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Students protest for public universities in Brazil · Global Voices
Roberto Taddei

Students from the most important university in Brazil, the University of São Paulo, occupied the office of the head of the institution on May 3rd to protest against new policies announced by the governor of São Paulo's state, that threatened the autonomy of the state's public universities. São Paulo State is the most affluent and influential in Brazil, having three major public universities in the region: USP ( Universidade de São Paulo, or University of São Paulo), Unicamp (Universidade Estadual de Campinas, or State University of Campinas), and Unesp (Universidade Estadual Paulista, or São Paulo State University).
On that day students had an appointment with the Dean of the University . When no one showed up, they entered forcibly into the building and occupied the office. The actions began originally without the support of the  voices of Brazil's student political movement — the National Student Union (UNE), the Brazilian High School Student Union (UBES) and the University of São Paulo Student Central Directory (DCE).
Let's be realistic. Let's do the impossible, on a poster painted by students on USP's headoffice.
In 51 days of occupation the movement has grown beyond any expectation and has stimulated a general discussion in the press and among students all over the country. They started a blog to dialog with people outside the building — see http://ocupacaousp.noblogs.org. Many statements of support had come from students all over the world, including France, Spain, Argentina and USA. Some students and intellectuals said the movement is similar to the French riots held in Paris during May '68 when students went into the streets and started a new era of political meaning for these movements. At that time, Brazil was entering the dictatorship era that last for more than 20 years. Now, with a leftist party in power, maybe it's time to recoup the lost time. At least this is the sense of many posts published on the Brazilian blogosphere, like this one.
Estudantes insatisfeitos ocupam universidade exigindo contratação de mais professores, construção de mais salas de aula e reformas na gestão universitária. A reitoria chama a polícia que desaloja violentamente os manifestantes. Onde poderia se passar essa narrativa? Na USP destes dias? Neste caso, tratava-se da Sorbonne, em Paris, ocupada pelos estudantes em 3 de maio de 1968. Depois que foram expulsos manu militari pelo ministro Alain Peyrefitte no dia seguinte já se sabe o resultado: uma explosão de fúria juvenil e estudantil, uma onda de barricadas e o despertar de uma inteira geração para o sonho de transformar a realidade com a indignação justa dos jovens que resolveram combater a injustiça do mundo. Será este, de novo, o roteiro paulista e brasileiro de 2007? Começou uma “nova onda” na história do movimento estudantil brasileiro? Qual será o seu caráter, a sua amplitude e a sua profundidade?
Estar com os Estudantes ou Estar com a Polícia – Blog dos Estudantes que Ocupam a Reitoria da USP.
Dissatisfied students occupy the university asking for more professors, the construction of more class rooms and reforms in the university management. The rector calls the police who dislodge the protesters violently. Where could this narrative be happening? In present day USP?  It happened, in this case, at the Sorbonne, in Paris, occupied by students on 3rd May of 1968. After they had been banished at the hand of the military by order of the minister Alain Peyrefitte. On the next day you already know the result: an explosion of youth and student fury, a wave of barricades and the awakening of an entire generation to the dream of transforming the reality with the righteous indignation of young people who had decided to fight against the injustice of the world. May it be again — the Paulistan and Brazilian script of 2007? Has this started a “new wave” of Brazilian student movement history? What will be the character, the amplitude and the depth?
To be with Students or to be with the Police – Blog from students who occupy the USP's Headoffice/a>.
The police didn't come to remove the students. Consequently, other students began to occupy head offices elsewhere in São Paulo universities. The vice-director's office of Franca City's Unesp campus had been occupied on May 28th. Like the USP's students, they have started a blog, the http://ocupacaofranca.blogspot.com where they try to speak with other students and make an effort to pressure the university's board of directors. Students from the Rio Claro's Unesp campus have occupied buildings since May 24th and have started another blog: http://ocupacaorioclaro.blogspot.com. And students from Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria  (UFSM), Universidade Federal de Alagoas  (UFAL) and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), as you can see on the video below.
A wiki site has been built discussing the movement. Additionally, even without occupations, a lot of courses from many universities are in strike protesting against governor's decrees as you see on another wiki called Caaso na Greve.One of the most interesting graffiti (in the picture below) made by USP students reveals how this movement has an appeal to all students in Brazil and how they are applying modern concepts of decentralization and civil disobedience, expanding a singular argument which finds resonance among varieties of personalities and political positions.
Occupy the head office that exists inside of you — a slogan used by Brazilian students painted on USP's walls
Alguns jovens e adultos da minha geração com certeza se lembrarão da frase acima, mesmo daqui algum tempo.
Goiabs - ocupe a reitoria que há dentro de você
Some youth and adults from my generation certainly will remember this phrase, even after some time.
Goiabs - Occupy the head office that exists inside of you
The term “occupy” certainly gained a expanded meaning since then. In May, cyclists manifested the Bike Month Critical Mass in São Paulo. Luddista, from the blog “apocalipse motorizado” has published a post called “Occupying the streets”. In São Paulo, the critical mass event ended up at the occupied USP's headoffice:
Depois da visita ficou apenas uma certeza: a mídia mente. Ao contrário do sensacionalismo dos “grandes” veículos, que tentam caracterizar os ocupantes como vândalos baderneiros, o que vimos por lá foi muita organização, criatividade, discussão política e convivência entre as pessoas. No interior do prédio nada foi quebrado ou depredado como afirmam os conglomerados de mídia de massa, ansiosos por um desfecho violento que possibilite o terrorismo midiático das tradicionais matérias sobre o “confronto com a PM”. Mostrar a violência para impedir a discussão. Felizmente, não é esse o clima na USP. Atendendo ao pedido dos ocupantes, que temem ser criminalizados por sua ação de desobediência civil, não tiramos fotos no interior da ocupação. Se quiser saber mais sobre o assunto, desligue a televisão (aliás, você ainda se informa pela tevê?!) e visite o blog da ocupação ou o centro de mídia independente.
apocalipse motorizado –  Bicicletada de maio: ocupando as ruas
After the visit there is only one certainty — the media lies. Congtrary to the sensationalism of “mass media” groups, who try to characterize the occupants as barbarians, we saw was a lot of organization, creativity, political discussion and coexistence among people. Inside the building nothing had been broken or destroyed, as the mass media conglomerate said. It desires a violent ending which justifies the media's terrorism in its habitual reports about the “confrontations with police”, showing violence in order to hinder discussion. Happily, this is not the mood at USP. But we didn't take photos inside the occupation, supportive of the occupants’ request, who fear being charged with acts of civil disobedience. If you want to know more, turn off the television (by the way, are you still used to be informed by TV?!) and visit the occupation's blog or the independent media center.
apocalipse motorizado –  Bicicletada de maio: ocupando as ruas
The movement has provoked an overturning of the student political establishment in Brazil. Historically, UNE was the most powerful entity  representing students. Governor José Serra was UNE's president when the military assaulted Brazil, in 1964, and he had gone to exile after that. Now, as a governor, he let the USP's head office beg for the Court to restore order to the building, which means calling the cops to take the students out. UNE waited too long to declare either for or against the movement and now it tries to participate.  But they no longer have support like 40 years ago, as we can see in a poster on USP's walls, in a photo taken by Gustavo Suto saying: “After 40 year, nothing more binds us” with the governor's picture taken when he was testing the new firearms of São Paulo's police force. [Detail: in Portuguese, “une” means bind.]  You can see more photos of the USP's occupation at Flickr.
On today's evening, June 22th, the students reached an agreement with USP's Dean and left the office, without the intervention of the police.

author: Roberto Taddei


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Cannibalism in Qatar · Global Voices
Mohamed Nanabhay

After a week of rumours about a case of cannibalism amongst a group of foreign workers in Doha, the story has finally been confirmed. Qatari points to an article in the local press where doctors found a finger in the stomach of a worker who had come in with a severe stomach pain (which was a result of eating human flesh). Apparently the victim was eaten by four men after they murdered him – it seems they ate him in order to dispose of the body.
UPDATE : This story is not true. The local press mis-reported it.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Mohamed Nanabhay


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China: Art of Banality · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tiger temple from 1510 explains the meaning of art of Banality (豔俗藝術)  (zh) which is a parody of banality especially under the context that the banal class has controlled the society and reproduced its culture in every aspect of life and production.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Croatia: More on “Feral Tribune” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Illyrian Gazette has more on the demise of Feral Tribune.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Czech Rebublic: Panorama Blast · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Arellanes.com offers a theory on how the Czech pranksters managed to insert footage of a nuclear blast into the regular live footage of the Czech countryside on a state-owned TV channel.


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D.R. Congo: Who profits from underdevelopment? · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

“A half-century of mistakes and political instability has pulled the rug out from under one of the potentially richest countries on the planet,” Du Cabiau à Kinshasa writes of D.R. Congo.  Du Cabiau à Kinshasa blames 30 years of Mobutu and those who benefit from underdevelopment (Fr), namely state monopolies and the humanitarian community.

author: Jennifer Brea


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Egypt: Judge’s request to block websites rejected · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

The State Commissioner Committee in Egypt has rejected the request made by the judge Abdel Fattah Mourad to block 51 websites and blogs deemed insulting the state's dignity and threatening Egypt’s interests. In the meantime, the investigation on blogger Amr Gharbia, who was charged for defaming Judge Mourad, has been suspended: “PC Police declared that Gharbia's blog had merely hosted comments insulting the judge; as the comments did not come from him, he was absolved of the charge,” said IFEX in its statement issued yesterday.

author: sami ben gharbia


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Egypt: Smoking Ban  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt partially imposes a ban on smoking, announced Issandr El Amrani.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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French Guiana: Noni and turtles in season · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

In French Guiana, it's the season for noni and for turtles.   Cafe Creole has pictures (Fr).


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Guyana: Jumbies · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Guyanese blame every event, behaviour or sign that we can’t explain on jumbies…ghosts…dead people spirit.”  Guyana-Gyal explains.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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HIV-positive women abandoned by their husbands · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Reaseau sida Afrique writes about HIV-positive women who have been abandoned [Fr] by their husbands or families, and are left to raise their children on their own.


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Hong Kong: Internet Marketing · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Sidekick writes about the effect of internet marketing in promoting a TV serie “Heart of Greed”, however much of the youtube video clips have been taken down because of the complaints made by the TV company: If so, then it would seem that TVB still does not get Internet marketing (zh).
ESWN has a translation of her post.


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Hong Kong: The Absence of Decolonalization · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Leung Man Tao from inmediahk.net discussed why decolonalization hadn't been an agenda since the reunification of Hong Kong with China: Under the principle of “One country Two System” and “50 years Unchange”, the political system in Hong Kong has inherited everything from the colonial Hong Kong. The decolonialization of Hong Kong has therefore become a mission that can't be accomplished. (zh)


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Hungary, France: Imre Nagy Memorial · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar finds himself at the Imre Nagy memorial at Pere Lachaise in Paris.


