Roundup of Today's Obersver.

Four important and interesting articles in today's Observer:*

First, columnist Henry Porter can always be counted on speak up for civil liberties and against surveillance.

Secondly, an article on UK Information commissioner Richard Thomas' warning against increased surveillance. Thomas is right to emphasise the way surveillance undermines trust in society and alters the way individuals interact with the state and each other.

Thirdly, an article on the 'garrison economy' of the United States. According to two US economists, one-fifth the US workforce is now employed as security guards, prison officers or police. Especially interesting, in my opinion, was the finding of a correlation between economic inequality and the number of such 'gaurd workers'. This should raise some serious doubts in the minds of those who defend the so called "Anglo-Saxon" economic model. Is the good society and good life really advanced by allowing the market economy to create more and more inequality and for society to be dominated by security guards and police?

Finally, a business article comparing professional team sports in the US and Europe by someone who actually knows what he's talking about.

* The Observer is the UK's oldest Sunday Newspaper, owned since 1993 by The Guardian and effectively 'The Guardian on Sunday'.