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#MOSen: Jim Talent Won’t Replace Akin and What Happens If Todd Akin Drops Out
Last question first, from Roll Call:
If Rep. Todd Akin (R) does drop his Missouri Senate bid within the next 24 hours, as the GOP establishment is pressuring him to do, at least his timing will be impeccable.
Missouri state law allows a nominated candidate to withdraw his or her bid for office by 5 p.m. on the 11th Tuesday before the election which, as it turns out, is tomorrow. If Akin does drop his bid before tomorrow’s deadline, the state’s GOP central committee would pick his replacement.
This statutory fact alone is why Republicans — from National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) to presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) — are coalescing around a 24-hour ultimatum.
Jim Talent won’t replace Akin
From the Washington Post:
Former Missouri Senator Jim Talent said he will not run against Sen. Claire McCaskill, even if Rep. Todd Akin exits the key Senate race.
“No, I’m not running for the Senate,” Talent told reporters attending the Republican platform committee in Tampa, where he serves as a delegate from Missouri.
Talent held McCaskill’s seat before she defeated him in 2006. He said he had been holed up in meetings discusisng the Republican platform and had received 15 phone messages about the Akin situation. But he said he not spoken to Akin. He called comments from Sen. John Cornyn calling for Akin to consider leaving the race “very appropriate.”
“He’s got a decision to make and he’s got to make it quickly,” Talent said. “He’s got to know the situation and he needs to sit down and make a personal decision.”
Which Virtual Desktop Interface Meets your Small Business Needs? Part Two
In the previous article, we saw that there are two common routes a small business can take to establish a virtual desktop connection, from Hosted Virtual Desktops, to Centralized Virtual Desktops. These require always-on internet connections, and involve remote storage of the Operating System files. If you choose wither of these two options, your employees need low-value, low-computational-capacity devices. In computing terms, these are called “thin clients“. Thin clients can be hardware-based – such as the manifold commercial solutions available from manufacturers such as Dell and IBM – or app-based, designed to run as a smaller device-within-a-device of, say, a tablet PC. While this is a wise choice for more simplistic virtual desktops, if you are looking for more robust software, consider some of the following options.
Remote-Synchronized Virtual Desktops. Remote Synchronization does what it says on the tin. It is remote: your employees can travel around with a thin client in most cases, and connect to the internet to access the server in a hosted or centralized fashion. However, not all employees are going to be able to maintain an internet connection at all times. This is where the ‘synchronization’ element comes in. Remote-Synchronization Servers keep an up-to-date ‘image’ of the state of their operating system – including all user files – on them at all times. If an employee is to venture outside of internet connectivity – say they’re taking a long road trip while writing for a magazine, but don’t need to be constantly connected – the server will ‘push’ the image over to the thin client. The image is then run ‘natively’ – that is, without connection to the server and simply on the device itself.
Why would you want this? For one, it’s great if your employees are going to be out of signal regularly, but you still want them to be able to work. For two, it’s useful if employees have to perform specific tasks that simply cannot be virtualized by a remote server. For example, design agencies often need to run the Adobe Creative Suite. This graphics intensive program is not suited for remote running, so it’s best if the ‘image’ containing the Creative Suite and associated files is pushed directly to the employee’s device to be run there.
Client-Hosted Virtual Desktops. It’s not entirely established whether or not ‘client-hosting’ can claim to be a genuine member of the virtualization community. The essence of client hosting is that clients ‘back up’ their image to a remote server every so often. Other than that, the remote server exists mainly to manage virtual images, and to ‘push’ them to clients when clients issue a request for the server to do so. This is often the virtualization of choice for the creative industries: the ‘backup’ process can happily run in the background of the client, and ensures an up-to-date series of images to be ‘pulled’ from a remote server at any time.
So that’s it! Hopefully, if you are a small business owner, this has given you some insight in to the world of virtualization. There are big money gains to be made and serious IT risks to be mitigated, so don’t hesitate to jump on board.
Which Virtual Desktop Interface Meets your Small Business Needs? Part One
If you’re a small business owner, you might be considering operating a virtualized set-up. Why? Because it allows any employee to connect to a single service that contains everything they need to do their jobs. For instance, if you run a delivery service, each of your employees could connect to a single database that keeps them up-to-date with new client calls.
In these two articles, we’re going to look at the four modes of virtualization, what they mean, and how they can be deployed to maximize your revenue. In each case, we’re going to look at Virtual Desktop Interfaces -vdi- as these are the fastest-growing way of serving virtualization to a community of users. They are, in effect, desktops – but how they work is subtly different to what you might be used to. When deciding on virtualization for your workplace, it is best to compare a few options which are outlined below.
Hosted Virtual Desktops. In this case, users (or employees) log in to a remote server (a computer they access across the internet) which is running the operating system. Their personal computers – referred to as ‘clients’ – act as if they were monitors attached by a very long, invisible cable. They do very little except send and receive commands – all the brute work is done on the remote server.
