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Uruguay: José Mujica Sworn in as President · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

On March 1, José Mujica -also referred to as “El Pepe” by many Uruguayans-  was sworn in as the new president of Uruguay.  He succeeds Tabaré Vázquez from the same left-leaning coalition party, Frente Amplio (Broad Front). During and after the inauguration ceremonies, Uruguayan bloggers and Twitter users reflected on this presidential transition and what it means for their country.
Ana Rita Franco from the blog Nostalgia de Emigrante [es] writes about the public opinion surrounding Mujica and her own impressions of the new President:
Mucho se ha dicho a  favor y en contra de su persona. Desde mi punto de vista creo que ha sido el politico por estos tiempos, que ha generado con su sola presencia, sentimientos muy ambivalentes: se lo idolatra o se lo detesta. Por eso hay quienes se  enorgullecen y otros se averguenzan. Desde mi posicion que no es ni una ni otra, se ha ganado mi respeto por haber llegado donde hoy se encuentra, dandonos la leccion de que todos los suenos pueden ser cumplidos.
Mujica stands to the right of his wife Lucía Topolanski, head of the senate. Picture uploaded by flickr user Fernando Lugo APC and used under a Creative Commons license.
Mujica has captured the attention of the world because of his background as a former Tupamaro guerrilla fighter. Víctor Bagnuoli, director of the blog Visión Universitaria [es], explains that Mujica has left that past behind and taken a more realistic approach to achieving his political ideals.
Luego de haberse jugado la vida en pos de ideales revolucionarios por medios ilegales, don Pepe Mujica hizo una profunda evolución que lo llevó, no a abandonar sus ideales pero sí, a comprender la realidad y a plantear metas factibles de corto y mediano plazo, ya que la coyuntura nacional e internacional obligan a buscar otras alternativas.
Constanza Moreira [es], a political scientists from the University of the Republic in Montevideo explains in the same blog that Mujica comes into power accompanied by an environment of very high expectations:
Será asimismo el tercer presidente electo del siglo XXI. Y el electo con el mayor porcentaje de votos, con la excepción de Baldomir (61,3% en 1938), Amézaga (57,2% en 1942) y Jorge Batlle (54%).
Muchas expectativas se ciernen sobre el nuevo presidente. Quizá más de las esperables, recordando que el gobierno de un país es algo más que un presidente, y recordando siempre es bueno las limitaciones de la humana condición.
He will be the third elected president of the XXI century. And the one elected with the greatest percentage of votes, with the exception of Baldomir (61.3% in 1938), Amézaga (57.2% in 1942) y Jorge Batlle (54%).
A lot of expectations are upon the new president. Maybe more than what can be expected, remembering that the government of a country is made up of more than one president, and remembering –it is always good to do so- the limitations of the human condition.
Moreira also adds that the highest expectations for Mujica come from the poorest Uruguayans:
En buena medida, Mujica es, con su propia vida, un representante “de los de abajo”. Y son estos miles de uruguayos, que lo han honrado con su voto una y otra vez, quienes más esperarán de un gobierno de Mujica.
Mujica and Frente Amplio supporters celebrating election on November 29, 2009. Photo uploaded by flickr user camerareporter and user under a Creative Commons license.
As for the ceremony and inauguration speech itself, the writers at Uruguayan blog Opinemos Hoy [es] did not come away as politically energized as they had hoped to be:
Ahora bien la primera imagen que me dejó toda la asunción (seguida por tv haciendo zapping entre el 4,10 y 12) es un Mujica cansado , cansado antes de arrancar , lo podemos acusar a su edad , pero no inyectó esa energía que necesita su gente , su pueblo sus seguidores , fueron discursos diferentes y me dió la impresión que opuestos , lo más importante lo dijo al principio en la asunción en la cámara de representantes mediante una carta leída la cual trataba varios temas yá conocidos por todos nosotros , como es la educación, seguridad , energía y el agrointeligente. […]
En fin una jornada que deja mucho por ver y mucho visto, por el momento solo resta esperar a ver que pasa , mucha ilusión y fanatísmo en la gente frenteamplista , ahora politicos Uruguayos a no defraudar.
Now the first image that the entire inauguration (followed on television surfing through channels 4, 10, and 12) left me is one of a tired Mujica, tired before taking off, we can attribute that to his age, but he didn’t inject that energy his people, his country and his followers need, they were different speeches and seemed opposites to me, the most important thing he said at the beginning in the chamber of representatives through a letter he read, which talked about various issues of which we are all already aware, like education, security, energy, and agro-intelligence.
Anyway, it was an event that left a lot to be seen and a lot that was seen, for the moment we just have to wait and see what happens, a lot of hopes and fanaticism from the Frente Amplio supporters, now Uruguayan politicians, don’t let us down.
Others thought Mujica’s speech was praiseworthy, like Mexican Twitter user @mostacho who wrote:
Escuchando el discurso de Mujica, que envidia los uruguayos,cuando nos tocará tener esa calidad de dirigentes y esa sociedad en México..
A Uruguayan user on Twitter, @gaaviota, showed her support for her new president:
Estoy orgullosa de tener un lider como Pepe Mujica en mi pais. Vuelven los hijos de Artigas!!!
Mikaela Mia @mikiynick sent a message to Mujica through Twitter, reflecting what many Uruguayans feel -even those that did not vote for him:
José Mujica : te dejo al mando de mi país querido Uruguay. Cuidalo y mejoralo.. con amor: una uruguaya más :D


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Armenia: Deadly clash anniversary · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Ianyan features a guest post by Fulbright Scholar and blogger Ashley Killough on the second anniversary of the deadly post-election clashes which left 10 dead in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. The post also includes an audio slideshow of the demonstration held to mark the occasion.

source: news-globalvoices

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Azerbaijan: Dusty City · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

ANTV, an online citizen media site co-founded by imprisoned video blogging youth activist Emin Milli and recently awarded for its contribution to freedom of the press in the region, posts a video report on the chaotic urban development in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan.


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Azerbaijan: Murdered journalist remembered · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines remembers Elmar Huseynov, an outspoken journalist in Azerbaijan who was murdered in 2005. The blog says that five years later the case remains unsolved.


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Bangladesh: Salty Tears · Global Voices
Rezwan

Photo blogger and journalist Monirul Alam highlights the threat of salinity and  lack of drinking water in the Southwest coastal region of Bangladesh with his photo-essay.

author: Rezwan


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Barbados: Zimbabwe Beats Windies  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The West Indies cricket team loses a 20/20 match to Zimbabwe, prompting Barbados-based B.C. Pires to comment: “It seems like West Indies cricket has an infinite capacity to prove that you should never say, ‘It couldn't possibly get worse'”.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Bermuda: Stinking Budget  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Vexed Bermoothes says that Bermuda's most recent budget “seeks to live on debt and on increased taxes on both businesses and workers…but beyond that, something else stinks.”


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Chile: Communication Failure · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Jorge Barahona writes about the digital communication failure by the Chilean government [es] after the earthquake, who did not make best use of the tools available. However, he praised channels like Twitter and his 3G connection that allowed him to access information.

author: Eduardo Avila


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China: Invented English words with Chinese characteristics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Lightson gathered a list of newly invented English words for describing the specific Chinese Context.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Proposal for corporate innovation before annual political gathering · Global Voices
John Kennedy

As China's annual Lianghui began today, online discussions abound with some of the more colorful motions to be debated over the coming days, such as that from blogging CPPCC member Zhang Xiaomei which seeks to have married men pay (indentured?) wives wages in exchange for housekeeping duties peformed. A large number of blog posts have focused on market fluctuations expected to accompany the political gathering.
A post at Cricketdiane's WordPress blog has aggregated a number of articles from Chinese state media regarding this round of the Two Meetings.
And while CCTV personality Wang Xiaoya was the go-to blogger for the inside scoop from the past several Lianghui, this year she seems to have traded blogging from the sessions for a project with Sohu in fielding questions and views across the Internet company's microblogging platform.
Wang's move comes as more delegates than used to are blogging their own way to the meetings. For starters, there's Sina blogger Patriotic CEO (of aigo electronics) Feng Jun, who in a March 1 post decided to give readers a teaser on his proposal:
“两会”即将召开，作为政协委员，我最近尝试通过微博征求大家的建设性意见，看到那么多畅所欲言的建议很感动，也感谢大伙对我的信任！在这里提前给大家透露一下，此次两会我提案的核心将放在“如何进一步促进民族品牌自主创新”方面。
三十年河东，三十年河西，知道的朋友应该理解，2010年将是中华民族从自信走向自豪的最关键的元年。2008年的奥运会和建国60周年庆典成功举办，尤其在全球经济危机的环境下，我们2009年的 GDP依然实现了8.7%的高增长，可以说现在咱们全民族的自信心和团队精神达都到了一个全新的高度。而且去年年底，国家领导人也正是号召要从“中国制造”转向“中国创造”，现在从天时地利人和来讲，现在是条件最好的。后续我会把提案的详细内容发上来，里面会涉及到舆论、知识产权、走出去等多个方面，欢迎各位网友多提意见，共同为中国的自主创新建言献策。
The first of 100 comments on Feng's post reads:
啥时候发文章发回复不被审核不被删了.中国创造才有戏.审核是创新的死敌.电影要审核,游戏要审核,网站要审核,连发个回复都要审核.还创新个屁

author: John Kennedy


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China: The Diary of the Tobacco Bureau Chief · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN has translated the 07-08 diary of the Tobacco Bureau Chief in Guangxi. The Diary has detailed record of the government official's lifestyles, including sexual encounters, drinking binges and taking bribes.


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China’s Rule of Law is in Full Retreat · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Recently a Chinese law scholar Jiang Ping had a public talk criticizing the retreat of China's rule of law. His speech is now translated at Chinese Law Prof Blog.


