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FBI May Have Datamined Grocery Stores With Help From Credit Companies
An anonymous reader writes "Recent media reports indicate that in 2005-06, the FBI went trawling through grocery store records in order to track down Iranian terror cells. They hoped to locate 'Middle-Eastern terrorists' through the purchase of specific food items. Many of these items, though, are not sold through big-box supermarket chains, and the majority of mom and pop ethnic markets do not have the detailed computer purchase histories that Safeway or Whole Foods have. What the FBI seems to have done is instead put together a list of everyone who shopped at a Middle Eastern food market. All signs point to the credit card companies providing this data, and not the individual stores. If so, this could be the tip of a (potentially illegal) data-mining iceberg."
Falafil Inc. sues the FBI for defamation of character and loss of business.
My poetry site welcomes the unusual.
data-mining iceberg lettuce hovercraft eel overflow
Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
Better put Bill O'Reilly on the airport watch list then.
I know! One of my big hobbies is strapping on a bomb and muttering threats against the U.S. government, but with stories like this I'm afraid I might be taken for one of those terrorists.
because, non-middle easterners might like the food.
:-( It's just that the food is so yummy.
And thus, even though not ME, they must be terrorists too!
*sigh* I didn't realize I was a terrorist
Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
I always use cash when I go to Achmed's Food Emporium with his "special" back room full of "good deals".
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Mohammad Atta ate for his last dinner...
at Pizza Hut across the street from the Portland Mall, in front of the South Portland Cinema, next to IHOP and a gas station. (I know that exact Pizza Hut) We must get the records of everyone that eats pizza, shops at a mall, watches movies, enjoys breakfast and buys gas!
Karma Whoring for Fun and Profit.
I'm patiently waiting for the FBI to knock on my door and arrest me for all the ingredients I used (digested) in my attempts to create the perfect stink bomb.
Seriously. Shawarma with saffron rice FTW.
I guess I am a bad American for liking terrorist food...hummus...Hamas...same thing, right?
Ketchup. They're seeing who isn't buying enough.
Ketchup has natural mellowing agents that help to keep you satisfied with our government and able to accept what happens to you.
-- A message from the Ketchup Advisory Board
(This is well documented. See here and here, for example.)
Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
with Eating While Muslim
You forgot to mention "Speak only English, just like Jesus did."
Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
Every once in a while, buy a little bit of ham.
"Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine No Posessions?'" -- Elvis Costello
Of course not, he accesses /. through cash.
GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
How are EITHER more threatening than Canadians?!
Use it to buy wire, a clock, chlorine bleach, sugar and ammonia. ... and some popcorn.
SELECT * WHERE (color NOT 'white') AND (pol_aff NOT 'GOP') OR (pac_funding < 100000);
Kevin Smith on Prince
Possibly when you brag on the Internet that you own several unregistered guns.
Or do you really think your packets don't route through the NSA and that government agencies don't datamine online forums?