From Cowboy Byte

A Byte of News For the Cowboy in All of Us!

Security Fail: Major Hacking Threat -  Carol Platt Liebau | Nov 19, 2013

This report reveals that Henry Chao, the official responsible for building Healthcare.gov, was not informed of serious security risks to the site, including the possibility of identity theft; unauthorized access; and misrouted data.  A CMS memo -- which Chao told congressional staff he had never seen -- concluded that "the threat and risk potential" to the healthcare site "is limitless." But don't worry, folks, the administration plans to have it all fixed by May 31, 2014 . . . or by February of 2015!  If that isn't scary enough, Fox News reports that a security expert has testified to a congressional subcommittee that "the [Healthcare.gov] web site has been hacked already or will be soon." Indeed, the four experts who testified to the subcommittee opined that, because of the security issues, Americans shouldn't even be using the site at present.

Fracking Bill Should Come Up for Vote This Week  - Heather Ginsberg | Nov 19, 2013

As the bad news for Democrats keeps coming, let’s add one more thing to the list. A new bill concerning “fracking” on public lands will be coming up this week for a vote in the House. The legislation would limit the Obama administration’s power to regulate this form of drilling for natural gas.  The legislation proposed by Representative Bill Flores of Florida would block the Interior Department’s efforts to issue new rules for fracking in states that already have their own regulations.

America Must Reclaim Its Energy Security  - By Gen. James T. Conway (Ret.) November 19, 2013

During the World War II era, America imported roughly one percent of its oil. Our nation's domestic oil bounty sufficiently fueled our military prowess, and that of our allies, as it vanquished the enemies of freedom in two separate theaters. While America's military remains the envy of the world today, our energy security has weakened. America now imports 50% of its crude requirements and faces an oil dependence crisis that threatens both our national security and our economy.  

NHTSA May Mandate That New Cars Broadcast Location, Direction and Speed - By Terence P. Jeffrey November 19, 2013

Before the end of this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will decide whether or not to begin the rulemaking process to mandate that newly manufactured cars include what is being called “vehicle-to-vehicle” (V2V) communications technology that constantly broadcasts via radio wave the car’s location, direction, speed and, possibly, even the number of passengers it is carrying.  “NHTSA expects to make a decision on V2V technology by the end of the year,” a spokesman for the agency told CNSNews.com.

GOP wins one for blue-collar parents in Louisiana

 President Barack Obama’s justice department has retreated one step in its campaign to impose racial quotas on Louisiana schools — and GOP leaders are claiming a share of the win.  “This is a huge victory for so many families and students whom the Department of Justice tried to deny the best possible education,” said a statement from Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, after a federal court in Louisiana announced that the Justice Department had changed the legal strategy it is pursuing against school vouchers.

Lawsuit: No basis for anti-Walker “John Doe” probe - by Cowboy ByteNovember 20, 2013

Seriously? Subpoenaed documents from dozens of conservative groups related to their activities!  Gotta see this:  Wisconsin conservatives are fighting back in court against what they claim are politically motivated subpoenas filed against them by a crusading special prosecutor. Inside sources tell The Daily Caller that the filings claim, among other things, that there is no statutory authority for appointing a special prosecutor under these circumstances, and therefore the entire proceeding should be abated.

Census Bureau accused of falsifying unemployment numbers - By: John Hayward
11/19/2013

If this story from the New York Post is confirmed, it’s one of the blockbuster stories of the decade. It looks as if suspicions that the Labor Department’s unemployment surveys include false data have been borne out:

In the home stretch of the 2012 presidential campaign, from August to September, the unemployment rate fell sharply — raising eyebrows from Wall Street to Washington.

The decline — from 8.1 percent in August to 7.8 percent in September — might not have been all it seemed. The numbers, according to a reliable source, were manipulated.  And the Census Bureau, which does the unemployment survey, knew it.

Reid’s finger on nuclear button - By Alexander Bolton - 11/19/13

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Tuesday that he is considering changing Senate rules to prevent Republicans from filibustering President Obama’s judicial nominees.  “I’m at the point where we need to do something to allow government to function,” Reid said when asked if he would consider using the nuclear option, a controversial procedural tactic for changing Senate rules.   The proposed rules change would not affect Supreme Court nominees, said Democratic sources.   The tactic would allow Democrats to change the Senate’s rules with a simple-majority vote.  “The Founding Fathers never had any place in the Constitution about filibusters or extended debate,” Reid told reporters. “This country operated fairly well for 140 years without filibuster protection.”