Secret contract tied NSA and security industry pioneer

By Joseph Menn

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - As a key part of a campaign to embed encryption software that it could crack into widely used computer products, the U.S. National Security Agency arranged a secret $10 million contract with RSA, one of the most influential firms in the computer security industry, Reuters has learned.

Documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden show that the NSA created and promulgated a flawed formula for generating random numbers to create a "back door" in encryption products, the New York Times reported in September. Reuters later reported that RSA became the most important distributor of that formula by rolling it into a software tool called Bsafe that is used to enhance security in personal computers and many other products.

Undisclosed until now was that RSA received $10 million in a deal that set the NSA formula as the preferred, or default, method for number generation in the BSafe software, according to two sources familiar with the contract. Although that sum might seem paltry, it represented more than a third of the revenue that the relevant division at RSA had taken in during the entire previous year, securities filings show.

The earlier disclosures of RSA's entanglement with the NSA already had shocked some in the close-knit world of computer security experts. The company had a long history of championing privacy and security, and it played a leading role in blocking a 1990s effort by the NSA to require a special chip to enable spying on a wide range of computer and communications products.

RSA, now a subsidiary of computer storage giant EMC Corp, urged customers to stop using the NSA formula after the Snowden disclosures revealed its weakness.

RSA and EMC declined to answer questions for this story, but RSA said in a statement: "RSA always acts in the best interest of its customers and under no circumstances does RSA design or enable any back doors in our products. Decisions about the features and functionality of RSA products are our own."

The NSA declined to comment.

Its the season .

I don't think I am complaining, but watching the news, they give SO MUCH coverage, all channels, even the national stuff ............ of ............... giving .................... TOYS to the needy. Michelle Obama was giving toys to the needy, not sure where, a lot of Marines in dress uniforms surrounded her, and they all stopped giving gifts and "posed" for a picture. The ONLY news coverage is that, and, feeding the needy, clothing the needy, getting Winter coats for the needy, getting back to school stuff, for the needy ...... where to you sign up, I am needy. I want a toy, maybe one of those heliocopters, radio controlled, I can fly it all around the apartment here, maybe even outside. And, I want a Motor Scooter, with lights, I could ride it to Michigan or even over to Indiana, and like that guy here in town, get a big thing on the back and collect cans and sell them to get money to buy gas for my Motor Scooter, I could do so many things, if I just has a Motor Scooter. Does anyone have a drive to give Motor Scooters to the needy?

Is Barack Obama Using a Fake Soc. Sec. Number? Gov't May Be Forced to Answer

Get ready birthers, Orly Taitz has won a small victory for those of you who think Obama is not a U.S. citizen. It seems that the US government may have to answer to why it seems that the Social Security number the President is using doesn’t quite seem legitimate.

Birther queen Orly Taitz has been filing one lawsuit after another to try to “learn the truth,” she says, of Obama’s true background. Is he a U.S. citizen? Taitz says no and has been trying for years to find the smoking gun that proves it.

But this time she has a small opening toward that end. Taitz contends that Barack Obama is using the Social Security number of a man named Harry Bounel. Taitz has filed with the Social Security Administration to get these records but the SSA has stonewalled Taitz when she has filed for Freedom of Information Act requests saying there is “no information” in their records to send to her.

Unrelated but listen to this ..............

Hey, it's Friday ...

Friday

Friday morning, around 7:30. the world is very "quiet" outside, rather dreary, but warmer this morning.. I is "quiet" ... no TV or radio yet, I put my laptop on my lap, duh, where else, glanced down at the date ..... 12/20 ..... I was allowed to experience an old, old, momentary glimpse of myself, many years ago, "OH, five days till Christmas." I thank YOU for letting that happen, it was a beautiful experience.

Remember that "anticipation" when you were a child, you couldn't wait, it was agony. Oh, the wonders of youth. My Mom was responsible for many of those memories, it was she who made them special, her decorations around the house, the visits to friends, to church, it was she who wanted to make sure that we had good memories. I was fortunate to have a Mom and Dad like I did.

We had "carolers" last night, I didn't know who they were till they left, they handed me a little sack which I opened later on. Turned out they were the people who manage our apartment complex, it was a surprise when they knocked, they were singing "We wish you a merry Christmas," and it was a while till I got over the shock. It was an unexpected surprise. Unfortunately, their next surprise will occur when we sign a new lease, and learn of our annual rent increase, then I may sing to them, a different song, though. If I can't figure out some way to generate some income from the web, we may not be able to afford that increase. Ho, Ho, Ho.

I see the Mandela "signer" is hospitalized,  we have 35 Bowl Games to watch, $$$$$ and 25 more, probably all in warm climates. Ryan O'Neal gets the Warhol painting, it was his, and that's all he got.

Have a nice day ................. 

"I vanted to sprinkle it wit "nuts" but the president said no .... I thought it was appropriate"

Why doesn't just say it ... OH, he did!

