Comments on: VERY Interesting http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/ Summum nec metuas diem, nec optes - Marcus Valerius Martialis Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:00:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Juggler http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/comment-page-1/#comment-2467 Juggler Sun, 14 May 2006 19:48:59 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/#comment-2467 If the numbers can be dug up for further investigation, they're not anonymous. It might be accurate to say they're obscured, but they're not anonymous. If the numbers can be dug up for further investigation, they’re not anonymous. It might be accurate to say they’re obscured, but they’re not anonymous.

]]> By: Gaius http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/comment-page-1/#comment-2448 Gaius Sun, 14 May 2006 16:08:24 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/#comment-2448 I think you have a misconception here. The sheer volume of calls makes the anonymous nature possible. We're talking billions upon billions of calls. Only if a pattern did emerge would it be even remotely necessary to try to dig out numbers to investigate. It also sounds like there has been oversight with Congress aware of the program. (See Hoekstra post). I think you have a misconception here. The sheer volume of calls makes the anonymous nature possible. We’re talking billions upon billions of calls. Only if a pattern did emerge would it be even remotely necessary to try to dig out numbers to investigate.

It also sounds like there has been oversight with Congress aware of the program. (See Hoekstra post).

]]> By: Juggler http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/comment-page-1/#comment-2445 Juggler Sun, 14 May 2006 15:49:34 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/#comment-2445 The more I think about this, the more I'm skeptical of the numbers being anonymized. If all the numbers are anonymous, then it seems the data likely is useless. For the data to become useful, there has to be a relatively easy way to connect the numbers to people. I would imagine that, in Falkenrath's scenario, the authorities would quickly become interested in who owned telephone numbers A, B, and C. The biggest problem is that this program, and the previously disclosed NSA program, are being done without oversight. So, there's no assurance that the data isn't being used for political purposes. If you think that only Bush opponents are potential targets, think again--remember, in the Nixon White House, speech writer William Safire was wiretapped while working for Nixon. Right-wing bloggers could be targets if they are seen as not loyal enough. Or, they could be targets just to make sure that they continue to be loyal. The more I think about this, the more I’m skeptical of the numbers being anonymized. If all the numbers are anonymous, then it seems the data likely is useless. For the data to become useful, there has to be a relatively easy way to connect the numbers to people.

I would imagine that, in Falkenrath’s scenario, the authorities would quickly become interested in who owned telephone numbers A, B, and C.

The biggest problem is that this program, and the previously disclosed NSA program, are being done without oversight. So, there’s no assurance that the data isn’t being used for political purposes.

If you think that only Bush opponents are potential targets, think again–remember, in the Nixon White House, speech writer William Safire was wiretapped while working for Nixon.

Right-wing bloggers could be targets if they are seen as not loyal enough. Or, they could be targets just to make sure that they continue to be loyal.

]]> By: Juggler http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/comment-page-1/#comment-2433 Juggler Sun, 14 May 2006 03:18:06 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/#comment-2433 Am I missing something? Falkenrath talks about the phone numbers being "anonymized", but then goes on to say that it would be good to know if Mohamed Atta was talking to people who were talking to people who were talking to people who were talking to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. But if the numbers are anonymized, how do they know that? At some point some numbers have to be de-anonymized. Am I missing something? Falkenrath talks about the phone numbers being “anonymized”, but then goes on to say that it would be good to know if Mohamed Atta was talking to people who were talking to people who were talking to people who were talking to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

But if the numbers are anonymized, how do they know that?

At some point some numbers have to be de-anonymized.

]]> By: Gaius http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/comment-page-1/#comment-2417 Gaius Sat, 13 May 2006 22:23:28 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/#comment-2417 They haven't published the raw data yet, so I don't know what to make of it yet. They haven’t published the raw data yet, so I don’t know what to make of it yet.

]]> By: Tano http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/comment-page-1/#comment-2416 Tano Sat, 13 May 2006 22:18:02 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/#comment-2416 Sorry to change the subject, but the VERY interesting title caught my eye. Yesterday you found the WaPo poll VERY interesting, and when on to make lots of deductions from the numbers. I was just wondering if you found the Newsweek poll, out today, VERY interesting - and what deductions you might draw from them numbers. Sorry to change the subject, but the VERY interesting title caught my eye.

Yesterday you found the WaPo poll VERY interesting, and when on to make lots of deductions from the numbers.

I was just wondering if you found the Newsweek poll, out today, VERY interesting – and what deductions you might draw from them numbers.

]]> By: CARRY ON AMERICA » Blog Archive » NSA Flap-A Message for the Opposing Politicians http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/comment-page-1/#comment-2412 CARRY ON AMERICA » Blog Archive » NSA Flap-A Message for the Opposing Politicians Sat, 13 May 2006 20:17:01 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/#comment-2412 [...] Also blogging: Blue Crab Boulevard, Stop the ACLU, The Volokh Conspiracy, Outside the Beltway   [link] [...] [...] Also blogging: Blue Crab Boulevard, Stop the ACLU, The Volokh Conspiracy, Outside the Beltway   [link] [...]

]]> By: Gaius http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/comment-page-1/#comment-2411 Gaius Sat, 13 May 2006 20:03:26 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/#comment-2411 We'll see, like I said - I'm not a lawyer. We’ll see, like I said – I’m not a lawyer.

]]> By: Sven http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/comment-page-1/#comment-2410 Sven Sat, 13 May 2006 19:46:17 +0000 http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/05/13/very-interesting/#comment-2410 <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/13/falkenrath-wrong/" rel="nofollow">Oops</a>. Oops.

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