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Colombia: Transportation Strike from Pedestrian Eyes · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Videos record the situation lived these past three days of  city-wide transportation strike that has Bogota paralyzed.  Citizens have resorted to walking, riding bicycles, hitchhiking and climbing into the backs of pickup trucks that will take them closer to their places of work.  The only system that remained in operation yesterday was the Transmilenio central bus system when even taxi drivers joined the strike, and it wasn't able to deal with the exponential increase in passengers.
Most of the frustration during the transportation strike has been directed to the only massive transport system which has been in operation during the strike: Transmilenio, due to the extremely long lines to get service, the lack of buses to get from other points in the city to a station and buses that stopped at stations but were so crammed full of people that no-one could get in.
This one, recorded by pruebasyopublico shows the view from the bus as a it rolls into a station:
Inside the stations the situation was also serious. The transmilenio system which is usually the brunt of complaints due to its maximum capacity being reached during rush hours, was now at that maximum capacity throughout the day. This video shows the Virrey station during the strike:
And this other video (minute 1:40 ) shows the same station without the crowds:
The following video was made by someone recording an accident, but at minute 1:40 you can see a yellow hatchback car that is taking people to work with passengers even sitting on the floor of the trunk space:
Here is a mobile upload by Andrés Hernández Godoy (@andresgodoy on twitter) of a truck which has already placed a sign on its windshield stating its “routes” in order to transport people in lieu of buses:
Image by Andrés Hernández Godoy
Jair Andres Moreno (@budamoreno) also uploaded many different photographs regarding the long lines at the transmilenio stations, sometimes reaching 8 people wide and hundreds of meters long, like this one, or this next one where passengers are crowded on the bus arrival platform, risking their lives.
Transportation complications are not the only effects of the strike: riots, vandalism and people throwing rocks, sticks and more to buses breaking the strike, looting of businesses and private residences are what some people have lived through these past days. It seems that minors were paid between 2.5 USD and 5 USD by agitators according to Radio Santa Fe.
In Violeta Speaks blog,  a frequent user of public transportation speaks about the strike, the bus driver's reasons for the strike and its impact on the citizens:
Además, si los señores conductores están exigiendo (hasta donde tengo entendido) mejores tarifas, pues nosotros, que somos los que las tenemos que pagar, exigimos que nos den un buen trato, porque a parte de todo, muchas veces el irrespeto por el pasajero es increíble…
El Tiempo newspaper collected stories from travellers who faced the strike and its problems: pregnant women affected by tear gases, workers having to walk 4 or 5 hours to get to work, others had to ride their bicycles for more than 2 hours at the middle of the night to get home, a woman who had to resort to getting into cattle trucks as transport was not only harassed but also had her cell-phone stolen.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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D.R. of Congo: Gifts for a new minister · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

What do new ministers receive from friends and relations in the D.R of Congo?: “Instead of sending cards, the new minister’s better off friends and relatives have brought gifts. Some bring whisky or champagne, others bring live chickens and goats (five, to date).”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Dominica: Pick Up A Book · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The book is not only the door to other wonderful world[s], but it is the best teacher, university and source of wisdom”: Dominica Weekly extolls the benefits of reading.


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Famous Pakistani Diaspora Celebrities · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sabeen Ahmad  at Divanee lists 10 Pakistani diaspora celebrities who are becoming far more visible in American and European media.


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Georgia: Social Innovation Camp in the Caucasus · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

A web site for the first ever Social Innovation Camp in the South Caucasus has been set up at http://sic-caucasus.net. The event, aimed at promoting the use of social media to implement actual projects for civil society and activists in the region, will be held as part of the Social Media for Social Change conference held at the beginning of April in Tbilisi, Georgia.


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Guyana: Death of a Language · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands notes that “Berbice Dutch, a Dutch Creole spoken in part of Guyana, has been declared officially extinct.”


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India: Influence On The World History · Global Voices
Rezwan

“The world often views India as a country with huge poverty.” But was it always like this? “From 1st Century AD till 1250 AD, India had the world’s largest GDP.” Sumanth at Desicritics gives a run down on India's influence on the world history and economy.


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Japan: No More JANJAN · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

The website JANJAN, one of the pioneers of citizen journalism in Japan, has announced that they will go on hiatus for an undetermined period of time [ja] due to the changing landscape of citizen journalism and falling advertisement revenue. JANJAN, which stands for “Japan Alternative News for Justices and New Cultures”, has been running for over seven years.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


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Malawi: 15 annoying things in Malawi · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Victor's list of 15 annoying things in Malawi: “The frequent power failures by the Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (ESCOM). One ends up buying countless bundles of candles or if you can afford purchase and run a generator!”


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Maldives: Selling Arts Online · Global Voices
Rezwan

Hilath is starting a service in which Maldivian artists’ works will be displayed in his blog (in thumbnail pictures) and the bids will be updated regularly. When the artist is satisfied with a price – the artwork will go to the highest bidder.


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Russia: “Merry Gnome” Medvedev. Story of the Meme · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

Few month ago, a major Russian Internet company Yandex  decided to close its rating of Russian blog posts [ENG]. This decision raised a lot of debates revolving around the assumption that the decision was a  form of political censorship. One one hand, Yandex claimed that the rating was closed since it was vulnerable to manipulation by bloggers.
One the other hand, some people claimed that the rating, which was shaped according to algorithm and not editing policy,  turned to be an alternative mechanism of agenda setting for Russian media environment since it provided significant visibility to topics that were raised by bloggers, and not only by traditional media. Because of the rating, the blogosphere turned to be not just a space of informational chaos of thousands of bloggers, but something that have actual impact on public opinion.
As we might see in the following story, the Russian blogosphere indeed might create a significant political effect threatening the image of Russian government even without the blog posts rating. It doesn’t necessary have to be a pure news story with a critical approach to one of the Russian officials.
Unlike traditional media, social media space, and blogs in particular, provide a unique environment for development of Internet memes [ENG]. Unlike news story that appears and vanish next day, memes might have a long range impact on shaping perception of the political leaders. It might be based on a particular news story, but its consequences are much far going than news. Moreover, in a case of memes, the question of credibility of information is secondary and that makes the meme immune to attempts to deny it.
At the beginning of February, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Omsk, a big city in Siberia. The visit raised a lot of media attention due the scandal around a promotion poster for Russian ruling party “Edinaya Rossiya” that had a portrait of both Russian leaders Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin.
Few days before the visit, local officials have decided to remove Putin from the poster and leave only Medevedev on it. When the story was exposed, Putin was moved back and few people from local government lost their jobs. Few days later, the incident with Putin’s removal was shadowed by a story of another poster.
On February 18, one week after the Medvedev’s visit, a regional media blog on the Web site of radio station“Echo Moskvy” republished an article [RUS] titled “Tragicomedy. ‘President is coming to us: A screenplay for one spectator that was directed by the government of Omsk region.'”(Трагикомедия. «К нам едет президент». Пьеса для одного зрителя в постановке правительства Омской области). The article was written by a journalist from Omsk Andre Zaharyin. He described a long list of radical (and foolish) steps taken by the Omsk government before the president's visit (e.g.  spreading a fresh snow on the local river).
Злые языки утверждают, что перед приездом президента с театра-студии Любови Ермолаевой была снята афиша спектакля «Ждём тебя, весёлый гном». Возможно из-за того, что Дмитрий Медведев, человек невысокого роста, мог принять это на свой счёт. Правда, в театре эту информацию не подтверждают.
The poster in question was designed for the children's New Year theater show about gnome from Lapland who came to visit Russian Santa Claus (Ded Moroz) to celebrate the New Year.  According to the report, the poster was removed from a street where the president's convoy was supposed to pass during his visit to Omsk. Other Russian news Web sites added [RUS] how the poster was actually removed:
По свидетельству очевидцев, афишу детской сказки убрали чуть ли не топорами с молниеносной скоростью.
They also emphasized that the main sources of information for this story were “regional media and blogs”. The story was soon published almost in every Russian online media outlet. Some of journalists recalled the 2008 article [ENG] from British  Guardian “Who is the shortest world leader?” that claimed that Russian president  might be the shortest leader in the world. The story about the fairy tale poster, gnome and president Medvedev also quickly reached the international media. Reuters published [ENG] a story “Gnome poster removed before Medvedev visit?”
The incident turned to be one of the most discussed topics on the Russian blogosphere. Some of comment were very brief. “Paranoids,” wrote user tankar.  “A country of idiots,” wrote kliuv.  The user hel_sim wrote [RUS]:
Напоминает советские времена с поисками вторых и третьих смыслов. Висела бы себе афиша и ничего.
A blogger Alek-ya shared [RUS] his concerns in regard to publication of fairy tales with gnomes in Russia.
Не везет России с кремлевскими карликами. Теперь из переводимых сказок могут странным образом исчезнуть леприконы, Белоснежка окажется в лесу в совершенном одиночестве. Даже ставший популярным “Властелин колец” может оказаться лишь путеводителем по загадочному миру, лишившись массы основных персонажей.
A blogger Alesadov gave [RUS] an opposite interpretation while focusing on the fact that the destiny of the poster turned to be the top news:
Заголовок в ленте новостей из серии нарочно не придумаешь. Кто еще может сомневаться в отсутствии цензуры в российских СМИ?
A lot of users avoided discussions on the political meaning of the story. A typical reaction by an LJ user zlaya_zadnica was [RUS]:
У меня такое настроение плохое было, а теперь наоборот, хорошее. Словно это ко мне едет веселый гном
Some bloggers tried to express their opinion about the story through poetry. LJ user Efrosine wrote [RUS]:
- Где же наш весёлый гном?
– Он зарублен топором!
In a poem “We await you, merry gnome” LJ user  Basjad suggested [RUS] that there were not one but two gnomes
Ждём тебя, весёлый гном
В граде славном – Омске том!
Поскорее приезжай,
Нам веселья тоже дай!
Дай нам счастья и работ,
Дай нам отдых от забот!
Не один ты на Руси -
И другого привози!
Вместе будем вас встречать
И плакатами махать!
Только пусть допустит нас
Губернатор …. тарара-с…(славный НАШ)!
We will meet you together
And we will wave our posters!
If only our governor
Allows us to do so!
The story also raised a wave of creativity among fans of visual art. For instance, LJ drygoj offered [RUS] everyone to repost a collage with a big Putin and small Medvedevev on a horse. Olga Gromova, LJ user vsyako, created [RUS] a picture of the Russian president as Merry Gnome. LJ user e-enotov went to more surrealistic direction [RUS].
Despite the fact that it was not the first poster scandal related to Medvedev’s visit to Omsk, some of users were not sure about its credibility since no actual evidences were presented.
An LJ user hnue wrote [RUS] in a community of Omsk inhabitants:
Люди, кто-нибудь в курсе, это правда? Меня все спрашивают, а я не знаю, что ответить.
An LJ user Dubrovska in her post “'Merry gnome’ or how myths, legends and fairy tales are born,” got a call from her friend who played a role of fox in the famous performance about the gnome’s visit. Following the call, Dubrovska shared [RUS] her version of the story.
Короче, может, теперь уже и неважно, но не висела никакая афиша про гнома и никто её не врубал ни топором, ни каким другим инструментом.
Based on a conversation with the actress, Dubrovska listed a number of factors that showed that the story about poster was absolutely improbable. She also called the director of the theater that confirmed that the story about the poster wasn’t true.
Online Russian media told that the source of information was a local blogger and local media. But there was no blogger who might be identified as the source of information. The only blogger that was quoted later was a LJ user denbrough who wrote [RUS] after the story was already published:.
«Сам живу в двух шагах от этого театра, информацию об афише подтверждаю – была такая»
Victor-korb explained [RUS] why this information couldn't be treated as a confirmation:
Свидетель говорит лишь то, что “афиша была”. Ну да, это вполне возможно. И даже то, что она провисела два месяца после окончания показов новогоднего детского спектакля, тоже возможно. А вот то, что “сняли афишу на пути следования президентского кортежа”, – глупая натяжка, потому что кортеж перемещался по улице Нефтезаводской, а не по улице Химиков.
Some of LJ users discovered that the first time the story appeared online was on February 13 – four days before it was discovered by media.  A person who presented himself as Anikey Skovorodkin (which doesn't sound like a real name) wrote [RUS] in the thread of the city forum at Omsk.com that was dedicated to Medvedev’s visit:
За пару часов до того, как Медведева должны были провезти по Нефтяникам в сторону нефтезавода, кто-то обратил внимание на афишу театра Ермолаевой. анонс сказки звучал так: “Мы ждали тебя, добрый гном!”)))) по словам очевидцев, афишу демонтировали чуть ли не топорами с молниеносной скоростью.
The story of the merry gnome shows that social media play a significant role in diminishing the border between true and false, between joke and news. It happens due to the power of viral distribution and especially few mediators that take the information from rumors and humor and legitimize it as news. In this case, we have seen that this role was played by the blog of “Echo Moskvi” radio station and primarily the two news Web site “Noviy region” and “Delovoy Peterburg”. The last two build a bridge between the anecdote and news item.
Some people claimed that if the information is true or false doesn’t really matter in this case. The program director of “Echo Moskvy” Vladimir Varfolomeev wrote on his blog:
«Даже если снятие рекламы – всего лишь случайно совпало по времени с визитом, в усердие и перестраховку чиновников верится очень легко. Времена такие».
Lj user Victor_korb wrote [RUS]:
Я вовсе не отрицаю реальности этой истории. Просто мне очень не нравится то, насколько некритично, с грубыми ошибками ее принялись транслировать все СМИ.
Some of the bloggers expressed their frustration about the fact that the story probably wasn’t true.
“It’s very pity that it’s a myth,” shared [RUS] his feeling Petrosov .
An LJ user Nachiketos wrote [RUS]:
Эх, зачем же было докапываться до истины. народу нужны зрелища и мифы, должно же быть что-то позитивное в суровых жизненных реалиях. если не справедливые выборы, то хотя бы веселые гномы =)
LJ user Dubrovska concluded [RUS]:
История получилась красивая, хотя и неуместная, как новогодняя сказка, рассказанная в преддверии весны.
However, the people who actually questioned the credibility of story were a minority.  Nowadays, the expression “Merry gnome” as a nickname for Russian president already appears in different contexts not related to his visit to Omsk.
An LJ user akharin wrote [RUS]:
Х а, “Веселого Гнома”, приклеилось. Спасибо безымянным долбоебам-чиновникам.
An LJ user quasar wrote [RUS]:
К запросу в поисковиках “Почему Путин краб” теперь добавится “Почему Медведев веселый гном.”
Lj user Akater asks [RUS]:
Интересно, начнёт ли теперь народ на митингах кричать что-нибудь про весёлого гнома?
Unlike news, a myth doesn’t need any verification.
Lj user Victor_korb concluded [RUS]:
…приятный сухой остаток от этой истории: появление нового т.н. мема – “веселый гном”. В дополнение к другому – “злобному карлику” :-)
In the merry gnome story, we could see how the Russian Internet works. The blogosphere and media together gave a birth to a new meme. The story shows that the Internet might be not only a space that reflects the reality in a different way from traditional media, but also shapes this reality in a way that it has political output.

