For twenty years the secret code to launch US nuclear missiles was simply 00000000. 

This item didn't not get its proper due when first published: For almost twenty years the secret code needed to launch US nuclear missiles and start World War III, was simply 00000000.

It's like buying an attache case and leaving the unlock code at the factory preset 000.

This fact was originally revealed in a column in 2004 by then-president of the Center for Defense Information Dr. Bruce G. Blair, a former US Air Force officer who had manned Minuteman silos. It was also mentioned in a paper by Steven M. Bellovin, a computer science professor at Columbia University who teaches security architecture. Both of these sources were cited in an article on the site Today I Found Out written by  Karl Smallwood.

The codes, known as Permissive Action Links (PALs), were supposed to prevent the use of nuclear weapons—and the nuclear weapons under joint control with NATO countries in particular—without the authorization of the President of the United States. 

Apparently, this security feature was largely symbolic. For two decades, multiple US presidents carried around a briefcase with the allegedly constantly changing codes. The contents might as well have been a dozen copies of bathroom reading.

There is certain irony to this simplistic code. Image a Soviet spy learning that the launch code was 00000000. He or she would start over attempting to learn the code sequence because it would be so unbelievable. 

The U. S. military claimed  they worried about the possibility of command centers or communication lines being destroyed in real nuclear war, stopping soldiers getting the codes or authorization to launch missiles when they were actually needed.
So they simply left the security code for the weapons as eight zeros, getting around the security safeguards. This was the situation from 1963 - 1978. You know in the middle of the fun Cold War years. 

Ten years after the release of this information the Air Force has gone into loud denial mode, claiming this was never true. At the same time there is push in military to replace or rebuild its existing Minuteman arsenal and needs Congress to approve money to do so.

What should the next set of codes be? PASSWORD

Dr. Bruce Blair's 2004 Column
http://web.archive.org/web/20040404013440/http://www.cdi.org/blair/permissive-action-links.cfm

Steven M. Bellovin Paper on PAL
https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb/nsam-160/pal.html

Today I Found Out by Karl Smallwood

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/11/nearly-two-decades-nuclear-launch-code-minuteman-silos-united-states-00000000/

Nightline Wins-Late Night Ratings Battle

Nightline Scores a First in Late-Night Ratings Battle 

ABC's "Nightline" has achieved a milestone in the late-night ratings, B&C reported. For the first time, "Nightline" ended the 2010-11 broadcast season as the highest-rated late-night show.

It is the first time ever that the program placed first and beat CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman" and NBC's "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in  both adult demographic segments --  adults 25 to 54 years old and adults 18 to 49, the story says.

For the 2010-11 broadcast season, ABC News’ “Nightline” ranked No. 1 across all key demos: 

NightLIne - ABC

Total Viewers - 4.023 million  --  Adults 25-54 1.649 million -- Adults 18-49 1.277 million

Late Show - CBS

Total Viewers  - 3,489,000  million  --  Adults 25-54 -1,548 million  -- Adults 18-49 1,151 million, 

Tonight Show - NBC

Total Viewers  - 3,874,000  million  --  Adults 25-54 -1,596 million  -- Adults 18-49 1,274 million, 

according to Nielsen Media Research

For more information:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/469169-_Nightline_Tops_Broadcast_Season_For_First_Time.php

http://blogs.abcnews.com/pressroom/2011/06/ratings-report-for-abc-news-nightline-for-week-of-may-23-2011.html

The Lady That Fell Into a Fountain While Texting

Make the World Safe for Texters!

On ABC’s “Good Morning America” this morning, George Stephanopoulos spoke to the woman who fell into a mall fountain while she was texting. Accompanied by her attorney, she said she intends to hold all guilty parties responsible.

 Turns out that at the time this woman did her face-plant, she was under investigation for charging $5,000 on a coworker's credit card. Dunk her again!

http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2011/01/texting-fountain-ladys-viral-video-the-story-behind-it.html

So You Like Flying?

Up In The Air Or Not

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Continental Airlines

Continental Airlines has become the last of the big U.S. carriers to offer free meals for coach passengers.

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Airline Announcements United Flight Attendant announced, 'People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!

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On landing, the stewardess said, 'Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have.

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'There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane'

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Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: 'We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal.'

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An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a 'Thanks for flying our airline.

' He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment.

Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane.

She said, 'Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?' 'Why, no, Ma'am,' said the pilot. 'What is it?' The little old lady said, 'Did we land, or were we shot down?'

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As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: 'Whoa, big fella, WHOA!'

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After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, 'Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because sure as hell everything has shifted after a landing like that.'

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Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo , Texas on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it.
After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo . Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!'

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'Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments.'

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As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses......except for that gentleman over there.'

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After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix , the attendant came on with, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate.

And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal..'

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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics released the following air travel 2009 facts:
*) 703.9 million travelers
*) U.S. airlines flew 6.6% fewer domestic and international flights than in 2008
*) U.S. flights were on average 80.4% full system wide
*) Airlines expected to lose $2.8 billion in 2010.

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Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: 'We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways.'

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The Yankees Other Paper Parade

The New York Yankees won the 2009 World Series in 4 out of 6 games, which was a minor sweep of the Philadelphia.

On November 6, 2009 a Ticker Tape parade was thrown to honor their 27th World Series victory with speeches and award ceremonies at City Hall, but afterwards, like the end of any great party, there comes the clean-up.

Cleaning up after a party is hard to do unless you are New York City.

The parade and clean up cost about $340, 000 with most of that money donated from private sources.

Found during the big clean-up parade of the confetti debris was some medical records, financial statements and court records.

Some critics, who did not seem to live in New York City, said it would take weeks to clean up the paper. It was gone within hours.

It was a great up-lift for a financially stressed city. And next year? Go Mets!

Where Have All the Girl Scout Cookies Gone? Check eBay

Billions of dollars in commerce have moved online, but the Girl Scouts of the USA still strongly discourages its scouts -- or their parents -- from selling cookies on the internet.

Auctioning cookies on eBay is not what the organization's leadership has in mind for Girl Scouts, who are supposed to learn social skills and confidence from the experience. "Everyone thinks about the cookies and the money," said Michele Riggio, a spokeswoman for the organization. "But cookies are an activity first and foremost."

Meanwhile, a number of web-savvy merchants have picked up the slack online during this cookie season. A quick search on eBay returns at least a hundred listings for Girl Scout cookies.

Some sellers claim that they're selling on behalf of their kids.

In any event, eBay merchants are addressing a huge market: the Girl Scouts of the USA sell about 200 million boxes of Girl Scout cookies every year, generating about $700 million in revenue.

And although resales are a violation of the organization's policy, the Girl Scouts has not contacted eBay or sellers about pulling down the listings.

Hani Durzy, an eBay spokesman, said: "As far as eBay is concerned, these cookies are private property. We are not going to ban people from reselling them." He added that employees in eBay's corporate offices in San Jose, Calif., were "up to their ears in cookies."

Full Story:
http://blog.wired.com/business/2008/03/ebay-sellers-pi.html

http://home.search.ebay.com/girl-scout-cookies_Cookies-Biscotti_

Thanks to Visible 0

Priests To Purify Site After Bush Visit

GUATEMALA CITY - Mayan priests will purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits next week, an official with close ties to the group said Thursday.

"That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture," Juan Tiney, the director of a Mayan nongovernmental organization with close ties to Mayan religious and political leaders, said Thursday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/guatemala_bush_purification

Contributed by the videoddgrapher