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South Korea: (iPhone 1) Patriotism and Media Manipulation Backfire · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

The smart phone battle is getting brutal in Seoul. Young, tech-savvy bloggers are pouring over professional reviews of the invincible Apple iPhone and Galaxy S of Samsung that came out last week. While older Koreans feel weirdly obligated to side with Samsung in local VS global brand competitions, young iPhone users do not try to muffle their ‘iPhone pride’. Korean bloggers, even though they nod along with positive feedback on Samsung Galaxy S, condemn local media for indiscriminately praising Samsung while bad-mouthing the iPhone.
The iPhone, like anywhere else in the world has a rock star status here in South Korea. Two major Korean phone makers, Samsung and LG, came up with the “iPhone killer”,Samsung with its Galaxy S and LG with Omnia phone, both decent smart phones. But it is always the iPhone users who show off its phone in the public, praising it nonstop with their faces glowing with pride.
In a LG’s Omnia user internet café, complaints on the iPhone user’s arrogance are heaping up. A netizen ID Itbestar shared an unpleasant experience involving his iPhone user friend. He added that he does not understand his friend’s irrational pride of unreasonably expensive iPhone and even though iPhone has tons of functions, what consumers are actually using on daily basis is limited to few.
전역하고 어제 오랜만에 친구를 만났는데요. 마침 어제 오즈 옴니아가 제 품에 온날이기도 했는데. 절 딱 보자마자 제 손에 든 옴니아를 보며 자기는 아이폰이라고 놀리더라구요. 그래요. 오즈옴니아. 저 돈 아낄라고 싸게 샀어요. 그런데 확실히 해 둬야 되요. 아이폰 살 돈이 없어서 못 산게 아니라 한달 6만원어치의 값어치라는 게 전혀 없어서 합리적인 소비로서 오즈옴니아를 샀다는 것…정말 제 주위 전역한 사람들이나 친구들 보면 아이폰 사용자가 꽤 있는 편인데, 제가 물어보면 하나같이 하는 말이 막상 처음엔 신나서 이리저리 만져보며 어플깔아도 쓰는 어플은 정해져 있다고. 서울버스, 맛집, 날씨, 트위터 이런 정도. 그런데 이런 건 다른 폰에도 다 되죠… (그리고 저는 정말 아이폰과 옴니아 터치감 차이 못 느끼겠어요, 제가 좀 둔한가요?) (이 아이폰 쓰는 친구) 아이폰 자부심이 발동했던지 인터넷 속도 시합하자고 하더라고요…이건 뭐 누가 이겼느니 라는 유치한 싸움이기보다는 그냥 정말 아이폰 사용자들의 무한한 자부심이라는 게 하나의 사회 현상 같기도 하다는.
A netizen ID :OZ Omnia commented on Itbestar’s post that he also have witnessed iPhone user’s smugness.
얼마 전 편의점 근무중에 노래켜놓고 있는거 보더니 옴니아 2인가요? 옴니아2 아직 문제가 많아요, 라더군요. 그래서 아이폰 쓰시나 봐요, 했더니, 예. 아이폰 사용자는 우월의식에 젖어 사나봅니다.ㅎ
What angered these proud iPhone users are the media’s hostile attitude toward iPhone. Local media has been eulogizing Samsung’s Galaxy as the ultimate iPhone killers while upbraiding iPhone 4 and 3.
Another blogger comments points out that the iPhone’s tough screen is far smooth compare with Galaxy S which makes him feel ‘chocked’, Galaxy S came out with additional functions like DMB and support Flash format, but that he doubt that the journalist who wrote the article has actually tried both phones. Few local reports discovered major media’s news articles have misquote foreign press, making it sounds like the Financial Times confirmed Galaxy S as the iPhone killer by omitting a part “However, they(referring experts) doubt the Galaxy S can become the iPhone killer, despite its strong hardware”. Some other articles are under suspicions that they have intentionally misinterpreted the English article.
Let along misquotations, bloggers whom half professional and half amateur in technology are doubting the journalists’ judgments on the smart phones. A blogger Stworld pointed out a conflicting view on the phone’s touch screen. While he felt that the iPhone’s touch screen is far smooth compare to that of Galaxy S which makes him feel ‘chocked’, the local reports evaluated those two as similar. Stworld later added Galaxy S’s additional functions like the DMB and the Flash format support are praisable.
저는 아이폰을 쓰고는 있지만, 아이폰에 불만도 많은 사용자입니다. 그런데, 오늘 갤럭시S를 써볼 기회가 있었습니다. 갤럭시S의 터치 스크롤이 아이폰과 거의 비슷해졌다는 신문기사를 본적이 있었는데, 그 기자는 정말 써보고 기사를 썼을까 하는 생각이 들더군요. 사실 아이폰을 쓴 초기에는 옴니아2도 어느 정도 만족스럽다는 생각을 했었는데, 이제 아이폰의 부드러운 스크롤에 완전히 적응이 되었는지..갤럭시S의 터치 및 스크롤의 느낌이 옴니아2보다는 훨씬 좋은 듯 한데도…너무너무 어색하다는 생각이 들더군요. 뭔가 답답함으로 인해, 가슴이 꽉 막히는 것이…그래도 화면의 깔끔함이나, 여러 기능들이 꽤 좋아졌다고는 생각합니다. DMB가 필요하고 플래시가 지원되는 것이 좋은 사람이라면 충분히 아이폰이 아니라 갤럭시S를 살만하다고는 생각합니다.
As more bloggers post quality reviews on smart phones than the local media report view, the journalist’s credibility are often compromised. A blogger Thexenon criticized a local journalist’s ignorance to the subject, talking rather bombastically that he would have written a better article on the cell phones. That article is claimed to be written after six hours of iPhone with Galaxy S comparison.
6시간 사용했다면서요?! 6시간 동안 구글어스 돌리고, 음성검색하고, 사진 찍은 게 다 인건가요?! 6시간동안 비교를 한다면..1. 부팅속도 2. 배터리 소모량 3. 동일 어플 실행 속도 비교 (구글 서비스라던가)4. 킬러컨텐츠 소개 5. 기기만의 특장점 비교 6. UI비교 및 UX 비교. 7. 실제 사용 소감 등. 이 정도는 뽑아낼 수 있지 않을까요?
There is no way of confirming whether several major media have intentionally distorted the information as a favor to Samsung or they do believe in their theory. However, South Korea has traditionally been a fortress of Samsung. The government is its guardian and Korean people understand it as a national pride, creating a new word ‘Samsung Republic’ as in South Korea’s official name, ‘Republic of Korea’. It is a sweet fruit of the government’s export driven economy and a living incarnation of Korean entrepreneurship backed by government’s support even to the point its’ fault went nearly unpunished. Local media has been very generous on Samsung related cases.
But this patriotism card seems backfiring. When iPhone 3 debuted several months ago, news article indiscriminately disparaging the iPhone have overflowed the internet space. Korean young generation have responded these criticism with unprecedented huge sold outs. There are around 800 thousand iPhone users in Korea. As iPhone 4 is planning to enter Korean market around the last week of July, Galaxy S debuted last week, backed by local media’s eulogy on it.
A blogger who introduced himself as working in tech field said he is planning to buy iPhone despite he can get his company’s financial support when buying other smart phone. Under the title ‘the time when people used to buy local brands out of patriotism has passed by’, he wrote a post stressing that even though Galaxy S is a fine smart phone, Samsung has to shift its strategies in a way no longer rouse people’s anger by cheap ‘patriotism move’ and media manipulation.
제품을 봤을때 솔직히 놀라웠다. 애플이 상당한 격차로 앞서나가고 내년쯤에 안드로이드 기반이 안정되면 그때 대항마가 나올거라는 예상을 했기 때문이다. 그러나 생각외로 삼성의 갤럭시S는 내 예상을 뛰어넘는 굉장히 훌륭한 제품이었다…하여튼 문제는 앞으로 제품을 소비할 젊은층들에게 삼성이 반감을 산다면 그건 기업미래에 매우 좋지 않은 영향을 끼친다는 점이다. 어르신들의 경우에는 국내메이커에 대한 선호도가 강하고 또 삼성의 제품이 우수하기 때문에 충성도가 강하다. 하지만 지금의 세대는 글로벌 기업의 제품에 노출도 많이 되었거니와 선호도도 뚜렷하다. 이는 더 이상 독도광고 등 애국심 드립으로는 해결하기 어려운 것을 의미한다…하지만 스마트폰이나 최근 IT분야에서는 기존과는 다른 접근방식이 필요해 보인다…내가 봤을때 삼성은 굉장히 꽉 짜여져 있다는 느낌이 강하다. 보다 유연해 질 필요가 있다…타 업체의 장점을 유연하게 수용할 필요가 있다.
More in next post South Korea: (iPhone 2) A Hierarchical Society Cannot Make an iPhone

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Taiwan: Nojoud Ali’s book cover choice shows rooted discrimination · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

Allison on iPPOST talks about the rooted discrimination (zht) from the example of Taiwanese publisher's business decision to use a white skin and golden hair girl's picture on the cover of Nojoud Ali's book in Chinese, while all the other editions around the world use Nojoud Ali‘s real photo. “WTF? ? Who IS She? Isn't this book about a Yemen girl's true story? Why a obvious biography would use another person's picture as the cover who has nothing to do with it?”, argues Allison.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Nigeria: Documentary on Babangida · Global Voices
Eremipagamo Amabebe

@page { margin: 0.79in } 		P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } Max Siollun posts links to a documentary critical of General Ibrahim Babangida, military ruler of Nigeria from 1985-1993 and a likely contender in the 2011 election. “An oldie but a goodie,” Siollun writes of the video, which focuses on Babangida's relationship with Mamman Jiya Vatsa, a close friend who was later executed at the General's orders.

author: Eremipagamo Amabebe


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Bahrain: Facebook Page for BSPCA  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Bahrain Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals now has a page on Facebook here.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Bangladesh: Silence Of The Fans · Global Voices
Rezwan

Back To Bangladesh talks with a Bangladeshi football fan to understand why the Worldcup craze waned in the country – of course after the early departures of their favorites Argentina and Brazil.

author: Rezwan


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Bhutan: An Interview With Jamie Zeppa · Global Voices
Rezwan

Bhutan Canada publishes an interview with Jamie Zeppa, who wrote a memoir of her teaching years in Bhutan and her self-discovery in a foreign land.


