Good morning!

Zaria: Speaking of showers, and privacy…and Mike, TM…speaking of computers and cell phones being hacked…

…a write From Think Progress:

Russian Officials Defend Decrepit Facilities By Citing Surveillance Footage Inside Hotel Showers

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak

Journalists, spectators, and athletes in town for the Sochi Olympics (which start today) have been reacting to their unfinished hotel rooms, dirty water, andunfamiliar lavatory setups with a mix of amusement and frustration on social media. Less genial are the Russian officials tasked with running the games, who have begun accusing their detractors of deliberately sabotaging the Olympic village in an effort to embarrass Russia. And they can prove it too, thanks to the surveillance cameras installed in visitors’ showers.

At least that seemed to be the admission from Dmitry Kozak, a deputy Prime Minister who is responsible for overseeing the Sochi Olympics. He spoke with theWall Street Journal about the endless stream of criticism, and was eager to offer his evidence that much of it is fabricated.

“We have surveillance video from the hotels that shows people turn on the shower, direct the nozzle at the wall and then leave the room for the whole day,” he told the paper. Before the Journal could inquire as to how Russian officials were able to see inside the showers of hotel guests, an aide stepped in and pulled the reporter away from Kozak.

Whether or not the claim by Kozak is true, Russia’s Olympic games are already rife with privacy concerns. NBC News reporter Richard Engel filed a report from Sochi on Tuesday documenting how hackers in Russia were able to gain access to both of his computers and his cell phone in a matter of minutes, and the U.S. State Department has issued a warning to anyone traveling to the games that they should have “no expectation of privacy, even in their hotel rooms.”

Not every Olympic venue is a disaster area. Most of the facilities being used by the athletes — both their accommodations and the event facilities themselves — were completed ahead of schedule and without missing doorknobs, ceilings or hot water. But the overall lack of preparedness has many wondering what became of the $51 billion that was spent on the Sochi games, more than every other winter Olympics combined.

Readers: Now…time to get off of my computer, which I am HOPEful it hasn’t been hacked, and off to go jump in the shower myself, which to my knowledge is sans cameras. Blog me.

Peace out.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Howie: I see you are up and running again. I look forward to the 3rd installment. It will be interesting to see what beings will respond to the Emperor’s sanction and who will risk not abiding by it. From what I remember, you don’t want to go against the Emperor, a being that has been unconquerable, not to mention a favorite of the Gods.

Mike, TM: Your comment was pretty disturbing. There seems to be so much effort put forth to harm. Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to just be nice, care, and do the right thing? Oh yeah, there’s no money in that.

From Mother Jones:

Update 1, Friday, February 7, 12:45 PM EST: An airliner from the Ukraine was forced to make an emergency landing in Turkey due to a hijacking attempt, AFP reports. Turkish officials told CNN that a passenger, believed to be of Ukrainian nationality, “said that there was a bomb on board” and wanted the plane to land in Sochi. AFP says that he was “brandishing a detonator.”

Update 2, Friday, February 7, 4:30 PM EST: The AFP reports that the man, born in 1969, was “apparently drunk” and only said that he was brandishing a detonator. According to Istanbul’s governor, the man did not have a gun or explosives. Ukrainian security services reportedly said, “The man will answer for his hooligan behavior.”

This week, Americans nervously descend upon Sochi, Russia, to cheer on their favorite athletes in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Members of the US team who have already arrived in the city say that with an estimated 100,000 security force members protecting the games, they feel safe. But US officials said on Tuesday that they are tracking “specific threats” to the games. And counterterrorism experts argue that the terrorism risk in Sochi is largely unprecedented, due to recent threats from active terrorist groups. They fear that attacks could take place outside of thesecured perimeter surrounding the event sites, particularly on public transportation or at checkpoints. While the Daily Beast notes that terrorism coverage could overshadow the successes of US athletes—and give terrorists free publicity—experts say that it’s warranted. “This is a very serious threat. It’s not overblown,” says Victor Asal, a terrorism expert at the University of Albany. He adds that if he knew people who were planning a trip to Sochi, he’d tell them, “Don’t go.” Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know:

