptop Wi-Fi cards, and other devices can't help but emit physical "fingerprints"--essentially God-given serial numbers."
"Database dossiers, too, carry surprising amounts of identifying information, even when specifically anonymized for privacy. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin last year studied a set of movie-rating profiles from about 500,000 unnamed Netflix subscribers (PDF).
Knowing just a little about a subscriber--say, six to eight movie preferences, the type of thing you might post on a social-networking site--the researchers found that they could pick out your anonymous Netflix profile, if you had one in the set."
"Scientists at ETH Zurich recently showed how to identify microchips uniquely using radio waves (PDF)--and consequently to see through the disguise of pseudonyms. Their experiments showed that thanks to manufacturing variations, microchips, laptop Wi-Fi cards, and other devices can't help but emit physical "fingerprints"--essentially God-given serial numbers."
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Gov. Jim Doyle won't seek re-election - Jonathan Martin - POLITICO.com
Gov. Jim Doyle won't seek re-election - Jonathan Martin - POLITICO.com: "With Doyle retiring, a slew of Wisconsin Democrats are likely to consider the race. That list is topped by Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, who has already indicated she would run if Doyle does not and who would be the state’s first female governor.
By next year, though, Lawton may be running as an incumbent.
In addition to Lawton, other potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates include Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Rep. Ron Kind and state Sen. Joe Erpenbach."
By next year, though, Lawton may be running as an incumbent.
In addition to Lawton, other potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates include Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Rep. Ron Kind and state Sen. Joe Erpenbach."
Friday, August 14, 2009
Social-networking ban for sex offenders: Bad call? | Safe and Secure - CNET News
Social-networking ban for sex offenders: Bad call? | Safe and Secure - CNET News: "If the law had no negative consequences, I would give it a pass. After all, who cares about the rights of people who have been convicted of sex offenses? Well, I do. Not because I think they're wonderful people but because it's in all of our interest that, if they're not in prison, they be integrated into society to the extent that they can function and be able to find and hold appropriate jobs. Keeping these individuals away from the very types of sites that can help them in their careers is counterproductive to the goal of rehabilitating them."
"Not everyone on every state sex offender list is a danger to children." ... "Citing a report from Human Rights Watch, the article says 'at least five states required men to register if they were caught visiting prostitutes. At least 13 required it for urinating in public (in two of those states, only if a child was present). No fewer than 29 states required registration for teenagers who had consensual sex with another teenager. And 32 states registered flashers and streakers.'"
"Another reason to question this law is that it can lead to more than one false sense of security. To begin with, the most dangerous sex offenders aren't necessarily the ones who are registered but the many who haven't yet been caught and convicted. And if we focus exclusively on predation, we're likely to lose track of the most dangerous aspects of youth online behavior, which are mostly either kid on kid--such as bullying, harassment, and impersonation--or self-imposed risks such as sexting or posting information that could be embarrassing later in life."
"Not everyone on every state sex offender list is a danger to children." ... "Citing a report from Human Rights Watch, the article says 'at least five states required men to register if they were caught visiting prostitutes. At least 13 required it for urinating in public (in two of those states, only if a child was present). No fewer than 29 states required registration for teenagers who had consensual sex with another teenager. And 32 states registered flashers and streakers.'"
"Another reason to question this law is that it can lead to more than one false sense of security. To begin with, the most dangerous sex offenders aren't necessarily the ones who are registered but the many who haven't yet been caught and convicted. And if we focus exclusively on predation, we're likely to lose track of the most dangerous aspects of youth online behavior, which are mostly either kid on kid--such as bullying, harassment, and impersonation--or self-imposed risks such as sexting or posting information that could be embarrassing later in life."
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Money Matters Online: Growing up in communist Poland
Money Matters Online: "Most of the time grocery stores—if you could even call them that—stayed virtually empty with the exception of a few basic items like bread and milk. Once a week there would be a delivery of items such as meats, sugar, and flour to the stores. And, as word got out, you’d see long lines forming in front of the stores with people hoping to “catch” something.
Because the system was corrupt, being a grocery clerk was a lucrative and quite powerful position. Clerks would hoard much of the food for themselves, their family members, and close friends.
And, many who stood in those long lines would walk away empty-handed, hoping for better luck next time. Since I lived in a rural area, small farms were the salvation of many people.
You may find it humorous, but toilet paper was a hot commodity in those days. When our family members from big cities came to visit, they brought us rolls of toilet paper and we sent them back with items like meat, eggs, and flour."
This shows stark examples of government run vs. free market.
Because the system was corrupt, being a grocery clerk was a lucrative and quite powerful position. Clerks would hoard much of the food for themselves, their family members, and close friends.
And, many who stood in those long lines would walk away empty-handed, hoping for better luck next time. Since I lived in a rural area, small farms were the salvation of many people.
You may find it humorous, but toilet paper was a hot commodity in those days. When our family members from big cities came to visit, they brought us rolls of toilet paper and we sent them back with items like meat, eggs, and flour."
This shows stark examples of government run vs. free market.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Muslim Woman Banned From Parisian Public Pool for Wearing 'Burquini' - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNe
Muslim Woman Banned From Parisian Public Pool for Wearing 'Burquini' - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com: "Officials say the outfit is unhygienic and potentially harmful to other swimmers."
How?
How?
Is the GM Volt mileage claim legit? | Green Tech - CNET News
Is the GM Volt mileage claim legit? | Green Tech - CNET News: "In the EPA model GM has followed, those first 40 miles equate to 'infinite mileage,' since it was charged from the grid and no gasoline was burned. But to consider electricity as infinite fuel efficiency can be misleading given that some energy--be it coal, natural gas, or nuclear--went into the delivery of electricity to charge the batteries."
