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Peru: Chimbote in Blogs · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Chimbote is a city located to the north of Peruvian capital of Lima, and which can be reached in six hours by land. Those who have walked its streets recall its perennial smell of fish, as well as what some say might say is the apparent rudeness of the people. However, it would be wrong to stay with this first impression. While Chimbote has traditionally been a fishing village, this does not take away from the fact that it is also a land of writers and poets. There is a blog that is devoted to the writers and literature called: Marea Cultural [es], which along with another blog called La Ignorancia Mata [es], has become a pair of blogs that currently informs its readers to what is happening in the fields of culture and technology both in Chimbote and the rest of the world.
Photo of Chimbote by Edgar Asencios and used under a Creative Commons license. Click on photo to see a larger version.
The Lima blog La Fortaleza de la Soledad [es] published a post about those responsible for these blogs:
Augusto Rubio Acosta y Milton Rojas vienen desde la rica ciudad de Chimbote a darnos un ejemplo laudatorio de que aún hay mucho por hacer. Augusto y Milton no se han contagiado de la apatía capitalina, recorren el Perú en busca de las voces, mayores y jóvenes, de nuestro ambiente cultural, demostrando que es mucho más saludable “hacer” que el mero acto de “quejarse”, sacándole el jugo a la herramienta por excelencia de la promoción, Internet.
And in the blog Círculo D.M. [es] from Holland, Rómulo Meléndez interviewed Augusto Rubio about the project Marea Cultural and other topics, here are some excerpts:
El proyecto MAREA CULTURAL nace en 2003 en Chimbote (Perú), … surgió primero como el programa radial que conducía en la desaparecida Radio Universidad San Pedro. Después, en 2004 el programa se mudó a Radio Santo Domingo, donde estuvimos al aire hasta el mes de mayo de este año. En el camino surgió la idea de publicar revistas y libros de literatura (publicamos cinco números de la revista “Mundo cachina” y dos libros), … Surgió también el Blog MAREA CULTURAL, nuestro programa de TV en un canal local (2008), una experiencia en prensa popular con la creación del primer periódico mural cultural callejero de Chimbote (surgida en 2005 y aún vigente),
Nuestra fuerte presencia en redes sociales (gracias a la alianza estratégica establecida con Milton Rojas, de Viadescape.TV) obedece a la necesidad de estar más cerca de los jóvenes, ellos son los que van a cambiar la realidad cultural que hemos heredado”. … Desde enero de 2009, con la creación de mi página en Facebook he abandonado el correo electrónico tradicional. Ahora habito en Twitter, la forma de contactar a los autores es distinta. De igual forma la búsqueda de información de carácter literario o cultural ha cambiado. Antes visitaba páginas webs o blogs especializados, ahora eso me llega automáticamente vía Twitter y Facebook”.
The MAREA CULTURAL project was created in 2003 in Chimbote (Peru), … it first emerged as the leading radio program at the late San Pedro Radio University. Then in 2004, the program moved to Radio Santo Domingo, where we were on the air until May of this year. On the way, the idea emerged to publish magazines and literature books (we published five issues of the journal “Cachina World” and two books), … The blog MAREA CULTURAL also emerged, our television program on a local channel (2008), an experience in the popular press with the creation of the first cultural street journal of Chimbote (created in 2005 and it is still going on),
Our strong presence in social networks (through strategic partnership with Milton Rojas of Viadescape.TV) reflects the need to be closer to the youth, they are going to change the cultural reality that we have inherited.. .. Since January 2009, with the creation of my Facebook page, I've abandoned the traditional email. Now I live on Twitter, the way to contact authors is different. Likewise, the search for information from literary or cultural nature has changed. Before visiting specialist websites or blogs, now it automatically comes to me via Twitter and Facebook. “
Marea Cultural's Facebook page can be found here [es], as well as its Twitter account [es].  A brief account of the interviews conducted by the blog from among the more than 100 published include the writers Braulio Muñóz, Fernando Cueto (1 and 2) Marco Cueva (1 and 2), Iván Vásquez (1 and 2) and Dante Lecca. There are also interviews with cultural promoters, Silvia Diestra, Jaime Guzmán and Paulino Meléndez, as well as the singer Lucho Oliva and social activists Jorge Noriega (1 and 2).
Milton Rojas, in addition to working on Marea Cultural, is also responsible for the blog La Ignorancia Mata [es], which addresses Internet issues, cyberjournalism, and Viadescape.TV [es], in which he publishes the video interviews from Marea Cultural. It might appear that the projects are on the right track, including the quality of the content. However, this is what Rojas wrote:
desde que empecé con Viadescape y en particular con el blog “La ignorancia mata” en el 2005, muchas cosas para bien han ocurrido, cosas que jamas me imagine, aunque muchos de esos triunfos personales no han logrado cubrir la sensación de vacío que siento y lo que empezó siendo un proyecto personal e intransferible, ha comenzado a ser una iniciativa grupal y siento que a diferencia del pasado ya no estoy solo en esto, ya no es más mi cruzada personal, incluso buscando últimamente un modelo de negocio rentable al trabajo que realizamos,
And then later, he writes:
voy a la ruina económica de seguir invirtiendo en proyectos web que no me retornan rentabilidad, solo la satisfacción de hacer lo que me gusta y de liderar e inspirar a muchas personas que siguen lo que hacemos en Internet, pero de momento no hay marcha atrás, estamos decidimos a encontrarle vuelta al asunto muy pronto
And it can be difficult to complete the work that one enjoys without considering the economic factor or without having another job as backup. There are numerous initiatives and projects that have been left half-started in the country because of a lack of economic support or because of the unwillingness to conform to editorial standards. Many hope that the Marea Cultural project can find a way to solve their inconveniences and continue to provide cultural information.
These are other blogs from Chimbote, and within the same cultural wave, there is the blog Soy Como Agua y Fuego [es] written by Carmen Alejos, one of the cultural promoters from Chimbote. Her blog is dedicated mainly to the musical style of trova, as well as her weekly radio program. One can hear her thoughts in this video interview she did with Marea Cultural. However, this is a sample of social sensitivity demonstrated in her writings about Rural Women's Day:
Las mujeres son las encargadas de trasmitir los conocimientos ancestrales de generación en generación, logrando conservar los cultivos tradicionales e innovarlos, en su afán de garantizar la alimentación de las familias en sus comunidades. Lamentablemente los gobiernos de turno no implementan políticas que busquen un desarrollo sostenible de la agricultura, mucho menos fomentan el desarrollo de capacidades que permitan que las mujeres puedan compartir conocimientos y mejorar su calidad de vida. En algunas comunidades de la cuenca del Valle de Nepeña, las mujeres rurales han iniciado un proceso de concientización alrededor del tema ecológico impulsado desde sus familias. Este 15 de octubre es el Día de la Mujer Rural y desde este espacio queremos reconocer el trabajo de miles y miles de mujeres -muchas de ellas solas- que de sol a sol se esfuerzan para cultivar sus tierras, criar su ganado y construir una familia y una sociedad distinta. ¡Feliz Día Mamá!…
There is also the blog called Matríz Musical [es] by poet Denisse Vega, who was also interviewed by Marea Cultural, who writes about her literary production and posts about cultural activities. The blog Mujer: El Más Bello Arte [es] by Victoria Fuentes is dedicated to women's issues. A blog from the Social Justice Commission from the Diocese of Chimbote [es] writes about human rights by giving voice, via video interviews, to individuals that work in this field.
Other blogs from Chimbote include De Todo Un Poco 2.0 [es], which is dedicated to posting notes relating to the utilities, gadgets, movies, and other topics. The blog Law & Iuris [es] by a group of law students at the Los Ángeles University in Chimbote, write about legal issues. A musical blog called Herederos de Nada [es] y Escena Chimbote Rock [es] post about rock music and concerts in Chimbote, and other cities in Peru.  Chimbote ♫♫  [es], on the other hand, deals with the promotion of various genres of music. Periodismo Responsable [es] was a blog that wrote about news in Chimbote, but it has not been updated in more than a year.
Another blog can be considered from Chimbote is called Mis Aventuras en Perú, maintained by Jane Silcock, a volunteer from the United States, who can be seen in this video interview by La Ignorancia Mata. Even though the title of the blog is in Spanish, the blog is written in English. She writes:
I can’t believe I am more than half way done with my volunteer experience. There are times that I never want to leave, and then moments where I miss all the familiar people, food, and music of yesterday. My time in Peru has definitely confirmed my passion and desire to dedicate my life to social justice work. I am also realizing now more than ever the beauty and importance of mass communication in helping to make change.
At Cecopros, the journalism NGO, I am currently working on TV news stories for local channels about the problems in small towns around Chimbote. We’ve done two so far, one about how an illegal city trash dump is causing nearby residents to have skin fungus and respiratory problems. The other is about misuse of government funds that should go to building water and pluming systems for those who don’t have access to water, but instead are being used, among other things, to build a 500,000 soles (about $170,000) park.
There are problems with environmental pollution in Chimbote, however, there are no blogs that deal with the issue. In YouTube, there are videos uploaded by various institutions that can attest tot he serious problems caused mainly by fishing activities. For example, the Natura Environmental Institute [es] based in Chimbote, deals with these issues, but do not have a blog.
Finally, this video that contains interviews with Chimbote residents who talk about their favorite dishes, and the video can also show various spots around the city. More Chimbote videos here.

author: Juan Arellano


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Poland: Thoughts on Education System · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Thoughts on schooling in Poland vs schooling in the UK – at 20 east.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Poland, U.S.: “Life After the Shield” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Leopolis writes on “life after the shield” and the U.S.-Polish relations.


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Romania: Critical Mass · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

At Th!nk About It – here and here – Adela writes about Critical Mass in Romania.


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Russia: 1999 Chechen Diary, Parts 2 & 3 · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Part 2 and Part 3 of the translation of Polina Zherebtsova’s 1999 Chechen Diary – at Sundry Translations and Other Tangentialia (links to intro, Part 1 and the Russian-language original are here).


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Russia: AK-47 & Copyright; Time Zones · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Eternal Remont writes about “copyright protection for the AK-47″; FP's Passport writes about plans to cut the 7-hour time difference between Moscow and Vladivostok to 4 hours.


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Russia: Potential for Rebellion in Toliatti · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia reports that “Russian government plans to lay off 50,000 autoworkers in Toliatti […] have sparked rumors that Moscow plans to introduce interior ministry troops to keep order and that at least some of the workers plan to use arms to defend their jobs.”


