text:
Russia: Bloggers’ Summer of Civic Actions · Global Voices
Marina Litvinovich

Although August is traditionally considered a quiet month in Russia, the country's Internet has been alive with hundreds and thousands of people taking part in a number of social actions. On Saturday August 6, 2011, an event took place which had been months in the planning: ‘Bloggers Against Garbage.’
‘Bloggers Against Garbage’
The instigator of the action was popular travel-blogger Sergei Dolya, who has not previously been noted for his social activism. He had the idea to organise a large group of Russian-language bloggers to clean up garbage in the places they lived. This is how Dolya phrased [ru] the goal of the action:
Я прошу вас очнуться и решить для себя раз и навсегда, равнодушны лично вы к вопросам чистоты и порядка в месте, в котором вы живете, или нет.
Я объездил 65 стран, и только в самых бедных из них люди не заботятся о внешнем виде своих городов и поселений. Нам еще нужно много сделать и пережить, чтобы наше общество стало ставить в приоритет аккуратность, рациональное отношение к ресурсам, чтобы каждый уважающий себя человек считал своим долгом сделать замечание нарушающему порядок. Но это общество состоит из нас с Вами. Давайте начнем уже сегодня понемногу менять ситуацию и, может быть, к нашей старости мы будем знать, что мы с вами выиграли самую коварную войну – войну со своим безразличием.
Акция «Блогер против мусора» – это шаг, который, как мне кажется, способен запустить сложный механизм борьбы с самим собой за право жить в чистом и цивилизованном мире…
I ask you to come to your senses and decide for yourselves once and for all whether or not you care about the cleanliness and order of the place that you live in.
I've been to 65 countries and only in the very poorest of them do people not care for the external appearance of their towns and settlements. We still have a lot to do and work though in order for our society to start making rational attitudes towards resources a priority, so every self-respecting person considers it their duty to make comments that challenge the prevailing order. But this society is composed of us and you. Let's start changing the situation a little today and maybe when we are old, we'll know that you and I won the most insidious war: the war with our own apathy.
The action “Bloggers against Garbage” is one step, I think, which can start off a difficult fight with our own selves for the right to live in a clean and civilised world.
Bloggers not just in Russia, but also in neighbouring countries responded to the action. Moreover, it was supported by a multitude of sponsors, including companies such as Beeline (popular Russian mobile carrier), Lenovo, Coca-Cola, DHL, Kaspersky Labs (well known Russian anti-virus company), Dymov (Russian meatpacking company), the retail chain Respublica and many others. The company News Outdoor advertised the action and the factory ‘Nova Roll’ provided the participants with free garbage bags. Participants were also provided with t-shirts, bandanas, gloves and signs with the slogan “No More Garbage Here.”
This map shows the cities where the action took place:
Map of cities where the 'Bloggers Against Garbage' action took place, by Sergei Dolya.
Here is a short but telling list of statistics which Sergei Dolya provided [ru]:
В акции приняли участие 16 тысяч человек в более чем 120 городах России.
Собрали около 25 тысяч мешков мусора по всей стране, т.е. примерно 200 тонн.
В качестве организаторов было привлечено 439 человек координаторов
На подготовку и проведение акции было потрачено 11 млн. 568 500 рублей.
16,000 people in more than 120 cities in Russian participated in the action
About 25,000 bags of garbage were gathered in the whole country, approximately 200 tonnes.
439 people got involved as organisers
11,568,500 Russian roubles [387,800 US dollars] were spent on preparations and implementation of the action.
A special community, blogerprotiv [ru] collected posts reporting on how the action went in different cities. The event united different political forces: members of Yabloko, Molodaya Gvardia, the National Bolsheviks and other parties and movements all took part in it. In several regions the action was headed by governors, for example, in the city of Blagoveshchensk, Governor Oleg Kozhemyako came [ru] to help the fight against rubbish. In the city of Vladimir, Mayor Sergei Sakharov also came [ru] to the action.
From numerous reports it became clear that ‘Bloggers Against Garbage’ had attracted more than just bloggers, and that in many places they were actually in the minority. With the exception of one case [ru], where bad organisation of the cleaning process and the unfamiliarity with the phenomenon of volunteering played a negative role, the action went off peacefully and without problems everywhere.
Greatest civic action of bloggers?
Summing up the results of a successfully carried out action to clean up rubbish, Sergei Dolya wrote [ru]:
Акция “Блогеры против мусора” войдет в историю российского интернета как крупнейшая гражданская акция блогеров. Никогда до этого на улицу одновременно не выходило такое количество интернет-жителей.
Well known blogger Anton Nossik shared Dolya's view [ru]:
Совершенно однозначно так, если говорить об оффлайновых акциях. Может быть, в каких-то сборах подписей или денег больше народу участвовало, но физически на улицы через Интернет столько народу выводили только в Каире
However, ‘Bloggers Against Garbage’ did not inspire such enthusiasm and support in everyone. A couple of bloggers expressed the opinion that such an action could only cause harm, in as far as tax-payers were starting to carry out government work, which their taxes should have been paying for:
Что собственно произошло? Несколько тысяч человек пошли убирать кал в своих населенных пунктах. То есть простые люди платящие налоги и коммунальные платежи пошли выполнять работы этих самых чиновников и служб. Милейший Доля делает вид, что он не знает – это прямая обязанность городских властей. И делая наивное лицо заявляет –  то, что мы денег немеряно платим за поддержание  чистоты в городах – фигня. А давайте мы еще и  работу за них начнем выполнять – пишет блогер piligrim67.
Garbage removal men sleep as bloggers collect rubbish in a St Petersburg park. Photo from blogerprotiv on LiveJournal.
Some bloggers have pointed out that one-time actions to clean up rubbish cannot help fix the situation with regards to environmental pollution. Many bloggers proposed increasing the punishment for despoiling nature:
Почему бы нашим законотворцам не придумать что-то по настоящему мотивирующее задумываться. Например, ужесточить наказания. Тем, кто не попал бычком в урну – отрубать руку, кто не донес мусор до контейнера – 25 лет лагерей, а любителям плевать жвачку на асфальт – обрезать язык. Я, конечно, утрирую, но почему-то кажется, что только такие меры способны заставить мусорящую биомассу пораскинуть мозгами прежде чем нагадить – пишет блогер i-narodny.
Blogger amuzzz published [ru] photographs of places in Losiny Ostrov National Park in Moscow, which were cleaned by bloggers the previous evening and had subsequently been littered and vandalised again:
Torn up sign in Losiny Ostrov. Photo from blogger amuzzz.
Думаю, что зря отменили обязательные субботники в учебных заведениях. Мусора стало больше, а ответственности мусорящие теперь никакой не ощущают. Обидно. – пишет в конце своего поста блогер amuzzz.
The organiser of the action, Sergei Dolya responded [ru] to the doubts of bloggers:
Одноразовая акция не имеет смысла. Их надо проводить регулярно. Я думаю, что следующую акцию мы проведем весной, а пока мы займемся установкой урн в городах и пинанием местных администраций на тему ликвидации нелегальных свалок.
A summer of civil actions
Several other notable actions were taking place at the same time as ‘Bloggers Against Garbage.’ The website fursenko.net [ru] was launched, where several participating groups, in particular, the Russian Students’ Union, the movement “Education for All,” the union of workers from the Russian Academy of Sciences and others, collected signatures for the dismissal of the country's Minister of Science and Education, Andrei Fursenko.
In the manifesto published on the website, the organisers wrote:
НЕВОЗМОЖНО БОЛЬШЕ терпеть воровство чиновниками сотен миллиардов бюджетных рублей и бремя тотальной бытовой коррупции в детсадах, школах, вузах, научных центрах! НЕВОЗМОЖНО БОЛЬШЕ терпеть кумовство, клановость, непрофессионализм и некомпетентность, процветающие в управлении образованием и наукой!
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to further tolerate the thieving of hundreds of billions of roubles from the state budget by civil servants and the burden of total day-on-day corruption in kindergartens, schools, universities and scientific centres! IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to further tolerate the nepotism, croneyism, unprofessionalism and incompetence thriving in our institutions of learning and science!
Recently, the latest chapter of the analytical document ‘Power of the Families. Government – 2011‘ [ru] was published, focusing on Minister Fursenko [ru] and analyzing his influence on business and links to corruption. By the start of August, over 17,000 signatures had been collected for his dismissal.
Blogger Ilya Varlamov (zyalt) meanwhile is continuing to fight against illegal parking. He reports [ru] that on August 8, in the Public Chamber, a “hotline” was started on this theme, as a result of the project ‘A Country Without Idiocy.’ The hotline will operate from August 21. Varlamov calls on all to use the telephone number 8-800-700-800 to report the illegal “columns, chains and ribbons that have encircled our city.”
Young Yabloko members have opened the website Ушахиди.рф [ushahidi.rf], which aims to ensure regulation of the upcoming elections in Russia. Time will tell if this website is successful; for now, the only problems are that the address of the site can only be typed in Cyrillic letters and no mirror of the website exists yet.
According to the most recent VTsIOM report [ru], Internet-users already account for 53 percent of Russia's population, and their participation in social action grows every day. Having taken the first step – taking part in a garbage clean-up – some citizens may want to take the following step, participating in a “clean-up” of political rubbish.

