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Japan: Where has all the butter gone? · Global Voices
Hanako Tokita

Where is the butter? — cry Japanese consumers who have been hunting everywhere for the dairy product. The drastic reduction in raw milk production, complicated by hikes in the price of grain as well as changes in the global patterns of dairy product consumption, have caused a serious butter shortage in Japan. Empty shelves in the dairy section of grocery stores across the country have not seen a shipment of butter for days, and stores are posting signs apologizing for the shortage.
While many bloggers complain about the shortage and the inconvenience caused by it, the blogger at Bebe Kobo, who operates a small-scale family-run dairy farm, gives their insight into the problems the dairy farmers are facing, which have resulted in this butter shortage:
たびたびＴＶや新聞で報道されているように、バター不足が深刻です。
既に報道されていますが、原因は主に牛乳不足といわれています。
牛乳の消費がここ数年ずっと伸び悩んでおり、2006年には北海道で牛乳を廃棄する光景が見られました。そしてかなりの数の牛が殺処分になりました。
それより以前は脱脂粉乳の処分に困り、組合を通じてセメント袋ほどの大きさの袋に入った脱脂粉乳を酪農家は天引きの形で買わされたり、（現在では信じられないけど）年末には大量のバターをこれまた天引きで強制的に買わされていました。
牛乳の消費の伸び悩み。この原因はいくつかあります。いろいろな清涼飲料が増えたこと、少子化で学校での牛乳消費が減っていること、アレルギー、そしてアレルギーでもないのに病的に牛乳を悪者に仕立てる一部の人々…………。ひどいブログだと牛乳をけなしたあげく酪農家は無くなればよい、と書いているものまでありました。
ことに2005年4月にサンマーク出版から発行された新谷弘実著の「病気にならない生き方」という本。物凄いヒットでした。
これが酪農家だけでなくまともな学者も怒りだすほどとにかく「牛乳が悪い」という価値観で書かれていて、ただでさえ消費が伸び悩む牛乳に決定的なダメージを一時は与えました。
[…]
2006年に牛を大量処分したツケは確実に消費者を直撃しました。そのひとつがバター不足です。
子牛が一人前になって牛乳を出せるようになるには最低でも2年以上かかります。
自然の摂理に逆らうことはできないのです。
乳製品は化学製品ではありません。健全に牛を飼う構造が機能しないと今後もバター不足のようなことは頻発します。
消費者の皆様のご理解を心よりお願い申し上げます。
Then in a different entry posted on a later day, the blogger lists the major factors cause the current butter shortage.
1　ＥＵ加盟国（フランスなど）が乳製品の輸出のための補助金が付かなくなり、従来日本などに輸出されていたバターが国内消費に回されていること、中国やロシアやインドなどの生活水準が上がり、そちらにバターなどが流れているという事情も輸入バターの不足に繋がっています。
2　加えて豪州は2年連続の大干ばつ。酪農家の飼料代高騰の大きな原因になっている他バターなどの輸出量に影響を及ぼしています。
3　国内事情は前の日記に書いたように牛乳不足でうまくバターなどに牛乳が回りません。
またバターを製造すると脱脂粉乳ができるのですが、脱脂粉乳が売れずまた在庫を抱えることになるので、一気にバターの製造量を増やせない事情があります。
例えば缶コーヒーなどでも最近は脱脂粉乳より生乳を加えたものの方が味が良いため、飲用乳がそちらに回り、生乳不足に拍車をかけています。
とにかく酪農の安定した推移や、乳製品のバランスのよい需給対策を抜本的に国レベルで考えない限りまたバター不足は繰り返されると懸念しています。
「食糧の自給」問題の一端がこのバター騒動です。

author: Hanako Tokita


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Kyrgyzstan: Short Protest Against US Base · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Elena reports about a short protest against the American airbase, which was held today in the Old Square in Bishkek, the Kyrgyzstan's capital city.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Lithuania: Bloggers’ Conference · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Babel in Vilnius reports on the second Lithuanian bloggers conference – BLOGin 2008 – held in Vilnius in early April.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Macau: 5000 Tips from the Government · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Macau government decided to give every citizen 5000 dollars for relieving the inflation problem. Long ching noticed that rather than appreciating such move, people are skeptical of the policy [zh].

author: Oiwan Lam


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Nepal: US Elections and Immigrants · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nepal Monitor on the influence of immigrants on the US presidential elections.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Poland: Road Signs · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Polish road signs – at Polandian: “All road signs should be taken with a pinch of salt and interpretations read with tongue firmly in cheek.”


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Poland: Warsaw Notes · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Scatts writes about Poland's capital at Polandian: “Thanks to either greed, bad planning, ineffective regulations or a combination of all three, Warsaw is slowly becoming a city hidden behind gigantic advertisements.” On 20 East, Scatts posts pictures and describes the route of a “favorite Warsaw walk.” Both entries feature the ubiquitous red-and-white poles – which have also earned a post of their own, on 20 East.


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Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan: Lenin’s Birthday · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

On April 22, Vladimir Lenin would have turned 138 – and quite a few Russophone bloggers still remember the date.
Oleg Panfilov – LJ user oleg_panfilov, director of the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations – chose to write (RUS) about his native city – Khujand, Tajikistan – which was known as Leninabad from 1939 till 1992:
You know, [Soviet/Russian scholar Dmitry Sergeyevich Likhachev] once supported the idea – put forward by myself and my colleagues – to return the ancient name to my native city. And it successfully made it back into history as Khujand, not as Leninabad, which it had been for over 50 years, even though Comrade Lenin had never visited it.
To me, April 22 is now the day when I can smile sarcastically – perhaps he lived and used to be alive [allusion to these lines by poet Vladimir Mayakovsky], but he'll no longer be in my city. Thank God!
Mark Grigorian – LJ user markgrigorian, a London-based Armenian journalist and political analyst – posted his reflections (RUS) on Lenin and his legacy from Shymkent, Kazakhstan:
For some reason, I continue to notice his statues, busts, portraits.
That typical pointed goatee, a huge bold spot, “an eagle's look” – or, depending on the customer's demand, the “kind eyes” – which painters and sculptors from different countries tend to portray in their own ways.
Or, to be more precise, used to portray. But in such quantities that even now, nearly a whole generation since the Soviet Union disappeared from the map, you can run into him anywhere. Or, nearly everywhere.
And here, in southern Kazakhstan, not far from the city of Shymkent, formerly known as Chimkent, there is a monument to the former leader, with one leg and one arm missing, at the warehouse behind the Mankent boarding house. […]
[photo omitted]
This monument used to stand [in front of] the boarding house. But times have changed, and it has been replaced with a stylized yurt that holds three busts of the leaders of three Kazakh […] tribes, who are looking at a stone cradle with this inscription in blue on it (translation may be imprecise): “If you want to be the nation, start from the cradle.”
[photo omitted]
Many people here speak of Lenin and his monument with affection.
“My son is a third-year student now,” a warehouse worker told me. – “When he was in the second grade, I placed him onto Lenin's lap and took a picture of him. Now this photo is in my album at home. Could I have known that this monument would ever be spoiled like this? What had he done to them? Could be left standing…”
[photo omitted]
Of course, this was a cult similar to religious worship. Many people have noted this: among the elements of worship were the holy trinity [Lenin, Marx, Engels], and devoted disciples who were spreading “the light of the true teaching,” and holy books, and cult-like celebrations… And, of course, what I see now are the remains of the cult.
[…]
[photo omitted]
[…]


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Taiwan: What is the dream we have in the Olympic Game? · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

When China holds the 2008 Olympic Game and said “one world, one dream,” what do we expect for this dream?
Schumann  explained the origin of the Olympic torch:
古代希臘人在奧運舉辦前,會按宗教儀式,在奧林匹亞宙斯神廟前的祭壇上點燃火種， […]火炬手高舉火炬,一邊奔跑,一邊呼喊：停止一切戰爭,參加運動會。
火炬傳到哪，哪的戰火就熄滅了。[…]人們忘記了仇恨,忘記了戰爭,都奔向奧林匹亞參加奧林匹克運動會。
久而久之，火炬這個本來用來傳遞信號的工具，便成了和平、光明與友誼的象征。
However, Schumann   said,
原本具有神聖意義的奧運聖火,卻被中國搞得像過街老鼠,
中國, 污辱了聖火。
Many Taiwanese discuss if we should boycott the Olympic torch due to China government's records of repressing human right.  AW talked what is the goal for China government to hold the Olympic Game：
舉辦奧運變成了中共向全世界展示其「合法性」[…]當奧運場上人們盡情歡呼的時候，在中共黑暗的監獄裡，可能良心犯們正在被折磨得痛苦的呻吟；當西方政要在開幕式上給予中共足夠面子用來貼金的時候，中共正下定決心一定要把共產黨獨裁專制永遠延續下去。
Door and window discussed who should take the responsibility for letting the Olympic torch be tarnished?
世界各國的領袖…..才是讓聖火蒙塵的主因…..
平日以民主自傲的國家那去了???
以自由為榮的國家哪去了???
自稱世界警察的傢伙呢….是癱瘓了嗎???
也好….讓全世界看清楚….
道德的糖衣….在強權面前….全都瓦解殆盡….
doctor61 is surprised by how this Olympic torch is being relayed:
一個國家辦奧運，搞到要動員海外學生華人保護聖火，甚至由中國主動派安全人員出國保護，實在也是創舉了。
On the other hand, many people are surprised by how people supporting Tibet can evoke the boycott of the Olympic torch.  forumvisitor commented,
圖博人在海外的人數應該沒台灣人數多，可是他們能爭取到的國際友人的聲援能量, 我自己覺得真的很驚人。我覺得我們要好好學習, 至少要盡量幫忙保護這個可能的盟友。
Door and window supported the boycott:
奧運聖火的繞境…幾天看下來…
真的有不少感慨…..
中國鎮壓西藏的當時….抵制聖火的言論根本聽不到…..
新加坡甚至….變相支持…挖勒…
但….幸好正義沒有完全消失….
支持人權的民眾站出來之後….
各國也紛紛表態不參加開幕式…..
唉…..人民若不以行動發聲…..就真的沒聲音了……
mobobeijing2008 thought Taiwan should join the boycott:
台灣長期遭受中國武力的威嚇[…]在2008北京奧運舉辦之前，大家應掌握這個關鍵時刻，共同參與跨國界的抵制行動[…]呼籲中國，不應「右手舉聖火、左手抓飛彈」[…]而應該公開承諾，放棄以武力解 決台灣問題。
When the boycott becomes a serious matter to China, China government asks people not to mix politics and athletics.  However, this request does not sell.
johnnio said,
中國過去有幾年都因為政治問題不參加奧運，現在反而喊很大聲，要政治歸政治，體育歸體育。中國人的雙重標準果然博大精深 。
no justice argued,
政治歸政治？ 那台灣要加入世界衛生組織, 非政治機構, 他們在哭夭什麼？
Boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Game is not only a political issue.  It is about what dream people all over the world want to share with each other.

author: I-fan Lin


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Trinidad & Tobago: Official Graffiti?   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“On an abandoned wall in Port of Spain, a graffiti artist declares the right for public art”: Thebookmann explains.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Turkmenistan: Iran Bows to Ashgabat · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust reports that Iranian officials were forced to admit defeat in the gas pricing dispute with Turkmenistan.