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Russia: Snow and the Language · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“In Russia Snow Walks…” – notes on the Russian language and the Russian winter, at Russian Blog.


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Russia: Surkov and Western Media Coverage · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Poemless writes about Vladislav Surkov and Western media coverage of Russia.


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Russia: The Cossack Factor · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia writes that “articles in the Russian blogosphere suggest both that an increasing number of Cossacks view themselves as victims and are prepared to act as an independent force and that the Russian government is increasingly concerned about that possibility, something that could undermine Moscow’s control of the North Caucasus and other parts of the Russian periphery.”


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Serbia: Scrabble · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A Yankee-in-Belgrade writes about playing Scrabble in the Serbian language.


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Poll Taking a Toll  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Vincentian Life is “more than a little concerned that…electoral officials have up to 14 days in which to make public the results of the November 25 [referendum on constitutional amendments] poll. That is scary – I mean we have a situation where desperate men are behaving like they are going to do themselves in if this fails…”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Syria: The Best or the Worst Article Ever? · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

One of many billboards in Syria featuring President Bashar al-Assad (photo by jilliancyork)
Syrian bloggers frequently decry travel writing about their country – often it's too stereotypical, sometimes downright false.  And for a country considered long “isolated” at least from the United States, it can be particularly frustrating to see such writing promoted as accurate.  Therefore, when popular Syrian blogger Sasa, who pens the blog Syria News Wire spotted a recent piece in National Geographic that he deemed “the best article on Syria in a decade,” he just had to say something:
This article is the real Syria. It is a checklist of points which Syrians know about their country, but which foreign journalists skip over, in the rush to confirm their own stereotypes.
Unsurprisingly, in a country often divided, not everyone agreed with Sasa's interpretation of the article.  Syrian Ambassador to the United States Imad Moustapha (himself a blogger) penned a letter to the editor of National Geographic that was republished on the blog Syria Comment, calling the National Geographic article a “misrepresentation of the Syria that I belong to.”  Though Syria Comment‘s Joshua Landis didn't comment on the article himself, his posting sparked over eighty comments and a lively discussion.
Commenter Alex of Creative Syria was critical of the National Geographic article, stating:
I have no problem with most of what was written .. by I have an issue with the obvious impression the article leaves through its 90% emphasis on negativity … I don’t think an American reading it will hesitate to cancel his planned first vacation in Syria. Who wants to enjoy lunch in Bab Touma if poor brave Syrian people fighting for democracy are being tortured next door in Bab Touma?
Another commenter, Ghassan, liked the article:
the articale is rational, reasonable, and accurate . my support to NG, and to the free press and speach which do not exist in syria.
Norman, also commenting on Landis's post, aptly remarked:
It is interesting how Syria loving Syrians can disagree on the same article.
Other bloggers outside of Syria had strong feelings about the National Geographic article as well.  Evan Hill, who writes for group blog The Majlis, felt that the article displayed Syria as behind the times, stating:
We're left with a Syria that seems stuck, economically and politically, in a mindset that's at least 40 decades old. The manager of a government-owned cotton plant, oblivious to or concealing any knowledge of the workplace dangers there, stares at Belt in seeming confusion when asked if he's ever made a profit. Academics and activists still fear the intelligence services created many years ago by Assad's father to destroy the opposition when his famed political wiliness wouldn't work.
After reading all of the criticism, Syria News Wire urged readers to read both the original article and Imad Moustapha's criticisms before making up their minds.

author: Jillian C. York


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The Balkans: Danilo Kiš · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belatedly, a tribute to Yugoslav writer Danilo Kiš (1935-1989) – at Balkans via Bohemia.


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The Balkans: The Past, the Present, and the Future · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Thoughts on Radovan Karadzic's trial and Biljana Plavsic's release from prison – in a post titled “Bosnia now: the past and the future facing each other” at CAFÉ TURCO. Thoughts on “history that offends people” – at Balkan Anarchist.


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The future of ICT4D: How soon is now?  · Global Voices
John Liebhardt

Our previous two posts concentrated on what the future of ICTs for development could look like. This post will provide a taste of what it does look like. We’ll tackle a few lingering issues facing information and communication technology before investigating a few ICT projects.
These ventures weren’t picked by any scientific method; nor do they constitute any consensus of how ICTs will look in the next few years. These are just projects that caught my eye. Because these projects leverage technology in rural areas, let’s start with a discussion on how public internet kiosks could develop in the next few years.
Broadband? by wseltzer on Flickr.
In his blog ICTlogy, Ismael Peña-López wonders whether public internet kiosks like telecentres and cybercafés will evolve into enhanced e-centers, “where communities will gather and benefit from several community resources, computers and Internet access among others? Or will they just disappear?”
He continues:
As libraries have provided more than books, but a place where to learn to read and find kindred souls, it is my guess that public Internet access points will disappear as such, and will either be embedded within existing structures (libraries themselves, or civic centres, to name a few) or the existing telecentres and cybercafes will evolve into a next stage where the learning and community factors will be much more relevant. We are indeed seeing plenty of examples of this, and it is a matter of time that priorities or the focus turns upside down: instead of going to access the Internet and finding people, one will go and find people and use the Internet as an enhanced way to socialize. At its turn, this should be accompanied by the end of this false dichotomy on whether your a citizen or a netizen, as if the network had a live and a citizenry on its own. But time will tell.
Shilpa Sayura
Shilpa Sayura, which means sea of knowledge, is an interactive digital self-learning system based in Sri Lanka. Shilpa Sayura’s course of study began with eight subjects that parallels the national education curriculum so students in remote and rural areas can prepare for national school examinations in Sinhala, the country's predominant local language. The project has added another three courses, including lessons in Tamil and English.
Shilpa Sayura's open-source software was given away to non-profit educational providers and to rural Nansalas, a chain of government-developed telecentres. These telecentres in Sri Lanka fulfill many roles: Some provide connection to the web, but also offer fax, photocopying and printing services. They make money from phone calls, VOIP, and provide a bill-payment service. They are also places, the government hopes, where other ICT projects can bloom.
Harsha Liyanage, originally from Sri Lanka, blogs at Sustainability First: In search of sustainable telecentres. He records some of the issues Shilpa Sayura is attempting to overcome.
[The] Absence of competent teachers and adequate facilities handicap rural students in 80% of the Sri Lankas population. Now over 500 telecentres at rural outskirts provide a new window of opportunity. Shilpa Sayura enables students to interact with ICT to study 8 subjects digitally at tele centers and develop their knowledge to prepare for national examinations.
In March, 2008, Liyanage explained that Shilpa Sayura  was undergoing growing pains.
Having a success story of a very compelling pilot, the project struggles at scaling up. Every telecentre operator of over 500 telecentres in Sri Lanka needs to have Shilpa Sayura installed in their telecentre. But, e-Fusion acknowledges it is not feasible at this present state.
• It needs technological improvements to ensure trouble free smooth run.
• Also needs technical capacity building at the telecentre operators to assist the users.
• Need to improve help-desk capacity to accept escalating demands
All these needs significant capital investments. They recognize it is not reasonable to tax the government to support further. Thus eyes at the CSR goodwill of the corporate partners.
In the mean time they plot the plans for an appropriate business model.
The blog Technology and Cultural Festival in Kandiyapitawew from Sri Lanka explains the educational benefits of the project.
We believe ‘Shilpa Sayura’ could contribute to addressing the issue of the shortage of school teachers, especially in distant rural area one which continues to be a setback to the county’s educational system.
The ‘Shilpa Sayura’ e-learning package covers eight school subjects, in Sinhala from grade six to O level. Shilpa Sayura’s simple interactive means of self study caters to students in remote communities with no access to urban educational resources. Still in its pilot stage Shilpa Sayura now operates in 20 ‘Nenasalas’ or tele-centers located in distant villages and promotes the concept of self learning among students in these secluded communities…The next phase would be the transformation of Shilpa Sayura into a National project to strengthen rural education and bridge the gap between rural and urban students.
M-Pesa
The next project takes place in Kenya, where the blog Global Warming contends the mobile phone is revolutionizing society.
There are presently over 17 million [mobile phone] subscribers and the fact that it is presently facilitating money transfers almost says it all. There are the two things that make everything work. One is communication and the second is convenience of transferring cash. After that you are in business anywhere.
M-Pesa began in 2007 as a way to perform simple banking transactions through cell phones. The telecom firms behind the project didn’t charge registration fees or require customers to have a bank account, often a major hurdle in Kenya because few people deal with traditional banks. Once signed-up, customers can use the M-Pesa application to pay bills, purchase more phone credits and transfer money within Kenya through data-enabled mobile phones. M-Pesa now allows customers to book airline tickets. Safaricom, the company responsible for M-Pesa, is beginning a pilot project to let customers pay for water usage.
M-Pesa agent in Bunda by emilsjoblom in Flickr.
In July 2009 M-Pesa totaled more than seven million subscribers, who collect or send money through a network of more than 1400 bank agents, making it the largest bank in the country. These customers transfer more than $2.5 million every month.
Just a few weeks ago, M-Pesa went international, moving into the United Kingdom by allowing people to send money back to phone numbers in Kenya through a web interface. The transaction costs as little as $8 US for sending 150 Pounds. A 2005 study found traditional money transfer firms charged fees between 2.5 and 40 percent of the transfer for anything below 100 Pounds.
David Zarraga, from the blog Mobile Behavior has a good rundown on how M-Pesa works.
Registered M-PESA customers can “deposit” hard currency with any M-PESA agent in exchange for e-money, which is uploaded into the customer’s M-PESA account. For 38 US cents, the customer can then transfer this money to another registered customer’s M-PESA account via SMS. Once the recipient receives the SMS confirmation, the hard currency can then be withdrawn from the nearest M-PESA agent, completing the money transfer process.
How does the M-PESA service benefit the average Kenyan? Olga Morawczynski, a PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh who spoke at the GSM World Congress in Barcelona last February, shared the story of Martin, a shoe-maker in Kibera, an informal settlement just outside Nairobi. Martin makes about US$ 20 a day from his trade and sends a quarter of his earnings to his wife and mother, who live in Western Kenya, over 100 miles away. M-PESA saves Martin time, allowing him to work his trade instead of having to travel far outside his place of work to find a bank. The service also enables him to make frequent transfers – about 5 times a month – thereby allowing him to send a week’s earnings when his family needs the money most.
The blog Bankelele: Nairobi Banker lists advantages and disadvantages for banking with M-Pesa.
Benefits of m-pesa banking
– 24 hour banking: More reach & access than any bank or ATM network
– Mobile banking with operator tends to be cheaper then mobile banking via bank provided services
– Saving in transport costs and banking transaction costs
– Can pay a variety of bills for utilities at a low cost
Challenges of m-pesa banking
– Lack of float at dealers to transact/occasional mpesa system downtime
– No credit history; and the clumsy expensive statement from Safaricom not useful yet
– Calls for discipline to build savings
– Funds are not insured, and are more prone to crime. And dealing with a stolen phone in Kenya is not a pleasant experience.
eChoupal
Indian Tobacco Company, one of India’s largest exporters, created eChoupal, a series of rural information centers where farmers can communicate directly to other farmers, different markets and experts through the internet. These village internet kiosks were first installed for farmers to learn in local languages the latest information regarding national and international prices in soy, wheat, tobacco and shrimp. But the platform has morphed to providing other important information, such as weather conditions and the latest scientific practices. In 2006, eChoupal counted 3.5 million farmers who used 5,200 internet kiosks throughout more than 30,000 villages.
Harvesting Wheat #1 by Meanest Indian on Flickr.
The farmers pay a local coordinator a small sum to use the kiosk, which can also be used to order seed, fertilizers and other goods.
The blog NeoProducts Kiosks, from the UK, makes the point that part of eChoupal’s success comes from leaving behind the traditional buyers.
e-Choupal has been created by ITC Limited to enable rural farmers in India to buy and sell agricultural produce like soya beans, wheat, and coffee. It does this by allowing them directly to negotiate the sale of their produce via a network of PCs and kiosks in 6,500 centres spread across 100 districts in 10 states. Previously, the farmers had to go through numerous and sometime corrupt intermediaries.
What a great idea and what a fantastic use of kiosks! Allowing shared public access to interactive technology is what kiosks are all about. And this is only the beginning.
Chirag Jethmalani is a management student from Mumbai who blogs about Indian business in Squamble. Here he provides his take on e Choupal.
e Choupal was conceived to tackle the challenges posed by the unique features of Indian agriculture, characterized by fragmented farms, weak infrastructure and the involvement of numerous intermediaries…
Traditionally, these commodities were procured in “mandis” (major agricultural marketing centers in rural areas of India), where the middleman used to make most of the profit. These middlemen used unscientific and sometimes outright unfair means to judge the quality of the product to set the price. Difference in price for good quality and inferior quality was less, and hence there was no incentive for the farmers to invest and produce good quality output. With eChoupal, the farmers have a choice and the exploitative power of the middleman is neutralised.
ICT platform that facilitates flow of information and knowledge, and supports market transactions on line.
* It transmits Information (weather, prices, news),
* It transfers Knowledge (farm management, risk management)
* It facilitates sales of Farm Inputs (screened for quality) and
* It offers the choice of an alternative Output-marketing channel (convenience, lower transaction costs) to the farmer right at his doorstep
* It is an interlocking network of partnerships (ITC + Met Dept + Universities + Input COs + Sanyojaks, the erstwhile Commission Agents) bringing the best-inclass in information, knowledge and inputs.
Just because e-Choupal has a good platform and business model doesn’t make it a gurantee for success in India. To do this, people must understand rural markets.
Rural markets are both economic and social networks and there is a strong connection between the operation of social and economic transactions. Understanding the operations is vital before the systems are conceptualized. Use of local population, as much as possible helped the network to get the acceptance closely.

