Ace of Spades HQ

October 09, 2013

Bastards--Shutdown Theater Holding Up Death Benefits To Families Of The Fallen
— DrewM

When members of the US Armed Forces are killed their families receive a $100,000 "Death Gratuity". This benefit is supposed to be paid within days of the service members death.

Just before the shutdown went into effect the House and Senate passed and Obama signed a bill ensuring that members of the military would be paid and that benefits of all sorts would continue to be honored.

Tragically, 5 US service members were killed in Afghanistan last week. The Department of Defense tweeted(!) that because of the shutdown their families couldn't receive their payment.

Republican House members are outraged that not only is Obama refusing to pay the authorized benefit but won't answer any questions about it from Congress.

The GOP is going to pass another bill specifically designed to force the administration to pay the families.

Republican aides in Congress said that they were drafting legislation to restore the death gratuity and that it could be put to a vote as early as Wednesday. The aides also said they believed that last week's law had covered the payment.
"We gave broad authority to the Department of Defense to pay all kinds of bills, including this," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Tuesday afternoon. "And frankly, I think it's disgraceful that they're withholding these benefits. But again, tomorrow, the House is going to act specifically on this, and I hope the president will sign it."
But for now, the $100,000 government payment is being withheld for relatives of the five killed over the weekend in Afghanistan Â— four from the Army and one from the Marines.

I miss Jimmy Carter. Yeah he was awful but at least you never got the sense he was out and out anti-American. I simply can't say the same about Obama and his minions.

Here's the wording of the military pay law Congress passed prior to the shutdown. more...

Posted by: DrewM at 08:18 AM | Comments (182)
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Russians arrest notorious malware creator
— Purple Avenger

The guy was selling malware exploit kits to cyber-criminals

...Russian police have reportedly arrested a man on suspicion of masterminding two infamous hacking tools.
He is suspected of being the man behind the alias Paunch - the nickname used by the creator of the Blackhole and Cool exploit kits, sold to cybercriminals to infect web users with malware.
The Russian authorities have not confirmed the details.
But security firms said they had already detected a decline in the programs' use...

I'm betting they make him an offer he can't refuse. Go to work for FSB, or rot in the basement of Lubyanka for the rest of his life. more...

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 07:08 AM | Comments (219)
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NPS Shutdown Theater Update: Claude Moore Colonial Farm To Reopen
— Gabriel Malor

The Administration had cited the shutdown, claiming it had no choice but to shutter the Claude Moore Colonial Farm. Well, that is, until yesterday.

Funny, that. The National Park Service, threatened with political pressure and legal action, has decided that its act of barricading a privately-funded, privately-operated business was unnecessary. Let that sink in: for a week, the Obama Administration closed down this living history museum, costing it thousands of dollars, and now concedes that it didn't have to.

Managing director Anna Eberly said that NPS actually showed up yesterday to barricade her and her volunteers inside the Farm, but suddenly reversed their decision. "Just this morning we received the final absolute NO from the Dept. of Interior and were told the Farm would not open until the shutdown ended," wrote Eberly.

Fortunately, that wasn't the end of the story. Eberly explained that the NPS gave no explanation, "We have no idea why the NPS changed its mind but we are very pleased that they did and hope that every group trying to operate on Federal lands has the same happy outcome."

The Farm will be open starting today.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 06:10 AM | Comments (284)
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Wednesday Morning News Dump
— Pixy Misa

Follow me on twitter. more...

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 05:37 AM | Comments (188)
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Top Headline Comments (10-9-2013)
— andy

I find it really hilarious that the Obamamedia keeps pushing this BS line

what would have been the story of the week, in a non-shutdown/debt ceiling world.. http://t.co/p64vP7M2tj
— Rick Klein (@rickklein) October 9, 2013

Something tells me if it were called Bushcare, the leads on the nightly news would be something like, "Wow, those exchanges are messed up, huh? ... [5 minute report on how horrible they are] ... And in other news, the stalemate in Washington drags into its Nth day."

They choose what to focus on. Their protestations about why they're not focusing on a particular story are laughable.

Erickson has a piece on why we should push the debt limit fight into 2014 with a short-term increase. I disagree with him slightly on the reasoning (he says The GOP Establishment™ wants it linked to the shutdown; I see the Dems begging for it to be), but I do think this is the way to go.

Posted by: andy at 03:03 AM | Comments (359)
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October 08, 2013

Overnight Open Thread (10-8-2013)
— Maetenloch

The nightly chill in the air tells you what time of the year it is...

