Stories from Quick Reads from October, 2011
Greece: When the Crisis Hit the Fan
Freelance journalist Kostas Kallergis started a blog in English about the Greek crisis, documenting on a daily basis various “small things that usually go unreported in the international press,” from graffiti in the streets of Athens to roundups of the local press coverage and historical analyses.
Pakistan: Say No To Plastic Bags
95% people use plastic bags in Pakistan and only 15% of these bags are properly disposed off, informs Rai Muhammad Azlan Shahid, while advocating for banning them.
Cuba: Off-Colour Remark in Red Light District
babalu is appalled by a remark that Mariela Castro (director of Cuba's National Center for Sexual Education) makes in an interview with Radio Netherlands during a visit to the red light district in Amsterdam, saying: “[She] enjoys a hearty laugh at the expense of Cuban women who are forced to...
Trinidad & Tobago: Role of the Telecommunications Authority
Plain Talk suggests that the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago is abdicating its responsibility in light of the recent national broadcast of the rape of a child and the release of a soca song that “glorif[ies] and promote[s] human trafficking and sexual slavery”, saying: “Much of what is being...
Venezuela: Discovering New Attractions in El Hatillo
Mirelis Morales Tovar in her blog Caracas Ciudad de la Furia [es] writes about the new attractions she discovered at El Hatillo, a “town” in Caracas.
Honduran Police Suspected of Killing Two University Students
Two university students were killed on October 22; La Gringa's Blogcito reports that four police suspected of killing the students were taken into custody but later “escaped”. “Even in this high profile case, it appears that police still attempted cover up and still felt free to intimidate reporters. What should...
Russia: Izhevsk City Manager Caught on Camera Talking About Election Bribery
Eastern & Central Europe31 October 2011Udmurtia.tv publishes a video [ru] of Denis Agashin, Izhevsk city manager, telling the representatives of veteran organizations that the next year's financial support will depend on the results of “United Russia” party in their district. As Alexander Kynev, a prominent political analyst, points out: “Progress it's not only forcing students...
Russia: Pirate Flag Over Novosibirsk City
Eastern & Central Europe31 October 2011LJ-user dedmaxopka publishes [ru] pictures of himself placing a pirate flag over Novosibirsk city administration. “We just wanted to make nice pictures of the city,” explained the blogger to the police that identified him the same day. Blogger was charged with ‘petty hooliganism’ and had to pay a small fine.
China: Woman activist beaten by local thugs and police officer
Tom Lasseter interviewed Wang Xuezhen, a woman activist beaten by local thugs when she tried to visit Chen Guangcheng. She was slapped by a police officers when she reported on the violence she faced in the village.
Puerto Rico: Bike Messengers Take the Streets
At El Punto Es [es] Mariángel González interviews Rafi Robles [es], co-founder of the first bicycle messenger company in Puerto Rico Ecomensajería [es].
Macedonia: Lead Smelting Factory Problem in Veles
Jovan Petrov provides an overview of the problem with the lead and zync smelting factory in Veles, after the court rejected a suit against the state from the municipality and local NGOs, demanding cleaning of pollution which will affect “10 generations to come” in this impoverished community.
D. R. of Congo: DRC Elections Watch 2011
DRC Elections Watch 2011: “In the afternoon of Sunday, October 30, with his wife Olive Lembe by his side, Joseph Kabila formally launched his electoral campaign in Kindu, in the Maniema Province, with a long speech in Swahili in front of thousands of his supporters.”
Cuba: Members of “Las Damas” Detained
Uncommon Sense learns that “ten members of the Laura Pollan Damas De Blanco…were among severa dissidents arrested in Santiago de Cuba as they tried to gather for Mass” yesterday morning.
Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: After Anya
“I was struck by her looks of course and her flagrantly innovative personal style but complementing these was her personality, the warm intelligence of someone totally comfortable in her skin”: From Jamaica, Annie Paul blogs about Anya Ayoung-Chee, the Season 9 Project Runway winner, while back in Trinidad, Outlish asks...
Peruvian Blogger Lists Some Universal Truths and Questions
Cyrano, from the blog Columna 17 [es] discusses some universal truths and questions, like “The fastest horses belong to the bandits” and “Who is the mother of Donald Duck's nephews?”
Russia: Alternative Voting Portal Launched
Eastern & Central Europe31 October 2011Habrahabr-user uhaby writes [ru] about otdamgolos.ru, a web-portal that offers users to propose alternative parliamentary and presidential candidates as well as to vote for them. The author claims that within 10 days his website attended 137,500+ visitors. In the virtual parliamentary election three parties received most votes: 1. The Pirate Party,...
Russia/India: Video of a Paraglider Pilot Attacked by an Eagle in Himalayas
Eastern & Central Europe31 October 201111-minute headcam video [ru] of a story that could end up with a human casualty. Russian paraglider pilot making his first flight in Himalayas was attacked by three eagles, one of which got trapped into the paraglider strings. Thanks to the second parachute the pilot could land and then –...
China: Open letter to Relativity Media
C Custer wrote an open letter to Relativity Media, a Hollywood Film Producer, criticizing its plan to cooperate with the Linyi government to shoot a movie there. Linyi government has illegally detained Blind activist Chen Guangchen from leaving his house and stopped others from visiting him since his release in...
Puerto Rico: Charly García Turns 60
Chemi González remembers the rock legend from Argentina, Charly García [es], on his 60th birthday.
Puerto Rico: Sports Journalism and Female Athletes
Blogger and sports journalist Rafael R. Díaz offers a critique of the sexist language sports journalists in Puerto Rico used to describe the triumph of the female basketball team at the Pan American Games [es] being held in Guadalajara, Mexico. The women'es basketball team won the gold medal in a...