​Who are these terrorists, and what do they want? 
The main threat to the Olympic games is the Caucasus Emirate, a loose network of Islamist terrorist groups that is located between the Black and Caspian seas in Russia. The Caucasus Emirate, established in 2007, aims to establish Shariah law in the region, but it only has suspected ties with Al Qaeda. The terrorist network is a partly an outgrowth of the First and Second Chechen wars, conflicts that began when Russia invaded Chechnya. “The human rights abuses committed by the Russians in the invasion of Chechnya were really extraordinary​, and the violence has come from these grievances,” Asal says. Initially, the group’s aims were nationalistic—secession from the Russian federation—but now, there is a growing jihadist component.

The group’s self-appointed leader is Doku Umarov, nicknamed “Russia’s bin Laden” (photo below). He’s seen only rarely, and Ramzan Kadyrov, the president of Chechnya, recently claimed that Umarov is dead. (He’s said this many times before, so terrorist experts aren’t convinced.) As of this month, that report has not been confirmed by the Russian government or the US State Department. While the network’s primary target is Russia, Umarov has also issued threats against the United States and Israel in the past, according to the US State Department. 

When has the Caucasus Emirate carried out attacks before? 
Terrorists affiliated with the Caucasus Emirate are believed to have carried out about two terrorist attacks per year since 2008, killing hundreds of civilians. Here are some of their more notable attacks:

• June 2008: A Caucasus Emirate militia group claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack that killed 14 and injured dozens in Vladikavkaz, less than 500 miles from Sochi.
• November 2009: The group bombed a train en route to Moscow from St. Petersburg, killing more than 25 people, including high-ranking government officials.
• March 2010: Two female suicide bombers connected to the group bombed the Moscow Metro, killing at least 40 people. 
• January 2011: Umarov ordered a suicide bombing at Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow, killing 37 people.
• February 2011: The Caucasus Emirate conducted an attack at the Mt. Elbrus ski resort, located a little more than 100 miles from Sochi, in which terrorits shot tourists and bombed a cable car. 
• October 2013: A woman associated with Islamic militants bombed a bus in Volgograd, about 600 miles from Sochi, killing at least six. (It has been suspected that she was associated with the Caucasus Emirate, but not confirmed.)
• December 2013: A subgroup of the Caucasus Emirate claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a train station, also in Volgograd, killing at least 16. The group also claimed responsibility for bombing a trolley bus in the same city 24 hours later, killing 18. (On Wednesday, Russia state media reported that Russian police had killed a suspected mastermind of the December Volgograd attacks.)

Have the Caucasus Emirate explicitly said they want to target the Olympic games?  
Yes. In July 2013, Umarov published a video urging rebels to ”do their utmost to derail” the Olympics. He characterized the games as “satanic dances on the bones of our ancestors.” Late last month, a subgroup of the Caucasus Emirate posted a video (below) showing men they said were the bombers responsible for the December attack on Volgograd, and threatened to give Russia a “present” at the Olympics.

Who are the “Black Widows” I’m hearing about? 

An alleged “black widow” suicide bomber Whitehotpix/ZUMA

“Black Widows” refers to women who have committed suicide attacks, reportedly to avenge spouses or family members killed by the Russian military. According to NPR, Russian police have been circulating fliers over the last few weeks, searching for suspected female terrorists—including a 22-year-old wife who police say was recently spotted in central Sochi. While women have successfully pulled off terrorist attacks associated with the Caucasus Emirate, some experts say the threat has been overstated, because just as many, if not more, men are committing attacks.

