Stories from 24 August 2006
China, Chile: Free Trade Deal Signed
Commenting on the Free Trade Agreement signed between Chile and China, Robert Mayer says, “Small countries aren’t just for destructive proxy wars anymore. Now they’re the center of trade competition, and they are the ones who benefit the most from it. This is the future.” Chilean senator, Fernando Flores has...
Broadband for All!!!
Chilean bloggers are concerned about the opportunities that broadband can bring to our development. Alex Lagos (ES) , writes on his blog: One week ago, La Nación published an article about broadband in Chile. The real thing is that we have been hearing about this issue for a while and...
Venezuela: Literature: El Complot
Guillermo Parra reviews Israel Centeno's third novel, “El Complot” as “what might be the first work of fiction to evoke the chaotic political and social crisis that has engulfed Venezuela since 1998.”
Russian-Language Blogs: Miscellanea (1)
On August 19, LJ user sapojnik (39 years old, Moscow) wrote this (RUS) about the 15th anniversary of the 1991 August Putsch: The Day of Victory Over the CPSU It's necessary to have a clear understanding of what happened in August 1991. It wasn't the “collapse of the [Soviet] Union,”...
Bermuda: Rum terrorism
Valentine Michael Smith reports on the vicious attack on Bermuda's rum supply perpetrated by a group called Al-Cassava: “the group’s demands are said to include increased moped parking, a reduction in milk prices and SMS messaging that works more than 1 day in 5.”
Antigua & Barbuda: Quizzing the Labour Party
John has a list of pointed questions for the Antigua Labour Party.
Brunei Times's take on blogging in Brunei
- The Brunei Times (22nd August, 2006) Some very lucky bloggers got a mention in the new English newspaper, The Brunei Times, in an article written by Amirul Azuan. The few blogs mentioned came from a myriad of genres ranging from the serious to the more trivial. The more important...
China: Censors vs. video, culture, innovation, humor, pretty much the entire Chinese blogsphere
Late last month a seemingly important stage was reached in the maturation process of China's blogsphere with the launch of Bullog.cn, a new website bringing together—a substantial and pertinent alternative to Sina.com's celebrity blogs—the leading liberal and intelligent bloggers around. Earlier this week it was shut down pending the site's...
Flood in Burkina Faso, Nigeria withdraws from Bakassi
Read bloggers' write about flooding in Burkina Faso, Nigeria's withdrawal from the Bakassi peninsula, an opinion about NEPAD and politics in Gambia.
Cuba: It's not the US economy
The real problem with the Cuban economy, says Luis M. Garcia, is not the US embargo. . . .
Cambodia: Banned Things
The blogger at Details Are Sketchy has a list of “mindless things” that are banned in Cambodia.
Thailand: Bomb Found Near Prime Minister's House
Bangkok Pundit is filing the latest updates on the bomb that was found in a car near the Thai Prime Minister Thaksin's house.
China: ipod China contractor sues newspapers reporter
Mindmeters pastes a post from donews discussion board which provided details concerning Foxconn's – ipod's contractor in China – legal charge against an editor and a reporter in First Financial Daily in Shanghai. The newspapers wrote two reports on the situation of workers in Foxconn ipod production line in June...
China: cracking down on strippers at funerals
Imagethief comments on BBC's report on China cracking down on strippers at funerals: “imagethief is, thus, hearbroken by these new developments…“
China: repression of local cultures
Chu Da-ke in commenting the recent regulation imposed by the China Broadcasting bureau on digital video points out that the series of regulations would eventually destroy the diversity of local languages and cultures (zh).
China: commercialize nation's inauguration
SohoXiaoBao blogs a local newspapers report on a Changsha resturant which changed the slogan in the nation's inauguration ceremony painting into “big rice bowl is now established”. The city commerical said that “the advertisement was inappropriate from political and emotional perspectives, it would have negective effect on the construction of...
Japan: web diary turned novel
Lee from Tokyo Times introduces another web diary turned novel in Japan. This time the story is about lesbian longing from Harukarin Blog.
Thailand: Student Video Blogs
Richard Barrow at Thai-Blogs.Com points to a school in Thailand that is encouraging the students to video blog.
Mexico: “Dirty War for Control of the Media in Oaxaca”
Oaxacan resident Nancy Davies says that revolution is ripe as protesters seize control of local radio stations.
Argentina: Music: Sonoman
Fernando Casale presents the new Argentine electro-pop band Sonoman with links to the songs “Cómo Engañarme” and “No Darme Cuenta.” (ES)