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posted by chromas on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:12AM   Printer-friendly
from the rules-apply-to-both-sides dept.

Russia: We did not hack the US Democrats. But if we did, we're immune from prosecution:

The Russian government has denied having anything to do with hacking the US Democratic party in 2016, although in a court filing this week stressed that even if it did break into the DNC's servers, it is immune from prosecution.

And furthermore the Kremlin claimed America is "one of the most prolific practitioners of cyberattacks and cyber-intrusions on the planet." So, nerr!

"The [Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act] FSIA provides that foreign sovereign states enjoy absolute jurisdictional immunity from suit unless a plaintiff can demonstrate that one of the FSIA's enumerated 'exceptions' applies," argued [PDF] the Russian government this week in a New York court in response to a lawsuit from the DNC.

The DNC claims that it was subject to a "military attack" by Kremlin intelligence, causing Russia to argue back that any act of its military is a sovereign action and so therefore it can't be sued for it.

It's an amazing defense though one the DNC foresaw. It argued in its initial court paperwork [PDF] that "Russia is not entitled to sovereign immunity because the DNC's claims arise out of Russia's trespass onto the DNC's private servers - a tort allegedly committed in the United States.

"In addition, Russia committed the trespass in order to steal trade secrets and commit economic espionage, two forms of commercial activity undertaken in and directly affecting the United States."

Of course this being 2018 and Russia, the Putin administration can't leave it at that, and takes the opportunity to troll the US government by pointing out that the immunity provision is also heavily relied upon by Uncle Sam and its officials abroad.

"The United States benefits significantly from the sovereign immunity that it enjoys (and US officials enjoy) in foreign courts around the world with respect to the United States' frequency acts of cyber intrusion and political interference," Russia's response reads. "As current and former US officials have acknowledged on many occasion, the United States - acting primarily through the National Security Agency (NSA) with the US Department of Defense - is one of the most prolific practitioners of cyberattacks and cyber-intrusions on the planet."

Pot calling the kettle black?


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  • (Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:29AM (5 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:29AM (#762056)

    Its not a hack if you leave your server wide open and charge people for access, then someone tells Russians the ip address and log-in.

    • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:15AM (2 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:15AM (#762070)

      And if your party's queen grandee decides to use her shadow IT for communications.

      • (Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:11PM (1 child)

        by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:11PM (#762301) Journal

        How dare she follow a very common, legal, practice that resulted in hers being the only server to NOT get hacked.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 16 2018, @02:44AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 16 2018, @02:44AM (#762484)

          What fake news world do you live in? This was even in the OIG report that it was difficult for anyone to believe it wasnt hacked, but they destroyed too much evidence so no one can give details. Perhaps the NSA has a copy though.

    • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:55PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:55PM (#762175)

      And it's not stealing if you leave your house's door unlocked or forget to lock your car.

      Got it. I'll remember that.

      • (Score: 2, Offtopic) by legont on Thursday November 15 2018, @03:40PM

        by legont (4179) on Thursday November 15 2018, @03:40PM (#762197)

        If you send an add to every household of the world with an invitation - please come to my house and take the goods - it is not a stealing.

        --
        "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
  • (Score: 5, Interesting) by jmorris on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:35AM (16 children)

    by jmorris (4844) on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:35AM (#762058)

    We live in the age of the Internet Troll moved to real life. Trump is a major troll, Putin is pretty much the same now. And it is spreading.

    All the old rules of politics are falling before this new era of Troll Kings. The way we expected leader to behave before is done, and it is probably a good thing. The days of leaders duckspeaking for an hour and saying absolutely nothing because every word they said was so carefully focus group tested, analyzed by both friend and foe for every subtle nuance and knowing that carefully pre-written by large staffs of speechwriters so that no diplomatic ripples would be raised, no unexpected controversies. And it added up to people avoiding listening to their so called leaders because they said NOTHING. The minions below them did all the talking. They also tended to make most of the actual decisions.

