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Nepal: Non Resident Nepali · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

UWB! on double standards at play as no election is held for the Non Resident Nepali movement.


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Palestine: Eid’s New Clothes · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Deborah of Palestine shows Palestinian children dressed in new clothes to celebrate Eid, which marks the end of the month of Ramadan for Muslims. The photographs show children crossing Israeli checkpoints.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Poland: Katyn · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Kinuk writes that Katyń, a new film by Andrzej Wajda, wasn't as good as the famous director's other work: “Towards the end of the film, we see the efficient (if one can call mass murder efficient) and organised methods by which these 20,000 officers were killed. Over and over, men are shot, execution-style, in the back of the head. After watching a few men getting killed this way, I closed my eyes. It was overkill.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Poland: Opinion Polls · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes about Poland's election opinion polls.


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Russia: De-Muslimization of the Army · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia reports that, according to a Russian newspaper, “the Russian defense ministry has been manipulating this fall’s draft in an effort to secure a more ethnically Russian and less culturally Muslim military.”


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Saudi: Back Entrance for Women · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi blogger Rasha draws our attention to the huge gap between the treatment of men and women in her society –  where women have separate entrances to their homes, crumbling segregated university campuses and even a smaller praying area in Mecca.


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Serbia: Antifa vs Neo-Nazi in Novi Sad · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belgrade 2.0 has been covering the Oct. 7 “neonazi, clerofascist rally” and the “citizens counter-rally” in Novi Sad: preparations;  a report and two videos; and a guest-blogger's report. Also, another report from Pustolovina: adventure in Serbian.


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Serbia: BlogOpen · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belgrade 2.0 writes about BlogOpen, “a historical, traditional, second bloggers’ and readers’ meeting in Serbia in Serbia’s short history”: “Help create a buzz in the English speaking world, because the Serbo-Croato-Bosniako-Montenegro-Macedono-Sloveno speaking world is already buzzing!“


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Serbia: Kosovo’s Dragash Region · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Prishtine: Independence and Kanun posts pictures of Kosovo's Dragash Region.


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Singapore: Chinese Shrine for a German Girl · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Belyl writes about a Chinese shrine dedicated to a German girl in an island off Singapore. (Via Tomorow.sg)

author: Preetam Rai


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Slovenia: Gorazd Čamernik’s Death · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sleeping With Pengovsky reports on the recent killing of young man by a bouncer at one of Ljubljana's clubs and the government's response to the tragedy.


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Slovenia: “Polhanje!” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Piran Café tries some polh, or the fat dormouse, “a species fairly common from Spain to western Russia. They look like small gray squirrels, but with big dark sexy eyes and long brooding tails.”


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Slovenia: “S’LOVELY” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Slovenia is “S'LOVELY” – or is it? A discussion on “rebranding” the country took place at The Glory of Carniola.


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Sri Lanka: Environment and Blog Action Day · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Hissyfits on trees, or the growing lack of them in Sri Lanka, and Words Of Wisdom on recycling on Blog Action Day.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Trinidad & Tobago: Indigenous Celebration · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Now is Wow attends a celebration of indigenous people in Trinidad.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname: A Different Perspective · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Give me a quiet place to sit over a bustling metropolis any day,” says KnowProSE.com, as he recounts a visit to Suriname's Cola Kreek.


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Tunisia: Blogger’s books confiscated at customs · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

When Tunisian blogger Zizou from Djerba returned home to Tunis from Cairo last week, he received more than the welcome he bargained for.
At the airport in Tunis, Zizou was surrounded by customs and security officers, his luggage searched, two books purchased in Egypt seized.   Zizou‘s readers were not surprised.
“Ah yes, that's the reality in our country, not what we read in the newspapers,” one reader commented.
Tunisia is notorious for its repression of speech.  Books are frequently censored or seized, internet sites blocked, and bloggers harassed or arrested.
Here is Zizou‘s account of events:
Vol : Le Caire – Tunis Hier soir
Je passe le controle de police tres rapidement et sans aucun probleme , le policier n'avait pas de moustache, Il etait tres gentil et tres accueillant.
Je mets mes bagages a mains au Scanner et je passe par le portail detecteur de metaux qui affiche vert. La ! Le policier qui manipule la machine a rayons X me demande si j'ai des livres dans mes bagages. J'ai dit oui… J'ai pris mes bagages du scanner, j'ai recupere ma valise , fait un pt tour au freeshop et puis je me suis dirige vers la sortie.
Flight – Cairo to Tunis last night
I pass through the security checkpoint quickly and without incident.  The policeman didn't have a dark mustache.  He was very nice and friendly.
I put my hand luggage on the x-ray machine and walked through the metal detector, which was green.  But then the policeman who was operating the x-ray machine asked me if I had any books in my bags.  I said yes…I took my carry on luggage from the scanner, picked up my checked luggage, passed by the duty-free shop and then headed for the exit.
A ce moment la j'ai vu un agent en uniforme qui s'approchait de l'officier des douanes et lui soufflait qlq mots en ma direction. Automatiquement, l'officier des douanes me demande de m'arreter et de partir pour la fouille. La ! un comite d'accueil qui inclut 3 policiers en civil, deux officiers de douanes (3 etoiles), plusieurs agents entourent mes bagages, parcourent mon passport et me posent des questions quant a ma profession.
Tout s'est tres bien passe, les services de douanes et de polices ont ete tres courtois et tres poli. Ils ont note mon adresse detaille a Tunis et puis ils m'ont informe que deux livres que j'ai achete en Egypte vont etre saisis temporairement. Il s'agit de “memoire d'un militant” de Mahmoud Materi et “Ma part de verite” de Mohamed Mzali.
That's when I saw an agent in uniform go to the customs officer and say a few words, looking in my direction.  Immediately, the customs officer asked me to stop for inspection.  Then the welcoming committee, which included three plainclothes police officers, two customs officials (3 stars) and several agents, surrounded my bags, looked through my passport and asked me questions about my profession.
Everything went well; the customs and police were very courteous and polite.  They took down my address in Tunis in detail and then informed me that the two books I bought in Egypt would be temporarily confiscated.  One was a “memoir of a militant” by Mahmoud Materi and the other “My Side of the Truth” by Mohamed Mzali.
J'avoue que cet attroupement pacifique de services de l'ordre et de douanes m'a inquiete. Qu'avais je fais de mal pour qu'autant de haut grades debarquent? Est ce que ces livres portent un messages ou une ideologie ennemie ? Est ce qu'il est interdit de lire des autobiographies d'anciennes figures du parti destourien et de personnalites importantes de l'histoire de mon pays? Je suis vraiment surpris et j'avoue que j'ai eu peur… Que se passera t'il par la suite ? Dois je essayer de recuperer les livres ? Dois je arreter de m'interesser a l'histoire de la Tunisie ? Je ne sais plus quoi faire ni quoi penser?
I admit that this peaceful group of security and customs officials has unsettled me.  What did I do wrong to attract such high level attention?  Did these books carry an enemy message or ideology? Is it not allowed to read autobiographies of former party figures and important people in the history of my country?  I was really surprised and I admit I was afraid…So what happens next?  Do I try to get back my books?  Do I stop being interested in the history of Tunisia?  I don't know anymore what to do or think.
Many of Zizou‘s readers expressed not shock or outrage but resignation about what has been the status quo in Tunisia for many years.
Bloton:
Ils vont les lire pour voir s'il y a qque chose de suspect (enfin suspect suivant leur normes). Pour eux, l'histoire de la Tunisie commence en 1987…
samsoum:
Eh oui, ca c'est la réalité de notre pays, pas ce qu'on lit dans les journaux :(
Emma Benji:
yé Zizou, tawa ne sais tu pas que le tunisien ne lit pas.
Donc rien que le fait que tu aies un livre c'est louche…parce que bientot y aura une loi nqui interdira de lire quoi que ce soit, mis a part les manuels scolaires
And so the mere fact that you have a book is suspicious…because soon there will be a law against reading anything, except schoolbooks.
Profilo:
C'est malheureusement la Tunisie. Je crois que le mieux est de lire à l'étranger et de ne rien apporter ici. en plus le slivres concernent la Tunisie donc ils sont parano qu'ils doutent de toutes choses qui a relation avec le bled.
en plus toi t'es passé par des pays qui sont louches pour eux le soudan et apres l egypte.
But a fair share of readers seemed to support the practice of confiscating books in certain cases.  One anonymous reader wrote:
Je suis d'accord pour qu'on contrôle et qu’on interdise les livres haineux. En France et en Allemagne, ils ont longtemps interdit Mein Kampf…. mais là ça devient de la paranoïa…
LA question qui se pose : Est simplement un excès de zèle de la part du service de police de l’aéroport ? Ou est ce que sont des instructions qui viennent d’en haut, ou plutôt « tawjihète sayed el Raiis »
The question is: It is simply a matter of overzealous police at the airport?  Or are these instructions that come from above, or rather “His Excellency the President.”
And other:
Je suis pour la saisie du livre de Mzali. Le mec est connu pour ses détournements (à part de fonds) de la réalité et pour semer la zizanie. Quant à celui de Materi????
Reacting to more conservative comments, julian sark writes:
… il ne faut jamais donner main libre aux controlleurs qui vous dictent ce qui est à lire et ce qui est tabou.
Parce que dans ce cas le peuple sera guidé comme un troupeau de moutons, ce qui est le cas maintenant.
Because in this case, the people will be led like a herd of sheep, as is the case now.
As we learn from one reader living in France, Zizou‘s experiences are not unique.  LadyFrenchy writes that she send a letter, a necklace, some photos and two books to a friend in Tunisia.
When her friend went to pick up the package at the post office, the two books–Khali Gibran's The Prophet and The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo were missing.
“What do you think was subversive about my books,” LadyFrenchy writes.  “They were works about the beauty of life, nothing offensive: only happiness and simplicity.”
One month, a fax to the Ministry of the Interior, and several visits to the post office later, the books have yet to materialize.
Je suis très choquée, existe t'il une liste noire de ce qui est permis ou interdit de lire ? la censure à ce point, mais c'est ridicule ! Heureusement que j'ai de l'humour, ça me fait presque rire …
Comment peut-on asservir les gens à ce point, les brimer ? De quel droit peut-on se permettre d'aliéner les consciences ? C'est horrible ! Des 2 côtés de la Méditerranée, ça dégénère : nous avec notre loi ADN, eux avec leur censure, mais c'est quoi ce monde de dingues ?
J'avoue que je n'ai toujours pas compris.
I was very shocked.  Is there a blacklist of what reading is permitted and what is banned?  Censorship to this point…it's ridiculous!  Fortunately I have a sense of humor.  It almost made me laugh…
How can people be enslaved, aggravated to this point?  By what right are they allowed to control people's minds?  It's horrible!  On two sides of the Mediterranean, things are deteriorating, us with our DNA law, and them with their censorship.  Has the world gone mad?

author: Jennifer Brea


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Ukraine: Kyiv Arts Venues for October · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Olechko posts a very quick review of the “interesting art to see in October” in Kyiv.


