2006 and 2007 proved to be dismal years for privacy advocates, as governments the world over showed little restraint in their deployments of the latest surveillance technologies.

Among the survey's 47 ranked countries, not a single nation improved its rating over 2006's rankings; each country either maintained the previous year's classification or fell further towards a "surveillance state." Well over half of the ranked countries were ranked at or below a ranking of "systemic failure to uphold [privacy] safeguards," with a significant number of countries featuring "extensive" or "endemic" surveillance societies.

Stop Sign? Not in Her Vocabulary!

The actress, also appearing in Showtime's "Weeds," is smokin' hot these days, as high a dramatic highlight as the corn once soared in the mythical Kansas town in which her CBS series is set. If Bonnie Richmond were a real-life neighbor, would the actress who plays her go over to borrow a cup of some radioactive sugar? Would she confide in her?

"Absolutely," says Stern. "There's a strange phenomenon of people choosing to confide in deaf people; I know I'm not alone in this."

A willing ear? "I've had people tell me their life stories at random events like birthday parties or when I'm having a drink at a bar -- even on the dance floor at clubs."

Direct and dynamic, Stern doesn't dance around any topics. "My whole family is like that," she says of her parents and brother and sister, who are "forever curious about other people and their lives, which probably adds to that sense of profound attention." .

Great Cups Of Coffee Can Be Found At Home

"The best cup of coffee has beautiful foam, coffee ground just before brewing, the perfect proportion of espresso, milk, and flavoring, and last but not least, service with a smile," says Rachael Vonhof.

And she should know. Vonhof works as a barista in a coffee shop in Northern California, an area has long cultivated a reputation for satisfying the varied palates of coffee connoisseurs.

COLUMN: Concealed handguns on college campus unacceptable

If you are carrying a concealed weapon, you don't just throw it in your belt and call it done. Why? Because it is highly unsafe and down right stupid. Have you ever even held a gun? The safety isn't some magical thing, it's not some dial that you have to turn so many times in each direction. It's a button, you push it and it's off. That easy. If somebody has made up their mind that they are going to conceal a weapon, they pass the class, and are actually carrying one. They don't need to think about the moral implications of killing another human being. They have already decided that if it came down to it, they are willing to pull the trigger. To be honest, pulling the trigger would be the easiest part in the entire process. It would be much more difficult for me to actually decide if it is right and lawful enough for me to use my weapon against another human being.

Why aren't there more positive stories about teachers?

Question: After reading this Sunday paper I have a question for you. How many positive front page stories have you done on the teaching profession? Any person in any profession that helps young people that betrays the trust should at least go away for life, sick or not. I think most would agree to that. My point however is that I see great teachers every day doing great things. Why not do a monthly story on them on your front page. I see teachers helping students in need. Teachers working weekends, holidays, and bring work home every night. I see teachers giving everything they have to help a child that everyone else has forgotten. I see teachers everyday who care for the hundreds of students that walk into their school. All I ask you is, why you havent reported on them. I think I know the answer, do you? Thank you for your time.