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Bloggers Who Risked All In Burma

Posted by kdawson on from the hats-off dept.

An anonymous reader sends us to the UK's TimesOnline for a story about dissident Burmese bloggers, who, with the Internet shut down in the country, are no longer posting live stories. Some of them are on the run and fearing for their lives. "Internet geeks share a common style, and Ko Latt and his four friends would not be out of place in cyber cafes across the world. They have the skinny arms and the long hair, the dark T-shirts and the jokey nicknames. But few such figures have ever taken the risks that they have in the past few weeks, or achieved so much in a noble and dangerous cause. Since last month Ko Latt, 28, his friends Arca, Eye, Sun and Superman, and scores of others like them have been the third pillar of Burma's Saffron Revolution."

59 of 338 comments (clear)

  1. Valuable perspective by goldspider · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Nothing for you to see here. Please move along.

    Indeed. Eerily ironic, no?

    This travesty in Burma is a good chance for all of us living in luxury to get a little much-needed perspective on what real censorship looks like.

    --
    "Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
    1. Re:Valuable perspective by Knave75 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The question is though, have the bloggers (or Burma) actually gained anything through their risky activities?

      The world has noticed the situation in Burma, but we have not actually done anything to stop the oppression.

    2. Re:Valuable perspective by geoffrobinson · · Score: 3, Interesting

      From what I hear, countries such as China are preventing sanctions. The other option is to invade.

      Except for saying "pretty please don't supress your own people."

      --
      Except for ending slavery, the Nazis, communism, & securing American independence, war has never solved anything.
    3. Re:Valuable perspective by TheLink · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "get a little much-needed perspective on what real censorship looks like."

      Yeah, and instead of going "see it's not so bad here" we should go "we better ensure this sort of thing won't happen".

      --
    4. Re:Valuable perspective by Seumas · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Actually, the way I see it is this:

      These people wouldn't be uprising if they had the NBA playoffs and Sex in the City to worry about. America is a perfect example of a society that can't be bothered with protecting our liberties and freedom against the infringing and encroaching government powers , because we're too busy worrying about whether or favorite video game will be released on time, what is happening with the girls on Sex in the City, how our teams are doing in the NBA playoffs and complaining about how "secular progressives" are ruining our precious little baby-jesusland.

    5. Re:Valuable perspective by smittyoneeach · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The interesting thing about this troll is the tension between the liberal guilt in the first paragraph and the libertarian bile in the second.
      A fine Tuesday entry, all around.

      --
      Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
    6. Re:Valuable perspective by computational+super · · Score: 3, Funny
      have the bloggers (or Burma) actually gained anything through their risky activities?

      Well, I hear their ad revenue is through the roof.

      --
      Proud neuron in the Slashdot hivemind since 2002.
    7. Re:Valuable perspective by Uzbek · · Score: 2, Insightful

      At least world heard about tyranny, massacre and injustice. And world has described it as such. On the other hand, two years ago, when similar events happened in Andijan, Uzbekistan, nobody was aware of them. Thousands of people were murdered by country's security forces and most of the world did not even hear about it. Massacre, genocide and oppression must be heard, so that brutal governments cannot do their business as if nothing ever happened. After public outcry no western public official will want to have any relationships with those murderous generals of Burma.

    8. Re:Valuable perspective by Lord+Ender · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Why do you have to separate everything in to "us" and "them?" It is our damn business because we are all humans, we all share a planet, and the long-term survival of our planet depends on us all cooperating.

      Would you make personal sacrifices to help your family? fellow countrymen? Why should people in asia be any less worthy of your help? Invisible lines and a flag? Bah.

      --
      A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
    9. Re:Valuable perspective by mrand · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Not only us vs. them, but the GP makes the sweeping statement "It is none of our business. None. We can't save everyone, so we should just stay out of it."

      Should we have said the same thing when Germany overran France in 1940? Is there any doubt that if we'd stayed out of it, Hilter would have massacred millions more, not to mention likely would have ended up with a repressive Burma-like govt ruling all of Europe?

