Stories about Governance from December, 2006
Russia: Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Economic Boom
White Sun of the Desert writes about the economic boom in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Russia: Nazism and Anti-Fascism
Daut is guest-blogging at Sean's Russia Blog about Nazism and anti-fascism in Russia and the Russian blogosphere.
Poland: Offensive E-Cards
The beatroot writes about anti-Semitic e-cards and how some Polish politicians confuse protest for political correctness.
Poland: Free Internet
Information Policy blog reports that the Polish government will be offering free internet service “to disadvantaged members of society in a bid to ensure that all citizens can have equal access to the constantly growing array of public services now available on-line.”
Puerto Rico: Do you see what I see?
Gil the Jenius enlists the help of refrain from a Christmas carol in his diatribe against what he sees as some of the administrative and political problems affecting Puerto Rico.
Trinidad & Tobago: The smelter moves
As Trinidad and Tobago's caves into the protests against the establishment of an aluminium smelter in a community in south-western Trinidad — and moves the project to another part of the country — Taran Rampersad starts thinking that “it has become necessary to become vocal.”
Kazakhstan: Pressuring Teachers
Arthur reports on government pressure against teachers, specifically putting pressure on teachers to buy government newspapers, in Kazakhstan.
Hungary: Demography
Hungary Economy Watch writes about the country's demographic situation.
Hungary: 2006 Politics Review
Pestcentric offers a review of the 2006 Hungarian politics.
Belarus, Russia: Gas Problems
TOL's Belarus Blog writes that the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom “is not going to tolerate Lukashenka’s bluff and proceeds from warnings to direct actions.”
Iran:A blogger shares her feeling about her filtered blog
Lady Sun shares her feeling about her filtered blog. The blogger says:”I'm just amazed how stupid these people are who can't stand a simple blog that is mostly about personal life of its author. I was careful not to write radical stuff in my Persian blog, because of the fear...
Haiti: Teacher's Union Denounces Insecurity
Many school children have recently been the victims of kidnappings in Haiti and the Haitian press reports that teachers’ unions have denounced what they feel is the government's inaction vis-a-vis the phenomenon. Collectif Haiti de Provence reacted (Fr) to the story: “The teachers’ declaration is timely but insufficient in the...
Jamaica: Development and apathy
Pondering the debate in Jamaica over proposed development for bauxite in Cockpit Country, AliceClaire asks: “Really, which is worse: our myopic vision and planning or a largely, and surprisingly, dormant civil society that let's too many things slide right on by them?“
Jamaica: Entrepreneurship and governance
Jamaican blogger Francis Wade is concerned that “our leaders of government who have never run companies do not understand the nature of business, and when they start to support the individual’s “right to a job” they do not understand what they are saying.”
Bolivia: Politics Falls Apart, Christmas Comes Together
This week's Bolivian blog summary was written by a guest collaborator, Miguel Buitrago, a Bolivian currently pursuing his Ph.D in political science in Hamburg, Germany. His Bolivian blog is called MABB. As the year winds down, and Bolivians prepare to celebrate what is considered one of the most important holydays...
Bermuda: Poison comment debate
A tongue-in-cheek post by the Limey, riffing off of a incident where a chef at a Bermuda resort was thrown off the island after making a joke about putting arsenic in a meal to be served to the island's Premier, occasions a string of comments debating issues of propriety and...
Sri Lanka: Preparing for the Tsunami
LIRNEasia is apprehensive about a report in the UK press which claims that Sri Lanka is prepared well if a tsunami strikes. “The best-prepared country is Sri Lanka, one of those worst hit two years ago, which has a system of transmitting warnings through its police stations.”
Barbados: Condoning human rights abuses
Barbados Free Press is horrified that Barbados abstained from a UN vote citing Iran for human rights abuses, then went on to vote to protect Iran against sanctions.
Ukraine, Poland: Traffic Jam
Abdymok writes about a neglected story of “a 20 kilometer-long line of cars, buses, and trucks trying to make it back to ukraine before the new year . . . polish border guards with machine guns. eye witnesses say little kids are sick and dying. they say the crossing zone...
Russia: “No Bears, Only Beauties” in St. Pete
Russian Marketing Blog writes about a St. Petersburg promotion campaign: “It would cost the City Council about 1 million Euros to place 300 billboards in London, Amsterdam and Paris till the middle of December.”
Russia: Litvinovich on Beslan Report
David McDuff of A Step At A Time translates a piece by Marina Litvinovich, an activist and founder of the Truth of Beslan portal; she writes: “Another of the report’s conclusions is that 32 people took part in the school seizure, of whom 31 were killed and one has been...
