Jo Sue Castellanos

Russian forensics firm ElcomSoft earlier this week announced that it has discovered a way to easily access iCloud backups of iOS devices, incorporating the functionality into its Elcomsoft Phone Password Breaker software. While the Apple ID and password must be known in order to access the iCloud data, once that information has been obtained the software makes it easy for investigators to download full iCloud backups and then follow incremental backups in near real-time to track a device’s use without the knowledge of the user.

ElcomSoft researchers analyzed the communication protocol connecting iPhone users with Apple iCloud, and were able to emulate the correct commands in order to retrieve the content of iOS users’ iCloud storage. It’s important to note that, unlike offline backups that may come encrypted and must be broken into (a time-consuming operation), data retrieved from iCloud is received in plain, unencrypted form . The 5GB of storage space can be retrieved in reasonable time, while receiving incremental updates is even faster.

Obtaining a user’s Apple ID password may not always be trivial, but ElcomSoft tools can also be used to capture that information from offline backups stored in iTunes. And of course if the user disables iCloud syncing on its device or changes the Apple ID password, remote access is lost.

ElcomSoft has been at the forefront of development of password-cracking tools, last year incorporating a tool to bypass hardware encryption included in iOS 4. Such tools are increasingly being used by law enforcement to aid their investigations as smartphones become increasingly common and collect a growing amount of information about users and their activity.

ElcomSoft offers several levels of its software, with the most powerful versions restricted to certain governmental agencies, including law enforcement, intelligence services, and other qualified forensic organizations.

Now that census data show — for the first time in American history — the number of white babies born exceeded by the number of babies born to non-white minorities the question is: What does this mean for the future of American society?

Politically, it means that minorities who traditionally vote overwhelmingly for Democrats can ensure that the country veers ever further to the left over the years, making America more like the welfare states of Europe, whose unsustainable spending led ultimately to finical crises and widespread riots.

But this is not strictly a matter of whites versus non-whites. Jews vote consistently, and almost as overwhelmingly, for Democrats as blacks do. Moreover, Asian Americans are by no means as likely as other non-whites to vote for the class warfare, tax and spend agenda of the Democrats.

Yet when all is said and done, the future political direction of the country seems painfully clear for these demographic trends, unless something happens to change the current correlation between race and political party affiliation. Moreover, even that may not be enough.

Even if Republicans can siphon off enough votes from groups that normally vote for Democrats to keep the two-party system alive, the preservation of the Republican Party is a trivial issue compared to the preservation of American society.

If Republican politicians save themselves by becoming Democrats under a different label — and appeal to minorities as minorities, rather than as Americans — the same policies and attitudes will have the same destructive effect on the American economy and society.

Refusing to cut back on entitlement spending, for example, means that the current generation can continue to enjoy government-subsidized amenities, at the expense of future generations who can be left to struggle to get necessities, after the money runs out and government’s promises can no longer be kept.

The growth of ever bigger and even more intrusive government means that the freedom, for which generations of Americans have fought and died on battlefields, around the world can be slowly but steadily lost within our own country.

Painful as such outcomes can be the dangers do not end there. A continuation of the current political tendency to take away the money required for national defense, and spend it instead on handouts that will win votes, means that our enemies around the world will have golden opportunities at our expense.

Again, the dangers may not be immediate. But they can be catastrophic when they catch up with us — and catch us unprepared. We recovered from Pearl Harbor at enormous cost, including the needless deaths of American soldiers, fighting for their lives with obsolete military equipment against enemies with state of the art weapons.

But even such sacrifices which brought us time to catch up during the Second World War, may not even be enough in a nuclear age.

What can be done now, to head off the many dangers in our current political policies and attitudes? There is not much we can do about demographic trends. But the changing composition of the American population is not, in itself, the fundamental danger. After all, vast millions of immigrants crossed the Atlantic for generations on end, and began the process of becoming Americans. Millions of black people likewise began that process after being set free.

Demography is not destiny. But the history of Balkanized and polarized societies in the 20th century is a history of horrors that we dare not ignore.

We are not at that terrible point yet. But that is the direction in which we are headed, under the spell of magic words like “multiculturalism” and “diversity,” which have become substitutes for thoughts, even among those who pride themselves on being “thinking people.”

Our whole educational system, from the elementary schools to the universities, is permeated with ideologies of group grievances and resentments, painting each group into the corner of its own separate subculture, instead of drawing them into the mainstream of the American culture that made this the greatest nation on earth.

Unless the fashionable Balkanization is stopped, demography can become destiny — and a tragedy for all. 

