Horizon BCBS Of NJ Has Laptops With Customer Data Stolen

By William Teach December 9, 2013 – 11:50 am

They aren’t quite sure whether alarm bells should be ringing because they don’t know what will be done with the data

(NJ.com) Nearly 840,000 Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield subscribers are being notified that their personal information may have been contained on a pair of laptops that were stolen from the insurer’s Newark headquarters last month.

The stolen laptops were password-protected, but had unencrypted data, Horizon said in a statement today. A subsequent investigation determined the computers may have contained files with personal information, including names, addresses, dates of birth and, in some instances, Social Security numbers and “limited clinical information,” the insurer said.

The theft occurred during the weekend of Nov. 1 and was reported to the Newark Police Department on Monday, Nov. 4, Horizon said. At the time they were stolen, the computers were cable-locked to employee workstations.

Guess who is one of three Obamacare health insurance providers for the federally run New Jersey Marketplace?

Read: Horizon BCBS Of NJ Has Laptops With Customer Data Stolen »

Posted in Healthcare | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

Summer Snow In Australia

By William Teach December 9, 2013 – 10:16 am

I bet it’s climate change

(RYOT) December is a month of holidays and cold and snow, but not in Australia. December for the people who live Down Under is the start of the summer season, a festive time of year when people go to the beach to swim, surf and tan.

But somebody forgot to tell Australia that. The usually hot and summery December weather so far has been replaced in parts by icy gusts of winds and Christmas snow.

The Victoria Alps were caked in snow on Thursday as a blast of cold wintry air hit the state. According to Australia’s The Age, the Bureau of Meteorology’s forecast was snow between four to eight inches on the Alps while rain will fall everywhere else, Friday.

It’s not unheard of for it to snow a tiny bit once or twice a year during the summer month in the Victorian Alps. 4-8 inches is a bit unusual. I blame you, dear reader, for driving a fossil fueled vehicle and refusing to give up your Bad Weather causing pets.

Read: Summer Snow In Australia »

Posted in Global Warming | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

Here We Go: Warmists Trot Out “Cold And Snow Caused By Warming” Meme For Winter

By William Teach December 9, 2013 – 7:46 am

I had a brief Twitter debate with a Warmist Sunday afternoon, brief on my part, because I had to bow out due to other obligations, and noted

https://twitter.com/WilliamTeach/status/409816181496107008

The way Warmists have positioned “climate change” means there is no way to ever disprove it, the same as a cult. That’s how we end up with memes like this when it is cold and snow

New Study Says Arctic Ice Melt And Extreme Weather Conditions In US, Europe Linked

Extreme and erratic weather conditions, such as worsening heat waves, cold snaps and downpours in the U.S. and Europe, could be linked to Arctic ice melt, scientists said on Sunday.

Wait, “could be”? It either is or isn’t when we discuss science. This is more like wishful thinking.

The new study published in the journal “Nature Climate Change,” warned of increasingly extreme weather across “much of North America and Eurasia where billions of people will be affected,” Reuters reported. The new findings have further roiled a debate on the impact of global warming on climate change, as international scientists and studies differ significantly on whether human-caused global warming is responsible for climate change or not.

Really, there’s no need for further excerpts, since most of you know how this little bit of witchcraft goes, you’ve seen it before. Though there is this

According to a U.N. report, Arctic sea ice shrank to a record low in 2012 and its panel of scientists warned that if the trend continues then the North Pole could lose its ice and snow cover by 2050, leading to severe climate change around the globe.

Oh, now it’s 2050? I though the Arctic was supposed to be ice free by 2013, which would be….this year. Which didn’t happen. In fact, the Arctic is doing very well this year. But, you know, it “could” be ice free 40 years from now. That same type of prediction didn’t work out too well when it was made in 1960. Furthermore, the Antarctic is still doing very well, and except for a small part in the west, it is growing and getting colder.

The Warmist proposition that the melting causes increased water vapor which creates all the snow is sorta founded in real science. Except, there is no increase in atmospheric water vapor. But, by Warmist standards

https://twitter.com/WilliamTeach/status/409812027700695040

Read: Here We Go: Warmists Trot Out “Cold And Snow Caused By Warming” Meme For Winter »

Posted in Collapsing Science, Global Warming | 12 Comments | Trackback URL

MSNBC: Calling It Obamacare Is Raaaaacist

By William Teach December 9, 2013 – 7:02 am

When it comes to saying something bat-guano insane, in particular pulling out the Race Card, there’s a whole range of nut-balls at MSNBC to choose from. Pretty much the entire liberal staff. In this case, it’s Melissa Harris-Perry on her Sunday show, who decided To Be Brave and say the word

(Daily Caller) “I want to talk today about a controversial word. It’s a word that has been with us for years. And like it or not, it’s indelibly printed in the pages of American history. A word that was originally intended as a derogatory term, meant to shame and divide and demean. The word was conceived of by a group of wealthy white men who needed a way to put themselves above and apart from a black man, to render him inferior and unequal and diminish his accomplishments.

