Iraq Stockpiling PS2 Consoles! 260
cd-w writes "According to this link, Saddam Hussein is stockpiling PS2 consoles
with the view to using them in weapon technology." Honestly I don't know if this is a joke or not, but its really funny no matter how many ways I look at it. If I was Sony, I would have leaked this story just for the advertising.
Re:Either it's a hoax or... (Score:1)
BTW, Boris and Natasha don't sound too Iraqi to me.
I understand that US leaders made up funny stories in the 50s (and all the way up to the 80s) just to get more funding for the military, about bad bad communists who slaughter your kids and rape your women as soon as they have a chance - and that your parents scared you half to death with this when you were a child - but hey, it's year 2000 now, talk to someone about it, take some Prozac and you'll feel much better.
Uh oh... (Score:1)
Now theres gonna be hell to pay when he finds out that all the launch titles are crap!!
But just how are the PS2s being tracked? (Score:1)
Re:Think before you post.... (Score:1)
Re: Whacking head with clue-by-four (Score:1)
#include <ob_beowulf.h>
Please excuse me while I write 'I will Preview before Submitting 100x on the Chalkboard.' as my pennance.
Re:something fishy about this... (Score:1)
If all you had was a bunch of PS2s, a bunch of 286's and American codes to crack, what would you think about using?
ch3333t4!!!! (Score:1)
This just proves... (Score:1)
Re:seriously now... (Score:2)
I know why (Score:3)
The real problem... (Score:2)
"One expert I spoke with estimated that an integrated bundle of 12-15 PlayStations could provide enough computer power to control an Iraqi unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV -- a pilotless aircraft."
*Packs bags, checks passport, heads off to Switzerland.*
"I'm not a bitch, I just play one on
Re:seriously now... (Score:1)
back in april.
Also there was a move of some sort by the japanese government to restrict shipments before.
Keep in mind (Score:3)
Re:PS2=Realistic Warfare (Score:1)
Think on the bright side. Now Saddam can sit at home and fantasize about kicking all his neighbors' asses.
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Re:PS2=Realistic Warfare (Score:1)
Sharief don't like it... (Score:2)
... and soon he shall release his quake mod upon the western world, destroying the infidels...
It seems like a hoax to me. (Score:1)
And what about this:
So is it a 32-bit CPU or a 128-bit CPU?
Random powers of 2 make it sound cooler.
that's my 256-bit worth....
oh no! the cheat settings! (Score:2)
Damn, what happens if he finds the secret 'cheat' settings as well....
Remember the g4 commercials? (Score:1)
I can see the headlines now.. (Score:3)
Re:I know why (Score:5)
Re:Keep in mind (Score:1)
Re:What about a (Score:1)
john
Why wouldn't they just.... (Score:1)
Re:Either it's a hoax or... (Score:1)
Never trust a news story with grammer errors ... (Score:2)
(except on slashdot, of course. ;-)
www.adbusters.org (Score:5)
This unidentified informant later went on to say: "As I said before - the PS2 is so powerful with its mega-advanced graphics that the evil empire's leader Sadam Hussein is going to use them for Arms. Its just staggering to think that with all the technology our military has, what makes the US Number-Fucking-One in the world -because we kick ass- is going to be defended by the PS2! And you can buy them! If you own a PS2 you will be as powerfull as the US DoD! Wow just think of it - you can own a piece of technology capable of being used just like our awe-inspiring DoD!"
Onlookers from reality were later overheard saying "Most Americans also dont realize that they are being manipulated into being mindless consumer drones - that their media, government and leadership is a shill for business who intend to enslave them... just look at this drivel."
