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Jamaica: Lucea · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I so wish there was a way to modernise the town without losing the old world charm and without knocking down all those beautiful old buildings,” writes Montego Bay Day By Day as she features the charming Jamaican town of Lucea.


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Japan: Family Crests · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

There are around 20,000 Kamon, family symbol, in Japan. Ryoko from Pingmag introduces some of the kamon design with animal motif.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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Jordan: Dulicate Names · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“One of the (dirty) tricks played in elections here is the running of candidates with similar names. Typically, one of these candidates is paid to run in order to bleed off votes from a legitimate candidate,” explains Jordanian blogger Khalaf, who is updating us on the upcoming Parliamentary elections in Jordan.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Jordan: Media and Elections Snippets · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Lina Ejeilat shares with us snippets of news about media and the upcoming Jordanian parliamentary elections in this post. Among the snippets is an article about 46 women from Erbid running in the elections.


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Kazakhstan blocks opposition websites · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

On October 18, 2007, Kazakhstan has blocked access to a number of independent websites switching off main opposition outlets including kub.kz, geo.kz, zonakz.net and inkar.info [more on GV Advocacy…]

author: sami ben gharbia


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Kazakhstan: Falconry on the BBC · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog tells about the BBC report on falcon hunting in Kazakhstan, specifically problems with finding funding to keep the birds. There are tries to use elite hunting trips to subsidize falcon preserves.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Kazakhstan: OSCE Bid Puzzle · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Arthur reflects on the recently reported speculations concerning the prospects of Kazakhstan’s bid for the OSCE presidency in 2009.


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Kenya: Breaking News: Election date · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Collins reporting about the Kenyan elections: “Its now official the Elections for Kenya this year will be held on Thursday 27th December, 2007.This was announced this morning by the electoral commision of Kenya Chairperson Mr Samuel Kivuitu!”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Kenya: Good riddance of bad rubbish · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Good riddance of bad rubbish, declares Mental Acrobatics: “Although you may stumble across a few good individuals in the 9th parliament, collectively they were a big disappointment.”


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Lebanon: Al Jazeera Interview · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese academician and blogger Dr As'ad Abu Khalil  links to his interview with Al Jazeera here. The interview was on the private security firms in Iraq.


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Macedonia: A Bit More On Toše Proeski · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Bosnia Blog talks to a Macedonian about singer Toše Proeski, who died in a car crash earlier this month: “He did a lot of charity concert. He was very nice. He is the only thing we have.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Paraguay: The Properties of the Itaipú Director · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Zoopolitica [ES] is wondering how the director of the Itaipú hydroelectric dam in Paraguay has various properties and vehicles.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Poland: Auschwitz Book Reviews · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Bosnia Vault reviews two books on Auschwitz.


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Poland: Civic Platform’s Prospects · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Dr. Sean's Diary discusses the prospects of Donald Tusk's Civic Platform.


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Saudi Arabia: Drunk Drivers · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi blogger Saudi Jeans discusses the perils of drunk drivers in a country where alcohol is illegal.


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Saudi Arabia: Dumbledore is What? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Mochness from Saudi Arabia is confused about Harry Potter's Dumbledore's sexuality and would rather come to another conclusion.


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Serbia: Milosevic’s Propaganda · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Srebrenica Genocide Blog explains why Slobodan Milosevic was “a clever mass murderer” whose “attempts to shift blame on the victims failed miserably” – but whose propaganda “is well and alive even today.”


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South Africa: Meet a freelance WordPress designer · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nick interviews a South African WordPress designer: “I recently decided that I need to do more interviews with great people in SA. The first person I chose is Adii. He is a freelance WordPress designer but he’ll tell you more about that. Recently Adii has gained huge exposure on some of the biggest blogs around and this caught my eye. His portfolio is large and extends across the world.”


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South Korea: Crime Against Women · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Robert Koehler shows how gender, race and crime are mingled together in journalistic report.


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Sri Lanka: Anuradhapura, Terrorism and Hillary Clinton · Global Voices
Mathy Kandasamy

On October 22, an air force base at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka was attacked by a Tamil Tiger suicide squad. [News: BBC]. According to BBC, Tamil Tigers claimed to have destroyed eight aircraft including spy places while losing 21 of their fighters. According to the Sri Lankan Government just two helicopters and a training plane were damaged along with nine military personnel and four airmen. While there was conflicting information about the damage and loss suffered on both the sides, this did not cause any furor in Tamil blogosphere. What caused intense anger was the way the Sri Lankan Government treated the bodies of the dead Tamil Tigers. The bodies were stripped and were taken around Anuradhapura in an open cart.
According to Varavanaiyan, nakedness of the dead Tamil Tigers were more beautiful than the fully dressed observers surrounding them (as seen in the photos). Varavanaiyan also remembers a similar incident in 1995 where dead female Tamil Tigers’ bodies were stripped and displayed in a similar fashion by the Sri Lankan Military.
Urupadathathu Narain titles his post ‘Abu Ghraib VS Anuradhapura’. In the discussions following the post bloggers compared American media and Indian (in particular Tamil Nadu) media. While the American media exposed the happenings in Abu Ghraib, the Tamil Nadu media, The Hindu in particular sided with the Sri Lankan Government on the Anuradhapura incident.
Osai Chella displays the photos of dead Tamil Tigers – both fully dressed and stripped down. He sarcastically demands if the editor of ‘The Hindu’ Mr. Ram who was felicitated by the former regime with the title ‘Lanka Ratna’ would write an editorial.
Julian compares two reports from India and wonders which one could have been the correct one. First report was from B.Raman of South Asia Analysis Group [link: Wikipedia]. Second from The Hindu. Julian has provided few sentences from both the reports with links.
Tamil Sasi also links to B.Raman's report and talks a bit about the past transgressions by the Sri Lankan Goverment. He compares the Anuradhapura incident with respect shown to the dead Sri Lankan military personnels’ bodies by Tamil Tigers in the past.
While all this is going on, half way around the globe Hillary Clinton says ‘You can't lump all terrorists together’ in an interview given to ‘The Guardian’. To a question whether terrorists have specific geopolitical objectives, she mentions Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka along with the Basque separatists of Spain and the insurgents in al-Anbar province.
Tamil Sasi and Vetri Kandaswamy respectively translate the specific bit from the interview.
Side Note: Nakkiran an Indian blogging from California, USA was temporarily displaced due to the ongoing wildfire. According to him, his move from his rented apartment was only temporary. Amidst wondering if the building would be intact when he returns and whether his beloved possessions would be safe, he thought about the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils. He thought about them trying to save themselves and the lives of their beloved. About them leaving everything behind. And was able to connect with them for a few minutes.

author: Mathy Kandasamy


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Syria: Describing Damascus  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“How do you describe a city like Damascus? It's like trying to describe the woman you love: you simply just can't,” notes Syrian blogger Kinano.


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Syria: Duhumanizing Transexuals  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Syrian blogger Golaniya discusses an alarming situation in which a “woman” who was undressed and videotaped by the Syrian police at the police station was a “man with woman's organs.”


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Syrian blogger Roukana Hamour has been Kidnapped · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

We've received an email that appeared to come from someone who witnessed the kidnapping of the Syrian blogger Roukana Hamour, that took place yesterday, 25 October 2007. Roukana is believed to be kidnapped in front of her home, in Damascus, by six persons who brought her to an undisclosed location. Kidnapping of blogger Roukana Hamour is confirmed by the Organization for peace and liberty (OPL). This is the letter translated by my friend and colleague, the Syrian blogger, Golaniya:
لدى عودة ركانة حمور مع اطفالها  ( خمس سنوات و سبعة  سنوات و تسعة سنوات )  و لدى توقفها بسيارتها امام باب البناية و انزال اطفالها هجم عليها حوال ستة رجال  قاموا بدفع أولادها عنها بوحشية  و قاموا باغتصاب حريتها بقوة و دفعوها بعنف الى داخل سيارة مدنية  ذات نمرة طرطوس و منعوا احدا من الاقتراب منها و انطلقت السيارة بسرعة دون التعريف عن مكان التوجه او مصدر الاشخاص و يذكر انها قد تلقت منذ يومين تقريبا تهديدا من قبل الامن السياسي الفرع الداخلي بدمشق انهم يريدون التحقيق معها و لما رفضت  الذهاب الى التحقيق دون ان تتسلم بطاقة استدعاء قانونية و نظامية   قاموا اليوم باختطافها باسلوب العصابات
As Rukana Hammour was parking the car in front of her place and helping her children (5 years, seven years and 9 years old) to step out, six men came out of nowhere and attacked her, violently pushed her children away from their mother, and aggressively pushed her into a car whose number tells it's a Tartossi car. The men prevented someone from approaching Hammour and rapidly ran away not knowing who they were or where they were taking her.
و لا يزال مصيرها حتى الساعة مجهولا
من المعروف ان ركانة حمور من ابرز المدونين السوريين و الاحرار الذين يرفعون راسهم مصرين على كرامتهم و حقهم
دمشق في   25 / تشرين الثاني 2007
It is not a secret that Hammour is being threatened for demanding her financial rights which was stolen from her by her brothers in cooperation with high ranking Syrian officers and officials. Her late father, Mohammad Moti’ Hamour, who was the deputy of Saudi Air Lines, had his fortune which reached milliards evaporate from Syrian banks by forgery.
Hammour had been threatened to be sexually assaulted or even to be raped if she doesn’t sign papers tells she will give up her rights especially that Hammour has sent letters to the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz presenting the cases of robbery and thievery that reached the Saudi Air Lines. The thieves fear that these letters would arrive at King Abdullah’s desk, for they won’t manage to flee by bribery as they can buy the whole security branch in Syria to push Hammour to give up her rights.
It is well known that Rukana Hammour is one of the leading Syrian bloggers whose belief can only make her consistent on both of her human rights and dignity.
Damascus, 25 October, 2007.
Roukana Hamour has been kidnapped previously for blogging her experiences with the Syrian legal system, exposing administrative, banking and juristic corruption. On October 15, 2006, Roukana was taken from her home and dragged into the street after being threatened at gunpoint in front of her young children by members of the country’s Criminal Security forces.
A recent report from Human Rights Watch reveals that two persons are being held in incommunicado detention at an undisclosed location in Syria. Karim ‘Arbaji (29) and Tarek Biasi (22) were arrested in June 2007 by Syrian Military Intelligence for expressing online views critical of the Syrian government. A third person, Ali Zein al-’Abideen Mej’an, arrested for posting online comments attacking Saudi Arabia, was sentenced by the Supreme State Security Court to two years in prison.


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The Balkans: The Language Issue · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Balkan Baby writes about the “language issue” in the Balkans: “What language do we speak when we are in the countries that once made up Yugoslavia? In Slovenia and Macedonia the answer is quite simple since these two countries both had their own languages which were recognised by the Yugoslav Government. For Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia the answer is maybe not quite so clear.”


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Turkmenistan: India Looks to the Caspian · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Peter reports that Turkmenistan’s gas and oil reserves may soon attract the attention of yet another world players.


