Wrong bogeyman - It's all good (as in a "progressive worsening of civil and human rights/Censorship") because they are paying their international debt owed, at the expense of civil and human rights. Venezuela is the only petro-state with a debt over 50% of the GDP.

If the Venezuelans kicked out the corrupt, started nationalizing anything owned by foreign companies and/or stopped paying any odious international debts and started putting the inerests of common Venezuelans before their debt obligations, then suddenly civil and human rights and censorship would become an "issue" for the world to "label Maduro a dictator or demanding the OAS' Democratic Charter be activated.". A sad, hypocritical reality, really...

That is correct, but no guarantee that Assange would not be extradited, as several Swedish and international law professors have pointed out:

Here is the long explanation involving quotes from several law professors who know their stuff.

My immediate thought was: They fire, Investigate and prosecute everyone involved except those in power that systematically broke our laws on a massive scale and violated our constitution. If ever there was an example of how far we have sunk into a corporate fascist dictatorship hiding behind words like "freedom", "democracy", then this must be it.

Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Shhhhh. Don't you know there is a media ban on talking about the Libor corruption case. Last thing we want is the peasants rising up demanding true never-do-this-again type justice to rein down on those financial big-wigs who perpetrated this theft. I mean, the peasants only got cheated out of their life savings on their home loans it is not like it was a real crime... Oh, look over there Football Champions League, yay!

Exactly. And that is before we factor in the cost in human lives. For example see the incredible increase in suicide rates in Spain in the wake of its scandalous banking and housing corrupticon, wheremajority of the top bankers and politicians have been implicated or sentenced but not jailed in corruption cases.. It got so bad that the bailed out banks were forced to tone down their house repossessions as pensioners were leaping from the windows to their deaths when the police came knocking to throw them out into the street. (tone down, not stop).

Isn't it funny that you almost never see a graphic displaying suicide statistics, especially lately. If there is one statistic a corrupt politician does not want the common folk to see too often, this must be it...

Having lived in "HDB land" suburbs of Singapore, I do know that cars are expensive there (in the top ten with London) which is to be expected given the limited space. That does not stop more Singaporeans having a car than the roads can support though (see link).

However I was talking about the good town planning at least as far as the car park facilities go. For every X HDB blocks and number of residents they have planned and provided a high rise parking facility that is very reasonably priced Vs incomes there. Despite the limited space and ultra high density living you do not need to creatively park out in the suburbs of Singapore. Most European cities with lots more space and room to grow out in the suburbs cannot boast the same - they just do not seem to plan for cars. Madrid, Spain is one of the more egregious examples in Europe that I know of.

I agree with you on the public transport as well, makes living in Singapore a pleasure. Speaking of Australia, Sydney should be ashamed of itself it has to be the worst city I have ever lived in for commuting by car, and the train system leaves a lot to be desired + no light rail of note (the Darling Harbor light rail is too small to count). Driving to Bondi on a hot afternoon is like taking the road to hell...

When there is no longer the option of "creative parking" - then all that is left would be interest in parking somewhere convenient. Living in European cities I have had to park suburbs away from the apartment, and even then it was a hit and miss affair due to lack of town planning.

Yes, I know. Read my second sentence.

Your right I painted with a broad brush by saying "European cities". All the ones I have lived in (Italy, Spain, France...) but not including Belgium or the Netherlands have the problem I describe. Not all in Italy are so bad either, I hear Milan at least have some inner city congestion control and planning than most.

No I have lived in the center of my fare share of European cities. All your points are correct and also the reason why you can't park there. My point is: Not only is there nowhere to park in the center, there is nowhere to park out of the center, either. i.e. lack of town planning.

You did not read past the first sentence of my post, obviously. Here is the second sentence for your convenience: "I get that they have ancient medieval town centers that are almost impossible to modify - but that is no excuse for not providing adequate amounts of free to almost free just out-of-town parking and efficient cheap public transport into the centers.

What irks me is the lack of town planning for cars in European cities then the incompetent authorities act like it is all the citizens fault. I get that they have ancient medieval town centers that are almost impossible to modify - but that is no excuse for not providing adequate amounts of free to almost free just out-of-town parking and efficient cheap public transport into the centers (efficient does not mean it has to be profitable in the direct sense).

Singapore for example with so little space has pioneered high rise cheap parking for all out in the suburbs and electronic pay to enter town centers that really increased the quality of life in the inner city, or so I hear.

Don't get me started on the last century traffic lights on timers and no trigger sensors of any kind in sight even at the pedestrian crossings. Christmas lights I like to call them. The amount of petrol they must waste stopping scores of cars for no reason must be mind-boggling.

/rant off.

Edward Snowden is not "central" to this debate (if you can call it that). The illegal acts of the NSA are central to the debate - Snowden is just a messenger. Only propaganda spin-meisters want to make the debate about "characters", mainly because it is completely irrelevant. No thanks for trying, Trailrunner7.

Sure, that appears to be the policy answer dictated by the 1% for solving Americas internal problems, why not extend it to our more traditional external enemies as well.