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Hungary: “Gloomy Sunday” in Budapest · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Pestcentric writes about a Budapest restaurant where “arguably the most famous Hungarian song was written: ‘Gloomy Sunday.’ Rezső Seress wrote the original lyrics here back in the 1930s.” What's known to the world, though, is “a watered-down translation of an already softened reinterpretation.”


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Hungary: Historical Magic Store · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Pestiside.hu writes about a 38-year-old Budapest magic store: “But ‘store’ might be the wrong word here – it's more like a trick workshop.”


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India: Kuki Zomi Conflict in 1997 · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Zoram.org reflects on the Kuki-Zomi conflict in Manipur, a decade after.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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India: Walk the Night · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Blank Noise Project has photographs from an event “Walk the Night” in Bangalore – protesting against street sexual harassment.


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Iran: Gonu’s victims, Palestine’s crisis, and a stoning suspended · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

About two weeks ago, Gonu, a tropical storm, hit Oman and the Sistan and Balouchestan province in Iran. Iranian bloggers report that victims in this impoverished province have not received enough government help, and that lots of people are deprived of food, water, and health care. They criticize the government's inaction and media silence.
Victims of storm and silence
Nazi Kavyani writes that thousands of victims are in danger, and that many Iranians have heard no news about the conditions of the victims.
The blogger says:
350,000 people are now threatened with Malaria and Cholera, as well as other diseases and disasters. Drinking water is at best available for only 30% of the population. Management of emergency assistance has always been a problem in Iran, judging from the horrific conditions of earthquake victims of recent times. With the disappearance and obstruction of roads in the area, however, even the slow emergency assistance cannot reach the region to help. Dissemination of news about the tragedy has also been scant and weak, as the state-owned Iranian radio and television (IRIB) have mostly kept quiet about the extent and depth of the disaster, and the imminence of more complications, is escalating by the minute. In fact many people inside Iran are not aware of the details and proportions of this unfolding tragedy.
Razeno says [Fa] a few months ago he/she traveled to the Sistan and Balouchestan province. The blogger says people living there proudly identify themselves as Iranians athough all they get from Iran is poverty. The blogger says because of Gonu 30 per cent of the population do not have access to water and are at risk of infection by various diseases. The blogger adds it is surprising that Iranian government and media mobilized for a flood in Latin America for example, but did not so far move to help Iranians in this poor province.
Futurama asks [Fa] bloggers and journalists to focus on this news and help informing people about this disaster. He says the most urgent need of the people is food and water, and then health care.
Natural disaster in Iran is not only issue the only thing Iranian bloggers reacted to. Several spoke of the Palestine crisis.
“A surprised God and a dying democracy”
Haminjori says [Fa] even God must be surprised about the recent war in Palestine between  Hamas and Fatah. The blogger says their main goal must be war… Now they cannot go to war against Israel, they must fight with each other instead.
Jomhour says [Fa] that 100 members of Hamas and Fatah were killed in one week – not by “occupying forces” – but by Palestinians. The blogger says members of Hamas were dancing around a dead body of a Fatah member, and that Islamic Republic’ TV is silent on it.
Mohmmad Ali Abtahi, former vice president and a cleric, says[Fa] that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday dismissed the unity government led by Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and that the United States backed this decision. Abtahi calls this act the death of democracy. He says the United States policy in the Middle East is a real obstacle for democracy in region.
Suspended Stoning
It was not all negative in Iranian blogs this week. It seems there is at least one news item making many of them happy, for now. Iranian authorities have temporarily suspended a stoning order.
In Myedan, we read that:
The stoning of Mokarrameh Ebrahimi and the father of her 11-year old illegitimate child was stayed by the written order of the Head of Judiciary in Tehran addressed to the head of the judiciary branch in Takistan. The stoning had been scheduled for Thursday morning, local time, and the order came less than 24 hours before the scheduled time.
Mokarrameh Ebrahimi is a 43-year old woman who has spent the past 11 years in Choubin prison in Ghazvin after being sentenced to stoning. The father of the child has also been in prison for 11 years and is scheduled to be stoned with her. They were accused of having illegal relations with each other.
Zeytoun thinks [Fa] the reason they suspended the stoning is for fear of  people’s protest and that digital media will put the video film of this horror on internet.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:A woman revives the traditional stroytelling · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Thanks to Forever Under Construction we can see slide show of the performance, with excerpts and an interview with Gord-Afarid, Fatemeh Habibizad, the first Iranian woman Naqqal – a performer reading and enacting stories of the celebrated Persian epic The Book of Kings: the revival of the traditional storytelling.


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Iraq for Sale  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Konfused Iraqi Kid kicks off his reviews of documentaries on Iraq with a look at the movie Iraq For Sale.


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Israel: Oh Really!!!? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli blogger Yisrael Medad says: “Oh, really!!!?” in response to Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas‘ comment: “There is no dialogue with these murderous terrorists.”


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Japan: Cellphone recycling bins  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Edo from Pink Tentacle blogs about cell phone companies’ plan to equip convenience stores with cellphone recycling bins, making it easier for people to recycle their unwanted handsets.


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Jordan: DAM Rocks Amman · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

In their first concert in an Arab country, Palestinian hip hop trio DAM, rocked Amman last night as part of the Fete De La Musique (Music Day) series of concerts that took place across the city, writes Jordanian blogger Naseem Tarawnah.


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Jordan: Picture Post  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Sabri Hakeem gives us a preview of this picture he took for imagazine.


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Kyrgyzstan: Men’s Health · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Genderstan discusses men's health as a gender issue in Kyrgyzstan, noting that deleterious cultural attitudes about masculinity are often ignored.

author: Nathan Hamm


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Latvia: Another Mournful Date · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“Only three days after we marked the June 1941 deportations, the flags again fly with black tassels attached — today we observe the 67th anniversary of the occupation of the Republic of Latvia by the USSR,” writes Marginalia.


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Lebanon: 239 Killed by Unexploded Ordnance · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Since the war ended on the 13th of August 2006 until the 7th of June 2007, 239 people have been injured or killed by unexploded ordnance, the vast majority by cluster bombs,” notes Lebanese blogger m.


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Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine: “Mashreq is imploding” · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Watching events in Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine (Fr), Stroobia writes, “Mashreq is imploding” (Fr).


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Mexico: A Tour Through La Ciudadela · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

La Ciudadela is a large arts and crafts market in Mexico City.  Alive in Mexico, a video blog site, takes its viewers on a tour and speaks with some of the market's vendors.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Mexico: Events in Remembrance of Frida Kahlo · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

DFinitivo [ES] reports that many events in remembrance of artist Frida Kahlo sponsored by Cultural Secretary are scheduled for Mexico City


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Moldova: Chisinau’s New Mayor · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Chisinau has a non-Communist new mayor, and Public Policy Watch believes he will introduce change and reforms for Moldova's capital.


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Morocco: On Hip Hop Music  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moroccan hip hip music is here to stay, according to The View from Fez.


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Nepal: Waiting for Monsoon · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Feringhee wonders where the monsoon is and has photographs from Buddhist India and Kathmandu.


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Pakistan: Islam and Salman Rushdie · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Lahore tells us why the knighthood for Salman Rushdie is wrong.


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Palestine: Olive Trees Dilemma  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah reports that residents of the West Bank settlement outpost of Adei Ad uprooted 300 olive trees belonging to Palestinian farmers about a week ago and replanted about half of them in the outpost.


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Qatar: All Alone in Doha  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

LotusGem will be all alone in Doha, Qatar, this summer when the family leaves on holiday to Jordan. Any good books to recommend?


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Romania: Economic Relations With Neighbors · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Romerican writes about the prospects of Romania's economic relations with its neighbors: “Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Ukraine all represent logical markets for exporting Romanian-made products and Romanian-performed services sold under Romanian brands of Romanian-owned companies. There’s a ready audience right across the border just ripe for the taking. Do it.”


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Russia: Expat Living in Russia · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Turkish Invasion writes on the cost and quality of housing, food and night life in Moscow (the most expensive city in the world, according to a recent report).


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Serbia: Photos from Peja, Kosovo · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Prishtine: Independence and Kanun posts pictures from a trip to the Kosovo countryside: “Sometimes, after staying in Prishtina for long, one could forget that Kosovo is a diverse land with beautiful diverse geographical landscapes.”


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South Korea: Inequality, Empolyment Outlook · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Jamie from Two Koreas blogs about the increase in income gap in South Korea and two stories about Chaebol's labour management, including companies strategies for intervening in a union election and Samsung's labour training for mass game.


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Soviet History: Speeches Made on June 22-23, 1941 · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis posts four speeches – by Adolf Hitler, Vyacheslav Molotov, Winston Churchill, and Sumner Welles – that were delivered on 22-23 June 1941.


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Tahitian dance · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Fenua blog has photographs of a traditional Tahitian dance performance (Fr).


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Tahitians can dance! · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Over seventy Tahitian dancers perform in costumes fashioned from pandanus leaves.  Tiki Village is a replica of a traditional Tahitian village where tourists can see demonstrations of various arts including, tattooing, weaving, music, and of course dance.
Photos courtesy of Fenua (Fr), a photoblog of French Polynesia.  Also check out Fenua for photographs of Tahitian beauty queens and local artisans, to name a few.


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Tajikistan: Safer Skies · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Vadim says that the purchase of new, modern planes will help Tajikistan's airline become safer.


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Tamil Blogosphere: Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India · Global Voices
Mathy Kandasamy