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Ukraine: Solomiya Krushelnytska · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukraine Musical Matters writes about Solomiya Krushelnytska, a great Ukrainian opera singer.


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Ukraine: UPA’s 65th Anniversary · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana posts a comprehensive entry on the history and the 65th anniversary of “Ukraine’s underrecognized Insurgent Army” (UPA): “Attempts at re-educating and reconciling elderly people contrary to their beliefs should be abandoned. But revisiting Ukrainian history and recognizing, for future generations, the people and events misrepresented in Soviet textbooks makes perfect sense.”


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Al Ain: No for Touristy Junk · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Why in the world would you want to take one of the few relatively undeveloped and beautiful places in Al Ain and put touristy junk up there?” complains Al Ain-based blogger BRN.


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Arabeyes: After Facebook, Comes Hatebook · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

After Facebook, come the Hatebook. Following is what two bloggers, from Tunisia and Oman, have to say about the new sites – Hatebook.com and Hatebook.org.
Image of hatebook.com from: Sleepless in Muscat
Tunisia:
From Tunisia, Subzeroblue discusses Hatebook.org and writes:
Facebook and all those social networking sites out there not really your kind of thing?
You'd rather be left alone?
You feel you have more people that you hate than people you like?
Then Hatebook is the site for you…
The first anti-social networking site, where you can connect with the people you hate…
Suzeroblue also reviews the site and explains:
Upload blackmail material or publish lies, get the latest gossip from your enemies and friends, post photos and videos on your hate profile, tag your friends, get hate points from disturbing people who live, study, or work around you, simply take over the world…
Hatebook looks and functions a lot like Facebook, except in a more devilish way. The color is a more aggressive red, user profiles include a section called “Why I'm Better Than You!”, and instead of Photo Albums you create “Hate Albums” consisting of photos and descriptions of people/things you hate.
Oman:
Meanwhile, Omani blogger Sleepless in Muscat has discovered another Hatebook site. He writes:
This is so funny.
I was just browsing the BBC world service site and found this by coincidence.
Apparently, someone has invested the popularity of the famous facebook service that has been recently acquired by Google and launched something similar only quite the opposite in purpose: Hatebook.com.
Will the Hatebooks pick up among Middle Eastern internet users as Facebook has? Only time can tell.


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Bangladesh: Questions for the Army Chief · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Bangladesh Army Chief, General Moeen Ahmed, is visiting the US and Voice of Bangladeshi Bloggers poses a set of questions.


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China: 23 Years Chronology of Taihu · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Taihu pollution has caught international attention. Taodax from V360 has composed a chronology of government's attempt in fighting against pollution (zh). However, the effort seems to have little effect in the past 23 years: there are more than a dozen cancer villages nearby the districts.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Buzzwords at the 17th Party Congress · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Democracy, the scientific development, harmony, and what else in the 17th Party Congress? Take a look at Joel Martinsen's post in DANWEI.


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China: Deconstructing the White Rabbit Wrapper · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Imagethief studied the design of White Rabbit wrapper in details. The description of “rows of zombie rabbits facing each other in mirror image” is particularly vivid. (P.S. White Rabbit is also my favorite candy)


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China: Youtube Blocked · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Several sources seem to confirm that youtube has been blocked in China. Ken Wong noticed that the blocking happened soon (one day) after youtube launched its traditional Chinese version (zh).
Transpacifica has also confirmed the blocking of youtube.


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Contrivance and Controversy as Brazilian Media Cover Urban Violence · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

In Brazil last week, it was difficult to find blogs that did not post about the debate over the causes of urban violence. It all began on the web when people “pre-released” the leaked copy of the film ‘Elite Squad’. By now the polemic has reverberated and evolved into a complex chorus of disparate voices expressing themselves through diverse media — all of it reported, commented upon and amplified in the real time conversations of the Brazilian blogosphere.
This round of the discussion was triggered by an article published in a leading São Paulo newspaper (Folha de Sao Paulo) by Luciano Huck, a TV star reporting his distress over having been robbed of his Rolex with a gun pointed to his head. The star may now regret having triggered a huge controversy by evoking the name of ‘Capitão Nascimento’ — Elite Squad's torturer policeman protagonist — as the solution to the violence of Brazilian streets.
Perhaps as an example of new strategies being developed by newspapers to compete for readers in the new digitally networked environments, Folha invited the rapper and blogger Ferrez — an active voice from Capão Redondo, one of the most violent communities in São Paulo — to write a kind of response to Huck's essay for publication in the same “Tendencias/ Debates” [Trends/Debates] section.
Ferrez's response asserted that a fair deal came out from Huck's encounter with his robbers, as the rich guy kept his life while the unprivileged guys got the Rolex. As far as we can tell, Folha's strategy worked and bloggers turned the Huck vs Ferrez ‘clash’ into the hit of the week for Brazilian media, although many are not exactly happy with the resulting debate.
Fiz o texto, a pedido do coordenador de artigos Uirá Machado, que trabalha na Folha. Ele me mandou a carta de Luciano Huck, sobre seu assalto no Jardins. Coloquei o nome de: Pensamentos de um “correria”, , e com minha mente literária e ingênua fiz uma ficção onde o ponto de vista eram dos ladrões. Quando enviei o artigo para ele, que foi escrito em 5 horas, me mostrei preocupado por ser quase um conto, e podia fugir do estilo do espaço Tendências/Debates, mas o texto foi publicado.
Sobre o texto na Folha de São Paulo – Ferrez
Está estabelecida a luta de classes. Bastou o apresentador branco e rico escrever um texto-desabafo para que centenas se revoltassem contra a cara de pau do sujeito que tem tudo na vida e ainda a audácia de reclamar apenas porque, no sinal, levaram seu estimado relógio, presente da diva que é também sua mulher, e que vale uma kitinete. Como polêmica é bom, a solução midiática (porque outra não há) foi chamar o Ferrez para tecer o contra-ponto sob a ótica do ladrão. Aí é que o bicho pegou definitivamente. Onde já se viu fazer a apologia do crime. Lugar de ladrão é no xilindró – ou, como prefeririam muitos, a sete palmos. Tudo muito explicável e legítimo, mas também raso e hipócrita.  Huck, Ferrez, você, eu, o Renan e o Lula – Blônicas
As visit stats and the number of blog posts on the issue were soaring Folha decided to call in another blogger to publish in its ‘Trends / Debates’ section, this time a well known right wing watchdog. He had already declared in his blog that there could be no debate with Ferrez, who he described as, ‘someone who supports death as a tool for social justice’. But that declaration could only make him the perfect one to blow hot air at the already inflamed debate.
O artigo do tal é irrespondível. Vou eu lhe dizer que o crime não compensa? Ele tem motivos para acreditar que sim. Lênin mandaria que lhe passassem fogo -não sem antes lhe expropriar o relógio. Apenas sugiro ao jornal que corrija seu pé biográfico: ele é um empresário; o bairro do Capão Redondo é seu produto, e a voz dos marginalizados, o fetiche de sua mercadoria. Ir além na contestação de seu libelo criminoso seria reconhecê-lo como voz aceitável na pluralidade do jornal. Eu não reconheço.
Reinaldo Azevedo in Rapper?! Argh – Blog do Orlando Tambosi
Folha's interplay with the blogosphere has surely raised enough eye-balls and provoked enough trackback links to characterize it as a successful initiative for the newspaper, but some bloggers and even some traditional media pundits have been criticizing the move.
Luciano Huck foi para a capa da última edição de Época. Antes esteve nas Páginas Amarelas de Veja, duas vezes na primeira página da Folha e foi assunto de quase sessenta mil ocorrências na Internet. Por que a celeuma? O apresentador achou que deveria protestar contra uma violência da qual foi vítima e, como é uma celebridade, teve tratamento VIP. Então um escritor da periferia achou que deveria defender o ponto de vista dos marginais, botou a boca no trombone e também foi para a primeira página. À primeira vista tudo isto parece um debate democrático, troca de idéias dentro de uma sociedade pluralista. Não é. A imprensa fixou-se nos aspectos mais sensacionalistas, como a chamada na capa da Época – Ele Merecia ser Roubado? – o público leitor foi na onda e manteve a mesma entonação. Dai para o linchamento e o canibalismo foi um passo. Quando se simplifica o debate como agora acontece, é inevitável que a resposta coletiva seja ainda mais simplista e ainda mais grosseira. A brutalidade que hoje se nota em alguns blogs e nas seções de cartas dos leitores não acontece por acaso. Alguém fez vibrar um diapasão, a multidão percebeu o tom e procurou a mesma afinação. É evidente que Luciano Huck não merecia ser roubado, ninguém merece ser roubado, nem mesmo ladrões. Mas um assunto sério como este não merece colocações tão ingênuas e tão desatinadas.
Alberto Dines in Sociedade do Espetáculo (de mau gosto) – Flanar
In this age of viral posts, mass participations and chaotic information in which both angels and demons seem to fly into our faces, the landscape of popular discourse is rapidly expanding in often confusing ways that can challenge the most established conventions of what is truth and what is contrivance and what are the legitimate bounds of public discourse. There will be many mainstream and alternative media intitiatives (and manipulations) seeking to gain a center stage in this new environment.  As the debate rages, we can only draw the obvious conclusion — the new digital cultures of the Information Age are changing both the media game and its players at every level.

author: Jose Murilo


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Dubai: Clean Streets? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Seabee from Dubai complains about the cleanliness of streets in this post.


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Egypt: New Age of Phone Greetings  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

With Eid finally wrapped up and out of the way, Egyptian blogger Tarek Amr (Ar) takes time off to study the history of greetings – from the age of problematic phone calls to the new age of Third Generation multi-media wireless phones.
Amr explains:


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Guyana, Brazil: Building a Bridge · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Living Guyana posts photos of the progress that has been made on the construction of the bridge that will link Guyana and Brazil.


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Hong Kong: Foreign Intervention · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Legislator and the founding member of Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, Tsang Yok-sing, comments on the China President Hu Jintao's report on the 17 party congress regarding foreign intervention in Hong Kong (zh). And he specifically points out the Hong Kong office of National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, funded by National Endowment for Democracy (from U.S), being active in political party training in Hong Kong.


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Hong Kong: Want My Privacy Back · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Big sister explained how and why she canceled her facebook account: I want my privacy back!


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India: The nuclear deal and the PM · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Vantage Point writes a tongue-in-cheek post on the issue of the Indo-US nuclear deal.