This article is so laughable that it is almost sickening. Imagine: how do you sell a product/idea/meme to Americans? This article is almost perfect. It has the big three:
1) Evil Dictator bent on destroying the American Way(TM)
2) War, Arms, Miltiary (aka Biggest Dick contest)
3) Consumer demand frenzy for the latest product as in : "Look at the alarm this is causing in the Marketplace - the consumer craze! YOU SHOULD WANT ONE TOO! DON'T MISS OUT! (ala McCarthyism, CabbagePatchKids, Elmo Doll, PS2)
For those Americans who read this and think to mark it down as Flame-bait... go back and READ THE ARTICLE AGAIN Im 'right on the mark' and you know it - not only that; but you cant stand that it is true. Wow - I love this article! The only thing that would have made it better would have been mention of the President-Elect's feelings on the issue:
George W Bush later said "In order to maintain the present US®-EvilEmpire(TM) PS2 Arms lead - I would encourage all devout Americans®© to run out and buy a Sony(TM) Playstation 2(TM)®© - Citizens©: Help defend America®! BUY A PS2(TM)®©!"
Beowulf Trolls (Score:2)
You guys had to keep asking... sooner or later someone was bound to "imagine a Beowulf cluster of those". Now you know why you get moderated down all the time.
Anyhow, I think we should lift sanctions on Iraq. We've been sanctioning *way* too long. Sadam is not the worry. It's some bitter corporal in the Iraqi army who's the worry. Anybody remember the treaty of Versailles? Those who fail to learn from history...
Actually, if we had taken him all the way out to begin with, this might not be a problem.
While Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot... (Score:4)
While Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot...
...he's also right about a lot of things.
Right wing doesn't necessarily mean wrong, just as left wing doesn't necessarily mean right.
If the Republican Party didn't base all their social policy on the rants of bible belt preachers - and if they didn't provide a goofball like George Double-Ya as their presidential nominee - I'd be a lot more inclined to support them because their fiscal plans often make better sense than those of the Democrats.
Similarily, the Democrats had a great presidential candidate who just happened to be mostly boring and behaved in a juvenile fashion during the debates, though he supported responsible and realistic social policy. Unfortunately, he just happened to be from the big-labor-unions tax-and-spend party.
If the separation of church and state has really occurred, why is it that the Republicans are still allowed to bring religion into every election?
If only the Libertarian Party had had a chance.
Let's just hope... (Score:1)
--
Marcelo Vanzin
Now that they have all of these PS2 consoles... (Score:1)
Re:seriously now... (Score:1)
Also, keep in mind that WorldNetDaily is about as far-right as you can get -- not that there's anything wrong with that. ;)
-bluebomber
Re:Its not funny dudes... (Score:2)
As you say, hardware's hardware. They've already got the warheads. What they haven't had until recently is the ability to aim them anywhere quickly enough to catch us by surprise. But remember those old DOS/Apple II-era games where you had to shoot a ground-to-ground missile at a city along a parabolic path, possibly taking wind and elevation into account? I betcha one PS2 is at least a little faster than one 286...
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Its not funny dudes... (Score:2)
Your basic psycho- or socio-path will not do. You have to have an ego as big as the pile of bodies in your back yard. Paranoid schizophrenia is an asset in this political arena. You want to kill _everybody_.
Imagine you have minions who say: "But 'O great leader, we need computers to make bombs that'll really scare people and make then pucker when they see you walking away!"
Imagine you have one who says: "Hey, a CPU's a CPU and RAM's RAM. And check out the polygon drawing speed on these babies. We'll out-DARPA DARPA. Uh 'O great leader buy a boat load of these suckers and we'll be able to deliver things that can really go boom."
If I were thee, I would worry.
Hardware's hardware and just imagine the joy YOU'd have hacking some flight sim game to RC a real plane or a real missile.
Its not just the allies who saw the CNN reports of smart bombs doing pin-point landings through the stairwell on top of the roof to blow up in the middle of the building and take out the infrastructure while inflicting the maximum 'colateral' damage...
And these babies were MADE for the kind of fun Sadam wants to have with your office building...
Here's a thought.... (Score:1)
Re:note the source (Score:3)
A hoax (Score:1)
I can just imagine Iraqi intelligence saying, "My, what a great idea!"
Re:A Call To Arms!!! (Score:1)
-bluebomber
Re:Strategy training (Score:1)
Re:seriously now... (Score:3)
"Why?" ran the question. "What can they do with a supercomputer"?
"Military weather prediction" was the answer.
"What about nuclear weapon design?"
"Nuclear weapon design is no longer considered computationally significant."
