If you wanted me to back a boycott of the Chinese Olympics, you should of talked to me when I was an idealistic teen. Back then I thought it was an appropriate response to Moscow when they invaded Afghanistan. I've since learned that this was a better response:

The massed deployment of the FIM-92A Stinger in Afghanistan tipped the scales in favour of the Mujahedeen insurgents who shot down large and medium transports, helicopters and significantly, tactical aircraft. This forced the Soviets to change their weapon delivery profiles much to the detriment of bombing accuracy.This in turn rendered Soviet air superiority meaningless, as the low density point targets typical of such warfare cannot be accurately hit from altitude with dumb weapons. The Soviets lost their greatest tactical advantage in the campaign and the result is evident in this year's reluctant withdrawal.

So maybe this was really an attempt to get the Chinese' attention.

Harvey Goldberg, Canadian Human Rights Commisar Commissioner:

.. a justifiable infringement of the right to free expression, is "actually the predominant view among most of the states of the world. The view in the United States [that the right to free speech is near-absolute] is really a minority view.

Mind you, Goldberg is speaking to a reporter questioning Canadian Human Rights investigators posting racist rants from unprotected wireless networks owned by unsuspecting individuals.

While many still see the values of the United States as a beacon, the Harvey Goldberg's of the world call them a "minority view" (read "undemocratic"); of course he must be refering to Government's views - not the people they govern.