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Jamaica: Art & Emancipation  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Geoffrey Philp focuses on Jewish, Jamaican-born artist Isaac Mendes Belisario, whose lithographic series is part of an exhibition at the Yale Center for British Art commemorating the bicentenary of the abolition of the British slave trade.


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Japan: Employers to start reporting non-Japanese employees · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Debito reports that Japanese employers have been forced to start reporting all their non-Japanese workers to the government, in an attempt by the government to crack down on illegals.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: Language and Culture · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Is it possible to learn a language while remain clueless in its culture? Ampontan has some interesting discussion.


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Jordan: Australian Blogger Turns 108 · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Ola Eliwat, from Jordan, draws our attention to the world's oldest blogger – Olive Riley from Australia, who is blogging away at the age of 108!


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Jordan: New Blog for Amman · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Amman the capital of Jordan has it's own blog! (being managed by the Greater Amman Municipality) and being hosted by Jeeran (Ar),” writes blogger Qwaider.


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Lebanon: No News  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“You would think that, five days from the Parliamentary session which will supposedly elect Lebanon's next President, Beirut would be abuzz with news. You would be wrong,” writes blogger David Kenner.


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Macedonia: Toše Proeski · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Illyrian Gazette reports that Macedonia is mourning Toše Proeski, one of the most popular singers throughout the ex-Yugoslav states, who was killed in a car accident in Croatia.


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Pakistan: Bomb Blasts in Karachi · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Lahore and Metroblogging Karachi on the bomb blasts in Karachi attacking Benazir Bhutto.


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Pakistan: Return of Benazir · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Karachi has an open thread discussing the return of Benazir Bhutto to Pakistan.


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Puerto Rico, Dominica: Indigenous Unity  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Voice of the Taino People Online reports that the indigenous Kallinagos of Dominica and the United Confederation of Taino People have ratified an historic “Declaration of Unity”.


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Qatar: Al Jazeera and the Washington Post · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Friends of Al Jazeera discusses a the relative performances of al-Jazeera and the Washington Post during the Iraq war.


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Russia: Bukovski · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Robert Amsterdam writes about Vladimir Bukovski's return to Russia.


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Russia, England: Football · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russia beats England, in football. More at Sean's Russia Blog and Siberian Light.


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Russia: Internet Users · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“Growth in the number of Russians going online has slowed overall this year and may even have been reversed in some places,” Window on Eurasia reports.


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Russia, Iran: Putin in Tehran · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Details of Putin's visit to Tehran – at Window on Eurasia, Sean's Russia Blog, Robert Amsterdam's blog, and Informed Comment: Global Affairs.


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Robber Talk · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Blogging from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Abeni is still chuckling over the tale of the “not-too-bright robber”.


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Taiwan: “Lust, Cautioin” and Debate on Patriotic traitor  · Global Voices
Ip Iam-chong

As Ethan Hunt said in her blog (zh), Ang Lee's Lust, Caution aroused a debate on re-appraisal of the “patriotic traitors” during the anti-Japanese war (1937-1945) in Taiwan.  The blogger has scanned a debate between two Taiwan scholars Lung Ying Tai and Wang Yongzu in her blog.  Lung rereads the historical records and argues that Ding Mocun (represented by Tony Leung in the movie) did not deserve to die because of his contribution to the KMT government. She suggested we should not impose a strict judgment on these “patriotic traitors” who lived in a chaotic era. But Wang Yongzu disagrees with her and challenges the reliability of the historical evidence she provided.

author: Ip Iam-chong


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Trinidad & Tobago: Cultural Legacies  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Cultural Literacy features an excerpt of an interview with Dr. Eric Doumerc in which he talks about West Indian legacies that ought to be cherished.


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Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana: Cricket Highs and Lows · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

West Indies Cricket Blog marks a high and a low in the world of cricket: the bestowing of “the major honour of the Order of Jamaica” on international cricket umpire Steve Bucknor; and the “disgraceful” treatment of the Trinidad and Tobago cricket team in Guyana.


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Ukraine: Tragedy in Dnipropetrovsk · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

On Oct. 13, a gas explosion destroyed much of a 10-story apartment building in Dnipropetrovsk, killing at least 23 people (including seven children).
Dnipropetrovsk-based LJ user didaio (Denis Davydov) has been at the site of the tragedy, blogging about it ever since it occurred. Below are excerpts from his posts (UKR).
Saturday, October 13, 2007 – 5:44 PM:
[…] It was in the morning that the people living within 1 km [of the building that would explode] smelled strong gas odor. Soon afterwards, gas pipe valves in the apartments got blown off, and gas started coming out under high pressure. They called the [Ministry of Emergency Situations] and gas service, but were told that there was nothing wrong and they just had to open their windows a bit. Around 10:30 AM, gas stoves in the neighboring buildings burst into flames. Firefighters showed up some 15 minutes later, and, as they were going up the stairs, the explosion occurred. Eyewitnesses say it happened at 10:45 AM.
[…]
Victor Bondar, governor of [Dnipropetrovsk region], arrived together with [minister of emergency situations] Nestor Shufrych. It was around 3 PM then, four hours after the blast. As of 4 PM, [Dnipropetrovsk] mayor hasn't arrived yet, and everyone is waiting for him.
Everything's organized horribly! People aren't being notified of anything. Apartment owners can't find out about the fate of their relatives who were inside the building at the time of the the blast. Some have been evacuated via fire escapes, but others haven't been able to use them to descend by themselves. […]
The police who encircle the building are telling people to go to the auditorium at Pryvatbank located nearby, but there's no auditorium there. In fact, the headquarters is behind Pryvatbank, at a kindergarten. In a small, unlit room, lists of the building's residents are being made.
[…]
It's been raining heavily since morning in Dnipropetrovsk today, and this is why many people were at home at the time of the explosion. There were many children among them.
Some parents, for example, went to the market, leaving their children at home. One woman, who lives in the most damaged [section of the building], told journalists that her daughter was inside the apartment, with a friend who had dropped by. The daughter's fate is unknown.
At the HQ, there's a room for those seeking urgent psychological assistance, but no one has been there yet. The woman who knows nothing about her daughter's fate is at the garage near the building, which was unlocked for journalists, to keep them out of the rain. There are no doctors around her, only her husband.
And there are many people like her here.
People in bathrobes are wandering around the neighborhood with infants wrapped in blankets in their hands. […]
Sunday, October 14, 2007 – 1:29 AM:
[…] [Victor Yanukovych] arrived at 7:30 PM [Oct. 13]. […] They visited the site of the tragedy and then went to talk to the residents of the unlucky building. Most of those who were present were on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and so as soon as the premier started talking, they interrupted him and began asking: why didn't the gas services arrive right after they had been called, a few hours before the tragedy; why aren't they cleaning away the debris – there are still children buried beneath them and one can hear their voices. Also, the people were asking about new apartments, aid and the permission to go to their old apartments – those that were intact – to take away some belongings and documents.
People were really annoyed with the amount of the premier's security. “There is more ‘Berkut’ [riot police] and cops than there are rescuers,” one woman was screaming. “They've filled the pits with pebbles for you, so that there were no pits when you show up, but when we were trying to reach the gas service, we were being told that they are out of gasoline and [can't come],” one of the victims was saying to the premier.
[…] [Yulia Tymoshenko arrived around 8:30 PM] and said she wanted to see the tragedy site. It's about 200 meters away from the HQ. The path is more like an unplowed field after heavy rain than a city road. Tymoshenko didn't get into the car, but walked right through this mud in her high-heeled shoes. An hour earlier, Victor Yanukovych decided to ride a car rather than walk.
[On her way back], Tymoshenko was stopped by the people standing behind the cordon. It's hard to find words to describe the state they were in. Many of them appeared deranged, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Some were crying out: “Yulia, punish the guilty ones.” Some were asking for help, asking to make sure that the government didn't leave the people alone, face to face with this problem. With Yanukovych, people were making charges against him, while with Tymoshenko, they were turning for her as if she were a savior.
[…]
This tragedy could've been averted! It wasn't a terror attack. When you stand next to the ruin that's three floors high and realize there are people underneath, your legs become numb. And it could've been enough to just react to the people's phone calls! Imagine there's a fire in the apartment, the owner calls the firefighters, but they reply: “Turn the water on in the bathroom and don't worry.” Shufrych states emotionally: “I'll strangle the guilty ones personally,” “I won't be the minister if the guilty one aren't punished,” but even now representatives of the communal services nob towards one another and blame everyone but themselves. […]
Sunday, October 14, 2007 – 9:59 PM:
[…] People who lived on the 9th and 10th floors of Entrance #1 were allowed to go to their apartments to take the most necessary things (warm clothes and documents). Those who had pets at home were let in first. Only two members from each family were allowed to go in. It was mostly the women who did, because they knew what clothes to take and where to find it. And so they go downstairs with big sacks, and it's about 50 meters from the building's entrance to the police cordon. The women are dragging these sacks all by themselves – because the police do not allow men to get at least 10 meters inside the cordoned-off area to help the women. The whole neighborhood can, perhaps, hear the women wail, and these bastards, the cops, aren't even trying to help them!
All this just minutes after Shufrych was talking self-importantly about the need to treat the victims with care, support them, etc. […]
Sunday, October 14, 2007 – 10:20 PM:
[Five photos by Stanislav Vedmid, two photos by LJ user didaio]
[…]
didaio:
I don't want to scare anyone or ruin anyone's mood tonight, but these photos [fail to convey] what's really going on there. […]
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 – 8:54 AM:
Another day has gone by. What's lost behind the numbers of the dead, the missing and the wounded is information on the main culprits in this horrible tragedy. So here's a little bit on the Dniprogas company.
[It] belongs to one of the richest Russians, the owner of the world's largest aluminum company, Victor Vekselberg. […]
[…]
Stories of life and death.
One resident […] was asleep when the explosion occurred. Without losing consciousness, without falling out of bed, he “descended” on this bed from the 7th floor to the 3rd, and got buried underneath the debris from the upper floors. He survived. When he heard steps nearby, he started calling for help. It turned out these were the steps of a rescuer, and he dragged the man from under the ruins. […]
Another woman found by the rescuers was fully dressed, with all the documents and money. She had enough time to take everything, but, so unfortunately, no time to survive. […]
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 – 9:19 AM:
Yesterday, it became clear once again that human beings are capable of getting used to any conditions. […] People [affected by the Dnipropetrovsk disaster] are already thinking about the future. They are considering the proposed compensation options, trying to rescue at least some of their belongings […].
[…]
There've also been fuss today caused by the President's visit today. Urgently, they are laying asphalt over the pits around the site of the tragedy, flattening the ground, cutting the trees, repairing the school that houses the HQ, replacing lightbulbs in street lamps. The only thing they aren't doing is, perhaps, painting the earth. Everyone who's here finds this extremely annoying. […]


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Argentina: Candidate and Web 2.0 · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Pablo Mancini [ES] writes about candidate for provincial governor Francisco de Navárez and his use of  Flickr, Del.icio.us, Picasa, Odeo, Soapbox, YouTube, and now Second Life to reach potential voters.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Argentina: Wordcamp in Buenos Aires · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

On October 31, Wordcamp 2007 [ES] will be held and is “a conference for users and developers of WordPress; covering topics that will help you blog, know your audience and meet other bloggers.