So then the Tesla gets an infinite number of miles per gallon! :-/
So then the Tesla gets an infinite number of miles per gallon! :-/
Special Front Sight Wednesday Blog: What the Gun Grabbers Hate to See…
Special Front Sight Wednesday Blog: What the Gun Grabbers Hate to See…: "The school, which sits in the middle of a prairie, was too far from law enforcement for police to come in time to fend off would-be attackers. The students and staff would be safer if on-site, trained staff members were equipped to handle a crisis at a moment’s notice, they decided."
House Dems Hide Cost Of Health Plan | Michael F. Cannon | Cato Institute: Commentary
House Dems Hide Cost Of Health Plan | Michael F. Cannon | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the House Democrats' legislation would spend $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. Yet that cost estimate is based on a tried-and-true budget gimmick that members of Congress use to hide how much of your money they want to spend.
In reality, the Democrats' health care bill is at least 50% more expensive than the $1.2 trillion estimate suggests.
President Obama and his fellow partisans want the federal government to guarantee medical insurance coverage to all Americans. According to estimates by the left-leaning Urban Institute, providing health insurance to all of the uninsured would cost just under $2 trillion over the next 10 years."
"A standard trick for making new government programs appear less expensive is to have them take effect not in the first year, but later in the budget window.
If Congress launches a $100 million program in year one, its 10-year cost will be $1 billion. If Congress launches the program in year six, the 10-year cost is just $500 million. Delaying implementation just cut the cost of the program in half, right? Not quite. The program would still cost taxpayers $100 million per year.
That budgetary gimmick lets Congress appear thrifty. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., acting chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, recently said he was "very confident we can meet the president's goal of having a fully-paid-for 10-year program on health care right around $1 trillion." Of course he can! Covering the uninsured costs $2 trillion? Heck, we'll do it for half that price!"
In reality, the Democrats' health care bill is at least 50% more expensive than the $1.2 trillion estimate suggests.
President Obama and his fellow partisans want the federal government to guarantee medical insurance coverage to all Americans. According to estimates by the left-leaning Urban Institute, providing health insurance to all of the uninsured would cost just under $2 trillion over the next 10 years."
"A standard trick for making new government programs appear less expensive is to have them take effect not in the first year, but later in the budget window.
If Congress launches a $100 million program in year one, its 10-year cost will be $1 billion. If Congress launches the program in year six, the 10-year cost is just $500 million. Delaying implementation just cut the cost of the program in half, right? Not quite. The program would still cost taxpayers $100 million per year.
That budgetary gimmick lets Congress appear thrifty. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., acting chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, recently said he was "very confident we can meet the president's goal of having a fully-paid-for 10-year program on health care right around $1 trillion." Of course he can! Covering the uninsured costs $2 trillion? Heck, we'll do it for half that price!"
Sotomayor and the Second Amendment | Robert A. Levy | Cato Institute: Commentary
Sotomayor and the Second Amendment | Robert A. Levy | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Technically, the Maloney panel could not overrule a previous panel of the same court. In effect, Sotomayor's panel said, 'Maybe Presser is still good law, or maybe Presser has been superseded by the Supreme Court's later incorporation cases. We three judges cannot make that decision – first, because another panel of this court has already followed Presser and, second, because the Supreme Court and not an appellate court must say when earlier Supreme Court cases are superseded.'"
"Which panel got it right? Most likely, it won't matter – because the Supreme Court will review one or more of the three Second Amendment cases; and precedent will not bind the high Court. We should have an answer shortly. Either way, the decision of the Second Circuit panel, including Judge Sotomayor, was well within the bounds of responsible judging. Perhaps the Second and Seventh Circuits were correct. Perhaps the Ninth Circuit panel had the better of the argument. It's a close call –not the kind of call on which confirmations ought to turn (or even focus).
Finally, some gun rights advocates criticize Sotomayor's Maloney opinion for stating that the right to nunchakus in the home is not a "fundamental right." But that statement had nothing to do with the Second Amendment. Instead, it concerned a different claim by the plaintiff under a doctrine known as substantive due process, which pertains to unenumerated constitutional rights, not those expressly listed in the Bill of Rights. Unless an unenumerated right is "fundamental," the courts will be highly deferential to legislative restrictions. Only if the right is "necessary to [our] regime of ordered liberty" or "deeply rooted in this Nation's history and tradition" will a right be deemed fundamental. The Sotomayor panel decided that the statute in question, regarding the unenumerated right to a nunchaku, not the enumerated right to keep and bear arms, did not meet those criteria."
"Which panel got it right? Most likely, it won't matter – because the Supreme Court will review one or more of the three Second Amendment cases; and precedent will not bind the high Court. We should have an answer shortly. Either way, the decision of the Second Circuit panel, including Judge Sotomayor, was well within the bounds of responsible judging. Perhaps the Second and Seventh Circuits were correct. Perhaps the Ninth Circuit panel had the better of the argument. It's a close call –not the kind of call on which confirmations ought to turn (or even focus).
Finally, some gun rights advocates criticize Sotomayor's Maloney opinion for stating that the right to nunchakus in the home is not a "fundamental right." But that statement had nothing to do with the Second Amendment. Instead, it concerned a different claim by the plaintiff under a doctrine known as substantive due process, which pertains to unenumerated constitutional rights, not those expressly listed in the Bill of Rights. Unless an unenumerated right is "fundamental," the courts will be highly deferential to legislative restrictions. Only if the right is "necessary to [our] regime of ordered liberty" or "deeply rooted in this Nation's history and tradition" will a right be deemed fundamental. The Sotomayor panel decided that the statute in question, regarding the unenumerated right to a nunchaku, not the enumerated right to keep and bear arms, did not meet those criteria."
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