On Comment Spam

By William Teach June 7, 2014 – 10:15 am

Howdy, folks. I’m sure you’ve noticed that there has been a bit more comment spam over the last few months. It annoys me as much as you, possibly more, because there have been cases where spam comments have embedded viruses, implemented code that allows hijacking of the blog code, etc. What to do about it, though?

Akismet is one of the primary apps blogs use to catch spam. It’s been running around 97% effective since a big update earlier in the year, which means either a) it’s not as effective as it was, or b) comment spammers are finding ways to circumvent Akismet. So, I have to manually remove them. The other big app is Bad Behavior. Between the two, they are catching well over 7000 spam comments/trackbacks/pingbacks a week. Usually more.

I do have a few other minor apps that do other things, but, sadly, none can catch everything. There are a few measures I can take, but would prefer not to. I can ramp Bad Behavior up to strict, but that might catch legit comments.

I can require registration using a few different methods. Internal WordPress. A different plugin I use that already allows users to comment using their existing faceboook, twitter, etc, accounts, but this would force registration, rather than anonymous. If spam comments increase (I’m deleting 10 or less a day), I may implement Disqus. Which might allow other features, such as threaded comments (the theme I use will not allow it without major rewrite, and I like the way it works otherwise)

I could add another comment spam plugin, though, really, Akismet is the best. This is probably what I’ll look at first.

I could use some sort of captch. People tend to hate them, but I have a deactivated one that is easy to use. Rather not go back to it.

What are your thoughts?

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Obama Has Typical Solution For Student Loans

By William Teach June 7, 2014 – 8:11 am

Another week, another Obama avoidance of the VA scandal. He has yet to truly address it during a Weekly Address, despite the terrible care so many veterans are receiving. This week, he decides he wants to patronize students who took out loans that left them with crushing debt. At least he wasn’t chewing gum (video here)

(White House) Hi, everybody. This is commencement season, a time for graduates and their families to celebrate one of the greatest achievements of a young person’s life. But for many graduates, it also means feeling trapped by a whole lot of student loan debt. And we’ve got to do more to lift that burden.

See, in a 21st century economy, the surest pathway into the middle class is some form of higher education. The unemployment rate for workers with a bachelor’s degree is just 3.3 percent – about half what it is for high school graduates. The typical graduate of a four-year college earns $15,000 more per year than someone with just a high school degree.

But at a time when college has never been more important, it’s also never been more expensive.

The funny part is that Obama and Democrats have been pushing hard for snowflakes to take on this same student debt. Interestingly, telling everyone that they need a college education also disses a nice chunk of his base who are blue collar union members. Yes, a college education is important, but the degree matters. Many are getting pretty much worthless degrees in some type of “studies” disciple, the equivalent of the old joke about basket weaving. But, at least basket weaving is a skill that can bring money in.

But over the past three decades, the average tuition at a public four-year college has more than tripled. The average undergraduate student who borrows for college now graduates owing almost $30,000. And I’ve heard from too many young people who are frustrated that they’ve done everything they were supposed to do – and now they’re paying the price.

Good thing Obamacare streamlined student loans, in which the “Congress (Democrats only, let’s not forget) removed the private sector from the student loan process, to eliminate federal payments to banks and to move the revenue from the lending process into federal coffers.” The profits are meant to go to help pay for Obamacare. So, Obama and the Dems have a vested interest in making sure lots of snowflakes take out student loans.

I’ve taken action on my own to offer millions of students the opportunity to cap their monthly student loan payments to 10% of their income. But Congress needs to do its part. The good news is that Senate Democrats are working on a bill that would help more young people save money. Just like you can refinance your mortgage at a lower interest rate, this bill would let you refinance your student loans. And we’d pay for it by closing loopholes that allow some millionaires to pay a lower tax rate than the middle class.

And there we go: he’s gone to the same old tax the rich well. I’d note that he’s officially out of ideas, but that occurred long ago. Of course, if he was truly serious, he’d stop taking all the deductions on his own taxes and pay the full rate.

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Rand Paul Makes Trade Joke, Liberals Show They Have No Sense Of Humor

By William Teach June 7, 2014 – 7:45 am

But, then, we knew Liberals are generally devoid of any humor, especially regarding politics. Their idea of “funny” is jokes about assassinating George Bush and jokes about Conservatives dying.

(The Blaze) In a speech at the Texas GOP Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) cracked a joke at Democrats’ expense that’s sure to rile up his political opponents.

