Tag Archives: Domestic Spying

Googly, Googly… revisited… Facebooky… Facebooky…

How is anyone surprised by the “Big Reveal”, in every entendre imaginable, from Facebook that ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION WAS USED IN A WAY THAT YOU DON’T LIKE… AND THEY TOOK YOUR FRIENDS INFO TOO… BECAUSE YOU LET THEM.

How is the news?

We’ve been talking about this for over 5 YEARS!  It’s now 032118…

And, I’m always fashionably late to the party!

Where have you been?

(Update 091113: Yesterday, Google lost a similar decision to the one below.  It was on Appeal before the Ninth Circuit.  The Folks at EPIC are happy… but doesn’t the this story make more sense and a seem little less conspiratorial now that we know the NSA has been collecting all of our data and doing so with the aid of our allies?  Originally Posted 072712)

“In April, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission fined Google, saying the company “deliberately impeded and delayed” its investigation into Street View.

It’s unclear what, if any, penalties would be imposed on Google by Britain’s ICO or regulators in any of the 10 other jurisdictions in which the company had wrongly retained Street View data.

“We need to take a look at the data… There’s all sorts of questions we need to ask,” an ICO spokesman said, speaking on condition of anonymity because office rules prohibit him from being named in print.”

The above quote and where I decided to begin and end it may seem a little confusing, but there is a point…

Today we find out that Google has not destroyed/deleted all of the street view info it was caught collecting in Britain. Keep in mind, when I say “street view info” that includes wi-fi networks and names, e-mail addresses and various and sundry other items of information having nothing to do with a street, or the view from it.

Here’s the fun part however… Britain’s regulators, the IOC, are very “upset”. There has been aplenty “tough” language directed at Google for this blatant breach. Yes… they are terribly, terribly upset don’t you know.

While Google has apologized, it is clearly not enough for the IOC.  In all fairness it’s not enough for me either but here’s the punch line; the IOC is demanding to see the information for “forensic analysis”.  Seriously… You Brit’s are Brilliant!  “Yes, yes, I will need to see all the pornography you have so I can determine if it is actually pornography.  I will also need plenty of time to review it… alone…”

So why did I take the above quote from where I did?

Without question Google was harvesting the same information here in the U.S. that it was in Britain.  No doubt about it.  And the U.S. is watching closely what is going on across the pond… very closely.  But why?

If the IOC is successful in gaining access to the Google information for “forensic analysis” because Google has been very, very bad… then U.S. regulators will not be far behind the Google spanking bandwagon.  What red-blooded, privacy cherishing, citizen wouldn’t want Google to be punished for collecting a bunch of info it shouldn’t have?

Well… this one.  If punishing Google requires the government seeing all of the intel, I would prefer Google to get away with it and we can deal with them in the market place.   Think about this for a second, who would you rather have possessing your secrets, a private company answerable to the legal system or a government answerable to no-one?

The monster under my bed has always scared me the most by whispering “don’t worry…  I’m from the government and I’m here to help…”.  Now he’s muttering “googly… googly..” and my parents still don’t believe me.

Your freedom is directly correlated to your ability to live your life anonymously.  If you care.

Apparently, like the rest of the planet, I may just elect to drink myself to sleep.  Unlike the rest of the planet I will only do it late at night… straight from the bottle… in front of a full length mirror… crying…

NSA disguised itself as Google to spy, say reports  (link added 091213)

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The NSA and Kevin Bacon…

Since we’ve returned to caring about being Surveilled…

Let’s climb into our time machine and travel all the way back to 2013, when we told you so.

An unprecedented, at least to me, move by No Such Agency has brought the Director to an open briefing on Capital Hill.

So I’m listening.

But, there are two things which I would like to hear…

Mr. Alexander is very careful to remind everyone paying attention, which appears to be very few, that the NSA does not listen to the content of these calls collected under this program.

I’d like to focus on the “…under this program.” part of his repeated statement and reassurance.

There are many programs within all government operations, many of which overlap. This is practiced for various reasons. Some of them funding, some of them compartmentalization. Some, simply because of turf and time on scene.

So, I would like to hear someone ask; “Mr. Director, is anyone at NSA listening to the content of the calls collected, or reading the e-mail and text messaging?”

Another aspect I find interesting is the “connection to a known, or suspected terrorist” requirement Mr. Alexander has reassured us exists prior to looking at your information.

On this I bring up Kevin Bacon. Yes, the actor.