      I'm not saying that we need to involve ourselves in every crisis - heaven knows we've made LOTS of BIG mistakes over the past 40 years. But there are situations where "giving peace a chance" has long since proven to not work. How many people have to die while we wait for peace to work? 10 years worth of people? 25 years?

            Marc

      --
      -- PGP keyID: 0x4C95994D
  2. Who put them against the wall? by Erris · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Have the usual suspects, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL and Google, been turning over information about these people? Remember this as you help put "intelligence" into the internet there at home. There is no free speech without anonymity. When push comes to shove, tyrants murder people like you and me.

    --
    DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
    1. Re:Who put them against the wall? by TapeCutter · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Have the usual suspects, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL and Google, been turning over information about these people?"

      Quoting from the first post - "This travesty in Burma is a good chance for all of us living in luxury to get a little much-needed perspective on what real censorship looks like."

      Think about that quote for a second and visualize the news reports of bloated monks floating face down in open drains. Do you really think the parinoid cult responsible for those murders sees AOL, Google, et-al, as anything but a THREAT to their cozy self isolation from the rest of the planet?

      I doubt these companies even operate in Burma let alone knowingly assist the regime, aside from any problems with sanctions there is also zero commercial/political incentive for ANY corporation to invest in a country who's absolute rulers take what they want, when they want.

      For example: They decided to cut the internet last week - it's gone the same day, do you think if those "evil" corporations were in Burma and were affected that they would get some sort of compensation for their losses? Do you think they would be given any sort of bussiness certainty in anything they did in the country?

      I agree wholeheartedly with the first post, trying to paint corporations as the enablers of this kind of "evil" does nothing but trivialize the iron-fisted oppression the people of Burma have had to deal with for at least the last 45yrs.

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
    2. Re:Who put them against the wall? by weighn · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Have the usual suspects, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL and Google, been turning over information about these people? I'm not aware of anything to suggest that this has happened. Burma wouldn't have the influence over corporate America that China does. Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald covered Burma's bloggers too. "The junta blocks almost every website that carries information about the country and bars access to email websites."

      The info will continue to get around these rudimentary efforts at censorship, but the pro-democracy movement is beginning to realise that the UN just ain't gonna show up, no matter how many are gunned down in cold blood.

      I submitted a story in March on the role of the intertubes in exposing tin-pot despots.

      Rather than OLPC, many in the third-world would benefit from the gift of a digital camera and a few dollars to outlay at the local internet cafe.

      --
      Mongrel News all the news that fits and froths
  3. Serious kudos to them by Enderandrew · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Some people talk about civil liberties while others risk their lives for them.

    Commendable, and I wish them well.

    --
    http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
    1. Re:Serious kudos to them by dolphinuser · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'd add that it's not only their livelihood (their means of support or subsistence) that is at stake here, but also their LIVES.

      Speaking out could not carry a higher cost for them.

      --
      The drops of water don't know themselves to be a river; and yet the river flows.
    2. Re:Serious kudos to them by Pudusplat · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Good distinction. I used the term when I ought to have picked something more significant; I suppose one of the side effects of living in a society where, thank god, my life itself is never at stake due to my beliefs or actions (short of murder).

      --
      "If you put butter and salt on it, it tastes like salty butter." -Terry Pratchet, on Popcorn.
  4. Exactly by geoffrobinson · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While debates go on about the balance between security and freedom, this helps put things into perspective.

    This is what real repression and censorship looks like. And there are countries standing behind Myanmar preventing economic pressure to be brought to bear.

    --
    Except for ending slavery, the Nazis, communism, & securing American independence, war has never solved anything.
    1. Re:Exactly by JonathanR · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes it does. It reminds us that the security-freedom balance is a continuum, and that any compromise of freedom should only be given for the duration of the particular security threat. The oppresive behaviour of particular governements does not provide any justification for the erosion of freedoms in unrelated geopolitical regions.

      The legal basis for restriction of freedoms should have a review period or sunset clause, in order to prevent continued escalation of governement power.

      Of course, we've always been at war with Eastasia.

    2. Re:Exactly by packeteer · · Score: 2, Interesting

      What the hell are you talking about? The difference is that with real bullets you cant tell people what happened afterwards. With rubber bullets its all going to be on a blog later.

