· July, 2011

Stories about Ideas from July, 2011

Italy: Social Innovation Competition with €10,000 Prize

  20 July 2011

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

  20 July 2011

“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...

Chile: Teen Warns About Earthquakes via Twitter (@AlarmaSismos)

  19 July 2011

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

  18 July 2011

“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...

Bermuda: The Good Governance Act

  15 July 2011

“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

  14 July 2011

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

  14 July 2011

“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

  14 July 2011

“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

  13 July 2011

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.

Cuba, U.S.A.: About that Embargo

  13 July 2011

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

  13 July 2011

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...

Pakistan: Embracing the Google+ Circles

  11 July 2011

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

  11 July 2011

“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.