Rihanna To Play Villain In Fast & Furious 6

Rihanna will have a role in the upcoming movie Fast & Furious 6. Writers were impressed with her acting debut in Battleship and felt the villain role would suit her perfect.

Rihanna will be racing cars alongside Dwayne Johnson & Vin Diesel out in England where the movie will be filmed. The filming will start early next month.

With his recall election just three weeks away, Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker leads Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett by six points among likely voters, according to a new Marquette Law School poll.

Walker — whose law curbing collective bargaining rights for public workers in Wisconsin triggered weeks of protests last year and led to the recall effort — attracts 50 percent of the support to Barrett’s 44 percent.

Walker has widened his lead since last month, when he held a one-point edge in another Marquette poll. Barrett won a competitive Democratic primary last week for a chance to unseat Walker. Just 3 percent of likely voters say they are undecided.

It is rare to recall a governor in any state, and it has been done successfully only twice before. Unions will be particularly active in this election, given that labor issues led to the recall and Democratic operatives in Wisconsin are jumping at the chance to make history. But Republicans appear to be more enthusiastic about voting on June 5: According to the poll, 91 percent of GOPers say they are “absolutely certain” they will do so, while 83 percent of Democrats and 83 percent of independents say the same. However, Democrats — at 83 percent — are more likely to have been contacted by a campaign than Republicans (78 percent) or independents (76 percent).

“In a close election with so few undecided voters, enthusiasm, turnout and campaign contact with voters may make the difference,” said poll Director Charles Franklin in a statement accompanying the poll.

Notably, 50 percent of likely voters approve of the job Walker is doing, while 46 percent disapprove. Voters, however, are split between whether they like what he has done as governor.

Since April, however, there appears to be an increase in support for Walker’s collective bargaining law. By a 50 percent to 43 percent margin, voters want to keep it in place. Not surprisingly, 78 percent of Democrats want to restore the bargaining rights while 81 percent of Republicans are opposed. But among independents, 53 percent favor keeping the law in place, while 38 percent do not.

The Republican Governors Association has been going to bat for Walker in a series of ads hitting his Democratic opposition. The group released a television spot on Wednesday accusing Barrett of raising taxes during his tenure as mayor, and attacking him for increased unemployment in Milwaukee.

The Democratic Governors Association circulated a Journal Sentinel article showing that Wisconsin has lost more private-sector jobs that any other state over the past six months.

The poll was conducted May 9-12 among 704 registered voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. The sample of 600 likely voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

Caitlin Huey-Burns is a reporter for RealClearPolitics. She can be reached at chueyburns@realclearpolitics.com.

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Sex toy parties gained popularity in the 1970′s and took off in the ’80s and ’90′s. Women would get together and nosh and ship wine and listen to the presenter. At the center of the circle, a woman gives a presentation on her wares, sharing bits of knowledge with the hope that some of the women will choose to purchase her products.

I’ve just described a typical “party plan,” a marketing technique that melds a social event with direct product sales. Party plans are nothing new – Tupperware, Pampered Chef and Mary Kay have been around for decades.

This is different in that the consultant isn’t hawking egg slicers or lipstick. Instead, she’s sharing the buzz on the latest vibrators, lubricants and other bedroom accessories.

It’s a creative, blush-free way to bring these products to women who may be squeamish or shy. But are the attendees walking away with more than just a bag of sex toys?

Sex toy parties have been around since the 1970s, although they didn’t truly begin to gain popularity until the ’80s and ’90s. These days, such get-togethers have gone mainstream, and most women I know have attended at least one, often at bachelorette parties.

It’s estimated that there are tens of thousands of consultants in this country, working for Pure Romance, Passion Parties, Intimate Expressions or one of the many other franchises.

As with other party plans, consultants give product presentations, with the host typically receiving merchandise or a discount in return. But that may be where the similarities between sex toy parties and, say, Tupperware parties end.

Sex toy parties go beyond simple commercialism and can teach women about their sexuality, according to Patty Brisben, founder of Pure Romance.

“We are not about the sale of a product – we are about the education behind it,” she says. “Our mission is to provide a very safe environment for women to learn about and discuss sex and sexuality. The bottom line is that people will not use their products if they don’t know how to use them or are intimidated.”

In fact, party-goers may rely on consultants to expand their knowledge about sexuality in general: A 2009 study by researcher Debby Herbenick and others at Indiana University’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion found that sex toy party consultants are often asked for accurate sex advice and may even have backgrounds in health or sexual education.

