SDB Evening Reads for 110111: Cain, Hacks and Money

Good evening, why does today seem more like a Monday to me…a Monday from hell?

Herman Cain is really going for broke, I think his favorite answer to any question, whether it be on the economy, foreign policy or sexual harassment, should be his new campaign slogan.

I don’t know anything about anything…I ain’t walking that back.

The best commentary on Cain’s sexual harassment settlements is from a show that is not a “real” news program.  Jon Stewart | Herman Cain Sexual Harassment | Daily Show Video | Mediaite

Herman Cain didn’t have what one would call a particularly strong start to his week, what with Politico uncovering allegations of sexual misconduct from the 1990s and all. On tonight’s Daily Show, host Jon Stewart made the most of the developments with pizza-themed innuendo, a list of Cain statements most outrageous than the claims as they appear currently, and a realization that, from now on, everything Cain says will “sound dirty.”

“Hey, you want sausage on your pie?” Stewart suggested as a probably Cain pick-up line. “Let me stuff your crust,” he continued, with a few other comical suggestions for what Cain could be saying (if it doesn’t exist already, expect #hermancainpickuplines to become a fairly popular Twitter hashtag game soon). But Stewart went on to find that “trying to defend our border with a giant Mexican zapper” was probably more problematic than what we currently know about the charges, and only Cain himself could make the situation worse.

Heh, wait it gets better…

Then Stewart turned to Cain’s responses, which were, repeatedly, that he did not sexually harass anyone, and that “other than the restaurant charges,” he had never been accused. Stewart, of course, noted the humor in this, as these were the only accusations anyone cased about. “Have you ever kidnapped a baby?” Stewart Joked. “Well, other than the Lindbergh baby, no.” Stewart also skewered a number of things Cain has said in the past, like his constant claims one week that he was “Black Walnut” flavored, and that extended smile at the end of his ads. “Stop looking at my black walnuts!” Stewart joked.

All jokes aside, the heart of the matter is not something to make fun off…but the way Cain has handled the situation in the last 24 hours, that’s the stuff that comedians dreams are made of…

Video at the link up top…you have to watch it, good stuff.

All this scandal talk seems to have benefited Cain…financially. Here comes the money portion of today’s post.

Cain Made $250,000 Off Yesterday’s ‘Witch Hunt’ – Politics – The Atlantic Wire

Mark Block, chief of staff to Herman Cain, says yesterday’s media frenzy over sexual harassment claims helped the campaign post one of its best fundraising days ever with $250,000 coming into the coffers. Block made the comment while on a panel at National Journal‘s 2012 Election Preview today. We won’t know until the disclosure forms are fully filed, but those are big numbers to cap an October where the Republican hopeful raised $3 million, according to CNN. As for the other big story of Cain’s week: “Done. Move on,” said Block in a recap from The Hill . “Let’s talk about what the American people want to hear about, and that jobs, jobs, jobs.”

“Done, move on,” could also refer to Block’s candor in regards to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel‘s report that the Cain campaign (perhaps illegally) owes some $40,000 to Prosperity USA, a now-defunct private corporation that Block and aide Linda Hansen ran. Slate’s Dave Weigel notes:

He answered them today. Well, sort of. At National Journal‘s 2012 preview panel, in the caged environment of a hotel ballroom and live video, ABC News’s Amy Walter asked Block if he could explain the Bice story.

“We’ve retained independent counsel to look at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story and report back to us,” said Block.

Walter followed up with a different version of the question.

“We’ve retained independent counsel to look at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story,” said Block.

Okay…Let’s move on to the “hack” portion of the thread, check this out:

China ‘targeted 48 chemical and military companies in hacking attack’ | Technology | guardian.co.uk

Cyber-attacks traced to China targeted at least 48 chemical and military-related companies over the summer in an effort to steal technical secrets, an American computer security company has said, raising the temperature of complaints about pervasive internet crime emanating from the new superpower..

The targets included 29 chemical companies and 19 others which make advanced materials used by the military, said security firm Symantec in a report. It said the group included multiple Fortune 100 companies but did not identify them or say where they were located.

“The purpose of the attacks appears to be industrial espionage, collecting intellectual property for competitive advantage,” said the report.

Well, where is Biden, denouncing this hack as a terrorist act.

The claim comes as a conference meets in London to discuss cybercrime and internet attacks, led by the defence secretary William Hague, and after the chief of the GCHQ listening agency warned that threats against government infrastructure from foreign hackers were at “disturbing” levels.

Security experts say China is a centre for internet crime, whether government-sanctioned or not. Multiple attacks against governments, companies and human rights groups have been traced to this country, though finding the precise source is nearly impossible. China’s military is a leader in cyberwarfare research but the government has rejected allegations of cyber-spying, and says it also is a target.

And in Mexico, the drug cartels have pissed of Anonymous…I wonder if this group can hit the cartels more than the Mexican Army and border agents have.

Online hackers threaten to expose cartel’s secrets – Houston Chronicle

An international group of online hackers is warning a Mexican drug cartel to release one of its members, kidnapped from a street protest, or it will publish the identities and addresses of the syndicate’s associates, from corrupt police to taxi drivers, as well as reveal the syndicates’ businesses.

The vow is a bizarre cyber twist to Mexico’s ongoing drug war, as a group that has no guns is squaring off against the Zetas, a cartel blamed for thousands of deaths as well as introducing beheadings and other frightening brutality.

“You made a huge mistake by taking one of us. Release him,” says a masked man in a video posted online on behalf of the group, Anonymous.

“We cannot defend ourselves with a weapon … but we can do this with their cars, homes, bars, brothels and everything else in their possession,” says the man, who is wearing a suit and tie.

“It won’t be difficult; we all know who they are and where they are located,” says the man, who underlines the group’s international ties by speaking Spanish with the accent of a Spaniard while using Mexican slang.

The group also threatens to release names of journalist that are on the cartels payrolls.

“We demand his release,” says the Anonymous spokesman, who is wearing a mask like the one worn by the shadowy revolutionary character in the movie V for Vendetta, which came out in 2006. “If anything happens to him, you sons of (expletive) will always remember this upcoming November 5.”

The person reportedly kidnapped is not named, and the video does not share information about the kidnapping other than that it occurred in the Mexican state of Veracruz during a street protest.

Well, that is all for me today…we just got the doomsday date for my parents foreclosure…December 6^th. So my mind is a bit occupied at the moment…What are you all doing tonight? Anyone up to egging a Bank of America branch out of spite?