FBI improperly spies on you

[gabosaurus]

Police state anyone? I am sure the Bushies would love it.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI improperly and, in some cases, illegally used the USA Patriot Act to secretly obtain personal information about people in the United States, underreporting for three years how often it forced businesses to turn over customer data, a Justice Department audit concluded today.

FBI agents sometimes demanded the data without proper authorization, according to a 126-page audit by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine. At other times, the audit found, the FBI improperly obtained telephone records in non-emergency circumstances.

The audit blames agent error and shoddy record-keeping for the bulk of the problems and did not find any indication of criminal misconduct.

Still, "we believe the improper or illegal uses we found involve serious misuses of national security letter authorities," the audit concludes.

[KitchenKitten99]

The part that you posted didn't say what kind of businesses are being forced to cough up the info. Even so, obviously there is some sort of pattern or buying habit that they are looking for. While I don't trust the government on many things, especially now that the Liberals have power again, when it comes to national security, I would rather give them the benefit of the doubt. If they want to know what I buy weekly for groceries and personal care items, fine. They won't find anything unusual. If they do, they have to prove it.

[Mr. P]

The part that you posted didn't say what kind of businesses are being forced to cough up the info. Even so, obviously there is some sort of pattern or buying habit that they are looking for. While I don't trust the government on many things, especially now that the Liberals have power again, when it comes to national security, I would rather give them the benefit of the doubt. If they want to know what I buy weekly for groceries and personal care items, fine. They won't find anything unusual. If they do, they have to prove it.

This is all over the news today, Fuzzy. You may not have a problem with it but many folks, including myself, do. Give em an inch and they take a mile in their zeal to 'protect' us. If allowed, in the end we loose.

[KitchenKitten99]

This is all over the news today, Fuzzy. You may not have a problem with it but many folks, including myself, do. Give em an inch and they take a mile in their zeal to 'protect' us. If allowed, in the end we loose.

I haven't heard any of it because I have been dealing with wild kids all morning. I just kicked them all outside to enjoy the beautiful 47F we are having...I can actually open a window now! anyway, back to the real topic...

what do we lose? I would rather just not worry about it since I have nothing to worry about, because I am not buying guns & ammo or trying to plan a terrorist act. If they want to know what brand cereals I buy or how many gallons of milk I get-what the fuck do I care? Companies themselves do that all the time, and market to you based on that info. The government already has a good chunk of info on you-through the IRS and DMV. If they pry into your personal income and jobs etc. and living location through those offices, why are you so worried about them finding out that you like to buy gourmet cheeses at the deli or that you have a preference of charmin toilet paper over quilted northern?

I guess my theory is that if they need to know what people are buying in stores to establish a pattern of behavior, then something must be gained from that knowledge, right? They already have your SSN, driver's license #, passport information, vehicle registration, address, marital status, number of children, number of properties you own, your airplane travels, etc. I think your purchases in a store are the least of your worries.

[Mr. P]

I haven't heard any of it because I have been dealing with wild kids all morning. I just kicked them all outside to enjoy the beautiful 47F we are having...I can actually open a window now! anyway, back to the real topic...

what do we lose? I would rather just not worry about it since I have nothing to worry about, because I am not buying guns & ammo or trying to plan a terrorist act. If they want to know what brand cereals I buy or how many gallons of milk I get-what the fuck do I care? Companies themselves do that all the time, and market to you based on that info. The government already has a good chunk of info on you-through the IRS and DMV. If they pry into your personal income and jobs etc. and living location through those offices, why are you so worried about them finding out that you like to buy gourmet cheeses at the deli or that you have a preference of charmin toilet paper over quilted northern?

I guess my theory is that if they need to know what people are buying in stores to establish a pattern of behavior, then something must be gained from that knowledge, right? They already have your SSN, driver's license #, passport information, vehicle registration, address, marital status, number of children, number of properties you own, your airplane travels, etc. I think your purchases in a store are the least of your worries.