      --
      unzip; strip; touch; finger; mount; fsck; more; yes; unmount; sleep
    3. Re:Exactly by UberHoser · · Score: 2

      I think I heard on NPR this morning that Exxon or some other big oil company has interests in Myanmar, and therefore have been "grandfathered" from the economic sanctions that the US has emposed. And that the oil revenues from this big oil company is still filling the coffers of the leaders of Myanmar. Go oil GO !

      --
      Guns are for wimps... Use a crossbow.. this way you can pin them to their chair when you go postal.
    4. Re:Exactly by mdwh2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      This is what real repression and censorship looks like.

      I don't understand this logic. Firstly, no one is claiming that things in the US or UK are worse than what's happening in Burma.

      Just because worse things are happening doesn't mean that censorship on a lesser scale is okay - it's like showing you a picture of what "real violence looks like", as I slam a fist into someone's face... We're on the same side here, there's no point trying to turn into a comparison.

      I suspect that those who disagree with censorship in the US also disagree with it in Burma, and indeed many of them may be actively opposing it.

      What's your point exactly?

  5. Free Burma == Boycott Beijing Olympics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Burma falls within China's sphere of influence. China was supposedly preaching restraint to Burma, but in the shadow of the 1989 Tianamen Massacre of China it beggars belief that they'd really do this. Only way to force China to act against Burma and North Korea is to Threaten to Boycott the Beijing Olympics.

    It'd leave egg all over the Chinese Governments Face. This is the only thing they are scared of.

    1. Re:Free Burma == Boycott Beijing Olympics by karmatic · · Score: 2, Informative
      How about we don't go deliberately pissing off a nation with enough cash reserves (1.33 trillion) to bankrupt us overnight (assuming it's a trading day - on the weekend, they would have to wait a couple days).

      Unless you like the concept of insane interest rate hikes (the wonderful thing about fiat currency is that it's worth pretty much what people think it's worth), which would be needed to attract people back to the dollar, this is a _really_ bad idea. Also, dumping currency on that scale would severely devalue the dollar, reducing the value of US debt (good for the US, bad for those who are owed money). This would greatly reduce the amount the US could borrow. Furthermore, printing money would be less effective (dollar is worth less), and doing so would just make the problem even worse.

      Let me put it this way - we're so far in debt (much of it to China) that China doesn't really have to fear a military attack, since they could quit lending to us (this would cause a fiscal crisis by itself), and dump the currency (making what little cash we have worthless, and driving up the cost of goods from everywhere else). We can't pay for Iraq and Afghanistan on our own now, how could we possibly be a threat to China with no money, no credit, and an insane cost on all imported goods?

      Don't believe this can happen?
      Asian banks are reducing their U.S. holdings, which is expected to drive the dollar further down.

      The Euro is at record highs against the US Dollar

      The Saudis aren't matching interest rates with us Why?

      "Saudi Arabia has $800bn (£400bn) in their future generation fund, and the entire region has $3,500bn under management. They face an inflationary threat and do not want to import an interest rate policy set for the recessionary conditions in the United States" ...
      "why bear the risk in these dramatically changed circumstances? We think that a fall in dollar to $1.50 against the euro is not out of the question at all by the first quarter of 2008," he said.

      "This is nothing like the situation in 1998 when the crisis was in Asia, but the US was booming. This time the US itself is the problem,"

      The Sub-Prime Market imploded, which has been very bad for US banks, like NetBank (which was just shut down by the FDIC).

      The budget defecit swelled to 117 billion dollars in August. For those keeping track, that's up 80% year over year, with spending up 30% month over month.

      Oh, and for icing on the cake - it looks like housing sales in some areas are down 46% year over year, or 25% month over month.

      So, please, we have enough problems - let's not go deliberately taunting the biggest superpower in the world (at least any more - with our 9 trillion in debt, we're not going to be the "world police" much longer.) Also, the "but our GDP grows faster than our debt" argument doesn't cut it when the GDP is shrinking, the currency is in the toilet, and we still get to pay the interest on all that debt.

    2. Re:Free Burma == Boycott Beijing Olympics by jimmux · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I have seen various groups lately (one of which I am a member) advocating a boycott of the Beijing Olympics, each for there own reasons.

