Standing tall and enigmatic in the center of Lower Manhattan is an odd 29-story skyscraper that is devoid of windows. It is situated at 33 Thomas Street and goes by the code name Titanpointe. For years, this building has puzzled New Yorkers.1.
Promotion
When the building was first completed in 1974, it was meant to contain essential telecommunications equipment and was built to resist atomic bombs. The architectural company John Carl Warnecke & Associates envisioned it as a communication nerve center that was protected from nuclear threats.
Unlike any other building in the area, this massive gray concrete and granite tower soars 550 feet into the New York skyline. It is completely dark and lacks windows, in contrast to the nearby office and residential buildings. It has an unsettling aura at night, while during the day it creates a massive shadow. Its square vents give off a subtle hum, which is frequently muffled by the sounds of the city.
For many years, New Yorkers have been fascinated with 33 Thomas Street, popularly known as the “Long Lines Building,” since it is one of the most unusual and recognizable skyscrapers in the city. However, the real function of this mysterious building has remained mostly unknown and covered up.
33 Thomas Street’s Secret
33 Thomas Street is a mysterious building with a darker side. It seems that this structure serves as more than just a communications center. Architectural drawings, information from documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, and interviews with former AT&T workers all point to 33 Thomas Street being an NSA monitoring location known as Titanpointe.
There is more to the NSA’s role than meets the eye. A significant international gateway switch that routes phone calls between the United States and other nations is located inside the structure. It is thought that these calls were intercepted by the NSA from a safe location inside the AT&T headquarters. This clandestine monitoring scheme has targeted several nations, including friends of the United States, in addition to global institutions including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the United Nations.
Although AT&T has collaborated with the NSA on monitoring, not much is known about the precise function that locations such as 33 Thomas Street play in executing top-secret initiatives. On the other hand, the Snowden documents include hitherto unseen details on the integration of NSA hardware into AT&T’s New York City network. This integration makes clear the tools and techniques the agency uses to extract communications data from the business’s systems.
The NSA’s location inside this famous skyscraper begs the question of where the lines are drawn in terms of contemporary surveillance. “This is yet more proof that our communications service providers have become, whether willingly or unwillingly, an arm of the surveillance state,” notes Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s liberty and national security program. The idea that this kind of surveillance can be cleanly limited to non-American targets is called into question by the NSA’s extensive integration with the country’s communications infrastructure.
T&T, Security, and Law Enforcement
It is commonly known that AT&T and the NSA worked closely together. Although AT&T and the government have a long history together, it’s unknown if the NSA was utilizing AT&T’s 33 Thomas Street facility or equipment. This uncertainty prompts concerns about the scope of government monitoring inside the structure.2.
In August 2015, the New York Times and ProPublica revealed that AT&T had been praised by the NSA for its “extreme willingness to help” and had a long history of working with the agency. But neither the fresh reports nor the information leaked by Edward Snowden conclusively indicate that AT&T space or equipment was being used by the NSA. As it happens, Verizon owns the remaining portion of the 33 Thomas building, with AT&T Inc. owning the ground but only around 87 percent of the floor area.
There are important ethical and legal concerns about the NSA’s surveillance activities at 33 Thomas Street. The structure might serve as a memorial to the difficulties in maintaining proper supervision in an age of cutting-edge technology and government monitoring, as well as the delicate balance that needs to be struck between privacy and security in our globalized society.
In conclusion, 33 Thomas Street is still a famous and mysterious tower in New York City, encapsulating the secrets of contemporary monitoring as well as the history of telecommunications within its concrete walls. Its actual level of participation in government eavesdropping may never be known, but it represents the fine line that must be drawn in our connected world between security and privacy.
Why Blake Lively Was Praised for Posting Bikini Photos
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been together for over a decade and are a prime example of a strong and loving couple, who are big on humor. Even before becoming parents to their 4 children, Blake predicted that Ryan would be a great father, leader, and patriarch. Recently, the couple shared exclusive snaps from their vacation, and fans were amazed at how healthy Blake looked just weeks after giving birth. Moreover, she revealed a detail about her health, to one lucky fan.
Blake posted bikini pictures and fans praised her for not touching them up.
In a tropical setting, Blake Lively flaunted her post-baby figure in a black cut-out swimsuit, and her online community was quick to commend the natural appearance of the photos. One fan said, “Let’s take a moment to appreciate how normal these pictures look,” while another praised Blake for not promoting unhealthy or speedy weight loss methods to shed her baby weight.
By choosing to share unedited photos, Blake sends a positive message of self-love and body acceptance to her fans. She inspires them to embrace their natural beauty rather than striving for the unrealistic and often unattainable standards set by the media.
The couple had some special guests on their getaway.
During their vacation, Blake and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, were joined by their mothers, Elaine Lively and Tammy Reynolds, and they all posed for a group selfie on a sandy beach.
Ryan never misses an opportunity to pay tribute to the women in his life, adding his own hilarious twist to it. For Mother’s Day, he said, “I salute these three incredible mothers for their wisdom, strength and ability to forever appear as though they’re standing at the doorway to their own surprise birthday party.”
When celebrities share pictures online, every detail gets closely examined.
Living life in the spotlight means that every detail in your public photos is subject to scrutiny, and Blake Lively is no exception. In a mirror selfie that the actress shared, one fan spotted a tiny pill bottle on a shelf and asked in the comments, “What pills are those? Do share.”
Blake’s response of “😂 Strep throat. So fun,” came as a surprise to her followers, and one lucky fan couldn’t believe that they received a reply from “THE Blake Lively.” Another follower even humorously suggested that the fortunate follower should purchase a lottery ticket. Once again, this exchange proves that Blake is down-to-earth and has a great sense of humor, even when dealing with an annoying illness like strep throat.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are a beloved Hollywood couple, cherished by fans for various compelling reasons. Their authenticity and down-to-earth nature shine through in their interactions, frequently bringing laughter to those who follow their journey.
Preview photo credit blakelively / Instagram
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