“Mr. President, you love to trade people,” Paul said, according to Politico. “Why don’t we set up a trade? But this time, instead of five Taliban, how about five Democrats? I’m thinking John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi…”

The crowd reportedly erupted in cheers. (snip)

When he was later asked about the comments during a news conference, Paul reiterated that he was only joking about trading Democrats. He also included a joke in his explanation of his previous joke.

“It was a joke. Except for Nancy Pelosi, I was serious about her,” he said, later adding, “Well, I mean, it’s humor, and I hope there’s room for humor. I thought it was funny. It was meant to be humorous.”

Democrats think it’s the height of humor to raise taxes on Someone Else. The Blaze includes some Liberal tweets which show typical liberal outrage. In the Politico article comments we see

  • How about 2 Cubans and an Indian posing as Americans and a couple of screaming harpies. Cruz Rubio Jindal Bachman and Palin (If a Republican wrote that, Liberals would claim raaaaacism)
  • Rand Paul is Buzz Windrip the very politician Sinclair Lewis predicted would eventually rise to power and become America’s Adolf Hitler: “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross”–It Can’t Happen Here
  • I can top that Rand – lets just BOMB THE FOCK out of the next GOP get-together in Texas. That would leave me in stitches 🙂
  • You sound like a another delusional tbag birther bs artist, FYI 80 % of Americans want nothing to do with the inbred lying idiocy of the racist, bigoted, misogynist, homophones tbags, you’re a flake outcast freaks are not fighting for anything except your own weird oddball racist agenda that the majority Americans will never support, are you curious as to why Palin loves black kock.

Actually, I suppose they do have a sense of humor. They voted for Obama twice. (OK, that was an easy joke) The real problem with Liberals and politics are that they are way too intense. There’s no middle ground for them. Everything is an assault. Everything is racist, sexist, homophobia, some sort of “ist” or “phobia”. Any disagreement with Obama is treated like The End Of The World and The Worst Thing Ever. They get worked up like someone threw their puppy off the Empire State Building on almost every subject. You are Not Allowed to criticize the government in their world. Everything is entirely too hardcore.

Crossed at Right Wing News.

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Poll: Most Find Clinton, Bush More Competent Than Obama

By William Teach June 6, 2014 – 6:18 pm

Smart power!

(Washington Post) A majority of voters say the Obama administration is less competent than Bill Clinton’s and a plurality say it is less competent than George W. Bush’s according to a new Fox News poll released Wednesday.

Sixty-eight percent say the Obama administration is less competent that the Clinton administration. Forty-eight percent say it is less competent than Bush’s, compared to 42 percent who say it is more competent. Seven percent judge Obama’s and Bush’s the same.

Fifty-five percent say that the Obama administration has made the country weaker; 35 percent say his administration has made it stronger.

Ed Morrissey notes

The Bergdahl swap gets a surprising split in the poll. Disapproval only barely edges approval, 45/47, although again the story is still unfolding. Eighty-four percent worry that this will encourage more hostage-taking, with a majority of 57% “very concerned.” Subsequent polls may have more disapproval, but it’s difficult to see how this concern could peak any further.

The poll was conducted June 1-3. It will be interesting what the next poll on the swap shows.

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If All You See…

By William Teach June 6, 2014 – 1:00 pm

…is a torrential downpour due to Other People refusing to turn their AC up a few degrees, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Doug Ross, with a post on it being a strange coincidence that Red States will bear the brunt of Obama’s “carbon” plan.

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Gun Miraculously Appears On Target Shelf After Anti-gun Group Applies Pressure

By William Teach June 6, 2014 – 12:30 pm

I don’t want to really go down a conspiracy road, but, this makes you wonder

(Forbes) Gun safety advocates are asking Target to ban ‘open carry’ in its stores.

After a string of victories at fast food chains in recent weeks, gun control activists are renewing pressure on discount giant Target Target to ban firearms in its stores.

Michael Bloomberg-backed Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America has launched a campaign asking Target to ban the open carrying of guns in its stores just as news emerges out of South Carolina adding urgency to their mission.

A loss prevention officer found a real, loaded gun in the toy aisle of a Myrtle Beach branch of Target last Friday night. Says the local NBC affiliate:

The gun was in plain view on top of a superhero Playskool toy box when the worker found it; he thought it was a toy. He realized it was real after seeing it was loaded with live ammo.

Just a coincidence, right? Because everyone who carries, whether open or concealed, just happens to pull their gun out and set it down and forget it. In a toy aisle.