      I fail to see how this would have much effect. After all, it's not like many of us actually pay to `consume' it in any way to begin with. If I never intended to buy tickets or merchandise and my only experience of the Games is via free-to-air TV, then how would my protest even be noticed?

      Perhaps these groups are suggesting that I become a star athlete so I can defiantly refuse to grace the event with my presence? Hate to point it out, but I see a flaw in that plan.

    3. Re:Free Burma == Boycott Beijing Olympics by khallow · · Score: 2, Interesting

      How about we don't go deliberately pissing off a nation with enough cash reserves (1.33 trillion) to bankrupt us overnight (assuming it's a trading day - on the weekend, they would have to wait a couple days).

      How effective will this tactic really be? Keep in mind that if China does that it'll be out more than half a year of GDP right at the start. And most of that debt is in the form of bonds to the US government. If it comes to a choice between bankruptcy and defaulting on debt to a hostile power, I'm sure the choice will be easy for the US. Also, I doubt other countries are going to be pleased by these sorts of little games. They will after all harm much more than just the US. Expect long term trade problems from this, especially if it is coupled with the seizure of foreign assets in China.

  6. Where is the media? Where are we!? by loconet · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Each day that passes I am reminded the disgusting state of our society. Thank God for the internet and its ability to deliver raw information. I turn on the TV and all I see is useless reality TV portraying the lives of rich kids and their "complex" love lives or news about Britney Spears. Mean while, stories about potentially thousands of protesters being killed go barely mentioned. Being killed for wanting the very thing the most powerful government in the world allegedly spent the last 4 years fighting for! Where is the outrage? Where is the day after day coverage the way we saw Ana Nicole Smith's death be covered? Why does our society care more about some washed up singer losing custody of her kids than thousands of peaceful anonymous demonstrators getting killed?

    --
    [alk]
    1. Re:Where is the media? Where are we!? by goldspider · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You might make yourself at least slightly aware of the issue before commenting on it.

      The whole point of this story (and others like it) is that the media has been completely cut off from these demonstrations and the violence that ensued.

      You dislike U.S. news media. That's great; here's a cookie. Try paying attention next time.

      --
      "Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
    2. Re:Where is the media? Where are we!? by loconet · · Score: 4, Insightful

      > You might make yourself at least slightly aware of the issue before commenting on it.

      Oh I paid attention, however, I don't think you have. I understand the media has been cut off, but there are other sources of information. For example, The Daily Mail reports that thousands of protesters have been allegedly killed, yet, I don't see any mention of that on mainstream media, I did see however two stories about Britney's problems tonight.

      > You dislike U.S. news media. That's great; here's a cookie. Try paying attention next time.

      I hope that's a chocolate chip cookie ;)

      --
      [alk]
    3. Re:Where is the media? Where are we!? by drgonzo59 · · Score: 2, Insightful
      You might make yourself at least slightly aware of the issue before commenting on it as well.


      That point was that when there was access to media, our media in US wasn't paying much attention. Now you are defending them. "Well, heck they shut down access, I guess they have to show news about Britney Spears, what do you expect a blank screen, sheesh!"


        The fact that the media access was shut off is enough to be news story and should trump news about American blonds being abducted in Aruba. But us Americans don't give a fuck about the world. We are happy in our little suburbs, worrying when Paris Hilton will get arrested again. We want to care about other people but we can't because "Look, they shut of the media over there in Bluma, we'll just have to switch the channel and start caring about Spears, it's all better now..."

    4. Re:Where is the media? Where are we!? by Wes+Janson · · Score: 2, Interesting

      So why isn't the media screaming bloody murder about that fact itself? The answer is obvious. If people cared, we would see attention focused on the issue, instead of being relegated to a blurb on page 12. Spice Girls concerts are considered to be more important than the lives of thousands of people living in a 3rd world shithole-that's the honest ethical viewpoint of our society.

  7. The question is... by QuantumRiff · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Could you put Your Life on the line for an idea? I like to believe that I could, but if it really came down to hitting submit, or seeing my lady, family, etc again, would I hesitate? Would I do it? God, I hope I never have to find out. I can't explain how much thinking about people dealing with this makes me want to help them. I won't insult you by saying I salute you, it is not nearly enough..

