ISU Computer System Hacked

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Wow, now ISU has had a computer break-in that possibly gave up credit card and social security numbers. That makes at least one in each of the three state universities in Iowa this year. Think we need to step up security?

A computer at Iowa State University’s Alumni Association was hacked into, allowing outside access to thousands of social security numbers and pages of credit card information, university officials said.

Officials were unsure if the hacker broke into the computer system in search of the information but that it was possible the data was accessed and misused. More than 2,300 student and volunteer social security numbers and nearly 2,400 credit card numbers were stored in the system.

Campus officials said they were notifying individuals about the security breach.

Update: The University of Colorado was just hacked too.

Betty Simpson Krebs

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Here's the obituary for Holly's grandmother:

BETTY SIMPSON KREBS

MANSON — Betty Simpson Krebs, 75, of Manson passed away Friday, July 15, 2005, at the Manson Good Samaritan Center.

Survivors include her husband Elmer of Manson; children Dwight Krebs, Dee (Larry) Snow of Manson; Jody Simpson of Rockwell City, Isabel (Jack) Presse of Stevensville, MT, Sue (John) Thoma, Gary Krebs and Dianne Krebs all of Fort Dodge; 14 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents Coil and Grace (Byers) Florea; sons Robert Simpson, Dennis and Randy Krebs; infant brother and sister Louella Anderson. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 19 at 10:30 a.m. the United Church of Christ-Congregational in Manson with Pastor William Howie officiating. Visitation will be on Monday from 4 until 7 p.m. at Larson-Weishaar Funeral Home in Manson. Burial will be in St. Thomas Cemetery in Manson.

Ken Mehlman: Spinning out of control

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Today's edition of Meet The Press had me yelling back at the TV, especially this bit:

MR. RUSSERT: One more point. I'll bring in Mr. Podesta. When one is given classified clearance, they are asked to sign an oath, and they are given a briefing book with form--Standard Form 312, it's called. And if you read this briefing book, it says this: "Before...confirming the accuracy of what appears in the public source, the signer of"--"SF 312 must confirm through an authorized official that the information has, in fact, been declassified. If it has not...confirmation of its accuracy is also an unauthorized disclosure."

So by confirming a story from Robert Novak or sharing information with Matt Cooper, no matter where it came from, if, in fact, it was classified information, without seeking to determine whether it was declassified, it is an unauthorized disclosure.

MR. MEHLMAN: Well, you're making an assumption that it's classified information. In fact, what the story on Friday, you pointed out, shows, and what earlier stories have shown is that this information at least came to Mr. Rove from journalists, not from a classified source. But, again, here we are speculating. We should have confidence. I have tremendous confidence in Pat Fitzgerald. He's a career prosecutor. He's a tough prosecutor. That's why he was put in charge of this case, because people want to get to the bottom of it. And that's why it is so outrageous that these partisan smears would occur this past week. The question is this: Do the people that are smearing Karl Rove not have confidence in Mr. Fitzgerald? Do they not think, in fact, he's going to get to the bottom of it? Or would they rather, than getting to the facts, try to make political gain?

Uh, the information can still be classified, no matter where you hear about it. I think Tim just covered that, reading from the book. The book was very clear. So the only question remaining is whether or not Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA employee was confidential. If Pat Fitzgerald (who Ken feels is competent) has been on the case for about two years now, I'd think he'd have established that the information was classified, or this investigation would have stopped in about the second day.

But anyhow, let's hear what Ken has to say about this prosecutor that he has so much confidence in:

MR. RUSSERT: You say you have tremendous confidence in Pat Fitzgerald.

MR. MEHLMAN: I do.

MR. RUSSERT: If, in fact, he indicts White House officials, will you accept that indictment and not fight it?

MR. MEHLMAN: First of all, I'm the chairman of the Republican National Committee. I'm not an attorney for anybody. The fact is I look forward to his getting to the bottom of this. I can't speak for...

MR. RUSSERT: But if he indicts White House officials...

MR. MEHLMAN: Right.

MR. RUSSERT: ...will you pledge today, because you have tremendous confidence in him, that you will not criticize his decision?

MR. MEHLMAN: Again, I'm not going to speculate. I have tremendous confidence in him. I look to getting to the bottom of this. Whatever he does, I can assure you, people are going to follow and are going to look to abide by.

MR. PODESTA: Just say "yes," Ken.

MR. MEHLMAN: But I think it would be inappropriate for me as the RNC chairman to say what legal strategy people may take in the future.

MR. RUSSERT: But if you have tremendous confidence in him, then you will respect and accept his decision.

MR. MEHLMAN: I look forward to hearing what he has to say, and I intend to respect what he has to say, but, again, I'm not going to speculate on what he might do.

Wow. Mehlman won't even put his mouth where his mouth is, never mind his money. So, the Republican line is this: the Democrats are using "partisan smears" and we should wait for what Fitzgerald has to say, but if Fitzgerald comes to the same conclusion (though we have utmost confidence in him) then he's obviously wrong too, and then we will attack him, despite our confidence.