The fact that it was found in an aisle geared toward children makes some shoppers feel this was no accident.

“I don’t think someone would accidentally drop off a gun. I think he purposely left it there for a child to pick up and think, ‘Oh it’s a toy gun,’ and accidentally point it at somebody and it goes off,” says Kennedy McClain.

I think that may be going a bit too far. Most likely it was left there by a complete moron who shouldn’t be allowed to carry, or an anti-gunnite trying to manufacture an incident. The security video was handed over to the police, as there was a “suspicious male” walking the aisles. I wonder if we will get the real story if an arrest occurs?

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US Postal Service To Release ClimaStupid Stamp

By William Teach June 6, 2014 – 10:55 am

Of all the things the USPS has to worry about, such as dire financial problems, poor customer service, being broke, “climate change” isn’t one of them

The Global: Sea Surface Temperatures stamp image — one frame in a 1,460-frame (or four-year) animation — is a single snapshot of the team’s studies. To understand climate trends both past and future, the researchers must first grasp the pattern of sea surface temperatures. The two are inseparable. The ocean is a massive bank of heat from the sun and, as such, it stabilizes the Earth’s temperature, governing the seasons and stimulating changes in weather.

Wait, I thought all the heat was disappearing into the deep oceans? Anyhow, here’s what the stamp looks like

Of course, shrink that down to stamp size and you’ll barely be able to see it. Of course, as Anthony Watts notes

Hmmm, not only is it an oddball stamp, being round, it isn’t even of actual sea surface temperatures, it’s a model output. That’s not a real El Niño pattern you see on the stamp, it’s a simulation frame. See the “Inside the science” below. You’d think they would use one that depicts reality, not a model projection.  Our current SST image looks a lot different than the stamp – no reds, lots of blues, which show our current reality to be cooler than the modeled one.

Furthermore, if that’s an El Nino pattern, what does that have to do with man-induced global warming? They’ve been going on for, well, we don’t actually know, because they’ve been happening for so long. And, yes, they are most defiantly blaming Mankind. Back to USPS link

Delworth says there’s been broad consensus over the past 10 to 15 years that the Earth has warmed considerably since the middle of the 20th century, that the warming is largely due to human activity, and that the warming will continue. So now the question becomes: What are the aftereffects?

Well, the effects seem to be “no statistically significant warming in 17 years and 9 months.” They seem to be that 95% of climate models have failed. They seem to be an increase in harsh winters. Seriously, these wankers are using a natural process, El Nino, to attempt to scare people. Of course, how many people use stamps anymore?

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VA Under Investigation For Whistleblower Retaliation

By William Teach June 6, 2014 – 7:11 am

The hit parade keeps coming

(Wall Street Journal) A federal watchdog is investigating allegations of dozens of complaints of backlash against whistleblowers at the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a release Thursday.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel, a federal body that protects government employees from improper employment practices, including backlash against whistleblowers, announced it is investigating 37 allegations of VA reprisal against whistleblowers in 19 states. The VA has been under scrutiny lately for delays in patient care, sparked in part by a retired whistleblower’s complaint. Not all 37 complaints are related to that issue, the office said.

“We’ve definitely seen an uptick in whistleblowing complaints for scheduling and health and safety issues at the VA generally,” said a spokesman for the Office of the Special Counsel. “They’re all related to patient safety, but not all have to do with appointment scheduling.”

It’s not 100% clear that the retaliation has occurred during Obama’s time in office, but would anyone be surprised by that type of action during the last 5 years, based on the conduct of Team Obama, which has gone to great pains to protect malfeasance within the various departments of the Executive Office, along with denigrating private citizens who dare to speak out against Obama and/or his policies? Most, if not all, seem to have occurred starting in 2013

(Military Times) Some of the cases under review by the office date back to 2013, but involve the same wait time and patient care issues for which VA officials recently have come under heavy fire.

That same article notes several cases where whistleblowers were suspended, including without pay, and poor performance evaluations.

CNN, which has done a pretty darned good job in covering the VA scandal story over the past year, notes that VA doctors were scared to be quoted, but wanted the story to get out. And also notes

All the doctors confirmed to us that VA officials had posted warnings in the hospital’s halls and elevators that no VA employees could speak with the media or divulge details of what went on inside the hospital. The warnings, the doctors said, included details about laws that could be violated and penalties that employees could face, including financial reparations and even jail time, if they were to speak out publicly, and if the hospital suffered financial losses as a result.