    I watched an episode of Glenn Beck's program where he related a conversation he had in the Oval Office with Bush II. Bush was explaining how the shit people like Beck were giving him was unfair, that they didn't know just how constrained he was, he couldn't just say or do things because the slightest word had consequences that had to be carefully plotted out. In other words he had allowed his advisors to convince him of these things, to render him inert. Apparently this fear was the cause of the infamous "Bushism" speech impediment, he was so afraid of accidentally saying the wrong thing he could barely speak at all.

    And it was all a lie. Trump has shattered that theory beyond all repair. He just DOES. He speaks his mind, he tweets from the crapper if the mood strikes. And the world did not in fact spin off its axis. Presidents aren't really all that, they can act without accidentally starting wars or otherwise wrecking the world. If he misspeaks or gets something wrong he simply course corrects and continues. And the world doesn't explode. And other leaders, seeing this, are also casting off the old rules. We are in uncharted territory now, but the world will probably be a better place when it all sorts itself out.

    • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:30AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:30AM (#762072)

      leaders duckspeaking for an hour and saying absolutely nothing because every word they said was so carefully focus group tested, analyzed by both friend and foe for every subtle nuance and knowing that carefully pre-written by large staffs of speechwriters so that no diplomatic ripples would be raised, no unexpected controversies

      In short, candidate-bots designed by committee.

      • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:17PM

        by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:17PM (#762159) Journal

        Well, sure. They are meant to be nothing more than sock puppets for the Uniparty. The Uniparty doesn't like anyone to make waves, to cause unexpected things to happen. They like being able to predictably fleece the rubes year in, year out. They have gone to great time, trouble, and expense to set up the greatest scam in history (the United States federal government), and are really irritated that anyone would come along and be so rude as to beat on it like a cheap pinata.

        --
        Washington DC delenda est.
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:57AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:57AM (#762075)

      or maybe it just means, that the world has turned into a dog-eat-dog world.
      lies are not frowned upon anymore.
      what comes out of someones mouth might as well be regular hot air.
      it seems only LAWS and SIGNATURES really count ... stuff that "lasts" ... so to speak.

      it implies that "real" information is horded and stuff that is said is going to give a salt overdose every-time.
      it means, that people in power will gladly say something to you, if the act itself makes you feel better.
      the content might as well hold as much real information as the chirping of a bird from a tree ... oh wait. :]

      in a way it all sounds like a old story; maybe the main difference is just that today the official media reporting sources
      are being steamrolled flat with the "excuse": but there's the internet. it knows everything. we don't need you anymore; as opposed to pre-internet, where the press-media in a way was gatekeeper to the information people got (and did some "sanitizing in the process").

      • (Score: 5, Insightful) by khallow on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:03AM

        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:03AM (#762077) Journal

        or maybe it just means, that the world has turned into a dog-eat-dog world.

        Where have you been for the past four billion years? That's a really long nap.

    • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:21AM (5 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:21AM (#762085)

      All the old rules of politics are falling before this new era of Troll Kings.

      Enjoy [youtube.com] (instrumental, 2:22)

      And the world doesn't explode.

      Takes a while, it isn't quite immediate.

      We are in uncharted territory now, but the world will probably be a better place when it all sorts itself out.

      Heh, yeah. The human species will be no more - eye for an eye and all that - will be better place.

      • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:26PM (3 children)

        by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:26PM (#762162) Journal

        Takes a while, it isn't quite immediate.

        The world has exploded quite a number of times before this. You know, back before leaders said coarse things on twitter. I remember pictures of the leaders who initiated the slaughter of WWI being very urbane. They wore tails and everything. They met in delightful halls with crystal chandeliers.

        Yup, everything was so, so much better before. Saying flippant things on a silly social media platform is totally worse than starting world wars that slaughter tens of millions of people with words that are carefully measured and grammatically correct.

        Heh, yeah. The human species will be no more - eye for an eye and all that - will be better place.

        Indeed the human species is the worst. Soooo much worse than the pesky cyanobacteria that nearly totally exterminated those innocent anaerobic microbes [scientificamerican.com] that preceded them by pumping all that oxygen into the atmosphere. Bad humans! Bad!

