Castro in the White House and North Korea Running Hollywood

[Ed W]

Embrace it, Ed.

I not only embrace it, I try to add to the cacophony. Cognitive dissonance "is like having bees in your head. But there they are!"

[RecycleMichael]

Gaspar...surely you don't want the President of the United States to get involved in the release of a movie?

No. You just want to blame Obama for everything.

I stubbed my toe. Stupid Obama.

[cannon_fodder]

At the risk of getting this thread (back?) on track...

The movie cost $40mil to make, marketing on it was another $40mil. Between merchandise, popcorn, and box office surely it would have generated another $20mil in economic activity.  So we are dealing with a $100mil incident.

If North Korea high-jacked a supertanker worth $100,000,000.00 that belong to a US corporation, would we be cool about that? We could argue that Sony over reacted in puling the movie all together, but the movie certainly at least had value stolen by releasing it on the internet and threatening all movie goers with death. North Korea stole assets from a US "person."

Honestly, I think a retaliatory cyber attack is in order. Do you know who thinks North Korea would be able to stand up to an actual cyber attack?

[Red Arrow]

Honestly, I think a retaliatory cyber attack is in order. Do you know who thinks North Korea would be able to stand up to an actual cyber attack?

Maybe shutting down their military would be a good "get even".

[Red Arrow]

I'm continually amused that you  begrudge the President a vacation. 

You are easily amused.

[Ed W]

Honestly, I think a retaliatory cyber attack is in order. Do you know who thinks North Korea would be able to stand up to an actual cyber attack?

How much damage would a cyber attack do? NK doesn't even have the whole country on an electric grid let alone extensive computer networks. Iran, at least, had it's nuclear processing facilities connected and vulnerable to insertion of a virus.  

It's like our house. Sure, a hacker could pose problem by infecting our computers. They could disrupt our television reception. But if I connected my entire house to the internet - as Cox is proposing in their latest enhancement - a hacker could turn off the heat.

[Red Arrow]

I'm astonished that a thread that began with Sony caving to NK hackers has so quickly devolved into whining about Obama (again). Astonished.
Astonished.

Really?

[Hoss]

North Korea's internet is 'Toast'.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/world/asia/attack-is-suspected-as-north-korean-internet-collapses.html?_r=0

Measured response?  Why is it so quiet on this topic now?

Nevermind.

Lesson learned.  Mess with the US via the internet, get your internet shut down country-wide.

Oh, and it looks like they're releasing "The Interview" after all.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2014/12/23/the-interview-thursday/20808469/

[Red Arrow]

Measured response?  Why is it so quiet on this topic now?

Any chance we have learned not to tell our adversaries what we are going to do?

Nah, can't happen.

[RecycleMichael]

I am still skeptical that North Korea was involved. Ever since we were told Iraq had weapons of mass destruction I don't believe U.S. intelligence.

I think this is just made up reasons to some day go to war.

[Red Arrow]

I am still skeptical that North Korea was involved. Ever since we were told Iraq had weapons of mass destruction I don't believe U.S. intelligence.
I think this is just made up reasons to some day go to war.

Obama better get moving.  He only has two years to do something.

[heironymouspasparagus]

If I could get hold of the movie, I would show it.  I have access to a field that could make a pretty good drive-in theater.  Just need some poles and a few sheets of plywood painted white!  Grill a few steaks at the same time for 'dinner and a movie'....