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Bahamas: Facing the Issues  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Quite clearly we are a nation of morons I think,” writes WeblogBahamas.com guest author Bruce Raine, as he details the issues he believes the country should actually be focusing on.


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Bangladesh: Art, Brick Lane, female writers and Bangla E-Books · Global Voices
Rezwan

Enough with politics that usually dominate the posts in the Bangladeshi blogosphere. Let's start this week's round-up with some arts, movies and literature related pieces.
Sid of Serious Golmal writes a well informative article on the life of S M Sultan, the master painter of Bangladesh commemorating his 13th death anniversary. Sultan was born in Norail (in Kushtia in the southwest of Bangladesh) in 1923. Born to a mason, he was a natural talent and did not complete his study in the Calcutta College of Arts and Crafts. Later on he created a wave in the West when he visited USA and UK under a cultural exchange program and displayed his paintings. From 1953 to 1976 Sultan lived in virtual obscurity, living the life of a Vaishnava Sanyasi.
(The First Tree Planting: Sultan 1976: courtesy Serious Golmal)
“Sultan’s paintings may be sold at Sotheby’s in London today but for the people of rural Norail, the guru entered folk legend more than half a century ago. They tell us that animals were drawn to him, that he could converse with them, that hundreds of his works are scattered all over the world in all manner of places, given away as gifts, that he cared not for fame or material wealth, choosing to travel from village to village, country to country, returning at last to his source.
He lived in three continents but never had a fixed abode, never attached prices to his work, never married. He wore his hair long, chose to live out his days in rural Bengal with his dogs, cats, rabbits, birds and snakes rather than the big international cities that beckoned when recognition of his genius came early in his life.”
Kotha Chilo (Stories to tell) blog reviews the movie based on Monica Ali's award winning novel Brick Lane. The filming of Brick Lane caught much media attention because of protests of some members of Bangladeshi communities in the UK and the unit had to change location of filming to avoid threats. But Monica Ali maintains that “the ‘controversy’ was whipped up in the media”.
“Monica Ali's 2003 novel Brick Lane was feted for its ability to blend the personal and the political as it recounted the experiences of a young Bangladeshi woman's journey of self-discovery. It was illuminating about the hidden lives of Britain's Bangladeshi community and the growing racism abroad in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The respectable film version heavily compresses the novel into a less complex but still touching, small-scale tale of female empowerment that almost feels like a variation of Shirley Valentine.”
Bangla Blogging platform Sachalayatan [bn] boasts of being more of an online writers’ community rather than a collection of some conventional blogs. It has been promoting budding as well as established writers to post their literary works there. And adding more to the task it has already published a few literary E-books in Pdf versions and has more collaborative projects [bn] in hand. Now users can read it online or download their copy of the literature free, print it and read it like a conventional book.
The first publications is a collection of poems of Sunil Saifullah, a notable young poet who prematurely ended his life in 1981. Some of his poems were only once published by the students union of his University (Jahangirnagar University) in 1982. But these few books went into oblivion in course of time and now he is barely known to people of Bangladesh. Bloggers of Sachalayatan first discussed about his works, went to the University library to collect a copy of the book and recreate the Book. You can download the book from here [bn].
Some comments [bn] on the feat:
সৌরভ: জয় হোক এ উদ্যোগের। এ চেষ্টার মাধ্যমেই জন্ম জন্মান্তরে সজীব থাকুন আমাদের মাঝে কবি সুনীল সাইফুল্লাহ।
সুমন রহমান: বাংলা সাহিত্যে এরকম সারপ্রাইজ আরো কিছু আছে। আমার মনে সচলায়তনের ই-বুক প্রকল্প দিয়ে সেসবের সুরাহা আমরা করতে পারবো।
Another recent Bangla E-Book publication “Fele Asha Chelebela” is a 109 page collection of childhood memoirs of twenty one bloggers which portrays the true picture of the lives of Bangladeshi youths, society, their upbringings etc. Its popularity prompted the bloggers to decide to publish it in future as a printed book with more collections of writings. You can download it from here [bn].
You never know some day these collaborative Bangla E-books with the help of New Media will be able to really change the scenario of literature of the country.
And last but not the least please do read the recent writings of the female bloggers of the Nari Joibon project to know about Bangladesh from their view. Nari Jibon is a not-for-profit organization in Bangladesh who is providing education to poor and under-privileged women making them self reliant through different short term education and skill development programs. It has brought these female voices to Blogging with the help of a Rising Voices micro-grant.

author: Rezwan


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Barbados: New TV Licenses?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Election season promises in Barbados have included talk of new TV stations – Notes From The Margin suspects “the politicians may well find that by the time they are ready to grant a TV license, no one may want one any more.”


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Brazil: Robinho’s ‘you go that way, I’ll go this way’ dribble · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

Bruno Romani shares the video clip where Brazilian football player Robinho presents his new dribble “You go that way, I’ll go this way”, during the Brazil 5 x 0 Ecuador World Cup Qualifiers game.


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Cambodia: Cambodian Currency · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Mongkol looks at the history of Cambodia's currency.


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Cambodia: Investor Arrested for Sex Crime Against Minors · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Details are Sketchy informs of a Russian Investor who has been arrested in Cambodia for allegedly having sex with minors.


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Cambodia: Prostitution in Cambodia · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Uncle Sok encounters prostitution in Phnom Penh and requests the authorities to clean it up. (via DAS)


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Central & Eastern Europe: “Human Capital” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Edward Lucas writes about “a lack of brainpower” in Eastern and Central Europe.


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China: Blogger Reactions to Youtube Block · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Kenneth Tan from Shanghaiist has put together bloggers’ reactions to the blocking of youtube in China.


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China: Should I Shut Up? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Liu Xiao-yuan wondered if he should shut up (zh) in his Sinablog after Sina has deleted 4 of his posts including 1. an article on the clapping culture of 17th Party Congress (via sohu); 2. an article on the pace of political reform (via sohu); 3. Sina's crazy delete policy; 4. why Sina care about criticism if it is so keen on deleting post?


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China: Silence about Top Leader Reshuffle · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Josie Liu from China in Transition noticed that mainstream media in China has been silent about top leader reshuffle in the 17th Party Congress.


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Kazkahstan: Credit Crunch · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Ben reflects on the troubles of Kazakhstan’s foreign capital dependent financial sector and the measures that have been proposed by the government to support it.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Dominica: Nature’s Music · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Living Dominica dances to the new soundtrack of her life…


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Egypt: My Different Feelings Towards Blogging · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

You consciously decide to blog about your life and go into personal details. Then you realise that all your relatives and friends have been reading your blog.
Now that you are exposed, are you as free as you thought you were?
Egyptian blogger Mohamed El Tohamy (Aka 2-Hamy) tackles this issue here (Ar) and writes about his new feelings towards blogging.
بعد فترة في التدوين .. عرفت أسهل طريق في نجاح المدونات هو أن تكتب موضوعات السياسية و أرتبطت فكرة السياسية بمعنى كلمة مدونة عن الناس البعيدة عن المجال ..ولكني فضلت أن أدون عني وعن حياتي الشخصية وعن أصدقائي .. ظلت مدونتي نجاحه حتى أصبحت عائلتي و أصدقائي و معارفي تتابع المدونة ..لم أعد أكتب مثل ما قبل ..لم أعد أشعر بحريتي وتمنيت لو كنت شخصية خفية لا احد يعرف من أنا ؟ بدأت أشعر أن كلامي سوف يحسب في يوم من الأيام عليا .. لدى شعور غريب أن شخص غريب سوف يظهر في حياتي ويكون قرأ كل ما كتبت … تخيل شخص يعرف عنك كل شئ وأنت لا تعرف عنه اى شئ
لا أستطيع أن امتنع عن التدوين ولا أستطيع أن أعود إلى الماضي و أن أدون بحرية
After blogging for a while, I realised that the simplest way to have a successful blog is by writing about political subjects. People not familiar with blogging linked politics to blogging. However I preferred to write about my personal life and friends. And my blog became successful until I found out that my family and friends read it. And then I found myself not capable of writing as before. I am not comfortable any more, and wished that I was a hidden person whom no one knew. I started to feel that everything I say will be taken against me. I have a strange feeling that someone I don't know will show up in my life and that one will be reading every post I wrote. Can you imagine that there is someone who knows everything about you, and you know nothing about him/her.
I just cannot stop blogging; I cannot go back in time and I also cannot write as freely as I used to do before.

author: Tarek Amr


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Tajikistan: Endangered Pamiris · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Vadim raises the issue of deteriorating situation with children's low show-up in the schools of mountaneous and socially disadvantaged Gorno-Badakshan region of Tajikistan.


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Estonia: Nicknames · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Itching for Eestimaa writes about Estonian nicknames.


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Kyrgyzstan: Fashion Week · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Asel briefly tells about the fashion show currently taking place in the Kyrgyz capital city.


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Hong Kong: More about ‘External Manipulation’ in Hong Kong  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN has translated and put together reports and blog posts on the “external manipulation” in Hong Kong. Instead of asking whether there is effective manipulation, he looked into the question why would anyone (in this case the head of democratic party Martin Lee and Sin Chung-kai) meet with John Negroponte to discuss human rights?


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India: Inter-faith Marriages · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Sunny Days responds to a comment that appears to oppose inter-faith marriages.


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India: Women and Spirituality · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Mountaintop on spiritual literature and the indifference or denial of women's sexuality.


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Iran:Global Warming and our brains · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Paris Marashi,Iranian-American blogger says today in Pop!Tech conference, Dan Gilbert, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, spoke about risk, specifically our ability to deal with the risk of global warming given the nature of our brains.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:Paris Marashi writes about Pop!Tech · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Paris Marashi,Iranian-American vlogger/blogger,has been invited to Pop!Tech conference.She writes:”On Wednesday, a series of sessions were hosted with topics ranging from Slow Food, Mobile Empowerment, The oceans, and Islam. Mobile Empowerment: Dialing Social Change was a Wednesday session with EPROM, Mobile Active, and Nokia.”


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Iran:Protect Environment · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Small Candle reminds[Fa] that there are no signs of (Persian) Lions in Khuzestan province and (Persian) Tigers in Mazandaran in Iran.The blogger asks us to become more responsible people regarding animals and environment.