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Bosnia Herzegovina: Roman influence in Srebrenica · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

The Daily Seyahatname writes about the historical Roman influence on the town of Srebrenica and Bosnia in general.

author: Vilhelm Konnander


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Brazil: Prejudice against Paraguay in the Media · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

"Brazilian TV report offending PARAGUAY!!" video uploaded to Youtube by DaniBoy78
A diplomatic incident between Brazil and Paraguay broke out in the same day that the latter was eliminated from the World Cup. In focus is a prejudiced video report about the participation of Paraguay in the Cup, which was broadcasted by a Brazilian television channel, Rede Globo's SporTV.
The controversial video can be watched at Youtube [pt].
Paraguayan newspaper La Nación [The Nation, es] soon reacted, claiming that the payed TV channel SporTV was  biased in reporting on the Paraguayan team and the country itself. Cristina P. Rodrigues, from blog Somos andando [We Are Going, pt], wrote about the incident, criticizing the alleged lack of quality in journalism promoted by Rede Globo:
O desrespeito vai além do futebol, segundo o jornal: “ironizan sobre  nuestras comidas y nuestras costumbres”, em linguagem debochada. O único  valor paraguaio apresentado pelo vídeo é Larissa Riquelme, a “novia del  Mundial”. Além de agressivo com os paraguaios, o curta é machista.  Desvaloriza todo um povo e todo um gênero. As mulheres são vistas como  objetos.
A matéria se coloca ao lado de Dunga pela resistência aos abusos da  Globo. E completa: “La Naranja Mecánica se encargó así de hacer justicia  y dar una gran lección a  quienes tienen en el corazón una rabia  innecesaria hacia una nación pobre pero  digna”.
Ramonita Vera, the Paraguayan singer who was quoted in the original SporTV video, responded to the aggressions against her and her country, saying that SporTV forgot to mention the honor and humility that has led beautiful Paraguay to reach so far in the World Cup [es]:
Many Brazilian netcitizens started talking about it in Facebook and Twitter:
@renanhramos: PQP falta de  consideração com Paraguai pela Globo. Jogadores arrados em campo e ela  desdenha cinicamente.
@carineroos: Infelizmente os  estereotipos e preconceitos prevalecem quando falam em #PAR.  Mas e um pais impar que os sul americanos nao reconhecem
Paulo Henrique Amorim, from Conversa Afiada [Sharp Conversation, pt] reflected about such diplomatic incident:
A Globo fica arrumando encrenca com os nossos vizinhos em nome do  Brasil.
A Globo é contra o Mercosul.
Assim como a Globo provoca  intrigas e conflitos em suas PODRES novelas, quer fazer o mesmo nas  relações com o Brasil.
Commenting on a post on the subject by blog Esquerdopata [Leftopath, pt], Patricia showed her revolt:
Nunca vi tanta ofensa fantasiada de jornalismo junto !! Liberdade de  imprensa ou liberdade para jorrar preconceitos rídiculos ??
Never before have I seen such offense disguised  as journalism! Press freedom or freedom to boost ridiculous prejudice?
Throughout the World Cup, Globo's position towards the Brazilian national team has sparked many discussions. The CALA BOCA TADEU SCHMIDT phenomenon showed the world the discontent of the Brazilian people against its biggest TV network and, eventually many bloggers were complaining.
Luis Nassif, on his blog, criticized the media's position [pt] claiming that it is unacceptable to disrespect those who fall:
Uma das características mais aviltantes da fase atual da mídia é a  falta de respeito total pelos eventualmente derrotados. Em toda lógica  guerreira, há a oportunidade do exercício da nobreza no vitorioso quando  o adversário tomba. O respeito ao adversário caído é o momento em que o  vitorioso cresce.
Nos últimos anos viu-se o contrário na mídia: o exercício permanente  do macartismo, da perseguição, da vilanização dos adversários. Depois, a  celebração orgiástica da vitória, o achincalhe do adversário caído.  Lembra exércitos que, terminada a batalha, enviam soldados para liquidar  com os moribundos.
A Globo se considerou vitoriosa com a derrota da Seleção.
One of the most demeaning feature of the current phase of the media is the complete lack of respect for those who eventually are defeated. In all warrior logic, there is the opportunity for exercising nobility in victory when the opponent falls. Respect for the fallen opponent is the moment when the victorious grows.
Recent years have seen the opposite in the media: the permanent exercise of McCarthyism, of persecution, of the vilification of opponents. Then the orgiastic celebration of victory, the spurn of the fallen opponent. It reminds those armies that after the battle send troops to slay the dying.
Globo considered itself successful with the defeat of the Team.
Globo issued an apology to  the media. On the matter, Antônio Mello, from Blog do Mello said [pt]:
Foi uma desculpa muito da sem-vergonha (veja o  vídeo lá). Chegaram a dizer que não tinham intenção de ofender,  quando era exatamente esse o núcleo da reporcagem racista,  preconceituosa e repugnante feita contra o Paraguai e seu povo, que denunciamos  aqui. Mas, pelo menos, foi um pedido de desculpas. […]
Quando vão pedir desculpas por jogarem o povo brasileiro contra nossos  vizinhos, falsificando notícias sobre os governos da Argentina, do  Paraguai, da Bolívia, da Venezuela?
It was too much of a shameless apology (see the video there). They even said that they had no offensive intention, when offense was exactly the core of  the racist filthy-report, biased and disgusting, made against Paraguay and its people, that we denounced here. But at least it was an apology. […]
When will they [Globo] apologize for throwing the Brazilian people against our neighbors, falsifying reports on the governments of Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Venezuela?
Liz Cramer, the Paraguayan Ministry of Tourism, quoted by Eduardo Guimarães from the blog Cidadania [Citizenship, pt], disdained Globo's apology:
Como profissionais do mundo da comunicação, com o poder de vossa  rede e a imensa audiência que têm, vocês saberão entender que o pedido  de desculpas não é suficiente. O impacto daquelas imagens é muito  superior ao impacto de um pedido de desculpas com uma nota positiva.

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


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Chile: 10 Things Chileans will Never Forget about FIFA 2010 World Cup · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Ricardo lists [es] 10 things Chileans will never forget about the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Some things are specific to Chile, but others are universal: Paul the Octopus, the Jabulani (the ball), the vuvuzelas and the referee mistakes.

author: Silvia Viñas


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China: Wang Hui’s plagiarism scandal, international turn · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A plagiarism scandal broke out in March in Chinese academic circles when Nanjing University literature professor Wang Binbin charged that Wang Hui's dissertation on Lu Xun -Resistance to despair – contains a number of passages lifted from other books without citation. (More background information from Granite Studio and ChinaGeeks)
Wang Hui is honored as the spokesperson of the Chinese “New Left” intellectual circle and in spite of the scandal, in May he was nominated by Tsinghua University and successfully received a scholarship award from the highest government authority, the State Council.
While Wang Hui kept silent and expected the matter to be “clarified within the academic community”, many scholars and public intellectuals have commented on the issue via local media outlets. Some defended Wang Hui; some pointed out that the dilemma is one of non-standard citation rather than of intentional plagiarism; some have suggested a thorough investigation be led by an independent academic committee. The whole debate has mainly taken place within the local academic circle and online public sphere until very recently (July 7) when a local media outlet (ifeng.com) disclosed a joint letter signed by “an international community of scholars, translators, editors, historians and cultural critics” in support of Wang Hui.
Backup from international academic community
The open letter, signed by many prominent western scholars such as Tani Barlow, Arif Dirlik, Gayatri C. Spivak and Frederic Jameson, frames the plagiarism charge as an “attack from the popular media in China” and defends Wang Hui's academic integrity:
The charges have been contested and discredited in the careful analyses given by Zhong Biao, Shu Wei, Wei Xing and others. Among the signatories to this letter are also translators and they are without doubt closest to the work of Wang Hui.  Each translator has checked and double checked all the footnotes in the vast bibliographies of Professor Wang's publications over the last thirty years.  None has found any indication of plagiarism no matter how loosely this word is defined.
Second, among us are many Asia specialists in Chinese studies and we attest to Professor Wang's scholarly integrity and his importance in international Asian studies.
Interestingly, the two accounts of Zhong Biao and Wei Xing, quoted in the letter, were set up for the purpose of this debate but quoted as if the two individuals were well-known public intellectuals. In addition, their “careful analyses” have yet to clear Wang Hui of his technical mistakes. In Zhong Biao's article, he explains the background of Wang Hui's book and criticizes Wang Binbin's unreasonable charge:
《反抗绝望》的编辑出版正好处于1988-1991年这一段众所周知的特殊时期，当时具体的学术规范状况与今天有很大的不同。汪晖在该书重印时的对“主要参考书目”的“注”中说：“本书初版时，应出版社要求，删去了全部参考书目。现在这份书目是重新编定的。”
脱注是作者的疏失，日后修订《反抗绝望》时可以补充完善。但从上下文的引证来看，作者并无掩盖与前述几本著作的关系的意思，因为在这些段落的前后，作者都 曾引及这些书。而且这里的引述主要都是历史背景性的或理论背景性的叙述，是参照性质的，并不涉及作者的中心观点。疏失和剽窃，是完全不同性质的问题。
Media Attack?
Wei Xing is the first to frame the issue as a media attack and his viewpoint has obviously been taken up by the international community of scholars’ joint letter:
从王文来看，汪晖所谓”抄袭”的地方其实”并不很多”，而且”较难定性”。这其实已经承认，3月25日《南方周末》破例刊登王文，其实是一种媒体预先设定”有罪”推论而进行的非法的”缺席”审判，因为其论证本身是完全站不住脚的。
Quoting from a number of debates across web-platforms such as Douban's Duping（讀品） and zhongguosixiang.com, Wei Xing believes that media and internet violence have destroyed academic integrity:
面对平面媒体与网络媒体合谋推动的猖狂暴力，学术其实已经斯文扫地。难道中国的学术界就只能这样陷入其中而不能自拔吗？学术界究竟如何来保卫自己的独立与自由？这已经是一个摆在学术界面前的严峻问题。
A transparent and accountable investigation
Many scholars and intellectuals will laugh at the above quote as the Chinese Academia has hardly enjoyed any freedom and independence since 1949 and political liberals believe that the only way to strike for academic freedom is to develop accountability to the public. In this sense, the joint letter signed by more than 60 local university professors and public intellectuals calling for immediate investigation by the Tsinghua University and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on Wang Hui's plagiarism charge is probably a most effective attempt to defend the academic independence and freedom:
事件發生距今已3個月，其間不斷有學者呼籲中國社會科學院和清華大學組織調查委員會，但是至今未見回應。汪暉對上述批評迄今也沒有任何回應，但他曾表態， 希望能由學術界內部來解決。為對汪暉教授負責，澄清這一爭議，結束莫衷一是的狀態，走向良性循環，我們支持熊、林二位的建議，聯名要求中國社科院和清華大 學迅速答複，履行職責。我們也同意易中天的主張，在組成調查委員會時，應邀請貴院、貴校之外的學者，乃至海外學者參加，公示委員會名單和調查結果。我們同 時要求，調查結論以及各委員投票意向最終能公布，以示公開、公正，接受公眾監督。
Local political liberals VS. international new left
The two letters is now viewed as a confrontation between two clans of intellectuals: the local political liberal VS. the international new left. The former calls for a transparent investigation and public accountability, the latter frames the debate as attack from popular media and open criticisms as violence against academic freedom.
Wu Lian, a literary critics is outraged by the international joint letter:
你们居然说“媒体无端地攻击一个学者”，无端，那就是诽谤！你们应该在中国将媒体告到中国法庭！而不是通过写信，给一个面目模糊的大学当局施压！你们搞错了，大学校长不是法官！
你们声称要“声援”汪晖教授？你们又搞错了吧！难道这是一次政治迫害？我们怎么从来没有看到你们在另一些远为严重的事件之后，对那些被迫害者的声援？你们是否觉得，你们的所谓学术声誉，居然比另一些价值更为重要，更需要加以急迫的保护？
你们任意裁剪光天白日之下的事实，关注此事的每一个汉语阅读者，都知道王彬彬教授指控汪晖教授《反抗绝望》一书涉嫌抄袭的那篇文章，首先发表在中国学术期刊《文艺研究》，此后才由《南方周末》刊登！你们显然故意忽略了这一事实，就如你们常说的那样，“历史是被建构出来的”，你们现在直接“建构”事实了！
在这一“建构”之下，学术刊物《文艺研究》从人间蒸发了，不见了，消失了，不存在了！
这是对一本重要的中国学术刊物的公然藐视！
Under such “construction”, the local academic publication, Literature and Arts Studies has vaporized, vanished, disappeared!
This is an insult to an important Chinese academic publication!
你们给清华大学当局写这封言辞灼灼的公开信，到底所意何为？证明汪晖教授的清白？可是调查尚未开始！证明汪晖教授学术成果斐然享誉你们所建构的“世界”？可是王彬彬教授并没有谈论这个问题！证明“媒体”只是一场“狂乱”，希望学校当局不要加以理会？可是已有众多的学院学者介入了此事，媒体履行了它的职能，因为公众具有知情权！莫非你们认为学者只要在媒体发表文章或发表言论，他们就成了媒体的一部分？
Immediate responses
It seems that the international turn of the scandal is doomed to add oil to the boiling water in China .Below are some immediate responses from Twitter:
mozhixu
汪晖不是成天反全球资本主义的扩张吗, 怎么一到自己跟前,就抱上全球文化霸权的大腿了, 真恶心人啊
WuyouLan
汪暉在國內和西方都自居左派。在國內，和共產黨抱團，叫左派。在西方，反體制，叫左派。
lingcangzhou
80位学者支持剽窃的公开信观点和老头劈叉——扯蛋一样。公开信三点均属扯淡，第一点未解释举报者提出的抄袭段落；第二点证明剽客诚信谁信证明者？第三点攻击传媒，把汪晖替换为“大学”！此公开信无耻啊！

author: Oiwan Lam


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Cuba: Castro In Public  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Havana Times notes that Fidel Castro has made his first public appearance in four years.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Cuba: Everybody Hurts · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Laritza Diversent says that her island is hurting and highlights comments from readers of her blog to prove her point.


