Community > Politics, Current News & Events

Previous 1 2 Next

Topic: NSA recruitment drive goes horribly wrong
Bestinshow Joined Mon 06/01/09 Posts: 5540	Sat 07/06/13 03:47 AM
Staff from the National Security Agency got more than they bargained for when they attempted to recruit students to their organisation earlier this week … On Tuesday, the National Security Agency called at the University of Wisconsin on a recruitment drive. Attending the session was Madiha R Tahir, a journalist studying a language course at the university. She asked the squirming recruiters a few uncomfortable questions about the activities of NSA: which countries the agency considers to be "adversaries", and if being a good liar is a qualification for getting a job at the NSA. She has posted a recording of the session on Soundcloud, which you can hear above, and posted a rough transcript on her blog, The Mob and the Multitude. Here are some highlights. The session begins ... Tahir: "Do you consider Germany and the countries that the NSA has been spying upon to be adversaries, or are you, right now, not speaking the truth?" Recruiter 1: "You can define adversary as 'enemy' and, clearly, Germany is not our enemy. But would we have foreign national interests from an intelligence perspective on what's going on across the globe? Yeah, we do." Tahir: "So by 'adversaries', you actually mean anybody and everybody. There is nobody, then, by your definition that is not an adversary. Is that correct?" Recruiter 1: "That is not correct." Recruiter 2: "… for us, our business is apolitical, OK? We do not generate the intelligence requirements. They are levied on us ... We might use the word 'target'." Tahir: "I'm just surprised that for language analysts, you're incredibly imprecise with your language. And it just doesn't seem to be clear." Later ... Tahir: "... this is a recruiting session and you are telling us things that aren't true. And we also know that the NSA took down brochures and factsheets after the Snowden revelations because those factsheets also had severe inaccuracies and untruths in them, right? So how are we supposed to believe what you're saying?" Even later ... Tahir: "I think the question here is do you actually think about the ramifications of the work that you do, which is deeply problematic, or do you just dress up in costumes and get drunk?" [A reference to an earlier comment the recruiter made about NSA employees working hard and going to the bar to do karaoke.] Recruiter 2: "... reporting the info in the right context is so important because the consequences of bad political decisions by our policymakers is something we all suffer from." Unnamed female student: "And people suffer from the misinformation that you pass along so you should take responsibility as well." Later still ... Male student: "General Alexander [head of the NSA] also lied in front of Congress." Recruiter 1: "I don't believe that he did." Male student: "Probably because access to the Guardian is restricted on the Department of Defence's computers. I am sure they don't encourage people like you to actually think about these things. Thank God for a man like Edward Snowden who your organisation is now part of a manhunt trying to track down, trying to put him in a little hole somewhere for the rest of his life. Thank God they exist." And finally ... Recruiter 2: "This job isn't for everybody, you know ..." Tahir: "So is this job for liars? Is this what you're saying? Because, clearly, you're not able to give us forthright answers. I mean, given the way the NSA has behaved, given the fact that we've been lied to as Americans, given the fact that factsheets have been pulled down because they clearly had untruths in them, given the fact that Clapper and Alexander lied to Congress – is that a qualification for being in the NSA? Do you have to be a good liar?" Recruiter 1: I don't believe the NSA is telling complete lies. And I do believe that you know, I mean people can, you can read a lot of different things that are, um, portrayed as fact and that doesn't make them fact just because they're in newspapers." Unnamed female student: "Or intelligence reports." Recruiter 1: "That's not really our purpose here today and I think if you're not interested in that ... there are people here who are probably interested in a language career." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/shortcuts/2013/jul/05/national-security-agency-recruitment-drive

metalwing Joined Fri 11/14/08 Posts: 26218	Sat 07/06/13 04:27 AM
If you only posted what the NSA guys said, it would mean little. I'm no fan of the NSA or big government, but this piece is just some college kid doing some bashing.

Bestinshow Joined Mon 06/01/09 Posts: 5540	Sat 07/06/13 04:43 AM
If you only posted what the NSA guys said, it would mean little. I'm no fan of the NSA or big government, but this piece is just some college kid doing some bashing. It would appear that (this collage kid) has more backbone and common sense than 90% of the folks who post here. Feel free to follow the link and then make an informed comment.

Conrad_73 Joined Sat 09/29/07 Posts: 22488	Sat 07/06/13 07:33 AM
If you only posted what the NSA guys said, it would mean little. I'm no fan of the NSA or big government, but this piece is just some college kid doing some bashing. sounds like some Tracts the Religionists pass out in front of the Supermarket! Totally contrived!

