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Lusosphere: Reporting Carnival · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

After four days of official Carnival revelry — and seven weeks of regular preparations and rehearsals since the year started — Brazilians will finally start thinking about getting back to work. The interested reader will be pleased to see how blogs are full of accounts describing street celebrations and links to pictures, audio and video files all over the net. Indeed, to navigate through the visual reports of Brazilian streets during Carnival time can be a fascinating experience to world audiences, but a deeper look will evidence how the spectacular images can cloud some subtle but important local debates over the very concept of the celebration. In times of  augmented citizen participation in reporting events trough web 2.0 services and blogging activity, will the mainstream media exhibition format of the Brazilian Carnival endure?
Se você é um daqueles que só conhece carnaval pelo que a TV mostra, provavelmente odeia tanto quanto eu odiava… Vai viajar? Esqueça o Rio e a Bahia. Esses dois carnavais podem ter seus valores, mas tudo virou uma grande indústria com músicas e bandinhas da moda e o folião virou consumidor de fantasias e abadás em troca de uma chance de aparecer durante 3 segundos na Globo ou ganhar “sapinho” dentro de um cordão de isolamento acompanhado do barulho incrível de um trio elétrico. Se for viajar escolha Recife/Olinda, são os únicos lugares onde há opções para quem gosta de blocos, frevo, maracatu, marchinhas, MPB, manguebeat, samba de raiz, coco de roda, ciranda, rock independente, funk, forró, caboclinho… É o famoso carnaval multicultural.
Vai viajar? Esqueça o Rio e a Bahia – Rodrigo Muniz
Um dos fatos mais lamentáveis neste carnaval foi a expulsão da sambista, compositora e mangueirense, Beth Carvalho do alto de um carro alegórico… A declaração de Max Lopes, carnavalesco da mangueira, é ainda mais emblemática e reforça a situação. Ele disse ao vivo em entrevista à TV Globo, que não poderia retirar do carro uma pessoa que pagou caro por uma fantasia e para desfilar… As escolas cariocas não são mais uma manifestação de suas próprias comunidades, mas sim um produto ou serviço, onde quem paga mais tem mais conforto e prestígio. E como se fosse um grande hotel de luxo. Quem tem mais dinheiro, ganha mais bajulação.
Por uma outra festa popular – Liberdade Digital
Mas eis que eu, já meio cansado de aventuras, resolvi curtir o carnaval num dos camarotes daqui. O mais acessível financeiramente, mais próximo do fim do percurso Barra – Ondina – uma grande vantagem em si, os daqui sabem o que eu falo – e o que parcelava em 10 x no cartão de crédito. Era um presente pra minha esposa; ela gosta da folia. Não tinha como eu me sentir entrosado. Um bando de mauricinhos, patricinhas, playboys, gringos gente boa e outros “pero no mucho”, povoavam o espaçoso local. Era realmente grande, com uma puta estrutura bem montada… Havia um restaurante japonês – o Takê, muito elogiado por todos – garçons atenciosos, internet, massagistas, lanchonetes, cinema, um animador despreparado, boate, uns caras e moças fantasiados de anjo, entre outras coisas.  Quase um shopping. E foi assim que me senti. Dentro de um vasto shopping. Asséptico demais; com a frieza e a impessoalidade características das praças de alimentação, com aqueles garotões passeando entre vitrines, enquanto mastigam seus hamburgueres.
A violência no carnaval e outras ondas – Gustavo Rios – Overmundo
Hoje o Carnaval de Olinda é, sem dúvidas, a maior e mais autêntica festa popular do Brasil. É a única forma de reunir toda a diversidade da região nas ruas, sem que o folião precise ter dinheiro para brincar ou que existam camarotes que privilegiem os mais afortunados do dinheiro. O carnaval de Olinda, em tempos de mercantilização e espetacularização das culturas populares, é festa popular e participativa… A principal e simples medida que a administração pública adotou, além da construção de um amplo plano de comunicação e organização da folia foi a proibição da utilização de qualquer tipo de som eletrônico nos espaços públicos durante os dias de festa… Salvador, que tem ainda o carnaval mais famoso do nordeste, vem perdendo espaço devido à sua descaracterização enquanto festa popular.
Olinda encontra financiamento privado sem perder festa democrática – Carta Maior – via Síndrome de Estocolmo
Another aspect which always earns attention and fuels heated debates during Carnival time in Brazil is the exposition of nude bodies, and the carnality manifested by participants during the celebrations. Dating back to its Greek origins and traveling through centuries of Catholic influence, Carnival has come to be seen as one last gasp of music, food, alcohol, and sex before Lent — the forty days period after Ash Wednesday until Easter. The word itself comes from Latin, “Carne Vale” or “Farewell to the Flesh”. Make sense, doesn't it? Check it out on the links and quotes below.
O que se vê são festas de sexo rolando à vontade nos bailes de carnaval no Rio de Janeiro e em São Paulo, sacanagem que não acaba mais em Salvador, Recife, Olinda… Mulher pelada é o que não falta no carnaval do Brasil. E sempre foi assim, não vai ser agora que vai mudar. Está sendo assim agora em 2007, mas no Carnaval de 2008, 2009, 2010, etc também vai. O lema é beijar na boca e ninguém é de ninguém. A cultura que se estabeleceu é a do “aproveite enquanto é tempo, é só agora no carnaval mesmo, ninguém vai ligar se você estiver com 1 aqui e outro(a) daqui a pouco”. E isto tem rendido beijos e mais beijos, sexo e mais sexo… Não é atoa que em Novembro/Dezembro é o mês em que mais se nasce crianças no Brasil. tem mais fotos proibidas da luxúria de carnaval no Terra. Tá explicado porque o Brasil só funciona depois do carnaval.
Carnaval: Tempos de beijo na boca e sexo livre – Imperador
Acontece que no último sábado assisti o Jornal Hoje, e fiquei perplexo com uma reportagem, entitulada Beijo roubado. A reportagem em “modo texto” você confere aqui, e o vídeo (recomendo pela deprimência do material), neste link. Posso ser careta por achar que o beijo é algo íntimo, o qual só deve ser dado quando há algo mais entre duas pessoas. Todavia, acredito que, mesmo que eu fosse liberal, e achasse as tais “ficadas” de hoje em dia normais, mesmo assim o que se vê nesta reportagem me embrulharia o estômago. Depois de assistí-la, e passado o espanto, confesso que fiquei um tiquinho mais triste por morar num lugar que é mundialmente conhecido como o “país do carnaval”.
Mais um motivo que justifica meu repúdio ao carnaval – Rodrigo Ghedin
Mas meu amor, há que se ficar bêbado, ligeiramente insano! Há que se perder a percepção rígida sobre tudo, sobre o que a psique grita: Não! Há que se perder no ritmo. Sou, somos seres rítmicos. Há que se fluir, sentir apenas, dançar com vultos irreconhecíveis e músicas comuns, tão nossas! Dançar, pular, arriscar ser e saber o que se sabe que és, mas deixas resguardado!
Mas, meu amor – Socoh.net
Enquanto escrevo, as mulheres que desfilarão daqui algumas horas no sambódromo do Rio de Janeiro estão preparando os seus corpos, as grandes estrelas da noite. Após meses de malhação diária, massagens estéticas, aulas de samba, ensaios e provas das minúsculas fantasias. As celebridades orgulham-se em divulgar dietas e descrever os tratamentos corporais aos quais se sacrificaram. Os corpos agora são sendo despidos, depilados. Óleos e purpurina são cuidadosamente aplicados para que brilhem mais e atraiam mais olhares. As mulheres descrevem tudo extasiadas. A brasileira se mostra sensual, bonita, dócil e fácil. Os corpos lindos au naturel balançando de um lado para o outro, convidando sensualmente. Tudo muito “natural”. A mulher, no carnaval do Rio de Janeiro, contribuí imensamente para essa culto ao corpo brutal que temos no Brasil. Alimenta, também, a objetificação do corpo feminino que não apenas presenciamos na propaganda, mas também no próprio corportamento da sociedade. Afinal, no carnaval, ela mostra que seus atrativos não passam de coxas, peitos e bundas. Não é de se espantar que o mundo pare para olhar — curiosamente — para esse fenômeno.
O carnaval e o corpo feminino – Público & Privado
People in some parts of the world as Portugal doesn't just stop and watch the Brazilian Carnival, but also take it as an inspiration and a model to celebrate the season. As we will see below, the phenomenon of cloning the colony's carnival is not rendering positive comments from Portuguese bloggers. From the other side, the language connections between Brazil and Portugal were sang by Mangueira [one of the biggest samba schools in the country] as it's central theme and samba for this year's parade in the ‘sambodromo’ in Rio de Janeiro. The experience of parading with Mangueira is described from inside by a blogger.
O Carnaval já não é como antigamente. Acho triste não se viver o Carnaval à portuguesa e insistir-se em imitar os brasileiros. Mas porque é que insistem em vestir tangas douradas e com lantejoulas e meterem-se ao frio?Para imitar os brasileiros?Já reparam que aqui é Inverno e lá é Verão? Oh gente, tenham juízo e vistam-se. Vão brincar ao Carnaval como deve ser. Mascarem-se, façam partidas, brinquem e deixem-se de brasileirices.
Carnaval – Num Lugar Perdido
No dizer de um responsável pela Figueira Grande Turismo, o corso carnavalesco da Figueira da Foz/Buarcos está “cada vez mais português”. Como acreditar, quando dezenas de bem abonadas moçoilas lusas, fingindo ser tropicais mulatinhas, desfilam descascadas, em pleno inverno, tiritando de frio ao vento soprado do Atlântico, a 10º C de temperatura ambiente, com a provinciana ilusão de estarem em pleno verão carioca, a trinta e muitos graus centígrados?
Um carnaval cada vez mais português? – quintopoder
Maravilhosa. Com um enredo sobre a língua portuguesa, levantou a arquibancada. “Vem no vira da Mangueira, vem sambar / Meu idioma tem o dom de transformar / Faz do palácio do samba uma casa portuguesa / É uma casa portuguesa com certeza”
Carnaval 2007 – Mangueira – Diário de Lisboa
Um trecho do desfile da Mangueira, especialmente para os nossos amigos gringos.
Em ritmo de carnaval – parte 5 – Seleção: Youtube
Falando em língua portuguesa no contexto desse festejo popular, não posso deixar de lado a Estação Primeira de Mangueira, cujo samba exaltava nossa língua. Aliás, não há como eu deixar mesmo de lado pois fui integrante de uma das alas. Após 3h vestido com uma “armadura”, digo fantasia de “índio penoso”, em plena Pres. Vargas, entramos na Marquês de Sapucaí. Minha noiva e eu, após os fogos verde e rosa no céu, caímos no samba e fomos saudados pela multidão ali presente. Fizemos o que pudemos com aquelas penas no corpo e tucanos como esplendor. Apesar da beleza e sensação única, sofremos naqueles momentos de concentração. Quase fomos atropelados por carros alegóricos, pois havia falta de organização e informações por parte dos dirigentes e, claro, muita gente desfalecendo pelo calor, longa espera e fantasias quentes. Mas, é carnaval. É Brasil. Bola frente que atrás já vem mais uma ala.
Carnaval – Caderno do Rafael
While almost everybody in the country is looking for the best way to perform their personal amount of sins for the season, some still find better use of their time in front of computer monitors. That doesn't necessarily mean that they are running from the celebrations, as we can se by the Carnival events scheduled to happen in Second Life.
Se você gosta de Carnaval, mas por algum motivo não poderá prestigiar sua escola favorita na avenida, o computador pode ser uma saída. A festa mais brasileira do ano rola de forma virtual em diferentes locais na rede social Second Life. Uma das opções para os foliões conectados é o evento do iG, que acontece das 22h de sábado às 2h de domingo, em local divulgado no grupo “Carnaval iG 2007”. Os avatares poderão se divertir com diversos modelos de fantasias (distribuídas gratuitamente) e bebida à vontade ao som, é claro, de um trio-elétrico. A festa ainda transmitirá, em telões, a festa real do Carnaval de Salvador, na Bahia. Já os frequentadores da Ilha São Paulo (local que já abriga diretórios do partido PSDB e da marca Cavalera) poderão participar de mais desfiles, que acontecerão sempre à partir das 21h, durante todo o feriado. Para quem não é muito fã de samba e afins, os organizadores prometem apresentações de DJs famosos.
Second Life sediará desfiles de carnaval – FatalNet
After visiting Recife on the eve of Carnival, and feeling the pulse of an open and energetic celebration powered by people like you and me, in the middle of regular streets, I started to believe in Carnival. But then the TV formatted Brazilian carnival I grew up watching, the one which is still broadcasted as a world class show, sounded even more artificial and monotonous. In this situation, I could only take advantage of being part of such a dynamic and creative community as the Brazilian blogosphere, which is able to share solutions to solve every blogger's problem.
Hoje 10% da população do Brasil têm blogs, sites, programas de TV ou escrevem nos jornais. Os outros 90% são pessoas normais, ou seja, contempladas com o analfabetismo e um pouco de miséria econômica. Para essa minoria talentosa e que domina o mundo, o carnaval deixou de ser uma festa prazerosa. Isso porque eles precisam narrar em seus artigos absolutamente tudo o que estão vendo na avenida ou nos trios de Salvador. Para facilitar a folia, o sítio MPNM criou um sistema prático e infalível para aliviar o árduo trabalho dos internautas e articulistas. Graças ao “Artigo Fast-Food de Carnaval” você pode publicar em seus textos impressões próprias e ainda optar por uma linguagem culta e dinâmica. E sem precisar se preocupar em perder muito tempo – basta preencher as lacunas. Todo ano é a mesma coisa. Pra que ser criativo, esperto e inédito? Deixe sua página na Internet atualizada sem gastar mais do que dois neurônios. Aproveite a promoção. Selecione o texto abaixo, aperte Control+C, vá até o local em que você deseja ver seu artigo publicado, tecle um Control+V, escreva as lacunas da maneira que achar mais adequada e publique.
“Carnaval é folia para espírito e corpo
Por ____________
Estou em _________ curtindo o principal e melhor carnaval do país. Só quem já enfrentou o _____________ sabe a loucura que são esses quatro dias….
Copie aqui seu artigo sobre o carnaval – Macho pero no mucho
“Carnival is a celebration for the spirit and the body
By ___________
I am in _____________ enjoying the main and best Carnival in the country. Only those who have gone through the ______________ can tell about the crazyness of these four days…
Copie aqui seu artigo sobre o carnaval – Macho pero no mucho