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Japan: Starving in the Land of Plenty · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

The recent story of a man starving to death [Ja] as a result of not being able to receive welfare assistance, made famous thanks to his having documented his last days in a diary, sparked many Japanese bloggers to reflect on the broader implications of their country's welfare policy.
Blogger SkyTeam connects the death by starvation to policies of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party:
餓死した患者さんは肝臓病や糖尿病があったということですが、そういう病人さんの布団を剥ぐような真似をするのが「美しい日本」と「抵抗勢力と戦った」自民党政治の結果です。
大半の方には生活保護などまったく関係ないと思われますが、この地区の生活保護世帯の生活保護の認定は厳しいと聞いております。きちんと大手マスコミも報道すべきでしょうが・・・新聞記事にもなりませんね。
もちろん、生活保護を受けてながら、勝手気ままな生活を送っている方も中には見えます・・・でも、生活の糧を得るための最終手段を奪うのは行き過ぎのようにも思います。
Blogger Sen, meanwhile, discusses the particularly harsh policy toward welfare assistance enacted by the local government in Kita Kyushu:
生活保護というのは、最後のセーフティネットではなかったのか？北九州市で、生活保護をなかば強制的に辞退させられたかたが、誰にも看取られること無く、亡くなっているのが発見された。
生活保護の申請は、国民、市民なら、誰でも申請できるはずのもの。がしかし、北九州市では、「北九州方式」と呼ばれる、生活保護申請をノルマを掲げて削減に取組んでいるというから、愕然とします。
Blogger Masami analyzes a report about local welfare policy in Kyushu, excerpting and commenting on key passages. One of these passages describes citizen participation in the drafting of budget decisions:
当然のことだが、この間の生活保護行政については、毎年、市議会の予算、決算の議決を受け、関係する常任委員会でも審議されてきた。「生活保護のありよう」は、市民の代表である議会から認められてきた。いいかえれば、市民の支持があったのである。
Masami observes that:
この「市民の支持があった」については、末尾（４７ページから）に添付されているアンケートを見ても想像できた。不正受給に対する市民の怒りのようなものを感じた。
Finally, blogger lastchristmas looks into the future and asks where the current policy will lead Japan in the future:
でも、これからどうなるのでしょうか・・。
ますますこのような状況になりそうな感じもします。
誰でも病気などで職を失う可能性はあるわけですから、生活の保障や身寄りがなければありえますよね。
お金があっても生活保護の支給を受けている人もいるらしいですが、本当に必要な人の保護を打ち切るのはやめてほしいです。


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Kyrgyzstan: Kindergarten Politics · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Azamat Report reviews political party arena in Kyrgyzstan amidst President Bakiev's recent announcement about creation of his own party.


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Moldova: A Table Game · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Wu Wei is wondering how many times one can play a game entitled “Where is Moldova?”.


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Nepal: Traffic and Anarchy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Wagle Street Journal on the anarchy that is the traffic in Kathmandu.


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Pakistan: In the wake of the attacks · Global Voices
Omer Alvie

On her return from an eight year self imposed exile, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was welcomed to Karachi with a procession of thousands of her supporters, and two successful suicide bombers. The attack resulted in 136 dead, hundreds more injured and a public that was left in utter shock, obviously due to the nature and scale of the attack.
The initial responses from all Pakistani politicians was the same until the following morning, when the blame for the attack ricocheted in every direction hitting everyone from Musharaf, to the intelligence agencies, to the MQM leader Altaf Hussain, and then finally hitting Al Qaeda and the Taliban (according to Benazir).
Needless to say, the public have their own opinion about who is ultimately responsible.
The Pakistani blogosphere naturally reacted instantly to this horrific terrorist attack. All Things Pakistan presented an appropriate reaction to the event; The Pakistani Spectator concludes that the attack will generate further support for the PPP; and Ali Eteraz describes the scene of the crime and the resulting reaction to the attack.
Tears of the moon, writes an angered response on the political scene in Pakistan,
First of, we all know we are blessed with the most conscientious of leaders… Leaders? Let me rephrase that… We have been blessed with politicians deigned to rule us with all their gracious, sloth like selves encased in gilded cages and bullet proof enclosures. They are for the ‘awam’ while they stand behind hordes of people from the awam to keep them safe from the awam. Oxymoron, is it? But just the term, moron should suffice here!
An interesting point brought up by Dr. Shahid Masood (a political commentator on the ARY channel) was that he was personally informed by Benazir Bhutto that she had sent a letter to Pervez Musharaf, prior to her traveling to Pakistan, listing out the names of three (political) personalities who should be investigated as possible suspects, in case she was killed in an attack upon her arrival to Pakistan. She naturally kept the names confidential. (Just thought I'd throw this in there to stir the pot a bit)
Zindagi holds the mayor Karachi responsible for the lapse of security, while the Glasshouse who held an optimistic view of Benazir's arrival back to Pakistan wrote an addendum to his post (following the attack) highlighting some interesting initial responses to the event.
Senior PPP party members were quick to blame the regime's secret agencies for carrying out these blasts. A successful return for Benazir Bhutto does threaten the Musharraf regime, so these accusations do have a logical basis, particularly when these agencies are known for carrying out such incidents.
Desicritcs presented some intriguing facts about who could be responsible for the attack, as does the Counterterrorism blog. And finally, Beyond the Punchline lays partial blame of the high body count on Benazir herself.
Just to let you all know, I am also returning to Karachi after an 8 month self-exile (work related), sometime in the first week of November. Don't worry, I don't have a welcome procession planned for my arrival.

author: Omer Alvie


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Kazakhstan: Panic over Prices · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Gulnaz reports on the panic in Karaganda, which was caused by unprecedentedly sudden and harsh rise in prices for goods of first priority [RUS].


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Philippines: Deadly Mall Blast Shocks Filipinos · Global Voices
Tonyo Cruz

Citizen journalism and citizen punditry is alive in the Philippine blogosphere, and we saw this within minutes of a deadly blast at the popular Glorietta mall in Makati City, the country's financial capital.
As of posting time, eight have been confirmed killed while 120 others were being treated for various types of injuries.
Manuel L. Quezon III rounded up first-hand accounts, initial reactions and updates. Also taking note of furious blogging about the bombing was Blog Addicts. In fact, Inquirer came out with a special site on the incident.
Photos of the crime scene or disaster area taken and posted by Disney Cute Land are now all over the internet, including the frontpage of the country's most popular news website.
Videos courtesy of Gambit01 who was at Glorietta could be viewed here.
My Life was there when it happened:
It was just an ordinary friday afternoon and we were assigned to man the booth at Glorietta. Its actually located beside the Havin a Baby store at Glorietta 1. We were scheduled to man the booth from 10am – 3pm since another group would be manning from 3pm to closing time. Around 12:30pm, Didith ate her lunch and left Jacy and I behind. When she got back after eating, Jacy said she was still too full to eat while I was really planning on eating once I go home.
Around 1:30pm we were saying that we need to give away all of our fliers before the next group comes in. Then I distinctly remember I was seating on the couch facing the Glorietta 2 side when I heard a big boom. Together with the big boom was an earth shattering like earthquake. Then in just a couple of seconds, I saw something fell from the ceiling. It was a big chunk but it looked like it didn't weigh much. Then everybody started running as fast as they could towards our direction
Calls for prayers came out from citizens, including pas_la_truie. Babble On says:
let’s also pray for the long term implications of this event. Remember we have the Human Security Act now in effect in the Philippines. Plus there’s a lot of political chaos going on, with accusations of bribery, impeachments complaints, calls for resignation and large scale corruption charges being hurled everywhere. Political alliances are slowly breaking, and the last thing we need is a “terrorist attack,” if it is one, to splinter the remaining stability we have.
For mallrats and those with fond memories of Glorietta. the incident boggles the mind, says Akomismo:
A bomb hit Glorietta 2 while I was ending my class with Rosal today. For me, G2 was where I used to get my comics (Filbar’s) and the last thing I bought in that area was an R2-D2 Mr. Potato Head I gave to a friend for her birthday. The store where I bought that toy is now gone.
Akomismo also shared that his mom was there and, thankfully, got spared:
Mom was there when it happened. She was packing her stuff in the Gold’s Gym locker room when the bomb hit. For her the sound is unforgettable — just imagine an entire hallway of glass shattering and stone breaking both punctuated by high-pitched wails and unadulterated screams. Dust from the debris found its way to the locker rooms about 150m away from the site of the blast. Thankfully she made it out unharmed and relaxed despite being incredibly afraid. She is proud to discover that she can remain calm awhile everyone else went into a frenzied panic. These are the days I am inclined to believe in a God and His angels; regardless I am thankful.
Tragic, yes, but The Four-eyed Journal is a but suspicious about the bombing and begs answers to some questions:
Why was there no reports or warnings or intelligence alerts that we get to recieve every now and then during the height of the call for the GMA to resign and coup rumors to overthrow her administration?
The government’s intelligence units were so quick to issue warnings of terror alerts or coup attempts or plots to destabilize the government last year. But now that something horrible did happened, why is the government acting too calm and collected, it’s as equally disturbing as the bombing itself?
What happened to all that training and assistance, particularly anti-terror related training, exercises, assistance the AFP got from the US military?
Is this another ploy of the administration to distract the public from the recent wave of scandals that has once more ‘exploded’ into its face? Or is it a signal to all its opponents and critics that this administration would not go down without a fight?
The suspicions have become widespread that The Warrior Lawyer explains:
This may be a case of the tail wagging the dog, as Malacanang operatives are supposedly looking for ways to redirect public attention away from the latest shenanigans involving President Arroyo and her immediate circle. The Makati Business Club has labeled the incident a possible “diversionary tactic”. Sen. Trillanes warns against Arroyo’s setting the stage for a declaration of emergency rule. These reactions were prompted by the obvious question: Who has most to gain in the immediate term by this fomenting an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty?
People are now looking intensely at the investigation and staying vigilant over possible maneuvers by the President to use the incident to justify emergency rule or martial law.

