Uprising

Hamza Ali al-Khateeb was a 13yo boy arrested by Syrian authorities during a demonstration. His body was returned to his parents only when they signed an undertaking to not reveal or comment upon the manner of his death. They refused to keep silent, and have presumeably been arrested to suffer a similar fate.

The family released an horrific video detailing the extent of the boy's injuries which include numerous cigarette burns, bullet holes in his knees, a shattered jaw and a broken neck. The Syrian government thugs then cut off his penis, before killing him.

Hamza on Facebook

More Flat Earthing

NASA reports that 2010 is the warmest year on record, according to the SMH. Dunno how the Budgie Smuggler is gonna wiggle out of this one, but I'm sure he'll have an explanation for it. He could try volcanic eruptions, perhaps, as the cause. Or cow farts.

Seeing Red

The latest climate change conference is over. It was attended by all the great leaders, all the great thinkers. All agreed that something must be done, and someone must do it. Someone else.

Follow the leaders. Follow the lemmings.

Some studies describe climate change deniers as delusional. Should you come across such a dinosaur, here are some links you can send them.

Changing global temperatures from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies

Cold comfort: the psychology of climate denial

And I'm really not sure whether to thank Tony Abbot here for ensuring that the vast majority of Australians are made aware with crystal clarity that climate recidivists have a very special agenda - one that has little to do with saving the planet. Tony is looking to succeed Latham as Australia's most unpopular leader of the opposition in living memory.

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P.S. Dec 2011. Tony may be unpopular with many, but he's hugely popular with the press barons who have excelled at repressing his numerous gaffs and putting his very brave and embattled rival Julia Gillard in an invariably bad light. One such baron controls some 70% of Australia's print publications. It's a free country, what's unfair about that?

Human Rights in China

Timed to coincide with Christmas in order to further sideline Western interest, the Chinese government is putting one of the writers of Charter 08 on trial on the charge of inciting to subvert state power, a charge which is routinely used to jail dissidents and carries a penalty of up to 15 years incarceration.

Charter 08 is translated in full at Human Rights in China

On December 25th, the court sentenced Liu Xiaobo to 11 years imprisonment.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports:
"Liu, a former Beijing Normal University professor, spent 20 months in jail for joining the student-led protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

More than 300 international writers, including Umberto Eco, Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood, have urged his release."

Merry Christmas, Mr Lui.