author: John Liebhardt


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Trinidad & Tobago: Determining Racism · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The important thing, I think, is that if you don't want to be a racist, you need to focus on how you treat people, not on how you react to people”: Trinidadian Ian Ramjohn suggests that “in the end, it all boils down to what you're used to.”


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U.S.: Blogger Invited to Reception at Czech Embassy · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Czechmatediary has been invited to a reception with Vaclav Klaus, the president of the Czech Republic, at the Czech Embassy in Washington, D.C.: “The reception is held in honor of not only the Czech president himself but also because of the celebration of the National Czech Day as well as the 20th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. […] I will be taking my laptop with me and updating you frequently on this exciting journey.”


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UK, Poland: “Basia is Back” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

the POLSKI blog reports that “Basia, whose voice is familiar to anyone who in the early 1980s danced to Whose Side Are You On?, is back with a new album.”


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Ukraine: Chernobyl Photos Web Exhibit · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Chernobyl and Eastern Europe links to Michael Forster Rothbart's interactive web exhibit of Chernobyl photos.


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Ukraine: To Wear a Mask or Not? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Foreign Notes writes about the possible consequences of the flu situation for Ukrainian politicians. MoldovAnn is considering whether to wear a mask in public or not.


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USA: Race and Gender Politics of Halloween · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Despite both its Christian and pagan origins, Halloween in the United States has become a time to watch scary movies, share candy with neighbors, and dress up in costume… Unfortunately, as many bloggers this Halloween season pointed out, those costumes are often at the expense of others.
This "illegal alien" costume was pulled from Target's shelves
One major blogosphere controversy occurred this Halloween over a costume that poked fun at undocumented immigrants (also referred to, often degradingly, as “illegal aliens”).  The costume, dubbed “Illegal Alien,” featured an orange prison jumpsuit, alien mask, and green card, and was initially sold at major retailers, until the League of United Latin American Citizens and other groups, lobbied for its removal.  Popular blog Sociological Images broke down what was wrong with the costume, saying:
Several stores, including Target, Walgreens, and Amazon.com, offered an “Illegal Alien” costume for sale.  The costume, which includes a orange (prison?) jumpsuit, a green card, and a space alien mask, conflates undocumented immigrants with aliens from outer space.
Amalia Pallares, writing for Dissident Voice, saw the costume's appearance as a teachable moment for her children, explaining:
The truth is that I know too many faces, too many names, too many stories of detention, deportation, family separation and pain to “get” the generic illegal alien joke. Perhaps you know some too. It is time to teach our children that there is nothing laughable about the uncertain fate of 12 million people and their families in a context of increasingly restrictive immigration policy, egregious human rights violations, massive fear, annual family separation and financial devastation of hundreds of thousands who are not wearing a mask, but are in fact exposed and vulnerable every day of their lives, cannot escape their circumstances, and cannot rely on the comfort provided by slipping out of a costume.
This Dorothy costume portrays Dorothy (of the Wizard of Oz) as a scantily-clad adult
The alien costume wasn't the only controversy this Halloween. Frustrated by the way women are portrayed in commercial Halloween costumes, a number of bloggers remarked on this year's selection.  Lisa at Sociological Images noticed that Halloween has adult women dressing as little girls dressing as adult women, providing several photographic examples, including the one to the right.  The blogger remarks:
The fact that many women dress up as sexy little girls points to both the sexualization of female children and the infantilization of adult women.
In yet another post, Lisa points out children's costumes that promote the sexualization of young girls.
Beyond the “illegal alien” issue, there were other costumes that got bloggers talking about racism this year.  Macon D of Stuff White People Do shared a bunch of pictures on his blog of racialized and racist Halloween costumes, and also shared a suggestion for readers:
So finally, if you're white, I have a suggestion. Aside from resisting any temptation you might have to somehow dress up like a member of another race or ethnic group — and thereby perpetuating stereotypes and running the risk of hurting other people — how would the following idea work for you?
If you meet a white friend or acquaintance who's dressed up that way, you could say this to them: “Wow, what a concept! Where'd you get the idea of dressing up like a racist dipshit?”
Angry Asian Man comments on this wig, among others
Famed blogger Angry Asian Man, in a guest post for Sociological Images, pointed out wigs for sale that turned Chinese people into racial caricatures:
But hey, why stop there? There are other fun and easy ways to be Chinese.  Just try on the Chinese  Man wig, “an ancient style with bald front and long pigtail in the back.” But even at the low sale price of $41.48, the Chinese Man wig might just be a little outside your budget. That’s okay, because the Bargain Chinese Man wig is also available for just $22.05. Because nobody  should miss out on the racist mockery.
Native American blogger Whebr Hotub may have summed up the problem best in a blog post entitled, “My identity is not a costume for you to wear!”  A quote:
As a Native American, I am utterly appalled to see my culture lump together into some stereotypical Pan-Injun image, shipped and sold for the American masses to mimic my people and culture. I find it insulting my identity and heritage as a Native American, as a Navajo, is as easily acquired with few bucks, some nasty grease paint, and a loin cloth. That history of genocide and forced assimilation of Native Americans people in the US is not even an accessory to these supposed costumes! It's not important or even a consideration!!! What a privilege it must be to take the imagery of a people or culture without the social or historical baggage that goes along with it!
I hope you can understand my frustration; that the race and ethnicity of a group of people is not an acceptable Halloween costume!?


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Zimbabwe: Is Tsvangirai righting SADC’s wrongs? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Marianna discusses latest efforts by Zimbabwean Prime Minister to end Zimbabwe's political crisis.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Barbados: Whipping Boy · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“We seem determined to deny our history, rather than learn from it. Why else would we, who have been so  wounded by the whip, venerate it?” B.C. Pires puts in his two cents’ worth on the recent flogging of schoolchildren in Barbados.


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Bermuda: Key Reports  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As two critical reports are released in Bermuda, Wishful Thinking says: “Both key reports…will dictate much of the policy as Bermuda moves forward…the important thing is that these reports are actually acted upon.”


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Bermuda: The Sound of Music · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Vexed Bermoothes is of the opinion that the Bermuda Music Festival “exemplifies the political tinkering, self-interest, and distraction that has left Bermuda’s tourism sector as a ruined economic basket-case.”


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Bhutan: Exam Is A Torture · Global Voices
Rezwan

“Exam is an irrational torture: I hate it!” screams Passu. “How do you suppose a three-hour test could justify a year long learning?” with these words the blogger questions the education system of Bhutan and the justification of taking exams in extreme cold.

author: Rezwan


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Russia: Blogger Throws Shoe at Samara Mayor · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Looks like political shoe-throwing is becoming mainstream not only in Iraq. The world has seen the sixth case recently, when, during a press conference, Vitaly Papilkin (aka LJ user papilkin [RUS]) threw his shoe at Samara mayor Viktor Tarhov, elected to his post in one of Russia's largest cities (pop. 1.13 million) in 2007. Two YouTube videos [RUS] of the incident are available – Video 1 and Video 2.