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Egypt: Alaa Al Aswany on World Affairs  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswany has started blogging at the World Affairs journal. Here‘s his first post entitled Islam, Election Rigging and Right vs. Wrong.


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Egypt: Rehabilitation for Police Officers?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian Mostafa writes: “Since change from the top seems unlikely. Civil society should establish programs to reach out and provide alternative career options for current police officers who are willing to leave their jobs.”


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Estonia: A future in green technology · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Quickthink argues that one way of economic recovery and growth for Estonia may be in developing a sector of green technology.


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Europe: Multilingualism Video Contest · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Polyglot logo
If you live in Europe, are between 18 and 35 years of age and can speak more than one language, then send in a short  on multilingualism to an online video contest to win a place aboard an itinerant film making event which will travel and take place in the archipelago of Turku, Finland.
Eighteen winners will have the opportunity to participate in  POLYGLOT – on the way to Turku,  an  all-expenses-paid 2-week “Cine-Boat”  itinerant film making  workshop taking place on June 2011 in Turku and the Åland  Islands  of Finland.
This activity is organized by NISI MASA and on the contest website they explain the two types of entry videos they expect to receive before the submission deadline on December 15th 2010:
Video  Portraits (Documentaries on My  multilingualism) - Do you speak different languages  on a regular basis? Describe the linguistic environment you live in,  and how it affects you personally.
Video  Poems (Fictions on The language I  dream in) - Use the  audiovisual medium to its full artistic potential. Share with us your  most original and creative ideas about language.
Contestants must be resident in a European  country (EU or non-EU) and aged 18-35. Works of maximum 5 minutes  length, produced since 1st January 2008 are eligible.
Winning videos will be shown during the festival as the city of Turku celebrates being the European Capital of Culture. Afterwards, the shorts will be compiled into a DVD and shown through Europe in follow-up screenings.
All video entries are being uploaded on the Vimeo group for the contest so far there are three: Bubble Affair, Endless Cry and The Whistle, which follows.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago: Sparrow Turns 75 · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Iconic calypsonian The Mighty Sparrow celebrates his 75th birthday; Repeating Islands reports.


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India: Development With Sports · Global Voices
Rezwan

Think Change India highlights the Dream A Dream project in India which is using team sports like football to create a fun filled learning environment for children.


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Laos: Barcamp Vientiane · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A group is now organizing Barcamp Vientiane which is tentatively scheduled for November.

author: Mong Palatino


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Laos: Edible insects · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Lao Voices quotes a survey report which shows that “95 percent of Laotians snack on critters.”


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Lebanon: Round up of the Lebanese Blogosphere  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese blog +961 posts this week's round up of links from Lebanese blogs here.


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Malaysia: Government Tinkers to Eliminate a Subsidy Culture · Global Voices
Jude Chia

When a minister warned that Malaysia could suffer a ‘Greek tragedy’ if subsidies are not cut, the nation suddenly woke up to the inevitable but politically unpopular move once again. As where the government stands, it is no longer an issue of should or should not, but how to implement subsidy cut gradually and retain critical social safety net for the poor. There are few key perspectives to consider.
As expected, it is never strictly an economic issue. Government has been seeking broad public buy-in before making any concrete move. According to Free Malaysia Today:
Malaysia's government is unlikely to start unwinding its costly subsidy regime this year ahead of key state polls and risks losing further credibility with investors if a decision is deferred. […] PM Najib has already delayed a planned fuel hike in May due to fears of upsetting voters, especially poorer majority Malays who form a critical votebank.
For Eastern Malaysia states where poverty rate is still a serious concern, citizens there have long relied on subsidies and they may not share the sentiments from the government. Like SabahKini argued:
We deserve more privileges and benefits, and cannot be deprived by the government on their part being unable to provide us all this. […] The government must find ways to provide subsidies to help the people. They are merely creating higher poverty rate, especially in Sabah where the people are already poor (23.4%).
There are also parties who argue that we need to look at the big picture, as hidden subsidies and wasteful spending also contribute to huge deficit. Bakri Musa said:
If Idris Jala (Minister in PM's Department) had been diligent and fearless in analyzing the twin problems of ballooning deficit and increasing spending, he would begin with the obvious and massive petroleum subsidy, then flush out the hidden subsidies represented by non-competitive bids of government contracts, and then get rid those money-losing GLCs (government-linked companies).
Anil Netto also concurred by saying:
Many Malaysians blame the country’s financial woes on the government, with the general response being if the government really wants to save money from subsidies, it should first plug ‘leakages’ in government expenditure and curb rampant corruption. Billions have been poured into unproductive government projects with little to show.
There are also calls to conduct a more comprehensive study to ascertain the purpose of subsidy cut and how to use the available funding eventually. epolicy said:
If the purpose of removing the subsidies is to fund the deficit spending of the government, then my answer is not to do it. The only valid reason for removing the subsidies is to enhance the competitiveness of the economy. This means that no sector of the economy is given undue advantage with the benefit of government money.

author: Jude Chia


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Nepal: Bathe In The Pools Of The Street Side · Global Voices
Rezwan

De Neilson writes about the Nepalese tradition of bathing in the pools located in the street side or fountain side.


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Niger: The Silent Famine · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

The largely under-reported food crisis in Sahel has taken worrisome proportions as about 2.5 millions of  people in Niger  are currently affected by food shortage. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has decided to scale up emergency operations to protect the population at risk. Bloggers in Niger reflect on yet another food crisis after the one in 2005,  a food crisis this year  that is the result of shortage of rainfall last year.
Men Facing Sahel Desert by Nawal_ Under CC license on Flickr
D. Evariste Ouédraogo wrote the following about they way politicians always try to spin food crises in Niger in a way that would put them in a more favorable light [fr]:
En 2005, les autorités avaient toujours tenté de convaincre l’opinion que la menace de famine était une simple rumeur malveillante, déshonorante. [..] Quelques jours après, son Premier ministre (PM), dans des propos non moins fallacieux, appelait pourtant à l’aide, la Communauté mondiale, pour cause de …famine [..] Aujourd’hui, la vérité est toute nue : dix jours seulement après le changement de régime au Niger, on apprend, dans une déclaration télévisée du chef de la junte au pouvoir, que la famine “menace l’existence de millions de Nigériens dans quasiment toutes les régions”. Le déficit en vivres est alors estimé à 400 000 tonnes. Tout le contraire donc des péroraisons de Mamadou Tandja, qui était allergique à l’idée de risques de pénurie alimentaire.
Grioo.com  asks out loud the tough but conspicuous question that many Nigeriens wonder about: “where did the cash influx from the Uranium trade go?” [fr]:
Qu’on se rappelle les tiraillements entre l’ex-chef de l’Etat du Niger et les premiers responsables d’AREVA à propos du renouvellement des contrats d’exploitation de l’uranium. [..] On ne dénoncera jamais assez ces slaloms qui permettent à des délinquants à col blanc d’extorquer impunément les fonds publics qui devraient servir à sauver de nombreux concitoyens en manque de nourriture, d’eau et de soins de base. Les masses d’argent tirées des ressources minières ne profitent généralement pas à la majorité silencieuse. Un paradoxe africain qui n’étonne guère. Mais aussi un scandale qui doit prendre fin en ce début de millénaire. A croire que les ressources minières n’apportent que misère aux populations africaines. Et il en sera tojours ainsi tant qu’elles ne seront pas utilisées à développer les cultures céréalières.
Kathryn Richards at Care shares a few thoughts and testimonies on the “hungry season” as the rural population finds itself in dire needs of animals to herd:
Niger is a country of contrasts. Rich in newly found uranium and oil but its people crushingly poor. [..] Food is readily available in the market – but at an inflated price few can afford. Families are selling off their livestock at reduced prices to buy food. Mohammed Gusnam was one of these people: “It is difficult. As herders we were like princes, proud. Now the pasture land is disappearing and we are stuck in the village. The village is like a prison to me.”
The current response to the food crisis, however, seems to be speedier than in 2005. Cyprien Fabre, head of the regional bureau of the European Commission Humanitarian Aid  (ECHO) offers the following assessment [fr]:
Des mécanismes d’alerte précoce et d’intervention sont en place dans la plupart des pays touchés, et des fonds ont été alloués rapidement. Les opérations sont en bonne voie au Niger, au Burkina Faso et au Mali. Le Tchad a besoin de plus d’acteurs pour une intervention efficace.
Still many organisations believe that the resources are still too slow to arrive. They identify two reasons for the delay: 1) making sure that donors are coming through with funding and 2) the challenges of reaching the population in the most remote areas. Many think that cash disbursement might be faster and more effective for the short run than sending food [fr]:
Au cours de discussions avec les membres des communautés, davantage de personnes ont dit préférer les espèces aux semences. Les communautés ayant accusé les pertes de récoltes les plus importantes  ou qui vivent plus loin des marchés tendent à opter pour les semences ; celles qui ont accès aux marchés, ont accusé des pertes de récoltes moins graves, ou ont un accès limité aux terres tendent au contraire à privilégier le cash.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Palestine: Workshops Inspire Bloggers in Gaza and West Bank · Global Voices
Mays Dagher

Recently the director of Global Voices Advocacy, Sami Ben Gharbia, gave a series of blogging workshops in Gaza and the West Bank. The workshops were organised by the Arabic Media Internet Network (AMIN), which is aiming to increase the number of bloggers in Palestinian society.
Dozens of Palestinian bloggers and other people interested in blogging issues met every day for a week in Gaza, and for another week in the West Bank, to learn as much as they could about the ways that new web techniques can help people make their voices heard.
Topics covered included: using internet tools for advocacy and free speech, with  examples of that from around the world, security and privacy while blogging and using the internet, and cross-posting.
Bloggers Nour El Khoudary and Nazek AbuRahma wrote a joint post on AlJazeeraTalk about one of Sami’s workshops in Gaza :
Workshop by Sami Ben Gharbia
Abu El Sharif, another blogger from Gaza, wrote on his blog :
After the workshops ended, a video conference was set up between bloggers in Gaza and the West Bank. Ola Anan was one of the bloggers who took part in Gaza, and later she wrote:
الحوار كان ثريا وممتعا.. اختلفنا احيانا واتفقنا احيانا اخرى
تحدثنا عن تجاربنا مع التدوين.. وقارنا بيننا وبين من سبقونا في المدونين العرب
Ola ended by saying:

author: Mays Dagher


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Peru: Watching the World Cup Finale from Afar · Global Voices
Gabriela García Calderón

