July Chit-Chat

theminis wrote:Another courageous girl, though for different reasons

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/07/22/05/47/girl-11-speaks-out-over-her-forced-marriage

Eating cheese before falling asleep, Helps you fall asleep faster & better.

— Facts In Your Face (@FactsInYourFace) July 21, 2013

theminis wrote:
Well at least now I know why I was having nightmares, look I will allow you this pleasure only because England rarely gets the chance to boast about anything else!!!!

Joanna wrote:Ahem..... Commiserations again Aussie Sheilas 
about the second Ashes Test Match.  

Drinkie time !!   

2 down...3 to go.

WASHINGTON — The secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court renewed the government's authority Friday to continue the collection of millions of Americans' telephone records, one of the classified counter-terrorism programs disclosed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

In an unusual public statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence acknowledged that the court renewed the authority that was set to expire Friday.

"In light of the significant and continuing public interest in the …collection program, the DNI has decided to declassify and disclose publicly that the government filed an application with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court seeking renewal of the authority to collect telephony metadata in bulk, and that the court renewed that authority,'' the statement said.

Earlier this week, Democrat and Republican lawmakers expressed deep concerns about the scope of the surveillance program and suggested that Congress may not renew legislative authority for it when it comes up for review in nearly two years.

"This is unsustainable, outrageous and must be stopped immediately,'' Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., told Justice and intelligence officials at a Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday.

Said Alabama Republican Rep. Spencer Bachus: "How do we keep this from evolving into an unchecked weapons that can be used against people's rights?''

Snowden has been charged with espionage related offenses for disclosing the program and a separate operation that tracks the communications of non-U.S. citizens abroad. He has been in a Moscow airport weighing various asylum strategies to avoid extradition to the United States.

Juliette Hardy wrote:Don't think she'd be following rugby league, sparkie.
Bet Russell Crowe is upset, though.

Juliette Hardy wrote:This NSA whislteblowing matter that ED Snowden has brought into the limelight is becoming a major source of contention in the US.

Not sure if anyone here is following it out of curiosity,  but it's very interesting:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/07/19/nsa-phone-surveillance-clapper-fisa-court/2570149/

WASHINGTON — The secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court renewed the government's authority Friday to continue the collection of millions of Americans' telephone records, one of the classified counter-terrorism programs disclosed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

In an unusual public statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence acknowledged that the court renewed the authority that was set to expire Friday.

"In light of the significant and continuing public interest in the …collection program, the DNI has decided to declassify and disclose publicly that the government filed an application with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court seeking renewal of the authority to collect telephony metadata in bulk, and that the court renewed that authority,'' the statement said.

Earlier this week, Democrat and Republican lawmakers expressed deep concerns about the scope of the surveillance program and suggested that Congress may not renew legislative authority for it when it comes up for review in nearly two years.

"This is unsustainable, outrageous and must be stopped immediately,'' Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., told Justice and intelligence officials at a Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday.

Said Alabama Republican Rep. Spencer Bachus: "How do we keep this from evolving into an unchecked weapons that can be used against people's rights?''

Snowden has been charged with espionage related offenses for disclosing the program and a separate operation that tracks the communications of non-U.S. citizens abroad. He has been in a Moscow airport weighing various asylum strategies to avoid extradition to the United States.

Incidentally the UK equivalent, the GCHQ is dragged into it too. What next Interpol, ASIO??  

(GC HQ.  Like the acronym.)

Nicky80 wrote: I'm hot  ... can somebody speak to the weather god please  

Juliette Hardy wrote:This NSA whislteblowing matter that ED Snowden has brought into the limelight is becoming a major source of contention in the US.

Not sure if anyone here is following it out of curiosity,  but it's very interesting:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/07/19/nsa-phone-surveillance-clapper-fisa-court/2570149/

WASHINGTON — The secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court renewed the government's authority Friday to continue the collection of millions of Americans' telephone records, one of the classified counter-terrorism programs disclosed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

In an unusual public statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence acknowledged that the court renewed the authority that was set to expire Friday.

"In light of the significant and continuing public interest in the …collection program, the DNI has decided to declassify and disclose publicly that the government filed an application with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court seeking renewal of the authority to collect telephony metadata in bulk, and that the court renewed that authority,'' the statement said.

Earlier this week, Democrat and Republican lawmakers expressed deep concerns about the scope of the surveillance program and suggested that Congress may not renew legislative authority for it when it comes up for review in nearly two years.

"This is unsustainable, outrageous and must be stopped immediately,'' Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., told Justice and intelligence officials at a Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday.

Said Alabama Republican Rep. Spencer Bachus: "How do we keep this from evolving into an unchecked weapons that can be used against people's rights?''

Snowden has been charged with espionage related offenses for disclosing the program and a separate operation that tracks the communications of non-U.S. citizens abroad. He has been in a Moscow airport weighing various asylum strategies to avoid extradition to the United States.

Incidentally the UK equivalent, the GCHQ is dragged into it too. What next Interpol, ASIO??  

(GC HQ.  Like the acronym.)

Joanna wrote:Sorry your team got eaten by the dragon sparkie.
 
My soccer team had a rotten season so hoping for a better one when it starts next month.

sparkie wrote:
Rusell Crowe is an idiot he was quick to point out when the Aussies loss the first Test that he was a Kiwi so I doubt he would be that upset, he sold his stake in Souths bet he's sorry now!

sparkie wrote:
Yes I have been following it, sort of in two minds about the whole thing. And whom may I ask is the head of GCHQ?

Juliette Hardy wrote:

sparkie wrote:
Yes I have been following it, sort of in two minds about the whole thing. And whom may I ask is the head of GCHQ?

His name is Iain Lobban.
The acronym is Government Communications Head Quarters & it's closely linked to MI6.  UK version of NSA.

The Australian one would be ASIO, I guess.
They do a lot of online surveillance, like internet policing & monitoring.
Might be intrusive, but if used correctly, then it can prevent terrorism, pedophilia, crime.....

theminis wrote:Well we need agencies such as ASIO, the like of which don't bother intruding of the average Joe or Joanna, they have a pretty good idea of what and who to look out for - I have no problem with a little bit of intrusion if that's what it takes to catch the real baddies.  

Anyhow my experience is people with nothing to hide, hiding nothing so Im not bothered.

LornaDoone wrote:I think any country that is complaining about being spied upon but has spy organizations should really just shut up and go about their business. They're all doing it.  They're just pissed that the US is probably doing it better and they weren't aware it was happening to them too.

Everyone should really be afraid of the Chinese.  They are spying to steal secrets on how to make thing so that they can rip them off and make them cheaper in their sweatshops.

So much easier to steal stuff than to pay their own scientists to do the research you need to do to invent stuff.  JMO

it's me wrote:

Better to find a strong cereal
Nourishing, cheap and easy to grow

it's me wrote:Cheap? Easy to grow?
Bec of water, I mean
 And parasite

This versatility makes quinoa a viable food option for areas with arid farming conditions and high malnutrition rates. FAO estimates that 1 billion people were affected by malnutrition in 2010, nearly all living in the developing world.

Bolivia and Peru account for more than half of the annual 70,000 tons of quinoa produced, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). While its cultivation is expanding to include Kenya, India, North America and Europe, most of the crop is farmed through traditional means in the Andean altiplano.