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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Cambodia: Dealing with Climate Change · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Sopheap Chak reviews the programs and reforms implemented by the Cambodian government to mitigate the impact of climate change.

author: Mong Palatino


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China: Made-in-China Snow · Global Voices
Michael Kan

This past Sunday on Nov. 1, Beijing saw its earliest snowfall in 22 years. The sudden change in weather, which blanketed the entire city in snow, surprised many residents. But the news media later reported that the snowfall had actually been enhanced by the city’s weather modification office.
The reasoning behind the forced precipitation was because Beijing had been experiencing a drought. The night before the snow, the government had fired silver iodide into the skies. The resulting effect increased the amount of snow by 16 million tons.
“We won’t miss any opportunity of artificial precipitation since Beijing is suffering from the lingering drought,” said Zhang Qiang, the head of the weather modification office, to the state media.
China has a history of artificially inducing rain, usually in cases to stop drought. At other times, the weather modification office has reduced the rain to ensure clear skies, such as during the National Day parade in October or the Beijing Olympic Games.
Netizens have been divided in their opinions about this past weekend’s man-made snow. Some wrote gleefully about its beauty, like blogger, 鱼干儿.
北京的天气，总是这么让人匪夷所思。毫无预兆的就下了场雪，而且还一发不可收拾。听说是人工催下来的，管他呢，我们就爱这样的天气。
Some, however, have been more annoyed. Wrote 小米：
回来才听说这是场人工降雪，是谁这么主观的断定这是下雪的好时机呢？？到处都是措手不及的冷，电力、交通、供暖等都遇到很棘手的问题。
On an Internet forum, one user complained that the government should have warned people ahead of time, adding that many of the flights at the airport were delayed.
要我说，这种人定胜天的精神是好的，虽然北 京人都“被冬天”了，如果真能解除北方旱情也算是功德一桩。就是没通知大家的气象局太不地道。
A few posts made on the Internet have also expressed worry over what kind of effects the unnatural snow might have on the environment. One blogger, 天边的云, wondered if anyone has the right to alter the weather.
但是，在我们还不能完全掌握天气变化的规律时，就盲目改变局部的天气，是否会对 整个环境造成更大的不利影响呢？比如，这次因为北京缺水，就让原本要下到山东（假设而已）的雪在北京下了，会不会造成山东更缺水呢？
Alex Pasternack, a blogger and journalist in Beijing, wrote a post on Tree Hugger elaborating on what kind of effects the man-made precipitation might have.
The drought has affected 800,000 hectares of farmland by the end of October, official sources estimated, and the snow storm was said to be a much-needed boon to local farmers.
But not all farmers in the region benefited. One possible side effect of weather modification is that it diverts precipitation from other regions that need it too, for the sake of creating stronger storms in a focused area.
Other netizens have poked fun at the snow. Elizabeth Kain wrote on her blog:
Yesterday's snow was the earliest in ten years. I am sure my mother, who sat in the Beijing Airport for 7 hours as all flights in and out of the city were disrupted or cancelled, would be happy to know her inconvenience was state induced.
Another comment about the snow also made an astute observation:
Martin M. November 2, 2009 3:30 pm
Everything is made in China, even snow.

author: Michael Kan


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Hong Kong: Luxury housing Ads · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN brings the readers’ attention to a recent judgment by the Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority on an Ads of a luxury development project for being misleading. You can see the Ads and the actual site via ESWN.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Thailand: Inside a Bangkok prison · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Gary Graeme Jones is a prisoner in Bang Kwang Prison. The infamous Bangkok Hilton. So many people have heard of it but do not realise what a nightmare that name conjures
Gary’s supporters have set-up a blog to publish letters and other reports from Gary. Bang Kwang Prison is Thailand's central, high-security prison for men. Many of the inmates in this prison are foreigners involved in illegal narcotics trade. Who is Gary?
Gary is a British Citizen, Married to a Thai with four adopted kids. He was born in 1950 and is doing Life for the exporting of 2.4Kg of heroin. That’s the website info. We have found Gary to be articulate, intelligent and extremely outspoken in the treatment of prisoners, not just in the Thai jails but everywhere in the world. As we go on we will post stuff that Gary has written in letters, descriptions of his fellow prisoners, pictures where possible and gradually we will get a picture of him and his life.
Gary’s prison blog is not regularly updated. But from time to time, it provides important information about the conditions of the prisoners inside Bang Kwang. These blog posts were helpful in getting the attention of mainstream media, civil society groups, and the public so that the basic rights of the inmates will be guaranteed.
During the AH1N1 scare a few months ago, Gary notified journalists about the mild AH1N1 outbreak inside the prison:
News has started to reach us of an outbreak of H1N1 (swine flu) inside the prison and it there has been some fatalities. As of the 13th July, 2 prisoners have died as a direct result of the virus, one prison guard has also died and a second is in hospital in a very serious condition (hopefully by now having made a full recovery)
Reports have also been forwarded to me that the Thai Department of Corrections has issued instructions that face masks are to be worn by all staff and prisoners (non Thai prisoners have to pay 100Baht.)
This article was reprinted in many websites. Even mainstream journalists reported this issue. Gary said this helped in forcing prison officials to implement some crucial health reforms in the prison facilities to stop the spread of AH1N1.
Last month Gary wrote about the alleged executions of prisoners in Bang Kwang. He also exposed the corrupt activities of prison authorities.
Now that the prisoners have been shown that executions can happen at any time “Life Insurance” is now being paid to the Building Chief, Bunlom Conwichet by most of the 24 names listed below. This is a bribe paid so that the poor unfortunates names are not next on the list for the lethal injection
Human rights activists and bloggers noted the significance of this expose. They are now demanding an official investigation on this issue.
Gary’s blog does not only provide a rare glimpse about the life of prisoners in Bang Kwang. It is also a proof that blogs can be used to force policy changes even in prison cells.


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Iran: Demonstration in Tehran · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Here is a video film on the Iranian opposition demonstration in Tehran today.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran: Guards attacking people · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

A video film showing security forces attacked protesters today in Tehran.


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Iran: Karoubi, an opposition leader among protesters · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

A video film shows Mehdi Karoubi, a leading opposition figure among protesters in Tehran. People chant slogans supporting him and Mousavi, another opposition learder.


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Iran: People trampling on Khamenei’s picture · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Protesters trampled on Iran's Leader ,Ali Khamenei's, picture in Shariati Street in Tehran. Watch the video here.


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Iran: Protest continues · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Iraneazadi1388 says  [fa] people continue to protest in Tehran and chant down with dictator.


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Iran: Protests Began  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

The Spirit of Man, Iranian blogger, says “so the November 4th Protests just began in Tehran. I'll do my best to live blog it here. PersianRadio.com is reporting everything both in English and Persian languages as they have callers on the ground.”


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Iran: Security forces attacked protesters · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to Kian, security forces attacked Iranian protesters in Hafteh Tir Square in Tehran and injured several people.


