Stories about Ideas from January, 2009
Barbados, U.S.A.: True Identity
Living in Barbados is hoping that “President Obama will help us in the Caribbean and those in Africa rediscover who and what we really are.”
Jamaica, Barbados, U.S.A.: Bonne Chance!
Jamaican diaspora blogger Pamela Mordecai holds high hopes for the Obama administration and wishes the new President well, while Notes From A Small Rock [Barbados] sums up her sentiment like this: “Now we wait. We wait to see if the words match the deeds. We all want so much of...
Trinidad & Tobago: The Fourth Summit of the Peoples
Trinidad and Tobago sees the launch of a new blog about “the upcoming fourth Summit of the Peoples, the alternative to the fifth installment of the Summit of the Americas conferences…where emerging…voices from the Caribbean—farmers and fisherfolk, anti-smelter and gender activists—can connect with themselves and others across the globe, and...
Cuba: Quelling the Rumours
Child of the Revolution confirms that recent rumours of Fidel Castro's demise have been just that – thanks to reports from Havana that the president of Argentina met with him on the last day of her visit to the island.
Haiti, U.S.A.: Retro Rhetoric?
The Haitian Blogger takes issue with some of the content of Barack Obama's inaugural speech, calling it “reminiscent of his predecessor”: “I wonder when the ‘West’ will accept some of the blame for the ill will that it has garnered for its actions in the global south and in the...
Trinidad & Tobago, Bahamas: Start at Home
While Alien in the Caribbean [Trinidad & Tobago] encourages those with dysfunctional families to finally break free, Doing Theology from the Caribbean [Bahamas] suggests that peacemaking begins at home.
Armenia: Musings
Ara Balozian continues to ponder life, the universe and everything on his blog, Ara Home Page. In his two latest posts, the controversial independent writer and thinker considers what it is to be Armenian and contemplates the Armenian view of history.
China: Active Consumption is Patriotic
Joel Martinsen from DANWEI translated local discussion about the relation between consumption and patriotism.
Japan: Coming of age in 2009
Every year, on the second Monday of January, in the neighbourhood of every city hall of Japan, one can see young men wearing the hakama (typical Japanese trousers) and women dressed up in furisode (long sleeved kimono, traditionally worn by unmarried girls). On that particular day, in fact, since 1946,...
Trinidad & Tobago: Start the Bacchanal
“Who needs Carnival in this place where leaders could play mas with democracy?” Trinidadian blogger Attillah Springer wonders if the masquerade will ever end.
Bermuda, U.S.A.: Thinking Out Loud
Bermudian blogger Vexed Bermoothes is filled with scurrilous thoughts about everything from the use of trusts to the Premier's attendance at the Obama inauguration.
Jamaica, U.S.A.: One Love?
Bob Marley's One Love was played at Barack Obama’s Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, prompting Abeng New Magazine to say, despite the ironies: “We are proud that the USA can borrow from us at a critical moment when the president-elect sells the idea that ‘anything is possible in...
Jamaica: Praying in Patois
Iriegal shares her thoughts on the production of a Patois Bible: “I just want to say $60 million dollars is a lot to invest…there is so much controversy in translating European English into Patois I really don't know how they are going to do it, even from and audio perspective.”
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Political Comparisons
As America gears up for the inauguration of President Barack Obama, diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp is reminded of “the euphoria that many Jamaicans experienced when Michael Manley was elected as Prime Minister in 1972.”
Philippines: Helping flood victims through Plurk and blogs
Filipino bloggers have organized a feeding program for the benefit of flood victims in south Philippines. They announced their project through Plurk and other social networking sites.
Trinidad & Tobago: The Inferno?
“Somedays I feel that the effort to constantly be watching over my shoulder and worrying about the safety of friends and loved ones in this small country of just over 1Million people will wear me out”: Trin compares T&T to Dante's Inferno.
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Pre-Inauguration Poem
Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp pens “a simple lyric, for Barack Obama”.
Barbados: Facing the Nation
Barbados Underground reacts to the Prime Minister's first formal interaction with the national media: “We applaud the Prime Minister for making himself available to the PEOPLE, our hope now is for the local media personnel to…[exercise] different strategies to source more meaningful information…”
Bermuda, U.S.A.: The Audacity of Marketing?
The Bermuda Department of Tourism is co-sponsoring a party in Washington, DC over the inaugural weekend, which is costing Bermudian taxpayers $75,000. Vexed Bermoothes is not happy about it, saying: “This has little to do with marketing Bermuda tourism…this is about marketing the Premier.”
Guyana: Speaking Up
“Last August during a Carifesta event, I witnessed what was akin to a public scolding of a young woman who dared to ask a panel of older Caribbean writers and educators why young people were not invited to be panelists for a discussion on the condition of the Caribbean. She...
China: Farewell, Bullog
The government's clean-up campaign sweeps the internet world, while not only "pornography" is down, Bullog, a popular blog hosting site which plays as a vanguard of liberalism and democracy thinkings, also a front line of government criticisms and plaza of popular opinions, was shut down as well.
