Global Voices Online

Miguel Octavio sarcastically wishes a happy birthday to “the amazing Gonzalez family.” He's referring to the nearly 2000 registered voters with the last name Gonzalez who were born on the same day, 32 years ago in the he western state of Zulia. Unbelievably, when Steven Dudley and Phil Gunson randomly called a dozen Gonzálezes out of the phonebook, “two said they were indeed celebrating birthdays Wednesday,” though neither was turning 32. Daniel Duquenal, meanwhile, takes a look at the newly released final report by the European Union on Venezuela's electoral process.

Israel acts not just with absolute impunity, but with the support of western powers: that is the message that has been reinforced in Jericho, Laila El-Haddad said. See her full article in the Guardian's new Comment is Free blog.

Middle Eastern audiences are literally disconnected from the rest of the world and the rest of their countrymen. Less than four per cent of people in the Arab world are internet users, according to ITU data. The penetration rate is just 3.7% - in a region with an 8.59% penetration in landline subscribers, and 14.51% in mobile subscribers, Lebanon said.

The Highlander hopes that the Saudi government and greedy businessmen do not ‘misplace' or deliberately destroy their heritage.

Ahmed post more video clips from Al Jazeera Forum, and post a link to letter from Reporters Without Borders to King Abdullah.

ESWN has translated a transcript of a conversation between top Taiwan choreographer Lin Huai-min (of “Cloud Gate” fame) and the publisher of the pro-KMT United Daily News Wang Shiao-lan. Lin is disappointed at the paper's political positioning and the poverty of coverage, especially of culture.

The Opposite End of China has another helping of Uyghur pop video, this time featuring Mominjan Ablekim, the prince of Uyghur pop.

China Information Center reports that Guangdong-based human rights lawyer Guo Feixiong has been taken back to his hometown in the eastern province of Jiangxi by the authorities in an apparent attempt to keep him from carrying out sensitive rights work, and to separate him from Beijing-based lawyer Gao Zhisheng, with whom he took part in a relay hunger strike to protest official abuses of power.

Joi Ito announces his appointment to the board of WITNESS, a group which aims to advance human rights advocacy through the use of video and communications technology, and strengthen grassroots movements for change by providing video technology and assisting its partners to use video as evidence before courts and the United Nations, as a tool for public education, and as a deterrent to further abuse.”