Stories about Economics & Business from May, 2006
China: Don't learn Chinese for business opps, learn it for this book
For unavoidable reasons known to all, or at least presumed, Lifeweek editor Wang Xiaofeng, one of China's most entertaining bloggers—known to many for a hoax [#026] pulled in March this year which brought many bloggers’ scorn—mysteriously killed off his widely-read Massage Milk (also known as Wears Three Watches) in early...
Palestine: Free Hait Cut
Palestinian hairdressers in the West Bank town of Hebron offered a free trim to local government employees who have not been paid for more than two months, Fadi said.
Belarus, Russia: IMF Approves of Common Currency
TOL's Belarus Blog criticizes the IMF's approval of the common currency of Belarus and Russia: “Oh, yeah, IMF is not a political body and does not care or understand that ‘currency union’ has nothing to do with economics but only disquises attempt of political incorporation.”
Belarus: Hunger Strikes and Persecutions
Andrei Khrapavitski writes about “repressions and deaths” in Belarus, as well as two hunger strikes – by the young politicians and a businessman facing a 6-year sentence for tax evasion.
Philippines: Tacky advertising
Village idiot Savant wants Microsoft Philippines to grow up.
Macau: Economy booming
A post from Simon at Simon World looks at recent speculation that the fastest growing economy in the world is not to be found in Shanghai, Chongqing, the Pearl River Delta or anywhere in China proper for that matter, but the former Portugese colony of Macau, off China's southern coast....
Iran: Burning Banks!
Noqte tahekhad , Iran based blogger, says banks get burned when there are riots in Iran and tell us why (Persian). According to this blogger most banks are run by government and then they symbolize it , banks are easy targets and lending money with high interest rate ( 25...
St. Lucia: privatisation of utilities
Should the St. Lucian water company be privatised? Should the mass transit system remain in private hands? Matthew Hunte weighs in. “We end up in a funny situation where (quite a few of) the same people who oppose private water are quite content to leave our transport system in the...
Mongolia: Construction Season
Luke Distelhorst says that, because of the country's climate, construction is restricted to a few months of the year. Though floods and snow can strike even in late May, construction season is upon Mongolia, though Luke notes that at one site, none of the workers speak Mongolian.
Nigeria: 419 hurting local entrepreneurs
Grandiose Parlor comments on Nigeria's “Yahoo Boys” and the detrimental impact they have had on Nigerian “entrepreneurs in and outside the country“
Cambodia: Promotion Girl
Vutha in Cambodia looks at the life of Promotion Girls – girls hired to sell products in streetside cafes and markets.
China: Raising fuel prices, raising tempers
As China's economy continues to grow, so too do the kinds of complaints that come with modern life. And while gas prices are kept lower than can be found in many other countries, two prices hikes in the last year alone have left many of China's rapidly-growing middle class grumbling,...
Sri Lanka: Job losses and India
Given that a lot of outsourcing jobs go to India, Janapathi in the context of transnational job losses – ponders on why Sri Lankan executives lose their jobs to Indians.
China: IP rights lacking
In ‘China Ponders Propaganda Role for Non-Red Parties,’ China Confidential‘s Confidential Reporter sees the combined 500,000 members of China's non-Communist political parties—contrasted by 70 million Communist Party members—more as propaganda tools than a sign of democratization, and observes a lack of commitment from the Chinese government in upholding intellectual property...
South Korea: Chinese labor unattractive
A post by James J. Na on The Korea Liberator blog looks at a decrease in Korean manufacturers doing business in China as labor conditions in the Communist state continue to improve, and costs rise. “They should do what the Chinese do already,” says Na: “go to Vietnam instead. And,...
DRC: Mining industry
Peaceful Rising, a blog about Chinese influence in the developing world comments the state of the DRC cobalt mining industry which has run into decay “Since the Gecamines went bankrupt in 1990, its open mines have been invaded by thousands of self-employed hand-diggers and artisan miners, known in French as...
What do Bloggers say about Rural India?
While reading different blogs, I have often read that in India blogging reflects a very middle class mindset. So, I thought even if it is true what do Indian blogs say about the issues that are not typically middle class or about urban India. Dilip at Death Ends Fun in...
Up close with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
One of Africa's most powerful women
Russia: Ethnic Uzbek in Moscow
Moscow-based LJ user gr_s (Grigoriy Sapov) hitched a cab and ended up having a conversation with the driver, an ethnic Uzbek (RUS): An Uzbek Driver Yesterday. The driver is elderly, respectable, speaks without an accent: *** The conversation began when we were getting out to the embankment through Neopalimovskie Lanes....
Czech Republic: Trying to Fix a Gas Heater
Dana of My Czech Republic Blog reproduces an exasperating phone conversation about a heater that seemed to be broken.