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Armenia: Former President Makes Political Comeback · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

In what can be considered one of the most important political developments in the short 16-year history of Armenia as an independent former-Soviet republic, the country's first president, Levon Ter Petrosian, announced his intention to run again for office in the presidential election to be held early next year. Ter Petrosian had been forced to resign in 1998 by his successor and other high-level officials apparently over what was then considered a concessionary peace deal to resolve the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh.
What is most significant about Ter Petrosian's political comeback is that had anyone asked most Armenians about the former president's return as recently as two months ago, many would consider that it was unlikely. Now, a day after an opposition rally during which Ter Petrosian announced his candidacy, it is a reality. However, while various media outlets sympathetic towards the former president estimated the crowd at the rally to be between 20-40,000, bloggers such as Observer reckoned it was more like 10,000.
Transitions Online's The Armenian Patchwork also put the number at around 10,000, and in a post containing many photographs explains why.
The hope of the people gathered on Freedom Square on 26 October to cheer for Levon Ter-Petrosyan came true as he announced that he will run for presidency again in 2008. The joint rally of oppositional leaders Aram Sargsyan, Stepan Demirchyan and first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan gathered around 10,000 people, enough to cover the whole square. A simultaneous concert half and hour away from the Freedom Square was a contrast to this event.
[…]
Despite the number of people present I could hardly see any youth among the crowd, and here is where they were. At the same when the rally began, at 1700, the Voske Ashun (Golden Autumn) concert began in the Vazgen Sargsyan stadium, which is said to have been organized by the ruling Republican Party.
Observing from afar, Unzipped  says that it sounds as though the rally was a great success considering the amount of apathy and cynicism prevalent in Armenian society. The blog also says that from speaking to friends in Yerevan the mood at the rally was one of hope. However, as someone who has already blogged about Ter Petrosian dashing the hopes of many Armenians in the 1990s, the blogger has some words of advice for Ter Petrosian and also sounds a note of caution.
[…] if I were to meet Levon, I would say to him: “Do not be arrogant. It does not suit you.” You were first elected as people’s president. You were ‘one of us’ – well, at least that’s how the majority perceived you. However, in few years you became arrogant, kind of self-isolated and intolerant to dissent voice. I quite like the fact that you were holding meetings with various political parties, even those that you shut down during your term of presidency. However, I’d like to get assurances that the practice of political dialogue will continue if you were to be elected as President.
[…]
To be honest, while I am glad that it seems we are to witness an exciting presidential campaign, there is something inside me that makes me feel worry. Call it intuition or whatever, I have those weird feelings that something bad may happen. Too much is at stake to those who are in power now if they to lose it via democratic elections. On the other hand, Levon came out to win, and any other outcome will not be ‘acceptable’ to his supporters. I hope nothing bad will happen, I really do. I hope we won’t witness violence and blood. I feel unease… I want to get rid of these feelings, but I do not know yet how…
Given that Ter Petrosian is considered to be the only candidate able to contest the election against the current prime minister, Serzh Sarkisian, it is no wonder that the government is acting in a way that can only be considered “worried.” Indeed, reported Nazarian and The Armenian Observer last month, the government-controlled media is already airing black propaganda aimed at discrediting Ter Petrosian. The second blog, written by a media professional in Armenia, now raises concerns about the state of journalism in the country.
One day before the rally by Armenian opposition, where the Ex-President of the Country – Levon Ter-Petrossian, now a probable presidential candidate for the 2008 elections is going to make a speech, Haylur reporter Tatevik Nalbandyan has gone on the streets of Yerevan – asking people’s opinion about the Former president.
Interestingly, although there are generally two quite opposing views in the country about the former President, with some seeing him as the only viable alternative to the current ruling elite, the material has been designed like an anti Levon Ter-Petrossian propaganda piece, showing only negative opinions, and not a single reference to the other side.
Needless to say, that this falls far below the criteria of objective journalism, and is especially worrying, because it was broadcast by the Public TV of Armenia, which is supposed to serve the public interest and reflect the Armenian society as a whole, and not just the ruling elite and its supporters.
In earlier posts, the Armenia Election Monitor 2008 blog also reported on apparent pressure put on the broadcast media not to cover election-related stories, and also that one regional TV station which did cover Ter Petrosian's first speech in nearly a decade late last month is under attack from the government.
Following on from the previous post detailing concerns about access to the media in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election in Armenia, RFE/RL reports that one regional TV station has already found itself in hot water after broadcasting last month’s speech attacking the government by the first president, Levon Ter Petrosian.
The Gyumri-based Gala TV’s Executive Director apparently aired the speech after being paid to do so by Ter Petrosian’s backers and despite warnings not to do so by the National Commission on Television and Radio (NCTR).
The Armenian Observer provides readers with an update on what looks like politically motivated scrutiny of the finances of the Gyumri-based GALA TV.
Meanwhile, the Armenia Election Monitor 2008 blog covers the media reaction to yesterday's ally, but also reports that a senior Western diplomatic figure said that next year's election is likely to be held on 17 February. The blog also examines the impact that Ter Petrosian's candidacy will have on Armenia especially after a series of “colored revolutions” that have followed falsified elections in other post-Soviet republics.
After the meeting I ran into a prominent representative of, shall we say, a rather significant diplomatic mission in Armenia. Over a beer he wondered how the meeting went although he didn’t seem as interested as you might expect given that Ter Petrosian will undoubtedly hope to rely on Western support for his candidacy, especially if the election is rigged. To be frank, it is that support which was considered crucial in “democratic revolutions” in Georgia and Ukraine, and just one reason why Armenia has not followed suit.
[…]
Nobody else is thinking in those terms yet, of course, but anyway, the diplomat agreed that Ter Petrosian is the only possible opposition candidate able to contest the election against the prime minister, Serzh Sarkisian […]
In addition to photographs posted by Anush on The Armenian Patchwork, the Armenia Election Monitor 2008 blog also posts a number of photographs from the rally and concludes that next year's election “looks set to be quite unlike any other.”
All photographs © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2007

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Armenia: Raining Cats & Dogs · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Notes from Hairenik reports that it is finally raining in Yerevan. While this poses various problems and difficulties for pedestrians and motorists alike, the blogger welcomes the change in the weather after “several dry, windy and dusty weeks.”


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China: Tiger! Tiger? · Global Voices
Bob Chen

News Background
On 12, Oct, a breaking news caught people's sights: A villager Zhou Zhenglong (周正龙) in Shaanxi province managed to shoot over 30  pictures of a wild South China tiger, a kind of endangered animal that can be called the national treasure. South China tigers haven’t been seen in wild since 1980s, and this picture strongly proved their existence. Zhou Zhenglong, who proclaimed that he risked his life to shoot the pictures, was soon called a hero.
However, the great finding soon fell under numerous questions. This boiling controversy started from netizens’ doubts that pictures, or even the tiger itself, were  faked, reaching its climax when both sides of this debate （fake or not）bet their heads. It evolved from a scientific issue to a “bloody farce of gambling of heads”, so called.
The pictures were shot on 3, Oct. After experts’ identification, 10 days later Shaanxi Provincial Ministry of Forestry publicized them and soon received favorable attentions. Nevertheless 3 days later on Tianya（天涯）Community a netizen Party Control Guns（党指挥枪） stated that they were faked. He argued that in different pictures shot at different time from different angles the stripes and profile of the tiger remained the same.
Another netizen First Impression（第一印象） overlapped 3 photos and found the tiger’s postures, shades on its fur and stripes overlapped as well, which means that the tiger ossified when being shot. Netizens gave a more authentic explanation: it is a tiger drawn on a paperboard, or grafted into the picture by Photoshop.
Having heard the doubts, Zhou Zhenglong was upset and furious, claming that he could guarantee the pictures’ authenticity with his head.
Then, on 19th, Oct, a botanist Fu Dezhi（傅德志） from China Academy of Sciences（中国科学院）retorted Zhou on a net forum. He argued that the leaf around  was notably disproportional with the tiger, calculating that the leaf had to be as large as a basin to reach the effect on the photo. Furthermore, he suggested not only the tiger was faked, but the scene as well . Finally, he pledged with his head.
Zhou immediately rebuked that he would put himself as well as his son into jail if he had fooled the public
The incident soon gained a national-wide concern. People called it Scientist PK Farmer. Most netizens doubted Zhou; some made further analysis on the pictures from the points of photography, zoology and graphic processing. But Zhou Zhenglong was not alone. The provincial Ministry of Forestry sided firmly with Zhou. Wang Yunshan(王云山), an officer there asserted the pictures were true though they had a little bit distortion because the pictures had been magnified. He also revealed the ministry had applied to the national ministry for building a new reserve and was going to attract tourists by the name of tigers.
The local government has circled an area that forbids any out-comers in, claiming it for tiger protection. But on websites, people interpreted this as  covering up the fact. On 20th, Oct, a reporter who tried to explore the scene where Zhou encountered the tiger was detained. The village officer extorted for 10000 yuan, though he finally left without paying the fine.
24th, Oct, Zhou and officers from provincial government left for Beijing to report to the national ministry. Soon the national ministry declared they would found a team for special investigation. The real story behind this mystery was yet unknown.
Roundup of voices form blogsphere
1. When a gory gambling replaces science.
Many netizens criticized the both sides’ savage pledges that have gone beyond scientific discussion.
Dan Shibing (单士兵)stated:
对真相进行不懈的探求,必须对科学有起码敬畏。而“以脑袋担保”的科研工作者与“以拉上儿子一起坐牢”的现代公民,却在以暴力与漠视生命的方式对待问题分歧,这是对科学理性的侮辱,是在亵渎文明的尊严。
Exploring the truth requires the awe to science. However, when the scientific researcher “pledged with his head” and a citizen took “putting himself with his son into jail” as a wager, they treated the contention in a violent way, so apathetic to life. It’s an insult to the reason of science, profaning the dignity of civilization.
Another netizen in Tom.com mocked:
两个完全不同的观点，如果真的能杀头，看来必有一个人要拿脑袋出来了。等着看笑话吧。
The two points of view are distinct. They swore with their heads so that one of two will have to hand in his head. Let’s wait for a joke.
Cai Fanghua(蔡方华) on Beijing Youth argued for a more rational solution:
他们还有更多的事情要做，比如说，通过中立的机构如世界自然基金会，联系国内外虎类专家和实验室，对照片及其拍摄地进行鉴定。周正龙的照片是真是假，不能仅凭少数官员的一柄放大镜去甄别……而应遵循严格的科学程序。否则，既不能让华南虎踏实，也不能让公众满意，更无法让国际社会信服。
It (the local government that insists on the pictures’ veracity) has a lot more to do. For example, it can ask some independent agencies such as WWF and domestic or foreign experts to identify the pictures. Whether true or not should not be decided by a few officials. It needs to follow strict scientific process. Otherwise, public won’t be content, let alone the international society.
Blogger Chen Tan (陈潭)suggests more practical measures of animal protecting:
保护华南虎就是保护人类自己，保护人类的文明。不要让毫无意义的争论成为焦点.……用脑袋能担保华南虎的未来吗？显然不能。是时候正视我们脆弱的保护动物理念了，从现在开始，保护动物比任何争论更实在。
To protect South China tigers is to protect human ourselves. Don’t let the meaningless contention be a focus. ……Can we guarantee the tigers’ future with heads? Of course not. It’s time to face out fragile notion of animal protecting; that’s more important than any argument.
2. loss of trust
Deng Haijian(邓海建) moaned for the loss of trust:
一个科学问题，走上了“绯闻主义路线”，不知道是谁的悲哀？……在这个问题上，有很多深层次的问题值得我们反思和警醒：为什么一个个科学发现越来越容易被民众质疑为PS？为什么科研机构和职能部门的科学公信力竟然如此稀薄？辩论之热烈与实证之寥落为何如此对比鲜明？
A science issue came to be a stunt. Whose tragedy is it? We need more introspection. Why are public so inclined to questioning scientific findings? Why do the scientific departments and authority have so little credit among people? Why do we put more effort on empty debate than on searching for factual demonstration?
3.The economic connotation beyond
Chen Qingzhi (陈庆之) in BlogChina analyzed the economics and political factor:
这是一只有着中国特色的华南虎，这是一只政绩和利益加身的华南虎。某一部分人会因为这只老虎的发现，成就政绩一件，升官发财自不在话下。某部门会由于华南虎的发现，会从国家得到一笔数目不菲的专项资金，用于保护当地野生的华南虎，这样许多人便有了虎口夺食的机会。
This is a tiger with Chinese typicality. It involved officials’ chances for promotion and other economic benefit. Some people will get promoted because the finding is a big contribution. Certain government departments will get a large amount of specific fund from the nation to protect the wildlife so that some people have chance to snatch food from tigers. (He alludes someone might take chance to defalcate)
Finally, Liu Maohua(刘茂华)preferred there is no tiger.
我同样希望不要有真的野生华南虎，倘若有，那些猎杀者、贩卖者定会蜂拥而至，再怎么凶猛的华南虎将会再次绝迹。那些打着保护幌子的“文明人”会以保护的名义打着各自的小算盘……他们会大规模建设旅游园地，开发各种各样的旅游项目，把活生生的野生华南虎关进死气沉沉的铁笼。
发现真的野生华南虎之日，也就是真的野生华南虎的灾难日和灭顶之日。
I don’t hope there are tigers. Poachers and illicit sellers will swarm to there. However fierce the tigers are they will extinct again. And those “good men” will pretend to protect tigers but actually seek profit for themselves. They will build a large resort and develop tour projects, incarcerating lively tigers into lifeless cages.
The day that people find wild tigers is the day of tigers’ doom.