author: Tonyo Cruz


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Russia: A St. Petersburger in Moscow · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russian bloggers are, of course, eagerly discussing the upcoming elections and other newsworthy political developments, but there's still plenty of room in the country's blogosphere for apolitical reflection. Below is one example.
Two days ago, during her visit to Moscow, LJ user aneta_spb (St. Petersburg journalist Svetlana Gavrilina) wrote this sketch (RUS) – and filed it from “the-street-named-after-I've-again-forgotten-who” in Kuzminki district of the Russian capital, where she is currently staying:
MOSCOW
The terrible thing they've got is their subway.
I used to have some grasp on this system, but I no longer understand anything. How can stations located side by side belong to different lines, why are the areas around turnstiles completely covered with pieces of paper, and sometimes, in the train cars, old newspapers are scattered around, and in general, when you've finally entered the subway, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're riding somewhere, because first, you have to run through a kilometer of some passes and escalators…
There are dogs walking inside the subway, and crows and doves flying around.
What's convenient here is that everywhere, on every corner, you can buy what you need – a pastry, cigarettes, socks, a t-shirt, lotion, etc. Of course, all this street trade results in total mud and suspicious individuals standing around, but if you just need a shirt, you can't run around the boutiques, right?..
Prices. Just like our own, or, perhaps, one or two rubles lower.
The people. There are many kind and unhappy ones. The girls at cafes are polite.
And – they are giving directions there now. Before, no one knew anything. Perhaps, it's because there are many “ponayekhavshiye” [newcomers, non-Muscovites] there now, who have to know the city well…
Absolutely crazy construction everywhere. As for parking, traffic, crossing the street, they are all kamikaze here, I think.
Many individuals with unmistakably edinorosskiye [United Russia, pro-Putin party] mugs. Yes, it's almost like it's written on their mugs, especially near some government offices.
Khrushchyoby [residential areas where most building were built under Nikita Khrushchev; khrushchyoba rhymes with and is a derivative of trushchyoba, a slum] – (I'm staying in one of them) – [they are just like anywhere else, nothing extraordinary].
I haven't seen a wholesome image of the city so far, but I haven't had too much time, and I was all nervous and sick yesterday, but it hasn't happened today, either.
All in all, there's not much to imitate for our city's imitators. But they do imitate anyway.
Though, there are ideas that could be borrowed – like, a flower bed here and there, flowers.
Below are some comments to this post:
lxe:
I haven't seen a wholesome image of the city so far
There's no such thing. [Moscow is an] archipelago.
aneta_spb:
I don't know, I used to sense it before. Even if it's an archipelago.
avla:
[…] It's a big village […].
aneta_spb:
Yeah. With weird street names. Saw a Komissariatsky Pereulok [Commissariat Lane] yesterday. I mean, we have weird names, too [in St. Petersburg], but mainly [on the outskirts], while Komissariatsky is in the very center [of Moscow]!
(I remember in St. Petersburg-Leningrad, there was Ulitsa Krasnogo Elektrika [Red Electrician Street], and it was always making me laugh, because I, somehow, could very vividly imagine this red electrician…)
vika33:
everywhere, on every corner, you can buy what you need
Aha, Sveta, I've noticed this, too. And there are public bathrooms at every corner. :)
And in the subway – and only there, though not at every station – there's wonderful Mexican fast food. :)
And a great Zoo. :)
So Moscow does have certain advantages. ;)
aneta_spb:
I've got enough of the Zoo in the political reality :-))) […]


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Slovenia: Lojze Podobnik · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

TOL's Romantic writes about Lojze Podobnik, a Slovenian author writing on the Romani culture and way of life.


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Sri Lanka: On Virginity · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Cynically Yours on virginity, comments on a previous post and the notion of technical virginity.


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Sri Lanka: What the blogs are saying · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

London, Lanka and Drums crawls through the Sri Lankan blogosphere to find us some wonderful posts.


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Taiwan: 2007 Taiwan Pride Parade · Global Voices
Leonard Chien

On October 13th, the fifth Taiwan Pride Parade took place in the eastern district of Taipei. Close to fifteen thousand people joined in this activity. The theme this year is “Rainbow Power.” Participants are divided into seven groups, wearing and holding seven different colors to form a huge rainbow on ground. This is the embodiment of LGBT pride!
Copyright c This image provided by A-Guo, Taiwan Pride Parade. All rights reserved.
(Photo from peellden's flickr)
(Photo from A-Meow's flickr)
這次參加遊行的團體，來自從各角度關懷性別以及人權議題的團體。包括全台灣各大專院校的性別研究學系與相關社團、性別人權協會、台灣人權促進會以及婦女新知等等團體。除此之外，也有著不同性別認同的團體，以及長期關懷愛滋病友人權的關愛之家、愛之抱抱團等團體。
Organizations joining this parade are concerned with gender and human rights issues from various perspectives, including departments and clubs from many universities, Gender/Sexuality Rights Association Taiwan, Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Awakening Foundation[zh], etc. Harmony Home Association Taiwan, which long focuses on HIV/AIDS human rights issues, and Freehugs for HIV/AIDS[zh] are also present.
在這次的遊行團體當中，還可以看到幾位媽媽帶著才幾個月大的孩童參加遊行。她們正是同志家庭權益促進會的成員。同志家庭權益促進會一直為了同志合法結婚以及 合法領養的權益而努力。以電子報的方式，發送關於同志結婚以及領養的相關訊息，而現在也在朝向電子報紙本化的方向而努力。今年也與三缺一劇團，合作了〈一百種回家的方法〉的劇碼，以戲劇的方式表達同志組成家庭的困境。
In the parade, several mothers walk with their infants. They are members of Homosexual Family Rights Association[zh]. This advocacy group has been promoting gay marriages and adoption. They issue e-papers about related information and are trying to publish printed edition. This year, the association cooperated with theatrical company “Short One Player” to perform a play named “A Hundred Ways of Going Home[zh],” trying to emphasize difficulties that homosexuals face when having a family.
My mom is a lesbian and she is perfect. (Photo from piglee&awid's Wretch)
One child and two mothers equal to a happy homosexual family. (Photo from peellden's flickr)
Freehugs for HIV/AIDS. (Photo from A-Meow's flickr)
Besides a happy festival, this parade has a serious request. Independent media Coolloud writes[zh]:
今天的遊行提出訂定「反性別歧視法」、「同居伴侶法」等訴求，主要針對LGBT社群在就業、婚姻、求學過程中遭到的歧視與 制度上的阻礙；除此之外，國家機 關透過社會秩序維護法、刑法235條等惡法，與警察機關利用「釣魚」等方式對「援交」、「性工作者」採取不人道的對待；對於LGBT社群聚集的場所，惡意 地掃蕩、破壞社群的生存權利。即將在今年12月9日國際人權日前夕舉辦外勞大遊行的台灣國際勞工協會秘書長吳靜如特別上台，希望今天參與遊行的朋友們，一 起來參加外勞的遊行，她說，就因為外勞與性邊緣者，同處弱勢的地位，所以他們在居住權、就業、性自主等，備受壓迫，她希望外勞、同志，所有的弱勢者可以一 起走向多彩的社會。
The parade asks Legislative Yuan (the Congress) to pass “No Gender Discrimination Law” and “Cohabitation Law” in order to eliminate discriminations and institutional challenges that LGBT community faces in school, marriage and job market. In addition, the government treats sex workers inhumanely by using Social Order Maintenance Act and Articale 235 of Penal Code. Police sets up traps to arrest sex workers and maliciously sweeps LGBT gathering places. On December 9th this year, Taiwan International Workers Association will hold a migrant workers parade[zh] on the eve of Human Rights Day. Secrectary general of TIWA, Wu Jing-ru calls on everyone to join that parade because sexual minority and international workers are both disadvantaged groups. Both groups are oppressed in terms of housing rights, employment and sexual autonomy. She hopes internaional workers, LGBT and all disadvantaged people can come together towards a diversified society.
“Is transexual wrong? Is transexual wrong? Is transgender wrong? Is transgender wrong?” This beautiful lady chanted “Trangender is not guilty” in the parade and asked national health insurance to cover transgender operations. (Photo from Yang Chih-Hsiang‘s flickr)
Participants ask the government to draft “No Gender Discrimination Law” and “Cohabitation Law”. (Photo from peellden's flickr)
Ykan, a lesbian, writes down her thoughts after the parade[zh]:
中途看到形形色色的人，有的人真的好勇敢！高喊著：
”同志不是罪，同志沒有錯”
”我是同志，要求平等”
”變性有錯嗎？”
”還我人權”
I see so many different brave people shouting:
“Homosexuals are not guilty! Homosexuals are not wrong!”
“I am gay. I want equality.”
“Is transexual wrong?”
“Give back my rights!”
天后張惠妹的到來掀起了高潮，我不是第一次看到現場的阿妹演出，但我是第一次這麼的喜歡阿妹，因為她對同志的友善，沒有商業，沒有渲染，有的是看到她對同志滿滿的好感和關心，還有付出！
The popular singer A-mei's participation excites so many people. This is not my fist time to see her live show, but this is the first time I like her so much. She is so friendly to homosexuals without any business operations. We all appreciate her contribution and consideration.
看著這麼多人、一萬五千人走上街頭，沿路被很多人拿著照相機，攝影機拍著，沒有畏畏縮縮，只有驕傲！ 我很慶幸我來了，不然我永遠不會知道當個同志是可以很驕傲的，我們也是跟一般人一樣，我們多麼需要人權。
那一下午到晚上的感動，震撼我心，直到永遠！
15,000 people come up to the street and videotaped by others on the way. They have nothing but pride! I am glad that I am here, otherwise I will never know it can be proud to be a homosexual. Just like others, we need human rights so much.I am moved and touched by this event forever!
For more pictures, you can look at photoalbums of Flickr users Damon Lin and sunnydoll. shafferswows has uploaded several clips of A-mei's performance that night on Youtube.
Originally written in Chinese by GV Chinese team member, FoolFitz

author: Leonard Chien


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Thailand: Drug Abuse and Enforcement in Thailand · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Real Life Thailand looks at the state of Drug Abuse and Law Enforcement in relation to Drugs related offences in Thailand.


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Thailand: Staying Safe in Phuket · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The Lost Boy has some tips on how to stay safe in the Thai tourist town of Phuket.


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

“I fear that on the morning of 6 November, we'll wake up and find that we're only just starting to realise what a mess we're in,” writes Nicholas Laughlin, as he examines the state of Trinidad and Tobago's pre-election landscape.


