Stories from October, 2006
Mexico: Oaxaca and Mexico City
It's going to be a busy Friday in Mexico City, writes Ana Maria Salazar: “once again the marches and protest will take over the City, in addition to being “Quincena”, Friday, and Halloween. Expect “TRAFICO HORRIBLE” and take the necessary precautions. (Use the John before you head out, take a...
Brazil: Election Analysis
Bloggings by Boz gives his five points on Lula's electoral victory. Matthew Shugart notes that “Geraldo Alckmin actually did worse in the two-candidate runoff than he had done in the multi-candidate first round.”
Mexico: First Hand Account of Oaxaca Violence
Having met Bradley Will a week before his death in Oaxaca, British Journalist John Dickey asks, “does a gringo always have to die for the world to act?” Dickey also adds: “What you probably won’t hear either is that the APPO people do not carry any firearms. Their only weapons...
Lebanon: Political Uncertainty and Men
Many Lebanese blogs are reflecting the internal political bickering that is creating an atmosphere of uncertainty about the future of the country. Most of the posts in this weeks review are bleak with little hope for the future. This is something that is very unusual for a people who take...
Barbados: Who's your First World daddy?
Barbados Free Press takes issue with Barbados Labour Party strategists’ designation of Prime Minister Owen Arthur as the “Father of First World Barbados”.
Guyana: Celebrity culture
When Guyana finally develops a celebrity culture, who will qualify? wonders MediaCritic, offering some suggestions as to who might occupy the A-, B- and C-lists.
Guyana: The generator did it
Guyana-Gyal is “reduced to the lowest common denominator” by a noisy generator.
Swahili Blogosphere: Madonna, power rationing, and illiterate thieves
Chemi Che Mponda sums up her feelings about critics of Madonna's adoption of a Malawian baby, David Banda: David Banda kazaliwa katika umaskini, lakini leo anaishi katika utajiri. Na lazima kuna watu wanamwonea wivu! David Banda was born poor and became rich overnight. Some people must be jealous of him....
Hugo Chavez in the Iranian left-wing blogs
Hugo Chavez, the leftist Venezuelan President, has developed a very friendly relationship with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian Islamist President. Iran even awarded the Venezuelan President its highest state medal for supporting Tehran in its nuclear standoff against the international community. This alliance was discussed a couple of months ago among...
Trinidad & Tobago: Halloween
At Halloween, “not a tradition associated with the English-speaking Caribbean,” Trinidadians seem happy to mimic the styles coming out of North America, observes Laura at the Caribbean Beat weblog, but perhaps that's merely a symptom of some of the country's other positive attributes.
Haiti: Circles of Change
A recently posted YouTube video (in kwéyol with English subtitles) introduces a programme in Haiti called Circles of Change, which seeks to empower individuals by developing their sense of personal responsibility and their ability to “teach themselves”. “Can hungry people think,” asks one of the participants. “Can poor people exercise...
Kenya: a photo with Michael Johnson
“A random guy walks over, sits next to me, insists that I’m a hero and asks if I would honour him by taking a photo with him. Despite my tiredness and hunger I agree to the photo, mainly because this guy looked pretty desperate.” Who is this guy?
Africa: China-Africa connection
The Sub-Saharan Africa Roundtable on China-African connection:”No wonder when you consider that trade between China and Africa amounted to $38 billion in 2005, according to the World Bank. What upsets westerners is how China’s investments ignore human rights.”
Singapore: Thoughts on China-South East Asian Nations Summit
Beyond.sg has Singapore's Foreign Minister guest blogging and sharing his views on the recently concluded China-ASEAN(Association of South East Asian Nations) summit.
East Timor: Youth Gangs
Timorsunshine posts a link to a report on groups and gangs in East Timor. ‘Enjoy reading it! It's a great ‘resource’ map for the kind of groups and gangs that young people are involved in.”
Nicaragua: US Conservatives Support Rizo
Adam Isacson tries to understand why US columnist Robert Novak and conservative talk show host Oliver North – ” who first made his name illegally running guns to the Nicaraguan anti-Sandinista rebels” – are throwing their support behind José Rizo rather than the White House's favorite in the upcoming Nicaraguan...
Jamaica: Mediocrity
“We are the people of the plateau—we work as much as is necessary to reach a flat, safe place,” says Jamaican novelist Marlon James of his compatriots. “Then we stay there for thirty years.“
Jamaica: Striking it rich
Francis Wade considers what could happen if Jamaica were suddenly to strike it rich.
Bermuda: Dr. Brown's opportunity
Valentine Michael Smith leaves aside satire for a moment and considers the opportunity that lies before Bermuda's newly elected Premier, Dr. Ewart Brown.
Belize: Dangriga Town
Nyasha Lang reports on a visit to Dangriga Town, Belize, where she visits a radio station run by a Garifuna perfomer and learns how easy it is to fall into the habit of wearing several hats.
Caribbean: Say no to monarchs and “faith schools”
Yesterday, he advocated that those Caribbean islands that haven't yet done so detach should themselves from the British monarchy. Today, Jeremy Taylor makes the case for the abolition of “faith schools”.
