Stories about English from September, 2010
Belarus: Opposition and the Presidential Election
Andrei Khrapavitski posts a note on the Belarusian opposition and the upcoming presidential election.
Europe: “Mapping Stereotypes”
Via Dr Sean's Diary, “a series of maps of Europe mapping the (supposed) prejudices of various nations […] and, for some reason, also of gay men” by “Bulgarian visual artist, graphic designer and illustrator Yanko Tsvetkov.” Also, “What European Tribes Think About One Another” – at eXile.ru; a similar map...
El Salvador: Aquaponics in El Salvador
Colleen writes about Aquaponics, “the combination of freshwater fish aquaculture and hydroponic vegetable production” in El Salvador for her blog Locavore del Mundo where she covers local farms and food movements around the world.
Mexico: Landslide in Oaxaca Buries 300 Homes
Erwin from The Latin Americanist writes: “In a piece of breaking news hundreds of people are feared to be trapped in the Mexican state of Oaxaca as a result of a massive landslide during the overnight hours.”
Morocco: “Why Belle is a Peace Corps Volunteer”
A blog meme is making the rounds amongst female Peace Corps Volunteers in Morocco; though neither of the bloggers who posted the meme disclosed its origins, both women say that they relate to it. The meme in question? "Why Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, is actually a Peace Corps Morocco volunteer."
Bermuda: “Mockumentary”?
Of “the corporate-style movie…that has appeared on the Internet polishing the Premier’s image as a popular leader”, Vexed Bermoothes says it is akin to “what BP might undertake to restore its image after the debilitating Gulf oil spill.”
Bahamas: Straw Saga
Jerome Pinder at Weblog Bahamas says that the straw vendors who have been charged in the United States for the purchase and export of knock off luxury goods “have become the symbol of a lawless society.”
Trinidad & Tobago: MATT's Role
“I know in a democracy it is only right for everyone to have their say. Even in criticising you, MATT. But when the criticism becomes mere target practice, it’s time for us to grow up and look at MATT not as the enemy but as a vessel for all of...
Trinidad & Tobago: Film on the Amerindians
Repeating Islands blogs about “one of the documentaries being screened at the 2010 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival…Tracy Assing’s new film The Amerindians.”
Jamaica: Back to Court for Banton
Jamaican bloggers - nay, regional bloggers - have been following dancehall music icon Buju Banton's drug possession court case with great interest. Yesterday, news broke that the jury was evenly divided on what his fate should be. The judge has since declared a mistrial, which means that the singer will head back to court later this year.
Egypt: “The Inevitable Mubarak Photoshopping Contest”
In its coverage of the 2010 Peace Talks–the latest round of direct negotiations between leaders from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, and the US, Al Ahram newspaper used Photoshop skills to place Mubarak at the front and center in the lineup of heads of states. Bloggers take the cue to launch their own Mubarak Photoshopping Contest!
Singapore: Minimum Wage Debate
Should the Singapore government impose a minimum wage policy? Hong Kong’s recent decision to adopt a minimum wage policy has sparked a debate in Singapore as to whether the prosperous city state should also fix the minimum wage of workers.
UK: Interview With Donald Newholm On ‘History of USSR’ Tetris Song
A Good Treaty interviews Donald Newholm of Pig With The Face Of A Boy about the band's popular song, “A Complete History of the Soviet Union As Told By A Humble Worker, Arranged To The Melody Of Tetris” (the YouTube video to this song has been viewed over 500,000 times).
Kenya: Winners of Kenyan Conversations Competition
StoryMoja announces the winners of Kenyan Conversations Picture Prompt Writing Competition: “In 1st Position is The Gentleman’s Club Written by Clifton Gashagua (Ksh 2000/-, 2 Storymoja books and 1 complimentary festival pass to the Storymoja Hay Festival)
Russia, Czech Republic: “The Velvet Surrender”
Robert Amsterdam's blog links to an investigative report by Gregory Feifer and Brian Whitmore, published in the New Republic (full text available to subscribers only, however), which examines “Russia's ambitious nuclear diplomacy and foreign policy with the Czech Republic.”
Russia, Israel, Syria: Missile Agreement
FP's Passport writes about the 2007 Russian-Syrian missile agreement and the Israeli efforts “to dissuade the Russians on fulfilling their contract.”
South Korea: Broadcasting Power Struggle Bruises Korean Viewers
When two giants fight, it is usually an innocent bystander who gets most hurt. That is exactly what’s happening in South Korea’s broadcasting field, with Korean viewers being the bystanders. Some of the paid-advertisements on cable television will be aired as black screens starting from October. As two major broadcasting powers–the terrestrial networks and the...
Russia: Pavlovsk During WWII
More on the history of the Pavlovsk Experiment Station – at Vaviblog.
Azerbaijan: Obama calls for bloggers’ release
Dönməzlik blog [AZ] says that it was surprised to discover that US President Barack Obama raised the issue of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, two video blogging youth activists imprisoned on charges of hooliganism by a court in Baku, with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, at the UN General Assembly....
Africa: Thoughts on the world from Africans
African Scene is an online portal designed to provide intelligent commentary and musings on African and international affairs which cannot be shouted out by conventional media nor muzzled by any government…
Tanzania: The Party That Gagged Itself
Elsie writes about election campaigns in Tanzania: “A couple of weeks ago CCM forbade its candidates from participating in political debates. This blanket ban covers presidential, parliamentary and local government candidates and includes private and public media as well as political rallies.”