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Voces Bolivianas: Two Mile High Citizen Media (Part I) · Global Voices
David Sasaki

So far we have looked in detail at two of the five Rising Voices citizen media outreach award winners. In July we featured the Nari Jibon center in Bangladesh, which is teaching web 2.0 literacy to young Bangladeshi women in the capital city, Dhaka. In August we moved our sites to Colombia and discovered how bloggers there were taking advantage of the city's impressive new network of libraries to teach participatory media to marginalized youth from the neighborhoods of Santo Domingo and La Loma.
It is now time to focus our sights on El Alto, Bolivia which, at 4150 meters (13,615 feet) above sea level, is one of the highest cities in the world. It is also one of the poorest. Among young Bolivians today, El Alto is best known as the epicenter of the 2003 – 2005 Bolivian Gas War, which intermittently blocked access to the international airport, as well to oil and gas supplies. The movement likely played a role in the election of current president, Evo Morales, who campaigned heavily on his promise to nationalize the country's vast natural gas reserves.
The role of El Alto's activists have, however, given rise to a common stereotype that the mountainside suburb of La Paz is an outpost of communist rabble-rousers and little else. The portrayal of El Alto in both the English and Spanish-language mainstream media is almost always highly politicized.
The goal of Voces Bolivianas is to leave stereotypes behind and offer Alteños a chance to tell their own tales. As the project's About Page explains:
Voces Bolivianas is a participatory citizen’s media project that promotes the use of ICT (Internet and Communication Technologies) to allow Bolivians especially from underrepresented groups to share their stories about their lives and communities, thus deciding how they are represented.
On their Rising Voices project blog, Eduardo Ávila, Hugo Miranda, and Mario Duran have documented how they prepared for their successful outreach endeavour. After finding a suitable internet cafe and passing out flyers at Universidad Publica de El Alto to recruit participants, they got straight to work and held their first hands-on workshop on September 22.
In all, 23 eager participants showed up. You can visit each and every one of their blogs at the Voces Bolivianas El Alto aggregator.
Taking into account that 79% of El Alto's residents are Aymara, the Voces Bolivianas team was intent on finding a translator who was willing to translate select posts from Spanish into Aymara. Their efforts led them to Dora Romero, a full-time student and part-time translator at El Alto's Public University. The result? The first-ever Aymara-language weblog.
In addition to the group aggregator, some of the most interesting posts are also featured on the main page of the Voces Bolivianas site. Those featured posts are then translated into English and Aymara.
In the follow-up to this post we'll take a closer look at some of those featured posts and how Alteños choose to describe their own lives, their own community.

author: David Sasaki


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Turkmenistan: Good Neighbours, Good Friends · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Peter opines on the possible rapprochement of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan on the basis of political systems’ similarity and shared economic interests of the two Central Asian states.


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Environment: The Greening of Nairobi and Possible Land Grabbing at Mt. Kenya · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

There is some good news and bad news coming out of Kenya. The good news is the greening of the capital city Nairobi, and the bad news is the unfolding situation where possible land grabbing is taking place around Mt. Kenya. We will be looking at these stories in this issue of GV environment.
Beginning with the good news, Bankelele reports on the October 17th leadership forum where John Gakuo, the town clerk of Nairobi city spoke; “John Gakuo:Restoring Nairobi's Glory.”
Like former Mayor (and now Presidential Candidate) Rudy Giuliani did for New York in the mid 1990’s, John Gakuo, the town clerk of the City Council of Nairobi, is credited with the clean up of the city, making it a cleaner, safer, and a more beautiful place to visit.
The post is exhaustive in covering the aspects of change, such as lighting, parks, staffing, and the strategies employed by Mr. Gakuo in greening the city of Nairobi.
He gave his talk on the challenge of effective resource management and began by saying that resources were not the key to change, noting that some countries with abundant mineral resources, have their citizens living in extreme poverty, while others with less resources, have prudently managed what they have to achieve great things. And that was the theme of his talk – use what you have to get what you want
The success he has had at city hall has been though effective resource management and he decried leaders who use the ‘we have no money’ excuse for not doing things, noting that they should solve problems in other ways
To see the results of Mr. Gakuo's initiatives we go to the blogger and photographer egm, who posts pictures of Nairobi showing the beautiful central park, that serves as a great recreational area for the public and also as a habitat for animals as shown below.
Egm also provided Globalvoices with pictures showing the planting of trees by John Gakuo's city council on the streets of Nairobi.
And now the not-so-good news: from the blog of Richard Leakey, the celebrated paleontologist invites Ali Kaka  the Executive director of East African Wildlife society to give an update on the fence realignment away from a gazetted section of Mount Kenya forest area. The post “Fencing and fears of land grabbing at Mt. Kenya” includes an aerial photograph showing the fence that cordons off part of the forest. What this means for animals and the surrounding mount Kenya area is also included, with Ali Kaka stating
We estimate the area of forest that is being left out is about 3,000 acres. It is part of the original forest gazettment of the Mt Kenya World heritage site. Implications for conservation are primarily the loss of mature natural forest and threat to vital water catchment for this part of Mt Kenya – major river is the Burguret river with several tributaries that lead into the Burguret will be outside the new fence. For elephants it is important as important salt licks are also outside the fence. It is believed that the elephants on Mt Kenya are limited by nutrients hence their dependence on mineral deposits at various places around the mountain and if they loose access to these this is likely to limit population growth – the theory needs more research but it may explain why they are so dependent on these rich mineral areas.
More updates on this story will be available on Richard Leakey's blog.

author: Juliana Rotich


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Iran:”Dangerous Resignation of Ali Larijani” · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Mohmmad Ali Abtahi,former vice president, writes in Webneveshteha that “the news that resignation of Mr. Ali Larijani, Secretary of the [National] Security Council, was accepted, is one of the most important events in the present situation of the country…Larijani had to prepare himself for the negotiation while the president had said that the case is over and of course it is meaningless to talk about a case which is finished.”


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Iran:Save Oceans · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Three speakers spoke about saving oceans in Pop!Tech conference.Paris Marashi,Iranian-American blogger says that Claire Nouvian, a filmmaker, journalist, explains how deep sea creatures are a mystery to many, and the major threats that occur as a result of deep sea mining, dumping, and trawling.


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Korea: Eating Alone and Loneliness · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

In a major newspaper, there was a column about eating alone.
“Eating alone, you should be strong.”
Citing the script of a movie, Hope Floats, the columnist says how difficult eating alone is and especially in Korea. After the column, there is a compilation of how bloggers think about the issue.
A Japanese blogger who lives in Korea talks about her experience.
근데 여러 식당 안을 들여다봤는데 뭔가 이상하게 느꼈다. 가게는 사람으로 들끓고 있는데 그 중에서 나처럼 혼자서 먹는 사람이 단 한명도 없었던 것이었다. 다 2명이상 8명 이하의 단체 손님들이었다. 게다가 어떤 식당에는 서양사람같이 생기는 사람도 있었는데 개인주의로 유명한 서양사람조차 한국사람들과 수다를 하면서 재미있게 먹고 있었다.
‘아—나 혼자였지…아—부대찌개 먹고 싶었는데…’
잠시 음식냄새에 미쳐 오늘 내가 혼자라는 걸 깜빡하고 있었다.
‘그렇다면 어쩔 수 없지…그냥 빵이나 사서 먹어야겠다.’
나는 빵집에 가서 빵을 사서 근처 벤치에서 혼자 앉아 먹었다. 근데 역시 뭔가 이상한 느낌이 들었다. 혼자서 벤치에서 맛있는 빵을 먹고 있었는데 배가 너무나 고파서 뭘 먹어도 맛있는 터인데 왠지 빵이 맛이 없고 게다가 기분까지 쓸쓸하고 외롭게 되었다. 그래서 더 이상 먹지 않고 반만 먹은 빵을 가방에 넣고 나는 빨리 집으로 돌아갔다.
여러명이서 밥을 먹는 다는게 얼마나 좋을 일이었는지 밖에서 혼자서 먹어보고 처음으로 알았다. 한국에 온지 얼마 안 되었을 때에는 ‘어른이 혼자서 왜 밥을 못 먹어?’라고 자랑스러운 듯한 얼굴로 한국 친구들한테 말하며 혼자 밥도 못 먹는다고 놀렸다. 그때는 친구들과 먹으면 내가 식당을 정할 수도 없고 왠지 신경이 쓰이고 해서 남들이 어떤 시선으로 보내던지 말던지 혼자서 먹는게 편했는데…지금은 나도 모르는 사이 어느새 혼자서 먹기 싫어진 것이었다.
‘음… 한국사람들 말대로 역시 밥은 여러 명과 같이 먹어야지 맛있다…’
한국에 오기전까지는 이런 생각이 들지도 않았는데 가족과 떨어져 한국에 오고 나서 한국사람의 식문화를 보고 가족이나 친구들과 함께 하는 밥 한끼 한끼의 소중함을 느끼게 된다.
What do you think about when you eat alone? Here is a blogger to talk about life.
혼자먹는 밥…
밥을 같이 먹는다는 건 삶을 같이 한다는 것
이제 뿔뿔이 흩어진 사람들은 누구도 삶을 같이 하려 하지 않는다.
나눌 희망도 서로 힘돋워 함께 할 삶도 없이
단지 배만 채우기 위해 혼자 밥먹는 세상. 밥 맛 없다. 참 살 맛 없다.
Growing up in a family and being independent as an adult… it would be a passage rite anywhere. You can see the change through how many bowls on your table you had in your childhood and how many now.
혼자 밥을 먹어보고 싶을때가 있었다.
할머님 숭늉, 아버님 반주, 어머님 물, 시누이 도시랑 시중에 파한 밥상머리에 앉아 먹었던 식어버린 밥이 싫었다. 내가 원하는 시간에, 따끈한 된장찌개, 갓 끓여낸 조개탕, 김 오르는 밥을 먹고 싶었다. 삼년 째 혼자서 밥을 먹는 친구 연숙이를 부러워한적도 있었다.
이미 밥통에서 누렇게 말라붙은 한 공기와 보리차한컵과 시어터진 김치조각 밥에 걸쳐놓은 밥상,
때마침 날아든 친구의 안부 메세지에 혼자 밥 먹으며 무슨 생각을 하느냐는 말에 반찬 신경쓰이지 않아 좋다는 답장 보내놓고 보리차만 들이킨다.
홀로일 수 밖에 없는 식사가 어떤지를끼니마다 혼자 밥을 먹어보고서야 식탁 갓등을 오래 켜놓아 본 후에야
조금은 알아지는 것이다.
Or you can find some philosophical thought through the experience.
나는 종종 허름한 국밥집에 혼자 들어가 앉아 있는 것을 좋아한다. 가령 비가 부슬부슬 온다거나 심란한 저녁이거나 뜬금없이 국밥이나 소주가 생각날 때 사람이 붐비지 않는 국밥집에서의 소박한 식탁은 꽤 오래된 습관처럼 자연스럽다. 친구는 이 유서 깊은 청승을 만류하는 편이지만 거기 해장국집이나 순대국집 구석에 앉아 주인이 틀어 놓은 텔레비전을 별 감흥 없이 보거나 지난 신문들을 뒤적이며 뜨거운 국물에 밥을 말아 한 입 두 입 넘기는 일은 생각보다 쓸쓸하지도 군색하지도 않다. 곽재구는 포구기행에서 혼자 먹는 밥맛을 아는 사람은 예술가가 아니면 육체 노동자라고 말하며….밥맛, 특히 혼자 먹는 밥맛의 깊이에 대해 잠시 골똘해지는 밤이다.
Or a simple experience anyone must face.
입사이후 나의 최대 고민은 ‘점심을 누구랑 같이 먹는가?’ 하는 것이었다. 남들은 ‘점심을 무엇을 먹을까?’ 하는 것이 제일 고민이라 하던데…
업무가 대기업하청이고 업무 특성상 사무실에 그것도 독립 공간안에 파견을 나와있다보니 자연스레 발생하는 일인 것 같다..나의 이런이야기를 전해 들은 친구들은 아주 간단히 말한다..
“남들 밥 먹으러 갈때 같이 가면 되지… 누가 오지 말라고 말리냐?”
하긴 누가 말리진 않지… 하지만 사나이 대장부가 굶었으면 굶었지 눈치밥을 먹을 순 없지 않은가…
대부분의 사람들이 식사를 하면서 뭘 하는가? 온갖 잡담이 다 나온다. 회사에서 하는 업무가 전혀 다르다 보니 그들의 대화에도 낄 수가 없다는 것이 나를 더 그들의 식사에 끼는 것을 힘들게 한다… 눈치는 보며 겨우 밥을 다 먹긴했는데 안 일어서고 잡담들을 지네들끼리는 아주 즐겁게 나누는데 계산을 할 ㄳ도 아니면서 먼저 일어나 나가기도 그렇고, 사실 그 식사자리의 밥값을 어떻게 계산 할 것인지도 모르는 경우가 많다…
이게 뭐하는 짓인가 싶어… 특별한 경우가 아니면 점심은 가능하면 혼자 해결한다.
점심시간에 회사근처 식당에 가서 혼자 밥을 먹기란 쉬운 일이 아니다. 식당 주인들도 싫어하는 눈치다. 그래서 나는 항상 회사 식사시간보다 한시간 늦은 오후 1시에 식당을 간다…
어딘가 책에서 읽은 적이 있는데.. ‘혼자 밥 먹지 못하는 자 성공할 수 없다.’
But some bloggers try to find advantages through it.
…우리나라는 조금 이상해서, 혼자 밥을 먹으면 굉장히 이상한 눈으로 쳐다봅니다.
심지어 ‘부끄러워서 혼자먹을 바에는 굶어요'하는 사람도 굉장히 많습니다.
(사실 저도 그랬습니다만…언제부터인가 그냥 먹습니다)
그런데 이런 마음가짐이면 3박4일동안 굶고 다녀야 합니다. 그럴수는 물론 없죠.
게다가 혼자 밥 먹는 것도 나름대로 좋은점이 있습니다.
느긋하게 다른사람 신경 안쓰고 먹을 수 있다는 것, 내가 고른 밥이 맛이 없어도
미안해할 상대방이 없다는 것, 마음에 안들면 들어가자마자 나올 수도 있다는 것 등이죠…
물론 같이 밥먹을 수 있는 사람이 있으면 즐겁습니다. 다만 그게 안될때가 있고,
그럴때에 혼자 먹는 것에 대하여 부담을 가지면 안된다는 이야기랍니다.
괜히 억울해 할 필요도 없고 ‘으흑 나는 친구도 없나봐’ 할 필요도 없어요.
이왕 다닐거면, 혼자먹는 것에 신경쓰지 말고,
즐겁게 먹으면서 다니도록 합시다!
p.s 혼자서 밥을 먹는걸 이상하게 본다는 이야기는
혼자 밥을 먹으러 가서 ‘몇분이세요?”라고 할때 ‘혼자요'라고 하면
종업원이 보통 이상한 눈으로 봐서 그렇답니다
And eating alone has also advantages. You can eat slowly without concerning other people. Even though the food you chose was so bad, you don’t have to feel guilty toward others. Once you don’t like the restaurant that you choose, you can get out right away.
Of course if you have company to eat with, it is more joyaful. But sometimes it doesn’t work that way. When you have to eat alone, you don’t have to feel streeful. You don’t have to feel anxious and don’t have to say, ‘I don’t have friends.’
Don’t take eating alone so seriously. Just enjoy your food…
p.s The reason why we feel that people give a strange look to the person eating alone is because when we go to restaurant, the waiter (waitress) asks ‘how many?’ and when we answer ‘one,’ she (or he) gives the strange look.

