Every market has rules, and society chooses the rules. When people advocate a "free market", what they mean is one with rules that favor the most powerful. In our times, that choice is a one for most people, and we don't have an obligation to accept it.

*Covid used as pretext to curtail civil rights around the world, finds report.*

One increase in surveillance that they may not mention is when countries encourage (or even order) people to stop paying cash. One way to defend your freedom is to insist on paying cash when you buy things — I always do.

Countries whose freedom ratings were reduced this year include the US, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Iraq, the Philippines and Slovenia.

*Greenhouse gas emissions transforming the Arctic into 'an entirely different climate'.*

Eritrean troops are fighting in Tigray against the TPLF and alongside the Ethiopian army.

Eritrean is famous for forcing all most men into slave labor; as a result, many Eritrean men flee into exile.

US citizens: phone your congresscritter ASAP to oppose the CASE Act, which would set up a new court for quick and easy copyright repression against anyone who shares a copy of anything.

Please do NOT use their web service to make the call. Instead, call 202-224-3121, 888-818-6641 or 888-335-3588 and ask for your representative.