Back in Nov 2006, Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie was in India and had showered praises on India for giving shelter to displaced people from a number of countries. She also said that India's action of providing shelter to refugees from various countries, though it had needy people of its own was commendable.
At that time Badri Seshadri, Chennai, India wrote a post about the plight of refugees and in particular about the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. Badri says,
இந்தியா தன்னாட்டு மக்கள் நலனுக்கே நிறைய செய்யவேண்டிய நிலையிலும்கூட, வெளிநாட்டு அகதிகளை அரவணைத்து அவர்களுக்கு வேண்டிய அளவு செய்துள்ளதாக ஜோலீ கூறியுள்ளார்…
Even though, India has helped these refugees in the beginning, the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu living under harrowing circumstances. They are being shut down in separate camps. Tamil Nadu state government's decision has been to somehow send these refugees back where they came from, against their will.
Badri continues that India did not sign the UNHCR convention treaty in 1951. And hasn't signed till now. Burmese, Afghan, Bangladeshi and Tibetian refugees are not happy in India. But, the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees are worse off than the others. To people who risk life crossing the Palk Strait, all India gives them is quite akin to a prison sentence.
Badri has a set of guidelines.
1. அவர்கள் இந்தியா வந்த உடனேயே, அரசியல் காரணங்களுக்கான அகதி என்பதை உறுதி செய்துகொண்டு (பர்மா, இலங்கை அகதிகள் இன்றைய நிலையில் அரசியல் அகதிகள்தாம்!) அவர்கள் கண்ணியத்துடன் உயிர்வாழ சுகாதாரமான, வசதியான தாற்காலிக இடம் கொடுக்கப்பட வேண்டும்…
2. Political refugees admitted to India should be given some sort of diplomatic papers and should be given permission to live and work anywhere in India.
3. Where-ever the refugees elect to stay, ration cards should be given to them to procure groceries at a fair-price.
4. The children of refugees should be allowed to study in India.
5. Government hospitals should treat refugees like any other Indian, without demanding any payments.
6. Refugees should be allowed to buy any real-estate. And when they sell the property, they should be allowed to convert the money to other foreign currency.
7. Refugees should be allowed to travel to other countries.
8. Most importantly, refugees should not be labeled as ‘usual suspects’ and put in prison and investigated. Such heinous activities should be prohibited.
9. India should sign the 1951 UNHCR convention treaty.
India could then invite Angelina Jolie and celebrate says Badri Seshadri from Chennai, India.
In December 2006, Thiru from Belgium, Varavanaiyan Senthil from Dindugal and Azhiyuran from Thirunelveli visited a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camp in Thalaiyuthu, Thirunelveli, India.
Here are some excerpts from Thiru's post.
Most of families are living in an abandoned building with crumbling walls and roof. Each family has been alloted a 5×5 feet space. Four feet tall mud walls have been erected. A family cooks, eats, relaxes and sleeps in the space given.
Thalaiyuthu Panchayat, district administration, state government and Indian government have not taken care of basic amenities in this refugee camp. We saw pigs and dogs being given better shelter near this camp. At the same time, why hasn't our government provided even the basic help these refugees need. The refugees, who seek shelter fearing the war in their native land are treated quite abominably here. Not only does the government not help, they also prevent other organizations from providing help.
Thiru reiterates that it's our duty to make sure at  least the basic help should be given these hapless refugees, especially the children.
Thiru goes on to say that there are no information about what is happening to the money set aside by the Indian government, to be spent on refugees. There is no information about the rights of refugees. Thiru says that plans are afoot to collect information regarding what had taken place in the last five years. And that they are planning on the next level of action. He says that he and his friends left the Thalaiyuthu refugee camp with a heavy heart.
Azhiyuran, who visited the Thalaiyuthu camp with Thiru records his thoughts about the cultural impact on the refugees some of whom have spent as much as 16 years in the camp.
Azhiyuran says,
திருநெல்வேலியிலிருந்து மதுரை செல்லும் சாலையில் சங்கர் சிமெண்ட் தொழிற்சாலைக்கு பின்புறமாக இருக்கிறது இந்த முகாம்.சிமெண்ட் நுண்துகள்கள் விரவிக்கிடக்கிற முகாமில் யாவரின் முகத்திலும் வறட்சியான சிர்ப்பையே காண முடிகிறது. அண்மையில் அயலகத்திலிருந்து வந்திருந்த திரு, தூத்துக்குடியிலிருந்து வந்திருந்த வரவணையானோடு நானும் இணைந்து தாழையூத்து அகதிகள் முகாமிற்குப் போயிருந்தோம்…
Azhiyuran goes on to talk about weddings. He says,
If this is the state of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India, the plight of the internally displaced people (IDP) is far worse. Accounts about the IDP could be read here and here(Tamil).

author: Mathy Kandasamy


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Trinidad & Tobago: Virtual Philanthropy · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

KnowProSE.com has some thoughts on philanthropy in virtual worlds.


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U.S. Concerned About Armenia’s Ties With Iran · Global Voices
Artur Papyan

“Iran is planning massive investments into the economies of Georgia and Armenia. We’re talkingof 1 billion dollars for Tbilissi and a analogous offer to Yerevan. For your consideration: the total amount of Russian investments in Georgia in 2006 did not exceed 30 million dollars, as to Armenia, after arrangements made by Vladimir Putin will total to 1,5 billion dollars. In case this plan of capital expansion is put to action Iran may become the most influential actor in the region[i.e. South Caucasus] ” writes Kornelij Glas (ru) following reports about US concerns about Armenia’s energy ties with Iran.
Elaborating on the situation, whereby a senior American diplomat has voiced concerns, that Armenia’s deepening economic relations with neighboring Iran might run counter to international sanctions imposed on Tehran over its controversial nuclear program Armenia Blog comments:
Iran has always been our neighbor and if the U.S. wants greater support for its actions, perhaps it can only be warranted by further aid to Armenia to help offset the natural losses that would occur by turning against our friend. Then again, should a conflict arise in the future, Russia and Iran are Armenia’s two true allies and the United States could not be counted upon, in my opinion, to help matters in our favor.
The world is flat, reiterates Thomas Friedman’s concept Nazarian, looking for Armenia’s place in the globalized world.
I am still unsure of Armenia’s role and contribution to the global economy. It’s a tiny market. Yerevan is a small city of 1 million people; there are dime a dozen of such cities around the world. Add to that the middle class is a small segment of the population that can afford a lifestyle of a Western citizen, and you see why a foreign corporation may not be interested to have an official presence in Armenia let alone have manufacturing operations.
Notes from Hairenik is even more concerned about Armenia’s economy, despite continuous growth rates recorded here, ensuring annual average real GDP growth rates of more than 10% since the late 90’s, quoting the June 19 edition of ArmeniaLiberty.org about statements by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on continued appreciation of the Armenian national currency (dram) and the dire consequences it will have on the economy sooner or later:
I have concluded, although I do not claim to be an economist by any means, that Armenia’s economy is dollar based and probably always has been. Even though dram is being exchanged on the street people still think in dollars and even quote figures keeping the US currency in mind. In the meantime, money I suppose will keep pouring in from foreign remittances but it won’t circulate here. The continued shortage of dollars on the market is a clear indication that something is dreadfully wrong somewhere. And I would not be surprised if Armenia sees a depression in its “booming” economy in the short-term, God forbid. In fact I am expecting it.
Not all Armenian bloggers are pessimistic however. Levon who has just arrived in Armenia after a couple of years of absence, is deeply impressed upon arrival with rapid changes at the aiport as well as in the center of capital Yerevan.
Narjan has reposted extracts from the Reuters article on “tiny Armenia” being the world leader in natural gas vehicles.
Well, even in a “tiny” country people want to live well, and with all these international pressures on Armenia, when all the big guys, including US, Russia, EU and Iran have too much interest in strengthening their influence on this highly strategic location, all we can do is sit and watch our country being tossed about… or is there something we can actually do?

author: Artur Papyan


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Uzbekistan: Demographic Explosion · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Libertad wonders how the government of Uzbekistan will be able to handle providing services to the country's rapidly increasing population.


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90 degree bow · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

90 degree bow from a department store clerk in the middle of the street. Not so comfortable? How much kindness should be shown? [ko]

author: Hyejin Kim


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Americas: Poll Numbers Roundup · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Bloggings by Boz presents his latest installment of poll number roundups, which includes a new poll that finds that Costa Ricans would support the passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.


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Argentina: Blogs About Facundo Macarrón · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

eBlog [ES] collects links to various blogs about Facundo Macarrón, a teenager accused of murdering his mother.  Some blogs were created to pass as an official blog written by the young man, and others are written in defense.


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Argentina: Inexpensive Buenos Aires · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Blog Pasa en Buenos Aires [ES] writes about a recent study that found Buenos Aires to be one of the five most inexpensive cities for foreigners, and asks, “what do you think tourists buy when they visit our city?”


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Bahrain: National Treasure Burnt  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahrain's legendary Tree of Life was burnt by vandals, reports Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif.


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Bolivia: Rumors of a Coup · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Rumors of a coup are running throughout Bolivia and Miguel Buitrago (MABB) summarizes the latest news.


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Brazilian and Indian Doha Round Solidarity: Is it a reason for blame or a call for leadership?  · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