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U.K.: Macedonian Film Festival · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Macedonian Tendency shares the schedule of the Macedonian Film Festival that will take place in London next week.


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Ukraine, Russia: “Hitler Toy” Story · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about the “Hitler toy” story that first appeared on the Russian TV and was later picked up by BBC: “To the extent that the Western media often cite Russian sources as an authority on Ukraine, they also partake in this smorgasbord of Soviet-style propaganda.”


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Zimbabwe: Politics of change or change of politics? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Zimpundit blogs for Pajama Media discussing the political situation in Zimbabwe: “While journalists, bloggers, and activists chronicled the dilemma of a nation that voted for the politics of change, the more significant undercurrent — that of Zimbabweans voting for a change in Zimbabwean politics — seems to have been lost in the furor. There is a difference between a politics of change and a change of politics. In the former, dissatisfied voters elect candidates they hope will transform prevailing circumstances. These voters look to new politicians and hope politics will change their situation. The meteoric rise of Barack Obama, the once unheralded rookie senator from Illinois in the USA, is a case in point of this phenomenon.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Zimbabwe: The Inconvenient Truth · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The Inconvenient Truth is a report by The Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA) about elections in Zimbabwe: “The 15 page report is titled ‘The Inconvenient Truth: A complete guide to the delay in releasing the results of Zimbabwe’s presidential poll.’, and can be downloaded in .pdf format from our website here.”


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Afghanistan: Rising Numbers of Suicide Bombings · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Patrick Frost tells about an upcoming US government report describing a dramatic increase in suicide bombings in the last five years with Iraq and Afghanistan being the location of a large majority of these attacks.


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Americas: Twin Brothers to Fight for Different Countries in Olympics · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Daniel Hernandez of Intersections writes that he will be rooting for twin boxers, who will represent two different countries in this summer's Olympic Games.  Javier Molina will represent the United States, and twin brother Oscar will fight for Mexico.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Argentina: Guaraní Youth Join Army · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

María Florencia Puente of La Misionera [es] writes about Guaraní indigenous youth that recently joined the Argentine Armed Forces.  The agreement will help both groups learn from one another.


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Armenia: Alternative Genocide Action · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Hrag Vartanian remembers an unconventional action staged thirty-nine years ago by American-Armenian artist Kardash Onnig outside an Armenian Church in New York. The protest which called on ethnic Armenians to “Un-hate a Turk” was held on 24 April, the day Armenians worldwide remember the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bahamas: Waste Disposal  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The biggest problem with garbage is that it never really goes away,” writes Larry Smith at Bahama Pundit, as he blogs about possible solutions to the Bahamas’ waste disposal woes.


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Bangladesh: An Obama for Bangladesh? · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices wonders if there is an Obama like person who could change the face of politics in Bangladesh.


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Bangladesh: Global food crisis · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

E-Bangladesh on the rising food crisis across the world and the possible reasons behind it.


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Barbados, Jamaica: Up In Arms · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Twenty-eight years after Bob performed ‘Zimbabwe’, Robert Mugabe is still holding on desperately to power and it seems that he will use any tactic necessary to continue his dictatorship.  Now the Chinese are involved”: Both Bajan Global Report and Jamaican Geoffrey Philp blog about an alleged Chinese arms shipment to Zimbabwe.


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Brazil: Making a child murder into a media show · Global Voices
Daniel Duende

On the night of March 29, 5 year-old Isabella Nardoni was found dying in the front garden of the apartment block where she lived with her father, her stepmother and her two half-siblings, in a middle class neighborhood in São Paulo. The caretaker found Isabella after she apparently fell out of her room window. Moments later, her father is said to have rushed into the garden, saying that someone must have thrown her through the window while he was downstairs helping his wife, Isabella's stepmother, bring their two sleeping children from the car in the garage to the apartment. Minutes later, Isabella died in the ambulance.
A criminal investigation followed, and police questioned the father's and stepmother's versions of the story. There is conflicting evidence. The case has received nonstop coverage[Pt] on Brazilian blogs and big media. There is still a long way for the investigation to go before a verdict, but many suspect Isabella's father and his wife may be the young girl's murderers.
This version of the facts has been repeated over and over in the last few days by Rede Globo, Folha de São Paulo, Estado de São Paulo and many other Brazilian TV stations and newspapers, not to mention on thousands of blogs around Brazil.
In the past, major Brazilian mainstream media groups haven't always been careful when branding this or that suspect guilty of a crime. The Brazilian police and investigation bureaus have often been pressured into giving the media information and statements designed to make individuals under investigation look guilty in the eyes of the public before the investigations are concluded. If, at the end of the official investigation, it is revealed that the real culprit was someone else, the same newspapers have rarely bothered to correct these mistakes, quickly moving on to the next playoff goal, political scandal or horrible death.
And the media circus and finger pointing is ramping up yet again in the case of Isabella Nardoni. Guilty or innocent of the horrible crime, Isabella's father and stepmother have already been declared guilty under the spotlight of Brazilian newspapers and TV shows, and one of the greatest supporters of these statements is the public prosecutor working on the case, Francisco Cembranelli, who has given many interviews suggesting that he does believe the investigations will establish the couple guilty of the murder.
Let's check in on what the Brazilian blogosphere thinks about the case.
C.Fagundes, from e-esquina [Pt], came up with this image, linking Rede Globo‘s coverage of the crime with the Big Brother Brasil reality show, aired on the same station:
The image reads “Big-who-killed-the-girl-Brother-Brasil”.
Ismael, from O Malfazejo 2.0 (“The Evildoer 2.0″), also makes a joke about Rede Globo's “reality-show interactivity” coverage of the crime [Pt]:
“Breve nos programas do horário nobre da Globo nova enquete interativa: Se você acha que o assassino de Isabela Nardoni é o pai, ligue para 0300-703-584-01. Para votar na madrasta, ligue para 0300-703-584-02. Para votar na mãe da menina, ligue para 0300-703-584-03. […] A ligação é gratuita.”
“Soon, during Globo's prime time program grid, a new interactive poll: If you think Isabela Nardoni's murderer is the father, call 0300-703-584-01. To vote for the stepmother, call 0300-703-584-02. To vote for the girls mother, call 0300-703-584-03. […] The call is toll free.”
On April 9th, Ricardo Noblat, a journalist who writes a blog hosted by Globo.com – Rede Globo's Internet portal – wrote a post with breaking news [Pt] about the case:
“Foi o pai, Alexandre Nardoni, que jogou pela janela a filha Isabella Nardoni, de 5 anos. A informação foi dada esta tarde pelo promotor Francisco José Cembranelli em conversa reservada com um grupo de jornalistas. No passado o promotor foi professor de Alexandre. Refere-se a ele como “um vagabundo, que sempre viveu às custas do pai, um playboy”.”
“It was the father, Alexandre Nardoni, who threw his daughter, 5 years old Isabella Nardoni, trough the window. The information was given this afternoon by the prosecutor Francisco José Cembranelli in a private conversation with a group of journalists. In the past, the prosecutor had Alexandre as one of his students. He refers to him as “a slob, who always lived on his father expenses, a playboy”.”
Next day, when asked by reporters about the statements Noblat quoted him as saying, Cembranelli denied having said anything like that, and made personal attacks to the blogger-journalist Noblat. Right after this, more than 200 comments were made on Noblat's post – most of them accusing Noblat of fabricating news or standing over dubious sources to make his statements. Up to now, Noblat has been answering patiently to all comments, keeping his faith in his sources and in what he stated before, and accusing Cembranelli of denying falsely what he had effectively said before, in that conversation with journalists.
About prosecutor Cembranelli, Academia Brasileira de Idéias Confusas (“Brazilian Academy of Confused Thoughts”) writes the words below in their post entitled “which the biggest tragedy?” [Pt]:
“Já restou mais do que evidente a vontade de Francisco Cembranelli de ter a imagem associada ao um crime bárbaro para aparecer na mídia e ser lembrado pela participação em um caso de imensa repercussão nacional. Transparece, ainda, a vontade de que sejam, efetivamente, os pais os culpados pelo ocorrido, porque nessa hipótese o julgamento será espetacular, com mais holofotes e exposição pública. Se tudo isso decorre de mera vaidade ou se há no ar o cheiro de alguma vantagem decorrente do episódio, é uma incógnita. Em todo caso, parece desagradável que face a um crime tão bárbaro um ou outro sejam satisfeitos.”
“Francisco Cembranelli's desire for having his image associated with a savage crime, so that he can appear a lot in the media and be remembered by his participation in a case of immense country-wide repercussion is more than obvious. It is transparent, too, wishes for the parents to be effectively declared guilty of what happened, because in this case the trial will be spectacular, with even more spotlights and public exposure. Whether all this comes from mere vanity, or whether there is in the air the smell of some advantage to be derived from the episode, is a mystery. Either way, it's uncomfortable to feel that in face of such a terrible crime one or another may be satisfied.”
On the above post, Cranio comments [Pt]:
“Neste caso mais uma vez fico pensando se toda midiatização de uma tragédia familiar poderá trazer algum benefício à sociedade. […] será que alguém que pensava em atirar uma criança pela janela irá repensar sua atitude? Será que criaremos leis que impossibilitem este tipo de tragédia? Ou apenas não havia nada de inteligente para veicular nos telejornais e aproveitam-se do gosto por sangue que existe na maioria da população e com isto aumentar seu ibope?”
“In this case, I keep wondering if all this ‘mediatization’ of a familiar tragedy will bring any benefit to the society. [… ] would someone who may be thinking about throwing a kid out of the window rethink their attitude? Will we create laws that prevent such tragedies to ever happen again? Or maybe simply there wasn't anything intelligent to air on the TV news and they took advantage of the distinct ‘thirst for blood’ of a large part of our population, just to raise their audience?”
Guilherme Fiuza [Pt], a distinguished Brazilian blogger-journalist, experienced an ordeal somewhat similar to the one to which the Nardoni couple has been subjected. Eighteen years ago, he lost his newborn first son in a tragic domestic accident. At first, Fiuza and his ex-wife were accused of causing of the boy's death, and his neighbours and several people Fiuza says he had never seen before started fabricating stories confirming them as cold-blooded murderers, until it was proven they were innocent. Fiuza doesn't mention that he received any apologies. About his past experience and Isabella Nardoni's case, he writes [Pt]:
“Se não é possível à coletividade imaginar na sua própria pele o ardor da tragédia, já seria um belo avanço civilizatório se ela entendesse, de uma vez por todas, que a vida (dos outros) não é um Big Brother.”
“If it's not possible for people to imagine in their own skin the burning feeling of tragedy, it would be already a great civilized advance if they could understand, once and for all, that (others) lives are not a Big Brother.”
About the hurried interviews given by the Police Inspector responsible for the case, who told reporters that “the investigation is 70% concluded” since the early days after the death of Isabella, Fiuza adds [Pt]:
“A delegada do caso Isabella informou que 70% do crime estão esclarecidos. Notícia importante.
[…]
Mas, doutora delegada, e se nos últimos 30% aparecer um personagem novo confessando o assassinato? Nesse caso, doutora, seus atuais 70% serão iguais a zero.
Jamais se viu, em toda a história da investigação criminal, um caso 70% esclarecido. Das duas, uma: ou a delegada é uma revolucionária, ou é uma irresponsável.”
“The Police Inspector responsible for Isabella's case informs us that 70% of the crime has already been solved. This is important news. […] But, what happens if during the last 30% some new character shows up and admits the murder? In this case, lady, yours 70% are equal to zero. We have never seen, in all the criminal investigation history, a 70% solved case. Either the Inspector is a revolutionary, or she is irresponsible.”
Luiz Carlos Azenha, from Vi o Mundo (“I've seen the World”), is another eminent journalist who quit his mainstream media job to become a full time blogger. He reflects on the media's interest in this case [Pt]:
“A máquina de moer carne da mídia não pára. Precisa produzir continuamente. E produzir, sempre, algo sexy. Na pior acepção da palavra. Crianças defenestradas, arrastadas por automóveis, vale tudo desde que a morte tenha “valor” de venda. Ou seja, a morte de uma criança por desnutrição, aos poucos, bem diante do prédio da Folha de S. Paulo, na Barão de Limeira, tem valor zero na escala da notícia. Bebês mortos em reservas indígenas e em maternidades já se tornaram parte do trivial.”
“The media's meat-grinding machine never stops. It needs to produce continually. And to produce, always, something sexy — in the worst meaning of the word. Children being thrown through windows, or dragged by automobiles¹, anything goes as long as the death has some ‘market value’. That means that the death of a child by starvation, little by little, right in front of the Folha de S. Paulo's building, in the Barão de Limeira [avenue], has zero value in the news scale. Dead children in indigenous reserves, or in the child-care units, are already part of what is trivial.”
¹ (Translator's note: This is a mention of the João Helio case. Helio was a 6 year-old boy who died after being dragged outside his mother's car for seven miles in a car robbery. The case sparked a wave of demonstrations against the increase of criminality in Rio de Janeiro and calling for harsher penalties in the case of heinous crimes. The week of João Helio's death, another boy died in a similar way in another part of the country. No newspaper noticed it. Only blogs took note of the case, but I couldn't find any mention of it in recent times. It might have not made any difference, but João Hélio was middle-class and white, while the other unnamed victim was poorer, and of darker skin.)

