NOBELISTS UNITE: “Fifteen past winners of the Nobel Peace Prize have issued a letter to Chinese president Hu Jintao, asking that the newest winner, Liu Xiaobo, be released from his 11-year prison sentence, and that his wife, Liu Xia, be freed from de-facto house arrest. . . . Notably absent is a 2007 winner. I would love to have heard whatever discussion occurred between Desmond Tutu and that Laureate (OK, I’m talking about Al Gore) leading to the latter’s decision not to become the 16th signer.” Al Gore values his good relationship with the Chinese government.