Stories from 9 February 2007
Flooding, Pisco, and Free Education
In the last couple weeks there has been flooding and landslides in the beautiful region of Chanchamayo, located in the central jungle of the country. Even though the media have covered the situation extensively, it seems that bloggers haven't been interested in the topic. However, it's likely that, there, they...
Israel: Al Jazeera has Arrived
Qatari television network Al Jazeera has opened an office in Israel, writes blogger Eliesheva. “My Israeli side is annoyed; why do they get to freely tramp around the country as professional journalists and Israeli citizens can’t even step foot inside most Arab ones?” she says.
Egypt: Free Kareem Demonstrations
Worldwide demonstrations to call for the release of Egyptian blogger Kareem Nabil Sulaiman are being planned on February 15, writes blogger Esraa in Mideast Youth.
Bahrain: To Blog or Not to Blog
Bahraini blogger Lulu is wondering whether it is safe to blog in Bahrain, after the Godfather of Bahrain's blogger was released on bail for describing a minister as ‘stupid’.
Trinidad & Tobago: Digg, Trinidad-style
Trinidad and Tobago has a new user driven social content website called Allyuh.com, which also maintains a blog.
Cuba: Silvio Rodriguez mix
Puerto Rican blogger Rafi posts an annotated mix of songs he considers representative of the main themes present in the work of Cuban folk singer Silvio Rodriguez.
New Caledonia: 6.65 Times More Expensive Than France
Expat French blogger Katuali complains (Fr) about the ridiculous markup in prices on French products in New Caledonia, an Oceanian island which is technically part of France: “That there be taxes and custom fees is fine but from there to selling a product 6.65 times more than what it costs...
Who is visiting Africa?
Chinese President Hu Jintao is on a 10-day-visit to Africa now. Many state-owned news media such as Xinhua News Agency and People’s Daily, headline his visit on their websites’ front page almost everyday. His tour has also attracted attention from Chinese netizens. The Chinese government regards Hu’s visit as a...
Korea: anti-Semitic comic book
The Simon Wiesenthal Center has denounced Rhie Won-bok’s comic “Far Country, Neighbor Country” for its anti-Semitic content. The issue has much resonance in the blogsphere. Robert Koehler from Marmot's Hole hopes that more foreign press would pick up the story. Michael Hurt tries to trace the history of anti-Semitism in...
China: e-commerce
Fons Tuinstra in China Herald blogs about the prospect of e-commerce in China.
China: Wang Shuo PK sina.com
Sina.com opened a blog for the famous contemparory writer Wang Shuo. Wang in his Pi-zi (slandering) manner (video)asked “what make you think that I will write for you for free?” Wang Xiaofeng shows his support for Wang and criticizes Sina's blog policy further, especially that the editors would delete and...
China: privilege of having babies
More and more wealthy and famous people, such as artists, popstars are violating the one child policy. Zengying feels that such kind of open violation of policy is a reflection of social inequality (zh).
China: reporters and migrant workers
ESWN translates a reporter's account about his experience (with 5 other newspapers’ media workers) in working with the Labor Supervisory Department to obtain back wages for migrant workers.
China: An Open Letter to Google Founders
Isaac has written “An Open Letter to Google Founders— to save Google in China and save Internet in China” and propose 3 ideas to Google for its China strategy in a long term run, to survive, and live better.
South Korea: The ‘Whale Hunt’
Robert Neff from Ohmynews writes about the history and practice of circumcision (“Whale Hunt”) in South Korea.
Korea: Chicken
Michael Hurt blogs about the superiority of Korean Chicken, the secret is in the seasoning and the size.
Vietnam: Visiting a Pottery Village
Vietnamese God visits the village of Bat Trang for his Tet (Vietnamese New Year) shopping and post images and description of the village. The village is well known for its ceramics.