    --

    What are we going to do tonight Brain?
  8. Speaking of Slashdot memes by greenguy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Having just perused the comments on the poll, I would like to propose a deliberately-designed Slashdot meme to honor IT workers or aficionados whose work puts them in direct, physical danger. It probably wouldn't save any lives, but it might be a way to express solidarity with those whose work makes a real difference. Even symbolic gestures take on importance if despots and dictators know that the whole world really is watching.

    I don't have any ideas beyond this in mind, but if ever there was a cauldron of collaborative creativity, it's the comments on Slashdot.

    --
    What if I do the same thing, and I do get different results?
    1. Re:Speaking of Slashdot memes by TheLink · · Score: 2, Interesting

      In Repressive Burma, its not just your connection that dies.

      Anyway, most of the soldiers doing the killing are probably the usual "just following orders" type, you have to find a way to switch their mode to: "WTF am I doing, I'm being the bad guy now!".

      Given the similarity in thinking of most of these sorts, if you find the right trigger I bet they'd all switch about the same time. The big bad bosses will still have their cadre of loyalists, but their power would be greatly diminished.

      Just make sure there's a decent transition plan otherwise you'd be swapping for another bad one ;).

      --
    2. Re:Speaking of Slashdot memes by Demolition · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's rather fitting that, on the 10th anniversary of Slashdot, perhaps you've hit upon a new meme that highlights the risks that these bloggers are taking:

      In Repressive Burma, internet connection kills you.

    3. Re:Speaking of Slashdot memes by Skrynesaver · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually more careful reading of their site reveals this list The Dirty list of companies that trade with Burma. Perhaps local action on a global scale of posters/stickers with pictures of dead monks attached to their advertising/products would be something we could do to put pressure on the Junta from outside

      --
      "Linux is for noobs"-The new MS fud strategy
  9. Exactly. by khasim · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Oppose the censorship that is inflicted upon us NOW so we will not have to face a situation similar to their's TOMORROW.

    Bitch loudly and fight for even the smallest of your Freedoms because there ARE people who want to take them away from you.

    1. Re:Exactly. by ScentCone · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Oppose the censorship that is inflicted upon us NOW

      Which censorship is that, exactly, anyway? You certainly seem able to say whatever you'd like here, without fear of political actions being taken against you. Now, certainly there are plenty of university professors that don't want to hear certain perspectives in their classrooms (or have to grade papers expressing them), and there are workplaces where some actions and attitudes simply aren't tolerated... but there is no central authority preventing you from dealing with those situations yourself (if by no other means, then by simply choosing another school or job). I don't have to listen to what you have to say, but that's not the same as censorship. And I can't call up the government and have you silenced (which WOULD be such).

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    2. Re:Exactly. by soren100 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Oppose the censorship that is inflicted upon us NOW

      Which censorship is that, exactly, anyway? You certainly seem able to say whatever you'd like here, without fear of political actions being taken against you. Now, certainly there are plenty of university professors that don't want to hear certain perspectives in their classrooms (or have to grade papers expressing them), and there are workplaces where some actions and attitudes simply aren't tolerated... but there is no central authority preventing you from dealing with those situations yourself (if by no other means, then by simply choosing another school or job). I don't have to listen to what you have to say, but that's not the same as censorship. And I can't call up the government and have you silenced (which WOULD be such).

      It's the corporate censorship where stories that harm a corporation's relationship with the government are spiked. Do you really think a multinational corporation will pay lobbyists millions of dollars to get beneficial legislation, and then jeopardize those invested millions by criticising the government? For exaample, Rupert Murdoch's NY POST refused to print any stories that were critical of the Chinese government because he had business deals pending with that same Chinese government. He wasn't about to screw that up. Was that censorship? Sure it was.

      Dan Rather got fired because he his employer wanted to suck up to the Republicans, and his story about Bush ditching his duty in the National Guard was not helping. He is suing CBS about it, and there's an interesting quote about the Internal CBS panel that reviewed Rather's story about the memo.

