I apologize if this comes across as an "ass kissing" response. I have been keeping myself out of the comments because I wanted to see if Mr. Snowden was going to find his voice as a journalist. I think it takes some time to become a good writer and it is an industry that is constantly evolving and requires an open mind to accept the changes that are always occurring. Take it from an ex-journalist who did not learn these lessons in his 20s;) Let me just say that this is the best 50 bucks I have spent (Except maybe on Glenn Greenwald who is also a wonderful journalist) on Substack. Thank you again. Your two part series on propaganda was amazing. Keep up the amazing content and know that despite the corrupt and evil two party system that has engulfed and controlled the politics in this country for too long and led you to become a Russian citizen, you will always have the support of the real liberals, right wing Constitutionalists and the libertarians.
Hi Edward. I really like how honest you are with admitting your own ignorance and mistakes in the past, and how you describe the differences between your analysis of the situation from back then and how you analyse it now, and how you have been influenced and your honest admission to it. It is very interesting to read, it is not often I come across a person who observes and analyses things including the way they themselves think, the way that you do. Thank you for interesting read and keep it up. Marianne.
Be kind and compassionate to your 20 year old self. You responded to the world with what you believed to be truths. Your actions then, and your actions of late, reflect a heart that loves and is protective of the influence of tyranny. We all regret being fooled. A gift is being able to analyze information as it unfolds, self reflect, and take action according to our values. You are a gift.
My recollection is different. Different country. I was struck by:
😔 What sane person thinks you can fight "terror"?
😔 Why on earth wasn't there a more talk of, and response to, the great candle-lit vigil of support in Tehran's Madar Square?
😔 A time for civilised people, of all nations, to unite against the barbarian?
The opportunity was squandered in so many parts of the world. Mankind has gone down a darker road, including a rise of surveillance both government and commercial, and unthinking cyber attacks that have forced others to retaliate in kind.
While mankind is so dumb we don't have a better future, only a worse.
I can't say enough about this superb radio documentary series from WNYC in New York. It is an in-depth, riveting, expertly produced, ten-part radio documentary podcast that details the extensive back-story of 9/11. A fantastic achievement worth listening to. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/blindspot/articles/bullet
Such a revealing book. It shows the soul of one of the most honourable man alive. Thanks for existing and for sharing your precious insightful thoughts with us.
To me, 9/11 was our Chernobyl - that moment we, and the rest of the world, understood we no longer knew what we were doing.
Starting on 9/12, we sent I’ll equipped workers directly into the reactor, just as the Soviets did.
I don’t know what happens from here, though the fact we have our own tragic Afghanistan withdrawal does amuse me, but I’m reminded that in spite of what happened in Chernobyl life eventually came back.
Green grass and blue skies will return. We only must endure.
Thanks for writing this. I have a lot of things I’d like to share but never seem to be able to put them down very well. I like it when someone can tap into a thought or story and write it the way you do. I wouldn’t worry so much about dumbing anything down or changing your words though. Some things require more research to understand and if it is your words that confuse people, at least you set them on a path to start researching those lol. Besides, I think you wouldn’t be as interesting if you did change.
good closing line.. yes indeed the internal will manifest externally as many discussions will wake people up to the lies we have accepted as truth. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz we are slowly pulling back the curtains on what really happened. I still find it hard to fathom how many people believe that one fire, way up in a high rise can drop a building, just like the demolation in minutes. No wonder they can stage a plannedmenic so easily, now that homeland security is in place. Freedom is a word that will soon vanish if we dont wake ourselves up.
Out of curiosity where does the money from the books go now? Last I heard the gov't was stealing all income from the book. I don't mind spending money to support you personally but as a matter of principle I'd rather pirate the book and send money to you directly than help fund the criminals in government.
You never let me down ES. We sure could use you here right now. We are becoming positively post American and if something doesn’t give soon I fear for our freedoms and liberties in very short order. Trump should have pardoned you, I’m sure Mitch and the rest of the pussies on “my side” threatened to convict on the impeachment. He should have done it anyway as he above all else know how brave you were to do what you did. As always, say safe Ed. Thoughts and prayers man.
After discovering the first 9/11 (the Chile coup) was indeed manufactured by the CIA years later than I should have, and in fact having vigorously denied those events for over a decade, the first thing I said when watching the replay of the planes crashing into the WTC was, "Bush did it!".
For those who want to argue that Bush wasn't smart enough to pull it off, of course you are right, but that hardly makes the fact that it was an inside job any less palatable. Haven't we just watched Obama, Trump, and now Biden play the role of useful idiot as the military-industrial complex destroys the American Dream? Or have we always been in this nightmare.
Here's a question right out of the blue, Ed - what are your thoughts on the recent Google Analytics rollout in Google Calendars? This new feature allows calendar administrators to see how frequently people meet, with whom, and when. Do you think that this feature helps with overall employee and student accountability, or do you think it's more on the side of the admins and the data sales team?