Can these terrorists really pull off an attack on the Olympic sites? 
Counterterrorism experts say that it would be very difficult, given the security lockdown known as “the ring of steel”—an area about 60 miles long and 25 miles deep around the Olympic sites. Putin has militarized the areas surrounding the games, with 100,000 police and members of the armed forces on hand, including special-ops forces to guard the mountains outside of Sochi. Only vehicles that are registered in Sochi are being allowed through the city’s checkpoint, and that’s after they’ve been searched. Drones are being deployed to survey the sites from the air, and the government will be snooping on tourists’ electronic devices. (On Tuesday, the Boston Globe reported that some of these security measures could be overstated, noting that a reporter’s bag wasn’t searched.)

What about outside of the ring of steel?
Experts say the risk is high. “The checkpoint has to stop somewhere, and if bombers get anywhere close to a checkpoint, it could have the same political effect in the media as getting into the Olympics themselves,” says Aki Peritz, a senior policy adviser for Third Way and a former CIA counterterrorism analyst. He notes that transportation to and from Sochi is particularly vulnerable, considering the attacks on buses and roadways by the Caucasus Emirate in the past. Daniel Treisman, a Russian politics expert at the University of California-Los Angeles, agrees: “The network will seek to stage attacks in order to demonstrate their capabilities. It is possible [a subgroup] could succeed. But I think they are much more likely to succeed somewhere outside Sochi than inside the security area.”

The State Department warns that while Americans aren’t being targeted specifically in Russia, “there is a general risk of U.S. citizens becoming victims of indiscriminate terrorist attacks.” The British government has been more explicit about the potential threat, putting out a map recommending that tourists avoid many areas outside of Sochi (bottom far left):

The United Kingdom’s Sochi advisory map

What weapons might be used?
Counterterrorism experts say that suicide bombers are likely the biggest threat. ”I think anyone who is going to be attacking the Olympics is going to have to assume that they’re going to be dead. It’s a suicide mission however you look at it,” says Asal, from the University of Alabany. However, in 2012, Russian security forces claimed that they’d found a number of sophisticated arms that they believed were planning to be used in an attack on Sochi—including “grenades, portable surface-to-air missiles, explosives, rifles and other weapons​,” NPR reported. Gordon Hahn, a counterterrorism expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies​, also told Foreign Policy to not rule out the possibility that regional terrorists have obtained chemical weapons from Syria.

How does this threat compare to those posed to Olympics in the past?
According to the New York Times, US officials haven’t been this concerned about security at the Olympics since the 2004 Summer Games in Athens. The paper notes however, that “the Greeks were far more receptive to help from American law enforcement and intelligence officials, who ultimately played a significant role in the security for the Games.” Treisman, from UCLA, says the most recent case that is comparable would be the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, which occurred at a time when the terrorist Basque separatist organization ETA was still active. Peritz, from Third Way, jokes that “it would be safer if we had the Olympics in North Korea. At least they don’t have an active terrorist group blowing things up.” (The most recentdeadly terrorist attack on the Olympics was orchestrated by an American at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics.)

What is the United States doing about all this? 
The United States has stationed two warships, which can launch helicopters into Sochi in case an evacuation is needed, in the nearby Black Sea. The United States is also stationing at least two dozen FBI agents in the area and may be sharing sophisticated counterbomb equipment with Russian authorities. US athletes have also been warned not to wear their uniforms outside of the secured perimeter. Several US congressmen, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers​ (R-Mich.) have expressed anger that Russia is not cooperating fully with US security efforts.

Is anyone actually staying home?
Several US athletes have said they are asking their families to stay home from the Olympics because of security concerns, including speed skater Tucker Fredricks, Minnesota Wild ice hockey defenseman Ryan Suter, and Wild forward Zach Parise.

Tucker Fredricks

Who says it’s safe?
Some US athletes who have arrived in Sochi already told ABC News on Monday that they feel safe there. “”We’ve had a lot of fun, and I don’t anticipate us being in any more harm’s way than going down the mountain in a bobsled at 85 miles per hour,” said US bobsledder Dallas Robinson. And last month, President Obama confirmed that he felt the games were secure, noting that ”the Russian authorities understand the stakes here.” However, he will not be attending with the first family.

