Re: McAfee

1

He's not a murderous fruitcake! He's "eccentric." That's the word NPR used!

We need a chart that explains how much wealth you need to get away with which crazy behaviors and still be called "eccentric."


Posted by: rob helpy-chalk | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 10:32 AM
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2

I believe you can also be eccentric while penurious so long as your family has historically been wealthy.


Posted by: nosflow | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 10:34 AM
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3

My favorite quote in the whole thing (from before the murder):

It's not too unusual for eccentric gringos to wind up in Central America and slowly turn stranger--"Rich white men who come to Belize and act strangely are kind of a type," one local journalist told me.


Posted by: Beefo Meaty | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 10:38 AM
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4

I admit that I have an ambition to be a rich white man acting strangely in Belize.


Posted by: togolosh | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 10:56 AM
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4 -- me too. I've got to say that my main emotional reaction is "wouldn't it be awesome to make tens of millions, build a compound in the jungle, and just go loco."


Posted by: Robert Halford | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:00 AM
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If 5 had been left presidentially and I had to guess who wrote it, I would have guessed Halford. (Had it said "desert" in lieu of "jungle", I might have guessed Sifu.)


Posted by: knecht ruprecht | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:07 AM
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7

Mistah Kurtz--he fruitcake...

Have to admire his commitment to the blogger ethos though.


Posted by: tierce de lollardie | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:08 AM
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8

Have we discussed here yet what a murderous fruitcake he is?

And that's just on the strength of his software.


Posted by: chris y | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:09 AM
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9

1.last - Was it a Dupont heir who dismembered his neighbor, went on the run in drag, and was later acquitted despite his involvement in two additional killings? Good times.


Posted by: snarkout | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:10 AM
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10

Ah, no, it's a Dupont heir who murdered an Olympic gold medalist then barricading himself in his mansion. The neighbor-dismemberer was a New York real estate scion.


Posted by: snarkout | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:12 AM
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11

There was a duPont who was convicted of murder.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:12 AM
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12

11 before seeing 10.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:14 AM
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9-11: Given that the eponymous chemical company began as a gunpowder manufacturer, you might conclude that it runs in the family.


Posted by: Jesus McQueen | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:37 AM
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14

me too. I've got to say that my main emotional reaction is "wouldn't it be awesome to make tens of millions, build a compound in the jungle, and just go loco."

I thought your ultimate ambition involved a personal nuclear submarine crewed by beautiful female ninjas.

Or maybe having one of those goes without saying when you're a rich white guy in Belize.


Posted by: AcademicLurker | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:37 AM
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15

There's ultimate ambition, and then just ambition.


Posted by: Robert Halford | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:42 AM
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Are there any real life examples of some billionaire with a highly trained security team of super-hot women? I realize that requiring the women to specifically be "ninjas" may be unrealistic.


Posted by: Robert Halford | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:43 AM
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Didn't Khaddafi have attractive female bodyguards?


Posted by: LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:45 AM
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18

Khaddafi also got shot in a ditch.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:45 AM
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Oh yeah, here we go. That would be pretty sweet. I also don't need to brutally repress my people quite as much as Khaddafi, but to be clear they must fear me.


Posted by: Robert Halford | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:47 AM
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20

I suppose by that point, his security needs were parabodyguard.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:47 AM
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21

I remember when I saw the link in 19 that I thought they all looked like members of the New Power Generation.


Posted by: snarkout | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 11:48 AM
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22

To the OP, I see the Guatemalteco authorities have told McAfee that his asylum application is for to laugh and are going to hand him back to Belize.


Posted by: chris y | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 12:11 PM
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19: Are you going to insist that your guards be virgins as well? Because that cuts down a bit on the job-applicant pool.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 12:27 PM
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16: Coxinga!

Not quite, but more and better besides.


Posted by: clew | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 12:36 PM
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25

The ninjas would take over like the Mamluks did. Getting rid of people is what they are for, after all.


Posted by: | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 12:41 PM
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23: The virgin thing was stupid, and shows that for all his fashion sense, Khaddafi didn't have what it takes to a truly great power-mad dictator.

Me, I'm putting my castle on the Moon. The Moon! I'm going to built it in the side of a crater facing so that Earth is perpetually on the horizon. (Is there an Earth illusion on the Moon?) I just need to spend more time on Google Moon picking out a crater.


Posted by: rob helpy-chalk | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 1:00 PM
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27

26: That spot is already taken by Dracula.