A blame game seemed to start as soon as Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath walked out of the G4 talks with their counterparts from the US and the EU Thursday in Postdam, Germany. The meeting between these four key players in the World Trade Organization was formulated as an attempt to salvage global trade talks from a six year stalemate on the issues of farm subsidies and open markets. It turned into a fiasco and now charges over who or what caused the failure has become an open dispute, which is evoking interesting reactions from the media. Brazilian bloggers are trying to understand what's going on… and they too are offering explanations.
Em Washington, o porta-voz da Casa Branca declarou nesta quinta-feira (21) que Bush ficou “desapontado” com o fracasso da reunião em Potsdam. O presidente norte-americano culpou Brasil e a Índia pelo insucesso do encontro. “O presidente está desapontado com certos países que estão bloqueando uma oportunidade de expandir o comércio global”, afirmou o porta-voz da Casa Branca, Tony Fratto.  “Grandes economias como Brasil e Índia não deveriam ficar no caminho do progresso das nações pequenas, das (nações) pobres em desenvolvimento – mas isso parece que foi o que aconteceu na Alemanha nesta semana”, disse Fratto.
Lula culpa ricos por fracasso em Doha; Bush critica o Brasil – Mercosul e CPLP
Não, sr. Bush. Não foi exatamente isso o que aconteceu na cidade de Postdam, na Alemanha, onde o G4 estava reunido. De fato, nações mais poderosas parecem se opor ao crescimento de países menos abastados, mas essa relação não se dá entre Brasil, Índia e os países mais pobres, mas sim, entre os EUA, a UE e os países mais pobres. O cerne da questão parece ser claro: os países ricos se recusam a cortar os subsídios que oferecem aos seus agricultores e isso não configura uma ação que possa ser chamada “comércio justo”. Ponto. Brasil e Índia se retiraram com muita propriedade da mesa de negociação. Os europeus disseram que os emergentes não pareciam estar dispostos a oferecer algo em troca, e eu pergunto: que mais eles querem? Enquanto governantes acharem que políticas sociais se restringem às fronteiras de seu país, não daremos andamento ao projeto de um “mundo melhor”. O exemplo da atitude do Governo Lula em relação às refinarias na Bolívia foi, em minha visão, icônico. O presidente do Brasil seria indecente se cuidasse única e exclusivamente dos interesses nacionais. O bem-estar de um cidadão boliviano vale tanto quanto o meu ou quanto o seu, prezado leitor. Mas essa não é a linha de pensamento dos líderes europeus e anglo-americanos. É por essa razão que a Rodada Doha está minguando. Bem como o Mercosul, a Alca etc.
Às favas com o comércio justo – Expressão Literária
The collapse of the talks was nothing new, but some bloggers are closely following the local and regional media coverage, which is  generally reverberating and amplifying the finger pointing.  But some blogs and their commenters are presenting interesting fresh perspectives.
…matérias importantes para se entender os impasses de Doha e a repercussão no Brasil…  “BUSH CULPA BRASIL” – Por aqui, os sites e portais seguiram os despachos saídos da Casa Branca, com chamadas e manchetes na linha “Bush culpa Brasil e Índia por fracasso” ou “Para Bush, Brasil e Índia têm culpa por barreiras comerciais”. SEM APONTAR DEDO – “Wall Street Journal” e “Financial Times” não caíram na conversa. Na home do primeiro, que questionou o “apontar de dedos”, “as conversas fracassaram quando os quatro membros mais poderosos da OMC não conseguiram resolver velhas diferenças sobre subsídios agrícolas”.
Os impasses de Doha – Luiz Nassif Online
Nada parece arrefecer o ímpeto da imprensa brasileira em querer desgastar a imagem do governo brasileiro e de seu iletrado presidente. Mesmo que pra isso faça uso desassombrado da má-fé e do desprezo pelos fatos. Não importa se a posição assumida por Brasil e Índia seja fundamental para os interesses de seus povos. Interessa é martelar o de sempre: o governo Lula é incompetente, inclusive na sua política externa. Os fatos? Como diz Mino Carta, referindo-se à imprensa brasileira, “se os fatos não se ajustam às nossas idéias, pior para os fatos!”
Doha, São João e ACM – Blog do Galinho
“O Brasil agiu muito bem. Essa discussão estava desequilibrada, com desvantagem para os países em desenvolvimento”, disse o ministro das Relações Exteriores do Paraguai, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, à BBC Brasil… No Uruguai, assessores do presidente Tabaré Vázquez foram mais discretos, mas respaldaram a decisão do chanceler do Brasil, Celso Amorim, que na quinta-feira abandonou a reunião em Potsdam, na Alemanha, com os representantes dos Estados Unidos e União Européia. “Foi melhor assim”, afirmou um assessor uruguaio.
Países do Mercosul apóiam decisão do Brasil na OMC – República Vermelha
- Portazo de India e Brasil a los Paises Ricos en una Cumbre de Comércio – Assim começa o assunto no jornal Clarín de Buenos Aires de hoje, em reportagem da correspondente desse jornal em S. Paulo. Destaque para a atitude firme dos dois paises, da pressão alemã de Ângela Merkel e do britânico Tony Blair que telefonaram para Lula e esclarecendo que nas negociações de Doha “ … son los paises atrasados del Sur los que no la aceptan tal como se ofrece ahora pues se les impone abrir sus industrias y servicios a cambio de poco acceso a los mercados agropecuarios de Norte rico, protegido y muy subsidiado”. Declaração do secretário de Relaciones Comerciales de la Cancilleria Argentina: “Es mejor um fracasso de las negociaciones antes que acuerdos rápidos negativos para nosotros”. Especialista da Flacso (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciências Sociales), Diana Tussie : “.. gozamos de buenos precios mundiales en la produción rural y tenemos cuellos de botella en la industria. Hoy Argentina no está urgida ni aprovecharia que se abran más los mercados. Y nos debe preocupar el futuro, cuando eventualmente bajen los precios de los commodities y tengamos una mayor oferta de bienes”.
Doha na visão da Argentina – Felicio Rodrigues in Luis Nassif Online
An interesting piece of the plot came in an interview given by Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim to ‘Valor Econômico’ right before the breakdown of the talks. He called the Brazilian journalists to his room as soon as he became aware of an orchestrated move by the EU and US representatives to blame Brazil and India for the collapse, and his account of what happened is bouncing around the blogosphere.
“Primeiro, eles [EUA e UE] queriam começar a conversa por Nama – os produtos industriais. Mandelson, com aquele ar de inocente, disse que só para variar dessa vez poderiam começar com Nama. Tive que parar isso, disse que o centro da rodada é agricultura. Concordamos em fazer alguma coisa em Nama, mas o que vai definir o nível de ambição da rodada é agricultura e se tiver de selecionar um item é o total de subsídios que distorcem o comércio. Então, ele desistiu, a jogada não colou. No fundo, no fundo, a tática foi a mesma: foi ficar num joguinho lento entre as outras coisas, passar os assuntos e quando chegaram em Nama viram que o grau de concessão que queriam não era possível. Eles chegaram a falar em coeficiente 20, mas buscando equivalência com 18, que significa cortar em 58% as tarifas consolidadas. Obviamente isso era muito distante do que tinha sido indicado em qualquer momento para eles. Eu acho agora que eles [EUA e UE] fizeram uma jogada. Acharam que queríamos a rodada a qualquer preço e que íamos ceder. E se necessário, que nós   íamos isolar os indianos.” Entrevista do Min. Celso Amorim publicada em ‘Valor Econômico’.
Amorim diz que EUA e UE “se acertaram antes” – Projeto Brasil
As it would be expected, English-language sources are also reporting the blame game over the talks collapse, and the interested readers will find diverse and insightful perspectives. I couldn't help but select an interesting exchange post-comment that illustrates well what might be the main issue at stake — leadership. Lula, from his side, is emphasizing his oft-stated theory that the solution will never come out from the debate among the trade specialists and technocrats. Such pact can only come from an agreement between political leaders.
She (Susan Schwab, U.S. trade representative) told the Financial Times India had convinced Brazil to stick to a strategy that went directly against its own economic interests: ‘Brazil chose (developing country) solidarity over its economic interests,’ she said. Schwab indicated she felt that neither country had figured out how to provide leadership to the developing world, the newspaper said.
U.S. trade rep surprised by India, Brazil – Monsters & Critics
Which evoked an interesting comment:
Its funny how some people use concepts like ‘leadership’ to suit their own needs. From what I can understand here, India and Brazil, the two of the largest democratic, developing countries have fended off the developed countries in spite of some economic loss to themselves. This implies a better strategic position for all developing countries. How can this be bad leadership? Only if you wish to lead the countries into selling their products cheap. From the perspective of those wishing well for the developing countries, India and Brazil have done a good job. Way to go! Susan Schwab, this is not corporate America. Don't tell the developing countries to be a team player and take one for the team. We are talking about millions of people who can barely make enough to survive and not about buying a vacation house by the beach.
Krish.org‘s comment on U.S. trade rep surprised by India, Brazil – Monsters & Critics
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Em uma ligação telefônica de 20 minutos nesta sexta-feira, 22, por volta das 12h40, o primeiro-ministro britânico, Tony Blair, disse ao presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva que contava com uma atuação do Brasil no sentido de salvar a Rodada Doha… Lula, contudo, insistiu que a ausência de equilíbrio entre as demandas e ofertas dos países desenvolvidos levou ao fracasso as negociações ocorridas em Potsdam. O presidente brasileiro aproveitou a conversa com Blair para retomar sua antiga proposta de realização de um encontro de líderes mundiais para que decisões políticas sejam tomadas em favor da conclusão da Rodada. Conforme Lula argumentou a Blair, o campo de negociações técnicas está esgotado e, neste momento, apenas a vontade política de apresentar concessões tornaria viável o acordo final da Rodada Doha. “A chave agora está no diálogo político e na melhoria das ofertas das economias mais ricas”, resumiu o porta-voz.
Próximos dias serão decisivos para Doha, diz Blair a Lula – Canal Finanças

