Jose Manuel Tesoro · February, 2006

Latest posts by Jose Manuel Tesoro from February, 2006

Costa Rica: Political Ethics, New Tax Bill

  28 February 2006

Bob Glass says that the political party, PAC has clarified its ethics code. Professional blogger, gambler, and former Washington Secretary of State candidate, Jacqueline Passey is not happy with a new tax bill.

Peru: Reliabiligy of Peruvian Polling

  28 February 2006

Fabiola Bazo has a pdf file of the latest national poll just five weeks before Peruvians elect a new president. Un Lobo en Perú points out that “in the recent past, opinion polls have proven to be notoriously bad guides to electoral behaviour.”

Malaysia: Learning Language

  28 February 2006

On rosesnchaos’ Livejournal blog, she talks about how she feels her English has deteriorated because of the hodgepodge of Chinese, Malay and English she hears around her: “It's the speech of lay society, but it's just so common here in Malaysia, even among educated folks. Speaking proper English will come...

Malaysia: More Plagiarism

  28 February 2006

Malaysian blogger Kenny Sia is experiencing tulan (read his post to see what it means): He's discovered someone named Vivian Chew submitted a photograph he took to a local newspaper and won some money. “BLOODY HELL! Who is this Vivian Chew? Makes me wanna chew Vivan Chew.”

Singapore: Leap Backward

  28 February 2006

Singaland senses in the latest government budget a step backward for Singapore: “The most telling sign is the decision to build 2-room flats for sale. The government had stopped building two- and three-room flats for sale in the 1980s as Singaporeans became well off and wanted to live in bigger...

Singapore: Missing Singaporeans

  28 February 2006

Littlespeck.com wonders where are all the missing Singaporeans. The number of new registered voters has risen slowly, despite a rising population, leading to the conclusion that many Singaporeans are going overseas to work, study or do business.

Vietnam: Visiting Pagodas

  28 February 2006

Our Vietnamese God describes visiting pagodas in Vietnam. “Food served at pagodas is usually good, really healthy but a wierd thing is that sometimes they make it into animal shapes, which I'm still confused about.”

Indonesia: Blog to You

  27 February 2006

Indonesian blogger Nagasundani asks “What is blog to you?” Some people, he says, write about their own life. His own answer: “For me this blog helps me to develop my writing and capture my imagination on spot. How deep I can write about sex, dirty things, evil inspiration, anything far...

Malaysia: Blogger Probe

  27 February 2006

Malaysian blogger Jeff Ooi looks like he might be investigated for his coverage of a local controversy over an allegedly disrespectful cartoon published in the New Straits Times. He writes: “Let the law take its course and let justice be seen to be done.”

Myanmar: Damning the Dams

  27 February 2006

Dathana at the Blog of Nyein of Chan Yar complains about the environmental damage bound to be caused by a planned series of dams on the Salween River along the Thai-Myanmar border: “Burma stupid generals just know how to get money. They do not consider how much damage will be...

Singapore, Thailand: Photoblogging Protests

  27 February 2006

Singapore-based themediaslut is photoblogging protests in Thailand against business mogul and PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who last week dissolved parliament and called snap elections as a response to the public outcry over the tax-free millions earned from the sale of a controlling stake in his Shin Corp. to Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

Vietnam: Memories of Hanoi

  27 February 2006

Six Months in Hanoi, on his last night in Vietnam's capital city, shares three memories: a rain-soaked ride on the back of a motorcycle, approaching a temple altar, and waiting out a storm in an Internet cafe.

Cambodia, Malaysia: Blogmeet

  24 February 2006

Cambodia-based blogger and cartoonist Jinja reports on a meeting he set up with Malaysian bloggers on his trip to Kuala Lumpur. “We also chew over the idea that we should have some more exchange within Southeast Asia. Maybe a regional portal, or a Cambodia/Malaysia blogger exchange? Most of us have...

Indonesia: Mining Politics

  24 February 2006

Yosef Ardi reflects on the long involvement of U.S. mining company Freeport McMoran in Indonesian politics. Freeport, which operated a massive mine — the largest copper and gold mine in the world — in Irian Jaya (now West Papua) province, is shutting down its operations.

Malaysia, Singapore: Dangers of Technology

  24 February 2006

The scandal involving a Singapore student's taped sexual adventures spread on the Internet continues to draw comment. Singapore's A Worm's perspective talks about the dangers of modern technology, while Life is Just from Malaysia has similar thoughts: “The internet is growing ever so gracefully.”

Philippines: Historical Slavery

  24 February 2006

caffeine sparks rereads a historical account of pre-colonial servitude in the Philippines and reaches her own conclusions that something was going on that was more complex than “slavery” as commonly understood: “If master-slave live in one house and eat the same food, can one conclude that the master-slave relation is...

Singapore: In-Between

  24 February 2006

At Singapore's Sayoni Speak, Sheila Rajamanikam describes what it's like being a transsexual: “I wish people around me could accept both parts of me: in a shaved head, packing, male looking body as well as a sari clad jewellery wearing one.”

Vietnam: Planned City

  24 February 2006

Le Bao Tuan of Sticky Rice experiences “architecture shock” visiting Phu My Hung, a booming planned community built on a former swamp south of Saigon. He writes: “Phu My Hung is an evidence proves Vietnamese economy is developing quickly and Vietnamese people are trying to approach the more modern and...