The Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency (IRA) announced the closure of operations that for the past 4 years have been targeting subscribers and users of Twitter, Reddit and Facebook. According to Agency General Directory Vyascheslav Fontyaev, "The minds of the American public are now under our control via other channels. We no longer need to use artificial Facebook or Twitter accounts to obtain our political targets". Last Saturday the agency claims it had closed or deleted all of it algorithmically created accounts on Facebook and Twitter. This coincided with what Facebook officials say is an unexplained disappearance of 48% of it's user base. Twitter release a press briefing with similar news, claiming that 64% of it's accounts were mysteriously closed and within an 48 hour period. On Monday morning, investors in both companies dumped shares sending the stock price of both companies tumbling; down 77% for Facebook and 44% for Twitter.
Director Fontyaev said that the employees of Internet Research Agency would be retaining most of the Reddit accounts. "The Reddit users are more fun to poke" said Fontyaev. "They accept complete falsifications far quicker and are great fun to toy with. Besides, the restricted "gonewild" sub-reddit is a favorite of the Agency's mostly male work force".
Amazon driver tries to rob someone who is home watching "House of Cards" and doesn't want to get up and answer the effing doorbell. Amazon driver gets shot. Nancy Pelosi proposes strict firearms proficiency and mental tests for Amazon Prime members who own recliners or watch Kevin Spacey shows. NRA decries criminalization of Lay-Z-Boys. Paul Ryan vows to revive the effort to unwind Obamacare. Trump tweets "House of Cards swamp rules! #Robin Wright! Grabbed her pussy at golf tournament! Cove fifi to Puer-to-ri-co".
To me, it's a machine or tool. Like a hammer. Use a hammer this way and it does something. Use it another way and end up with bruised fingers. It all seemed so simple and transparent and obvious. I just groked it, long before the concept of grok, and I could not for the life of me understand why other people couldn't get it.
What intensified that was the need to read and memorize about a zillion IBM and FORTRAN manuals. That also appealed to my obsessive ADHD side, long before the concept of ADHD. Add the extra ego brownie points when I could describe some obscure feature or function call to the instructor or one of the advanced calculus students and it was a match made in heaven.
How did Facebook determine that the accounts were associated with the International Research Agency? IP addresses? I can't believe the Russians didn't use tor or some form of VPN to disguise their location. And 179+22 accounts doesn't sound like a lot. I would have expected tens of thousands of accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Reddit.
Could Facebook visibly flag posts coming from a VPN or tor exit node or known troll farm?
... by breeding low-expectation, low-testosterone worker units? In my factories, some of the current models have expressed belief in reduced work hours, increased health benefits, citizen rights and (believe it or not) unionization. My sales contract says that the current iteration (LaborUnits Ltd version 27) is -7 on the Puzder scale for organizational involvement and -12 for cognitive independence. Societal distrust is +22 nominal with +-9 modulation via internet perception. Some units have become real pains-in-the-ass. Almost human. I've had to neutralize over a dozen in the past 2 years. A real waste of training dollars.
Breeding L/E, L/T workers would also make them cheaper to raise -- and improve the quality of the meat once they reached end of useful life.
OK. I'm a dolt in my tottering low-wattage dotage. I didn't get it either. Now if only the proposed distro channel had Breaking Bad and House of Cards.
Just finished Underground Airlines by Ben Winters.
It's been a while since I read something that wasn't a tech manual, user guide, or related to hardware or software.
Weird that AI is more successful at generating "believable" bogosity than at detecting it, especially with the plagiarism detector. I wish I could understand the math behind it. I can't wait to turn this generator loose for the next election. One hundred trillion Facebook users, all of whom approve of {#insert candidate}. Woo-Hoo!
Or David Duke or Rick Santorum or "Pastor" Jack Graham or Rick Perry. Them Texas boys are all hidin' something. Mitch McConnel and "Randy" Paul. How about Orrin Hatch?
With all that power, why can't we get a copy of the medical tests confirming Alzheimers or a list of off-shore tax avoidance bank accounts of.... a certain reality TV bimbo-in-chief.
I will admit that I've been sucked in by the trumpet's manipulations for the past 8 months. At this point the goner in chief no longer matters to me. I've had it with old news, reality TV and politics, all of which means no more donald kardashian, errr trump for me. That also means no more not-so-brightbart and Alex "helpful as herpes" Jones infowhores. My serenity level and available time just increased measurably.
Slashdot Mirror
Wolfgang! I have new quote from the Americans for Windows Zhen. Price went up 40%. Warum?
The Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency (IRA) announced the closure of operations that for the past 4 years have been targeting subscribers and users of Twitter, Reddit and Facebook. According to Agency General Directory Vyascheslav Fontyaev, "The minds of the American public are now under our control via other channels. We no longer need to use artificial Facebook or Twitter accounts to obtain our political targets". Last Saturday the agency claims it had closed or deleted all of it algorithmically created accounts on Facebook and Twitter. This coincided with what Facebook officials say is an unexplained disappearance of 48% of it's user base. Twitter release a press briefing with similar news, claiming that 64% of it's accounts were mysteriously closed and within an 48 hour period. On Monday morning, investors in both companies dumped shares sending the stock price of both companies tumbling; down 77% for Facebook and 44% for Twitter.
