Holman wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 9:50 pm
The traditional standard is that it's not war until people die from it. And as long as no one redefines that, everyone will keep pushing preparations as far as they can.
I have to assume that we're doing the same kind of thing in Russia (or were until Trump, anyway). Is there reason to think that's not the case?
I'd hazard a very strong guess that people died due to the OPM hack and will die from this one. In any case, this is sort of edge case stuff. I don't think it really gets to the heart of it. At this point, we either have to defend ourselves or we'll have a major cyber incident that'll kill civilians. It'll probably be accidentally but that will still be very dangerous.
Edit: As context, we had a ransomware incident tied to a death of a patient in Germany this year. A hospital was infected, they had to re-route the patient, and the patient died en-route to an alternate facility. There is some dispute over whether the patient might not have survived anyway but it indicates the risks and made it very real.
Holman wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 9:16 pmWhat we haven't figured out is whether hacking and planting electronic bombs counts as espionage or unconventional warfare.
There are actually some relatively hard definitions for what constitutes an attack but what has been absent is a willingness to actually follow the definitions and *act* upon them overtly. Many in the Cyber Security community think many of these events go well beyond espionage. For example, the OPM 'hack' saw millions of people's biometrics stolen. There were intelligence and financial impacts. That isn't 'espionage'. That is a theft/attack.
What we are seeing over and over again is that the US has been too divided to stand up for itself against adversaries which are taking advantage of a major gap in our defense. The NotPetya attack on Ukraine had spillover that wiped out 30K devices at Merck and took down Maersk as well causing damage to international trade. And the world just shrugged. In this case it isn't even debatable whether it was an attack, I saw a few contracts in the process of being executed this week in the millions of dollars in Incident Response work. They're technically T&M so that is more a 'max amount' but still it isn't hard to imagine the costs to investigate, contain, mitigate, and recover from this military attack on our country will be in the low Billions of dollars across the many organizations affected over the next few years. Enough is enough. We've got to stand up to this.
Unagi wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 9:27 pm
In the Information Age, I’d say this is analogous to bombing a few military airfields.
It's worse. It's like a widespread attack on *nearly every airfield*. And in reality, we have to expend resources everywhere whether or not impacted to be sure.
So more of a cyber Pearl Harbor than a cyber 9/11 then? So is this how war is waged in the Oligarchocene? Economic/InforSec attacks?
Seen a few tweets to this effect this morning. Interesting stand by Barr on his way out, potentially poisoning any Special Counsel a new Trump toadie tries to set up on the last couple weeks. Well, poisoning it more than it already would be, anyways.
Regarding the election AG Barr — If I thought special counsel was appropriate I would have appointed one
Attorney General William Barr say he has "no intention" to appoint special counsel to probe Hunter Biden
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
In the dying days of his presidency, Donald Trump has taken to asking some aides and advisers about the process of naming airports after former U.S. presidents, according to two people who’ve heard him recently inquiring on this.
One of the two sources relayed that, in the past three weeks, Trump mentioned that “no president” wants an American airport that has a bad reputation or crumbling infrastructure named after them. The other knowledgeable source said that Trump had, at one point since the 2020 election, offhandedly asked what kind of “paperwork” was necessary to get an airport named after a former president.
Recommendations? Do they have an airport in Flint, MI?
Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 4:36 pm
Agolf admits he is a former US President!
In the dying days of his presidency, Donald Trump has taken to asking some aides and advisers about the process of naming airports after former U.S. presidents, according to two people who’ve heard him recently inquiring on this.
One of the two sources relayed that, in the past three weeks, Trump mentioned that “no president” wants an American airport that has a bad reputation or crumbling infrastructure named after them. The other knowledgeable source said that Trump had, at one point since the 2020 election, offhandedly asked what kind of “paperwork” was necessary to get an airport named after a former president.
Recommendations? Do they have an airport in Flint, MI?
Yes, Bishop International Airport.
