Well, if the NSA targeted the traders & fund managers at any one of the major institutional investors, they could set up a nicely profitable side business in front-running.
On a totally unrelated note, how's your 401K doing?
I feel kinda sorry for Clapper - I guess he is just trying to do his job and duty, as best he understands them. Perhaps there should be a court case:- The precedent would be a good one to set. However, I don't think that he personally deserves the hatred that he gets in these forums. Criticism, yes; pointed criticism even, fair enough ... but lets' not cross the line into abuse. Besides which, we will need the agencies technical assistance to unravel all of the persistent and ubiquitous surveillance capabilities that we have created over the past decade, and to protect us all from the efforts of overseas agencies and organisations; entities that do not offer up even a pretence of oversight and restraint.
The contractors and technology firms that provide these Astro-Turfing services - are they not likely to be the very same contractors that provide staff and support services to the NSA?
Are you sure that you want to speak up against this? Is it wise? Are you not afraid that you will be singled out for *special treatment*?
After all, in this brave new world of ours, we do not know who holds the reigns, and we do not know the dangers of criticising the powers that be.
Perhaps it is coincidence, but a lot of recent policy changes seem to have the effect of moving us towards authoritarianism.
It is worth bearing in mind that everything that us humans do, ultimately, is driven by our biology: our natural instincts and our natural drives.
We are pack animals. The pack has alpha males and beta males. The alpha males are driven to show their dominance of the beta males by reminding them of their subservient status as frequently, as forcefully and as intrusively as possible.
Authoritarianism is nothing more than the societal manifestation of that natural drive. Us beta males (the general population) are having our noses rubbed in the dirt by the alpha males (the authorities) so that they can feel good about their own superiority.
We are just reverting to type - stupid, prideful apes that we are.
Clearly, Rep. Justin Amash and Rep. Rush Holt are seeking to undermine the ability of this nation to defend herself against aggressors and terrorists. They are either terribly naive, unaware of the consequences of their actions, or actively seeking to undermine the US government; to place US citizens in harm's way. In either case, for their own good and ours, they cannot be allowed to continue. The utmost effort must be made to dissuade them from their disastrous course; all and every available resource must be deployed to prevent them from succeeding. The integrity and the security of the nation demands nothing less. We must immediately place these treacherous misanthropes under the greatest scrutiny, for there must exist some some previous indiscretion that could be used in the service of our cause - if not to gently dissuade them from their course, then to cast them down into ruin and disrepute. We have the means to preserve our security and our way of life - the only question that remains - do we have the courage to act on our convictions?
sarcasm
... and so it begins.
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by William Payne.
I like google+
... and use it. (More than I use Facebook, anyway).
Too little too late?
The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.
Or in the prosecution, as it is in this case.
Privacy is an issue of "equality at arm"s in public debate and decision making...
...and has nothing whatsoever to do with immoral and/or criminal acts.
On the other hand, it has everything to do with politics and the shaping of opinion.
Cardinal Richelieu knew exactly what he was talking about.
Scared
Well, this is probably classified as an "extremist forum" ... and anybody who visits here is probably labelled and tracked as an "extremist".
I wonder what the next steps will be? How frightened should we be? Hopefully not very frightened, but it is awful difficult to tell.
It's an ill wind ...
... that blows no good.
Re: You would think with the NSA transferring funds that..
You assume that the agency gives a s*it about the national debt. Nope, that's YOUR problem to clear up, not theirs.
Re: Money matters
Well, if the NSA targeted the traders & fund managers at any one of the major institutional investors, they could set up a nicely profitable side business in front-running.
On a totally unrelated note, how's your 401K doing?
Sympathy
I feel kinda sorry for Clapper - I guess he is just trying to do his job and duty, as best he understands them. Perhaps there should be a court case:- The precedent would be a good one to set. However, I don't think that he personally deserves the hatred that he gets in these forums. Criticism, yes; pointed criticism even, fair enough ... but lets' not cross the line into abuse. Besides which, we will need the agencies technical assistance to unravel all of the persistent and ubiquitous surveillance capabilities that we have created over the past decade, and to protect us all from the efforts of overseas agencies and organisations; entities that do not offer up even a pretence of oversight and restraint.
419
Can anyone else see a whole new slew of 419 scams coming?
A callous disregard for the public interest
Seems to be the order of the day here...
Stupidity
Authoritarians do not like people that make them look stupid.
Enforcement
The contractors and technology firms that provide these Astro-Turfing services - are they not likely to be the very same contractors that provide staff and support services to the NSA?
Are you sure that you want to speak up against this? Is it wise? Are you not afraid that you will be singled out for *special treatment*?
After all, in this brave new world of ours, we do not know who holds the reigns, and we do not know the dangers of criticising the powers that be.
Best to stay quiet, bend over, and spread 'em.
Authoritarianism
Perhaps it is coincidence, but a lot of recent policy changes seem to have the effect of moving us towards authoritarianism.
It is worth bearing in mind that everything that us humans do, ultimately, is driven by our biology: our natural instincts and our natural drives.
We are pack animals. The pack has alpha males and beta males. The alpha males are driven to show their dominance of the beta males by reminding them of their subservient status as frequently, as forcefully and as intrusively as possible.
Authoritarianism is nothing more than the societal manifestation of that natural drive. Us beta males (the general population) are having our noses rubbed in the dirt by the alpha males (the authorities) so that they can feel good about their own superiority.
We are just reverting to type - stupid, prideful apes that we are.
Terrorists
sarcasm
sarcasm
... and so it begins.