author: Bob Chen


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Iran:150 Dolphins died in one month · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Mojgan Jamshidi,pro environment blogger and journalist, says[Fa] that about 150 dolphins died in the south of Iran during last month.The blogger adds the reasons of their death have not been announced but we can guess one main reason is the very polluted water.Watch the photos here.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:Dr.Sohrab Razaghi,human rights activist arrested · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to[Fa] Varesh,Dr. Sohrab Razaghi a human rights advocate was arrested three days ago!Nobody knows the reason(s) why this former university professor is in jail.


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Japan: Racial profiling in the U.S. and Japan · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Hasan at hasanhujairi[dot]com writes about his experience being a Middle Eastern foreign student in a post 9/11 world, subject to racial profiling first during his time in the U.S., and then again in Japan.

author: Chris Salzberg


text:
Korea: Can a Law Change Society and People’s Perspectives? · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Can a law change society and people’s perspectives?
10월 2일에 법무부에 의해서 성적지향(동성애)가 포함되어 있는 차별금지법안이 입법예고되었습니다.
이 법안이 시행되면 동성애는 정상으로 공인되어 차별의 범위에 포함됩니다. 따라서 동성애에 대해서 공개적으로 비판하면 손해배상, 벌금 혹은 징역을 살게 됩니다. 학교에서도 동성애를 정상으로 가리켜야 합니다. 동성애를 하지 않도록 상담조차 할 수 없습니다. 이 법이 문제가 되는 것은 다음과 같은 이유입니다.
첫째로, 동성애 공인이라는 중요한 이슈를 국민적인 토론과 공감이 전혀 없이 은근슬쩍 통과시키려 한다는 점입니다.
동성애 공인이 문제가 되는 이유는 동성애 부부의 결혼, 입양 문제까지 순차적으로 인정되게 하기 때문입니다. … 특히 입양 문제는 결코 동성애를 개인의 자유로만 볼 수 없게 하는 큰 문제입니다. 반드시 국민적인 대 토론과 의견수렴이 필요합니다.
둘째로, 이 법은 동성애에 대해서 반대할 자유를 박탈합니다. 동성애에 대해서 반대하는 사람에게 손해배상, 벌금, 징역을 살게 합니다.
우리나라의 전통은 물론 대부분의 사람들이 동성애에 대해서 거부감을 느낍니다. 그러나 이 법은 동성애를 무조건 정상으로 여길 것을 강요합니다. 특히 예민한 청소년 아이들에게 동성애를 정상으로 가리키도록 강제합니다. 우리 아이들이 동성애의 유혹을 받아도 아무런 대처도 할 수 없습니다. 이런 일은 동성애를 반대하는 사람에게는 터무니없는 인권 침해와 자유 박탈입니다.
셋째로, 동성애에 대한 분명한 건강상 해악입니다….
넷째로, 동성애 확산입니다…
영국에서는 동성애를 반대하는 내용의 전단지를 뿌리다가는 경찰에 잡혀 간다고 합니다. 미국에서는 동성애의 해악에 대해 반대하는 목소리를 냈다가 많은 사람들이 줄줄히 벌금을 부과 당한다고 합니다.
우리나라에서도 이렇게 되어야 합니까? 그 대답이 어떤 것이든 간에, 국민적 공감 없는 날치기식 동성애 공인은 불가합니다. 자손을 보고 가문의 명예를 물려주는 것을 소중히 생각하셨던 우리 조상님들의 유교 전통을 보아도 불가합니다….동성애 자체에 대해서 반대하는 것이 아닙니다. 그러나 법으로 만드는 문제는 다릅니다.
성별, 나이, 종교, 직업을 넘어 모두 힘을 모아 동성애에 대해서 반대 못하도록 강제하는 법안은 반드시 저지되어야 하며 최소한의 사회적 보호망을 후손들을 위해 지켜야 합니다.
If this bill will start, homosexuality will be recognized as normal and protected in the boundary of discrimination. Therefore, if we criticize homosexuality in public, the concurrent fine, imprionment, or compensation will be enacted. Schools also should teach that homosexuality is normal and can’t consult not to do it. There are several reasons why this law will be problematic.
First, without any discussion and sympathy with people, the Ministry tries to pass this bill. Legal marriage of homosexuals and adoption will be recognized by order. … Adoption is an important matter that we can’t just think of as individual freedom. We need some discussion time.
Second, this law is taking the freedom to oppose to homosexuality away. People who are against homosexulaity have to take responsibilities of the damage compensation, fines, and imprisonment. Traditionally, most of people feel aversion to homosexuality. But this law forces us to believe it is normal. Especially it forcefully teaches sensitive teenagers to believe it normal. Even though teenagers are enticed by it, there is no way we can deal with it. This is the infringement of human rights and deprivation of freedom toward people who are against homosexuality….
I heard that if you distribute papers against homosexuality in England, you will be arrested. In America, you have to pay fines.
Should this country change like them? Acknowledgement of homosexuality without peoples’ agreement should not be allowed. Considering the Confucian tradition of our ancestors who regard family dignity and descendants as important, it should not be allowed….
…I am not opposed to homosexuality, but making a law for it is a different issue. Beyond sex, age, religion, and occupations, we should oppose the law against discrimination toward homosexuality and keep the social protection for descendants at least.
A similar opinion is below.
이런 글을 쓰면 동의하는 이들이 있는 반면 거세게 반발하는 이들도 있습니다. 사람을 차별한다고 하는 것입니다. 그러나 이 글은 사람 자체에 대한 비난의 글이 아니라 동성애라고 하는 어떤 현상에 대한 비판의 글입니다. 또한 동성애라고 하는 것이 일반적으로 받아들여지는 사회분위기가 되지 않도록 막기 위한 글입니다.
성적 지향이라느니 타고났다느니 하는 말을 하지만 모든 동성애자들이 선천적인 것만은 아닙니다. 어떤 경험이나 사건을 계기로 동성애자가 되었다는 사람들의 이야기도 들어보았습니다. 설혹 동성애가 선천적인 것이라고 해도 그것으로 인해 동성애 전체가 보편타당한 것으로 간주될 수는 없습니다. 그럼에도 불구하고 동성애에 대해 비판하는 것만으로도 처벌이 가능해질 수 있는 법안을 마련하려 하는 법무부의 태도에 납득이 가지 않습니다.
Some people say it’s innate, but not to everyone. There are cases some homosexuals become like that through experiences or occasions. Even though homesexuality is innate, it should not be regarded as ubiquitous. Regardless of these facts, it’s hard to understand why the Ministry of Justice attempts to pass a law against criticizing homesexuality.
These opinions provoke many to write opposing views. Some netizens welcome this new law and ask for a more understanding attitude toward  homesexuals.
…동성애자들의 현황에 대해 이야기하면,
그들은 그들 자신을 ‘이반'이라고 부릅니다. 일반(이성애자)/이반(동성애자)이라는 거지요.
물론 그들 스스로 지은 이름입니다.
하지만, ‘그것 봐, 걔네도 자기네 스스로가 일반인이 아니라고 인정하잖아?’ 하면 곤란합니다.
이건 아픔이 깃든 이름입니다….
그들은 이제 싸늘하거나 이상한 시선쯤은 아무렇지도 않다고 말합니다.
그런데 문제는 그게 아니거든요.
괜히 다가와서 시비를 걸거나, 심지어 폭행까지 당하는 경우도 부지기수입니다.
‘그래도 어쩌겠어요, 참고 살아야지.’ 라고 그들은 이야기합니다. 대항할 힘이 없기 때문입니다….
동성애자라는 사실이 회사에 알려지고 나서 해고된 사람 부지기수로 많습니다,
거기에 대해서 어떤 항의도 할 수가 없었습니다. 왜냐하면 지금까지의 법으로는 그게 ‘차별'이라는 걸 인정받으려면 차별 사실을 차별당한 피해자가 입증해야 했기 때문입니다….
이것뿐만 아닙니다. 사회의 많은 부분에서 동성애자들은 사회적 보호를 제대로 받지 못하고 있습니다. 심지어 자신이 살던 지역에서 소문이 나서, 살해위협을 받은 사람도 있고, 거기까지 가지 않더라도 물건을 팔기 거부하거나, 상점 안에 들어가려는 것을 막아서 할 수 없이 다른 지역으로 이사가는 경우도 많습니다.
… 만나보지도 않은 사람에 대해 멋대로 판단하고 심지어 ‘정신병자'라는 소리까지 하는 건 예의도 아닐 뿐더러 인간존중이라는 존엄한 정신을 파괴하는 행위입니다. (참고로, 동성애는 정신병의 조건을 충족시키지 못하여 1960년에 정신병 리스트에서 제외되었습니다)
…그들이 원하는 건 다른 게 아닙니다.
남들처럼 똑같이. 직장 다니면서, 소주잔 기울이면서 직장에서 쌓인 스트레스도 풀고, 가끔 애인과 데이트도 하는 그런 생활입니다….
그들도 똑같은 인간입니다.
그들이 원하는 건 평범한 생활이구요.
이해할 수 없다면 이해하지 마세요.
대신, 사회적 차별을 막는 이 법의 통과마저 반대하지는 말아주세요. 거기에는 어떤 명분도, 근거도 없으니까요.
그들이 원하는 건….
하늘에서 내려온 세 가지 인권이라는
생명권, 자유권, 행복추구권일 따름입니다.
They say they’re used to face cold or strange looks at them. But that’s not the problem. Sometimes people come over to them and beat them. They say, ‘what can we do? We’d better put up with it.’ They can’t resist. ….
Some of them are fired after companies know about it. But they can’t resist it. Because according to the law so far, if they want to prove it’s ‘discrimination,’ the victims should prove that….
There are more. They can’t get social protection. Some of them get threats of murder from the neighborhood, get rejection from some stores, and have to move to other places to live…..
Calling those ‘psychos’ even though they never met those people is not polite and is a behavior that disregards respect toward humans (for the reference, homosexuality was excluded from the psycho list in the 1960s because it is not satisfying conditions of psychos).
…What they want is not so special.
Like others, they go to companies, drink when they are stressed out with their jobs, and go out with their dates….
They are also humans who are the same as us. What they want is a normal life. If you can’t understand, don’t understand. Instead, please don’t oppose passing this law against social discrimination.
What they want is…
Three human rights…
Life, freedom, and happy.
Netizens suggest people against the bill should have a different attitude.
당신이 보수적인 입장을 가지고만 있다고 해서 처벌받지는 않아요. 그러니까 마음껏 비판하세요.
차별금지법은 단지 성적지향에 의해서 공적 생활에서 차별받는 경우를 시정하기 위한 거에요.
(개인적으로 싫어서 안만나든 어쩌든 그건 어떻게 할 수 없지요…)
직장생활/학교생활 등 너무나 당연하게 보장받는 삶이 그들에게는 당연한 게 아니거든요.
제발 그냥 좀 살게 내버려달라는 정도 밖에 안되는 법인데도 그렇게 불만인가요?
Other netizens are sharing their own experiences.
예전에 아는 이반이 있었는데, 그 사람과의 관계는 참 불편했다. 그게 이반이어서 생기는 불편함이었을까? 자주 연락오는 것은 어떤 의미일까 항상 생각했었고… 결국 한 사람으로 대하는 데는 실패했는데. 그게 어떤 사람이건 난 별로 흥미없는데 가까이 오는 데서 오는 일반적인 경우인지, (원래 좀 무정한 편이라, 별로 관심없는 이가 다가오면 차갑게 하지만 은근히 거절하는 편이다.) 그 사람이 이반이었기 때문에 그런건지 잘 모르겠다. 하지만 결국 이래나 저래나 그에게서 이반이라는 꼬리표는 떼버리지 못했는데… 말로는, 글로는 쉽게 이해하지만 막상 실제로 대하게 되는 경우에는 여전히 나에게
높은 벽과 가림막이 있다는 생각이 든다. 너무나 많은 편견과 무지가…
On the other hand, Asphalt demonstrates how society has been changing fast.
몇 년 전 게이 온라인 커뮤니티 엑스존이 폐쇄조치 당할 때에는 동성애가 수간이나 근친상간 아동성애와 동급의 음란성을 지니고 있다는 청소년보호법이 적용되었고, 또 좀 더 전에는 체육이나 교련 교과서에 동성애가 에이즈의 원인인 것처럼 (=그러니까 동성애자만 에이즈에 걸리고 동성애를 하면 무조건 에이즈에 걸리는 것처럼) 기술되어 있었으며, 국어사전에는 동성'연'애란 성도착이라고 등재되어 있기도 했는데, 어느새 동성애를 이유로 각종 차별을 하는 것은 부당하다는 법이 입법되어가고 있다니, 참 격세지감을 느낀다. 법령이 시행되면 동성애 때문에 왕따를 당한다거나 하는 감정적인 측면은 어떻게 해 볼 수 없더라도 동성애자라는 이유로 권고사직을 당한다거나 하는 일을 겪을 때에 법을 근거로 부당함을 호소할 수 있으니, 인식을 개조하는 수준을 넘어 실정법의 영역에서 동성애 차별이 금지된다는 건 지금까지의 상황과는 차원을 달리하는 획기적인 일이 될 수 있을 것이다. …