Conrad_73 Joined Sat 09/29/07 Posts: 22488	Sat 07/06/13 07:34 AM Edited by Conrad_73 on Sat 07/06/13 07:43 AM
If you only posted what the NSA guys said, it would mean little. I'm no fan of the NSA or big government, but this piece is just some college kid doing some bashing. It would appear that (this collage kid) has more backbone and common sense than 90% of the folks who post here. Feel free to follow the link and then make an informed comment. a Link to some contrived Article,in,of all Papers,The Guardian? Interesting that it's source is BeforeItsNews! You sure can find them! Same site who reported that all the Astronauts suffocated on the International Space-Station due to a Helium-Leak!

Bestinshow Joined Mon 06/01/09 Posts: 5540	Sat 07/06/13 07:36 AM
If you only posted what the NSA guys said, it would mean little. I'm no fan of the NSA or big government, but this piece is just some college kid doing some bashing. sounds like some Tracts the Religionists pass out in front of the Supermarket! Totally contrived! Maybe you read the article and failed to comprehend, The entire conversation is recorded at the link above feel free to go there and listen. That is the adult thing to do

Bestinshow Joined Mon 06/01/09 Posts: 5540	Sat 07/06/13 07:43 AM Edited by Bestinshow on Sat 07/06/13 07:44 AM
If you only posted what the NSA guys said, it would mean little. I'm no fan of the NSA or big government, but this piece is just some college kid doing some bashing. It would appear that (this collage kid) has more backbone and common sense than 90% of the folks who post here. Feel free to follow the link and then make an informed comment. a Link to some contrived Article,in,of all Papers,The Guardian? The Guardian is the same paper that broke Glen Greenwalds NSA story and that is the Guardian that is restricted on the Department of Defence's computers. It seems the Guardian much to your disdain is fulfilling its role as a independent news source not part of the propaganda matrix that is on your preferred reading list. Your comments are so predictable Mr Conrad.

MoonsDragonLionWolf Joined Wed 05/08/13 Posts: 818	Sat 07/06/13 10:25 AM
Staff from the National Security Agency got more than they bargained for when they attempted to recruit students to their organisation earlier this week … On Tuesday, the National Security Agency called at the University of Wisconsin on a recruitment drive. Attending the session was Madiha R Tahir, a journalist studying a language course at the university. She asked the squirming recruiters a few uncomfortable questions about the activities of NSA: which countries the agency considers to be "adversaries", and if being a good liar is a qualification for getting a job at the NSA. She has posted a recording of the session on Soundcloud, which you can hear above, and posted a rough transcript on her blog, The Mob and the Multitude. Here are some highlights. The session begins ... Tahir: "Do you consider Germany and the countries that the NSA has been spying upon to be adversaries, or are you, right now, not speaking the truth?" Recruiter 1: "You can define adversary as 'enemy' and, clearly, Germany is not our enemy. But would we have foreign national interests from an intelligence perspective on what's going on across the globe? Yeah, we do." Tahir: "So by 'adversaries', you actually mean anybody and everybody. There is nobody, then, by your definition that is not an adversary. Is that correct?" Recruiter 1: "That is not correct." Recruiter 2: "… for us, our business is apolitical, OK? We do not generate the intelligence requirements. They are levied on us ... We might use the word 'target'." Tahir: "I'm just surprised that for language analysts, you're incredibly imprecise with your language. And it just doesn't seem to be clear." Later ... Tahir: "... this is a recruiting session and you are telling us things that aren't true. And we also know that the NSA took down brochures and factsheets after the Snowden revelations because those factsheets also had severe inaccuracies and untruths in them, right? So how are we supposed to believe what you're saying?" Even later ... Tahir: "I think the question here is do you actually think about the ramifications of the work that you do, which is deeply problematic, or do you just dress up in costumes and get drunk?" [A reference to an earlier comment the recruiter made about NSA employees working hard and going to the bar to do karaoke.] Recruiter 2: "... reporting the info in the right context is so important because the consequences of bad political decisions by our policymakers is something we all suffer from." Unnamed female student: "And people suffer from the misinformation that you pass along so you should take responsibility as well." Later still ... Male student: "General Alexander [head of the NSA] also lied in front of Congress." Recruiter 1: "I don't believe that he did." Male student: "Probably because access to the Guardian is restricted on the Department of Defence's computers. I am sure they don't encourage people like you to actually think about these things. Thank God for a man like Edward Snowden who your organisation is now part of a manhunt trying to track down, trying to put him in a little hole somewhere for the rest of his life. Thank God they exist." And finally ... Recruiter 2: "This job isn't for everybody, you know ..." Tahir: "So is this job for liars? Is this what you're saying? Because, clearly, you're not able to give us forthright answers. I mean, given the way the NSA has behaved, given the fact that we've been lied to as Americans, given the fact that factsheets have been pulled down because they clearly had untruths in them, given the fact that Clapper and Alexander lied to Congress – is that a qualification for being in the NSA? Do you have to be a good liar?" Recruiter 1: I don't believe the NSA is telling complete lies. And I do believe that you know, I mean people can, you can read a lot of different things that are, um, portrayed as fact and that doesn't make them fact just because they're in newspapers." Unnamed female student: "Or intelligence reports." Recruiter 1: "That's not really our purpose here today and I think if you're not interested in that ... there are people here who are probably interested in a language career." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/shortcuts/2013/jul/05/national-security-agency-recruitment-drive LOL.

