This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Mideast war widens as Jordan vows to destroy ISIS


Jordanians chant slogans to show support for government action against ISIS, carrying posters of the slain pilot and of King Abdullah II (AP)

For months I have been describing the Muslim versus Muslim war that has been growing throughout the Mideast, North Africa and South Asia. This week, the Mideast war has widened as Jordan begins to take revenge against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (IS or ISIS or ISIL).

Two days after a video emerged showing Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh being burned alive, Jordan has apparently declared all-out war on ISIS. Jordan began with airstrikes on Thursday, targeting ISIS training centers and arms and ammunition depots, in an air mission named “Muath the Martyr.”

The military, in statement directed at ISIS read on state TV, said, “This is the beginning and you will get to know the Jordanians.” Other messages called ISIS the “enemies of Islam.”

Jordan’s foreign minister Nasser Judeh said: “We said we are going to take this all the way, we are going to go after them wherever they are and we’re doing that.” This means that Jordan will be conducting air strikes in Iraq, as well as in Syria as before. The United States military is cooperating by speeding up arms deliveries and by moving search and rescue capabilities from Kuwait to Iraq.

The mood in Jordan has changed substantially. Last week, the population was split between wanting to stay in the American-led coalition and those wanting to withdraw completely. This week, the public seems to be united in favor of revenge. The National (UAE) and CNN and AP

80 million people exposed by massive Anthem Inc. data breach

The massive Anthem Inc. data breach affects 80 million current and former customers of the following health plans: Anthem Blue Cross, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Amerigroup, Caremore, Unicare, Healthlink, and DeCare.

The following information was apparently obtained: names, dates of birth, member ID/ social security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and employment information. Medical information was not obtained.

Unfortunately, there is no time limit on this exposure. Once hackers have your social security number and other information, they can use it for identity theft at any time in the future.

If you are potentially affected by the breach, you should go to the Anthem Inc. data breach FAQ and take steps to protect yourself. Anthem is offering its customers a free identity theft protection service.

Anthem says that they have a “state of the art security system,” but that seems to be a joke right about now. One problem is that social security numbers, birth dates and other information were stored in the database in clear text. If that information had been stored in encrypted form, then it would be useless to hackers. But, as an IT professional and a Senior Software Engineer, I know from my personal experience and the experience of friends that trying to convince management to encrypt this data is liable to get you admonished or fired. Something like that probably happened at Anthem, and now 80 million people will have to pay the price. As in other industries, stupidity has no limits in the computer industry. USA Today and Wired and Anthem Inc.

KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Jordan, King Abdullah II, Muath al-Kaseasbeh, Islamic State / of Iraq and Syria/Sham/the Levant, IS, ISIS, ISIL, Nasser Judeh, Kuwait, Anthem Inc.
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