author: Marina Litvinovich


text:
Russia: Much to defend but too few men · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Streetwise Professor reflects upon the future of Russian defence from a piece by Russian Military Reform blog, and concludes that the only viable option for the country is to downscale its forces.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Vilhelm Konnander


text:
Russia: One Million Twitter Accounts in Russian · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

The number of Twitter accounts in Russian crossed the point of one million, according to recent reseach [ru] by Russian Internet company Yandex. Now, Russian speakers publish around 370,000 tweets a day (comparing to 150,00o a year ago).  The percentage of daily active  Twitter users (of the total Russian speakers) is currenlty lower, but those who write on daily basis are more active.

author: Gregory Asmolov


text:
Russia: President is Critisized for New Open Data Initiative. · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

Russian expert for open data criticized President Medvedev's  initiative [RUS] to put more government data online. The criticism revolves around the lack of transparency, a question of what data should be published and the lack of public discussion around this issue.


text:
Russia: Soviet Sources to Middle East Actions · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Vladimir Kara-Murza of World Affairs blog discusses a recently published book – Behind the Desert Storm – by Russian emigré Pavel Stroilov, which is based on secret soviet archives concerning policies towards the Middle East.


text:
Sao Tome and Principe: Life and Work of the Naïve Artist Canarim · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Portuguese teacher MJ Falcão, from the blog O Falcao de Jade, writes [pt] about the life and work of Pascoal Viegas, “one of the greatest Naïve painters of Sao Tome and Principe”. Pascoal Viegas, known as Canarim or Sum Canalim, lived during the colonial times, in the 19th century.

author: Sara Moreira


text:
Syria: World Cities Rally Against and For Bashar · Global Voices
Thalia Rahme