      As the panel called witnesses, Sumner Redstone, CEO of Viacom (CBS's owner), declared his interest in the 2004 election. "I look at the election from what's good for Viacom. I vote for what's good for Viacom. I vote, today, Viacom," he said. In fact, Viacom had a number of crucial issues before the Federal Communications Commission, including loosening media ownership rules. "I don't want to denigrate Kerry," said Redstone, "but from a Viacom standpoint, the election of a Republican administration is a better deal. Because the Republican administration has stood for many things we believe in, deregulation and so on. The Democrats are not bad people ... But from a Viacom standpoint, we believe the election of a Republican administration is better for our company."

      So Rather is looking to have his day in court, because the memo never was proven false, and he wants to be vindicated. But the case exposes how Viacom was more interested in supporting and promoting the current government than earning money through a sensational story.

      Censorship also happens when people get tased for using their free speech. Some Americans still think you can say whatever you want here, but you can't -- the guy who tried his "free speech" rights at John Kerry's lecture found that out when he got tackled and tased for merely asking a question and speaking out of turn. He was not doing anything except standing at a microphone and speaking freely, and got tased for his troubles.

      Censorship shows up in other ways, too. You think you might have right to free speech and criticise the government, but you might then find yourself on a no-fly list (like Senator Ted Kerry experienced 5 times until he made personal call to the head of DHS and get it stopped) or on the end of other governmental harassment like political analyst Naomi Wolf, who is now on the "get-searched-every-time-you-fly list".

      For serious censorship, look at the old FBI programs like "COINTELPRO" where trying to start a new party or being anti-war would get you harassed, beaten up, vandalized -- anything to stop you from being able to make a political change. Martin Luther King was surveilled by the FBI and blackmailed in an attem

    3. Re:Exactly. by _xeno_ · · Score: 2, Informative

      So Rather is looking to have his day in court, because the memo never was proven false, and he wants to be vindicated.

      Being created in Microsoft Word using the default settings in 1972 doesn't count as proven false? Granted Times Roman was created in 1932, but you expect me to believe that the Air Force was typesetting documents with identical kerning to Times New Roman as printed by Windows XP and using identical default paper sizes and margins as Microsoft Word 2003? I mean, come on, the words wrap at the exact place that Microsoft Word wraps them.

      The best you can hope to argue is that the contents are correct and they were retyped, but that doesn't explain the signatures and it most definitely doesn't explain why they read "1972" and not "72" like all other military documents from the time. Or, honestly, all other documents from the time. The whole "four digit year" thing only really started when the Y2K panic started.

      Ignore the documents. The story may be true, but those documents do not prove it and serve only to prove that Rather has no journalistic integrity. Rather being fired over that does not prove your point, it only proves that CBS fired a journalist who didn't bother doing even the simplest of fact checking to discover that Microsoft didn't even exist in 1972 and that Word wasn't released until 1983 and that Times New Roman wasn't included until 1992 with Windows 3.1.

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
    4. Re:Exactly. by huckamania · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "So Rather is looking to have his day in court, because the memo never was proven false"

      That's a bad way to run a news room. The onus is on Rather and Mapes to prove that the memo is real. Instead of doing that, they hid their source and ran the story any way. What is most telling, is that their source had plenty of other 'documents' that they didn't use. That is pretty damning, in and of itself.

      "Rupert Murdoch's NY POST refused to print any stories that were critical of the Chinese government because he had business deals pending with that same Chinese government....Was that censorship? Sure it was."

      If the NY POST was a government run newspaper, you might have a point. However, there are plenty of newspapers that do run stories critical of the Chinese. There are plenty of newspapers where any story that is embarrasing to the Democrats is front page news. Those same papers bury stories that cast the Republicans in a negative light. Is that censorship? No, because plenty of papers do the reverse.

      Has there been US government sponsored censorship in the past? Certainly, but no worse than any other country that has ever existed. Is there censorship going on now in the US? I don't see how it could be, with a 24 hour news cycle and the web.

