>let's say the salt is, say, a 20 character random phrase using numbers, letters and symbols, what is the weak spot?

The weak spot is in your supposition that they used a salt that strong. That's a huge stretch to make and I think it's highly unlikely they did so. They could've used a two-character salt and still, technically, have used salted and hashed passwords. Doesn't mean it'll take very long to crack them, though.

>The emails are unfortunate, since now these people are prime targets for phishing

Not just phishing. Do you realize how many sites now use your email address as your username? I just had to go and change not just my LivingSocial account, but half a dozen others, too, that used the same email/password combination. This is a serious pain in the ass.

I'll save the poster some time: if you ask Reddit, they'll tell you it was Sunil Tripathi. Case closed.

It's been nine hours since I posted my request for your city and state with no response. I think it's safe to say you're full of bullshit.

For the record, I'm in Richardson, TX, and pay 5.6/kwh to my electricity provider, a private company. We've never had blackouts or brownouts, and even at peak usage during the summer have no problems with getting enough power to keep things cool. There is not a state monopoly on this planet that can make those claims at that rate.

Frankly, I don't believe you. Please post your city and state so this can be verified.

Because state-run monopolies are famous for low prices, excellent customer service, and being at the forefront of technological advance.

This is an older video, but it shows just how companies manage to avoid hiring qualified Americans just to flood the market with cheap H1B laborers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU

If what you're saying tracked closely with reality, one would expect to see presidential campaigns spend four times as much, per person, in Wyoming than in California. But what's really happening is that neither California nor Wyoming get any money spent in them, it all goes to swing states.

See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/track-presidential-campaign-ads-2012/ The only money showing up in either state is just spillover from neighboring, battleground states.

Of course, this just raises another potential reason to ditch the electoral college.

;)

Um, asteroids don't make sounds.

The WTO might have a thing or two to say about that.

Good point. As someone once observed, you don't own a piece of terrain until a 19-year old with a gun stands there and says you own it.

The global economy is worth almost $70 trillion dollars; a sudden influx of 0.27% of that amount would have negligible impact on the value of goods and services.

Whoever can land on it. Possession being 9/10s of the law and all that.