Hosted Virtual Desktop Interfaces are popular because they mean you can give your employees low-cost, low-capability devices and they will be able to access resources with the same efficiency as if you had given them ones of far greater power (and value). For those operating a business based around employing external contractors on a short-term basis, for example, this option makes sense. You can also very tightly regulate what people can and cannot do with the data in the system. If there are client phone numbers in the database, for example, you can be sure that only those to whom you grant explicit permission will be able to access them.
Centralized Virtual Desktops. Similar to Hosted VDIs – in that both require a constant internet connection to be maintained (or else you’ll be unable to do anything on the remote server), centralized VDIs differ in that the hardware is usually centrally-based. In the Hosted scenario, remote computers are usually leased from large server farms, and outsourced to external teams. Centralized servers are hardware you own. While this is more expensive – you have to pay to maintain it as well as keep it secure – it does offer an extra layer of security if you’re not happy with passing sensitive data (e.g. clients’ e-mail addresses or medical records, social security numbers etc.) on to a remote, third party provider.
In the next article, we’ll look at two systems for virtualisation that take a different approach.
Podcast: Ralph Kramden And The Ever Green Apartment
From Italian Tomatoes on Blog Talk Radio
It Was A Green Paradise, Thankfully Lost
We take a look at what life used to be like before the emergence of the modern consumer economy, using one of the classic 1950’s sitcoms as our muse. When The Honeymooners was filmed, America was making the enormous transition to a modern economy, made possible by the availability of affordable energy and consumer credit. Ralph Kramden was what they call in marketing circles a late adopter, although some might call him just cheap, which made for hilarious comedy. His apartment gives us a glimpse into what life is like without modern conveniences, for which green ideologues have such enmity.
Tune in to the podcast of Italian Tomatoes on Blog Talk Radio for a humorous look at “ the Green Paradise” and a discussion of the news of the week!
#NVSen: Moms Help Republicans on Medicare
From the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
As Medicare takes center stage with Romney picking Ryan for the GOP ticket, the Amodei example is proving instructive for Republicans – from the presidential race to the close House battles to the Senate contest between U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., and U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev.
The National Republican Campaign Committee thought so much of Amodei’s response to Medicare attacks that last week it put out a 10-minute video laying out how other Republicans could use the same strategy. Mike Shields, the group’s political director, narrates the video, entitled, “How We Won Seniors.”
“We always start off at a deficit on the issue of Medicare with Democrats,” Shields says. “Republicans still need to talk about Medicare. We need to feel positive about how we go about talking about preserving Medicare.”
Although the GOP thinks it has found a winning formula, a Democratic operative scoffed at the Amodei example, saying it can’t be replicated in other general election races in Nevada and nationwide.
For starters, the Amodei race was a special election, which attracts a small number of partisan voters – in this case mostly Republican, the operative said. The GOP had a 30,000 registered voter advantage over Democrats in the district, or about eight percentage points. So most voters were inclined to side with Amodei in the end.
Also, the special election turnout was only 33 percent, less than half of regular election turnouts. Of the votes cast in the race, 54 percent were Republican and 33 percent were Democratic, according to the operative.
Democrats still think they can win the Medicare argument – and big – mostly because the program is universally popular and any attempt to change it could run into fearful voters.
“The fact that Republicans have been reduced to drawing comparisons between Mark Amodei, who said he wouldn’t support the Ryan budget plan, to Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney and Dean Heller who wrote, endorsed and voted for the plan twice respectively shows a level of desperation around the Medicare issue that would be laughable if it wasn’t so bizarre,” said Zac Petkanas, a top Democratic strategist in Nevada.
“Making any comparison between a special election in a highly Republican district to a presidential election year is as absurd as comparing cotton candy to a pork chop,” he added. “All this shows is that Republicans are very, very concerned that their plan to essentially end Medicare is extremely damaging and undermining their chances up and down the ballot.”
#MASen Update: Scott Brown Ad “From The Road”; Elizabeth Warren Pretending to Ride a Motorcycle During a Campaign Stop
In Massachusetts, Scott Brown debuted his first “Scott Brown From The Road” television ad, highlighting his time growing up in the Bay State. The Brown for Senate campaign debuted the first in a series of “Scott Brown From The Road” television ads. The first ad is titled “Growing Up” and features Brown behind the wheel of his trademark 2005 GMC pick-up truck talking to the camera about his hardscrabble upbringing. The “From the Road” series will take Brown to different places across Massachusetts, where he will visit with people and talk about issues that matter. Each ad will open with Brown inside the cab of his truck, made famous in the 2010 special election as a symbol of his “regular guy” image.
