Daniel Henninger, over at OpinionJournal Online has an interesting commentary on how the Internet and wireless communication are affecting the actions of dissidents worldwide. (free registration required)
an excerpt:
Not that long ago, in 1989, the world watched demonstrators sit passively in Tiananmen Square and fight the authorities with little more than a papier-mâché Statue of Liberty. Poland’s Solidarity movement had to print protest material with homemade ink made from oil because the Communist government confiscated all the printers’ ink.
In 2004, in Ukraine’s Independence Square, they had cell phones.
Using the phones’ SMS messaging technology, demonstrators sent messages to meet to 10 or so friends, who’d each SMS the message to 10 more friends, and so on. It’s called “smart-mobbing.
On a lighter note, Angry Alien has done it again. If you’ve never been there, this website spoofs classic movies in a 30-second cartoon with bunnies as actors. They’ve covered “JAWS”, “Alien”, “Titanic”, and now “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Go check them out. It’s always nice to chuckle on Fridays.