There exists a mathematical formula which connects us all.  It has been around for 80 years but has recently been popularized through something called the Kevin Bacon Game.

Six degrees of separation, a theory developed by Frigyes Karinthy in the year 1929, proposes that an individual is only six connections away from any person in the world.

Read the last five words in the above sentence again.  “…any person in the world.”

That would include Terrorist A-holes.  Yep… if you’re just catching up, YOU are separated by the most horrible person on earth by only 6 degrees.

The exploration of the degrees of separation between individuals communication, or connections, is called “spidering“.

So, my next question would be; “Mr. Director, how many degrees of separation from the suspect do you find acceptable to explore?  In other words, do you stop at say Two?  Four?  Six?”

Because stopping at “Six” means they have given themselves the authority to Spy on “…any person in the world.”  (Even “Five” should make most of us physically ill… “Three” only marginally better.)

There is also the issue of freely denying that anyone can listen to your phone calls.  I have seen this in practice first hand… when a suspect is apprehended, say a burglar, the police cannot legally go through his cell phone.  Yet… they do.  What “legally” means is whatever information found there is not admissible in court.  It does not mean that some amazing physics come into play preventing the very action of going through the person’s cell phone.  Remember folks, words mean things.  The world becomes much clearer when you listen carefully.

Finally, I am intrigued by what is considered “civilian” over-sight.  In this case, the “civilian” oversight is being performed by ex-military appointees.  One might ask, is this a difference without a distinction?  I understand the argument could be applied to the President on down, but those are elected positions.  I would like to hear someone explore how Civilian oversight has any impact after the person performing that service has retired from a Government entity.  In other words, once you’ve completed serving the Government Mission for many years you can take Retirement and then serve the Citizens interest by overseeing the very programs you may have been associated with the day before.

While I deeply respect those in the military as a rule, it does not change the fact that many of the most horrid Statists known to man have come directly from there.  Seems like the checks and balances are not served in a way that is as reassuring as possible… at least to me.

It will be interesting to view the transcripts of this hearing once complete.

My overall feeling here is They are intentionally missing the point… as They know Domestic Spying IS the point, not catching Foreign Terrorist A-holes.

The Red Herring is the reiteration that all the information being used is Public and available to Private Companies, so No Problem.  It is a blatant attempt to blur the definition of Public as it is meant.  In this case, Public means out in the open… not Government Property.  The fact the information is available to PRIVATE companies is irrelevant.  If this information is truly “out there for all to see” then the Government should not need to demand it from any Private entity.  But it is not… and the Government sees fit to use their power to compel certain Private entities to supply it to them.

All of our information is not available, nor should it be available, to GOVERNMENT without direct legal cause, free of Constitutional restriction.  That is a very, very important distinction here in the “Freest Country on Earth”.  (Damn that Constitution is SO restrictive…  it tells them what they CAN’T do to us, but not what they CAN do to us…)

It’s amazing how quickly one sobers up when listening to our Spooks…  Unless you’re an elected representative in the room with them, then it appears you fall asleep. (You’ll have to watch the hearing to see what I’m typing about here.  I want you to watch, so I won’t ruin it by showing you.)

(Also! For the record, I love our Spooks.  But much of what they do should stay, or be returned to being, illegal… just in case.  I know this Borrows their argument about why they want to store all of OUR info… we might need their actions to have been illegal down the road.  That’s a real check.  And, they answer to us not the other way around.)

(061813)


Bipartisanshitt

There is an urban myth out there that needs to be addressed.

“Binge drinking is bad.”  No, wait.  Wrong one.

“Compromise is good.”

If you’re a product of the public schools (like I am) it should be expected you believe we should all get along.  You probably think our elected representatives should be having dinner together, holding hands and making out in the back of dark movie theaters.  You might even think it is GOOD when they all get together and create legislation effecting the rest of us.

In other words, you might believe passing lots of bills is a terrific way to judge their productivity.  You think the government should “do something”… You might have been taught that the founders of this country wanted our leaders to strip down and embrace each other every time they met so they could create lots of really cool law.  If any of this rings true for you, what you “know” is wrong.  You should demand a refund on that free public education.

Here’s the truth, our system of government was designed specifically to be slow, cumbersome and rarely produce laws.  It was created to make sure no single branch could run rampant over the others with this purpose in mind.  It was designed for a fight… over everything… in the hopes that whatever came out was only what was absolutely necessary.  Less was more.  Nothing getting done was fine, if not preferred.  (I’ve floated this idea around the house but have not had much traction.)