“President Obama has been labelled with this word by his opponents, and at first he rose above it, hoping that if he could just make a cause for what he’d achieved, his opponents would fail in making their label stick. But no matter how many successes that he had as president, he realized there were still many people for whom he’d never be anything more than that one disparaging word — a belief he knew was held not just by his political opponents, but also by a significant portion of the American electorate.

“And so he decided if you can’t beat them, you’ve got to join them. So he embraced the word and made it his own, sending his opposition a message they weren’t expecting: ‘If that’s what you want me to be, I’ll be that.’

“Y’all know the word that I’m talking about. Obamacare! That’s right! I said it and I’m not ashamed, and neither is President Obama!”

So, it’s raaaaacist to call it Obamacare. Even though Obama himself, along with many Dems Of Color, do the same. And media outlets. And that it seems that Jeanne Schulte Scott, a woman, apparently coined the term.

And it’s certainly not fair to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, two very rich white Democrats, and the numerous other Democrats who actually did the work to make this charnel house of a bill pass while Obama just gave speeches, that it’s referred to as Obamacare. But, hey, saying that word is raaaaacist. Unless you’re Melissa H-P, who isn’t ashamed to say it! Because she’s Very Brave or something.

Read: MSNBC: Calling It Obamacare Is Raaaaacist »

Posted in Barking Moonbats, Healthcare | 11 Comments | Trackback URL

Warmist: Climate Change Kills, So Let’s Charge Canada With Homicide

By William Teach December 8, 2013 – 3:01 pm

Well, this is obvious, since Bad Weather never happened prior to 1988 when atmospheric CO2 crossed 350ppm

Climate Change Kills, So Charge Canada With Homocide

It was several days before media reports and commentary on the havoc caused by typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines finally began to acknowledge a possible connection to anthropogenic climate change. While no single hyper-storm can be positively attributed to human disruption of the global climate system, climate models predict that extreme weather events will increase in frequency and violence. Unprecedented natural maelstroms like Haiyan provide empirical evidence that the models are likely correct.

So cannot be attributed, but Warmists, including the writer, William E. Rees, do just that. Especially with “hyper-storms” or something.

What continues to be almost entirely missing from media analysis is Canada’s role in all this, particularly the moral dimensions of the nation’s current economic development policies and those of several provinces (e.g., BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland). The facts are that:

1) on a per capita basis, historically and at present, Canada stands among the world’s top greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters particularly of carbon dioxide (CO2). Canadians are therefore as responsible as anyone else on Earth for human-induced global warming. (To argue that as a nation our emissions are only 2-3% of the global total is specious, essentially a form of denial);

Doom.

In this light, is it not time that we had a nation-wide adult conversation about just what is going on here?

Isn’t that what Warmists have been doing for decades? Seems your conversation, ie, spreading awareness, has failed. Especially since Warmists won’t take the plunge and go “carbon neutral” themselves, starting with giving up their own fossil fueled travel.

The Criminal Code (Section 219) is even clearer that lack of intent to harm is no defence if the damage results from conscious acts performed in careless disregard for others: “Everyone is criminally negligent who (a) in doing anything, or (b) in omitting to do anything that it is his duty to do, shows wanton or reckless disregard for the lives or safety of other persons” (where “duty” means a duty imposed by law). Indeed, “a person commits homicide when, directly or indirectly, by any means, he causes the death of a human being, by being negligent.”

So, all Canadian Warmists who haven’t gone “carbon neutral” should turn themselves in on murder charges.

Read: Warmist: Climate Change Kills, So Let’s Charge Canada With Homicide »

Posted in Climahypocrites, Global Warming | 9 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach December 8, 2013 – 1:00 pm

…is hot weather induced snow, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Hot Air Pundit, with a post on Danica Patrick not being amused. I bet the TrogloPundit isn’t amused, either.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

By William Teach December 8, 2013 – 9:17 am

Patriotic pin up Gil Elvgren

Happy Sunday! Cold enough for ya? Hopefully the pinup will warm you up, done by Gil Elvgren with a wee bit of help.

What is happening in Ye Olde Blogosphere? The Fine 15

  1. The Lonely Conservative notes that troop deaths went up with Obama changes to the ROEs
  2. Public Secrets notes that music teachers must be stopped
  3. protein wisdom says no unicorn parking
  4. Maggie’s Notebook has info on the real Nelson Mandela
  5. Legal Insurrection covers imaginary arrows that draw non-imaginary suspensions
  6. Jihad Watch highlights the Islamist moderates in Pakistan
  7. Fire Andrea Mitchell covers the director of Maryland’s Obamacare resigning
  8. Director Blue has Obamacare: The Game
  9. Diogene’s Middle Finger has a US spying logo that you have to see
  10. Capitalist Preservation discusses the knockout game
  11. American Perspective wonders about the way to a man’s heart
  12. All American Blogger provides a flashback in regards to Obama heading to Mandela’s funeral
  13. Atlas Shrugs covers sharia attacks in England
  14. Watts Up With That? heads into Denier Land
  15. And last, but not least, The Hockey Schtick exposes the dirty secret of “clean cars”

