The BBC survey found that 87% of internet users felt internet access should be the “fundamental right of all people”.

via BBC News — Internet access is ‘a fundamental right’.

This shows fundamental differences in perspective among citizens and politicians. While the majority of users agree that internet access is a right, regulators around the world are attacking it on several fronts: from censorship in Australia, China and Iran to three strikes laws in France and the UK.

It also outlines what governments should be striving for: universal broadband access (I know, Socialism!)

Professor David Nutt asked to resign after his claims that ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than alcohol

Garside added: “I’m shocked and dismayed that the home secretary appears to believe that political calculation trumps honest and informed scientific opinion. The message is that when it comes to the Home Office’s relationship with the research community honest researchers should be seen but not heard.
- via Government drug adviser David Nutt sacked | Politics | guardian.co.uk.

So what did Bobby Jindal choose to ridicule in this response to Obama last night? Volcano monitoring, of course.

via What should government do? A Jindal meditation — Paul Krugman Blog — NYTimes.com.

Presto: You’ve got yourself a paint-by-numbers conservative polemic.

via The New Deal and right-wing revisionism — The Boston Globe.

“My grandmother was ill in bed when the Nazis came to her home town.… A German soldier shot her dead in her bed, he said. My grandmother did not die to provide cover for Israeli soldiers murdering Palestinian grandmothers in Gaza,” the MP said.

via Israel using Holocaust guilt to continue Gaza op, says British Jewish MP — Haaretz — Israel News.

What is so unnerving about the candidacy of Sarah Palin is the degree to which she represents—and her supporters celebrate—the joyful marriage of confidence and ignorance

Sam Harris on Sarah Palin and Elitism | Newsweek Politics: Campaign 2008 | Newsweek.com

Tskhinvali was in smoking ruins and thousands of people were fleeing — before any Russian troops arrived

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV — Russia Never Wanted a War — Op-Ed — NYTimes.com

Olbermann Special Comment: Obama’s Second Chance On FISA — Media on The Huffington Post

The European Union agreed on Thursday to revoke its sanctions against Cuba

Granma Internacional