author: Gregory Asmolov


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Palestine: Outrage At Israeli Announcement About Ibrahimi Mosque  · Global Voices
Mays Dagher

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu recently announced his government’s intention to designate Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem and the Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, both in the occupied West Bank, as Jewish heritage sites. The statement has led to outrage amongst Palestinians; the Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs is considered to be the burial place of Abraham, his wife Sarah and others, and is a site with special importance for both Jews and Muslims. It is also the place where a massacre of Muslim worshippers took place in 1994.
Ibrahimi Mosque / Cave of the Patriarchs (reproduced under a Creative Commons license)
Talal Shihadeh, in a post on Palestine Think Tank, describes Israeli settlers’ visits to the Ibrahimi (or Abraham) Mosque:
I was born in the old city, very close to the Abraham Mosque. Immediately after the West Bank was occupied in 1967, the occupation government established the first settlement on the Hebron citizens’ land, which was called Qiriat Arbaa. The majority of the settlers who are living there are American. […] In the 70s and 80s, the settlers used to go to the mosque, doing their religious practices under the guardianship of the Israeli forces until Ramadan of 1994 after Baruch Goldstein, who perpetrated the Abraham Mosque Massacre (29 Muslims were killed and more than 125 others wounded during Al Fajr prayer). After this massacre, the Israeli occupation gifted Goldstein and the settlers by dividing the mosque to two zones, for the Muslims and the Jews. After that, it became very difficult for Muslims to enter to the mosque. It's easier to pass through an airport than to enter the mosque. The security measurements they use include ID check, physical check, passing through examination machine (the settlers are excluded).
After mentioning the latest announcement about Rachel’s Tomb and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, Talal finishes by saying:
Stealing the land, the history, and the heritage……. is the Israeli key to peace in the Middle East.
Rebel Spirits, another Palestinian author, expresses her emotion on Hazem's Blog:

author: Mays Dagher


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Russia: Political Portal Launches Government Blog Ranking · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Polit.ru, independent portal on Russian politics, launched a government blog ranking “goslyudi.ru” [RUS] (govpeople) so people can have better access to the blogs of politicians and monitor the issues discussed on those blogs.

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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Sri Lanka: Rebuilding The Country · Global Voices
Rezwan

Devanesan Nesiah at Groundviews asks:  “can we in Sri Lanka not find ways to bridge our much more modest but yet widening ethnic divides?”


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Taiwan: Why is Apple sueing HTC? · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

On March 2, 2010, Apple Inc. filed a lawsuit against HTC for infringing on 20 Apple patents related to the iPhone's user interface. The company is a Taiwan-based manufacturer of smartphones and in 2009 it began to shift its focus away from Windows Mobile devices, to devices based on the Android operating system, which is the OS for Google phone. The topic climbed quickly on twitter trend and has become one of the most discussed issue amongst Taiwanese netizens, geeks, and tech-lovers.
iPhone compared to HTC S620 – photo by Gadgetdude on Flickr (cc)
Where's the ground for infringement?
Dancing Hear t(舞動的心) disagrees with Apple's move:
多點觸控嗎?? 兩指放大縮小嗎?
現在不是很多手機都有這功能了嗎?
看來mac還是會怕，會怕才會告
這個舉動，讓我覺的傳說中的 iphone 4G,應該是玩不出什麼新把戲了
0926252726 wonders why HTC is targeted at:
為何不告同樣用 Android想借此翻身的moto
還有跟美國人友好的三星
不知為何美國跟南韓的互動關係跟作為
讓人覺得很噁心
adigolee also questions the legitimacy of this lawsuit:
UI 哪裡像 iphone? Nexus one 不是原生的 Android 嗎? 甘 HTC 啥事?
如果真的是因為兩指放大的話, 的確是可以告很多廠商. 太多人學這個功能了….
癮科技的文章 跑 Windows 7 的 iPad？嗯！大家心照不宣… 不知道這個 Apple 告不告….
Google's role
IriShcAFe predicts that Google is about to enter the fight:
整個事件基本上是針對Google Android來的,20項裡面多半是有關軟體的部分
只能說美國專利局腦殘的把那些範圍過於廣泛的專利發給了Apple.
這次的案件Google很有可能會在背後幫HTC,或是乾脆加入HTC一起跟Apple槓上
現在Android開始搶占智慧手機市占率,
也大概是為甚麼Google老闆年前從Apple的執行會上卸職的原因之一吧.
反正好戲要上演了,大家快去搬椅子買零食吧
Corporate politics
JasonQ regards the case a typical legal drama:
小弟認為, 應該不是真的有侵害到專利問題… 現在上演的, 應該是很普便的用專利訴訟來打壓敵對陣營產品的戲碼….
運用大量的侵權官司, 拖延敵對陣營產品上市時間, 並藉此限制對手產品的銷售以及開發…
等到3 ~ 5年後, 就算法院宣判沒有造成侵權問題, 敵對陣營也很難追趕上自家產品的開發以及市場佔有率….
Xiao Sheng Sheng(小昇昇) also finds it an ordinary legal case.
我覺得大家好像把這件事情看的太嚴重了
在美國, 這種專利權大公司互相興訟的事情是希鬆平常的事
那個大公司身上沒背幾件專利官司
小公司還沒人要告勒
之前工研院不是也告三星在液晶電視上侵犯專利嗎
這是正常的商業競爭手段
htc養了一大堆的律師不是只負責吃飯的

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Trinidad & Tobago: Going to Town  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Online literary magazine Town has just published its third issue: Trinidadian bloggers Nicholas Laughlin and Pleasure comment.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Water Police · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As Trinidad and Tobago's water authority announces that it “will be calling the police to arrest citizens” suspected of wasting water, This Beach Called Life says: “What WASA did not say was if the police was also going to arrest the WASA officials who refused to fix leaks over the last few decades…The situation is serious. WASA is still not.”


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Uganda: Anti-Lord’s Resistance Army in Oklahoma · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

What has Oklahoma Senator got to do with Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army?: It has now been more than 100 hours since a team of young U.S. activists, inspired to help stop the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army in Central Africa, descended on the Oklahoma City office of Senator Tom Coburn (R) to demand that he lift his hold on a bill aimed at neutralizing the LRA fighters and rebuilding communities long terrorized by the insurgency.


