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ProSense

(116,464 posts) Fri Jun 14, 2013, 07:54 PM Jun 2013

While working for spies, Snowden was secretly prolific online

While working for spies, Snowden was secretly prolific online

By John Shiffman, Mark Hosenball and Kristina Cooke

<...>

An avid gamer, he posted on the ethics of video game piracy in 2003: "I feel the mega corporation is promoting hyper-materialism and I don't like that. That means I want to punish the company in any way I can."

"Legality does not factor into this, getting away with it (OMG dispensing justice LOL!) in order to do it again does," Snowden added. "If my actions contribute to driving the corporation I view as "evil" into the ground, I'll sleep easier at night knowing I have (in my mind) done society a service."

On Ars Technica, Snowden gave more advice than he sought. To others hoping to land U.S. government jobs, he bemoaned high living costs and commuting hassles in Washington.

"My life is great except for the fact that while I'm making twice the average income, I could not afford a house in my zip code without robbing a bank," he wrote in 2006.

- more -

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/14/us-usa-security-snowden-online-idUSBRE95D02320130614

Snowden Is Using 'Specific' Evidence of the U.S. Hacking China to Stay Out of Jail
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023015740

13 replies

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Highlight:

While working for spies, Snowden was secretly prolific online (Original Post) ProSense Jun 2013 OP

2003? Really? NoOneMan Jun 2013 #1

Were you ProSense Jun 2013 #2

At one point, yeah, but I grew out of that NoOneMan Jun 2013 #5

"He should of just robbed banks. Its more honest work than with CIA/NSA" ProSense Jun 2013 #9

Perfect match then for the CIA NoOneMan Jun 2013 #10

And this means what? He is online like we are? He doesn't like commuting? neverforget Jun 2013 #3

It means ProSense Jun 2013 #4

ok neverforget Jun 2013 #6

That was ProSense Jun 2013 #7

Hey, even Bob Dylan saw a little of himself in Lee Harvey Oswald NoOneMan Jun 2013 #8

No. Snowden would never be me. aquart Jun 2013 #11

Yeah, if I was a spook I'd be a little more Jason Bourneish, except better with the ladies NoOneMan Jun 2013 #12

Sounds like a bright kid with good intentions BeyondGeography Jun 2013 #13

NoOneMan

(4,795 posts)

1. 2003? Really?

Reply to ProSense (Original post)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 07:57 PM

Jun 2013

Seriously? 2003? That's actually pretty mild compared to some of the shit I spouted back before then about piracy

I wonder if he ever pulled little suzie's hair.

ProSense

(116,464 posts)

2. Were you

Reply to NoOneMan (Reply #1)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:04 PM

Jun 2013

"Seriously? 2003? That's actually pretty mild compared to some of the shit I spouted back before then about piracy"

...aspiring to work for the CIA and NSA? Oh, there is some more up-to-date information in the article, but the OP snip stood out for the complaint about not making enough to "afford a house" and the advise to others on how to get a government job.

More from the article.

According to the sources, Snowden told employers he took computer classes at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, earned a certificate from the University of Maryland's campus in Tokyo, and expected in 2013 to earn a master's degree in computer security from the University of Liverpool in England.

A Johns Hopkins spokeswoman said she could not find a record of Snowden's attendance but he may have taken correspondence courses for which records are not kept. A Maryland official confirmed Snowden attended at least one summer class. A Liverpool spokeswoman said Snowden registered for an online master's degree in computer security in 2011, but did not complete it.

NoOneMan

(4,795 posts)

5. At one point, yeah, but I grew out of that

Reply to ProSense (Reply #2)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:17 PM

Jun 2013

Yeah, affording a home where you work when young is a drag. He should of just robbed banks. Its more honest work than with CIA/NSA

You didn't answer the question. What did he do to little suzie's hair?

ProSense

(116,464 posts)

9. "He should of just robbed banks. Its more honest work than with CIA/NSA"

Reply to NoOneMan (Reply #5)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:21 PM

Jun 2013

Based on what is known, he's not "honest."

NoOneMan

(4,795 posts)

10. Perfect match then for the CIA

Reply to ProSense (Reply #9)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:27 PM

Jun 2013

Frankly, his young fight-the-system piracy urges and bank-rob-for-social-mobility remarks reveal a young idealist whose heart must of died when the system employed and swallowed him. Truly a social tragedy, but at the heart of the issue is again the ubiquitous, oppressive institutions that crushed him. The way you are narrating this, he is truly heroic for breaking those tyrannical bonds in one last final act of rebellion against the evils running this empire.

neverforget

(9,436 posts)

3. And this means what? He is online like we are? He doesn't like commuting?

Reply to ProSense (Original post)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:12 PM

Jun 2013

ProSense

(116,464 posts)

4. It means

Reply to neverforget (Reply #3)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:14 PM

Jun 2013

"And this means what? He is online like we are? He doesn't like commuting?"

...that we're all Edward Snowden. In fact, we all leaked classified information and fled to Hong Kong.

neverforget

(9,436 posts)

6. ok

Reply to ProSense (Reply #4)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:18 PM

Jun 2013

ProSense

(116,464 posts)

7. That was

Reply to neverforget (Reply #6)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:19 PM

Jun 2013

"He is online like we are? He doesn't like commuting?"

...my reaction to this.

NoOneMan

(4,795 posts)

8. Hey, even Bob Dylan saw a little of himself in Lee Harvey Oswald

Reply to ProSense (Reply #4)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:19 PM

Jun 2013

So maybe you are right. Edward Snowden is Every Man.

We are all Robert Paulson

aquart

(69,014 posts)

11. No. Snowden would never be me.

Reply to NoOneMan (Reply #8)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:43 PM

Jun 2013

Really dislike him when he talks. I just know he's thinking about movie rights.

NoOneMan

(4,795 posts)

12. Yeah, if I was a spook I'd be a little more Jason Bourneish, except better with the ladies

Reply to aquart (Reply #11)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 08:50 PM

Jun 2013

"Beer, please. Stirred, not shaken!"

But hell, we all can't pick and choose our strengths. Its about whats going on in his core, and as Prosense seemed to describe, he is a man with a noble heart like our own, fighting against an intrusive system. I couldn't even have put it so heroically. Until this thread, I was a little ambivalent about this whole thing. Who says discussion boards can't change minds?

BeyondGeography

(39,377 posts)

13. Sounds like a bright kid with good intentions

Reply to ProSense (Original post)

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 09:24 PM

Jun 2013

And now he has completely fucked himself. It's a waste.

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