Stories from 10 August 2010
Russian-Fires.ru, First Ushahidi Experience
Wildfires in central Russia have shown that the Russian blogosphere is capable of fast mobilization, cooperation and solidarity when it comes to natural disasters. The RuNet Echo team not only observed the blogosphere's reaction to the wildfires, but has become one of the few centers of coordination of volunteers and victims of the disaster.
Trinidad & Tobago: Rock On
B.C. Pires profiles Trinidadian rock guitarist Damon Homer.
Europe: Stranger Festival Film Submissions
The Stranger Film Festival is looking for creative short documentaries by youth (younger than 30) from European and neighboring countries in a variety of topics regarding European narratives. Submission deadline is on September 1st. via
U.S.V.I.: Lionfish Threat
As lionfish continue to pose a danger to coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, News of St. John reports that the government's strategy to eliminating the threat is: “If you can't beat ‘em, eat ‘em.”
Barbados: Tourism Stats
Tourist arrivals are up by a small percentage; Barbados Free Press says: “Without complete information it is impossible to judge if the increase in visitors was worth the outlay or if the BTA [Barbados Tourism Authority] is performing well.”
Cuba: Prisoner of Words
“I am a man who writes. Being a journalist in a closed society is the task of either an adventurer or a lunatic”: Iván García learns that he is “of interest” to Cuban State Security, buts says, “I don’t keep any secrets. I have not committed any crimes. In the...
Trinidad & Tobago: Fan Mail
Nicholas Laughlin discovers a fan letter written to his grandfather, who reportedly “did what is supposed to have been the first live radio commentary on a cricket match in the West Indies, during an inter-colonial tournament at the Queen's Park Oval.”
Mexico: Citizen video and Drug Trafficking
Mexican bloggers debate whether citizen videos and pictures showing graphic violent crimes are an answer to what some say is the mass media's resistance to cover drug trafficking related violence or if it is just another way to spread fear and terror.
Pakistan: Sense Of Sacrifice
Considering the recent troubles Pakistan is in, Hasan at Chowrangi proposes that Pakistanis should celebrate the upcoming national day on the 14th August with a great sense of sacrifice, by helping the countrymen victimized by flood and war.
Bangladesh: Even No Water To Wash My Teeth
“On the fifth day, today, 10 August, I discover I don't have any water to brush my teeth, not to talk about other purposes;” thus Ekram Kabir at Kotha Chhilo (I have something to tell) blog tells the story about one of the agonies of living in Dhaka city –...
India: No Room for Single Women
Hanna Ingber Win tells the story how difficult it is for single women to rent a flat in the housing society apartments of Mumbai.
Rwanda: Bloggers Discuss Presidential Election 2010
Preliminary results released by the National Electoral Commission show that Paul Kagame has won Rwandan election by a landslide. What does Kagame's victory mean to Rwanda? Was the election free and fair? What are the real challenges facing Rwanda now that the election is over? These are some of the issues that bloggers are discussing following the release of preliminary results.
D.R. of Congo: Collection of Taxi slogans
A collection of Congolese taxi slogans in Lingala, French and English:”Tais-toi jaloux – Shut up, jealous one,Code PIN, Jalousie mal placée – Misplaced jealousy, Hitler, Dieu n’a jamais été corrompu – God has never been corrupted, Dinosor…”
Russia: Blogosphere Helps Man Fight Local Administration
This story has everything for an unconventional blockbuster: a lonely hero facing dozens of armed bad guys, corrupt police forces, private security firm, contract killers, and... thousands of bloggers fighting the system.
South Africa: The Liberation of Afrikaans
Sean Jacobs writes about a new film by a South African filmmaker Dylan Valley called Afrikaaps, which focuses on the neglected roots of the Afrikaans language.
Russia: Internet Trolls for the Good?
Blogger fritzmorgen argues [RUS] in favor of Internet trolls [EN] in Russia. The bloggers claims that rolls help Russian bloggers improve their rhetorical skills, general knowledge and the ability to provide proper argumentation fast in the real life. In Russia, however, online arguments may lead to physical violence, he adds.
Russia: Yevgenia Chirikova – Leader of the Khimki Forest Defenders
The New Times posts a feature story [RUS] on Yevgenia Chirikova, a businesswoman who became the leader of the Khimki forest park defenders. Previously, several bloggers proposed [RUS] her as a candidate for the next presidential election.
Russia: Do Authorities Conceal Rate of Death Caused by Smog?
Blogger molitva-i-post writes [RUS] that Moscow medical services failed to evacuate the body of her grandfather who died of heat and smog. Hospitals and morgues are filled with the dead, blogger reported. Despite numerous similar cases, the Ministry of Health denied [RUS] the increase in death rate caused by high temperatures.
Georgia: Second anniversary of South Ossetia war
As Georgia marked the second anniversary of its August 2008 war with Russia over the breakaway territory of South Ossetia, online reaction has been mixed and largely polarized on geopolitical grounds.
Palestine: The Politics Of Issuing Passports
The hostility between the Hamas government in Gaza and the Fatah government in Ramallah has manifested itself in many areas, from education to electricity. Now it is affecting the issuing of passports, and one blogger in Gaza has been caught in the middle.
South Korea : Lost in Translation, Especially During Vacations
Translation is probably one of the most grueling and painstaking works in the world. In South Korea, to add the translator's already full baggage, people are venting their stress from English-craziness to translators.
