text:
Georgia: Presidential Election Update · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Although the international media is now reporting a victory for the incumbent, Mikhail Saakashvili, in yesterday's presidential election in Georgia, there has so far been very little reaction to the news in the blogosphere. This contrasts strikingly with how bloggers worldwide reacted to the clashes between opposition supporters and riot police in downtown Tbilisi on 7 November.
Even though it was precisely those clashes which led to a state of emergency being declared, as well as an early presidential election, perhaps that's not surprising. Tear gas, rubber bullets and outrage from international human rights groups is probably more newsworthy than something as increasingly predictable in the former Soviet space as elections.
Nevertheless, there were some active bloggers posting updates on the election although its certain that they will not be pleased. Today at 3pm local time, international observers effectively gave yesterday's vote a clean bill of health despite TOL Georgia reporting numerous cases of intimidation and bribery, problems with voters lists and media bias.
Now, a few hours after international observers described the vote as “broadly democratic… enabling the Georgian people to express their political choice,” TOL Georgia gives its own verdict on the outcome of the election.
It is rather hard for me to believe that Saakashvili won the elections in the first round. The exit polls aired at 10 pm yesterday, which claimed Saakashvili’s victory with over 50%, prompted [premature] celebration and a pop concert among Saakashvili’s supporters. it should be noted that the organizations and medias that conducted these polls are affiliated with the authorities.
[…]
[…] The foreign observers so far say they didn’t encounter extraordinary violations which would change the end results. The votes are being counted — 10% so far. The opposition claims victory and mass violations.
[…]
The election monitors “hailed the elections, but noted some shortcomings” – usual mumbo jumbo. It would take breaking into the polling station, violence and changing the ballot boxes when the monitors were inside for them to note something. To be fair, they must listen to what the opposition says. The final reaction is yet to be publicized.
One blogger, human rights lawyer and outspoken critic of the Georgian president, Anna Dolidze, even observed the vote. Writing on Resistance Georgia, she details  allegations of voting irregularities and electoral fraud.
There were serious violations all over. There were several trends: firstly, so- called carousels, where groups of people were transported from one polling station to another in mini vans, creating so called carousels, when the same group voted in different stations.
[…] There were cases of observer intimidation, when after observers noted violations there were threatened by Commission members and party representatives.
[…]
All media is controlled, and information dissemination on violations is minimal. A group of organizations conducted an exit poll yesterday, giving Saakashvili 52 percent. However, as the poll was funded by the State its objectivity is doubtful.
TOL Georgia also raised similar concerns with exit polls days before the vote.
Why would the opposition refuse to accept Saakashvili’s victory in the first round? For number of reasons: first, those polls that claim that has such a chance, are closely affiliated with Saakashvili. One such research center is Greensberg Quinlan Rosner, which is funded by Saakashvili’s party. Of course their results put Saakashvili way ahead of his opponents.
Christine Quirk at Asking Tough Questions in Tough Places, however, believes that such polls are probably accurate. The former Country Director of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Azerbaijan says that the pollsters are unlikely to risk damaging their reputation worldwide.
[T]he Saakashvili campaign finally stepped up to the plate and hired a real pollster, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research from Washington. Among many others, VP Jeremy Rosner polled for NS/NU (Yushchenko’s party) in the 2007 parliamentary election in Ukraine. He’s the pollster that presidents and ruling parties hire when they want to be taken seriously outside of their own countries, particularly in Washington.
Rosner operates on the typical western model of strategic polling: as the president’s pollster, he is responsible for plotting out a roadmap to victory for his client, which, by the way, often means delivering really bad news. As a hired gun, Rosner has nothing to gain by pretty-ing up the numbers if they’re bad; if Saakashvili loses, GQRR loses. Pollsters like to win, and you don’t win by making things sound better for your client than they are. […]
No doubt there will be more discussion and debate on the presidential election which appears to have secured the incumbent a second term in office, but for now this is just an update. Certainly expect more from TOL Georgia which has been the main blog to watch for news on the latest developments during the election period.
As of writing, the blog has just dissected the preliminary report from the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission (EOM) and identifies some of the “significant challenges” which “need to be addressed urgently.”
“The distribution of vouchers for such things as utilities and medical supplies to vulnerable groups was criticized as an alleged misuse of budgetary funds in support of Mr. Saakashvili.”
“The vouchers prominently displayed that they were a subsidy from the President. Healthcare vouchers, as well as employment scheme leaflets, featured visually outstanding number “5”s – the number on the ballot
under which the UNM has run in elections since 2004. Distributors of vouchers sometimes asked recipients whether they would vote for Mr. Saakashvili, and asked them to sign documents confirming their support. Vouchers were in some cases distributed from UNM offices.”
[…]
“The campaign was overshadowed by widespread allegations of intimidation and pressure, among others on public-sector employees. These included a number of confirmed cases of pressure on opposition supporters by the police and local officials to desist from campaigning, threats of arbitrary arrest or job dismissal and cases of landlords who were pressurized not to let premises for use as opposition campaign offices. Isolated instances of violence against opposition activists, including kidnapping, were reported and verified.
“A debate between the four main contestants did not take place as Mr.
Saakashvili chose not to take part and his three main rivals conditioned their participation upon the opportunity to debate with him.”
[..]
“In addition, observers found CEC-produced stickers with the text “Where will you be on 5 January?”, with the “5” in a red circle visually resembling that used on Mr. Saakashvili’s campaign materials.”
No kidding, “significant challenges.” No wonder TOL Georgia questions what exactly was being evaluated by the international observers.
OK, maybe I read something wrong, or misunderstood the whole paradoxical nature of the report which goes “in line with the European values”,  but if in any EU country the elections are conducted in such a manner — where media is biased, the votes are miscounted and different opinion is countered with intimidation and kidnapping, then…
Saakashvili came to power with vision and ideals that would move even the most pristine democrats. Now intimidation, threats, biased media, elections irregularities, misuse of state funds seem to have secondary value. Free and fair, is a slogan that must be backed with facts, not evaluations.
Anyway, to end on a lighter note, it's worth pointing you all in the direction of the excellent Georgia Ink where Vladimer Shioshvili has posted satirical cartoons for the past month. I will be waiting to see his take in pictures on the outcome of the election, especially after all the “significant challenges” that were noted by the OSCE.
As I write on my own blog, the conduct of the vote as well as the reaction of the international community will likely influence how Armenia holds its presidential election next month. Shioshvili's irreverent look at elections in the South Caucasus might just help the opposition here in Armenia hold back its tears.


text:
Guinea-Bissau: The last years of Portuguese rule · Global Voices
Paula Góes

“The Diário da Guiné [Guinea Diary], by our mate Antonio Abreu, talks about everything, or nearly everything, that happened in those terrible years of 72 to 74, the last years of Portuguese sovereignty in Guinea”. Luis Graça [pt] recommends the book to anyone who is interested in the country's history.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Paula Góes


text:
Indonesia: Top Indonesia Bloggers · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Blogger Indonesia Fatih Sayud compiles his list of top 10 bloggers in Indonesia.

author: Preetam Rai


text:
Iran:A Plane Catches Fire · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Shekkar [Fa],an Iran based blogger, was on board the Iran Air Fokker 100 which attempted to take off for Shiraz but ended up losing its landing gear and caught fire.Read English story here.

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Iran:Frozen Tehran in Photos · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Razeno writes that heavy snow and cold weather have paralysed Tehran.The blogger has published several photos of “frozen Tehran”.


text:
Iranian bloggers discuss Obama’s Iowa victory · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several Iranian bloggers are discussing the victory of U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama in Iowa. It was the first nominating contest of the 2008 presidential election. Some rejoice in Obama’s victory, while others evaluate what  impact “Obama as President” would have on Iranian political life.
Farhad Afshar reflects on [Fa] how the majority of the population in Iowa are white but still preferred to vote for a black candidate. The blogger also writes:
… the whispers of a Democratic candidate winning the US presidential election could soften the dark and frozen atmosphere in Iran. Iran's current president – Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – was elected two years ago to face the foreign threat of having Iran considered a part of the ‘axis of evil’. Two years ago, Iran could have been attacked any moment, and a person was chosen to counter the foreign pressure. If the foreign threat diminishes, a slow democratic movement can go forward. Obama's ideas on foreign affairs and Iran make reformists happy… maybe some do not know but peace and dialogue is like poison for a group whose political existence relies on violence and war.
Neghano considers [Fa] the American election a great achievement of democracy and says that democracy in the USA is the fruit of 300 years of effort and civil society struggle, and did not happen in a night.
Nikahang Kosar, a cartoonist and journalist says [Fa] the message of Obama is “change” and that the youth supports him, even though Hillary Clinton still looks more likely to be elected in many states. The blogger says that Obama’s middle name is Hussein, and that many right wing media want to make people believe he is linked with Islamist radicals. Nikahang says many Americans are afraid of Moslem and Islamic names. Finally the blogger adds that if Obama wins the presidential election, the dream of Martin Luther King will finally become a reality.
Amin has misunderstood [Fa] Obama’s religious background. Although the media discuss Obama's Christian belief, this blogger says a black Moslem is on the road to become next American president. The blogger adds that some right wing media want to make people believe he is an extremist Islamist, but many think he is a secular Moslem.
Nonoghalam says [Fa] that a leading Israeli newspaper, Haaretz , attributed the least points to Obama among all candidates. According to the blogger, the value base was each candidate's apparent support for Israel. Barack wants direct talks with Iran.
Farrad02 writes in the Iranian.com blog:
… the basic reason for Hillary's fizzle (in my view) was the fact that she forgot the most important rule of American electioneering: In the party primaries you run as a passionate radical (in her case as a far left liberal) to ensure the maximum appeal to your party's faithful base! Then once you have won the nomination, you move back to the center and run for the national elections as a centrist! I'm very surprised that Hillary forgot this basic rule and has been running a centrist campaign, as if she has already won the nomination and she is running against the Republican finalist!


text:
Iran:Snowy Tehran · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Accroding to media,snow has paralysed several cities in northern and western parts of Iran.Here is a short film that shows snowy Tehran.


text:
Kenya/South Africa: Lessons for South Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

South Africa should learn from what is happening in Kenya: “THE events of the last two weeks in Kenya have exposed just how fragile democracy is when it does not enjoy the protection of a country’s political leadership.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Thailand: publishing house website shut down · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