Probably flies to Canada.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General "No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton MYT
Agolf's aides should tell him they want to name the Atlanta airport after him. No, not that one, but in Idaho.
Atlanta Airport covers an area of 14 acres (5.7 ha) and had one runway designated 16/34 with a 2,460 by 75 ft (750 by 23 m) turf/dirt surface. For the 12-month period ending July 29, 2005, the airport had 900 aircraft operations, an average of 75 per month: 89% general aviation and 11% air tax.
Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:04 pm
Agolf's aides should tell him they want to name the Atlanta airport after him. No, not that one, but in Idaho.
Atlanta Airport covers an area of 14 acres (5.7 ha) and had one runway designated 16/34 with a 2,460 by 75 ft (750 by 23 m) turf/dirt surface. For the 12-month period ending July 29, 2005, the airport had 900 aircraft operations, an average of 75 per month: 89% general aviation and 11% air tax.
My own private Idaho, indeed.
I will say that while I would prefer that no airports be named after Trump, I do find appealing the idea of naming a small out of the way airport that no one's ever heard of after Trump. Bonus points if it's run down and perpetually on the verge of being shuttered.
Not that I expected any different, but he's going to be a twat right until the end.
Biden transition says Trump admin has refused to transfer the @POTUS and @WhiteHouse Twitter accounts with followers and that Biden must start from zero — reversing goodwill gesture from Obama admin in 2016.
Smoove_B wrote:Not that I expected any different, but he's going to be a twat right until the end.
I thought that Twitter already said that would happen automatically on their end, and there was nothing these shit birds could do about it?
And in banks across the world
Christians, Moslems, Hindus, Jews
And every other race, creed, colour, tint or hue
Get down on their knees and pray
The raccoon and the groundhog neatly
Make up bags of change
But the monkey in the corner
Well he's slowly drifting out of range
Smoove_B wrote:Not that I expected any different, but he's going to be a twat right until the end.
I thought that Twitter already said that would happen automatically on their end, and there was nothing these shit birds could do about it?
The internet could crowdsource his password in like 47 seconds if he doesn't hand the account over.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General "No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton MYT
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 6:09 pm
Not that I expected any different, but he's going to be a twat right until the end.
Biden transition says Trump admin has refused to transfer the @POTUS and @WhiteHouse Twitter accounts with followers and that Biden must start from zero — reversing goodwill gesture from Obama admin in 2016.
Considering the losers that follow Trump, I would say good riddance.
Wait, did he pardon Duncan Hunter, but not Hunter's wife, who pled first and cooperated? That's cold.
Maybe she held a PhD?
Duncan blamed his wife for the whole thing...as said these are quality people.
Edit: It gives me pause that the pardons are only going to get worse from here.
The motto of the Trump presidency - there is no bottom.
That's what I'm afraid of. Heck Bill Kristol has a long thread on Twitter saying that he is hearing that people are really getting concerned about Trump. The below is the first tweet but the gist is that when Barr leaves, we may see Cipollone fired, and then all bets are off. What that means is anyone's guess. Self-pardon? Autocoup? He made comments *tonight* about how he might be the next administration. He is delusional and dangerous.
If you’re a Republican who stuck their neck out to vote for this bill, the president just threw you under the bus. And then pardoned people convicted of first-degree murder.
The pardons are unconscionable and I really can't possibly imagine how they get worse, though I don't doubt at all that it can and will.
But the coup thing Kristol is discussing is just alarmist IMO. Coups require people with guns; our military isn't doing shit. I'd honestly bet my house on that(bc if it happened I'd be moving to Australia anyway ).
I wonder if this is what trump voters who say they wanted 'a disruptor' as POTUS were looking for? Legitimately I do wonder that; I assume that, somewhere, there are serious minded ppl who voted for trump precisely bc he wasn't a politician and they were hoping he'd shake things up. Is this what they were picturing? Bc that would be even more terrifying than their thinking that a reality TV show host was a good choice for president.
OR
cry in a corner that the world has come to a point where you have to pay for imaginary shit.
