Ed Snowden, NSA, and fairy tales a child could see through

[Severian]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iy1hP6F5i98

Written text:

http://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/ed-snowden-nsa-and-fairy-tales-a-child-could-see-through/

But this agency, with all its vast power and its dollars…

Can’t track one of its own, a man who came to work every day, a man who made up a story about needing treatment in Hong Kong for epilepsy and then skipped the country.

Just can’t find him.

Can’t find him in Hong Kong, where he does a sit-down video interview with Glenn Greenwald of The Guardian. Can’t find that “safe house” or that “hotel” where he’s staying.

No. Can’t find him or spy on his communications while he’s in Hong Kong. Can’t figure out he’s booked a flight to Russia. Can’t intercept him at the airport before he leaves for Russia . Too difficult.

[Lethn]

That youtube video is giving the NSA way too much credit

[Severian]

That youtube video is giving the NSA way too much credit

They deserve a little credit. They're the largest spynest in the world and perhaps in history.

I don't overemphasize their sway but one should never underestimate them either.

[Rassah]

They're the NSA, not the CIA. They spy, and collect info, and masturbate while listening to our phone calls, not actually go out and do stuff.

[Spendulus]

That youtube video is giving the NSA way too much credit

They deserve a little credit. They're the largest spynest in the world and perhaps in history.

I don't overemphasize their sway but one should never underestimate them either.

Just a note.  Largest has no meaning when used in conjunction with phrases like "intelligence" or "human intelligence".

It doesn't mean "smart" or "clever".

It could arguably mean quite the reverse.

It could be another High Technology Border Fence.

[Severian]

They're the NSA, not the CIA. They spy, and collect info, and masturbate while listening to our phone calls, not actually go out and do stuff.

We don't know what they do, actually. As the NSA claims to not be bound by law, it's difficult to get a handle on a secret, lawless organization.

[Severian]

Just a note.  Largest has no meaning when used in conjunction with phrases like "intelligence" or "human intelligence".

It doesn't mean "smart" or "clever".

I still have the same respect for them that I'd have for a rattlesnake in my path: I'm smarter than the snake but it still has potential to do great damage.

[justusranvier]

They spy, and collect info, and masturbate while listening to our phone calls, not actually go out and do stuff.

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/410450/security-breach

[DiamondCardz]

They're the NSA, not the CIA. They spy, and collect info, and masturbate while listening to our phone calls, not actually go out and do stuff.

Lmfao, brilliant, and so true.

[uhnonamiss]

true true

[Galahad]

Always overestimate their capabilities and they will never succeed, underestimate them and you allow them to catch up.

[Spendulus]

Always overestimate their capabilities and they will never succeed, underestimate them and you allow them to catch up.

Yeah, but WHO?

Let's recap, the NSA supposedly court ordered datasets from big Internet companies.

I betcha over those extended periods of time during which data moved to the NSA, fair amounts of money went to the Internet companies for the work and trouble and sort-of-payoffs.

Who else bought your data that you don't know about?

A)  The US government tells Google to hand over all the personal data of US and foreign people to it.

B) France (insert your choice of country here) tells Google to hand over all the personal data of French citizens and foreigners to it.

No difference, right?  And in each case the corporation is bound by secrecy laws of the country it operates in.  And in each case, money passes between the hands.

[benjamindees]

And in each case, money passes between the hands.

The world isn't run by weapons anymore, or energy, or money. It's run by little ones and zeroes, little bits of data. It's all just electrons.

...Marty

[Book]

Feel sorry for US citizens these days with having such a bad government.

[cryto4rig]

Obama in 2008 said leakers reporting government abuse should come forward, and would be honored and appreciated, now he wants to charge and imprison one.... Idiot

[Lethn]

Feel sorry for US citizens these days with having such a bad government.

Our governments are just as bad, they're just better at covering it up.

[cryto4rig]

I hope snowden gets asylum somewhere and live happily ever after honestly

[Lethn]

Supposedly he's already in Russia at Moscow Airport, but who knows what they'll do to him over there.

[SEC agent]

I sincerely hope he gets executed by a CIA hit squad.

[Book]

Feel sorry for US citizens these days with having such a bad government.

Our governments are just as bad, they're just better at covering it up.

The UK gov isn't the best, we have a huge amount of CCTV everywhere spying on us, but they're rarely causing problems with the internet.