There will be manned flights by private companies starting around 2014. Dragon, the SpaceX ship, is being produced on assembly lines now. Boeing is hiring crew to pilot its CTS-100. Lockheed's Orion is undergoing testing.
Russia has had problems getting rockets into orbit recently. China's Shenzhou program has teething pains.
Agreed. Their best stuff is unmanned.
The government sponsored manned spaceflight era is over, or should be; unless there's a military use.