author: Hyejin Kim


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Lebanon: On Facebook · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“The beauty of Facebook is that you can add friends to your list who don’t have the least interest in staying in touch with you either! So, it is now your chance to take revenge and impose yourself,” writes Ahmad about the social networking website Facebook.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Russia: Bloggers On George W. Bush and “Russian DNA” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The U.S. president's recent comments about “Russian DNA” did not cause as much of an uproar as did race comments by James Watson, a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA – but, they did not go completely unnoticed.
The Washington Post chided George W. Bush for “portraying the neo-Soviet backsliding as inevitable, as somehow genetic” in the Oct. 19 editorial (which has received 52 comments):
[…] Mr. Bush has spent the past six years insisting that no country, culture or religion is inhospitable to democracy. […] But at a White House news conference […], Mr. Bush questioned “whether or not it's possible to reprogram the kind of basic Russian DNA, which is a centralized authority.” In so doing, he echoed the laziest thinking of cultural determinists — those who said that South Korea could never be democratic because of its Confucian culture, and were proved wrong; who said that Indonesia could never be democratic because of its Muslim faith, and were proved wrong; and who say today that Russia will never escape its czar-serf history.
Russian bloggers and forum dwellers, too, reacted to the U.S. president's statement – and, surprisingly, some seemed to almost agree with his judgment.
Below are a few responses, translated from Russian. (A GV translation of the Russian-language comments on the James Watson controversy is here.)
Irina Alksnis/LJ user alksnis, political scientist and daughter of the notorious Russian politician Victor Alksnis:
Strange that everyone's got so excited about the innocent remark by our George Bush, Jr. Because there was nothing in what he said that's not mentioned in any Russian history textbook, beginning from middle school. Namely: the geopolitical conditions – a giant territory with bad infrastructure, an extremely long border, hostile neighbors from practically every direction – determined the state politics that attempted to deal with these challenges to keep the country intact.
And the result of it was harsh authoritarian management – because it was taking so long for the monarch's orders to reach Irkutsk or Khabarovsk, or even Perm or Yekaterinburg, that the level of harshness of its implementation was likely to diminish due to the banal geographic remoteness of the central authorities. Even serfdom was nothing but a forced measure of the state that served to prevent depopulation of the country's central part through migration of the population to the east. This was unacceptable in terms of the country's economic, political, military and any other securities.
And this century-long policy has affected the population's mentality. As a result, Russians tend to [require] care from the state, sway from one extreme to another – from total obedience to spontaneous rebellion and anarchy, don't really believe they are capable of self-government, et cetera.
[…] Bush's DNA comment is a bit over the top, of course, but the mentality – we have what we have. And that he said it with an obviously negative attitude, it's his problems, not ours. And, judging from historical experience, national mentality is capable of changing. It just requires certain effort over a long period of time. So, if we will it, we'll have it all. If we [bother to will it]…
LJ community ru_politics:
pozandtiv:
Unfortunately, he is right ((
[…]
uncle_ko_13:
And what did you expect from Bush after [Vladimir Putin's] trip to Iran and the statements and agreements he made while there? [Americans] are shocked. So [the little Bush] bit the way he could. As for re-programming the DNA – let him try – he'll [fail spectacularly].
dstrtn:
Putinjugend [Nashi youth movement, for example] must be experiencing a cognitive dissonance right now – on the one hand, they can't resist their urge to […] obey “a centralized authority,” while on the other, this is Bush, right, […] the man who is buying up Russia through Kasparov, and there's nothing valuable that he may say. […] Putinjugend! Stop being Bush's rug! Stop supporting centralized authority!
A medical disscusion forum, DrugMe.ru:
sliding:
[…] Medical professionals, please comment on this [Bush's DNA] statement! :))
twi:
Despite genetically predetermined stupidity, he said a clever thing. But not a correct one. What we have in the government is the fruit of political technologies [spin doctoring], and not what the carriers of the [nation's] genome are willing.
sliding:
[…] I do not completely agree. Spin doctors don't appear out of nowhere, they rely on certain inclination of a specific nation, etc.
Something that appears to be a science fiction fans’ forum:
ShtushaKutusha:
Genetic and biological basis for democracy? Cool.
i-rek:
This is an excuse, next they'll say that if it can't be re-programmed, it's got to be deleted.
ZlobnyiMalchik:
It should be noted that the majority of Russians do not accept democracy themselves. […] Excuse me, not the majority, but a big enough segment.
Yekaterinburg city forum:
DoctorADS:
[…] He's got some of it right… […]
Fraktsiya zabanenykh – za MEDVEDA:
It hurts twice as much when [an inept person] says the truth about you.
SergeyAKa™:
[…] Sad as it is, Russia thrived only in the absence of democracy. As soon as a kind czar appeared, there was either decline, or, worse, a revolution.


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Afghanistan: Hungarian presence expansion · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

My State Failure Blog provides an update on the planned expansion of Hungarian troops presence in Afghanistan, saying that the official announcements about it are quite blurred.


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Argentina: Did She Win Already? · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

El Opinador Compulsivo [ES] thinks that the election of Cristina Kirchner as President of Argentina is merely a formality and why the country “takes the trouble and cost to organize an election.”


text:
Armenia: Bad News Day · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Raffi K at Life in Armenia says that Friday was a day full of bad news for Armenia. However, he doesn't know which was worse — former president Levon Ter Petrosian running again for office, the postponement of a bill to recognize the Armenian Genocide in the U.S. Congress, or attempts by Russia, Belarus, Armenia and four Central Asian countries to restrict the activity of international monitors during elections. The Armenia Election Monitor 2008 blog covers the latter news in more detail.


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Armenia: Doing Business · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

British ex-pat consultant Bruce Tasker reports from Yerevan on the trials and tribulations facing local businessmen who usually have to maintain close links with senior officials to ensure their livelihood. Go Armenia has more of the story, while on his second blog, Blowing the World Bank Whistle, the self-proclaimed whistle blower continues to reveal more of what he alleges is corruption in World Bank projects in Armenia.


