+1 to DXE for sending be the link. http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/23/nsa-taxpayer-dollars-cover-prism-costs-what-a-joke/ The mounting national debt? Yeah, you're probably better off just ignoring why exactly it's mounting. The Guardian is continuing the blow the lid off of the whole NSA / PRISM saga, today revealing new documents that detail how the NSA paid out "millions" of dollars to cover PRISM compliance costs for a multitude of monolithic tech outfits. As the story goes, the National Security Agency (hence, tax dollars from American taxpayers) coughed up millions "to cover the costs of major internet companies involved in the PRISM surveillance program after a court ruled that some of the agency's activities were unconstitutional." The likes of Yahoo, Google, Microsoft and Facebook are expressly named, and while Google is still angling for permission to reveal more about its side of the story, other firms have conflicting tales. For whatever it's worth, a Yahoo spokesperson seemed a-okay with the whole ordeal, casually noting that this type of behavior is perfectly legal: "Federal law requires the US government to reimburse providers for costs incurred to respond to compulsory legal process imposed by the government. We have requested reimbursement consistent with this law." Meanwhile, Facebook stated that it had "never received any compensation in connection with responding to a government data request." Microsoft, as you might imagine, declined to comment, though we heard that Steve Ballmer could be seen in the distance throwing up a peace sign. At any rate, it's fairly safe to assume that your worst nightmares are indeed a reality, and you may have a far more enjoyable weekend if you just accept the fact that The Man knows everything. Better, right?
If I click my heels three times and close my eyes will it all go away? What folks need to realize is our government basically wants to own or control everything. It's the only way an huge economic/social machine can be centrally run. Right now we are, in a sense, in a state of war with our own Federal government if you use Locke's definition. In chapters 3 and four of of the Second Treatise of Government Locke outlines the states of a governed populace. A state of nature exists when citizenry coexist peacefully, governed by reason, without need for a negative influence of power. A state of war exists when force is exerted to enforce one group over another without reason or common authority. Right now a great portion of our country is engaged in social warfare with our own government. The insiders in Washington and major corps know this. People who actually read and pay some attention are aware of it, but the vast majority of Americans would simply rather bury their head and have a bar-b-q with the neighbors or are struggling too much to be able to care.
let me clear my throat........ "Fuck Obama!!!" Lying ass bastard. 100x's worse than Bush on erosion of our liberties
Perfect Coincidentally I was pondering how much the Man knows today. I have always had a charging and hollering suspicion of the above. So let me get this straight - the federal government takes the everyday citizens' money in taxes, then uses that money to "encourage" internet corporations to give the federal government constitutionally protected private communications of those same citizens, all in the name of protecting those citizens? I'm out. See ya on the high seas. Where's the emoticon for sailing the fuck away....