The website of Fah Diew Kan (Same Sky), a quarterly social and political magazine, has been shut down by its host Net Service Ltd for Lèse majesté violations. The move came after pressure from Thailand’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

author: sami ben gharbia


text:
Vietnam: Regulating the Street Economy  · Global Voices
Caroline Finlay

A recent draft legislation aimed at improving traffic flow on Hanoi’s streets has sparked an internet debate and brought Vietnam’s huge economic divide into focus.
Vietnam Hanoi street vendor by Flickr User somefool (old school).
Street vendors are an integral part of Hanoi culture. Hanoi’s Old Quarter alone is estimated to have almost 2000 casual vendors. Many travel on foot carrying baskets or pushing rickety old carts, while others slowly ride their laden bicycles through Hanoi’s busy streets. They peddle everything from flowers to fruit, to hot meals and even clothing and costume jewelry. It’s true that they hamper traffic, especially during the afternoon commute when homeward bound office workers stop in the roadways to shop. They also make walking down a Hanoi sidewalk nearly impossible. This is an inconvenience that Hanoi’s legislating bodies appear to have become annoyed with.
These vendors are poor. They often wake up hours before dawn to ride into the city on one-speed bicycles or to buy the slightly cheaper produce available in Hanoi’s early-hours market. Many are stick-thin from the exertion of peddling or walking their wares through Hanoi’s streets in the tropical heat. Owning a house or sending a child to university is a dream as unattainable to them as traveling to space is for the average American. The draft legislature could take away what little livelihood they have, increasing Vietnam’s already stark economic disparity. The Euromonitor states that in 2007 Vietnam’s richest two decile’s share of total income is almost 50%, while the bottom two deciles’ share is a paltry 5.5%.
Street Food Vendors in Hanoi.
In a news story posted on www.VNExpress.net on December 21st, the vice-chairman of the People’s Committee in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district, Lam Quoc Hung, stated that,
Bởi quận có tới hơn 2.000 người bán hàng rong nên rất khó cho lực lượng chức năng kiểm soát. Song ông cũng đề xuất, trên một số tuyến đường trung tâm có khả năng kinh doanh hàng hóa, hàng ăn uống thì cần được tận dụng kinh doanh.
Because the urban district has almost 2000 vendors, it’s quite difficult to regulate them. However, he [Hung] also proposed that a few central roads that are conducive to selling wares and foodstuffs should be made the most of.
The city’s vice-chairman, Nguyen Van Khoi, took a harder line,
nguyên tắc là đường phục vụ đi lại chứ không để kinh doanh.
The purpose of roadways is for transportation, definitely not for business.
The result of a conference held on December 21st to discuss vendor restrictions came to the conclusion that,
loại dịch vụ hàng rong, hàng ăn uống được phép hoạt động trong ngõ, phố không tên để phục vụ nhu cầu người dân, cũng như tránh ảnh hưởng quá lớn đền bộ phận người nghèo có thu nhập chính từ kinh doanh hàng rong.
Peddlers and food vendors have rights to operate in alleys and streets that do not have names in order to serve the needs of the people and also to avoid having a large influence on the poor whose main earnings come from street-peddling.
The vast majority of Hanoi’s roads have names, not numbers. Only small alleyways, sometimes less than a meter wide, remain unnamed. The majority of VNExpress’ readers disagree with both of these government workers – a VNExpress survey states that 57% or readers do not support the proposed draft legislation, while 40% do.
Bloggers seem to concur with this statistic. Mr. Joe, a graphic designer, posts on his Yahoo 360° Blog:
Tại sao nhưng người soạn thảo dự luật không làm cho mềm dẻo hơn. Có thể làm từng bước như: quy định giờ bán , vệ sinh,…Nếu chũng ta làm mạnh tay người dân cũng sẽ chấp hành. Nhưng như vậy chúng ta đồng thời cũng tước đi nguồn tài chĩnh duy nhất của rất nhiều gia đình…… Thực sư hàng rong đã giúp người mua tiết kiệm được nhiều thời gian. Giúp người bán có thể kiếm thêm được tiền từ lao động của mình. Có khả năng giảm thiểu các tắc giao thông…..
Why don’t the legislators make it more flexible. Maybe do it in steps like: regulating hours of operation and cleanliness… If we use a strong hand the people will still implement it. It we do it [like the legislators propose] then at the same time we’ll take away the main source of income for a huge number of families… Truthfully, street vendors help customers save a lot of time. It helps vendors earn money from their own labors. It has the ability to reduce traffic congestion…
On the My Hanoi forum, under the topic, “Food stalls and street vendors,” contributor Lambarca
defends Hanoi’s street culture by mentioning street vendors and cafes in more developed countries:
Hầu hết tất cả các công chức của các công sở ở Bangkok đều ăn trưa ở các quán ăn nhỏ trên hè phố Bangkok (thường là dưới các hình thức quầy di động, thậm chí là gánh hàng rong). Mọi người, đặc biệt là khách du lịch đều khoái chí dạo phố phường Bangkok chỉ vì họ có thể tìm được mọi thứ và được nếm mọi thức ăn đặc sản trên các vỉa hè Bangkok. Hiện tượng đó đã trở thành một nét văn hóa không thể thiếu được của Thái Lan, trong đó có Bangkok, và cũng là một trong những lý do để người nước ngoài đến với Thái Lan và quay trở lại Thái Lan.
Hàn Quốc, có khu phố quần áo được bày bán trên đường. Tại Seoul và Tokyo có rất nhiều khu phố và nhiều con phố được coi là khu mua bán vỉa hè…mà đó là hình thức sinh hoạt kinh tế đô thị tự nhiên, xe cộ vẫn tấp nập đi lại.
“Còn Paris hoa lệ thì sao? Có lẽ điều này khỏi phải bàn, nếu chúng ta đều hiểu về nước Pháp và văn hóa Pháp: Có lẽ ít ai dám chối bỏ thực tế là vỉa hè Paris chính là nơi nghỉ ngơi thư giãn thú vị nhất, sinh hoạt gần gũi của hàng triệu người dân Paris.
Almost all of Bangkok’s civil servants eat lunch at small roadside food vendors (usually from rolling food-carts, and even from vendors on foot). Everyone, especially tourists, are overjoyed to stroll Bangkok’s streets just to find and sample Bangkok’s street food specialties. This phenomenon has become an irremovable cultural feature of Thailand, including Bangkok, and also one of the many reasons foreigners come to, and come back to, Thailand.Korea has a roadside area for displaying and selling clothing. In Seoul and Tokyo there are many districts and roads that could be called street-vendor districts…but that’s a natural economic activity and a great number of vehicles can still get past.
And what about magnificent Paris? Maybe this point is best avoided, if we all knew about France and French culture: perhaps few would deny the truth that Paris’ roads are the most interesting place to sit and relax, a pastime dear to the hearts of a few million Parisians..
The regulations banning street vendors were to have gone into effect at the beginning of 2008, but massive public outcry, some of it online, has prevented implementation until at least after the Tet holiday in February, allowing vendors to work during their busiest season.

author: Caroline Finlay


text:
Afghanistan: Economists Weigh Counter-Drug Actions · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Barnett R. Rubin reviews recent publication in the Financial Times, in which two high-profile economists have an ideology-free discussion on how to use economic policy to help Afghans move out of illicit drug production.

author: Adil Nurmakov


text:
Afghanistan: National Army Review · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Afghanistanica reviews a recent Asia Foundation's public opinion research on the state of Aghanistan's National Army.


text:
Afghanistan: Taliban Top Commander Escaped · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Mohammad Fahim Khairy reports that the Taliban top commander gave an interview with local media after escaping from Kabul National Security cell, saying that the guard was bribed.


text:
Africa: Bridging the digital divide · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Hayspiration discusses ICTs and development in Africa: “For the developing countries to put themselves in the map of the world and turn themselves into countries with quality citizens there is a need to employ the integration of ICT into their day to day life.”


text:
Africa: Mixed fortunes · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Gbenga answers the question: “How will the African continent perform in 2008 in terms of economic growth, which countries and which sectors will have the best changes?”


text:
Albania: A Book Review · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Living in Shkoder reviews M. Edith Durham's book, Albania and the Albanians.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Albania, Macedonia: Visa Regime to Tighten · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Albanian Blogger reports that Macedonia is tightening visa procedures for non-EU members, including Albanian.


text:
Albania: New Year’s · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Albanian Blogger describes a typical Albanian New Year's celebration; Living in Shkoder illustrates it with Medi Belortaja's cartoon.


text:
Albania: Superstitions · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Living in Shkoder writes about Albanian superstitions.


text:
Bahamas: R.I.P. Dr. Thompson  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Ringplay Productions acknowledges the passing of “a great patron of the arts”, Dr. John Wavell Thompson.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Barbados: Entertainment & Politics · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Does political victimization exist in our entertainment industry?” Blogging from Barbados, Boyce Voice says: “It is not you who should fear politicians but them who should fear you. They are the ones who need your vote…”


text:
Bermuda: What’s The Point?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A Limey In Bermuda, referred to by other bloggers as “the guy who pretty much started all this for a lot of us”, sees “little point continuing to blog…until there is a significant improvement in Bermuda's political climate.”


text:
Bolivia: Dialogue of the Deaf · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

In Bolivia, Pablo from Comunidad Espartaco [es] writes that the upcoming dialogue between President Evo Morales and opposition prefects will be a “Dialogue of the Deaf,” since neither wishes to hear the positions of the other side.

author: Eduardo Avila


text:
Brazil: The US politics game · Global Voices
Paula Góes

“If you lived in the US, which would be your position on the Iraq war, gay marriage, health care, tax policy? Play this fascinating little game and discover – and tell me after – which  is your candidate for president of the United States”, tips Idelber [pt], back from holidays.


text:
Chile: Heatwave in Santiago · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Santiago, Chile is facing a heatwave and En Tu Ciudad [es] discusses some of the ways to combat it.


text:
China: Lost in Beijing Suspended for Screening · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

DANWEI reports on the latest censorship by the SARFT against an erotic film ‘Lost in Beijing’.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
China: Release Hujia · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zhai Ming Lei from 1bao wrote a long piece on his acquaintance with Hujia, a human rights blogger arrested a week ago. He urged the government to release Hu because the arrest and the torture of another lawyers will outrage ordinary people (zh).


text:
China: Reporting Illegal Publication · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

According to existing regulation, a publication requires a local registration number (CN) to be considered as legal. A local journal, Minjian had been identified as illegal because it only has an international registration number (ISSN). Several months ago, when the house of the editor of Minjian was searched by the polices, some bloggers reported an illegal publication “China Hunting” to the government, but the magazine is still in print. Snowyow is very frustrated about the double standard (zh).


text:
China: Top 10 Legal Stories · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Law Prof has listed out the top 10 Legal Stories in 2007.


text:
China: Very Violent, Very Indecent · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Recently, a new catch phrase “very violent, very indecent” emerged in China Internet. A Beijing school girl told the CCTV that she saw “very violent and very indecent” pop-up from the internet, which made her scared. William Long pointed out that what she said was basically wrong as it was impossible to see “very violent and very indecent” information in China internet because of the control; the whole story was just another propaganda (zh).


