6 February 2012

Stories from 6 February 2012

Colombia: The daily El Colombiano Celebrates 100 Years

  6 February 2012

YouTube, mass media, internet,  social networks  and blogs are echoing the celebration of 100 years of daily circulation of main newspaper of city of Medellin, El Colombiano, the date on which it unveiled its new design for both print and online versions.  

Cuba: Politics & Internet Access

  6 February 2012

Dariela Aquique, writing at Havana Times, has a theory that “the Cuban blogosphere is fragmented, consisting of fiefdoms and courts like in the Middle Ages. While some share commonalities, others are definitely at opposing ends of the political spectrum.”

Jamaica: Women's Political Role

  6 February 2012

“The troubling disrespect for the ‘girls’ appointed to the Cabinet seems to confirm that the JLP is committed to the backward notion that ‘man must run tings’”: Jamaica Woman Tongue argues that “turning the size of Mrs Simpson Miller’s Cabinet into a gender issue betrays a deep-seated prejudice against women...

Jamaica: Playing with the Law

  6 February 2012

“With what passes for law and justice in this country is it any wonder that this is such a violent society?”: Active Voice explains that “a lot of the crime plaguing us is the result of people taking the law into their own hands because the extant justice system just...

Guyana: Send in the Clowns

  6 February 2012

“Every morning then, without fail, the clown put on she joie de vivre and tumble out”: Guyana-Gyal tries to keep a smile on her face despite her mother's diagnosis.

Uganda: What Lies Beneath the Cloak of Exclusivity?

  6 February 2012

The formation of a Facebook group called ‘Mzungus in Uganda' has stirred up controversy and a heated debate on Facebook. Mzungu is a term commonly used in southern, central and eastern Africa to mean a white person. The group's description reads, "This is a group for all the Mzungus living in Kampala…to share your likes, dislikes, advice or interesting (or boring) stuff…."

Africa: Highs and Lows of the 2012 African Cup of Nations

  6 February 2012

People unite around their national football teams in Africa more than anywhere else in the world. In the fervour surrounding the 2012 African Cup of Nations, there are two points that attract the attention of bloggers. The first is the absence of the usual great nations of African football and the second is that of the complicated issue surrounding bonuses.

Zambia: Netizens Weigh in on Labour Minister, Chinese Quarrel

  6 February 2012

This is a roundup of reactions from Zambian netizens following a public quarrel involving the Labour Minister Chishimba Kambwili, the Chief Medical Officer of the Chinese-run Sino-Zam Friendly Hospital in the mining region of the Copperbelt and the Chinese ambassador to Zambia.

Cuba: Bloggers on SOPA, Culture and the Democratization of Knowledge

  6 February 2012

Unlike many SOPA/PIPA critics in the United States and around the globe, Cuban bloggers did not focus on the technical implications of the proposed laws. Both independent and state-affiliated Cuban bloggers saw SOPA/PIPA as a powerful statement about how legislators (and the music and film industries) value culture and creativity as part of U.S. society.