No, it's a failed character assassination attempt. It backfires, and proves just how stupid 20 odd NSA employees can be. The goal was obviously to try to taint Snowden to show that he "broke the law" to get the data he later released. What it ends up showing is how readily alleged "security officials" are willing to hand anyone the keys to the operation.

I'm sure Snowden is no saint, however his agenda was to either confirm what he suspected and/or let the "cat out of the bag" about flagrant abuse of power by government. Even if his method was wrong, it does not make governments' behavior any less wrong. And the fact that government is trying to use its power and influence to minimize, trivialize, ignore or otherwise deflect attention from the revelations (with NO intention to change their behavior) is far, far worse than Snowden asking someone for their password who should have known better than to give it to him in the first place.

"will reportedly join the private sector"

Is that what unemployed people are called nowadays? No wonder reported unemployment is so low, contrary to all observable evidence. Certainly he won't be going into a "job" straight away - who in their right mind will hire him?

I ride a bike, and I do not blow lights or stop signs, and certainly do stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. I do not ride on sidewalks or in food crossings. I happen to have a license. As for being "entitled" to being treated like a car, that's a matter of law in most states. And bike lanes that do not "meld" with other traffic -- I'm not sure what you mean, but it seems to me likely to be a matter of traffic engineering and traffic law enforcement.

And smugness? You may not like it, but it sure beats indifference to the problems you create. The world would be a better place if more people commuted by bike, but I don't insist everyone do it. Nor is that the reason I insist on being treated with the rights granted to me under the law. If you don't like smugness, how about the smugness of people who think that *everyone* should drive, and that the public roadways are there for their own benefit alone? Doesn't that strike you as arrogant?

Of course not. People never see the log in their own eye.

Storing only hashed, salted passwords has only been common practice since 1970s Unix.