Fools and buffoons in charge. That's what we've got fools and buffoons.

Not to mention computer illiterates. Does no one in this administration ever think before acting? Don't tell me. I know the answer.

God help us if any one mounts a serious attempt to disrupt essential internet services. These clowns will destroy everything while "solving" the problem.

sounds like the states should think again about their domain names. Maybe it's time to split off from .gov, or to demand autonomy over their subdomains.

This test has been brought to you by the Nearly Election Day Emergency Martial Law System. Had this been a real election, you would have been instructed where to mail in your ballots to, to keep immigrants, terrorists and homoliberals from stealing our republic under God amen.

Not to excuse GSA's actions, but that story doesn't cover the details... The problem started in September with the Transportation Authority's DNS provider (StartLogic)--which was *not* the CA Department of Technology Services, who is authoritative for ca.gov, which of course rolls up to .gov.

Authority was subsequently transferred to CA DTS in mid-September. Casual investigation in the interim--especially by those clueless about DNS propagation or the concept of TTL--might lead to the conclusion that ca.gov had been hacked.

Always ensure that those above you in the DNS hierarchy know at least as much as you do about how it works. GSA obviously fails that test.

clio: "Fools and buffoons in charge. That's what we've got fools and buffoons."

Too true. These right-wing fools and buffoons are so uptight about sex, the bugs up their asses have bugs up their own asses.

So let me get this straight...

...Because one non-https page got hacked, they DOS'd the whole state government for the rest of the workday?

Yeah, great job, guys.

States Rights, anyone?? Bueller??

The Feds reaction to this issue demonstrates why we should have the federal government micromanaging our entire economy.

Who else can we trust to always look out for us and keep us safe?

Let's publish a little porn on Islamic jihadist websites, then call these guys.

(haven't had my coffee yet)

Thumbs up their asses. Thumbs up their asses.

Someone take notes. I think there might be some GSA employees who deserve a public firing come January 2009.

If only the hackers had redirected the site to a gay hate site or a neonazi site or some violent content, then the GSA would not have been moved to block anything. Delicate eyes must be protected from sex but not blood, gore, or hate.

This would be a good way to create a denial-of-service attack masked as 'protecting the children'. Just think, if access to computer networks was needed in certain districts to confirm voter registration rolls, a timely hack to a porn site would disenfranchise selected precincts at just the right time.

We've got to protect the CHILDRENS!!!

Ironic? that the South Park where Butters saw the porno tape (Back Door Sluts No. 9?) and became Gollum in a Lord of the Rings send-up was repeated recently.

"Protecting the children" has always been the rational for putting in place blocks on the internet. Those blocks predate the WWW (1992) and probably have political uses as well.

"Federal authorities, who have ultimate authority over most local and state Web sites..."

What the hell is THAT supposed to mean? And why aren't our Republican friends screaming bloody murder about it?

The U.S. is an emerging police state. I must say I am disappointed in the sheeple. Some used to say stuff like how could this have happened in the land of Beethoven and Goethe. Now we know.