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Bush Website Blocked Outside N. America
Posted by
timothy
on Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:00 AM
from the registered-and-likely-voters dept.
from the registered-and-likely-voters dept.
acey72 writes "The BBC News are
reporting that George W Bush's re-election website (don't bother if you aren't in the USA) is blocked to people accessing it from outside the USA. Netcraft spotted the change on Monday, and have a report on the matter. Oh well, at least John Kerry's site still works for us outlanders." At least some Canadians can access the Bush campaign site, but Europeans cannot (without going through a U.S. proxy).
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At least the .org's still accessible! (Score:5, Funny)
Handy-dandy Google cache and Archive.org links (Score:5, Informative)
Parent
Dead Letter Office (Score:5, Interesting)
It seems like some of the Bush campaign staffers have accidentally sent emails to colleagues at name@georgewbush.ORG instead of the correct name@georgewbush.COM. Fortunately, the georgewbush.org mailserver had a "catch-all" mailbox in place, and you can read the contents of this "Dead Letter Office [georgewbush.org]". There are some gems in there, like memos intended for Karl Rove, a weekly report from "Pennsylvania Evangelical Outreach", and even apparent evidence of illegal suppression of black votes (check out Caging1.xls).
Interesting ... very interesting.
Parent
Re:At least the .org's still accessible! (Score:5, Insightful)
at least it claims that Bush's foreign policy is based on:
------
The strategy has three pillars:
- We will defend the peace by opposing and preventing violence by terrorists and outlaw regimes.
- We will preserve the peace by fostering an era of good relations among the world's great powers.
- And we will extend the peace by seeking to extend the benefits of freedom and prosperity across the globe."
-----
Hello??? Have I been living in the same universe as these guys??? All three pillars involve "peace"? What happened to preemptive war, the axis of evil, not caring what the rest of world think, etc. etc.
I guess the site must have been hijacked by some crazy flip-flopping communists democrat freaks
Parent
Re:oh my beloved american friends (NO SARCASM HERE (Score:5, Informative)
That last one really get me. How can you even watch Fox News and come up with that?
Oh yeah, there's an interview [kcrw.com] at the end of "To the Point" with the director, Steve Kull.
Parent
Re:YES! (Score:5, Informative)
NBC News [msn.com]
And that guy Bin Laden. It turns out that Bush isn't really that concerned about him.
LA Times story on Yahoo [yahoo.com]
That's how you get tough on terrorism, Bush-style.
Parent
WWJT (Score:5, Funny)
Although some "Christians" might argue the following logic:
God allowed Jesus to be tortured.
God = Jesus.
Therefore, Jesus allowed Jesus to be tortured.
Golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Jesus says: Do unto others as I (God) would do unto (others) Jesus.
Therefore, Torture others, coz Jesus says it's okay.
When leaders in the Pentagon and Justice Department failed to take the high road and walked away from the Geneva Convention at Abu Gharib and Guantanemo Bay, they began walking the morally dubious path.
Bush's moral certainty excuses immoral activity. Some could compare it to bin Laden's moral certainty that calls for innocent slaughter. Committing crimes in the name of God doesn't make it less wrong.
Parent
Perfectly demonstrates (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Perfectly demonstrates (Score:5, Insightful)
You got modded troll, but I think it's a fair comment. The man's invaded Iraq, invaded Afghanistan, and at length talked about the importance of alliance support.
Why shouldn't the rest of the world see what's on his website? If Iraq's important enough for him to invade, it's important enough for him to spend a few extra $$$ for the people of Iraq (and the RoW) to see what his re-election policies are.
The other thing that shits me about this is that it is setting a nasty precedent for the web - and this is a high profile site. I'd hate to see a whole lot of other sites all around the world taking this approach to blocking foreign access. It would ruin the 'net.
Parent
Re:Perfectly demonstrates (Score:5, Informative)
Your sig is incorrect, sir. Here is the full quote, not truncated by the Associated Press [turkishpress.com]:
So, you see, Iran's government simply considers America "the Great Satan" no matter who wins on November 2. I suggest you change your sig so you look less misinformed in the future.
Parent
Works from Canada... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Works from Canada... (Score:5, Funny)
I believe the official term is "America Junior" (credit to H.S.)
Parent
Re:Works from Canada... (Score:5, Funny)
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Non-US Simulation (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Non-US Simulation (Score:5, Insightful)
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Re:Non-US Simulation (Score:5, Interesting)
Actually, it is possible that their sys admin is incredibly incompetent, and thinks he's doing this to prevent DOS attacks.
Parent
Re:Non-US Simulation (Score:5, Interesting)
It makes me wonder, how are they doing it and if they got all the IP blocks for non-us countries, or if they just went by "blocking APNIC and RIPE blocks"
Parent
Re:Non-US Simulation (Score:5, Informative)
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At last (Score:5, Funny)
Forum abuse perhaps? (Score:5, Interesting)
Either way BFD. Political websites are almost entirely content or truth free. Why bother reading them?