text:
Czech Republic: TV Hackers Face Trial · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Czech Daily Word reports: “Last winter an art group from Prague hacked the broadcast of the public service television during which people can watch the snow reports from ski resorts by playing a footage of a fake nuclear blast. Now they face prosecution and they might spend three years in prison for their stunt.”


text:
East Timor: Miserable shelters · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Fábrica de Blogs [pt] comments on the havoc caused by the rains and the situation of those who have lost their homes in East Timor. “Is there any plausible explanation for us to understand the reasons for the abandonment that those left in miserable shelters are going through?”. See a picture in the blog.


text:
El Salvador: Top 2007 Stories · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Tim Muth of Tim's El Salvador Blog lists his top El Salvador stories of 2007.


text:
Georgia: 9 mm Rugers instead of AK-47s · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Following on from international observers concluding that Georgia's presidential election largely met international standards with no significant irregularities, Campanastan concludes that this “probably means the ballot box monitors carried 9 mm Rugers instead of AK-47s.”

author: Onnik Krikorian


text:
Georgia: Election Concerns · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Artashes98 expresses concern regarding the verdict from the international community on Saturday's presidential election in Georgia. The blogger says that had the candidate of power been someone not considered pro-Western, the conclusion of the OSCE/ODIHR monitors would have been very different indeed.


text:
Georgia: Game Over · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Asking Tough Questions in Tough Places analyzes the outcome of Saturday's presidential election in Georgia. Although the former head of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Azerbaijan says it looks as though Saakashvili did win “legitimately” on election day itself, there is enough reason for the West to demand that the “serious challenges” noted by international observers be addressed.


text:
Georgia: Kicking Russian Ass · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

With international observers calling Saturday's snap presidential election in Georgia “broadly democratic”, Publius Pundit delights in “kicking a little Russian ass.” Now, the blog concludes, it's time for Georgia to be accepted into NATO.


text:
Georgia: Parallel Vote Tabulation · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Resistance Georgia, the blog of pro-opposition human rights lawyer and activist Anna Dolidze, posts the results of parallel voter tabulation by the Georgian International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED).


text:
Georgia: Saakashvili is Satisfied · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Following the positive verdict on Saturday's presidential election in Georgia by international observers, TOL Georgia says that the re-elected president, Mikhail Saakashvili, is more than satisfied. However, the blog wonders what would have had to happen in order for the observers to conclude that the vote didn't meet international standards for democratic elections?


text:
Guatemala: Mobile Advertising · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Advertising on the sides of cars have arrived to Antigua and La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo has the picture to prove it.


text:
Guyana: Blue Tennis Ball  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyana-Gyal tells the story of the blue tennis ball….


text:
India: Australia, sledging and cricket · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The game of cricket has an interesting weekend. Accusations of racism, decidedly bad umpiring and other stories at GreatBong.

author: Neha Viswanathan


text:
India: Women and Mumbai · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A Time To Reflect on the horrifying news of two women being molested by a group of seventy men in Mumbai.


text:
Iran:Frozen Rasht · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Kourosh Ziabari who lives in Rasht,in the northern part of Iran, has published several photos of frozen city and nature.


text:
Iran:Islamic Revolutionay Guards and Hillary Clinton · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Haji Washingtonwrites [Fa] if US military's claim that American ships ‘threatened’ by Iranian Revolutionary Guards without any reason,is true,then Revolutionary Guards want Clinton wins against Obama. The blogger says when Clinton voted in the senate for the recognition of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, Obama criticized her for helping those who like to start the war.


text:
Iraq: US Major/Blogger Killed in Diyala  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Major Andrew Olmsted, who had blogged here since May 2007, was killed in Iraq on Thursday, January 3. No official details have been released on his death, but reports say that he and a second member of his unit were killed during an enemy ambush in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Japan: Changing New Year Celebrations · Global Voices
Hanako Tokita

New Year's Day is the most important holiday for many people in Japan, where anything “first of the year” bears a special value: first day of the year, first sunrise, first dream, first sales…
Traditionally, people put great effort into preparing for New Year's day, turning the house upside down cleaning it, and cooking special cuisine called osechi days before the turn of the year. Family members and relatives, as well as friends and acquaintances, gather for the occasion and exchange New Year's greetings. Or at least that's the way things used to be.
Blogger akane3 remembers how she used to celebrate New Year's when she was growing up and compares it to how her own kids spend the holiday:
昔の頃のように、古式ゆかしき伝統にのっとったお正月を過ごされたのは
はて　どれくらいあるだろう・・・
私が幼い頃は、毎年のお正月にはお約束のようにして
親戚や知人がお年始の挨拶に来られて
それはそれは普段になく　賑やかな感じで　まさにお正月!！っという特別な日だった。
御節料理だって、正月にしかお目にかかれない代物ばかり。
されど　時は平成、、、それも２０年ともなると
御節料理も普段・・・しかも年中　お目にかかる代物ばかりの食材だし
飽食の時代の申し子とも云える現在っ子達には
めずらしくもなんともないようでして、感激の欠片も無いのが現状のようだ。。。
Kite flying is another common theme during Japanese New Year's holiday that has been changing in recent years. Blogger sorao, who lives in a rural town in the countryside, shares what she saw while taking a walk on New Year's day. She writes:
農道の向こう側で小学生低学年くらいの子供２人とお父さん・おじいちゃんらしき人が凧揚げをしていました。
子供２人は手作り凧をあげようと奮闘していてとても微笑ましかったです。
遠くに出かけるばかりではなく、こういう田舎の田んぼ道で凧揚げを楽しむお正月も良いものだな、と思いました。
Unlike other New Year traditions, hatsumode, or first visit to a shrine or temeple, is sill quite popular among many people.  mmpolo, who used to go to four local shrines for hatsumode, recently found out about the history of this tradition and has changed his yearly custom:
さて、先頃正月に神社へ参拝する初詣は日本の古い伝統行事などではなく、明治になってからある鉄道会社が始めたものだと知った。ヴァレンタインと同じだったのだ。それを知って今年から初詣を簡略化することにした。４社のうち吾嬬神社だけにしたのだ。
そういえば江戸時代の話にも浮世絵にも初詣は描かれていない。賢い鉄道会社の社員がいたものだ。
By the way, I recently found out out that Hatsumode, a custom in which people go to a shrine and pray at New Year's, is not an old Japanese traditional event, but was started by some railway company in the Meiji period. It's like St. Valentine's Day. Knowing that, I've decided to simplify my Hatsumode from this year on. I've decided only to go to Azuma Shrine.
Come to think of it, Hatsumode is not mentioned in either stories from the Edo period nor in ukiyoe. What a smart railway company employee.

author: Hanako Tokita


text:
Kenya: This is why technology matters · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kenya enviromental and political on how technology helped Kenyans in time of need: “Kenyans in the US and Europe are thronging websites that sell Kenyan phone credit to send to family and friends back home. “The volumes are unprecedented” Segeni Ngethe, founder of leading Kenyan e-commerce site MamaMike’s told IRIN.”


text:
Kenya: Will Kikwete support Kibaki?  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Will the Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete, support Mwai Kibaki?: At the same time the latest strategy of the govenmnt is to seek support from other African countries other than Uganda (which so far is the only country on the planet that has congratulated Kibaki on his “re-election.”


text:
Malaysia: Building a Car Step by Step · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Paul Tan blogs a Malaysian car company's publicity effort where they built a car step by step in front of the watching public.


text:
Malaysia: Train Perverts · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Rocky's Bru is trying to attract attention to the plight of girls being victimised in Kuala Lumpur Light Rail System by sex perverts.


text:
Morocco: Chinese Zodiac Profile  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Margot the Marrakesh Mystic shares Morocco's Chinese zodiac profile here.


text:
Morocco: The Freedom to Blog · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Morocco is often touted as one of the freest of the world's majority-Muslim countries.  Women enjoy nearly equal rights to men, the press is comparatively liberal, few websites are banned, and now, bloggers are free to write about what the press cannot, according to a recent article published by Agence France-Presse (AFP) which claims that the Moroccan blogoma is the “liveliest free-speech zone in largely conservative Muslim North Africa.”
The View From Fez was the first to link to the article, pointing out:
The View From Fez is one of the few successful blogs in English and is read by around a thousand people every day.
And to back up their claim, The View From Fez shares  the results of the recent Morocco Blog Awards, in which they were voted the #2 Morocco blog.
Kelvy K. (It Belongs to Man to Err), an Indian blogger residing in Kuwait, said this of the article:
well since we Indians have all the freedom we want, we wont understand it when blogs and press freedom are not allowed. We will feel it is ridiculous when so many blogers end up in jail for many of their comments. Like for example, a Saudi bloger is in jail now for some blog article of his, similar cases have happened in Africa, Tunisia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Algeria etc..
The Morocco Report also mentioned the article, saying:
As a Morocco-related blogger for the past two-odd years, I would have to agree with the article – Moroccan bloggers really do have significant freedom in what they choose to write about, as evidenced by some of the posts seen at maroc-blogs.com.
Needless to say, congratulations blogoma!  May you continue to generate interesting, exciting, and thought-provoking posts, and may the freedom to express your ideas continue.
The article itself mentioned popular Moroccan bloggers Larbi and Mehdi7.
Incidentally, Everything Morocco also had something to say about being part of the blogoma:
I blog from home now, on a laptop with a DSL connection, in one of the oldest fully-functioning medieval cities in the world. As I sit here typing this, neighbor women are carrying their bread to the public oven and donkeys are hauling goods down the narrow streets of the city and tourists are picking over the displays of hand-crafted souvenirs in the souks. Satellite dishes dot the surrounding rooftops where many women still wash laundry and prepare spices by hand. You are just as likely to spot a sheep or a rooster on a roof as a cat or a swallow.
Time and technology seem to be always advancing, faster now than ever, but in a comforting way, the daily routines of life stay the same. That's especially true in Fez.
But while many advances are occurring in Morocco, both in the areas of technology and freedom, there's still a long way to go.  Blogger MoTIC (fr) tracks injustices and censures in Morocco.  Sami ben Gharbia of Global Voices Advocacy has also been covering censorship issues in Morocco.

author: Jillian C. York


text:
Morocco: The Tourareg Struggle Continues · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Ghasbouba, from Morocco, writes about the Touareg struggle for liberation in Niger and Mali.