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Brazil: Reforming Abortion Laws · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

Cecilia Sardenberg, in “The right to abortion: briefing from Brazil” at OpenDemocracy.net, tells about the heated debate over reforms to Brazil's outdated abortion laws that has intensified across the country in 2007.

author: Jose Murilo


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China: Chinese Nominees for the BoBs · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

This year the Best of Blogs voting has started in Oct 22, 2007. You can cast your vote online for the best weblogs, videoblogs and podcasts. According to Deutsche Welle, there were 7,000 nominations around the world this year.
15 Chinese weblogs are in the nominee list. Among which three of them come from the bullog.com, namely the Eight Continents (dead link), Love Letter (dead link)and the peaceful side of Luo (dead link). However, very strangely, the bullog.com (dead link) has temporally closed down since last week. It is not sure whether it is due to the 17th Party Congress or the result of the BoBs nomination.
In the comment session of “The peaceful side of Luo” in BoBs, a commentator, cmyk, has connected the closing down of bullog to the success of the website:
牛人就是用来被强奸的！谁让你还留在china呢
bullog被封应该让老罗看明白点儿
Lao Lou is the founder of bullog, a highly respectful mentor in China blogsphere.
Luckily all the above bloggers have their backup blogs elsewhere. Lao Lou’s backup is at Sohu. Drunkpiano from Love Letters has a space in my1510 and  some of hisher archives can be found at blogcn.
As for the Eight Continents, it has been respectively nominated for the Best Weblog and the Best Chinese Weblog and its backup is here. The blogger is a journalist who has written the most in-depth report on Xiamen anti-PX demonstration (protest against the construction of chemical factory) a few months ago.
It is a great loss that the bullog is now closed down as it has hosted many high quality blogs. Hope it would be resumed as soon as possible. You can find other bullog’s bloggers’ backup weblog in this  address book .
Apart from bullog, there are other collective efforts in this year’s nominees list:
Memedia : a weekly magazine on blogsphere, collectively written via its wiki function. (Best of Chinese Blog)
Inmediahk.net: a most active citizen journalism site in Hong Kong. (Best of Chinese Blog)
Minjian: a webagzine on social and political development. The motto of the group is “social action can change our existence” (Reporter without Borders award)
Ge zhi : a collective blog on science topic. (Best of Chinese Blog)
Other individual efforts in the best of Chinese blogs are:
The colourful world: The original blogger Liu Xiao Juan has passed away because of lung cancer earlier this year. And now the blog is updated by her husband.
Kaku’s blog: a student blog
Peasant Worker’s blog: the blogger comments on social issue from the perspective of  rural migrant worker.
Zola Zhou : a blogger journalist who gained his fame via the Chongqin nail-house report. However, recently he was criticized by many local bloggers for getting reward from his report.
Princess Remy has been nominated for the Best Podcast. As for the Best Videoblog, there are two Chinese nominees, the Chopsticks brother’s videoblog and Cat’s Ear Baby’s Videoblog. The Blogwurst Award Chinese nominee is the Very True Man.


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China: Romance with the Moon · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Joel Martinsen from DANWEI has collected and translated various feelings, comments and observations from journalists about China moon travel. Han Song (one of the journalist blogger)  has pointed to a early science fiction in 1904 about modern China's moon wish.


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China: Rules of Olympic engagement · Global Voices
John Kennedy

On Hong Kong Democratic Party founder and Legco member Martin Lee being labeled a race traitor and running dog after his WaPo article, which proposed engagement with Beijing in lieu of Olympic boycott, was  interpreted by some as a call for American intervention in China's human rights situation just days after he met with president George Bush's National Security Advisor and “cold warrior” John Negroponte, readers of NetEase Olympic Report‘s series of reports documenting furor and backlash aimed at Lee over the weekend made the following comments:
On Tsang Hin-chi‘s criticism of Lee for lacking ‘the bravery of Chinese blood’:
网易青海西宁网友 ip：220.167.*.*：
2007-10-28 19:07:13 发表
作为一个香港人，到其它国家要求外国来干预我们中国事务,这是不对的
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网易四川阿坝州网友 ip：221.10.*.*：
2007-10-28 21:21:31 发表
谁都有发表相左言论的自由,但是,作为一个国民,发表言论的基础在于维护自己祖国的国家利益,当有危害国家利益的时候,大家应该三思而后行的吧?何况企图利用别的国家和政府来干涉自己祖国的利益,这样做是否已经没有了作为一个国家国民的资格?建议取消此人的中国国籍,驱逐出中国,作为中国的国家敌人对待,永远不得踏上中国的领土半步,
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网易广东广州网友 [524180678200]：
2007-10-28 22:52:27 发表
你他妈的汉奸走狗,你怎么不去死呢,叫美国鬼子来搞自己国家
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网易山东青岛网友 ip：218.56.*.*：
2007-10-28 20:02:37 发表
自己的民族大事自己解决
你们看过martin lee的全文了吗??
如果按照你这样的说法,当年 毛主席 为什么 求助苏联????
网易广东深圳网友 ip：218.18.*.*：
2007-10-29 00:21:01 发表
派特工把李柱铭“干掉”。
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On the Democratic Party statement in support of the Beijing Olympics and opposition to those who would boycott it:
网易广东深圳网友 ip：61.145.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:28:28 发表
支持人权有错么?
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网易四川攀枝花网友 ip：218.89.*.*：
2007-10-28 19:43:03 发表
要想过上好日子，只有不择手段混过官当，否则，就不要过像人的日子。
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网易福建莆田网友 ip：220.161.*.*：
2007-10-28 19:10:58 发表
网易广东深圳网友(61.145.*.*) 的原贴：
支持人权有错么?
支持人权没有错 我们在人权方面确实存在很多不足 但这些不足得靠我们自己来解决…
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网易黑龙江大庆网友 ip：221.209.*.*：
2007-10-28 19:52:31 发表
网易广东深圳网友(61.145.*.*) 的原贴：
支持人权有错么?
支持人权没错 但是放弃主权就不队
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网易海南网友 ip：59.50.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:51:14 发表
网易广东深圳网友(61.145.*.*) 的原贴：
支持人权有错么?
一派胡言!人权和奥运有关系吗?支持人权没错,但中国的人权和外国没有关系!我们的事情我们会解决,不要什么事都和外国扯上关系!
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网易上海网友 ip：220.234.*.*：
2007-10-28 20:08:22 发表
你看美国有没有人权啊,枪炮第一.金钱第一打塞黑.打伊拉克.死了多少人.全是谎话理由.
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网易山东济南网友 ip：124.128.*.*：
2007-10-28 22:37:13 发表
支持李先生！！支持李先生！！支持李先生！！支持李先生！！支持李先生！！又到选举期，可是我们选区的候选人我一个人也不认识．我也不知道我去哪里投票．我活了三十年了，可是从来没有人要求我去投票！！
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On ‘Martin Lee: I would be a race traitor forever’:
网易贵州铜仁网友 ip：222.87.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:21:39 发表
做法不对，不过可能我们是要反思下自己的 REN QUAN 状况了
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网易安徽淮北网友 ip：58.242.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:19:01 发表
港英时期怎不见你跳出来为港人争人权?!
垃圾!
标准的汉奸!!1
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网易贵州贵阳网友 ip：221.13.*.*：
2007-10-28 19:26:44 发表
我宁愿要人权，也不要奥运会！
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网易四川甘孜州网友 ip：222.214.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:29:09 发表
跟我年轻的时候差不多，看来此人还不成熟，在祖国和谐的社会里他混不下去的。
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网易福建网友 ip：121.204.*.*：
2007-10-28 19:07:41 发表
这样的人是值得尊敬的。
同胞们应该看到他是为了国家的利益，并不是真的汉奸。
美国的适当干预是有利于大陆普通百姓的。
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网易福建龙岩网友 ip：218.86.*.*：
2007-10-28 20:28:28 发表
可以有不同的声音,不可以有不同的信念。美国的干预确实促进了中国的人权发展，但是、美国的干预是希望控制中国、搞乱中国、遏制中国、一切反动派亡我之心不死！！！李柱铭的借洋人力量促进中国人权发展是本末倒置！是对中国人权事业不了解！他的做法实质上是汉奸行为。。。。。。
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网易广东深圳网友 ip：58.61.*.*：
2007-10-28 20:30:18 发表
这是我们中国人的耻辱，我们的祖国有什么不好啊？人民对不住你了吗？？？汉奸．汉奸．香港回归１０周年了经济不繁荣嘛？生活不好吗？怎么就要挑奥运会来施压中国啊？你也是陈水扁的儿子吗？？？？
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网易山东烟台网友 ip：218.59.*.*：
2007-10-28 20:22:54 发表
他续称：“现时有人故意把这篇文章弄得如此负面，故意把我升级做汉奸，目的就是想影响选举。”并指港人享有人权，也需要为内地争取人权，如果因此被称为汉奸，他“宁可永远做汉奸”。
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网易欧洲网友 ip：116.21.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:34:13 发表
丢你祖先的人,亏你是中国人。
中国的败类，姓李的败类。
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网易广东佛山网友 ip：125.95.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:29:38 发表
遗臭万年的狗汉奸！
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And on ‘Hong Kong citizens denounce former Democracy Party Chairman Martin Lee as a country-betraying traitor‘:
网易广东广州网友 ip：219.137.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:31:37 发表
将他的全文贴出来,我们不要断章取义。
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网易安徽马鞍山网友 ip：60.167.*.*：
2007-10-28 19:36:49 发表
说几句就是卖国.
他卖了吗?
他也是为中国好.
我也希望美国施压,管管中国贪官.
那么我也是卖国了吗?
一群被利用的人.
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网易江苏无锡网友 ip：222.191.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:32:11 发表
李柱铭既然宁可做汉奸，那我就不骂你是汉奸了，但是我可以骂你是洋奴！看你年岁也不小了，肯定经历过香港的曾是殖民地时期。可是当时我们没有看到你跟香港总督争什么民主和人权的报道，怎么回归后反倒与中央政府叫板起来了？而且还想要求美国借奥运向中国施压。我看你象历史上一个人－－吴三桂，但是他也没有好下场。
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网易广东广州网友 ip：121.33.*.*：
2007-10-28 18:28:39 发表
林子打了什么鸟都有！说明我们中国还是不强大！同志们仍须努力！增强国防建设、促进经济建设、加强科学发展！同胞们一起加油！
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网易广东深圳网友 [chengjuehua]：
2007-10-28 19:28:56 发表
再不改革可就要步苏联的后尘了，历史的车轮不是人力阻挡得了的
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网易广东深圳网友 ip：121.36.*.*：
2007-10-28 19:26:03 发表
有不同的声音是正常的，但是要借外国势力那就是真正的汉奸了。我国的人权的确是需要改进，但我们都看到了，在这几年来的确是改变了很多，我相信胡主席的智慧，在这几年的发展中，他没让我们失望，我相信，下来应该也不会。
香港的爱国人士应该组织一个运动，把李柱铭这个真正的汉奸赶下台！
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author: John Kennedy


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Georgia: Homophobia · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

British journalist Matthew Collin writes in a new blog from Georgia about two recent scandals which illustrate to what extent homophobia has taken hold in what is otherwise still considered to be the most liberal country in the Caucasus. On This is Tbilisi Calling he details both, the most recent of which was the expulsion of a 20-year-old man from a reality TV show after he announced on air that he was gay.


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Kazakhstan: Helping the Children  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog tells about a seemingly international campaign to sew blankets for the Kazakhstani kids, noting that “it's all to cute”, while the Kazakh government launches series of competitions for the benefit of children.


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South Korea: Presidential Poll · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Andy Jackson from Marmot's Hole blogs the presidential poll result and the former Seoul major Lee Myung-bak is in the lead.