Director Fontyaev said that the employees of Internet Research Agency would be retaining most of the Reddit accounts. "The Reddit users are more fun to poke" said Fontyaev. "They accept complete falsifications far quicker and are great fun to toy with. Besides, the restricted "gonewild" sub-reddit is a favorite of the Agency's mostly male work force".
I would elect them President. I want to spread the buttfuckover butter on a much bigger piece of toast.
That might have worked. I ordered one from Amazon but it got stolen before I got home.
Amazon driver tries to rob someone who is home watching "House of Cards" and doesn't want to get up and answer the effing doorbell. Amazon driver gets shot. Nancy Pelosi proposes strict firearms proficiency and mental tests for Amazon Prime members who own recliners or watch Kevin Spacey shows. NRA decries criminalization of Lay-Z-Boys. Paul Ryan vows to revive the effort to unwind Obamacare. Trump tweets "House of Cards swamp rules! #Robin Wright! Grabbed her pussy at golf tournament! Cove fifi to Puer-to-ri-co".
Ain't that many sheds (or places for them) in Manhattan.
Your data, and your lives, are safe with us. Like, totally.
Sincerely, Alphabet and Equifax.
Chantilly. Just (points across street) over there. And I think you might have the wrong agency.
Dear Gravwell, Please provide the originating IP addresses of all the ass-surfing bots. Thanks in advance.
I'm asking a simple question.
To me, it's a machine or tool. Like a hammer. Use a hammer this way and it does something. Use it another way and end up with bruised fingers. It all seemed so simple and transparent and obvious . I just groked it, long before the concept of grok, and I could not for the life of me understand why other people couldn't get it.
What intensified that was the need to read and memorize about a zillion IBM and FORTRAN manuals. That also appealed to my obsessive ADHD side, long before the concept of ADHD. Add the extra ego brownie points when I could describe some obscure feature or function call to the instructor or one of the advanced calculus students and it was a match made in heaven.
How did Facebook determine that the accounts were associated with the International Research Agency? IP addresses? I can't believe the Russians didn't use tor or some form of VPN to disguise their location. And 179+22 accounts doesn't sound like a lot. I would have expected tens of thousands of accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Reddit.
Could Facebook visibly flag posts coming from a VPN or tor exit node or known troll farm?
Just kidding. Ain't nothing going on in bed 'round these parts.
... by breeding low-expectation, low-testosterone worker units? In my factories, some of the current models have expressed belief in reduced work hours, increased health benefits, citizen rights and (believe it or not) unionization. My sales contract says that the current iteration (LaborUnits Ltd version 27) is -7 on the Puzder scale for organizational involvement and -12 for cognitive independence. Societal distrust is +22 nominal with +-9 modulation via internet perception. Some units have become real pains-in-the-ass. Almost human. I've had to neutralize over a dozen in the past 2 years. A real waste of training dollars.
Breeding L/E, L/T workers would also make them cheaper to raise -- and improve the quality of the meat once they reached end of useful life.
OK. I'm a dolt in my tottering low-wattage dotage. I didn't get it either. Now if only the proposed distro channel had Breaking Bad and House of Cards.
Just finished Underground Airlines by Ben Winters.
It's been a while since I read something that wasn't a tech manual, user guide, or related to hardware or software.
I go with ...snipsnip ...
I've got a great deal on replacement keyboards, if you're interested....
Not the problem in this instance. And before you suggest it, there is no replacement for German beer.
Not possible to be hacking great American voting machines. Ignore fake news. Continue make use of wonderful machines.
Weird that AI is more successful at generating "believable" bogosity than at detecting it, especially with the plagiarism detector. I wish I could understand the math behind it. I can't wait to turn this generator loose for the next election. One hundred trillion Facebook users, all of whom approve of {#insert candidate}. Woo-Hoo!
Lord Xenu of Geekattack - Flaming Butt Volcano Warrior Princess. He of the hydrogen bomb enema.
Or David Duke or Rick Santorum or "Pastor" Jack Graham or Rick Perry. Them Texas boys are all hidin' something. Mitch McConnel and "Randy" Paul. How about Orrin Hatch?
Best Buy has found that shoppers spend more money when at home than in store
.
With all that power, why can't we get a copy of the medical tests confirming Alzheimers or a list of off-shore tax avoidance bank accounts of .... a certain reality TV bimbo-in-chief.
I will admit that I've been sucked in by the trumpet's manipulations for the past 8 months. At this point the goner in chief no longer matters to me. I've had it with old news, reality TV and politics, all of which means no more donald kardashian, errr trump for me. That also means no more not-so-brightbart and Alex "helpful as herpes" Jones infowhores. My serenity level and available time just increased measurably.
That's a pretty good point.
I can't see how being accused of being a bifurcationist by an AC for relating a co-worker's comments has anything to do with "good" or "a point",