Uzbekistan

Right next to Krplakistan in terms of Eastern European dictatorships is Uzbekistan. However, this came as news to me. Not because I didn't know that there were protests against the authoritarian government, or that the president is a dictator, but that this many people died, and I didn't hear about it on CNN or Fox. It was mentioned (that there had been violence), but in today's war on terrorism, shouldn't this be HUGE FUCKING news? That a government is visibly and violently keeping down pro-democracy demonstrators? That the Democrats aren't yelling about this and the genocide in Africa is maddening - but they are fighting over the filibuster. Would they score more points by dropping the filibuster fight and taking up the cause of freedom for people throughout world?

Apparently Arrested Development has been re-newed for a third season, and this comes as great news. I hope it finally picks up a viewership like Seinfeld, as it is the best show since. I've been disappointed with the new episodes of the Family Guy, but not that disappointed. I never thought it was the funniest show on television, or that it ever (as has been said by certain people I know) rivaled the Simpsons. The "Like that one time when we were in Hazzard county..."-type jokes get old quickly. The writers for the Simpsons could tell a funny story but keep it going without getting sidetracked trying too hard to get laughs. It seems like Family Guy lately has just taken to out and out plagiarizing scenes from movies and tv shows (Indiana Jones, North by Northwest) and trying to get laughs just by showing it in the context of a cartoon. There are still funny scenes and everything, and funny, edgy shows should always have a place in the wasteland of network tv, but I've been disappointed by Family Guy.