author: Jose Murilo


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China: Nailhouse 2: Residents fight back · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Remember the Chongqing “most awesome nailhouse” from earlier this year? It seems now there's a whole nailbuilding, Awesome Building, in affluent coastal Zhejiang province‘s Shengzhou city. Some interesting pro-government opinions in response to allegations of police brutality earlier this week. Mention is made of related posts on other BBSes having been deleted; speaking of which, all comments at time of publishing were translated save one spam advertisement unrelated to the incident which was omitted. Via Paowang BBS, from Chinese search engine Baidu's message forums:
[转贴]中国最牛的楼还数浙江嵊州
China's most awesome building, Shengzhou, Zhejiang (reposted)
说起这个牛楼，可以堪比重庆的牛楼了．它地处在浙江省嵊州市市山路7号！它确实像一枚刺眼的”钉子”。格格不入的”钉”在嵊州市中心文化广场一角,与高高耸立在旁边的十八层气派的市政府大楼形成了鲜明的对比．
贴子相关图片:
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:22 　 回复此发言
Author: Uncle Everpower  10:22 pm, June 19, 2007
Speaking of this ‘Awesome Building’, it might even be more awesome than the Chongqing one. It's situated at Shengzhou city, Zhejiang province's #7 City Mountain Road! It definitely stands out like a “nail”. A nail sticking out of one corner of downtown Shengzhou's Culture Square, a vivid contrast to the towering 18-floor government tower sitting beside it.
那么它为什么更牛呢？
一,户主已是90高龄的张姓老太
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:22 　 回复此发言
Uncle Everpower:
What's so much more awesome about this one?
1) One owner is a 90 year-old granny Zhang
二,维护法律尊严,保护合法私有财产意识更强烈。他们一家人顶住了政府组织的约几百警察，消防，法院，城管，以及众多雇员等参与的强拆行动,使政府直接受损很大。
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:23 　 回复此发言
Uncle Everpower:
2) There's a much stronger consciousness of upholding the sanctity of the law, of protecting legal, privately-owned property. The whole family is withstanding the roughly several hundred police, firefighters, court staff and Urban Management workers organized by the government as well as many of its staff's attempts to forcefully tear the building down, making the damages done to the government quite large.
三,从2006年6月2日强拆开始,户主一家20多人被逼撤到房顶居住,酷暑时期被断水80多天，房屋设施多处被毁。并不时遭受到莫名的恐吓，以及不明捣乱,骚扰日常生活。其中包括90多岁高龄的张姓老太。
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:23 　 回复此发言
Uncle Everpower:
3) Since June 2, 2006 when the forced eviction from the house began, the twenty-odd home owners have been forced up onto the roof to live; despite the cruel heat, the water has been cut off for over eighty days; many houses’ installations have been destroyed. Further, receiving frequent inexplicable threats and intentional provocation has disrupted their daily lives. Among them is a ninety year-old grandmother named Zhang.
四,持有全国人大常委会办公厅的”请接谈并督促有关部门依法处理”的信访函。
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:24 　 回复此发言
Uncle Everpower:
4) They are in possession of a letter from the office of the National People's Congress Standing Committee which reads: “please refer to the relevant department and deal with this according to the law.”
也就是在昨天,这个一年以来一直是嵊州市标志性建筑物的牛楼,又再一次成为了市民的注意力的中心.
大量市民围在牛楼的周围,等着看警察是如何把着牛楼攻克的. 从下午开始,防暴警察全副武装想冲上这个牛楼.但都被牛楼的主人们用汽油弹一次一次打退.
围观的群众在喝倒彩. 警察只有先撤下来.打算持久战. 而牛楼上的人时刻警惕着…双方相持着．．．
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:26 　 回复此发言
Uncle Everpower:
Just yesterday, this Awesome Building, a landmark in Shengzhou for over a year, once again became the center of focus for city residents.
Large numbers of city residents surround the awesome building, waiting to see how the police will capture it. Starting yesterday afternoon, fully-armed riot police were ready to charge into the building but one-by-one were driven off by gasoline bombs used by the owners.
The crowds of spectators booed the police, who then dispersed. They plan to drag out the battle, but the people up on top of the ‘awesome building’ were on high alert…both sides are in stalemate…
而同时, 市内极有人气的门户网站—嵊州信息港 (www.sz.zj.cn)所属于的江南论坛(bbs.sz.zj.cn).也被市政府的宣传部门管制.不准网民发表关于牛楼的文章和信息.一发上来,一律就删除.对于这种钳制民声的做法这让广大网民们大为不满．
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:26 　 回复此发言
Uncle Everpower:
And at the same time, the high-volume portal website Shenzhou InfoAlley, which belongs to the Jiangnan Forum, is being controlled by the municipal government's propaganda department and is not allowing any netizens to post any information regarding The Awesome Building. The minute they're posted they all get deleted. This method of suppressing the people's voices has left the majority of netizens greatly unpleased.
怜的老奶奶坚持站在烈日下准备以死相拼
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:27 　 回复此发言
Uncle Everpower:
The poor granny is staying strong and standing beneath the burning sun, prepared to die.
战斗一直到晚上.围观的群众越来越多. 警察也越来越多.对所有周围的主要街道进行管制. 准备趁着天黑想把牛楼彻底摧毁.
群众也群情激愤….
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:27 　 回复此发言
Uncle Everpower:
The battle went on into the night. The crowd of spectators grew and grew. Numbers of police also grew and grew. Supervision began on the main surrounding roads. They were prepared to move in under the cover of dark and raze the Awesome Building to the ground. The crowd was joined through its fury…
但直到今天,牛楼还在. 但不知道命运会如何.让我们拭目以待吧…
作者： 伯力恒  2007-6-19 22:28 　 回复此发言
Uncle Everpower:
But as of today the Awesome Building is still there. Who knows what its fate will be, we can only wait and see…
牛 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
作者： 125.75.93.*  2007-6-19 22:38 　 回复此发言
IP: 125.75.93.*:
Awesome…………………….
哈哈，我昨天刚刚从嵊州来杭州，听出租车司机说已经拆掉了啊
作者： 125.120.165.*  2007-6-19 22:57 　 回复此发言
IP: 125.120.165.*:
Haha, I just came to Hangzhou from Shengzhou yesterday. I heard the taxi driver say it had already been torn down.
支持
民主不是嘴巴上说说的
作者： 125.127.148.*  2007-6-19 23:03 　 回复此发言
IP: 125.127.148.*:
I support it.
Democracy isn't just something you pay lip service to.
我们支持牛楼 反对市政府 公安部门这些贪官分子
作者： 60.187.165.*  2007-6-21 21:18 　 回复此发言
IP: 60.187.165.*:
We support the Awesome House
Oppose the city government
The Public Security Bureau, a bunch of corrupt officials
查查哪个豪华的市府大楼！
作者： 124.234.131.*  2007-6-22 11:13 　 回复此发言
IP: 124.234.131.*:
Find out which luxury government complex!
当天有一无辜围观的群众被当地的公安打死，多人被打伤。本人目睹了冲突的全过程。场面堪称混乱，凶残。嵊州市政府出动了全市所有警力，还从外地调了武警对围观在楼房旁的群众实施殴打。
作者： 60.187.165.*  2007-6-22 11:21 　 回复此发言
IP: 60.187.165.*:
An innocent bystander in the crowd was beaten to death that day, many people were beaten. I personally saw the course of the conflict. The scene was definitely chaotic. The Shengzhou city government called out all the police in the entire city, even bringing in People's Armed Police from out of town to start beating the crowds of spectators gathered around the building.
社会真的好黑暗啊。为什么上面的领导干部好的思想到了基层就不行了，变味了，中国的社会还是跑不了封建主义的官僚主义。我支持牛楼 反对市政府 公安部门这些贪官分子
作者： 125.127.115.*  2007-6-22 12:20 　 回复此发言
IP: 125.127.115.*:
Society is really too shady! Why do all the upper leaders’ good ideas stop working and go bad then they reach the ground? Chinese society still can't escape the bureaucracy of feudalism. I support the Awesome Building. And oppose the city government. The Public Security Bureau are all corrupt officials.
建议中央调查组进浙!
作者： 222.71.78.*  2007-6-22 15:23 　 回复此发言
IP: 222.71.78.*:
I propose the Central Government Investigative Committee come to Zhejiang!
嵊州市关门吧~~~~~一群贪污分子~~你们自己说，土地征用贪了多少钱~~
作者： 211.140.143.*  2007-6-22 16:22 　 回复此发言
IP: 211.140.143.*:
Shengzhou city government ought to be shut down………..a bunch of corrupt elements……you all tell me, how much are bribes to get land confiscated..?
钉主户的四个儿子,不按法办事,目无国法.过去强行造楼,现在又对抗政府数年不拆楼.以汔油弹炸执法人员,有组织有网络地组织人们围攻执法人员,推翻警车,用小技造假搞死人场面,真是看不过去.
嵊州市的一位老人说句话.
作者： 60.187.162.*  2007-6-22 16:48 　 回复此发言
IP: 60.187.162.*:
The nail-owner has four children. Not handling this in according with the law, disregard for national law. They once forced this building's construction, not they want a facedown with the government over a building that should have been torn down years ago. Even blasting law enforcement officers with paint bombs, grouping up to use the internet to organize people to come mob law enforcement officers, flipping over police cars, using this dinky website to fabricate people's deaths, it's really too much to bear watching.
A Shengzhou city senior has spoken.
支持牛楼，反对政府。因为我们市长太笨了，要是我直接炸了，后果不管了，先把这个问题搞定，后面的后面再说，呵呵
作者： 220.189.231.*  2007-6-22 17:33 　 回复此发言
IP: 220.189.231.*:
I support Awesome Building, oppose the government. Our mayor is too stupid, I ought to blast him myself; I don't care about the consequences. Fix this problem first and worry about the rest later, hehe.
钉主户的四个儿子,不按法办事,目无国法.过去强行造楼,现在又对抗政府数年不拆楼.以汔油弹炸执法人员,有组织有网络地组织人们围攻执法人员,推翻警车,用小技造假搞死人场面,真是看不过去.
嵊州市的一位老人说句话.
—————————————————————
这位我知道，是频频出现各大报纸上面的”一位退休老工人”
这老家伙还没死哪？
作者： 203.81.17.*  2007-6-22 18:24 　 回复此发言
IP: 203.81.17.*:
“The nail-owner has four children. Not handling this in according with the law, disregard for national law. They once forced this building's construction, not they want a facedown with the government over a building that should have been torn down years ago. Even blasting law enforcement officers with paint bombs, grouping to use the internet to organize people to come mob law enforcement officers, flipping over police cars, using this dinky website to fabricate people's deaths, it's really too much to bear watching. A Shengzhou city senior has spoken.”  –I know who this is, it's “a retired old worker” who always shows up in every major paper. This old guy still isn't dead?
共产党没有一个是好东西,
作者： 218.0.96.*  2007-6-22 19:25 　 回复此发言
IP: 218.0.96.*:
There's not a single Communist Party that's a good thing.
有人打死了？？~~真的假啊~~
作者： may的day  2007-6-22 19:33 　 回复此发言
may's day:
Someone was beaten to death? For real?
回复：[转贴]中国最牛的楼还数浙江嵊州
哈哈，我昨天刚刚从嵊州来杭州，听出租车司机说已经拆掉了啊
乱说！！今天还没拆呢！
作者： may的day  2007-6-22 19:34 　 回复此发言
may's day:
“Haha, I just came to Hangzhou from Shengzhou yesterday. I heard the taxi driver say it had already been torn down.” –Nonsense! It still hadn't been torn down today!