The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa ended on Sunday July 11. It was a month full of football all around the world. Peruvian fans had to make do with watching the tournament from afar. And now they are celebrating Spain as the new champion.
In the main square in Lima (Plaza de Armas) this screen broadcasted football matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Image by Flickr user Aram Kudurshian used under a Creative Commons license
Omar Velarde, from the blog Tiempo extra [es] posted very briefly:
Con un agónico gol de Andrés Iniesta, España se consagró campeón por primera véz en su historia al vencer por 1 a 0 a Holanda. El ‘Soccer City’ de Johanesburgo se tiñó de rojo al ver la algarabía de ‘la furia’ .
The blog En la cancha Perú [es], analyzed the finale from a historic perspective:
Los ibéricos fueron superiores a lo largo del trámite y volvieron a exhibir su claridad, estilo y buen manejo de pelota ante unos holandeses combativos y batalladores. El partido decisivo, disputado en el Estadio Soccer City de Johannesburgo el 11 de julio, fue el tercero que se definió en la prórroga luego de Italia 1934, Inglaterra 1966 y Argentina 1978. La Furia Roja vive su momento de gloria e inscribe así su nombre en el trofeo más codiciado del fútbol. Para Países Bajos, fue su tercera final perdida, tras Alemania 1974 y Argentina 1978.
Even some Spanish national symbols were affected by this football fan euphoria, as noted by the blogger from Fulbito y fulvaso [es]:
En España hay devoción al pulpo Paul, ese molusco que acabó por vaticinar el triunfo de la selección española sobre Holanda en la final del Mundial. Tanta, que en la embajada peruana apareció un curioso emblema: la bandera del país ibérico modificada, con un pulpo como escudo.
Finally, women let their voices be heard. From the blog Otras tardes [es], we read a very different overview of the World Cup in general, spiced up with nice pictures:
El mundial no debe vivirse desde un único punto de vista. A algunas mujeres les gusta el fútbol, a otras no, pero aún así las poco o nada interesadas en este deporte pueden entretenerse viendo a los jugadores más guapos, atléticos y sexys del mundo. Además hay para todos los gustos. Veamos quienes son los que llaman más la atención.
The 2010 South Africa FIFA World Cup is over. We'll have to wait four years to see what surprises await us in the Brazil FIFA World Cup 2014.

author: Gabriela García Calderón


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Russia: From National Bolshevik to Another Russia · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Ilya Yashin of El pueblo unido jamás será vencido comments on [RUS] the formation of Eduard Limonov's new party Another Russia after his old party – the National Bolsheviks – was banned, and argues that Limonov is doing a mistake. Another Russia was also a coalition of opposition parties and movements in the 2008 parliamentary elections, including also liberal parties.


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Russia: New political blogger community · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

A new LJ community – the association of political bloggers [RUS] has been founded in Russia, aiming to assist and facilitate cooperation among this variety of bloggers.


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Russia: Tax Service Lacks Paper to Process Documents · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Saleksashenko posts [RUS] a photo of the announcement in the office of a local Tax Service [RUS] that says the department lacks paper to process documents. This case illustrates the real situation in the country's budget, blogger suggests. LJ-user grey_dolphin sarcastically calls [RUS] it an example of Russian understanding of the “new public management” [EN].

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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Saudi Arabia: Why am I on Twitter?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Why am I on Twitter?” writes (Ar) Saudi writer Turki Aldakhil. “My friends convinced me that I was old if I didn't have an account. I wanted to feel young, so I opened one.”


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South Korea: (iPhone 2) A Hierarchical Society Cannot Make an iPhone · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

The smart phone battle is getting brutal in Seoul. Young, tech-savvy bloggers are pouring over professional reviews of the invincible Apple iPhone and Galaxy S of Samsung that came out last week. See Part 1 Patriotism and Media Manipulation Backfires.
A blogger Djhan commented  though Samsung has strong hardware, it needs develop its own software, stressing releasing new model without radical innovation is just a ‘hoodwink’ to customer.
삼성에서 신형 안드로이드 폰 갤럭시 S가 나왔다. 옴니아 1과 옴니아 2라는 초대형 자책골이 터진 게 엊그제 같지만, 이미 지나간 과거는 과거일 뿐이다. 신문, 잡지, 그리고 파워 블로거들은 이번에야말로 제대로 된 아이폰 대항마가 나왔다며 난리 브루스다. 그놈의 지긋지긋한 대항마 타령이야 어찌 됐건, 갤럭시 S가 괜찮은 제품이란 건 사실인 것 같다…애플은 PC업계에서 마이너리티에 속했던 시절, 자신들만의 특장점을 확보하기 위해 필사적으로 발버둥쳤다. 그리고 파워피씨 CPU, MacOS(클래식), MacOS X 등을 내놓았다…반면 삼성전자는 경쟁사도 쓰는 CPU와 공짜 OS, 통신사가 만든 앱 스토어에 의지하고 있다. 애플은 고사하고 HTC와의 차별점을 만들기도 쉽지 않다…피쳐폰 분야에서는 사소한 기능 추가나 사소한 부품 개선이나 사소한 UI 변경만으로도 눈에 띄는 변화를 만들 수 있었다. 하지만 스마트폰에선 그런 눈속임이 통하지 않는다.
Tech blogger are pouring various sharp reviews on the Galaxy S and their comments, though too diverse to suffice it into one sentence, reached a common ground of Galaxy’s ‘screen is quite a spec but applications lack’.  A blogger Seobongsoo commented  that while there is no major difference between two model’s hardware, other than Samsung’s cutting-edge, beautiful AMOLED screen, Apple has the edge over Samsung in applications.
하드웨어는 비슷 : 두 제품의 외관은 큰 차이가 없다… 아이폰4는 ‘레티나(망막) 디스플레이’ 기술을 통해 해상도가 960×640 화소를 제공한다…반면 갤럭시S는 해상도에선 800×480 화소로 다소 떨어지는 편이나 디스플레이는 슈퍼아몰레드를 장착, 밝은 낮에도 화면을 볼 수 있다…소프트웨어, 아이폰4 우세 : 소프트웨어 측면에서 아이폰4는 22만 5,000개의 어플리케이션을 제공한다. 갤럭시S는 구글 안드로이드 마켓과 SK텔레콤의 T스토어 등으로 9만여 개 정도의 어플리케이션을 확보했다.
These comments are gaining strength by several news articles and Ahn Cheol Soo’s comment.  Ahn Cheol Soo, one of most highly respected and loved business men and president of Ahnlab, a biggest virus protection company in Korea, commented in a lecture KBS(Korean Broadcasting System) hosted that unless Samsung radically shift its paradigm, it will likely to lose competition with Apple. Ahn elaborated that under Asian culture of strict hierarchy, numerous companies voluntary participation is nearly impossible as done in the Apple’s App Store.
Many bloggers, enthusiastically rooting for his comment posted a note they took from the lecture.  A blogger Neoteny85 summarized few points  on why Korea cannot make iPhone. Ahn pointed out in the lecture that the hierarchical structure of Korean language has formed Korean society, making people living under, including Samsung feel comfortable about the horizontal formation. According to Ahn, Korean corporates have placed software below hardware and located their affiliated or subcontracted companies under them, and thereby failed in forming a strong network, let alone minimizing their creativity.  Even though the top-down approach focusing only on the efficiency has worked in past decade, it has reached a tipping point as the technology converged.
iPhone. 단순한 휴대폰이 아니다. 한국 대기업들은 수직적인 효율화에 강하다. (반면)아이폰은
수평적 네트워크 모델이다…수평적 사고방식은…상대방의 장점을 적극적으로 살리고 자발적인 협조를 통한 융합(을 이룬다, 이것은) 수직적 사고방식으로는 절대로 불가능하다…Convergence 시대에서는 수평적 사고방식이 정말 중요하다…(그러나) 한국인(은) 불리한 언어구조(를 가지고 있다). (한국어는)존칭의 구조가 다양한 언어구조(이며). 언어라는 게 사고 체계를 지배하기 마련이어서 처음부터…학교 출신, 나이를 구분 지어 비교해본 다음에 자신보다 위인지 아래인지 파악을 해야 대화를 시작하는 우리나라 사람들의 특징(이 있다)…언어구조적인 문제를 극복해야 융합의 시대에 살아남을 수 있다.
Remaining problem for Apple is the risk control before the iPhone 4’s reception issue reached a debacle. Blogger have criticized Apple for its arrogance and its’ vexing repair service. The latest iPhone 4’s signal reception issue makes more people grumble.  A blogger Cadenzah commented  even though he is a ‘slave for Apple’, he was deeply disappointed at Apple. He added, however, even though he decided to spend the money he saved to buy iPhone 4 on other things, Korean consumers will still chase after Apple.
GIZMODO 때도 그랬지만, Apple은 확실히 너무 자기Pride가 강해서, 소비자들에 대해 인색한 면이 강한 것 같네요. 이제 와서 말하기도 참 새삼스럽지만 말이죠…수신감도 관련 불만 메일에 대해 ‘A/S를 일절 마라'고 지시한 Jobs의 태도며…Apple 측에서 공식 발표한 수신강도 관련 답변까지…약 1주 사이에 일어난 일련의 사건들입니다만 하나하나가 모두 애플에 대해 실망을 감출 수 없게 만드네요…확실히 iPhone이 대단한 건, 아니 Apple의 창조력이 대단한 건 사실이고 그만큼 Apple팬들을 많이 양산해냈고 저로 하여금 사과의 노예로 만든 것도 사실이지만…이제 iPhone 4 국내 발매까지 1달이 채 안 남았네요. 사견입니다만 지금 품절상태가 심각한 걸로 미루어볼 때 국내에서도 품귀현상이 일어날 건 불 보듯 뻔합니다.
A blogger Mekiboss  commented iPhone 4’s glitch has given a great reason for Samsung’s advocates to lash out on iPhone, adding Apple also needs to build more repair centers and streamline repair service like Samsung.
‘아이폰을 무찌를 갤럭시S’ 라는 느낌이 강하게 풍기는 기사들. 아이폰4의 안테나 문제 논란까지 겹치면서 논란이 더욱 심화된것 같습니다…저는 삼성제품을 좋아합니다. ‘부모님께 선물할 가전제품을 골라라’ 한다면 저는 별다른 고민없이 삼성제품을 선택할 것입니다. 대기업에서 주는 안정감이란 장점은 절대 무시할 수 없습니다. 매장도 많고. AS센터도 많구요.
The blogger Mekiboss later concluded that despite all due respect to Samsung’s good repair service, he still want to try smartphones out before buying any.
In a landscape where the top-down approach has become obsolete, Samsung who feels comfortable with hierarchical formation is facing an uphill battle with Apple’s creative, horizontal network.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Thailand: Blog on wheelchair accessible places · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The blog Wheelchair accessible holidays Thailand provides relevant information to disabled people and wheelchair users about the accessibility of Hua Hin and Bangkok in Thailand.


