What’s interesting in the news?
We’ve been busy digging out, so I’m behind on the news. This will be an open thread. You folks can catch me up.
I did see a couple that was caught my eye though.
1. From TheFreeBeacon “U.S. intelligence agencies last week urged the Obama administration to check its new healthcare network for malicious software after learning that developers linked to the Belarus government helped produce the website, raising fresh concerns that private data posted by millions of Americans will be compromised.
The intelligence agencies notified the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency in charge of the Healthcare.gov network, about their concerns last week. Specifically, officials warned that programmers in Belarus, a former Soviet republic closely allied with Russia, were suspected of inserting malicious code that could be used for cyber attacks, according to U.S. officials familiar with the concerns.
The software links the millions of Americans who signed up for Obamacare to the federal government and more than 300 medical institutions and healthcare providers.
“The U.S. Affordable Care Act software was written in part in Belarus by software developers under state control, and that makes the software a potential target for cyber attacks,” one official said.”
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2. From TheWashingtonTimes “Congress‘ mammoth farm bill restores the imposition of an extra fee on home heating oil, hitting consumers in cold-weather states just as utility costs are spiking.
The fee — two-tenths of a cent on every gallon sold — was tacked on to the end of the 959-page bill, which is winding its way through Capitol Hill. The fee would last for nearly 20 years and would siphon the money to develop equipment that is cheaper, more efficient and safer, and to encourage consumers to update their equipment.
It’s just one of dozens of provisions tucked into the farm bill, which cleared the House on a bipartisan 251-166 vote last week and faces a key filibuster test in the Senate on Monday. It is expected to survive and face final passage Tuesday before heading to President Obama’s desk.
Taxpayer groups say the bill could increase spending over the previous version and that it’s crammed with favors for individual lawmakers, such as rules legalizing industrial hemp. The heating oil fee was backed by Northeast lawmakers who said it would fund important research to benefit consumers.”
Let me fix that since accuracy matters. Northeastern fossil fuel hatin’ liberal lawmakers.
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Wandering Views 
They will do anything to try to reduce fossil fuel usage. They would rather kill eagles with windmills.
I get spams about oil discoveries in Nevada. Says we can be free of OPEC.
There is plenty of oil out there. We don’t need windmills. I am in favor if using solar when it is available. I had a solar panel on my house in Annandale.
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Yesterday I did not get to comment on the 100% gas vs ethanol gas. Around here they sell it as Marine Fuel, because ethanol will destroy a boat motor. It will also destroy a lawn mower. What I was told was that it moved through your car engine to do as much damage. I drive a 2006 Xterra. On a tank of ethanol gas I can go about 300 miles. On a tank of Marine fuel I can go about 400 miles. I can tell a difference in how my truck drives when I buy Marine Fuel and as much as I HATE to pump gas…. well I will pony up for the better gas.
I do have a confession to make…I have new car fever. I haven’t told anyone yet, but I dreamed about a new car the other day.
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I want to thank everyone who works in the oil and gas and coal industries. They fuel our cars, power our homes, churches and businesses and even help subsidize the silly schemes (wind, solar, algae, etc.) of the greenies.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2014/02/green_energy_not_fit_for_the_grid.html
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I’m still exploring the biblical earth stewardship site for the Cornwall Alliance which gave a long presentation at our church last weekend. They have a number of interesting articles on energy and the website is worth a look:
http://www.cornwallalliance.org
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Another story of a pregnant woman on life support: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/robyn-benson-on-life-support-as-husband-awaits-her-c-section-1.2520768
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Ethanol is one of the biggest schemes ever. Use corn for fuel. Oh, and don’t worry about the lack of food later. Don’t bother telling everyone that it costs a lot more to produce than it’s sold for, meaning the taxpayer gets the bill. If it were not subsidized, then it would cost like $5 or $6 per gallon.
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Chas, the farmers I used to sell vegetables for installed solar panels a couple of years ago, as have several other farmers in the area. They really do work, as I discovered when I was in West Africa. The panels we were using were about 20 years old and most of them worked very well; they didn’t take up a lot of space either as most houses only needed one or two sets of five panels, each about 2 by 5 feet. The batteries held their charge pretty well too, and I never ran out of power in my house, even when it was cloudy for several day during the rainy season. Several of the team successfully ran their fridges and freezers off them. Solar panels are a wonderful blessing, as many missionaries in isolated areas can attest.
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Solar panels here are for hot water and they work great. However on our mostly cloudy days, you may have a chilly shower.
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Solar panels are popular throughout the world in isolated areas since it eliminates the need for a power grid. It also allows people to produce their own power eliminating the need for monopolistic power corp. Great for developing nations.
Interesting article on inequality
http://thecontributor.com/economy/income-inequality-problem-no-one-wants-fix
1. The Beacon article is full of innuendo but little in terms of fact and sources. The most that can be said is that work is subcontracted by subcontractors and where that goes nobody knows — welcome to globalization. But I somehow doubt the Russians are interested in your hip replacement. Of course, if you want 100% certainty, you should do the work in-house but that would mean hiring more civil servants.
(Speaking of hip replacements, its estimated that the cost of a hip replacement in the US will get you at least 6 months accommodations, enough food and a hip replacement in Spain. A great deal if you are a senior who can afford a hip replacement)
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