Jack Wheeler is a brilliant man who was the author of Reagan's strategy to break the back of the Soviet Union with the star wars race and expose their inner weakness. For years he wrote a weekly intelligence update that was extremely interesting and well structured and informative. He consults(ed) with several mega corporations on global trends and the future, etc. He is in semi-retirement now. He is a true patriot with a no-nonsense approach to everything. He is also a somewhat well-known mountain climber and adventurer. 

Written by Dr. Jack Wheeler

The O-man, Barack Hussein Obama, is an eloquently tailored empty suit. No resume, no accomplishments, no experience, no original ideas, no understanding of how the economy works, no understanding of how the world works,  nothing but abstract, empty rhetoric devoid of real substance. 

He has no real identity. He is half-white, which he rejects. The rest of him is mostly Arab, which he hides but is disclosed by his non-African Arabic surname and his Arabic first and middle names as a way to triply proclaim his Arabic parentage to people in Kenya . Only a small part of him is African Black from his Luo grandmother, which he pretends he is exclusively. 

What he isn't, not a genetic drop of, is 'African-American,' the descendant of enslaved Africans brought to America chained in slave ships. He hasn't a single ancestor who was a slave. Instead, his Arab ancestors were slave owners. Slave-trading was the main Arab business in East Africa for centuries until the British ended it. 

Let that sink in: Obama is not the descendant of slaves, he is the descendant of slave owners. Thus he makes the perfect Liberal Messiah. 

It's something Hillary doesn't understand - how some complete neophyte came out of the blue and stole the Dem nomination from her.Obamamania is beyond politics and reason. It is a true religious cult, whose adherents reject Christianity yet still believe in Original Sin, transferring it from the evil of being human to the evil of being white. 

Thus Obama has become the white liberals' Christ, offering absolution from the Sin of Being White. There is no reason or logic behind it, no faults or flaws of his can diminish it, no arguments Hillary could make of any kind can be effective against it. The absurdity of Hypocrisy Clothed In Human Flesh being their Savior is all the more cause for liberals to worship him: Credo quia absurdum, I believe it because it is absurd. 

Thank heavens that the voting majority of Americans remain Christian and are in no desperate need of a phony savior. 

He is ridiculous and should not be taken seriously by any thinking American. But, make no mistake he still has enough power to destroy the American people and our democracy.

Matt Birk stands by his convictions.

By Sam Farmer
June 7, 2013, 8:09 a.m.

The retired, six-time Pro Bowl center opted not to visit the White House this week with his Baltimore Ravens teammates because he disagrees with President Obama’s stance on abortion.

The Ravens visited the White House on Wednesday, in keeping with the tradition of Super Bowl champions.

Birk, a Harvard graduate and winner of the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2012, is a devout Catholic and father of six.

He was particularly angered by what Obama said at the end of a speech at a Planned Parenthood conference in April: “Thank you, Planned Parenthood. God bless you. God bless America. Thank you.”

In an interview with KFAN-FM, Birk explained his decision to take a pass on the White House invitation.

 “I wasn't there,” Birk said. “I would say that I have great respect for the office of the presidency, but about five or six weeks ago, our president made a comment in a speech and he said, 'God bless Planned Parenthood.’

“Planned Parenthood performs about 330,000 abortions a year. I am Catholic, I am active in the pro-life movement and I just felt like I couldn't deal with that. I couldn't endorse that in any way. I’m very confused by [Obama’s] statement. For God to bless a place where they're ending 330,000 lives a year? I chose not to attend.”

Birk wasn't the lone Super Bowl winner to skip the visit.

Interesting Press Release

I know Jim, thought this was interesting and very perceptive of him to notice a wrong that has been happening for many years. I think he is absolutely right.

JAMES SNEDDEN, JR.


Candidate for
Licking County Commissioner
Press Release

On 4 August, 2010, James Snedden, Jr., Libertarian Candidate for Licking County , Ohio , Commissioner, filed a formal complaint with the Licking County Board of Elections, regarding the displaying of symbols representing only two of the political parties that appear on the ballot. He further stated that the Board of Elections also is a public Polling Place, and it was his impression that as such, no party or candidate symbols should be on display and visible to the voter.

He stated, “As you enter their office, displayed there, in plain view to the voting public, are a mule and an elephant. There are no other symbols or icons of political parties on display. This would suggest to the voter that there are only two parties to vote for. This to me is unfair, and actually gives the two parties an unfair advantage. If it is necessary to display symbols, then any party on the ballot should be on public display. Does the Board of Elections only represent these two parties, I think not.”

He felt that in all fairness, all parties should be represented, or if the County objected to that, then none should be on display. He stated, “I don’t think they intentionally did this, but all of the members of the Board of Elections are either Republican or Democrat, and no one has brought this to their attention, I doubt that they considered all of the other parties insignificant.”

Snedden also indicated that since this is not only a problem at the county level he was going to file another complaint with the State of Ohio .