author: Daniel Duende


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Brazil: Improving the police by the inside · Global Voices
Daniel Duende

The Blog da Segurança Pública [“Public Security Blog”, in Portuguese], from Brasília, lists 10 possible and affordable improvements[Pt] that would make Brasília policemen's lives better, thus improving their performance at their work too. The blog reports successful experiences made by the police of other Brazilian states.


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Brunei: Little steps to save Earth · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Lazy Turtle reminds us that it takes little steps to save the Earth. “Its these little steps that can contribute a lot. Consider it as buying insurance for your children and your grandchildren against climate disasters.”

author: Mong Palatino


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Chile: Laptop Robberies on Interprovincial Buses · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

There have been reports of organized bands of criminals that have been preying on laptops in interprovincial buses in Chile writes Maulee [es] and suggests that one does not use laptop bags, rather other less conspicious bags.


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China: Anti-CNN Virtual Demonstration  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Some netizens in China have organized a virtual demonstration against western media and in support of the Beijing Olympics at the Second City (a virtual game). via Anti-CNN.


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China: CNN, Media and Market · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Yang Hengjun wrote a very elaborated article on the CNN bias in reporting about Middle East and China. A crucial factor is the patriotic sentiment after 911 which reshaped the media market and the major victims of the bias are overseas Chinese [zh].


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China: GFW-ed Media Research · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated a local media research on three big news agencies’ Olympic torch relay report. Beifeng pointed out that the research result had been affected by the Great Fire wall (also via ESWN translation.)


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China: Tibetan Intellectuals Arrested · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Woeser blogs the background of 6 Tibetan intellectuals who were arrested in Qing Hai in March 31 and April 1[zh]. They are teacher, singers, artist and writer.


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Dubai: Driving Standards  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Qatar Cat, who lives in Dubai, discusses driving standards in the Emirate.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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East Timor: Lifting of State of Emergency · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

As the state of emergency and associated curfew has been lifted in East Timor, Dili-gence feels “bamboozled” by the President’s statements of late.


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Egyptian activists released · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

Two Egyptian activists, Esraa Abdel Fattah Ahmed, who launched the “6 April” Facebook group and blogger Mohamed Sharkawy, have been released. Both Esraa and Sharkawy were arrested on 5 April while distributing leaflets announcing the 6 April strike.

author: sami ben gharbia


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Georgia: Drone Downed · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Registan comments on the latest scandal to hit Russian-Georgian relations after the alleged shooting down of an apparently unarmed Georgian drone by what appears to be a Russian MiG-29. For a variety of reasons outlines in the post, the blog concludes that the true circumstances of the incident may never be known.


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Guyana: Who Let The Dogs Out?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyana-Gyal‘s neighbourhood could do with a dog whisperer.


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Haiti: Food Protests  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

HaitiAnalysis.com posts photos of the recent protests against rising food prices.


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Hungary: “Pseudo Scandal” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum writes about Hungary's most recent political “pseudo scandal.”


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Indonesia: Olympic torch relay · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Reacting to the detention of a Dutch citizen after joining a pro-Tibet Olympics rally in Jakarta, Unspun wonders “about the rightness of foreigners taking up causes in other people’s countries.”


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Iran: Armenians remember Anniversary of Genocide · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Armenians remembered 93th anniversary of Armenian Genocide in Tehran,Iran. You can watch related photos of this event here.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:A Girl with 7 Husbands and Running the World · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Mohmmad Ali Abtahi,former vice president,says that an Iranian 19-year-old girl was sold to a Afghani man but since he did not have the money he had to pay to the father of the girl, he shared 6 other Afghanis and this 19-year-old girl had 7 husbands. Abtahi says saving people from poverty is the main responsibility of Iranian leaders and not running the world.


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Iran:Journalist under fire · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to Kamangir, Masih Alinejad, a female journalist, is under fire in Iran after she wrote about the similarity between dolphins dancing to their instructor and the crowd which gathers around when president Ahmadinejad goes to his numerous trips to under-developed areas.


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Iran:What do you want to know about Iran? · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Homeyra reports that with the help of a Rising Voices microgrant, Shaghayegh Azimi will explain to Iranian filmmakers how they can use videoblogs to distribute their short films and documentaries to an international audience.


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Iraq: The Plight of the Faili Kurds · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Alive in Baghdad sheds light on the Faili Kurds – one of the most oppressed groups of Kurds. Like other Kurds, they were abused during Saddam Hussein’s regime. Statistics from the United Nations show that more than 450,000 Faili Kurds were deported to Iran in the 1980s and nearly 10,000 Faili Kurds between the ages of 13 and 30 years old are still missing.


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Israel: Modern Day Exodus, on African Refugees and their Right for Medical Care · Global Voices
Gilad Lotan