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Japan: Debating the fate of Shimokitazawa · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Tokyo has no lack of small, winding streets. Shibuya has its maze of criss-crossing shōtengai, Roppongi its club-lined back alleyways, Ueno its open-air street markets. But no neighborhood  in Tokyo packs more complexity per square foot than Shimokitazawa, a neighborhood whose layout bears closer resemblance to a ball of thread than to anything an urban planner would come up with.
Shimokitazawa's spaghetti-like mess of streets and train lines evoke passion among some, frustration among others. The area has earned a name for itself as a breeding ground for creative young artists with its dozens of small theaters, art galleries and music venues. While eccentric characters like Rikimaru Toho fit perfectly into this urban environment, others see the maze of narrow streets as a dangerous fire hazard and a giant urban congestion knot in need of unwinding.
Planned route through Shimokitazawa (Subsidiary Route 54)
The entire area happens to lie in the path of a would-be thoroughfare running through Shimokitazawa to Shibuya, originally set forth in a “War damage revival plan” drafted all the way back in 1946. After several changes,  that plan was brought back to life in 2003 and demolition and construction work has been slated to start in 2010. Should it be executed, the plan will split Shimokitazawa apart with a 26-meter wide expressway, Subsidiary Route 54 (補助54号線).
While the basic shape of those redevelopment plans had been known for some time, it was only a few weeks ago that the first glimpses of the new design finally emerged on the blog of Kuniyoshi Yoshida, a local landowner and head of the Shimokitazawa South [ja] shopowners’ union. Comments which began to appear on the blog, blasting the new design for its failure to respect the Shimokitazawa atmosphere, were swiftly deleted, but hostility against the plans only grew.
New Shimokitazawa Station design
In a blog entry [ja] that drew a large response [ja], blogger and writer Hideaki Matsunaga [ja] explained why:
リリー・フランキー氏をはじめとして、下北沢の文化や町並を愛する人たちが、下北沢再開発に反対の意見を表明している。そこには、住人も、住人以外も含まれる。しかし、今、下北沢で何が起こっているのか、なぜこのデザインがこんなに反発を受けるのか、その経緯について簡単にまとめてみる。
A great number of people who love the Shimokita culture and streets, starting with Lily Franky and including both residents and non-residents, have voiced their opposition to the Shimokitazawa redevelopment project. What I want to do here is to outline the details of what is going on right now in Shimokitazawa, and why there has been such opposition to this design.
The blog entry starts with a bit of history:
下北沢は「Ｘ」の交点に当たる。新宿から伸びる小田急線がその一つのラインであり、渋谷から吉祥寺に伸びる京王井の頭線がもう一つのラインである。新宿・渋谷・吉祥寺、そして小田急線で成城の東宝撮影所や祖師ヶ谷大蔵の円谷プロ旧本社などとつながる交点、それが下北沢である。
Shimokitazawa is located at an X-shaped intersection. One of the lines in this X is the Odakyu line from Shinjuku, the other is the Keio Inokashira line stretching from Shibuya to Kichijōji. So Shimokitazawa is at an intersection connecting Shinjuku, Shibuya, Kichijoji, as well as places such as the Toho Studios in Seijo and the former headquarters of Tsuburaya Productions in Soshigaya.
かつて農村地帯だった駅周辺は次第に郊外の宅地化していった。やがて、横光利一、東郷青児、宇野千代、萩原朔太郎、斎藤茂吉らが住み、「下北沢文士町」という要素も持つようになっていく。萩原朔太郎の『猫町』も下北沢地域を舞台としている。この街と切り離せない作家として、森茉莉らもいる。（→萩原朔太郎 猫町 散文詩風な小説）
戦後の闇市の時代を経て、下北沢は住宅地から繁華街へと発展していった。さらに本多劇場をはじめとする小劇場やライブハウスが次々と生まれ、演劇・音楽・サブカルの街、あるいは演劇や音楽を目指す若者たちが多く集まる街となる。
闇市の記憶を残す下北沢北口の駅前食品市場は、やがて衣料品「アメリカ屋」ブームを起こし、その記憶は下北沢に多く見られる古着やファッションの小さな店に引き継がれているといえよう。
Once a farming district, the area around the station gradually transformed into a residential area. Before long, it had taken on the character of “Literary Shimokitazawa”, home of the likes of Riichi Yokomitsu (横光利一), Seiji Tōgō (東郷青児), Chiyo Uno (宇野千代), Sakutarō Hagiwara (萩原朔太郎) and Mokichi Saitō (斎藤茂吉). The Shimokitazawa region is also a stage for Sakutarō Hagiwara's “Nekomachi” (猫町). Another group of writers inseparable from Shimokitazawa are Mari Mori (森茉莉) and company.
After the post-war black market era, Shimokitazawa developed from a residential era into a shopping district. Starting with the Honda Gekijo, small theaters and music venues started appearing, and Shimokitazawa became a city of theater, music and subculture, and a gathering place for young people with an interest in theater and music.
The market in front of the station, which embodies the memory of the black market era, soon gave rise to a boom in “America stores” selling clothing, and this memory has been kept alive in the used clothing stores and small fashion shops that can be seen all around Shimokitazawa.
迷路のような、とたとえられる下北沢。狭い路地が複雑に走るゴチャゴチャ感あふれる街は、徒歩によって回遊できる空間として親しまれてきた。
この下北沢の街が大きく変わろうとしている。そして、その変化は下北沢を「破壊」するものであると考える人が、下北沢住人にも、あるいは下北沢に来る人にも、非常に多い（一方で、その変化を歓迎する商店主もいる）。
Shimokitazawa is like a labyrinth. Tangled in complicated ways, its jumble of narrow alleyways conveys a sense of disorder, but one that is walkable by foot. It this atmosphere that people are so fond of.
This neighborhood, Shimokitazawa, is on course to be drastically transformed. And there are a large number of people — both local residents and people who have come from other places — who feel that this transformation will destroy Shimokitazawa. (On the other hand, there are also shop owners who welcome this transformation.)
In the next section, Matsunaga points out that there are actually two parts to the redevelopment plans for Shimokitazawa. The first part, which he does not personally oppose, is already underway and focuses on expanding the number of tracks on the Odakyu line and burying them to reduce the number of crosswalks.
The second set of redevelopment plans are of a different kind:
さて、この小田急線地下化工事はすでに始まっているが、一方でこれとセットのようにして進められているのが「都市計画道路補助54号線（以下、補助 54号線）」という26メートル幅道路の建設計画、ならびに下北沢駅前にバスロータリーを造るという計画（世田谷区画街路10号線）である。この道路・バスロータリーが、下北沢の街を根底から破壊するものとして反対されている。そして、小田急線地下化と道路事業がセットで行なわれることで世田谷区は補助金をせしめたと考える人たちもいる。
補助54号線は、下北沢演劇文化発祥の地ともいえる「スズナリ」を背後からたたきつぶし、北沢タウンホールの北側を抜けて本多スタジオを踏みつぶし、下北沢北口の街のど真ん中を貫いて、環七と同じ幅の自動車道で街を分断・破壊しようという計画である。そして、環七と都心を結ぶ道路となる。
また、この補助54号線から旧小田急線路跡地に沿って下北沢駅北口に伸びる道路は、駅前食品市場の雑然とした空間を取っ払って作られる駅前ロータリーにつながる。
In the next section of the blog entry, Matsunaga points out some implications of the redevelopment project:
駅前ロータリーができることで、高層ビルの高さ制限が大きく緩和される可能性も指摘されている。下北沢一帯の建物は低いものが多く、これも歩く街としての性質を生み出しているが、これが一転して高層ビルの町へと変貌する可能性もある。
With the completion of the station-front roundabout, it has been suggested that the height limitation imposed on tall buildings could be considerably relaxed. There are a lot of low-rise buildings in the Shimokitazawa area, and these buildings lend themselves to creating a pedestrian-friendly environment; this may all at once be replaced by a city of high-rise buildings.
And he explains:
もちろん、再開発については（今回の白髪爺さんを筆頭に）「地元」でも歓迎する声がある。今回の衆院選前に各陣営に確認したところ、自民党は再開発こそが地元の活性化につながると全面的に賛同していた。民主党は、本当に必要な道路か再調査して不要不急であれば計画見直し、という、どちらともとれる見解だった（一応、無駄を省くという趣旨ではあるのだが、八ツ場ダム中止のように明確な態度を示しているわけではない。ある民主党都議会議員は、「消防車が入れない狭い道は防災上問題」と、事実上再開発賛成を表明している）。みんなの党は、下北沢については詳しくないが、下町風情は残したい、という見解であった。それはさておくとしよう。
Of course, there are also locals who welcome the redevelopment (with Kuniyoshi Yoshida being first on this list). When I last checked the positions of every [political] camp prior to the lower house elections, the LDP [Liberal Democratic Party] was completely in favor of the redevelopment, arguing that it would rejuvenate the local area. The DPJ [Democratic Party of Japan] position was that if a re-examination of the plans found that the road was nonessential and not urgent, then they would review the current plan, and thus the DPJ is not firmly in either camp (of course the aim is to eliminate wastefulness, but they have not expressed a clear position in they way that they did when they halted the Yanba Dam project. One DPJ Diet member has in fact indicated their support for redevelopment, [on the grounds that] “roads that are too small for fire trucks are a fire hazard”.) Your Party [Min'na no Tō] have not elaborated their position on Shimokitazawa, but their position has been that they want to protect the old city atmosphere. Let's put that aside for now.
この再開発歓迎派は、要するに、今までのゴチャゴチャした下北沢が大嫌いなのである。闇市の記憶を受け継ぐような、北口食品市場が平成の今に至るまで残存していることが許せないのである。自動車が入ってこれないのが発展と進歩を阻害していると感じているのである。
In short, those who welcome the redevelopment plans are the same people who hate the messy Shimokitazawa of the past and present. They cannot accept that the market by the north exit, which carries on in the tradition of the old black market, has survived to this day. They feel that development and progress are being hampered by the lack of car access to this area.
Returning to the original topic of the design for the new Shimokitazawa station, Matsunaga writes:
下北沢という街の記号として存在するもの、たとえばそれはスズナリであり、駅前食品市場であり、車の入ってこない（タクシーさえもなかなか入って来たがらない）「徒歩空間」の路地であるが、そういうものが補助54号線と駅前ロータリー計画によって、文字通り「ブルドーザーでならされようとしている」。
The things which symbolize Shimokitazawa, the Suzunari, the shops by the station entrance, the alleys that create the area's pedestrian atmosphere and which cars cannot navigate (and even taxis have a difficult time navigating) — all of this is to be literally flattened by bulldozers under the plan to create Sub-Road 54 and the station-front roundabout.
そしてその後にやってくるものとして提案されたのが、よりによって今回の「下北沢駅駅舎整備イメージ案」なのだ。なぜこんなガラス張りの幾何学的な（つまり非人間的な）ものが「下北沢にふさわしい」のだ。「きれいさっぱりすっきりで直線的な、清潔で明るい駅舎」のどこが、ゴチャゴチャくねくねチマチマでジグザグの、雑然としているが活気のある下北沢の街にふさわしいのだ。
And then, of all things to come after this, they present this picture as a proposal for the new station design. What is it about this glassed-in geometric (in other words dehumanized) thing that is “befitting of Shimokitazawa”? What in the world does this clean and neat, linear, immaculate, bright station building have to do with the jumbled, meandering, zig-zagging little neighborhood around Shimokitazawa, chaotic but also full of life.
多くの下北沢フリークがこの案に対してほとんど反射的に反発を覚えたのは、決して偶然ではない。まさにそれは「今までの下北沢」のイメージ（あるいは下北沢を守ろうとする人たちの持つ下北沢のイメージ）と、「今までとは根本的に異なる下北沢」を作りたい人たちの願望するイメージが、まさに正反対、明らかに対極に位置するものであったことを意味する。
Reflecting on his own relation to Shimokitazawa, he continues:
別に下北沢に生まれ育ったわけではないが、その街の雰囲気を楽しみ、好きになってきた一人の人間として、そんな感傷やノスタルジーを感じている。そして、それを共有する地元の人たちと、そうではない地元の人たち、あるいは外部の人たちがいる。
下北沢再開発問題は、決して（八ツ場ダム問題のような）地元VS外部の闘いではない。街とは何か、街の発展とは何かについてのイメージの対立である。
It's not that I was born and brought up in Shimokitazawa, but as someone who has enjoyed and become very fond of the neighborhood's atmosphere, I feel sentimental and nostalgic about the area. And there are people in the area who share this feeling, as well as people who are not from the area, who are from outside.
The Shimokitazawa redevelopment problem is not at all a battle of “locals” versus “outsiders” (like in the case of the Yanba Dam problem). It's an opposition between visions of what a neighborhood is, and of what neighborhood development is.
(In response to many bookmark comments, Matsunaga wrote a follow-up post [ja] in which he clarified his position on a number of points. In particular, he emphasized that while he is personally against the Sub-Road 54 plans, he is not against the expansion/burying of Odakyu line tracks. He also responded to many comments claiming that the redevelopment is necessary for safety reasons.)
Update (Nov. 7)
Some more pictures of Shimokitazawa:
The Suzunari theater in Shimokitazawa (photo by mamacharikinoko)
Building in Shimokitazawa (photo by mamacharikinoko)
Cafe in Shimokitazawa (photo by mamacharikinoko)

author: Chris Salzberg


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Laos: Concert to raise funds for typhoon victims · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A charity concert will be held in Vientiane, Laos this Friday to raise funds for the typhoon victims in the southern provinces of Saravane, Sekong and Attapeu.