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Uganda: Hundreds feared dead in landslide · Global Voices
Rebekah Heacock

A mudslide in eastern Uganda Monday evening left at least 80 people dead and over 300 missing. The mudslide, triggered by a day of heavy rain, has buried three villages in Bududa district and displaced more than 2000 people from their homes.  As of Wednesday morning, the search continues for survivors.
Uganda's Daily Monitor reports that flooding has been reported throughout the eastern part of the country, forcing schools to close and making roads impassable.  The rains are expected to continue, and Reuters reports that Ugandan officials fear flooding and mudslides may affect up to five more districts.
Landslides in eastern Uganda on Monday left three villages covered in mud.  Photo courtesy of Apollo on Facebook.
Ugandan blogger Rosebell wonders why the government hasn't done more to move people out of the area:
There are estimated 50,000 people, some occupying the immediate precincts of the extinct volcano, who are regularly exposed to the threat from landslides.  Every rainy season there are deaths in this part of Uganda but the only approach has been that of conservation of the national park to relocate people.
There has been no government effort to really try to find other ways to persuade these people and find them alternative livelihoods. In a place where many people depend on farming relocating from the fertile volcanic soils is difficult decision. So they live one day at a time and hope they survive the next rainy season.
In central Uganda, where the rain is less of a threat, Gay Uganda writes:
The rains which I was so guiltily taking joy in are taking a toll on my people.  I can only pray. Uh, you know what I mean. I do love rain, but rain comes with its blessings and curses. A bumper harvest may be one thing to be happy about. Terrible loss of life-  but, incredibly, life goes on.

author: Rebekah Heacock


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Video Participation: How you see the world for BBC · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Young People's Media Network posted that the BBC is looking for you to send in a 2 minute documentary on “how you see the world” to be broadcast worldwide.   Deadline is March 12th.  Application information here.


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Africa: Can France Telecoms dominate East Africa? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Rebecca's advice for France Telecom if it has to succeed in East Africa: “Whatever it is, I think if France telecom is to challenge the domination of other bigger companies, they need to start acting like them, in response to the public, otherwise their silence does not smell like they are contenders.”


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Africa: Quick hits in the African Tech space · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Quick hits in the African Tech space from Erik: “StarTrack is a new location based tracking service in Nigeria, Loy Okezie has a good overview of this new service from Starcomms.”


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Africa: Should Sports Club be community driven or tribal affair? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

What is the best model for running sports clubs?: “In the last few months, I have been feeding off comments and conversations about the need for sports clubs and more specifically football clubs to embrace ‘tribal’ outfits (for lack of a better word).”


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Africa: The future of technology in Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Juliana's thought provoking piece on the future of technology in Africa: “Before I get to the five ideas that shape my perspective on futurity in Africa, I found myself asking, where are the African futurists?”


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Africa: The future of Technology in Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Juliana's thought-provoking piece on the future of technology in Africa: “Before I get to the five ideas that shape my perspective on futurity in Africa, I found myself asking, where are the African futurists?”


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Armenia-Turkey: US Congressional panel adopts Genocide resolution · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

In what turned out to be a nail-biting vote, the US congressional House Foreign Affairs Committee today voted on a non-binding resolution recognizing the massacre and deportation of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire as Genocide. Although accepted as such by many other countries, as well as by most historians, previous attempts to translate resolutions into actual bills have faltered after officials in Washington warn of the consequences of alienating Turkey, a key ally in the region.
Last year, citing momentum in attempts to get Armenia and Turkey to resolve their own painful past, US President Barack Obama avoided terming the massacres as Genocide despite pre-election pledges to do so. Since then, however, many analysts consider that Turkey has not fulfilled its promise to ratify two protocols signed in October which would establish diplomatic relations between the two estranged neighbors and establish a historical commission to resolve the issue once and for all.
Eventually, the resolution was passed by 23 votes to 22 and both Armenians and Turks live-tweeted the process, although both were unhappy with persistent delays, despite interpreting them in different ways. Many were also confused by the lack of an immediate vote tally.
In such confusion, and especially as for most of the vote it was uncertain whether the resolution would pass at all, there was even some limited communication between the two.
In the end, though, the resolution passed and many Armenians in Armenia as well as its large Diaspora celebrated while others warned of possible repercussions to come.
One Dutch journalist based in Turkey blogged and tweeted her concerns while some Armenians resigned themselves to certain “realities” in American-Turkish relations.
Turkey border gates, Margara, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian
Indeed, as this is not the first time such a resolution has been passed, it remains uncertain what will happen next given its non-binding nature, international pressure on Turkey to normalize relations and open its border with Armenia closed in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan during the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and key US foreign policy objectives which require Turkish cooperation.
Even so, some on both sides of the ethnic divide hope that cool heads will prevail. For now, however, few others expect them to, but the situation will be clearer as 24 April, the date Armenians mark the anniversary of the massacres, approaches.
Genocide survivor, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian


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Bangladesh: Save The Wounded Whale · Global Voices
Rezwan

A whale entangled with a latch of fishing net on its tail fins was seen by a tourist group in the Swatch-of-No-Ground (SONG) of Bay or Bengal, the largest submarine canyon on the Bangladesh shelf. Kewkradong urges for a cumulative action to save the life of the wounded whale.


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Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago: Getting Kicks · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

This Beach Called Life thinks that politics and good governance in Trinidad and Tobago are “entertainment as usual”, while across in Barbados, B.C. Pires is also amused by the goings-on in his homeland.


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Caucasus: Women’s rights · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Security, in the Caucasus and beyond… prepares for International Women's Day by chronicling key developments in women's rights in the region. However, with many traditional practices slow to die out, the blog says that changes in societal values brought about during the Soviet years have been overturned since independence. In particular, it notes, this includes the custom of women retaining their virginity until marriage, domestic violence, and the resurgence of patriarchy.


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Chile: Criticism of Television Coverage of Earthquake Aftermath · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Andrés Azócar of the blog Hijo del Medio [es] writes about some of the criticisms aimed at Chilean television for its post-earthquake coverage. He supports some of that criticism including its sensationalist nature, for example accompanying shots of looting with ‘terror music.”


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China: Petty bourgeoisie · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Elliot Ng from CN Review looks into the Chinese modern usage of the popular term “xiao-zi”, which originated from Karl Marx's “Petty bourgeoisie”.


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Cuba: Gorki Re-Entry? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands notes that Cuban punk rocker Gorki Águila, “known for raunchy lyrics criticizing Fidel Castro says he will try to return to the island after an 11-month absence.”


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FarmVille And Facebook · Global Voices
Rezwan

“It is hard to be on Facebook and avoid Farmville. It’s Global addiction,” comments Hina Safdar at Chowrangi Blog while discussing the popularity of the online Facebook game app.


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Haiti: Short Order  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands is pleased that “Carel Pedre, a Haitian radio host who used Twitter to inform the world about the earthquake which ravaged his country” was among users honoured at the annual Shorty Awards.


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India: Nithyananda Scandal On Twitter · Global Voices
Rezwan

Blogadda compiles the reactions of some Twitter users on the recent scandal of Swami Nithyananda, a Karnataka based spiritual leader.


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India: The Battle Of Rin vs. Tide · Global Voices
Rezwan

Screenshot from video, courtesy Vivek Bhatia
In India a recent advertisement on TV openly comparing between rival detergent brands caused an uproar in the blogosphere with bloggers discussing about rivalry, fair competition and ethics.
Asstha Jain at Add2Ad blog informs:
On Friday (beginning of weekend), all eyes were widened to see an ad from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) for their brand Rin in which they do more than direct comparison with their competitor Proctor & Gamble (P&G) brand Tide (Tide Natural rather). The ad not only speak the product attributes of Tide which they claim but also hit their marketing theme. [..] The rivalry between these two brands is on since long when HUL reduced its price by 10-15% percent when Tide was offering 20% extra washing powder.
Rin Detergent vs. Tide Naturals. Video uploaded by YouTube user Kunaljha123:
Gupta Infomedia explains:
The voiceover “Tide se kahin behtar safedi de Rin (Rin washes much whiter than Tide)” leaves nothing to imagination. It's war, open and direct. Barring rare exceptions, fast moving consumer goods brands have stayed away from direct hits at competing brands.
Vivek Bhatia at Markadising Zone notes:
It’s the first time in India that competing brands have been named rather than pixilated (as they usually are) in a TV commercial.
Vivek provides updates as the battle has moved to court:
HUL claims that the Rin commercial is in line of advertising regulations laid by the industry. HUL terms its claim to be factual, accurate and substantiated based on laboratory tests done through globally accepted protocols in independent third party laboratories. ASCI has even issued a notice to HUL to substantiate its claim.
P&G has also moved to High court against the disparaging advertisement of HUL's Rin. Prior to this, HUL had challenged P&G's claim in its advertisement on Tide Natural. On being directed by ASCI, P&G seems to have modified its advertisement.
Anoop Vijayan thinks that this advertisement violated all norms of healthy competition. Charu questions:
Is it healthy to throw mud at the competitor to state your point and increase the sales?  Does these advertisements really affect the buying pattern of the public?
However, Frankie thinks that the ad was a free publicity for P&G by HUL. Ashok at Doing Jalsa And Showing Jilpa takes a hilarious look at this issue noting that “controversy is the new advertising”.
Harish Bijoor at Indian Marketing Trends notices that the Indian brands are getting back to the good old basics. He opines that the current piece of Rin advertising is very clear in its visual language of comparison:
Hey! This is old hat. This kind of comparative advertising used to work in the good old days when consumers sat up and made purchase decisions basis product attributes and product delivery norms in terms of solutions. Good scent and whiteness are rather both generic to the category. How much ever anyone shouts in messaging such as this, consumers are going to be yawning and saying what next. Consumers hate this kind of relapse into age-old advertising formats that have the same old message of the sixties with the creative ability and excellence of production standards of the 2000’s staring back at them. Wake up and smell the change.
The battles between brands are growing intense in India which is evident from the most famous cola wars in the past decade to the recent Onida vs Nokia advertisement war. Sumathi Chandrashekaran at Spicy IP talks about another battle between kitchen cleaner brands ‘Mr Muscle Kitchen Cleaner’ and ‘CIF Cream’, which was settled in court.
So it remains to be seen how Indian consumers deal with these comparative ads. They need to be aware of what competitive advertising can do.


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India: The Joy Of Giving · Global Voices
Rezwan

Ugich Konitari from Mumbai shares a wonderful story highlighting the joy of giving.


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: Extradition Issues  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Although Bruce Golding stated that his government is doing nothing to harm its relations with the United States government…I beg to differ”: The Wickedest Time blogs about Jamaica's decision regarding the extradition of Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.