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Uganda: Bloggers react to bomb blasts · Global Voices
Rebekah Heacock

Soccer fans gathered in bars and restaurants around the globe to watch the final game of the World Cup last night.  In Uganda, these celebrations were interrupted when bombs exploded at two popular nightlife spots in Kampala, the country's capital.
Ugandan media are reporting over 40 deaths so far, with dozens more injured in the explosions.  Ugandan police have suggested that Somali militant group al-Shabab was behind the attacks.  One of the group's commanders recently called for attacks against Uganda, which contributes troops to the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia.  The group has praised the attacks but has not claimed responsibility.
Victims of two deadly bomb blasts in Kampala wait for treatment at Mulago Hospital.  Photo by Trevor Snapp.  Used with the photographer's permission.
Ugandan blogger Gay Uganda writes:
Uganda attacked. Really, it is humanity attacked. Who has the gall to be happy at such atrocity? Apparently, Somali insurgents are happy. Because they are fighting African Union troops in Somalia, who have stopped them from establishing an Islamic state under Sharia law.
….What I see are country mates, human beings who were doing nothing worse than watching a football match who were killed and maimed, in the name of ideals that they may have no real thought about, actions that they cannot control in the least.
Ernest Bazanye cautions against jumping to conclusions about who set off the bombs too soon:
It’s too early to say who is responsible or why, and even though it is whispered abroad that it was a pair of suicide bombings staged by Al-Shahab, the Somali terrorist organization. We should know by now that the truth doesn’t get here that soon and that any conclusions now would be premature.
Trevor Snapp, a documentary photographer living in Kampala, was at Mulago Hospital, where many of the victims were taken, after the bombings.  He writes:
Family members milled around the front reception area while doctors and bodies covered in blood were rushed in and out of surgery. In the surgery hallway a man’s body lay in the floor bleeding by his head, it was impossible to know if he was dead or alive. A few feet away in a small storage locker, staff had created a makeshift morgue, 6 bodies lay on the tiles, some had their clothes blown off. They were all young.
Many bloggers are shocked that the bombings happened in Kampala, widely known as one of Africa's safest capital cities.  Joshua Goldstein, a former Global Voices author who used to live in Kampala, describes the locations where the bombings took place:
Kampala's Rugby Club is a sprawling bar, adjacent to the pitch, where many of Kampala's college students come to hang with their buddies. If Uganda had fraternities, this is where they would throw their parties. Here the smart set drink Nile Special with reggae and hip hop blasting in the background. On weekend days the same crew watch rugby, collars popped to block the sun.
….Across town Ethiopian Village, down the street from the American Embassy, is in the dead center of Kabalagala, the Las Vegas of Kampala. The restaurant, the most high end of the half dozen or so Ethiopian restaurants within 500 meters, sits at the intersection of Ggaba Road and Tank Hill Road.  In the afternoon, Ethiopian dissident journalists pass their exile by chewing miraa and discussing the day's news. At night, the neighborhood lights up with bars and dance parties.
Sleek writes:
To give this a little perspective, I’ll point out that up-til now, Kampala has been one of those places where at 03:00 AM, one can walk from one end of the city to the other. And that we are the kind of people to complain about rising fuel prices, high Pay As You Earn taxes, impossible airtime charges…basically a very high cost of living. But in all this, we’ll still go to that new hangout place and pay UGX 5,000 for a beer. And we fill the place to the point that you literally have to fight your way to the bar to get a drink. And that’s the average hangout.
And then you hear about bomb blasts…

author: Rebekah Heacock


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Bahrain: Information Ministry Gone – Restrictions Remain  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Bahrain, Mahmood Al Yousif writes about the break down of the Ministry of Information and Culture into a Ministry of Culture and an information department. “Sites will remain to be blocked and the freedom of information will continue to be at their whims,” he adds.


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Bahrain: Stubbing it Out!  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

With the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan (month of fasting) fast approaching, Bahraini blogger Tawfeeq Al Rayash is hitting two birds with one stone. He is fasting for three months and kicking off smoking after a wake up call from his daughter.
The blogger announces:
Many pious Muslims fast for three months, including Ramadan, as an extra form of worship.
Al Rayash also elaborates on his decision to stub it out by saying:
فلاتنسوني من الدعاء
I have decided to give up smoking out of concern that this habit gets transferred to the next generation.
Don't forget me in your prayers.


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Bangladesh: Coming Home · Global Voices
Rezwan

Rawi at Alternarrative writes about what it feels like coming home to one’s desher bari (native village or hometown) in Bangladesh.


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Brazil: Jokes and the World Cup Octopus · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Many Brazilian bloggers started making jokes with the ability of an octopus named Paul to “predict” the results of many matches of the 2010 FIFA Wolrd Cup, incluiding the one of the final match. The funny images can be found here, here, here and here and a website was also set up for you to also solve your online doubts.


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Brazil: Medium Image represents the FIFA World Cup 2014? · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Pierre Lucena comments on his blog Acerto de Contas [Getting even, pt] that there are similarities between the logo of  the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the image of the famous Brazilian spiritist medium Chico  Xavier.


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Cameroon: The Death of Pius Njawé, a Freedom of Speech Pioneer  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Blogger Allain Jules gives a vibrant homage to Pius Njawé, a legendary Cameroonian journalist who passed away on July 12th [Fr].


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Colombia: Uproar After Former FARC Hostage Íngrid Betancourt Seeks Compensation · Global Voices
Julián Ortega Martínez

On the morning of Friday July 9, Caracol Radio broke the story [es]: former presidential candidate and French-Colombian citizen Íngrid Betancourt –rescued two years ago (during the so-called Operation Jaque) after being kidnapped by FARC in 2002– and her family (her mother Yolanda Pulecio and her children Lorenzo and Mélanie) were claiming 12.5 billion Colombian pesos (US$6,690,000 / €5,280,000) as a compensation for her 6-year captivity (a legal procedure known as conciliación in Spanish, which if unsuccessful would lead to a lawsuit against the state). Ms Betancourt claimed the Colombian state failed to provide adequate protection for her to travel to the zone where the guerrilla eventually kidnapped her.
Íngrid Betancourt in Pisa, Italy, on September 2008. Photo by Flickr user fabiogis50 (Fabio Gismondi), used under a Creative Commons licence.
The news were met with outrage and some skepticism. Government officials of the Andrés Pastrana administration claimed the then presidential candidate was warned about the risks of traveling to the demilitarized zone which the FARC had received in 1999 to start a failed peace process that ended early 2002. Eventually, the DAS intelligence agency would reveal a document [es] signed by Ms Betancourt's security coordinator where she was advised against entering the area.
The Colombian twittosphere quickly reacted to the story, with most users slamming Ms Betancourt and some even making fun of her by coining terms such as “ingrititud” (Íngrid + ingratitud, Spanish for ingratitude) or “Ingreed” (Íngrid + the English word ‘greed’). A few users, however, thought her request was fair. Here is a sample of the reactions as seen on Twitter:
@IvanLecter
Una cosa es señalar el oportunismo y otra empezar a destilar odio. #colombianidadpura
@anameretriz
Si fuera otro de los secuestrados “no importantes” sí demandaría al Estado por liberarme sólo cuando les conviene y no cuando han podido.
@Oyerista
Si IngridB tuviera Twitter, ya habría demandado a la ballena
@monicaeche
Entiendo q digan q Ingrid es oportunista, pero no q demanda x cualquier cosa. Supongo q a uds les pasa cosas más terribles q un secuestro.
@jsromerol
A mi Ingrid me parece frívola, manipuladora y utilitarista. Pero Colombiano que dejen pudrir en la selva tiene derecho a q lo indemnicen.
@simonwilchesc
Ingrid se ha vuelto tan detestable y oportunista, que ahora depronto sí logra ser presidenta de Colombia.
@MaisAngel (1, 2)
Para mí Ingrid Betanc[o]ur[t] no es una ingrata. El Estado no le hizo un favor rescatándola, era una obligación hacerlo. Otra cosa es que ella sea oportunista e interesada. Pero el Estado no rescata gente por querida o antipática, es una obligación.
@Tuiteretera
Me cuentan que los de las FARC están ofendidos con Ingrititud,les parece el colmo que ellos la secuestren y sea ella quien cobre el rescate
@stultaviro
¿Qué es aquello tan valioso que hace #IngridBetancourt  que pretende cobrarnos 6.5 millones de pesos por cada día que pasó secuestrada?
@Filipogs
¿suicidio político lo de Íngrid? comentario más risible, para que aquí un político muera políticamente también debe morir clínicamente.
@AMAV
Porque si algo saben hacer los Betancourt y los Pulecio es vivir del Estado… Francés, colombiano, qué más da. Detalles menores.
@Ciudadanita
Si la desigualdad, la corrupcion, las mafias -armadas y economicas- causaran un 50% d indignacion q lo de Ingrid #TampocoMeSimpatizaIngrid
On Sunday night, Caracol TV and Caracol Radio broadcast simultaneously an exclusive interview [video, es] with Ms Betancourt, where she states she actually did not want to file a lawsuit against the Colombian state, but rather wished to bring legitimacy to the claims of terrorism victims that are seeking compensation from the government. She added that the high and “absurd” sum of money requested was “symbolic.” (Coincidentally [es], Caracol TV is the distributor of a Spanish-Colombian mini-series [es] about Operation Jaque set to broadcast later this year).
The issue has also been discussed on some blogs. Catalina Velasco defends [es] Ms Betancourt's demands for reparation, and is surprised by how much she seems to be hated in Colombia:
En primer lugar, parece que acudir a la justicia no es una práctica que veamos con buenos ojos. Altos funcionarios del gobierno se han pronunciado con indignación rechazando la intención de Madame Betancur. Y de igual manera los medios de comunicación, varios columnistas y muchos colombianos han criticado su actuación. Y creo que estamos equivocados porque en este país afortunadamente todos los ciudadanos tenemos derecho a pedirle a los jueces (o a la Procuraduría en busca de conciliación como es el caso) las pretensiones que consideremos ajustadas a la ley. De manera especial las víctimas de la guerra para quienes  la reparación directa es un derecho.
Velasco concludes her post by adding that, after watching the televised interview, “[her] impression is that [Betancourt] wants to come back to the politics arena and she's asking to become part of [president-elect Juan Manuel Santos's] National Unity. “
Journalist Ricardo Galán criticizes [es] both Ms Betancourt and her interviewer, veteran radio host Darío Arizmendi:
No creo una palabra de lo que dijo Ingrid en su entrevista con Dario Arismendi en simultánea nacional y espacio Triple A en Caracol Radio y TV. No le puedo creer porque faltaron preguntas importantes y fue evidente el interés de Ingrid por desviar la entrevista hacia lo que pasó el día de su secuestro y no por hacer claridad sobre los detalles de su reclamación.
Meanwhile, Bárbara Morales concludes asking with distrust [es]:
No nos llamemos a engaños. Ingrid no juega a ganarse la simpatía de nadie, incluso parece estarse poniendo en un sitio muy difícil ante la opinión pública. ¿Descubriremos qué hay detrás o solo nos encontraremos con otro velo?
On Tuesday morning, Ms Betancourt's lawyer announced she will withdraw her claim. Still, the issue could have unintended consequences after the uproar it caused, as @carloscuentero's concern [es] reflects:
Me preocupa que el episodio de Íngrid cause un ‘linchamiento’ generalizado hacia las víctimas que reclaman atención del Estado.

author: Julián Ortega Martínez


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Costa Rica: The Power of Blogs · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

H3dicho from ticoblogger.com writes [es] about the power of blogs, ending with an analysis of blogging in Costa Rica: “In Costa Rica blogs have become so important that traditional media and the politicians that govern us are constantly monitoring what we write.”


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Cuba: No Real Progress?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Blog for Cuba comments on a statement from the Vatican with regard to the “progress” taking place on the island: “I ask which of Cuba's repressive laws has been rescinded?  None, absolutely none, and a maneuvered release and exile of dissidents is an old ploy used by the regime to rid itself of problem citizens.”


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Cuba: Remembering the Massacre  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Uncommon Sense remembers the '13 de marzo’ tugboat massacre.


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Cuba: True Freedom  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Uncommon Sense applauds the political prisoners who “refuse ‘freedom’ if it means having to leave Cuba” saying: “They are the ones who are truly free.”


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D.R. of Congo: From Texas to Kivu · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Texas in Africa shares his experience as a researcher in the Democratic Republic of Congo: “My research in the DRC is about social services, which means that when I'm here, I spend a lot of time in church offices. Religious groups run almost all of what's left of the DRC's education and health care systems…”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Egypt: Lessons from Knee Surgery  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Egypt, Maryanne Stroud Gabbani writes about her experience dealing with knee surgery. “I went in to fix my knees, but came out with a new appreciation for my life,” she concludes.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Egypt: Miss Egypt Results  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Zeinobia, from Egypt, writes about the winners of Miss Egypt 2010 here.


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Egypt: Trouble in the Golan  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Trouble is brewing in the Golan. Egyptian Chronicles zooms in.