我也看到了.不过有的真有的假
作者： 60.187.161.*  2007-6-22 19:38 　 回复此发言
IP: 60.187.161.*
I saw it too. But some of what's here is true, some of it is false.
哪有什么人打死，他现在好着呢
作者： 220.191.227.*  2007-6-22 20:21 　 回复此发言
IP: 220.191.227.*:
Yeah whatever someone got killed. Is the guy okay now?
这位老太据说才八十多，平时都住在敬老院的，儿子们也并不很孝顺，现在为了谋取一己之私，居然把老娘亲拿来作挡箭牌，于心何忍，居心何在！！
作者： 220.191.227.*  2007-6-22 20:24 　 回复此发言
IP: 220.191.227.*
They say that old lady is over eighty years old, normally just stays in a senior's facility. And her sons aren't very filial, now they're just using her for their personal gain, actually bringing old mum out to act as a shield. Don't they have hearts? What are they thinking!
共产党没有一个是好东西,
作者： 218.0.96.* 2007-6-22 19:25 　 回复此发言
没有共产党就没有新中国，又哪来我们今天幸福安定的生活呢？安分守己的人是不会希望天下大乱的。
作者： 220.191.227.*  2007-6-22 20:28 　 回复此发言
IP: 220.191.227.*:
“There's not a single Communist Party that's a good thing.” –Without the Communist Party there wouldn't be a New China. Where else do you think the happy, stable lives we have today came from? Law-abiding citizens wouldn't want to see chaos under heaven.
坚决支持合法拆迁，不拆迁就不会有生活环境的改善，不会有生活的进步，更不会有建设的日新月异。再说了，假如当年没有拆迁，这旁边没有文化广场，没有其他拆迁户的积极配合，他这房子能这么显山露水，房价也不可能有这么高，更不能以日益增长的房价来估量现在他这房子的价格；再说了，如果所有的人都像他这样，那城市建设还要不要搞，难道其他拆迁的人都是傻瓜不成！拆迁固然要合法，要关注百姓们的利益，但也绝不能让此成为某些人的幌子，如果不合理合法，其他拆迁户又怎么会拆呢？
作者： 220.191.227.*  2007-6-22 20:36 　 回复此发言
IP: 220.191.227.*:
I firmly support the legal demolition and eviction. To not go ahead with it would mean no improvement of our living environment, no improvement of life and, especially, no constant new development. Again, back in the day if things hadn't been torn down and people relocated, there would be no Culture Square, and no other relocatees at the time would have actively cooperated. This house of their's now is just dew on a wet mountain; the price of the house can't be that high, and the price of this house of his definitely can't be estimated based on the standard, rising daily, [market] price of houses. Again, if everyone acted like him, would there still be any construction left happening in the city? Or were all the other evictees too stupid? Demolitions and relocations of course need to be done in accordance with the law, in consideration of the public's interest, but it absolutely cannot be allowed to become some people's camouflage. If it hadn't been done reasonably and by the law, why did the other evictees agree?
如果不合理合法，其他拆迁户又怎么会拆呢？
作者： 220.191.227.* 2007-6-22 20:36 　 回复此发言
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也许那就是中国人的奴性啊～～～
作者： may的day  2007-6-22 21:49 　 回复此发言
may's day:
“If it hadn't been done reasonably and by the law, why did the other evictees agree?” –maybe it's just that Chinese people are servile.
可怜的老娘，被不孝子当作生财的工具，从敬老院接回也有1年多了吧
作者： 60.187.216.*  2007-6-22 21:59 　 回复此发言
IP: 60.187.216.*:
The poor old mum, being used as a profitable tool by her unfilial son, kept out of the senior's home for a year already
市人大的人都吃干屎去了!
作者： 218.74.45.*  2007-6-22 22:02 　 回复此发言
IP: 218.74.45.*:
The city's NPC delegates are all off eating dried shit!
从下午开始,防暴警察全副武装想冲上这个牛楼.但都被牛楼的主人们用汽油弹一次一次打退.
好厉害哦？？？？
作者： 60.187.221.*  2007-6-22 22:04 　 回复此发言
IP: 60.187.221.*:
“Starting yesterday afternoon, fully-armed riot police were ready to charge into the building but one-by-one were driven off by paint bombs used by the owners.” –a little fierce, no?
没错，那地段至少值5000块钱，居然只肯给2500每平米。禽兽啊。我有春节时实拍的照片
作者： 221.225.159.*  2007-6-22 22:05 　 回复此发言
221.225.159.*:
That's right, that piece of land is at least worth 5,000 yuan/square meter, but they're actually only willing to give 2,500/m. The beasts! I have some photos I took in the spring.
如果不合理合法，其他拆迁户又怎么会拆呢？
——————————————————————————–
估计楼上的是枪手啊~哈哈~~~
作者： may的day  2007-6-22 22:32 　 回复此发言
may's day:
“If it hadn't been done reasonably and by the law, why did the other evictees agree?” –I bet this guy's a gunman…haha….
51楼，你是一条好狗。
作者： 125.119.186.*  2007-6-22 22:48 　 回复此发言
IP: 125.119.186.*:
220.191.227.*, you're one good little dog.
我只是觉得.,中国的房价TNND是不是涨的快了点啊,2500么差不多了.5000哪个买的起,房产公司买就要5000 ,卖到我们手里不就上 6.7000了呢.工资呢.我们这边工资才多少.2000一个月啊.要还多少年啊?要5000,还让不让人活了啊!!!!!!!!
作者： 60.187.231.*  2007-6-22 22:54 　 回复此发言
60.187.231.*:
I just think, aren't China's housing prices rising a little too fricking quickly? RMB 2,500/meter is about right. 5,000/meter, who can afford that? If realty companies buy it at 5,000, they'll sell it to us at 6000 or 7000/meter. Wages? How much do we get paid? RMB 2,000 a month! How many years is that? 5,000 a month, how could we live?????
房主不厚道,有一次看到一些人在牛楼边谈论此事,其中当有人表示牛楼主人做法不妥时,旁边立即有人气势凶凶地威胁起他来,让他不敢再说话了.这才明白牛楼边老是有楼主安排的人在造舆论．
作者： 60.187.209.*  2007-6-22 23:27 　 回复此发言
60.187.209.*:
The owner's not lenient enough. One time I saw some people at Awesome Building talking about this. When one of them said that the owner's actions were inappropriate, immediately people appeared and started threatening him, leaving him afraid to keep talking. Then I understood that the Awesome Building owners always arrange for people to be fabricating public opinion.
生为嵊州人 哎…..我感到….!!! 高兴
作者： 218.75.114.*  2007-6-22 23:38 　 回复此发言
IP: 218.75.114.*:
As a Shengzhou native, aye….I feel….pleased!!!
官逼民反，危矣！
作者： 218.59.224.*  2007-6-23 08:45 　 回复此发言
IP: 218.59.224.*:
Officials always force the people to fight back, so dangerous!
我市依法查处一名网上虚构事实扰乱公共秩序的违法人员
文章提交者：与人为善【江南论坛】 http://www.jnbbs.cn
2007年6月18日我市发生一起因拆迁引起的群体性事件，违法嫌疑人黄某（男，３２岁，通源乡岗下村人）在互联网上收集现场照片并自己撰写了一些”浙江嵊州因政府强制拆迁导致群众冲击政府大楼，现在已经有一群众在冲突中身亡，多人受伤，政府部门暴力执法，警察手持警棍殴打无辜百姓”等信息的帖子发至凤凰论坛、绍兴E网论坛等互交式网站中，经核实此次事件中并无人员死亡，属于虚假信息。此信息造成了严重的社会影响，扰乱了正常的社会秩序。根据《中华人民共和国治安管理处罚法》的相关规定，公安机关对此人已采取治安拘留处罚。
文字狱也随即上演了
作者： 125.121.1.*  2007-6-23 09:03 　 回复此发言
IP: 125.121.1.*:
“Our city was legally able to search out one criminal responsible for inventing truths online and disturbing public order
Document submitted by: ‘Friendly For And With The People’, Jiangnan BBS, http://www.jnbbs.cn
On June 18, a mass incident instigated by a ‘demolition-eviction’ took place in our city. The criminal suspect Mr. Huang (Male, 32 years old, from Tongyuan County, Gangxia Village) collected photos from the scene and placed them on the internet, writing: “In Shengzhou, Zhejiang, the government's forced demolition and eviction [of a building] gave rise to a mass clash at the government tower. Many people have already died in the conflict at present, many more are hurt and government departments are using violence to enforce the law. Police are carrying batons and violently beating innocent civilians” such information in a post published on the Phoenix Forum, the Shaoxing eNet Forum and other interactive internet sites. Following verification, no people were hurt during this incident, it's a matter of false information. This information has had serious social impact, disturbing the normal social order. According to the related provisions in “Public Order and Punishment Law of the People's Republic of China”, the police department has already taken measures to restore order and arrest and punish those responsible.”—literary persecution comes at any time…
房主不厚道,有一次看到一些人在牛楼边谈论此事,其中当有人表示牛楼主人做法不妥时,旁边立即有人气势凶凶地威胁起他来,让他不敢再说话了.这才明白牛楼边老是有楼主安排的人在造舆论．
作者： 60.187.209.* 2007-6-22 23:27 　 回复此发言
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你在给政府造舆论吧,在威胁我们网民吧.你这个狗东西.
作者： 125.113.150.*  2007-6-23 09:28 　 回复此发言
IP: 125.113.150.*:
“The owner's not lenient enough. One time I saw some people at Awesome Building talking about this. When one of them said that the owner's actions were inappropriate, immediately people appeared and started threatening him, leaving him afraid to keep talking. Then I understood that the Awesome House owners always arrange for people to be fabricating public opinion.”
—You're just fabricating public opinion for the government, threatening us netizens. You're just a low-down dog.
不是文字狱,没人死,也没那么多人受伤,要说受伤,估计警察受伤的人最多.要说损失,估计警察的损失最大,那他们就不是人了?百姓是人,警察就不是人?警察就活该让人乱扔砖头???警察就活该让人打死?虽然说警察没制造好隔离带,让那些浑水摸鱼的人混进来制造混乱,但是个人,就不可能被人乱扔石头打伤了还平平静静的维持治安,那谁还肯做警察?谁来给我们维持治安.需要用警察的社会就叫爹叫娘叫叔叔,不要用到的时候警察就是条狗???可怜的中国人啊,可怜的中国警察,可怜的半桶水资本主义人权思想,凡是要想周全,估计在这发言的人极大部分是想当公务员而当不了公务员的吧.要人权,去美国吧,乖乖交税才能获取你该有的人权
作者： 60.187.227.*  2007-6-23 11:59 　 回复此发言
IP: 60.187.227.*:
It's not literary persecution and nobody died. There's not even that many hurt. You wanna talk about hurt? I'll bet most of the people hurt are police. You want to talk about loss? I'll bet that the police have lost the most. Aren't they people too? Civilians are people but police aren't? Police should have bricks thrown at them just because they're alive? Though the police didn't set up the barrier tape properly to stop those profiteering troublemakers from rolling in and creating chaos, people can't be expected to quietly go on maintaining the peace when people are madly throwing rocks and hurting them. Otherwise, who'd be willing to be a police officer? Who would come and maintain public order for us? When people need a policed society it's all ‘sir’, ‘ma'am’, ‘uncle’, but the minute that's not wanted, police are just dogs???? The poor Chinese people! The poor Chinese police! The poor half-filled bucket of capitalist and human rights ideology water! We always need to see the big picture. I'll bet that the vast majority of people posting here are just people who wanted to be civil servants but couldn't get in! You want human rights? Go to America. Be good and pay your taxes and then you'll get the human rights you deserve.
我在想..要是中国所有百姓所有官员所有公司一个都不逃税,会出现什么情况………交了税,百姓就有权利使用自己该有的权利,官还敢不敢贪污受贿???还敢不敢欺上瞒下???
作者： 60.187.227.*  2007-6-23 12:06 　 回复此发言
IP: 60.187.227.*:
I'm just thinking….if all the Chinese people, all the Chinese officials, all the Chinese companies didn't evade their taxes, what sort of situation would develop……..if we paid our taxes, the common people would have the right to make use of the rights we deserve. Would officials still dare to accept bribes then??? Would they still dare to lie to and steal from everyone below and above them?