We have come a long way from that original intent.  Over the last 100 years we have entitled our politicians to do whatever they want.  They have learned to routinely create law outside of the Constitution because they know that the odds are no-one will challenge it.  And, if their law does get challenged it will take too long and the American people will lose interest, or more often think they are owed whatever the law might “give” them.

These same politicians also know they can slow down the process of any legal challenge by appointing judges who also don’t care what limitations the Constitution puts in place.  Such judges then present their rulings utilizing previous unconstitutional rulings they or their fellow travelers passed down earlier.  Amazingly, they are also not above using foreign law for validation… which I’m very sure the Founding Fathers did not intend.  The fact that we revel in our lack of understanding and promote such behavior in our leaders should be frightening.  It has brought us to a very scary place.  Haven’t you wondered why alcohol sales are up? We’re frightened, but too uninformed to know why.  It’s like a horror movie where the person about to get killed runs around the house and turns all the lights… off.

There has been a determined movement over the last 80 years to position the U.S. Constitution as too restrictive.  (Our current president is on the record promoting this very idea.)  But you will most often find it repeated by the “open-minded” who have not taken the 5 minutes needed to read it, let alone try to discuss and understand it. (They don’t need to read it… their hearts tell them what they need to know… what’s scary about that is they vote…)   These are also the people who think we should all give each other big wet sloppy kisses… all the time.  To them, getting along to “help the country” sounds so nice it requires no further exploration on their part.

To make things worse, there are too many people who want to be led and then insist you must be led as well.  These people have found a home on both sides of the aisle.  The Founders were aware this would always be a reality. The defense they gave us against such people was an extremely well-defined and very restrictive document, that could be changed, in other words amended, if needed… but it would take an act of congress. (Yes, that’s where the phrase came from.)

What it comes down to is that you have two sides to choose from.  One side subscribes to individual freedom and one does not.  What makes one side somewhat sinister is that it wants to control you with “the best of intentions”.  Bear in mind, those who believe the sheep need to be led never seem to count themselves among the sheep….

So there must always be a war between those who know you are too stupid to make decisions for yourself  (Statists/Socialists) and those of us who think you are the only person who knows what’s best for you. (Free-market Capitalists)   If you give it a moment of thought, does it  make sense that a person who subscribes to individual freedom be buddies with a person who believes in the soft slavery of statism?  It’s really as simple as that.  The line in the sand is Force.

In conclusion, we are not supposed to get along.  We are not supposed to compromise our individual freedoms.  Ever.

If you need proof, compromise with Socialists is what got us here today… bankrupt, having our e-mail and phones call tapped, “intelligence agents” looking at our daughters cell phone pictures and Facebook pages while your grandmother is getting molested at the airport.  And the useful idiots continue begging for more Bipartisanshitt…

(Originally Posted 012012.  Reposted yet again because it needs to be.)


Bipartisanshitt

There is an urban myth out there that needs to be addressed.

“Binge drinking is bad.”  No, wait.  Wrong one.

“Compromise is good.”

If you’re a product of the public schools (like I am) it should be expected you believe we should all get along.  You probably think our elected representatives should be having dinner together, holding hands and making out in the back of dark movie theaters.  You might even think it is GOOD when they all get together and create legislation effecting the rest of us.

In other words, passing lots of bills is a terrific way to judge their productivity.  You think the government should “do something”… You might have been taught that the founders of this country wanted our leaders to strip down and embrace each other every time they met so they could create lots of really cool law.  If any of this rings true for you, what you “know” is wrong.  You should demand a refund on that free public education.

Here’s the truth, our system of government was designed specifically to be slow, cumbersome and rarely produce laws.  It was created to make sure no single branch could run rampant over the others with this purpose in mind.  It was designed for a fight… over everything… in the hopes that whatever came out was only what was absolutely necessary.  Less was more.  Nothing getting done was fine, if not preferred.  (I’ve floated this idea around the house but have not had much traction.)

We have come a long way from that original intent.  Over the last 100 years we have entitled our politicians to do whatever they want.  They have learned to routinely create law outside of the Constitution because they know that the odds are no-one will challenge it.  And, if their law does get challenged it will take too long and the American people will lose interest, or more often think they are owed whatever the law might “give” them.

