Today’s Links: October 12, 2012

OPINION

PETE PETERSON: “Should Romney Seek the Public Sector Vote?”
“At first blush, the headline on the Government Executive websiteseems unsurprising: ‘Poll: Obama leads Romney among government workers.’ The article quotes Rasmussen Reports, which found that of the public sector employees polled, 54 percent said they would vote for President Obama, while 37 percent said they would vote for Republican challenger Mitt Romney. But a deeper look into the responses gives a sense of the size of this demographic, and demonstrates why the Republican ticket should take government workers seriously if they want to win.”

WILL OREMUS: “Reddit Moderators Ban Gawker In Solidarity With Creepy Porn Purveyor”
“I find it very difficult indeed to understand how you can be so concerned with Violentacrez’* privacy and so thoroughly unconcerned with the privacy of the young girls and women whose photographs he propagated on the site.[…] Indignant Reddit users’ party line is that the women unwittingly featured in r/creepshots had no expectation of privacy, because they were presumably in public when the photos were taken. Thus, there’s nothing illegal about the photos—whereas Chen’s plan to write a story exposing Violentacrez was blackmail. Or something.”

SCOT W. ATLAS: “What Do Actual Doctors Think About Obamacare Now?”
“[C]ontrary to those doctors selected to legitimize ObamaCare in the staged media event (where the White House actually handed out white lab coats to generate the image of official credibility), an overwhelming 70 percent of doctors said, even back in 2011, that they disagreed with the AMA’s position on health reform, while only 13 percent agreed with it.  In fact, almost half of doctors in that survey even went so far as to say that the AMA stance on ObamaCare was the factor causing them to drop AMA membership.”

NEWS

CYBERSECURITY – Panetta Warns of Dire Threat of Cyberattack on U.S.
“Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta warned Thursday that the United States was facing the possibility of a “cyber-Pearl Harbor” and was increasingly vulnerable to foreign computer hackers who could dismantle the nation’s power grid, transportation system, financial networks and government.”

ECONOMICS – The Spread of Priority Queueing
“Take the Six Flags White Water amusement park in Atlanta, which implemented a priority queue system in 2011. Some guests simply queue up for their rides. Those who purchase green-and-gold wrist bands – fitted with radio frequency technology – are able to swim in the pool or eat snacks before being alerted to their turn. Guests who pay an even higher fee – roughly double the price of admission – get the gold flash pass, cutting their waiting time in half”

ANTITRUST – Solyndra Sues Suntech Holdings Over Antitrust Claims
“Solyndra LLC, the bankrupt solar- panel maker that received a $535 million U.S. government loan guarantee, accused Suntech Power Holdings Co. (STP) and other Chinese companies of destroying it by running an illegal cartel.”