Stories from 23 May 2006
Jamaica: Ghetto tourism?
Francis Wade remembers taking tours of “slum” areas in South Africa and Brazil, and the lessons he learned from these experiences. “It would be powerful if we in Jamaica could get over our embarrassment long enough to realize that we are the ones in the way of giving structured tours...
Bahamas: Diplomatic ties with Cuba
It is “irresponsible politics” for Bahamas opposition leader Hubert Ingraham to say that if his party came to power he would downgrade the Bahamian embassy in Havana to a consular office, says Andrew Allen at Bahama Pundit. “Myriad Bahamian interests deserve representation above the consular level.”
Guyana: Report on International Day Against Homophobia
Wednesday 17 May was International Day Against Homophobia. Guyana's Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) reports on its programme of commemorative activities: a film screening, a radio discussion, and an interactive forum at the National Library.
Barbados: Internet penetration
Barbados has the highest Internet penetration rate in the Caribbean? Titilayo is surprised.
West Indies: Cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan comes of age
Today the West Indies cricket team won its third One Day International match in the current series against India, in which Guyanese batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan scored 115 runs not out. “He’s coming of age before our eyes,” says the West Indies Cricket Blog. Ri at Revolution Island reminds us that...
Mexico: Unfortunate Name
In a post titled “unfortunate name Eduardo Arcos says that the Policy Interpretation Network on Children’s Health and Environment (AKA “PINCHE Project”) will need to change it's name if it ever comes to Mexico. In a related item, León Felipe Sánchez has posted a photograph of an attention-grabbing, if not...
Jamaica: Mango season
It's mango season in Jamaica (and the rest of the Caribbean), and Geoffrey Philp rhapsodises his four favourite mango varieties: Bombay, Number 11, East Indian, and Julie. He even writes a mango poem.
Peru: A Game of Sapo
Don Ball Carbajal explains the infamous Latin American game of sapo.
Chile, Mexico: Valentina Palma's Letter and Video
Eduardo Arcos has posted another letter from Chilean anthropologist Valentina Palma [ES] who was detained by Mexican police in the violence that erupted outside Mexico City earlier this month. Al Giordano has posted a video of Palma being led away by police armed with firearms (contradicting earlier official claims).
Argentina: “The Take”
Jon of Posthegemony reviews Avi Lewis's and Naomi Klein's film “The Take” about the Argentine movement to take over and recuperate abandoned factories and argues that “Lewis and KIein are blithely unconcerned by the fact that the justification for the factory takeovers is presented very much in line with neoliberal...
Chilean Bloggers Update
Normally, Chilean bloggers have common concerns in their blogs, but this week coordination just didn’t happen. So, this is a cocktail of news. Leo Prieto (ES) , posts about his interview with the Sub-Secretary of Government Telecommunications to promote broadband internet access in Chile. The initiative carried the support of...
Muscovites in Kyiv: Pizza Delivery Fiasco
On weekends, Kyiv teems with tourists from Moscow. Train tickets for overnight Friday and Sunday rides between the two capitals have to be ordered well in advance. The number of Muscovites settling in Kyiv permanently to do business is growing, too. To make the new migrants’ lives easier, a special...
Latin America: World Cup Weblogs
José Luis Orihuel has posted a compilation of all the Spanish-language weblogs devoted exclusively to this year's World Cup. “El Expatriado” says that Argentina is getting ready and Franco Giménez notes that the Argentinean company Neyra Hermanos has launched a World Cup blog.
Lithuania: Eurovision Mania
Andy H of Csikszereda Musings writes about the Eurovision Song Contest, which he watched in Lithuania this year: “Lithuania got maximum points from Ireland, in what I thought was testament to the Irish love of a good joke, but was told today that it’s because there are loads of Lithuanians...
Serbia & Montenegro: Karadzic's Hiding Place
Balkan Ghost of Finding Karadzic writes that Montenegrin politicians have succeeded in convincing the world and the world media “that Karadzic was Serbia's problem and not theirs”: “Today, newly independent Montenegro is seen by the world as the “next Croatia,” a country that will quickly become prosperous and European through...
Ukraine: Books on Crimean Tatars
Otto Pohl posts a list of English-language publications on Crimean Tatars.
Russia: Law on National Flag
Oleksa writes about a strange law regulating the way Russia's national flag can be displayed: “t’s illegal in Russia to have the national tricolor displayed permanently unless it’s a government institution. Apparently, one can do it freely only during national holidays. Or, translated from the bureaucratic lingo, the national flag...
Slovakia: Hungarian Detained for Sightseeing
Hungarian tourists were detained by the Slovak police for violating the law that states that “all sightseers in Bratislava must use the guides of the Bratislava Cultural and Information Service,” writes Paul of Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar.
Romania: Mailbox Photos
Romerican posts an amazing collection of mailbox pictures from Braşov, Romania.
Moldova: Internet Connectivity
Peter Myers of Doi Ani de Zile: Adventures in Moldova has examined internet connectivity data for Moldova and other former Soviet republics and is eager to share his findings: “So best of luck to anyone who wants to play around with this data. Whatever you do with it, keep me...
India: Collaborative Spaces
How does one effectively use a collaborative space? Wicked Angel has some thoughts on some collaborative spaces being used for personal agendas – “Do we have a right to use this space to further ones political views? I am not sure, in my view No we don't. If there really...