Around 6,000 African refugees escaped the horrors in their countries, and seek refuge in Israel. Many of them live in harsh conditions and can be spotted shivering cold on the streets of southern Tel-Aviv. Earlier this month, the Physicians for Human Rights clinic was forced to shut down, leaving many with no access to healthcare. The insensitive behavior from the side of the Israeli government comes only tens of years after the holocaust, when Jews came to the same plot of land, seeking refuge from the horrors of Europe.
An active internet campaign has been stirring the Hebrew blogosphere, aiming to raising public awareness for the African refugee's basic rights for healthcare among other basic services in Israel. They call for the government to allocate immediate funding for a medical clinic run by the Physicians for Human Rights association, which was forced to shut down earlier this month. The clinic provided foreign workers and refugees with free healthcare services, but ever since the surge in numbers of African refugees seeking medical care, the clinic could no longer bear the heavy burden. It shut its doors in hope that the Ministry of Health and the Israeli government would be forced to publicly recognize the refugees basic right for healthcare.
Internet Campaign
Over 95 bloggers have already joined the campaign advocating for refugee healthcare, requesting the Ministry of Health and Israeli government to take responsibility. Bloggers have been writing about the topic, sending letters to political delegates, raising public awareness, expressing public solidarity and joining forces with the goal of influencing. The list of bloggers and links to their articles can be found in Shuki Galili's post. In addition, a Facebook group has been created, aimed at raising public awareness.
Shooky (Hebrew) has been organizing Israeli bloggers and encouraging them to express their opinions and and send letters to the government. He writes:
A defining characteristic of the time and place we are living in is people's disbelief in the possibility of change; that they can make a difference. The purpose of expressing your opinion is not only for reasons of change. There are cases when taking a stance is a moral duty!
Ten days ago the refugee clinic in Tel-Aviv closed down. The Physicians for Human Rights association who operated the clinic is demanding from the State of Israel to recognize this problem, and provide refugees (and foreign workers) with healthcare treatments…
In order to keep this topic on the agenda, I asked a group of selected bloggers to write a few words and express an opinion. I am asking every blogger who reads this post to act in the same manner. Even if you do not think you will have an effect, even if you think you have nothing to say, add your opinion.
And ask others to do the same.
Bloggers are encouraged to use the image below. Its text translates to: ‘diseases do not discriminate between humans'… *doctors statement: refugees are humans too!’
Elishva Milikovsky writes in the Israeli political blog, Black Labor:
Physicians for Human Rights, one of the most amazing organizations in Israel, opened a clinic in Tel-Aviv ten years ago. The clinic began its operations after one of the volunteer doctors met a working immigrant who suffered from a simple injury which developed into a serious infection, as it was not treated in time. The immigrant later died from this infection.
The PHR clinic offered services to any person in Israel who did not have health insurance, but throughout its time of service, the clinic made it clear that it did not have the financial means to provide medical support for every uninsured person. The organization's goal was to point to the fact that there exists a population in Israel under serious threat because of lack of medical insurance, and to fight for people's right and entitlement to healthcare services…
Muhammad, a Sudanese refugee in his 20s, suffers from a brain tumor. It is not cancerous, but its position in the brain makes it impossible for him to control his swallowing muscles – thus he cannot eat. His situation is becoming more and more critical. He drastically lost weight in the past weeks. An operation will cost tens of thousands of NIS, which of course, he does not have. If he had health insurance he could have already been healthy. But since he does not, he may die soon.
The Ministry of Finance stated that allocation of a budget for the refugees will have to wait until 2009. But these people's health cannot wait until then! We must not forget that the right for healthcare – is actually the right to life.
Arguments
The arguments against providing refugees with medical care are diverse. One claims that the State should make the refugee's lives difficult in order to signal others not to come. Another common voice calls for the use of the word “infiltrators” instead of “refugees”,  portraying their lack of rights. This way, those asking for help are turned into criminals, making it is easier to for the State to withdraw its responsibility, as it is responsible for refugees but not infiltrators. The decision makers did not take into account that the refugees never had the possibility to enter Israel legally. For obvious reasons, they had no choice but to “infiltrate” into a secure country while seeking protection.
Following the closure of PHR Israel's Open Clinic, Health Minister Yacov Ben Yizri asked the Director General of the Prime Minister's Bureau Ra'anan Dinur for an immediate of a NIS seven million budget, designated for treating Africans who have infiltrated Israel illegally, many of whom suffer from contagious and chronic diseases. The purpose of the requested budget is to treat African infiltrators and refugees, vaccinate them, test them for HIV and AIDS, hospitalize those suffering from tuberculosis, hepatitis and cancer and to deliver babies. The Health Ministry estimates that among the infiltrators currently in Israel, some 100 of them suffer from AIDS, and dozens have cancer.
Personal Accounts
city blond describes a personal account and connection to a group of these refugees. She begins her post with a moving email that her mother had received three weeks beforehand. It was a personal email from a friend, describing the dire refugee situation in her neighborhood in central Tel-Aviv:
I want to confess. Like everyone else, I had heard about this topic, the refugees from Darfur and its neighbors in Africa. I acknowledge that I heard it on the radio, read every piece of text in the papers and saw it all on television. And yes, I shifted uncomfortably on my couch, but thought to myself that Africa is far away (even when it lives in moldy cellars in the south side of the city near the central station). And… I continued onwards. Even though I am usually one who cares, am active and volunteer in various places. But c'mon, how much can we handle?
It all changed last week.
A few days ago, someone spilled (literally!) one hundred Africans from buses (from Eritrea and the Ivory Coast) into my street and disappeared. They were all led to an old, unutilized building down the street. The middle of Tel-Aviv, 2008, center of hip Tel-Aviv culture, and one hundred young African refugees aged 18 to 45 are there, when all they have are ragged clothing and the good-heartedness of the neighbors. They have nothing! They have no food, no water, no blankets. They sleep on the floor. No clothes. Nothing!!
It took us several days to realize that they were simply abandoned and that nobody was taking care of them. It took us three days to understand. Three days they did not eat!! And they, with their charming politeness and venerated behavior, sat quietly, and looked at all the passers-by in the street.
Ever since then, we are doing everything we can to help them. Neighbors bringing food and picking up clothes. But for the long-run, it is difficult to feed one hundred people every day. I thought that a hungry refugee's eyes is something my mother left in Europe 60 years ago. But I found this right in front of my eyes, literally in my house; and I cannot take it.
I cannot sleep in a comfortable bed and eat my daily breakfast when 50 meters away, one hundred people are hungry and shivering.
The Hebrew blogger continues to describe how this letter touched her and led her to volunteer with this group of refugees. She tells of a personal connection formed with an Eritrean refugee who was caught in a bureaucratic mess while trying to receive his temporary work permit. She contemplates the hardships of getting close and personally involved:
I am concerned about this. I try to shake this feeling, it has no use. I need to believe that this situation will resolve quickly. My spontaneous volunteering which started unplanned after that email, turned into a deep personal involvement that caught me completely by surprise. I have no doubt that I am lucky for having this chance to help. I am sure that in the future I will be thankful for every moment that I spent with the wonderful refugees and the fantastic volunteers whom I met in the park. I am certain that my acquaintance with Moses will last many years, and I am hopeful that he will live here happily and securely – at least until the situation in Eritrea will change and he could go back without facing prison or death.
But at this moment I am worried. Concerned what will happen if he will not receive his work permit.
And yes, there is the annoying little voice in my head, saying “why did you need all this? Why did you take this matter so personally? Was it not better to leave the help on a general refugee group level? Such that would end when they were taken from the park? Why do I need this hurtful worry towards a specific person?
I could not avoid it. It's easier to stay distanced, to help, give, volunteer, but without being sucked into personal acquaintance…
I am staying away from all the dumb arguments on ‘why we need them here’, and ‘we have enough problems of our own’ and ‘they are not refugees but illegal immigrants’, and other offensive comments I read. The UN recognizes them as refugees. They are running away from a harsh daily reality of political persecution, torture, imprisonment and death. And above it all, fact is they are here. In the meanwhile, our country is not banishing them. We cannot be indifferent to the hunger and repulsive living conditions in the central station. They are humans, in distress. They are here right in front of our eyes.
How can we ignore all this?
Another personal perspective is shared here:
A Sudanese refugee has recently started working in my company… Michael. A great guy, whom one of my work colleagues picked up hitch-hiking in Tel Aviv. After their conversation, he decided to help find Michael a job in our company… Great guy, smiling and laughing constantly. Even through all that he has gone through, and the fact that he is here alone. In my department, we decided to adopt him and care for anything he might need. He has already picked up words in Hebrew and can read bits here and there. If those opposing the support for Darfur refugees would meet Michael, they would quickly understand that it is not an “enemy of the State” that we're dealing with. I wish there were more people like him in this country.
Resources
One of the refugee makeshift basement shelters (source)
Refugees marching from the park to the central station in Tel Aviv (source)
300 African refugees celebrate an alternative Passover Seder (source: activestills.org)
Video on the refugee situation in Tel Aviv.
Anyone who can help is asked to get in touch through the following email – laplitim@gmail.com
The following materials would be happily accepted: mattresses, blankets, towels, games, toys, pampers, cooking utensils and food – rice, pasta, any canned foods.
Additional GVO article on African refugees in Israel – Israel-Sudanese Refugees: Like Darfur, as Auschwitz

author: Gilad Lotan


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Jamaica, Guyana: Evolution  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp features a poem by Guyanese writer Cyril Dabydeen.


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Japan: Twitter in Japanese, with ads · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

The new localized version of Twitter in Japanese has been launched, as reported by Joi Ito, Asiajin, and the Polar Bear Blog. The Japanese version, unlike the current English one, includes advertisements, and there is a plan to eventually export these ads back to the English version.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Jordan: Three Nasty Words  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian 7aki Fadi tells her readers about the three words which make her cringe.


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Jordanian Mona Lisa  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Jordan, Moey shares with us a portrait of a Jordanian Mona Lisa.


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Kazakhstan: Chevron to Face New Fine · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Zhanna Zhukova informs the redaers that Kazakhstan’s government threatens U.S. oil major Chevron with a fine equivalent to $309 million for alleged environmental violations.


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Kazakhstan: New Capital’s PR in Action? · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam reports on the highly praiseful and therefore suspicious report by Voice of America about the Kazakhstan’s new capital, whose 10th anniversary is to be widely celebrated in the country this summer.


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Korea: Roh Moo Hyun and Japanese Netizens · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