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.
As the  death toll in Syria increases, the International Community is running out of patience and hardening its tone against Syrian president Bashar Al Assad demanding for change and reforms. Abroad the diaspora has also been involved actively since the beginning of the protests in March 2011. Almost all cities around the world have witnessed rallies and demonstrations, some asking Assad to leave, and others declaring their dying love for him.
From San Francisco (11 June, 2011) and Chicago (July 3),  to Washington DC ( 23 July), the US capital, where people chanted: ‘‘Leave Leave Bashar” in front of the White House; almost all big cities in the US witnessed opposition gatherings manifesting their solidarity with the people of Daraa, Homs and Deir el Zor among others.
Here is video uploaded by AhmedIbnAlsham on August 6, where protesters where carrying a poster representing Hafez and Bashar Al Assad and written on it: ”Like father, like son”:
Assad also has his supporters in the US like in California (April 3). Chicago too, held another pro-regime rally on April 3 and June 10 while defenders of the regime met in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York (May 1) to assert their love to their leader.
Wave of rallies hit Latin America as well. On June 26, Syrians in Santiago, Chile, chanted “El Pueblo Quiere Bashar el Assad” or ”The People Want Bashar Al Assad”, as we can see in this footage by Zaizuni:
We move to Europe and start with London (June 18) where Syrians called Assad an assassin, to Brussels (July 23), the headquarters of the European Parliament, to Milano in Italy (12 and 17 July). There, potesters, it seems, are no longer satisfied with reforms or even the call for the toppling of the regime. They want to bring it to trial.
Here's a video by Hazem Daoudi, taken in Geneva on August 6, Switzerland, facing the UN Headquarters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSi0hnR4P5c&feature=channel_video_title
France which is home to a large Syrian community has been witnessing continuous demonstrations, like in Strasbourg on  2 and 16 July, and this two-week sit-in, facing Place du Châtelet in Paris. YouTube user Mesudh75, posts this video showing a peaceful protest in front of the Syrian consulate and the Syrian Cultural Center in Paris:
In Germany, people took to the streets in Leipzig (July 7), Berlin (July 23) and Bonn on August 6 and August 8, not to forget Munich where on that same day, where this video from HutaafElhurriyyeh shows Germans showing solidarity with Syrians and singing the Syrian National Anthem:
Close to Munich, in Vienna, Austria, another protest took place, where this footage was taken and posted by AhmadSouri during a demo on August 9, in front of the Syrian Embassy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=u5sEIwtAJqU#at=31
Anti-Bashar protests also took place in  Ukraine (April 22) Romania (June 30), Russia (July 31) and Greece (August 2), calling for the end of fascism:
In Turkey, protesters gathered in front of the Iranian embassy in Istanbul on August 5, denouncing the Islamic Republic stance towards the protest. They were joined on August 7, by members of the Felicity or Saadet party in front of the Syrian Consulate as we can see in this video by khaled111h:
But Assad can also rely on his supporters in Europe, who consider him as the only guarantee for stability and security in Syria. The streets of Paris, France, witnessed severaldemonstrations on June 11 and July 3 , 4  11 and 12 .
Diaspora in Odessa, Ukraine, flew balloons with the Syrian flag on June 4 for Assad. Others marched on June 6 in Kazan City in Russia for the same reason.
Syrians in Armenia also portrayed their support to their president on March 2011:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_i3rruF18I&feature=related
Despite the turmoil and unrest in the Arab world, and its own inner revolution, its capitals were keen on showing their solidarity and compassion with the Syrians.
This is Tunis on August 6, in a video by wadoodfreesyrian where people were chanting:” Syria is Free! Bashar get out!”:
In  Egypt on August 1, OmawiTV shows angry people following the Hama Massacre and calling for the expulsion of the Syrian Ambassador:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8EDEOpiFlE
In Lebanon, the situation is a bit delicate due to the complex relation between both countries. Quite often, opponents and loyalists of the Damascus regime clashed and the army had to intervene to separate both parties.  The latest rally in solidarity with the Syrian people was held on Monday, August 8 in Martyrs Square in Beirut. This was a gathering which was attended by a lot of  intellectuals, journalists and activists among which we note the presence of prominent Lebanese composer and singer Marcel Khalife. You can check Mahmoud Ghazayel's photos of the event, on Facebook.
Participants were chanting “This a shout from Lebanon – Calling for Human Rights”:
Jordanians conducted Taraweeh, the nightly Ramadan prayers, on August 2 in front of the Syrian Embassy as we can see in this video taken directly from the scene of events by Basemaggad. Bassem recorded another video in August 8 too.
Similar rallies took places in the Gulf monarchies cities, like in Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, on August 8, where we can hear people shouting “Syria is for us and not for the Assad Family”:
Here is another video from Jeddah at night on the same day by hama19822011:
In Kuwait (August 5 and 7) and Bahrain (August 5, 8 and 9, protesters are demanding the expulsion of Syrian Ambassador from both respective countries and the freezing of the bilateral ties with Damascus. Protests were attended by several political figures and members of both parliaments.
This video by daraahoran shows people in Kuwait in front of Syrian Embassy, calling for the overthrow of the Baath party.
Syrians and Bahrainis rallied in Manama on August 9, chanting“Daraa, we're with you, till death !”
We conclude our round up in the Australian continent,  where seems the Assad opponents and partisans also voiced their support and vice versa.
In Auckland, New Zealand, approximately 200 people gathered in protest against the regime for killing innocent Syrian civilians on July 30.
Demonstrations were also held in Sydney, Australia, on August 2 against the regime:
In another demonstration in Sydney  on April 3, protested to say that ”Bashar is the best  president in the whole Middle East and the world there will be no one  like him”.
Protests against the Syrian regime, are penciled in for London, Paris and Tunis tomorrow (August 13).
This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.

author: Thalia Rahme


text:
Tunisia: “The People Want an Independent Judiciary” · Global Voices
Afef Abrougui

