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Millions in Middle East Lose Internet

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the no-web-for-you dept.

Shipwack writes "Tens of millions of internet users across the Middle East and Asia have been left without access to the web after a technical fault cut millions of connections. The outage, which is being blamed on a fault in a single undersea cable, has severely restricted internet access in countries including India, Egypt and Saudi Arabia and left huge numbers of people struggling to get online. Observers say that the digital blackout first struck yesterday morning, with Egypt's communications ministry suggesting it was caused by a cut in a major internet pipeline linking it to Europe."

32 of 304 comments (clear)

  1. redundancy by theheadlessrabbit · · Score: 5, Funny

    isn't this why we are supposed to have system redundancy? so a failure in one area won't cause a complete blackout?

    isn't this why we are supposed to have system redundancy? so a failure in one area won't cause a complete blackout?

    --
    -I only code in BASIC.-
    1. Re:redundancy by kamatsu · · Score: 5, Funny

      IANADSD (I am not a deep sea diver) WDYJUAULAAATIEIATDTPOTAESYKIWNBUA? - Why did you just use an unnecessarily long abbreviatory acronym and then immediately expand it and thus defeat the purpose of the abbreviation, especially since you know it will never be used again?
    2. Re:redundancy by somersault · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think you underestimate the efficacy of electrical tape in general. Especially when secured with duct tape.

      --
      which is totally what she said
    3. Re:redundancy by Gabest · · Score: 5, Funny

      WDYJUAULAAATIEIATDTPOTAESYKIWNBUA? - Why did you just use an unnecessarily long abbreviatory acronym and then immediately expand it and thus defeat the purpose of the abbreviation, especially since you know it will never be used again? It's called redundancy!
    4. Re:redundancy by growse · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's called redundancy! .

      --
      There is nothing interesting going on at my blog
    5. Re:redundancy by edittard · · Score: 2, Funny

      I think it's affected slashdot - so far, the story's only been posted once.

      --
      At the bottom of the /. main page it says 'Yesterday's News'. Well they got that right.
  2. You know you're a geek... by broothal · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..if you read this as "Millions in Middle Earth Lose Internet"

    1. Re:You know you're a geek... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I was relieved when I realized my mistake and that my favorite hobbit porn sites were still accessible.

    2. Re:You know you're a geek... by Valdrax · · Score: 2, Funny

      Things just haven't been the same with the Palantirs since the Eternal Halimath of 1493.

      --
      If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
    3. Re:You know you're a geek... by StarfishOne · · Score: 4, Funny

      They should have used a Token Ring... my pwwweeccioussss! ;p

    4. Re:You know you're a geek... by Tony+Hoyle · · Score: 3, Funny

      It reminds me of the old (possibly apocryphal) story of the Times headline:

      "Fog on the Thames. Continent cut off."

    5. Re:You know you're a geek... by VJ42 · · Score: 2, Funny

      They should have used a Token Ring... my pwwweeccioussss! ;p Don't you mean a Tolkien Ring?? ;d
      --
      If I have nothing to hide, you have no reason to search me
    6. Re:You know you're a geek... by dpiven · · Score: 2, Funny

      I first read that title as "Millions in Middle East Lose Interest".

      Then I thought, "yeah, like *I* care."

    7. Re:You know you're a geek... by at_slashdot · · Score: 3, Funny

      I'm sure Americans feel cut from the Internet if they don't receive their daily V1@gra e-mails.

      --
      "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -- Prof. Dumbledore
    8. Re:You know you're a geek... by porcupine8 · · Score: 2, Funny
      Personally, I read it as "Millions in Middle East Lose Interest."

      I envisioned this wave of ennui crashing over the area. Suddenly peace breaks out because no one can be bothered to blow anyone up.

      --
      Warning: Apple/Nintendo fangirl. Likes her electronics cute & cuddly. May be rabid.
  3. Reading this... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    all i could think was "The fools! if only they'd built her with 6001 hulls! when will they ever learn!"

