So, the spying on every single American by the NSA never did point the bombers out...

[MrScorpio]

Everyone's phone calls, e-mails, tweets and electronic communications in the files of the NSA didn't warn the government that people were planning to bomb the Boston Marathon.

Or at least we don't know if all if that data has pointed to someone planning to bomb the Boston Marathon, one way or the other.

However, the Boston Marathon was, in fact, BOMBED and in spite of that, the NSA still continues to collect phone calls, e-mails, tweets and electronic communications on EVERYBODY.

If this shows that an overly-intrusive national security state doesn't keep us all safe AT ALL, I don't know what does.

[BainsBane]

1. It's way too much information to sort through

It's also possible the bombers were careful with such communications.

[graham4anything]

2. What???????? Shows we need A HELLEVA LOT MORE SECURITY everywhere, every minute

[Hissyspit]

6. 1984 fan?

[graham4anything]

8. This is 2013. Stop with the old soundbytes. These people stockpiling guns/grenades/bombs

Millions of people live within 100 miles of where this is happening.

They are wearing explosive devices, and THEY started the chain of events with a robbery
then a carjacking.

Thank God for cameras. We need millions more on every single street in the nation.

I thought transparency is a good thing? All of a sudden transparency is not liked?

[morningfog]

11. I am certain, now, beyond any doubt, that your DU persona is a caricature.

[Hissyspit]

13. Diplomatic way to put it.

[graham4anything]

15. Do you live in the Northeast? Do you find this all funny?

I don't think the people in NYC on 9-11 found it all very funny or mentioned boring movies from decades ago.
Remember the person who wrote the book was the 1%er and made a fortune off of it.

[morningfog]

16. I live in Boston, I find YOU hilarious.

[graham4anything]

17. As Hillary said, what difference does it make who they are. They are all haters

Last edited Fri Apr 19, 2013, 04:17 PM - Edit history (1)

terror=scaring someone

I cry for the officer who has been killed.

This is not a movie and we are not in a theatre.

[morningfog]

19. You are insuffable. I have to put you on ignore.

[Rex]

60. The 7-11 robbery appears to be unrelated.

NT.

[graham4anything]

61. Yeah, will edit it and I put up a separate thread around 2 hours ago on that very subject

[Matariki]

63. It is?

Would you have a link? Because Google News is moving too slow.

[Rex]

64. It was in another thread, I will go find it and post the link.

in an edit here.

EDIT - You know what? That thread OP has no link and I just searched google for, 'CBS: Police say 7-11 robbery apparently unrelated to bombing suspects' and found ZERO...so I am unsure now, I thought the OP had it linked to CBS.

IOW, it might not be true.

[redgreenandblue]

18. I was certain about that three months ago. nt

[Logical]

41. LOL, +1000!

[Paul E Ester]

48. I was wondering that from another thread last night. I'm sure there is a certain amount of

performance art that goes on here, picture Rushbo going online and creating an alter-ego. Sort of like cross dressing politically.

I find it fascinating when people like syria girl blogger turns out to be a hairy white guy. LezBeFriends another white guy. People create and maintain personas one has to take it all with a grain of salt.

#neckbeards #trolls #momsbasement

[hootinholler]

49. Caricature is not the word that I've heard n/t

[blackspade]

30. I want my government transparent, not my life.

If you don't know the difference, then I suggest that you post all of your personal information in this thread.

[graham4anything]

32. I buy Charmin with Aloe. I wipe with my left hand. I have NO guns and NO bullets.

In fact, I never picked a gun up in my life.

So much so, that as a kid, in an innercity summer camp, had my parents specifically write a note telling the camp that I am not allowed to use their rifle range or bow and arrows.

Parental permission was needed.

BTW, except for one two minute incident in 4th grade, I have never thrown a punch.

though I used to throw a wicked fastball, but the coach wouldn't think of having me on the team. I was never part of a clicque and alas, high school and junior high school coach's only take part of cliques. So I bowled.

And I am lefthanded.
So my penmanship is bad, because a lefty tends to smudge ink.
At least I know cursive writing.
Today they no longer teach it it seems.

[randome]

34. Your tenacity and honesty, despite the acrimony directed to you, is to be applauded.

The ones who are only too eager to engage in pointless arguments with you appear, to me, to have bullying issues.

[Hissyspit]

45. ???

He's blithering.

[randome]

54. So?

The best response, then, is to not respond instead of piling on. Mind you, I'm not defending anyone here, just calling it as I see it.

[blackspade]

47. So honest disagreements....

with people you agree with are bullying.

Thanks kettle.

[randome]

51. I wasn't speaking of your posts.

The others, I'm sure, know the difference between 'honest disagreements' and 'ridicule' but may not realize when they are engaging in the latter.

Those are the ones I directed my post to. Just calling it as I see it, same as you.

[blackspade]

55. Thanks for the clarification.

[blackspade]

35. Shrug.....

Totally missed the point, as usual.

And I said personal info, not life story.

[Rex]

62. These people...care to elaborate?

You sound a wee bit hysterical. If you want to live in an authoritarian society, I can point out some for you to look over.

