Have I been asleep, or is it only just now that the gov't reveals that it has a database of some 800 MILLION phone calls from within US borders? What can we use for comms that is not monitored? For once, and once only, I have to agree with fineswine and kerry. Do we all have to go to ham sets just to call our mothers? (As if Uncle Charlie wasn't listening there, too.)
Interestingly enough, I have found a way to turn this and CONDOR to my advantage. I had a business associate that needed to be deported back to Finnland and I decided a few random voicemails from scattered pay-phones with selected topics and choice words might bring a bit of attention to him; it did.
TOTAL BS The Shrub swore up and down that it was only international. He lied. Screw 'em. I think we should hold a "dial an international number day" soon. Jam those Crays up
Interesting conversation over here on this subject...Valid points on both sides of the argumemt... http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48584
CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVACY DON’T STOP ANTI-GUN POLS FROM SEEKING DATA ON GUN OWNERS For Immediate Release: 5/12/2006 BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) today accused perennial anti-gunners including Senators Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Schumer, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of “world class hypocrisy” in their snit over disclosures that the National Security Administration (NSA) is checking phone call data, when they have no problem at all snooping into the privacy of American gun owners. “The hypocrisy here is staggering,” said SAF founder Alan Gottlieb. “Feinstein, Schumer, Pelosi and others are having fits about the NSA’s possible invasion of privacy over telephone calls, but they’ve never had such reservations about mining gun trace data from federal law enforcement agencies, or demanding other invasive measures against law-abiding gun owners. “For years,” he continued, “gun owners have had to submit to federal background checks to buy firearms, and more invasive checks to legally carry handguns for personal protection. To all the people who are now voicing alarm over the NSA revelations, all I can say is ‘Welcome to the party’. Now they know how gun owners feel.” Gottlieb noted that Schumer and Feinstein, both Democrats, have been outspoken opponents of legislation designed to prevent municipal governments from essentially “mining data” on traces relating to so-called “crime guns” by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. That data is still available to law enforcement agencies for bona fide criminal investigations, but the cities want it to bolster junk lawsuits against gun makers and others, even though federal legislation passed last year prohibits such lawsuits. “Their concern over legal ‘fishing expeditions’ obviously does not extend to law-abiding Americans who own firearms, nor to the possibility that such digging could interfere with on-going criminal investigations,” Gottlieb stated. “Isn’t it ironic that Pelosi, Feinstein and Schumer are righteously indignant about probes that are supposed to be uncovering terrorist threats to our country, but they haven’t the slightest concern about digging into the lives of citizens who are no threat at all, and are guilty only of exercising a constitutional civil right?” The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nations oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right. -END- http://www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=184
