For the past month or so, Edward Snowden had become a household name. Most people I met had an opinion about him and his revelations. They shared theirs and demanded mine. There was a problem, I didn't have one.
The first time, I suppose, I heard about the National Security Agency (NSA) was in 2003 or so when I read Dan Brown's years old novel - Digital Fortress. The plot, which I vaguely remember, involved a renegade ex-employee of the NSA, ironically. I personally feel, not before a friend pointed it to me, that Michael Chricton was a better researcher than Dan Brown, not to mention the plagiarism charges against the latter, I take it that this news was an open secret atleast since 1998 when the book was first published. So I was sure that it was entirely possible to be snooped upon by one agency or the other and given the age we were living in, I was quite sure it was happening.
However, the whole episode had 'exposed' many other things that 'surprised' me.
To start with President Obama of the United States of America. Though personally I like the Republicans more than Democrats, Obama was hard to be dismissed. He won with his oratory skills - emphasizing on Hope and Change and his famous - 'Yes, we scan' slogan. He seemed to be a person of his word and his promise on transparency did intrigue me. But now he has proved he is just another actor in the World's stage after he authorized the witch-hunt for Snowden.
Another person who I admire for his nationalism and resolve is President Vladimir Putin of theUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics Russian Federation. He had openly challenged the United States of America in many issues and called for a multipolar world. If there was someone who was expected to stand cold like the Russian Winter on the face of American diplomatic heat it was Putin. However, his recent statements that Snowden should stand down and stop embarrassing his 'partners' to gain asylum in Russia was a surprise of sorts.
Ecuador's earlier rhetoric and support for Edward Snowden and its sudden u-turn attributed to Julian Assange's statements suggesting that he was running the show rather than the Ecuadorean Government came in at a distant third in the surprises race.
Edward Snowden is like Steve Jobs, a prophet or messiah to a small or large crowd but to me he comes across as someone who took something old, polished it, smoothened some rough edges (rounded corners patent?!), gave a fancy name (PRISM?! How about iSnitch?!) and marketed it and became famous.
The first time, I suppose, I heard about the National Security Agency (NSA) was in 2003 or so when I read Dan Brown's years old novel - Digital Fortress. The plot, which I vaguely remember, involved a renegade ex-employee of the NSA, ironically. I personally feel, not before a friend pointed it to me, that Michael Chricton was a better researcher than Dan Brown, not to mention the plagiarism charges against the latter, I take it that this news was an open secret atleast since 1998 when the book was first published. So I was sure that it was entirely possible to be snooped upon by one agency or the other and given the age we were living in, I was quite sure it was happening.
However, the whole episode had 'exposed' many other things that 'surprised' me.
To start with President Obama of the United States of America. Though personally I like the Republicans more than Democrats, Obama was hard to be dismissed. He won with his oratory skills - emphasizing on Hope and Change and his famous - 'Yes, we Another person who I admire for his nationalism and resolve is President Vladimir Putin of the
Ecuador's earlier rhetoric and support for Edward Snowden and its sudden u-turn attributed to Julian Assange's statements suggesting that he was running the show rather than the Ecuadorean Government came in at a distant third in the surprises race.
Edward Snowden is like Steve Jobs, a prophet or messiah to a small or large crowd but to me he comes across as someone who took something old, polished it, smoothened some rough edges (rounded corners patent?!), gave a fancy name (PRISM?! How about iSnitch?!) and marketed it and became famous.
