Leads

[DigitalBuddha]

Google and Facebook can be legally intercepted, says UK spy boss

The UK government has revealed that intelligence service GCHQ can snoop on British citizens' use of Facebook and Google without an individual warrant because the firms are based overseas.



They got the boys in the crime lab working in shifts - http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27887639

[jgiffin]

Everything after "warrant" (i.e., "because the firms are based overseas") was surplusage. It would all be so much easier if the powers-that-be simply acknowledged citizens were state property. Do it all in one fell swoop - none of this incremental BS.

[Stumblin Stumbleweed]

Most internet traffic must consist of a ceaseless cavalcade of stupefying inconsequence. The percentage of communications which would be of even minor interest to the crooks and gangsters in national governments and multinational corporations must be vanishingly small.
The announcement in our supposedly free press that the UK government thinks it's legal to spy on everyone is therefore not news. This type of story is, in reality, propaganda intended to remind us of our powerlessness in the face of the giant war machine and to prevent naughty or seditious thoughts from even considering the possibility of crossing our minds.
Well, you know, that's just, like, uh, my opinion, man.

[cckeiser]

Right now I am tying to rationalize my lack indignation over all this shit that been coming down the last few years.
I know i "should" feel more moral outrage than I do...I just don't.
I'm too old and too worn out to give much of a fuck anymore....let me have my oat sodas, white russians and a well oiled bowling alley, and I am pretty much content...for the most part. I really could use some cannabinoid medicals to really ease me through my current  medical condition.
In fact it was thinking about government and marijuana and how the Feds could ease and appease us pretty much right about now by dropping the stand against Recreational pot use.
It pretty much comes down to our own pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness.
For me right now it's more of a health use than recreational, but I will not deny the other has its attractions. I'm thinking of all the different prescriptions pain killers I am now taking that could be replaced with on Elixir of something like 128 cannabinoids extracted from the whole plant...male, female, leaves and stems.
Oops here I am rambling again....sorry dudes....I do that sometimes....
But to try and return my thoughts back to the topic of the thread....
What are we supposed to do about it?
I'm finding the old hat of Bowling, trying to keep my mind limber and the occasional flashback...now along with my quest for a really good tea, and I  have for the most part lost interest in all the fuckin games all our governments a throwing at each other.
Me....I just want to have a beverage and bowl a few games anymore.
I think I'm done getting my panties in a twist over a lot of shit it doesn't look as if we can do anything about anyway.
Grab a beer or two, get yourself a lane and go bowling.
I am going to try and do just that this weekend.

[BikerDude]

They read everything. Always have, always will. It's secret.
They are going to do what they want no matter what they tell the public.
The power of information control makes the nuclear arms race look like cavemen with clubs.
The winner at that runs the world. Period. Game over. The park is theirs.
And it cuts across national boundaries. It's like that line in Gross Point Blank where the John Cusack character says "The idea of governments, nations, it's mostly a public relations theory at this point".

There is no privacy. We have a permanent unelected "Security" infrastructure.
Administrations come and go but the core of these agencies persist.
And they build these capabilities without oversight.
It's probably 50 times worse than we know. They are likely compiling info on everybody.
Personal, business, friends, relatives, political leanings on and on. Whatever they can get their hands on. I foresee a time when having the "wrong" beliefs will result in a life shadow boxing endless small inconveniences. Death of a million cuts. Mistakes on your bills, suspension of services, misinformation, identity theft on and on. Marginalizing opposition with endless random bullshit. They won't even need to kick down the doors of the outspoken any more. Just marginalize them and all those around them over time. Cut them from the herd. All done from afar.

Funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1OdiVRQrgs

And just for the fuck of it more Bill Burr.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOcc4BcQJgo

[Stumblin Stumbleweed]

I foresee a time when having the "wrong" beliefs will result in a life shadow boxing endless small inconveniences.

Fuckin' A, man.

[BikerDude]

I foresee a time when having the "wrong" beliefs will result in a life shadow boxing endless small inconveniences.

Fuckin' A, man.

Well I certainly don't look forward to it.
There are 2 scenarios to that.
1. An Orwellian dystopia devoid of individual significance and forced conformity. (Unless of course people derive some through imaginary bullshit supplied to keep them passive as cattle)
The spiral of silence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_of_silence
2. Widespread rebellion. Of course the same information control would make it nearly impossible to get people on the same page. Hell that happens now. People are routinely convinced to "rebel" by placing blame on the scape goats that they are provided with. Socially acceptable rebellion. Basically a fucking identity. A costume. Cattle. The average citizen convinced to play the role of conformity police. "Hate who we do or we hate you" sort of bullshit.

[jgiffin]

At this point, it's just a question whether Orwell or Huxley was more prescient. I'm voting Orwell.