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Laos postcards · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Sao Darly uploads pictures of Laos postcards


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Latin America: The Rapid Spread of Desertification · Global Voices
Belen Bogado

Desertification might sound similar to desert, but there is a fundamental difference between the two: while deserts are one of nature’s wonderful formations, desertification is a process of degradation that lands go through after they are affected by climate change, human activities, and natural forces until they eventually become deserts.
Photo by Macnolete and used under a Creative Commons license.
Although the influence of climate change on desertification has not been fully understood yet, according to GreenFacts, it is known that higher temperatures resulting from increased carbon dioxide levels can have a negative impact through increased loss of water from soil and reduced rainfall in drylands. At the same time desertification contributes to climate change by releasing to the atmosphere carbon stored in dryland vegetation and soils.
Desertification is taking its toll worldwide. At this moment it’s destroying harvests, driving up the price of remaining food, and in some areas, animals are dying. People are also being driven away from their homes, as blogger Miguel Angel Alvarado from El Salvador explains about the president’s home needing to be moved because of desertification [es]:
El traslado de casa presidencial, del Barrio san Jacinto al local en donde estaba el Ministerio de Relaciones exteriores, según informes extrajudiciales, obedece a la prevención del ejecutivo ante un posible hundimiento del suelo generado por cárcavas en este sector.
The most affected continent is Africa, and this can be seen especially in Kenya, where one of the most susceptible sectors to the effects of desertification and drought are young girls. When the water storage tanks have been used up at Dago Dala Hera orphanage in western Kenya, volunteer mothers and children have to draw unclean water from a nearby river for cooking and drinking. “Going to the river alone late in the evening is making girls more vulnerable to men who can sexually abuse them,” said Edwin Odoyo, whose mother Pamela founded the orphanage.
Even though desertification has its greatest impact in Africa, Latin America’s environmental conditions are also undergoing significant transformations, as discussed recently in the Ninth session of the Conference to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Italian expert Massimo Candelori, representative of the Convention to Combat Desertification, said in an interview with Tierramerica that the situation in Latin America is worrisome considering that there is not enough information about desertification’s scope in the region. “We have no current data. One of the goals discussed during the ninth session was to get indicators that allow us to better understand the situation….the last data we have is from ten years ago” said Candelori.
In Latin American countries where farming and cattle are one of the main sectors of the economy, desertification can be a silent, but dreadful predator. At least 25 percent of the regional territory is already degraded and the population is increasingly becoming concerned about this, as it is reflected in various blogs.
Eco Briefings [pt], a Brazilian blog, points out that Brazilians in the Northeastern region are witnessing an alarming expansion of desertification[pt]:
Mais um alerta está ligado. Temos pouco tempo para corrigir as coisas. (…)
No Brasil a desertificação tem avançado na caatinga, e zonas do polígono da seca no Nordeste e Norte de Minas Gerais, e também em Estados que antes não tinham áreas secas ou desertificadas como o Rio Grande do Sul. O Rio Amazonas viveu já uma grande seca a pouco tempo, grande com mortandade de peixes.
Another alarm is on. We have little time to set things right (…)
In Brazil, desertification has increased in the Caatinga, in the zones of droughts in the Northeast and North of the state of Minas Gerais, as well as in the states that didn’t suffer of droughts nor desertification before like in Rio Grande do Sul. The Amazon River has been through a major drought just a little time ago, with a large amount of fish dying because of this.
Argentina has several areas affected as well. In the region of Valles Aridos, in the Northeast, where the main economic activity is sheep raising, it is stipulated that during the last 100 years at least 180 thousand people had to emigrate [es] (.pdf format). Southern Argentina has not escaped desertification either. Blogger Ailen Romero, comments on the blog Geoperspectivas [es] that in the Patagonia region, the government actions to combat desertification are not enough:
En la Patagonia, la amplitud del problema es de tal magnitud que ha comenzado a adquirir estado público. Pocos ignoran el tema, pero pocos tienen la posibilidad de actuar de alguna forma o con el conocimiento para hacerlo. El problema de la desertificación en el caso de la Patagonia supera a los planes que se han elaborado para combatirlo. Es por eso que no deben ahorrarse esfuerzos, ni limitar la imaginación de soluciones alternativas.”Si la geografía es la manifestación de la sociedad en el espacio físico, un espacio físico deteriorado refleja una sociedad deteriorada” afirman del Valle y Coronato(investigadores del Centro Nacional Patagónico)
In Chile, where 62% of the national territory is already affected by desertification [es], blogger Alfredo Erlwein expressed concern on the blog El Ciudadano [es] (The Citizen) on how little knowledge citizens have about desertification.
Efectivamente la desertificación es el problema ambiental más grave de Chile y muy poco conocido. Existen grandes zonas, como en la costa de la octava región, donde la erosión severa supera el 50% de la superficie: esto es que literalmente más de la mitad de los suelos se ha perdido por completo. En esas zonas se encuentran cárcavas de más de 50 metros de profundidad. Una tasa normal de formación de suelo puede ser de 0.2 cm por año, lo que evidencia la gravedad del asunto.
According to Italian expert Candelori, using soil in the carbon market will help fighting desertification; this can be decided during the Copenhagen conference. The countdown to Copenhagen has begun and the world awaits it.

author: Belen Bogado


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Morocco: Touring the Moroccan Foodscape · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

The quintessential element of Moroccan cooking…the tajine!
Ask anyone who's never been what they know about Morocco, and it's likely that one of the first words out of their mouth will be “couscous.”  The seminal Moroccan dish is famous the world over, and to many, is synonymous with the country itself.  But Moroccan cuisine goes far beyond couscous, offering delectables both sweet and savory, meaty and vegetarian.  And this week, bloggers are tempting us with all of it!
The View from Fez digs into couscous in a post about Peace Corps volunteer Cynthia Berning (a blogger herself), who is working with Association ENNAHDA to create an eco-tourism experience around food.  The blogger writes:
Now the association has an eco-tourism project where groups of visitors are welcomed to Khoukhate to learn the secrets of a good Moroccan couscous, and at the same time experience traditional rural life. Visitors roll their own couscous from scratch with the local women, and then cook it and eat it for lunch.
(A note to tourists: Fez Food has teamed up with Association ENNAHDA to offer the experience in the city of Fez.)
Typical seven-vegetable couscous (photo by ukcider*)
Moving to American blogger 760 Days in Morocco, we learn about fast food options in the city of Rabat.  The blogger shares her favorite quick-stop restaurant, writing:
Our favorite place for roasted chicken platters is Brador Pizza Restaurant because their rice is deliciously spiked with veggies, cloves and herbs.  They also serve roasted garlic and herb potatoes, plus fries and their tomato sauce is excellent.  Any leftovers from there are promptly eaten as a snack later in the evening.  One of the best parts of this meal is the price, usually 20-25 DH at any given place which is $2.60-3.25 as of today’s exchange rate- for all that food!
The blogger also shares a tempting soup recipe accompanied by photos of the finished product.
Photo from Mint Tea & Tagine
After couscous, tajine is probably the best-known dish (or group of dishes) that comes to mind.  Named for the conical pot it's cooked in, a tajine can take many forms; some are filled with meat and eggs, while others combine sweet and savory with chicken and prunes.  The aptly-named blog Mint Tea & Tagine shares a delectable-sounding recipe for Chicken and Fennel Tajine, complete with photographs (see left).
And what would any good cuisine be without dessert?  The blogger behind The Good Life in Morocco shares some photographs of delicate Moroccan pastries in this post.  And of course, what would any dessert be without an obligatory (best obligation ever!) cup of steaming hot mint tea?  Christine Benlafquih, the About.com guide to Moroccan food, recently shared the darija vocabulary for tea:
Atay is the Moroccan Arabic word for tea. In Morocco, green tea is usually steeped in a berrad (Moroccan teapot) with lots of mint (na'na’) and then sweetened with generous amounts of sugar.
The resulting drink is Morocco's famous mint tea, or atay bi na'na. The Moroccan Mint Tea Recipe tells how to make it, and you can see more Moroccan tea recipes in the glossary listing for atay.
For those do-it-yourself types following along at home, Christine's page is an excellent place to find authentic Moroccan recipes.  And for an extra-special treat, you can follow Mediterranean cooking expert (and cookbook author) Paula Wolfert on Twitter.  Happy cooking!
*Creative Commons-licensed photo by ukcider.


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Nepal: A Cabinet Meeting At Mount Everest · Global Voices
Rezwan

United We Blog! for a Democratic Nepal posts reactions of Nepali netizens after it was announced that the country is planning to hold a cabinet meeting on the base camp of the Mount Everest to highlight the impact of global warming on the Himalayas.


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Pakistan: South Waziristan- A Different Exodus · Global Voices
Sana Saleem

The military has finally launched the much-anticipated operation in South Waziristan against the Taliban. After a series of terrorist attacks across the country the government had announced that the operation was inevitable. The operation has since triggered a wave of retaliations by Taliban and has forced over 120,000 locals to flee from their houses. Maria Sultan at Pak Spectator sheds a light on the internally displaced people of Waziristan:
On foot, these internally displaced people (IDP) of South Waziristan have reached to D.I. Khan after traveling for hundreds of miles and their plight is very dismal. Rudimentary camps have been established in D.I Khan area, but these camps don’t have enough food, medicine and shelter and  drinking water. Still the special support group officials are not in these areas and a human tragedy is in making.
Meanwhile a report of Dawn highlights the ill-treatment of locals fleeing from the battlefield. Most of these people are reportedly facing discrimination and don't seem much hopeful about the ongoing offensive.
Hina Safdar at Chowrangi is hopeful that the government would take immediate steps in preventing a refugee crisis.
Refugees fled to Dera Ismail Khan and Tank, the two major towns in North-West Frontier Province on the border of South Waziristan. Aid workers said humanitarian access to the refugees remains the key challenge for the government given the area’s volatile security environment. The government denies there is any refugee crisis, saying it had made arrangements for the displaced, including a system to provide them with cash support and food items. It wasn’t feasible to set up camps, in part because of concerns about tribal violence because of traditional rivalry. The displaced are mostly staying with relatives or clansmen(..)I hope that Pakistan army will once again succeed and nip the evil forever so that we would not witness any refugee crisis again.
The crisis in Waziristan appears to be quite different from that of the Swat Valley region. Regardless of the number of people displaced the most important factor remains is the handling and keeping checks on people to avoid Taliban infiltration in the camps. However with reports of agitations from the locals and lack of proper camps keeping track seems extremely difficult.
In a post titled “Questions to ask before South Waziristan Battle” at Pakspectator , Altaf Khan gives voice to the concerns of the majority.
These remain few of the many questions in the mind of the most as the battle continues. Although the people appear to be supportive of the offensive the concerns about the handling of IDPs and how to prevent a humanitarian crisis linger on. In my own blog I raised concerns and posted an analysis about the ongoing situation and the problems that need to be tackled:
The fact is, the attitude of the authorities and the public at large towards the Mehsuds is one of caution and fear more than sympathy and concern. Such prejudice only bolsters the Taliban agenda, fueling recruitment from among Mehsud ranks. But the war cannot be won if the Waziristan locals show indifference towards the need for combating Taliban and their infrastructure. Without winning the hearts of the people, the military’s victory will only be temporary. If we want this to be a ‘decisive blow,’ we have to overcome our insecurities and let sympathy overcome prejudice.Dire situations such as these require us to rise as a nation. Let us extend our support to the IDPs of Waziristan, regardless of their past and their support for the Taliban. This is our chance to help our people break free from the shackles of the Taliban. Let’s take the path of salvation together.

author: Sana Saleem


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Panama: The Lost Act of Patriotism During National Holidays · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Avarana [es] wonders why Panamanians have lost the custom of patriotism during national holidays, adding that many participate in other activities other than attending parades or other acts of commemoration.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Peru: Demolition of Municipal Building in Iquitos · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Sofía of the blog Con Alas y Pies [es] publishes photos of the recent demolition of the Municipal Building in Iquitos, Peru, and which also caused damage to an adjoining house which is the oldest building in the city.