The previous Korean President, Roh Moo Hyun, as I wrote a previous post, ‘ Roh Moo Hyun Syndrome (March 30, 2008)’ has become famous even after his retirement due to his casual life style. While he generated hyeom-han gam-jeong (Japanese antipathy against Korea) during his governance, his life has been introduced by a major portal site of Japan, 2ch. A Korean netizen introduced Japanese netizens’ reactions to the photos. It is interesting to observe how he is still an issue and even in other places (newspapers in other countries introduced the Roh Gan Ji Wave [Roh Moo Hyun syndrome] after retirement).
노간지 시리즈를 본 일본 2ch의 반응.
퇴직 후 고향인 김해 봉하마을에서 생활하고 있는 노무현 전 대통령이 자전거 뒤에 설치한 차에 손자를 태우고 마을길을 달리고 있다. 이 사진은 13일 노 전 대통령의 홈페이지에 게재되었다.이 사진을 본 사람들은 이 사진을 인터넷에 유포하며 노 기사 운전해 등으로 제목을  붙였다
After retirement, the previous President Roh Moo Hyun living in his hometown, Bongha village in Kimhae, rode his bike that he adapted especially for his grandchildren on the street. This photo was posted on his homepage on the 13th. Watching this photo, netizens spread the photo over to other internet sites and put the title, “Driver, Roh, Bike.”
정말 천진난만하다
이런 생활, 동경한다
아름다운 사진 아닌가
아 웃었다 서민적이고 좋잖아
왠지 미워할 수 없다 이건 평소 안 좋게 보던 불량배가 조수석에 할아버지 할머니를 태우고달리는 모습을 봤을 때 같은 느낌이다
재미있는데
뭐랄까 이거야말로 천직이라고 생각될 정도로 빠져있잖아
결국 혐한인 나조차 노무현만큼은 미워할 수 없었다
호소카와 전 수상도 은퇴 후에는 허허로운 느낌의 아저씨가 되었지
귤 훔치는 사진 수준으로 웃기다www
저건 몇 번 봐도 웃겨w
뭘 해도 재밌다
더 계속했으면 좋겠다
난 몇 번을 봐도 그저 손버릇이 나쁘다고 밖에 생각 안 되는데, 진실은 어떤 상황이야?
서민의 생활을 찍은 한 장이라고 생각하면 실로 좋은 사진이다.
피사체가 전 대통령이라는 사실이 황당하지만.
문제는 그게 아냐. 왜 정장을 입고 있어?
놀이터에서 한가롭게 그네를 타고 있는 아저씨도 정장을 입고 있지. 마찬가지.
후쿠다 총리는 시골에 내려간다고 해도 그림이 안 나올거야. 과연 노씨라고 밖에는 말할 수 없다
노무현은 타고난 엔터테이너야
노무현은 일본에 와서 코메디언이 되어야 한다
행복해 보인다
노무현은 정치를 빼고 생각하면 좋은 사람 같다
이 사람이 나쁜 사람은 아닐거야. 일본을 비정상으로 싫어하는 점을 빼면
노무땅(역주: 최근 노무현 전 대통령의 전원생활이 소개된 이후 우리나라에서 노간지 등의 별명으로 불리는 것처럼 2ch쪽에서는 노무땅(ノムたん)이라는 애칭을 많이 사용하고 있습니다)은 정말로 귀엽다
점잖지 않아w
웃겨wwwwwwwwww
조금 친근감이 생기는데w이명박도 해라
어째서 이렇게까지 웃기려는 거야?
어? 그냥 좋은 사람 아닌가. 농촌 출신인 나는 친근감이 든다. 아이랑 놀아주는 것도 좋은 느낌이고.
아 진짜wwwwwww
오늘 제일 심하게 웃었다wwwww
노무땅은 어째서 이렇게 사진빨이 좋냐w 후쿠다는 어떻게 찍어도 재미가 없어
전통적인 코리안 컨츄리 스타일의 체현자라는 평가를 얻고 싶은 것이겠지, 노무땅. 미국에서도 은퇴한 뒤에 목장에서 소를 치는 생활을 하는 것이 성공한 남자의 증거인 것처럼.
이건wwwwwwwwwww
정말로 한때 대통령이었던 사람이라고는 생각되지 않아w
어째서 이렇게 노무현은 화제꺼리가 풍부한거야
좋은 사진이구나. 저장했다. 인간적인 냄새가 나니까, 이 사진은 좋아.
이 블로그에선 쓸데없는 정치논쟁을 피하기 위해 가급적 국내정치에 관한 내용은 다루지 않고 있습니다만 한때 혐한들의 표적으로서 2ch에서도 무수한 비난에 직면했던 노무현 전 대통령이 이렇게 전원생활의 모습으로 따스한 반응을 받는 것이 재미있어 또 우리나라에서 화제가 된 노간지 열풍이 2ch에서도 화제가 된것이 재미있어 모처럼 소개해 보았습니다 다만 그러한 관계로 이와 관계없는 쓸데없는 정치적 리플은 자제해주시길 부탁드립니다

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kyrgyzstan: Controversy over Military Base · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Elena tells about the situation around incident in Kant, location of the Russian airbase in Kyrgyzstan, where a 24-year Russian citizen was seriously wounded by Kyrgyz police.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Libya: Roads Mess  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Lately I have been wasting huge amounts of time driving around town looking for roads that are not blocked due to all the demolition and roadwork. It's becoming extremely frustrating,” admits Khadija Teri, from Tripoli, Libya.


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Lithuania: Economy Update · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Lituanica posts an update on Lithuania's economy.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Lithuania: “NOROUTINE” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Babel in Vilnius writes about “the first and only Lithuanian photo movie” – “NOROUTINE.”


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Malaysia: Woman molested by an Ex-Cabinet Minister? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Aarvidi’s Weblog comments on a news report of a woman alleging that a former Malaysian cabinet minister had molested her in a hotel.


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Morocco: Chellah Festival  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“For the 13th year, the historic site of Chellah will play home to a musical dialogue among cultures, as a number of European and Arab musicians are taking part in this event,” reports The View from Fez about a music festival being held in Morocco in June.


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Myanmar: Voting for the Constitutional Referendum · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Burmese Ruby Diary shares her feelings during the second time she voted as a citizen of Myanmar.


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Nepal: Democracy Day · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

United We Blog! on the second Loktantra (Democracy) Day in Nepal, marking a year of the April Revolution.


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Oman: Computer Shutdown Day  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Geeks around the world have decided to have a computer “Shutdown Day“. I find this very funny because it is the exact same thing I did in April 2006 (and I survived it),” writes Blue Chi from Oman.


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Oman: Faster Internet Soon  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Well, it would seem that the people behind our beloved ISP are actually doing some work on providing some better speeds to the Omani populace,” writes Sleepless in Muscat from Oman.


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Pakistan: A street’s name · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

All Things Pakistan on the delightful nomenclature of streets in Islamabad.


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Pakistan: Food crisis and electricity · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

CHUP! on the food crisis in Pakistan – and one of the main reasons is the shortage of power.


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Poland: Opposition to IVF · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes about the attitudes towards in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Poland.


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Russia: Kasyanov and Kremlin’s Populism · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Scraps of Moscow writes about Mikhail Kasyanov and the Kremlin's “populist rhetoric.”


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Russia: Lenin’s Mausoleum · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia reports on a Moscow clergyman's appeal to turn Vladimir Lenin’s mausoleum into a “museum of the victims of Soviet power.”


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Russia: Oil and Gas Industry · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Two extensive posts on the Russian oil and gas industry – at White Sun of the Desert, here and here.


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Russia: Travel Photo Reports · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Lots of Russia travel photo reports – by LJ user victorprofessor.


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Russia: TV, Chechnya and the West · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Valery Dzutsev writes about a documentary recently aired on a Russian state-owned channel, “in which western security services were accused of an attempt to promote Chechnya’s secession from Russia.”


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Russia, U.S.: Hillary; McCain · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Mark MacKinnon writes on “why the Kremlin is pulling for Hillary.” Robert Amsterdam explains “McCain's brain on Russia.”


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Singapore: Who is to be blamed for the escape of a terrorist? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! explains how the escape of a terrorist from a Singapore prison is generating debates on who should take the blame for the embarrassment.


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Sri Lanka: Rice, Wheat and the Food Crisis · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

South Asia Biz on how changing food habits can help overcoming the food crisis in Sri Lanka.


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St. Lucia: Oil and Food Prices  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As oil prices hit US $120 per barrel, Looshan Ramblings says: “The…continued rise in oil prices will negate any efforts by Caricom governments to reduce food prices as we are so heavily dependent on imported food.”


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Thailand: Refusing to stand for the Royal Anthem · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Wise Kwai's Thai Film Journal features the perspective of a Thai citizen who has been charged with lèse majesté for refusing to stand for the Royal Anthem before a film screening last year.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Sticker Shock  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

KnowPRosE.com “was pleasantly surprised to find that the Trinidad Guardian subscription is available on Amazon.com” – and then he saw the price: “I suppose Trinidad and Tobago media just doesn't want to compete at a global level…They need to figure out the Internet, which probably means that they should use it more and try to control it less.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: You’re Fired!  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Babash, Trinidad & Tobago News Blog, Jumbie's Watch and The Extra Secret Blog of Basdeo Panday all blog about the firing of Trinidad and Tobago's Trade Minister.


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Turkmenistan: Problems of the Opposition · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Maciula writes about the condition and problems of the Turkmen oposition and claims that the West has little chance to exert pressure on the Turkmen authorities to make the political system more democractic.


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Ukraine: Labor Migration · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana explains why a social ad against labor migration currently being aired in Ukraine is actually no good: “Forget it, say millions of skilled blue-collar and thousands of white-collar Ukrainians who work abroad. Known as zarobitchany, they sent an estimated $8.4 billion worth of remittances to Ukraine in 2006, a figure twice as high as the country’s FDI [foreign direct investment] for that year.”


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Yemen: Greatest Achievement in Life · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“What can/could be the greatest achievement in life? With time and age, I can not think of any other achievement that is as great and as fulfilling as that achieved in marriage,” admits Omar Barsawad in this post.


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Afghanistan: TV stations under government pressure · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Afghan PenLog returns to the issue of a ban on allegedly “un-Islamic” soap operas on the Aghanistani private TV stations, and says this decision of the government was made under pressure from the parliament and clerics.


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Angola: Remember April 25 · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Many Angolan blogs, such as Kitanda [pt], bring today videos, articles and posts about the anniversary of the 1974 Carnation Revolution, the military-led coup d'état that changed the Portuguese regime from an authoritarian dictatorship to a democracy and brought independence to overseas territories.

