Stories from 2 March 2006
Kyrgyzstan: University Bribery
neweurasia discusses corruption in Kyrgyz higher education.
Armenia: Public Art
Zarchka writes about mixed up priorities regarding the placement and treatment of public art in Armenia.
Mongolia: Erdenet Life
Blogolia writes about life and ethnic relations in Erdenet, Mongolia.
Central Asia: Missionaries
Ataman Rakin discusses the work of Christian missionaries in Central Asia and how it creates divisions and resentments in society.
Armenia: Prison
Oneworld Multimedia reports on prisons in Armenia. There are accompanying photos at hetqphotoblog. Start here and work back.
Brazil: Free Stones Concert
Ruben was at the free Rolling Stones concert in Rio de Janeiro and has this hilarious, photojournalistic report.
Latin America: Creative Commons Music Directory
Dialógica introduces a new, Spanish-language online directory of Creative Commons-licensed music called Jamendo.
Brazil: Unidos de Vila Isabel Wins Carnival in Rio
Made in Brazi has pictures from Carnival in Rio, where “samba school Unidos de Vila Isabel was … announced the champion of Carnival in Rio with the theme “Soy loco por ti, América,” which was sponsored by Hugo Chavez and the government of Venezuela with US$1 million in donations.” [Potentially...
Bolivia: or Kollasuyu?
Miguel Centallas brings up one senator's suggestion that Bolivia be renamed to “Tawantinsuyo” or “Kollasuyo”. Jim Shultz poetically describes his love for Cochabamba.
Argentina, Chile, Uruguay: Pulp Plant Spat
Taylor Kirk of The Latin Americanist and Alfredo Sanchez of Olganza both post about a diplomatic squabble between Uruguay and Argentina over a pulp plant on the Uruguayan border which would have environmental consequences for both countries. Chile is now involved as well, according to Reuters, after Greenpeace activists prevented...
Cuba: Hip-Hop Documentary
Havana Journal has posted a preview of an upcoming documentary on Cuban Hip-Hop.
Colombia: Much Ado About Nothing?
Andres Duque writes about a small story that made a big wave when a council member from Tulua, Colombia proposed a bill that would have required all Tulua male residents 14 years of age or older to carry a condom or face a $180 dollar penalty. Duque notes that, so...
Poland: No Proof of the Existence of Polish “Gulags” Yet
The Beatroot argues that Poland isn't “the Central European equivalent of Abu Ghraib” and asks Human Rights Watch to provide some solid evidence of the existence of “gulags” for CIA prisoners in Poland and Romania.
Europe: Poland vs Hungary in the EU Vodka Debate
“Polish vodka purists” define vodka “as an alcoholic beverage derived from cereals or potatoes,” writes the Beatroot; “Hungarian producers have been taking advantage of the EU regulation that allows almost any transparent intoxicating and tasteless liquor to be sold as vodka,” counters Pestiside.hu. The EU vodka definition debate continues.
The Balkans: A Joke About Radovan Karadzic
Meaghan of American For Hire shares a joke about Radovan Karadzic told by a cab driver in Belgrade.
Russia: Past and Present of Mosselprom
Snowsquare.com writes about the past and present of Mosselprom – the Moscow Association of Establishments for Processing Products of the Agricultural Industry: “[It] became famous for extraordinary advertising, with graphic design by the avant-garde artist, Alexander Rodchenko, combined […] with the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, who came up with the slogans...
Indonesia: Oil Concession
Yosef Ardi updates us on the struggle between ExxonMobil and Indonesian state oil company Pertamina over rights to operate the Cepu oil and gas field. He fills in some juicy rumors, including on the Indonesian President's discomfort with the involvement of major government party machine Golkar bigwigs in the battle.
Thailand: Taking a Stand
Dhannyboy at thai-blogs.com shares his thoughts about the ongoing protests against Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra: “It is because are will still believing to live in the land of milk and honey, of smiling and serving girls and good food? Or because there is some sort of censorship and such real...
Russia: More On Dedovshchina
Sean Guillory writes about dedovshchina and cites an article in the Moscow Times that not just condemns conscript abuse in the Russian army, but offers ways of fighting it.
Russia: Matryoshka
Konstantin Dlutskiy of Russian Marketing Blog writes about Russia's very recognizable symbol, matryoshka, and its amusing rendering for a Russian opera festival poster.
Iran: Blog for Samarra
Several religious students (clerics) in Qom have launched a blog to cover Iraq's news in English and specially Samarra. In the blog we can read “Commenting on the terrorist bombings of the holy shrines of two Shiite Imams in the Iraqi city of Samarra last Wednesday, ‘Tehran Times‘ said the...
