The Spy Factory

Last night, 2.03.09, the PBS News Hour had a preview of what could be an eye opening report on the National Security Agency that might just answer some of the many questions about what has been going on in the previous administration, and before, and may continue from now on!

The preview was of a show to air tonight, 2.04.09, on PBS NOVA NOVA Examines Spying in Post-9/11 World

This is what was on the News Hour:

Report

Three times the size of the CIA, the National Security Agency includes top linguists, mathematicians, and technologists trained to decipher all kinds of communications. The NewsHour previews NOVA’s report, “The Spy Factory,” that examines the NSA’s spy technology and what it means for ordinary Americans’ privacy and security.

You can watch with this link

Or listen with this link

The Spy Factory – Airs on NOVA Feb 3rd ’09 at 8pm est, you will be able to watch the show online from Feb. 4th.

They have a few interesting links at the NOVA show site:

Ask the Expert

Author James Bamford answers viewer questions about the NSA, 9/11, and more.

Investigating 9/11

Eleanor Hill, who led congressional hearings on the attacks, discusses pre-9/11 intelligence failures in this interview. {much more at link}

The New Thought Police

George Orwell’s secret police have nothing on two new NSA systems designed to read people’s minds.

With the entire Internet and thousands of databases for a brain, the device will be able to respond almost instantaneously to complex questions posed by intelligence analysts. As more and more data is collected-through phone calls, credit card receipts, social networks like Facebook and MySpace, GPS tracks, cell phone geolocation, Internet searches, Amazon book purchases, even E-Z Pass toll records-it may one day be possible to know not just where people are and what they are doing, but what and how they think.

The system is so potentially intrusive that at least one researcher has quit, citing concerns over the dangers in placing such a powerful weapon in the hands of a top-secret agency with little accountability. {much more at link}

Decoding Speech

If you think computers can easily recognize and transcribe spoken language, think again.

This is a NOVA Podcast, brings up a player window, that is 51/2 minutes long, called “How can computers decipher spoken language.”

Watch the Program. Come back beginning February 4, 2009 to watch the full program online here. You can watch a preview of the program now.

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Program Participants The Spy Factory

JAMES BAMFORD

Author, “The Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America”

Body of Secrets – About the Author

ERIC HASELTINE

NSA Director of Research, 2002-2005

TIM SAMPLE

Former Staff Director, House Intelligence Committee

MICHAEL SCHEUER

Former CIA Analyst

MARK ROSSINI

Former FBI Supervisory Agent

FRANK BLANCO

NSA Executive Director, 1999-2001

ELEANOR HILL

Staff Director, Congressional 9/11 Committee

GENERAL MICHAEL HAYDEN

NSA Director, 1999-2005

MARK KLEIN

Former AT&T Technician

BRIAN REID

Internet Systems Consortium

ADRIENNE KINNE

Former NSA Voice Interceptor

DAVID MURFEE FAULK

Former NSA Voice Interceptor

Looks like ‘Big Brother’ is alive and well in this country, to what extent will certain people carry it beyond what some already have done, and how will it change societies and our ideologies!