· July, 2007

Stories about Governance from July, 2007

Japan: Sanja Matsuri suspension

  26 July 2007

Anpontan has posted an overview of the reasons behind this year's suspension of the main event of a three-day festival, which he explains are connected to the increasing presence of yakuza, who have “taken to wandering from festival to festival in Tokyo lately looking for action and dominating events.” He...

Russia: Cyclical History

From Russia With Blog looks at Putin's Russia from a “cyclical history” perspective – and also highlights “the apathy of the Russian masses” by describing the annual no-hot-water season.

Japan: Smoke, Fire, and Fault Lines

  26 July 2007

Matt Dioguardi at Liberal Japan has posted a couple of round-ups (here and here) on the crisis at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant following the recent earthquake.

Hong Kong: Sorry, you have no rights to know

  26 July 2007

The Television and entertainment licensing authory (TELA) has given out 17 advices in the book fair (one of them is the “Love Mythology”), citizen reporter, Ip Iam Chong from inmediahk.net, called up TELA and Trade and Economic Development Bureau to find out which were the 17 books. It takes him...

Peru: Polls, Strikes, and Independence Day

  26 July 2007

As Peruvian Independence Day approaches on July 28, the atmosphere in Peru is becoming increasingly festive and the Peruvian national colors, red and white, are cropping up everywhere. However, on the political stage, there is little to celebrate. Despite the end of the teachers' strike, organized by the teacher's union, SUTEP, and despite the probability the other strikes plaguing the country will also come to an end, many people believe that these radical measures will return once the National Holiday concludes.

Iran:Student Activist Executed as Gang-Member

Kamangir says that Meisam Lotfi, a student activist, executed as gang-member recently in Iran. His mother said Meisam spent six month in the infamous Evin Prison after the July 1999 student riots. Meisam had spent 55 days in solitary confinement after he was accused of setting tires on fire during...

Turkey is Typing….Election Issue

The Turkish parliamentary elections were this last Sunday… and despite public protests in the last few months against the ruling party AKP, they still won with a resounding 47 per cent of the popular vote. Turkish bloggers wrote extensively this week about their predictions of the elections and what future...

Japan: Ground Zero at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa

  25 July 2007

On July 16, shaken by a massive earthquake originating in a fault line that apparently runs directly underneath it, one of the power generators of the world's largest nuclear power plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, burst into flame and started billowing black smoke. This week's post includes a report from Diet member and blogger Kondo Masamichi, one of the first to arrive on the scene, and the reaction of another blogger who questions the government's handling of the crisis.

Bahamas: Is Crime Learned or Innate?

  25 July 2007

“I'm convinced the Parliamentarians let their colleagues pass just in case they need the favour returned should they be tempted to put their hand in the proverbial cookie jar. Could that be the reason we let each other off with petty crimes as well?” Rick Lowe at WeblogBahamas.com wonders whether...

Hong Kong: Cyber bullying

  25 July 2007

A newspapers editor and blogger Chow Chauli was attacked by some netizens in her blog's comment section because of her criticism in the newspapers about a B.T user “Nike” who uploaded pornographic films in the internet. Some bloggers defined the case as cyber bullying. Florence who was very sympathetic with...