Stories about Economics & Business from December, 2008
Palestine: Shopping for Palestine
“When you buy a Palestinian product, it not only represents solidarity, but also creates a direct bond between you, the Palestinian people, and the land,” Annie of Annie's Letters believes.
2008: A turbulent year for South Asia
Looking back on the events that rocked South Asia in the year 2008 we see that terrorism took the center stage in many places in this region. This was also a year of crucial and decisive elections in many South Asian countries. The Global Voices coverages of the blogospheres of...
Global Health: 2008 Blogs In Review
Bloggers in 2008 showed all the ways in which global health is interconnected with other issues, by covering health stories that touched on everything from poverty and women's rights to the environment and economics. They shared stories such as the prohibition of cannabis in Japan, how ads for children's food...
Japan: Un-hiring fresh graduates
Job hunting for fresh graduates in Japan is an intense trial called shushoku katsudo or shukatsu for short. University students in their third year start shukatsu during the winter in hopes of receiving several naitei (informal job offer/promise of employment) in May at the earliest, to start their new jobs on April 1st of the following year.
Mongolia: Ninja Mining
Bilguun writes about so-called ninja miners in Mongolia – the people, who dig small unauthorised mines or pan dirt for gold. Ninja mining towns have become more or less self-sufficient, with their own economy, rules and social structure, nearly independent of the government thanks to the government choosing to ignore...
Russia sets list for companies of strategic interest
Robert Amsterdam comments on the Russian governments recently published list of companies of strategic interest.
Morocco: A Moroccan Christmas
As Morocco is primarily a Muslim country, the majority of its residents do not celebrate Christmas. Still, bits and pieces of the holiday can be found, thanks to French influence and a good-sized expat community. This year, expat and Peace Corps bloggers share how they celebrated the holiday.
DRC: A “Gloomy” Christmas in Kinshasa
Cedric Kalonji writes about his "gloomy" Christmas in Kinshasa. With the economic crisis, it seemed like many kinois weren't up for celebrating.
Brazil: Chico Mendes lives on, 20 years after his death
Bloggers remember and pay homage to Chico Mendes, the man whose actions highlighted the plight of the Amazon internationally, and who was murdered twenty years ago by those who were opposed to his activism.
Ukraine: Political chaos and economic crisis
A Fistful of Euros analyses Ukraine's mounting political chaos and economic crisis.
Southeast Asia: Newsmakers of 2008
For Southeast Asia, 2008 was a year of terrible disasters, both natural and man-made. Rice consumption was reduced, milk products were contaminated with melamine, jobs were lost, bloggers were arrested, and homes were destroyed. But the situation is not hopeless.
Bahrain: Comparing the Bahraini and Japanese work ethic
Bahraini blogger Yagoob is currently studying in Japan - and has seen firsthand the legendary Japanese work ethic. In this post he compares the attitude of many Bahrainis towards work with that of the Japanese.
Singapore Flyer, a white elephant already?
Because of the recession, fewer people are visiting the Singapore Flyer (the world’s largest observation wheel). According to Empty Vessel, “if no drastic measures are taken to restore people’s confidence in stepping into the capsules, the Flyer risks becoming Singapore’s biggest white elephant.”
Vietnam: Extreme street cables
oobject posts pictures of extreme street wiring in Vietnam cities.
Cuba: Be Part of the Solution
Generation Y‘s Yoani Sanchez has the solution to Cuba's problems: “Let everyone speak, no matter whether in complaint or in support of a proposal designed to address the problems…only freedom of opinion will allow those who can advance remedies to dare to do so.”
Jamaica: Bailout Plan?
“It is indeed a sorry state of affairs. Usually in times of downturn, alcohol sales increase as people look to drown their sorrows!”: As employees of a rum manufacturer are laid off, Jamaica Salt wonders whether “the government of Jamaica should be considering a bailout plan.”
Guyana: Bridge Opens
Living Guyana congratulates the government on the opening of the Berbice bridge, but reserves the right to ask a few questions.
Czech Republic: A Politics-Free Roundup
Politics-free posts from the Czech Republic: a charity project to help orphans organized by Czech model Tereza Maxova, bankruptcy of one of the largest Czech glass companies, and Karel Gott's lasting popularity – at CzechFolks.com; the winner of the Bravest Czech of the Year award, and tips on how to...
Bulgaria, Russia: “Open Source AK-47″
Eternal Remont writes: “Apparently, Russia's state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport is livid that Bulgaria would violate the sacred principles of intellectual property and trademark protection to produce an, um, we're going to call it an ‘open source AK-47′.”
Russia: Gas News
Siberian Light and Robert Amsterdam's blog write about “the annual Russo-Ukrainian gas crisis”; the latter also writes about the fledgling “gas OPEC.”
Russia, Serbia: Gazprom, NIS, and Gas Prices
Streetwise Professor posts an update on Gazprom's “vaporware” in Serbia, which includes a recent resignation of the “anti-Gazprom” Serbian economics minister, Mladan Dinkic (more on that – at Robert Amsterdam's blog). Meanwhile, gas costs $5.80 per gallon in Serbia, according to Bill's Blog: “To put the $5.80 into perspective, the...