text:
Peru: Cinencuentro Covers Peruvian Cinema · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Cinencuentro [es] was one of the first blogs dedicated to film in Peru. Juan Arellano interviewed two of the blog site's members Lucho Ramos and Laslo Rojas for an article on the site BlogsPerú [es].  This is an excerpt of the interview and to read the entire article in Spanish, please visit the original link [es].
Juan Arellano: Please tell me about yourselves
Lucho Ramos: Even though I studied Electronic Engineering, I have always been interested in audiovisual communication. I am from Cusco, but I have been working in Lima for more than 10 years and currently I am part of TV Cultura, an NGO and where I feel like a fish in water. During this time, I developed a love for film that has brought me to become a part of Cinencuentro. It was all Laslo's fault that I began to blog :), it must have been in 2004 when I first heard about blogs (La Petite Claudine was one of the first blogs that I read), but I didn't realize what a blog was, even though in my defense, I have been connected to the internet since 1995, including forming part of a mailing list about Amiga computers and later on the Tolkien Peru mailing list. I can communicate in English and Quechua. I am married to Mary and have a son, Joca, who is 11 years old.  Both of them have blogs, and I am very happy.  My other hobbies are music, reading, traveling and working under pressure.
Laslo Rojas: I am 27 years old. I am a graduate in Information Technology. I found out about blogs in mid-2002, when I visited some Peruvian LiveJournal pages. I later found out about Cinencuentro during its original phase and later online. In this group, I made great friends that helped me with personal and even, professional growth. Thanks to Lucho I became a part of TV Cultura. Little by little, I was drawn closer to their new projects and initiatives and it was also a desirable working environment.  I became familiar with the beginnings of National Links, above all in the technical aspects and later I was added to the team of NAPA. As one might say at that moment, “my life changed.” I try to find time during the week to watch a movie in the theaters or on DVD, read a good book, listen to mp3s on my cell phone for those trips to the “73”, watch the latest episode of Lost, 24 or Heroes, or in the best of cases spend some time talking with friends.
Juan: And how did Cinencuentro begin?
Lucho: At the beginning of 2003, we came together for the first time after spending a long time of exchanging messages on the movie list of RCP, and we became seven friends that went to the movies more than once a week and we gathered to talk about movies over the course of many hours.
Laslo: In those gatherings, the Cinencuentro group was formed and months later a Blogger blog was created, which was to find a way to publish and share small reviews about new movies amongst ourselves .  Months passed and the 9th Lima Film Festival arrived, and with that excuse we decided to put all our movie-going interests on the blog. After this, we wanted more and we decided to add news, conduct interviews, share soundtracks, cover movie openings, distribute information about movie clubs, and highlight everything that is directly or indirectly related with film.
Juan: How do you share the work between the team?
Laslo: In a mobile form of way, the daily work was conducted by Antolín Prieto until a few weeks ago, and now Jorge Esponda and Miguel Piscoya are now in charge to create the content that can be found on Cinencuentro.  I also help with the editing, publishing of content, general administration, moderation of comments, updating of static content and publicity. Lucho is also in charge of general administration, and above all adding new ideas for content.  Anto is in charge of reviewing the daily edition and suggesting new content.  That is the core team.
Lucho:  Nothing would work without the contribution from all of the members of Cinencuentro, and their contribution varies according to the free time of each.  Currently the most active contributors are Gabriel Quispe, Juan Jose Beteta, and Blanca Vásquez (from Spain) for the movie reviews.  Mary Panta is involved with the general production and Rolando Jurado is involved with the photos.  Actually, it is during the important events, such as festivals where the production increases.  For example, at the beginning of this year, Rodrigo Portales, Luis Carlos Burneo and Juan Daniel Fernández went to cover the International Independent Film Festival in Buenos Aires.  In all, I would say that there are about 15 people that contribute content on a regular basis and another 15 that do so sporadically.
Juan: What is the difference between the original Cinencuentro and the current version?
Laslo: A lot, from the ability to publish with blogs to the number of collaborators of the blog (more than 30) to the primary interests that are reflected in the blog.  For example, we began to focus on movie reviews, then the content shifted to the most commented and popular films, now we are placing emphasis on that cinema that we would like to see, which unfortunately does not arrive to our theaters, not only in Peru, but all of Latin America.
What do you think of Peruvian Cinema?
Laslo: Peruvian cinema as it is now, is ripe for a type of resurgence, in the capital and above all in other cities across the country.  I see our cinema with a lot of curiosity, with interest and in some cases with a certain subjectivity, when one watches the work of people that one might know in one way or the other. Actually, I do not know all of the details about the reality of film in past decades, but one can see now the relative boom with the appearance of many new directors. In any case, I hope that this is a time to consolidate Peruvian cinema.
Lucho: As Laslo says, this is a fascinating time for Peruvian cinema, because I think that finally there is a good number of directors, especially young one, with the desire for renewal and change. Our hope is that these directors continue to take risks and tell their stories without excuses. It is interesting to note that many of these directors are also movie lovers, thanks to a large part to the availability of pirated material.  On the other hand, one must take into account that in Cinencuentro, there are many directors, more than half of us have projects on the way or have a project in mind. That makes us have a hand in many parts, dedicated to film because we are part of the art.  To balance things, we must also say that there is a lot of bad Peruvian cinema.
Juan: There are plenty of blogs and people that write about cinema.  How do you see these blogs, are they of good quality?  Are there some that should be highlighted?
Lucho: I think we are seeing the initial phase of the phenomenon, as there is definitely a good amount of blogs dedicated to film, some are maintained by just one person (La tetona de Fellini) and others are group efforts (Los Cinerastas, La Cinefilia no es patriota, El buen cine) and others.  There are some by critics well-established in the field (Páginas del Diario de Satán, La soga), not including the blogs of film companies, production houses, unions, movie clubs, etc. I think the most interesting are the blogs maintained by people without experience in critique or journalism.  They tend to improve the quality of reviews and serve as practice ground for future critics or directors. On the other hand, the established critics are starting to use blogging tools in order to publish their articles on online magazines or newspaper sections. I think we are forming a movie enthusiast blogging community that should serve – among other things – to promote a common agenda (elevate the level of movies in the theaters, complain about the inaction of the State, to have a presence in the traditional media, festival coverage, but at the same time maintain independence and healthy competition.

author: Juan Arellano


text:
Puerto Rico: Epiphany Day  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The celebration of Epiphany Day causes Liza Sabater to have an epiphany of her own: “The blogosphere needs more of the cowbell that is Puerto Rico.”


text:
Russia: January Fun · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russian Blog writes about ice palaces and other favorite January activities.


text:
Russia: Nikolai Marr · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis shares an extraordinary story of the life and work of Nikolay Yakovlevich Marr: “He became a great polyglot and could have become a great linguist, had it not been for the passion and obsession with his own unsubstantiated theories. He never even completed a single course in theoretical linguistics. He was a brilliant dilettante, a bit like Schliemann in archaeology. Unlike Schliemann, though, Marr was not successful.”


text:
Russia: Putin’s Soul · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog writes comprehensively about the endless “search for Putin’s soul.”


text:
Serbia: Christmas · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belgrade 2.0 writes about Christmas in Serbia.


text:
Singapore : Library Archiving Blogs · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Simplyjean in Singapore writes about the SIngapore National Library's efforts to archive local blogs of note.


text:
Singapore : Lontong At Pulau Ubin · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The Annotated Budak takes us to Ubin Island off Singapore to try the local dish of lontong and curry.


text:
South Korea: Internet Broadcast for and without Migrant Workers  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

CINA comments on the South Korean government's report on the ‘Internet Broadcast for Migrant Workers’: Foreign workers in Korea can now speak their minds more than before… if they're not hunted, arrested and deported..


text:
Sri Lanka: On Ceasefires · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

groundviews on why ceasefires don't quite make the cut in a peace process.


text:
Sri Lanka: Thinking about colonialism · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Lanka Rising on the effects of colonialism on Sri Lankan culture and politics.


text:
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Music & Crime  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“With 36 homicides recorded last year it seems as if the last thing we need is a performer glorifying the gangsta life”: Following news of a singer being banned from performing in St. Vincent, Abeni blogs about “the role of music as a stimulant on impressionable minds”.


text:
Sudan: Australian blogs about his arrest in Sudan · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Thomas Hirschvogel blogs about his arrest in Sudan on suspicion of being a spy: “well, the postcards didn't cause any troubles, but the articles about the former rebel groups definetly did. it was just soooooooo stupid to carry them in my luggage. they interrogated me for a few hours and they believe that i'm either a journalist or a spy.”


text:
Tajikistan: Museum Renovated · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Vadim has some pictures of a new museum in the center of Khujand, the second largest city of Tajikistan. The museum has been built on the ruins of an old fortress.


