Author: Shelley Powers

Categories
Documents

Lavabit Court documents

The company Lavabit shut down rather than give the government encryption keys that would expose all private communication related to its email server. This is the same server used by Edward Snowden.

The Lavabit founder, Ladar Levinson, was finally able to get the court documents related to this action unsealed, and they were posted yesterday. I was fairly sure that Kevin Poulsen of Wired’s Threat Level would post an actual copy, rather than just discuss them, and I was correct.

I’m also posting a copy in the interest of dissemination. I recommend, though, that you read Poulsen’s overview of the case.

Categories
Healthcare

Healthcare Exchange: 1 Shelley: 0

I joined the masses in attempting to access the new Healthcare Exchange yesterday. I thought I had an edge by creating an account with the system a few weeks back, but no such luck. Attempting to log in kept resulting in a blank page (which showed itself to be a “downstream error” when accessing the site using Firefox).

I noticed that the format of username that was acceptable a few weeks back no longer meets the criteria for new user names, so I don’t know if I have an account or not. And forget trying to use Chat to verify whether I need to create a new account, or can use my existing one (with its improper username format).

I expected glitches, but not such wide systematic failures, where people can’t even get access to the security questions to create an account. This breakdown isn’t the fault of Obamacare. This breakdown is, unfortunately, all too typical with large new systems developed with too many inputs from middle management and too little heed paid to experienced software developers. And way too little effective load testing.

Using Java doesn’t help. Java requires a very savvy tech architect, and well designed infrastructure. Even tiny fractures can cause big pile ups in a poorly designed Java system.

Regardless, I’m not going to bash the law just because of early system failures. I’m irritated at journalists and their pondering of “people giving up” because they can’t access the system. Hey boys and girls: people who want and need affordable healthcare coverage aren’t going to give up because of software glitches. Perhaps if the pundits would stop talking and start listening, they wouldn’t write or say such silly crap.

However, someone needs to be kicked in the ass behind the scenes of the Healthcare Marketplace.

Categories
Environment

IPCC Climate Report

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released its long awaited climate change report. An executive summary was released on Friday, and the complete but unedited report will be available on Monday.

Grist has an excellent collection of links to writings about the report, including a sprinkling from the usual skeptical sources. You really need to look no further than Fox News in order to find some of the loudest denials.

In other news this week, the GOP attempted to attach riders to gut new EPA controls on coal power plants as part of a ‘deal’ to raise the debt ceiling, while the federal government kicked off the process to auction oil rights in the Arctic. Ah well, at least the US government isn’t likely to board protest ships and keep the crew jailed for months.

Categories
Critters

Thank the NRA…for controlling overabundant elephant populations

update

NBC has cancelled Under Wild Skies.

The show—hosted by NRA lobbyist Tony Makris—isn’t being canceled for that episode with the elephant shooting, exactly (though that didn’t help). Instead it’s because Makris compared his critics to Hitler earlier this week.

Hitler. How quaint.

earlier

Those folks at the NRA…they never stop in their quest to do right by the world.

Take a recent story that’s been appearing in the LA Times, Huffington Post, and elsewhere. An NRA playbook man by the name of Tony Makris was recently shown on an episode of NBC’s “Under Wild Skies”, shooting an African bull elephant. “Right between the eyes”, we’re told, and then delicately sipping glasses of champagne after.

Glasses of champagne. Nice touch, that.

All sorts of folks are upset at the shooting, and at NBC for airing this NRA paid for extravaganza. But hold on partners, don’t let emotion cloud your judgement about what’s happening. Let’s look at the science behind this act.

The NRA has long been the Champion and Protector for hunters. Without hunting, we’re told, there would be too many animals for the environment and they’ll starve to death. So Mr. Makris wasn’t indulging in a fit of machismo, just because he could. Mr. Makris was performing a public service, and helping all elephants by culling an excess member from an overabundance of African elephants.

What a guy.

To give you some idea of how quickly Earthlings are exterminating elephants in 1980 there were about 1.2 million African beasts. Last year the estimate was at most 400,000 remaining. Since 2002, the African forested elephant population has plummeted by 76 percent. In Tanzania alone the population estimate in 2008 was about 165,000 — today there are fewer than 23,000 elephants left.

War Against African Elephants Rages On

In a highlighted reel from this week’s episode, Makris travels to Botswana and hunts an elephant, shooting this innocent and magnificent creature several times in the face before the animal dies, groaning as the host watches and laughs and makes small talk about other animals he wants to kill.

Wayne Pacelle, HSUS

Yup, that Mr. Makris, what a guy. And thank the NRA for bringing him to us.

Categories
Critters Legal, Laws, and Regs

TRO for all horse meat plants set to same date

Update on Front Range Equine Rescue et al v. Vilsack et al:

Responding to a filing yesterday, Judge Armijo agreed to set the expiration date for the TRO for Rains Natural Meats to the same date as the other two plants: October 31, 2013. By that time, Judge Armijo will have a decision in the case.

Rains Natural Meats has asked the court to include it in the bond set by Magistrate Judge Scott. In the meantime, the USDA has filed a Supplemental Administrative Record covering Rains. I have issued a FOIA for the associated documents. I am particularly interested in reading the communications related to not needing a wastewater permit from the Missouri DNR.

You can see all of these documents at Docs at Burningbird.

There was also a hearing in the Missouri court case related to Missouri DNR being prohibited from issuing wastewater permits for horse meat plants. I don’t have access to these court documents, but can guess from the docket filings (available on Case Net) that the purpose of the hearing was to expedite a decision on this case, too.