American Fascism Rebuffed by Appeals Court:

Today's New York Times reports that the F.C.C.'s attempts to limit freedom of speech by fining broadcasters when a profanity is not edited from a broadcast, such as the playing of a quote by a soldier in Iraq who blurts out the language commonly used by soldiers, has been struck down. According to The Times, "If President Bush and Vice President Cheney can blurt out vulgar language, then the government cannot punish broadcast television stations for broadcasting the same words in similarly fleeting contexts."

Kevin J. Martin, the chairman of the F.C.C., said, “I completely disagree with the court’s ruling and am disappointed for American families." Martin argued that if the F.C.C. could not prohibit speech that it didn't like “Hollywood will be able to say anything they want, whenever they want.” Obviously, the American Fascist Party does not share the belief that all Americans should have the same rights. Is that a surprise?


Another Sign That Bush Has Made the Middle East a Safer Place:

In an article entitled, "Cheated of Future, Iraqi Graduates Want to Flee," Damien Cave reports in The New York Times on the graduates of Iraq universities and how they are leaving the country in growing numbers. Students from seven univerisities were interviewed and all but four said the planned to flee the country on graduation. "Karar Alaa, 25, a medical student at Babil University, south of Baghdad, said, 'Staying here is like committing suicide.'"


The Economy:

The stock market in China is likely to become the biggest story in the economic sphere during the coming decade. The Chinese stockmarket's volitility is beginning to have ramifications internationally. Considering the Chinese proclivity for making the fastest buck possible (pirated goods, conterfeit goods), it seems unlikely that the government will be unwilling to take strong measures (even if it can) to bring about stability. Keith Bradsher reports on the situation in today's Times.