An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
Archive for January 2010
It’s Not Just The Company That Suffers
Computer Theft Adds Up To $7 Million For Blue Cross Of Tennessee
The theft of 57 computers — most of them destined to be scrapped — doesn’t sound like big news. But according to a news report, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee is learning just how costly a single break-in can be.
In a story that appeared yesterday in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, officials at Blue Cross of Tennessee offered details on the aftermath of a computer theft — and a glimpse of the internal costs associated with the cleanup effort.
The break-in, which occurred in October, netted criminals some 57 computers stored in a vacated office building. Most of the computers were no longer in use, awaiting return to the vendor for their ultimate disposal, the report says.
But because the lost hard drives had not yet been erased, Blue Cross of Tennessee is now tasked with finding out what data was contained on them so that employees and customers can be notified of the loss of any personal information. Altogether, the theft might have compromised the records of more than 500,000 Americans, officials told the Times Free Press.
So far, Blue Cross of Tennessee has spent some $7 million on the breach, bringing in as many as 700 employees and contractors to analyze backup files and determine what data might have been lost, according to the report. The company might have to spend “millions more” to finish the job, it says.
“It was like water torture last fall,” Blue Cross vice president Ron Harr told the Times Free Press. “Every piece of information that came in was worse.”
Now this is one of those news things that cast blame on everyone. First, the criminals. “Thou shalt not steal” meant just that. If it doesn’t belong to you, you are not entitled to it. It’s that simple. Second, the company. Why were they storing the computers in a ‘vacated office building’? Was there no security? I’m fairly sure that all that info they failed to erase in a timely manner BEFORE stashing the computers was related to their customers, and such. $7 million is nothing to sneeze at y’know, even if it is a large health insurance company. And seriously, do you really believe this won’t result in higher premiums?
The moral of the story? Don’t steal. Theft adds to the cost of any product. When you decide to sue a company because you broke a fingernail, you are costing your fellow citizens. When you steal from store, the prices have to go up, to provide security so it won’t happen again. When you commit fraud, with an insurance company, you are stealing from those who truly do need the aid. And when you break into a building to steal, not just computers, but all the information that was stored on those computers, you hurt the insured.
I’m not real sure what happened to our society, but I don’t like it. Are there so many without a conscience now that people just blow off the harm done to others? Have we no shame anymore?
H/T: Commenter Eric
D.C. Loves Them Some Big Lies
A Speech Only Washington Could Love
The Foundry
The more things change, the more things stay the same. A little over a year ago, President Barack Obama came to office expecting to pass a “big bang” of policy changes all in the first year: health care, cap-and-trade, and banking regulation. With the big-bang strategy officially a failure, President Obama’s State of the Union address last night desperately tried to keep all of these legislative efforts alive while also acknowledging that the country has firmly rejected his policy agenda.
The result was an incoherent mess of promised tax cuts for small businesses coupled with the threat of tax hikes from his health care and energy proposals; more federal money to encourage banks to lend to businesses, coupled with new taxes on banks and individuals; the continued waste of his $862 billion stimulus plan and $2 trillion in new health care spending, coupled with a delayed and temporary spending freeze. As one of the longest State of the Unions in the past 45 years, we cannot cover everything here. But our crack team of Heritage experts did hit almost every issue last night, and you can read their full reactions here. Highlights include:
Us vs Them
Conservatives and Progressives. Huge Difference!
by J. D. Longstreet
Just a snippet:
Conservatives are a mixed lot, the same as Liberals/Progressives/Socialists. But for the most part, we are a people who base our political belief in the rock solid fundamentals that built this country. We believe the founders were honorable men. Flawed, but honorable. We believe they meant what they said when they wrote the constitution — and they said what they meant. We see no reason to change it one-way or the other. Unlike Progressives, conservatives do not believe the Constitution is “a living document” subject to radical interpretation by whim. What you see is what you get.
Most conservatives are morally grounded in the scriptures and we believe that is the root of all things good. But, even more important than all these, we believe there are absolutes, moral and otherwise. There are boundaries. We, for the most part, do not believe in moral relativity. It is either right, or it is wrong.
Read the whole post here.
Yep, we are all different, but we do have many things in common. We know the difference between right and wrong, and what we are seeing is a lot of wrong going on these days. Contrary to the lame stream media, and the wishful thinking of lefty bloggers, the Tea Parties are a success BECAUSE we know what is going on in our nation right now is so beyond wrong.
Rebuttal
Wanna read an excellent rebuttal to the Clown in Chief’s SOTU? Go here! 
No, I didn’t watch. I was too busy being in mega pain and having a pleasant dinner down at the main building. 
GRANNY!
Well Chris…..how does it feel to be a grandmother? LMAO Gotta admit, he’s a cutie. I’m just having problems with the mental image of YOU as a granny. Heh.
Meet Noah Ryan….popping into the world yesterday at a whopping 8 and a half pounds. OUCH.
Major congrats to the proud parents! Your lives are forever changed.