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Philippines: Open Letter to a former president · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Filipino netizens are discussing the open letter written by Lila Ramos Shahani to her uncle, former Philippine President Fidel Ramos. The letter mentions, among other things, the current state of Philippine politics.


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Sri Lanka: Blogger Arrested? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Indi.ca wonders about the authenticity of a news report that a netizen named Gayan Rajapakse was arrested in Sri Lanka for ‘web comments’.


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The Bhutan Times Affairs · Global Voices
Rezwan

A group of seven journalists, including the editor of Bhutan Times, the first privately owned newspaper of Bhutan, resigned on October 22, 2009 claiming that management had undue interference on editorial issues. Freedom In Bhutan analyzes the myths and realities behind the situation.


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Timor Sea Drilling Spill · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Return to Rai Ketak appeals to media, bloggers and government officials of Indonesia and East Timor to monitor and discuss the Timor Sea Drilling Spill.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Political Meeting · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

ttgapers.com reports that “Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday have agreed in principle that Trinidad and Tobago needs a new constitution”, but B.C. Pires is not convinced that was the only item on their agenda: “What you think they will discuss at the ‘Diplomatic Centre'? Matters of national importance? Or matters of narrow self-interest?”


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Trinidad & Tobago: “Solo” Mio · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidadian blogger Club Soda and Salt shares his thoughts “on how to beat that nagging feeling of being quietly judged” when dining alone.


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Ukraine: Yet Another Flu Roundup · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

More updates on the flu situation – Greetings from Kyiv: “Flu is all anyone is talking about in Ukraine right now.” Ukraine Today: “Ukraine's best hope now is to pray for an early winter in hope that the virus will not survive Ukraine's bitter cold winters.” Ukrainiana: “People are dying because the hospitals don't have enough oxygenators.”English Russia: photos of Ukrainians in masks. What's up, Ukraine?: WHO's first press release from Kyiv.


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Africa: Africa’s melting pot · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Marvin writes about Afripot, an African-focused news site: “She is now introducing Africa’s melting pot – Afripot. I am already boiling in there and I hope to see you there too as conversations over there about Africa with Africans pick up and heat up. Who knows, it may generate enough heat to force some of the changes we so badly need.”


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Africa: An African tech list on twitter · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Erik writes about a list he has created for African tech on twitter: “A lot of people are on Twitter these days. So many, it seems that you can be overwhelmed by the number of people and it’s hard to find the right people to follow. To help with that, I’ve created a my own Twitter list that follows African Tech twitterers.”


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Africa: Catwalk for Africa 2009 is on · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ladybrille blogs about Catwalk for Africa 2009: “After the stunning success of the Miami edition, Catwalk for Africa 2009 is officially on. A bigger show, a spectacular venue, top-notch entertainment, live performances and world-class exhibits…”


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CEE: “20 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall” – a Poll · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog writes about the results of a Pew Research Center's poll on poverty, wealth and attitudes in Central and Eastern Europe “20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.”


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Cuba: Blogging Prejudice · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Late one night, a Cuban taxi driver stops for Yoani Sanchez because of the colour of her skin, but when he learns that she's a blogger, his unease reveals another kind of prejudice: “His spectrum of classification stigmatizes not only some shades of color, but also certain leanings of opinion…that also lead, on this Island, to displays of segregation and rejection.”


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Cuba: Gays Arrested · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As six Cuban homosexuals are reportedly arrested, Uncommon Sense says: “their real ‘crime’ — like that committed by all Cubans, gay or straight, labeled as ‘pre-criminal social dangers’ — is that with their lifestyle, [they] have chosen to not conform with the ‘revolutionary ideal.'”


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Iran: Green Movement defies regime again · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Iran's Green Movement opposition organized mass street protests on the 4th of November (13th of Aban), taking advantage of the official rallies being held on the same day to mark the 30th anniversary of the occupation of the US embassy in Tehran. The opposition protests were met with a violent crackdown by security forces.
As has come to be expected, Iranian citizen media recorded “history” on their mobile phones.
Protesters in Tehran trampled on a portrait of the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an act that would have been unimaginable a few months ago.
A message to Obama: Either you are with us or with them.
Mehdi Karoubi, an opposition leader, among the people.
Security forces attack protesters


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Japan: Licolita-style activism · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Martin J Frid from Kurashi blogs about an unique activism style in Akihabara, Tokyo. In those event, activists will dress as maid and perform in the street the idea of alternative lifestyle.


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Kenya: Are you Chikuyu or Ruo? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“Are you Chikuyu or Ruo?,” asks Proud Kikuyu Woman: “Lakini [lakini means “but” in Swahili] the one that initially used to surprise me is when I tell someone I’m Kenyan and they go , “Chikuyu or Ruo”. The letter K is often pronounced as ‘Ch’ in Luganda (and the G as ‘J’ hence ‘Mijingo’-but not Ujanda). Like us Agikuyu, many Baganda (and I think Banyankole, too) replace the L with the R in many words. I haven’t come across an R in Luganda, and there is no L in Gikuyu.”


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Morocco: Here Comes the Sun · Global Voices
Hisham Almiraat

Morocco has announced this week the launch of a solar energy project, with an estimated cost of $9 billion, aiming at raising the share of renewable sources in the country's energy production. Mostly supportive bloggers have been sharing their thoughts.
I See the Light by si David on Flickr
The plan, unveiled in the southern Moroccan city of Ouarzazate during a ceremony attended by king Mohammed VI and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will, according to the local news agency, enable the country to equally divide its renewable energies’ national production between solar, wind and hydroelectric sources by the year 2020. By then, renewable energies will account for 38% of the country's overall energy production, according to the source.
Taha Balafrej, blogging on Vue du Maroc [Fr], explains that there might be a viable economic basis for the country's new policy inclination. He writes:
Dans le milieu des affaires, un intérêt grandissant est perceptible. Il faut reconnaître que l’effet Obama n’est pas étranger à cette prise de conscience animée par les opportunités économiques qu’elle engendre. Un pays comme le Maroc qui dépend presque entièrement des importations pour son énergie, et dont les ressources en eau se raréfient, a tout intérêt à rejoindre les pays qui y croient et y investissent.
The solar project, which is both publicly and privately funded, will benefit from American solar and steam technology, which seems to have won the market over traditional investors–primarily French–which is something thestrategist, blogging on Genesis Morocco, unequivocally endorses:
Seems the Europeans are out on this one. A clean shot for [American investors]. I'm all for it, the Europeans cannot match the Americans expertise in managing large scale programs…
thestrategist, publishing an open letter to the Moroccan king, further explains [Fr] his enthusiasm. He writes:
[Cette technologie pourrait] nous libérer des aléas de la pluviométrie en utilisant l'énergie abondante et renouvelable […], afin de dessaler l'eau de mer et approvisionner outre les besoins de l'industrie et des ménages, un système d'irrigation nationale en appoint, voire en remplacement, de la stratégie des barrages…
Whilst the majority seems to be supporting the scheme, not everybody is impressed. Jebli, commenting [Fr] on a post published by online news journal, Hesspress [Ar], finds the cost way too expensive. He writes:
[C]e projet solaire va produire 2000Mega Watt/h, pour un cout de 9 milliards de dollars, ce qui est TROP TROP TROP cher.
Une centrale nucléaire, sa construction de bout en bout coute 1,5 milliard de dollars et produit 1000Mega watt/heure.
Ainsi, avec 9 milliards de dollars le Maroc aurait pu créer 6 centrales nucléaires, et aurait produit 6000Mega watt/heure.
Franchement, je ne comprend pas le choix de nos dirigeants, ils choisissent des téchnologies au hasard, sans réflichir, vraiment ils gaspillent l'argent public.
Commenting on the same post, Hay Bin Yaqdan sees in the project [Ar] another stranglehold of foreign powers on local resources. He writes:
نرجو أن لا يخصخص هذا المشروع و نصبح في رحمة شركة ما (في الغالب فرنسية).
لمذا انتظر الملك حتى زيارة كلنتون للإفتتاح صحبتها؟ نظرتي نحو هذا المشروع هو تكريس هيمنة الدول المتقدمة “أمريكا” مثلا

author: Hisham Almiraat


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Philippines: Dita Tree saved 36 lives during floods · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A 40-fee Dita Tree became a refuge for 36 members of 7 families in Barangay Bagong Silangan (New East Village), Quezon City, Metro Manila as flood waters rose last September 26. The flashflood was caused by a record rainfall unleashed by Typhoon Ketsana which hit the Philippines last September. It was the worst flooding in the country in the past 40 years.
There are only few Dita Trees left in urban Metro Manila. Barangay Bagong Silangan is an urban poor community located in the northeastern part of the country’s capital. More than 30 individuals died in this community during the flooding disaster.
Arkibong Bayan provides more details:
36 members of 7 families climbed up this dita tree as the flood waters was rising and were saved.  They stayed on the branches of this tree from 10 AM of Sept. 26 up to 3 AM of the following day when they climbed down with the waters still waist deep because they were cold and hungry for 17 hours. The oldest was 60 years old and the youngest 2 weeks old
Moral lesson: Don't cut trees, they may save your life one day. (In this case, literally.)
Survivors recounted that there were many big snakes which also sought refuge in the Dita Tree.
Aside from the Dita Tree, there was another tree which residents claimed also saved the lives of other villagers
Sabi ng mga taong nakausap namin nung magpunta din kami dun, maliban sa dita tree, may isa pang puno dun na mas manipis pero mataas din. doon daw sumabit yung isang pamilyang nakasakay sa yero. Meron ding 2 month old baby na natangay ng agos sa puno kaya sinungkit din nila.
TASK FORCE: children of the storm was able to visit the village and the group also saw the “Tree of Life”
We were also shown what we now call the “Tree of Life”, the Dita tree where 7 families (34 individuals) sought refuge during the flood and were saved from the raging flood waters.
The surviving residents, who were surveying their homes for repairs, talked of how they climbed from roof to roof seeking higher grounds.  They recounted how they rescued a 2 month old baby on floating aluminum roofing.
Arkibong Bayan received a comment from a reader who shared a similar story about how a mango tree saved lives during a natural disaster three years ago
During the onslaught of Supertyphoon Reming on November 30, 2006, a mango tree saved 5 lives in Padang, Legazpi City (Bicol Region in Luzon Island). One survivor had two choices: the mango tree or the slab roof of a house. She chose the tree; those on the slab roof were entirely swept away to the sea.
Lesson: Plant a tree. It may save your life
After surviving the deadly flood last September, residents of Barangay Bagong Silangan are facing a bigger challenge: rebuilding their homes and their lives. The community is a changed community. Houses were swept away and many basic infrastructure were damaged.
We were told that before Ondoy (Typhoon Ketsana) the area was congested like any other urban poor area.
Now, only the relatively sturdy homes survived. And the area looks spacious with wide, open spaces — all because the homes had been swept away by rampaging and swirling flood waters.