******

Readers: Of course there are more men committing attacks. Do the “Black widows” have any choice? My guess is no. The men are behind the women making sure that they “do as told.” Like so many other women on this planet who have to succumb to the sick ways of men, “or else,” Russian women are being treated no differently.

Raina, Nadine, Tatyana, Nakkita, Zaria, Madina, et al: Reading your comments breaks my heart. Everyday I give gratitude for being born a woman in the US. One who can HOPEfully do something. The abuse all of you girls experience is palpable. I promise you are not forgotten. Be strong and be safe. Sending lots of love.

Igus: It is a sad state for gay men too, but at least you are a man. You have an edge that the women don’t. My suggestion would be for you to ban with the women, and support them. The women need more men on their side in support. If more women had a voice and a place of power in Russia, the gay men in your country would not be in fear of what is currently happening to you. But unless you help the women, why would they support you when it is men who are holding them hostage and abusing them. No doubt they are going to look after themselves first and who would blame them. Support your sisters to rise, and I believe change will happen for you too.

Ooohh…got to go now.

Peace & love: “Live it, Give it.”

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

New Job Scams, Car Theft and Facebook Tricks

Despite repeated warnings and work offers that are just too good to be true, hundreds, maybe thousands, of people still fall victim to job scams every week.

And sometimes it’s the simplest of scams that pull in the most money and victims.

Pyramid schemes are perhaps the best known. They work on the premise that each person has to bring in at least two more paying participants, who in turn must bring in two more — and so on until the whole thing collapses.

The lure is always that you can make a lot of money, fast — but that’s usually only true for the perpetrator of the scheme.

In one recent case, at least 65,000 people, mainly stay-at-home moms, were lured into a scam promoted in parenting magazine ads.

It was as simple as having to pay an upfront fee of $30 to $50 for a stack of postcards that victims had to mail out to people they knew, inviting them in, in turn, to sign up (and pay $50) to join the scheme.

If they signed up, the sender earned a payment of just $2, though fake testimonials claimed they could earn thousands.

Happily, this scam has been shut down by postal inspectors, but not before it pulled in an estimated $1 million for the alleged perpetrators.

Action: The message is clear — don’t pay to get a job, especially a work from home job, or one that promises easy big money.

Is It Locked?

Staying with rest stops, or at least parking lots in general, police are expressing concern about two new car theft techniques in which crooks intercept signals from remote locking devices.

In the first instance, seen mainly in Canada and the UK so far, thieves use a cheap device, bought on the Internet, to block the signal from a remote.

So, when the remote locking device is clicked, the lock doesn’t engage and the alarm is not armed. Once the driver is out of sight, the thief can simply then open the door and either steal the vehicle or its contents.

Action: After using your remote, check the vehicle is actually locked — or lock it with your key.

More worrying, in the US, is the growing use of devices which actually intercept and record the remote signal to keyless locks, which can then be duplicated.

So the car may be locked at first but the crook is subsequently able to unlock it by replicating the signal.

Action: Keyless-lock cars have a button inside the vehicle, which ensures it locks when you get out. Use that, rather than the remote.

Beware of Duplicate Facebook Friends

Now, a new Facebook scam to be on the lookout for.

In this trick, you get a “friend” request from someone who’s already a friend.

Their page looks like the real thing, with a genuine photo and often a list of other friends you already know — others who have been fooled into following the same imposter.

It’s not clear what the motives are for this trick but it could be an attempt to find out more about you or your friends, for the purposes of ID theft, or to set you up for an emergency or distress scam — you know, the phone call or message from a supposed friend or relative in urgent need of money.

Or the imposter may just want to spam them.

Action: Don’t accept a duplicate friend request. Message your friend using their original listing to check if it’s them.

And once you’ve confirmed it’s a fake, tell Facebook about it and let your other online friends know.

*****

Peace out.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Happy Chinese New year!

