29 February 2008

Stories from 29 February 2008

Russia: Election Roundup

  29 February 2008

A roundup on Russia's upcoming presidential election: Mark MacKinnon writes on the 72 percent “target” for Medvedev; Megan Case writes about the reasons NOT to vote; Robert Amsterdam writes about betting on the Russian election, writer Victor Erofeyev's pro-Putin and pro-Medvedev op-ed in the New York Times, and more election...

Armenia: Political Turncoat

  29 February 2008

Unzipped is dismayed by the acceptance of a position from Orinats Yerkir party leader and presidential candidate, Artur Baghdasarian, from the prime minister and president-elect, Serge Sargsyan. The move, ostensibly made in order to defuse tension in the country, gives credence to claims from the opposition that Baghdasarian was working...

Armenia: LGBT Blog

  29 February 2008

Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts details of a new blog established by the Armenian Gay & Lesbian Association of New York. The blog, AGLA NY, is at http://aglany.wordpress.com.

India: Blogging and Memories

  29 February 2008

Route 79 ponders on the point of blogging, and reproduces a wonderful letter from a person who lived in the same area of London who shares his memories.

Bolivia: Relief for Flooding Victims

  29 February 2008

Many residents from other Bolivian cities are chipping in to provide relief for the victims of the flooding in the Beni region. Kevin of Travieso [es] writes about the cooperation with a local Santa Cruz radio station to collect supplies.

Iran:Persian Art

  29 February 2008

Kourosh Ziabari talks about the importance of Persian miniature, painting and architecture.The blogger also gives a link to Iranian great painter, Mahmoud Farshchian, where we can watch his great paintings.

Argentina: Concern Over Cartoneros

  29 February 2008

The Buenos Aires government is worried about the activity of the ‘cartoneros,’ who are members of the informal economy and rummage through garbage to salvage cardboard that can be sold for recycling. Gabriela Arca of Grito Argentino [es] writes about some of the government's reasons for concern.

Brazil: Following up the Democratic Primaries

  29 February 2008

‘Biscoito Fino e a Massa‘ is closely following the Texas Democratic Primary polls [PT], and reports about Obama's surge toward nomination. He also tries hard to explain the primary's rules in the state, and mention past local cases of electoral mess and misconduct like the ‘gerrymandering’ in 2003. The blog...

Argentina: Direct Taxes and Digital Rights

  29 February 2008

A new proposal in Argentina sought to add a direct tax to any electronic equipment capable of reproducing digital media, which would seek to offset some of the revenues lost by artists due to piracy. Bloggers in that country mobilized to say that this move would encourage piracy because compensation would have already been paid. It would have also raised the prices of these goods in a country where the prices are already expensive.