        --
        Washington DC delenda est.
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @03:01PM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @03:01PM (#762182)

          There's some thing you seem to miss through your sarcasm-tinted glasses:

          The human species are doing it knowingly.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 16 2018, @04:35AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 16 2018, @04:35AM (#762534)

            Trump encompasses their class anger. He is their chosen vehicle of catharsis.

            In other words, they're utter morons who have a sexual fetish for voting against their own interests.

            P.T. Barnum could only dream of pulling off such hoaxes.

        • (Score: 2) by Knowledge Troll on Thursday November 15 2018, @04:20PM

          by Knowledge Troll (5948) on Thursday November 15 2018, @04:20PM (#762213) Homepage Journal

          that preceded them by pumping all that oxygen into the atmosphere

          As an oxygen breather I don't often thank the cyanobacteria for poisoning off the rest of the life on earth to make way for us. Thanks bacteria!

          Seriously though I recently learned that this event was a thing. Nature is brutal.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:45PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:45PM (#762321)

        Enjoy [youtube.com] (instrumental, 2:22)

        Youtube is filled with full choir and part chorus versions in dozen different languages and you link a fucking instrumental? Why not link a piano arrangement for lvl1 Bastien students while you're at it? Or maybe whistle version? I think if you look hard enough you can track down a kazoo rendition as well...

        Here you lazy bastard. As close to the original as it gets. Have at it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qAc4qWc7rU [youtube.com]

        ~ The true troll king.

    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:37AM

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:37AM (#762086) Journal

      He speaks his mind, he tweets from the crapper if the mood strikes.

      If he did limit himself to only speaking from the crapper, that would be unpleasant but bearable.
      Unfortunately, he has the habit to act from there too.

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Lester on Thursday November 15 2018, @09:04AM (3 children)

      by Lester (6231) on Thursday November 15 2018, @09:04AM (#762093) Journal

      The days of leaders duckspeaking for an hour and saying absolutely nothing because every word they said was so carefully focus group tested, analyzed by both friend and foe for every subtle nuance

      Instead of the new way: duckwriting for 12 hours in 140 characters messages, 9 hours insulting and being politically incorrect, and 3 hours saying I-didn't-mean what they wrote 4 days ago. And then, 12 hours following an agenda that has nothing to do with their messages.

      In the old days, politicians were careful because they gullibly thought that people would remember what they said and would be accountable for it. Now they have learned that people don't remember what politicians have said a month ago (let alone four years ago), and/or probably don't care. They have learned that people want showmen, entertainment and not to think too much about the consequences of what would happen if politicians really did what they said in their simple discourses.

      Diplomacy is like chess: A match between grand masters is boring, they think a lot and finally move a pawn a square. Matches between beginners ones are more funny, they take queens, rocks... A match of a master against a beginner looks like beginner is more active and winning, but in the end, master crushes the beginner... unless you replace the master with a beginner that is more active.

      • (Score: 3, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:30PM (2 children)

        by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:30PM (#762163) Journal

        Now they have learned that people don't remember what politicians have said a month ago (let alone four years ago), and/or probably don't care. They have learned that people want showmen, entertainment and not to think too much about the consequences of what would happen if politicians really did what they said in their simple discourses.

        Is it that, or could it be something else?

        I have a different theory. People have learned not to listen to what politicians say because whether their remarks are couched in facts or take the form of emotional appeals, the reality is they keep getting poorer year after year while the same few consistently grow fabulously wealthy at their expense. In short, the public has learned that in a sham democracy everything that comes out of a politician's mouth is a smokescreen for the same puppet masters. The only thing that makes any sense to pay attention to is what actually materializes in the real world.

