Data Mining and Edward Snowden

Many, of course, will doubt the power of data mining, geolocation and other cyber techniques to resolve ambiguities.  One would have thought, however, that Edwards Snowden the (in)famous NSA leaker would not be unaware of the power of distributed network analytics.  Yet it seems he is.  According to this report analysis of Snowden's Guardian video interview says he is (or was) at the Mira hotel in Hong Kong.  As the writer, Kerry Patton notes:

After seeing pictures of Edward Snowden, via his recent Guardian interview, it has been concluded that only one hotel in all of Hong Kong maintains a specific décor resembling that found in his recent interview pictures.  That hotel is the Mira Hotel in Hong Kong.

Unless, of course, Snowden is actually smarter than that and the Mira Hotel background is a phony ... but for now, I recommend all the media looking for him (and the Hong Kong police?) check out the Mira.  Even if he is gone or its a red herring, its a good starting place ....