author: Jose Murilo


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Malawi: radio program about Malawians abroad · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ndagha writes about a new radio program about Malawians abroad:
“‘What do people eat there?’ ‘How do you manage the snowy weather?’ ‘Do you eat nsima?’ ‘Is it true school is free?’ ‘Are you the only Malawian there?’ ‘Can you send us some Dollars please because you guys are rich there,” etc.
These and many more are questions that people in Malawi ask their countryfolk that return home or when they communicate from foreign lands. But now there is a way of answering some of these questions without being in Malawi if you are one in diapora.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Malaysia: Moral Police  · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Unspun compares the religious moral policing in Malaysia with the relatively liberal attitude in Indonesia.

author: Preetam Rai


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Martinique: Miss Carnaval 2007 · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Amandine posts (Fr) pictures of this year's carnival in Martinique, including one of Miss Carnaval 2007.

author: Alice Backer


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Morocco: Election Rigging?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Issandr El Amrani links to an article which claims that Morocco is
catching up on gerrymandering here.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Pakistan: Train to Pakistan · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

I, Me, Myself on the train to Pakistan. “I can not help comparing this against the kind of security that was provided by the government of the Pakistani province of Punjab to the ‘Sikh Pilgrim Special’ train, aboard which I travelled across the border in April 2006. Each bogie had at least two policemen armed with automatic weapons, guarding the train night and day.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Palestine: Call for US Representatives · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Madison-Rafah Journal posts a petition calling upon Americans to tell their representatives that they “find it outrageous that the US is threatening to boycott the Palestinians on the basis of their truce and that you question whether the US was hoping for a civil war in the territories,” among other issues.


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Palestine: Racism in Our Subconsciousness? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Racism somehow finds a way to our subconsciousness, admits Palestinian blogger Ola after being intimidated by the sight of a strange person in her neighbourhood.


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Philippines: GV Author Running for the Congress · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Mong Palatino, Global Voices author from the Philippines, is contesting in the upcoming elections. He is urging young people to participate in the elections. “Analysts doubt the potency of the youth vote. According to them, the youth will not be a significant force in deciding the outcome of the coming polls. This is our chance to prove the skeptics wrong. The youth vote is REAL.”


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Rigoberta Menchu as Candidate? · Global Voices
Renata Avila

In the early 20th century, the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo quit wearing her Western clothes to adopt a more indigenous appearance, showing her heritage with pride, not in the genetic sense, since she was not indigenous at all, but with the pride of being Mexican, and using her clothes and style as a way of self-expression; a way that men were not able to do as they were always wearing suits. Also, she made strong, visual statements through her paintings.
Western women using indigenous folkloric clothing was an interesting picture, but it was even more controversial when, at the end of the century, an indigenous woman without changing her clothes or identity, was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. And now she dares to consider the idea of becoming a presidential candidate for 2008-2011 period.
All the politicians are surprised nowadays, because they never thought or even considered such a complex scenario. A left wing indigenous woman, to become the next Evo. It is important to bear in mind that she neither has a formal party yet, nor officially decided to become candidate, but every day a different columnist or article is seen criticizing or supporting her.
Jorge Cabrera thinks that such scenario might bring to the discussion many issues tagged as unmentionable in Guatemalan society, At CARPE DIEM [ES] he started the discussion with a picture of Menchu in the 80’s disqualifying her because of possible links with guerrillas… (what about army nexus with narcotics traffic of other candidates?). Alan Mills, a Guatemalan poet, argues that she is a clever woman, and contrasts her candidacy with the upcoming visits of Evo Morales and George W. Bush next March. In such a polarized society, people either love her or criticize and make racist jokes against her. Hunapu e Ixbalanque see it as part of a logical process and place her style of leadership in a left wing political party, but paradoxically, instead of joining efforts and support, those parties are still questioning her ideology.
She is definitely not Evo Morales. She has her own agenda and strategy. A strategy that seems to be working. Because, again, she is not a candidate yet. And everyone is talking about it. And we have unexpected visitors next march. Here is a woman of our times with her own voice in politics, with her own accomplishments that didn't come about by marrying a prestigious politician. Not changing, but wearing her own clothes

author: Renata Avila


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Russia: “Commissars of the Internet” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Read this week's installments of La Russophobe‘s translation project, which attempts to explain why the discourse at so many Russian forums often gets so unbearably filthy – and which, according to La Russophobe, also “exposes how the Kremlin is attempting to take control of the Internet. On Monday, we read the author's introduction to the subject of ‘Internet Brigades.’ On Tuesday, we learned the details about their organization and activities. On Wednesday, we examined their ideology and strategy. This is the final installment this week, with the second part of this epic Russian investigative work appearing next week.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Russia: Dissecting Thomas Friedman · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

In an email to a blogger friend, Lyndon of Scraps of Moscow explains beautifully what Thomas Friedman's Russia column is really about. La Russophobe guest-blogs at length on the same subject at Publius Pundit.


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Russia: Gvardeysk vs the West · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

As the West is about to install missile defense in Poland, Copydude predicts big problems for a Russian border town with a military name, Gvardeysk.


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Slovenia: Brown Bears · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Glory of Carniola discusses the “unexplored economic potential” of Slovenia's decision to cull its brown bear population.


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Slovenia: Insane Driving · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A video of insane driving in Slovenia – at The Glory of Carniola.


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South Africa: music from South Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Vusi Mahlasela has released a new album,  Naledi Ya Tsela, SoundRoots World Music reports: The new album, called Naledi Ya Tsela in Africa but translated for the March 6 US release to Guiding Star, features a raft of guest artists, including Derek Trucks and longtime Vusi supporter Dave Matthews.


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Sri Lanka: Turtles! · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Ayubowan on Sri Lankan marine turtles – “The present situation regarding the future of the Sri Lankan turtles is moving to an optimistic conclusion with the people of the country taking a more environmental friendly attitude towards these creatures and putting away the superstitions that cause them their reduction in numbers in the first place.”


