Stories from 16 November 2011
Guinea: A Guide to Flirting in Conakry
Alimou Sow lists 10 rules [fr] for flirting in Conakry in his blog entitled ‘Ma Guinée Plurielle': “Like everywhere else, flirting in Conakry follows rules which evolve over time. Here are 10 of them, drawn from a small sample survey and expanded upon through my own personal experience. Guys: get...
Russia: Hidden Camera Reveals Illegal Electioneering in School
A scandal caused by a hidden camera recording at a school in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, has highlighted a serious problem in Russian schools: teachers campaigning for the ruling United Russia party.
Peru: Reflecting on Anti-Mining Protests
Peruvian bloggers reflect on recent protests and social conflicts related to environmental problems caused by mining, and the influence these problems might have on the future actions of the government of President Ollanta Humala.
Brazil: Online Campaign to Protect Xingu Against Belo Monte
A new movement called Gota D'Água (Drop of Water) [pt] has launched an online campaign to discuss Brazil's energy planning through the analysis of the Belo Monte dam project. The campaign includes a video featuring public figures and a petition, that has already gathered 1923 signatures, to be handed over...
Cuba: The Church, The Government & The Dissidents
Bloggers question the approach of the Catholic Church in Cuba here and here, while Pedazos de La Isla reports on recent crackdowns on dissidents, here and here.
Trinidad & Tobago: Bull S**t Artists
Plain Talk explains why he thinks that Trinidad and Tobago needs a National Bullshit Council.
Bermuda: “Occupy” Movement at its End
Respice Finem comments on the de-occupation of Wall Street, here.
Haiti: Cholera Compensation or Opportunism?
Stanley Lucas has a few questions about a court case that is seeking to compensate Haitian cholera victims, saying: “At worst, it seems an opportunistic attempt to capitalize on a tragic situation for fund raising purposes. What is equally concerning is [the] approach to this challenge. Rather than offer the...
Trinidad & Tobago: Fight at Project Launch
B.C. Pires comments on a fracas that broke out, allegedly among rival gang members, at the launch of a government project: “It would be shocking if it wasn’t par for the course. The shameless use of the UNC-yellow-like orange in the attempt to, um, curry the favour of the semi-literate/fully...
Cuba: Honouring the Island's Patron Saint
Havana Times reports on the celebration of an outdoor mass this past weekend “in honor of the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, considered by Catholics to be the ‘Patron Saint of Cuba'”, explaining: “Next year will mark the 400th year since the discovery of the image; it seems that...
Honduras: National Popular Resistance Front Forms New Political Party
The National Popular Resistance Front (FNRP for its initials in Spanish) has formed a new political party called Libre (short for Libertad y Refundación, “Freedom and Refoundation”). The blog Honduras Culture and Politics explains how the party was founded and provides an English translation of its declaration of principles.
Chile: Changes in University Student Leadership
Robert L. Funk blogs about the recently elected president of the Catholic University Student Federation (FEUC), Noam Titelman. Titelman belongs to “the same political faction as the outgoing president, Giorgio Jackson”, Robert explains.
El Salvador: A Sustainable Alternative to GMO Crops
Colleen O'Brien in Locavore del Mundo reports “the Salvadoran government is considering trials of genetically modified crops.” However, she argues “a more sustainable solution would be to implement other types of technology – such as micro-hydro irrigation projects that could extend the growing season and give the farmers more stability...
Kuwait: Video Campaign to Teach Citizens about the Constitution
To mark the 49th anniversary of the Kuwaiti constitution, a group of activists decided to remind citizens of the different clauses of the constitution. Under the theme of Tadry [ar] (Did you know?), Sout Al-Kuwait (Voice of Kuwait) produced six videos, each spanning a few seconds, explaining to citizens six select articles from the constitution.
Zambia: Porn Video Sparks Debate on Gender, Culture and Morality
A video clip of a young female student at one of Zambia’s expensive colleges having sex with her boyfriend has surfaced on a hardcore pornography website. The case has generated a lot of debate online about culture, morality and gender in the country.
Russia: Official List of Extremist (Forbidden) Materials Grows Over 1000 Items
Sova center publishes [ru] another update of the list [ru] of extremist materials (run by the Ministry of Justice). After the update, which includes 1 YouTube video, kavkazcenter.com (radical separatist website), 2 videos dedicated to Tatar nationalism at tawba.info, and radical leftist limonka.nbp-info.ru, the list consists of more than 1,000 items (articles, videos, newspapers,...
Greece: Send Your Tale of the Financial Crisis
Sendyourtale is a Greek blog that invites readers, in the manner of the PostSecret project, to send in their personal tales of the financial crisis, to be published anonymously in Greek and English.
Greece: Giving Aid to Inmates of Elaionas Women's Prison
A team of bloggers [el] is cooperating with social workers at the Elaionas women's prison in Thebes, Greece, in order to give aid to imprisoned mothers and their children. The blog lists the team's actions, as well as inmates’ current needs, for anyone wishing to volunteer material aid.
Egypt: Commemorating 40 Years of Pope Shenouda on Twitter
Egyptian Copts, among others, decided to criticize Pope Shenouda III on the occasion of his 40th Ordination anniversary. The anniversary coincided with the end of the 40 day mourning period after the Maspero massacre, where 27 Egyptians, mostly Coptic Christians, were killed.
United States: What Your Kids Talk About on Facebook
For the online exhibition “Voices of Motherhood” by the International Museum of Women, Kathy Halper in the U.S. was inspired by the experience of “friending” her own daughter on Facebook to embroider copies of photos posted by teenagers on the social network. The embroideries show drunken parties, sexual innuendo, and...
Georgia: Voting in absentia
Tamada Tales comments on a video posted on an online site of parliamentarians voting for absentee colleagues. The blog notes that while the practice is common elsewhere, it is taken to new levels in Georgia with one parliamentary faction leader even having his vote made by an underling sitting next...