This post is part of our special coverage Tunisia Revolution 2011.
“People want independent judiciary” is a slogan that has been recently raised in the streets of Tunisia.
The protests came as a reaction to the release of two ministers from the former regime accused of corruption. Last week, a court freed former Transportation Minister Aberrahim Zouari and Justice Minister Bechir Tekkari, who were both found not guilty. Zouari was later on summoned for investigation on other corruption charges.
Protest in downtown Tunis on August, 8. Banner Reads "People Want Independent Judiciary", Photo by Nacer Talel Shared vis his Facebook Page
The two ministers are believed to have used their position to serve their own interests and make more profit. More than six months after the revolution, the judicial system has yet to improve its image after acting for years as a puppet in the hands of the autocratic regime of ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Saida Agerbi, a close ally to the ousted president, accused of corruption and of spying for the former regime, was also allowed to leave Tunisia to Paris, and was not stopped by authorities at the Tunis Carthage Airport.
An independent judiciary capable of bringing to justice former corrupt officials, and those responsible for the murder of peaceful protesters is a key popular demand in Tunisia.
The following YouTube video shot by blogger Leena Ben Mheni shows protesters gathering in downtown Tunis on 8 August, 2011, chanting “Democracy is a Duty, a National Revolution is a Duty”, and the national anthem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Td9P_Uwxk&feature=player_embedded
Erik Churchill, an American blogger living in Tunis wrote on August 5:
prosecutors have been slow to prosecute other figures in Ben Ali’s entourage. The release on Thursday of the former transportation minister, Aberrahim Zouari, who had been charge with corruption during his long government career, has caused outrage among online activists.
Activists see this as yet another insult to the revolution, proving that the state is unable to reform the institutions so closely associated with the corruption of the former regime.
Abderrazak Guirat, a blogger for Nawaat, writes [ar]:
Leena Ben Mheni published an article called ‘The Revolution is Going on’ on her blog. She says:
Last week, Tunisians experienced hard times. Bad news succeeded one another. Mrs Saida Agrbi, a woman known for being corrupted and known for her loyalty to Ben Ali and his wife[…]Two ministers known for their crimes against Tunisian people under the Ben Ali's regime were released[…]Tunisians reacted to all these sad developments. A small sit in was organized outside the First Instance court of Tunis. Some lawyers have successively given speeches about the current situation of the country and the necessity of carrying the revolution on. Today a demonstration was organized in the capital and people walked from outside the General Union of Tunisian Workers building to the Main Avenue of Tunis  and stood outside the Theatre shouting freedom slogans.
The trial in absentia of Ben Ali, and his wife, have not satisfied the public, as many consider the trial as a “play” as long as the  Tunisian judicial authorities seem unable to pursue Saudi Arabia to extradite the former presidential couple who are living in Jeddah.
Banner reads "People Want Independent Judiciary. Cleansing, Cleansing, Cleansing, Starting with Justice Minister Chebbi. Get Out!". Photo by Afef Abrougui on Flickr.
The Ministry of Justice tried several times to reassure the public that the judicial system is independent in Tunisia and is doing its best to hold accountable those who stole public money during the rule of Ben Ali, and those responsible for the murder of protesters during the revolution. This does not seem to convince neither bloggers nor protesters.
Sarah explains [fr]:
Toujours selon le communiqué du ministère de la justice, la magistrature ainsi que les juges d’instruction sont totalement indépendants depuis le 14 janvier. Dans ce cas, deux hypothèses se présentent : soit ceux qui étaient en charge du dossier sont irresponsables et incompétents et il faut les virer, soit notre justice est totalement pourrie et la chute de l’ancien régime traînera la chute de plusieurs juges, magistrats et avocats corrompus. Personnellement, j’opte pour cette seconde hypothèse
Others chose to make jokes about the Tunisian judiciary, by comparing it to the Egyptian one.
@The_Fan tweets [ar]:
Meanwhile, Tunisian netizens have been using social media to call for other protests. A protest called “People Want the Revolution Again”, was launched on Facebook, and is due to take place next Saturday night [August, 13].
This post is part of our special coverage Tunisia Revolution 2011.

author: Afef Abrougui


text:
United States: Race Still Matters to Young People · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

Colorlines conducted focus group interviews with 80 young people in Los Angeles, California to find out whether race and racism is still an issue in their lives. Their detailed study is shared here: “Don’t Call Them “Post-Racial”—How Young People Actually Think About Race”.

author: Solana Larsen


text:
World: Share Your Life With the World on 11-11-11 · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

This post is part of our special coverage Global Development 2011.
What will you be doing on November 11, 2011? Share it with the rest of the world through 11Eleven Project and help achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals!
Tell us something about your life and the world around you. Your story is important to us, so join on 11.11.2011 and press record. After 11.11.2011 – you will be asked to submit your photo, film or audio online, where we will turn it into three special projects – a photographic book, a world music collection and a documentary film. The money raised from the proceeds of these 3 projects will go to supporting charities that are assisting in helping humanity achieve the 8 United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
11-11-11 Creative Minds Unite – 3 months to go! Video by 11Eleven Project on Youtube
Starting on August 11 you can sign up and register to join by recording a bit of your life on November 11, whether through film, photography or music. You can also sign up as an Embassador, spreading the message in your city and ensuring your community gets to add their voice to the project.
Follow the 11Eleven Project on Facebook and Twitter to keep updated with their activities if you like. Then, on November 11, 2011, (11/11/11) whip out your computer, cellphone, camera or audio recorder and document a meaningful part of your day in any language. After November 11, submit your video, photographs or music and the 11Eleven Project team will edit the content into a movie; on September 21, 2012, the documentary video will be screened at the UN World Peace Day.
Global Voices is partnering with the 11Eleven Project to raise awareness about the UN Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). In November, on 11/11/11 we invite world citizens to help create a collaborative portrait of humanity with: photos, films, audio, and blog posts about this day. It doesn't have to be related to the MDG's, the important thing is for it to represent YOU. You can read more about the 8 development challenges and measure to resolve them by 2015 on our Special Coverage Page.
We're also encouraging everyone to blog about “How I wish the world will be in 100 years” with emphasis on the MDGs. Link back to our Millenium Development Goals page, and we'll list your blog post there too. So join us as we celebrate humanity on 11/11/11.
This post is part of our special coverage Global Development 2011.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