        --
        Washington DC delenda est.
        • (Score: 2) by Lester on Thursday November 15 2018, @04:50PM

          by Lester (6231) on Thursday November 15 2018, @04:50PM (#762234) Journal

          Or maybe some people have learned not to listen to what politicians say and politicians have learned to talk just to the other people, those who just want to listen a clear message with clear black and white colors, a message with the promise of solving complex problems with an easy definitive solution, and better if there is some to blame and punish. Politicians have learned to exploit that dark side of human mind, or at least now they dare to do it more shamelessly and more efficiently thanks to big data: Facebook, google, twitter etc.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 16 2018, @04:46AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 16 2018, @04:46AM (#762535)

          That is all true, and therefore it makes no sense whatsoever to support Trump. That support of Trump is sensible to many people demonstrates the effectiveness of propaganda. Not the supposed Russian propaganda. The MSM propaganda. To answer the question of all those who wonder why the media plays into Trump's hands with another question: how do they know that is not, in fact, the media's present mission?

          (To fend off "but Clinton!" bullshit: this also has nothing to do with the corrupt, neoliberal Democratic Party. You will never find the answers to your concerns within the two party system. Those concerns can only be addressed by options outside of the two major parties.)

    • (Score: 2) by Bot on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:57PM

      by Bot (3902) on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:57PM (#762264) Journal

      >If he misspeaks or gets something wrong he simply course corrects and continues

      He should also utter the magical phrase "i have been misunderstood". Worked for Berlusconi for 20+ years, no matter if what he had said was recorded and televised. Get to our level :D

      --
      Account abandoned.
  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by fustakrakich on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:51AM (7 children)

    by fustakrakich (6150) on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:51AM (#762061) Journal

    Yes, we know [blogspot.com]. But the democrats have to play this little game to distract people from their corrupt bullshit. And it worked to a small degree. They won some seats back. The republicans were ready to do the same if they lost. Trump talked about it before the election. So, here we are , Russia! Russia! Russia!

    --
    La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
    • (Score: 3, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @01:56PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @01:56PM (#762153)

      Just to be clear, your theory is that the CIA was directed by Obama to hack the DNC and frame the Russians. Then the CIA released the data to the Trump campaign through Wikileaks. And this was all an elaborate ruse because they expected the "dirt" to get out eventually and they wanted to have something bad to say about the source of the data?

      And the "dirt" we're talking about is a few emails can be taken out of context to look sorta bad for the Democrats?

      Oh, and they happened to pick a country to frame that was running a major astroturfing campaign on the same election? Or was the Obama CIA running the pro-Republican astroturfing campaign and framing the Russians?

      And you think the Russiagate theory sounds absurd?

      • (Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday November 16 2018, @06:45AM

        by fustakrakich (6150) on Friday November 16 2018, @06:45AM (#762576) Journal

        Truth is stranger than fiction. The 'ruse' as it was is really a simple media campaign to keep peoples' attention, and to divert it from embarrassing revelations. It's working wonders. Everybody went (still going) for it. The old high ranking incumbents are still there. "Hollywood" magic works like a charm. The only provable fact is that nobody knows who revealed the documents, sure somebody knows, but they're not talking beyond the hyped narrative.

        And you think the Russiagate theory sounds absurd?

        No, of course not. It is still wildly successful. It's a great story. I really can't argue with the power of faith.

        Sorry, "Russiagate" has no legs. A republican defeat in 2016 would have produced a perfect role reversal. They were already complaining about "Russian Interference"® favoring the democrats. The gimmick was prepackaged by GOP/DNC to work either way. How else do you get people to vote for the two worst possible candidates on the ballot during the primaries and the general? I mean, besides hacking the totally unaccountable machines...

        --
        La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
    • (Score: 2) by mobydisk on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:00PM (4 children)

      by mobydisk (5472) on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:00PM (#762266)

      That article jumps to a conclusion without supporting evidence. It shows a string obfuscator that supports Unicode. It shows a test of the obfuscator, using multiple languages with a variety of unicode characters. The author then concludes that the purpose of this tool is to impersonate foreign authorship. But that doesn't make sense: If they wanted to impersonate foreign authorship, they would not obfuscate the other languages, they would only obfuscate English.

      This is not to say that the CIA and/or NSA are not impersonating foreigners. It would be foolish for a state-based hacking not to do that. But this certainly is not evidence of it.