      Doesn't seem to have stopped Naomi Wolf from criticizing the US, or the Dixie Chicks, or Sean Penn, or anybody. Even that kid that got tazed for being an idiot had a video up in a few hours. First he was told to ask a question, then he was told to put the mike down, then he resisted arrest and then he was tazed. Sorry, that is not censorship. If anything, he was preventing others from asking questions, which is censorship.

    5. Re:Exactly. by smittyoneeach · · Score: 2, Funny

      Ah, but Bush didn't give you enough courage to run against Cthillary, Mr. Gingrich?

      --
      Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
    6. Re:Exactly. by wytcld · · Score: 2, Informative

      but you expect me to believe that the Air Force was typesetting documents with identical kerning to Times New Roman as printed by Windows XP and using identical default paper sizes and margins as Microsoft Word 2003?
      Yes. There was an IBM typewriter out at the date claimed for the documents that did just that. The default paper sizes and margins have been the default for American typewritten documents for many decades. Microsoft's Times Roman font was copied from the version used by IBM. The whole point was for Microsoft to prove its output could match that of the best typewriters. Microsoft has always cloned its competition so far as it could.

      The whole "four digit year" thing only really started when the Y2K panic started.
      I had a job as a "clerk typist" in a government office in the mid-70s, between college and my real career, and we always typed the full year, e.g. "1972." The four digit year "thing" as you call it was universal in formal correspondence since ... well, really, forever.
      --
      "with their freedom lost all virtue lose" - Milton
    7. Re:Exactly. by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I've gotta cry foul here. The taser boy had a chance to stand up and say his piece. Now, maybe we disagree on this, but from every video I've seen, he basically seems to be reciting a line, and although he does ask two questions, at no point does he pause to wait for any answers. After about two minutes of this, somebody signals the police to take the mic from him, he starts fighting, and from there it escalates. Try again. The guy asked two rhetorical questions in order to lay the basis for his third question, which he did ask before they turned his mic off. Kerry even said something to the effect that he would answer the questions which (a) we've never heard and (b) should have been a signal to the "campus cops" (who are fully deputized police officers BTW) to back off.

      Furthermore, it was a political rally - since when is asking a long-winded question cause to be hauled off and "quieted down?" The guy was not insulting to Kerry nor was he threatening - "rowdy" is hardly the right term. If you really believe that kind of reaction is appropriate in that context then you've already slid too far down the slope.
      --
      When information is power, privacy is freedom.
  10. Hunter S. Thompson once said by SlappyBastard · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You can't have a decent revolution without at least one fax with a line to the outside world. The internet is just the next logical step.

    --
    I scream. You scream. I assume that means we're both acquainted with the problem. We proceed.
  11. Re:The reply about nothing by afaik_ianal · · Score: 2, Informative

    Only to the current military regime. While it [i]is[/i] technically respected by the UN, Burma's democratically elected parliament never approved the name change. Many countries, including the US and UK refuse to respect the name change.

  12. Isn't it Myanmar now? by camperdave · · Score: 4, Informative

    Isn't it Myanmar now?

    Apparently, the current military regime changed the name, but the change did not receive legislative approval. The US, The Kingdom of UK, Canada, and a number of other countries have not accepted the new name, although the United Nations has. More details here.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    1. Re:Isn't it Myanmar now? by wylf · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The locals prefer Myanmar as well. Burma is a colonial name derived from a particular race living in a region of Myanmar / Burma, where in fact there are numerous.

  13. Do your deed and fight back by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    To any skilled people reading and maybe remembering this

    http://www.attrition.org/mirror/attrition/2000/08/01/www.myanmar.com/mirror.html

    Bloggers and other cyber activists within Burma risk their lives by publishing any information counter to the government line, but they still do it because they believe that freedom of expression is worth that sacrifice.

    You don't have to make such a sacrifice, but if you have computer skills, can breach firewalls, routers and web site security then you could greatly assist the people of Burma. By taking down official Burmese government propaganda and posting pictures, information about the protests, information about the lies of the Burmese junta, and news of the huge support being offered by the rest of the world - preferably in Burmese - then you could help free the people from this terrible regime.

    If the information is removed, do it again - automate the attacks, do whatever you can to ensure that the Burmese can see the truth about their government.

    You may have hacked for fun, or personal gain in the past - now you have a chance to hack for freedom.

