Stories about History from November, 2009
Lebanon: Bulldozing Ancient Ruins in Beirut
Lebanese Blogger finkployd at Blogging Beirut posted photos of a bulldozer clearing ancient ruins facing Martyr Square in Downtown Beirut to make way for another building.
USA: Thanksgiving, a Celebration of Genocide?
On Livejournal, Christopher Bradley in the USA explains why he hates Thanksgiving. “I don't think there's any need to have holidays with the specter of genocide over them,” he says.
USA: Historical Truth of Thanksgiving
“To European-Americans this holiday is laced with fanciful symbolism and metaphorical memories about that great feast between Pilgrims and Indians. But the historical truth often goes untold and unheard,” writes Rusty’s blog.
Barbados: 43rd Anniversary of Independence
Today, the 43rd anniversary of Barbados’ independence, has bloggers talking about what the occasion means.
Yemen: An Architectural Gem
Yemeni Omar Barsawad shares with us information on the Yemeni capital San'aa. “Be it in Sana'a Old City or the mud bricked houses of Hadhramout, Yemen's architecture remains very much traditional and unique. And is still being preserved in most parts of the country,” he notes.
Cambodia: End of first Khmer Rouge Tribunal deemed a relative success
Many in the international community are calling the first Khmer Rouge Tribunal trial of Kaing Kek Iev, or Duch, a relative success as the trial closed. However, there are indications that Cambodian officials may not participate in future cases making it difficult to conduct a fair trial for the four Khmer Rouge members awaiting trial
India Remembers Horrifying Mumbai Terror Attacks
One year ago, Mumbai, India's financial and entertainment capital came under a well- coordinated terrorist attack that lasted for 3 days. Indian netizens remember those horrifying moments and complain that nothing has changed.
Uzbekistan: Tashkent, a green city. Or not?
Old trees are cut down in the center of Tashkent – the shocking news was spread in the city within a day. Photo by goricvet Planetrees, or platanus, planted at the end of the 19th century, were cut down in the public garden named after Amir Temur (Tamerlane) in Tashkent...
Bangladesh, India, Pakistan: One State Solution Week 2009
The One State Solution Blog invites bloggers to express their opinions to redress the problems the Partition of India has created: “it did not achieve the goals or resolve the problems that the two-nation theory promised us as a subcontinent.” If you are blogging on this issue then tag your...
Trinidad & Tobago: On Sex
As a prelude to World AIDS Day, Alien In The Caribbean is “doing a thorough three part exploration of sex and sexuality, particularly in the Caribbean.”
Azerbaijan: New Year
Azerbaijan might still be a predominantly Muslim country, but Scary Azeri in Suburbs says that many of the trappings of Christmas in the West can be observed in its New Year festivities. The blog details how the holiday is spent in much of the former Soviet world.
Poland: Catholics Propose Adding Cross to National Emblem
Sylwia Presley reviews the reactions of Polish bloggers to a recent proposal by a Polish Catholic group to include the symbol of the cross in the national coat of arms.
Indonesia: Youth, Art, and Nationalism
Many young Indonesians are expressing their nationalism through art.
Taiwan: Movie used to mend Taiwan-Japan relations
“Hatta Yoichi” (八田與一) is a Japanese animated film about a Japanese engineer who was responsible for the development of irrigation systems in southern Taiwan. Sponge Bear comments on an article discussing how Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou has used the release of the movie to improve relations between Taiwan and Japan.
Disturbing Images Blogged on alleged Timor Assassin
On the 15th November Portuguese language blogger, Timor Lorosae Nacao, posted disturbing images of the corpse of Major Alfredo Reinado undergoing an autopsy in Dili in February 2008. Major Reinado led a group of armed men to the house of Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta on the morning of 11 February...
Cuba, U.S.A.: Questions for Obama
Cuba's Generation Y sends a questionnaire to U.S. President Obama “with some of the issues that keep [her] from sleeping” and publishes his responses.
Cuba: Courting Change
“There are a good number of ministers still under sixty, but the largest share of power is concentrated in the hands of septuagenarians and octogenarians”: Cuba's Generation Y suggests these veterans are unable “to hear the new generation knocking at the door, coming like a whirlwind to dismantle everything.”
Japan: Deer wrangling and antler-cutting in Nara
Nestled in the heart of the Kansai region of Japan, Nara City exudes a subdued atmosphere unique from its neighboring Osaka and Kyoto. If there is a particular symbol of Nara recognized nationwide, it is either the Buddha of Todai-ji (東大寺) or the deer of Nara Park. Over the long...
India, Pakistan: The Sky Below
Kamla Bhatt reviews a documentary of Sarah Singh (New York), The Sky Below, which looks at the partition of the Indian sub-continent in 1947 and “how it impacted the people and communities on both sides of the border: India and Pakistan.”
Hungary: More on Imre Kertész's Interview
More on the Hungarian reactions to Imre Kertész's Die Welt interview – at Hungarian Spectrum. (Marietta Le's GV post about it is here.)
Czech Republic, Slovakia: Velvet Revolution, 20 Years On
On Nov. 17, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, and The Czech Daily Word lists “most frequent stupid arguments and errors” of those who believe that “the era of communism was better than the post-revolution times.”