[freeridemro]

7. Agreed

Cameras, drones, metal detectors, communication monitoring, all of it everywhere. If we don't have complete surveillance, we have no surveillance

[Ezlivin]

27. If we have more freedom of movement than prisoners

Then something's wrong with our security level.

Right?

[blackspade]

29. NO.

Additional security has not made us more safe.
It is a panacea that only fosters an increasingly authoritarian state.

[City Lights]

39. Ugh.

[Logical]

40. You might need to join another web site! You scare me! n-t

[whatchamacallit]

46. Who needs terrorists when Americans will gladly fulfill their agenda for them?

[WinkyDink]

52. SICK.

[progressoid]

58. graham4douchery

[Apophis]

69. Let's give up all of our rights so we can be safe!

Yee haw!

[HiPointDem]

3. well, obviously more spying on citizens is needed.

[Roland99]

4. But what about all the potential bombings it did stop?

surely it must be countless attacks!

[hifiguy]

10. I do hope you are being sarcastic

and assume you are.

[Roland99]

12. no...I'm being totally series!

[hifiguy]

21. OMG!!

This is HUGH!!

[MOTRDemocrat]

5. Collecting information is not the same as watching it. nt

[hifiguy]

9. Next up will be the forced installation of

cameras and microphones in every room in the country. After all, a million tons of prevention is worth a nanogram of cure.

[msongs]

14. we need a drone for every person in this country nt

[graham4anything]

33. actually, under the 2nd amendment, some NRA 2nd amendment fans would say that is a right

which is why a reinterpretation of the 2nd is going to happen.

After all, who would want a private citizen to have a drone or shoulder to air missile.

That would be telling.

[djean111]

20. Devil's advocate - perhaps they can work backwards through data now - essential when it comes

to prosecution, finding out who the two were working with, etc. May uncover more terrorists who cannot erase data trails now, hopefully already collected.
You cannot find a needle in a haystack, generally, until it reveals itself, whether it falls out by accident or pokes you in the butt or stands out in some way.
It is helpful to be able to see who put the needle into the haystack, though.
Tortuous analogy, forgive me, but I don't think we have the resources that Tom Cruise had in Minority Report - a pool full of mystics.
Not excusing the lack of privacy at all - just saying the data is likely very useful after something happens.

[tomp]

22. perhaps, for greater protection, we might try....

a sane and humane foreign policy.

[Orrex]

28. Funniest post I've read all day!

Wait--I mean saddest, because it's 100% correct and has 0% chance of coming to pass.

[OwnedByCats]

68. 100% in agreement there n/t

[truebluegreen]

65. There's an great idea!

But I don't know if we have tried all the stupid ones yet.

[Norrin Radd]

23. Good point.

[Warren Stupidity]

24. Expect the security state to ramp it up.

[blackspade]

31. Some already advocate putting them in children.....

To 'protect' them.

[MindPilot]

36. Don't worry, we will continue to do more of what's not working

It's what Americans DO in these situations.

[harmonicon]

37. I trust you know the purpose of monitoring communications was never for national security.

I guess there are a few people who actually believe that, but I don't know... it doesn't seem possible, but so many people believe so much crazy shit that's blatantly false.

[randome]

42. So what is it for, then? What groups have been deliberately targeted and shut down?

OWS? They shut themselves down. Anyone else? Freedom fighters in jail? Dissidents squashed? Anyone?

I'm not talking about cases of mistaken identity. That happens all the time regardless of what tools are used.

[harmonicon]

43. Groups? Targeted? Give me a break.

It's about you and I. It's about who's boss. You think you can talk to whoever you want about whatever you want just because you should be able to? Not anymore.

[randome]

53. No one's bossing ME around. And I DO speak with anyone I want.

No one has stopped me. I'm not afraid of anything I say and I hope you aren't, either.

[harmonicon]

56. Yes, exactly. They can listen in on every conversation, and read every email.

You no longer have any privacy. Once you say the wrong thing or talk to the wrong person, they'll know... if they decide to pay attention.

[truebluegreen]

66. I have the feeling that monitoring communications is about shutting down people

they already know about, or fear.

Two punks plotting murder and mayhem? Not so much, until they actually do it.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

38. If only we could have gotten rid of those pesky street cameras

Then Jokar and his big bro could be playing XBox right now planning their next bombing.

[City Lights]

44. Yup. nt

[hootinholler]

50. Dude, you gots it all bassackwards

The data collection effort is not there to predict shit. It's there so they can take apart shit when they find it. Now that they know who they are, they can reconstruct their stays here.

[Orsino]

57. Impossible.

These were almost literally the ticking time bombs used to justify warrantless wiretapping *and* torture.

I refuse to believe that our leaders have just been fishing, because that would indicate a level of lies and hypocrisy incompatible with democracy, wouldn't it?

[Rex]

59. YEP!

I have a feeling the spying is used more for political blackmailing etc.. than to monitor the working class.

[ecstatic]

67. I think it was all a bluff

They're not monitoring anyone. Maybe there was an unannounced moratorium on spying.