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Europe, U.S.A.: Poll on Burqa Ban Shows Opposite Viewpoints  · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

The blog EU-logos  about European affairs reflects (fr) on a recent poll by the Pew Research Center that shows a widespread support in European countries for a  burqa ban whereas such proposal would be rejected by 65% of voters in the U.S [Fr].  The blog suggests that such transatlantic polls would be relevant for other issues that pertain to citizenry. French parliament voted today in favor of a burqa ban.

author: Suzanne Lehn


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Global: A Contest to Promote Youth-Driven Media  in The Francophone Regions · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Radio France International (RFI) has launched a contest, Mondoblog, that will short list 100 young francophone bloggers to become the “Ambassadors of their City on the web” [fr]. Registration will close on July 30th; aspiring bloggers who do not have easy access to ICT training are specifically encouraged to participate.


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India: Multitasking And Lackluster Performance  · Global Voices
Rezwan

Being Cynical at Desicritics question Indian's love of multitasking in every field and failure to achieve excellence in consequence.

author: Rezwan


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Iran: Sounds and Silence · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Mana Neyestani, a leading Iranian cartoonist, has published another cartoon about persecuted political prisoners:Sounds and Silence.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran: Strike in Bazaar · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several bloggers such as unity4iran reported that a strike in Tehran's main bazaar in protest against higher taxes has entered its second week. You can see photos of closed shops here.


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Iraq: 50 Metres from Death  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi Caesar of Pentra shares his experience with ‘inevitable death’ in this must read post. Fifty metres separated between him and a bomb explosion.


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Iraq: Maliki Concedes Premiership to Allawi  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Omar, at Iraq The Model,  updates us on the ongoing saga following the Iraqi elections.


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Iraq: The Issue with Islamic Fundamentalists  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraq Pundit has issue with the Obama administration's decision to drop references to Islamic radicalism.


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Jamaica: R.I.P. “Sugar”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

ttgapers.com and The Caribbean Review of Books acknowledge the passing of Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician, Lincoln Barrington “Sugar” Minott.


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Jordan: The Best World Cup Moments  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Hareega shares the best moments from the World Cup, which ended in South Africa, here.


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Mexico: Technology Changing the Spanish Language · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Jesus analyzes [es] how Internet users have modified the Spanish language to fit new technologies; for example, referring to a person that uses Twitter as a “twittero,” or Spanish-speaking users writing “lol” when they chat.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Morocco: “Still Living in My Parent’s House,” says a 40-year-old Girl · Global Voices
Hisham Almiraat

According to a recent census, singles represent 39 per cent of the Moroccan adult population, one of the highest in the Arab region. Singles are more likely to be men but female celibacy is still high, reaching an astounding 33.3%. People speculate about the reasons behind discrimination faced by women and recent surveys (see the UN 2005 Arab Human Development Report) have concluded that although religious belief may explain some of the limitations faced by women, those practices are more likely to be explained by economic hardship, lack of education, the absence of democracy and conservatism. Morocco is an overwhelmingly conservative society indeed: a recent poll [Fr] showed that almost one in two Moroccans believed that the newly reformed Family Code, praised internationally for its liberal outlines, has gone too far in granting more rights for women.
Untitled by albe! in Flickr
Samira is a Moroccan blogger. She describes herself as “an old girl, aged 40, jobless and still living in her parents’ house.” Samira openly shares her day-to-day experiences on her newly created blog, Marocanication [Fr]. She writes:
Vivre chez ses parents à 40 ans peut sembler banal, voire évident dans notre société et tout naturellement fatal quand on est née dans le sexe faible. Car au Maroc, tant que tu n’es pas casée, tu es traitée en être jeune, irresponsable et potentielle source à problèmes, ben voyons !
Pas étonnant en un sens. Une société à la sexualité refoulée ne peut qu’associer liberté à débauche. Je me suis longtemps demandé, comme tout le monde je suppose, pour quelle raison l’homme échappait à ces restrictions. Je suis partie dans toute une analyse à la noix que j’ai dissoute dans un bol de hrira un jour de grosse déprime. Mais ça, j’en ferai un autre billet.
Samira goes on wondering how she would be able to tell her parents that she wants to have a life on her own and that she wants to leave:
[J]e pense en ce moment à la liberté de vivre seule, au bled. J’ai passé la nuit à imaginer la scène où je leur dirai que je vivrai seule. Ma mère me regardera avec dédain comme si j’avais dit une énième bêtise qui ne ferait que renforcer le manque d’estime qu’elle a pour moi.
Parce que le manque d’estime est quasi indissociable du statut de vieille célibataire : vieille fille c’est certainement une invention féminine, seule une femme peut et sait blesser une autre femme !
There is a terrible stigma attached to non-married women, explains Samira:
[C]e n’est même pas pris pour une malédiction mais pour une incompétence, un échec, une incapacité à attirer, à séduire, à donner envie à un homme de faire sa vie avec toi. Même si c’est toi qui refuse l’homme, tu seras toujours la bête en attente d’un maître. Et tu finis par devenir une vieille bête errante parce que personne n’adopte de vieux chiens.
The absence of financial support is critical:
Vieille fille qui ne bosse pas, c’est le comble. Pourtant, j’ai une formation littéraire assez bonne. Je ne sais pas, je peux rédiger des idioties comme ça à longueur de journée, par exemple… ou taper sur une machine… ou préparer des cafés. Mon chômage ne m’aide pas. Je suis non seulement sans foyer mais également sans revenu. Je suis bonne à tout faire dans les maisons de mes parents, mes oncles et tantes et de mon frère. [Ma soeur] Jamila n’arrête pas de se révolter contre la tyrannie générale et contre mon exploitation, mais je ne parle pas.
Samira has plans:
Quand je leur dirai que je partirai, ils vont crier au scandale, à l’ingratitude, à la honte ! Une « fille » ne vit seule que parce qu’elle veut batifoler… quand ils ont pas cette idée tordue, ils pensent d’elle qu’elle est fille indigne qui lâche ses vieux parents après tout ce qu’ils ont fait pour elle. Ils feront tout pour étrangler l’idée dans son berceau, ignorant qu’elle a déjà pris des dimensions adultes. Je ne peux pas le leur annoncer avant d’avoir trouvé où me nicher.
[…]
Je trouverai l’argent pour me louer 8m³ quelque part. Et je m’en irai.
Je parle au futur, pour garder vivant cet espoir, en ultime porte de sortie possible.
Samira is certainly not unique in her situation and more voices, mainly from the civil society are calling for more solidarity, equality and social justice.

author: Hisham Almiraat


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Mozambique: Fallout from US blacklisting · Global Voices
Janet Gunter

Last month, the US Treasury listed Mozambican businessman Mohamed Bachir for alleged links to drug trade, freezing some of his assets. Roughly 700 other people are listed worldwide. Bachir owns Maputo Shopping Center and is politically well connected. Blog Ma-shamba analyzes the impacts [Pt]. Rapper Azagaia recorded “Arrrrri!” in response, and has had 1,400 views in the past week.

author: Janet Gunter


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Pakistan: Iranian Scientist Seeks Refuge in Pakistani Embassy · Global Voices
Rezwan

Faheem Haider at Pakistan Foreign Policy Blog reacts on the recent incident of an Iranian scientist seeking refuge in Pakistani Embassy, USA.


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Pakistan: Muslim Mob Kills Wife, Children of Christian · Global Voices
Rezwan

Pak Tea House highlights a grim news which was not reported in mainstream media in Pakistan: “a Muslim mob in Jhelum, Pakistan murdered the wife and four children of a Christian last month, but local authorities are too afraid of the local Muslim leader to file charges.”


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Palestine: Gaza to Eilat and Back  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

At the Sabbah Report, Omar Gharaieb shares the experiences of M.K., who went on a ‘trip’ from Gaza to Eilat and back in this post.


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Paraguay: The president’s alleged tweets · Global Voices
The Economist

[Global Voices authors occasionally submit articles to The Economist's Babbage blog about technology. This story was originally published on July 12, 2010. Read more about our partnership here.]
July 1st It’s easy to say I’m a liar @alfredojaeggli, but you are not far behind…
July 1st @osvaldozayas @santiori You are right, @alfredojaeggli is unpresentable.
FERNANDO LUGO, the president of Paraguay, has never had an easy time with his senate. The opposition holds an absolute majority. And during the president’s state of the country address on July 1st, Alfredo Jaeggli, an opposition senator, stood up several times, blew on a vuvuzela and pulled out a red card. It might be easy to understand, then, if the President forgot himself on Twitter and wrote the messages excerpted above. But the president denies that he uses any social network. This raises two questions: How easy is it to confirm an identity on a social network, and how plausible is the president’s denial?
Mr Lugo’s denial came after Ultima Hora, the second-largest newspaper in Paraguay, reported on the day of Mr Jaeggli's vuvuzela that “The president of the republic wrote several tweets, and more than one dedicated to the senator.” Two hours later, the president's press office offered a response:
The head of state is not personally linked to any social networks (Facebook, Orkut, Twitter, etc.) nor there is a governmental communication office that operates a like network on his behalf.
A Twitter account claiming to be Mr Lugo’s became active in December last year. Since then, the account has posted links to a Flickr account with more than 11,000 photos from trips, official events and even of Mr Lugo watching a Paraguay football match at his home. The Twitter account also featured links to videos on Youtube, one of them of the president greeting his “friends from the internet community”. Ultima Hora acknowledged that it did not have an official confirmation that the account belonged to the president, but argued that it often used the account for official photos, which were linked from the Twitter account even before they reached the president's website. Andres Colman, a journalist from Ultima Hora, posted on Facebook that someone from the president's press office had confided in him that
[the press office] had created a Twitter account, but Lugo tweeted very little, so most of the time they had to fill the space by uploading photos, videos, etc. of his activities. That’s why we were so sure that it was an account ran from the presidency’s office.
But let’s assume for a minute that what the president´s office said is true: someone stole the president’s identity. It doesn´t let him off the hook. It means that his press office allowed someone to use the president’s identity for six months, prompting confusion among journalists and the online community. And if the statement from the president’s office isn’t true, and the account is, in fact, his? He now knows that online identities, like offline identities, leave a verifiable trail over time. The longer one exists, the less plausible a defence like “someone stole my identity” sounds. Either way, Mr Lugo should have known better by now.

author: The Economist


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Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan: Customising customs · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

The Pipeline writes about remaining unclarities about the customs’ union that Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan recently entered into.

author: Vilhelm Konnander


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Russia: Deadly Combination of Alcoholism and Heat  · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

LJ-user morita reports [RUS] three cases within one day (and one deadly) of people getting seriously injured after getting drunk at the heat. While the temperature in Saint-Petersburg, where morita works in the hospital, is above +33°C, people get drunk, then go to the seashore and drown.


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Russia: Military serfdom · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

LJ user brumm thinks [RUS] that the generals have enough serfs as it is, reacting to Ministry of Defence ideas of expanding Russian military service from one to one and a half years from 2012.


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Russia: No roads, only directions · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Anatoly Karlin of Sublime Oblivion argues that Russia should build railways instead of highways, against the backdrop of a recent World Bank report (pdf), and enumerates reasons why.


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Russia: Photo of Four Rainbows · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Taiga.info posts a picture [RUS] of unusual natural phenomena that occurred in Tomsk (Siberia) – four rainbows were caught by photographer at one time.


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Russia: Picnic at Putin’s dacha · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

LJ user na6ludatelb tells about [RUS] a visit to Putin's old dacha outside of St. Petersburg, forming into a crowd of local dacha owners using their right to public property, and posts plenty of commemorative pictures.


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Slovenia: Not by the color of their skin · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Camille Acey of Adventures in Wheelville comments on the problems Mr. Peter Bossman has come across, running for mayor in the Slovenian seaside port of Piran, apparently because of the color of his skin.


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South Africa: South Africa rocked 2010 FIFA World Cuo · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

South Africa rocked the 2010 FIFA World Cup: “The opening ceremony was incredible as was the closing ceremony last night. But before I climb in to the praise and ask for some public apologies let me run through my World Cup experience.”