author: Paula Góes


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Armenia: April 24 — Genocide Memorial Day · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Yesterday marked the 93rd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the deaths of approximately 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. Often described as the first Genocide of the 20th Century, the Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin invented the term in the 1940s with the Armenian and Jewish Holocausts in mind.
Every year on 24 April, a date marking the roundup of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in what is now Istanbul, Armenians commemorate the massacres and deportations worldwide. In Yerevan, this is particularly the case with hundreds of thousands marching up to the Tsitsernakaberd memorial overlooking the capital to lay flowers and pay their respects.
This year was no different, but as my Caucasus Knot describes, the event started the night before with a candlelight procession by youth affiliated to the nationalist Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D).
[T]housands of young Armenians affiliated with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) assembled in Yerevan’s Liberty Square before embarking on a now traditional candlelight procession to the memorial overlooking the capital. Of course, this being the most nationalist of commemorative events, the Turkish flag was doused in petrol and set alight first. Interestingly, but not convincingly at all, Armenian Public Radio reports that the organizers deny such an act is ever planned.
Blogian provides a comprehensive post accompanied by photos from the day itself as remembered throughout the world. The blog notes that even if Turkey held its own event to instead remember the First World War battle of Gallipoli, the day was very different elsewhere. It also examines the larger context of the Armenian Genocide and continuing attempts to have the tragedy recognized internationally as well as in Turkey itself.
Ninety-three years after the Armenian Genocide started Armenians still remember their unforgettable tragedy. Ninety-three years after the extermination of western Armenia started Turkey denies it ever happened. Ninety-three years after the Genocide started it continues for many Armenians. It continues in denial, hatred and continuous oppression of Armenian culture in Turkey.
For Armenians, April 24 is a day of sorrow, reflection and pride. Sorrow for the uncountable lives lost and an ancient culture reduced to dust; reflection on how to deal with the past in the present for a better future; and a pride for surviving the worst crime in this world.
For Turks, it is a story rather to remain untold. Challenging Turkey’s very right to exist, the Genocide is seen a threat to national pride and legitimacy by many Turks. But for others, it is also a fundamental question of human rights with universal and apolitical applications.
Yet, despite the fact that the day should be one where Armenians of all political and religious persuasions should come together, the commemoration took on a more political tone in Armenia itself. Following the recent and disputed 19 February presidential election, the radical opposition led by former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, held their own march where rather than remember those that died, slogans from the several thousand which attended instead supported his bid to return to power.
Thankfully, the march was held without incident as my Caucasus Knot explains. Given tensions in Armenia since the presidential election, there was the potential for clashes.
Although there were many police escorting the protesters, they were unarmed and not decked out in riot gear. Moreover, and setting quite a precedented compared to any other opposition rally in close proximity to the government buildings on the road, the police outside the presidential palace were also wearing normal uniform. There were no red berets or riot police although I’m sure there were probably some hidden away on an adjoining street in case the situation got out of hand. As it was, apart from whistles and the near-constant shouts of “Levon, President,” there were no incidents.
The situation remained the same until approaching Tsitsernakaberd with senior police officers even communicating with senior members of Ter-Petrossian’s team about the route. And all this despite the perhaps inappropriate slogans and emotions from some among Ter-Petrossian’s supporters.
Seetizen, the blog of a local youth activist, was dismayed with the opposition's use of the day for political purposes.
Some Armenians went to an opposition rally today, against i don't understand what…. They were shouting I dont understand what and why… and I really dont get how could an rmenian person go to an opposition (oBOZition better to say!!!) rally on this day??????! Hey dears, common, go rest a while, think, and then do whatever you are doing!
Such a shame to be an Armenian when I see what other Armenians are doing here! I hope those rally-dudes never get what they wanted! I am pretty sure they anyway will not get anything good after all…:) shame
Supporters of the radical opposition, however, also used the day to attack the government. Even though their leader, Levon Ter-Petrossian, is noted for his conciliatory position on relations between Armenia and Turkey, Nazarian criticizes the present government for also taking a more moderate position — or what the blog considers a “defeatist path.”
The “foreign minister” Eduard Nalbandian has said “It is impossible to imagine the future of the Armenians and Turks without reconciliation”.
He said this on April 24! This is serious.
This kind of policies in the past have been labeled as defeatist by the pseudo-president. Why has he decided to embark on this kind of foreign policy now? Does he hope that the Turks will come to his aid when he is about to be kicked out of Armenia?
In fact, the Genocide is one of the most contentious and defining aspects of the present-day identity of most Armenians, especially in the Diaspora. Nevertheless, remembers Hrag Vartanian, who posts a photograph of Armenian-American artist, Kardash Onnig, holding up a sign reading “Un-Hate a Turk This Day,” there are some who believe in the importance of recognizing the Genocide, but also consider that blind hatred towards Turkey is unfortunate.
Always unconventional, Armenian American artist Onnig Kardash, staged a protest/performance on April 24, 1969 in front of the St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in Manhattan’s Murray Hill neighborhood. The action seemed to underscore the need for love in the face of hate.
April 24 is the traditional day to commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide, Kardash’s protest shocked many Armenian Americans who were angry and confused at the radical protest on such a solemn day.
Like most ethnic Armenians in the Diaspora, Vartanian has his own tale to tell. Indeed, the blogger posts the story of his own family who experienced the Genocide first hand.
My paternal grandmother was born in Marash and was betrothed to a man from Zeitoun where they moved after their marriage. They had a home and children in Zeitoun but then soon the massacres and deportations began. Forced to leave their village, her husband and children were butchered, no one seems to remember the details and perhaps she never told anyone the truth. My grandmother did remember running through the village with an in-law. As they ran hand in hand to escape the terror of soldiers she felt something heavy pulling down her hand and it had been the arm of her relative which had been hacked off by a soldier’s blade. She escaped to the mountains and was discovered by some Muslims who forced her into their home as a servant. […] Alone, my grandmother fled into the mountains where for months she lived on her own and was forced to eat grass to survive.
During her months alone she came across a group of Armenian refugees from her town. She joined the group and they traveled together until Mosul in present-day Iraq. Many members of the group had died but the others arrived on the outskirts of the city naked and destitute. On seeing the group, the city’s government officials could not believe that they were human, months of wandering had taken its toll.
Martinis for Milk also examines the legacy of the Armenian Genocide although its debatable whether such a view represents anything other than that of a minority of Armenians in the Republic and the Diaspora.
All I will say about the Armenian Genocide is this: We have to learn to forgive in order to have a future. We’re never going to get back our lost relatives. Most of them would be dead by now anyway. We’re never going to repair the lives that were severed (on both sides) because of this horrible black spot in history. It's never going to hurt less that an entire government thought that we should be exterminated, or that the world was too busy to do anything about it. But maybe, just maybe, if we could find a way to release the hurt and the anger, we could start over again.
Meanwhile, Blogian says that some soul-searching and openness is materializing in the modern-day Republic of Turkey. However, it also notes that such approaches are fraught with dangers for the ethnic Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish writers and journalists who attempt to do so.
[A] Turkish newspaper, Taraf, devoted its front page to the Armenian Genocide yet was careful not to use the word genocide. […] It published the names of the Armenian intelligentsia members who were arrested and eventually killed on April 24, 1915. Taraf’s article was nothing close to recognition or acknowledgment, but given the high degree of ultra-nationalism in Turkey it was indeed a progress. In fact, a dangerous one too. A Kurdish newspaper, for example, was closed down after publishing photographs from a possible Armenian mass grave in 2006 (later cleaned up by the Turkish army and presented by the Turkish historical society as a Roman cave).
But, whatever the politics, the day is most of all for Armenians everywhere. Actually, others would argue that it is for anyone concerned with remembering man's inhumanity towards man, and preventing such tragedies from ever happening again.
Photos: Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008


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Armenia: Black Dog of Fate · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

On the occasion of the 93rd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, The Armenian Odar Reads reviews Peter Balakian's Black Dog of Fate. Although the book has been around for some time , the review is quite timely given yesterday and is an interesting account of not just the Armenian Genocide, but also its effect on a member of an immigrant community in the United States.


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Armenia: Nationalism & Remembrance · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Patchwork posts some photographs of the 23 April march to the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan by youth affiliated to the Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D). The blog says that it was surprised by the nationalism on show.


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Armenia: Politicized Youth Group · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Seetizen, the blog of a prominent youth activist in Armenia, criticizes the Sksela youth movement which was founded by other activists close to the campaign team of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian. Although the Sksela youth movement is meant to be politically neutral, the blog says that the reality suggests the opposite. Instead, the group has become a tool for the radical opposition.


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Aussies and Kiwis Celebrate ANZAC Day · Global Voices
May Hnin Phyu

ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.
Anzac Day is commemorated by Australia and New Zealand on 25 April every year to remember members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. A significant number of fatalities were suffered: 2721 New Zealanders, 8709 Australians.
Hobart Daily is proud to serve his nation as a formar member of the Australian Army and celebrates the special day.
They shall grow not old,
As we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun,
And in the morning
We will remember them. Lest we Forget
Photo By: heritagefutures
Kiwi blogger Sakiwi posted a photo of Spitfire replica from Hamilton Memorial Park and reminisces the past events.
Although Anzac Day, the anniversary of the first day of conflict, does not mark a military triumph, it does remind us of a very important episode in New Zealand's history. Great suffering was caused to a small country by the loss of so many of its young men.
Anzac Day now promotes a sense of unity, perhaps more effectively than any other day on the national calendar. People whose politics, beliefs and aspirations are widely different can nevertheless share a genuine sorrow at the loss of so many lives in war, and a real respect for those who have endured warfare on behalf of the country we live in.
Wilsonsalmanac explains “In Australia, it is generally commemorated with more reverence and enthusiasm than practically any public holiday, including Australia Day and Easter.” while Planetirf writes about ANZAC Day reflections.
Ravi Tandukar watches the an interview program about an elderly soldier on ANZAC eve.”His casual but humble and honest expressions matched his watery, sad looking eyes.”
While others are relaxing on the day, a Burmese Blogger Soe Htet of Melbourne is busy helping friends and posted some photos from “Shrine of Remembrance” a place where they celebrate ANZAC Day in Melbourne.
Photo By: Sammis
Meanwhile, In a Strange Land posts a very interesting intake of AZNAC Day celebration on this “ANZAC Day Atheist” post and expresses his strong will against celebrating ANZAC Day.
I have no problem with commemorating the dead. For the most part, my response to religious ceremonies is irony. How could these people believe such things? But irony is exactly wrong for ANZAC day.
I especially mind the way in which people who get up to attend the dawn ceremonies seem to think that they have done something noble. Relatives of men who died in the wars, and of veterans who have since died, have taken to marching in the ANZAC Day parades, ostensibly to represent their fallen and dead forbears. In practice however, they puff out their chests, sigh mightily, and adopt an air of portentous nobility, as if they themselves had struggled to take Chanuk Bair, or fought on the Kokoda Trail. Get this, poseurs – you did not fight! You did not risk your life. You are no hero. And marching in the ANZAC Day parades will not make you one.
Here are some videos on 2008 ANZAC Day
No matter what the different views on ANZAC Day are, Wellington Hive reminded again that the aussies and kiwis around the world are celebrating this memorable day. “for the rest of today and the start of tomorrow, don't forget that the commemorations are going on all around the world. On ANZAC Day at least, around the world, the ANZAC spirit lives on”.

author: May Hnin Phyu


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Bangladesh: Cheerleader trouble · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The new cricket league – IPL in India has its share of teething troubles. One of them being the imported cheerleaders that some politicians find too vulgar for their taste. More at a bengali in TO.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Barbados: Economic Storm?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The issue of the rising cost of living will no doubt remain firmly at the top of the national agenda in the coming weeks and months ahead,” writes Barbados Underground, as he blogs about the island's economic challenges.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Brasil: Alternative (poetic) justice · Global Voices
Daniel Duende

Hernani Dimantas, from comunix.org [Pt], cheers [Pt] the decision made by a criminal judge in southern Brazil, to exchange the normal penalty to be applied on 3 young Brazilians, accused of commiting internet crimes, by a curious alternative penance: read and review 2 classical Brazilian literature works each trimester. Hernani says: “Nothing better for a cybernetic proto-pirate than reading and analyzing a literature hacker like Guimarães Rosa“


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Brazil: Against the slave farms · Global Voices
Daniel Duende

Luiz Carlos Azenha, from Vi o Mundo [“I saw the world”, in Portuguese], blogs for the approval of the Congress Bill that changes the Brazilian Constitution to allow for the confiscation of private rural lands where the use of slave work is discovered. Azenha says “It's necessary to confiscate the lands of those who use slave work. The expropriation of lands where slave work is still used is fair and necessary, and is one of the most effective ways to eliminate impunity”.


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China: Biggest Carrefour in the World · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Xueyong criticized the Carrefour boycott and pointed out that the rise of China is related to the growth of global retailing stores like Carrefour as most of their products are made in China. In fact China is the biggest Carrefour in the World [zh].

