Ever since Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the NSA, we've heard politicians and agency officials claim that collecting metadata isn't spying. But, two MIT students have created a program to help you understand the digital trail that you leave behind everyday. Daniel Smilkov and Deepak Jagdish's "Immersion" program creates a virtual map of your life using only your email account. If you give the researchers access to the same metadata that the NSA admits to collecting - the time, date, and "To" and "CC" fields of your email - they can give you back detailed charts and graphs about your life.

 

Using just this data, the program can identify things like your former loves, your changing personal and professional networks, and even deaths and transitions that you've experienced during your life. Agency officials have tried to claim that metadata is simply IP and phone numbers, but this "Immersion" program clearly shows that those claims couldn't be further from the truth.

 

There's simply no question that collecting metadata and tracking our digital lives is a major violation of our privacy. The fact is that the government doesn't need to listen to our calls, or read the content of our emails, to get a clear picture of our daily lives. The National Security Agency needs to recognize that our phone and internet metadata is private, and if they want to collect it, it's time that they get a warrant.

 

-Thom

 

(What do you think? Tell us here.)

  

Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 9pm... Chris Christie's Nixon moment... (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT, and catch past shows on Youtube)

 

Get your copy of Thom's new book, The Crash of 2016, today and click here for tour dates & events!

 

Watch the video 'Last Hours' narrated by Thom Hartmann about the "time bomb" that is ticking underground, underwater and under ice... frozen methane that is now escaping and could trigger runaway climate change. www.lasthours.org

 

Have a question or comment for Thom? Grab your phone, hit record and send your video to YourTakeMyTake@gmail.com and we may air it on "The Big Picture."

 

Need to Know: Chris Christie's Nixon moment...
- Mike Papantonio, Ring of Fire Radio 

 

Screwed: In Bed With Wall Street
- Larry Doyle, In Bed With Wall Street: The Conspiracy Crippling Our Global Economy

 

PLUS, GOP coached on how to be compassionate
- Rusty Humphries, The Rusty Humphries Show  

 

 

 

       

Wednesday's Daily Stack 

In for Thom today, attorney Mike Papantonio, Ring of Fire Radio

 

Hour One: Unemployment benefit cuts
- Sam Seder, Ring of Fire Radio / Majority.fm  

 

Article: "GOP Needs a "Memo" On How To Speak To The Jobless" by Dartagnan.

Book: The Triumph of Politics: Why the Reagan Revolution Failed by David Stockman.

Book: "The Crash of 2016: The Plot to Destroy America--and What We Can Do to Stop It" by Thom Hartmann.

Bible: "Matthew 6: Giving to the Needy".

Bible: "Matthew 7: Judging Others".

Bible: "Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes".

TV: "Mad Men".

Book: "What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America" by Thomas Frank.

Hour Two: JP Morgan/Madoff settlement
- James Kauffman, Levin Law 

Article: "N.Y. Judge OKs JPMorgan $1.7B Deal With Government" by Larry Neumeister.

Article: "Major JPMorgan Chase settlements and fines" by Kevin McCoy.

 

Article: "Rodman apology for US North Korea detainee comments" by BBC.

Article: "The Bikini Bridge Isn't A New Selfie Fad, Thank God, Rather A Giant Hoax - But Is It Still Damaging?" by Poorna Bell.

Book: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

 

Polarization works for the wealthy
- Joshua Holland, Moyers & Company 

Article: "Study: Polarization and Gridlock Work Well for Rich Americans" by Joshua Holland.

Article: "Conditional Status Quo Bias and Top Income Shares: How U.S. Political Institutions Have Benefited the Rich" by Peter K. Enns et al.

Article: "Increasing the Number of Republicans in Congress Means Billions More for the 1 Percent, Study Shows" by Joshua Holland.

Hour Three: What Congress Can Do to Help Fight Poverty
- Zoe Carpenter, The Nation  

Article: "Why We Need a New War on Poverty" by Sasha Abramsky.

 

A Physician's Apology
- Dr. Thomas Schneider.

Book: A Physician's Apology: Are WE making you sick? by Thomas Schneider MD.

 

Article: "Voices of Scientists at FDA" by Union of Concerned Scientists.

 

Article: "Unemployment extension clears hurdle in U.S. Senate" by Todd Spangler .

Article: "GOP declares war on 'war on poverty'" by Morgan Whitaker.

Article: "50 Years Later, War on Poverty Is a Mixed Bag" by Annie Lowrey.

Article: "Newly Discovered Compounds Hundreds of Times More Toxic Than Known Carcinogens" by Oregon State University.

Article: "Seattle Swears In a Socialist" by John Nichols.

Article: "RadCast radiation readings - January 8, 2014".

Article: "Since First Surgeon General Report On Tobacco Products 50 Years Ago, Tighter Government Regulations Have Saved Countless American Lives" by Gerard LeBlond.

Article: "Pat Robertson: Global warming is a scam because there are no SUVs on Jupiter" by David Edwards.

 

Thursday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET 

Hour One: Is Chris Christie's car out of control?
- Congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI, 2nd District) 

 

Hour Two: Chris Christie's Nixon moment
- Mike Papantonio, Ring of Fire Radio 

 

 

Hour Three: What does socialism mean to you?
- Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Council 

 

And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...

 

The Thom Hartmann Program...your media support group for "we the people"...

Free excerpt, read book for free at Truthout, buy the book!

Friday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET 

 

It's Friday and that means "Brunch With Bernie!" America's Senator...Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will be here talking about all the important issues of the day and he'll be taking YOUR calls too...

 

Plus, it's Anything Goes Friday...your chance to choose the topics...what's on your mind?

 

And, we'll bring you all the news and information you won't hear in the corporate owned news media...right here on...

 

The Thom Hartmann Program...

 

AND...Don't forget...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...

Thank you for being part of our ever growing community for News, Debate and Opinion on the Thom Hartmann Program.

 

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Sincerely,

Buy Thom's newest book now!
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"Crash of 2016" website

Watch Thom on: - MSNBC's The Cycle
- CNN's Crossfire
- Democracy Now!

Will the bridgegate scandal hurt Gov. Christie's chances in 2016?

Vote here!

Full Show 1/8/14: The California Legislature vs. The NSA

Guest host Sam Sacks is in for Thom Hartmann tonight and discusses how California's attempting to rein in the NSA with State Senator Ted Lieu (D-CA). Tonight's "Big Picture Rumble" talks Chris Christie's email troubles, how the government's anti-tobacco policies have worked and Colorado's marijuana sales. Tonight's "Daily Take" discusses the 50th anniversary of LBJ's war on poverty and why the U.S. should follow France's lead when it comes to tax policy.

Thom Hartmann on the News: January 8, 2014

The Thom Hartmann Program - January 8, 2014 Hour 1

The Thom Hartmann Program - January 8, 2014 Hour 2

The Thom Hartmann Program - January 8, 2014 Hour 3

Would you like to help give a child with a very troubled background this feeling of peace?

Thom and Louise Hartmann founded the New England Salem Children's Village (NESCV) in New Hampshire in 1979. With states delaying payment for the children they entrust to the village, they need help with cash flow. Can you help? Now on Facebook.