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Solution to CIA’s Kryptos sculpture is found in Smithsonian vault

nytimes.com

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Re: Solution to CIA’s Kryptos sculpture is found in Smithsonian vault

#51

Post by Avshalom »

janalsncm wrote: post #21

So the central controversy in the story is whether the journalist fans should share the solution with the world or keep quiet for the auction. Sanborn wants the money for medical reasons so he needs to maintain a high sale price. The two fans want to share the solution with the world. Presumably the winner of the auction will be buying a severely depreciating asset: the right to know but not disclose the solution. Th…

Feels like the central controversy is that Sanborn has to auction anything off for medical reasons.

Re: Solution to CIA’s Kryptos sculpture is found in Smithsonian vault

#52

Post by irjustin »

janalsncm wrote: post #21

So the central controversy in the story is whether the journalist fans should share the solution with the world or keep quiet for the auction. Sanborn wants the money for medical reasons so he needs to maintain a high sale price. The two fans want to share the solution with the world. Presumably the winner of the auction will be buying a severely depreciating asset: the right to know but not disclose the solution. Th…

Honestly, everything about this is really sad. I, like may of you guys, have followed this thing for years, for many others, decades.

Actual decryption effort group didn't get to decrypt (a small but faithful community), the creator needed the money for medical procedures that he really believed was coming in. The solution feels like we all go cheated out of something. Lawyers are now involved and the value of the solution is rapidly plummeting.

No one's winning because of a small mistake.

Re: Solution to CIA’s Kryptos sculpture is found in Smithsonian vault

#53

Post by irjustin »

moron4hire wrote: post #28
tptacek wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do I understand part of the complexity of the situation is that Kryptos is in some sense "crackable" (unlike real cryptography), and these two people sleuthed their way to the answer book without solving it? Which is not quite exactly the same thing as them independently working out a solution; it's more like a nicer and more legal version of breaking into the guy's house and stealing it out of his desk drawer?

At the state level, it's a method that is in bounds.

Yes, but all things considered, that's outside the bounds of this cypher - which is why "we all" feel cheated.

Re: Solution to CIA’s Kryptos sculpture is found in Smithsonian vault

#54

Post by jrflowers »

tptacek wrote: post #36
wahnfrieden wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where is the rule that comments must stay on topic and avoid diversion? It was a more interesting and informative comment than yours that you've restated here (particularly given that being "very covered by Medicare" does not even counter what you originally replied to, as it will not cover all or perhaps even most costs)

[flagged]

“Avoid generic tangents” is up to interpretation. Incidentally, so is “don’t be curmudgeonly”

Also Medicare does not cover long-term care, so if someone gets sick and develops the need for it, they’re paying out of pocket. It is a possibility that a lot of people plan for financially, which is reasonably in the realm of relevance here.

What’s not really relevant here are your personal opinions on what medical costs are or are not generally worth planning for financially.

Re: Solution to CIA’s Kryptos sculpture is found in Smithsonian vault

#56

Post by tasty_freeze »

tptacek wrote: post #18
1oooqooq wrote: post #17

[flagged]

He's 79 and covered by Medicare.

> He has said he intends to use the proceeds to help manage medical expenses for possible health crises, and to fund programs for people with disabilities.

Medicare probably doesn't cover all of his expenses, and certainly doesn't address the second part of his intended use for the money.

Re: Solution to CIA’s Kryptos sculpture is found in Smithsonian vault

#57

Post by meowface »

Avshalom wrote: post #51
janalsncm wrote: post #21

So the central controversy in the story is whether the journalist fans should share the solution with the world or keep quiet for the auction. Sanborn wants the money for medical reasons so he needs to maintain a high sale price. The two fans want to share the solution with the world. Presumably the winner of the auction will be buying a severely depreciating asset: the right to know but not disclose the solution. Th…

Feels like the central controversy is that Sanborn has to auction anything off for medical reasons.

True. The central problem described in the article is that he has cancer and doesn't want to go bankrupt from the medical bills.

I'm not a socialist and am broadly pro-capitalism, but for decades I've held a firm belief that healthcare should have a public option and people should have the ability to get high-quality medical care for $0, no matter how realistic that would be.

Re: Solution to CIA’s Kryptos sculpture is found in Smithsonian vault

#59

Post by qingcharles »

vintermann wrote: post #9

As I see it it's a lesson about finding out things in the real world. It's even a little poetic that the people finding the solution are a pair of investigative journalists, digging up information that was technically already out there, rather than a puzzle solving cryptologist "breaking down the front door of the problem" so to say. Kobek may actually have pulled that off once before, by the way. I'm pretty sure tha…

"Security is only as strong as the weakest link" and all that.

Re: Solution to CIA’s Kryptos sculpture is found in Smithsonian vault

#60

Post by qingcharles »

meowface wrote: post #58
tptacek wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He's 79 and covered by Medicare.

Clearly something is missing. Either he's lying, or Medicare won't fully cover some if his expected costs.

It's also the quality and availability of care. I have a friend on Medicaid and finding a hospital that will accept his plan, and can give him an appointment in any kind of reasonable timeframe is exceptionally difficult.
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