Similar research by the same authors, published in the November 2009 issue of Sexual Health, suggests that such parties allow women to learn more about specific topics, including increasing desire/arousal, orgasm, erection and ejaculation, and vaginal dryness and lubrication.

“Female in-home sex toy party facilitators have the potential to provide a diverse group of women with opportunities to access sexuality information, products, and communication,” they write.

While other party plans might involve testing out a recipe or demonstrating a makeover, sex toy parties tend to have greater goals. Passion Parties, for example, are primarily geared to women in couples; their mission involves fostering “passionate monogamy.” Surprise Parties seeks to help women achieve sexual fulfillment. And Pure Romance focuses on female empowerment.

“Sex toy parties should be a platform for women who want to be responsible for their own sexuality,” says Brisben. “We are the place for women to start getting a better understanding of their needs, their wants, and their desires. And when you understand the mechanics of what makes you feel good and why, it allows you to know what to ask for.”

Whether you’re easily embarrassed or totally comfortable talking about your sex life, sex toy parties can be a great opportunity to chat with your girlfriends, learn something new, and become a little – or a lot – more in tune with your sexuality.

Who knows – you might even leave with a few new treats. Above all, have fun. Isn’t that what parties are all about?

CANTON, Ohio — Rudy is the quintessential average white guy, right down to his last name. “It literally is Guy,” he said, laughing at the irony.

Born in New Eagle and raised in Charleroi in Pennsylvania’s Monongahela Valley, Guy comes from a long line of Democrats. “My grandfather worked at Corning Glass, my father worked in the mines, the steel mill and finally at Corning,” he recalled. “The family always had union ties, and that usually meant a tie to the Democratic Party.”

That’s no longer true for him, however: “As my life started to improve financially, I realized that unions seemed to be damaging the economy and Democrat legislation always seemed to impact my wallet.”

Guy lives in a Canton suburb lively with soccer fields, businesses, car cruises and recycling programs. He has a blended family of six daughters and one son; his wife, Cheryl, is a nurse and a registered Democrat.

His story is not much different than that of those West Virginia Democrats who protest-voted for a convicted felon over a sitting president in last Tuesday’s state primary.

The problem for President Barack Obama and down-ticket Democrats on November’s ballot is that average white guys aren’t just found in West Virginia; they’re in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and other states, too, and they can tip this fall’s election.

According to Gallup’s latest battleground numbers, Obama’s main electoral strengths are with voters who are nonwhite, nonreligious, single or postgraduates. Republican Mitt Romney’s strength is with white voters, particularly men, those who are religious, and those who are 30 or older.

Romney leads Obama with white male and female voters and does significantly better among men, 59 percent to 32 percent.

Among white women, Romney leads by nine points, 50 percent to 41 percent.

Rudy Guy says Obama has lost his registered-Democrat wife’s vote: “Cheryl and I pretty much see eye-to-eye on the Republican Party’s legislation direction.”

Some Democrats like to portray the GOP as a party of white, middle-class, married Christian men. Interestingly, the president, who ran as someone who would unite the nation, has disconnected with the next largest plurality in the electorate behind women – white guys, men who once were the backbone of the Democratic Party.

These are the men whose skills include fixing the wiring in your home, mining the coal that supplies 82 percent of Ohio’s and 48 percent of Pennsylvania’s electrical power, and running the small businesses that keep our communities (and other small businesses in them) rolling along.

They make the widgets and fix the computers we use, own the lawn-care companies that tend to our neighborhoods and schools, volunteer as our children’s coaches, and attend church probably less often than they would like because of work or community commitments.

They are the sons, grandsons and great-grandsons of European immigrants whose commitment to work, family and God all held equal priority. College either was not an option or was skipped so that they could use their hands and their ingenuity to become gainfully employed.

Many also are employees of what today appears to be the next great economic frontier – the energy industry. Yet, oddly, they are ignored by Democrats, or used by the president to sell class warfare in his re-election campaign.

They did vote for him in 2008 – but the polls suggest they are not coming back this time.

The loss of the average white guy is why you see President Obama devoting so much effort on trying to encourage the college-educated young to vote, said Mark Rozell, political-science professor at George Mason University. “He needs to offset substantial losses among predominantly white, non-college-educated men who are a big component of those left behind by the struggling economy,” Rozell explained.

And the quintessential example of that is Canton’s Rudy Guy.

“It seems to me that Obama is intent on punishing anyone who is employed with a job over minimum wage,” Guy said. “In the last three years, I’ve seen my spendable income drop, my cost for health-care insurance go up, and my benefits go down.