Yeesh.
The most advamced computers on the Manhattan Project ran on punched cards. Most of our current inventory of nukes were designed on machines less powerful than a low-end desktop.
Fortunately, manufacture of nukes is *considerably* more difficult than design. Plutonium is spectacularly difficult to deal with.
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Re:Looking for cheat codes? (Score:2)
What a load of crap. The Joint Standoff Weapon, which is essentially a UAV that glides, is controlled by two 486s. You don't need 12-15 300MHz processors to do this. You could probably do it with a Palm Pilot (no pun intended) or two.
Note the careful weasel wording. The author is quoting an "intelligence source" which is quoting another "expert".
Re:I know why (Score:1)
Advocates, Killer Consoles (Score:3)
I'm not going to comment on the veracity of the story as such, but the idea isn't that farfetched. SH has a fetish for high tech. If he wants vector hardware and 64-bit CPUs, he can't just place an order with Hitachi or MIPS. The obvious alternative is consumer technology, which is much easier to buy under the counter.
You know, it's this sort of thing that makes me wonder if SH isn't a plant, or at least propped up by his ostensible enemies. If the extremists in that part of the world had some semi-intelligent leadership, they'd be really dangerous. They could buy plans for V2s and such from the Smithsonian and do some serious damage to their enemies.
But what's the use of Obliterating the Spawn of Satan if you have to do it with UnKewl Gizmos? So SH spends big bucks on silly toys like customized SCUDs,superguns [fas.org], zirconium bombs [freerepublic.com], etc., etc. Which, even if he had the industrial base to support them, he can't actually use — he has to stay under the western political radar to survive, and dropping nerve gas and fallout on large numbers of people is inconsistent with that constraint.
__________________
Re:Probably Fake (Score:2)
Re:Either it's a hoax or... (Score:2)
Umm... did you ever watch Rocky and Bullwinkle? Boy do I feel old...
-bluebomber
Saddam's response (for you South Park fans...) (Score:2)
"Hey, relax fella! You need a rest!"
Sean
Re: (Score:2)
Security issues (Score:2)
So in other words (Score:2)
Let me ask this question, apart from displaying REALLY nifty graphics, what advantage is there REALLY in bundling 400 PS2s rather than bundling 400 normal CPUs to do defense work?
Somehow I can't see weapons trajectory work being hacked into a beowulf of PS2s.
What I could see though is that being a proposal on the purchase order "We need 400 of these units, pizza, and 400 copies of Tekken XV in order to do vital defense work. Include 3,000 bottles of Jolt, a picture of Natalie Portman and some hot grits and we have this beat America thing down cold."
A Call To Arms!!! (Score:5)
We must invade Iraq, steal all their PS2's, then nuke them into oblivion!
And then, we attain the movie rights and begin production of a game based on the battle for the PS2.
Re:While Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot... (Score:2)
but my rant is moreso tied to the media and those who are way out there who think the world would be a kinder, gentler place if no one could display trees for Christmas.
I agree that those who feel that way are idiots.
Absolutely. I want to see Christmas trees everywhere that people want to put them. Just as I want to see Menorahs everywhere that Jews want to put them, and whatever symbols the Muslims and the Hindus and Wiccan have around this time of the year.
However, all three countries of North America are primarily populated by people who would define themselves as having a background in some sect of Christianity or another, so Christmas trees will continue to prevail for the forseeable future.
Now, I'm treading a fine line here in my comments and opinions. I grew up - and live - in Canada, a country that officially embraces multiculturalism. It's divisive: you'll note that Canadians don't display the flag everywhere, as is de rigeur in the United States. The patriotism of Americans is one of the things that makes the United States such a strong country in every respect, even as divided as it was in the recent election.
Having said that, the United States officially grants the right of freedom of religion, which, it would seem, is contradictory to the fact that major political candidates base their stances solely on the lobbying of religious figures. Therein lies my problem.
My concern is not with the resultant risks of a country divided by official multiculturalism the way Canada is, versus the great American melting pot, where Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Pagans and everyone else come together for a big party on the Fourth of July.
