Comments on: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Secret Message

By: Don Juan Triumphant

Don Juan Triumphant — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:50:08 +0000

The phrase “kicks the can” is such an unusual phrase that I find it hard to believe it wasn’t put in there on purpose to get the “K.”

It is also one of the few times I’ve seen “healthcare” written as two words, which creates the “C” in fuck. It’s not one word that has been split due to margins, because it’s not hyphenated.

“Overwhelmingly deserve” is another clunky phrase that feels like it was put there just to get the “O” in the right place.

I have a very hard time believing that it is a coincidence.

By: Juliette

Juliette — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:39:15 +0000

I like to think that I live in a world where political punches are now thrown with recourse to poetry tricks, rather than political backstabbing.
If this was done by a staffer, before Arnie put his signature to it, I’ll go ahead and ask that person to marry me.
I don’t even care if Arnie was right or wrong in whatever fight brought this forward; I like the creativity. He wins this round, as far as I’m concerned. I hope the answer will be just as creative.

By: Charon

Charon — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:21:30 +0000

“we would be similarly remarking had the message been at the end of each line instead of the beginning.”

Doubt it. The “beginning of line” version is the standard acrostic.

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:36:05 +0000

And suddenly, I feel just a tiny bit better about Schwarzenegger.

By: Owen

Owen — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:14:54 +0000

Python, eh? I’d be surprised if you couldn’t find a good Crypto module in the Python Module Index. We nerds love cryptography.

By: David D.G.

David D.G. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:28:52 +0000

I’m just wondering how the mainstream media (e.g., “family newspapers,” non-cable TV news programs) are going to report on this without either being so vague about it as to make any reportage moot or violating the law by showing/repeating the phrase. It’s a thorny problem for them.

~David D.G.

By: sc0tt

sc0tt — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:41:09 +0000

The trick to encrypting messages in this type of correspondence is to make the message obvious while maintaining plausable deniability through eloquent rhetoric – I contend the governor single handedly incorporated this.

By: Kaylya

Kaylya — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:35:28 +0000

When I first saw this, I took a look at the other veto letters it links to. Based on differences in wording and tone, I’m pretty darn sure this was intentional. Although the “I” isn’t meant to be part of it, it’s just how all of the letters start.

The other letters linked to in the WSJ article detail a specific reason or two for the veto (like duplicating existing legislation), while this one amounts to chastising people for not getting things done. And all of the others end with “For this (these) reason(s), I am unable to sign this bill.”

By: H

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:27:55 +0000

WiJaIasDIaiTrIposItoGfmcsIT

Nope, no hidden messages in this blog post that i can see

By: Nefzeni

Nefzeni — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:16:47 +0000

Oh Arnie, such a lovable fellow.