“Three years ago the question was, ‘Are you better off now than when Bush took office?’ Most of us weren’t. But am I better off today than when Obama took office?”

His answer is simple: “No.” 

They’re both gearing up to release new albums, and Justin Bieber and Usher share the cover of the latest issue of Billboard Magazine.

The “One Less Lonely Girl” singer confessed that while he is all about taking risks with his new music, he doesn’t want to put anyone off by going too far.

“I don’t want to lose my young fans, but I also want to mature and develop. I always keep one foot out of my comfort zone, trying new things and experimenting – if you don’t, people will get bored. Seeing the smiles on people’s faces and how I affect them when I perform makes me want to give them the absolute best experience they can possibly get.

Meanwhile, Usher gave Bieber props for his flowing skills. “He’s always been a dope MC. C’mon. Easy. ‘Boyfriend’ was really the defining moment; it became No. 1 everywhere, which is what dreams are made of. Both of us are being modest about what our journeys have been in terms of songwriting: Justin really has participated in every writing session -that’s amazing. It’s easy to just dial something in, but if you make the music authentic, people feel connected to you as an artist from the beginning.”

And Justin returned the favor, sharing that he’s really benefitted from Usher’s mentoring. “What’s great is that in Usher, I have a mentor that’s been doing it so long and has been successful in everything that he’s done. He’s made some mistakes, too, but he’s learned from them, so he can tell me what to do and what not to do.”

Both Usher and Justin will be performing at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.

Dropping a brand new track just in time for the Mother’s Day weekend, Justin Bieber has debuted his latest single “Turn To You”.

In the emotionally charged song, the Canadian hitmaker utilizes a mild beat while belting out heartfelt lyrics in which he professes his profound love for his mom.

Among the lyrics, Justin recalls how hard his beloved mother worked to provide for him after giving birth at a young age.

The 19-year-old superstar sings out in the tune, “You worked two jobs to keep a roof up over our heads/ You chose life for me, no you never gave up/ I admire you for the strength you instilled in me/ You were so young, you were just my age when you had me/ Mom, you were so brave, there was nothing that would stop or get in our way/ And I know you will always be there for me.”

Continuing to give thanks for how she helped him become the giant success in which he is today, Bieber’s new song “Turn To You” is extra-special in the fact that proceeds from purchases are being directed to single moms in need.

Of the charitable plan, Justin tweeted, “Think im gonna release #TurnToYOU for my mom this friday for mother’s day weekend. the proceeds will go to help other single moms. Thanks”

The Mother’s Day weekend release comes as Bieber is readying for the debut of his new studio album “Believe” – which will be made available in the U.S. beginning June 19th.

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If you have researched working at home, I am sure you have run across some of the myths I am going to list in this article. If these myths have discouraged you from working at home, don’t let them. These myths have all been busted and shouldn’t stop you from working at home. Working at home is rewarding and a lot of time better than having to work outside the home. Here are some of the working from home myths you may have seen.

If You Have Kids, You Can’t Work from Home!

That is the biggest myth of all and let me go ahead and bust that for you right now! I have two kids, and often nieces and nephews at my house all the time and I work at home full time. My dear hubby works at home full time as well. Having kids should not stop you from being able to work at home full time. All you have to do is find you a quiet place to get your work done. You need to explain to the kids that you have work to do and they need to watch TV or do something quietly while you are working. Some people can work with the kids running around. I sit right in the livingroom with my kids and do my work. I can block it out. So myth one- busted!

You Will Make Thousands a Day Just Starting Off!

Wrong! The only way you will make thousands a day just starting off is if you are in the porn business or doing something illegal. Working at home doing something legal is not going to earn you thousands of dollars just starting off. You can earn an income that will pay your bills and once you learn the ropes, you can sit nicely. So myth two – busted!

Work at Home Jobs are Not Real

People think if you work at home, that you are not working a real job. This is one of the myths that makes me mad as fire. I work at home seven days a week, 14 – 16 hours every day. I promise you, it is a real job. And sometimes not an easy one. So, yes, work at home jobs are very much real. So myth three – busted.

You Won’t Make Real Money at Home!

This one is far from the truth too. You can earn real money from home if you know how to go about working from home. There are many things you can do at home like freelance writing, blogging, web design, and so on. It’s not fake money that pays my bills every week. I don’t think the light company would take fake money from me, so yes, you can make real money at home. So myth four – busted!

Don’t let myths discourage you from working at home. I have been working from home since 2005 and am very blessed because I can’t work outside the home due to a disability. So, instead of drawing disability, I sit on my couch every day and write tons of articles and tutorials every day.