author: John Kennedy


text:
Guatemala: World Refugee Day · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Upon her arrival from the iSummit in Croatia, Renata Avila of Nothing is Permanent [ES] returns home to ponder about Global Refugee Day.


text:
Have you been pressed by scissors? · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Have you been pressed by scissors? In the middle of sleeping, have you felt that you have some nightmares and your body doesn’t move at your will? It’s expressed in Korean as “you’re pressed by scissors” A blog gives tips on how not to be pressed by scissors [ko].


text:
Indonesia: Visit Museums · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Noelbynature links to a news article that has Indonesian president urging the people the visit museums. The blogger describes the changing nature of museums from the colonial times to the current days.

author: Preetam Rai


text:
Japan: Reactions to the Nova Suspension · Global Voices
Hanako Tokita

Nova, the largest English-language school operator in Japan and well-known for its fuzzy pink mascot, is in dire straights, having been ordered last week to suspend part of its operations for six months after it was found to have deceived its students and violated consumer protection laws. While selling its courses as an opportunity to overcome differences in social status, actual students complained of various illegal tactics: the distribution of pamphlets claiming students can schedule classes for whenever they want (when in fact there was a shortage of teachers at peak hours), for example, and claims leading students to believe that the “cool-off period” (period during which a contract can be canceled) is shorter than the law actually specifies. A total of 18 different types of violations are reported to have been committed by Nova, affecting not only students [Ja] but teachers as well [Ja]. With Nova being repeatedly slammed by the media over these recent events, some have predicted this may be the beginning of the end for the English-school operator.
Blogger individualfrog, a teacher at Nova, writes:
The evil company I work for, NOVA, has been hit with an order from the Ministry of Business or something that it can't sign up new students for six months. I'm fairly sure this will be the end of NOVA or at least NOVA as we know it, since the majority of students don't stick around for long–English school is like the gym in Japan, something you sign up for as your New Year's Resolution but don't actually go to. This has been an amazingly bad year for NOVA, with some teachers getting busted for drugs, another teacher murdered, and the scandal that lead to this ruling–they were basically ripping off students who canceled.
Blogger southofreality, a former teacher at Nova, is skeptical about the future of the company:
I’ve heard that NOVA (the eikaiwa side) makes most (90% plus) of it’s revenue through new student contracts. New limitations have been put into place to limit the duration of new student contracts. This will cause NOVA to become shortsighted when it comes to calculating monetary assests. It’ll only be able to count on short-term revenues.
Many Japanese bloggers also expressed their thoughts about the recent news. One blogger questions the quality of teachers at Nova:
人の向上心につけ込むと言うか、望みがあるからこそ高い金払って受講するんだろうに、他人の夢を食らって肥え太ったというわけらしい。少人数制・教師はネイティブのみなんて言えば、講師集めだけでも大変な出費だろうと思っていたけれど。別の言い方をすると、フラッと日本に立ち寄っただけのバックパッカーでも講師に雇ってもらえる可能性が高いってことで、講師の質には大いに疑問があったりしたわけでもある。
I guess people pay a large amount of money to take lessons because they have a hope, but the company was taking advantage of people's desire to improve and eating up people's dreams. When I saw lines like “small classes” or “all native instructors”, I thought it must have been costing them a huge amount of money to recruit instructors. But if put in different words, even those backpackers who just pass through Japan can possibly be recruited as teachers; therefore the quality of the teachers is hugely questionable.
Another blogger, fametti, puts some of the responsibility on consumers as well:
これは会社側だけの問題ではなく、
全てが用意されたことに慣れていて、
自分で積極的に動くことを忘れた、
消費者側にも問題があるのである。
This is not just a problem of the company, but also of the consumers, who are so used to having everything done for them that they have forgotten to engage actively, and are thus also responsible.
何かあれば、
｢すべてお前が悪い｣
と言う考えが蔓延っている現代の日本、
益々主体性の無い国になりつつあるのだろう。
In Japan today, there is a widespread attitude of “it's all your fault” when something happens.
I guess Japan is increasingly becoming a country where no one takes initiative on their own.
Blogger Minatsuki, a Nova student, writes:
私の場合途中で解約する気は全くないため解約時に起こるトラブルは全くありませんが、そう言えば契約時、まだシステムがよくわかっていない私にスタッフが大量のVOICEチケット(フリートーク出来る部屋に入るためのチケット)を買わされたなぁ。あれまだだいぶ余ってる。期限が来年の10月ぐらいだったと思うからそれまでになんとか消化せねば…。そうそう、それと『いつでも好きな時に予約が取れる』という歌い文句が嘘だというのは本当です。それはもう入学当初(10年位前)から変わってないですよ。最初はよく『あの歌い文句は全くのデタラメやんか！』と心の中で怒ってました。とはいえ、全然英語が聞き取れずしゃべれずの私を曲がりなりにもなんとか今のレベルまでにしてくれたのはＮＯＶＡ。というか、ＮＯＶＡに行くうちに『英語はただ英会話スクールに行ってれば話せるものじゃない。結局自分で努力しなければなんにもならない。ＮＯＶＡは自分の勉強した事を実際に使ってみる場所。』と通い始めてしばらくすると気づきました。日本にいると外国人と接することなんて日常生活ではまずないですから、外国人が狭い部屋で話しかけてくる、そしてそれに嫌でも答えなければならない状況を作ってくれているＮＯＶＡには私は感謝してます。・・・感謝はしてるけど・・・あくどい事をするのは良くないし、やり過ぎた様だから、ちょっとはシボられた方がいいかもしれませんね。これを機に業務見直しが進んで先生の数ももっと増やして予約がいつでも取れるようにして欲しいなぁ。
I don't intend to cancel my contract so I never have any problems associated with cancellation. However, when I signed the contract, the staff made me buy a lot of VOICE tickets (tickets for using the freetalk room) even though I still didn't really understand the system back then. I still have quite a few of them left. I think they will expire in October next year so I have to use them up somehow by then… Oh, yes, and it is true that the catch phrase “you can make an appointment whenever you want” is a lie. It has always been the same since the time I started (about 10 years ago). At the beginning, I was angry, thinking “that catchphrase is a complete lie!” in my mind. Having said that, it is NOVA that has helped me, a person who could not understand nor speak English at all, improve my English to the level at which I am now. A while after I started taking lessons at NOVA, though, I started to realise that “I will not be able to speak English just because I am going to an Engish conversation school. After all, if I don't make any effort, nothing will change. NOVA is a place where I can try out what I have learned.” In Japan, because you rarely have a chance to meet foreiners in your daily life, I thank NOVA for providing me with the environment in which I can talk with a foreigner in a small room and situtations in which I have to force myself to spit out answers. I thank them, but… it is not good to be greedy and they seem to have gone too far. So maybe it is …… I hope that they will revise their business management and increase the number of instructors so that people can schedule an appointment for whatever time they want.
Finally, one blogger takes a more tongue-and-cheek approach to the whole thing, writing:
つい先日、受講料返還訴訟で敗訴したばかりのNOVAですが、業務停止命令ですか。
NOVAはどうなるんでしょうね。
入学金免除キャンペーンをずーっとやっていたら、それはキャンペーンじゃありませんね。指摘されても仕方ありません。
ただ、近所の服屋さんはずーーーっと「閉店セール」なんですが、、、
いつまでたっても閉店しないんですが、、、
これはいい、のか、な？
I guess if you are running a student recruitment campaign [offering no sign-up fees] all the time, then it's not really a campaign, is it?
It's only natural that they got accused of it [running the campaign].
But then, the clothing store in my neighbourhood has been having a “closing sale” for ages and has not closed yet.
I wonder if this is ok?

author: Hanako Tokita


text:
Kimchi is good for a person who suffers from constipation · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Do you know about Kimchi? Every kind and all kimchi-related knowledge are here. Check this blog out. It even talks about why kimchi is good for a person who suffers from constipation.


text:
Korea: Military Service  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Military service in Korea: Is there any topic more sensitive? And draft dodger? And even a public figure? That spells death in society. Several years ago, a popular male singer chose American citizenship in order to evade military service. After it was exposed, he is still not allowed to return to Korea. His main stage is in China now. His statement in an interview that he hopes to come back to Korea brought outrage among people in Korea. He isn’t forgiven, especially by men who have already devoted years of their youth to military service. Maybe he will never be forgiven.
Another singer made a mistake about military service. While he was in military service, he didn’t perform his duties adequately. His duty was called ‘byeong yeok teuk rye: san eop che yo won’ (special military service: industrial field service men). He finished it several years ago. Then somehow the fact that he did not completely perform all of his duties has been exposed. After an investigation, it was decided he would go to military service again and he accepted it with public apology. There are several reasons why he is blamed. It is suspected that he used a private connection to go to the special military service through his relative, even though he was physically healthy. Even though he didn’t have any special skills, he was allowed in with a certificate that many Korean young people acquire. In addition, repeated suspicious military service exemptions for healthy male entertainers (like singers and movie stars) makes people angrier about this scandal.
[In Korea, there are different kinds of military service. The most common service is to serve for 24 to 28 months as national soldiers. They work in the air force, navy, and the national army. They stay together and are sometimes allowed to take vacations. Usually, healthy Korean men serve in this. The other one is public service, which has to serve for 18 to 28 months. Like regular workers, they work from morning to afternoon in public service places. The division is by physical status (but other matters are involved which causes criticisms) or special skills, such as technical skills. And there are men who can be exempted from this service due to physical or mental status (or other matters). They are called ‘God’s sons.’ The singer Psy’s case was to serve his duty in an industrial company – regular working hours – instead of military service as the qualification of skillful technician in IT for three years.]
Does he really have to go through military service again? Some wonder about it. That’s the only way to justify military duty. Others are so sure of this judgment.
Moveon21 was shocked about the decision that the Prosecutors’ Office made.
군대 제대한 사람 중에 지금 다시 군대 갔다 오라고 한다면 받아들일 사람 있을까. 난 거짓말 하나 안보태고 천억을 줘도 안 간다. 이건 남자에게 교도소 2년 갔다 올래와 거의 차이가 없는 질문이다. 아마 병역필한 남자라면 나의 말에 거의 동감할 것이다.
지금도 가끔 피곤하면 군대에 다시 붙들려 가는 꿈을 꾼다. 영장을 제시하는 병역청 공무원 앞에서 이건 착오라며 다시 확인해달라며 울부짖다 깨곤 한다. 군대 가기 전엔 누군가에게 쫒기는 꿈을 악몽이라고 꾼 거 같은데 군대 다녀온 후에는 군대 다시 가는 꿈이 지금까지 악몽의 자리를 차지하고 있다. 아마 내가 더 충격적인 경험을 하지 않는 한 죽을 때까지 군대는 악몽으로 남아 있을 것이다.
그런데 이 어이없는 악몽의 상황에 우리가 잘 아는 한 남자가 직면해 있다. 바로 싸이다. 검찰에서 부실근무 판정을 받은 싸이에게 현역입대 판정이 확실시 되고, 싸이는 행정소송 하지 않고 그냥 받아들이기로 했다고 한다. 아무리 복무를 부실하게 했기로 서니 다시 군대까지 가야 한다니, 만약 내가 저 처지라면 생각하니 악몽이 떠올라 온 몸에 오한이 드는 기분이다. 그래서 싸이의 부실근무 사건을 바라보면서 고소함 보다는 말할 수 없는 착찹함을 더 느끼게 된다.
국가가 싸이를 다시 한 번 군에 부른다면 그건 법이 아니라 폭력이다.
Even now I have a dream of being dragged to military service when I’m tired. I cry, asking the government official who brought the order form to check one more time, ‘it’s a mistake.’ Before I went to military service, I had a nightmare of being chased. After military service, my nightmare is to be dragged to military service again. As long as I don’t have any other shocking experience, this dream will be my nightmare.
And there is a man who is facing this nightmare now. It’s a singer, Psy. Due to insincere duty, the Prosecutor’s Office ordered him to go to military service again. He decided not to appeal. Even though he didn’t follow the duty well, he has to go to military service again! I felt chilly because it reminds me of the nightmare. Rather than feeling fair, I feel perplexed.
If the nation called him again, this is not a law, but violence.
About his post, there are already 95 opinions below.
One poster, Himneyo, doesn’t understand how it was possible for Psy to work so casually and to skip working hours, and he sympathises with other special duty men.
한해 약 4000여명이 병특으로 병역의무를 이행합니다.
그들이 어떻게 일하는지는 아시는 지 모르겠네요.
신문기사 몇 개 뒤지면 다 나옵니다.
어떤 사람들은 거의 노예 생활합니다. 왜 그런 노예 생활을 하느냐.
그 회사에세 짤리면 군대가야한다는 심리적인 압박때문입니다. 님들이 말한 국가의 통제가 민간업체에게 위탁된 겁니다.
그리고 그 민간업체는 국가에서 관리하는 식이구요.
물론 업체에 대한 국가의 관리가 허술한 측면이 있습니다.
갖은 불법들을 업체가 저지르니까요. 파견/불법적인 야근,특근 등
Bloggernews satirizes the unfairness of military service.
사실 예전에 싸이씨가 IT 업종으로 병역특례업체를 들어간다는 소리를 듣고 친구들이랑 피식하면서 웃었던 적이 있습니다. 그리고 자격증이라고 내민것이 정보처리기능사라는 말을 듣고는 참 용감하다라는 생각도 했었구요.
( 4년제 대학만 마치면 정보처리기능사보다 상위의 정보처리기사 까지도 아무나 다 따는 세상에…-_-;;;)
싸이측에서 주장하는 기획과 테스트도 프로그램 개발 과정에 들어간다라는 말… 네 맞습니다..
그런데 문제는 제가 아는 대부분의 병역특례업체에서는 기획과 테스트를 목적으로 사람을 뽑지는 않는다는 겁니다..–;;;
대부분 직접 개발이 가능한 인력을 뽑아놓고, 그 사람이 기획도 하고, 개발도 하고, 테스트도 하고, 매뉴얼도 쓰고.. 하는 멀티 플레이를 시키죠…
개발 능력이 전혀 없는 가수 싸이가 정말 저런 업무를 하기 위해서 병역특례업체를 들어갔다면.. 모종의 커넥션에 의해서 특혜를 받았다고 밖에 볼수가 없겠군요.
Psy’s insistence that ‘planning and testing programs can be also included in the program development process,’ yeah, that’s right. But the problem is that none of the industrial companies for special military service selects people with this qualification. Most of them are selected because they can work as “multi players,” such as developing, planning, testing, and using program manuals.
Psy, who doesn’t even have any ability to develop programs, worked in this special sector. Who is not going to think that he had some connections and used them to get benefits.
Some bloggers give more direct suggestion.
제가 알기로 병역특례자 되기가 하늘의 별따기로 알고있는데여. 상위 3%로의 뛰어난 능력을 가졌거나 아니면 돈이 많다거나 둘중 하나겟져
물론 한국에서 군대가 사라지는것이 가장 좋은 방법이겠지만..
현실적으로 불가능하다는 것은 모든 국민이 동감하실 거라고 생각합니다.
이왕 가야하는 군대.
조금 더 용기를 내서 확실하게 해결하면 안될까요?