These same politicians also know they can slow down the process of any legal challenge by appointing judges who also don’t care what limitations the Constitution puts in place.  Such judges then present their rulings utilizing previous unconstitutional rulings they or their fellow travelers passed down earlier.  Amazingly, they are also not above using foreign law for validation… which I’m very sure the Founding Fathers did not intend.  The fact that we revel in our lack of understanding and promote such behavior in our leaders should be frightening.  It has brought us to a very scary place.  Haven’t you wondered why alcohol sales are up? We’re frightened, but too uninformed to know why.  It’s like a horror movie where the person about to get killed runs around the house and turns all the lights… off.

There has been a determined movement over the last 80 years to position the U.S. Constitution as too restrictive.  (Our current president is on the record promoting this very idea.)  But you will most often find it repeated by the “open-minded” who have not taken the 5 minutes needed to read it, let alone try to discuss and understand it. (They don’t need to read it… their hearts tell them what they need to know… what’s scary about that is they vote…)   These are also the people who think we should all give each other big wet sloppy kisses… all the time.  To them, getting along to “help the country” sounds so nice it requires no further exploration on their part.

To make things worse, there are too many people who want to be led and then insist you must be led as well.  These people have found a home on both sides of the aisle.  The Founders were aware this would always be a reality. The defense they gave us against such people was an extremely well-defined and very restrictive document, that could be changed, in other words amended, if needed… but it would take an act of congress. (Yes, that’s where the phrase came from.)

What it comes down to is that you have two sides to choose from.  One side subscribes to individual freedom and one does not.  What makes one side somewhat sinister is that it wants to control you with “the best of intentions”.  Bear in mind, those who believe the sheep need to be led never seem to count themselves among the sheep….

So there must always be a war between those who know you are too stupid to make decisions for yourself  (Statists/Socialists) and those of us who think you are the only person who knows what’s best for you. (Free-market Capitalists)   If you give it a moment of thought, does it  make sense that a person who subscribes to individual freedom be buddies with a person who believes in the soft slavery of statism?  It’s really as simple as that.  The line in the sand is Force.

In conclusion, we are not supposed to get along.  We are not supposed to compromise our individual freedoms.  Ever.

If you need proof, compromise with Socialists is what got us here today… bankrupt, having our e-mail and phones call tapped, “intelligence agents” looking at our daughters cell phone pictures and Facebook pages while your grandmother is getting molested at the airport.  And the useful idiots continue begging for more Bipartisanshitt…

(Originally Posted 012012.  Reposted yet again because it needs to be.)


Political Theater!

It dawned on me this morning that I’m qualified to be a contributor on any of the Cable News Networks.

I have some credentials… while meager, apparently that doesn’t matter.

What matters is that I use certain phrases that may be true but are completely meaningless… and that I use them over and over and over.

So there I was, watching Juan Williams, of Fox News Fame, describe the VA Scandal as “Political Theater”. The point he was trying to make, the point he is always trying to make, the reason Fox writes him a check… is that any investigation into anything, ever, which originates from Anyone Opposing Democratic Socialists in our Government and Their Schemes is… “Political Theater”.

The brilliance is Juan, et al., have used this ad nauseam and remained employed.

While Juan’s phrase “Political Theater” is simple, and apparently powerful (they are paying him to do it) it lacks a directness. In fact, it is so vague as to be void of substance.

ALL activity in Government is Political Theater.

Every Word spoken, every Action taken. The phrase is Omni-Applicable… thus meaningless.

And yet, Mr. Williams gets a check.

So I’m going to try it out;

The VA Scandal… “Political Theater!”
The IRS Targeting Scandal… “Political Theater!”
The NSA Domestic Spying Scandal… “Political Theater!”
The Benghazi Murder Scandal… “Political Theater!”
The Fast and Furious Scandal… “Political Theater!”
The You Didn’t Build That and Spread the Wealth Around outrage… “Political Theater!”
The Socialist Nationalization of General Motors Outrage… “Political Theater!”
The Drive to Repeal the Socialization of Medicine through Obama Care… “Political Theater!”
The Outrage over Killing of American Citizens with Drones… “Political Theater!”
The Drive to make America Energy Independent by the “Right”… “Political Theater!”

Bill Clinton Lying under Oath… “Political Theater!”
The Cold War… “Political Theater!”
World War II… “Political Theater!”
World War I… “Political Theater!”
The Civil War… “Political Theater!”

My Wife think’s I drink too much… “Political Theater!”