It's Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get my hands on some fucking gourds and arrange them in a horn-shaped basket on my dining room table. That shit is going to look so seasonal. I'm about to head up to the attic right now to find that wicker fucker, dust it off, and jam it with an insanely ornate assortment of shellacked vegetables. When my guests come over it's gonna be like, BLAMMO! Check out my shellacked decorative vegetables, assholes. Guess what season it is-fucking fall. There's a nip in the air and my house is full of mutant fucking squash.

I may even throw some multi-colored leaves into the mix, all haphazard like a crisp October breeze just blew through and fucked that shit up. Then I'm going to get to work on making a beautiful fucking gourd necklace for myself. People are going to be like, "Aren't those gourds straining your neck?" And I'm just going to thread another gourd onto my necklace without breaking their gaze and quietly reply, "It's fall, fuckfaces. You're either ready to reap this freaky-assed harvest or you're not."

Pop Quiz: How Much of the Federal Government is Actually Shutdown Money-Wise During 'The Shutdown'?

A. 94%

B. 62%

C. 28%

D. 17%

Answer Here: D. Just 17%

Which is why Pixy has coined the phrase, Potemkin Shutdown.

more...

Posted by: Maetenloch at 06:36 PM | Comments (478)
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Tales of the Shutdown Open Thread
— Ace

With staffing cut at the Congressional (taxpayer-paid) gym, some Congressmen must resort to a hellish existence just barely above that of vermin --using their own towels twice without laundering.

The gym was to have been closed, but the Architect of the Capitol decided to keep the facility open because several House members store personal items inside.
...
Members donÂ’t only have to pick up their towels Â— they have to reuse them for their showers, because there is no more laundering service.
Lawmakers, including some who live in their offices during visits to Washington and use the gymÂ’s showers to clean up, say they need the gym to stay open.
Â“This job is very stressful and if you don't have a place to vent, you are going to go crazy and that's why I've used it all these years,Â” said Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), who has used the facility since 1973.

Yeah I love this guy. I love the whole Alaskan Legacy Crew.

TNR's white (but that is obvious) writer Nate Cohn: people are mad about the dysfunction and the shut down, but in fact the backlash now is less than it was in 1996.

No matter how you look at it, the GOP is in a tough spot. Every post-shutdown poll shows that more voters blame Republicans than Democrats, by approximately a 10 point margin. But the numbers arenÂ’t great for Democrats, either. The share of voters blaming Republicans exclusively is well beneath 50 percent, suggesting that todayÂ’s persuadable votersÂ—the key voters on the road to 50 percentÂ—are angry at both parties. Other questions show broad dissatisfaction with both parties. A majority of voters say they disapprove of ObamaÂ’s performance on the budget; a majority of voters even say theyÂ’re Â“angryÂ” with President Obama, as well as congressional Democrats.

In 1996, he notes, nearly half (nearly a majority, that is) consistently blamed Republicans only for the shutdown.

Instapundit linked this article on quantum mechanics and maybe human consciousness (?) and it sounded sort of trippy but I didn't read it so here it is so I can find it later.

Not at Buzzfeed, but rather at NRO, here are ObamaCare's thirty biggest FAILs, and they're not LOL at all for the American Public.

Andy Levy was annoyed at this Sorta Not Safe For Work article about a 20 year old who's super-proud of herself for designing a t-shirt for American Apparel which features a crude line drawing of a vagina being masturbated at the same time it's, yup, also menstruating. That's why this is Sorta Not Safe For Work; that crude artwork (like the Beaver picture in Breakfast of Champions, except with some red for blood), is at the top of the piece.

She says it's empowering or something, then carries on like an obnoxious prat about how daring she is and how she's really waving her Freak Flag and upsetting the Squares.

VICE: What do you think of the media storm youÂ’ve started?
Petra Collins: ItÂ’s really awesome. IÂ’m not surprised. ItÂ’s exactly what I wanted because it totally proves my pointÂ…
And what is your point?
That weÂ’re so shocked and appalled at something thatÂ’s such a natural stateÂ—and itÂ’s funny that out of all the images everywhere, all of the sexually violent images, or disgustingly derogatory images, this is something thatÂ’s so, so shocking apparently. The graphic on my shirt is a line drawing, too. ItÂ’s not even a full-on image.
How did you react when the headlines started rolling in?
If you want to know my literal reaction, I was laughing really hard. I called my sister and we were both just like, Â“Oh my God.Â” Deep down it really saddens me, but itÂ’s also awesome that IÂ’ve just trolled the mainstream media.
...
I just saw an American Apparel ad on the City TV website.
[Laughs] The headline they used was, Â“Does this T-Shirt Graphic Go Too Far?Â” Talking to these news anchors is the best. The woman was talking to me in her news anchor voice and trying to avoid saying Â“vaginaÂ” and I would say, Â“Oh, the masturbation, vagina, and pubic-hair tee?Â” She had trouble saying it back to me. Vagina is such a scandalous word.
...
A lot of work went into this bloody-vagina line drawing.
Yeah, it was really hard! She actually gave me three drawings, and so I took those three drawings and made them into one, then watercolored the blood on.

