Briefly

That tape
I've been wondering who might have been the source of the "Pussygate" tape, why it was not released during the primary season, and how it came to be perfectly timed as an "October surprise."  It's hard to believe that the timing was purely coincidental.

DDoS
Now, the internet is threatened by our baby monitors, thermostats, and refrigerators  Aside from the threat to the internet, we might be well advised to consider the threat to our baby monitors, thermostats, and refrigerators.

Recovery?
The pundits wonder why, despite the much vaunted economic "recovery," so many people continue to report economic insecurity.  The obvious answer is job insecurity, with so many new jobs defined as temporary or 1099 independent contractor, and unionization efforts effectively blocked in most states.

The Revolution
Even a Tr*mp presidency would do nothing to constrain the inside-the-Beltway echo chamber of "experts" who control American foreign and economic policy.  There is no revolution.  There will be no revolution.  Sad.

Terrorism in the USofA

What constitutes a "terrorist" attack?  Does it have to be specifically planned by a particular ideological group or a "state sponsor of terrorism?"  Apparently not.  Nidal Malik Hasan's rampage at Ft. Hood is generally thought of as "lone wolf" terrorism; and even though IS took responsibility for those two inept jerks who tried to attack the Texas cartoon contest, it seems a lot more likely they acted on their own.

To just about everybody but Fox News, it is clear that Dylann Roof's attack on Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church was an act of terrorism, inspired, at least in part, by things he found on the internet.  According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, most of the terror attacks in the USofA are inspired by far-right militias, neo-nazis, and the "sovereign citizen" movement.  Islamists have some catching up to do.

If you can find another 21-year-old who even can find Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on a map, much less identify with an apartheid government which was overthrown well before he was born, you've found a very unusual 21-year-old.  Yes, Dylann Roof was inspired by good old, down home South Carolin racism, but it seems indisputable that his ideology was shaped by the internet, which is overflowing with racist militia, neo-nazi, and sovereign citizen crap.  The kid is a terrorist — and he's not alone out there.

Just how rich do you have to be?

Evan Spiegel, 23, and Bobby Murphy, 25, have turned down a 3 billion dollar offer from Facebook to buy their start-up, SnapChat.  For those unfamiliar with SnapChat (like me), it enables you to send dirty pics of yourself to your perverted boyfriend — pictures that will disappear after he has seen them, so he cannot save them and paste them all over the internet after you've figured out he's an asshole and dump him.

It was a pretty good idea, I figure — but why isn't 3 billion dollars enough?  If you have a shot at 1.5 billion dollars, why the fuck do you need more?  World domination?

Needless to say, SnapChat (just like Facebook and Twitter) never turns a profit, but there seem to be unplumbed limits of greed these days, and people willing to take on a hell of a lot of risk for essentially unattainable world domination.

Silly little boys.