Hell of a system you have there, Barack.

Meanwhile, the acting VA Secretary has stated that 18 vets who were on the waiting lists died at the Phoenix facility. And Senator Roy Blunt has confirmed that the Kansas City, Missouri facility also had secret waiting lists. It’s not as bad as the Wichita facility, but just adds to the notion of a systematic issue throughout the VA.

Also, “Jeffrey Murawsky, health care chief for the VA’s Chicago-based regional office, was nominated last month to be the department’s new undersecretary for health care”, has withdrown his nomination, claiming he feared a prolonged fight over the nomination. Gee, what could give him that notion? Could it be that “seven VA hospitals and 30 clinics in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan, including one in suburban Chicago where there are allegations that its staff used secret lists to conceal long patient wait times for appointments”? I guess he didn’t want to be questioned about why that happened under his leadership.

Read: VA Under Investigation For Whistleblower Retaliation »

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North Korea Claims To Be Holding An American “Tourist”

By William Teach June 6, 2014 – 6:40 am

Fallout from the Bergdahl exchange? First, let’s consider

The swap of five high-level Taliban operatives — dubbed a jihadist “Dream Team” — for a U.S. Army sergeant accused by fellow soldiers of desertion has “encouraged” the Afghan terror group to kidnap more U.S. service members, according to a report.

A source described as a Taliban commander close to the negotiations that led to the release of Bowe Bergdahl told Time magazine the group wants to grab more Americans for similar deals.

“It’s better to kidnap one person like Bergdahl than kidnapping hundreds of useless people,” the commander told the magazine on condition of anonymity. “It has encouraged our people. Now everybody will work hard to capture such an important bird.”

Does North Korea want in on the swap an American for something train?

(Fox News) An American tourist has been detained in North Korea for allegedly committing an unspecified crime, the country’s official news agency reported Friday.

The Korean Central News Agency said that authorities were investigating the American for allegedly committing acts inconsistent with the purpose of a tourist visit. It did not give details

KCNA said the American went to North Korea on April 29.

The person would be the third American currently held in North Korea.

In April, North Korea said it had detained a 24-year-old American for improper behavior while he was being processed to enter the country as a tourist. He was identified as Miller Matthew Todd — possibly putting his surname first. It said he entered the country on April 10 with a tourist visa, but tore it up and shouted that he wanted to seek asylum. The brief report said he chose the North “as a shelter.”

It’s interesting that NK is announcing this now, after detaining him a shade over a month ago. The North Korea leaders have a long history of threatening to Do Something in order to obtain material things. So far, I do have to give Obama credit for not falling into the trap previous presidents have been snared in. He’s pretty much ignored all the posturing, bloviating, and threatening by North Korea. Possibly because Obama just can’t be bothered to engage in the long negotiations required. That would require Work. But, hey, maybe he’s noticed the pattern and said “eh. You guys. Piss off”.

Meanwhile, Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi is still being held in a Mexican jail. Why not exchange him for something? At least he’s a good guy, not a deserter like Bergdahl.

Crossed at Right Wing News.

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CBO Pretty Much Gives Up On Scoring Obamacare

By William Teach June 5, 2014 – 6:17 pm

You don’t say

(Roll Call) For Democratic lawmakers who were hesitant to sign onto the sweeping 2010 health care law, one of the most powerful selling points was that the Affordable Care Act would actually reduce the federal budget deficit, despite the additional costs of extending health insurance coverage to the uninsured.

Four years after enactment of what is widely viewed as President Barack Obama’s key legislative achievement, however, it’s unclear whether the health care law is still on track to reduce the deficit or whether it may actually end up adding to the federal debt. In fact, the answer to that question has become something of a mystery.

In its latest report on the law, the Congressional Budget Office said it is no longer possible to assess the overall fiscal impact of the law. That conclusion came as a surprise to some fiscal experts in Washington and is drawing concern. And without a clear picture of the law’s overall financing, it could make it politically easier to continue delaying pieces of it, including revenue raisers, because any resulting cost increases might be hidden.

Hidden costs? Shocking!

(The Hill) It means that measuring the healthcare law’s effect on the budget deficit will be much more difficult, if not impossible. The CBO is normally the best source of information on bills’ projected fiscal effects. (snip)

The law also includes a variety of taxes and fees to raise revenue, some of which the CBO suggested it could no longer analyze.

In other words, this is messing with the economy so much that the CBO can’t analyze it. Or won’t. Or been told not too.

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