text:
Kuwait: Give Women More Rights  · Global Voices
Abdullatif AlOmar

As usual, this week's Kuwait round up addresses a number of issues including the disappearance of people in summer, Kuwait's unwritten traffic code, the attack of a Kuwaiti diplomat in Iran and the plight of mothers who cannot be considered as legal guardians for their children – simply because they are women.
Our first stop this week is with Purgatory over at Purgatorian Collection, who takes us on a philosophical experience .
هل تتعجب قبل أن تحط صماخك على المخدة و تخمد وين راحو الناس؟؟
Do you even wonder before you put your head on the pillow and sleep where the people have gone?
I do.
يمكن الناس تدرس حق الامتحانات؟ ، بس مو جنا خلصوا الصبايا و الورعان؟
Maybe people are studying for exams? But haven't the boys and girls completed their exams?
يمكن الناس سافرت؟ بس تونا (يعني لا زلنا، مو سمك التونا) في أول موسم السفر
May they have traveled abroad? But isn't it a bit early for the travel season?
يمكن الجو مخلي الناس ما تتطلع، بس الجو لسه جميل و الهوا منعش
Maybe the weather is making people stay indoors? But the weather is still nice and the breeze is refreshing.
عيل وين راحوا الأوادم؟
So where did everyone go?
الجواب الوحيـــد حسب تحليلي المتواضع
.
.
.
الطرق
The only answer in my humble opinion is
.
.
The Roads
Qias over at Io81 discusses the local business practice of “spliting off”.
Some who follows the market news daily can notice that many companies in Kuwait are entering the stock market, the last one was Bareeq Holding. This kind of method is called split off, but it is (the) kind of the Kuwaiti split off just to gain money and raise capital. Let me give a simple example how the financial world create tools to make more existing money and opportunities
Ikuwait writes about traffic laws in Kuwait – not the actual ones but the ones he sees people exercising on roads.
1. Right of way
Right of way belongs to the vehicle which has it’s bumper 5cm ahead of another, irrespective of whether approaching from the left or right.
2. The Kuwait scissors
When in 3 lanes of traffic, all traffic wishing to turn right should occupy the left hand lane and vice versa. One must then wait until the last possible moment before crossing the other two lanes at right angles to the traffic flow, to do so too early is to lose face.
Hugs from Kuwait says he was shocked while reading the newspaper and explains why he was here.
I seriously choked this morning when I opened up my morning newspaper and was met with a picture of the Hooters girls on the front page! Ugh!
Apparently, a Kuwaiti businessman is opening up a Hooters in Dubai and plans to open more in the region.
As always, The Stallion covers yet another event in Kuwait. This time it is the event EXzombie talked about a couple weeks ago – A Japanese Speech Competition and The Art of Kendo.
Last week I went to the First Japanese Speech Competition that was held at Kuwait University! The event was held by The Center for Community Service and Continued Education as well as the Japanese Embassy!
Forzaq8 complains about how little respect Kuwait is getting around the world these days  – the latest being a Kuwaiti diplomat assaulted in Iran.
Our diplomat in Iran attacked, in a state where women are charged if they do not wear hijab right. I don’t think 6 people can attack a diplomat in front of his embassy that easy. Of course in any other country if anything similar like that happen it would mean War or at least cut all diplomatic ties with that country.
But not Kuwait, we are always the weakest link. Libyan attack our embassy and we don’t even get an apology.
Bint AlShamiyatalks about what she considers an insult to women.
رحت قسم البعثات الخارجية بسوى أوراق الجعده
لأمريكا…الموظفات هناك يهبلون والمعامله
ً
I went to the department of Foreign Scholarships to start my son's papers
to America. The employees over there are fantastic and because of the
الراقيه اللى تلقاها هناك وتفانيهم بالعمل
بديت استفسر عن الإجراءت المتبعة للبعثه
great treatment I got there and how dedicated they were to work,
I wanted to ask about what procedures I should follow for the scholarship.
وما كان هناك أى مشكله والحمد لله…..إلى أن وصلنا
من يوقع الأوراق….؟؟؟؟. وين أبوه ؟ أبوه.. ليش .؟
ردت الموظفة : حتى يوقع لنا على جميع التعهدات
ردت عليها هم ليش ؟؟؟؟ قالت لإنه هو الولي الأمر
And there was no problem thank God until we reached the point of who should sign the papers
and they asked for the father.  I was like: “His father? Why?” And the employee answered: “So that he can sign all the pledges.”
And I asked: “Why?”
And she answered: “Because he is the legal guardian.”
انزين أنا أمه……… لا لا لا .ما يصير الأم توقع
الإ بتوكيل من المحكمه….شنهو…….؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟
أنا أمه ما اعتبر ولية أمر…….؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟
ردت على الموظفه قالت ما تدرين احنا مسحوقات
But I am his mother. And she said: “No no no.. the mother can't sign
unless she gets approval from the court” and I was like “What?
I'm his mother and I'm not considered his guardian?”
And the employee answered: “Well you know, (as women) we are crushed.”
بهالمجتمع….أبوه ,, عمه ,,جده,, حتى أخوه إذا يعمل
يقدر يوقع على الأوراق …….أما الأم ……لا لا لا
ما تقدر توقع الإ بتوكيل………….ما أدرى حسيت إنى
ببجى……ليش النظام يهيني جذى أنا أم مخلصه للدوله
Crushed in this society, his father, his uncle, his grandfathe , even his brother if he was working can sign
the papers – but the mother? No no no.. She can't sign.. I don't know. I felt like crying.
Why is the system insulting me when I'm a loyal mother to the country.
قبل إخلاصى لعيالى……هذا جزائى…..أنا مو مواطنه
ولى حقوق وواجبات ؟؟؟.حتى عيالى ما أقدر استخدم
حقى فيهم…… إذا عيالى حسوا إنى ما أقدر أسوي لهم
شيئ لأن الدوله سلبت حقي…. او الأصح طيحت
قدري عند عيالي……شلون أصير قدوه.. أمامهم
وأدير شؤن إسرتى الصغيره……أنا الحمد الله عندى
ريل وعزوه بس المسكينه المطلقه ,,والأرمله
شلون تاخذ حقوقها ؟؟؟؟؟
In return for my loyalty to my sons, is this my reward ? Am I not a citizen with rights and duties?
Even my sons, I can't use my rights on them. If my sons feel I can't do anything for them because the state
has taken away my rights, how can I be an example to my family and run it ?
Thank God, I have a husband but what about widows and divorcees? How can they get their rights?
هذا ظلم والإ لا …؟؟؟؟؟
كله بسبب الولايه…..أنا ماعندى اعتراض على
الولايه……بس مو يستخدمونها فى كل شيئ
ولأى شيئ
أكو أمور وايد بسيطه وسهله ليش هالتعقيد
Isn't this injustice?
All of this is because of the mandate of men. I have no objection on the mandate but don't over use it
on anything and everything. There are many simple and easy things,  why complicate them?
فأبى همت الحقوقيات و الحقوقين والسياسيات
والسياسين والمدافعين عن حقوق
المرأة المحترمين……هونوا علينا هالتعقيدات
نصفوا المراة فى قانون الأحوال الشخصيه
I call on  lawyers, politicians and  civil rights activists to cut down the red tape and give women justice in the Personal Law.
نبى حقوقنا المسلوبه…….نبى المساواة
نبى أبسط الأمور فى إدارة الإسرة الصغيره
بكل الحقوق والواجبات اللى كفلها لنا الدستور
مع ….. الجد,,,,و العم,,,,,,والاب
أعتقد هذا مطلب عادل
We want our stolen rights. We want equality.
We want the simplest things in running a small family, with all rights and duties that the Constitution guaranteed for us
with the grandfather, the uncle and father.
I think that's a fair demand.

author: Abdullatif AlOmar


text:
Malaysia: Cartoon Characters in Parliament · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Malaysian blogger Cowboy Caleb feels with Malaysian parliamentarians around, one does not need to watch cartoon network.


text:
Oman: Blogging Back on Track · Global Voices
Riyadh Al Balushi

The Omani blogging scene is growing out of Gonu, the tropical storm that hit the country earlier this month. Bloggers this week have tried to move on and discuss different topics.
Ti3gib thinks that Omani bloggers are fading away and are not as active as bloggers from neighbouring countries:
The number of active bloggers has been decreasing steadily and radically over the last year, and if it continues at this rate, we -Omani bloggers- should be keyboard-silent in a few months from now. I don't know what the causes are, but I think time-management could be a big role. Too busy, is and excuse but not a reason, maybe laziness and routine and those could easily be dealt with.
As summer approaches, Al Mawaali asks bloggers about their summer plans,
and Omani Expat posts about available indoor leisure activities that could be done:
From May to September, temperature and humidity become very high in the Sultanate. Outdoor activities, such as tourism or trekking, are not possible anymore. You have to make do with indoor activities, such as :
This one is the for Omani consumer, Suburban tells her story of horrible customer service, harassment, and the pain of dealing with the delivery boys of a huge electronics shop in Oman:
I bought a shockingly expensive new washing machine last week from EMAX. It has all the bells and whistles, about ten thousand different washing programmes and comes from a trusted manufacturer. The salesman was clueless, but as helpful. A delivery was arranged for two days later. Two days later, as promised I get a call from the lost delivery guys trying to find my house in the war-zone that is my neighborhood. Everything went wrong from there.
Bloggers all around Oman have been sharing the Gonu song by Omani singer Salah Al Zadjali, here is what Muscat & Wife said about it:
I know we weren't in the best of spirits because of what happened (Gonu and whatnot), but if you are reading this, then Im sure you have survived it :)
I wanted to share something special with you. Its Salah's Al Zadjali's new song. One which he wrote during the aftermath of Gonu..

author: Riyadh Al Balushi