Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez reports being beaten up and abducted by Cuban…quasi-authorities, for being a "counter-revolutionary" (i.e. having an independent blog). Check out her blog Generation Y.

I normally stick to economics, but have decided to make a rare exception here. I follow Yoani's blog, to help keep me in touch with what is happening in Cuba (I taught courses for Carleton's MA economics in Havana for several years). This Summer the Dean of the Faculty of Public Affairs at Carleton (where I am Associate Dean) invited Yoani to visit Carleton to talk about blogging. But first she needs to get permission to exit Cuba…