The Heritage Foundation has released its annual list of the world's freest economies and, wouldn't you know it, the Asia-Pacific region is number one. Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand are all on top while the world's largest economy, America's, barely cracks the top ten.

While Ryan Lochte is getting smashed and letting Swedish long jumpers try on his diamond grille, some Olympic athletes were quietly planning how to slip away from the Olympic village and request political asylum in London.

In your gloomy Thursday media column: Eritrea is the pits (of journalism), Erin Burnett is unpopular, the WSJ Europe circulation scandal continues, The Guardian U.S. is optimistic, and Michael Miner is an OG (of journalism).