Stories from 15 November 2007
China: Democrat claims he was forced out of election
It's election season in China again, and so far that means at least one accusation of vote-fixing against independent candidates; this time it's a retired professor in eastern China's Shandong province who sought to run on the populist vote.
Georgia: Russia, Conflict & Paranoia
Steady State reports that with a presidential election now scheduled for January in Georgia, the issue of Russia and frozen conflicts in the former Soviet republic is being exploited by the president for political purposes. Steady State, however, wonders if Georgian officials shouldn't instead seek prescription drugs for paranoia.
Egypt: Shawerma Nostalgia
Do certain tastes and smells linger in your mind long after products, tastes, feel and smells change? This translation from the Egyptian Arabic blogosphere asks just that.
Caucasus: LGBT Conference
Unzipped: Gay Armenia has an exclusive interview with Christopher Atamian, President of the Armenian Gay & Lesbian Association of New York on the situation of the LGBT community in Armenia. The interview also details plans to hold a conference on LGBT rights in the Caucasus in the very near future.
Brazil: Why Brazilians do not complain?
Yeltsin Lima & Amigos [pt] puts together a very good piece on violence in Brazil, with links for those who want to complain about it. He concludes: “The reason why Brazilians don't complain, as I have already said, is surely shame or fear. If they knew that getting together would...
Jamaica: Terms of Endearment
“Coming back to work in the Caribbean has meant getting used to using words of endearment that professionals in developed countries have long eschewed”: Jamaican Francis Wade tries to strike a balance.
Guyana: Rock of Ages
Parking problems give Guyana-Gyal an idea for a new business…
Cuba: No, You Shut Up!
Both Babalu Blog and Child of the Revolution turn their attention to Cuba's reaction to the comment made by the King of Spain at the recently-concluded Ibero-American Summit.
Barbados: Child Labour
Living in Barbados blogs about the reality of child labour in developing countries.
Bahamas: Future Shock?
Bahama Pundit‘s Larry Smith refers to the work of Alvin Toffler and Dr. James Canton to underscore the importance of the Bahamas being prepared for the inevitable challenges of the future.
Brazil: Manual for the online journalist
Manuel Pinto announces [pt] a book launch on journalism for the Internet by Marcos Palacios and Beatriz Ribas, both teachers at the Federal University of Bahia and members of its Research Group in Online Journalism (GJOL).
Brazil: Oasis orphanage
Wendy publishes some pictures and leaves her toughts on a visit to to an orphanage in Anapolis, which left her really impressed. “I am not trying to say that this is a paradise but many of these kids came from awful abusive situations and I am thankful that they are...
Japan: Yamanote Line Sprint
Earlier this week, roughly 20,000 Tokyo commuters were forced to wait when a 40-year-old woman jumped onto the tracks of the Yamanote Line, one of the city's busiest train lines, and began to run. Reportedly triggered by trouble with an aquaintance, the woman's 1.5 km sprint was heralded by many as the first of its kind. Needless to say, many bloggers wondered what it was the woman was thinking.
Uganda: Existentialist reading of conflict in Northern Uganda
Okello Lucima's existentialist reading of the conflict in Northern Uganda: “Read in broad existentialist terms, the Ugandan State and regime are absurd worlds, from which its citizens in the north have been alienated from themselves and estranged from the popular view of national normalcy.”
Big Brother Africa II: Did Immorality Triumph?
Tanzania's Richard Bezuidenhout was recently declared the winner of $100 000 prize for the second edition of Big Brother Africa. Richard, the 24 year-old film student, survived five nominations, fell in love with a fellow housemate from Angola, Tatiana, and was involved in an alleged sexual assault in the house. Richard was newly married when he entered the house. Bloggers have been writing extensively about the outcome of the show.
Taiwan: UN for Taiwan
Holly blogs about the campaign for Taiwan to get UN membership.
Japan: Housing Discrimination
James from Japan Probe blogs about the issue of housing discrimination against foreigners in Japan.
Japan: Giant Jellyfish
Edo from Pink tentacle blogs photos of giant jellyfish found nearby the coast of Japan sea.
China: Imitating Lust, Caution
Kenneth Tan from Shanghaiist translated local news on how movie fans found joy in imitating sexual positions in Lust, Caution.
South Africa: The launching of iCommons Innovation Series
Nic blogs about the launching of the iCommons Innovation Series in South Africa: “Without many of us knowing, yesterdays event was actually the launch of the ICommons Innovation Series. This series will be a regular occurence that brings together like-minded innovators and features some of the greatest minds around today.”
South Africa: Print is not dead – at least in Africa
Looking at the circulation record of the South African Mail & Guardian, Vincent Maher is optmistic about the future of print in Africa: “In September and October this year the Mail & Guardian newspaper hit the highest circulation in its history, so clearly print is not dead – at least...