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Japan: Manga Newspaper · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

According to Anime News Network [en], Manga No Shimbun [ja] (漫画の新聞), the first web newspaper that reports daily news in a manga format, will be soon available also in English, French and Korean.

author: Scilla Alecci


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Kazakhstan: Bloggers Discuss Olympian Results · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Kazakhstan's performance at the Vancouver Winter Games was pretty humble with the only silver medal won by Elena Krustaleva in the women’s 15km biathlon. Elena is from Russia and until recently raced for Russia but Kazakhstan apparently bought her and the investment paid off, writes KZBlog.
Pacifistt reacts [ru]:
Krustaleva raced for various countries. She was not accepted in Belarus – thus she came to Kazakhstan. She does not actually belong here. I was glad, when she won the second place, but this has little to do with Kazakhstan, and Kazakhstan means little for her.
Another performance represents a success in future outlook. Denis Ten, a teen rising star of the world-class figure skating is groomed as a future champion after “a beautiful and technically almost perfect short and freestyle programs”, the blogger continues and adds that it was was rather good “for a 16-year-old competing with Pluschenko”.
Rosvet comments [ru]:
I think he's done a great job. 11th place in figure skating at the Olympic Games is a success. Have you ever seen any Kazakh in this kind of sports? He's just 16 … and may well win a medal in Sochi … On the other hand, there is no powerful national figure skating federation behind him – and the country's authority means a lot in sports.
It should be said that there are problems not only with separate sports federations. KZBlog laments over the Kazakhstan Olympic Commitee's website:
I went [there] to find out more information about Kazakh athletes. I hoped to find interesting facts about them so I could blog about them … and generate some interest about Kazakhstan Winter Olympians in the world … And what did I find? The profile stolen from the official vancouver site – and for most of the profiles, it’s really boring because all we have here is name, height, weight and date of birth!

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Kenya: Launch of Nairobi’s Innovation Hub · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Njeri writes about the launch of Nairobi's Innovation Hub (iHub) at the Bishop Gatimu Magua Centre on Ngong Rd. in Nairobi, Kenya.


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Pakistan: Public Transport Of Karachi Requires Improvement · Global Voices
Rezwan

Spring Of Autumn lists a series of problems associated with the current public transport of Karachi and urges the authorities to hear their plights.


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Peru: New Floods in Cusco Region · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

When it was believed that the disaster situation caused by rains and flooding in Cusco, Peru and surrounding areas had gotten better, on March 1st strong rains [es] once again caused the overflow another river. The overflow of the Quesermayo River in the Taray District, Calca Province in the Cusco region produced 7 deaths, various injured and the flooding of 80% of the housing in the area [es]. It also affected the highway linking Cusco and Pisac. What made this flooding different than past occasions, is that it appeared that help arrived faster and the same day of the disaster, the Minister of Energy and Mines arrived with 3 tons of food assistance [es].
Photo by Marco Moscoso and used with permission.
However, it was also reported that other villages were affected [es], such as Cuya and Yacarpay, and a state of emergency was declared in other districts of Cusco, such as San Sebastián, San Jerónimo, Anta, Zurite, Limatambo and Lamay. As had been the case during the previous disaster, it was through Twitter that much of the news and photos of what was happening.
Marco A. Moscoso (@markopunk):
Taray en Calca se ha inundado por desborde de rio.
Rita A.B (@ritaposa):
La lluvia en Cusco amenaza con continuar, Ayer llovió toda la noche y de nuevo todos los problemas surgieron, muchos niños no irán a clase.
Javier Murillo Ch. (@ jataz8):
Volviendo del camino Cusco – Pisac, es imposible pasar más del km 30, desde el mirador se observa que Taray esta completamente inundado
Even though some paths were blocked, Moscoso of the blog El Caminerito [es] was able to arrive and take some photos, some which were posted on Twitpic. He also recorded video and when he returned to Cusco uploaded it to his blog:
Hoy se realizaron trabajos de limpieza y encausamiento con el apoyo del Ejército Peruano, así como se inició con la labor de empadronar a los damnificados al tiempo de brindarles alimento. De regreso al Cusco, la pista Pisac – San Salvador se vio interrumpida al derrumbarse el cerro conocido como Morro Blanco por lo que para continuar hay que cruzar por chacras y lodo.
He also contributed to a video with the blog Prensa Contacto [es]:
In the above mentioned blog Prensa Contacto [es], they were able to collect statements from Ciriaco Condori, the Mayor of Calca Province:
Nos faltó cultura de prevención, esto nos pasó de improviso. Nos encontramos negociando con el alcalde de Pisaq para que se reubiquen a las familias damnificadas en un terreno de esa jurisdicción. El gobierno central debería autorizar de manera efectiva la compra de maquinaría pesada a las municipalidades.
Finally, Javier Murillo of the blog El Pensador [es] (The Thinker), who was unable to arrive to Taray, uploaded photos and videos to his blog about the state of the Cusco – Pisac highway, which also suffered the ravages of nature:

author: Juan Arellano


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Poland: Students Suing Former Minister of Education · Global Voices
Magda Pilat

Two A-level students decided to sue the ex-Minister of Education Ryszard Legutko for calling them ‘spoiled brats’. Last year Zuzanna and Tomasz, students from Wroclaw, signed a petition asking the headmaster to remove any religious emblems and symbols from their school building. The headmaster refused.
The case was widely discussed in the Polish media in December 2009 and that’s when Mr Legutko, currently a Member of the European Parliament, made a comment calling the students ‘spoiled brats who are only interested in messing around.’ ‘Don’t they really have better things to do so close to their exams?’ the politician asked, suggesting that some sort of punishment for the students in question would not be inappropriate.
The students are now asking for a public apology and 5,000PLN of compensation, which would go to charity.
The Polish internet users comment:
pssz on forum.gazeta.pl:
Crosses are staying so the Church has won. Democracy means the rules of majority but with respecting the rights of minorities. What we have here is the majority dictatorship. Did anyone ask for permission before the crosses went up on the walls? Having a cross on the wall is not even justified in the Bible.
Homo sapiens on forum.gazeta.pl:
The cross can be removed of course and the values that the cross represents can be forgotten. The question is, what comes instead? What have these young people to offer? Nothing.
MrBigB on www.wykop.pl
An aged man has made a comment, whether appropriate or not we can all judge ourselves, but in my opinion it’s pathetic to sue for something like that.
Dorota on forum.gazeta.pl:
I am a Catholic but I agree with these students. They are fighting for tolerance and religious liberty.
Usualgirl writes on her blog:
The thing is, the atheist don’t mind the cross. One of them said that it’s a waste of time to even discuss it because if we go this way we will end up banning the meat adverts as they may offend vegetarians…
Poland is a predominantly Catholic country and the cross in schools and other establishments has always been a slippery subject.
The case is worth following as we can expect a lively discussion in the Polish media and blogosphere.

author: Magda Pilat


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Russia: Every Third Family Has Internet Access · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

Every third Russian family has an access to the Internet, a new Russian telecommunication market research by Gfk showed. According to Lenta.ru, Moscow has the biggest Internet penetration rate of 52 percent, while the Russian Far East region has the lowest penetration rate of 21 percent.


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Russia: Music Critic Banned From “Echo Moskvy” · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

A renowned Russian music critic Artemiy Troitskiy has been banned from a liberal radio station “Echo Moskvy.” Troitskiy wrote on his blog that the reason for the ban was his decision to play a rap song about the car accident involving oil tycoon Anatoliy Barkov.


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Russia: RuNet Grew 37 Percent in 2009 · Global Voices
Vadim Isakov

The Russian Internet grew 37 percent in 2009 and now consists of more than two and a half million domain names, said Andrey Kolesnikov, director of the National Domain Coordination Center.

author: Vadim Isakov


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South Africa: South Africa stand up comedy · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

SA Rocks posts a video of Don Packett, a South Africa stand up comedian: “This man makes me laugh. And yes, sure, he’s a friend so I sort of have to say that, but I really, really mean it. Honest”


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Sudan: Is ICT all it’s cracked up to be? · Global Voices
Rebekah Heacock

In a December 2009 Global Voices article titled “ICT4D: Past mistakes, future wisdom,” Aparna Ray points out that many technology for development projects have “started with a bang and later died with a whimper.”  According to a recent article in the Financial Times, such is the fate of a multimillion dollar World Bank plan to supply Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan, with computers and Internet access.
According to Laurence Clarke, who heads the World Bank's program in the country and was interviewed for the article, the failure was not due to a lack of equipment or support.  Instead, the problem is a lack of will:
Laurence Clarke, head of the bank's south Sudan programme, explains that fund money was used to buy computers, software and equipment for satellite links in Juba, the south's threadbare capital. But then “all kinds of problems came up,” he says….
“Some of the ministers apparently decided they were too old to learn to use a computer, and so they showed no enthusiasm.”  In some cases even their younger assistants did not know how to log on.  “So the system is lying there…moribund,” Mr Clarke says.
The recent surge in availability of mobile phones and Internet access in Africa has prompted considerable enthusiasm regarding the use of these technologies for everything from marketing and e-commerce to tracking crop diseases and reminding HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis patients to take their medicine.  But the news from Southern Sudan forces the question: is the hype surrounding information and communication technology (ICT) justified?  And how can those of us who work in this field make sure that our efforts don't result in moribundity?
As a researcher for the Technology for Transparency Network, I'm particularly interested in the way that ICT can help engage citizens in the governance of their country and encourage governments to be both transparent and accountable.  Many projects are successfully using technology for transparency; David Sasaki's recent review of the network's first eight case studies shows as much.  But, as the situation in Juba shows, technology does not magically lead toward better governance.
Sudanese blogger and Global Voices author Drima believes that Internet and mobile phones are not enough.  “ICT is merely that, a technology. Its real usefulness is ultimately something that can only be realized if the users utilize such technology skillfully towards a good goal,” he writes in an e-mail.
If technology is to have an impact, Drima says, support must come not only from donors, but from within:
“When it comes to attitudes and goals, this is something the Southern Sudanese need to fix. And before we can even get into this whole idea of ICT as some kind of ‘silver bullet’ we really need to address many underlying concerns, beginning with corrupt leadership and destructive tribalism.”
As Sudan moves towards elections in April, technology has the potential to play a major role in both engaging citizens and in monitoring the political process.  Sudan Votes, a bilingual web site sponsored by German organization Media in Cooperation and Transition along with Sudanese organizations Teeba Press and the Association of Inter-Media, hopes to “enhance the quality of media coverage on the elections” and “promote a better understanding across language barriers.”  The site features articles on topics ranging from politics to health and culture, as well as a Sudan Electionnaire to help citizens learn more about the country's political parties.
Sudan Votes
Sudan Vote Monitor, led by the Sudan Institute for Research and Policy, plans to use Ushahidi to enable citizens to monitor and report on the elections.
Sudan Vote Monitor
In an election where “many citizens are unfamiliar with basic election processes, are opposed to multi-party competition and have doubts about whether the vote will be fair,” these projects may play critical roles in educating people and documenting possible problems with the voting process.  In order to be successful, however, they must first find a way to convince citizens of their usefulness.
Both Sudan Votes and Sudan Vote Monitor appear to have substantial Sudanese involvement at the ground level, which may help them succeed where the World Bank program has failed.  As the elections loom nearer, I'll be watching closely to see how these organizations unfold.  Will they fall flat, ignored and unused by Sudanese citizens?  Or will they manage to translate technology into true civic engagement?