text:
Touring Libyan Blogs: the price of fame · Global Voices
Fozia Mohamed

During my monthly trip to Libyan bookstores or to whatever bookfairs there happens to be; I'm always pleasantly surprised at the actual amount of Libyan work on display. My reaction is to buy the books that I feel I'm interested in or those about which I  know nothing.
In a recent event at the Faculty of Law ( El-Fateh University) where being the bookworm that I was, I made sure to attend their book exhibition for the opportunity to buy at subsidised prices, I came across a novel called “Hunger has many other faces” (unofficial translation). Neither the quality of the paper nor the artwork did really catch my eye, but the fact it was by a female author did. She was an unknown quantity ( at least to me) but I decided to buy it nevertheless.  I was more so encouraged since it was not too thick. Being among the first buyers the salesman had no change to give back, so he asked me to return in an hour's time when business would have picked up. An hour later to the dot, I'm happily back with a heavy load of books only to be greeted by an indifferent gaze from the guy. It was sold out!
What surprised me next  was that this little novella by an obscure Libyan author seems to have raised quite a storm in the blogosphere on the one hand and in some Libyan regions on the other even warranting a mention in Aljazeera which elicited  six pages of comments.
Let's give the word to the Libyan bloggers. The debate unfolds first over at CNNLibya, where Khalid Jorni writes :
“Because she has been a trial lawyer for ten years, and because she knew the weak points and the gabs of the Libyan law, she refrained from attacking Islam by her own identity, she preferred to create an imaginary character, and to make it compare between Islam and Christianity in a prejudged unjust way, and as it has been already planned and expected, the book was unintentionally advertised by the spiritual leaders who fell into the trap by criticizing it in their Friday Sermons, subsequently demonstrations took place, petitions were signed, and shraga people of Benghazi went mad at the writer and her tale, thus and overnight she became a national celebrity, all libraries ran out of the book, and Libya's greatest religious scholars were brought to courts, just as criminals or thieves, to pay the price of messing with a law expert, and to be an example for whoever allows himself to defend the greatest and the world's fastest growing religion!”
Ghazi over at Imtidad , took up the issue from another point of view, loudly asking ‘why don't we read? ‘ in which he explains the relationship between reading and being civilised and able to form critical opinions.
البعض سيتحدث عن الالتزام في الكتابة بقيم المجتمع وعاداته وتقاليده، وهو أمر مقبول ومريح، ولكن أين هي هذه العادات والقيم والتقاليد عند معايشتنا للواقع، البعض يقول لا يجوز السماح بنشر روايات تضم أقوال على لسان ابطالها يسبون أو يشتمون، ونحن نسمع كل يوم في شارعنا سباباً وشتماً بشكل معتاد، البعض يقول أن الكتاب الذين يتناولون الدين وتمظهراته الاجتماعية في كتاباتهم الروائية أو الشعرية يسعون بذلك إلى الشهرة السريعة من خلال ذلك، ولكنهم لا يتذكرون هذا الكتاب أو ذاك الكاتب إلا بعد عدة سنوات من صدور الكتاب أو بعد أن تسقط نسخة منه بالصدفة في حجر أحد مبتدئي القراءة والكتابة، فتقوم الدنيا على الكتاب ومؤلفه، ويصبح في يوم وليلة من المشاهير فمن يا ترى سعى للتشهير وللأشهار والدعاية للكتاب والمؤلف.
Translation : Some will talk about the non-commitment to the traditions and mores of a society when writing, which is something acceptable and one should feel comfortable with. However, where are these morals, principles and traditions in reality. Some said it is not permitted to publish novels  that include insulting statements by the heroes, yet we hear insults on daily basis on our streets. Some say  that writers that talk about religion and its social aspects in their fiction work or poetry are running after  quick fame yet they only recall this or that book  after several years of its issue or when a copy falls by chance in the hands of a beginner to the world of reading and writing. It is only then that heaven and earth are moved about this book and its writer and the author becomes a star overnight. Who is then striving for libel or publicity and advertisement for the book and its author.
Tasnim from Epiphanies,  has a concise summary of Wafa Buessa's  book:
” The novel, written in the first-person for “dramatic effect” as the writer says, tells the story of a girl who is forced by “living circumstances” to leave a stereotypically cloistered Libya and go live with her uncle's family in Egypt. Here, the protagonist begins to broadcast her rejection of and hate for Islam in no uncertain terms, seeing an alternative in the Coptic Church because the “doors are always open.”‘
Morever Tasnim argues that ” Because, when a lawyer who has just released her debut novel decides to take legal action against those who denounce her heroine, it does seem to indicate a slight jumbling of job descriptions. The words Publicity and Stunt also cross the conspiracy-addled mind.”
While I'm still waiting for my own copy almost regretting not paying the five extra Dinars to the guy who had no change I can already partially speculate that from her interview replies Wafa is pulling a stunt a la Ayaan Hirsi Ali   or acting like her trailblazing namesake Wafa Sultan, or the Bangladeshi Tasleema Nesreen..  Salman Rushdie's classic ” Satanic verses” comes to mind, but also the 2006 Danish cartoon crisis which earned fame to a number of unscrupulous bloggers who banked on their anti-Islamic sentiments.
This controversial novel has brought up a storm of protests and words in the comment sections and Tasnim's post reprinted on the  Mideast Youth website has raised further debates about the truly interesting nature of this case. But it's not about literary critique nor religious freedom, what is striking and different than Ayaan, Wafa and the usual anti-Islamic sentiments is made clear by Tasnim when she says that “it is like an inversion of the usual freedom of speech issue. It’s not the author but the critics who are in court for expressing their opinion[…]There’s no censorship involved here. No fatwas, no death threats and no apostates. The power, in this equation, is with the attorney turned author. “

author: Fozia Mohamed


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Where’s the Justice?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jumbie's Watch is confused by Trinidad and Tobago's justice system.


text:
Ukraine: Christmas · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about Christmas in Ukraine and posts a selection of videos.


text:
Ukraine: Tourism in the Carpathians · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Olechko writes about tourism in the Ukrainian Carpathians.


text:
Americas: End of the Year Traditions · Global Voices
Melissa De León

One Latinas Blog writes about Las Posadas: A Mexican Tradition
Las Posadas are the remarkable buildup to Christmas Eve. Las Posadas are the most delightful and unique Mexican tradition that begins on December 16th to commemorate the events in the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. After dark, each night of the “Posada,” a procession begins led by two children. The children carry a small pine-decorated platform bearing replicas of Joseph and Mary riding a burro. Other members of the company, all with lighted long slender candles, sing the “Litany of the Virgin” as they approach the door of the house assigned to the first “Posada.” Together they chant an old traditional song and awaken the mast of the house to ask lodging for Mary. Those within the house threaten the company with beatings unless they move on. Continue Reading…
From Nika's Culinaria: Colombian Tamales How-To Guide
Christmas in Colombia is QUITE a production. Its not just one or two days like here in the US and it can be exhausting if you are not used to partying constantly for a better part of some 15 days, day and night after day and night. If you think you will be spending Christmas in Colombia next year be sure to condition your liver with a serious regimen of rum training over several months. Otherwise, you will be such a light-weight that you will not remember past December 15th or so. Get the scoop now…
Now it is time to find out about the New Year's traditions:
From Ecuador, Pacho Lara welcomes the 2008 sharing what is a tradition to do for this festivities:
New year's in Ecuador is also known as the “old year.” As the name suggests, the various traditions not only celebrate the new year, but also commemorate the passing year. There are various secular traditions and rituals that are observed, all of them with some personal or social significance. Some of these traditions are quite peculiar, like eating twelve grapes, lentils, and changing into yellow underware (ladies) at midnight (all supposedly for good luck). If you want to travel during the new year, you should run around the house or the neighborhood with a piece of luggage at midnight. There are other similar small things you can do to bring success in other areas of your life. But the most interesting part about new year´s celebration, for me at least, is the tradition of burning the “old year.” Read more…
From Dominican Republic, Remolacha.net writes about how much they enjoy to wait for the new year with their families: Esperaran Año en Familia [es]
La mayoría de las personas que optaron por quedarse en la capital y la provincia Santo Domingo durante el feriado de año nuevo, dijeron que esperarán la llegada del 2008 “en familia”, con una cena modesta, haciendo cuentos y jugando.
Most of the people who decided to stay during the new year holiday in the capital and the province of Santo Domingo, expressed their plans of waiting for the new year with their families, with a nice simple dinner, telling stories and playing some games…
From Panama, Chiriqui Chatter vividly describes how the 2008 was received in David, province of Chiriqui: David Celebrates the New Year.
The closer it came to midnight, the greater the activity outside. About five to ten minutes before midnight, I gave up and went out to the balcony.
There were a fair amount of rockets going off, but nothing like midnight itself. At midnight the whole world seemed to start exploding. It was incredible. I watched for several minutes before, I decide I should take a few photos to record this event.
I should have taken some photos of all the fireworks stands that have been set up in David. I mean there have been stands set up everywhere. Read the complete post…
From Panama too, Boquete Guide describes with photos the colorful way people in Boquete, province of Chiriqui celebrated: Welcome 2008 Boquete Style
Photos by Lee Zeltzer
The Latin Americanist shares a compilation of Latin American New Year's Traditions:
With New Year's just days away, most of us have our party plans set. Part of those plans include partaking in traditions with roots in our native countries. Many of us partake of the ritual stemming from madre Spain, eating 12 grapes at the 12 strokes of midnight, making a wish with each uva and ensuring 12 months of good luck…
From Bolivia, Vania Balderrama revises what people traditionally do to receive the new year: Tradiciones de Año Nuevo [es]
Comer Cerdo -
Se dice que en la cena de año nuevo y en el primer día del nuevo año hay que comer cerdo para tener abundancia el año que viene. Según mi suegra, nunca se debe comer pollo, a menos que quieras pasar el año que viene todo desplumado y sin un quinto en el bolsillo.
Las Doce Uvas - Preparas en un platillo doce uvas de cualquier color. En cuanto den las doce campanadas, comes una por una pidiendo un deseo por cada una que se come.
Contar Plata –  Justo a media noche contar un fajo de dinero, esto para que no falte durante todo el año.
Eat Pork: people eat pork at the New Year's eve dinner and during the first day of the year for good luck. This will bring abundance during the whole year. According to my mother in law, we should never eat chicken, because you will be broke all year long!
The Twelve Grapes: before midnight secure twelve grapes of any color. At twelve, eat them one by one, each time thinking of something you really want to achieve during the new year.
Count Money: Just at midnight start counting money, with this practice you will always have plenty during the year. Continue reading…
Para recibir a los Tres Reyes Magos, The Cooking Diva prepares Three Kings Tropical Bread with Coffee (Rosca de Reyes al Café) and explains about this tradition:
Rosca Rey de Reyes, or Rosca de los Reyes, is eaten in México, Puerto Rico, and Portugal on Twelfth Night (January 6), celebrated in the Catholic religion as the day the Three Kings arrived in Bethlehem bearing gifts for Jesus of Nazareth. A tiny ceramic doll, coin, or bean may be hidden in the bread, and traditionally the person who finds it throws a party on Candlemass (February 2), or is in charge of preparing the “Rosca” for the following year.
In this recipe we are using coffee to re-hydrate the dried fruits instead of the more commonly used port wine or dark rum, adding an innovative twist to the flavor combinations. Please note that this specialty bread involves a 2-day process, so be sure to set aside enough time for the steps involved. Read more…

author: Melissa De León


text:
Afghanistan: Intrigue of expelled diplomats deepens · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Bipasha Ray reports that the intrigue surrounding the expulsion of EU acting representative in Afghanistan, Mervyn Patterson, and UN diplomat Michael Semple, is deepening. The Afghanistan's government sources claim that the two were trying to “turn” the brother of the late Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah into an informant.


text:
Argentina: Shrine to Gauchito Gil · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

El Opinador Compulsivo [es] posts a picture of the shrine to Gauchito Gil on the anniversary of his death.  He is a revered figure for some Argentines and is believed to be the provider of many miracles.


text:
Armenia: Election Manifesto · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

With less than two weeks to go before the start of the official pre-election campaign period for next month's presidential election in Armenia, Nazarian comments on the election manifesto of one of the candidates, former president Levon Ter Petrosian.


text:
Bangladesh: Looting a bank · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Bangladesh Corporate Blog on the looting of Brac bank in Dhaka.


text:
Barbados: Election Humour · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Gallimaufry is amused by unfortunate sentence construction in a Barbados daily…


text:
Belize: Election Date Set · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Following the announcement of an election date that is less than a month away, Back to Living in Paradise advises Belizians to “make up your minds fast”.


text:
Bermuda: Female Representation · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Bermudian women are severely underrepresented in the government in the backbenchers, cabinet and senate”: A Radical In Bermuda thinks the island needs a new feminism.


text:
Brazil: How the media portrays black women · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Denise Arcoverde [pt] talks about the way that Brazilian soap operas portrays black woman, which, according to her, reflects the country's mentality towards the issue. “If almost any middle age woman, in Brazil, is already away from the media, the black ones then are completely invisible. While they are over-sexualized when young, after a certain age they are treated as asexual beings and disappear from soap operas and movies. Until they come back again, as a wise elderly or a trusted maid”.

