Stories from 12 November 2007
Access Denied Map: Mapping Web 2.0 Censorship
In order to shed light on the battle being waged between state censorship and anti-censorship groups, I’ve created the Access Denied Map, an interactive Google Maps mashup that provides information about the censorship efforts targeting various online social networking communities and web-based applications. Each marker on the map highlights the situation in a specific country that is barring access to major websites. Clicking on the marker opens an information window containing text, images or video describing the nature of censorship and the efforts to combat it.
Russia: “How Fascists and Racists ‘Get’ Web2.0″
Evgeny Morozov writes about “the ugly face of cyberactivism in Russia,” using one of the top-ranking posts in the Russian blogosphere “to highlight how much user-generated racism is out there.”
Ukraine, Russia: Ecological Disaster in Kerch Strait
Ukrainiana writes about the ecological disaster in Kerch Strait.
Albania: Religions
Living in Shkoder, Albania writes about the country's three major religions: “Although there is no recent survey to show the statistics, it is believed that it is approximately 70% Islam, 20% Albanian Orthodox, and 10% Roman Catholic.”
Ukraine: The Telnyuk Sisters
Ukrainian Musical Matters writes about the Telnyuk Sisters – aka “dissidents of show-business” and “banished princesses” of the Ukrainian music scene.
Ukraine: 2007 Art Kyiv
Olechko reviews the 2007 Art Kyiv fair and points out that there are better ways for Ukrainian artists to make it to the Venice Biennale than by producing numerous Venice landscapes.
Ukraine: Ruined History
Olechko writes about and posts photos of Olyka and Klevan: “Two rival towns going back in sixteen hundreds now are ruins with a palace/castle and a cathedral each. One castle now is a psychiatric hospital, the other – a ruin, home to junkies and stray sheep.”
Ukraine: More Reactions on Georgia
Foreign Notes writes about the Ukrainian politicians’ and journalists’ reactions to the events in Georgia – here and here.
Ukraine: On the Road to Coalition
Foreign Notes writes about “alliances of convenience,” “subsequent betrayals” and the “behind-the-scenes deals” that are – for better or for worse – paving the road for “a workable coalition in the newly-elected Verkhovna Rada.”
Russia: Books on “The New Cold War”
The Economist‘s Edward Lucas seeks help in promoting his new book, due to be published in February 2008 – The New Cold War: How the Kremlin Menaces Russia and the West (not to be confused with Mark MacKinnon‘s The New Cold War: Revolutions, Rigged Elections, and Pipeline Politics in the...
Slovakia: Dubček's Legacy
Dr. Sean's Diary discusses about ways of looking at Alexander Dubček's legacy: “Possibly, we should think back beyond the humanism and apple pie to remember the more authoritarian impulses during the 1960s of Dubček et al to regulate pluralism and debate so as to ensure they delivered social consensus around...
Azerbaijan: Islam and Iran
Paul Goble's Window on Eurasia looks at the reported rise of radical Islam in Azerbaijan as well as the geopolitical and regional implications of relations between Iran and Azerbaijan.
Slovenia: Law on Funding of Municipalities
Sleeping With Pengovsky writes about the political meaning of the recent ruling of the Constitutional Court “on motion of the City of Ljubljana (supported by three other municipalities) to repeal several articles of the Law on Funding of Municipalities.”
Slovenia: Danilo Türk's Victory
Center-left opposition party candidate Danilo Türk won nearly 70 percent of the vote in Slovenia's presidential election Sunday. Sleeping With Pengovsky notes that “smear campaigns do not work in Slovenia” – because undecided voters cast their votes for the victim. Dr. Filomena writes that the first day after the presidential...
Brazil: Fireworks over narcobattalion case
Colin Brayton translated the colorful details of a piece of news on the latest developments of the case of police troopers charged with drug trafficking in Rio de Janeiro. Disappointed that this information had been given little attention, he decides: “I am going to stop reading the G1 [the Globo]...
Azerbaijan: Pollution & Religious Freedom
Leigh's new adventures in Azerbaijan posts links to two articles on pollution and religious freedom in the country. In the first, the blog says that the article explains why infant mortality is twice as high as the national average in Sumgait because of pollution, while the second is to a...
Armenia: Rehumanizing the “Enemy”
Blogian quotes from a Turkish newspaper calling for the “‘rehumanization’ of Armenians by Turks and vice verse.” In particular, the Armenian blogger recounts how his Great Grandmother was saved during the Armenian Genocide by a Turkish woman and wonders why there isn't a section for those Turks that saved Armenians...
Georgia: Internet Coverage
Although not a blog, The Georgian Times has published an article on the role the Internet played in covering last week's disturbances in Tbilisi, Georgia. In particular, along with mention of Flickr and YouTube, TOL Georgia and Global Voices were mentioned.
Swaziland: Mathematics and patients
Ryan shares his observations about numbers and patients in Swaziland: “Mthobisi’s fleece sweatshirt had the number ‘14’ on it. I remember this value because it matched Mthobisi’s CD4 count on 31 January, 2007, just before he started ARVs.”
Mozambique: The young rapper and the power of words
Moçambique para todos [pt] publishes video and lyrics from thought provoking rapper Azagaia, from Mozambique, who “is back to the scene and releases tomorrow his latest piece of work. Check out the lyrics of a song that is already very popular, especially in the intellectual debate circles”.
Kenya: Fusing music with humanitarian work
Helen blogs at Mshale about a unique Kenyan gospel group: “Gospel Singing Group Milele does more than sing worship praises. They use their international fame as musicians to work on humanitarian projects.”