Why do you think people get so grossed out by bodily functions that they take it too far and start oppressing people?
MenstruationÂ—and also pubic hairÂ—really freaks people out. ThereÂ’s pubic hair in the drawing, which I guess is super shocking to people, even though I cannot get over that. I feel like IÂ’m so sheltered in a way. I always forget that people are so close-minded.
Grown women are taught to repress their postpubescent body or hide it. When you start puberty and you start growing hair youÂ’re taught to shave it, because no oneÂ’s supposed to see it. With your period, itÂ’s something that you concealÂ—no oneÂ’s supposed to know. ItÂ’s almost pedophilicÂ—and I donÂ’t want to throw that word around. But this feminine ideology we have, of the woman being a prepubescent girl, is how weÂ’re taught to change our bodies.
...
That is interesting. Clearly, youÂ’re exposing people with this shirt, because anyone whoÂ’s offended only has one thing to say: Â“ItÂ’s gross.Â” But why is it gross? Are people just afraid of vaginas? Is that what it is?
[Laughing] Yeah, totally. It goes back to the woman being subordinate and the man being dominant in sex. Women are supposed to be submissive, weÂ’re not supposed to be in control of our sexuality, so I guess itÂ’s scary when a woman goes through puberty and gets hair and is able to take control of herself and her body.
ItÂ’s also so weird to me that female masturbation is totally different than male masturbation. Male masturbation is celebrated in movies and culture. In American Pie or whatever itÂ’s something thatÂ’s talked about, whereas female masturbation just isnÂ’t a thing.

Mm-hm. Female masturbation just isn't a thing, she said, as women casually discussed vibrators with near-strangers in public.

I have two takeaways from this:

First, as I always say, the sexual revolution was won about 30 years ago. But people with very low ambitions and fairly low intellects continue to do victory laps over it. They keep proclaiming they need to "free people from their restraint" in a culture awash in pornography, sex toys, divorce, affairs, etc.

It's obviously a way to draw attention to oneself, dressing one's attention-whoring up as some sort of Nobel Crusade to set people free of Sexual Restraint.

Who, exactly, in this year 2013 AD, is not sexually liberated, except for 70 year old ladies? Are we really determined to get them to rock a vibrator too? How much swings on this Goal?

The other thing I'd say is this: Like Miley Cyrus, this 20 year old has discovered Sex Is Awesome!!! and just wants us all to know that.

Yeah Sugar-Tits we sort of know. We've been enjoying it for years, but without quite as much Noob Squeeing about it.

Nothing like being told by a 17 year old how awesome beer is. Like drunkenness? Awesome!!! Like you get all effed-up, you know, bro? And then you just walk around all dizzy like, "Wha...?" It's crazy!

Yes. Yes it is. Now calm down, junior, and sit on a stable surface before you fall on your fool head.

And finally -- the most controversial cat in the world. Cobs such as Slu and LauraW. want to kill this poor cat with fire.

Posted by: Ace at 04:34 PM | Comments (460)
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Out: Land-Based Black Sites
In: Sea-Based Black Sites
— Ace

As Instapundit snarks, contact the Nobel Prize committee to let them know they done good.

It's so absurd.

Â— Instead of sending suspected terrorists to Guantanamo Bay or secret CIA Â“blackÂ” sites for interrogation, the Obama administration is questioning terrorists for as long as it takes aboard US naval vessels.
And itÂ’s doing it in a way that preserves the governmentÂ’s ability to ultimately prosecute the suspects in civilian courts.
ThatÂ’s the pattern emerging with the recent capture of Abu Anas al-Libi, one of the FBIÂ’s most wanted terrorists, long-sought for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Africa. He was captured in a raid Saturday and is being held aboard the USS San Antonio, an amphibious warship mainly used to transport troops.
Questioning suspected terrorists aboard US warships in international waters is President Barack ObamaÂ’s answer to the Bush administration detention policies that candidate Obama promised to end. The strategy also makes good on ObamaÂ’s pledge to prosecute terrorists in US civilian courts, which many Republicans have argued against. But it also raises questions about using Â“law of warÂ” powers to circumvent the safeguards of the US criminal justice system.
...
As of Monday, al-Libi had not been read his Miranda rights, which include the rights to remain silent and speak with an attorney. And it was unclear when al-Libi would be brought to the US to face charges.

