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The NSA Knows Who You've Called
Jamie adds: Traditionally, the devices which record dialed phone numbers are called pen registers, and trap-and-trace devices. The ECPA provided some legal privacy protection. It was controversial when Section 214 of the Patriot Act amended 50 USC 1842 to allow the FBI to record this information with minimal oversight. The Department of Justice has been required for some time to report to Congress the number of pen registers and trap-and-traces, though in recent years [PDF, see question 10] it declared that information classified.
If anyone has information about how the NSA, as opposed to the FBI, has been involved in domestic phone number collection, please post links in the discussion.
In related news, the National Security Agency has closed down an inquiry into the so-called "Terrorist Surveillance Program," a separate program from this one, by refusing to grant security clearance to the lawyers in the Department of Justice. The NSA and the DoJ are both established under the executive.
is there any american who is proud of the way their country treats its citizens anymore? I'm from the UK where we are pretty fierce about our privacy - well I certainly am - and I simply can't understand how this can happen.
really, it's time to immigrate people. or perhap do something, depends how far up americas ass it's finger is.
Promote Charity on Myspace, Show Your Colours!
You know what does? People railing against one socio-political-economic class as the root problem of society.
So wait, are we talking about Slashdot who blames the ignorant masses and "idiot bible thumping republicans"?
I've always been partial to libertarianism because as much as liberals bitch about republicans being intolerant, liberals are also very intolerant of people who don't behave/act like they do. For example, anti-smoking laws, hate speech laws, and they seem to have a bias against people they don't deem to be as smart as them (comments about "dumb americans"), and thus seem to be designing some elitist utopian society
In the Unites States, a majority does not get to vote away individual rights. If we let that happen, then America's dead already.
Here's the problem. The left has been allowing the majority and in many cases the minority to vote away individual rights for years and has been happy as a clam. Some rights that have been voted away include my right to keep what I earn and not have it distributed to those that choose not to work and the 2nd amendment, the list goes on an on. When the left does it, it is progressive. When the right does it, it is fascist.
Go ahead I know I'll be moded flamebait. It just proves my point.
Is buying a Harley Davidson as your first motorcycle since you were 16 at age 49 a midlife crisis issue?
No. It would not matter.
The game is over America. You lose - as badly as the Soviets and Nazi citezenry lost.
It really is over - you can stop pretending it will be O.K. It will never be O.K. again. And soon, you will get used to neighbors dissapearing. You will get used to watching what you say in front of your children - lest they repeat it in school.
"Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act." -- George Orwell
As I recall it was because Lewinsky was to testify for the first time the next day.
If you aren't going to use them, you might as well not have them. Your guns have done nothing whatsoever to protect your freedom and they will continue to do nothing as long as they are not used.
Honestly! Anyone who thinks that we aren't going to head into a police state just because we had handguns and rifles obviously isn't thinking.
When will you use your guns? Are you part of a militia that could organize against national guard and army troops being sent into your town? Would you be ready to use your guns if a SWAT team showed up at your door to arrest you on phony charges of drugs, child pornography, or anything else reprehensible and easily planted that will make your neighbors say, "I guess I just didn't know the guy," instead of, "Hey, why is HE being hauled off?" How far do you think you'd get against a SWAT team? (Ruby Ridge or Waco, anyone?)
People may point to Iraq for an example of how a less well-armed guerilla war can mess with our modern Army. I'll rebut to them that we don't have large caches of full-automatic weapons and explosives just lying around for the population to sack. Do you know how to make your own explosive materials, shaped charges, and IEDs? Have you had insurgent / survivalist training? I hope not, for your sake, since you'll be first up against the wall when the revolution comes. If I were planning a military takeover of the US, the first thing I'd do is spend a few months repeating Waco at every single seperatist militia compound in the US.
The right to own firearms protecting the Constitutional rights of citizens. Hah! Don't make me laugh. If anything, it'll be the Neo-Brownshirts that have them in the first place.
I didn't know they had blind deaf Ostriches in New Zealand because YOU'VE GOT YOUR HEAD BURIED IN THE SAND.
Think I'm being rude and inflamatory? I had to control myself from telling you where I really think your head is buried.
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
I'm glad you're so damned concerned about conditions here in the US. Since you in fact don't live here I'm amazed at how you can be so conversant about said conditions. Also, what country do you reside in? I'm sure you'll find that almost all of them have much more restrictive speech laws and more permissive search laws than the "fascistic" US.
--- I wish I could hear the soundtrack to my life. That way I'd know when to duck.