Fun huh?  I think I’m pretty good at this!

Please send checks directly to me.. I will also accept anything Fit for Human consumption with an alcohol content greater than 5%.


Novaya Sovietsky

Why is the United States bowing before the New Soviet?

This is a surprising simple question with a surprising simple answer.

Why the United States will do nothing to confront The Rise of The New Soviet is because our current Administration, and more frighteningly our entire Bureaucracy, share the same Base Ideology.

That’s it.

How can you possible fight a Battle on Ideological grounds when there is no difference in Ideology? We are seeing this clearly right here at home.  We are seeing it within our own political battles between the parties.  We are being presented the Distinctions without the Differences on a Daily basis. Now we are seeing how that translates to Foreign Policy.  “Just Concede!”

But what are you conceding?

Let me ask you folks, what is it that the United States stands for?

Free Market Capitalism?

Freedom and Liberty of the Individual?

Property Rights?

Privacy Rights?

Freedom of Religion?

Freedom to Choose?

None of the Above?….  So What Exactly?

If you can’t answer this you’re not alone.  Officials at the highest level in our Government cannot provide a cogent answer to this question and then point to any of their Actions which prove it.  As far as those in charge are concerned the forced implementation of Socialism overseas is nothing different from what is being achieved by current Domestic Policy.  It’s for their own good… They look over the horizon and see no problems.

In fact, its Good that Citizens of The World realize their Governments will be Weaponized and used against them.  It provides Order!

In the back of their minds Our Homegrown Leftist-Progressives are hoping Putin gets it right this time…  and if he doesn’t, they are hoping to get it right here at home.

Georgia has fallen, Ukraine is next.

Eastern Europe should be very concerned knowing there is no one remaining in the world who Champion’s Individual Rights and Personal Freedom.

They must feel as lonely as we do.

The Enlightened Age of Man and Nation of Laws is over.

We are Witnessing the Dawn of the Mob… The Dawn of Democratic Socialism.

(BTW: A couple of Weeks ago while watching the Opening Ceremonies of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games I stated the only thing missing from the Show was a groups of “volunteers” belting out the International in Russian.  Well, Putin one-upped me… The Closing Ceremonies provided the World with a group of “Volunteer Children” to belt out the International in Russian.  Well played Vlad… Well Played.)


FINE!

“We should have told you we were tracking your calls…”

“Is that what you wanted to Hear?!”

“Not Enough?”

“Serioulsy!?”

“OK… We’re Ssss..sss.ss.sa….saaa…”

“We’re Sah… saaaah… ssasasa… ssaahrr…”

“We’re soorrr…. sahorrr…”

“Sorry!”

“There!”

“We’re Sorry!”  “Ok!?… Good Enough!?”  “Happy!?”

“Now will you leave us alone so we can get back to Spying on you already!?”

(What’s hilarious is the inability to tell the truth even when supposedly “telling the truth”.  Clapper is now making 9/11 the beginning, or starting point, of the Domestic Surveillance when aspects of this had been initiated by George H. W. Bush and all of it working efficiently since the Early years of Clinton.  And those of us who pointed out Echelon and Carnivore were sent to the special Rubber Rooms because we were CRAAAAAZY.  Everyone knew the Government would Never Spy on its own Citizens.  That would be ridiculous.  Yes… ridiculous.  Just like the IRS targeting groups it politically disagrees with… and the Government establishing a brand new Domestic Military Force called the Department of Homeland Security… and the Government killing its own Citizens with unmanned aircraft… and the States forcing gun registration directly violating the Second Amendment…  and setting new records of National Debt in the name of Fiscal Solvency…  our politicians destroying the greatest Health Care System in the World… etc… etc… etc… yes, it We who are CRAAAZY.)


“It’s Not our Mission to Spy on Everybody in The World.”

said the Outgoing NSA Director.

“We consider that Added Value.”

In Other News:  Clown Shortage Hits USA!

Teams of Recruiters sent to U.N.


On the Heels of Rand Paul’s filing a Lawsuit against the NSA, We Make a Few Suggestions.

Senator Rand,

We are out here rooting for you!  But we’re also concerned, particularly after the story that our intelligence services wanted Edward Snowden Dead.  So here is a brief list of recommendations…

Might we suggest getting a Food Taster?

A Personal Mechanic? Preferably one willing to start your car in the morning.

Think strongly about staying out of wide open spaces with tall buildings or plentiful ground cover.  Stay away from windows.