Conrad_73 Joined Sat 09/29/07 Posts: 22488	Sat 07/06/13 10:32 AM Edited by Conrad_73 on Sat 07/06/13 10:48 AM
If you only posted what the NSA guys said, it would mean little. I'm no fan of the NSA or big government, but this piece is just some college kid doing some bashing. It would appear that (this collage kid) has more backbone and common sense than 90% of the folks who post here. Feel free to follow the link and then make an informed comment. a Link to some contrived Article,in,of all Papers,The Guardian? The Guardian is the same paper that broke Glen Greenwalds NSA story and that is the Guardian that is restricted on the Department of Defence's computers. It seems the Guardian much to your disdain is fulfilling its role as a independent news source not part of the propaganda matrix that is on your preferred reading list. Your comments are so predictable Mr Conrad. keep on llaughing Sonny,while you can! You really want to tell me that the NSA is going around having public Hiring-Drives like GE! Your Credulity is absolutely astounding! Hook,Line and Sinker!

Bestinshow Joined Mon 06/01/09 Posts: 5540	Sun 07/07/13 06:06 AM
If you only posted what the NSA guys said, it would mean little. I'm no fan of the NSA or big government, but this piece is just some college kid doing some bashing. It would appear that (this collage kid) has more backbone and common sense than 90% of the folks who post here. Feel free to follow the link and then make an informed comment. a Link to some contrived Article,in,of all Papers,The Guardian? The Guardian is the same paper that broke Glen Greenwalds NSA story and that is the Guardian that is restricted on the Department of Defence's computers. It seems the Guardian much to your disdain is fulfilling its role as a independent news source not part of the propaganda matrix that is on your preferred reading list. Your comments are so predictable Mr Conrad. keep on llaughing Sonny,while you can! You really want to tell me that the NSA is going around having public Hiring-Drives like GE! Your Credulity is absolutely astounding! Hook,Line and Sinker! Um yes they do Mr Conrad

HotRodDeluxe Joined Sun 05/06/12 Posts: 2743	Sun 07/07/13 07:05 PM
Staff from the National Security Agency got more than they bargained for when they attempted to recruit students to their organisation earlier this week … On Tuesday, the National Security Agency called at the University of Wisconsin on a recruitment drive. Attending the session was Madiha R Tahir, a journalist studying a language course at the university. She asked the squirming recruiters a few uncomfortable questions about the activities of NSA: which countries the agency considers to be "adversaries", and if being a good liar is a qualification for getting a job at the NSA. She has posted a recording of the session on Soundcloud, which you can hear above, and posted a rough transcript on her blog, The Mob and the Multitude. Here are some highlights. The session begins ... Tahir: "Do you consider Germany and the countries that the NSA has been spying upon to be adversaries, or are you, right now, not speaking the truth?" Recruiter 1: "You can define adversary as 'enemy' and, clearly, Germany is not our enemy. But would we have foreign national interests from an intelligence perspective on what's going on across the globe? Yeah, we do." Tahir: "So by 'adversaries', you actually mean anybody and everybody. There is nobody, then, by your definition that is not an adversary. Is that correct?" Recruiter 1: "That is not correct." Recruiter 2: "… for us, our business is apolitical, OK? We do not generate the intelligence requirements. They are levied on us ... We might use the word 'target'." Tahir: "I'm just surprised that for language analysts, you're incredibly imprecise with your language. And it just doesn't seem to be clear." Later ... Tahir: "... this is a recruiting session and you are telling us things that aren't true. And we also know that the NSA took down brochures and factsheets after the Snowden revelations because those factsheets also had severe inaccuracies and untruths in them, right? So how are we supposed to believe what you're saying?" Even later ... Tahir: "I think the question here is do you actually think about the ramifications of the work that you do, which is deeply problematic, or do you just dress up in costumes and get drunk?" [A reference to an earlier comment the recruiter made about NSA employees working hard and going to the bar to do karaoke.] Recruiter 2: "... reporting the info in the right context is so important because the consequences of bad political decisions by our policymakers is something we all suffer from." Unnamed female student: "And people suffer from the misinformation that you pass along so you should take responsibility as well." Later still ... Male student: "General Alexander [head of the NSA] also lied in front of Congress." Recruiter 1: "I don't believe that he did." Male student: "Probably because access to the Guardian is restricted on the Department of Defence's computers. I am sure they don't encourage people like you to actually think about these things. Thank God for a man like Edward Snowden who your organisation is now part of a manhunt trying to track down, trying to put him in a little hole somewhere for the rest of his life. Thank God they exist." And finally ... Recruiter 2: "This job isn't for everybody, you know ..." Tahir: "So is this job for liars? Is this what you're saying? Because, clearly, you're not able to give us forthright answers. I mean, given the way the NSA has behaved, given the fact that we've been lied to as Americans, given the fact that factsheets have been pulled down because they clearly had untruths in them, given the fact that Clapper and Alexander lied to Congress – is that a qualification for being in the NSA? Do you have to be a good liar?" Recruiter 1: I don't believe the NSA is telling complete lies. And I do believe that you know, I mean people can, you can read a lot of different things that are, um, portrayed as fact and that doesn't make them fact just because they're in newspapers." Unnamed female student: "Or intelligence reports." Recruiter 1: "That's not really our purpose here today and I think if you're not interested in that ... there are people here who are probably interested in a language career." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/shortcuts/2013/jul/05/national-security-agency-recruitment-drive What a crock!

