NSA collected phone records - Tens of millions of calls

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CNF2002 · #21 Unread post by **CNF2002** » Fri May 12, 2006 2:49 am

They do not need a warrant because the phone companies are volunteering to give up the information.

They are not transcribing calls. They are tracking records of phone calls, and computers are looking for key words. No 'conversation' is recorded. If a keyword is picked up by the computer, the number is flagged and it is watched for other patterns that would connect it to possible terrorist activity.

Any time you use the phone, especially a cellphone, you are not engaging in a secure conversation. Anyone along the route of that call can potentially listen in.

Do I have a problem with the government tracking phone records to look for terrorist connections? No, because I'd rather not have our country live in the same fear as the middle east, where public bombings are just part of the daily routine.

basshole · #22 Unread post by **basshole** » Fri May 12, 2006 7:21 am

I think we're alot closer to being communist than we are to the free nation we were 200 years ago. The country is run by big business and big government and not by the people for the people.

camthepyro · Fri May 12, 2006 7:57 am

Ok, first, basshole:

How are we anywhere close to being communist? Big businesses are exactly what seperates us from communism. Are you able to get any job you want? Are you able to buy a house anywhere you want? Are you able to choose to send your kids to a private school? Are you able to own your own business if you want to?

Yes, you are. But you would not in a communist society. And what makes you think we're closer to communism now then we were 200 years ago (at which point, I pretty sure communism didn't even exist).

Kal:

I agree that non-violent diplomacy is the best route, but how exactly could our problems with terrorist orginizations be solved by diplomacy?

basshole · #24 Unread post by **basshole** » Fri May 12, 2006 9:08 am

Hmmm......lemme see. What seprates us from communist is small business not big business. The government continually does less and less for small business and more and more for big business. And why is that? Well, it's for the $$$$$....which equals extra benefits and favors for big business. How many times have you heard of local government envoking eminent domain to raze small businesses to build new big businesses? It's happening in Hollywood as we speak. I never said we were comminists I said we have a more invasive gov't than 200 years ago. Maybe I chose my words incorrectly but believe me Big Brother is watching and knows what you are doing. Just ask that "O Ring" JW Bush.

camthepyro wrote:Ok, first, basshole:

How are we anywhere close to being communist? Big businesses are exactly what seperates us from communism. Are you able to get any job you want? Are you able to buy a house anywhere you want? Are you able to choose to send your kids to a private school? Are you able to own your own business if you want to?

Yes, you are. But you would not in a communist society. And what makes you think we're closer to communism now then we were 200 years ago (at which point, I pretty sure communism didn't even exist).

Kal:

I agree that non-violent diplomacy is the best route, but how exactly could our problems with terrorist orginizations be solved by diplomacy?

#25 Unread post by **Kal** » Fri May 12, 2006 12:26 pm

Capitalism is not automatically democracy.

The false idea that captialism is democracy has lead to a lot of confusion.

The ultimate demcoratic society is Communism. However human nature tends to corrupt communism as it gets any larger a small group of people with a common purpose.

The aim of non-violent actions to resolve terrorism issues is to make the Communities that shelter these men realise that these men are wrong, and by extentsion their cause.

Terrorists and freedom fighters can only exist as long as their is a community to shelter them. History teaches us that main force action against these communities entrenches terrorists/freedom fighters in that population.

camthepyro · Fri May 12, 2006 3:55 pm

I agree with you. Capitalism does not make democracy.

I also agree with you that in theory, there is nothing wrong with communism. If run properly, communism will make a very efficient, well running country that will take care of all it's citizens. The problem is that there haven't been any communist society that didn't become corrupt, because the dictator will always end up abusing his power, it's human nature (or a least human nature for the kind of people who have the desire to run a country).

#27 Unread post by **Kal** » Fri May 12, 2006 4:43 pm

Ahh but true Communism rather than the polluted kind we saw in the USSR and China should not be a dictatorship.

#28 Unread post by **zarakand** » Fri May 12, 2006 8:00 pm

Kal wrote:Terrorists and freedom fighters can only exist as long as their is a community to shelter them. History teaches us that main force action against these communities entrenches terrorists/freedom fighters in that population.

If only more people would realize this and vote accordingly.

As far as the book discussions go for depicting dystopian societies, there's a travel book that's quite interesting "Finding Orwell in Burma." Pick it up at your local library, or spend an hour or two at Borders it's worth reading if you're a fan of Orwell. Just remember “He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future” - 1984

If anyone wants a very basic 100 page overview of the war on terror, I reccommend "The War On Terror" by Paul Ruschmann. It's one of those point/counterpoint books that goes from the Left to the Right, and deals with a few instances of international law. It's a good starting point to begin your studies on the subject matter. Plus it's recent, sometime last year so it's all spiffy and up to date.

Fri May 12, 2006 9:27 pm

Its scary to think the scenerios in 1984 are actually starting to come true.
If someone tried to equate 1984 to Amercian society 20 yrs ago they would have said your nuts.
I guess I'll know its true when the local package store starts selling "Victory Gin"

I am a fan of Orwell & I'm gonna go to the library to look for that book you mentioned.

camthepyro · Sat May 13, 2006 12:17 pm

Kal
PostPosted: Fri May 12, 2006 8:43 pm Post subject:
Ahh but true Communism rather than the polluted kind we saw in the USSR and China should not be a dictatorship.

Well, I was just using dictator as a title (I don't know what the actual title would be, president?), not a tyrant.