"No Spy Agreement" failed...

[HarmanKardon]

So how naive is the German governmemt? Did they actually believe that the American Government would reduce their NSA activities just because German politicians pressed for it? It is so embarrassing. Instead the NSA will improve their systems and perfect their global surveillance.

Germany wake up to reality!

[BlueStreak]

Germany wake up to reality? Shit. America needs to wake up to reality. Most Americans didn't realize their own government spies on them until Snowden talked. However, domestic surveillance had been in the news for years, Chris. And some of us were even aware that the government actively monitored all forms of radio, television and, in some cases, telephone transmissions for decades before the internet.

Americans have been very naïve for a very long time, my friend. The problem is that it isn't just our problem. It affects the entire world.

The next thing I know, my fellow citizens will suddenly wake up and discover our government deliberately causes wars and revolutions and murders thousands at the behest of corporations to gain access to resources and create demand for defense contractors. And that they think NOTHING of using our sons and daughters lives to do it.

We live in interesting times, Chris. And, I'm afraid, it's only just begun.

Dave

[HarmanKardon]

Angie broke her pelvis recently while skiing and Barack sent best wishes for a quick recovery. Nice nice nice but Berlin should stop dreaming of a Washington at eye level.

Yes Dave it effects the "Global Village". Justifying anything they do by "providing national security" the NSA actually celebrates rather national chauvenism, as far as I understand the situation, and this does absolutely not emphazise a comprehension of global political thinking.

Washington still thinks it is politically the Boss of the entire world, maybe that is right, but economically the music plays somewhere else. In Asia. So America will become weaker also politically in the forthcoming years the weaker it becomes economically - therefore partnership on different levels is what the USA should aspire to. Transparency is the key, bilateral transparency of course.

And yes we live in interesting times. Compared to our presence and even more to our future "1984" and "Brave New World" are rather lullabies.

[merrylander]

I trust that you both are aware that Google, Yahoo, Facebook et. al. keep a very comprehensive history on all the searches , etc, that you do with them and they sell that information. How else do you think they maintain their sites and pay salaries?

After Florence's time with the AEC we are quite used to being traced, they even followed her around the Orient when she lived there. We have an unlisted phone number but they still call from time to time to see if she is still alive. Do you recall Karen Silkwood?

[HarmanKardon]

There is indeed no escape.

[HarmanKardon]

Obama announces NSA reform... hahaha... hardly visible cosmetic procedures...

The NSA uses the internet as a global operating arm system and Obama is of course not interested to limit their actions remarkably. Why should he?

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by merrylander

I trust that you both are aware that Google, Yahoo, Facebook et. al. keep a very comprehensive history on all the searches , etc, that you do with them and they sell that information. How else do you think they maintain their sites and pay salaries?

After Florence's time with the AEC we are quite used to being traced, they even followed her around the Orient when she lived there. We have an unlisted phone numbre but they still call from time to time to see if she is still alive. Do you recall Karen silkwood?

Exactly.

Dave

[merrylander]

You know having spent 33 years with Bell Canada and having been part of the Billing and Collecting programming group I am amazed at the complete ignorance of the data gathering issue. Of course we kept records of the calling number, the called number and the duration. How the hell did you think we prepared the monthly invoices? Now under the new agreement the carriers do not want to store this meta data online and I can understand as this would represent one hell of a lot of storage. We kept backup on tape in case of disputed invoices or errors, but not for any longer than the law required.

This mis-informed idea that they also recorded the phone call is so laughable as to be simply another case of total ignorance. Where in hell could we have stored it all and who would possibly agree to listen to it - boring, boring, boring (Although while Florence and I were courting there were a few calls that might have qualified as entertainment to evesdroppers )

[HarmanKardon]

20000000 SMS day by day, as German ZDF channel reported yesterday. All that crap... "Darling oh my God, I wanna lick your toes NOW" and stuff like this...