I realize this write was published before Obama gave the SOTU speech the other night, but do you think that will change anything? This is the repubs latest to repeal Obamacare. Don’t let the word “replace” in the title fool you. The repubs Patient CARE Act would repeal Obamacare in its entirety.

Again, from Think Progress:

The Five Worst Things About The New Republican Proposal To Replace Obamacare

On Monday, a trio Republican senators unveiled an alternative to Obamacare eerily similar to the one that former presidential candidate Mitt Romney proposed in 2012. The plan boils down to a rehash of boilerplate conservative ideas for “market-oriented” and “consumer-driven” health care reform — code words that really mean deregulating the insurance industry and forcing consumers to shoulder a larger burden of their health care costs.

Here are the five most troubling aspects about the new proposal from Sens. Tom Coburn (OK), Orrin Hatch (UT), and Richard Burr (NC), dubbed the Patient Choice, Affordability, Responsibility, and Empowerment (CARE) Act:

1. It would kick millions of Americans off of their health plans.

Right off the bat, the Patient CARE Act would repeal Obamacare in its entirety, meaning that the three million Americans who have already enrolled in new plans through the law’s state and federal marketplaces and the millions more deemed newly eligible for Medicaid coverage in states that expanded the program would lose their health coverage.

But that’s not the only part of the bill that would take away Americans’ health plans. The CARE Act would also make big changes to the way that Medicaid is funded by imposing a so-called “per capita cap” on it. This cap resembles a block grant and it would push states to cover a highly selective group of people through Medicaid, namely pregnant women, women with children, and the disabled, forcing most of the working poor to pursue more expensive private insurance plans.

2. It dismantles many of Obamacare’s core consumer protections.

Chances are, you’ve benefited from at least one of Obamacare’s consumer protections, like a free checkup, preventive screening for HIV, a mammogram, or no-cost birth control. Millions more will benefit in the coming years, thanks to the law’s requirement that individual policies sold through the marketplaces cover a broad range of “essential health benefits” like maternity care, mental health care, and prescription drug coverage.

Say goodbye to all that under the Patient CARE Act. The bill places no such requirements on insurance companies; in fact, it dismantles Obamacare’s prohibition on gender rating, meaning that women will go back to an era where they are charged $1 billion more for their health care on a national level than men.

3. It does almost nothing for Americans with pre-existing conditions.

Some estimates have shown that as many as half of all Americans have some sort of pre-existing condition. If you’re one of them, good luck getting insurance under the Patient CARE Act.

Under the bill, insurers can still turn away people with pre-existing conditions. The only exception is if you have “continuous coverage,” meaning you’re either already insured or have been able to maintain some form of insurance despite losing the coverage you had through your employer. The thinking behind this idea — which was also proposed by Romney in 2012 — is that insurers will be able to offer cheaper policies at the expense of denying health care to sick people. And while the plan does preserve Obamacare’s ban on lifetime limits on medical benefits, it allows insurers to set annual caps on care.

Coburn et. al. also allude to federal funding for so-called “high-risk pools” for the sickest consumers. But these are plagued with inefficiencies, long waiting periods, and are often prohibitively expensive for both consumers and the government. There’s recent real-world evidence to support those notions — Obamacare’s own temporary high-risk pool program ran out of money despite enrolling far fewer people than originally expected, forcing the government to stop accepting new enrollees.

4. It would make millions pay more for their employer coverage.

The Patient CARE Act would also amount to a tax hike for the more than 150 million Americans who get coverage through their employer. In an effort to encourage Americans to choose skimpier health plans, the bill sets a cap on the federal tax exclusion for employees’ health care.

Currently, workers’ insurance premiums are paid for with pre-tax dollars; under the Coburn-Hatch-Burr proposal, the exclusion would be capped at 65 percent, meaning everyone with an employer plan would have to pay taxes on 35 percent of their premium. If you have a more expensive health plan, your taxes would go up correspondingly. By contrast, Obamacare only imposes a tax on the priciest of health policies — so-called “Cadillac” plans.

