All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[Tami]

All things being equal, I’d rather take my chances wearing a mask. Sure, it may not be the last word in comfort, especially to those who wear glasses, but it beats the hell out of being hooked up to a ventilator.

I'm starting a mask collection. Just ordered some self-designed custom masks through Vistaprint. If I like how they look and function, I might order more. Could be fun to walk around wearing my own artwork.

[Tami]

US charges Chinese hackers for wide-ranging activities, including Covid research intrusions

(CNN)US prosecutors have charged two alleged Chinese hackers over a "sweeping global computer intrusion campaign" that they say was supported by the country's government and aimed at coronavirus treatment and vaccine research.

The hackers have also allegedly targeted dissidents and human rights activists in the US, China and Hong Kong, as well as hundreds of businesses in more than 10 countries, as part of a 10-year-old campaign that amassed terabytes of stolen data, John Demers, the head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, said Tuesday.

The accusations were included in an indictment returned earlier this month and unsealed in a Spokane, Washington, federal court Tuesday. They represent the first criminal charges against foreign hackers going after coronavirus research as the pandemic continues to rage across the world.

One of the hackers, Li Xiaoyu, allegedly conducted electronic reconnaissance on at least four US-based companies that were publicly known to be working on coronavirus projects.

[Mister Mets]

Look, should we really hold the entire party accountable because there are a few bad apples among ... checks note ... the three most powerful politicians in the state?

Other state parties have their problems.

The former Speaker of the New York state assembly is going to start his jail sentence soon for a bribery scheme.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...d-6-1-n1234432

Michael Madigan, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, is investigated for bribery.
https://newschannel20.com/news/local...-investigation

It's also worth noting that Householder in Ohio became Speaker with the help of Democrats.
https://www.dispatch.com/news/201912...-house-speaker

This isn't to say that Republicans are perfect when it comes to state legislative leaders, but it doesn't seem to be an area where Democrats are clearly superior to Republicans.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I'm starting a mask collection. Just ordered some self-designed custom masks through Vistaprint. If I like how they look and function, I might order more. Could be fun to walk around wearing my own artwork.

I’ve been using the plain old disposable variety I bought at Home Depot (box of 50 for thirty bucks), but I might give that a try.

[Gray Lensman]

I’ve been using the plain old disposable variety I bought at Home Depot (box of 50 for thirty bucks), but I might give that a try.

T-public had some great ones I wanted to buy, but they are never in stock. Spaceballs: The Facemask, the blurry photo of Bigfoot tagged "Social Distancing Champion", and the iconic lips from Rocky Horror Picture Show were some of the notable ones I saw.

[Farealmer]

was the guy white? because Im guessing he was

should've tazed his ass

Tazing aside that was my first thought. When it's a female white manager and a black male customer being aggressive you don't tend to hear stories of how reasonable the police response is.

[sammy_hansen]

Tazing aside that was my first thought. When it's a female white manager and a black male customer being aggressive you don't tend to hear stories of how reasonable the police response is.

Or the child in the Walmart who was carrying a toy gun and was murdered by the police.

[sammy_hansen]

We could also consider what the narrative would be if these were right-wing protesters, demanding restrictions on abortion, the federal government to stay out of administration of land rights, or the passage of explicit religious liberty protections.

Is it your view, then, that people whose politics are left of centre would find the Federal government’s snatching of protesters off the streets into unmarked vehicles more palatable or acceptable or preferable if those protesters held political views different to theirs?

[PwrdOn]

US charges Chinese hackers for wide-ranging activities, including Covid research intrusions

Why was all the coronavirus research being kept secret in the first place?

[Gray Lensman]

Why was all the coronavirus research being kept secret in the first place?

How much has China been sharing?

[Kirby101]

We could also consider what the narrative would be if these were right-wing protesters, demanding restrictions on abortion, the federal government to stay out of administration of land rights, or the passage of explicit religious liberty protections.

Why should we consider your made up bullshit scenario, when no Democratic President would send unidentified Gestapo bootjacks to kidnap Americans off the street.
Can't you even decry straight up fascism from your Party without an imaginary whatabout?

[Tami]

Why was all the coronavirus research being kept secret in the first place?

It's not. Usually, researchers might hold off on making information public until significant results are obtained. Then the scientists make public their research, for peer review and for other researchers to use.

Problem is, if you can't wait for that stage, if you try to hack the information early, it slows down the research, creates fear, disrupts the process, and serves no useful purpose. Not to mention, it's illegal.

[Gray Lensman]

Why should we consider your made up bullshit scenario, when no Democratic President would send unidentified Gestapo bootjacks to kidnap Americans off the street.
Can't you even decry straight up fascism from your Party without an imaginary whatabout?

We already know what the police do to right wing protesters - watch them beat counter-protesters, then arrest them for being beaten.

[Kirby101]

We already know what the police do to right wing protesters - watch them beat counter-protesters, then arrest them for being beaten.

They also warn them when they will start bashing heads.

[Malvolio]

Tazing aside that was my first thought. When it's a female white manager and a black male customer being aggressive you don't tend to hear stories of how reasonable the police response is.

I was gonna say, I wonder how it would have turned out had the manager been white and the customer Black.