When considering heading out to Lunch or Dinner pick several places and then flip a coin.  Keep that coin handy.

Vary your sleep schedule.

Take different routes to get around the Capital.

Get rid of your internet connection.

Toss the Phone.

Buy a typewriter.

Wear reversible clothing.

If it looks a little greasy and smells faintly of almonds, don’t open it.  Don’t even pick it up.

Read up on Polonium.

Find some guys that look like you and send them out for errands.  Often.

From ALL of US, we wish you the VERY best with your law suit.
Seriously, Good luck!


What Does it mean to be The Commander and Chief?

It means you do not have to make Requests.

Requests?  Requests?  We don’t need to make no stinking Requests!

It is rumored that President Obama is about to take the podium and Request the NSA no longer store the “meta data” it has collected from Innocent American Citizens through its’ Domestic Spying program. That is to say, he will not be Requesting the end to Domestic Spying… he’ll just be Requesting the material collected be stored for a shorter period to time and or by someone else.

Before I say “Why Bother?”… take a moment and think about that. I’ll wait.

Ready? “Why Bother?”

Why Bother taking even a single second to address the American People with such a statement of DESIRE?

When you are the Commander and Chief you DO NOT NEED TO REQUEST THINGS BE DONE WHICH ARE UNDER YOUR DIRECT CONTROL. Sorry, didn’t mean to yell.  Seriously, I apologize.

In other words, President Obama does not need to Request:
Gitmo be closed.
Withdraw of Troops from the Middle East.
People be Fired for not Securing our Diplomats abroad.
IRS officials be Prosecuted for political targeting of individuals and organizations.
The Prosecutions of Voter Intimidation cases as well as Voter Fraud.
The Termination of those involved in Up-Arming Mexican Drug Cartels.
And…
Certainly not the end of the largest Domestic Spying Program in the History of the World.

Is this just more Propaganda designed to make the American People think he’s doing something about an issue he doesn’t poll well on?

I’ve referred to Machiavelli before… and I’ll do so again. Machiavelli told his Prince that he must tell his population whatever they wanted to hear while doing whatever he needed, or wanted to, in order to stay in power. (Yes, I’m paraphrasing… so makeaneffort to read any translation of The Prince. Then Discourses on Livy. Then Machiavelli in Hell. That’s a start. Then get back to me. I recommend it.)

This reminds me of Clinton.

Say a lot, do nothing.

Oddly enough, the President doesn’t seem to be making Requests when it comes to shoving Obamacare down our throats…

(As a note… the NSA’s signal capture and meta data scanning utilizing computational linguistic software has been going on WELL before 9/11.)

(Live Update:  President Obama states unequivocally that “elected officials have a responsibility to the Constitution”.  While I’m not sure what that means, it’s a start.  Secondly… and most interestingly, President Obama refuses to condemn Edward Snowden.  Why is this interesting?  Because he actually took a sentence of his speech to NOT condemn Edward Snowden.  He could have simply said nothing regarding Snowden’s act.  Very, very interesting indeed.  I’m sure that is probably being received like a Lead Zeppelin over at the NSA.)

(Live Update II:  Your Liberty cannot rely on you trusting the Government… “there are too many examples in history where that didn’t work”… so we are going to do a bunch of stuff you can never see.  Trust us.)

Here’s the reality folks, they are not interested in any limitation being applied to their spying on you.  They also do not have the ability to collect one signal and not the other.  They do not want to stop collecting information about you, your kids and everyone you know because they don’t know how.  They do not want to admit this to you.  They do not want to admit that the information can be, and has been abused as documented here and everywhere else… whip out your googler.  They have been collecting data since Bush I.  This is old, old, old… and all those who were trying to get your attention regarding this were, successfully, called “conspiracy theorists” and “nut jobs”.

So there you go.  The politicians Hate it when they are Not in charge and Love it when they Are.  It really is that simple.  And it really is about control.

So what do we do?

I recommend pouring a Martini.  Or, three.

(Holy Crap Update III:  “I know those always expecting the worst intentions of Government is frustrating”… “Nobody expects China to have an Open debate regarding their security processes.”  Aside from the fact that we don’t yet live in China… Holy Crap!  China Envy?  Seriously?  For the record, if I lived in China I would indeed expect open debate about State Security and Domestic Spying.  So the only meaning I can take away from this is the President is upset he cannot stifle his population’s desire to “openly discuss” such matters – damn it.  Stunning!)