There have been some significant declassifications July-31, and in recent days. Y"all may have heard about some of this from other sources. Here is what I figured out today. Since this is a bit involved, I plan to make several posts, focusing on different dimensions of the big picture. Moments before a 2013 July 31 Senate Judiciary Committee <http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/> [1] Hearing on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Surveillance Programs,[2] the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released several newly declassified reports, relevant to 215 telephone metadata collection, which we may need to put into perspective.[3] * Cover <http://www.dni.gov/files/documents/2009_CoverLetter_Report_Collection.pdf> Letter and 2009 Report on the National Security Agency's Bulk Collection Program for USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization[4] * Cover <http://www.dni.gov/files/documents/2011_CoverLetters_Report_Collection.pdf> Letters and 2011 Report on the National Security Agency's Bulk Collection Program for USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization[5] * Primary <http://www.dni.gov/files/documents/PrimaryOrder_Collection_215.pdf> Order for Business Records Collection Under Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act[6] So far, I have only glanced at this stuff. I notice heavy redacting. I assume the politicians got to see the whole story, but due to the gag orders, we do not know that for sure yet. As usual, government documents have a high density of acronyms in need of translation to help make the content more friendly to ordinary people. Al Mac = Alister William Macintyre _____ [1] http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/ [2] http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=0d93f03188977d0d4106 5d3fa041decd [3] http://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/191-press-releases-2013 /908-dni-clapper-declassifies-and-releases-telephone-metadata-collection-doc uments [4] 2013 July 31, I downloaded my personal reference copy of this 4 Meg PDF, naming it DNI 2009 report on 215 NSA 2013 July (date on end being when it got declassified). Then I went into properties to make my access less hassle. [5] 2013 July 31, I downloaded my personal reference copy of this 4.9 Meg PDF, naming it DNI 2011 report on 215 NSA 2013 July (date on end being when it got declassified). Then I went into properties to make my access less hassle. [6] 2013 July 31, I downloaded my personal reference copy of this 6.8 Meg PDF, naming it FISC system for 215 via NSA and FBI 2013 July (date on end being when it got declassified). Then I went into properties to make my access less hassle.