JustDukkyMkII Joined Fri 11/12/10 Posts: 1462	Sun 07/07/13 07:49 PM
What a crock! How so?...You don't believe the conversation took place?

HotRodDeluxe Joined Sun 05/06/12 Posts: 2743	Sun 07/07/13 08:55 PM Edited by HotRodDeluxe on Sun 07/07/13 09:00 PM
What a crock! How so?...You don't believe the conversation took place? No, I didn't say that. I've heard the recording.

JustDukkyMkII Joined Fri 11/12/10 Posts: 1462	Sun 07/07/13 10:13 PM
What a crock! How so?...You don't believe the conversation took place? No, I didn't say that. I've heard the recording. So what's the "crock"?

Conrad_73 Joined Sat 09/29/07 Posts: 22488	Sun 07/07/13 11:07 PM
Walked Downtown Saturday,and there it was,Big Sign at a Storefront saying,"Membership-Drive for Swiss Intelligence Service,Inquire within"! Stands to Reason the CIA and NSA would do the same!

JustDukkyMkII Joined Fri 11/12/10 Posts: 1462	Mon 07/08/13 01:55 AM
Walked Downtown Saturday,and there it was,Big Sign at a Storefront saying,"Membership-Drive for Swiss Intelligence Service,Inquire within"! Stands to Reason the CIA and NSA would do the same! I don't see what's odd about it. It isn't like they're looking for james bond types is it? They were probably looking for Phds for speech/text analysis. What better place to look than a university? Doesn't seem odd at all to me. Why would it be? i kinda doubt that the NSA or CIA pulls the old cloak & dagger routine when looking for secretaries. Wouldn't it make more sense to tap a wider segment of the job market?

Conrad_73 Joined Sat 09/29/07 Posts: 22488	Mon 07/08/13 01:56 AM
was almost tempted to sign up!

JustDukkyMkII Joined Fri 11/12/10 Posts: 1462	Mon 07/08/13 04:07 AM Edited by JustDukkyMkII on Mon 07/08/13 04:07 AM
was almost tempted to sign up! A lot of people I know work for Banks, government, and some even work for Monsanto...No accounting for taste or a lack of moral principles I guess.

Bestinshow Joined Mon 06/01/09 Posts: 5540	Mon 07/08/13 05:09 AM
If you only posted what the NSA guys said, it would mean little. I'm no fan of the NSA or big government, but this piece is just some college kid doing some bashing. It would appear that (this collage kid) has more backbone and common sense than 90% of the folks who post here. Feel free to follow the link and then make an informed comment. a Link to some contrived Article,in,of all Papers,The Guardian? The Guardian is the same paper that broke Glen Greenwalds NSA story and that is the Guardian that is restricted on the Department of Defence's computers. It seems the Guardian much to your disdain is fulfilling its role as a independent news source not part of the propaganda matrix that is on your preferred reading list. Your comments are so predictable Mr Conrad. keep on llaughing Sonny,while you can! You really want to tell me that the NSA is going around having public Hiring-Drives like GE! Your Credulity is absolutely astounding! Hook,Line and Sinker! It's not my credulity at issue in this thread. I find it odd that on other threads you would claim we need to get "government off our backs" yet here you take a stand defending government spying. First you claim it did not happen then start back tracking. It would be nice and more interesting if you were not so agenda driven.

Bestinshow Joined Mon 06/01/09 Posts: 5540	Mon 07/08/13 05:10 AM
What a crock! How so?...You don't believe the conversation took place? No, I didn't say that. I've heard the recording. So what's the "crock"? They do not even know.......... good luck