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Superstars spice up Philippine elections · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Philippine elections is in danger of being reduced again into a popularity contest. Showbiz actors are running again in the Senate. Politicians from both the Administration and Opposition camps are hiring actors/actresses to endorse their candidacies. Since 1998, TV personalities have been topping the Senate race. Candidates are allotting more than half of their campaign expenses for expensive TV ads.
Pala-isip reacts to the statement of an actor that he will attend a seminar on public governance in preparation for the elections:
“How do you learn how to draft a law in a few months? Lawyers take at least 6 years plus a bar exam to even understand the law. But a few months and you want to run for the Senate? Holy Guacamoli!”
Apples-pie believes Cesar Montano, a popular actor who is running for Senator, is hesitant to run for public office. Chika Muna explains why the Administration decided to field Montano in the Senate race. The Professional Heckler ponders on the possible legislative agenda of Montano.
Eliza’s Site uploads an open letter to Filipinos about the need to defeat the candidacies of showbiz actors. Public Static promotes a candidate by highlighting the lack of credentials of showbiz stars.
The blog, Richard Gomez sucks, was established to discourage people from voting a matinee idol:
“Mr. Gomez, being able to ‘represent the country’ doesn't mean having been an image model to countless brands and shown yourself in millions of billboards, magazine ads and posters. Having been a talk show host for a gossip show for years doesn't mean you know the ‘pulse of the people’. Ticket sales for your movies don't really equate to the same thing when we want to try to balance the National Budget. Showing off your pretty wife during events will not hide your zero experience in public service. My advice? Stick with showbiz and do your ad campaigns. If you really want to serve the public, join real interest groups as a celebrity-citizen.”
Iloilo City Boy thinks Manny Pacquiao, a world boxing champion and pop culture icon who announced his intention to run for Congress, is qualified for the job:
“I believe Manny is a very intelligent and astute man; you have to be to become a good boxer. Judging your opponent, predicting his moves, parrying his thrusts and studying beforehand how to defeat him requires both mental agility and extreme physical conditioning. These are also the skills politicians use (or aspire to) to get ahead in the game. And more importantly, Manny has the self-discipline and willpower to achieve what he wants to achieve. If he applies that same singlemindness to his public career, I believe he can do wonderful things for his province. But most of all, he has the capacity to inspire our people, and that to me, is enough to qualify him to run for public office”.
Inside PCIJ explains how TV can guarantee the success of candidates:
“In the 2004 elections, media strategists exerted greater effort to capture the TV audience. For, indeed, television is king: over 90 percent of all Filipino households now have a TV, whereas only two decades ago, the proportion was a mere 30 percent. And it is not just television's reach, but its high credibility, that ensures its reliability as an advertising medium. It is not just that people watch a lot of television; they actually believe it”.
Iloilo City Boy discusses the importance of campaign jingles during election campaign:
“Campaign jingles can make or break a candidate, most especially in the Philippine senatorial race where name recall is the name of the game. A catchy campaign jingle can attract peoples’ attention and help them remember your name come election day. Also, lively jingles can help boost the morale of your campaign troops and bring about a “fiesta” atmosphere during political rallies and out-of-town sorties”.
The Professional Heckler critiques TV ads of senatoriables.
The blogpost of Citizen on Mars about the troubles hounding a senatoriable who accused the First Family of owning secret dollar accounts without giving evidence generated a discussion in the comments section about how politicians can enjoy free publicity: “The publicity that will be/was brought about by this issue will help a lot with his candidacy. Whether good or bad, it still is publicity”.
Pine for Pine describes the First Family as “presidential bullies” for fielding a showbiz personality against a lawmaker who led the impeachment bid last year: “Correct me if I'm wrong but President Marcos didn't stoop that low. The president should act presidential”.
Philippine Commentary publishes the letter written by a former Senator addressed to former President Joseph Estrada about the Opposition’s encouragement for political dynasties when it fielded young candidates who have relatives in the Senate today:
“I jut could not accept the idea of such bright young men doing what the “trapo to end all trapos” would probably not do, and for the Senate, with all its absurdities, to end up as a mad and shallow “Family Ball.” I would have been proud to campaign for these young men if this one impediment did not exist, or if their next of kin gave up their Senate seats right now. But under the circumstances, the Titanic would sink if the three wonders came on board. They have all the time in the world to wait; they can wait; they should wait”.

author: Mong Palatino


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Tanzania: Tanzanian blogger in Europe · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tanzanian blogger in France, Aulelia, writes about race issues in Europe,
“Europe is a cauldron of racial problems. Chuck in the kerosene of the 2001 race riots in Bradford in the UK and mix in the ether of the French race riots in the banlieues (suburbs), and you will get the European cocktail of race. Remember, on this continent, it is uttered in hushed tones because people here just do not like to discuss it.”


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Turkey is Typing…Midnight Express, Sweaters, and a Jar of Peanut Butter · Global Voices
Deborah Ann Dilley

What do the above items have in common?  All of them and much more will be part of our hodge-podge edition of Turkish is Typing.
A couple of our bloggers have mentioned the film Midnight Express in their tomes lately, due to a new interview with the subject of the story Billy Hayes.  If you are unfamiliar with the film and its impact on Turkey, Talk Turkey will fill you in:
My dear friend Leslie alerted me to ‘TurkLA,’ a Californian-Turks news portal, where Alinur Velidedeoglu's interviews with Billy Hayes, the real-life author of the book Midnight Express is posted. Of course, you know the rest of the story. Oliver Stone wrote the screenplay, Brad Davis, who according to some is the first heterosexual actor to die of AIDS, (not true since he was bisexual, and may actually have died of a drug overdose,) starred in it, and Turkey was left with an image problem, as a by product of the movie, that still exists today equal to millions of dollars of anti-Turkish public relations.
When I first told my father of my intentions on going to live in Turkey, he wasn't thrilled and he forced me to watch this film, hoping that it would persuade me to stay at home.  My conclusion of the film is pretty similar to what Talk Turkey mentions from the Billy Hayes interview:
As once reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, “the message of ‘Midnight Express’ isn't ‘Don't go to Turkey,’ ” he said recently. “It's ‘Don't be an idiot like I was, and try to smuggle drugs.’ “
Films seemed to be a popular subject the past couple of weeks on the Turkish blogs. Aegean Disclosure discusses the International Istanbul Film Festival.  And Broken Angel, a Turkish-American Film Project which is gaining support and endorsements from more than one corner of the blogosphere, hits cyberspace.
Moving on to the subject of language, Turkey and My Foreign Perspectives invites us to celebrate Mother Tongue Day:
Today, let's celebrate International Mother Language Day! I get to celebrate two: English, my native language, and Turkish, my adopted language. UNESCO recognized in 1999 that over 6,000 languages may disappear if we don't take active steps now to save them; thus, they created a day to encourage countries to pay attention to the languages of their nation….
As a writer and editor, I observe most every day the massacre of my own native language, English, and that of the Turkish language as well. Whether it's in the newspapers, on the television or in daily conversation, I notice how our languages are mutilated one step at a time….
Well, I do agree in some approximation that Turkish, and all world languages for that matter, should be protected because in the eight years I have lived in Istanbul, I have experienced this foreign infiltration of their harmonious language. Soon, we won't be able to communicate in Turkish with each other if we are from different generations.
So, in closing this post on International Mother Language Day, I reference the famous Turkish journalist and humorist Refik Halid Karay, noted for writing in perfect Istanbul Turkish. It was his goal to “save Turkish readers…” and likewise, it should be our goal to ensure we do our part to preserve and protect our languages by learning them well and pass that appreciation on to the generations that come after us.
Admitting to a growing knitting addiction, Idil from Metroblogging Istanbul talks about trying to find inexpensive yarn at the Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul:
You're faced with piles of yarn and a plethora of people that try to squish you while walking over you (this is part of the experience) to get to the prettiest and cheapest yarn. Everyone there is on a mission so beware! I ended up with a huge 4KG bag of yarn and a smile on my face at the end of my journey to the land of wool.
And to end our article today, reader the dilemma that the Carpetblogger must go through when she finds a jar of American Peanut Butter in Istanbul, only to find out that it is under a recall:
So, now I am faced with a dilemma. There are several factors to consider here.
* 300 people get sick in a country of 250 million. Is this just another example of Americans’ overreaction to minor threats, driven by the trial lawyers? By throwing out my peanut butter — creamy, American goodness with a red label and cheery white letters — would I not be indulging in behavior I frequently mock?
* Salmonella: Is it that bad?  People continue to eat at Shwarma Number One in Baku even though “Shwarma Number One” means “rotating germs on a stick” in Azeri.   How bad are a few hours of “explosions from both ends?” Don't I frequently brag about my constitution of steel? If I got sick, how would I know to blame Peter Pan rather than the greasy doner?
* Upon news of a recall, is Con-Agra evil multi-national, genetically-modifying, environment-destroying corporation cutting its losses by dumping salmonella-tainted peanut butter unfit for human consumption on the third world? Is that why Or-Ka Supermarket in Cihangir, in defiance of the laws of supply and demand, stocks Peter Pan? I cannot condone such behavior. But, I've already bought the Peter Pan. Throwing it out would be a meaningless gesture, right?
What to do. What to do.

author: Deborah Ann Dilley


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Turkmenistan: The Internet Comes to Town · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

One of the first acts of Turkmenistan's new president was to start the ball rolling on opening up access to the internet in the country. Now that it's arrived, neweurasia looks at what's next and what Turkmenistan must do to catch up with its neighbors.

author: Nathan Hamm


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Ukraine: Language Non-Issue · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Orange Ukraine writes about the language non-issue in Ukraine: “The status of the Russian language is only problematic just before elections.”


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Uzbekistan: President’s Nephew in Mental Hospital · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Tolkun Umaraliev reports on the case of Jamshid Karimov, an independent journalist often critical of the government who also happens to be a nephew of the Uzbekistan's authoritarian president. In a throwback to Soviet practice, Karimov has been placed in a psychiatric hospital in Samarkand.


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Venezuela: 21st Century Socialism? · Global Voices
David Sasaki

“No serious debate about socialism can be developed as if we were still in the XIX century, when there still hadn’t been any concrete experience of it anywhere. Not now. It is impossible, at the dawn of the XXI century, to talk about socialism while making an abstraction of what was advanced in its name throughout the XX century. What lessons does history throw our way?” That is the beginning of a four part series by TalCual [ES] editor, Teodoro Petkoff and translated by the prolific Guillermo Parra.

author: David Sasaki


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World, meet Africa! A new way of reporting the continent · Global Voices
Rachel Rawlins

It's frequently depressing reading accounts of Africa in the mainstream media. Doubly so, in fact. Firstly because what is defined as worthy of reporting is, well, depressing. And secondly because it so seldom engages with the complex and vibrant reality of the continent in all its massive diversity, preferring instead to deal in simplistic stereotypes.
That's why today's launch of a new website from global news organisation Reuters devoted exclusively to the continent – Reuters Africa – is so exciting. And most exciting of all is the inclusion of blogs on every individual country page on the site.
In the screenshot below of the site's page for Uganda you can see, to the right of the map, a section headed “BLOGS”. Below it are links to the most recent entries on Uganda from Global Voices. There is a similar feed for each of the more than 50 countries on the continent.
Reuters is a major funder of Global Voices and it is great that they are able to use our content in this way. It also demonstrates the increasing value placed by news organisations on the ability of authentic voices to provide perspective, background and context to the events they cover. Reuters puts it like this:
The launch of Reuters Africa supports Reuters commitment to cover Africa in detail and from all angles, to give a wider sense of the issues and their contexts, and to explore the individual countries and cultures. Reuters Africa will target both those living on the continent, and anyone globally who follows African development, investment and news…
As part of Reuters continuing efforts to incorporate a wider set of voices and commentary into its news content, the site will incorporate country-specific blogs via Global Voices, the international network of bloggers.
This is a great step forward, but there's still a long way to go. There are large and exciting blogging communities in several countries, such as Nigeria and Kenya but there are other areas where coverage is very sparse and still others, such as Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, where online expression is severely curtailed by the government.
We hope that the involvement of bloggers in projects such as this not only gives a platform to those whose voices have long been left unheard but also encourages others to join the conversation and brings pressure to bear on behalf of those who want to speak but cannot.