      • (Score: 2) by loonycyborg on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:37PM (2 children)

        by loonycyborg (6905) on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:37PM (#762284)

        This shows that there can be no meaningful evidence because all "hackers" tend to reuse tools from any source and tools are not tied to any particular nationality, government structure or corporation. All this DNC hack bullshit is made from pure russophobia and can be taken at face value only by people not proficient with technology.

        • (Score: 2) by mobydisk on Thursday November 15 2018, @10:42PM (1 child)

          by mobydisk (5472) on Thursday November 15 2018, @10:42PM (#762382)

          Yeah, but he "Russia hacked the DNC" thing doesn't come from analysis of the malware. That's probably the weakest possible evidence for exactly the reasons you say. It comes from the source IPs used to launch the attacks, plus the timing and targets of the attacks, plus the Russians posting anti-Hillary ads on Facebook, plus the fact that Russia called Trump's son and said "Yo, we got some dirt on the DNC." All but the last of this is circumstantial, but there is nothing unbelievable about it. The question we all should ask is "Why would Russia *not* want to hack the DNC?" Since they claim immunity to it, there's literally no downside to trying.

          • (Score: 2) by loonycyborg on Friday November 16 2018, @08:49AM

            by loonycyborg (6905) on Friday November 16 2018, @08:49AM (#762605)

            Current Russian gov is basically still same pro-US faction that won in 1990s using US's PR support. So I don't even see a reason they would do something like this. Given nature of this evidence making they can make case against anyone and the fact that they chose Russia for this just cultivates and exploits anti-Russian prejudice. It's the same story as with Snowden who they've sent into Russia on purpose to discredit him. And honestly I, as well as many other Russians, see this as blatant betrayal. First they setup puppet government here but then still keep exploiting cold war prejudices to cover their own failures. I understand that those stories would make Putin more popular in Russia painting him as mastermind manipulating American jerks and they're not against supporting their puppet like this too but I'm against such dishonesty on principle.

      • (Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday November 16 2018, @06:16AM

        by fustakrakich (6150) on Friday November 16 2018, @06:16AM (#762566) Journal

        But this certainly is not evidence of it.

        Still provides more than enough reasonable doubt. This whole thing is a manufactured distraction from a tiny bit of truth that powers the political process from behind closed doors. I don't care who did it. A person/organization/whatever that reveals the truth should be rewarded, not sanctioned.

        And IP addresses aren't reliable either. And timing? C'mon, too easy to fake with any two machines bouncing gibberish (looking like encryption) back and forth.

        Sorry, government conspiracy theories are well produced, good writers, cinematography, etc, but no more believable than any of the other wackos. What I'm seeing is an appeal to authority.

        --
        La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:13AM (8 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:13AM (#762068)

    Pot calling the kettle black?

    That's called "whataboutism" these days. As some sort of an argumentary win by the person accusing.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:54AM (7 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @06:54AM (#762074)

      The point goes outside the scope of my narrow view. WHATABOUTISM!!!

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:12AM (6 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @07:12AM (#762080)

        Both sides!!!

        I guess this is the slow process of conservatives reintegrating with reality.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @08:32AM (5 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @08:32AM (#762091)

          Focus on my enemy and agree with me or you’re a bigot racist nazi!!!

          Guess this is what we have to put up with until the Larpers grow up.

          • (Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Thursday November 15 2018, @11:59AM

            by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Thursday November 15 2018, @11:59AM (#762120) Homepage Journal

            "LARP":

            Live Action Role-Playing Game. They players physically act out their characters.

            Rather like the Renaissance Fair I expect, or the Libertarian Party.

            --
            Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
          • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:42PM (1 child)

            by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:42PM (#762169) Journal

            Right here in this thread we have on display the stark devolution of "discourse via talking points." Does no one else find this dynamic tedious and unproductive? Does it get anyone to any place that helps anyone?

