Stories about Ideas from July, 2011
Italy: Social Innovation Competition with €10,000 Prize
The EUCLID network is inviting social innovators from any country to submit entries to a competition about how to solve one of six social challenges in Naples, Italy. The winning idea will be implemented by the winners together with local partners using a €10,000 prize.
U.S.V.I: Rhys’ Literary Identity
“Both the English and American interpretations of Rhys have always truly baffled me…the English reading…completely glossing over Rhy's well-documented disdain for the English and her discomfort with ‘whiteness’, and the American reading as an odd feminist revision”: A Nation or Nobody blogs about the ambiguities of writer Jean Rhys and...
Russia: President Medvedev's Gadgets Evaluated in a YouTube Video
YouTube user tebedam publishes a video [ru/en] entitled as “Medvedev is NOT corrupted,” that provides market prices for the gadgets president Medvedev had been spotted with on various photos, including Leica S2 camera (Price 22,995 US dollars), other top shelf Swiss watches, and a spacious Moscow flat. According to the...
Chile: Teen Warns About Earthquakes via Twitter (@AlarmaSismos)
TNW Latin America features the work of 14-year-old Sebastian Alegria (@sebasak), a Chilean teen sending earthquake warnings on Twitter through @AlarmaSismos: “The way it works is ingenious: Sebastian bought a domestic earthquake detector for only $75. He then replaced the internal circuit with an Arduino board which interprets the signal....
Jamaica: Rivers & Mountains
“One of my favourite Caribbean proverbs comes from Haiti…‘Deye mon genmon’. Translated: behind the mountains there are mountains. It is such a fantastic description of the landscapes of both Jamaica and Haiti…Our hills roll on forever. Our mountains never end”: Under the Saltire Flag reflects on music, landscapes and the...
Russia: Putin as a Liberal
Sean's Russia Blog continues his argument on Putin as a liberal after reactions to his previous discussion on the subject.
Bermuda: The Good Governance Act
“The Web has been around for 20 years now. It’s a pity the Bermuda Government has yet to use it to distribute the bills that have been tabled for debate in the House of Assembly…”: Still, Vexed Bermoothes manages to get a copy of the Good Governance Act and shares...
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Sex Education
The public reaction to Abeni‘s T-shirt, emblazoned with the words “Sex nice, but de AIDS ting…”, leads her to conclude “that HIV education has to overcome so many prejudices. The reluctance to talk about sex in a holistic way forces the young and not so young to accept myths as...
Cuba: On Queue
“The queue in Cuba…is our music, our magic, our politics. It is the place where we philosophise…the campfire around which we perform our daily routines: conversing, falling for and out with people and, quipping”: A Cuban in London says you haven't seen a real line until you line up in...
Jamaica: Coming Out
“Jamaican attitudes towards homosexuality are shifting,” explains Active Voice, adding: “Those who militate on behalf of gay rights here and elsewhere need to respond to this, rather than to non-existent straw men.”
TED Talk by Global Voices Co-Founder Rebecca MacKinnon
In a TED talk on July 12, 2011 Rebecca MacKinnon describes how the internet has become a primary communication channel between citizens and governments, but warns that there is a corporate layer of “internet sovereigns” between the two. Let's take back the Internet," she says.
Venezuela: Caracas ‘At Its Best’ Thanks to Citizen Initiatives
Mirelis Morales Tovar in her blog Caracas Ciudad de la Furia [es] argues that Caracas is “at its best” thanks to citizen-led initiatives that aim to improve the city. She reviews three of these projects.
Cuba, U.S.A.: About that Embargo
Iván García contends that despite the general pragmatism of U.S. policy, “regarding the Cuban embargo, the Americans show a notable stupidity”, calling it “an authentic mirrors game…of course, the ones who blame the embargo for all the misfortunes that have been happening are also lying.”
Bahamas: Land Use Planning
As the government considers using the Exumas island chain “as a model for land use planning throughout the country”, Bahama Pundit‘s Larry Smith says that “the $64,000 question is how to make all these good intentions real to the average Bahamian as well as to developers.”
Russia: Banksy-Style Graffiti at Child Charity Organization
Dmitry Markov, photoblogger who works for Pskov child charity organization “Rostok,” [ru] publishes [ru] pictures of Banksy-style graffiti at the walls of the organization's building. The graffiti were created by the kids that “Rostok” takes care of together with Markov. Instead of dull white walls, now there are rainbows and silhouettes...
Bangladesh: A Conversation with Dr. Muhammad yunus
An Ordinary Citizen recently met Bangladeshi Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus at the Social Business Day event in Dhaka and shares a conversation with him.
India: A Facebook Campaign To Remove Unwanted Posters
The Poster Hatao (remove posters) Facebook campaign initiated by Shivraj Kumar, a 78-year-old retired army colonel, is gaining momentum. The aim of the campaign is to keep the Indian capital Delhi free from poster nuisance.
Pakistan: Embracing the Google+ Circles
The past couple of weeks might be forever remembered as a game changer in the realm of social media in Pakistan. It was when Google rolled out its all encompassing and challenging social behemoth of a network called Google Plus. Pakistan is crazy about social networking, so it is of little wonder that the launch of Google+ garnered so much reaction.
Trinidad & Tobago: Tackling Transformation
“No one transforms for the greater good. No one transforms to save this place. All we have is Decepticons for leaders. And people who do not, cannot fly”: Attillah Springer notices unsettling parallels between the new Transformers movie and real life in Trinidad and Tobago.
India: Private And Public Cloud
Confused Of Calcutta shares with simple examples what the blogger thinks about public and private clouds.
Trinidad & Tobago: New Media; New Politics
Plain Talk says that “politics as usual” is irrelevant “in these times of new media, real time information and an empowered and politically active electorate.”