Take a break from Snowden, and remember the real story...

[backscatter712]

Yes, I know. You want to argue about whether Snowden ate paste when he was in kindergarten.

But that's not the real story. The real story is what he revealed - the programs that the NSA is using to unconstitutionally violate our civil rights.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/06/25/take-a-break-from-the-snowden-drama-for-a-reminder-of-what-hes-revealed-so-far/

Take A Break From The Snowden Drama For A Reminder Of What He's Revealed So Far

...

• The publication of Snowden’s leaks began with a top secret order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) sent to Verizon on behalf of the NSA, demanding the cell phone records of all of Verizon Business Network Services’ American customers for the three month period ending in July. The order, obtained by the Guardian, sought only the metadata of those millions of users’ calls–who called whom when and from what locations–but specifically requested Americans’ records, disregarding foreigners despite the NSA’s legal restrictions that it may only surveil non-U.S. persons. Senators Saxby Chambliss and Diane Feinstein defended the program and said it was in fact a three-month renewal of surveillance practices that had gone for seven years.


• In a congressional hearing, NSA director Keith Alexander argued that the kind of surveillance of Americans’ data revealed in that Verizon order was necessary to for archiving purposes, but was rarely accessed and only with strict oversight from Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judges. But another secret document published by the Guardian revealed the NSA’s own rules for when it makes broad exceptions to its foreign vs. U.S. persons distinction, accessing Americans’ data and holding onto it indefinitely. Those exceptions include anytime Americans’ data is judged to be “significant foreign intelligence” information or information about a crime that has been or is about to be committed, any data “involved in the unauthorized disclosure of national security information,” or necessary to “assess a communications security vulnerability.” Any encrypted data that the NSA wants to crack can also be held indefinitely, regardless of whether its American or foreign origin.


• Another leaked slide deck revealed a software tool called Boundless Informant, which the NSA appears to use for tracking the origin of data it collects. The leaked materials included a map produced by the program showing the frequency of data collection in countries around the world. While Iran, Pakistan and Jordan appeared to be the most surveilled countries according to the map, it also pointed to significant data collection from the United States.


• A leaked executive order from President Obama shows the administration asked intelligence agencies to draw up a list of potential offensive cyberattack targets around the world. The order, which suggests targeting “systems, processes and infrastructure” states that such offensive hacking operations “can offer unique and unconventional capabilities to advance U.S. national objectives around the world with little or no warning to the adversary or target and with potential effects ranging from subtle to severely damaging.” The order followed repeated accusations by the U.S. government that China has engaged in state-sponsored hacking operations, and was timed just a day before President Obama’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

[Summer Hathaway]

1. Ah, whatsamatter, sweetums?

Not enough Snowden shit-stirring going on today?

SCOTUS ruling getting all the attention?

[backscatter712]

2. Right, you don't care that the NSA's logging your email, phone & web-surfing...

looking for blackmail-fodder.

Another sheeple eager to be led to the slaughter.

[randome]

3. This is the ultimate in circular logic.

You only think this because of what Snowden claims! He's offered no evidence of it!

But it must be true because...Snowden said so!

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font]
[hr]

[Summer Hathaway]

7. ...

It's not about Snowden, it's about what he said.

But he hasn't proven anything he's said.

Yeah, but he said it.

Well, since he's offered no proof of what he said, maybe we should look into who Snowden is, to get a better idea of whether he's credible or not.

No, you can't do that.

Why not?

Because it's NOT ABOUT SNOWDEN, IT'S ABOUT WHAT HE SAID.

[Summer Hathaway]

5. Oh, fer fuck's sake

Stop being so naive.

Do you really think some gov't bureaucrat is sifting through your phone records, your email, you web history in order to BLACKMAIL YOU?

Do yourself a favor: take a break from ParanoiaUnderground for a while. You might regain your sanity.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Predictable

A Russian refugee, who came here twenty years ago, gets it so well she's looking at moving.

She had to deal with the KGB. She's not looking forwards to the NSA sweetums.

She has filed paperwork to an unspecified location, and is ready to leave the former land of the free and the brave. Interesting conversation with a neighbor.

Since she has the education and research creds, she has a choice in a couple places actually. Only hold up, sweetheart, her American born son. But that might not be too much of a hold...

You go tell her she's paranoid.

[Summer Hathaway]

11. Nadin, as I've said before

I don't doubt for a minute that you are a lovely person in RL, with a good heart.

However, I tired of your incoherent ramblings a long time ago.

Now please do the predictable and tell me that (a) I'm attacking you, (b) I'm bullying you, and/or (c) I am now on your super-duper Ignore list - along with the hundreds of other people who allegedly made the grade.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Now that is a new take.

Kudos...I gotta say...you got somewhat original with this one.

Have a good day

[randome]

16. (d) Have a good day.

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font]
[hr]

[Summer Hathaway]

17. Damn!

I knew I was missing one of the biggies.

[Cha]

10. "ParanoiaUnderground" is exactly where the break needs to be taken.

We're not to question Snowden.. just believe everything he and Greenwald are spewing.. meanwhile Snowden is cozying up to the Russians. Anything to get away from the big bad ol USA and PBO.

Russia kills their leakers to make room for ours.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. He is cozying up to the commies

Why is Putin telling him to get the hell out? That is not quite getting cozy.

Part of the problem is that old those old Cold War expectations are not living up to your expectations.

To be honest, seeing an American become a dissident must be quite disconcerting. I guess that is why talking of what the dissident revealed is so difficult.

We have had no denials than any of this is actually happening. Nor evidence that he is cozy with the Russians. So are you ok with the government keeping records on you? (Not denied by the government). Now talk of a Cold War paradigm...it's just ironic who is doing it

[Thinkingabout]

18. Trolling?

[darkangel218]

4. Some of us do care about what the OP posted, "sweetums". nt

[scarletwoman]

9. Since you seem to object to "Snowden shit-stirring", I'm sure you'll object

to this thread, too.

You know, to be consistent.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. The Atlantic has an interesting take

Along these lines, the developments in Snowden's case bring up an interesting thought experiment: What if Edward Snowden were Chinese? Comparisons between the U.S. and China are always fraught with problems, given the differences in the two countries' political and legal systems. But is there much doubt that the U.S. media would have portrayed a Chinese Snowden as anything other than as a brave dissident? Moreover, the U.S. government would consider him a powerful intelligence asset and an enduring symbol of freedom, and the idea that Washington would willingly allow for his extradition back to China would be unthinkable. The United States has long considered itself (with much justification) as a haven for political exiles -- it just isn't used to having an exile of its own. It's easy to understand why the Global Times -- in words that surely represent Beijing's official sentiment -- think Washington's pursuit of Snowden represents a double standard.

http://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/06/what-if-edward-snowden-were-chinese/277218/

And it is an interesting angle.

[backscatter712]

12. Exactly - if Snowden was from China and outing the PRC's equivalent to the NSA...

the media would be gushing about his heroism.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. And would be telling us of the horrors

Of that police state.

I liked how they turned it on it's head and kind of talked on the edges of the NSA.