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Turkmenistan: Independence day · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nara opines on the sixteenth anniversary of independence of the Turkmen state, bitterly noting that “Turkmen government is the only institution to enjoy this privilige of independence, being very independent from the people’s voices and lives”.


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Uzbekistan: Another Voice Silenced · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Beaudi's Blog reflects on the brutal murder of the 26-year-old Uzbek journalist in the town of Osh in the neighboring Kyrgyzstan. He was remarkably well known and respected around Central Asia and openly questioned the policies and human rights violations of the Uzbek government.


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Africa: Map of drinking age and African local content · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

White African shows what the map on drinking age tells us about Africa: “This map instead represents a real problem that we face in Africa: the lack of local content (data) available in a digital format.”


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Algeria: Daniel Pipes Talk · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Algerian blogger Nouri, who is based in the US, attended a talk by Middle East expert Daniel Pipes at Tufts University. Read his take on the talk here.


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Angola: Beauty Contest for Victims of Landmines · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

Desabafos Angolanos [PT] — a BOBs’ nominee from Angola — posts about ‘Miss Landmine‘, a project from a NGO from Oslo, Norway, aiming to call the attention to the landmine problem in Angola.


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Argentina: More Trouble from Airport Employees · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Jorge Gobbi of Blog de Viajes [ES] writes about the latest troubling finding regarding airport employees in Buenos Aires, Argentina that steal from passengers’ luggage.


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Armenia: Gender Politics · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

With several examples in mind elsewhere around the world, Unzipped: Gay Armenia wonders if Armenia shouldn't have a woman president. Despite the patriarchal nature of Armenia and the Caucasus itself, the blog says that a female head of state might succeed in easing “tensions in our society and act as a consolidating power.”


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Armenia: Khash Ceremony · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

With the winter setting in, Notes from Hairenik recounts his participation yesterday in the seasonal consumption of Khash, a “soup laden with fat slowly simmered for at least eight hours made from cow’s hoof, with cartilage and some meat still left on the bone.” Eating khash is a group event and usually washed down with the obligatory vodka.


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Armenia: Parliamentary Killings Anniversary · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer remembers the 27 October 1999 terrorist attack on the Armenian National Assembly which left the prime minister and seven other senior officials, including the Soviet era leader of Armenia, dead. Eight years after the incident which allowed the incumbent president to consolidate power in the country, many questions still remain unanswered.


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Armenia: The Numbers Game · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

After Friday's opposition rally during which Armenia's first president, Levon Ter Petrosian, said he would run again for office, Oneworld Multimedia raises concerns with how different media outlets reported the number of people in attendance. Interestingly, the blog notes that bloggers at the rally came up with roughly the same figures as reputable news sources such as the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse. However, media outlets in Armenia might have instead inflated or miscalculated the number.


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Bahrain: Designer Items · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini Diva explains why she buys expensive designer merchandise in this post.


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Bahrain: Three Journalists Fined · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger Abduljalil Al Singace links to a Reporters Without Borders article about the fining of three journalists sued for comments which appeared in an online publication.


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Bangladesh: Changing Dhaka · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

a bengali in TO goes to Dhaka and observes some changes for the better.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Bangladesh: General Moeen at Harvard · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Voice of Bangladeshi Bloggers on General Moeen's “mysterious Harvard Seminar”.


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Barbados: Blogging at the IMF · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The International Monetary Fund has a blog – and Living in Barbados thinks that “this recent step into the blogosphere, and its subcategory the econoblogsphere will be interesting to watch.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Barbados: Gullah Gullah Island · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Gallimaufry finds similarities between the language of the Gullah people and the way Barbadians speak: “I am reminded that something as commonplace as the way we talk is, even without our conscious knowledge, powerfully denotive of our national African heritage.”


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Bolivia: Voces Bolivianas Summary · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Hugo Miranda of the project Voces Bolivianas summarizes the latest blog entries [ES] by the participants.


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Brazil: “Haiti is here, Haiti is not here” · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

Haiti has become a regularly commented on issue on the Brazilian blogosphere. The special connection between Brazil and Haiti was initiated in 2004, when Brazilian troops started to participate in MINUSTAH — the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. Last week the UN decided to extend its presence in the country for one year more, and the blogger debate over the Brazilian contribution to the Haitian people has developed strong political tones.
A desculpa oficial constante da Resolução firmada pelo Secretário Geral da entidade, o sul-coreano Ban Ki-moon, consiste na “estabilização do país”, a qual, apesar de ter melhorado, “ainda é frágil e segue ameaçada pelo tráfico internacional de drogas e armas”. Diz também que a situação no Haiti é uma “ameaça à paz internacional e à segurança da região”. Vai ser cara-de-pau assim na casa da mãe dele, lá na Coréia. Ameaça? O Haiti??!!! … Sugiro acessar o blog do pessoal da Conlutas que foi para lá, o “Solidariedade ao Povo Haitiano“. Também já falamos deste assunto aqui. A verdade nua e crua é que os grandes grupos econômicos mundiais descobriram que é muito mais barato manter os escravos em seus países de origem. Reduz significativamente o custo com as frotas de navios negreiros, viagens, rações, correntes e etc.
Capangas ficam mais um ano no Haiti – Sítio Paineira Velha
“As tropas brasileiras, junto com as outras, cumprem um papel de deter o processo de autodeterminação dos haitianos, o que tem ocorrido sistematicamente ao longo da história desse povo lutador”, disse Toninho. “As tropas reprimem a população e a organização dos trabalhadores e, em vários casos, violam os direitos humanos. Além disso, a presença dos militares estrangeiros perpetua um projeto de exploração daquele povo, que visa tornar o Haiti um território de mão-de-obra semi-escrava e que garanta muitos lucros aos capitalistas e grandes potências”, acrescentou Toninho [ Antonio Donizete Ferreira, o diretor do Sindicato dos Metalúrgicos].
Debate em São José discute situação do Hati sob ocupação de tropas brasileiras – Solidariedade ao Povo Haitiano – COBERTURA
Apart from the customary demand for the end of the Haitian ‘occupation’, Brazilian blogs are digging up information that tells about Haitians  being genuinely thankful for the peacekeeping force's actions since René Preval took office. Colonel Cunha Matos, head of the Brazilian Army's Communications Sector who served for a year in the MINUSTAH has been quoted in many blogs, and not only because of his catchy phrase: “Rio is worst than Haiti“.
Segundo Cunha Mattos, a presença brasileira em Porto Príncipe, na capital haitiana, conta com quase 80% da aprovação da população local. Ele explica que essa é a quarta missão no Haiti e a “única que está dando certo”. O modelo de manutenção da paz usado pelo Brasil que “não está em manual militar algum, é o jeitinho brasileiro de ser”. O coronel explica que o brasileiro tem uma facilidade para comunicar que cativa a população. Segundo ele, existe uma identidade cultural do modo de ser do brasileiro com os haitianos. O Exército mobilizou líderes comunitários para envolver os moradores, para ele, o apoio popular foi imprescindível na manutenção da ordem. “Dávamos consciência comunitária para fazer a vida voltar ao normal, criávamos vínculos com a população e estabelecíamos parcerias com organizações humanitárias, é o caso dos médicos sem fronteiras”.
Haiti e Rio de Janeiro, na visão do coronel – Ciranda Internacional de Informação Independente
“O Rio é pior que o Haiti” é o que afirma o Coronel de artilharia Cunha Mattos, chefe do setor de Informação Pública do Centro de Comunicação Social do Exército, comparando a gravidade dos conflitos armados existentes nos dois locais. Tráfico de drogas, armamento e topografia, segundo Mattos, são os três fatores básicos de diferenciação… A estrutura comercial do tráfico do Rio é mantida pelo forte armamento em poder dos traficantes. O Coronel destaca o fato de eles possuírem armas que nem as forças armadas possuem. No Haiti, as armas apreendidas eram antigas e de menor poder de fogo. Além da disparidade de armamento, a posição física ocupada pelos traficantes cariocas dificulta muito a intervenção policial. Por estarem em cima do morro, eles possuem o que o coronel chama de “comandamento”. É muito mais difícil para a polícia subir alvejada por tiros. “No Haiti, entre a tropa de paz e os inimigos, era zero a zero. Era tudo plano”.
Coronel que participou da missão de paz do Haiti considera que conflito armado do Rio é pior – Consciência.net
Attempting to understand the present political and social circumstances in Haiti, the Brazilian blogosphere has gleaned some historical elements drawn from articles of some well known intellectuals. There is also an interesting multimedia report from Agencia Brasil which can be viewed through clicking the image at the side (English version available).
1804 – O Vértice da História. Depois de 14 anos de Guerra, o povo do Haiti derrota o maior, o mais poderoso exército da terra. Impõe a Napoleão Bonaparte a terceira derrota militar. E a primeira derrota político-militar. (Em nenhuma biografia de Napoleão consta a derrota para o povo do Haiti; nenhum livro didático no Brasil, consta a derrota dos exércitos napoleônicos pelo negro Haiti). Vitória da Aliança, a vitória do intercâmbio. Em toda guerra há o envolvimento de tantas nações de um quanto do outro lado. Toda vitória, numa guerra, é o produto da união de um grupo de nações. Assim a vitória do Haiti está recheada de alianças: O interesse pelo açúcar e pelas terras agricultáveis do Haiti ora trazem a Espanha; ora, a Inglaterra; ora atraem os Estados Unidos, cujo fornecimento de armas, foi de grande importância.
Haiti, o vértice da história – 1804 / 1808 – Overmundo
Para eliminar qualquer vestígio da participação estadunidense na ditadura sanguinária do general Cedrás, os marines retornaram ao seu país levando 160 mil páginas dos arquivos secretos. Aristide voltou acorrentado. Deram-lhe permissão para governar, mas lhe negaram o poder. Seu sucessor, René Préval, obteve quase 90% dos votos nas últimas eleições presidenciais, mas qualquer chefe de quarta categoria do Fundo Monetário Internacional ou do Banco Mundial tem mais poder no país do que o próprio presidente. O veto pode mais que o voto. Veto às reformas: toda vez que Préval, ou algum dos seus ministros, pede empréstimos internacionais para dar pão aos famintos, palavras aos analfabetos ou terra aos lavradores, fica sem resposta. Ou, na melhor das hipóteses, obtém uma resposta em forma de ordem: “Recita a lição”. No momento em que o governo haitiano se nega a entender que precisa se desfazer dos poucos serviços públicos que ainda restam – últimos míseros refúgios para um dos povos mais abandonados do mundo –, os professores o reprovam no exame.
Eduardo Galeano em O crime imperdoável da dignidade – Blog do Bourdokan
Qualquer que seja o diagnóstico que se faça da história recente do Haiti, o certo é que, depois da catástrofe que significou para o Haiti a ditadura do clã Duvalier, o desastre mais recente, que ajuda a entender a grave situação em que se encontra o país, foi o fracasso do governo de Aristide. Ele tinha as melhores condições para dar inicio à reconstrução democrática do país, pela liderança popular que tinha como padre da teologia da libertação, da oposição democrática, contando também com apoio internacional… Aristide foi perdendo o controle do país, mobilizações populares contra ele foram crescendo. Ao longo do segundo semestre de 2003, ele continuava a dispor de grupos populares armados por ele. A falta de recursos externos foi levando o país a um processo de desintegração acelerada, sem serviços públicos, sem forças de segurança, com grupos de-ex-militares armados cruzando a fronteira para atacar o governo. Foi nesse contexto de véspera de guerra civil, que os governos dos EUA e da França se reivindicaram o direito de intevir, derrubando o governo de Aristide. Alegando que os governos da região preferiam a presença de tropas latino-americanas, o Brasil, a Argentina, o Uruguai e o Chile, substituíram esse contingente com suas tropas.Aí começa o período contemporâneo do Haiti, com um presidente eleito, René Preval, grandes dificuldades econômicas e sociais, instabilidade institucional, presença de tropas estrangeiras.
Emir Sader em Os Problemas e os Desastres Históricos do Haiti – Página UM
The last quote is part of an article from a well known leftie Brazilian thinker, and it has caused strong reactions. Sader is criticized as offering an “apology for the occupation troops”.
A juzgar por los hechos, la estrategia militar y política de los países invasores tras el golpe, dentro y fuera de Haití, parece haber sido la siguiente. A Aristide se le considera ciertamente el enemigo más temible, el único político en Haití que debido al apoyo popular es capaz de representar una amenaza para el control del país . Dentro de Haití, la táctica empleada para combatirlo parece haber sido simplemente la represión policial y militar pura y dura contra sus partidarios. Fuera del país, todo indica que se ha optado por un esquema propagandístico que busca justificar la invasión como un mal menor que hubo que adoptar ante una situación de caos e ingobernabilidad cuyo mayor responsable hubiera sido justamente Aristide. Ese es el mensaje que se quiere vehicular… Cabe indagarse, finalmente, si la misma táctica habría funcionado si se hubiese tratado de un golpe a otro gobierno latinoamericano. Es difícil imaginar a alguien como Sader refiriéndose al golpe de Estado contra Chávez, por ejemplo, en los términos que lo hace aquí, sin que hubiese perdido toda su credibilidad como intelectual de izquierda. Pero Haití, por lo visto, es diferente, por motivos sobre los que solo cabe especular.
Sader y la responsabilidad de Aristide – LaHaine.org
Beyond the predictable left-right and left-left polarities, some blogs search for new alternatives, and a  good example of this is the high occurrence of the term “Haiti is here” (‘Haiti é aqui’) in recent posts. The situation may have been powered by the chorus line of a song  (“Haiti is Here, Haiti is Not Here”) by Caetano Veloso and Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil, but it may also indicate an underlying cultural pattern of identification.
Brazilians are also struggling to confront the poverty and suffering in some sectors of the economy, but recent years have shown the continuous growth of a special sense of dignity originated by new non-material definitions of wealth in cultural terms.  Could it be that the Brazilians are imparting their special sense of the value of cultural treasures to their caribbean brothers and sisters?
No ano passado, quatro deputados alemães visitaram o Haiti. Sentiram um profundo mal-estar, ficaram muito chocados ao ver tanta miséria. O embaixador da Alemanha em Porto Príncipe explicou a eles qual é o problema: “Tem gente demais neste país”, disse. “A mulher haitiana sempre está a fim, e o homem haitiano sempre pode.” E riu. Os deputados ficaram calados. Naquela mesma noite, um deles, Winfried Wolf, deu uma verificada nos números. E constatou que o Haiti, juntamente com El Salvador, é o país mais populoso das Américas…, tão populoso quanto a Alemanha: têm quase a mesma quantidade de habitantes por quilômetro quadrado. Durante os dias em que esteve no Haiti, o deputado Wolf não se impressionou apenas com a miséria. Ficou também maravilhado com a beleza das pinturas populares. E chegou à conclusão de que o Haiti é superpovoado… de artistas.
Eduardo Galeano em O crime imperdoável da dignidade – Blog do Bourdokan