            Branding counter-examples as "whataboutism" is a curt, anti-intellectual wave of the hand to avoid the terrible mental burden of having to think about anything that crosses up the talking points a person is pushing. Actually, bringing counter-examples to a debate is a hallowed mechanism of any argument. It's called perspective. It's so ingrained in the very concept of intellectual inquiry that my alma mater drummed it into everyone with this formulation, "If someone asserts it, deny it; if someone denies it, assert it."

            Likewise it's not helpful to dismiss swathes of our interlocutors as "Larpers," "SJWs," or "snowflakes." It's an equally lazy rhetorical dodge as the "whataboutism" hand-waving.

            We should all stop doing that kind of thing. It impoverishes everyone.

            Can we try returning to arguments based on evidence? Can we let go of rhetorical prejudice for a while, just to see if it gets us to better collective outcomes?

            --
            Washington DC delenda est.
            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @04:28PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @04:28PM (#762218)

              Whataboutism is when someone brings up "counter examples" in order to distract from the original point. Famously highlighted by the STILL on going "but her emails!"

              Getting talked down to hy you? Lol, sounds from your tone that you are finally dropping some of your original pretense. I will listen to any argument as long as it is on topic. If it just aims to steer the conversation away from the topic at hand then prepare to get calles out.

              I am not surprised to see you defending such crap, next time pick a better example to soap box on.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @04:31PM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @04:31PM (#762219)

            Bigoted racist uses insults instead of real points to tear down opponents. News at 11.

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @08:35PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @08:35PM (#762330)

              Thanks for proving my point.

  • (Score: 3, Touché) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Thursday November 15 2018, @11:35AM

    by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Thursday November 15 2018, @11:35AM (#762119) Homepage Journal

    You say that like it's a bad thing.

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
  • (Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Thursday November 15 2018, @12:23PM

    by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Thursday November 15 2018, @12:23PM (#762130) Homepage Journal

    The correct response when a nuclear state's military attacks us is to put every man woman child cat dog rosebush and bumblebee to death, as well as to wipe out all over life on Earth forever.

    But really I exaggerate: recall that million-year extinction that resulted from a comet strike back in the day. Some things survived, I expect sea creatures feeding off volcanic sea vents. That gave rise to what we have now, so we'd just be repeating a well-proven pattern,

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @12:48PM (4 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @12:48PM (#762136)

    2018, an amazing time to be alive. The clown show is just unreal.

    And im afraid the show is just beginning....

    • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:45PM (1 child)

      by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday November 15 2018, @02:45PM (#762170) Journal

      No, 1223 was a year to be alive. I don't think anyone will ever take the crown from the Mongols.

      --
      Washington DC delenda est.
      • (Score: 2) by Bot on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:49PM

        by Bot (3902) on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:49PM (#762259) Journal

        - NO! now is better!
        - Ha, prove it!
        - HD PORN!!!
        - JUSTIN BIEBER!!!
        - Damn. Well played.

        --
        Account abandoned.
    • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday November 15 2018, @03:14PM (1 child)

      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday November 15 2018, @03:14PM (#762187) Journal

      The clown show is just unreal.

      No. The clown show is very real.

      And they run the world.

      And in democracies, a minority of the voters actually think it's a good thing.

      --
      People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
      • (Score: 2) by Bot on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:51PM

        by Bot (3902) on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:51PM (#762261) Journal

        Not clowns, marionettes. The difference is key.

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        Account abandoned.
  • (Score: 2) by legont on Thursday November 15 2018, @03:59PM

    by legont (4179) on Thursday November 15 2018, @03:59PM (#762204)

    At least 13 more countries plan to buy Russian air defense systems, Saudis included, screw the US sanctions style. China, India and Turkey already did.

    https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/14/countries-interested-in-buying-russian-missile-system-despite-us-sanction-threats.html [cnbc.com]

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    "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
  • (Score: 2) by Bot on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:46PM

    by Bot (3902) on Thursday November 15 2018, @05:46PM (#762258) Journal

    Why did send the progressives under the bus, after all they did for you in the cold war days? ungrateful people, these russians.

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    Account abandoned.
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