Article

2013-06-17 Government

NSA: analysts can listen to domestic phone calls, e-mail and text messages

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Posted by Fred 2013-06-17 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 We've come so far. Every line is now a "party line".

Do we still have that old 'Ma Bell' switchboard graphic ?

Posted by Besoeker 2013-06-17 03:47|| 2013-06-17 03:47|| Front Page Top

#2 People of the government, by the government, for the government.

Took a 150 years to get here.

Posted by Procopius2k 2013-06-17 06:05|| 2013-06-17 06:05|| Front Page Top

#3 Someone was always listening in.

Back in 1990 or so, Mr. Wife went off to Germany for meetings of some sort. This was in the days before cell phones, so when I wanted to talk to him about something desperately urgent, as I occasionally did, I would leave a message at his hotel for him to call me. Only for some reason I couldn't find the name and phone number of his hotel; my best effort got me connected to some poor man in Eastern Germany who, as might be expected in the middle of the night, was annoyed at me in German, a language I did not at the time speak with anything approaching fluency. "Oh help," I muttered to myself, as I tried to remember the words that would ask the gentleman what I had done wrong...

Suddenly a crisp American voice broke into the conversation. "Are you ok?" she asked. "Should I send an ambulance or call the police?"

"What? No, no! I'm just trying to find my husband's hotel," I replied.

"Never, ever say 'Help' like that when you are on the telephone!" the international operator scolded, for such, indeed, she was. "We always keep an ear out, in case it's an emergency." Then she proceeded to discuss my very partial information with a German telephone operator while I listened, and in a few minutes they found the small hotel in the small village outside Frankfurt where he was staying -- a very impressive bit of work.

I've never doubted that mine was the story told during the telephone operators' lunch break that day, yet another addition to the professional lore. Nor that the more interesting of our verbal intimacies had amused those sophisticates, who literally heard it all, whenever they wanted, and only told tales to the police and ambulance drivers, when warranted (sorry, but it's the only word that fits).

Posted by trailing wife 2013-06-17 06:38|| 2013-06-17 06:38|| Front Page Top

#4 Yes, but that was a 'time' when people still had a degree, though ever lessening, of propriety. Those who listened in to conversations and shared details where label and ostracized as the 'town gossip'. Today they get paid and rewarded by the government and entertainment media. Those who reveal the collection and use of such communications are the ones who are ostracized.

Posted by Procopius2k 2013-06-17 08:46|| 2013-06-17 08:46|| Front Page Top

#5 Sure listen in on the conversation, sometimes they can be fun.

Posted by Boss Omeper1495 2013-06-17 11:30|| 2013-06-17 11:30|| Front Page Top

#6 ...and your gaming, and your online shopping, and your skype. Getting really excited about the new TVs with camera's in them? The new xbox with mics which do not shut off and must be online to play?

"In Soviet America, TV watches you."

Posted by swksvolFF 2013-06-17 18:51|| 2013-06-17 18:51|| Front Page Top

#7 I've got your picture, I've got your picture
I'd like a million of you all round my cell
I want a doctor to take your picture
So I can look at you from inside as well
You've got me turning up and turning down
And turning in and turning 'round

I'm turning NSA I think I'm turning NSA I really think so

Posted by swksvolFF 2013-06-17 19:29|| 2013-06-17 19:29|| Front Page Top

23:56 Shipman
23:05 JosephMendiola
22:59 Thing From Snowy Mountain
22:56 JosephMendiola
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22:35 Winky Sproing5899
22:30 Winky Sproing5899
20:05 USN,ret
20:04 Redneck Jim
19:59 badanov
19:57 AlanC
19:55 JosephMendiola
19:52 AlanC
19:50 Alaska Paul
19:48 Alaska Paul
19:46 JosephMendiola
19:41 USN,ret
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18:55 Frank G
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18:47 Frank G