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Trinidad & Tobago: The CLICO Question · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“As we move forward into the deep waters of the CL Financial bailout, the picture becomes murkier and less encouraging”: Trinidadian blogger Afra Raymond examines “three of the main areas which need urgent explanation.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Uganda: Landslides have always been a problem · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Rosebell discusses mudslides in Eastern Uganda: “Landslides have always been a problem in eastern Uganda but what has been put in place to lessen the risk of many in these villages being buried whenever it rains.”


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USA: March 4 Day of Action to Defend Education · Global Voices
Gina Cardenas

The March 4 National Day of Action to Defend Education is underway at several United States universities. Students are protesting against tuition fee hikes and racism, and for free publicly-funded education.
The focus of activity is in California where a statewide protest is underway from UC Berkeley to Oakland campuses. Participants are encouraged to use any tactics they deem effective or appropriate. This includes strikes, walkouts, marches, rallies, occupations, sit-ins or teach-ins. The rallying cry is public outrage at recent increases in tuition rates—up to 32%—at state public universities in California.
On Twitter, the #March4 hashtag is being used by people with updates about events. @Lavika shared information regarding the participation of California State Superintendent Jack O’Connel at a rally scheduled at Colton Hall in Monterey. Colton Hall is a symbolic building since it was the site of the first publicly funded school in California.
The website Fightback! News has an article about mounting restlessness in different California college campuses. The UC Irvine Campus Administration Building was occupied by students and workers on February 24. One of their demands included financial aid for undocumented students.
Race relations is another issue which is boiling to the surface as part of the March 4 event. The UC San Diego and Berkeley Black Student Unions and the UCLA Afrikan Student Union have engaged in demonstrations against hate crimes and the lack of diversity in the UC System. A recent Blackout was held at UC Berkeley campus on March 1.
The following Youtube video uploaded by rgiwaproductions highlights some of the demonstration activities.
There is East Coast participation from Hunter College, New York University and The State University of New York (SUNY), and The New School where many students have announced their solidarity in blogs and social networking sites. The state of New York saw a 14% hike in tuition rates last fall. On one blog, Takethecity, there is a manifesto of sorts, saying they have had enough of paying for, “a ‘crisis’ created by the rich and the bureaucrats that serve them.”
Occupy Boston writes that Massachusetts has seen their share of public education budget cuts also, and about a US$400 hike in fees per semester. They are organizing a teach-in from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. where they will address issues such as public education funding in Massachusetts, democracy in the educational system, accessibility and affordability of public education in MA.
The March 4 Day National Day of Action stems from a meeting held on October 24, 2009 at the UC Berkeley Campus where teachers, students, parents, organizations, unions and anyone interested in education were invited to participate in an open dialogue to discuss the increases in public education costs. More than 800 people attended the meeting, their main concern being that tuition increases will negatively affect working class students and communities of color. They expressed solidarity with demonstrations and people united against the tuition rate increases, and democratically decided on the March 4 Day of Action.
About a month later, UC Berkeley students occupied Wheeler Hall, a main lecture hall, and made demands for a free public education. A YouTube video uploaded by OccupyEverything2009 follows the students through their direct action efforts.
Other signs of solidarity include the dropping of pro-March 4 banners across college campuses in the U.S. The New School Reoccupied Blog has posted several photographs of banners dropped in the California area and the U.S. that depict language supporting the March 4 event.

author: Gina Cardenas


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Afghanistan: Abandon the drug war to save it · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust argues that in Afghanistan the U.S. should abandon its war on drugs if it hopes to ever reduce the drugs trade.


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Bermuda: Illegal or Impossible? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Yep, as you guessed, nothing has changed, not even on the agenda.  Unethical but not illegal”: Still, Vexed Bermoothes continues to press for anti-corruption laws in Bermuda.


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Chile: Earthquake Testimonials · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The site Terremoto 2010 [es] invites readers to submit their testimonials when and after the earthquake hit Chile.

author: Eduardo Avila


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China: A confession of an Internet naked runner · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

What would you do if you were forced to comply to the “real name registration” in order to access the Internet? And if every word that you said online would be monitored by the government? When there is no way for you to protect your privacy, probably you would also decide to go “totally naked” online.  Zhang Lifan's “Confession of an Internet naked runner” is written in a sarcastic voice describing the frustration of Chinese netizens. Although he is willing to go naked, his post cannot be published in his own blog. The article is republished at canyu.org and below is my translation.
身為一個有十二年以上網齡的中國網民，我宣佈放棄網路隱私權。這種放棄，只是對既成事實的追認。
理論上公民是國家的主人，有權保護自己的隱私，也有權知道公僕們幹了些什麼，花了我們多少錢。我心智健全且早已成年，卻一直被當兒童監護。一九九七年上網後，我努力「與時俱進」，設置了各種帳戶、密碼，以保護隱私權；學會了翻牆、上推特，以擴張知情權。但互聯網攻防技術的日新月異，令我逐漸覺悟：我老了，名義上的權利，其實已經無所謂了。
潛水八年之後，我在二○○五年主動選擇了實名上網，很大程度上放棄了自己的隱私權，任何網友（包括政府僱用的職業網民）都有支持、反對、評論、謾罵乃至跨省追殺我的自由。袞袞諸公何時能被感動到效法一下，我肯定佩服得五體投地。忝為實名網民，我一直主張保護網民匿名上網的權利，蓋因事關公民言論自由，但很快發現自己太迂腐了。重金開發的網路監控系統，足以令匿名菜鳥們隱私畢露，虛擬世界中的思考互動、通訊交流、戀愛調情甚至手機黃段，一一無所遁形，並可隨時追蹤到現實世界。網路者，網羅也。所謂匿名，無非是一種自我安慰；而推行上網「實名制」，不過是對自由表達的震懾。建設「大局域網」，用納稅人的錢監控納稅人，無疑是一種「中國特色」。
中國的牆文化與翻牆文化 Chinese wall culture and the culture of getting over the wall
我國「牆文化」源遠流長，沒有哪個民族，像中國人那樣熱衷於修築各種高牆和土圍子。從秦始皇修萬里長城到明朝海禁，中國是一個長期將自己與外部世界分隔的國家。別跟我理論張騫通西域與鄭和下西洋，那都是朝廷特派的「揚我國威，宣化四夷」行動，與傳遞聖火及廣立孔子學院異伐同工。當然，中國也是一個有「翻牆文化」傳統的國家，如唐玄奘到西域取經，就得偷越多道關卡；近代馬克思主義在中國傳播，也經歷了一個「翻牆」階段。改革開放了三十年，「柏林牆」倒塌了二十年，中國還在思想的「鬼打牆」中轉墳圈兒。
如今網路流行「偷菜」與「翻牆」，說明越是禁忌的事，越有快感和刺激，當然也包括流覽情色網站。中國改革開放的偉大成就之一，就是身體的解放。若論快感，網民們逛成人網站過過眼癮，比起嫖妓包二奶和公款冶遊外國紅燈區的官員，不過是小菜一碟；要比刺激，四千貪官穿壁外逃，人均捲走億元，驚悚度超越網民「翻牆」何止萬倍。「食色，性也」，男女各自長了什麼器官，成年地球人都知道。保護未成年人的理由很正大，兒童的好奇心出乎天性，性教育本該從小普及，但各商業流覽器都有專為家長設置的遮罩功能，靡費國庫的巨額帑銀開發「綠壩」，除了政治盤算，經濟上的動機也耐人尋味。
中國式大局域網「掃黃」，主要依靠防火牆過濾「敏感詞」。我經常被提示「資訊中包含敏感辭彙」而無法上帖，但又不告知什麼詞「敏感」，必須絞盡腦汁反復測試。我曾呼籲各網站公示「敏感辭彙」，以免浪費寶貴的上網時間和網路資源，但無任何回應。兩年多以前，我偶爾從某網站提供的下載軟體工具中，剝離出一份中英文敏感詞列表，頓時忍俊不禁：一千零一十個辭彙中，三分之一弱是「避孕套」「強暴」之類的性辭彙，三分之二強是「民主」「專制」之類的政治辭彙，還有眾多的高官名字，與ＡＶ女優、異見人士紛然雜陳。「掃黃」掃得如此低俗，倒像是清道夫患了窺陰癖，這東東豈能見光？
要裸大家裸，要脫大家脫　Be fair, go naked together
近年的網路輿論監督，令貪官隊伍損兵折將人人自危，搶錢與反搶錢、監督與反監督成了社會矛盾焦點。官員財產「實名制」早在一九九五年就提出了，至今仍遭到頑強抵制；網路「實名制」謀劃不過兩三年，已開始在部分地區實施。政策從醞釀到出台，凡是對官有利的推行神速，凡是不利於官的行之惟艱，被網民戲稱為新的「兩個凡是」。醉翁之意不在酒，網路「白名單」和「實名制」背後隱含的動機，不免令人生疑：堵塞輿情孔道，莫非故意轟人上街？限制公民的知情權，難道真要讓社會回歸蒙昧主義？
漫畫家曠飆有一幅傳播很廣的作品，畫面上那個脫到只剩褲衩的小百姓，對光鮮外衣下財色並包的官員說：「脫吧，到你了」。透明乃當今時尚，要裸一齊全裸，要脫大家都脫，我的身家公開了，你的財產也該見陽光。窗戶紙一點就破，無論實名匿名，網民都在裸奔，不如裸個痛快。倘若所有人都用實名講真話，倒有望爭取到免於恐懼的自由。
成人不是兒童，女人不是老虎；谷歌不是猛獸，政府不是保姆。透觀皇帝新衣，屁民不穿也罷，若非要廢棄遊戲規則，颳一場重返「一九八四」的《竊聽風暴》，彼此就不必拘禮了。你能開發技術窺我私密，我也有辦法翻牆賞你菊花，索性回歸大自然，按「叢林法則」 裸奔便是。

author: Oiwan Lam


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India: Interview With Greatbong · Global Voices
Rezwan

Blogadda interviews Indian blogger Arnab Ray aka Greatbong, who is working as an Assistant Adjunct Professor at University of Maryland. His blog Random Thoughts Of A Demented Mind was adjudged Indiblog of the year 2008 last year.

author: Rezwan


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Indonesia: “Illegitimate” bank bailout · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Indonesian Parliament has voted that the bailout program of the government to save Bank Century in 2008 was illegitimate.

author: Mong Palatino


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Jamaica: Consumer Win · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Thank you OUR (Office of Utility Regulations) for standing up for the Jamaican consumers by telling the JPS (Jamaica Public Service) no to their latest attempt of robbery!”: Stunner lets loose.