If you read the article, which I frankly don't advise, it's pretty unclear how Serious You Guys This Is Better and Perfect!, when pretty much all the same things are being done.

Pretty much it's just Obama and his flacks insisting This Is Better Because Different Than Bush.

Posted by: Ace at 03:05 PM | Comments (160)
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Obamacare Site Resets All User Passwords In An Attempt To Fix Massive Login Problems
— JohnE.

Amateur hour. No worries though, it's just your personal and private healthcare information we're entrusting to these clowns.

Amid all the attention, bugs, and work happening at Healthcare.gov in light of the Affordable Care Act, potential registrants talking to phone support today have been told that all user passwords are being reset to help address the site's login woes. And the tech supports behind Healthcare.gov will be asking more users to act in the name of fixing the site, too. According to registrants speaking with Ars, individuals whose logins never made it to the site's database will have to re-register using a different username, as their previously chosen names are now stuck in authentication limbo.

Well, I suppose that's one way to try fix this. Generally speaking, the "your username got eaten by the computer machine or lost in the interwebs tubes so choose a different one, and no, we don't know what happened to the original" isn't a best practice solution. If I were a cynic, I might suggest they're just wingin' it at this point.

The contractors responsible for the exchangeÂ—CGI Federal for the website itself, Quality Software Systems Inc. (QSSI) for the information "hub" that determines eligibility for programs and provides the data on qualified insurance plans, and Booz Allen for enrollment and eligibility technical supportÂ—are scrambling to deploy more fixes.

Oh good, Booz Allen is involved. My confidence level in this program couldn't possibly be higher now.

It's not just the backend and portals that are causing problems of course, it's the front end too.

First of all, there's the front-end site itself. The first page of the registration process (once you get to it) has 2,099 lines of HTML code, but it also calls 56 JavaScript files and 11 CSS files. That's not exactly optimal for heavy-load pages.

Fifty-six javascript files? Good Lord. The smart and, frankly, standard practice is to minimize these files into a handful (or even two) CSS and JS files.

Navigating the site once you get past registration is something of a cheese chase through the rat-maze. "It's like a bad, boring video game where you try to grunt and hack your way through to the next step," one site user told Ars.

So, it's like Super Pitfall but with your healthcare. Fantastic.

Read the whole thing over at Ars Technica.

Posted by: JohnE. at 03:45 PM | Comments (283)
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Mens Rea: Lois Lerner Sent Confidential Taxpayer Information Through Private Emails
— Ace

Why is that important? Consciousness of guilt. It is a well-known trick of our Federal Masters that they will resort to using private emails -- safely immune from automatic record-keeping, and generally not subpoenaed (unless you know exactly what you're looking for) -- for their more, um, controversial missives.

We knew she had the actus reus -- the guilty act. But she could always say "Serious You Guys, I didn't know the rules, I made a mistake."

But here now the mens rea, the guilty mind. Why does this illegal activity just happen to occur in private email, if not due to knowledge it is in fact illegal?

Senior Internal Revenue Service officialsÂ—including one at the heart of the IRS Â“targetingÂ” scandalÂ—violated agency policies and possibly federal records laws by using private email to send confidential taxpayer information, the GOP-led House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said in a letter.
In a Sept. 30 letter to IRS Acting Commissioner Daniel Werfel obtained by the Free Beacon, Oversight Chairman Darrel Issa (R., Calif.) said an investigation revealed a Â“troubling patternÂ” of at least four top IRS officials using their private email addresses to relay confidential tax information.
Â“This not only raises the prospect of violations of the Federal Records Act but it also raises data security concerns and violates internal IRS policies,Â” Issa wrote to Werfel.
...
IRS policies prohibit employees from sending confidential taxpayer information through non-official channels. Federal statutes also strictly prohibit the IRS from releasing taxpayer information.
Additionally, federal employees are prohibited from using private email accounts to conduct official business, unless they copy their official accounts on such messages to ensure they are properly recorded.

If she didn't know that what she was doing was either contrary to policy or actually illegal -- a claim I expect her to make -- then why did it just so happen these actions were performed on her No One Knows private email account?

I tend to believe a guy who says "I didn't know this was wrong" when he does it right out in the open. When he takes efforts at concealment, then I'm not willing to believe he didn't know it was wrong.

In addition, you will not be surprised to learn that IRS officials did not inform Congressional investigators about these emails, although the knew about them, and despite being repeatedly asked for them.

Posted by: Ace at 02:11 PM | Comments (278)
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