there is a concept called 'informational asymmetry'. When you have a big IA, you cannot have well done system of agency (like the theory of agency).
So, if you have a big gap between who votes and who gets votes, you cannot have a real democracy. That's plain and simple.

unlike Israel? what?
Why do you think Iran is trying to get nukes in the first place?

That's exactly the problem: if you really think SUSE or FEDORA could be a non-geek linux, you probably don't even know what is a non-geek user.

The true is that Ubuntu and Canonical are doing a great job. Unity is not there yet, but will be. Mir is starting, and I would bet that will be good in 2 years.

I loved linux back in '90s (slackware at the time). But after sometime I found that the fanatical community would never do a system intended for non-geeks. For this reason, I stoped using linux in the 2000s. But ubuntu changed that mentality. They have a system that have auto-updates, a good management pack system and a simple and beauty visual. I get things done in the office without going to source code. That's all I require from a computer. And Ubuntu, right now, is the ONLY linux (for desktop) that provide this.

This.
I worked at brazilian public sector. Everytime a private contractor was put on the loop, the costs rise 2 - 3x and the quality goes down.
(And I should point out that brazilian public sector is really inneffective)
The solution is not easy, but it is simple: contract a GOOD management guy and a few engeneers directly. Put this guy in charge and create a accontability proccess.

Looking from outside (Brazil here), it's almost impossible to understand how fox news became the mainstream media.
They are clearly biased, superficial, and quality is clearly not a goal.

Because nook tablets ARE android with google play?
As far as I know, they run pretty much everything a 'generica android tablet' runs.

http://xkcd.com/605/

I know some people that have (or had) a N9. Everybody, including non-geeks, says it's the best phone ever. It's ok if you don't believe me, go check the reviews.
And, hey, It was launched even before the Windows Phone 7.5 (which actually "late, buggy"). Microsoft only made a competitive OS with WP 8, 2 years after the Meego was ALREADY in the market.

I really don't understand how so many people buys the official MS-NOKIA-ELOP version of the history, where everything points the contrary.

How, exactly, one right destroys another right?
If there is a correlation, it would be quite the opposite: more rights for the minories means more rights (and more fights for rights) for everyone.

Your argument looks like a terrible fallacy.

here in brazil is common dell's with ubuntu preloaded.

sorry to tell you, but snowden did it.
look what he got.

I don't like anedoctes to understand the reality - Statistics are always better. So, let's see:
The personal aproval rating of the president is 71% - yes, it was 79% one year ago, but is still a very high aproval rating.
In the government aproval rating, ONLY 13% thinks it's 'bad' or 'terrible' (in pt-br: ruim ou péssimo). It was 7% at the beggining of the year, but is still a aproval.
If you want to look by yourself: http://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2013/06/aprovacao-do-governo-dilma-vai-55-aponta-pesquisa-ibope.html

I think the main problem of the north and northeast is exactly the budget help they receive from the south and southeast.
The owners of the northeast (oligarchies) steal money exactly because this money came from elsewere. If it come from the pockets of their own people, probably this people will be very pissed off.