text:
Africa: Africa to Send Troops and Care Packages to the UK · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Following the killing of a 29-year old man, Mark Duggan, in Tottenham on August 4, 2011, angry residents in London and other cities in the UK took to the street rioting and looting. Bloggers in Africa share their perspectives, some with a sense of humor.
Hayibo discusses the riots with a light touch. The African Union, Hayibo reports, has decided to send troops and care packages to the UK:
The African Union today adopted a unilateral resolution to deploy army troops and care packages to England as looting and violence spread from London to other major cities. Spokesperson Charity Khumalo said “We can no longer stand by while these savages tear themselves apart.”
The AU, meeting today in an emergency session to discuss the ongoing rioting in the UK, has declared that they will do “everything in their power to help bring civilisation to England”.
According to Hayibo, the AU has also launched a new programme called “Adopt and English child”:
“For instance, we have launched an ‘Adopt an English child’ programme,” Khumalo explained, showing journalists brochures featuring the faces of English kids. “If you donate a mere R50 a month, you can see to it that sweet little Johnny from Peckham receives a basic education, a pack of condoms and a pair of pimpin’ Nikes.”
“You can understand why they’re turning on each other,” the spokesperson told journalists. “You look in the mirror and you see teeth untouched by modern dentistry. It’s heartbreaking enough to make anyone put a brick through a Starbucks.”
In case you did not know, Britain is a more violent society than South Africa:
South African police authorities say recent claims that Britain is a more violent society than South Africa are evidence that the new official policy of burning dockets is working. “All the teens carry knives in the UK,” said a spokesman. “Thank God our teens only carry assault rifles.” He said that incidents of fatal stabbings with AK-47s were exceptionally rare.
This is how they riot in the UK. Photo courtesy of The Urban Massive (OFM)
How is it possible for Britain to be a more violent society considering murder and rape rates in South Africa?. Here is the answer:
“Yes, the UK has 900 murders a year while we have about 19,000.
“And yes, the UK has 50,000 rapes a year while we have 600,000.
“But if you read our operating manual you will discover that so-called “murder” is in fact considered an interpersonal disturbance featuring a non-planned assisted cardiac arrest.
“It’s really more a medical accident than a violent crime. Malpractice by laypeople, if you will.
This is how they riot in South Africa. Photo courtesy of The Urban Massive blog (OFM)
Moses Kemibaro, a Kenyan blogger, says that the British Prime Minister has displayed double standards by proposing to ban social media:
Therefore, the proposal by the British Prime Minister David Cameron to ban social media for rioters in the UK comes as a big shock…This is coming from one of the leaders of the free world who actually supported what has been happening in the countries that felt the Arab Spring and are seeing transformational democratic reforms in the process – social media has been key for this transformation to happen. It is clearly a case of double standards since social media can be used for both good and bad – even in the UK.
Kumekucha warns Nairobi residents who are making jokes about the riots in London:
If you live in Nairobi I suggest that you quickly wake up from your deep slumber. I have seen you sit in front of your TV burping and making jokes about what is happening in London with the ongoing riots and mayhem. It seems to delight you greatly that there is rioting on the streets of the mzungu capital. He who called us uncivilized to our faces after what happened here in January 2008.
Trouble, Kumekucha observes, could break out anytime in Nairobi:
As you read this, inflation is at a record high and the Kenyan shilling has plummeted to record lows. Amidst all that (and media attention has been diverted from this by the numerous other things happening) petrol prices have cleared the Kshs 110 per litre mark and continue to rise steadily. Even the so-called middle class are feeling the heat.
From South Africa, News Time has a piece of advice for South African politicians:
The events unfolding in London and spreading to other parts of England need to be monitored by politicians in South Africa in order to give impetus to the need for the change that is required if this country is to be able to respond to current and future challenges.
In this regard urgent steps need to be taken to correct a fault line running through the criminal justice system, the military and other security services which are currently embroiled with issues which do not, or should not, form part of their mandate.
Fiona Leonard, a blogger based in Ghana and Global Voices Author, looks at a trending topic on Twitter, #iflondonwereinafrica, which asked tweeps how the world would have reacted if the London riots took place in an African capital:
@T_Rouma: #iflondonwereinafrica it would be declared a war zone.
@lebomashile: #iflondonwereinafrica there would be travel warnings – the only people who would venture a trip would be rebel journos & aid workers.
@lebomashile: #iflondonwereinafrica the causes of the riots would be reduced to “tribalism” and/or “bad governance” by the int'l press
@KingNovaMiu: #iflondonwereinafrica Serious talks to move the Olympics to Australia or some ‘safer’ country would have already began
She suggests that Africans start telling their own different stories:
And perhaps we could start telling a different story ourselves:
#iflondonwereinAfrica regional countries would be volunteering to support a collective solution
#iflondonwereinAfrica neighbours would open their doors to those in need
#iflondonwereinAfrica one of the first questions asked would be – what can we do to help?
Why is violence in Africa treated differently?, Sarpong Obed from Ghana wonders:
When the “xenophobic” attacks heightened in South Africa before the 2010 FIFA World Cup, we were treated to a bitter cocktail of stories about how unsafe foreigners who wanted to watch the games would be and the need to move it away, elsewhere off the continent. Even the attacks on the Togolese football team in Angola during the Nations Cup in 2010 was capital for the mainly Western media to question security in far away South Africa.
For Sarpong Obed, one question lingers:
The question lingered. Should we take the London Olympics away from London?
A sample of reactions from readers at Nigeria Village Square:
Bamaguje is waiting for NATO to react:
I’m waiting for NATO to start bombing England to support the “rebels” and prevent Cameron from putting down the rebellion.
NATO should target number 10 Downing street to kill Cameron and his family…just like they are doing to Ghaddafi.
“Where is NATO?,” Benjani asks:
What goes around comes around! Where is Nato in all of this? Italy/France/Spain/Portugal/Netherland/US should send their armed forces to London to protect the hooligans/protesters. Impose no flight zone and no movement of planes and armored tanks.
We all can it clearly now that you can't let hooligans/protesters run freely whether it is in London or Benghazi.
Ghanaian blogger, Nana Wireko, identifies six lessons we need to learn from the riots:
#1 When a neighbor’s beard is burning, fetch water and protect yours
Ok, do you remember what the British press said before the world cup in South Africa? Africa was deemed a jungle… where people eat each other. A place where civilization is nothing to write home about….. a place where no football match could be held. Some people even still think Africa is a country. Hmmm…. South Africa was lambasted for all the wrong reasons. In less than a year, the London Olympic Games start. Need I say more? When your neighbor is down, don’t kick him but rather help lift him up. The UK press should take a cue from this. It’s a lesson. A very important one!