Ann on Finances
Can’t We At Least Get a Toaster?
by Ann Coulter
In the wake of the Massachusetts Miracle last week (“The other Boston Massacre”), President Obama adopted a populist mantle, claiming he was going to “fight” Wall Street. It was either that or win another Nobel Peace Prize.
Now the only question is which Goldman Sachs crony he’ll put in charge of this task.
If Obama plans to hold Wall Street accountable for its own bad decisions, it will be a first for the Democrats.
Jamaica – Day 7 – I Lived!
Off we went to play Tarzan and Jane. It was quite a nice drive, but I’m thinking road maintenance is not a high priority around these parts. Kind of pretty high up, well, other than the interesting abode in the forefront.
We get to the top, all set to get strapped in.
Problem…they didn’t have a harness for the Mr, so he gets a refund. If I hadn’t gone through with the whole shindig, I would not have gotten said refund. So, being the slightly wussed, brave soul that I am, I took them at their word when they said it was a short walk to the first platform.
State of the Union?
Well, it sucks! Big time! No matter what Obummer says, he owns the current state of affairs. That being said, I’m linking a few items for your perusal while the Mr and I are out, enjoying the sun, swinging through the trees like Tarzan and Jane….in their doddering years!
Obama, the god that failed
The Washington Times
President Obama said Monday that he would “rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president.” He will be lucky if he’s not an abject failure. There’s usually a reason for a presidency lasting a single term, as Mr. Obama’s slow-motion train wreck is demonstrating.
Mr. Obama took office with historically high approval ratings based on a combination of hope for his administration, reaction against President George W. Bush’s second-term unpopularity and a degree of irrational exuberance, best illustrated by Newsweek editor Evan Thomas’ cultish image of Mr. Obama “standing above the country, above – above the world, he’s sort of God.” For his first 100 days, Mr. Obama’s approval rating remained relatively high, and the percentage of Americans thinking the country was on the right track grew from about 10 percent the previous October to more than 40 percent.
Obama: “I’m from the government, and I am here to help you!”
J. D. Longstreet
The Obama Regime has set it sites on America’s Middle Class. And it has scared the bejesus out of them! You can almost hear the cries emanating from the Middle Class… “Please, Mr. President, STOP helping us!!!”
But that is not going to happen until Americans isolate Obama in the White House by ousting his congressional supporters in the Mid-Term Election this coming November.
President Obama Is Right, We Have A Spending Problem
The Foundry
Tonight in his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama is expected to propose a “freeze” on government spending. Obama’s spending “freeze” will only last three years, will not start until 2011, will only apply to a $447 billion slice of the federal government’s $3.5 trillion budget, and will not apply to any of the unspent $862 billion stimulus plan, his health care plan or the House of Representatives’ additional $156 billion stimulus plan. Despite all the loopholes, time limits and procrastination, the President should still be commended for beginning to acknowledge reality. And as a new report issued yesterday by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) shows, the reality is this: the U.S. government has an insatiable spending problem.
That should keep ya busy for a while. Discuss among yourselves. If we don’t fall to our deaths, I’ll be back.
Jamaica – Day 5 Update
Since I wasn’t able to get near the computer last night, and was actually too tired anyway, I’m giving a small update this morning.
Last night was the manager’s party for Sandals members. Yeah, we got a card and get points for staying and a free bottle of booze just for showing up to the party. Just think, we only need another 40 paid nights to get a free week. No problem mon, cuz we surely love this place!
Anyways, cocktails on the terrace with a local band, was nice.
We met other ‘evil smokers’, and all shared the ashtray. LOL It’s amazing how much friendlier people who smoke are, as opposed to those who don’t.
Right next door to the resort is one of the many unfinished buildings you’ll see in various states of completion.
The first time we came down here was right after a hurricane hit. I thought perhaps that was what happened to so many of the small concrete building with the rebar sticking out. Nope. It turns out that the interest rates are so outrageously high, people don’t borrow money from the banks to build their homes. They save up the money, get the foundation build. Save up more, start on the first floor. You’ll see a LOT of houses with the first floor finished, all painted in bright colors, with people living in them and the second floor no where near completion. Quite a novel concept….pay as you go, don’t you think?
We sat with one of the many managers, who happened to be the head photographer, and artist, Patrick. Patrick was an extremely interesting man. Since the Mr and I were sitting closest to him, we had a fascinating conversation, which, naturally, turned to politics. He described a situation here, back in the 70s which sounded very much like the direction the U.S. has taken, and is moving farther towards. Produce nothing, import everything. One example would be oil. While Jamaica has no oil, and obviously has to import, the U.S. has an abundance, yet we are not allowed to drill or refine our own natural resource. The powers that be would rather fund terrorism with our dollars by importing oil from countries that support terrorists, than providing jobs drilling and refining. Where’s the logic?
Yeah…What He Said
The Failed Presidency of B. H. Obama
by J. D. Longstreet
A conservative friend, early on in the presidential campaign of Obama, informed me that the man was an empty suit. There was no “THERE” there, my friend insisted. I was assured Obama was, and is, running a con game on the American people.
