Pop culture expert Dominic Patten's pugilistic punditry has seen him appear frequently on television and radio. Keep up to date with Dominic at his site 1972rocks.com.

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The Great Firewall of China blocks Itunes and Songs For Tibet

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August 21, 7:56 PM

by Dominic Patten, Pop Culture Examiner

SO MUCH FOR IF YOU LOVE SOMETHING SET IT OR GIVE IT AWAY FOR FREE

As if acts of fakery, political straightjacketing and the inclusion of Sarah Brightman at their Opening Ceremonies wasn't enough of a blot on the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government has now turned its muscle on Itunes.

The site has been completely blocked by the PRC because of the free download it was offering of the album Songs for Tibet.

The collection, which features songs by Sting, Moby, Alanis Morissette, Rush, John Mayer and Regina Spektor, among others, came out on August 5 and has been a huge hit for both Apple's music site and the cause of further raising awareness of the brutual repression the Chinese government and military are engaged in in the Buddhist nation.

Well, it turns out about 46 athletes, including some Chinese according to a statement from the International Campaign for Tibet, at the Games in Beijing have downloaded the album while in the Chinese capitol. And that just isn't on for the government who block almost all unofficial info about Tibet.

The Itunes site is now completely inaccessible for people within most of China.

Additionally the propoganda machine has turned on Apple. who just recently opened its first store in the PRC. On China.org.cn, a government site, reported that the nation's citizens were "incensed" over the free download and were now "rally together to denounce Apple."

What ever happened to all those promises of a free and open Games?

You know a government must be really insecure when they think that Moby and Sting songs could lead to an overturning of the political applecart.

Topics: Olympics , Tibet , Censorship

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The Great Firewall of China blocks Itunes and Songs For Tibet

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