    Regime sites:

    http://www.myanmar.com/
    http://www.myanmar.com/news/index.html
    http://www.mrtv3.net.mm/ (blocked from external access)
    http://www.mofa.gov.mm/ (blocked from external access)
    http://www.moha.gov.mm/ (blocked from external access)
    http://www.mpt.net.mm/ (blocked from external access)
    http://www.myanmar-information.net/
    http://www.myanmar.com/myanmartimes/
    http://www.mnped.gov.mm/ (blocked from external access)
    http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/kyaymon/index.html
    http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html

  14. Re:what does this story have to do with the iPhone by Dunbal · · Score: 3, Funny

    You can't use an iPhone in Burma. So there. See? It DOES have something to do with the iPhone.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  15. It always starts small by Iowan41 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Did you not know?

  16. Democratic voice of Burma - gruesome photo. by arcade · · Score: 4, Informative

    Democratic Voice of Burma, located in Oslo/Norway got a gruesome picture sent to them yesterday:

    http://english.dvb.no/photo1.php

    The result of dicatorship.

    --
    "Rune Kristian Viken" - http://www.nwo.no - arca
  17. For one, the censorship on coverage of the war by Optic7 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Look at how tightly any images of dead soldiers, soldier coffins, body bags, etc are restricted. If that's not real and clear censorship imposed by the government, then what is? Or do some people believe that censorship happens only when the police/army come knocking on your door because of something you said?

  18. Re:This is an excelent time by Stephen+Ma · · Score: 3, Insightful
    This is an excelent time to realize how powerful, brutal and savage governments are.

    As opposed to the peaceful and harmless corporations, who only kill on the quiet? Any concentration of power, whether public or private, needs to be carefully watched. Thomas Jefferson warned us about this, as did James Madison, Adam Smith, and Thomas Paine.

  19. Re:This is an excelent time by Maelwryth · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And Dwight Eisenhower.

    --
    I reserve the write to mangle english.
  20. Not restricted once the bodies get home by SuperKendall · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Ask the families - if you can find one who is willing to go along with whatever death fetish you have in mind.

    The reason generally photography is not allowed is out of respect for the families, who are allowed to do as they wish once the body has been brought back. There was for example an award winning photojournaism column in the Rocky Mountain News some time ago that showed a weeping widow draped over the husbands coffin.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Not restricted once the bodies get home by Xiaran · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Perhaps. Or perhaps photos of American draped coffins are not shown because of some of the very powerful images of coffins circa the Vietnam war.

  21. Re:All that blogs is not trendy by aadvancedGIR · · Score: 2, Funny

    No dark tshirt or jokey nickname? Come on, Gothmolly, who the hell are you tring to fool?

  22. Skinny long-haired heroes? by quintesse · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "They have the skinny arms and the long hair, the dark T-shirts and the jokey nicknames. But few such figures have ever taken the risks that they have in the past few weeks, or achieved so much in a noble and dangerous cause."

    I could just read this is "but few _persons_ have ever taken the risk..." because unfortunately that's always been true throughout history (and I'm not saying I would do any better).

    But I actually think the author wants to convey the feeling that somehow skinny, long-haired youngsters that like to sit behind a computer are not hero material. So what do heroes look like? The perfectly groomed playboys we know from US cinema?

    Gimme a break. History again shows us that most "heroes" are just people like you and me that "just do what they had to do" because they felt it was the only right option (and most probably didn't even think there _were_ any options to choose from).

  23. Re:TRUE poverty and oppression by chimpo13 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What makes you think that their level of poverty is any worse than the level of poverty in the ghettos of America or the UK?

    How often have you been in shitholes over here? Probably never because they're not so tourist friendly and if you're white, there's probably going to be a problem. How do you think "garbage picking beggars" is any worse than having to sell crack where you have to worry about being shot or thrown in jail? Is it because American have television sets?

    How do you define your poverty and oppression in VietNam, Laos, or Calcutta? How is that different from the class and race problems here?

    Next time you're over there, spend time with the people that you make such judgments on. Not just walking through their streets buying tourist goods, and then back to your hotel.

    --
    riding round the world on an old motorcycle