Isn't this a sad reflection on our country?

Generally, when they talk about you in the same context as that of a handful of countries that have serious human rights issues, it's cause for concern. Nowadays, the fact that the US is talked about like this barely makes a ripple in our public discourse.

More bloggers than ever face arrest for exposing human rights abuses or criticising governments, says a report.

Since 2003, 64 people have been arrested for publishing their views on a blog, says the University of Washington annual report.

In 2007 three times as many people were arrested for blogging about political issues than in 2006, it revealed.

More than half of all the arrests since 2003 have been made in China, Egypt and Iran, said the report.

[SNIP]

The report pointed out that it is not just governments in the Middle East and East Asia that have taken steps against those publishing their opinions online. In the last four years, British, French, Canadian and American bloggers have also been arrested.

The report predicted that the number of blogger arrests in 2008 would exceed the 36 seen in 2007 thanks to greater popularity of blogging as a medium, greater enforcement of net restrictions, and elections in China, Pakistan, Iran and the US.

I think this means that speech isn't free anymore. The rule of law doesn't mean anything, so why should the idea of being able to speak freely mean anything?

--WS

Rudd Ousts Howard in Australia

Australians went to the polls yesterday, and overwhelmingly voted for change. After eleven years in office, Prime Minister John Howard was sent packing, and Labor leader Kevin Rudd will form a new government.

Howard has even lost his seat in Parliament - the first Prime Minister to be so thoroughly humiliated in 78 years. He was elected to his parliamentary seat by the people of Bennelong 13 times over the last 33 years.

Mr. Rudd campaigned on promises to withdraw Australia from the war in Iraq, and to immediately sign the Kyoto treaty on Global Warming.

Does aWol have any allies left? He lost Blair last summer and he lost Howard yesterday. Neither Brown nor Rudd have the least bit of use for the little idiot - rather like just over 70% of Americans.