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Bhutan: Riots in England and Bhutanese Youth · Global Voices
Rezwan

Commentaries On Bhutan compares the recent riots in England with the increasing youth crimes in Bhutan.

author: Rezwan


text:
Bolivia: Indigenous Groups to March to La Paz in Protest of New Road · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

As Eduardo Avila recently reported for Global Voices, the Bolivian government announced “a controversial project to build a new road that would go through the Indigenous Territory National Park Isiboro Sécure (TIPNIS for its initials in Spanish).” Emily 		Achtenberg in the NACLA blog now reports that “on August 15, representatives of three indigenous groups and their  supporters will begin a 970-mile trek from Trinidad in the Bolivian  lowlands to the highland capital of La Paz” to protest this project.

author: Silvia Viñas


text:
Brazil: Teachers Protest for Better Wages · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Brazilian blogger Rosangela Basso posts [pt] several photos and a videos of the latest protest of teachers that took place on August 9 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Teachers demand a considerable salary increase while the local government refuses to negotiate.

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


text:
Chile: Waste Pickers Rummage for Legal Recognition · Global Voices
Katie Manning

Environmentalist Bharati Chaturvedi flew for 40 hours from her home Delhi, India, to dig deeper into a dirty issue: trash. As politicians in Chile are now sorting through what to do about recycling on a national level, Chaturvedi encourages that those who collect trash professionally, or “waste pickers,” be included in the solution.
Chaturvedi endured that double red-eye to share her wealth of knowledge about pickers in India and also to learn from the budding Chilean recycling system. Representatives from Kenya, India, Colombia, Argentina and Brazil, alongside Chaturvedi, will come together for a forum [es] in Santiago on August 16 to discuss waste pickers with a special focus on women.
Picking Cart in Santiago, Photo By: Katie Manning
Chaturvedi, founder and director of the Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, advocates for environmentally friendly ways to deal with increasing urbanization in India. Chaturvedi also prioritizes the human aspect of going green in Indian cities with overflowing slums.
Working to organize as many as 1.5 million waste pickers in India requires a certain get-up-and-go. As she sat down for Wednesday morning's post-flight meeting, she politely declines a cup of coffee as she gets down to business.
She said, “Recycling (in India) is not green because waste pickers… work in really bad conditions. If they are not working in good conditions, we shouldn’t be proud about it,” and added, “A lot of people would say it’s fashionable to be eco-friendly, but they won’t go out of their way.”
Thanks to highly organized groups, like the  National Movement of Recyclers in Chile [es], trendy Chileans can go green without lifting a finger. Chile piles up more than 15 million tons of trash, according to a 2010 report. The Recyclers help by scavenging for items to bring to city centers.
For busy nine to fivers, trekking to a recycling center doesn’t always top the to-do list. Emily, an American in Chile, who publishes Don’t Call Me Gringa, blogged:
This weekend we had probably the most difficult recycling experience of our lives. Recycling in Santiago already isn’t particularly easy… There is still a pilgrimage involved – none of this home pick-up stuff I’m used to in the US.
But the Recyclers are eager to take out the trash, and some end up earning twice the minimum wage in Chile doing it according to the Recycler’s president, Exequiel Estay.
Bins in Santiago are ripe for picking on the evening shift. Image by Katie Manning
The tech-savvy Recyclers maintain a blog, a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a Youtube channel (all in Spanish) to organize their support network. They’ve expanded globally by linking up with international organizations of pickers. According to Boston.com, 50 million people worldwide pick for their livelihood.
The Recyclers want to ensure that their jobs aren’t trashed when new recycling laws take effect.
One of the Recycler’s followers, Santiago A. (@racionalisimo), tweeted:
Es necesario apoyar a las cooperativas de recicladores. Hacen un gran aporte a la sociedad y se trata de formalizar un poco más su trabajo.
There is a foundation to their fear. In Colombia, legislation originally forbade recyclers from picking up trash.
Sobre politicas, a political blog in Colombia, reads:
In it [the law] there are some paragraphs which prohibits:
1. Open the bags of garbage in inappropriate places like the street.
2. Carrying trash in inappropriate vehicles.
In other words, people with low income “do not recycle” is the motto of this law and rot (do not misunderstand the word) in the street with nothing to eat.
This law clearly supports the management of garbage by people who have money and prevents people who really need this by necessity to do so.
Colombia’s Constitutional Court changed the law. It now redefines pickers as “entrepreneurs.”
In  many countries around the world, pickers challenge a negative stereotype. Chaturvedi explains that impoverished pickers in India live in conditions little better than a garbage dump, which contributes to a certain animosity.
“A lot of people say, ‘Yuck. You touched the trash and now you’re going to touch my plates? It’s awful. I’m going to get a disease,’” she said.
Considering the onslaught of marchers descending upon the streets of Santiago, “Chile should know from it’s currently circumstances how important it is to be inclusive to the people and listen to them,” she added.
As different as they may seem India and Chile share “a place to make policies that are particularly inclusive of the poor.”
Chaturvedi explains the role of female pickers in India.  Photo By: Katie Manning
These laws benefit both businesses and pickers according to Chaturvedi because the “informal sector is much more efficient than the formal sector” at dealing with waste.
So far, laws about recycling are only in the discussion phase, but the Recyclers seek to be in the middle of the action during the decision making process.
“We have to look at citizenship that looks at citizens,” said Chaturvedi, “It’s not a rich versus poor thing. It’s about how do we want to live in a city with basic standards.”

author: Katie Manning


text:
Colombia: Citizens Speak Out Against Government Corruption · Global Voices
Lully