- Additionally, the Washington Times reports that Scott Brown is a maverick who always fights for the Bay State. Persuading Massachusetts voters to elect a Republican to a full U.S. Senate term isn’t easy, and it has left Sen. Scott P. Brown blazing a lonely trail in Washington, where he’s spent much of the year voting with Democrats — or bucking both parties altogether. … That maverick streak has left him competitive in his race against Elizabeth Warren, a consumer advocate and Democrats’ nominee to try to unseat him this year. “For Democrats who are out for revenge, it’s harder to pin him down,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean.
- Finally, the Washington Free Beacon reports –Democratic Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren showed off her blue-collar appeal Sunday, pretending to ride a motorcycle during a campaign stop while several blue jean-clad bikers looked on with subdued enthusiasm. The feminist political organization Emily’s List, a major Warren supporter, posted the photo of Warren’s ride to Twitter Sunday afternoon. William Jacobson of Legal Insurrection compared the photo to the famous shot of onetime Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis riding in an Army tank during his presidential campaign against George H.W. Bush in 1988.
BA Spending Daily August 20, 2012
Obama is pressing Congress to act, part of an election-year strategy to portray Republicans as obstructionists. Republicans have proposed their own measures, but they have not advanced in the Democratic-controlled Senate. The partisanship has created a stalemate that Obama has tried to exploit during his re-election campaign. While the private sector has continued to create jobs, though at a sluggish pace, the public sector has been posting monthly job losses, contributing to an 8.3 percent unemployment rate. Obama’s plan includes $25 billion in aid to prevent layoffs of teacher and pay for other education jobs.”
#NVSen: Heller Responds to Nevada Unemployment Numbers
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) issued the following statement regarding the Nevada unemployment figures released earlier today:
“This stagnant economy is further proof that the policies coming from Washington are failing. The President’s healthcare law, stimulus, and constant threat of tax increases have stifled economic growth and job creation. These policies are making a tough situation worse. Nevadans have waited far too long for the President and Congress to deliver solutions – solutions that will create certainty for both individuals and businesses. Unfortunately, all the American people have received are broken promises and empty rhetoric. It’s past time we move our nation in a new direction. By reforming the tax code, reigning in burdensome regulations, and helping families stay in their homes, we can create an environment that encourages long-term economic growth and creates the jobs Nevadans have been asking for,” said Senator Dean Heller.
In July, Nevada’s unemployment rate rose from 11.6 percent to 12 percent. The unemployment rate in Las Vegas increased to 12.9 percent. The rate in the Reno-Sparks areas increased to 12 percent. Carson City’s unemployment rate increased to 12.2 percent. Elko’s unemployment rate increased to 6.7 percent.
Halo 4 Trailer & Bonus ‘Prelude’ video shows the work behind the game
Slash Gear -
Halo 4 is easily one of the year’s most anticipated games, and in order to make it as big and spectacular as fans are expecting, a lot of work had to go into it. A new video from 343 Industries gives us a glimpse of all that work. Dubbed “Prelude,” the video gives us a peek behind the scenes, showing a myriad of things the team at 343 had to do in order to get Halo 4 right.
The two-and-a-half minute video showcases just how much work has gone into creating Halo 4, from recording the soundtrack to filming the motion capture for the in-game models. There’s footage of programmers and designers doing what they do best, and we’re even treated to a glimpse at how the team records the sound of weapon fire. All of this is set to a rousing score that’s sure to give any longtime Halo fan chills.
Halo 4 – Prelude Trailer (Making of Soundtrack and In-Game Scenes)
Apple responds to iPhone SMS security vulnerability
The company says the threat of text message spoofing is a limitation of SMS. Oh, really?
CNET – Yesterday I reported on revelations that iPhones may be particularly vulnerable to an SMS spoofing attack. Basically, because of the way iOS handles text headers, a nasty person could manipulate the “reply-to” number to appear to be someone they’re not, like a financial institution.
Ever received a text from your bank on your iPhone? You may want to take a closer look and make sure it’s the real deal.
A hacker who goes by the handle “pod2g” says a security flaw has made receiving texts on an iPhone insecure since the inception of iOS, and that the vulnerability still remains in the latest beta of iOS 6.
The issue lies in the header of a SMS message, which includes both the originating number of the message and a reply-to number. According to pod2G, the iPhone only displays the reply-to number and loses track of the originating number, which creates a few possible problems:
– pirates could send a message that seems to come from the bank of the receiver asking for some private information, or inviting them to go to a dedicated Web site. [phishing]
- one could send a spoofed message to your device and use it as a false evidence.
- anything you can imagine that could be utilized to manipulate people, letting them trust somebody or some organization texted them. More
Yesterday I reported on revelations that iPhones may be particularly vulnerable to an SMS spoofing attack. Basically, because of the way iOS handles text headers, a nasty person could manipulate the “reply-to” number to appear to be someone they’re not, like a financial institution.