author: Rachel Rawlins


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Africa: China in Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Afroshangai Blog posts an article about Chinese interest in Africa, “China, unlike just about every other country in the world, has a clear African strategy which is being implemented with military precision. President Hu Jintao’s visit is the third by a senior Chinese leader in twelve months…”


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Arabisc: Bloggers Rally to Kareem’s Support · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Kareem Sulaiman was today (Thursday) sentenced to four years in prison for defaming Islam and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak on his personal blog.
Despite a support site, petitions and demonstrations  in Bahrain, London,
Stockholm, Paris, Rome, New York (twice) and Washington DC calling for his release, an Alexandria court found him guilty and sentenced him to four years in prison.
In his own words on his blog, 22-year-old Kareem describes himself and sums up his goals as follows:
I am down to earth Law student; I look forward to help humanity against all form of discriminations. I am currently studying Law in Al Azhar University. I am looking forward to open up my own human rights activists Law firm, which will include other lawyers who share the same views. Our main goal is to defend the rights of Muslim and Arabic women against all form of discrimination and to stop violent crimes committed on a daily basis in these countries.
Dreams and aspirations which will have to be put on hold for the time being I suppose.
When Kareem was first detained in early November for this writings, many bloggers in the Middle East tried to distance themselves from the case because they did they did not want to be associated with blasphemy against Islam. Today, while some condemn the sentence as an attack on freedom of expression, others believe the blogger got what he deserved for swimming against the tide.
Even his very own family disowned him a few days before his trial.
“His father, a retired mathematics teacher, has demanded applying the Sharia [Islamic law] ruling on him by giving him three days to repent, followed by having him killed if he does not announce his repentance.
The father of the Al-Azhar student, who is accused of contempt of the Islamic religion, harming the reputation of Egypt, and inciting to disrupt the peace and to overthrow the regime, has decided to rescind from boycotting his trial hearing sessions. [He has decided] to attend the court verdict session with his four brothers, who completely memorized the Holy Quran, to announce disowning the accused Abdul Kareem inside the court room, in order to reduce the embarrassment and pressure that civil rights organizations are applying on the court panel.”
So how did bloggers react to his sentence?
Egyptian blogger Sharaqwi calls for a campaign to release Kareem and promote freedom of expression in his country.
Big Pharaoh, meanwhile, took a break from his hiatus, to comment on the news as follows:
I just can't go without reporting this. Abdel Kareem was sentenced to 4 years in prison. Abdel Kareem was sent to jail because he merely stated his opinion on the country's regime and religion.
What really upsets me is the fact that Abdel Kareem enjoys very little sympathy in the Egyptian street because of what he said about Islam and religion in general. Some are calling for his execution.
Abdel Kareem will enjoy sympathy in the Egyptian street once Islam gets reformed. Once cussing Mohamed, Allah, whatever does not send you to prison or the gallows. If Abdel Kareem was living 500 years ago in Europe and he would have wrote the same thing about Christianity, he would have been burned at stake. Luckily Christianity got reformed, Christians in Europe understood that God would not be a very happy person if they imprisoned or killed someone who wrote/said something they considered offensive to the Christian faith. This is the reason why Dan Brown and Tom Hanks are still alive today.
One day Islam will reform and the future Abdel Kareems will not fear prison and execution anymore. In the meantime, we're stuck with stupidity and cruelty.
Egyptian Zabinzo sums up his reaction to the sentence in one word: sickening!
American blogger and a supporter of Kareem Dr Tom Palmer insists that the sentence will not go unchallenged.
“This will not go unchallenged. His case is the case of every blogger, every dissident, every person who aspires to life as a free citizen. My sincere thanks and recognition to all who have helped the cause of free speech and the case of Abdelkareem. Please be ready to act again, respectfully and with dignity, in the hope that this grave miscarriage of justice will be corrected, perhaps in a way that will allow the Egyptian authorities to do the right thing and save face,” he writes.
Another American blogger Doug Mataconis wonders what his government's reaction to the sentence would be.
Keep in mind. An American ally and supposed example of moderate Islam. And what has the Bush Administration had to say about this travesty ? So far, nothing:
The Bush administration has not commented on Nabil’s trial, despite its past criticism of the arrests of Egyptian rights activists.
We’re waiting Mr. President.
Also from the US, Lee Garnett is worried about Kareem's condition in prison.
It probably goes without saying, but four years in an Egyptian prison can often mean a death sentence. Picture your worst apprehensions about detention in a Western correctional facility and multiply them by one hundred. The experience for political prisoners such as Nabil, is certain to be particularly harrowing.
It says a great deal about conditions in their prisons, that Egypt only banned flogging for disciplinary infractions in 2001. Medical care is virtually nonexistent, malnutrition common, torture is widespread and those are the positives. For Nabil’s real danger will come from the inmates, a large share of which will be political prisoners of a different type: some of the most fanatical Islamic extremists in the world.
Meanwhile,
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif, who is himself facing a defamation case in a Bahraini court, was also quick to the defence of Kareem, describing today as a sad day for freedom of expression.
“And if Egypt leads, the Arab world are supposed to follow, right? So the arrest, detention and jailing of people for simply writing their thoughts is forging ahead unchecked in the Middle East… and there doesn’t seem to be any will whatsoever for anyone to stop it, even for a moment, to think of what that is going to do for this and future generations.
Yet another reason for one to maintain their anonymity at all times.
Big brother is not just watching, but is waiting to pounce at the slightest chance to silence critics in the full sight of the world and even they are not interested in doing anything about the situation,” writes a concerned Al Yousif.
Frederik Richter, writing for The Arabist, echoes similar sentiments:
This is a strong message to Egypt’s bloggosphere.
In a first trial against a blogger, Kareem has been sentenced to four years in jail for insulting Islamic institutions and the President.
A very sad day for freedom of expression in Egypt.
Jose Castillo, writing from the US, says Kareem was punished for something bloggers around the world take for granted.
“A 22-year-old Egyptian blogger, Abdel Kareem Nabil, has been sentenced to 4 years in prison for criticizing Islam, President Hosni Mubarak, and the university Al-Azhar. His posts were centered around the restriction of free speech – interesting irony. Most of us take it for granted that we can say what we want on our blogs and not have an oppressive government punish us for our thoughts. I wonder if there will be enough public outcry around the world to release this guy,” he notes.
Needless to say, the sentence did not please Reporters Without Borders, who stated:
Reporters Without Borders strongly condemned the four-year prison sentence imposed today by a court in Alexandria on Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman for “inciting hatred of Islam” and insulting President Hosni Mubarak in his blog, for which he used the pseudonym of “Kareem Amer.”
“This sentence is a disgrace,” the press freedom organisation said. “Almost three years ago to the day, President Mubarak promised to abolish prison sentences for press offences. Suleiman’s conviction and sentence is a message of intimidation to the rest of the Egyptian blogosphere, which had emerged in recent years as an effective bulwark against the regime’s authoritarian excesses.”
Reporters Without Borders continued: “As a result of this conviction, which clearly confirms Egypt’s inclusion in our list of Internet enemies, we call on the United Nations to reject Egypt’s request to host the Internet Governance Forum in 2009. After letting Tunisia, another violator of online freedom, host the World Summit on the Information Society, such a choice would completely discredit the UN process for debating the future of the Internet.”


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Armenia: A Real Alternative · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

The Armenian Libertarian-Socialist Movement blog notes the appearance of a new movement calling itself “The Alternative,” and examines whether or not the movement lives up to what it claims to be.


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Bahrain: Duct-Taped Plane · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif had to endure a flight from Kuwait to Bahrain in a “duct-taped” airplane. To understand what I am talking about look at this picture here.


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Bahrain: Women-only Events · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahrain-based blogger Bint Batutta attends two women-only functions in Bahrain and recalls her experiences here.


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Brunei: Introducing Brunei Blog Directory · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

World of Pablo is congratulating the builders of Blogging Nation, a new blog directory for Brunei bloggers.


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Cambodia: Village Poisoned by Pond Water · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Vutha in Cambodia is following the news from a village where more than 400 people fell sick after consuming the water from a pond. “Villagers have not now been allowed to use the water and catch fish from pond. By the way, ministry of health also sent water for running test in Japan.”


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China: 1961 spring festival · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

DANWEI posted two interviews by the oral historian Sang Ye about the spring festival in rural area and city in 1961 china.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: disappearing Hutong · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fang Zhen-ning blogs some photos on the disappearing Xian Yu-kou Hutong in Beijing because of urban renewal project.


