· September, 2008

Stories about Latin America from September, 2008

Brazil: The Brazilian behind the new twitter design

  30 September 2008

Did you know that the designer behind the new Twitter interface is Brazilian? Futuro.vc [pt] brings an exclusive interview with Vitor Lourenço. “One of the goals was to make the application more elegant and functional. We've made very small changes, which together makes the difference.”

Brazil: Bloggers’ magazine on democracy

  30 September 2008

The latest issue of blogger magazine Feed-se: Democracia, available in PDF for free download (in Portuguese), is a special edition on democracy, by Brazilian bloggers Nospheratt, Alex, Lu Monte and Lúcia Freitas.

Cuba: Independent Journalists

  30 September 2008

“There is no better way to learn about journalism than from another journalist”: Uncommon Sense is pleased to report that independent journalism is growing in Cuba.

Brazil: A million signatures against homophobia

  28 September 2008

Thiago Velloso [pt] publishes the banners for the 13th Gay Pride Rio, which takes place on October 12, and provides info regarding an online petition hosted by the No To Homophobia website in support to the bill that criminalizes homophobia in Brazil. “A million signatures is expected. Do your bit.”

Peru: The History of the Internet

  28 September 2008

Roberto Bustamante of El Blog del Morsa [es] posts about the need to write and document the history of the internet in Peru, and provides some interesting data regarding that history.

Brazil: Who are the Brazilian bloggers

  28 September 2008

Who are the Brazilian bloggers? Pedro Cardoso [pt] and Tine Araújo [pt] are conducting a census [pt] to find out, among others, what academic and professional qualifications Brazilian bloggers have, their relationship with traditional media and their social habits, tools etc.

Brazil: Free download of books under CC license

  27 September 2008

The book Além das Redes de Colaboração (Beyond the Collaboration Networks, pt), a compilation of texts organized by professors Nelson Pretto and Sergio Amadeu, has been published by EDUFBA (Federal University of Bahia publisher) under a Creative Commons license and is now available for free download. “The book, which tackles...

Cuba: Back to Normal?

  27 September 2008

Things appear to be getting back to normal in Cuba post-Hurricane Ike, but Generation Y questions the definition of “normalcy”: “I do not believe that a month ago we had anything resembling ‘normal.’ Furthermore, in the three decades that I have under my belt I do not think I have...

Mexico: Memories of Tijuana

  25 September 2008

JC Cortes of Cargamento [es] writes about his best memories of the Mexican border town of Tijuana. These memories especially include trips to his favorite taqueria to feast on shrimp tacos.

Mexico: Age of Terrorism

  25 September 2008

Mexico is entering the age of terrorism, write Daniel Hernandez of Intersections, especially after the recent grenade attack in Morelia during Independence Day celebrations.

Bolivia: One Year Anniversary of Voces Bolivianas

  25 September 2008

Cristina Quisbert of Bolivia Indigena [es] celebrates one year since the start of the Voces Bolivianas project and writes that it “planted an important seed so that young peopple and adult can begin to use blogs as an instrument to communicate realities, knowledge and feelings.”

Lusosphere: Saramago, 85 years, Nobel Laureate, Blogger

  24 September 2008

A week ago, the 1998 Nobel Prize winner for literature - the first and only Portuguese language writer - started his own blog: Saramago's Notebook, which he describes as his "infinite page on the Internet", has been welcomed by bloggers from many Portuguese speaking countries. But what does it take to become a blogger?

Cuba: Access Denied

  24 September 2008

“Won’t the Daddy-State learn how irritating children become when they rarely leave the house?” Havana-based blogger Yoani Sanchez says that she has once again been denied travel privileges.

Deaf Awareness Week: Striving for Quality Education

  24 September 2008

On this second part of the Deaf Awareness Week posts (part one), we bring you a perspective on education for the deaf, and the different challenges it implies. First, from the Central African Republic, a school that after funds stopped, has continued fueled only by love. Second, from the Philippines,...

Venezuela: The Expulsion of Human Rights Watch

  23 September 2008

Armed military soldiers searched for José Miguel Vivancos, spokesperson for the international NGO Human Rights Watch, and expelled him from Venezuela hours after releasing the report at a press conference, which included critical commentary about the administration of Hugo Chávez. Bloggers and other online forumists provide their thoughts on the recent news.

Cuba: The Power of Books

  23 September 2008

Both Uncommon Sense and Generation Y blog about three Cuban political prisoners who have started hunger strikes after they were prevented from receiving books and magazines: “They suspect that when Adolfo, Pedro and Antonio are engrossed in an essay or a story the bars disappear, the jail fades away, and...

Ecuador: The Concern for Citizen Safety

  23 September 2008

Ecuador's economic difficulties are said to be one of the chief causes of crime around the country. Much of it is caused by the unemployed, who will find alternatives to eat and survive, which often means committing crimes or stealing. For the ordinary citizen, it is a quite different experience dealing with the cities' insecurity and local bloggers provide their thoughts.

About our Latin America coverage

Gabriela Mesones Rojo
Gabriela Mesones Rojo is the Latin America Spanish-language editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.

Fernanda Canofre
Fernanda Canofre is the Brazil editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.