GungHo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 3:53 am
The pardons are unconscionable and I really can't possibly imagine how they get worse, though I don't doubt at all that it can and will.
But the coup thing Kristol is discussing is just alarmist IMO. Coups require people with guns; our military isn't doing shit. I'd honestly bet my house on that(bc if it happened I'd be moving to Australia anyway ).
I think it's fair to say there needs to be a moratorium on saying that *anyone* is an alarmist at this point. In any case Kristol didn't say anything about it succeeding. I don't think he believes that. I think the point is that people are worried about the damage any attempt -- no matter how delusional or pathetic -- will do to an already very badly injured American system and to an extent brand.
GungHo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 3:53 amThe pardons are unconscionable and I really can't possibly imagine how they get worse, though I don't doubt at all that it can and will.
Imagine empty Federal prisons. Why not, right?
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 6:09 pm
Not that I expected any different, but he's going to be a twat right until the end.
Biden transition says Trump admin has refused to transfer the @POTUS and @WhiteHouse Twitter accounts with followers and that Biden must start from zero — reversing goodwill gesture from Obama admin in 2016.
Given the particular nature of those accounts, and the repeated proclamations that these are tied to a public office, one hopes Twitter will *yoink* them the day after transition and send the accounts to the Biden team. If they don't, it's a terrible thing. At 11:59pm they release a change in their terms of service and at 12:00am they shift the accounts.
Black Lives Matter
2021-01-20: The first good night's sleep I had in 4 years.
GungHo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 3:53 am
The pardons are unconscionable and I really can't possibly imagine how they get worse, though I don't doubt at all that it can and will.
Oh, they'll get worse. He'll pardon people he knows crimed for him even if they're not under investigation. He'll pardon everyone in his family, but only next week so that they can launder money this week first. He'll email intelligence secrets to Putin for cash, then pardon himself right after.
All that sounds outrageous, of course. It couldn't happen in America. I'm told the Founders thought of everything.
Paingod wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 7:54 am
Given the particular nature of those accounts, and the repeated proclamations that these are tied to a public office, one hopes Twitter will *yoink* them the day after transition and send the accounts to the Biden team. If they don't, it's a terrible thing. At 11:59pm they release a change in their terms of service and at 12:00am they shift the accounts.
What makes it all so petty is that those accounts (@POTUS and @WhiteHouse) have never been of any interest to Trump. They're maintained by staffers for little more than press releases and boosterism and holiday greetings.
Paingod wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 7:54 am
Given the particular nature of those accounts, and the repeated proclamations that these are tied to a public office, one hopes Twitter will *yoink* them the day after transition and send the accounts to the Biden team. If they don't, it's a terrible thing. At 11:59pm they release a change in their terms of service and at 12:00am they shift the accounts.
What makes it all so petty is that those accounts (@POTUS and @WhiteHouse) have never been of any interest to Trump. They're maintained by staffers for little more than press releases and boosterism and holiday greetings.
@realDonaldTrump is where all the MAGic happens.
The loss of followers is a Twitter decision, not a Trump decision. The initial tweet-rage over this was misdirected.
I expect there are lots of calls being made today from Defense Contractors to State Senators saying (in essence) "I thought you said this was all under control!"
When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.
malchior wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 4:52 pm
Trump vetoed the NDAA. He is just a petulant child jumping up and down screaming.
DEFUND THE TROOPS!!
If Dems were smart, they’d be screaming this from the rooftops. But they’re not, so they won’t.
They'll issue Twitter statements and be interviewed on CNN and MSNBC, but otherwise the Dems don't really have "rooftops" like 24/7 Fox News or Facebook's GOP-friendly algorithms.
I expected the Executive Order around diversity training would be dismissed very shortly after Biden took office, but in case there was a delay, this was certainly some welcome news this morning.
A CA federal judge blocked Trump's EO barring certain diversity/inclusion training and programs across the federal govt as it applies to contractors and grantees: https://assets.documentcloud.org/docume ... -order.pdf