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Cracker attacks the Colombian blogosphere · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Lully, from Reflexiones al Desnudo, a renowned Colombian blog which has been featured in BlogsColombia as “best blog,” had her blog hijacked and sabotaged this past weekend and it has now disappeared.
Where you could previously read well written memoirs and stories with an erotic tint, a message appeared stating that the blog was closed due to its pornographic content which could affect small children browsing the internet.
The badly spelled note also went on to threaten any other blogs found defending leftist terrorism and opposing Jaime Ruiz, a writer for País Bizarro (Bizarre Country). Similar notes have been left behind other on destroyed blogs. These attacks are signed Jaime Ruiz and link to his website, a right wing blog that discusses Colombian events and politics.
Some authors from equinoXio, an online magazine which Lully co-founded and where she writes a column, have reacted. Sentido Común (Common Sense) writes:
Las bitácoras Reflexiones al desnudo, Rock & Alcohol y Hack al desnudo tienen al menos dos cosas en común: que todas usan en su nombre palabras de aquellas que algunos filtros de contenido censuran automáticamente, y que los tres blogs, alojados todos en Blogger.com,  han sido saboteados por un anónimo, como corresponde, cuyo coeficiente intelectual a duras penas le alcanza para algo tan elemental, como es destruir…
The author also takes care to clarify:
“Hoy, las primeras reacciones de los cibernautas frente al suceso en comento hacen evidente el uso inapropiado del término “hacker”, pues nos encontramos ante un caso claro de vandalismo, rayando en terrorismo virtual. El nombre correcto para este tipo de delincuente es “craker”.
Also at equinoXio,  Marsares posts:
Ahora, llama la atención que se busca culpar burdamente del ataque a un adversario de equinoXio con quien tenemos divergencias ideológicas. Se trata de Jaime Ruiz, a quien el subhumano coloca firmando el manifiesto moralista que justifica su acción. Por fortuna, su calumnia no ha hecho carrera y los bloggers,equinoXio entre ellos, rechazamos este torpe señalamiento.
País Bizarro and its supporters have reacted to these attacks as well:
Diegoeth writes in Blogosfera Antológica:
Desde aquí invitamos a toda la comunidad de bloggers (se sentirá excluido el hacker) a iniciar una campaña pidiendo a Blogger.com que publique toda la información de accesos al blog de Reflexiones al Desnudo relacionadas con el ataque. Aunque sabotear un blog no es nada fácil (hace rato que País Bizarro hubiera sido saboteado por el mismo personaje), no todos los usuarios saben protegerse de manos criminales y es importante que desde ahora mismo vayamos desenmascarando a los delincuentes que sencillamente no toleran que haya un puñadito de blogs dedicados a criticar a la izquierda colombiana y que están dispuestos a sabotear un blog amigo sólo para tratar de enemistar a su dueña con el objeto de su odio enfermizo.
Jaime Ruiz,  whose name is the one which appears as the signature of these attacks, comments on the previous post:
Lo de firmar con mi nombre tiene éxito en un principio con gente que no lee País Bizarro, pero después ya no lo cree nadie. Es tan absurdo (en cualquier persona, sobre todo en una que escribe un blog) que quien lo hizo tiene que tener una mente más bien infantil. Y algún agravio con Lully. No se va destruyendo una página así sólo por sembrar una calumnia sin sentido. Es curioso, porque ella siempre ha sido muy dulce con nosotros. Sin algún rencor contra ella el que lo hizo habría hecho su gracia en algún blog hostil.
Lully´s posts are currently being recovered using google cache. She continues to write her column in equinoXio magazine. This attack has echoed around the Colombian Blogosphere:
Álvaro Ramírez Ospina from Ojo al Texto has suggested that the tag “apoyoBlogger” be attached to any post regarding these events, so that bloggers can remain updated.  He also suggested several strategies to protect oneself from blogger attacks. Mauricio Duque Arrubla from En Medio del Ruido expands on Álvaro Ramírez’ advice on how to protect blogs from these cracker attacks, or at least have a plan B in case it happens. Velvet from piso tres  links to Victor Solano´s blog and his “blogger manifesto”.
Other blogs attacked in this unprecedented wave are:
http://memoria-de-una-desmemoriada.blogspot.com/
http://rockandalcohol.blogspot.com/
http://nohagonada.blogspot.com/
http://walkerinthedarkness.blogspot.com/
I hope these bloggers get back on their feet quickly and continue with their blogs soon.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Eastern Europe: Dubious Architecture · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Copydude – and Vilhelm Konnander, in a comment – discuss the House of Soviets in Kaliningrad, Russia, the Resurrection Church in Kaunas, Lithuania, and Konstantinov’s Central Post Office in Skopje, Macedonia, as well as a few other “dubious” architectural monuments.


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Egypt: FOUR Years Prison Sentence for Blogger · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Kareem Nabil Sulaiman made history today by being the first Egyptian to be sentenced to jail for articles he wrote on his personal blog.
An Alexandria court found him guilty of insulting both Islam and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and sentenced him to four years in jail based on his writings on the Internet, according to media reports.
A blog set up by supporters just announced the following:
Dalia Ziada, a human rights activist and blogger, informs us that Kareem is sentenced to FOUR years in prison: three years for contempt to religion, and one year for defaming the president.
His appeal will be launched on Saturday by his lawyers, but we are told that it won’t do much. Hopefully it will shorten the sentence.
This is bad news for all of us, and we’d just like you all to know that this fight for his freedom will still continue until he is freed.
Global Voices had earlier covered Sulaiman's ordeal here, here and here.
Charges cited against Sulaiman, who has been in detention since early November awaiting trial, included: incitement to hate Islam, spreading malicious rumours that disrupt public security and defaming the Egyptian President.
Fellow blogger and Bahraini activist Esra'a was lost for words when she heard about her friend's fate.
“My friend Kareem has been sentenced to 4 years in prison. 3 years for his stance against Islam and 1 year for ‘defaming the President.’
I have nothing further to say. I don’t know whether to cry or to kick something in anger….He really doesn’t deserve this,” she writes in anguish.
Stay tuned.. more reactions to come…


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French Guiana: Carnaval of Cayenne · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Photoblog de la Guyane Française posts (Fr) a picture of women in tree costumes taken near the end of capital Cayenne's carnival.


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Haiti: Don’t stop the carnaval security · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Alice Backer has praise for the Haitian government's efforts to encourage Haitians living abroad to return to Carnival in Haiti this year, but asks: “why can't it secure the country the same way it did during the 3 “fat”days of carnival all year long?“

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Haiti: Reinforcing Judicial Independence · Global Voices
Alice Backer

At Ailleurs Vu d'Ici, Roody Edmé cites (Fr) a recent International Crisis Group report on the Haitian judicial system as “underlining the weakness of our judicial culture when it comes to judges’ ethics and responsibility” and adds: “Legislative proposals are being announced in the Haitian Parliament that seek … to reinforce judicial independence. This independence should be guaranteed not only vis-a-vis the executive branch but also vis-a-vis all coersive forces including that of monetary bribery.”


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Indonesia: Another Adam Air Mishap · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Unspun writes about another accident that involves the private airline Adam Air where one of it's plane was forced to do a hard landing resulting in structural damage. Last month another Adam Air plane went missing over the ocean.


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Iran: War and Human Rights Concerns  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Concerns about a war between Iran and the US are growing in the Iranian blogosphere by the day.
While  Iran refuses to halt its uranium enrichment programme, despite the United Nation's resolution 1737, it is also being accused by the US of sending bombs to Iraq. Iran considers the enrichment of uranium as its right and denies America's accusations of exporting bombs to Iraq. Newspapers and news sites are full of speculations about America's plan to attack Iran and so forth. Both the American and Iranian governments are calling these speculations baseless.
War Game
Nikahang, a leading cartoonist and blogger shares his idea about the current situation in this cartoon. In Persian, it says: “Our activities are not military.”
Mr Behicriticises both the Iranian government and American propaganda. He says:
I am a critique of (the) Iranian government, the way they treat human rights and freedom of speech and so many other things but at the same time, I am outraged by the way the US is trying to collect means of putting pressure on Iran or attacking the Iranian people…The US is attacking the minds of the international community…bombing the logics…targeting sane thinking…yes you can bomb me but don't you dare imagine that I will be that stupid to make my dislike of the Iranian government be the yes to militarism…don't you dare bombing our minds.
2,700 days in jail for a Tshirt
International relations and a war with the US is not the only thing that makes Iranian bloggers worry. Human rights and Ahmad Batebi‘s poor health condition is another hot topic in the Iranian blogosphere. Batebi, a student activist, has gone on hunger strike because his wife was arrested too.
Khorshid Khanoum thinks Ahmad Batebi won't survive [Fa] among all the war news in the media and the conflict between Bush and Ahmadinejad and will probably have Akbar Mohammadi’s destiny. Mohammadi died in prison under very suspicious circumstances.The blogger says she has become hopeless about situation like several million people. She adds with irony: “We are awaiting his death to collect the list of links to blogs which wrote about him.”
Azarmehr says the Iranian student who was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment during Khatami's presidency, for having raised a bloody T-shirt of a student colleague at a peaceful student protest, was taken to hospital on Friday after going into a coma.
Abtahi, a reformist politician, says Batebi is not going to be on the amnesty list nor have a place or a title in a journal [Fa].The blogger says it is a very disturbing fact that human rights concerns are disappearing from our society.The blogger wishes Bathebi will be freed soon.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:A conservative site was filtered · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Alpar reports that Baztab, a conservative site, was filtered by order of Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.The blogger invites all bloggers and internet users to resist against this illegal act [Fa].


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Israel: A Predictable Misunderstanding · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli Blogger, from Thoughts from Israel, describes the latest escalation between the Arabs and Israelis over Al Aqsa as a “predictable misunderstanding.” “And so, once again, a stupid and inconsiderate action of some office in the Israeli government is perceived by Arabs as warmongering, thereby causing Arab panic and violence, which is in turn interpreted by the Israeli public as proof that Arabs are terrorists,” he writes here.


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Israel: Dimona Virtual Tour · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli blog One Jerusalem gives us a virtual tour of Israel's nuclear plant in Dimona here.


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Israel: Equality at Western Wall?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli blogger Rahel literally shows us where women stand at free bar mitzvah services at the Western Wall, offered by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, here.
“The Western Wall Heritage Foundation offers free bar mitzvah services at the Western Wall. Nice of them. What do they offer to girls who want to celebrate their bat mitzvah? Zip, zero, nada, nothing,” she writes.


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Israel: Who’s Next?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Today it is Abdel Karim – tomorrow it could be you!, warns Israeli blogger SnoopyTheGoon. “This is another case when an oppressive regime takes a petty revenge on a blogger. This is another case when all bloggers, no matter of what race, age, gender or political affiliation must spread the word of protest,” he writes here.


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Jamaica: Henry Fowler · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Kia pays tribute to the recently deceased Henry Fowler, founder of Jamaica's exclusive Priory School, “an old-school Jamaican of colonial days, the sort of person that it is now fashionable to blame for all our ills.”


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Japan: global warming and lice · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

JP from Japundit blogs about the sudden resurgence of lice in Japan: Experts are unsure of why body bugs are thriving here, but some believe it is due to global warming while others claim the lice were brought in from abroad somehow.


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Japan: portrait rights debate · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Neomarxisms blogs about the rhetorics of the Japanese Association of Music Enterprises in defending the portrait rights of people they own: Scientifically speaking, we know that photography steals the subject's soul. Let's leave the soul stealing to the management companies, OK?


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Japan: smoke detecting robot · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Edo from Pink tentacle blogs about a new model of robot that equipped with a set of olfactory sensors specifically tuned to detect the odors of smoke and ash.


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Kenya: 2007 election websites · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mzalendo: Eye On Kenyan Parliament has a short piece about websites designed to cover the general election in Kenya later this year, “It seems like there will be a plethora of websites cropping up to cover the 2007 elections. ”


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Kyrgyzstan: Freedom of the Press? · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

At neweurasia, Yulia discusses reports saying that Kyrgyzstan has the freest media in Central Asia, saying that bad always looks good compared to worse.


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Kyrgyzstan: Turning Around the Economy · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

The new Kyrgyz government must turn around the economy says Kyrgyz Report. They ask whether or not Prime Minister Isabekov can pull off the task.