author: Paula Góes


text:
Brazil: Introducing the Big Think · Global Voices
Paula Góes

“Internet gives a voice to everyone, but what are we saying? We have access to lots of information, but are we better informed? We may not have all the answers, but we do have many questions”. Marcos Palacios [pt] looks with curiosity and some hope at the Big Think, an interative website dedicated to the debate of ideas.


text:
Brazil: On being bisexual · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Insurreta [pt] discusses ideas and preconceptions regarding bisexuality.  “Having an bisexual identity makes no sense – the letter “b” in LGBTTT – if you don't understand a bisexual person as bisexual, but as a homosexual person still in the closet, or as a promiscuous heterosexual. There is a specificity in being bi which must have its place, its voice and its demands”.


text:
China: Abuse of Libel Charge · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Rose Lu from my1510 notices that more government officials are using defamation to sue media workers. She points out that the society should learn how to respect media's fair comment and freedom of speech (zh).


text:
China: Let the Visit Petitioners Back Home? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Recently some scholars organized a seminar to study ways to help visit petitioners, people (usually rural peasants) who visit higher authority in big cities for justice appeal, go home. However only 3 petitioners managed to enter the seminar, the rest (more than 200) have to wait outside. Zhang Yaojie pointed out that the real issue is getting their problem solved, not sending them back home (zh).


text:
China: So yellow, so violent · Global Voices
John Kennedy

No, not Bruce Lee. The new regulations set to hit Chinese video sharing websites later this month could be regarded as strictly a censorship move, but then there's the fact that most of these sites can't even get properly licensed. Or the hundreds of clips of violence and porn uploaded each day that please anachronistic regulatory bodies to no end.
The inescapable blog story this week, however, and perhaps related, is that of 13 year-old Zhang Shufan, who was interviewed on CCTV late last month for a report supportive of the new regulations, in which Zhang talks of a recent online experience of having a website pop up showing something she describes as both erotic and violent. ‘Websites pop themselves up?’ wondered some, as others began speculating on the possible mainstream culprits. True or exaggerated or a line fed to her, her choice of words have seen many bloggers responding with mockery and even malice, making her the victim of what some have concluded addresses an even larger and uglier problem, represented in this case by state mouthpiece CCTV‘s reporting techniques; all sorts of her personal details were dug up by netizens and posted online, prompting her father to respond in kind with an open letter, translated by Roland Soong at EastSouthWestNorth:
I am the father of Shufan.  During the past few days, people have been giving Shufan funny looks.  Then I found out that this was the result of the Internet activities.  When I got on the Internet and read the posts, I found it impossible to tolerate.  You people are really going too far.  Shufan is just a child.  Her world and personal views are not fully developed, and she might have said something inappropriate.  But does it justify your wilfully attacking and insulting her?  Not only did you use vicious language to insult Shufan, you even used Photoshop pornographic cartoons to debase her character.  Do you know how much mental anguish your have caused Shufan?  Meanwhile, will the person who created the Photoshop cartoon dare to stand out and identify himself/herself?  I don't know if you people know what conscience is anymore.
I don't think that Shufan said anything wrong.  You have started a so-called human search to locate Shufan.  I can tell you that we live in Wanshou Road, Haidian District, Beijing City.  You are welcome to visit us anytime.  At the same time, I am warning you (especially those who did the Photoshop cartoons) that I will use the law to defend the legal rights and human dignity of Shufan and myself!
Comments characteristic of the sort being directed at Zhang can be found in English here, and this spoof video is quite tame in comparison to a lot of what's out there:
MSN Live Spaces blogger Li Lin Psy1982 sums up quite well the response to the bullying in her January 8 post, ‘CCTV might have no shame, but certain mobsters definitely have no shame~~’:
看到朋友的msn ID后缀变了，上面写着“2008年首个网络流行语——‘很黄，很暴力’”～～～怎么说呢，最近个把星期，在温哥华这个大村镇呆着，几乎和国内的新闻动态绝缘了，所以我完全不知道这个ID的典故和出处，于是很好奇地开始google～～～结果，很让人……不爽～～～
…
这就是典型的中国式的网络暴民的行为了～～～在GFW的封锁下，言论自由受到了限制，于是大多数网络蠢货（我的意思是，网上大多数人都是蠢货；但是还有少部分不蠢的，比如说本人～～）颇为不忿——但这是ZF的行为，怨有头债有主——长工被地主踢了一脚，于是回家打老婆出气，这种行为只能被鉴定为 IQ过低～～～
话说CCTV这个机构，在平均IQ上也是很低下的——所以它浪费着那么多纳税人的钱，却也没能把自己变得更可爱一点，只会做一个很娱乐的调查，宣布全国人民都喜欢新闻联播——从智力水平来看，网上的蠢货都去看CCTV，倒也不失为一种恰当的组合方式……
…
随手google出无数条恶毒的攻击，一时间竟有些难以想象，竟然有那么多人，如此热衷于向一个孩子谩骂——而谩骂的理由是，这个小朋友应该像江姐一样，面对CCTV的威逼利诱宁死不从……Bull shit～～～～mop完全可以颠倒一下尾字母，从此叫做mob…
Which bears mention of this institution CCTV, which on IQ also scores quite low—which is why it wastes so much of taxpayers’ money, and unable to make itself any nicer, able only to come up with one very entertaining survey, and declaring itself the news network the whole country likes to watch—so with regard to IQ level, that all the morons on the internet also watch CCTV, there couldn't be a more appropriate assembly strategy…
[…]
And the countless malicious attacks I found through Google, at first glance made it hard to imagine that there could actually be so many people so zealous in launching abuse at a child—their reasoning for the abuse being that this little kid ought to have chosen ‘to die rather than surrender’ to CCTV's intimidation or enticements, which is bullshit….drop the last letter in Mop and you get Mob[…]
Peng Yi at iZaoBao writes:
再回顾昨天，著名新闻节目上一个小女孩因为一句“很黄很暴力”被广大网友口诛笔伐。我们的这些行为与一群暴徒不看清真相围着一个小女孩轮奸有什么区别？我们要唾骂的，应该是背后那个操控这个女孩儿的主使。
黄和暴力的问题，应该交给分级制度来解决。作为一个具有完全行为能力的公民，爱看什么是他的自由。而一旦这种自由被道貌岸然的喉舌们假借一个花季少女的口来进行批判，这一切就显得滑稽可笑。我相信网友们指向的绝非这位小朋友，而是事件本身。换一句话说，就是“我们被愚弄得太久了”
With the issue of pornographic and violent content, this ought to be handled by a classification system. For a law-abiding citizen, choosing what to view is his freedom. But the minute this sanctimonious state mouthpiece launched an attack on this kind of freedom in the guise of what a naive little girl says, it all becomes ridiculous and silly. I believe the target of these netizens in by no means this little kid, but the incident itself. Put another way, “we've been made fools of for far too long.”
Cultural critic Wang Xiaofeng, who refers to all his readers as chimpanzees, despite his irreverent tone has a background in law. In Zhang's case Wang takes a position similar to the one he blogged a few days ago with regard to the steamed bun non-hoax, that some regulation is warranted. To that on January 4 he wrote:
第一个报道“国标馒头”的记者是个傻逼；
对国家标准部门群起而攻之的人都挺弱智；
中国人在标准化这个问题上一无所知；
将标准化与政治集权化联系在一起的人脑子都进水了；
中国有广泛的假冒伪劣和缺斤短两的群众基础；
我们从来不去想想自己的权利是怎么受到侵害的；
麦当劳的汉堡都能标准化，我们副食店的馒头为什么不能？
In his Jan. 8 post on Zhang Shufan, ‘Just who is very yellow, very violent?’, after apologizing to readers he might have offended with the frequently vulgar language he uses on his blog, and admonishing them if they don't like it not to come back, Wang writes:
言归正传，说说张◇◇的事情。事情既然从CCTV引发的，那我们先从CCTV说起。这个新闻我没看，其实根本不用看，看了这么多年CCTV，还不知道他们的路数——就是编导或制片人希望听到一句他们想听的话，用诱供的方式逗出被采访者说出这句话。如果仔细分析，每句话都可能有代表性，但要看你怎么说，看你把什么当成重点。你看做电视的人都这样，采访一个人可能录像一个小时，但最后用的时候可能就几句话，选择这几句话很讲究的，被采访者必须说出编导和制片人的心声，比如张◇◇小朋友就做到了，然后掐头去尾，断章取义。其实央视的记者完全可以上各大门户网站，把页面打开，对着电脑屏幕拍一些很黄很暴力的页面，但是他们为了更有震撼力，一定要把一个未成年人揪出来对着镜头说这句话，而且说得那么精辟、深刻。这五个字充分体出了中央电视台的伪善新闻价值观，同时也暴露了所有中国人都习以为常的传统——意识不到保护未成年人。
[…]
事实上，我没有看到反思，我看到了暴力，我没有看到央视获得什么道德分数，却看到了他们的无知和不负责任，虽然中国的《未成年人保护法》里面没有规定未成年人不能接受媒体采访，但是从未成年人保护的角度出发，也该慎之又慎，甚至我认为，CCTV把张◇◇的名字打出来都算侵犯她的隐私。
[…]
网民们像是被捅到了G点，立刻兴奋了起来，当他们拿这件事去说事，去恶搞，也都忽略了一个对未成年人保护的意识（他们又能有什么意识呢）。可见，对未成年人保护在中国是长路漫漫。而众多网民狂欢式的恶搞，实际上在伤害着一个未成年人的心灵，她的图片遍地都是。他们图的是过瘾，比如很兴致勃勃地宣称这五个字是今年第一条流行语，妈了逼的，当然这个小朋友不是你女儿或你侄女。
[…]
中国的互联网和中国电影一样都面临这样的一个问题：内容该分级。比如新浪网站，我一直是把它当成色情网站来看，就是把男盗女娼和仁义道德完美结合在一起的那种门户网站。当然，其他网站也好不到哪里去，有一个算一个。这就好比把妓院开在超市里面一样，谁都能看到。如果网络不分级，好多问题都解决不了。有了分级制，至少可以加强公众对未成年人保护的意识。
The discussion has gone semantic over at Bullog, with web veteran Beifeng defending the check-and-balance role Chinese netizens have come to play in Chinese society, arguing that netizens should be using Zhang and her phrase to say a thing or two, and about who or what that actually is, he writes, everyone is perfectly clear: at thirteen years old, she is old and capable enough to know not to lie about something like this, and to know that one only finds erotic and violent websites if one is looking for them (assuming she wasn't referring to “Skinhua”). He states, however, that this can't be taken too far, adding that it already has:
张殊凡承受的压力，就是她说谎所必须付出的代价。我们不会与一个说真话的小学生过不去，只要张殊凡愿意告诉大家，她说谎了，或者告诉我们，她在什么情况情况下看到了这个网页，看到了一个什么样的网页，我相信，广大网友绝对不会难为她。甚至，会为她勇于承认错误面对真相感到骄傲。
最操蛋的就是她的父亲。如果张殊凡是被授意而说谎，她的父亲以其“未成年”作为杜悠悠之口的借口，与欧阳志远的“侮辱”之辩有何两样？他首先应当代表其女儿说明真相，甚至向公众道歉。
在我看来，以“未成年人”的理由来指责网友“ 畜生”的人，与欧阳志远之流也没什么两样。
What's most messed up about this is her father. If Zhang Shufan had been encouraged to lie, her father and his excuse of calling for others to be silent about this because she's a “minor”, would that be any different from Ouyang Zhiyuan‘s “insulted” argument? First off, he should represent his daughter in telling the truth, and then make a public apology.
As I see it, people accusing netizens of being “beasts” in this with the reasoning that she's a “minor”, are no different from Ouyang Zhiyuan.
The “beasts” comment he refers to comes from humorist Wang Pei, who on January 7 wrote a post “Beasts, be nice!”, since changed to read “Non-beasts, be nice!”:
那个说出“很黄，很暴力”的小姑娘成为某些网民口诛笔伐的牺牲品，以至于她的父亲不得不出来发表了一封公开信。
对于这件事，我很愤怒！未成年人有免受黄色暴力内容侵害的自由，即使在你们崇拜向往的西方国家也是如此。
我不是道德家，我承认我比你们还黄，我有钱了，就会买一台双核8Tb的服务器，里面装满毛片。
我也不赞成网络扫黄，反对一切伤害表达自由、浏览自由的管制。
但这不等于你们可以为所欲为，这不等于没有底线！
非畜生们，行行好吧！放过这个小姑娘！