In Colombia several cases of corruption have surfaced over the past year.  Dating to events that happened during the two terms of former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez, these cases include legal action against several high-ranking members and lower functionaries of Uribe's government.
For example, there was a case over the scandal involving the Agricultural Subsidies Insurance (AIS, initials in Spanish). A program supposedly destined to rejuvenate the agriculture sector through subsidies to small agricultural companies, yet the reality was that its public resources have gone to large agro-industrial companies, major landowners, and even certain AIS employee relatives.
Corruption caricature by Tomaz Garzia (CC BY-NC 2.5)
Another case is the multi-million dollar embezzlement by the Nule brothers  Miguel,  Manuel Francisco y Guido) [es], who received government construction and other infrastructure contracts and still have not fulfilled them. Supposedly endorsed by the former mayor Samuel Moreno Rojas  and his brother Nestor Iván [es] (now defendants in their own corruption cases) the Nules are alleged to have made illegal payments during the government's contracting process in order to improve their company's chances.
Also being tried for corruption and other crimes are Bernardo Moreno, former secretary general for Uribe [es], and María del Pilar Hurtado [es], former director of the government intelligence service DAS, for the illegal wiretapping of reporters, individuals, and members of the Colombian Supreme Court.
And in the past month the discovery of several multi-million dollar embezzlements have been announced: at the national office of customs and taxes (DIAN, initials in Spanish), at the national healthcare program (EPS in Spanish) and at the regulating and enforcement entity for controlled substances.
Internet reactions to these corruption cases have been plentiful.
Pedro Restrepo (@pepar1950)  makes a reference [es] to Uribe's connection to Andrés Felipe Arias, former agriculture minister during Uribe's government, and a longtime friend of Uribe:
Los próximos talleres democráticos los tendrá que hacer Álvaro Uribe en la Cárcel La Picota. Allá están casi todos sus amigos.
Aleja Villota (@Aleja_Villota) writes [es] against the justices in these corruption cases:
Ningún poder del estado es inefable e infalible; la majestad dela justicia que se presupone omnipotente, huele a dictadura de jueces parcializados
Carlos F. Masmela (@pipemasmela) mentions [es] the recent fate of two close collaborators of the former President (Andrés Felipe Arias  is called Uribito or little Uribe):
¡Dos golpes muy fuertes para Uribe en la misma semana, primero Uribito y Hoy Bernardo Moreno le dieron medida de aseguramiento en su contra!
Juan Manuel López on the website Kien & Ke [es] analyzes and discusses the facts [es] against the former president:
No parece difícil establecer que los escándalos cuyos protagonistas son sus subalternos no pudieron ser desconocidos por quien se preciaba y demostraba tener la información y el control sobre todo lo que sus funcionarios manejaban. Que él no acabe vinculado con nada de ello, parece imposible.
Carlos Iván Zuluaga (@oizuluaga), an integral part of the national political party Partido Social de Unidad Nacional, commonly called Party of the “U”, (and led by Uribe), writes [es] in favor of DIAN and Uribe:
En el gobierno Uribe la DIAN avanzó contra la evasión y la corrupción con el programa MUISCA. EL recaudo entre 2002 y 2010 se triplicó
Henry D. Carrión (@HDCARRIONG) cites [es] various instances of corruption:
INJUSTO, DESCARADO, CARA DURAS LOS DE LA DIAN DEFINITIVAMENTE NIDO DE LADRONES y pensando que solo eran los NULE y Combo Moreno
Jorge Ángel (@jotangelito) responds to news from the RCN Radio Twitter account with one of the most repeated hashtags on Twitter in recent days:#puestoparauribe:
@rcnlaradio: El Ex Presidente Uribe afirma que hay un ambiente que su gobierno fue corrupto”  ¿Ambiente? ¡Una absoluta claridad! #puestoparauribe
In the blog Atrabilioso [es], Jorge Monroy says this is an attack [es] against Uribe and his people:
Un ataque combinado desde todos los frentes imaginables. Los más relevantes que puedo describir en este momento son los que provienen de los medios de comunicación, de la rama judicial, del Ejecutivo, del bloque bolivariano, de las FARC y de los miembros civiles políticamente activos que representan los intereses del terrorismo.
Reporter Claudia López  (@CLOPEZanalista) writes about the parliamentary immunity proposal [es] for the Colombian senate which has started to generate several comments:
El que la debe la teme. Senador Conservador Juan Manuel Corzo propone INMUNIDAD parlamentaria. ¿Teme investigación por narco- política?
All of this has caused the launch of several pages on Facebook such as  “Una Colombia sin corruptos, es posible” / Colombia corruption free is possible [es], or  “Marcha de los antifaces” / Masked March [es] – a new movement [es] that is promoting a non-partisan march against corruption, which will be led by the writer Gustavo Bolívar and TV actors but which was born on Twitter [es].
The movement has uploaded several videos [es] to YouTube where they invite citizens to participate [es]:

author: Lully


text:
Cuba: Gay “Wedding”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“When did we Cubans become prudish and old-fashioned? What were our reasons or intentions for not joining the twenty-first century?”: Generation Y blogs about Wendy and Ignacio, a gay couple who will cement their relationship this coming weekend and “[place] our country into the third millennium, into the desired time of ‘now’.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Germany: 50th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Kelly Hignett at The View East writes about the Berlin wall, and its historical significance as a divide between East and West, as it is now 50 years since the wall – demolished in 1989 – was constructed.


text:
Guyana, Dominica: Rhys’ Romantic Heroine · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyanese litblogger Charmaine Valere takes a look at Jean Rhys’ classic tale, Wide Sargasso Sea, as part of her blog series on female Caribbean writers.


text:
Haiti: Right, Wrong & the London Riots  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Of course the world is a racist, exclusionary, unfair place but there are enough people who know right from wrong…excusing violent behavior based on social class is just as bad as blaming violent behavior based on social class”: When it comes to the London riots, Haitian diaspora blogger CURRENTS BETWEEN SHORES wonders “why liberals have such low moral expectations of the poor and working class.”


text:
Jamaica: The “Performance of Gender”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Everyone is involved in this baseless discrimination.  Effeminacy is apparently extremely off-putting.  The effeminate man, whether he is gay or straight, catches a whole lot of hell”: Under the Saltire Flag suggests that “what is being policed is not sexuality, but gender.”


text:
Lithuania-Belarus: Banks Help Prosecute Opposition Activist · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Albatros of Litauen blog discusses [ger] how Lithuanian banks and authorities have delivered information on bank accounts of Belarusan opposition groups, which has led to the prosecution of Viasna activist Ales Belyatsky for tax evasion.


text:
Madagascar: The Evictions of Families of Malagasy Farmers from Lands on the Rise  · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