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Lebanon: Cold Civil War · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

You have heard of the cold war and you know what a civil war is. But what is a cold civil war? You need to read about it at Mustapha’s The Beirut Spring here.


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Malaysia: Blogger Not Alone Anymore · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Malaysian blogger Rocky who is being sued by a Malaysian newspaper says he does not feel that he is fighting alone anymore.


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Malaysia: Egyptian Blogger Jailed · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Ok-Lah in Malaysia comments on the jailing of an Egyptian blogger.


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Malaysia: University Dean Keeping Tabs on Students Attire · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Education in Malaysia writes about the dean from the business faculty of a top Malaysian public university who goes around looking for female students in improper attire.


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Nepal: Himalayan double standard · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Democracy For Nepal on the state of affairs in the Terai and the Himalayan double standard. “The political border of Indo-Nepal has divided a single piece of land on globe, but this has not been able to create fence between other spheres of life. The recent family tie-up of “Who is who” of Nepalese with Indian, especially among ruling circle has reiterated the same truth. “


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Nepal: This thing called inflation · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nepal gets a new headache called inflation says United We Blog!. “While former autocrat Gyanendra and Maoist Guerilla are stealing all the attention for all bad reasons, here comes yet another bad news for Nepal. The central bank says inflation stood at seven percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year where as the economy is expected to grow by 3.8 percent.”


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Pakistan: On Basant and Kiteflying · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Things Asian on kiteflying and Basant in Pakistan. “A man flies a kite at sunset after a day-long kite flying festival, locally known as ‘Basant’, in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, 09 February 2003, as officials said around 100,000 people from inside and outside the country had arrived in the city to celebrate the occasion.


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Palestine: Children’s Blogging Project · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahrain-based Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah was instrumental in making a children's blogging project see light. Read more about the project, which aims to bridge the widening gap between children in the West and East, here.


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Philippines: Celebrity Bloggers · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Our Awesome Planet lists some of his favorite celebrity blogs from the Philippines. “I admire celebrities who blog and don't let their celebrity status get in the way of self expression. Most of the time I find the celebrities who blog are smart, witty and able to convey what they think clearly without being afraid of what others would think. It is also entertaining to read their blogs and let readers/ fans have a sneak peek at their lives.”


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Russia: Ivan Ushkov’s Case · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ivan Ushkov, a St. Petersburg artist, had his computer and some of his work confiscated by the police; officers threatened to shut down his photo business located on Nevsky Prospekt. Both the Russian blogosphere and the media are abuzz about this ongoing controversy. Ushkov's work can be viewed here; English Russia and Carpetblogger write about it in English; the Russian-language commentary can be found here and here.


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Russia: New Registration Law · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog posts a transcript of the briefing by a high-ranking Russian migration service official: “As I’ve already indicated, the adoption and enforcement of the January 15 migration law has caused confusion among administrators, police, officials, and foreigners alike.  Nothing points to this confusion more than the following transcript of Vyacheslav Postavnin’s briefing with the American Chamber of Commerce on February 8.”


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Russia: Reactions to LaRussophobe’s Interview · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Siberian Light‘s interview with La Russophobe turned out to be quite a hit: read the heated discussion in the comments section as well as a note from Andy on why he decided to do this interview.


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Russia: Sakhalin Photos and Interview · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Tim Newman of White Sun of the Desert posts photos of winter in South Sakhalin – and gets interviewed by Siberian Light.


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Russia: Vladimir Vladimirovich™ Translated · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Scraps of Moscow translates three episodes of Vladimir Vladimirovich™ that “deal with last week's promotions of Sergei Ivanov and Ramzan Kadyrov.” Also, see photos of the Soviet-time soda machines taken in Moldova and Uzbekistan.


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Saudi Arabia: Camera or Magic Wand? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi-based American blogger Nzingha shows us how it would take a miracle to change her camera to a magic wand here.


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Singapore: Talking to a Mainland Chinese · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Diana, a Singaporean meets a person from mainland China on a boat journey in Cambodia and talks about the lives of an overseas Chinese and a mainland Chinese. “Her generation is debating these issues and trying to understand what it means to be Chinese. I told her it’s the same for me, trying to figure out what it means when I say I’m Chinese. In Singapore, I consider myself Chinese first and Singaporean second, but when I’m overseas, I think of myself as Singaporean first, and Chinese second.”


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South Korea: Ohmynews 7 years birthday · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Today (Feb 22) is Ohmynews’ 7 years birthday, Jay Hauben writes an article reviewing the discussion about the impact of citizen journalism in the past few years.


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South Korea: traditional sense of beauty · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Robert Koehler from Marmot's hole blogs about a study of the regional particularities of Joseon-era beauties through the drawing of faces in folding screen by professor Jo Yong-jin.


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Sri Lanka: On Flaming · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Indi.ca on the psychology of flaming. “Towards that end, I’ve been trying to figure out ways to engender civil discussion without excessive comment moderation. Moderation is necessary for large blogs, both for spam and flames, but it’s time consuming and annoying. Plus, especially vituperative flamers will post again and again and again.”


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Tajikistan: Violet Revolt · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Vadim notes that a new opposition party has appeared in Tajikistan, threatening to overthrow the president in a popular revolt if he does not resign by the spring. Vadim says that this is quite unlikely to find much support among Tajikistan's citizenry.


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Thailand: Actress to do Community Service for her Sexy Dress · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Arloo has a post on a Bangkok based student and actress who was asked by her university to do community service for 15 days after she appeared in Thai film awards ceremony in a “sexy” dress.


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The Global Voices Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest – Judge’s statement & official result! · Global Voices
Nicholas Laughlin

WHEN I LEFT a comment at the original post announcing this contest, asking who'd be doing the judging, I didn't realise I was answering my own question. But I was happy to say yes to GV's gracious co-managing editor Georgia Popplewell when she asked me to take on the task (and grateful the entries numbered in the dozens, not the hundreds).
There are as many kinds of love poem as there are kinds of love–not quite infinite, but close. Love won, love lost, love hoped for, love despairing, love delayed, love denied, unrequited, unknown, unforgivable, untold, inverted, perverted, sacred, profane, and so on and so on till dawn. The 28 entries in the Global Voices Valentine's Day Poetry Contest include a pleasing variety of both themes and forms, and range from the achingly sincere to the painfully parodic.
How did I choose the winner? Billie Holiday, via iTunes, whispers “Don't Explain”. Wise advice for any poetry contest judge, whose decisions must necessarily be subjective and not entirely conscious–because the part of the brain that responds to a poem, that loves it or hates it or wants to weep over it, is a deep, mysterious, illogical part (such an illogical part of the brain that we often get confused and call it “the heart”).
But in this case, judging was made “easier” by eliminating the seven poems that overlooked a key contest rule on subject matter: that “entries must in some way have to do with … blogging/citizen media”. I'd usually be the first to say that, in poetry, there are no rules, but this is a Global Voices contest, and it seems apt to insist that the winning poem relate in some way to GV's core mission. I was particularly sorry to lose Harinjaka's lovely “l'Amour ‘MoraMora'”, with its gentle Malagasy refrain; also Geoffrey Philp's “Bachata”, in which music is the food of love; Des Donnelly's wistful “If”; Kai C's yearning “A Beautiful Valentine's Day”; Nabeel Zeeshan's passionate poem with its hyperbolised imagery, “The red sun comes out of eclipse”; Sikanda's excerpt from a “saga” about two lovers named Oliverio and Alejandra; and Rethabile Masilo's “A Tourist in Maseru”, with its clever opening lines: “Love from the start was touch and go / when both our hands / at that / bazaar / opted for the sole, ripe mango”.
That left 21 poems, ranging from the concentrated explosion of brotherly love that is Peggy Manfredi's “Realize Our Power” to Taimoorkhan's naughty, sticky-fingered “i wish you were in my room”. Falstaff offers both a haiku suggesting that “Blogging too is an / act of love” and a take-off on Shakespeare's Sonnet 29, in which I lost count of his smartly worked-in blogging references.
Think love poem and perhaps (for English-speakers) Shakespeare comes first to mind, but other entrants looked further afield for models and inspirations. Luis Carlos Diaz's “I don't need / to know / English” reminds me of the lyrics of William Carlos Williams–they even have the same middle name! Juliacaesaris, with her prose poem “El olor de tu recuerdo”, summons the shade of Arthur Rimbaud. Niranjan Srinivas's “Yet another Valentine's day”, its rhymes advancing relentlessly towards their heartless conclusion, has something of the air of James Fenton–especially the stanza that rhymes “hero” with “zero”. And the opening lines of Lilia Mendoza's “Foto en Pixeles o Conjeturas” could just about pass for Paul Célan.
Ph offers a free-verse piece in the form of a personals ad. Revealed offers an ode to his blog and “the thoughts that talk in Times Roman”. In “He who spikes my page”, GV's South Asia editor Neha Viswanathan supplies the contest's sultriest line: “feed my bulging, sacred / opml”. The Nightshift Chronicler plays on the double meaning of the phrase “she calls it”, in a lament over “lonesome love”. Delphine's “The Seventy per-cent Solution: A Valediction” is the contest's sole canine entry–but then, on the Internet, nobody knows etc. It tells the story of an ill-fated inter-species romance; only readers who know that chocolate is toxic to dogs will grasp the final tragic twist.
In “You were loved with all that was there”, Song Lady bitterly recounts a dalliance ended by a lover's selfishness. Juan Arellano describes the pains of a separation caused by a server malfunction: “No hay email, chat o blog….” In “Speak for we all have love”, Gareth Yates offers a hopeful definition of love as “A united army of voices and souls”.
Zz aka Peter Griffin proves his doggerelist's credentials with not one but two entries: “My blog you are a wondrous thing”, with its swipe at Blogger, and “Global Voices, Global Voices”, a shameless valentine to–well, to Global Voices, which even manages to work in a link to the GV manifesto.
OK, home stretch….
I admire the way Firstrain's “Tangy”–nice title!–balances the silly with the sincere, light-hearted- and -handedly suggesting both the new lover's starry-eyed optimism and the ambiguities of a real-life relationship. “As the world screamed, work! in capital mails / A small “heylo” sneaked in” is a line that certainly cuts to my quick. The metre is off in the poem's opening couplet, but the goofy faux-naif final stanza must surely have brought a smile to every reader's face:
“O moi valentine, so I say today
My tangy, imli-sauteed-papri-chaat
Let my tummy complain from now till May
I'll eat you with all my heart.”
But the poem I found myself reading over and over, the one that seemed to do the most with the most economical resources–and furthermore the winner–is Neha Viswanathan's second entry, “Madam I am 28, single”. This is a quietly deceptive and deceptively simple poem, saying much more than the initially apparent sum of its words. It flawlessly captures the Hinglish-accented voice of a bachelor trawling the Web for love, his hopeful tone belied by his confession of loneliness. It proves that you don't need flowery phrases or far-fetched metaphors to summon real emotion in a poem, and that humour and tragedy are not incompatible. This is both a delicately funny poem and a deeply affecting one. In simple, matter-of-fact tercets–erupting into open passion only in the lovely line “Scrap me with your / ladyfingers”–it draws a portrait of both a distinct individual and a universal longing. It is pitch-perfect and spare–you wouldn't change and couldn't delete a single word. That's more than you can say for most poems in the world.
Congratulations, Neha! And many thanks to all the other entrants. Keep writing.
And here's the winning poem in full:
Madam, I am 28, single.
I live alone, and nobody
has my Orkut password.
I have never had a girl
friend. Madam, I think
I am lonely. Are you?
Scrap me with your
ladyfingers. On IM we
will profess online love.
Don’t tell me you are
married. Does not say so
on your very public profile.
On Valentine, I hunt for
empty scrap books. I am
finding your lovely self Madam.

