Question of the day: Why does Apple call all their stuff "i"? It's Apple, not Ipple.
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The scandal around the NSA contractor who revealed the gubment was doing across-the-board phone and internet surveillance on us keeps growing. I must admit I'm pretty conflicted about it. On the one hand I want the Federales to keep a close eye on potential terrorists living among us, but it seems to me they're casting much too broad a dragnet.
Did you know there are over 800,000 civilians (contractors) who have the top-secret clearance to see this sort of stuff? This fella Snowden said he had it within his scope of authority to listen in or read anyone's email. This is the exact opposite what gubment officials are telling us.
Think about it. Do you really believe none of the 800,000 snoops on the payroll wouldn't be even a little tempted to listen in to an old girlfriend's conversation, or what was being emailed back and forth between Brad and Angelina? I can't imagine 800,000 people, or even 800 people, who would be that disciplined.
I'm afraid I have to agree with those who say our government has overstepped propriety. I say there needs to be at least some connection between a possible national security threat and invasive snooping.
Opposing views welcome.
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This reminds me of a story a friend told me from back in his days as a marketing rep for a company that sold high-end communications equipment, the kind used on government aircraft for secure communications.
He was in Bulgaria (?) to bid on a system for their executive aircraft. He called HQ one evening from his hotel room to let them know how negotiations were going. He commented, "I really don't think we have a chance. These guys have close ties with other former eastern European allies and will probably choose one of their companies."
The next day at breakfast a Bulgarian negotiator stepped up to my friend and very stiffly announced, "I want you to know that you do have a fair chance to get this contract, and that we will not necessarily choose a company from one of our former eastern European allies."
Haha! Busted!
S
I can go either way....on one hand I am like whatever my life is an open book on the internet and then on the other hand I am like "stay outta my bidness evil empire!" and then I realize I don't really have any startling bidness. So I am back to whatev.
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I saw on Yahoo this morning this whistleblower guy was dating a stripper. Makes me wonder if he was reading her emails and listening to her phone conversations to get some material to woo her.
ReplyDeleteOn the Apple thing...who even thinks of that stuff? idont.
ReplyDeleteRe the NSA stuff, stay tuned for this Saturday's "Cranky Opinion Saturday."
I think the original iMacs were called that because they were largely dumb terminals without disk drives or anything so I think it was supposed to be more for using the Internet. Or maybe Steve Jobs liked the letter I--he was kind of a selfish jerk.
ReplyDeletewhy is anybody even surprised about the NSA? we handed our privacy over with the Patriot Act, which I was and still am against. Americans want national security? Stop interfering with the governments and peoples of other countries. Stop assuming we have the right to every one else's resources. Stop setting up dictators who will do what we want for money. Mind our own business. Not a popular position I know. But hey, you reap what you sow.
ReplyDeleteIt's all so confusing. Like you, I want our government to keep us safe but I also don't want Big Brother peering over my shoulder. I was not a fan of the Patriot Act but 100 member of this current Congress voted for it and should not poke at the Administration for permitting something THEY previously made legal.
ReplyDeleteMr. Snowden was fired by his employer today, who said he was making $125,000 per year. Snowden had claimed his salary was in the $200,000 range. I'm wondering, as some government official said yesterday, if he may be exaggerating other things as well. Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteAll this secret stuff and all this spying reminds me of two specific things in my life.
ReplyDelete1. Backstory - my Dad is a 25 year career Marine Captain. He spent to majority of his career as a Recon Marine and probably spent a considerable amount of time in Cambodia (when we weren't supposed to be there)...one time in passing I asked him why he didn't have any tattoos....he said he didn't want them to be able to identify him or his body. There are still things he can't talk about ....and I believe him.
2. I spent 7 months in Pohang, South Korea in 1996 - in the tiny camp I lived on there was a giant Satellite dish - they told us it was so we could pick up AFN TV....really? really? yeah right....
My point is there are secrets and there are those that gather secrets and intel and info and phone records and photos and that is how it always has been and always will be. Yelling, voting, screaming, worrying, etc - not gonna stop it.
And everyone on here reading this is on the INTERNET with cute little avatars that I suppose are actual photos of you some even using your actual names...ain't no secrets baby.
Now everyone go have a drink and relax
I'm gonna follow Kelly's recommendation...the one with the drink and relax.
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