OTB Caption Contest

Time for the Monday OTB Caption ContestTM

Edward Snowden, Leaker Of NSA Data Mining Stories, Steps Forward

Meet Edward Snowden, the 29 year old CIA/NSA contractor who has confessed to leaking the details of the NSA’s data mining projects.

Will NSA Data Mining Matter To Voters?

Will voters care about the revelations about NSA data mining? Signs point to no.

Sunday Morning Shows: Beltway Conventional Wisdom Getting Attention They Don’t Deserve

Sometimes it seems like all John McCain does is appear on Sunday morning news shows. The problem goes deeper than that, though.

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Jumping Jack Flash Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

When Algorithms Go Wrong

I’m a big fan of Prismatic but, sometimes, the algorithm that matches the stories and photos doesn’t work as well as it ought:

Prince Harry Saved Gay Soldier From Beating

Then-Lieutenant Wales intervened to prevent a gay trooper from getting beaten by a gang of thugs.

NSA PRISM Story Overhyped

Not only do we not know the whole story of the NSA data mining operation, key details of what thought we knew are wrong.

It’s Not About The Nail

Probably a good thing there wasn’t a hammer involved.

Cory Booker Announces Campaign For Senate

Cory Booker is in the race for New Jersey’s open Senate seat, but is he really unbeatable?

Big Metadata and Big Government

Jay Stanley and Ben Wizner, privacy experts at the ACLU, argue that metadata is more sensitive than we think.

Iran The Big Winner In Syria’s Civil War?

Has the West inadvertently handed Iran a victory in Syria?

Women Like Good Looking, Naked Men Says Science

Ronnie Koenig reveals “What Being Editor in Chief of Playgirl Taught Me About Female Desire.”

Neil Armstrong’s Indecipherable Ohio Dialect

The latest theory about what Neil Armstrong said on the moon is based on his boyhood in northwestern Ohio.

Graffiti

Seen whilst on a run by commenter john personna

Diamonds Are The World’s Biggest Scam?

Have we all been fooled by a 75 year old marketing campaign?

No Mr. President, The NSA’s Programs Don’t Have Proper Oversight

Contrary to President Obama’s assertion today, the NSA’s operations don’t have proper legislative or judicial oversight.

NSA Data Mining: It Doesn’t Matter If It’s Legal

Just because NSA data mining is legal, that doesn’t mean it’s proper or that the American people should tolerate it.

Obama: If You Trust Congress, Trust the NSA

In what may be the worst sales pitch in history, President Obama says, “”If people don’t trust the executive branch, and also congress and the judicial branch, then we’re going to have some problems here.”

Security Data-Mining And Other Forms Of Witchcraft

At what point do science and magic converge? And what are the potential costs?

NSA Data Mining Also Extends To Credit Card Transactions

Sadly, this is not surprising.

The May Jobs Report: Steady, But Nothing To Write Home About

The jobs news in May was good, but far from great.

Jobs News

John Dingell And The Problem With Long-Term Incumbency

As of today, John Dingell has been a Member of Congress for 20,997 days, a new record. That’s not something to celebrate.

FISA, Blanket Searches, and the 4th Amendment

The government has your cell phone and credit card records. What can they do with that information?

NSA Mining Data From Top Internet Content Providers

Big Brother is doing more than just checking your phone records.

It’s About More Than Cell Phone Records, It’s About Liberty

The NSA’s data mining project is about more than just subpoenas for cell phone records.

91% Of American Adults Own A Cell Phone, Majority Of Them Own A Smartphone

Cellphones have achieved near complete market penetration, and the smartphone is leading the way.

IRS Says IRS Conferences Followed IRS Rules

The IRS spent $50 million on 225 employee conferences. What did the taxpayer get in return?