Stories about Development from December, 2011
Brazil: “We Have Overtaken the United Kingdom's GDP. So What?”
The news, published in the international press and echoed by the country's media, filled nationalist Brazilians with with pride and optimism, and left those who analysed the numbers more closely concerned. Bloggers ponder the meaning of being the world's sixth largest country in terms of Gross Domestic Product, and occupying the 84th position in Human Development Index.
Online Highlights from the Portuguese-Speaking World in 2011
2011 has been another year in which bloggers and activists from a number of Portuguese-speaking countries have come together to report, translate and promote blogs and citizen media from all over the world. This article selects the highlights in the coverage of Lusophone countries on Global Voices over the last year.
Macedonia: Pioneering Battery Disposal Initiative
Greener, a Macedonian NGO, blogged [mk] about their pilot-project Go Clean [FB page, mk], which aims to grow into a national campaign for proper disposal of used batteries and accumulators.
Nepal:No Place for Xenophobia
Blogdai writes that Nepal should stop blaming foreigners for each and every woe that comes its way, since national unity cannot be based on xenophobia.
Colombia: Salsa Song Criticizes Bus Rapid Transport System
A salsa song and video documents the suffering that travelling in the Transmilenio public transportation system of Bogota represents for its users.
Macedonia: Health System Software Vendor Lock-in
Novica Nakov warned [mk] that the state discriminates against users of operating systems like GNU/Linux or Mac OS X, purporting vendor lock-in by forcing medical doctors to use the latest...
Barbados: too many cars
Barbados Underground asks: how can the island solve its perennial traffic problem? “Barbados is 166 square miles and at some point commonsense will have to take root. The number of...
Guyana: crime and insecurity
“Travel around coastland Guyana and you will see it too,” writes Imran Khan: “burglar bars, grillwork, heavily armed company security forces, reinforced doors, guard huts, watchmen, security lights, CCTV cameras.”...
Bermuda: rethinking ties with Britain?
The British government is reviewing its relationship with its overseas territories, writes Catch a Fire, and inviting Bermudans to share their perspectives. “I think we need a new Constitutional Convention...
India:The Need to Look Beyond the Middle Class
Supriyo Chaudhury argues that in order to re-define it's future and grow to the next level, India must look beyond it's Middle Class and create a more inclusive, broad-based society.
China: Top 10 Problems in 2011
Paul from ChinaSMACK translated Chinese Academy of Social Science's survey on the top 10 problems in 2011 as perceived by Chinese people.
Armenia: Activists Demand Controversial Governor's Dismissal
Surik Khachatryan, the governor of Armenia's southern Syunik province, has been making headlines in the last month for all the wrong reasons. No stranger to controversy, activists are now demanding his dismissal.
Brazil: Protest and Sit-in Against Belo Monte in Sao Paulo
Journalist Leonardo Sakamoto posts [pt] a picture and video of a protest in São Paulo, Brazil, against the construction of the Belo Monte Dam [pt], on December 17, 2011.
China: Qingdao's Real Estate Bubble
Steven Dickinson argues that China's real estate market has bursted by sharing his observations in Qingdao, where new residential real estate projects in have fallen an average of 30% within...
Brazil: How Many Lives Does the Guarani-Kaiowá's Land Cost?
Last November, 42 gunmen attacked an indigenous reserve in Mato Grosso do Sul, executing Nísio Gomes, 59, chief of the Guaraní Kaiowá and several other villagers. These attacks take place at the same time as Brazil consolidates its position as one of the leading exporters of agricultural goods and biofuels in the world, and Mato Grosso do Sul one of its most productive states.
China: Guangdong Uprising, Now in Haimen
Since the village of Wukan in Guangdong province was placed under siege after kicking out party and government officials, at least two nearby towns have launched actions of their own. The most recent, which broke out today, has reportedly seen 30,000 people blocking a busy freeway.
China: Abandoned Wonderland
Sven Holler from Ministry of Tofu posts pictures of an abandoned amusement park, Wonderland, at the outskirts of Beijing city .
China: English-only European town in Beijing Suburb
Ministry of Tofu translated a news story about a billion-yuan construction plan of an English-speaking town as large as 60 hectares (165 acres) in Miyun county, a suburban region in...
Taiwan: Land Expropriation Revision Fails to Address Farmers’ Woes
As the presidential election is approaching, the politicians in Taiwan's Executive Yuan have decided to revise the Land Expropriation Act. However, instead of addressing the farmers' woes, lawmakers have passed a revision of the Act that reinstates the interests of development over human rights.
India: The INK Conference Concludes
The second INK (Innovation and Knowledge) conference was held during 8-12 December in Jaipur, India. BlogAdda posts a detailed roundup of the conference.
Bangladesh: Why A Region Is Poor?
Basher tries to analyze why a large region in the north of Bangladesh remains poor.
