Panterra’s Corner Archive

Spy Vs. Spy

By
Panterra
Published: 09/03/2009Posted in: Panterra's Corner, Technology
Spy Vs. Spy

It’s as simple as pushing a button…and anyone can do it. Americans have taken their love of “reality shows” to a whole new level. With the ease of the Internet, an individual can now visit any of a number of web sites and purchase highly advanced spyware programs. And within a day or two, anyone with a credit card is hosting your own version of “Big Brother”.

Maybe it’s not so entertaining when it happens to you..and it’s happening to ALOT of people. These programs are so sophisticated that they can track your where-abouts via your cellphone. Guess what? These devices are still working even when you have turned your cell phone off! Imagine, you are having lunch with a group of friends and your cell phone happens to be laying right there on the table. While you have your meal, you and your acquaintances “chat” about your idiot boss. These devices turn your external speaker into a high powered receiver and whoever happens to be on the other end gets a real earful. Wow! How funny! Not if the person doing the listening happens to be that idiot boss!

These devices are extremely efficient and undetectable. Someone can be miles away and listening to your most private conversations. But, what if you could “check up” on that wild-eyed Romeo you are dating? Or find out in advance if that raise was headed your way…Would you do it? Many of us would, as long as we weren’t caught. It all seems so innocent when we aren’t the intended target. Actually it’s against the law, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping anyone from doing it.

Keep in mind next time you make a call, that no cellphone is secure. And there are now Cyber Forensic tasksforces organized to fight a growing problem. There are only two types of people out there in cyberspace, the spys and those being spied on. Which one are you?

Health Care Reform? A Contest Between Hope And Fear

By
Panterra
Published: 08/17/2009Posted in: Featured Story, health care, Panterra, Panterra's Corner, politics
Health Care Reform? A Contest Between Hope And Fear

A woman in Wisconsin pays over $700 dollars a month in insurance premiums, only to be told by her insurance company that the treatment for her breast cancer will not be covered. A couple in California have a son who is diagnosed with Leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. Before a match is even found the couple reaches their lifetime premium benefit limit. Given their limited finances, they appeal to the public…only to lose their son before funds can be raised. President Obama was recently quoted as saying, “If you think that this can’t happen to you, then think again!” when discussing the aforementioned events.

Forty-six million Americans are presently without insurance. For those with coverage, premiums have more than doubled in the past five years. And 90% of all insurance carriers have stringent caps on lifetime benefits. For most people, if you become critically ill and need your insurance the most, you will be faced with the realization that your care comes with a limit and a price tag.

If you happen to suffer from a chronic condition, such as a mental illness, you will soon also find that most psychotropic medicines are not available in generic form. And although you have insurance, you may be faced with astronomical prices that force many middle class families to decide to pay bills or buy their loved ones medication.

President Obama’s health care reform promises to ban arbitrary caps on lifetime benefits as well as eliminate the denial for coverage based on pre-existing conditions, it also promises to provide coverage for preventative care. And how will all of this happen? It hasn’t been made entirely clear by the President, although a lot of time and effort has been spent on debate of the issue.

Many fear that a radical change will only come with the dreaded raising of taxes. President Obama has repeatedly tried to assure the public that this will not be the case, except for those families in the $250,000+ tax bracket. President Obama claims that the changes will be paid for mainly, by subsides from federal health care programs that will be dismantled and revamped, as well as by discontinuing the kickbacks given to many insurance companies. But, I ask you…where did the money originally come from to pay for the federal health programs? Most likely from taxes.

We spend more on health care than any other nation, but where is it getting us? President Obama has been emphatic in stating that if we as a nation do not do something to control the raising costs of health care, we can not possibly hope to control the deficit. AARP supports the Reform initiative, while insurance companies and special interests groups fight tooth and nail to discredit and thwart the President at every turn. Insurance companies, whose profit margins are in the billions…yes, billions! They claim that premium prices must continue to increase or they will be forced out of business.

“Congress has great health care, so do I, says the President, but what about middle class America?”