2 March 2006

Stories from 2 March 2006

Brazil: Unidos de Vila Isabel Wins Carnival in Rio

  2 March 2006

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?

  2 March 2006

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

  2 March 2006

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...

Colombia: Much Ado About Nothing?

  2 March 2006

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...

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.

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

  2 March 2006

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

  2 March 2006

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: Matryoshka

  2 March 2006

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...