About rck2drums post:

Here's how it works. It's not like LEO really KNOWS what you're doing, it's really that once you're under investigation then your data trail will get looked at and probably won't help your case. There's so much data flying around that it's impossible to log it all. What can happen though is once you give them a reason to be interested in you, then you're screwed.

So rck2drums is not wrong. His paranoia is completely justified in my opinion.

the mole: yes, the NSA is watching every packet, and the FBI has a program going as well. The FBI system, CARNIVORE, was offically stopped by Congress but it continuing in secret.

There are many systems in place (ECHELON, DCS1000, Carnivore, are a few code words to search on), but one way is to send all the incoming data through an automated system that looks for keywords/key phrases (NSA's system for this is codename: DICTIONARY).

As for mail, I consider domestic mail to be fairly safe. I consider mail coming into the US from Canada to be completely unsafe, and mail coming from UK to US to be moderately safe.

Dboy