I'm sorry, Fuzzy, but you’re hopeless.

[gabosaurus]

Fuzzy, it's an AP story. It's probably in every newspaper in the U.S. I didn't print the entire story because the forum rules say not to.
If you don't realize the danger of this story, you are not living in the real world.

[KitchenKitten99]

I'm sorry, Fuzzy, but you’re hopeless.

no, I'm just not paranoid. I have bigger, more important things to worry about. I stopped being paranoid about that kind of thing long ago and just relaxed. There's nothing I personally can do about it anyway, even if I did care.

And Gabo...I don't get the newspapers because they're all Liberal controlled assrags here. The nicknames they're getting lately are RedStar Tribune=Mpls Star Tribune and The RedPress=St. Paul Pioneer Press. I refuse to give them a dime of my money. If I do buy them at the stand, it is for the sunday coupons and the rest goes for fireplace kindling.

[gabosaurus]

OK. I am glad your husband allows you to use the internet.

[Mr. P]

no, I'm just not paranoid. I have bigger, more important things to worry about. I stopped being paranoid about that kind of thing long ago and just relaxed. There's nothing I personally can do about it anyway, even if I did care.

And Gabo...I don't get the newspapers because they're all Liberal controlled assrags here. The nicknames they're getting lately are RedStar Tribune=Mpls Star Tribune and The RedPress=St. Paul Pioneer Press. I refuse to give them a dime of my money. If I do buy them at the stand, it is for the sunday coupons and the rest goes for fireplace kindling.

Hopeless. Fuzzy, there is NOTHING BIGGER THAN GOVERNMENT to worry about.
What government does affects you 100%, beleive it or not.

[KitchenKitten99]

OK. I am glad your husband allows you to use the internet.

what the fuck is that supposed to mean? What does my husband have to do with this? Evil Knievel couldn't have made that leap... My husband has no say on whether or not I use it, and even if he did, what's it to you?

[gabosaurus]

Read your previous posts more closely. It will spell things out for you.
There are actually things that go on outside your family.

[KitchenKitten99]

Hopeless. Fuzzy, there is NOTHING BIGGER THAN GOVERNMENT to worry about.
What government does affects you 100%, beleive it or not.

really? their spying on my store purchases haven't affected me visibly in any way... and if they have, let me know, because I haven't noticed anything.

you must have lots of ulcers from all the stress of the worry and paranoia. I do worry about the government and their role in my life, but not to the extent that I worry about them knowing what my grocery bill is. And yes, there are bigger things than government to worry about: three of them are my two boys and my husband. They come first regardless of what government is doing right now. I am more concerned about my son's speech progress and my other son's acceptance of stage three baby food than the government knowing how much laundry detergent we buy.

A silly thing to stress out about.

[KitchenKitten99]

Read your previous posts more closely. It will spell things out for you.
There are actually things that go on outside your family.

no, i know what I have said... I want you to tell me so I can attempt to understand your logic...

[Mr. P]

really? their spying on my store purchases haven't affected me visibly in any way... and if they have, let me know, because I haven't noticed anything.

you must have lots of ulcers from all the stress of the worry and paranoia. I do worry about the government and their role in my life, but not to the extent that I worry about them knowing what my grocery bill is. And yes, there are bigger things than government to worry about: three of them are my two boys and my husband. They come first regardless of what government is doing right now. I am more concerned about my son's speech progress and my other son's acceptance of stage three baby food than the government knowing how much laundry detergent we buy.

A silly thing to stress out about.

I give-up, this isn't about groceries or baby food. Carry on Fuzzy. Lord I hope you don't vote. Really.

[manu1959]

Fuzzy, it's an AP story. It's probably in every newspaper in the U.S. I didn't print the entire story because the forum rules say not to.
If you don't realize the danger of this story, you are not living in the real world.

the rules also state you are suposed to provide links....

that said the FBI and CIA should not be breaking the law.