Re:Forum abuse perhaps? (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Not Surprised (Score:5, Interesting)
Proxy (Score:5, Informative)
Fine. (Score:5, Funny)
What's George W. Bush's IP? Anyone know?
Re:Fine. (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
"You are not authorized..." (Score:5, Insightful)
Diplomatic Oversight (Score:5, Funny)
I bet (Score:5, Funny)
nyud.net:8090 works (Score:5, Informative)
I'm blocked too, and I live in the US.. (Score:5, Informative)
Not that I'd vote for Bush. Or Kerry. May they both Rot in Peace.
This one works (Score:5, Informative)
Well, the hackers will never think of using this one https://georgewbush.com/ [georgewbush.com]
Not blocking IP, only DNS name (Score:5, Informative)
So http://65.172.163.222 works fine abroad.
Silly ISP.
Origin server still works (Score:5, Interesting)
When setting up a site on Akamai you have to set the origin (I've done many of these!).
This still works, ripe for a DDOS... origin.georgewbush.com [georgewbush.com]
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
Blaming this on the capabilities of the provider is not an excuse.
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
While I agree that there is nothing "wrong" with this (other than the collateral overseas abenstee voter damage), it does point out something about this presidents beliefs:
What the rest of the world thinks does not matter.
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
The US was, and is, a nation that fostered terrorism in quite a number of countries around the world. Do you think that gives China the right to send in the helicopter gunships and take over?
Nobody liked Saddam, but more people are worried about the terrorist actions of the US than were worried about him.
Remember, double standards come home to roost. Unless you get a heap more humility and start acting to the standards of the civilised world, one day you are going to find out that type of behaviour hurts.
Don't whine about it then, you're not special and have no special rights. Learn the lesson now, before its too late.
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
I thought Americans were pretty keen on a concept called "free speech"?
Oh - hang on... What year is it again?
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Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Funny)
Oh - hang on... What year is it again?
We care about free speech only when it comes from us. Except for the DMCA. And the Patriot Act.
Damn, I should move.
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
As for ordinary American citizens, they should feel free to write to anyone they want.
This is not to say I think it's a good idea, but then I didn't think the Guardian's campaign was a good idea [slashdot.org] either. Though I also didn't see it [slashdot.org] as ill-intentioned.
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
Like you said: This is a political campaign site with political campaign propaganda.
You know that most of Europe and a few other countries for some reason or other backs Kerry, right (worldwide polls put Kerry at 70%, Bush at sub-20%, with only Korea and one other nation backing Bush)? And perhaps doesn't understand why Americans are so different?
Since the rest of the world is going to have to live with whoever's voted (mostly foreign policy issues), it's nice to be able to actually find out *why* Americans vote the way they do. I may not be able to vote in your election, but I sure am going to have to live with your decision. And reading the propaganda straight from the horse's mouth is the best reason to why Bush may be re-elected in.
(Note: I know that Kerry and Bush are equally bad choices (worse in some places than the other, better in other places... but really, it's a decision on two bad choices - or as we say in Canada, picking the least offensive) - yet for some reason or other, Kerry's more popular outside the US.
Bush's website will perhaps tell us why Americans are so divided to be split even on how they'll vote? And let us do the research. There may yet be something Bush does that no one outside the US knows and it's posted on his website. The international community has been wrong before - I don't know, maybe Bush is a really great guy - but at least it will help us find out why the preferences are so skewed.
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
Kerry is not necessarily popular. It's just that Bush is unpopular, and Kerry is the only alternative.
"ABB" reigns.
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Funny)
On another topic, I hadn't been to www.georgewbush.com in a while, and I was surprised at "90% income tax for overseas nationals" was one of Bush's policies. He's usually against income taxes, I thought. And what do people think of the "Iraq: No new troops needed, all troops currently stationed in Iraq to remain there for 10 more years. That goes for those in Afghanistan too" policies?
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
Perhaps it could have been treated as some sort of demonstration of democracy to internet-using citizens of the new Iraq and Afghanistan, an indication of the Right Manner of Doing Things?
Instead, there's just an error message with no explanation. Even a polite error message would have been an improvement...
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
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Re:Someone explain to me how this is news (Score:5, Insightful)
In a word, no. At least not in the USA.
During the campaign, both candidates try their best, with a straight face, to promise that everyone who votes for them will get to spend a night with the Swedish Bikini Team (or the equivalent male group, if they are so inclined) after the election. In addition to the free Lincoln Towncar, forgiveness of their mortgages and all taxes until the end of time.
Oh, and they'll make you immortal, too!
After the campaign is over, all that is forgotten (including the so-called Party Platform), and the winner gets on to the proper business of government - taking your money, and giving it to someone else.
Parent
Re:a few questions... (Score:5, Insightful)
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Dishonarable Discharge (Score:5, Insightful)
And by all appearances wasn't HONORABLY discharged until President Carter's general amensty in 1977. Of course we can't be sure since Kerry still refuses to sign the release for his military records to be made public.
Parent