9/12
I apologize if this comes across as an "ass kissing" response. I have been keeping myself out of the comments because I wanted to see if Mr. Snowden was going to find his voice as a journalist. I think it takes some time to become a good writer and it is an industry that is constantly evolving and requires an open mind to accept the changes that are always occurring. Take it from an ex-journalist who did not learn these lessons in his 20s;) Let me just say that this is the best 50 bucks I have spent (Except maybe on Glenn Greenwald who is also a wonderful journalist) on Substack. Thank you again. Your two part series on propaganda was amazing. Keep up the amazing content and know that despite the corrupt and evil two party system that has engulfed and controlled the politics in this country for too long and led you to become a Russian citizen, you will always have the support of the real liberals, right wing Constitutionalists and the libertarians.
Hi Edward. I really like how honest you are with admitting your own ignorance and mistakes in the past, and how you describe the differences between your analysis of the situation from back then and how you analyse it now, and how you have been influenced and your honest admission to it. It is very interesting to read, it is not often I come across a person who observes and analyses things including the way they themselves think, the way that you do. Thank you for interesting read and keep it up. Marianne.
It's very sad to read. Written so soulfully. Sincerely yours, thank you, Ed.
Be kind and compassionate to your 20 year old self. You responded to the world with what you believed to be truths. Your actions then, and your actions of late, reflect a heart that loves and is protective of the influence of tyranny. We all regret being fooled. A gift is being able to analyze information as it unfolds, self reflect, and take action according to our values. You are a gift.
My recollection is different. Different country. I was struck by:
😔 What sane person thinks you can fight "terror"?
😔 Why on earth wasn't there a more talk of, and response to, the great candle-lit vigil of support in Tehran's Madar Square?
😔 A time for civilised people, of all nations, to unite against the barbarian?
The opportunity was squandered in so many parts of the world. Mankind has gone down a darker road, including a rise of surveillance both government and commercial, and unthinking cyber attacks that have forced others to retaliate in kind.
While mankind is so dumb we don't have a better future, only a worse.
We can do better. How?
I can't say enough about this superb radio documentary series from WNYC in New York. It is an in-depth, riveting, expertly produced, ten-part radio documentary podcast that details the extensive back-story of 9/11. A fantastic achievement worth listening to. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/blindspot/articles/bullet
Thank you for sharing this reflection. It is so meaningful to me
You could not have picked a better time to write this , so relevant.
Such a revealing book. It shows the soul of one of the most honourable man alive. Thanks for existing and for sharing your precious insightful thoughts with us.
To me, 9/11 was our Chernobyl - that moment we, and the rest of the world, understood we no longer knew what we were doing.
Starting on 9/12, we sent I’ll equipped workers directly into the reactor, just as the Soviets did.
I don’t know what happens from here, though the fact we have our own tragic Afghanistan withdrawal does amuse me, but I’m reminded that in spite of what happened in Chernobyl life eventually came back.
Green grass and blue skies will return. We only must endure.
Thanks for writing this. I have a lot of things I’d like to share but never seem to be able to put them down very well. I like it when someone can tap into a thought or story and write it the way you do. I wouldn’t worry so much about dumbing anything down or changing your words though. Some things require more research to understand and if it is your words that confuse people, at least you set them on a path to start researching those lol. Besides, I think you wouldn’t be as interesting if you did change.
good closing line.. yes indeed the internal will manifest externally as many discussions will wake people up to the lies we have accepted as truth. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz we are slowly pulling back the curtains on what really happened. I still find it hard to fathom how many people believe that one fire, way up in a high rise can drop a building, just like the demolation in minutes. No wonder they can stage a plannedmenic so easily, now that homeland security is in place. Freedom is a word that will soon vanish if we dont wake ourselves up.
Out of curiosity where does the money from the books go now? Last I heard the gov't was stealing all income from the book. I don't mind spending money to support you personally but as a matter of principle I'd rather pirate the book and send money to you directly than help fund the criminals in government.
You never let me down ES. We sure could use you here right now. We are becoming positively post American and if something doesn’t give soon I fear for our freedoms and liberties in very short order. Trump should have pardoned you, I’m sure Mitch and the rest of the pussies on “my side” threatened to convict on the impeachment. He should have done it anyway as he above all else know how brave you were to do what you did. As always, say safe Ed. Thoughts and prayers man.
After discovering the first 9/11 (the Chile coup) was indeed manufactured by the CIA years later than I should have, and in fact having vigorously denied those events for over a decade, the first thing I said when watching the replay of the planes crashing into the WTC was, "Bush did it!".
For those who want to argue that Bush wasn't smart enough to pull it off, of course you are right, but that hardly makes the fact that it was an inside job any less palatable. Haven't we just watched Obama, Trump, and now Biden play the role of useful idiot as the military-industrial complex destroys the American Dream? Or have we always been in this nightmare.
Here's a question right out of the blue, Ed - what are your thoughts on the recent Google Analytics rollout in Google Calendars? This new feature allows calendar administrators to see how frequently people meet, with whom, and when. Do you think that this feature helps with overall employee and student accountability, or do you think it's more on the side of the admins and the data sales team?