5. It provides fewer subsidies to help Americans buy health care.

Coburn-Hatch-Burr does preserve Obamacare’s insurance subsidies in theory. But in practice, the bill pushes more costs onto consumers.

In lieu of Obamacare’s sliding scale insurance subsidies for people between the poverty level and four times the poverty level, the Patient CARE Act provides a flat subsidy that increases with age and is only available to people making up to three times the poverty level. That might work out for someone who is relatively healthy; but if you’re sick and poor, the type of coverage you need could easily be out of reach — particularly since insurers aren’t subject to the benchmark benefits standards of Obamacare.

*****

Readers: Patient CARE Act – the name in itself is a lie. Many won’t get care if this dismantles Obamacare. Let’s vote those guys out. Blog me.

Peace, Love & Good Health. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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Good morning!

In the words of Obama last night calling for a “Year of Action, ” he isn’t wasting any time.

From Think Progress:

We’re Just Getting Started

Big News on the Minimum Wage

President Obama hasn’t even taken the podium for tonight’s State of the Union address yet, but he’s already made big news when it comes to the minimum wage.

This morning we learned that the president will use his executive authority toraise the minimum wage paid by federal contractors under new contracts to $10.10 per hour. As CAP’s Neera Tanden said today, the move “will put more money in the pockets of hardworking Americans, who will spend it in their communities and help drive our economic growth.”

In addition to demonstrating the president’s commitment to creating an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few, which he recently called “the defining challenge of our time,” it underscores another theme we’re expecting to play a big role in tonight’s speech: action.

The current, Republican-controlled Congress is the least productive in history and has refused to even vote on popular items like universal background checks for gun buyers and immigration reform. Today’s announcement on the minimum wage shows that the president understands that we cannot afford to wait for a Do-Nothing Congress to help solve our country’s problems.

That said, the minimum wage is a great example of an area where a willing Congress can work with the president to immediately improve the lives of millions of Americans and help build a stronger economy with greater opportunities for all Americans. While the president’s executive action will help a lot of low-wage workers and is a major victory, Congressional action is required to raise the minimum wage nationwide.

Here are a few numbers to know about increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour:

73……the percentage of Americans who support it.

53……the percentage of Republicans who support it.

273……the ratio of the average CEO salary to that of the average worker. In 1965, CEOs made only 20 times the salary of the average worker.

$10.46……what the minimum wage would have been in 2012 if it had simply kept up with inflation since 1968.

$18.72……what the minimum wage would have been in 2012 if it had kept pace with gains in worker productivity since 1968.

$28.34……what the minimum wage would have been in 2012 if it had grown at the same rate as the wages of the top 1 percent since 1968.

$15,080……the annual earnings of a full-time minimum-wage worker at today’s $7.25 per hour minimum wage, which is $4,000 below the poverty line for a family of three.

17,000,000……the number of women, who make up approximately 2/3 of low-wage workers, whose wages would rise.

28,000,000……the number of workers whose wages would rise.

$32,600,000,000……the increase in economic activity during the period it is being phased in.

$51,000,000,000…..the increased wages that workers would earn while it is being phased in.

As you can see from these numbers, it’s well past time to raise the minimum wage for all workers. So when it comes to the president’s plan to raise the wages of federal contractors, we’re just getting started. The Senate is going to vote on a bill to raise the minimum wage for everyone, no matter where they live. It’s time for the House of Representatives to do the same.

And while we’re getting started, here are five other big ideas to help create an economy that works for everyone.

BOTTOM LINE: Raising the minimum wage will provide Americans who work hard a better opportunity to get ahead while giving the economy a needed shot in the arm. With a higher minimum wage, workers will have more money to spend, which in turn gives businesses more customers—helping them to hire more workers. This will kick-start a growing economy that will create more opportunities for those who work hard.

*****

Blog me.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

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All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"