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Kazakhstan: Sports, Politics and Passionarity · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Yesterday, Adam Kesher, a Kazakh blogger, asked a pretty rhethoric question about the state of Kazakh passionarity and devotion to the homeland, but surprisingly received a variety of answers [ru]:
Lately, I have heard a story of how Belarusians were celebrating their first Vancouver medal in Minsk. In Kazakhstan it's hard to imagine such massive and public festivity. Our first medal was hardly covered even by the official media; the popular rejoicing was manifested in one-line long blog post and facebook status … There are no fans here – and it is not only about sports. There is a lack of enthusiasts or just people, who are able to express themselves out.
Well, I can't say that there is no national pride at all, but it's a bit condescending. There is a notorious stereotype about the Kazakh laziness. But what is primary here – laziness or inertness, idleness or ignorance, indifference or lack of faith in ourselves and our country? There is an opinion that Tzarist regime and Bolsheviks kicked out our passionarity and inculcated reticence and the instinct of “staying aside” because “nothing can be changed”. Is it for ever?
Here is a row of comments to the topic, varying from the issues patriotism to sports, culture and politics [ru].
To be an enthusiast means to love your country, to be proud of it and to believe that it is a worthy one. That's a massive problem in Kazakhstan. There is a lot of patriots, but little love to the country. But I don't think it's for ever, just because nothing is forever”, says Rillyah.
Farwood explains his vision:
The reason is because we all are temporary citizens. Everybody is saving money to emigrate. Because we were never told that this is our country everlastingly, that we are the citizens and have real rights. That's it. Turks in Germany were told – “you are here to stay”. We were not. Whose country is this?
Restec notes disappointedly:
From the mass media and billboards we know that there can be only one hero in the country…
Pacifistt adds:
It's ridiculous to discuss love to the homeland in the LiveJournal, which is blocked in Kazakhstan.
Mantrovkz sees the root of evil in media situation, namely – absence of quality domestic TV content:
As a result, we live in the Russia's information field. Those who still watch domestic channels receive distorted messages – “state policy is more important than sports etc.
But not everybody thinks there is a problem actually. Ghola-tleilaxu writes:
I think there are two reasons for that. 1. Winter sports are not too interesting for our population … 2. Crisis gives a hard time for everybody, people are less interested in sports. Summer Olympics always were a big deal here – especially performance of the Kazakh boxers.
Fw82 agrees:
It's more banal – winter sports are not Kazakh ones. Besides, timing of broadcast were not convenient. Besides, our population is not urbanized enough – so, everything is yet to come!
Roman Litov insists that sports fans are not a myth in Kazakhstan:
When we won Serbians in 2007 (UEFA qualifiers), people leaving the stadium were very festive, singing songs and giving cheerful hugs to each other. When Shishigina won her gold, people were driving around the city with national flags on their cars.
Samshib notes that
one silver medal is not a sufficient reason for mass popular rejoicing, while modesty is a virtue.
and Pycm is satisfied with such discretion in the society:
Modern sports in general is hardly a pleasant spectacle. Moreover, when the state tries to eulogize it, the whole stuff start smell like fascism. So, I think that reaction in Kazakhstan is normal.


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Kenya: Massive Flooding in Samburu as Ewaso Nyiro River Bursts its Banks · Global Voices
Samuel Maina

STE Research Camp under water
At dawn on Thursday, 4 March 2010, a massive flash flood hit Samburu in northern Kenya destroying 6 tourist lodges, some wildlife research camps and leaving thousands marooned on roof tops and on trees. This wave of rushing water came from the Ewaso Nyiro River which has burst it's banks following heavy rain around Mount Kenya.
The Ewaso Lions blog writes:
Around 5am this morning [4 March], a giant flashflood came down the Ewaso Nyiro river, washing away lodges and camps. Our friends at Elephant Watch and Save The Elephants [STE] managed to reach high ground, but the camps were wiped out. Elsewhere, people were on treetops and roofs waiting for help. The British Army, Tropic Air, and others spent the day evacuating people out of the area.
Paula Kahumbu shares on the Baraza blog a communication from the Save the Elephants whose research base was destroyed:
Today we woke up to reports from our guys at the research centre that Samburu is under water! The whole of Samburu is flooded! All our tents have been washed away! Our research camp as we know it is gone! Luckily all our guys are safe but hanging from trees and at hilltops waiting to be rescued by helicopter!
Paula's blog post says, “As of now the flood waters are apparently receding but all the camps in Samburu and Shaba have been evacuated.” This is in anticipation of more rain that is likely to come. The Ewaso Lions bloggers say, “What’s especially frightening is that a lot more rain is expected.”
The Ewaso Lions posted some photos – together with an appeal – which were sent by their blogger, Shivani, who's currently in Samburu.  The appeal urges people to donate through the blog or to contact their Nairobi office (for those in Nairobi and wishing to give food and clothes). WildlifeDirect has also posted an appeal using the same photos.
One of Kenya's independent TV stations NTV has uploaded a You Tube video of the devastation.

author: Samuel Maina


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Kenya: The iHub launched in Nairobi · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The iHub, an innovation center for techies, developers and innovators was launched in Nairobi this week. What exactly is the iHub?:
iHub – Nairobi’s Innovation Hub for the technology community – is here! It’s an open space for the technologists, investors, tech companies and hackers in the area. This space is a tech community facility with a focus on young entrepreneurs, web and mobile phone programmers and designers. It is part open community workspace (co-working), part vector for investors and VCs and part incubator.
Several leading bloggers attended the event and here are their stories, photos and videos.
VC4Africa describes what the iHub will be about:
High speed internet, a comfortable and cool working environment, and a space for events and meetings to take place is what the iHub is about. It's run and managed by members of the local tech community.
It isn’t just a business. The end goal of the Innovation Hub in Nairobi is not to make money and be more profitable. Instead, it is to grow a stronger technology community in Nairobi, one where developers, designers, VCs and businesses are all better connected and mutually benefiting from the growth.
Bankelele considers the event a Nairobi Tech Moment:
iHub Nairobi: Our fabulous friends at Ushahidi are in the news for their recent technological endeavors which have been used in earthquakes rescue & relief in Haiti and Chile. But back here in Kenya, is something even more momentous, which is the unveiling & launch of the Nairobi iHub on March 3 2010.
The event, Sheila writes, was Geek Heaven in Nairobi:
Last night I went to Geek Heaven in Nairobi….and it looked kind of ordinary at first…. except we were in some kind of room in a building, with the skyline of Nairobi as the backdrop. It was the IHub Launch www.ihub.co.ke in Nairobi, Kenya and the evening was packed full of geeks, super geeks, TEDsters, futurists and a number of possible “Post humans” – people with artificially enhanced intelligence.
iHub, she argues, is a celebration of the power of ideas in Africa:
The IHub celebrates the fact that here in Africa we are beginning to value and invest in the power of ideas, as the essential currency for future progress and change. The iHub is a realization of the “Mindstep” or paradigm shift towards the areas where technology approaches a barrier, and new technologies emerge to cross it.
Njeri witnessed the launching and posts photos from the event:
The launch of IHub – Nairobi's Innovation Hub was yesterday at the Bishop Gatimu Magua Centre on Ngong Rd. The vent brought together the tech community in Nairobi as well as lovers of technology.
I was the unofficial blogger paparazzi and I can assure you that anyone who was in that event was captured on still.
Lone Ranger says iHub is simply what developers need:
This is the way to go, as there are a lot of smart guys out there with no means of putting ideas into action. This is just amazing. I attended the launch of iHub jana and it was good to see who is who in the IT field was there. The amazing thing was that almost all of the guys there were of age 40 and below, or 90% of the guys were 40 and below.
This is just what us developers need.
Kenya Christian writes:
This space is a tech community facility with a focus on young entrepreneurs, web and mobile phone programmers and designers. It is part open community workspace (co-working), part vector for investors and VCs and part incubator.
Nikolas was not invited to the event so he decided to watch TV instead. It was an invitation only event.
Now since i missed an invite to the premier iHubnairobi launch event of the day i shall sit about over here watching TV and regaling you lot with the most minute minutiae of my life currently and the current search for a one in all cell service provider.
Things you should know about the event:
■There will be eight lightning-style 5-minute talks done by local techies as part of IgniteNairobi (see Global Ignite Week for more)
■Keeping up to date with the event, we’ll be live streaming it via Ustream here.
■The first 100 attendees – who are on the list as confirmed -will get one of the new iHub t-shirts designed by the guys at The Ark and printed by Bonk. (Yes, they are incredibly cool).
■The floorplans and layout for the iHub are about done, but no buildout has started happening.
■We’re having a cocktail tonight, so it’s drinks and bitings/hors d’oeuvres.
Sam is happy that the event was given good TV coverage by KTN:
Launching of Ihub was quite phenomenon for the technical community. The fact that KTN gave it such a good coverage and substantial air time on Financial Markets live was quite encouraging.
Ihub creates a platform for Kenyan software and web developers as well other techies to meet and collaborate to bring out various innovations. The facility is equipped with a host of resources including fast internet provided by KDN and Zuku.
What will it take for the iHub to succeed?:
For iHub to succeed it has to become self-sustaining knowledge ecosystem. A place which will continuously appeals to great minds and produce wonderful applications, systems and ideas. Not all animals were equal in animals Kingdom and the same will applies here but in a good way. Yeah the doers will be given priority over the talkers. The reason is bright, innovative people like to be around other bright, innovative people. According iHub blog:
“We have never promised equality within the iHub, doers will be given preferential treatment to talkers and browsers. It’s a meritocracy, where those who create new and cool things are given more and better access.”
The Role of Government is critical in this, and it was refreshing to hear Mr.Paul Kukubo pledging that the government through ICT Board will be actively involved as a partner in iHub.
According to White African, the iHub isn't completely built yet:
The new iHub in Nairobi isn’t completely built out yet (in fact, it’s still basically just concrete and few painted walls…), however that won’t stop us from having a party to celebrate the opening of the new innovation hub here! It starts at 5:30pm (Kenya time) at the iHub (map).
Here is Njeri's web album of the event. Afrinnovator has posted videos of the event.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Kyrgyzstan: Who needs Kurultai of Harmony · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Kyrgyz blogger writes that the government of Kyrgyzstan is planning to hold the “Kurultai of Harmony” (a mass congress of community representatives from all over the country) to be chaired by the president, but many people are wondering — does the country really need it?


