Stories about Ideas from August, 2006
Jamaica: Intuitives
“The term “intuitives”, used to describe those artists without formal training and often inspired by religious movements like Rastafarianism or Revivalism, has decisively entered the art history lexicon of the Caribbean, even as some critics debate the political, historical, and even economic consequences of the label,” writes Nicholas Laughlin, linking...
Jamaica, UK: Linton Kwesi Johnson
Geoffrey Philp extends birthday greetings to Britain-based Jamaican dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson: “He became only the second living poet to be published in the Penguin Classics series. His poetry involves the recitation of his own verse in Jamaican Creole over dub-reggae, usually written in collaboration with renowned British reggae...
China: Censors vs. video, culture, innovation, humor, pretty much the entire Chinese blogsphere
Late last month a seemingly important stage was reached in the maturation process of China's blogsphere with the launch of Bullog.cn, a new website bringing together—a substantial and pertinent alternative to Sina.com's celebrity blogs—the leading liberal and intelligent bloggers around. Earlier this week it was shut down pending the site's...
Afghanistan: Cooperation Please!
Afghan Warrior talks about the importance of cooperation between Nato forces and Afghan National Army. The blogger says last week 12 border police were killed by a coalition air strike in Paktia province. He adds if they have radio communication with every provincial security official, it would be very useful...
Cambodia: New Story Tellers on the Internet
According to a research report released recently by Pew Internet, most webloggers don't consider themselves doing journalism. In most cases they are not up to what a journalist does. In Cambodian blogosphere, there exists a series of interviews done by digital citizens playing the role of citizen's media. Chan Bopha,...
Jamaica, Germany: Marlon James on Grass
Jamaican novelist Marlon James offers his two cents’ on German novelist Günter Grass's recent admission that he was once a member of the Waffen SS: “I would think that a man who was in the elite SS going on to become the very conscience of his nation, would speak to...
Bahamas: Civil service inertia
Nicolette Bethel calls for a full-scale re-thinking of the Bahamian civil service: “the civil service as designed is crippling the development of The Bahamas. . . . the version that we have in place was never intended to govern a free nation. . . “
Bahamas: Armageddon
Bahamian columnist Sir Arthur Foulkes wonders if the stage has been set for Armageddon.
Iran: Iranian Digg or Reddit!
Zharf says he has launched a new site similar [Fa] to digg and reddit in Persian. The blogger says site's name is Balatarin and everybody can add a link to that. All of the links on Balatarin will be from users who are rewarded for good submissions (and punished for...
Jamaica: Happy birthday, Roger Mais
On August 11, Geoffrey Philp sends birthday wishes to Jamaican writer Roger Mais, whose novel Brother Man, “opened the door for me to write about Rastafari and reggae.”
China: the benefit of piracy
Danwei posts the an article, Necessary Evil? Piracy offers Chinese an unprecedented window to the Western world, by Kaiser Kuo. Kuo is a co-founded China's first heavy metal band, Tang Dynasty, in 1989.
Iran: Ahmadinejad is Blogging!
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian President has started his own blog in four languages. In his first post he talks about his life. On his blog the following question is asked: Do you think that the US and Israeli intention and goal by attacking Lebanon is pulling the trigger for another world...
Russia: Portraits of Putin
Samson Sholademi – LJ user sholademi, journalist of a Russian tabloid Express Gazeta – displays a unique drawing collection on his blog: portraits of Russia's president Vladimir Putin, made by children (mainly). There is Putin “relaxing at home, reading a book to his doggie Kony” (by Vika Lvova, 9), and...
Iran: Is God out there?
Mohammad Masih, a martyrdom seeker & active blogger talks about his own experience to try go to Lebanon. The blogger says imagine the moment that you may have a ticket to Damascus or you can pass the border a question comes in your mind: Is there God out there [Fa]?...
Jamaica: Reggae aesthetics
Jamaican writer Geoffrey Philp traces his evolution from reader of Joyce to embracer of reggae aesthetics: “For the reggae influenced writer, Rastafari legitimized the experiences of Black people in the Americas and became the means to overstanding power and the privileging of one text or dialect over another. Drawing on...
India: Blogcamp 2006
Sumankumar's Yak Pad announces that Blogcamp 2006, India's biggest and most comprehensive blog event is going to be held in 9th and 10th September 2006 in the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai.
India: Mobile internet
IT entrepreneur Rajesh Jain at Emergic lists six reasons why the trend of mobile Internet should take-off in India.
Jamaica: On fundamentalism
“A false doctrine trying to pass itself off as an older vision insults my intelligence and the bloodshed these religions leave in their wake convinces me that there is no God in them,” writes Jamaican novelist Marlon James, weighing in on the subject of fundamentalism
DRC: Word on the Street
In a long detailed post, Fleur d'Afrique relates what she has heard through word of mouth about the aftermath of sunday's presidential election. Among other rumors, she's heard that:”Kabila is leading the polls particularly in the eastern and some southern parts of Congo.” She also deplores UDPS's strategy of boycotting...
Pakistan: Opinions divided on Musharraf's future
All things Pakistan blog conducts the second blog poll on 'what President General Musharraf should do now'. The results are not only interesting, but also confusing. ATP blog concludes that the public opinion amongst Pakistanis remains divided and uncertain on the future of Gen. Musharraf.