author: John Kennedy


text:
China: The SARFT censorship comments · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Sun Bin re-posts a comment thread from Douban's movie forum on the SARFT comments on a film “Devils on the door step”. Most frequent comments are about impact on national image.


text:
Colombia: A Look Back at the Six Months with Hiperbarrio · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Catalina Restrepo of Cosas Del Alma [es] reflects upon the last six months of being a part of the Hiperbarrio project in La Loma neighborhood of Medellín, Colombia.


text:
Colombia: Filmmaker Stone and the Hostages · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The U.S. filmmaker Oliver Stone was on hand to document the handover of the FARC hostage, which ultimately failed.  Constanza Vieira of Heavy Metal Colombia [es] discusses Stone's presence.


text:
Costa Rica: Injuries at Bullfights · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Bullfighting in Costa Rica should be eliminated, or at least regulated, according to Costa Rica en el Presente [es], especially due to the high rates of injury to the matador and spectators.


text:
Dominica, Barbados: World Cup Qualifier · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Steve's Dominica is looking forward to the island's World Cup qualifying football match against Barbados.


text:
Egypt: No Country for Old Men  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jarelkamar from Egypt says No Country for Old Men is a must watch movie.


text:
Holidays in Burkina Faso: Days off and good traveling  · Global Voices
John Liebhardt

For foreigners living and blogging in Burkina Faso, this year’s clustering of Christian and Muslim holidays not only provided a countless number of days off, but gave people the chance to do some good traveling.
Charlie from Blooming Desert tried to make the best of both worlds: Traveling home to the United Kingdom for a friend’s wedding before Christmas before catching a plane back to Burkina Faso in time for hosting 50 guests for Christmas Eve dinner. However, even the best laid plans sometimes fail. The second leg of her flight was overbooked, and Charlie was unexpectedly sent off with a group of passengers to Togo, where she spent the holiday:
Of course, when you are stuck with four strangers in a foreign country for two days you can't help wondering if God has a greater purpose in mind. For sure we were a curious bunch – an unlikely throng comprising a Burkinabe businessman who lives in Norwich, a Muslim returning from Mecca, a French backpacker and a Islamic religious leader who pioneers Mosques around Burkina. All were very friendly and we got on remarkably well, united in our grievances and swapping cards and email addresses at the end of the ordeal.
Burkinamom and her family stayed in Ouagadougou for the holidays, but she found it necessary to negotiate a few cultural barriers in order to celebrate New Year’s Eve at a local restaurant. Those cultural barriers weren’t erected by locals, but other foreigners:
We had come late to the gathering and the others (an all-American missionary crowd) had decided to segregate the seating. There were all the women at one end and the men all at the opposite end of the table. The center was occupied by a hoard of small children. After one look at the table, JP shot me a look of the acutest misery. He's an anthropologist and knows that foreign cultures have their own customs, but he finds this particular one very painful. He sat down among the men and they tried to draw him into the conversation with such gems as “What's your favorite winter sport? and “Where are the next Olypmics being held?” Now, my husband loves to chat about politics, philosophy, current events…anything EXCEPT sports. I could see that action had to be taken. I somehow managed to convince the other women that the kids would be happier at a table of their own and the xx and xy camps could be combined.
For Girl Raised in the South, New Year’s Eve became the tale of two parties. The first took place at her local village bar where she began ushering in the New Year in grand fashion with a bunch of young kids dancing their hearts out. Shortly after, however, the young were escorted out to make room for the adults who wanted to dance. After returning home, she was summonsed to the home of the Prefet, the regional Governor, to celebrate with the town’s “elite,” whom she quickly learned didn’t know how to throw a party:
After that the Prefet stood up and gave a rousing speech telling everyone that the “funcionnaires” (i.e. rich people…compared to everyone else in the village) should stick together, and do these kinds of parties more often. I couldn't help but feel a bit elitist…while we were having this reserved soiree, you could here the blaring music and hollering of the villageois. If given the choice, I might have preferred the villageois/common folk.
For those bloggers who left the country, the coasts and forests of Ghana was the most popular destination. As Ex Africa points out, however, travelers from Burkina Faso may find a different world in Ghana, but that doesn’t always mean a better world:
Ghana is definitely a high-light spot, with great jungles and rainforests, good wildlife, beautiful beaches, and more great people and West African culture…It was such an awesome place. Just the travel. I now realize Burkina actually has some of the best transport in West Africa.
Becca Faso did enjoy a good trip down Ghana’s Butri River:
…[W]e climbed in a hollwed-out log/canoe and paddled down the river. It was pretty neat. We were surrounded by mountains and mangrove forest on either side – which is pretty cool if you are a bio nerd like me. There were beautiful birds and mudskippers and crabs. Then, when we were turning around the guy asked if we wanted to see where he makes palm wine. “Hell yes we want to see that!” I felt like Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart as we pulled over to a hole in the mangrove forest and followed a jungle path to the guys palm wine factory. It was pretty cool. They just take the phloem out of the palm tree and ferment it in barrels. The guy also takes the palm wine and distills it into a liquor that tastes like PGA. Yuk. I had a sip and lost a substantial portion of my brain cells. I'll never get ‘em back.
For those living abroad for a certain amount of time, traveling to another foreign country can be a lesson in humility. Not only because the culture is different, but because your hard-earned local knowledge no longer is suitable. Like everyone else, even Ex Pats can become tourists. From Jill and Marcus in Burkina Faso:
In contrast to Burkinabe hecklers, who aggressively shove postcards and leather boxes in your face and walk next to you until they finally give up, often hissing “racist” as they do, Egyptian hecklers are smooth. Really smooth. On our first outing, we savvy Peace Corps Volunteers took the bait on a classic scam–a charming dude lured us away from the Egyptian Museum, where we were headed, by telling us it was closed and ushered us into his buddy's papyrus shop. His buddy then managed to sell us a few pictures by turning the charm way, WAY up, culminating in his giving us a “special price” because he said I looked like his daughter. Even though we knew we were being scammed, the guys doing it were so freakishly polite, we felt bad trying to get away. Now that's good scamming.

author: John Liebhardt


text:
Hong Kong: Save Lung Mei · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A new blog has been set up to save a piece of wetland in Hong Kong (zh). The government planned to spend HKD130 million to build an artificial beach in Lung Mei, a natural piece of wetland in Taipo. Netizens organized a signature campaign and produced some videos against such environmental destruction.


text:
India: Cricket and Controversy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

IndieQuill on the controversy filled start in the world of cricket. Australians, Indians and allegations of racism.


text:
India: The 100,000 Rs. car · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

VKpedia on how the low-price car is only going to add to the troubles of an already frail infrastructure in Indian cities.


text:
Iraq: Confessions of a US Soldier  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Emad Khadduri links to a confession of a US soldier about his feelings on what is happening in Iraq.


text:
Japan: Wasabi Plant · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Want to grow wasabi in your apartment? Harvey from JapanNewbie has the experience to share.


text:
Jordan: Are we ready for free speech?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian blogger Qwaider asks: Are we ready for free speech?


text:
Jordan: High Heels  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Roba Al Assi, from Jordan, comments on high heels in this illustrated post.


text:
Jordan: Infant or Cat? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Firas from Jordan sheds light on internal politics, net profit bagged by cellular phone companies and his country's energy crisis in this post. Also, read about how the suspected skeleton of an infant turned out to be that of a cat.


text:
Jordan: Surge in Electricity · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

What happens when there is a surge in electricity? Jordanian Moey paints the picture here.


text:
Kazakhstan: New Zealand’s Winery Enters Market · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Arseny informs that a New Zealand’s tiny winery is trying to penetrate Kazakhstan's braded alcohol market, which is pretty full already.


text:
Kenya: Pulling together for peace · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mental Acrobatics writes about local peace initiatives in Kenya: ” I’d like to share two stories of grass root initiatives that Kenyans are taking to build bridges.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Kuwait: Charity Paintball Tourney · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Mark, who lives in Kuwait, announces a charity paint ball tournament – the proceeds of which will go towards an animal shelter.


text:
Lebanon: Battling Cancer · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese Laila Abu Saba, who is battling cancer, updates us on her situation in this post.


text:
Lebanon: Bush Not Welcome · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese blogger Mustapha explains why US president George W Bush is not welcome in Lebanon in this post.


text:
Lebanon Update · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Riemer Brouwer updates us on the political situation in Lebanon in this post.


text:
Morocco: Arabic Classes  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Cory, from Morocco, is taking Arabic classes. Read all about it here.


text:
Morocco: New Desk  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moroccan blogger and author Laila Lalami  has bought a new desk for her new novel. Click here to read why.


text:
Obama on Iraq · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

IraqPundit discusses US Presidential hopeful Barack Obama‘s assessment of the situation in Iraq in this post.


text:
Pakistan: Cyber Crime Bill · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Teeth Maestro on the Cyber Crime Bill promulgated by the government in Pakistan. “As per the final draft – an officer can walk into my house confiscate my computer and arrest me, he/she does not have to explain why and neither give reason for the arrest.”


text:
Pakistan: Election Experiment · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

All Things Pakistan conducts a blogging experiment. Readers can write about which political party they support in the forthcoming electiosn and why, but not mention anything against any other party.


