free speech vs homilies

I won't yell fire in a crowded theatre (who does that sorta thing? especially when it's dark and everyone can see the tell tale no-glow... and if it's a Rajni movie you might be killed) but I'll call out pederasty when I see it. Like this guy does.

Addendum: it's even happening at the UN! That's the United-bleeping-Nations. Articles by Norwonk, John Turley and the eloquent Johann Hari.
So it's not, as the saying goes, only in India, where the editor and publisher of The Statesman were arrested by West Bengal Police for reprinting Johan Hari's article (link) ...and everybody knows about the Ram Sena and the VHP and, most recently, the MNS and oh let's not forget our honourable mentions, the hilariously named Catholic Secular Forum. Not to mention the threats of legal action by our very own government against certain media outlets. More on the same theme from T.P Sreenivasan of the Tribune.

two views, two recessions

Some folks are saying that this recession is as bad as the one that led to WW2. There are two famous economists I've heard of for whom other people have developed greater respect after recessions; one predicted a recession and the other at least deconstructed it and spread the blame in a satisfying fashion. Ludwig von Mises and Paul Krugman, who you can for your personal convenience classify as right and left. To put it (perhaps too) simply, von Mises blamed too much government intervention and Krugman, too little (and other economists).

Perhaps they're right.

another satirical vegetable

An awesome site found on a friend's Google Reader: Faking News! It looks, sounds and smells like India's answer to the Onion. Obviously haven't read it, but I've seen the flashing animation thing on the homepage.