Stories from Quick Reads from July, 2009
Japan: DPJ's election manifesto
Tobias Harris from observing Japan comments on Democratic party's 2009 general election manifesto. The manifesto covers five major areas: (1) cutting waste (essentially political and administrative reform); (2) child care and education; (3) pensions and health care; (4) regionalization; and (5) employment and the economy.Part I and Part II.
Bangladesh: Adulteration And Death Of Children
Unheard Voice comments on the death of a number of children in Bangladesh due to Diethylene glycol (DEG) poisoning after intake of a fever drug and the inaction of the authorities: “Our governments, under media pressure and public outcry, successively have bothered to resort to short term damage control and...
Egypt: A Car Trade Social Service.
CarLog is a new online service for trading cars in Egypt that enables car owners to share photos, videos, and reviews of their vehicles on Facebook.
Bermuda, Haiti: Standing Up
“In the 1980s Bermudians participated in the global anti-Apartheid anti-imperialist movement”: Catch a fire thinks “it is time that our new generation continue this tradition and pick up the mantle of fighting injustices” such the ones in Haiti.
Bermuda, U.K.: Missed Celebrations
Repeating Islands reports that Britain's Queen Elizabeth II “skipped yesterday’s celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the settlement of Britain’s oldest colony after a row with the island’s pro-independence leader”, adding that the island's Premier was also noticeably absent.
Haiti: What Happened to Pierre-Antoine?
“July 28 marks the 94th anniversary of the US occupation of Haiti…August 12th will mark the second anniversary of the disappearance of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine”: The Haitian Blogger wonders what has happened to this leading human rights activist.
Trinidad & Tobago: Thoughts on Alleged Plot
Of the alleged plot to assassinate the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, This Beach Called Life says: “Strangely, no one has been arrested even though the Papa claims he knows which group likes him the least.”
Jamaica: On Writing
More on what makes a writer, from Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp.
Japan: Yokohama Mayor Resigns
Shisaku on Yokohama Mayor Nakada Hiroshi's resignation: “When an electoral shoo-in like Nakada takes a leap like this into the unknown, it is just one more indication that postwar system is on the verge of final, precipitous collapse”.
Russia: Oleg Yankovsky
Mumin Shakirov of OpenDemocracy.net writes about actor Oleg Yankovsky, who died of cancer in Moscow earlier this year.
Czech Republic, Russia: “Putin Goes To Pikalyovo”
CzechFolks.com and Scraps of Moscow write about a Russian YouTube rendition of a 1970s Czech song, which mocks PM Vladimir Putin.
Russia: “Russian Software” Project
Profy writes about the Russian Software project, whose “idea is to provide high-quality alternatives to proprietary international software titles and to make sure that these alternatives will also be much less expensive than the Western products.”
The Balkans: More on EU Visa Rules
More on the new EU visa rules for the Balkans – at A Fistful of Euros.
Iran: Kahrizak, a prison from Hell
Iranian authorities shut down Kahrizak, a prison in Tehran where the election protestors were held. Kodan Ba Estedad shares one ‘victim's story of torture in Kahrizak.
Pakistan: Banking Sector Blogs
Aamir Attaa at Pro Pakistani highlights two Pakistani blogs which concentrates on the Banking sector.
Bangladesh: A Concrete Island
When it rains it pours in Bangladesh. Sabih Uddin Omar woke up today and found himself in a concrete island: “It's water! Water everywhere! Water clogging the streets, water in the gardens, water in the backyard.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Mother Earth
“It’s not how many tractors you have or how much oil you drill or how many smelters you build. But the humanity and the humility of what you do with your knowledge and your resources”: Trinidadian blogger Attillah Springer fears that we will pay for the “gross and sloppy mishandling...
India: Best Interior Design Blogs
BlogAdda showcases nine best Indian interior design blogs.
Trinidad & Tobago: Assassination Attempt?
The Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister has revealed an alleged plot to assassinate him a few years ago, prompting diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch to call the claim “a serious piece of dotishness.”
Cuba, U.S.A.: Cabot Journalism Prize
Generation Y has been awarded the Cabot Prize by Columbia University and pledges to use its “prestige and protection…to continue to grow the Cuban blogosphere.”
Bhutan: Expensive Chilies
Penstar is irked by the skyrocketed price of chilies in Bhutan. The blogger puns: “What is so special about that? The answer is so simple because they are coated with gold!”