Tracking the tracker

With Snowden, the federal government's current policy of hiring temporary contractors whenever possible essentially backfired.  According to an article at Bloomberg Businessweek, "Snowden's Access to NSA's Deepest Secrets Disputed."  Quoting from the article --

Snowden, who leaked a PowerPoint deck on the NSA’s secret Prism spying program and a trove of other classified information that he stole from the agency, has depicted himself as a highly skilled mole who exposed the NSA’s deepest secrets to the world. News coverage of the leaks has helped promote this storyline. Yet current and former intelligence officials familiar with his role within the agency present a different picture—one of a 30-year-old outsider with a talent for self-promotion, whose junior position kept him at a distance from the NSA’s most sensitive spy operations.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the fun editorial cartoonists are having with Snowden's current situation: he was last seen 'hiding out' at the Moscow airport.

From Jeremy Nell at Cagle, "Where's Snowden:"
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Jeremy Nell, cagle.com

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From Chip Bok, also at Cagle, "Snowden in Moscow:"
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Chip Bok, cagle.com

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From Christopher Weyant at politicalhumor.about.com, "NSA Like Me:"
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Christopher Weyant, politicalhumor.about.com

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From Scott Stantis at the Chicago Tribune, "With 'Friends' Like These:"
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Scott Stantis, Chicago Tribune

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And my personal favorite, from Walt Handelsman at USNews:
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Walt Handelsman, US News (July 19, 2013)

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According to Huffington Post, 38% of those polled at first said Snowden did the right thing, and later said it was wrong (not necessarily the same people, just the same percentage).

-- Marge

Ides of March in history and cartoons

Today being the Ides of March, here's some history from the History Orb and a few cartoons (the 5th of March has funnier cartoons at TheWeek; why it that?).

Yesterday a new Pope, who will be known as Pope Francis, was elected.  Here's Daryl Cagle's image of  "His Argentinean Holiness:"

David Horsey may or may not have actually taken a survey of gun owners, but he makes an interesting point in "Weapon Hoarders."

The remainder of my selection for today is, of course, about the budget/sequester.

Eric Allie, who currently draws Prickly City, "Financial Relapse:"

Jack Ohman, "Crying Wolf:"

Christopher Weyant, "The Rainbow's End:"

Stay healthy.

-- Marge