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Burma: Internet and the Monks · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Sacred Media Cow on how the Junta controlling the internet may have actually helped the Burmese monks. “The little fragments of information that did manage to get through got elevated to a level of ennunciative power that would not have existed had the internet not been shut down.”


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China and Hong Kong: Translation Politics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Many bloggers in Hong Kong pointed out that the criticism against Martin Lee's article in Wall street is a result of translation. An example given by erynnyes from Those were the days, is the translation of “press for” to “give pressure to” (zh). The blogger also points out that China Daily has intentionally use “pressurize” to substitute the word “press for” to give people an impression that Martin has invited foreign power to give pressure to China (zh).

author: Oiwan Lam


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China and Japan: Clash over Diaoyu / Senkaku Islands · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

James from Japan Probe posts a video on a Chinese vessel attempted to reach Diaoyu / Senkaku Islands.


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China and Japan: Japanese AV in Rural China · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Japan AV girl, Nonami Takizawa, came to rural China for shooting adult video. The promotion clip is up at Todu, and netizens from China reacted strongly to the “pollution” bought by Japanese to China. Hegelchong comments that the criticisms are nationalistic and have very strange imagination of rural China (zh). Rural women can be more sexually liberated than urban middle class.


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China: Buying South Africa Bank · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Jay Sheng from Shanghaiist reports on the buying of South Africa’s Standard Bank Group Ltd by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China(ICBC), a government owned commerical bank.


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China: Culture and Salary Standard · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Xueyong argues that the extremely low salary standard in China is a result of the degrading morality (zh). The planned economy has cultivated a de-personalized morality that lacks basic sympathy on other individuals.


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China: Olympic Lie? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A video on the human rights condition in China with hot debate in the comment section.


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China: Virtual Shanghai · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fons from China Herald introduces an internet resource on the history and development of Shanghai since mid 19th Century.


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Dominican Republic: Images of Captured Criminals · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Remolacha.net [ES] writes that criminals must hate cell phone and digital cameras because of the images captured, when the criminals themselves are captured.


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Ecuador: Immigrant Girl Attacked on Barcelona Train · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

A 16-year-old Ecuadoran immigrant was sitting alone on the train in Barcelona, when a Spanish citizen who was talking on his phone, proceeded to repeatedly strike the girl for no apparent reason. The images were caught on camera inside the train and brought swift reactions of disgust by bloggers in Ecuador and abroad, as well as caused others to pause and reflect on the status of immigrants in Spain.Christian Espinoza of Cobertura Digital [ES] is saddened by the images, but realizes that the attacker is not representative of all in Spain.
En casa, se nos iban lágrimas de las iras al ver estas imágenes mientras recordábamos el esmero que por naturaleza pone cada ecuatoriano cuando recibimos a cualquier extranjero. Claro, obviamente no son todos como Sergi en España ni en Europa y eso también se refleja en los comentarios de solidaridad en el video y medios locales (en Vanguardia.es hay más de 900 comentarios ante esta verguenza), pero esperamos que esos, los que no son todos, ojalá puedan hacer algo más que ver cómo muere esta noticia.
At home, we cry with anger to see those images, while we remember the care that each Ecuadoran takes when a foreigner visits our own country.  Obviously, not all are like Sergi (the attacker) in Spain or Europe and that is also reflected in the messages of solidarity that were written in the comments of the video and in local press (in Vanguardia.es there are more than 900 comments that are against the shameful act), but we hope that they can do something so more than just see the incident goes away.
Andrej Nicolás Hillebrand, a Spanish resident, of Sly Nation [ES] provides a link to the video of the attack and also comes out against the attacker.:
Hay personas que no deberían andar sueltas por el mundo. No puede ser que un hombre adulto pegue a una niña porque le viene en gana, porque la apariencia de ésta no le gusta, porque la supone extranjera. Me da asco ver actos de este tipo, me da asco que una chica, tenga que soportar abusos, golpes y vejaciones como esta por parte de un descerebrado que se cree en el derecho de pegar e insultar a quien cree extraño. Yo diría que esta chica tiene mucho más derecho a estar donde está que un sujeto violento que se debe sentir muy hombretón golpeando a una pobre niña, ese si que no debería de estar aquí, por becerro.
There are people in this world that shouldn't be allowed to be let loose.  It can't be that an adult man hits a girl because he felt like it, because he didn't like the way she looked, or because she might have been a foreigner.  I am sickened to see this type of incident.  I am sickened to see a girl have to withstand abuse and attacks by a mindless person that thinks he has the right to hit and insult someone who he thinks is a foreigner.  I would say that this girl has much more of a right to be there than a violent guy that feels macho by hitting a poor girl.  He's the one that shouldn't be there.
In the video, another passenger looks the other way and does not react to the unprovoked attack.  Gabby Corsales is puzzled by the bystander's inaction [ES]:
Es increíble que ante estas circunstancias no hagamos nada, había otra persona en el metro, era un hombre que si podía ayudar a la menor, pero como muchos dicen, debió estar asustado y se quedo impávido. Las disculpas del agresor no bastan, se deben toman sanciones drásticas contra estos casos de racismo y xenofobia que se viven en España y en muchos otros países.
It is incredible that under these circumstances, that we do not do anything.  There was another person on the metro, it was a man that could have helped the minor, but as many have said, he was probably scared and remained helpless.  The apologies from the attacker is not enough, there should be drastic punishments against these cases of racism and xenophobia that takes place in Spain and other countries.
Bloggers were quick to react, as was President Rafael Correa.  However, Cambiemos Ecuador [ES] doesn't buy the president's concern for the young girl.
Hace pocos dias en Espana, un ciudadano espanol agredio de manera cobarde a una compatriota, cuyo unico pecado era querer mejores dias y poder trabajar en paz.  Nuestro querido presidente salio cual madre a socorrer a esta muchacha, a su familia, hizo promesas y hasta amenazo al gobierno Espanol. Que valentia la de nuestro lider, casi hasta parecia de verdad, solo le faltaron las lagrimas y podriamos nominarlo a un OSCAR.
A few days ago in Spain, a Spanish citizen cowardly attacked a fellow Ecuadoran, whose only sin was to want better days and work in peace.  Our dear president ran out to save this young girl and her family by making promises including threatening the Spanish government.  Our leader is brave, almost as much as to appear real, all that was lacking were tears and he could have been nominated for an OSCAR.
The plight of immigrants in Spain is often a topic of conversation among bloggers.  Some like Uhr of Autentico Ecuatoriano [ES] writes that the majority of his countrymen and women are there looking for better opportunities and stands in solidarity with those:
YO estoy con el ser humano (sea español o ecuatoriano) que sabe vivir en paz con los demás a su alrededor, que es trabajador y responsable, que sabe respetar y respetarse y que no comete semejantes actos de barbarie, que solo demuestran una vez más la podredumbre en la que vivimos.
I stand with the individuals (whether he/she is Spanish or Ecuadoran) that knows how to live in peace with those around them, that are hard workers and responsible, that knows how to command respect and show respect, that does not commit acts of savagery that only shows the poor conditions in which we live.
In another post, Uhr implores his fellow Ecuadorans in Spain to respect the local customs of their new homeland, without justifying the treatment by some Spanish citizens.


