"In theory the stock buyback would do nothing to the value of shares. The remaining shares would own a bigger part of the company, but this company is ten billion dollars less valuable. In an efficient market, this would offset" The stock buyback isn't very big, and will probably just keep the exercise of restricted stock grants (or options, whichever) from diluting the stock much.

"Shouldn't a crime require intent? If not, people should be charged with theft whenever they move a chair at a restaurant." If you move a chair at a restaurant, it remains in the ultimate control and possession of the restaurant, because it's still on the premises. If you "borrow" a restaurant's chair, and take it to the business next door, intending to return it at some point, but without permission, you have stolen the chair.

" In this particular case, there was no intent that the paparazzi would lose their phone" No, that was entirely the intent - to deprive the person of their phone. Not to resell the item, just to put it out of the reach of the owner.

Yeah, but it blows past the weight limit and baggage size limits when you try to fly somewhere with it.

" but it was loads better than Crossroads of Twilight." Heh, imagine if Jordan had written the Twilight series. When he died, the twihards would have drowned out the cries of Alderaan.

There's probably an assumption that if you're willing to take less, there must be something 'wrong' with you. It's like people in HR/hiring don't live in the real world.

Christoforo had an Avenger for sale on his ebay site, which made me wonder if he was diverting (i.e., stealing) them and selling them himself, while the rightful purchasers get stiffed.

"Which of course makes it difficult for a recent political science graduate who doesn't read the language to find it so they will just make things up."

Or maybe they have contacts in the region with whom they communicate directly.

You're showing even more ignorance than you are accusing Stratfor of having.

"These places pretend to sell "experts" on anything you want at the moment"

And you know this based on?

Have you ever even seen Stratfor's work product?

You're talking nonsense.

"Your humanitarian project analogy may have been more meaningful before Google existed. " The information needed probably isn't *on* Google, because it isn't on any webpages, because in the example it's freaking Myanmar. It'd be transmitted by phone or text, not news websites.

So does a newspaper, a computer vendor, or a power company. So what?

"at least they are not wasting time attacking international charities"

One of the Stratfor customers in the released info was Doctors Without Borders, an international charity.

"In Anonymous I see a bunch of greedy, spoiled, whining kids."

You forgot "ignorant".

"But who, that can actually help Bradley Manning gives a fuck about Stratfor?"

There probably *are* people at the Pentagon who are customers of Stratfor, who could help Manning. Maybe they're civilians who started subscribing before coming to the Pentagon. Maybe it's someone with access to government intel who considers it a useful additional news source like their Washington Post subscription.

But as far as helping Manning... I can't see this being any more helpful than dropping a bag of flaming poop on the Secretary of Defense's front porch.