Putin to Dell: "We don't need help. We are not invalids."
By Nilay Patel 
posted Jan 28th 2009 4:32PM
posted Jan 28th 2009 4:32PM
As you may be aware, the Davos conference for the super-rich and powerful is going on in Switzerland right now, and throwing all those egos into a room together can lead to some testy moments -- like today, when Michael Dell asked Vladimir Putin how the US could help Russia improve its IT infrastructure. Putin's response? "We don't need help. We are not invalids. We don't have limited mental capacity." Saucy! Vlads followed up by pointing out that Russian scientists mainly focus on software, not hardware -- interpreted by many as a further slap at Dell. Any bets on whether Mikey D replied by saying that if he were in charge, he'd shut Russia down and give it back to the people?
In Soviet Russia, IT infrastructure improve YOU!!
Poor Putin, he's still pissed about Rocky 4 ending.
It's probably just a "english as a second language" thing. Dell's is essentially saying "got any business to throw my way?" and Putin probably heard it as "need some alms?"
What an awesome reply to an innocuous question. The only country more entertaining than Russia is North Korea.
Boyo
In Soviet Russia, Rocky 4 ends with Rocky going down in the 1st round.
"In Soviet Russia, IT infrastructure improve YOU!!"
What ever happened to Yakov Smirnoff? Command performance in Siberian Gulag?
In America, you watch the Internet.
In Russia, the Internet watches you!
Putin sounds like he hangs out on Tom's Hardware forums and shops at New Egg
Wait, I shop at New Egg. Where am I supposed to be shopping instead of New Egg?
JW, Confucius once said, "He who reads Tomshardware and believes ... IS A FOOL!"
The report is wrong.
Putin did not say "We don't have limited MENTAL capacity". He said "We do not have LIMITED capacity".
It does change the whole tone of the message. Also if you listen him (if you know Russian language) - his response was not arrogant. Read The New York Times - the most trusted source:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/putin-turns-down-dell-aid-offer/
Putin would of used his combat skills if things had gotten out of hand.
Since ex KGB agent is quite agile when it comes to fighting, right?
Or was he not a KGB agent but some other agency worker?
*sigh...*
Would HAVE.
He is exKGB and a black belt in Judo I believe so yeah he could make Micheal Dell his bitch any day.
after reading you comment a couple times, i realized you meant to say "Putin would have used..."
There are two possibilities:
1) English isn't your first language...in which case, good try
2) English is your first language...in which case, you're a moron.
@ironman
after reading you comment, i came to two conclusions
1: your whitey tidies are too tight
2: your a hard ass
are you trying to be funny showing *your* use of english now? this is funny.
anyone ever wonder why there's more petty bickering on engadget than there is on gizmodo?
his a hard ass what?
@kamil
after reading your comment i came to two conclusions
1) its whitey tighties (or commonly reordered tighty whities, because the joke is that they are tight, not tidy (that means neat and clean by the way)
2) you are an idiot, or just suffered a brief unintelligent slip
In case you wondered Wyatt, check out the comments on the same article at Gizmodo
http://i.gizmodo.com/5141325/putin-to-dell-ceo-we-dont-need-help-we-are-not-invalids
Oh, Michael Dell, I'm vlad he didn't Perestroik-ya.
Thanks, CT A. Their bickering is way less petty and way more funny.
@adam
after reading your comment i came to two conclusions
1. You are humor-impaird, and your sarcasmatron is out of whack.
2. I hope this comment format doesn't become a meme.
@Wyatt:
"anyone ever wonder why there's more petty bickering on engadget than there is on gizmodo? "
Because they're invalids.
I was there and it totally didn't play out like that man!
Doesn't Putin have the face of a heartless assassin? Oh shi...nevermind, ex KGB.
Yeah, right on. He's a cold blooded spy, a trained assassin with no regard for others. Overall, a nice guy.
sorry russians, but when one of the biggest providers of computer hardware offers to help you get your lame network in shape, you should probably take what he's trying to give you.
invalid.
Don't you mean InVladid?
The Russians have things perfectly under control.
Check this picture right here for example
http://englishrussia.com/images/home_networks/4.jpg
@ saq The Ruskies lead the world in color coding.
You don't fudge with the Russians.
Вы не делаете fudge с русскими.
You don't say?
(It wasn't worth repeating... Fudge or no fudge)
Is it just me or does that guy look mysteriously like the bad guy in Casino Royale?
its just you. I think he looks more like Bond.
I don't think there is anything mysterious (or accidental) about it.
@OziD, not with that body.
Putin looks sad and remorsed in that pic. Poor guy probably didn't get a good translation of Dell's words considering they don't have the hardware to run their software. Poor guy he looks like he needs a HUG! There there Vladimir, there there...
/I'd love to see you try and hug him. If he hadn't already broken your arm in 4 places before you'd even gotten within 1 metre, I'm sure his swathe of guards would ruin you!
I'd ask Him in Russian. He would see that I respect Him and more than likely accept. It's surprising who you can get to hug you. Movie Stars, Princesses, Government Officials and High Ranking Military. I've Hugged the best. Princess Di was the First. Billy Connolly was the Latest.
An Dells Stelle hätte ich ihn auf deutsch gefragt.
Seriously, I don´t think Putin doesn´t understand english.
Putin is the man. Told him flat out.
"We appreciate your offer, but we are a proud and industrious people and we would prefer to manage our own IT infrastructure."
How hard would that have been? You get your point across without sounding like pompous ass.
right, like Dell, presuming that Russia needs assistance with it's IT. Seriously, they kick ass with the music sites and the credit card skimming infrastructure, let's not forget eventually they will have the SIP device at their disposal and then Michael Dell will be asking Russia for help...
any chance to make Michael Dell feel like shit is a chance worth taking.
And after the dust settles....
"During this conference, I've seen a lot of changing, in the way you feel about me, and in the way I feel about you. In here, there were two guys bitching at each other, but I guess that's better than twenty million. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that if I can change, and you can change, everybody can change! "
I think it was '.....youse feel about me'.....not you. :)
Haha, you're right! =P