My concern is that the strong religious influence in the Republican party - highly organized and well established - frequently undermines the will of the people, who may be mostly Christian, but are also a lot more moderate than many of the Republican-leaning lobby groups out there. (Proof of that? The Democrats keep on getting elected; they even did it this time in the popular vote (let alone the real Florida results).)
How bad could it get?
Think of Iran. It's a nation governed only on religious principles.
It's also one of the worst, most oppressive places in the world that you can live, even if you are a devout Muslim. Religion prevails over common sense: for example, women have to cover their entire bodies - by Islamic tradition, which is the law of the land. Imagine how hot that must be in the desert sun. If she takes it off because she's getting heat stroke in the market, she can be imprisoned. Or worse.
And therein lies my concern and my worry. Once you start down that slope, it gets pretty slippery long before you hit that stone wall at the bottom.
Re:note the source (Score:5)
So you are saying that only the left-wing should be allowed to report news?
Maybe you should read more than one day of the site. I've been a daily reader for three years. They are much more of a Libertarian site than anything else.
These are the guys that broke the story about questionable ties the VP had that cost him his home state in the election. They also were the first to report about military ballots sitting on ships that has prompted an investigation by Congress and special mail flights to deliver the boallots. They have also been reporting the federal land grab that lost Gore most of the west.
You may not like your news with a right slant, but they are a solid news agency. And thy have all made public who they voted for in the elections. Can you name me another news source that has done the same?
Viv
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I Use Napster. I use DeCSS. I buy over $1000 a year in CD/DVDs.
note the source (Score:5)
they finally understood how to conquer the world (Score:3)
Looks like they finally understood how to conquer the world.. by making hi-tech cool-graphics movies and/or games.. Will we have a Quake version with the face of Bush as the Final Enemy?
Embargo (Score:2)
Sure, they can probably get some parts and computers through smugglers. They can probably get some connectivity through their decaying phone system. At 11 years old and counting, the hardware is probably only supported by the vendors. But, vendors aren't going to cooperate. Almost all UNIX and mainframe vendors are NATO/UN based and would face serious consequences for breaching the embargo. Imagine trying to get new parts through smugglers. "No no, I need a model M234412 not M234411! I can't install this software without an upgrade in the compiler!" Think about the technical expertise of smugglers.
Every year hundreds of security holes are found. Patches are created and posted. Imagine being 11 years behind on all of your security patches for all of the computers in your country.
Iraq must be hurting for computers.
How this story started... (Score:2)
Mr Sony-engineer-san: We'll miss our Christmas pre order deadlines! It's Hari-kiri time!
Mr Sony-marketing-san: What we need is someone to blame, someone who won't sue us...
The British response 8-) (Score:2)
Seems to hit the nail on the head...
Oh. PS2. (Score:2)
cluster bombs (Score:2)
Re:note the source (Score:2)
The article was a "WorldNetDaily exclusive", and therefore has not been yet been corroberated by any other news source. The article informs us that it was based on a "classified" report. All of the sources declined to be identified. The article contains numerous technical errors.
The playstation is designed to play back large numbers of polygons to a televison screen. I'm really not sure why this would be very useful in "control[ling] an Iraqi unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV -- a pilotless aircraft."
Clustering PC's running Linux is a a well known technique-- Beowolf. Clustering PS2's is quite a bit more difficult.
For all I know, the "secret Defense Intelligence Agency report" could have been an internal joke email list. I'm skeptical.
Either it's a hoax or... (Score:5)
This smells like a hoax - imagine these people putting so much effort into converting the PS2s into viable development stations and networking them? It doesn't seem likely. I get visions of Boris, Natasha, and Fearless Leader working into the wee hours of the night, building new kernel loads...
On the other hand, if this article isn't a spoof, then it could be an elaborate plot to deprive American children of their decadent and infidel Christmas celebrations. Once again, I get visions of Boris, Natasha, and Fearless Leader wringing their hands in glee knowing that they have disrupted life in Frostbite Falls...
Moose and Squirrel, where are you when we need you?
Report Inconsistencies (Score:2)
Wait a minute, you mean video wargame technology can be used to make real war? Hello!
