Eyes and Ears, Unlikable Ones

I read recently an article in The New Yorker about one Thomas Drake, now an "enemy of the state" because he shared information with the media about NSA inefficiency and un-lawful surveillance. The NSA had developed a computer program which tracks all electronic communications, phone calls, e-mails, facebook messages, etc. etc. But there was an encryption component so no individuals could be identified unless there were certain patterns which called for a warrant. But the NSA moved forward using the technology in secret without further finishing development of the encryption component. The whole scenario sounds very X-Files, which I have been watching a lot of recently. It reminds me of a time in 2004, when I was living in a basement apartment. My cell phone got shitty reception down in the unit so I had to step outside to make phone calls. Several times when calling my mom in Maine we would hear a clicking and it would disconnect. Usually I would make this phone calls in the evening, after work or a rehearsal, and it would be dark outside. One time I made a call during the daylight and my mom called out the clicking noise. And it disconnected. Then I noticed an unmarked car parked down the street, idling. This clicking/disconnection thing happened a few more times and I would notice the unmarked car parked down the street, idling. I finally gathered the courage to approach this car. Too many clicks. Too many disconnected calls. The car drove off as I got closer. My deduction for this circumstance was that the neighbors above me were selling drugs and were being tapped, dragging my phone calls under suspicion as well. Until I can get my hands on my FBI file...

I stand with Drake.