Posted by: Walt Someguy | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 1:08 PM
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28

My Dad was in Belize, I think, during some coup attempt or flare up in tensions with Guatemala in the early 70s. He was there as part of a small army group testing jungle radios, and was suddenly expected to be ready for actual shooting and was sent off to help hold the airport while waiting for Marines to fly in from Ascension. It didn't happen, though, and after a few days he flew back out on a commercial flight.*

* actual details somewhat vague as it's years since I heard the story. I can't remember which year he was there. Some time between 68 and 71, I'd guess.


Posted by: nattarGcM ttaM | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 2:06 PM
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29

I realize that requiring the women to specifically be "ninjas" may be unrealistic.

Especially considering that some people believe that ninjas never really existed.


Posted by: nattarGcM ttaM | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 2:06 PM
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29: They live under the earth, ttaM, and tunnel out as needed. Halford can show you a map.


Posted by: Thorn | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 2:10 PM
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31

(Anyone who hasn't read a biography of Zheng Chenggong/ 鄭成功 /Coxinga should. Pirate rebel prince semi-deified by his historical enemies, married a high-ranking samurai woman (we can assume she was a ninja princess), lots of multicultural allies, troops, enemies.)


Posted by: clew | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 2:26 PM
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Some friends of friends moved to Belize because it is located such that a beachcomber could hope to find a fairly regular supply of nicely-wrapped cocaine dumped from interdicted speedboats en route to the Gulf.


Posted by: Beefo Meaty | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 2:28 PM
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33

Ironically, ninjas don't believe that Scotland is real.


Posted by: Walt Someguy | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 2:35 PM
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34

32: Also the entire basis for the economy of Bluefields, Nicaragua.


Posted by: Cryptic ned | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 2:37 PM
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35

Alleged murderous fruitcake.


Posted by: Sir Kraab | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 6:24 PM
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36

31: Was it here someone (ajay?) mentioned Moses Cohen Henriques?


Posted by: Turgid Jacobian | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 6:33 PM
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37

Are there any real life examples of some billionaire with a highly trained security team of super-hot women?

I don't know about that, but we just watched Diamonds Are Forever and the "fight" scene between Sean Connery and Blofeld's two incredibly slow-moving female bodyguards is hilariously awful. (We're on an old-school Bond kick.)


Posted by: Sir Kraab | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 6:33 PM
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19:

Internet access to the requested website has been denied based on your user profile and the firm's Internet Usage Policy.
User/Machine: IP: 10.20.7.233
Category: Pornography/Adult Content

Posted by: urple | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 6:44 PM
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39

Fuck compounds in the jungle with female ninja bodyguards. I'd be satisfied with a modest timberframe cabin in the Adirondacks and the female staff of the NYT Economix blog.


Posted by: knecht ruprecht | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 7:10 PM
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40


...though, if I'm realistic about it, I might need a few ninjas on hand to dispatch Ezra.


Posted by: knecht ruprecht | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 7:11 PM
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38: It's easy to block non-novel sexual acts.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 7:15 PM
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42

OT: A Rusty Nail is apparently a delicate proposition. Or it seems that way because I can tell the difference between the new guy's and the senior guy. Only the first guy measured.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 8:21 PM
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43

Maybe it just needed mixed better. All the not-scotch was at the bottom.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 12- 6-12 8:36 PM
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44

Anyone who hasn't read a biography of Zheng Chenggong/ 鄭成功 /Coxinga should

Any recommendations on a good one?

31: Was it here someone (ajay?) mentioned Moses Cohen Henriques?

No, but I'm happy to mention him now.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 3:46 AM
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45

The forum thread where he was discussing the recipe for manufacturing his super perv powder is quite the thing. Then you go on to read the accompanying general discussion on MDPV, and that's quite the thing as well.

He's still got it, too - viz the amateurs from Vice who leaked their location in photo EXIF tags. he immediately put it about that he hacked their web server, munged the exif tags to spoof his location. cue Vice freaking the fuck out.

now, I don't think he did exploit their web server, but flipping your target right into Angleton's wilderness of mirrors without actually touching a damn thing...


Posted by: Alex | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 3:51 AM
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46

Is there an Earth illusion on the Moon?

Presumably not, given that there are no buildings and such on the horizon. But then, we don't really have an intuitive baseline notion of how the earth should look from the moon.