Later, at an iraqi missile base... (Score:2)
Tech 2: Just a second, there's a few too close, I'll pop 'em with my railgun before they get in range... there, now I can launch.
<ground begins to rumble, alarms ring>
Supervisor: What the hell!!!
Tech 1 and 2: Oh F#@$!
Air combat training? (Score:2)
Worldwide conspiracy? (Score:2)
Re:Either it's a hoax or...GPL violation! (Score:2)
All I know is,... he better not violate the GPL. Release all your kernel mods! You bastard!
"Nate reaches for his nmap."
"Scan them now!"
This reeks of fakeitude. (Score:2)
1) where'd he get all the PSX2s?
2) will ebay be indicted for treason or something?
3) the PSX2 is classified as a computer in England (with the bundled BASIC); how is it not classified as one everywhere else?
4) even if all this is true, the DIA should've done that extra 15 seconds of legwork to figure out no one can make heads or tails of programming them
5) i hope these evil Iraqi computer scientists release the source code to the operating system that they build that allows for distributed computing on linked PSX2s. how are they building this cluster again?
Upshot is, there's no good games out for the PSX2 to distract the evil Iraqi computer scientists from their task of world domination. Hasn't this war been milked dry already? Cripes what a non-issue, but then again... now that Russia's our friends (here's a hint: it was china, not the us, they were soiling themselves over the whole time) might as well keep on demonizing those sinister brown people.
Re:seriously now... (Score:3)
It's my understanding that the A-bombs (dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki) were designed without the use of any computers at all. It was the H-bombs that required the use of computers.
WRT what China (or Iraq) could do with a supercomputer, there's still the issue of computer-aided cryptanalysis. Being able to read the other guy's messages gives you a huge military advantage, and you sometimes need a supercomputer to do it in a reasonable time.
Its a joke... (Score:2)
Looking for cheat codes? (Score:2)
Seriously, with the import restrictions, the most advanced stuff he has may be the equal to a 486. (on a broad basis) Except for the stuff he smuggles.
so something like PS2 may have superior capability. Looks like he is trying to make a crude cluster of the units:
maybe we can send him all of those old IBM PS2s filling up our land fills. there has got to be a use for them someplace.
Weapons? Nah, money... (Score:2)
-={(Astynax)}=-
I don't think so. (Score:2)
Most Americans don't realize that each PlayStation unit contains a 32-bit CPU -- every bit as powerful as the processor found in most desktop and laptop computers
and...
At just over 4 pounds, it contains a 300 MHz-driven, 128-bit CPU.
What's wrong here?
I say it's a hoax. While it seems like a plausible thing to do, I just don't think it has happened. And 15-20 clustered PS2s? How many DoD computers completely blow that computing power away?
Not the PS2, it's too hard to develop for... (Score:2)
If they were doing this, they'd be setting up a cluster of durons, the general purpose CPU and the huge selection of optimizing compilers make the x86 the ideal choice to simulate nuclear explosions on.
A PS2 might be a bit cheaper, with the company footing some of the hardware cost, but I could build a cluster-ready duron for $500 that would massively outperform it in all but the most biased of benchmarks.
But, it's a funny joke, reminiscent of the Macintosh ads.
(We should hope the Iraqis *are* doing this, it'd mean they're no threat at all. It's be like buying C64s to use as targetting computers in SCUDs.)
Great... (Score:3)
Insight into Discordia (Score:2)
Re:seriously now... (Score:2)
Propeganda is a relative term, the meaning of it in the Us has changed over the years for reasons I don't want to get into. Really any "bending" of the truth could be called propeganda.
Take this example. I can't remember how many children die per day in Iraq, something like 2000 due to malnutrition due to the war and the embargo. Is this just left wing propeganda? Is it even true? Some are appalled by this, most don't know about it, some don't want to beleive it, some don't beleive it, some think thats just too bad, that they deserve it because Saddam is a ruthless dictator. Take your pick. The truth is tough to find without firsthand knowledge.
Re:Looking for cheat codes? (Score:2)
Re:PS2=Realistic Warfare (Score:2)
And, of course, if you remember the Starcraft 64 commercials, Saddam Hussein is bad at least RTSes.