As always, the full set of pinups can be seen in the Patriotic Pinup category, or over at my Gallery page. While we are on pinups, since it is that time of year, have you gotten your “Pinups for Vets” calendar yet? And don’t forget to check out what I declare to be our War on Women Rule 5 and linky luv posts

Anyone else have a link or hotty-fest going on? Let me know so I can add you to the list. (BTW, since someone asked, the reason I leave links for the previous week up (or you might see a *) is because they are place holders for later in the day or for next weeks. Easier than rewriting all the time. Also, the listing order has to do with how they are added over time, not how good a post is. I just copy and paste from the previous week, then edit. If you see one of the *’s, go ahead and check out the blog anyhow, see if there is an update. I cannot update with my Android during the day.

Read: Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup »

Posted in Patriotic Pinup | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

Covered California Provides Consumer Information Without Permission

By William Teach December 8, 2013 – 8:04 am

Hey, why? It’s not as if President Obama and his team haven’t arbitrarily changed “It’s The Law” on a whim and gotten away with it

(LA Times) Raising concerns about consumer privacy, California’s health exchange has given insurance agents the names and contact information for tens of thousands of people who went online to check out coverage but didn’t ask to be contacted.

The Covered California exchange said it started handing out this consumer information this week as part of a pilot program to help people enroll ahead of a Dec. 23 deadline to have health insurance in place by Jan. 1.

I bet that they’re just trying to help, as Liberals so often want to do, and helping is more important than the pesky law, right?

State officials said they are only trying to help potential customers find insurance and sign up in time. But some insurance brokers and consumers who were contacted said they were astonished by the state’s move.

Try this in the public sector, including California, and see how fast you and your company get a visit from The Government, with potential civil and criminal penalties staring you in the face. But, this is The Government, and considering the amount of spying the federal government does on its own citizens, CoveredCa giving name, address, phone, and email info is a drop in the bucket. Don’t you understand, you stupid people who think the law matters, that they’re just Trying To Help? Sheesh!

Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, acknowledged that these consumers did not ask to be contacted by the state or its certified insurance agents. But he said the outreach program still complies with privacy laws and it was reviewed by the exchange’s legal counsel.

“I can imagine some people may be upset,” Lee said in an interview Friday. “But I can see a lot of people will be comforted and relieved at getting the help they need to navigate a confusing process.”

Well, OK, people might be comforted, so, everything’s just hunky dory. It’s not like people had concerns over privacy going all the way back to before Obamacare was passed or something.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.

Read: Covered California Provides Consumer Information Without Permission »

Posted in Healthcare | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

Android Today – Live Wallpapers

By William Teach December 7, 2013 – 6:43 pm

Four of my favorite live wallpapers

My Beach Free – I really should purchase the full version I use this one so much. Free is still awesome, and light on the processor and battery usage. Multi-frame viewing, relaxing beach.

Seasons Live – The name of this seems to change in the Play store based on the season, right now it’s called Christmas Live. Includes all the seasons, plus Christmas, Easter, and Halloween special themes.

Beach In Bali 3D – another great beach theme, a bit heavier on battery use than My Beach Free. Sitting on a beach front table in, well, Bali, with birds flying around.

Snowfall Free – Trees blowing in the wind with snow falling. I tend to use this one a lot on my tablet during the winter months.

I’d love a live theme that really takes into account the weather, but haven’t really found one I like. Yet.

Read: Android Today – Live Wallpapers »

Posted in Android | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

Fish Wrap: A Pay Raise For Fast Food But Cut Military Pay

By William Teach December 7, 2013 – 2:33 pm

It was just a week ago that the NY Times editorial board recommended put military compensation and perks on the chopping block. Now…

(NY Times) Unfortunately, job creation remains concentrated in low-income work, including in retail, restaurants and bars. It is little surprise that fast-food workers have been organizing and agitating for better pay. Their employers are adding jobs and earning profits, but pay is stuck around $9 an hour. A recent study found that more than half of fast-food workers rely on public assistance. A wage increase — the strikers are asking for $15 an hour — would clearly help them, and everyone else, because the public aid they require costs taxpayers an estimated $7 billion a year.

While they don’t specifically call for an increased minimum wage (though, interestingly, they mention Dems want to kick it to $10.10, which still isn’t a “living wage” according to libs and burger slumbers), we can all read between the lines. These folks deserve the money, cause, well, um, ah, they simply want the increase for no extra work. And they just want it.

The Times also wants to make sure there are no cuts in unemployment compensation, especially for all those who continue to be long term unemployed. Sure seems to be quite a few folks who are long term unemployed in the Obama economy, wouldn’t you say? The Times also wants an increase.in federal spending for all the typically all stuff, like infrastructure and job training.

Yet, they want to put military pay on the chopping block. The one thing that actually appears in the Constitution as a federal job duty.

Read: Fish Wrap: A Pay Raise For Fast Food But Cut Military Pay »

Posted in Economy, Wonky Media | 13 Comments | Trackback URL
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