author: Hyejin Kim


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Latvia: Protest Rallies · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

All About Latvia writes about the rallies taking place in Riga and about the imminent end of the current government: “Foreigners here observed that to make Latvians come out in such large numbers, you have to really piss them off. And people are pissed.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Malaysia: Archeological Site Near Penang · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The South East Asian Archeology blog takes us to a site near Penang in Malaysia which is even older than the famous Angkor Temples of Cambodia.

author: Preetam Rai


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Morocco: Fez Top Tourist Destination · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

‘The “Bluelist” – the global travel guide has once again put Fez in its top emerging destinations to visit,’ announced Moroccan blog The View the Fez.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Morocco: Seven Women Ministers · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Morocco got a new government on Monday after nearly a month of tough negotiations, with seven women among the 34 ministers – and none from the Islamic party that placed second in parliamentary elections last month,” announced Moroccan blog The View From Fez.


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Oman: Ramadhan TV a Let Down · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“RamadhanTV did not go exactly as I planned, I was let down by a number of key people that were supposed to contribute in it, I lost the Internet connection at my place in Muscat for the whole of Ramadhan so I could not make many updates myself, and I couldn't find a tv-tuner that works on Windows Vista to have another person record some tv along with me,” explains Omani blogger Blue Chi.


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Palestine: Buying a House in Palestine · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“So if any of you spanish speaking Russians are thinking of buying a home- go to Israel! In fact, buy my house, will you? Because God knows I can't buy it back from the state of Israel- neither has my family since the day it was taken in 1948,” writes Alfalasteenyia, from Palestine.


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Saudi Arabia: English Press Freer · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“I observed .. that some of the English-language press here do a better job when it comes to reporting important and controversial local stories. Part of this has to do with the fact that they are in English so they are not under the radar of the censorship, but more importantly because their editors are usually committed to higher standards than their peers in the Arabic ones,” notes Saudi blogger Saudi Jeans, who then criticises a story which appeared in a paper.


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Syria: Internet Censorship · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Syrian Golaniya discusses Internet censorship in her country in this post.


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Syria: Watching Iraq News Unfold · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“I'm watching with interest what is going to happen in northern Iraq. Turkey's MP's have recently authorised military incursions into Iraq, something the Americans definitely do not want,” writes Wassim, from Syria.


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The War in Abkhazia – ‘Cyxymu’ Remembers · Global Voices
Lyndon

Blogger cyxymu – whose Russian-language blog is devoted to “the memories of [Sukhumi], the war and the pain” – spent the second half of September marking the 14th anniversary of the storm of Sukhumi, which dealt a final defeat to the Georgian forces in their war with Abkhazia. He has a lengthy post with his own interesting theory about why the conflict unfolded as it did – he thinks that the main motivating force behind the fighting was Russia's desire to get Georgia to join the CIS.
He has also posted recollections from a number of his readers about their experiences during their last days in Sukhumi. I was going to translate a couple of them, but some of the best ones are quite long…
The recollections culminated on September 27th with cyxymu‘s own thoughts about the significance of that date:
Today marks 14 years since the day when I stepped on the earth of my homeland for the last time. On September 27, 1993, I left my hometown and have not been back since. That was the last day when Sukhumi existed. On that day, as the Abkhaz say, “they shot the ‘i’ off Sukhumi,” and along with it they killed the city's soul. And if on other questions I can find points of agreement with my Abkhaz friends, that day remains for us a chasm which we can never cross. For us [Georgians], that day is a day of mourning, a day when hundreds and thousands of civilians died by the hands of the Abkhaz units who entered the city; tens of thousands of Georgians, saving themselves and their children, fled into the mountains; a day when children lost their parents and parents lost their children. But for the Abkhaz side it is a day of victory, the day when they took Sukhumi. And we'll never be able to arrive at a common denominator regarding that day.
I don't lose hope, and I believe that we will return to Sukhumi, that Abkhaz and Georgians will be able to live together, but in order for that to happen it's essential to punish the war criminals whose arms are covered up to their elbows in the blood of civilians.
I should probably temper the translated text by noting that most observers of the conflict believe that atrocities rising to the level of war crimes were committed on both sides (see, e.g., this Human Rights Watch report). For what it's worth, my opinion is that too much time has passed and attitudes have become too entrenched for a tribunal or other attempt at post-conflict justice to be effective. On the other hand, I can't think of anything better, so maybe a low-impact “truth and reconciliation” process that doesn't necessarily hand down harsh sentences would be one way to go about starting to rebuild the bridges burnt back in 1993.
Somewhat less emotionally, cyxymu also posted in late September about the Abkhazian special forces troops captured after a skirmish with the Georgians, and how they were led by an officer who had served in the Russian peacekeeping forces in Abkhazia before joining the Abkhazian armed forces.   The post is titled “вот такие у нас миротWARцы” – an impossible-to-translate pun meaning “these are the kind of peacekeepers we have,” but substituting “WAR” for a phonetically similar syllable in the Russian word for “peacekeepers.” A few days later, he wrote about a firefight and increased tensions in South Ossetia.
And on October 1st, cyxymu marked the 15th anniversary of an earlier battle in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict, the battle for Gagra, by posting a slew of photos from the war.  He introduced the photos with this text:
These pictures, taken during the days of the final storm of Sukhumi, show war as it is, not as something heroic and splendid, but as something which brings death, not only to those who go to war, but to those who simply lived in the city and didn't touch anyone.   The photos show the Georgian side and the Abkhazian side.
I'd like for those who want to spill new blood to look at these pictures and reconsider.  It's not too late.
In the past few days, cyxymu has written about his memories of Sukhumi taxis (the post ends on a rather sad note – “The Sukhumi taxi park ceased to exist on August 14-15, 1992, when most of the taxis were stolen by the Abkhazian forces, and the rest were stolen by the Georgian forces.”) and briefly about the furor surrounding former Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili – cyxymu suggests that everyone watching this “concert” stock up on popcorn and take their seats to watch further developments.
On many of these posts there are numerous comments expressing diverse points of view by well-informed (if sometimes impassioned) people, some of them eyewitnesses to the hostilities 15 years ago and others knowledgeable about the conflict.

author: Lyndon


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Tunisia: Thoughts on the Environment · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

AquaCool, from Tunisia, shares with us her thoughts on the environment in this post.


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Vietnam: Local Portal Site Launched · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Azngamerboi announces the launch of a new Vietnamese portal site that he hopes will give Yahoo, MSN and Google a run for their money.


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Central Asia: Why doesn’t it explode? · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Central Asian Borders shares some thoughts on how radical is Islam in Central Asia.


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Afghanistan:Freedom of press in danger · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Baktash Syavash,blogger and journalist has interviewd[Fa]Tavab Nyazi, an Afghan journalist who was jailed for seven months.Yavab Nyazi was accused of collaborating with Taliban.The blogger writes that Nyazi was jailed illegally and no document was presented by officials to prove his links with Taliban.