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: City Control Team · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ceng ying commented that the city control team acted like an anti-government propaganda team when they rid the street vendors out of the city [zh].


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China: Hu Jia’s Prosecution Document · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zeng Jinyan posted Hu Jia's prosecution document[zh] on her blog.


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China: Why Is CNN Patriotic? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated Yang Hengjun's blog post that explains the bias in CNN.


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Estonia: “The Rubik’s Cube of the Soviet Legacy” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Itching for Eestimaa writes about Estonia: “This country is complicated, but attempts to explain it to the outside world often fail. […] Estonia is closer than you think to solving the Rubik's Cube of the Soviet legacy. Let them work it out by themselves.”


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Hong Kong and China: Sweatshop and Olympics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A sweatshop report against a Hong Kong company was interpreted as an Olympics conspiracy. More from interlocals.net.


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Hungary: Watch Repairer’s House · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A photo of a watch repairer's house – at Little Town in Hungary.


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Fiji:Importing goats for cross breeding · Global Voices
May Hnin Phyu

Babasiga is surprised to discover that goats in Labasa are originally imported from South Africa. He also shares his experience on family goat farming.


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India: Education and Schooling · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Sudipta's Life takes a closer look at one's schooling experience, to explore what is wrong with the education system.


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Iran: Iranian Leader and mountain climbing · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Khbarnegar Osoolgara has published a photo of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian Leader,in mountain.


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Iran:Gender apartheid and sexual harassment  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Sahel reports[Fa] that “students in Sahand University in Tabriz,in Iran, protested against “gender aparthied” and cultural and social pressure.” It seems that male and female students can not attend same classes together. It is said some girls have been victims of sexual and moral harassment by employees. Watch photos here.


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Jamaica: Been a Long Time Since I Rock n’ Rolled  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Too old to rock n’ roll?  Jamaican Marlon James can identify.


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Jamaica: Contemporary Poetry  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Anthony McNeill was without doubt amongst the finest contemporary Caribbean poets, whose previous collections…were hailed as works of immense originality”: Geoffrey Philp features an excerpt from the late Jamaican poet's Chinese Lanterns from the Blue Child.


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Japan: Folding Arts · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ryoko from Pingmag wrote a feature on Japanese folding arts.


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Japan: Public Intellectuals · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Shisaku proposed to list out 100 Japanese public intellectuals and he produced an initial list of 50 names.


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Japan: Suicide Phenomenon · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Asiajin blogs a new suicide phenomenon by creating lethal hydrogen sulfide gas in Japan. The method is widely spread in the Internet.


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Kazakhstan: Almaty Traffic Jam Photo · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Ehot posts a photo of traffic jam, which is already a regular phenomenon in Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan and the region's business hub.


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Kyrgyzstan: Pictures from the trip to the country’s northern parts  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Azamat Report made a visit to Naryn, a mountaneous region on the north of Kyrgyzstan, and now posts pictures of the road tripping.


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Lebanon: CLuster Bombs  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

M Bashir from Lebanon draws our attention to the dangers of cluster bombs in his country – which are still claiming lives today.


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Lebanon: Cultural Renaissance · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“There's a sort of Renaissance taking place in Lebanon – attributed partially to an massive influx of European tourists (and a marked absence of Gulfies) – art, culture, and creativity are becoming more the norm than the exception in public & semi-public spaces,” notes Finkployd with photos and video on Beirut's flash mob.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Lebanon: “Embarrassed Arabic Language” · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“Arabic is an embarrassed language. Not embarrassing, but embarrassed,” comments Tantalus about how cryptic some Arabic writers become in order to avoid taboo words.


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Lebanon: Roumieh Prison Mutiny II · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“The prisoners handed over the seven warders they were holding hostage and returned to their cells after having negotiated and handed over demands to the chief of internal security,” reports Lebanon News Network on the peaceful ending of the prison mutiny.


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Lebanon: Roumieh Prison Mutiny · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“….of interest to the laymen, Roumieh prison is where the 4 Generals, Assayed, Azar, Hamdan; Hajj are kept … and where many of the Fath El Islam elements are imprisoned … I remain suspicious,” noted GPC on the mutiny taking place at the Roumieh prison in Lebanon.


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Lithuania: Stance on EU-Russia Partnership · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Lituanica reports that Lithuania “is not interested in vetoing or blocking Brussels-Moscow talks over commencement of strategic EU-Russia partnership treaty.”


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Lost Brazilian ballooning priest carried into the blogosphere · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

Brazil is an unusual place. The country is full of unconventional people, capable of performing extraordinary feats, which nowadays can get reported in peculiar ways by an ever-growing crowd of unique bloggers. This time the story is rather sad, but the blogosphere is exploding with humorous takes on the tragedy of a Brazilian Roman Catholic priest who is missing after drifting out to sea while trying to set a record for a flight using helium-filled party balloons.
The goal of Father Adelir Antonio de Carli was to break the 19-hour record for remaining aloft using only party balloons, in order to raise funds for the rest stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil’s second-largest port for agricultural products. Brazilian truckers often spend days waiting to unload in the port, especially during the busy soy export season now under way.
Planes, helicopters and boats from Brazilian rescue forces have been out along the coast of Santa Catarina state looking for the balloon-flying priest all week. Surely, a religious person gone missing during a charity stunt deserves the highest respect, but the lack of elementary safety features in Father de Carli's plan to accomplish his endeavor has unleashed an unstoppable stream of humorous lines, although not without some guilty thoughts about them.
Seria cômico se não fosse trágico? Pois acho que pode ser trágico e cômico. Estão aí as “tragicomédias” que não me deixam mentir. Por favor, concorde comigo antes que eu continue!: é cômico! (súplica gratuita, desinteressada e “afoita!” por dividir o peso na consciência por ter visto tanta graça nisso tudo)
Padre Peter Pan – Fossas do Ofício
então, o que tá rolando de piada em cima desse padre que resolveu voar amarrado a balões contendo gás hélio não está nas escrituras sagradas… aliás, a peripécia derradeira do padre aviador é o assunto do dia com um amigo, estudante de jornalismo, que mora no rj. a imprudência do sacerdote, de tão bizarra, chega a ser cômica. como alguém pretende voar de balão com uma condição climática completamente desfavorável, sem ao menos saber operar um gps, minha gente?
Como usar um gps? – de tudo um pouco
Indeed, the last contact  made by the priest through a satellite cell phone was a request for someone who could teach him how to operate the GPS he had taken with him, so that he could give his actual coordinates. Even the uber-geek folks at Gizmodo could not keep from gaily commenting the tech aspect in the case.
Sadly, nobody was able to explain to him how to do it correctly and, around 9PM—the time of his last contact—he disappeared. I see this sad event, which has ended in the tragedy of a missing person—obviously he's a bit crazy and this is all his fault—as an example of all that is wrong with the design of machines today. Not because technology itself was the cause of him getting lost—it wasn't. It was more bad luck and bad planning than anything else. After all, his first flight was a success without GPS, and men have been wandering through Earth without any help for thousands of years. The problem here is that I can imagine his frustration, trying to make sense of an infernal device so he could tell people his exact location, all the while knowing that he was going to get lost forever in the immensity of the sea.
Priest Takes Off Using Party Balloons, GPS to Find God (Literally) – Gizmodo
Searchers have already found many of the balloons stretched over an area 50 km away from the coast of Santa Catarina state, but no signs of the cleric, who was wearing a helmet, aluminum thermal flight suit, water-proof overalls and a parachute. Friends and relatives still believe that the priest was well prepared for unexpected events, and that there is big chance that he is still alive. Yet, other accounts tell about the priest's daring and exhibitionist personality, that would disregard safety measures and trample upon any obstacle standing on his way to broad recognition.
O padre Adelir De Carli, de 41 anos, foi expulso da escola de vôo livre Vento Norte, em Curitiba, há cerca de três anos por indisciplina e exibicionismo. É o que conta Márcio André Lichtnow, instrutor responsável pelo curso de parapente que teve o padre como aluno… “Ele era indisciplinado e não participava das aulas teóricas, que são fundamentais para se compreender as questões meteorológicas. Ele não tinha nada de humilde, se acha o bom, o que conhecia tudo, o que sabia tudo. Parecia um playboy”, diz Lichtnow. O instrutor afirma que o padre fez dez horas de aulas práticas e quatro horas de aulas teóricas. Para completar o curso precisaria de 40 horas de prática e 30 horas de teoria. Lichtnow conta ainda que o padre o procurou para falar dos planos de voar a partir de Paranaguá (PR). “Falei para ele que decolando dali o único lugar que ele poderia pousar era na África do Sul, porque é para lá que os ventos levam. Mas ele disse que já havia estudado tudo e eu achei que era brincadeira”, lembra. “Fiquei bem menos católico depois de conhecer o padre”, finaliza o instrutor, que faz questão de dissociar a figura de Adelir De Carli da escola de vôo. “Ele tentou ser meu aluno, mas não foi aceito”.
Mais um brasileiro em ‘Lost’ – Dona Didi
There is a possibility that the priest's careless attitude for his own safety gave license to or even triggered the strong flow of comic responses seen in the Brazilian blogosphere concerning the unusual circumstances contributing to his disappearance. Last time we checked, Father Adelir had even acquired a fake blog called ‘Imaginary Diary of a Flying Priest‘, and Julio Vedovatto plays with the possible media headlines around the world reporting about the priest's stunt:
- The New York Times: Padre sobe, bolsas caem.
– O Globo: Caos aéreo: Piloto confirma ‘quase colisão’ com padre.
– Diário de Bogotá: Padre desaparecido pode estar em poder das FARC.
– Gazeta de Madrid: Zapatero avisa: Se padre entrar na Espanha, será deportado.
– Diário de La Paz: Evo Morales recebe padre e pede reajuste para encher os balões de gás.
– Diarinho: Padre maluco se escafedeu com balões de festinha.
– Corrieri de la cera: Vaticano apóia balão, mas condena camisinha.
– Washington Post: Hillary vs. Obama: Padre irá desempatar a disputa.
– Beijing News: Governo Chinês confisca as imagens da queda do balão do padre no Tibet e afirma que não houve violência.
– Beijing News (edição extra): Governo chinês diz que padre já está treinando para a cerimônia de abertura dos jogos olímpicos.
– Israel: Resbolah diz que ‘padre voador’ é um deboche à Maomé e promete novos ataques terroristas.
– Correio Braziliense: Oposição diz ter provas de que os balões foram comprados com cartão corporativo.
– Diário do Equador: Governo confirma que balão foi abatido pelo exército Colombiano e exige explicações.
Enquanto isso nos jornais do mundo, sobre o Padre do Balão – Julio Vedovatto
In fact, the story of the Brazilian priest and his balloons has really echoed abroad, and the tragicomic results among bloggers seems to be the same. The event is already listed as a candidate for the ‘Darwin Awards‘, an initiative to ‘reward people who remove themselves from the gene pool voluntarily by accidentally killing themselves in stupid ways’, and ‘The spoof‘ has a headline that says: “Al Qaeda accepts responsibility for missing balloon priest“.
Almost a week after the disappearance the priest's family still believes that he will be found, as the seat was lined with air-tight pockets that can be pumped up and there are several islands in the region that he could have washed up on. Indeed, one of the most circulated satires of the case toys with the fact that the priest might have landed on a very well-known island, where others are already Lost.
Another Brazilian in Lost
[Rodrigo Santoro, a Brazilian actor, joined Lost's cast during it's third season]
We hope and pray still for the success of the continuing search efforts and that we may have the opportunity to share stories about the viral media phenomenon triggered by his exploits and good laughs with the Father himself. Meanwhile, the blogosphere continues to balloon with the story.
Where is the priest?
Places the crazy balloon priest has visited
Father Adelir makes appearence on Google Maps

author: Jose Murilo


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Lusosphera: Remembering the Carnation Revolution · Global Voices
Paula Góes

