Classmate Who Took Nude Pictures Of Miss Teen USA Caught By FBI

Handout photo of Miss Teen USA 2013 Cassidy Wolf posing for photos at ATLANTIS, Paradise Island, Bahamas

In August I reported on a sextortion plot against Miss Teen USA. Rather than give into  extortion, with threats to release nude photos taken through her webcam,  Cassidy Wolf went on several television shows to warn people about this threat from hackers who take control of  webcams on laptops. In the previous post I noted that the FBI was investigating. The FBI has found the webcam spy, who turned out to be a classmate of the victim. Ars Technica described how he was caught and Reuters reported on her reaction.

Jesse Pinkman Explains Why We Need The Affordable Care Act

Jesse Pinkman explained the benefits of the Affordable Care Act on Saturday Night Live last night. He talked about a school teacher with a family who developed lung cancer..

Republicans Add Limiting Contraception Coverage To Their Demands

Yesterday I pointed out how the Republican battles over the budget are not really over reducing the deficit. A new terrorist-demand from the far right does show how they remain dedicated to using the power of the state to infringe upon the rights of individuals–in this case the rights of women:

House Republicans have added a measure aimed at limiting contraceptive coverage to the spending bill coming up for a vote Saturday night, a spokesman for Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kansas, told CNN.

A senior House leadership aide confirmed that development.

The so-called “conscience clause” would allow employers and insurers to opt out of preventative care for women which they find objectionable on moral or religious grounds. That prominently includes birth control, which most insurers are required to provide for free under current Obamacare rules…

Democrats say the measure is unnecessary because the administration has granted exemptions to contraceptive coverage to religious nonprofit institutions. But advocates, such as Huelskamp, insist that all institutions should be able to opt out of any preventative coverage for women that they find objectionable.

The addition of the “conscience clause” ties a heated social issue to the already sharp shutdown debate.

Not surprisingly, Tim Huelskamp is a member of the Tea Party Caucus

Once again, House Republicans who ran on a platform to increase jobs show that they are more concerned with fighting the culture wars than creating jobs–even when the result of their actions is to harm the economy and increase unemployment. This also shows that the Republicans are not serious about coming to an agreement (at least with a little time left before the last minute). They know there is no way that this measure will be accepted by either the Senate or the White House. Hopefully Democrats can use this to their advantage in pointing out the Republican opposition to birth control, which most Americans disagree with.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, nobody’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the Teabaggers are in session.