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Russia: Drug Abuse and Alcoholism · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

OpenDemocracy.net writes about Russia's drug abuse problems. The NYTimes’ The Lede and Eternal Remont write about the Russian government's attempts to fight alcoholism.


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Russia, U.S.: Abramovich Pays $47,221 for Dinner · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A discussion of Roman Abramovich's $47,221 dinner tab from a NYC restaurant – at Eternal Remont.


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Somalia: Introducing a network of Somali journalists and bloggers · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The Somali Media Centre is a forum of Somali journalists and bloggers living in Somalia and outside. The Centre distributes news content and publishes blogs written by journalists.
The Somali Media Centre is an independent forum for the Somali journalists in and outside the country. It is established to promote the profile of the brave, hardworking journalists who devoted their lives to serve their people worldwide.
Somalia has been dubbed as a failed state, a country associated with death, long running civil strife, warlords, terrorism and modern piracy. But one of the most successful stories over the years has been the rise of the independent media and freedom of thought. However, the dedication and reporting of the truth come at a price.
The Centre publishes running blogs by these journalists. Also, the Centre distributes news content and reports by the journalists. The Centre coordinates between the Somali and non-Somali journalists. It gives non-Somali journalists who may be traveling to Somalia with first hand advice and contacts. The Centre also works with high profile international media organizations in commissioning, producing and filing stories and reports about Somalia and the Horn of Africa region.
Solana Larsen writes about the origin of Somali Media Centre project:
In case you hadn't guessed, I'm not Somali.
In journalism school in London in 2002 I had a classmate named Harun Hassan who I used to ask a lot of questions about life in Mogadishu and Somali politics. After we graduated, we remained friends and I introduced him to writing for openDemocracy.net where I was a commissioning editor for a few years. Later on, I became a managing editor at Global Voices Online, where we occasionally also have stories about Somali bloggers.
Harun used to tell me about ideas he had for media projects involving the Somali community in London. He created a newsletter on paper in Somali, and at one point he approached me about making a website for something he called the Somali Media Centre.
Media coverage of the Somali community in the UK was so negative and inaccurate, Harun felt the only way to correct it, was to make it easier for UK journalists to find Somali journalists and researchers to talk to.
We made a website and blog, but we were soon distracted by other work and the project lay dormant.
The website you are looking at now, is our second attempt at creating a networking tool for Somali journalists and others to use to help improve global understanding of Somalis and Somalia.
Below are some of latest blog posts from The Somali Media Centre:
In a post titled, Affair to Remember, Fathia Absie writes about the conviction of Joshua Asisa, a peace-keeper in Somalia, for engaging in an affair with a young Somali woman:
Military court in Kampala convicted Joshua Asisa to a one-and-half years in prison. Mr. Asisa who is a member of the AMASOM peace-keepers in Somalia have been found guilty for engaging in an affair with a young Somali woman by the name of Nimco Omar and impregnating her after marrying her under a false pretence by telling her that he was a Muslim.
This story took place last year in Mogadisho but no one heard of it till this young woman went to Kampala and took Mr. Asisa to court for lying to her. Mohamed Abukar Ahmed who is the Journalist that broke the story has told me that he has learned the story after it was reported by a news paper in Uganda. After that Mr. Ahmed tried to get in touch with the leaders of the Somali community in Kambala and was able to get in touch with the girl. He told me that Ms. Omar told him about her story and how she met Mr. Asisa who is doctor. He was working at a private hospital for the Uganda military in Mogadisho.
“in the spirit of spreading the word..,” writes Idil Osman:
The recruitment taking place in the Somali refugee camps in Dadaab, Northeastern Kenya has stirred some controversial outbursts by many in and outside the region. However what I am particularly bewildered with is the stand-point of the Kenyan government. I did an investigative report on this issue earlier on at work where the defense minister of Kenya firmly claimed Kenya had not given permission for this recruitment to take place.
Meanwhile witnesses and human rights activists are recording and documenting evidence of these youngsters being put in Kenyan military trucks and driven to Kenyan military training bases.
Many of these youngsters are taken under false pretence and the promise of regular salary and a stable job with a UN/EU/AU backed military project.
In reality they are being recruited to go and fight in the very war they fled from and had turned them into refugees. Many of these young refugees are reported to be underage and taken without their parents’ consent. It also violated their international human right as refugees according to the recently released Human Rights Watch press release, because refugees are meant to be kept in civilian conditions.
Solana discusses the issue of “unnamed sources” in Western media reports in her post titled “When Local Sources go Unnamed“:
just picked up the latest edition of National Geographic Magazine for their story on “Shattered Somalia”. The photos of Mogadishu by Pascal Maitre are beautiful, though they show a lot of destruction. And the writer, Robert Draper gives a fair and sympathetic summary of a complicated history. He also definitely makes the challenges of foreign reporting in Somalia clear.
Curiously, Somali journalist Harun Hassan is mentioned by name in a photo caption of a traffic guard in Mogadishu, but as far as I can see nowhere in the text itself. Why the reluctance to reveal sources? If Draper has taken the trouble of contacting and interviewing Somali media sources, why not share this information with the readers?
Is this a typical experience of Somali journalists who assist Western journalists with their reporting? I hope members of the Somali Media Centre will help shed light on what it's like to be on that end of the reporting team.
You can see the list of current members of the Centre here.


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South Korea: Gender and visa statistics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

matt from Gusts of popular feeling reads from the visa statistics and points out that multiculturalism in Korea is gendered to serve the need of patriarchal society.


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Referendum Predictions · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

With 20 days to go to the Constitutional Referendum, Vincentian Life says: “It looks like Vincyland’s turned totally upside-down! A foreigner has predicted a tsunami, a local bishop has predicted heart attacks and I predict deeper divisions…”


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Syria: Magazine Suspends Work in Protest of Censorship · Global Voices
Anas Qtiesh

Man of Paper reports [ar] on his blog that Shabablek, a Syrian magazine, has suspended all work indefinitely in protest of the pervasive censorship from the side of the Syrian Ministry of Information.

author: Anas Qtiesh


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Thailand prison blog · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Thai Prison Life chronicles the life of prisoners inside the prisons of Thailand.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Silicon Reality · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Taran Rampersad debunks “the Myth of a T&T Silicon Valley.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Traffic Solutions · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Alien in the Caribbean has a few suggestions to ease Trinidad's traffic woes.


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Ukraine: New Documentary on Holodomor · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Nash Holos writes about Yury Luhovy's new documentary on the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Ukraine: Ruslana and Science Fiction · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Science Fiction Observer writes about a science fiction dimension of Ukrainian singer Ruslana's 2007 album.


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Venezuela: Interacting with the Works of Artist Jesus Soto  · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

The works of Venezuelan artist Jesús Soto (1923 – 2005) are among the most famous representations of Latin American modern art, known mostly for his kinetic works. Soto was born in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela, where he began working as a painter of cinema posters. He received his education in the cities of Caracas and Maracaibo, but it was in Paris where his career took a powerful turn. His most famous works are the “penetrables,” which are interactive sculptures consisting of an array of square, thin, dangling tubes of shiny colors made from plastic and in which the public can walk through.
Photo of a child in a Soto exhibit by Alé and used under a Creative Commons license.
According to the art experts, Soto's art is inseparable from the viewer, who is an active participant of the artist’s piece. The illusion and the senses are completed by the perceptions of the mind as a result of observing, touching, and becoming part of the piece. Venezuelan bloggers and the online community in general, celebrate his art through articles, reviews, and videos taken in museums and inside the works themselves, while explaining the meaning of Soto’s works in their culture, landscape and daily life.
In his blog Literanova [es], Eduardo Casanova goes a bit deeper on Soto’s life and gives an insight of the history of the city he was born:
Jesús Rafael Soto nació en Venezuela, en 1923, en una población cargada de historia: Ciudad Bolívar, donde se instituyó la prensa escrita y se fraguó la creación de la llamada Gran Colombia (…) Era una población aislada, sin museos ni actividades del arte. El mismo ha dicho que aprendió solo el arte de la pintura. Deja su ciudad natal y viaja a Maracaibo, en el occidente del país, para encargarse de la dirección de una escuela de artes plásticas. En 1950 se va a París y allí comienza su carrera de artista creador de nuevas formas.
Photo of Soto Sphere in Caracas by Guillermo Ramos Flamerich under a GNU Free Documentation License
The YouTube channel of VenezuelaTuya gives an example of an experience walking through a piece exhibited in the Jesús Soto Museum, in Ciudad Bolívar:
The blog Talento Venezolano [es] also dedicates a space to talk about the artists and his most famous creations:
En 1967 creó la primera obra de la serie Penetrables, la cual consiste en instalaciones de tubos de plástico a través de los cuales el espectador se siente en un espacio mágico. Ambas obras que pudieron admirarse en el Museo de Arte Moderno, en el Grand Palais y el Centro Pompidou de París.
You Tube has also been a way for people to show their contact and emotions while interacting with Soto’s works. Children in particular, have had a special approach to the artistic experience inside the artist’s work, which has been shown and shared through these videos:
YouTube user elizaul1:
and YouTube user skaracas:
At the artist's webpage there are more galleries and information.

author: Laura Vidal


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Albania: Giving Directions · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A Nevada Yankee in King Zog's Court writes that “Albanians are so poor at giving directions that it's easier just to take the lost soul directly to his destination than it is to give directions.”