False-flag attack? Syria to be invaded?

[Dark Sage]

That's kind of my point, Zak.

I find it hard to believe that someone could find out something like this by accident.

People seem to have no faith in our government, thinking that terrorist organizations can fool the FBI as easily they can in political thrillers. The truth is, they aren't as stupid as people think they are, and their security is a lot better.

I heard from somebody "in the know" that places like major universities and government agencies like the CIA keep their most confidential files on computers that have absolutely NO access to the web at all. Someone actually has to be IN the room with the computer to access them, making hacking those files impossible. It's very different than what you see in the movies, where it would take a hacker about five minutes at most to get into such a system.

[Blademaster]

That's kind of my point, Zak.

I find it hard to believe that someone could find out something like this by accident.

...You DO know that hackers look for shit, right? Not just blindly stumbling around hoping to get lucky...?

People seem to have no faith in our government

Not when it comes to technology, no.

...The truth is, they aren't as stupid as people think they are, and their security is a lot better.

I beg to differ.

I heard from somebody "in the know" that places like major universities and government agencies like the CIA keep their most confidential files on computers that have absolutely NO access to the web at all.

You say that with such bravado, like your colleague is affiliated with some kind of elite cyber security squad that maintains some sort of insurmountable digital fortress protecting a private network that no hacker could ever hope to reach no matter how skilled they are.

...Your friend is talking about a LAN. You know, the thing people have been using those to play Doom and Starcraft for almost 20 years? It's not a new or magical technology: Give a hacker a computer that can access that local network and he'll probably break into it just as easily as he could any standard surface site. The hard part is accessing the COMPUTER, not the stuff that's in it.

[Dark Sage]

It wasn't a "colleague", Blade, it was my brother, who learnd it when he worked for Al Gore.

You know, Al Gore? The former Vice President under Bill Clinton? My brother worked as intern under him while a student at George Washington University, and he knew many members of the VP's staff. During that time, he learned quite a few things.

You're probably going to accuse me of lying. Well, if I'm being untruthful about this, may both myself and the next three generations of my family die of malaria. I'm dead serious. My brother really interned for Al Gore.

[Blademaster]

It wasn't a "colleague", Blade, it was my brother, who learnd it when he worked for Al Gore.

You know, Al Gore? The former Vice President under Bill Clinton? My brother worked as intern under him while a student at George Washington University, and he knew many members of the VP's staff. During that time, he learned quite a few things.

You're probably going to accuse me of lying. Well, if I'm being untruthful about this, may both myself and the next three generations of my family die of malaria. I'm dead serious. My brother really interned for Al Gore.

...OK, good for him...?

I don't see how that changes anything I said about how government secrets are guarded by the same technology I play Team Fortress 2 with.

[Dark Sage]

...OK, good for him...?

I don't see how that changes anything I said about how government secrets are guarded by the same technology I play Team Fortress 2 with.

I'd say that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, but I have heard a few things more ridiculous.

Such as...

The claim that Goldman Sachs runs the U.S. Treasury.

The claim that Baxter International has developed a bird-flu vaccine that kills people.

The claim that Representative Alcee Hastings and the House of Representatives are planning to build at least six labor camps for political prisoners.

The claim that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez owns the software that runs American voting machines.

The claim that FactCheck is untrustworthy because of its links to the Annenberg Foundation.

All these are lesser-known conspiracy theories promoted by "birther queen" Orly Taitz, btw.

[Roy Karrde]

I'd say that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, but I have heard a few things more ridiculous.

You... do know Private Military Contractor's email have been hacked before right?

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/anonym...s-stolen/55494

[Dark Sage]

Roy, Blade was cliaming that the federal government was using the same technology to keep classified document secure that a freaking video game uses.

Frankly, I was being nice in my last post. I thought that the very idea - and the fact that he was serious about it - was the most absurd thing I have ever heard on this website.

[Blademaster]

I'd say that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, but

BUT IT'S TIME FOR... THE FACTS OF LIFE, HOSTED BY BLADEMASTER!

A local area network (LAN) is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building using network media.[1] The defining characteristics of LANs, in contrast to wide area networks (WANs), include their usually higher data-transfer rates, smaller geographic area, and lack of a need for leased telecommunication lines.

Now why does that sound familiar...?

computers that have absolutely NO access to the web at all. Someone actually has to be IN the room with the computer to access them

Oh, THAT'S why! Well, you were right about universities and corporations using them... I wonder what else such a network can be used for...

Oh, looky here.

A Listen Server is a basic server running within a player's TF2 client. It can be easily created through selecting the Create Server button at the main menu. Other players can connect to the server, but the overhead of running a regular client on the same system will often strain the host player's hardware. These types of servers are best suited to LAN-based events.

Huh... I wonder if these kinds of servers are popular-Oh wait the biggest competitive TF2 players in the world use them. All the time.



I know I shouldn't begrudge an older person for not understanding computers - Lord knows I've struggled with them myself plenty of times to this day. But that doesn't change the facts. Government and corporate security systems use LAN's.

TF2 also uses LAN's.

Ergo, LAN's aren't some exotic new government supertech. They're common as rocks. This is not ridiculous, not is it up for debate. It is fact.

[Dark Sage]

Blade, you said you liked TV Tropes so much?

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...piracyTheories

See that? It's interesting reading. They list a LOT of conspiracy theories, and with most of them, explain why they are complete bullshit.

Why don't you read it? If nothing else, it's good for laughs when you read a page like this and realize how gullible some people are.