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Tanzania: Goodbye Tanzania! · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A post from an American student who was working a film project about clean water in Tanzania: “Check out the UNC team’s Students of the World blog for reflections from each team member about what Tanzania and its people taught us.”


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U.S.V.I.: Tourism Feedback  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Virgin Islands Department of Tourism has created a Web site which pledges to improve customer service, but News of St. John says “it doesn't do nearly enough.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Uganda: Silencing the vuvuzelas in Uganda · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Silencing the vuvuzelas in Uganda: “So all things ended, we can have some quiet. In Uganda, it will not be just quiet that they will have, but one filled with sorrow and deep sadness.”


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Uruguay: La Celeste is Received by Multitude in Montevideo · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

On Tuesday July 13, the Uruguayan football team traveled on a bus around Montevideo as fans took over the streets to congratulate and wave to the soccer stars which ended 4th in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Agarrate Montevideo [es] posts a couple of pictures of the event, and links to three photo galleries which chronicle “la Caravana Celeste” (the light-blue caravan) as they traveled around the city.


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Zimbabwe: Photo of ZiMafia magic bus · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“We were recently sent this photograph of the Bling Bus, which has been ferrying the Zimafia – Zimbabwe’s Worst Eleven team around South Africa during the World Cup,” writes Amanda of Kubatana blogs in Zimbabwe.


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Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe won the World Cup! · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“IN a shock press statement this morning, President Robert Mugabe announced to the world that his team, the ZIMafia “Worst Eleven”, had won the football world cup in Johannesburg,” writes ZiMafia, Zimbabwe's Worst Eleven.


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Afghanistan: Graft and bribes are endemic  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nick Fielding reviews a new report on corruption by Integrity Watch Afghanistan. Based on interviews with 6,500 people, the survey assesses the impact of corruption, the trust in state and non-state institutions, international anti-corruption efforts and the links between corruption and insurgency.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Africa: Addressing HIV in Southern Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ethan blogs about Annie Lennox who talks about addressing HIV in Southern Africa atTEDGlobal conference: “Her goal is the UN’s goal – the elimination of mother/child transmission by 2015.”


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Algeria: Has Hypocrisy become Fashionable?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Algerian blogger Salim (Ar) reflects on hypocrisy and asks: Has hypocrisy become fashionable?
In a post entitled Gossip, Thanks to Hypocrisy, Salim asks:
ذاك الذي يضحك في وجهي و يسعد بتشويه صورتي عند الناس في ظهري ، هل يستمتع ؟ . و ذاك الذي يلعن أم الحكومة في غيابها و يضحك للشرطي في الطريق و يهتف للرئيس في جولته ، هل هو مستمتع ؟ . ذاك الذي ينصحني و يفكر في أمري و يشغل باله بي ، هل يفعل ما يفعله في ظهري ؟ ..
His answers to those questions are:
The blogger continues:
بذمتك يا سليم، هل كنت سعيدا حقا أمس عندما تراقصت مع أصدقائك الستة الذين تحصلوا على البكالوريا ؟ كنت تقود بتهور و تشغل الموسيقى العالية و تصفق و تصرخ … وربي لم تسعد، كنت في هدوء صاخب، داخلك كان هادئا جدا باثر الحرقة .. على كل شيئ، و الصخب يملأ كل مكان حولك حتى جسمك ، من أيديك إلى أحبالك الصوتية المهتزة .. كم لوعة مرت عليها لتصرخ، إخراج كبت هو أم نفاق ؟؟
Seriously Salim, were you really happy yesterday when you danced with your six friends who had just obtained their Bachelors degrees? You were driving recklessly and playing the music at full blast, and clapping and screaming… By God, you weren't happy! You were in a chaotic silence. Inside, you were extremely silent while burning over everything… chaos was all around your body, from your hands to your vibrating vocal chords. How much pain have you gone through to scream so much? Were you venting off or was it hypocrisy?
Salim concludes:
أذا كان هذا نفاقا فمن الأكيد أن ذاك الذي يطعنك في ظهرك و ينافق الحكومة ليس مستمتعا ، لأنك أنت يا سليم حزين بنفاقك مع نفسك .. ومع الكل الذي لاحظ الحزن عليك ..
Has hypocrisy become fashionable in your societies too? Join the conversation by commenting on this post.


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Bermuda: Fiscal Legacy  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“So, it’s official.  Government is trying to raise a half billion dollars in debt to cover their ‘spending addiction'”: Vexed Bermoothes is not pleased with the legacy of the present government.


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Borneo Island: Uniting bloggers through Borneo Colours · Global Voices
Senor Pablo

Borneo Colours is a website that links bloggers from Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan (Malaysia) and Kalimantan (Indonesia) which are all located in the island of Borneo. It's a platform for the bloggers in this region to network and create greater understanding about their neighbours.
Kellybays, Tuaran, Borneo. Photo by Nancy Peter
To date, Borneo Colours or BC has over 1,000 members with almost 200 registered bloggers and the number is said to increase daily.  Speaking to the CEO and founder of the site, Daniel Doughty shared with this author the history of the website.
The idea came about during the early part of 2002. The aim was to facilitate and encourage Borneans  to show goodwill to the world. Later, the founder realized the huge financial challenge in maintaining the project called  “Borneo”. Eventually in 2007, BC was quietly launched but sadly the idea was momentarily put aside as the founder was offered to assist an international NGO in initiating a marine conservation project. It was in early 2009 that the founder decided to bring the idea back to life. Around July 2009, armed with fresh funding and support, Team BorneoColours.com began their work by promoting their ideas to the Borneo Island Community and tourism bodies in Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan, Brunei and Kalimantan. BC had its soft launching on 25th September 2009 but it was only last January when it became operational.
Photo by KCDPhoto
What are your aspirations for Borneo Colours?
To be the official new media and community portal endorsed and recognized by governments within Borneo island, but most importantly by the Bornean and international online community.  Our goal is also to shape borneocolours.com as a mechanism for a transparent sustainable financing to raise funds for local charity organization, community development and environmental awareness activity on the island.
What can one get from reading/being a member of Borneo Colours?
Content is provided and shared primarily by registered members also known as bcbuddy. The community shares content by promoting events, happenings, or showcasing their talent and interesting articles that would be of help to others.  There is also the Borneo Business Directories and Bloggers Listing. One particular feature that Borneo Colours is proud of is the integration of our content and a social networking tool similar to Facebook.
You got a Blogging Competition going on at Borneo Colours? What do you aim to achieve from that competition?
Borneo Bloggers Award 2010 was designed to give prominent and upcoming bloggers in Borneo island a network window to understand, accept and appreciate each other's differences but most of all to create a sense of Borneo without borders. We are also hopeful that this program will help Borneo bloggers to be much competitive and improve their content, style and creation of original content. At the end of the day, who else is better in promoting their tourism destination and attraction if not the bloggers themselves.
Any future plans?
BorneoColours.com will be organizing a dialogue called B2.0 as in Borneo2.0 “Borneo Bloggers + New Media Dialogue”, This dialogue is schedule to be held at 1Borneo, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in mid-October 2010. B2.0 would bring together diverse blogging communities and creative local and international new media practitioners to provide rich opportunities for learning, networking and growth.
Many bloggers from the island of Borneo are endorsing BC:
A Woman Diary says  ” It's practically everything you wana know about Borneo. Made by Borneo-an. I like”
Rungitom, a BC buddy has this to say in introducing Borneo Colours.
Are you a BC Buddy? If not, why don't you guys check out BorneoColours. Its a site where you can get info surrounding Borneo designed with a social networking function,  BC Buddy. BC Buddy is a place for online community to hang out like other social networking site.
Choco8Vanilla says that
Borneo Colours is a website designed to gather people to know more about borneo or to gather the people of borneo itself to know more about its beloved island and the latest news or just simply, be friends (Isn't it great? XD). The site is new. But everyday its more new people coming, don't you want to be part of this beautiful community? Its a bit… kinda same… or so alike… facebook or friendster or tagged (maybe?)  Besides the website, I had one more thing (should I stated here WOW!) that would make all you Borneans Blogger click the ‘Sign Up’ button… what is it?
Pearls Stud Earrings mentioned in her blog,
it’s been 5 months already since the first day i registered as Borneo Colours Buddy. And what did i gain as a member???? more FRIENDS!! \^-^/ and i can promote my blog some more.
Geek in White, the only Bruneian quaified in the final round of votes for the Blogging Competition,
hope to bring the title to Brunei and really put Brunei bloggers on the map. If I do win this (amin!), I promise to share the proceeds with some local charity groups

author: Senor Pablo


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Brazil: Afro-Brazilian Claims to Affirmative Action Denied · Global Voices
Manuela Tenreiro

Affirmative action, one of the most controversial issues dragging on in the Brazilian congress for most of the first decade of the 21st century, was left out of the Racial Equality Statute passed last June 16th by the senate. The policy, which would implement a mandatory temporary quota system for Afro-Brazilians in universities, jobs and political parties, was rejected together with incentive measures for private companies adopting the system [pt]. According to pro affirmative action groups, the decision to exclude the policy neglects the historical processes leading to the state of socio-racial inequality existent in Brazil today. On the other side of the coin are opponents of affirmative action who speak of reverse discrimination and incitement to racial tensions.
The day before the vote in congress, No Race blog [PT], which presents itself as both anti-racist and against race public policies, published Senator Demóstenes Torres’ justification of his opposition to affirmative action. The Senator, a member of the DEM [PT] (Democrats party) an opposition party to President Lula’s PT, explains that race does not exist and justifies why he removed from the text – but not from the title “Racial Equality Statute” – the terms “race”, “racial” and “ethno-racial”.
O genoma humano é composto de 20 mil genes. As diferenças mais aparentes (cor da pele, textura dos cabelos, formato do nariz) são determinadas por um conjunto de genes insignificantemente pequeno se comparado a todos os genes humanos.
Quilombola, Flickr, Galeria de Gabriela Amorim, CC Licensed
Such views disregard the political and historical processes that once used race and scientific racism as an argument for exploitation and colonization. In fact it appears that the issue is older than just the last seven years and wider than the congress. Controvérsia blog [PT] tells an alternative history to the happy ending that abolition often represents in the minds of Brazilians and describes how the Afro-Brazilian struggle for integration and reparations was far stronger than what is generally thought.
O final do século XIX e o início do XX foram marcados por uma batalha pela memória das lutas populares abolicionistas e pelas demandas de integração e cidadania.
Em várias regiões do país surgiram associações, entidades e clubes formados por libertos e pela população negra em geral, pertencentes tanto aos setores literários quanto aos meios operários ou recreativos. O principal apelo organizativo era reunir-se para tratar de assuntos do interesse dos “homens de cor” ou das “classes de cor”. Nessa época, surgiu um vocabulário político próprio dos negros, por meio do qual avaliavam sua inserção na sociedade, suas demandas, seus comportamentos, suas estratégias, suas formas de atuação e suas denúncias e protestos contra a ordem social vigente.
In Blog da Preta, Jaqueline Lima Santos [PT] also expresses her anger at the state’s neglect of its historical responsibility to respond to the old claims of black Brazilians:
O acordo que possibilitou a aprovação do Estatuto (e que será usado como bandeira no processo eleitoral tanto pelo PT quanto pelo DEM), simplesmente enterrou as reivindicações históricas do povo negro, uma vez que o texto aprovado excluiu as cotas para negros nas universidades, nos partidos e nos serviços públicos; excluiu a garantia do direito a titulação das terras quilombolas; excluiu a defesa e o direito a liberdade de prática das religiões de matriz africanas e não fez referência a necessidade de atenção do Estado ao genocídio cometido pelas polícias que vitimam a juventude negra.
Galeria de Canhotagem, Flickr, CC Licensed
According to the Movimento Cisne Negro [Black Swan Movement, pt], the refusal of the government to concede right of disputed land to Quilombola people is mitigated by the recognition of the state that Quilombola communities must have a differentiated treatment by the public power. For them there are positive points in the Statute that must be defended, among which the implementation of black history in elementary education and the recognition of the contribution of black Brazilians.
O primeiro mérito do Estatuto da Igualdade Racial é derrotar definitivamente o mito da democracia racial entranhado nas instituições públicas brasileiras e iniciar sua construção na prática. Através dele, o Estado reconhece que a desigualdade social pesa negativamente sobre a população negra, reconhece que o racismo é um elemento construtor de desigualdade e reconhece a necessidade de implantar políticas públicas para superar as desigualdades sociais, educacionais e econômicas no seio do povo brasileiro. Num país que sempre negou suas imperfeições, se recusou a mudar, naturalizou o fosso social que separa pobres e ricos, negros e brancos, uma lei que estabelece resgate de direitos demonstra grande evolução civilizatória.
Others, who positioned themselves against affirmative action, believe its problem is being based on racial criteria, rather than on social condition. It is the case of Vandeler Ferreira [PT], a blogger and lawyer from Rio de Janeiro:
Me perdoem aqueles que defendem as denominadas “políticas afirmativas” por questões raciais que, ao meu ver, nada tem de afirmativas, exatamente porque ferem o tratamento igualitário, constitucionalmente previsto. Repito, as cotas nas universidades gratuitas deveriam ser por nível social para àqueles menos favorecidos. Aliás, o que temos que buscar é o acesso ao ensino, em qualquer nível, até mesmo pós-universitário, para todos, sem exceção, de forma universal e gratuita. Pela enorme carga tributária brasileira, seria o mínimo de devolução do Estado para o cidadão.
The Statute without the demanded points still has to pass by President Lula. But even if it is sanctioned, Afro-Brazilian movements promise to continue their struggle now that, finally, their historical grievances have been officially recognized.