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Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

Today I'd like to share with you a post written by Wahda Maseyya – An Egyptian Girl – about the Muslim Brotherhood party and her thoughts about their ideologies. In fact there is a huge debate here in Egypt the whole time about religious – mainly Islamic – parties, and if it is going to be a good choice to have religious parties here or not.
الإخوان المسلمين أخاف ان ياتي اليوم الذي تكون فيه جماعة الإخوان المسلمين هي السكين البارد التي ستذبح مصرنا الحبيبة و الذريعة التي قد تدخل بها جيوش الإحتلال لمحاربة الإرهاب
و لذلك لا اتمنى على الإطلاق ان أرى ذلك اليوم أو ان يحقق الإخوان ما قد يصبون إليه فيصبح حزبهم هو من يشكل مجلس الورزاء أو يكون من بينهم رئيس للجمهورية .
The Muslim Brotherhood; I am afraid that they may become one day the cold knife that slaughters our beloved Egypt, and become the excuse for occupying forces the get into Egypt to fight terrorism.
That's why I really don't want to see that day when their dream comes true and their party becomes the one responsible for forming the Council of Ministers (Cabinet), and that one of them becomes the president of Egypt.
She then tried to use a conversation she had with an American researcher a while ago about the Muslim Brotherhood, and Essam El Eryan the one in charge of the Political Bureau of the Group – I am using the term Group instead of Party here as they are not considered as an official party by the Egyptian Government. Wahda tries to say that some members of the Group are considered to be moderate but she believes that the MB will continue to have a radical ideology.
في رأيي أن للإخوان ايدلوجيا و فكر لم و لن يتغير لأن أصلة و أساسة ثابت جامد محافظ و أحيانا متطرف عندما تناقشت مع أحد الناشطين من جماعة الإخوان فحكيت له عن تلك الباحثة الامريكية التي تقوم بعمل دراسة عن الإخوان و أنها متفائلة بالإخوان و لم تكف عن ذكر عصام العريان كدليل على الإعتدال و الوسطية بين الإخوان فقلت لها ان عصام العريان هو واحد من ضمن ألاف و ان عصام العريان قد يكون معتدل إلا انه لا يمثل الغالبية العظمى من الإخوان ذات الفكر الجامد المحافظ
و كان رد الناشط أن هناك ما يسمى النخبة في أي جماعة و هناك ما يمثل الباقية الباقية و أن النخبة هي التي تقوم بدور القياده و ان عصام العريان هو من النخبة و هو من تيار الإصلاحيين
I think that the MB has a certain ideology that did not and will not change, because it has solid and conservative bases, which are sometimes radical as well. When I had a debate with one of the activists in the MB, and told him about an American researcher who is doing some research about the MB, and that she is optimistic and likes to mention Essam El Eryan as an example of moderation and centrism, and that I told her that El Eryan is just one among thousands and that he may be moderate but he doesn't represent the majority of the group who have radical and conservative thoughts.
The activist then replied that there are some elite members in any group and those members are the ones who take the responsibility of leading the group, and El Eryan is one of those members.
She then continues …
و لكن أعود لاقول ان تيار الإصلاحيين هذا يقابلة تيار محافظ يميني داخل الجماعة و هو من له السطوة و التحكم و هو الأقرب للناس و الأقرب للفكر الإخواني المتأصل منذ سنوات بعيدة و أعتقد انه من الصعب جدا على تيار الإصالحيين أن ينجح و يصبح هو الصوت الأعلى و الغالب
و ليس معنى ذلك أن يتوقف الإصلاحيون داخل الجماعة عن المحاولة و لكن في رأيي أن عليهم الإستمرار في المحاولة لتغيير الفكر الجامد المحافظ داخل الجماعة إلا انني في النهاية لا أريد لمصر ان تصبح إيران أخرى بل أتمنى ان ارى مصر مثل بريطانيا او مورتنيا حيث تحول فيها الحكم إلى الديموقراطية المدنية دون عسكر أو إسلامين
But I still believe that those reformists are opposed by the radical members of the group who have the power and control on the group as a whole. And those radical members are those ones who are closer to the original ideologies of the MB, the ideologies that are many years old and I believe that it is really hard for the reformist to be able continue or to be to have an effective role in the group.
This doesn't mean that the reformist will not keep trying, and I really want them to continue their efforts to change the radical ideology of the group. But at the end of the day I do not want to see Egypt turning out to become another Iran. On the contrary, I wish to see it like Britain or even Mauritania where there is a democratic and civil government without any intervention of the military and the Islamists.
Links:
Muslim Brotherhood Official Site, Ikhwan-Web
Wikipedia, History of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

author: Tarek Amr


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Georgia: “Radical” Opposition · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

TOL Georgia takes exception to a recent article published by the Jamestown Foundation on what the publication terms the “radical opposition.” The site questions why the author, well-known analyst Vladimir Socor, is using such phrases and challenges many other points made in the article.


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Guatemala: Blog de mi Guatemala Turns Four · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Blog de Mi Guatemala [ES] celebrates its four-year anniversary.


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Guatemala: Run-off Election Countdown · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Elecciones Guatemala [ES] counts down to the run-off election that will decide Guatemala's next president.


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Guyana: View of Guyana · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A returning national shares her experience of Guyana with MACO Caribbean Living.


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Israel: When Yigal Murdered Rabin · Global Voices
Gilad Lotan

Yitzhak Rabin was Prime Minister of Israel from 1974 until 1977 and from 1992 until his assassination in 1995. Rabin, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, was assassinated by Yigal Amir, a right-wing Israeli radical who had strenuously opposed Rabin's signing of the Oslo Accords. As this past week marked 12 years to Rabin's assassination, the Israeli blogosphere was filled with posts recollecting his significance to Israel and his tragic ending. I stumbled upon Yossi's blog who describes his experience, 12 years ago, when he was still a Yeshiva student, part of an ultra-orthodox community in Jerusalem.
Thank you Yossi for describing your experience and sharing on your blog. It sheds light upon these walled communities, usually far behind closed doors. It also amplifies the value and necessity of enabling global information access and sharing a multitude of perspectives. This is a perspective that is rarely seen.
I was a fresh Yeshiva student at that time, and I had no idea who Rabin was.
On Saturday night (the night Rabin was murdered), like every other Saturday night a few of us stayed on studying while the rest went back home or to the dorms. When I got home from studies, there were celebrations, food and music in the dorms, very different from its usual dead state. I asked my friends what the celebration was for, if I made a mistake in the date, since in that month there were no Jewish holidays at all.
One answered – “Rabin died, he was shot!!!”
I asked – “Who is Rabin?”
He answered – “The prime minister”
I continued asking – “Is he Jewish?” (the name Rabin didn't sound Jewish)
He answered – “Yes, of course”
I asked if it is possible to be happy over the murder of a Jew? And that the bible states that you should not be happy upon the fall of your enemy (“בנפול אויבך אל תשמח”), and the Midrash states that your enemy the non-Jew, is all the more so Jewish (“אוייבך הגוי, קל וחומר יהודי”).
He replied – “Why are you disturbing our celebration? Go back to study. The Rabbis said he (Rabin) has a troubled destiny (דין רודף) and that we need to be happy!”
That answer did not satisfy me – I am not cynical nor laughing. Looking back, I don't understand why that answer looked so distorted because I was raised precisely on these values, like all my friends in the Yeshiva, in an even stricter environment. Today, this answer raises my anger profoundly. How can it be that the State of Israel finances educational institutions that teach people murder; that celebrate when the prime minister is killed??? And what about the enforcement authorities in this country, who do not prevent Rabbis from inciting and teaching what they want, claiming freedom of speech and religion. We forget that we are creating the future generation here, which might already be full of murderers like Yigal Amir. You can already find petitions for his release.
…
I have to mention that I am proud of my childhood as an ultra-orthodox Jew. I learned many things that secular Israelis will never learn – about myself, my abilities and what real studies are. But that which I am most angry about is the existence of this school of thought that claims – he who doesn't suit you, his blood can be spilled (“מי שלא מתאים לך דמו מותר”).
I do not understand this.

author: Gilad Lotan


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Jamaica: Slave Mentality  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Sometimes I wonder if to be black in this world is to be absolutely unaccountable. For anything.” Marlon James picks apart the slave mentality.


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Japan: Halloween Train vs. Netizen Rage · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

James from Japan Probe reports on a clash between foreigners and Japanese netizens over a Halloween Train party .


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Kazakhstan: Four Billion Dollars · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam Kesher reports on the clarification on the recently announced government's measures to sustain the economy. Surprisingly, the explanation has arrived from the commercial bank's top officer, not from the government (ENG).

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Kazakhstan: Keep Talking · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Ben reflects on the continuing conflict between the oil companies consortium on Kashagan super-giant oil-field and the Kazakh government, in which the authorities are seeking more rights and money within the project (ENG).


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Kyrgyzstan: December Elections · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Roberts Report analyzes the pre-election political environment in Kyrgyzstan, emphasizing that the upcoming vote could be the biggest test yet of which way the country is headed.


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Lebanon: Arts and Artists · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

The Lebanese blogosphere is not solely composed of political blogs you know, and thank God for that. Some artists are using blogs to display their paintings, music and other artistic creations. Here is a sample. First the drawings and paintings, then the music and the films. Enjoy.
Suzanne Alaywan has a few new additions to her artwork posted on her blog. Among them is this one which is captioned “collage of a photograph and drawing”. It brings life and hope to an old shut window.
Mazen Kerbaj posted many new drawings this month. This one entitled “boom” tells the story of Evan’s experience with an explosion – one of many terrorist attacks that have punctuated our days and weeks recently in Lebanon.
He adds this English translation to the Arabic text in his drawing.
19 september 2007
5.30 PM
i am watching tv
suddenly
the electricity is cut
and
the building moved
and then
BOOM
500 meters from the house
Evan's face
Evan's voice
…
and Evan's questions
– what is this sound?
– what is this smoke?
– what happened?
when?
why?
how?
and after 30 minutes
everything went back to normal
and in the evening, a new question:
– why there is no school tomorrow?
Maroun Kassab returns with some of his new paintings which make up part of an exhibition. This one below is entitled “Intuition” and is an oil on canvas. It speaks for itself.
Below is one of many new and interesting drawings by Laure Ghourayeb. She calls this one “l’autre” or “the other”. This artistic creation also speaks for itself.
Ibn Bint Jbeil wrote about a thematic exhibit in which he participated. The theme was “Journeys & Distances” and it focused on the concept of people who are in a constant state of travel.
He explains the paintings by saying:
Initially these images are intangible and not formed, and so the exploration of these images is an exploration of that which is elusive and pliable. Thus the paintings become abstractions of home and land.
Music can also be heard in the blogosphere. Ziad El Ahmadie is a Lebanese composer who maintains this blog where visitors can listen to some of his musical composition from his first CD “Bilbel”, in addition to a musical video.
Finally there is the Lebanese Films blog in which the author, Lebanese, discusses his/her personal opinions on the Lebanese films industry. In the latest post, the writer discusses the movie “S. L. Film”, which is a comedy based on the once popular TV show “S. L. Shi”.