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Re:seriously now... (Score:2)
Anybody who doesn't have their own stash of weapons-grade plutonium by now probably doesn't want any.
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Heehee (Score:2)
He could rule the adults by linking up the Game Cube's to a geostatic topsphere ATG missle array, and he could rule the kids by kicking their ass at Pokeman Stadium
http://www.mp3.com/subatomicacorn
Re:Weapons? Nah, money... (Score:2)
Dilemma (Score:2)
Other toys to weapons (Score:3)
.
Here are some other military applications for common toys:
TickleMeElmo: incendiary explosive
Lego Mindstorm: A1 Abrams Tank
Teletubbies Video Tapes psychological warefare
Pokemon: fusion bomb
News Flash! (Score:2)
The toys, described as appearing to have "Black bushy markers scribbled on using Sharpie markers.", have shown up chanting "Death to America!", "God is good!", and "Saddam, our father!" have been confirmed by independant sources as being in regular production. Sanford and Tiger toys have been unavailable for comment.
With their low cost and easily available 8 bit components, CIA and UN officials have been quoted in saying "This has to be the most cost effective form of propaganda we've seen since the printing press was invented.".
Puppet government indeed.
PS2=Realistic Warfare (Score:5)
- how to create a plane/tank/soldier with unlimited ammunition
- a full-on frontal assualt by a lone individual will always defeat superior tactics and weaponry
- nothing says "victory" like an rapid-extending Bionic claw
- ninja's are the heart and soul of every nations defensive capabilities: defeat them, and the enemy will fall
- if you fight long and hard enough, you will eventually be faced with the leader of your enemy, who will transform into a hideous, weapon-wielding mutant of some kind. He will, however, have one key weakness you can exploit
For me, the possibility of George W. transforming into a 30-foot tall mutant with machine guns for hands is reason enough to nuke Iraq right now.
Re:note the source (Score:2)
This is a Libertarian site in your opinion? In the last three years have they sounded this nutty every day, or is this a special day? My guess is that if we dig some more we'll find these credulus paranoids being taken in by lots more hoaxes like the PS/2 gag.
You can keep it. When I want news, I'll take the bland AP kind, or even the NY Times, before I trust these freaks. When I want conspiracy cult fruitcakes, I want REAL conspiracy cult fruitcakes. Give me SLACK [subgenius.com] and be off with your weak imitations.
Quake (Score:2)
It's all about the Karma Points, baybee...
Moderators: Read from the bottom up!
Re:seriously now... (Score:2)
Richard Feynman describes punch-card computers on the Manhatten Project in "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman". Admittedly, calling them "computers" is a stretch, but they did do mathematical operations on numbers punched into cards. Output was more punched cards. They used *a lot* of cards
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Re: Processor Bits (Score:2)
It's all about the Karma Points, baybee...
Moderators: Read from the bottom up!
Re:note the source (Score:2)
seriously now... (Score:2)
If all it takes is a cluster of PS2's to make weapons, there isn't much the FBI or CIA can do. While this site reaks of far right wing propeganda (Saddam needs to be crushed and he stole your child's PS2, as well) I certainly don't support it. America needs to realize it will be much, much harder in the coming years to rule the world.
Escalating response (Score:5)
I wondered... (Score:2)
15 PS2s to control an unmanned air vehicle. (Score:2)
If this is true, then Saddam has no chance of controlling his air fleets with PS2s.
I mean, no-one is going to hold of FIFTEEN of the elusive little buggers, getting hold of just one is hard enough.
I really want to believe them (Score:4)
What's really going on... (Score:2)
Saddam and Santa are close buds...and Sony doesn't believe in Santa. So in order to get enough PlayStation 2's in time for Christmas he had to pull some major strings!
Re:Either it's a hoax or... (Score:2)
Now if he were stockpiling Dreamcasts [slashdot.org] on the other hand...
Re:note the source (Score:4)
I actualy advocate both wings. Otherwise your just flying in a circle. OK, that was dumb.......
Re:seriously now... (Score:2)
Probably Fake (Score:2)
Did I miss anything?