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Maldives: Failure Of Judiciary · Global Voices
Rezwan

Reacting on some recent court rulings in Maldives, Maldivian blogger Yaamyn, who blogs at “Slicker Than Your Average”, comments: “the Maldivian judiciary is an embarrassment, and completely deserves not only our contempt, but also the strongest condemnation.”


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Morocco: Whose blog is the BOMB? · Global Voices
Hisham Almiraat

The Best Of Morocco Blog Awards, or the BOMBies, are the latest of Moroccan blogging annual contests. It is centered primarily on English language Moroccan blogs. Voting for nominees, who were assigned to five different categories, closed on February 21, 2010. MoroccoBlogs.com, which is hosting the awards, has recently announced the complete list of nominees and winners.
The acclaimed collaborative blog The View From Fez , topped the Best Overall Morocco Blog and the Best Morocco News Blog categories. The View From Fez interviewed Vago Damitio, the man behind MoroccoBlogs.com and the BOMBies. Some interesting thoughts came out of the dialogue, such as this excerpt:
[Vago Damitio:] It's my belief that the future of Morocco doesn't lie with tourism but with the internet. Moroccans have an aptitude for both language and technology. Morocco sits as a bridge between the East and the West and I think that as the internet reaches adulthood, Morocco has the chance to be the next India in terms of technology. I can't think of a more worthy goal than MoroccoBlogs.com and the Bombies helping to make that future a reality.
The blog Près du puits came first as the Best Personal blog. Culture Vultures Fez won the Best Morocco Culture Blog award, while The Elephant Cloud topped the Best Morocco Travel Blog category.
Evelyn in Morocco who came second as the Best Overall blog, shares her thoughts as she was eagerly awaiting the final results:
I feel like I've won because my colleagues, my friends, my regular readers of this post and especially my students have been so supportive of me and my blog. Because of this contest, more and more people who I live and work with have taken the time to read my blog and have encouraged me to continue to write. Now that's a prize. In fact, it's a priceless prize and I am grateful.
Next up is a Blog Camp, which MoroccoBlogs.com has ambitions to hold sometime next May in the city of Fez.  It will be the first of its kind in Morocco, as Vago Damitio explains to The View From Fez:
This will be a chance for bloggers from all over Morocco to come together in Fez for workshops, community, and fun. […] There has been a lot of interest in Blog Camp since I first mentioned it and even some interest from a few of the top bloggers in the world! It's conceivable Blog Camp could actually become an event that rivals The Festival of Sacred Music in terms of the number of people it could bring to Morocco.
Watch this space!

author: Hisham Almiraat


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Myanmar: Government companies for sale · Global Voices
tan

Bi-weekly News reported that 70 percent of state-owned companies and housing estates in Yangon, Myanmar has been auctioned off to private entrepreneurs.

author: tan


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Nicaragua: Poor Health of Salvador Cardenal · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The poor health of Nicaraguan musician Salvador Cardenal [es] was on the mind of Central American blogger Julia Ardón, who is a fan of his voice and his lyrics.


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Slovakia: Unwanted Patriotism · Global Voices
Tibor Blazko

According to SME.sk (SLO), a draft bill by the Slovak National Party (SNS) will introduce “obligatory patriotism” in Slovakia beginning April 1:
[…] It is Monday morning. In every state-run […] school or university in Slovakia directors must have the national anthem performed in a way that every student is able to hear it. In the classrooms, in addition to the portrait of the president, there are also the state emblem, the national flag, the text of the anthem and the preamble to the constitution.
This is how it is going to be like in every state school from April 1 [btw, traditional ‘fool's day’], as parliament members from the government coalition have approved the controversial patriotic law designed by SNS.
[…]
Obligatory patriotism is not limited to schools. Coalition parliament members will bring it also to adults. At every sports event organized by national sports organizations the anthem will be performed. ‘Lightning over the Tatras‘ will also sound before parliament meetings, and at the beginning of local government and parliament meetings. Every officer entering civil service will have to take an obligatory oath of loyalty to the republic.
[…]
“We will be bigger patriots,” promised Rafael Rafaj from SNS.
[…]
Rafaj also said that the state media would have to broadcast the anthem at midnight.
Other Slovak newspapers also point out that the new law is controversial. Pravda, for example, recalls (SLO) that the Soviet anthem was obligatory during the 1950s and publishes the question asked by school principals: who will pay the bills (the expected cost of the implementation of the law is about 1 million euro) when the ministry of education refuses to do it?
Bloggers are against the new law, too, and there have been organized protests in front of the presidential palace and the parliament (two sample reports (SLO) are at Robert Mihaly's blog – here and here).
Here is a short selection from thousands of netizens’ comments (SLO):
Trautiq:
Strange but a very effective support of private schools.
foobar2k:
All it takes it to bring your child to school 10-15 minutes after lessons begin.
pokaini:
:-)) this is exactly what I will do every Monday too :-)
niau:
Promises of loyalty are well known to SNS chief – in 2004 he promised loyalty to his third wife already… ;-)
Slovän:
Not afraid, because there are no sanctions for breaking this law, but anyway I think it is not good. Especially the anthem at the beginning of every week. As a student of pedagogy, I perceive it quite negatively and directly because I have a positive attitude towards the anthem. The anthem has to be respected, but how can someone have respect for an anthem that will bother him this way?
1qwerty1:
It will end the same way as with the Russian language. It used to be obligatory, too, and let's be honest: who remembers even their [Cyrillic] letters now?
mibosa:
So what? I had experience with the Labor song, the Internationale and “Soyuz nerushimyj” [the Soviet anthem] – and I survived it. And the children will sing it and, believe me, they will have fun doing it.
livik:
I just wanna mention that I have no doubt that this president will submissively sign this pearl.
ficobijec_no.1:
During next year's census, it is necessary to write this in the ‘nationality’ box: “Apache.”
zlyzlyzlykapitalista:
Good idea, the opposite to Comanches :-) [Comanche is in Slovakia a shortcut for ‘communist.’ Comments that follow in this forum name various other nationalities that people have already chosen in the past census to make clear they were not members of the same nation as SNS members. In another discussion of this issue, an unverified news item was mentioned that claimed that in the Czech Republic such a big Eskimo minority had been created for the similar reasons that they already qualified for financial support from the government.]
wladelny:
Maybe a nephew of some parliament member owns a plant for printing of state symbols, the text of the anthem and the preambles? :D
hollywood:
My God, don't we have other problems? I wonder how they are going to play the anthem: our education system even without this has no money – and now they have to buy new CDs.
haskii86:
Do not be afraid, SNS has suppliers who are waiting already.
charl1:
And is this the punishment that we have this government, my Lord? I promise I will be good, just don't let them govern more times! Amen.
arway:
At my command: “To love our dear Slovak homeland!” – “Always ready!”
Update: After protests and later appeal of leader of the biggest government-coalition party (which originally voted for this law) president did not sign (SLO).

author: Tibor Blazko


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Sri Lanka: Exploitation Of Paddy Farmers · Global Voices
Rezwan

Ratmale at Serendipity discusses about the exploitation of paddy farmers “because two of the Agricultural Ministers in Sri Lanka are directly or indirectly owners of the largest rice mills”. The market price of rice is 86% higher than what the farmers are getting for their paddy.


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Sri Lanka: Shunning Public Transport · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sujeewa de Silva at Random Reflections of a Kind blog discusses about the “terrible state” of the Sri Lankan public transport system and why people shun away from them.


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Tajikistan: A Color Revolution? Be careful… · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Tajikistan opposition is furious at the recent parliamentary election results and is planning massive protest actions. However, Dushanbe advises caution: the opposition must be very careful not to open themselves to accusations of fomenting a Color Revolution.


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Tajikistan: Unlikely Street Protests · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Christian Bleuer opines on the aftermath of Tajikistan’s parliamentary elections and expects no serious demonstrations.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Gender Policy  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

gspottt is keeping a close eye on the Gender Policy: “Our Government cannot shirk its responsibility to set clear domestic policy to address the concerns of the tens of thousands of GLBTI citizens of Trinidad & Tobago.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Hearty Defense · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad and Tobago News Blog and Jumbie's Watch are following the latest political fiasco: the government's continued defense of Udecott executive chairman Calder Hart “in light of fresh evidence linking Hart to a company his board awarded $820 million in contracts.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Proper Attribution · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Citing two local examples, Edmund Gall at KnowTnT.com wonders, “When does copying become plagiarism in the media?”


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Turkmenistan: Listening to Reason?  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Vlad writes about the human rights record in Turkmenistan, citing a report on the state of the country’s prisons, and the government's surprising response with reduction of the maximum pison sentence. However, the authorities still fall short on the issue of oversight, the blogger says.


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Turkmenistan: Psychiatry Abuse for Political Motives · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Annasoltan tells about the abuse of psychiatry for political purposes, which is getting less attention in Turkmenistan than other “traditional” methods of repression, such as imprisonment and torture.


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Uzbekistan: Anti-AIDS activist sentenced · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nathan Hamm reports that Uzbekistan's anti-AIDS campaigner Maksim Popov was sentenced in to seven years in prison. The court found that a brochure he distributed is “incompatible with local traditions.”


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Vietnam: Destroyed swimming hole · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Adam Bray is disappointed to learn that his favorite swimming hole in Rag Lai village in NE Binh Thuan Province in Vietnam will soon be converted into a dam by the government.


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Vietnam: Digital activism · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Viet Tan is offering a seminar on how to use digital tools to promote social change and activism in Vietnam.


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Vietnam: Free Thuy-Nhan-Nghien Campaign · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Viet Tan is spearheading a campaign to demand the immediate freedom of Vietnamese democracy activists and women bloggers Tran Khai Thanh Thuy, Le Thi Cong Nhan and Pham Thanh Nghien.


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Azerbaijan: Suspect real estate deals in Dubai · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Thoughts on the Road comments on recent news reports that $44 million in real estate deals were recently made in Dubai in the name of a 12-year old who happens to have the same name and date of birth of the Azerbaijani president's son. Another $35 million worth of deals were also reportedly made in the name of the president's two daughters. Learning to Walk in Stilettos also comments on the news by saying that while the reports might be new, the problem of corruption in the oil-rich country is not. Meanwhile, Emotions on Air, Mind Mute, a blog in Azerbaijan, simply responds to the news by quoting the lyrics of the song ‘F**k You’ by Lily Allen.

author: Onnik Krikorian