author: Manuela Tenreiro


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Brazil: High Index on Work Stress · Global Voices
Debora Baldelli

author: Debora Baldelli


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China: Buy BP assets? Could do! · Global Voices
John Kennedy

With British foreign secretary William Hague in China today at Beijing's invitation for a fresh round of strategic dialogue on strengthening economic cooperation, online media have chosen to focus on speculation that the larger goal of the talks are to clinch a deal which will see CNOOC purchase assets in BP, reportedly from the oil company's South America operations.
Readers at NetEase seem to be among the few with much to say on the possibility of buying into BP:
天朝老子有的是钱，几万亿美元外汇，单单买了两房，亏了5千亿美元都不在话下。BP 你要多少给多少，小意思而已啦。
钱多人傻，速来
除中国其他国家的人民都知道6月27号
BP得到了一张4200亿人民币的正式罚单
超过了BP在美的所有资产总额现负1300亿
这么多现金是不可能拿出来的所以卖不掉就一定是弃车保帅
北美BP破产或者南美也同时破产
中国给墨西哥湾买单，一定的，天朝无所不能！
只要你不骂我，我全买。
CNOOC building in Beijing, from Helen Sotiriadis’ pro Flickr account.
促销打折不如结业清盘！再等等吧！
崔新生就表示，收购BP是笔亏本买卖，美国政府的索赔没完没了，而BP本身技术落后，再翻身有难度。
—得不偿失是明显的，但一定要相信d和政府，一定会做一个负责人的大国，全力以赴、飞蛾扑火的。
天朝要的不是钱,要的是政治资本中的虚荣一面
钱有的是，但不能乱花，是稳定的，有条件的。先努力把欧洲联盟对华武器的禁运废止了再说
中国的官员要吃回扣了
纳税人的不是被贪被骗被投资套牢，就是用来收破烂。
WC,中国要是买了，不是破产就是退市！
看看，人家多有钱啊。。。。连英国都要求我们买他涨
国歌的第一句怎么唱的？
天朝以被一群垃圾砖家和一群败家的儒夫变成垃圾回收站！
只要在外面给点面子，这点小钱花的值。
让它倒闭，BP牵扯到美国，英国许多人的养老金，要让这两个政府背上包袱，反对现在跟他交易，美英欠我们太多，他门的好日子是靠我们的血汗铺就的
好嘛，但是记住中国的几个有权的关键任务要摆平，还要记得把他们的子女啊什么的都记得接到英国去。
国民生产总值既不是衡量我们的理解力和勇气的标准，也不是衡量我们的智慧和学习能力的标准，更不是衡量我们的热情和奉献精神的标准，简单的说，除了无法使我们的生活更有价值外，它是衡量一切事物的标尺。同时它能够告诉我们有关美国的所有故事，但却不能告诉我们身为美国人值得骄傲的原因。 — 罗伯特·F·肯尼迪
谁同意收购BP，谁就是卖国
迟早世界上所有大企业都是天朝的。。
看看，有钱就是好，谁有事都来找，谁差钱都来请求我们买单，美国“两房”我们买了单，这回墨西哥漏油了，我们怎么能不买单呢？

author: John Kennedy


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Côte d’Ivoire:3 Journalists Including Théophile Kouamouo Arrested for Posting Classified Documents on Coffee and Cocoa · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) reports that three journalists were arrested on July 13th in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire for publishing classified documents regarding coffee and cocoa production [Fr]. Among them is Théophile Kouamouo, the founder of Abidjan Blog Camps, a Rising Voices project grantee. Here is a petition to show support for Kouamouo [Fr].

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Cuba: Biscet Stays · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Oscar Elias Biscet, perhaps the best-known political prisoner in the Cuban gulag, has refused to take exile in Spain as a condition of his release from prison”: Uncommon Sense reports.


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Equatorial Guinea: Portuguese as its Third Official Language · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

An online petition [pt] against the entry of Equatorial Guinea to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) has been launched by Portuguese and Mozambican organizations. Brazil and São Tomé & Príncipe [pt] support President Obiang intentions. In case the country is accepted, Portuguese will become its third official language together with Spanish and French.

author: Sara Moreira


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Google to Resume Search Service in China · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Josie worries that Google will start filtering search result again after the renewal of Internet Service License in China.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Hong Kong: The beginning of a thaw, or a fatal split in the democracy movement? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ma Ngoc wrote a political commentary updating the democratic movement in Hong Kong.


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Korea: Pricking Fingers · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ask a Korean! explains how pricking fingers helps to relieve indigestion and other symptoms.


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Kyrgyzstan: Inauguration of Roza Otunbayeva · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Kyrgyz blogger posts a unique photo report from the historical event: the inauguration of Kyrgyzstan's Roza Otunbaeva, first female president in Central Asia, that took place July 3, 2010.


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Kyrgyzstan: Young people promoting peace in the aftermath of clashes · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Akylai Karimova writes about the youth campaign “Let’s plant Peace in Osh!” in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. It started on 10 July with hundreds of young men and women of various ethnicities participating voluntarily in the series of actions supported by the U.S. Embassy and UNDP.


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Macedonia: The Curse of ‘Bipartisanship’ · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Photo by manarh, CC Licensed.
Veteran Macedonian bloggers express the widely held opinion among their compatriots, who are not sympathizers of political parties, about feeling hostage to a system without independent alternatives.
Often these sentiments are expressed as versions of the Buridan's ass paradox, or in the words of Simpsons character Bart: “You are damned if you do, and you are damned if you don't.”
Blogger and political analyst Vuna used a joke about Paul the Octopus to address the limited perceptions.  He wrote [MKD]:
A few days ago I heard this joke about the everyday frustrations of living in Macedonia:
“Paul was given to choose between VMRO and SDS… and at the end he starved.”
However, this “shenanigan” is a major failure. I liked it at first, but when I thought about it, I came up with the following.
The story about Paul's “predictions” is that he actually chooses a mussel from one of the two containers offered. He chooses the clams, of course, to feed. In our case he does not select the VMRO nor the SDS mussel and dies of starvation.
The explanation why Paul dies of starvation is that he is a principled person or stupid enough not to choose either VMRO or SDS because they are “the same shit” even though the mussels are placed only in the containers. If he wants to survive he must pick one of the parties.
The sad thing is that the story does not include a mussel outside of the boxes. The subconscious part of the joke is honest enough: Paul wants to eat to survive, and he is “condemned” to choose one of the options – VMRO or SDS. In this way the “joke” serves the cowardice of Macedonian citizens, who see no choice beyond the political parties. There is no readiness to imagine a mussel outside of the boxes.
Volan, described [MKD] his view on the situation in Macedonia in more prosaic form:
The struggle between the Position and the Opposition in our political arena resembles court intrigue, a theater show where actors change roles, and often a circus. The term political arena is no accident, arenas historically come from the Roman period, when combat to death was used for entertainment for the rulers and the powerful people around them. The decision who will live or die often depended on the position of the ruler's thumb. A combat with the main purpose to obtain better position to eat up [the resources – presented as a banana]… There was a time when people watched the sessions of the Assembly on TV for fun.
One has to wonder about what games our main actors in the Position-Opposition duo play. While one party is in power they forget that at the next elections they will be unseated and they enact laws which exclude rights to the Opposition. Then they feel the revenge. For instance, while the Government strengthens the role of the Police, they forget that the laws they make will be used against them when they leave power.
However, there are issues where both camps are in concord. The main players in Position and Opposition have an unwritten rule – they jointly fight against appearance of a third camp, and new political subjects. They enacted laws to limit the opportunities for others to join the club by setting ever increasing thresholds to form new parties which can compete with them for seats at state and local level, in the Assembly and the municipal councils.
Another common feature is lowering the turnout threshold – in order to have successful elections with less voter participation. This is their solution for ignoring the voice of the citizens who by refusing to vote send a message of dissatisfaction to both sides about the way the country is run. In practice this results with absolute rule based on only 25-30% support from the voters. Regardless, such rule is absolute and legal.
In addition, the theater or circus of the Position and the Opposition also has another very important player – the so-called foreign or international factor, i.e. the representatives of the great world powers and groups… No wonder politicians often go to kiss their hands. Without their support they would almost certainly loose at the next elections, and often the local politicians are bound to obey in exchange for silence about compromising information. Therefore we often witness sudden removals of powerful from the political life, such as Georgievski in Macedonia, Sanader in Croatia, and if you will – Karadžić in Bosnia… These contracts are never signed on paper, but most often they are respected.
The role of our nouveau riche oligarchy is still young and not strong, but they are present in the political life. Criminal structures are also behind the scenes of politics – everybody knows about them but those who rule never mess with them. The third branch of Government, the Courts, remain under influence of those who put the judges in their seats. The journalists are in a crevice between their ethics and dependency on media owners who are influential political players.
Possibly a reason for this lock-in can be found in the fact that most of the voters who are not part of the clientship hierarchies of the political parties have always voted to punish ruling politicians. This situation is similar to the one in the U.S.A., as described by Jack Gamble in his post “Why The Third Party Will Never Happen” (emphasis added):
Did you vote for Kerry or against Bush?  Did you vote for McCain or against Obama? While it’s obvious that Obama inspired a new breed of voters who never took part in the process, the majority of McCain supporters were not necessarily fans of McCain. They just feared Obama. Much the same way Kerry supporters were not impressed with the Senators flip-flopping and Gore-like monotone diatribe. They just hated Dubya. With most people voting against and few people voting for, the two party system will always prevail. People will vote for the guy most likely to beat the guy they hate and not vote for the candidate who most resembles their views. The Democrats simply swallowed the Green and Libertarian parties even if most self-proclaimed “independents” never saw it coming.

author: Filip Stojanovski


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Malawi: Barcamp Malawi 2010 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Clement Nyirend writes about BarCamp Malawi 2010: “Malawian geeks will hold their first ever barcamp at Sunbird Capital Hotel, Lilongwe, Malawi, on 17th and 18th July, 2010.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha