Computers vs the leakers

There's a discussion over at Kos today on whether the government is using their new phone surveillence program to track down leakers. It wouldn't surprise me a bit, that's why it's safer for the press to only take leaks from sanctioned sources like Libby or Rove. Those two won't ever get caught by an automated program.

It's ironic to me that terrorists are supposedly smart enough not to use phones, but intel officers and reporters are not. I'm thinking for the rest of this administration leakers should just cut use the post office and send letters cut out of newspapers like kidnappers do.

Sticking with the paranoid theme, I wouldn't be surprised if the government had another little data point they monitor on cell-phone calls. Why not record the location of the tower that picks up the call, and by extention the person's approximate location? Hey if I were actively spying on people I'd do it in a heartbeat.

My cellphone is a little peculiar. Whenever it transmitts it puts out a serious RF interference field, any sort of speakers nearby start buzzing, monitors waver, and once my TV went black and white (no kidding, it's not a joke). Ever since the TV thing I've been VERY consciencious about turning off the cell phone on airplanes. Anyway, it's easy to tell when my phone is talking to someone, cause it's not quiet about it. And it talks a lot, not just when I'm on it, but periodically, every hour or so. Most likely it's just checking to see if I have any messages, but sometimes I wonder if it's off telling people where I am.