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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323601: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:09:53 AM

Qanon is specifically just a 4chan joke monetized by three con men.

It's just the question of, "How racist and gullible are Americans?" is apparently a answer with no limit.

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/how-three-conspiracy-theorists-took-q-sparked-qanon-n900531

Seriously, "Q" exists because of Patreon. These people destroyed America for 200,000 bucks a month.

...

Okay, that's a pretty big payday for an internet troll.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#323602: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:12:21 AM

Yeah, I don't like the tactics, but that is definitely Screw the Rules, I Have Money! - money.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#323603: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:30:29 AM

That's just how Reaction is in-general, it's a tool for the enrichment of the few by directing the many to attack scapegoats. Q Anon is no different from traditional fascist movements or any other far-rightist cause.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#323604: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:34:55 AM

@devak: A 1 in a million rate of fatal complications from a SARS-Co V-2 vaccine is significantly lower than the fatality rate of the disease its vaccinating against, in fact even across the entire human population its way lower than the weekly death toll of COVID-19. Ethically speaking, deploying such a vaccine is is clearly the better option if no others are available, though given there's around 90 clinical trials and half a dozen in phase III studies that's far from a given.

Edited by CaptainCapsase on Aug 12th 2020 at 2:43:03 PM

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#323605: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:46:14 AM

Do note that the 1-1000000 complication rate refers to normal (thus stress-tested vaccinations) vaccines and cannot be uncritically extended to Russia's rushed "Sputnik V".

A Politifact article that discusses how third parties influence elections. Apparently most Stein and Johnson voters would have favoured Trump in a two-party election.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323606: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:47:17 AM

Honestly, as cold-blooded as it sounds, the simple fact is that the vaccine by Putin is getting deployed no matter what. So the best thing to do is observe the results, record them, and decide from there.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#323607: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:47:52 AM

But we don't know it will be a one in a million risk, right?

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#323608: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:48:26 AM

[up][up][up] Yes, it's important to stress that we have no idea what the rate of complications for the Russian vaccine will be; hence why it's unacceptable to bypass phase III studies.

[up] We don't. It's probably somewhere between 1 in 1 million (ie a good vaccine) and 1 in 100 based on the size of their study. Now granted, a typical phase III study with 3000 participants or so brings the confidence window up to 1 in 10,000, which would also be unacceptable in normal times, so you'd normally have provisional deployment to people at risk of exposure and post-market followups to ascertain the true number of adverse events prior to mass deployment. That's what's likely going to happen with the vaccines as they start rolling out, and it's actually what Russia's doing with their own vaccine, albeit with around a 100-fold increase in risk.

Edited by CaptainCapsase on Aug 12th 2020 at 2:59:27 PM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323609: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:56:14 AM

Stein has since been proven to have been a Russian asset.

I don't mean, "and she helped Donald win."

I mean was actually working for the Russians.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/19/politics/jill-stein-responds-clinton-gabbard-russian-asset-cnntv/index.html

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Demongodofchaos2 Face me now, bitch! from In a Cultivation World (Ancient one) Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Face me now, bitch!
#323610: Aug 12th 2020 at 11:58:02 AM

Qanon is so hated, Anonymous has outright dismissed them and said that they have nothing to do with them and think they are just as stupid as a lot of other people do.

Watch Symphogear
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#323611: Aug 12th 2020 at 12:01:19 PM

The big problem with the recent Q Anon issues is that a number of the far left have already started to fall for the misinformation and conspiracy theories spread by them.

Mind, this is just from what I've seen in regards to some of my far left friends.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#323612: Aug 12th 2020 at 12:04:32 PM

That's not quite the big problem.

The big problems with QAnon are that a) it has a scary large number of believers and not just in the USA, b) some are likely to be elected to the US Congress and c) it encourages people to commit crimes (or, as stated a few posts ago, to impede the prosecution of actual crimes) in its name, see Wikipedia's dedicated list.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323613: Aug 12th 2020 at 12:06:01 PM

Yes, Qanon is a con game that has evolved to a terrorist organization.

