After reading numerous articles and reports about Mr. Snowden, I must admit to becoming very, very angry; mostly because now; I am aware that anything I post here on this blog, or any other blog is recorded. . .   .    Well . . .   as a computer technician, and electronics technician, I must admit that I knew all along that the gov't was doing some monitoring of communications. That has been going on for years, many years. As a citizen of this country, I am part of the "we" I speak of shortly.

So how do we view Mr. Snowden? A traitor? A hero? Perhaps he is neither.

But consider this: If I say he is a hero here on this blog, I am taking a big chance. If I say he is a traitor, I am taking a big chance. Once my communication and statements are recorded, anyone with enough power can get access to them, either way someone will not like what I have to say, and if they have lots of guns and lots of power I am basically screwed. This is now true for anyone and everyone who uses any kind of electronic communication. So this is really a "catch-22" situation. Damned if we do, and damned if we don't.

We have gotten ourselves into a terrible situation. My guess is that the only way out will be very, very painful. Are you a veteran? Did you give 6 years, or more, of your life for this?

The more we deceive and the more we lie, the worse it gets.

Probably two of Benjamin Franklin's quotes sum up the situation quite well:

Benjamin Franklin quote: "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." (What are the chances that you will be blown up by a "terrorist"?
high enough to make you approve of total gov't monitoring? Maybe. . .   I don't know - it is a very dangerous world now.)

Benjamin Franklin quote: "Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants."  (the multi-billion dollar data mining and storage facility somewhere in Utah - lots of investment and returns there.)

Now I've really done it, both conservatives, and liberals will be mad at me. Too bad. I am not screaming fire in a crowded theater, so deal with it.