author: Nicholas Laughlin


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The Global Voices Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest – The People’s Choice! · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

OUR CONTEST JUDGE has spoken, and very beautifully too. And now we have the far easier task of announcing the People's Choice winner.
There were 54 votes in all. Leading, with 16 votes, was “l’Amour ‘MoraMora'” by Harinjaka. Congratulations, Harinjaka!
In a close-ish second place, with 13 votes, was Geoffrey Philp's “Bachata”. View the full results of the voting here.
Many thanks to all who participated in the Global Voices Valentine's Day poetry contest!
And here's the winning poem in full:
l’Amour “MoraMora”
le soleil m’a prédit
que je croiserai ta route
mais que si tu n’es pas encore là
il ne faut pas que je m’inquiète
car tu entreras dans ma vie
façon doucement doucement
le vent m’a murmuré
que tu seras raffiné(e)
mais que… si tu n’es pas encore là
il ne faudrait pas que je m’inquiète
car tu entreras dans ma vie
façon doucement doucement
les oiseaux m’ont raconté
que tu seras réservé(e), très très soigné(e),
et surtout cultivé(e)
mais que … si tu n’es pas encore là
il ne faudrait pas que je m’inquiète
car tu entreras dans ma vie
façon doucement doucement
puisque tout est écrit
et puisqu’ils m’ont dèja tous dit
j’ai vraiment envie de croire
et même hâte de te voir
ne prend pas trop ton temps
façon doucement doucement
Hjk
_________
“moramora” est un mot malgache qui signifie : “doucement doucement”. Slowlow en englais. C’est la conception malgache de la vie et du temps. Un art de vivre à Madagascar. On ne se précipite pas, car tout vient à point à qui sait attendre. Je pensais notamment à tous ces célibataires, errant sur la toile, n’ayant pas trouver la personne idéale dans la vrai vie et espérant un jour de la trouver sur le web :)… on ne désespère pas car un jour ça viendra.
Translation of poem by Global Voices editor Alice Backer:
“moramora” love
the sun has told me
that i will cross your path
but that if you’re not yet there
that I need not worry
for you will enter my life
slow-ly slow-ly
the wind has whispered to me
that you will be refined
but that … if you’re not yet there
that I need not worry
for you will enter my life
slow-ly slow-ly
the birds have recounted to me
that you will be reserved, very very neat
and most of all cultured
but that … if you’re not yet there
that I need not worry
for you will enter my life
slow-ly slow-ly
since it was all written
and since they’ve already told me
i really want to believe
and am even dying to see
don’t take too long
though slow-ly slow-ly
Hjk
————-
“moramora” is a malagasy word that means: “slowlyslowly”. It is the Malagasy idea of life and time. A way of life in Madagascar. We do not hurry since good things come to those who wait. I was especially thinking of all singles, erring on the sand, not having found that ideal person in real life but hoping to one day find him/her on the web :)… We don’t despair because one they he/she will show up.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Carnival competition results · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Keith Francis posts the results — “as many as can be found” — of the 2007 Carnival competitions in Trinidad.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Moko jumbies · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Stefan Falke posts some spectacular photos of the moko jumbies–or stilt-walkers–of the Dragon Keylemanjahro School of Arts & Culture's presentation for this year's Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago.


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Uganda: The Last King of Scotland · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ethan Zuckerman's reaction after watching The Last King of Scotland: “I saw The Last King of Scotland last night and had been prepared to be pissed off about yet another Africa film with a white protagonist. But Forest Whitaker gives an absolutely extraordinary performance as Idi Amin.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Ukraine: Carpathian Photos · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Olechko posts pictures from the beautiful Carpathian Mountains.


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Ukraine: Corruption (Cont’d) · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A week ago, there were about 200 comments on Yuri Zushchik's post on corruption at the National Bank of Ukraine (including an irrelevant but lively discussion of IKEA – which is yet to open in Kyiv, by the way). Today, there are 320 comments, and the following exchange (RUS, UKR) stands out in particular:
ElCooper: I'm head of a department at the National Bank of Ukraine, with 12 years of experience. Does it mean I'm a “midlevel employee” – or do you determine “midlevel-ness” in some other way? Well, okay, let's assume I am a midleveller.
In all these years, I've received no apartments […]. Neither I, nor anyone I know can buy collectible coins, gold bars and other valuables.
With loans, the situation is this. Yes, we do get benefits on loans. From 4 to 7 percent, for 2-5 years, for household needs. We have to point out what the money will be spent on and provide papers showing where the money went.
Loans to buy apartments, for 25 years, are given to people awaiting their turn, and the amount they get depends on the common fund (which is far from being limitless), with income tax payments. Some people may have gotten into this queue, I suspect, by cheating, in a rather Soviet way, on the organs that carry out registration. What does the National Bank as an organization have to do with this?
And, as state employees, we are not allowed to take loans at other banks (not just to buy an apartment, but for everything else).
So. You, Mr. Journalist, are lying and hurting me and others like me. Let's make a bet. We get in touch and meet up in real life. You search for the things I've stolen. If you find anything, it's yours. If not, you're getting a kick in the ass in public. Will this work for you?
If you want to do an objective story, don't listen to untrustworthy acquaintances, talk directly to the people who work here.
[…]
ykhm: […] For some reason, I do believe you. But you should agree that in general the author is correct – the problem with bribes is indeed very serious here. At least, for those who don't know how to give them. […] It squeaks a lot if you don't pour some oil over it, and those who never cheat, sit in the back. Me, I'm morally prepared to give a bribe. […]
ElCooper: […] Thank you. But the author wasn't writing about bribes. In a way, he was writing about the system: “How they steal at the National Bank.” Average people like myself. From you, as someone who pays taxes to support me. So of course, it offends me. It's not fair towards me and people like me. And towards the National Bank as a whole, because I'm sure that things are going much better here than in the state sector in general (though I can speak about problems at length – I do have experience). Also, it's wrong to think that the National Bank is run on state money. We are self-sufficient and what remains gets transferred to the state budget. But the author must've been too busy to ask about this…
[…]
Yuri Zushchik: […] Thank you for the angry letter – it means that I haven't missed the target. Here's my response:
1. The official in question was lower in rank that the deputy head of the National Bank, but higher up than you are. I don't have the right to be more specific, to prevent revealing his identity – there are circumstances that do not allow me to let it happen.
2. You cannot be considered a midlevel emloyee if you are not entitled to make decisions on the money flow (if you don't sign relevant documents).
3. Be careful when you declare that you're corruption-free. Even using office paper for your personal needs is considered theft. And here, even bus ticket vendors are corrupted, and journalists, too. And even more so are midlevel employees. And I'm grateful to [another commenter] for pointing out that thieves register what they've stolen on their relatives. I have a friend who wanted to register some real estate in my name (!). He trusts me, of course, but he probably ran out of relatives, too.
4. I didn't mean you personally, but the system of benefits at the National Bank, which basically constitutes theft. And as for you, let the tax inspector deal with you – this isn't my jurisdiction.
5. I'm not a journalist here – it's a blog, not the magazine. And this is why I allow myself to step away from the journalistic standards, something that I don't do in my articles.
6. With the kick in the ass, don't rush – I can hit back, I've a difficult character. If you don't like something, find a civilized way to protest. You can sue me, if you want.
7. I agree with you on only one thing: Corruption at the National Bank isn't as bad as it is in other government institutions. So don't be offended but keep up the high standards – this is the path to self-respect.
Regards.
And here are two comments that aren't really about corruption, but about something that makes life in the Ukrainian capital as annoying – the garbage:
yarka: […] In our backyard (city center, rent is $1,300 [per month] for a 2-room apartment), the garbage hasn't been taken away for a week already! The pile is so huge that the bums are afraid to approach it – they may get buried underneath! […] And the many Jeeps-Lexuses-et-cetera are patiently driving past this pile, even though in a day or two the exit from the backyard will be blocked solid. […] The reason seems to be that the residetial maintenance office can't find a common language with the garbagemen. And as far as I know, this is happening all over the city!
[…]
Off-the-Record: […] I don't understand it: are these Lexus-driving people not paying for their apartments? Why doesn't the maintenance office have money for the garbagemen? Or have these garbagemen just returned from the Oxford College of Ecology (where they got diplomas of garbagemen-environmentalists) and are demanding 5,000 euros a month, and this is where all these problems stem from? :)


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Ukraine: Fashion · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Olechko makes this observation on the way Ukrainian women dress: “Kyiv fashion may either scare to death or wildly inspire newcomers.”


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Africa, China: The Role of Local Governance · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Sanaga Peregrinations disagrees (Fr) with commentators who believe Africa is going towards a recolonization by China, suggesting that the point is not to worry about the consequences of Chinese investments but rather to  bring local leaders to better manage all foreign investments. She quotes and endorses Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda: ” The failure of Western aid in Africa has little to do with the conditions attached to it, but a lot to do with poor governance on the continent.”


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Albania: Film Industry · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Our Man in Tirana writes on the Albanian film industry.


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Albania: Observing the Election · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Our Man in Tirana posts two more installments – here and here – on the experience of being an election observer in Albania.


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Armenia: Dual Citizenship · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

At Life in Armenia, Raffi K. notes that dual citizenship is closer to becoming a reality and hopes that sticking points holding it up can be sorted out soon.


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Bahrain: Bush Lying About Iran · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger emoodz doesn't hesitate in calling Bush ‘a liar’. “I along with the rest of the world had to live through a long orchestrated buildup of propaganda and lies to rationalize a military attack on Iraq. Like it’s insistence that Iraq carried and manufactured WMDs it is now leading an international campaign that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons,” he writes. “The whole concept of Iran being a threat to the region is just packed lies, I lived to witness two wars/invasions carried out by the Bush administration both were nothing but a total failure by all measures. Maybe I will live to see yet another one.. Just maybe.”


