Dear NSA...Fuck You

[IronEagle]

This sort of thing has been going on for years. I remember back in 1990 a guy I know was telling me about a project his brother was working on which was integrating credit card data with supermarket loyalty card info. Then they would mine the data. Back then most people paid for their groceries in cash so the discount card's primary purpose was to enable the tracking of people's purchases.

I think you're right that the corporate sector is as bad as the government when it comes to these sorts of things. In fact the corporate sector may have less legal restrictions than the government with what they can do with the data they collect. But a lot of those government restrictions have changed since 2001.

In any case this should come as no surprise. What did people think 20,000 NSA employees were doing every day?

I do have to wonder what they are doing with the NSA's data center in Utah. Supposedly it's got enough storage capacity to archive all of the traffic on the internet.

[slag]

Pretty safe bet that this applies to more than one person here.

[IronEagle]

Pretty safe bet that this applies to more than one person here.

Probably in reverse, too. And not just here. In general I sense a lot of hypocrisy surround this issue.

[RSE]

I kind of think this thread has run its course. Nobody here has covered himself in glory.

[IronEagle]

I kind of think this thread has run its course. Nobody here has covered himself in glory.

I hear ya. I was kinda hoping that KG would weigh in.

[AthensEagle]

KG would not have covered himself in glory. He would have slathered himself in glory.

[Loki]

Yup. Do a search on Leadertech

click through on the next game or software program you load and during the license agreement phase you've just OK'd them to mine and track anything and everything you do in your browser. They embed their crap in the software you load and then hide shit all over your hard drive.

I've had a bitch of a time getting rid of it.

[slag]

Don't disagree ... and I wasn't including you in my statement BTW.

I'm a little embarrassed that I ignored the ACLU on this for years ... because as I get more and more educated on some of the details, I am getting more concerned about potential abuse ... and I'm a pretty staunch get the terrorists guy.

[Riccardo]

Bwaaaa!

so true

[Eagle Road]

The one real truth in all of this is that the bigger the Government gets, the more intrusive it will become.

[JuTMSY4]

I kind of think this thread has run its course. Nobody here has covered himself in glory.

I can't wrap myself in the flag? I think the bad part is, the administration is in a damned if you do, damned if you don't position. If they keep going, they are going to have "scandals." If they stop and there is another incident of terrorism, they'll pay a hefty political price (and then some).

[stjoebirdsfan]

They kind of painted themselves into this corner by running under the "transparent-government, bush was terrible we are going to do things much differently" schtick

[The Ref]

Your fear of government agencies sounds like tin foil hat paranoia. It's bat shit crazy and delusional.

What we do have to fear are crazy individual nutjobs and random acts of violence, not a government agency. We should also be concerned about private businesses like Google and Apple.

But please. Do not play the hitler card. Jesus christ. That's not an intelligent argument.

you fucks have no idea how prophetic this post was.

[Kelly Green]

Drinking Wine -- I Knew It!

I've said that about you for years -- now if you'll only admit to eating brie and attending wine and cheese parties I'll be correct on the whole package!

[The Ref]

I've said that about you for years -- now if you'll only admit to eating brie and attending wine and cheese parties I'll be correct on the whole package!

actually I don't eat dairy, KG. Sorry to disappoint.