At least I live in Singapore!

I was in China last week. The way the Chinese government abuses human rights came starkly home to me - a foreigner. I was in the hotel room and was on line doing work. I had the TV on and was switched to CNN which was showing, live, the visit of the Chinese president to the US. The Chinese president Hu had just arrived at the White House and was being given the official welcome. Bush doing his welcome spiel and once done, Hu took the dais. Just as he started, a heckler started shouting about the Falungong and related abuses by the Chinese government. Immediately, CNN went BLANK. BLANK. No audio, no video, no inteference, no hiss, nothing. Silence. I was puzzled. I thought that the TV was toasted. Without missing a heartbeat, I switched to the next channel, CNBC, and viola, they were showing two angles - one on Hu and the other on a lady being manhandled by security. Switched back to CNN. Still BLANK. Switched back to CNBC. The scenes continue. Switched to BBC - still on and showing the video of the heckler being taken away. Back to CNN. Still blank. Then it comes back on showing Hu doing his spiel. Each time CNN switches to the heckler, it goes blank. Wow! How long does the Chinese government think they can continue to fool their people? I hope not for much longer.

Would the TV go blank when someone heckles the ruling elite here? I don't think so. Would the heckler be charged? I am not sure but IANAL.

So here I was subject to the blatant censorship by the Chinese thought police via blanks on CNN and not being able to reach my blog here. For those under the Chinese thought police regime, my condolences. At least I live in Singapore - a smidgen freer.