Is there evidence that US pollution is affecting Europe in any significant way? If so, then the EU has every right to demand some remedy.

What's the difference between what Google is doing and carpooling on a large scale?

Interesting point, but I guess it depends on the business model. Google spends billions on features that they give away for free in order to gather data about the users. Why wouldn't a car company spend a few cents on bandwidth to gather data?

Active jammers are generally not legal. But if that's a smaller fine than whatever else you are doing, you may not care.

I think most of the mid to high end cars are going this way. Some even go further and attempt to monitor stuff that has nothing to do with the car.

1. Are you more or less worried about Ford tracking you than you are about Google, Apple, or Nokia?

2. You do not have a choice in all but the most basic Fords. You get the GPS capability whether you have the Nav interface or not. You don't have to pay for the extra convenience features, and you won't get them, but that doesn't mean that Ford doesn't have the capability to monitor the system. By the way it isn't just Ford. GM has had OnStar for quite a while now. It comes in most cars whether you want it or not. In the past the owner could disconnect the OnStar module, but eventually it will be integrated into something else like the combined Radio/Navigation/Environmental control system.

Much like the convenience advantages of using Facebook and Google where the majority are either ignorant or feel it's worth the trade?

Sadly, they are all under the Executive branch so: 1. Nothing will be found; 2. If something is found refer to #1.

And even if the Judiciary or the Legislative bodies became involved both of them have also already surrendered to "the ends justifies the means" as far as domestic spying goes. Well except that some members of Congress is now saying "Woah! Hold on there, we didn't think this applied to us!"

/Yes parent post was (probably) a joke

Everyone who has paid attention to Windows the last couple of decades knows, Windows 8 is the one you skip. Just like Vista, just like Millennium Edition before that. Sure they threw a in a minor wrinkle in with 8.1, but that was just a distraction to make you think they are doing something, not a major version roll. 98(SE) decent, ME suck, XP decent, Vista suck, 7 good, 8 suck. Next time around they'll keep the back end improvements and fix all the crap they screwed up in the front end.

If you have some time to kill, you might try "I refuse to answer any questions and I do not consent to any search." Just keep repeating that.

I don't think they are powerless either. I think this guy is going around saying that their power is diminished so that people will get more comfortable and move on while the NSA continues almost business as usual.

If they had not been abusing their power to conduct illegal surveillance then Snowden may not have resorted to this. Perhaps then their techniques would have remained secret and been available for legitimate purposes. Perhaps they should be looking in the mirror when placing the blame.

We absolutely test all boundary conditions, on both sides. This is standard practice where I work, for just that reason.