Stories from Quick Reads from March, 2013
Jamaica, Barbados: Vying for Tourists
Active Voice compares advertisements from the Barbados Tourism Authority and the Jamaica Tourist Board and wonders “why is the Barbadian ad…so perfect that it could be a global model on how to sell yourselves? And contrastingly how and why does the JTB ad sell the country short?”
Japan's ‘Sex Slaves’ Phantom Fuels Petition
The GoPetition site published Do not select Tokyo to host the 2020 Summer Olympics petition which has been introduced to many local sites. It accuses the current Japanese administration of denying the truth that more than 200,000 women and girls were indeed forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during...
China's $20 Billion Pledge to Africa
Deborah Brautigam from China in Africa: The Real Story looks into the nature of China's pledge of $20 Billion to Africa at the fifth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation held in Beijing last summer: I went back to examine the Chinese discussion around this $20 billion....
Chinese General's Anti-War Stance Criticized
People Liberation Army General Liu Yuan was attacked by online nationalists for calling for a peaceful resolution of Sino-Japanese conflict. South Sea Conversations looks into Liu's opinion and netizens’ reaction.
Top Anti-Corruption Blogger Parties at Kremlin
Russia's best known anti-corruption blogger, Alexey Navalny, shocked [ru] many of his supporters when he attended a banquet at the Kremlin yesterday, March 18, 2013.
Former Guatemalan Dictator On Trial
Rios Montt's lawyer and others believe that the trial is a “political lynching” […] It doesn't matter if the guerrilas were going to turn “Guatemala into another Cuba;” the rape, torture, starvation and murder of civilians who might or might not have supported the guerrillas is just indefensible. But Rios Montt now...
China Pollution – Blame it on the World
A Chinese politician has blamed foreign countries’ consumption of China's exports for the environmental problems the country is facing. The Director of the Anhui Provincial Environmental Protection Authority accused foreigners of being hypocritical in criticising China and its environmental policies. chinadialogue has more details.
Hello Spring, Goodbye Evil Eye
Μάρτης [el], мартеница [bg], мартинка [mk], mărțișor [ru]…however you call it, an ancient tradition [el] with multiple variations that takes place in the Balkans. So, weave your red-and-white threads for protection against the “evil eye” or to welcome Spring!
#Followme: Greek Documentary Explores Twitter
@andriotakis: Στο τρέιλερ του #followme οι @jeffjarvis @evgenymorozov @drandakis @vatraxokoritso @Urfurslaag @constantnos @asteris http://youtu.be/5OD_9oZXlH8 Videographer and author Manolis Andriotakis namechecks Greek tweeps and acclaimed critics he interviewed for his documentary on Twitter, prior to its’ screening at the 15th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
Indonesian ISPs Accused of Illegal Surveillance
The Indonesian government is investigating allegations that the country's major internet service providers – Telkom, Biznet, and Matrixnet Global – are conducting an illegal surveillance of internet users through the use of a spying software. The companies have denied the charge but if found guilty, they can face a 15-year...
East Timor a “Failed State-in-Waiting”?
The La'o Hamutuk NGO links to an editorial of the influential Petroleum Economist which discusses the problems faced by East Timor's economy: Timor-Leste was once seen as the poster child for developing nations. It had natural resources, a comprehensive legal framework covering their extraction and an oil fund. Now, almost...
Learning Computer Science in Vietnam
Neil Fraser visited a Vietnamese elementary school and was quite impressed with the computer science curriculum for young students: I had walked into that class prepared to help them in any way that I could. But instead of the school learning from my experience, I learned from them. They showed...
China: Where Doctors Are the Bad Guys
Mary Ann O'Donnell explains why doctors occupy the same hated position in China that lawyers occupy in the United States. The explanation interestingly is related to the role of the governments of the two countries.
12,000 Dead Pigs, But Shanghai's Quiet
The number of dead pigs found in the Huangpu River has reached over 12,000, yet there have been no protests in Shanghai. Seeing Red in China explores why Shanghai's citizens remain calm about their polluted river.
Peru: Exit Polls Say Villarán Remains Lima's Mayor
Even though the first official results of Sunday's recall referendum have not been published, exit poll results [es] indicate that mayor Susana Villarán will not be revoked. According to Ipsos Apoyo the ‘No’ received 52.6% of the votes and the ‘Yes’ 47.4%. Datum reports that the ‘No’ got 53.2% of...
Blogger Rips Western Media's Laziness in North Korean Coverage
By investigating the most recent North Korean propaganda video, Blogger TJ reveals that basic fact-checking is being ignored when it comes to Western media reporting on North Korea.
China: Urumqi International Bazaar
Xinjiang Far West tours its readers around the largest Bazaar in the World, the International Grand Bazaar at the heart of Uyghur, Xinjiang province.
China's Smear Campaign Against Apple
A number of celebrities echoed China Central Television program that criticized Apple in the Consumers’ Rights Protection Day. Yet netizens are clever to find out that their accounts are either being hacked of some of them are paid to do so. (From Ministry of Tofu)
@CatalanVoices Gives Voice to Catalonia
Every week, a different Catalan citizen or any person who lives or has lived in Catalonia (regardless of her/his nationality or citizenship) will tweet from the account @CatalanVoices to talk about what she or he likes, feels and thinks about Catalonia. What they share will also be published on the...
Caracas Chronicles: From Blog to Book
Blogging the Revolution: Caracas Chronicles and the Hugo Chávez Era brings together the best of our work from the last ten years: 150 posts that stand the test of time. Francisco Toro and Juan Cristobal Nagel of the blog Caracas Chronicles have published a book that promises to bring together...
