Slashdot Mirror
US Slips Again In Freedom of the Press Ranking
npwa writes to tell us Reporters Without Borders has released their annual worldwide press freedom index. While developing nations like Haiti and Mauritania continue to gain ground developed nations like France, Japan, and the US continue their downward spiral. From the article: "The United States (53rd) has fallen nine places since last year, after being in 17th position in the first year of the Index, in 2002. Relations between the media and the Bush administration sharply deteriorated after the president used the pretext of 'national security' to regard as suspicious any journalist who questioned his 'war on terrorism.' The zeal of federal courts which, unlike those in 33 US states, refuse to recognise the media's right not to reveal its sources, even threatens journalists whose investigations have no connection at all with terrorism."
The fact that you can complain about it here like the above says we're not *that* bad yet.
Right - Much better to wait until we can't complain about it.
Suck it up, libs. Don't like it? Keep your mouth shut, since they don't even need to "produce the body" anymore to make you legally vanish forever to endure a (much shortened) lifetime of "interrogation not likely to lead to organ failure, impairment of bodily function, or even death".
And to hear people talking about this upcoming election! Well, thank Jesus for Diebold, folks.
Translated:
11. "I heard this story about an American who visited once and was rude and didn't differ to our local customs. We don't pretend to like their local customs in America, but they should pretend to like ours."
12. "Someone told me there are poor Americans. They didn't tell me that even poor Americans live relatively well compared to the worldwide average or the US historical average."
13. "I get my info from watching bad TV shows. Americans are exactly like those people on TV."
14. "America defends itself when attacked"
15. "I read too many left-wing web-sites like Slashdot and I actually believe all the anti-corporate BS from 17-year-old complainers who post there."
Well activist judges are letting murderers roam free in my country while throwing in jail those who defend themselves, so pardon me if I dismiss your idiocy with a hearty "fuck off communist scum".
Global warming is a cube.
Shall we discuss the total amount given to other countries. U.S. is at the top. One other point: Why is it that the U.S. has a problem with too many trying to immigrate? If you live here, you have a better chance of success. If you live elsewhere you have less. The only people who complain are those who have less and don't want to work hard enough to have more or aren't smart enough to know how to work hard. Sorry, but that is the whole truth.
Athiesm is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.
Not to detract from the importance of the issue of a free press - but I really don't understand what this has to do with "news for nerds". There are many venues of discussion in which this sort of conversation is apropos, but it's not what I envision slashdot being for.