    1. Re:Reading this... by rucs_hack · · Score: 4, Funny

      Governor Sio Bibble: "A communications disruption could mean only one thing: invasion."

      Or someone forgot to pay the bill...

    2. Re:Reading this... by xSauronx · · Score: 3, Funny
      Governor Sio Bibble: "A communications disruption could mean only one thing: invasion."

      Or someone forgot to pay the bill...
      An overdue bill or invasion!

      Three things: An overdue bill, invasion, or a hardware failure. FOUR possibilities...no, Amongst the possibilities are such incidents as...

      --
      By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth. -- George Carlin
  4. Now I see... by bshellenberg · · Score: 2, Funny

    THAT'S where all my spam went.

    --
    Karma: Neutered
  5. Do you know what *your* subs are doing? by charlesbakerharris · · Score: 2, Funny
    How dumb do the Russians feel right now? Their subs are off planting little flags on the north pole, and ours get to do cool stuff like cut off the internet to half of the Middle East.

    Take that, Putin!

  6. Really? by Rie+Beam · · Score: 4, Funny

    I guess now would be the time to say it, then.

    Deep breath, Rie.

    *inhale*

    I think the Danish cartoon controversy was really overblown.

  7. Obligatory SW by empaler · · Score: 3, Funny

    A communications' disruption can mean only one thi... Oh never mind, that movie sucked.

  8. Re:Information warfare? by z0idberg · · Score: 4, Funny

    *snip*


    wow - they even have a recording of the salvage operation taking place!
  9. Why not follow this simple precaution? by AsciiNaut · · Score: 5, Funny

    Every night I back up the internet to my RAID array to protect myself from this and similar eventualities.

    1. Re:Why not follow this simple precaution? by andi75 · · Score: 5, Funny

      > Every night I back up the internet to my RAID array to protect myself from this and similar eventualities.

      Not everyone is working for the NSA.

  10. The tubes are full... of water by jamesh · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obviously there's a hole in the tube so all the data has leaked out and the water has leaked in. The data, being lighter than water, will have floated to the top and evaporated away. Once the tube has filled with water, the incoming data is unable to push the water out of the way.

    First they need to blow some air down the tube and inspect the tube for bubbles, then put a patch over it. Once that is done, they'll need to drain all of the water out of the tube, possibly just by blowing air down it some more. Finally, they will be able to allow data to flow again. The first few gigabytes are probably going to come through a bit damp, but after that it should be fine.

  11. India loses Internet by SJ2000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    That would explain the lack of telemarketers, they have no VoIP connections to enable them to bug me.

  12. Re:Information warfare? by ImaLamer · · Score: 2, Funny

    *snip*


    How apropos!
    --
    Get your Unix fortune now!
  13. Affect on productivity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I anticipate Asian stock markets will see a nice rise given that India and the Middle East will actually be getting some work done today.

    Man, imagine what I could achieve if the same thing happened in the UK!

    Ah well, best go and check b3ta.com again.

  14. I'm Vaguely Amused... by tomandlu · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... by the fact that news.bbc.co.uk is asking for comments from anyone affected. Paraplegics, take one step forward...

  15. Re: Used over and over by TaoPhoenix · · Score: 2, Funny

    Because he abbreviated the Acronym. The correct form is:

    DJIADNADSD.

    "Dammit, Jim, I'm a Doctor, not a Deep Sea Diver!" (RIP DeForrest Kelley.)

    Such acronyms will be used forever to indicate being coaxed to speculate outside one's area of professional expertise.

    --
    My first Journal Entry ever, in 8 years! http://slashdot.org/journal/365947/aphelion-scifi-fantasy-horror-poetry-webzine
  16. Africa, too! Oh no - my investment! by Petersko · · Score: 2, Funny

    According to CNN, part of Africa was hit as well. I'm worried. I just sent $1000 to a fellow over there to cover the costs needed to release $100,000 I won in a contest. He was supposed to get back to me via email.