text:
Pakistan: Most dangerous place · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Economist declared Pakistan the most dangerous place – and readers at Metroblogging Islamabad respond to the same.


text:
Palestine: Children Pay the Price · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian Haitham Sabbah puts together a slideshow on the suffering of Palestinian children and youth. WARNING: Some images may be disturbing to some viewers.


text:
Peru: The Next Outsider · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Desde El Tercer Piso [es] speculates on the next “outsider” to enter the Peruvian presidential politics for the elections in 2011.  He wonders about the possibility of Antauro Humala.


text:
Portugal: For a decent health care · Global Voices
Paula Góes

gotaelbr [pt] reports on a trip to a hospital in Vila Real, Portugal, and the tales of neglect that he has come across. “The principle of “whoever wants health care should pay for it” that some favor not only is contrary to what is established in our Constitution but also to the respect that should be given to human beings and all of our mothers, brothers, family, friends!”


text:
Saudi Arabia: Jeddah Beachfront in Pictures · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Gardenia has just bought a new camera and is clicking away at the Jeddah beach front, in Saudi Arabia.


text:
Slovenia: National Party Splits · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sleeping With Pengovsky writes about a recent split in the Slovene National Party.


text:
Syria: Brief History  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Middle East News blog shares with us a brief history of Syria here.


text:
Taiwan: Vegetable Price · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Since the opening up of agricultural market, the vegetable price has be dropping by half in Taiwan. PipperL describes that a painful drop and a disaster for farmers (zh).


text:
Tajikistan: Thirsty for Water · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust reviews one of the rolling problems facing Tajikistan — the role of water as a power source and as a regular  resource, and looks closer at the project of Nurek hydroelectric power plant that to address Tajikistan’s electricity shortages.

author: Adil Nurmakov


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Architectural Vernacular  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Where does the nostalgia for these houses come from? Perhaps it is that these remarkable houses are so representative of our diversity”: My Chutney Garden examines Trinidad and Tobago's architectural vernacular.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica: “Moving” Film · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Caribbean Beat Blog turns the spotlight on Jamaican-born Annmarie Morais’ first feature film.


text:
Tunisia: Fast Food Haunts  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Looking for fast food in Tunisia? Subzero Blue zeros in on his favourite chicken joint.


text:
UAE: Notice to Women · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From the UAE, Bu Jassem posts a circular (Ar) from a government agency urging female employees to dress up conservatively and stop touching themselves in ‘sensitive’ areas in front of clients.


text:
Ukraine: More Christmas Videos · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana posts two more Christmas videos from Ukraine.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Uruguay: 1930 World Cup Memories · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

El Blog de May [es] reminisces about the 1930 World Cup held in Uruguay, where the host nation was crowned champions even though only four European countries were able to make the expensive cross-Atlantic trip.


text:
Uruguay: Funding for Cultural Projects · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The Uruguayan Ministry of Education and Culture is providing funds for projects in research, music, theater or other arts projects. Carol Guilleminot of D-sur [es] has more information on the requirement and application process.


text:
Uzbekistan: Rumors of a Sickly President · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nathan says that the rumors about Uzbekistan President Karimov being seriously ill have got new rebirth lately. The source, opposition-in-exile-leader Muhammad Solih says Karimov will soon head to Germany for medical treatments and may have to transfer some powers to subordinates.


text:
What is OneVoice?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

OneVoice, an international movement to seek a peaceful solution to the Middle East crisis, explains its mission statement here.


text:
Zimbabwe: Business owners beware · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The Bearded Man warns Zimbabwean business owners: “Zimbabwean business owners and managers beware. The “Nitpick” (NIPC) team is due to be on the prowl again…”


text:
Zimbabwe: Villagers trading in Rand · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mugabe Mukaipa posts a news article published in the Zimbabwe Standard about Zimbabweans using the South African currency: “Villagers in most parts of Matabeleland are selling their livestock in South African Rand, citing the volatility of the Zimbabwean dollar whose value continues to tumble against major currencies.”


text:
Afghanistan: Drug Use · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nasim Fekratْ  focuses this time on the issue of drug abuse in Aghanistan and says that the number of opium addicts in Kabul alone was more than 30,000 in estimation in 2004 but three years after, this number doubled.


text:
Bahamas: Tourism & Crime  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The government, and Bahamians at large, must recognise that tourism is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that calls for much more than a handful of sand, a tan and a dip in the sea”: At WeblogBahamas.com, Adrian Gibson blogs about tourism – and crime.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Barbados: The Abortion Issue  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Barbados Free Press suggests that a political candidate's position on abortion may play a role in whether he is elected to Parliament or not.


text:
Bolivia: Neighborhood Store · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Cristina Quisbert of Bolivia Indigena [es] writes about her neighborhood store in El Alto, Bolivia, which helps bail her out when she needs ingredient for her breakfast or also provides a friendly face to pass the time in conversation.

author: Eduardo Avila


text:
Bolivia: OLPC To Arrive in Bolivia? · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Hugo Miranda of Angel Caido [es] discusses the possibility of the One Laptop Per Child project in Bolivia.


text:
Brazil: Daily thought-provoking pictures · Global Voices
Paula Góes

For a thought-provoking and intriguing daily dose of pictures, visit photographer Carlos Café's new blog. The tip is from the New Alriada Express [pt].


text:
Brazil: You should never go to Rio if you… · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Rachel Glickhouse has a new blog page: the Top Ten Reasons You SHOULDN'T visit Rio.


text:
Caribbean: Obama in Iowa   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Senator Barack Obama‘s astounding success in Iowa – the first of the caucuses that will ultimately result in the victorious nominee from each of the two main political parties going on to contest the 2008 US presidential election – has struck a chord with many Caribbean bloggers.
Posts range from the coverage of a full-blown endorsement of Obama by the US Virgin Islands Governor, to hopeful questions about whether history could actually be unfolding before our eyes.  Some bloggers think he's the perfect candidate for the next US president, others aren't so sure, but there's no doubt that the Senator for Illinois is giving the Caribbean blogosphere something to talk about…
Haitian-born blogger kiskeácity “captured some inspiring moments” at the Iowa Caucus Party in Downtown Manhattan, making her earlier post that much more pertinent.
But Further Thoughts wonders “how much of this is real”:
A month ago, people seemed to be saying that yes, Obama will win in Iowa, but it doesn’t matter all that much.
But then Obama won in Iowa, and the narrative changed.  The latest polls suggest that real change is afoot.  Obama is surging in New Hampshire and nationally.  But how solid is this?  Have people made up their minds, or are they just saying what the press tells them they should be thinking?
Liza Sabater, Puerto Rican by birth, mixed race by ethnicity, views Obama as the perfect example of “the audacity of biracial hope”:
Recognizing how ingrained racism and prejudice is the culture at-large and the psyche within, is the most important first step for any liberal hoping to discuss and understand the audacity of Barack Obama's hope.
Barack Obama comes from a world in which he has not just seen but lived the good and bad of both ends of the color spectrum. There is no need to defend one over the other because he knows how similarly good and similarly bad people can be. He understand social economic catastrophes are not predetermined by a person's race but are wrought by government policies that exploit the politically disenfranchised and the economically weak.
In other words, he understands that race is just one part of the political equation.
Meanwhile, Signifyin’ Guyana poses the question:
Do you think he will win the whole thing?  Why?  Why not?  Does he need black voters to carry him through?
Blogging from Trinidad and Tobago, Club Soda and Salt is not convinced:
“They said this country was too divided, too disillusioned to ever come together around a common purpose,” Mr. Obama said.
Well, this “common purpose” sounds nice, but what is it? I honestly have no idea, and I feel like the Obama campaign hasn’t really ever defined it. This nicely captures the “something missing” that is part of why I can’t actively back Obama over the other Dems.
I’m fine with him getting the nomination, and I’d love to see him be president, but this is part of why the Obama campaign has let me down a little.
In contrast, blogger Jeremy Taylor chalks one up for Obama:
If it gives America the sense that this guy might actually be electable, then Iowa will have done the world a service. The president of the US is pretty much the president of the world, so America's choice next November is of more than passing interest to the planet.
…The rest of the world desperately needs an American president with some common sense. Someone who can stop this lunatic war in Iraq and fight “terrorism” without creating ten new terrorists for each one taken down. Someone who wouldn't rush to applaud Mwai Kabaki for winning a rigged election in Kenya. Someone who is not afraid of the Israelis and thus can lean on them and produce a settlement in Palestine.  Someone who will dismantle the crazy 45-year confrontation with Cuba. Someone who doesn't wear cowboy hats.
For Seldo.com, it comes down to a simple issue of technological savvy:
Obama is the candidate who understands that the Internet is not just a technology, not just a new industry, but a fundamental change to the nature of public discourse, and like any other form of free speech, it needs to be encouraged and protected from vested interests who would seek to control it to their own ends.
Linking to Obama's blog post in The Daily Kos, Liza Sabater writes:
This may be, by the way, the post that alienated the Obama campaign from not just the netroots crowd but the whole progressive blogosphere.
Obama is not out to get the enemy. He is out to build bridges, heal old wounds. Barack's campaign is all about bringing all peoples into the democratic process by putting politics back on the kitchen table by calling it Hope.
No matter the race or ethnicity.
No matter the religion or political ideology.
Jeremy Taylor echoes her sentiment…sort of:
Obama? He sounds as if he's so wonderful that he'll be all things to all men and all women. You look at him and wonder, can he really make it? If he does, could he sustain it?  In Washington, would he be a pushover, would he get fat and pompous, would he be allowed to implement any liberal ideas? How long would it take the wolves to tear him to bits?
But if you want change, Obama — so far — seems the one who's up for it. The best of a dubious lot.


text:
Central America: Nations to Form a Union? · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Could the Central American nations form a united Central American union? Aaron Ortiz of Pensieve  provides a little bit of historical background on the region and links to several organizations that work across the region.


text:
Chile: The Killing of a Mapuche Activist · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The Latin Americanist discusses the anger expressed by Mapuche indigenous groups over the death of a local activist by Chilean police.


text:
China: City Management Team · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Recently a passerby was beaten to death by a city management team in Hubei because he had taken photos of their violent acts. Boyer2000 pointed out that such kind of news happened so frequently that people started to get used to it (zh).

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
China: Land Ownership · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

There is an appeal for returning land ownership back to rural peasants (zh)in the civic rights volunteers’ blog.


text:
Costa Rica: Baggage Handlers  · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Juan Carlos Hidalgo [es] and Costa Rica Blogs write about the chaotic situation at the San José International airport, where the curbside baggage handlers operate without any regulation negotiating their fees themselves.  Hidalgo sarcastically writes that he needs a politician to determine prices in this competitive field.