It was a beautiful party
I was very pleased
I've still kept stubbornly
an old carnation for me
They have wilted your party
But they must have forgotten a seed
in some corner of the garden
(Song by Chico Buarque, to whom I beg forgiveness for my translation)
On April 25 1974, 34 years today, Portugal's 40-year fascist dictatorship, the longest in the history of Western Europe, came to an end with the Carnation Revolution, a leftist, military-led coup d'état. On that morning people went out to the streets despite the advice to stay at home, but instead of blood shed, bullets were swapped for flowers. There was a surprisingly peaceful overthrow of the dictatorship of Antônio de Oliveira Salazar and his successor, Marcelo Caetano, in which the population held red carnations and tucked them into the soldiers’ rifle barrels. The second aim of the revolution was the cessation of the war in Africa.
With the too rapid independence for its African colonies, a violent civil war shook Angola, Mozambique was made independent the year after but only found peace in 1992 and East Timor was seized by force by Indonesia a year later. Other colonies, like Cape Verde, were left poor to despair. Despite the decolonization process being considered a shambles, the revolution enjoys popular support today and many Portuguese speaking bloggers, from these countries and around the world, dedicated a post to it.
Lusofolia [pt] publishes the video above, ‘Tanto Mar’ is a song-homage composed by Brazilian Chico Buarque, which was later censored as Brazil was enduring its own dictatorship. The blogger  says:
… tão distante já, é comovente relembrar daqui de longe o dia em que foram as mulheres que ofereceram flores aos homens. Um abraço a todos e a todas.
… it is so distant now, it is moving to remember from here, so far away, the day on which it was the women who offered flowers to men. A hug to all ladies and gentlemen.
CBugarim [pt], who was born under the Portuguese rule in Angola, says:
Festejo a Paz e o Progresso em Angola e o facto de a distância não me ter separado da minha Família e amigos mais queridos. Presto a minha homenagem a todos aqueles que pagaram com as suas vidas a factura da Liberdade e da Paz.
I'm cheering for the Peace and Progress in Angola and the fact that the distance has not separated me from my dearest family and friends. I pay my homage to all those who paid the bill of Freedom and Peace with their lives
From Maputo, Mozambique, Marta [pt] has been publishing April 25 inspired posts all day with poems, links to video and images, such as the one above.
From Macau, Leocardo [pt] explains the relationship society has with the historic day:
Em Macau o Dia de Cravos bateu com pouca força. É uma sociedade muito conservadora que se pela pelos santinhos, missas e procissões. Talvez seja por isso que alguma da beatada da metrópole se deu tão bem com os ares de cá. Talvez por isso não compreendam que afinal é o povo quem mais ordenha (ordena, bolas!). As actividades do 25/4 resumem-se ao feriado no Consulado, da Escola Portuguesa, e ao protocolo da praxe. Sempre presentes estão os habituais papa-eventos, que vão lá seja qual for o orador.
In Macau, the Carnations Day hit with little impact. It is a very conservative society which goes after little saint images, masses and processions. Perhaps it is why some of the church-blissful ones from the metropolis did so well with the airs over here. Perhaps that is why they don't understand that it actually is the people who do most milking (I mean who order!). The activities of the 25/4 holiday are held in the consulate, in the Portuguese School, and follow the usual protocol. There will be the usual party-goes, who will be there whoever the speaker is.
[Note: the blogger makes a very difficult to translate wordplay with ordenha/ordena, which sound very similar in Portuguese but the first means to milk an animal, and the second to order, to be in charge. The word Ordena was used in a then banned song by José Afonso, Grândola Vila Morena, broadcast on a radio station as a kind of password on the morning of April 25 to signalize to the troops that the day had come, as Brazilian blogger Elisabete Cunha [pt] quotes in a very elaborated post].
From East Timor, Frederico Duarte Carvalho [pt] suggests a book by Nuno Simas which shows how the US knew exactly what was going on in Portugal, unlike the popular belief:
Podem encontrar aqui os originais dos arquivos norte-americanos. O Nuno Simas, contudo, começa o livro com a defesa da versão oficial de que os EUA estavam a “leste” em relação ao golpe que preparava para o dia 25 de Abril de 1974 e, mais à frente, cita Henry Kissinger a queixar-se de que os EUA não tinham de andar a prever golpes pelo mundo fora. Dito assim, parece mesmo que nada se sabia…
You can find the original US archives here. Nuno Simas, however, starts the book defending the official version that the U.S. were “east” when time came to the coup that was being prepared for April 25, 1974, and later, cites Henry Kissinger complaining that the U.S. did not have to to anticipate coups by the outside world. Putting it like this, it seems that they knew nothing…
From Portugal, Alder Pinoca [pt] publishes the image above, says that he remembers little of the sheer happiness around from the day in his childhood and asks when the promised ‘Freedom Day’ will actually come:
E diziam que a liberdade estava a passar por ali e que tinha vindo para ficar porque a defenderiam.
Era o 25 de Abril de 1974. Tantas palavras promissoras eu ouvi, a tantas alegrias eu assisti.
E agora, hoje, neste momento, onde estará a liberdade e a alegria que guardei no cofre das minhas memórias de criança?
É isto a liberdade? É isto a democracia? A justiça?
O 25 de Abril, sempre! É isto?
And they said that freedom was coming through and that it was there to stay because they would defend it.
It was April 25, 1974. So many promising words I heard, I watched so much joy.
And now, today, today, where is the freedom and joy that I kept safe in my childhood memories?
Is this freedom? Is this democracy? Justice?
April 25, always! Is that all?
On the other hand, also from Portugal, Tiago R Cardoso [pt] laments that the young generation of today do not appreciate April 25 and do not know how to protest when they need to do so:
A actual juventude está afastada do 25 de Abril, dá-lhe pouca importância, acha que a liberdade e todos estes direitos que tem caíram do céu, quando são fruto de anos de lutas, de acumular de frustrações e injustiça, que culminou na a revolta contra “o estado a que chegamos” […] “O 25 de Abril não é monopólio de uma geração nem de uma força política”, quem me dera que muitos ouvissem e entendessem..
The youth of today is far away from April 25, they give it little attention, they believe that freedom and all the rights that they have have dropped from the sky, whereas they are the result of years of struggles, accumulated frustration and injustice, which culminated in the revolt against “the state we have reached” […] “April 25 is not the monopoly of a generation or a political force,” I wish many people would hear and understand this.
You can read an article by Mozambican author Mia Couto about the revolution here.


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Macau: No More Casino? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Macau Chief Executive Edmund Ho claimed that the government would suspend the development of gambling industry. Lang qing felt that such claim was just political slogan as most of the Casino projects had been approved and the gambling industry would continue to double or triple its growth in the coming few years [zh].


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Myanmar Embassy in Australia makes voting difficult · Global Voices
May Hnin Phyu

Paraussies mentions that Burmese from Australia are facing difficulties casting their votes.


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Myanmar: Love and Support for Hillary Clinton · Global Voices
May Hnin Phyu

Justin supports and loves Mrs. Hillary Clinton's speech on Dr. M. L. King Jr., “I just love this speech. Against all odds, I strongly believe in Mrs. Clinton and that she's the right person to go to the White House and bring about real positive changes in the United States.”. He also posted a video of Hillary celebrating Pennsylvania win.


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Russia: Anti-NATO · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Streetwise Professor writes about Russia's anti-NATO stance: “Fighting the last war is dangerous if you really have one. Preparing to fight the last war is not so deadly if no conflict is in prospect. The Russian leadership acts as if that is the case, and feels just fine about living in the past.”


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Russia: “Chernobyl’s Other Victims” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia writes about “Chernobyl's other victims” – “the thousands of people who exposed themselves to extraordinarily high levels of radiation while taking part in the clean up” and who now “find themselves not only sick as a result but largely forgotten by the successor governments to the regime which ordered them there without the protective gear they needed.”


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Russia: Computerization of the Russian North · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia reports: “Scholars in the Sakha Republic have developed computer scripts for the Linux operating system […], a breakthrough that […] promises to open the way for computerization across the Russian north.”


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Slovakia, Romania: Media Freedom · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Edward Lucas of the Economist re-posts his piece on the “shrinking” of “media freedom” in Slovakia and Romania.


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South Korea: Pro Tibet Mobilization · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

CINA forecasts a pro-Tibet protest during the Olympic Torch relay in Seoul the coming Sunday. According to the blogger, the extreme right to the left and the liberals will have a united front in supporting a free Tibet.


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Sri Lanka: Censoring the war · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Free Media Sri Lanka on the government barring photographers from entering hospitals where soldiers injured in battle are being treated.


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Sri Lanka: Ethnicity and Sentiment · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

groundviews explores the issue of ethnicity as a subjective group sentiment – delving into the idea of being Tamil or Sinhalese in Sri Lanka.


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St. Lucia: Bring on the Budget  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Although she is “yet to get a copy of the estimates of expenditure for the 2008/2009 budget”, Looshan Ramblings has a few things to say:  “The present administration has no idea…they are acting as if Saint Lucia is on planet Venus and the rest of the world is on earth. Who cares about 7 new hotels when we cannot afford to buy cheese for God's sake…”