Multiple people who have attempted to kill Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton have emerged from it.

And yes there are people who are being elected on its platform that believes Democrats are running an international sex trafficking ring.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Aug 12th 2020 at 12:07:55 PM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323614: Aug 12th 2020 at 12:07:31 PM

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/08/12/conspiracy-steal-election-folks-alarms-sound-after-postal-worker-reports-removal

Oh, the Post Office's sorting machines are being removed in order to cripple its service.

Can we just go after this guys taxes or something? He is a criminal.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#323615: Aug 12th 2020 at 12:16:52 PM

Stein has since been proven to have been a Russian asset.

I don't mean, "and she helped Donald win."

I mean was actually working for the Russians.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/19/politics/jill-stein-responds-clinton-gabbard-russian-asset-cnntv/index.html

That article doesn't support your claim, it just notes that Russian linked social media accounts supported her campaign and she had dinner at the same table as Putin.

I have no love for Stein, she's a crank and useful idiot. But the only evidence (the dinner) is highly circumstantial, it's far too weak for the severity of the claims made.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Aug 12th 2020 at 12:17:17 PM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323616: Aug 12th 2020 at 12:21:23 PM

No, it's referring to Hillary Clinton's accusation of her.

I admit I didn't bother looking up much on the subject because the very act of researching Jill Stein makes my skin crawl.

But yes, I believe the former Secretary of State.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Aug 12th 2020 at 12:21:50 PM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#323617: Aug 12th 2020 at 12:33:10 PM

Did Hillary herself mean it in terms of active accomplice or useful stooge? She really only said someone was an asset being groomed for the election. None of that requires malice over stupidity.

Edited by sgamer82 on Aug 12th 2020 at 12:34:21 PM

Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#323618: Aug 12th 2020 at 12:40:02 PM

'Asset' doesn't mean intentional intelligence operative. It can mean 'keeps promoting interests that align with theirs'

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323619: Aug 12th 2020 at 12:55:12 PM

https://theweek.com/speedreads/872747/hillary-clinton-claims-jill-stein-russian-asset-suggests-republicans-are-grooming-tulsi-gabbard

Here's a better description of Hillary's accusations.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#323620: Aug 12th 2020 at 1:23:38 PM

I think there should be a higher bar to pass then "they have policies I dislike" for a politician to be justified labeling another an asset of a hostile power. Regardless of what technical definition we use it's rather obviously meant to demonize them by connecting them to foreign manipulation.

That's not something that should be done lightly.

I don't have any particular sympathy for Gabbard or Stein but there are far better ways to criticize them.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#323621: Aug 12th 2020 at 1:29:03 PM

Reopening schools? β€œIt's just a tiny fraction of death,” according to the president.

America ladies an gentlemen. Where we sacrifice children for a 'Tiny fraction of death' because the president says so.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323622: Aug 12th 2020 at 1:29:20 PM

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/russians-launched-pro-jill-stein-social-media-blitz-help-trump-n951166

There was also the accusation she took a lot of Russian money but I haven't found any of the articles on that.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Voltron64 Since: Jul, 2016
#323623: Aug 12th 2020 at 1:30:38 PM

[up]x10 I think the only issue Qanon truly has with the international sex trafficking ring is that they should be ones in charge instead of Hilary and the democrats.

Edited by Voltron64 on Aug 12th 2020 at 1:31:05 AM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323624: Aug 12th 2020 at 1:58:33 PM

I think the only issue Qanon truly has with the international sex trafficking ring is that they should be ones in charge instead of Hilary and the democrats.

Epstein screws with their mythology as Trump, you see, was infiltrating the ring to take it down from the inside.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#323625: Aug 12th 2020 at 1:59:53 PM

[up][up][up][up]

I immediately thought of a Facebook meme with that - picture of a skeptical-looking kid looking at the camera.

"So, me having to wear a bullet-proof backpack and practice weekly Shooter drills is 'The price of freedom' - but you having to wear a mask for 10 minutes in Wal-Mart is 'Tyranny'."

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"

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