Why bother? you cannot dismiss the hardware in the middle that GENERATES the audio... if your integrated hardware is poor -- your quality receiver amplifies poor quality audio.

20 years and I can still recall that annoying screech followed a moment later by an instant hit from those vulcan-carring robots.

There is no creationism in government public schools in Israel (hasidic schools are a different matter). Biblical stories are taught in bible studies and nowhere else.
However... In 18 years of basic and high school (in my day at school ... 20+ years ago) I did not hear a whisper of evolutionary biology as well. All I know about it is self taught.

In 10 years no one tried to break into my house by forcing the door open -- I see no need to lock it now.

At any given time there are floods, fires, murders and any possible crime happening somewhere in the world. People, however are designed to react to what's happening in their community -- in their immediate environment.
Having every horror happening, nationwide, shoved down your throat 24X7 is equivalent to poisoning yourself.

Are there no gas leaks whatsoever when drilling for oil??

Not the same thing at all. Having a HUD at the pilot sit -- used by a tiny minority in a highly specific and specialized location -- and giving to the general public to be used however they want, are worlds apart in their impact on everyday life.

So, instead of a single password I'll need to answer a questioner every time I want to login?? And, of course, they company is happy to save me the trouble and storage space and will gladly store all my activities on their servers. No thanks.

Don't let the fact that the ever blood-hungry, ambulance-chasing media moved on to newer stories fool you.
Snowden himself might be forgotten (if he's lucky) but until now there weren't visible economical effects of the state/world-wide blanket surveillance, such things need time to take in and respond to. When decision makers start to come up with real solutions (not just hot air in front of the cameras) and when non-American companies will come up with viable alternative services, the big-data USA-based companies are going to loose a lot of business.
When that happens there will be changes.

There isn't any copy-right protection (aside from constant network connection) that hasn't been worked around already. Why would people 25 years from now have difficulties with today's protection?

Cars are getting smarter. People are not.

It is very much true for any kind of technical innovation, not only weapons.
An entrepreneur, who thinks of a new idea and rushes to set up a startup company, doesn't stop to think on the full implications of uses for his future product.
In most cases, I would think, engineers are very much not the kind of people who philosophize on the merits and dangers of technology... They're much to busy solving technical problems.

It all depends on your breadth and length of view.
Over the past months and the near future, Snowden is definitely causing USA damage.
In the long run though, he just might help to make the world a better place... and at a huge personal sacrifice no less. In my book that's the definition of a hero!

... Proper disclosure: I'm not an American.

It's a sad day indeed when you're judged by you're social skills when applying to a tech job.
I know, companies love their own creation and think it's the most awesome tool and anyone who is worth anything at all must be using it already or he/she were worthless in the first place. Anyone who doesn't think like they do simply hasn't seen the light yet or is beneath their notice.
When I want to get in touch with friends I pick up the phone and/or go out with them for a beer.

Fuck all this networking shit.

Fluff, fantasies and hot air, that's how I see these kind of evaluations.
How do you "evaluate" a brand's worth? can I approach Apple with 98.4 billion dollars and buy all rights to their Brand? Do these values mean anything?
I mean besides allowing market specialists to clock more work hours and another opportunity for CEOs and shareholders to congratulate themselves.