Now that I, along with all of America and the world, have had a chance to observe the man in action (actually, that should be “INACTION”… about the only action we have seen from him is his mouth moving during those hundreds of speeches he made over the past year) I have to admit there was more than a little truth to what my friend said. So far as getting anything done, well, what did he DO?
There can be no question Obama’s presidency is a failure. In my opinion Obama is a phony. He ain’t that smart and he ain’t that articulate. Take away the TelePrompTer and the man is clueless.
Dear JayS
Your comments will not be approved. Why? Well, it’s quite simple….you….are…..a…..MORON! You might as well stop wasting my time, and yours.
Jamaica – Day 6
This morning, when we woke up, it was a deluge. Yippee! Ya happy, Chris? Now, this could have been tolerated IF the internet hadn’t gone out too. What better way to spend some time than actually go eat breakfast. Novel concept, I know. It had stopped raining by then, so I wouldn’t melt. When I left the Mr to come back to the room, still, no internet. Still quite cloudy, and humid, so I passed on the sun thing….since, well, there was no sun to be seen. A book? Sure, why not! HUMPH! When I finally woke up, the Mr was back, the room had been cleaned, and it was POURING down rain again. Jiminy crickets! LOL
Tomorrow will be better. We’re going on a zip line….whatever that is. Hanging by a line over a canyon? I sure hope I don’t barf on anyone.
Oh…..My…..Word!
A very long time friend of mine came across some pictures from WAY back when, and I’m in shock! Were we EVER that young?
Sally, Tommy, and me? sigh….
Yeah, it’s an OLD picture! LOL Shaddup!
Jamaica – Day 5
Last night, we had a terrific dinner on the beach to celebrate the Mr’s birthday. Today, we went snorkeling. Well, he went snorkeling. I spent most of my time fighting the current and that stupid mouthpiece thingy. I think I ended up swallowing a couple of gallons of salt water. 
Ok, perhaps not that bad, but it wasn’t a pleasant experience, to say the least. We like it here better than Negril, but the snorkeling is much better over that way. I did manage to take a few pictures before I gave it up and climbed back in the boat. Gotta get ‘em developed though.
So, we get back to the room this afternoon, and who is waiting for us?
What is it with that stupid chicken? Yeah, he’s a mite fuzzy, but I recognized him. Perhaps Chris’ curse really IS working? Hmmm… Hey…woman! Behave yourself!
After a much needed nap, we decided to fore go the mega party going on in the parking lot, and headed over to a quiet little place on the beach side. Have to admit, it wasn’t the greatest fare we’ve had here, but it was edible. While sitting there, minding out own business, I heard a woman sitting behind us say, rather loudly, “Where’s the rest of it?” It took a few seconds for me to see what she was talking about. A young lady was being seated at the table next to ours, and I swear, she was wearing the shortest yellow slip I’ve ever seen in my life. I mean, seriously, even when men are commenting on the lack of cover, you KNOW there is an issue. I’m rather grateful she never felt the need to bend over!
Of course, there was the required towel critter waiting for us. I know what it is! It’s an elephant in a turban!
Granted, we haven’t really been all that active this trip, but it’s been extremely pleasant. It’s not that I’m not paying attention to what’s going in the rest of the world, just at the present time, I’m not giving a happy crap! Heh.
Better to Step BACK!
Step by Step
Incremental improvements are better than comprehensive reforms.
By Lamar Alexander
What are Republicans for?
Tough question. I can tell you what conservatives are for, well, at least THIS conservative. But Republicans. Most of ‘em don’t even have a clue themselves, so that would be almost impossible to answer.
For the Democratic senators who kept asking this question during the health-care debate, the only answer was for Mitch McConnell to roll a wheelbarrow onto the Senate floor with an alternative 2,700-page, comprehensive Republican health-care bill. Or a 1,200-page Republican climate-change bill. Or a 900-page Republican immigration bill. But people expecting that kind of an answer will be waiting a long time.
No bill, from any side, ever needs to weigh a ton. The weight of worry and disillusionment put upon us by these absurd bills need to see the shredder….and quick!
On health care, clean energy, debt reduction, and immigration, Republicans have been offering an alternative to thousand-page bills: going step-by-step in the right direction to solve problems in a way that re-earns the trust of the American people.
Step by step? There are problems that Congress has created, and yet they believe they can solve them? Give me a break!
The Democrats’ comprehensive immigration, climate-change, and health-care bills have been well-intended, but the first two collapsed under their own weight, and health care, if it doesn’t do the same, will be a historic mistake for the country and a political kamikaze mission for Democrats.
What has united most Republicans against these three bills has been not only ideology, but also that they were comprehensive. As George Will might write: The. Congress. Does. Not. Do. Comprehensive. Well.
A truer statement has never been uttered. I rarely agree with Senator Alexander. From what I’ve garnered, I actually disagree with him about 64% of the time. I don’t see him as a conservative in any shape or form. RINO would be more descriptive. My advice to the good Senator from Tennessee would be to work hard to get the government out of the way of We, The People. We are quite capable of saving ourselves, and do not need government intervention. Thank you ever so much.