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: Dayton Accords Discrimination Case · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Neretva River discusses a case brought before the European Court for Human Rights: “Sarajevo's Jewish community, led by Jakob Finci, is arguing that the Dayton Accords are discriminatory as they de facto bar from high public office members of minority communities that happen not to fit nicely into ‘Croat,’ ‘Muslim’ or ‘Serb’ categories. Are Croats, Muslims and Serbs in BiH more equal than for example Roma? Have the Dayton Accords institutionalized discrimination against non-Croat, non-Muslim and non-Serb minority communities?”


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Cambodia: PopStar Shot At · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Sopheak writes about a Cambodian pop star Pov Panha who was shot in broad daylight on Feb 23.

author: Preetam Rai


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Cameroon: Journey Through Basaa Country · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Sanaga Peregrinations posts (Fr) pictures of a recent trip through “the red land of [her] ancestors”, Basaa country in Cameroon. The photo-journey takes us through Edea, Boumnyebel, the pierced grotto of Ngog Lituba and finally the entrance of her village.

author: Alice Backer


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China: collective bargaining but no right to strike · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fons blogs about the latest discussion about the new labour law in China and quotes from a labour law researcher on a possible outcome: In 2007, tripartite regulations will be drawn up governing collective bargaining. It struck me as a significant development, but tripartism the Chinese way. On the lawful strike to protect workers, the right to strike, they are not in favour.


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China: Disgraced Party member promoted? · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Last autumn, Qin Zhongfei, a low-ranking civil servant in Pengshui County of mid-western China's Chongqing Municipality, wove some sarcastic political humor into a poem and sent it out to a few dozen friends via text and instant message.
Charged with slander by then County Party Secretary Lan Qinghua, one of several political leaders mentioned in the poem, Qin was arrested for a month, released on bail, saw the case found faulty and himself pronounced innocent, apologized to and, finally, financially compensated [blocked in China].
Here‘s what EastSouthWestNorth blogger Roland Soong wrote at the time:
“According to information, on the morning of September 1, 2006, leaders from the Pengshui public security bureau, procuratorate and court met to discuss the case along with other department not related to political law.  The decision was to charge Qin Zhongfei with libel.
This was an obvious mistake, because if the subjects of the case (Lan Qinghua, Zhou Wei and others) felt that they were libeled, they should have filed a complaint directly with the People's Court.  Instead, Qin Zhongfei was detained by the public security bureau.”
One of the most blogged-about political scandals of 2006, it was given fresh momentum with the news last week of Lan Qinghua's appointment as Deputy Director of the Statistics Bureau for Chongqing Municipality, just over two months since Lan was dismissed from his post.
You can take Lan to the city, but can you call it a promotion? [blocked] Was this an assignment to a lower rank, a flat transfer or a move up? The Communist Party of China‘s ranking system is complicated, but many bloggers have taken issue with the move. There's even a Protest Lan Qinghua's Promotion! blog.
Qin Zhongfei's poem
Bokee VIP blogger Aston Wen tells it well:
在震惊全国的”彭水诗案” 中，蓝庆华是主角。在蓝庆华治下的臣民中出了一个诗歌天才，这个诗歌天才姓秦名中飞，在彭水县只是一名小小的县教委的办事科员，还是借调的临时工，但他天性喜欢舞文弄墨，在茶余饭后、闲暇之余，写出了一首在当地惊公仆泣百姓的绝世短信诗歌（一种新的诗歌体裁），轰动了彭水县境，被人们广为传诵。但彭水县的父母官蓝庆华不以为荣，反以为耻，不仅不愿意当伯乐，不去提拔这样的才俊之士，反而嫉贤妒能，对他进行打击报复，命令彭水县公安局以涉嫌”诽谤罪”把他送进看守所关押了一个月。可怜秦中飞这个瘦弱的文人，自己津津乐道的诗歌不仅没有给自己带来好运，反而给自己招致了牢狱之灾。一个月折腾下来，早已是人不像人，鬼不像鬼了。
后来，在媒体和社会的激烈抨击下，制造冤错假案的蓝庆华县太爷被摘去乌纱帽，现在蓝庆华不仅官帽失而复得，而且新的乌纱帽比原来的还高了一级，这当然让国人接受不了，当然会有人发发议论和牢骚。
但文博客是非常讲究实事求是的，文博客觉得，这次安排蓝庆华当重庆市统计局副局长，是量才录用，是伯乐识才。因为，蓝庆华当县太爷是用非所才，他对诗歌更是一窍不通，所以要把他的县太爷的乌纱帽摘下来。现在给他戴上重庆市统计局副局长的乌纱帽，是上级考察之后发现，蓝庆华是个数学天才，对数字有天然高超的领悟力，是个搞数字游戏的高手，这在其当县太爷的时候就有突出的表现，现在把他安排做重庆市统计局副局长当然是好钢用在刀刃上了。而且，本来上级领导是要安排他直接做重庆市统计局局长的，只是考虑到他曾经镇压诗人秦中飞，造成了不好的影响，才委屈他暂时做副职，但以后还是要提拔的，中华人民共和国重庆市统计局局长的宝座就是给他准备的。
所以，蓝庆华当重庆市统计局副局长不是组织上的失察，也不是蓝庆华有强大的背景，而是组织上有眼光，能慧眼识才！
Third Eye at the Sina.com News BBS:
这个调动意味深长，是”彭水诗案”当事人在两个月的时间里通过什么学习，思想认识有了质的飞跃？是”彭水诗案”当事人在两个月的时间通过休整，政治素质有了根本提高？还是重庆市组织部门试图通过这件事情向公民们透露什么信息？
Responds commenter The Forum Master is Not In:
好像县委书记级别是副厅级哟!谁能核实一下.
A similar question asked anonymously here at the ChinaCourt blog, in response to a reposting from a Feb. 17 Southern Weekend article on the incident:
彭水诗案被免职书记可能升任副厅级?你没发烧吧
At the County Economy BBS, blogger He Xiangyu takes a shot, including an analysis of China's civil servant ranking scale in:
关于重庆市彭水县原书记蓝某调任是否升职的正确解释。
先贴新的《公务员职务与级别管理规定》，希望大家明确各职务层次与 级别的对应关系：
（1）国家级正职：一级；
（2）国家级副职：四级至二级；
（3）省部级正职：八级至四级；
（4）省部级副职：十级至六级；
（5）厅局级正职：十三级至八级；
（6）厅局级副职：十五级至十级；
（7）县处级正职：十八级至十二级；
（8）县处级副职：二十级至十四级；
（9）乡科级正职：二十二级至十六级；
（10）乡科级副职：二十四级至十七级。
…
本人系重庆市某区某局职工，现就蓝某调任是否升职作出正确解释。
一，在其他存在省、市、县三级管理体制的普通省份 ，县委书记确实是正处级（即县处级正职），但在重庆市，因直辖的原则，县的正职（主记、县长）都是（6）厅局级副职 。从一个县的书记调任市体育局副书记，一般应该是平调。
二、重庆市下属除了县之外，还有区、市（县级市）两种体制（如渝中区 、永川市）。其中县、县级市的正职（党政一把手）都是厅局级副职，而区的党政一把手，统统是（5）厅局级正职，要高半级。而且如万州区，由于是移民大区，特别重要，其区委书记是重庆市委党委，是（4）省部级副职 。当然，万州区是特例，重庆也独此一家。
三，虽然蓝某的调职从表面上看是平调，但到底是升了还是被贬了 ，还无法一口断定。因为从表面上看一个县的一把手比一个体育局（典型的非重点部门）的副书记肯定权力大，搞头多，但是否体育局只是一个跳板，一个台阶，是否就此没有前途，还要从蓝某的年龄 、与领导的关系、领导对此事的态度等多方面进行考虑。虽然体育局总体看来油水不大，但体育彩票也是体育局管，每年也有体育场馆建设等多方面投入，蓝某如果分管业务，也不是没油水可捞。
四，虽然有以上总总的不确定，但从普遍情形分析，蓝某东山再起的可能性 不大。彭水诗案说小点是以权压法，说大点是犯了政治错误，又闹得全国皆知，比不得车祸与矿难（一年个N多起，见怪不怪），这个起一年顶多两、还是比较引人注目。个人认为蓝某最终在体育局混几年，然后到年龄当个调研员，直至退休的可能性最高。
Last fall, National People's Congress representative Sun Jian called for an investigation into the matter, which resulted in Pengshui Party Secretary Lan Qinghua's dismissal. It was two months later that Lan was appointed to the Statistics post. Here, Strong China (强国) blogger Guang Minghang offers an explanation as to why he thinks this counts as a promotion:
应该说，人大代表这一提案是非常有道理的，然而，竟未被理睬，蓝庆华不但未被追究违法违纪责任，反而 被任命为重庆市统计局副局长。据统计局工作人员说，该局为正厅级单位，副局长一般都是副厅级。蓝庆华免职前职务为彭水县县委书记，这个职务一般都是正处级，这就是说，蓝庆华已从县处级升到了副厅级，这实在令社会公众大跌眼镜。
At the same time, is this a case of local Party outfits working outside the rule of law and disregarding Central Government decrees? Guang Minghang contintues:
中央三令五申，严禁提拔 “带病”干部。蓝庆华因滥用公权、干涉司法被免职，明显是个”带病”之身，然而，重庆市竟置中央禁令于不顾，公然提拔重用这样”带病”的干部，实在令人费解，也是难以令公众接受的。是因为蓝庆华在免职后有重大立功表现？还是因为他有经天纬地之才，离了他重庆市天会塌地会陷？对此，重庆市能给中央禁令一个合理交待，给公众一个满意的回答吗？
Another comment from County Economy BBS user Don't Ask:
看来重庆也要出个陈良宇了，呵呵。
Have you seen enough to make a call either way? If not, don't worry, you're not the only one. From Baidu blogger Duman:
有关部门这样作，就让我们有些不明白了。如果说秦中飞写诗没错 ，那蓝庆华对他的打击就是错误的，免去蓝的县委书记职务，就应该是理所应当的。如今蓝庆华荣升副厅级领导，也许是意在说明当初对他的免职处理是错误的，如果当初把蓝免错了，那就说明蓝庆华刑拘秦中飞是对的，那秦中飞写打油诗本身又错了。可是彭水警方已经明确表示秦中飞诽谤案属于错案，并对给秦造成的伤害表示了道歉。呵呵，在这样一起看似普通的案件中，竟然当事双方都没错 ，那错的就是我们这些观众了！

author: John Kennedy


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