...
Also using the centralized (VPN, mixer, tumbler, laundry) identifies you as someone that deserves extra monitoring by the authorities.
...
NSA views encryption as evidence of suspicion and will target those who use it:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=511198.0That's why everybody should use encryption by default. Its years I'm using the Tor Browser Bundle for +50% of my browsing, basically for everything that is not linked with my real identity (banking stuff and such), and also for my QT instances, Bitmessage, IRC and so on. I also use PGP to sign (and sometimes to also encrypt) important work communications. I may be putting a red target on my back, but I confess I'm not worried about it. If they decide to look into me they will just lose their time as I'm not doing anything illegal, for me end to end encryption and onion routing for standard browsing are just healthy safety procedures that everybody should use. If I'd be doing something illegal, which I'm not, I would use Tor/encryption in a very different way: firstly and foremost I would have a dedicated machine in which I would run throwaway VM instances connecting through chained VPNs with very strict firewall rules, with Tor at the very end of such chain - and I would obviously never connect for such activities from any network used also for my non-illegal activity. I'd say that is just common sense - and wildly offtopic: the OP is about using easy procedures to avoid being an easy target for script kiddies and/or meatspace criminals targeting "bitcoin users" as a whole.