Global Economic Crisis Melts Down Human Rights by Don Hazen, AlterNet No question facing the world today is more important than how to ensure both global economic stability and human rights. As the global economy takes shape, what are its values? Ultimately, what is the best way to foster human rights and democratization -- by linking them to economic concerns, or rigidly separating the two? Click here for the story.

Journalist Cyberstung by Andrew Hsiao, Village Voice Bay Area journalist Bruce Mirken gets entrapped by Sacramento vice squad cop masquerading as gay teenager. Click here for the story.

Depressed by Your Computer?
Debunking the Homenet Study
Critics like New York Times' Denise Caruso and Salon's Scott Rosenberg have trashed the methodology and findings of this study that found that greater use of the Internet was associated with declines in participants' communication with family members, as well as increases in depression and loneliness. Cyber guru Howard Rheingold goes deeper to say that maybe there is something important here (although yes, this study pretty much sucked). Click here for the story.

Image is Everything
Critics including Mark Crispin Miller and Leslie Savan annotate a passage of a new book by Mitchell Stephens "The Rise of the Image the Fall of the Word." In the book, Stephens sees salvation in the development of a notion that he calls the New Video -- a process of images replacing the written word. And of course, there is disagreement from the critics. Click here for the story.

Michael Moore's Revolutionary Act
Moore's letter urging Americans to vote for Democrats. Click here for the text.