Stories about Technology from May, 2006
Belarus: Brief Blogosphere Update
TOL's Belarus Blog reports on the Belarusian blogosphere's lack of interest in such important issues as the EU's initiatives to freeze Aleksandr Lukashenko's assets and boycott an Interpol conference in Minsk. Polina Smolova's very poor performance at this year's Eurovision Song Contest is widely discussed in Belarusian LiveJournals, however.
Belarus: Off the MSM and Bloggers’ Radars
TOL's Belarus Blog cites Google Trends and Technorati to show that Belarus has virtually disappeared “from the radars of mainstream media” and bloggers.
China: A multi-colored country?
Stories this week from China Herald blogger-journalist Fons Tuinstra include a public protest against the Cultural Revolution in downtown Shanghai, wage raises and indicators, a review of a book on leading Chinese computer manufacturer Lenovo and a Dutch academic's thoughts on how best to describe politically today's China in colors:...
Martinique: Reaction to mtvU's “Darfur is Dying” Game
Martinique-based Le Blog de [Moi] reacts to “Darfur is Dying,” an mtvU online simulation game featuring a family attempting to flee Darfur. The game is designed to raise consciousness about the hardships in Darfur but the blogger is not pleased (Fr): “Where is the world going? I know we have...
The First Internet Party ever Held in Cambodia
A decade ago Cambodia connected to the world. During those years, not many people could spell and capture the term and the meaning of ‘the Internet’ well, except expatriates working in Phnom Penh offices and a few Cambodian staff in aid organizations. It was until recent years that more competitions...
The Kannada Context: Exclusive Identity and Other Stories
A round up of the Kannada blog world.
China: MSN users locked out, speak out
Things have definitely been getting worse for users of MSN services in China since Microsoft recently shifted its Passport login process to Live.com. Following Global Voices Online blogger Frank Dai's post on this problem two weeks ago, a number of MSN Messenger, Hotmail and MSN Spaces users have started speaking...
Russia: Blogger Dies on Mount Elbrus
Aleksandr Antonov (aka LJ user caesar_rb) 1979-2006 Aleksandr Antonov's last LJ post was a very happy one: he was going on a two-week vacation to conquer Mount Elbrus. Here's what he wrote on April 30 (RUS), as LJ user caesar_rb: I'm going to Elbrus! So, my dear comrades, I'm leaving...
India: Blogs and Conversations
Reshma appears to have been battling to figure out how to index her posts on blogger, and reflects “Depending on the metaphor you identify with, will influence whether you use it to ‘express’ or ‘exchange’ opinions and views; the frequency with which you post; the content that you post (topical...
Sri Lanka: Last-Mile Hazard Information Dissemination
LIRNEAsia on the launch of the HazInfo Project “LIRNEasia launched the first phase of the Last-Mile Hazard Information Dissemination (HazInfo) project funded by IDRC, along with its project partners Sarvodaya, the largest community organization in Sri Lanka and TVE Asia Pacific (TVEAP), a non-profit media organization working in the Asian...
Argentina: Free Wi-Fi for Buenos Aires
Chilean blogger Leo Prieto inspires applause in the comments for Buenos Aires Mayor Jorge Telerman's announcement [ES] that the city will provide its citizens with free wi-fi access. One commenter responds, “we Chileans are always copycats with bad ideas, why not copy these good ones?”
El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Chile: Internet Day
May 17th was “El Día de Internet,” or “Internet Day” in Latin America and several bloggers offered homages to the World Wide Web. From El Salvador, Hunnapuh asks [ES] “but really, what is the significance of the internet?” A commenter at BlogsPeru remarks that just around the corner is “International...
Trinidad and Tobago, USA: Trinidadian man caught in child seduction sting
Steups reacts with disgust to the news that a Trinidadian man has been caught in an Internet child-seduction sting in Florida set up by Dateline NBC. “It's not enough that citizens here are causing consternation and shame but now we have expatriates casting negativity upon us.”
China: Campaign targets Microsoft
Activism made easy at China Activist Weekly with a post from blogger Celia on an Amnesty International letter one can send to Microsoft regarding their behavior in China. Having it delivered is the hardest part: “Oddly enough, it's apparently not possible to email Microsoft. I have searched for a general...
Africa: High internet costs
Swamp Cottage points out the high cost of internet in Africa especially when compared to the US….$1800 for 1GB of data which is over 90 times what Kenyans pay.
Malawi: African Hand Cart
Timbuktu Chronicles reports on the the “African HandCart” being built by local carpenters in Malawi...”novelty lies in its use of readily available bicycle wheels and a wooden chassis and body. In addition, all bolts are bicycle components, the only other fasteners being common nails and wood screws.”
Trinidad and Tobago, Martinique: Trade and Investment Convention
Taran Rampersad visits the annual Trade and Investment Convention in Trinidad and is pleasantly surprised. He meets a representative of a company in Martinique that develops innovative GPS/GIS software, and has a constructive, candid talk with the business development manager of a new ISP.
China: Beijing's new facelift
From Will at Imagethief: The original painting of the retouched version currently hanging from the gate to the Forbidden City is going up for auction, and while old Beijing's bird whistles are increasingly being replaced with the sound of jackhammers, a recording of hutong sounds has been put online for...
Japan: Questionable new laws
Riding Sun‘s GaijinBiker pokes some big holes first in the Japanese government's new law requiring all foreigners entering the country to have their fingerprints scanned followed by another new law which will see a gradual decrease in the number of free parking spaces for bicycles, scooters and motorcycles in Tokyo.
Zambia: Internet Security
Zambian blog Real Life of a Journalist posts some tips on internet security
India: SMS Culture
Text messaging in India has found use across sectors. From finding cricket scores, to booking rituals in a temple. Kamla on the SMS culture in India.