Posted by: Ginger Yellow | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 3:54 AM
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47

29. Apparently there are two ninjas left, but they're not training any successors and they're a bit old to be bodyguards any more.


Posted by: chris y | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 4:01 AM
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48

Especially considering that some people believe that ninjas never really existed.

That's just what they want you to think.


Also, while we're on the subject of ninjas, you guys do know about Dr McNinja, right?


Posted by: Ginger Yellow | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 4:16 AM
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49

Presumably not, given that there are no buildings and such on the horizon.

Well, that's exactly what Rob wants to change.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 4:25 AM
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re: 47

Yeah, but even those guys are surrounded by falsehood and exaggerated claims. e.g. Hatsumi:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Ninjutsu#Hatsumi

Even if some of the ryu are real and part of a historical tradition, 99% of the surrounding guff is largely a product of later dramatisations (e.g. in Japanese theatre) and outright fabrication.

e.g. (from wiki)

While the image of a ninja clad in black garb (shinobi shōzoku) is prevalent in popular media, there is no written evidence for such a costume...The popular notion of black clothing is likely rooted in artistic convention. Early drawings of ninja were shown to be dressed in black in order to portray a sense of invisibility. This convention was an idea borrowed from the puppet handlers of bunraku theater, who dressed in total black in an effort to simulate props moving independently of their controls

Posted by: nattarGcM ttaM | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 5:29 AM
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51

27 to 48.


Posted by: Awl | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 5:38 AM
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I think in fact 27 pwned 48.


Posted by: Walt Someguy | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 6:16 AM
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53

So it did.


Posted by: Ginger Yellow | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 6:56 AM
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39: You want to spend time in a cabin in the woods with economists?


Posted by: rob helpy-chalk | Link to this comment | 12- 7-12 8:20 AM
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||

2 days okay here **SPOILERS**

Susan Joliffe Napier

Although the film does not emphasize this, it is interesting that Kiki's loss of power/confidence occurs during puberty, a period when many young girls question their innate competence. Even though
Kiki's sexuality is kept deliberately low-key, it is significant that the return of her powers comes about through her involvement with a boy.

Miyazaki isn't terrible, but he still isn't quite there. Girl = nature = nurture = self sacrifice = magic.
Technology a little or lot dangerous. In Nausicaa and Totoro, girls grow
things, boys build gentle-tech flying machines. MJ doesn't hate tech, he just wants a 19th century, green, very limited tech.

Hell, it's still all The Secret Garden really. Sexist and reactionary.

Chobits. The Shojo is the computer that programs the otaku.

|>


Posted by: bob mcmanus | Link to this comment | 12- 9-12 10:28 AM
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||

Sorry. Html fail

2 days okay here **SPOILERS**

Susan Joliffe Napier

The film is thus an allegory of maturation in which belief in the self is the key to genuine development. In the film's action climax Kiki's powers are restored to her at the moment she needs them most, when trying to rescue her young friend Tombo, who is clinging to a rope dangling from a damaged airship. No longer thinking of herself and her own worries, Kiki is free to call on her old powers. The film ends on a note of satisfaction as Kiki writes home to her parents saying how much she likes life in her new community.

Although the film does not emphasize this, it is interesting that Kiki's loss of power/confidence occurs during puberty, a period when many young girls question their innate competence. Even though
Kiki's sexuality is kept deliberately low-key, it is significant that the return of her powers comes about through her involvement with a boy.

Miyazaki isn't terrible, but he still isn't quite there. Girl = nature = nurture = self sacrifice = magic.
Technology a little or lot dangerous. In Nausicaa and Totoro, girls grow
things, boys build gentle-tech flying machines. MJ doesn't hate tech, he just wants a 19th century, green, very limited tech.

Hell, it's still all The Secret Garden really. Sexist and reactionary.

Chobits. The Shojo is the computer that programs the otaku.

|>


Posted by: bob mcmanus | Link to this comment | 12- 9-12 10:29 AM
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And I meant Laputa above not Nausicaa which has its own set of problems.

The apocalypse is masculinist.


Posted by: bob mcmanus | Link to this comment | 12- 9-12 10:48 AM
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In a hole in the ground lived a chobit.


Posted by: tierce de lollardie | Link to this comment | 12- 9-12 1:11 PM
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Meanwhile, in other weird Caribbean arrests news...


Posted by: Ginger Yellow | Link to this comment | 12-11-12 10:27 AM
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