Stories from 23 June 2008
Trinidad & Tobago: Soca Sweet No More
A loud party in the neighbourhood forces Why does the glass have to be either half empty or half full? to think about her favourite types of music. As the blaring continues, she remembers why her native Trinidadian soca is not at the top of her list.
Hungary: “Map Of Things To Do In Budapest”
Annotated “map of things to do in Budapest” – by Eszter of Crooked Timber.
Bahamas: Words of Advice
WeblogBahamas thinks the late Tim Russert's advice to his college-bound son should be adopted by Bahamians, especially the part about not cultivating a sense of entitlement.
Trinidad & Tobago: Praise Song
Four Fingers and a Thumb 2.0 is stirred by a hymn being played by a steelband, reminding her of the “magically bizarre wonderful place” that is Trinidad.
Cuba: EU sanctions
Ninety miles away….in another country posts two updates on the European Union's lifting of sanctions against Cuba. One is a comment on a CNN reporter's use of the word “blockade“, and the other a note on the arrest of an activist.
Barbados: Solar Power
Barbados Underground makes the case for solar power, and says for the “first time in history, cost-competitive solar power is now within the planning horizon of every utility in the nation.”
China: Lesbians Face Blood Donation Discrimination
DANWEI posted an opinion piece on the discrimination of lesbian in blood donation.
China: Earthquake Runaway Teacher
Fan Meizhong a teacher who dashed out of the classroom when the earthquake hit and left his students behind has become the most controversal figure in China. ESWN has translated yweekend's chronicle of the debate.
Japan: Politics
Shisaku has some obervations on Japanese politics.
South Korea: Life as a Korean AIDS Patient
Korea Beat translated a local report on how Korean AIDS patients live and die.
Philippines: Ferry disaster
More than 700 are dead or missing after a ship capsized in central Philippines. Talim ng Araw blames the ship owners and coastal guards. Some pictures of the tragedy were uploaded by Ang Umalohokan.
Philippines: Maritime disaster
Ang Umalohokan lists the worst maritime disasters in the Philippines.
Singapore: Internet regulation
Singapore Patriot tackles the issue of regulation of political content on the Internet in Singapore.
Singapore: “Useless opposition party”
Diary of a Singapore Mind writes that it is not possible to have good opposition in Singapore
Laos: Hydropower Plants
Phanomsinh has set up a blog to give regular updates about the construction of hydropower plants and dams in Laos
Myanmar: More cyclone disaster pictures
Hanna uploads some images taken in the Irrawaddy Delta six weeks after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar.
East Timor: Medical Care
Timor Diver provides a peek into the medical care situation in East Timor.
Kyrgyzstan: U.S. troops won't expand
Elena reports that US Deputy Assistant Secretary George Krol refuted rumours about the expansion of American airbase in Manas airport near the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Afghanistan: Taliban Retreat
Patrick Frost says that after a couple weeks of poor news regarding Afghani security, there was finally some positive developments as a force of Afghanistan troops supported by NATO armored vehicles and helicopters appeared to rout Taliban forces who recently took over the Arghandab region surrounding Kandahar.
Kazakhstan: Astana Anniversary
Joshua Foust is ironic saying that Kazakhstan seems to have no other problems than how to light its not-fake capital’s overly elaborate 10th anniversary.
Nepal: On Gorkhaland
Nepali Netbook provides a perspective on the Gorkhaland issue in India.