The  Collective Body for the Defense of Malagasy [fr and mg] - (TANY)  states that : “the procedure to obtain land titles in Madagascar necessitates on average 24 steps, 6 years and up to $500 USD. Yet the evicitions of farmers’ families [fr] from lands they have cultivated for several generations are increasingly frequent; This situation has become more and more intolerable in 589,000-km2-large country.”

author: Abdoulaye Bah


text:
Nepal: Kathmandu Literary Jatra · Global Voices
Rezwan

‘Nepal Blogs’ writes about the Kathmandu Literary Jatra, the upcoming literary fest in Nepal. Visit the festival's Facebook page or follow them at Twitter for updates.


text:
Pakistan: Review Of A Blockbuster · Global Voices
Rezwan

Zia Ahmad posts a critical review of Bol, the recently released blockbuster movie in Pakistan.


text:
Pakistan: The Plights Of The Flood Victims · Global Voices
Rezwan

Faisal Kapadia blogs from a medical camp for the flood affected people in Khowrah of Sindh province in Pakistan and comments: “although the floods of last year may be over and long gone, the human tragedy remains.”


text:
Paraguay: Uncontacted Indigenous Group in ‘Imminent Danger’ · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Ryan Seelau from Indigenous News.org reports that “the only remaining uncontacted people in Paraguay” are “in imminent danger”: “the Totobiegosode are being systematically removed from the Chaco forest where they live so that the land can be used for  cattle grazing. The destruction of their land, however, is occurring  illegally.”


text:
Peru: Journalist Sued for Defamation · Global Voices
Isabel Guerra

Peruvians are following the case [es] of blogger and journalist Luis Torres Montero, @Malapalabrero, sued for defamation [es] by former Defense Minister, Rafael Rey, who felt attacked [es] by a column [es] where Torres [es] says Rey is gay [es].

author: Isabel Guerra


text:
Sri Lanka: Invasion Of The Grease Devils · Global Voices
Rezwan

In some Sri Lankan rural areas panic spread that Grease Yaka, a mythical character is on the loose and two youths were mob lynched on suspicion. These grease devils are mythical robbers that grease themselves up and break into homes to either steal or rape/kill women. Indi.ca opines that “it’s a rumor attached to normal levels of crime, gone out of control”.


text:
Sri Lanka: Riding On A New City Bus · Global Voices
Rezwan

Murshid rides on a new Volvo city bus, a recent edition in the public transport of Colombo and blogs about it with an image and a video.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: Remembering Professor Julian Kenny  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

This past Tuesday, August 9, Trinidad and Tobago lost a patriot.  Julian Kenny, retired Professor of Zoology at the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies, naturalist, former Independent Senator in the fifth and sixth Parliaments of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, author, columnist, photographer and holder of the prestigious Chaconia Medal (Gold) for environmental conservation, died at the age of 81.  The sad news immediately spread through social media, with former students posting fond tributes about his legacy and colleagues and admirers paying their respects via Facebook.
Twitter was the platform through which many Trinbagonian netizens expressed their shock and grief at the news.  Even mainstream media personnel used the site to tweet about Kenny's passing, but the most compelling tweets came from people who either knew him or had a great respect for his contributions to Trinidad and Tobago, which, among other things, included the underwater survey and mapping of Tobago's Buccoo Reef and championing the creation of the Marine Areas Preservation and Enhancement Act, under which the reef is scheduled as a protected area.
“Buccoo Reef”, by the queen of subtle, used under a Creative Commons Licence.
@fudgie8: R.I.P Professor Julian Kenny. Enjoyed your articles and certain your valuable contributions include changing many a Trini mind.
@NaeromNallih: Cadena Sport pays tribute to the life of Prof. Julian Kenny, who died earlier today. He was 81. See who he was…. http://fb.me/ZXmulyLM
@HaydnDunn: EMA Chairman, and this country's foremost environmentalist, Professor Julian Kenny, has passed away. RIP
@meppublishers: We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Professor Julian Kenny – a man of great knowledge, integrity… http://fb.me/13K7WU3TN
In response to a tweet from @richjob announcing Kenny's passing, @racheltnt replied:
Aww sad! RIP RT @richjob Environmentalist, Julian Kenny dies http://t.co/yZjy4LT
…while @macmark said:
@richjob: Environmentalist, Julian Kenny dies bit.ly/qXNAjh – Remarkable man and photographer.
Bloggers also had a lot to say.  FURTHER THOUGHTS recalled:
He was a major inspiration for the foundation of the UWI Biological Society around 1987, a movement that not only launched many a career among environmental professionals in Trinidad and Tobago, but which also helped transform conservation from a ‘French creole’ hobby into a serious national concern. It’s an unusual legacy for someone who was not only born to the ‘local white’ elite, but also someone who seemed profoundly skeptical about whether there was any point whatsoever in trying to conserve anything at all. Still, he taught people to value nature, to love it. And even if he had little faith in their ability to stem the tide of destruction, the love of nature he instilled in his students made them care enough to try.
While Kenny may be best known for his environmental work, gspottt acknowledged his immeasurable contribution “as a senator, a journalist and a scientist”:
[Kenny] repeatedly stood up for the humanity of GLBT people…he spoke out in the Senate about the exclusion of sexual orientation from the Equal Opportunity Act. Most recently, from October 18 to November 8 of last year, he authored an important four-part series of newspaper columns on the natural science of sexual orientation.
Finally, B.C. Pires shared his thoughts:
Every man’s diminishes me, of course, because I’m involved in mankind, as John Donne observed, but some men’s deaths diminish me more than others.  Professor Julian Kenny died yesterday, aged 80 or 81, and there may be a quarrel, today, over who the brightest man in Trinidad is.  Any extra time we got from him was a huge benefit to us all.  Spare a thought for his widow, who survives alone, now, in a marriage that lasted longer than many lives.  Some people leave bigger gaps than others; there’s a crevasse in Trinidad.
Professor Kenny's funeral is expected to take place early next week.


text:
Ukraine: Basic Language Tips · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Kalpak shares some Ukrainian language tips that should “help with basic sign reading that a new visitor to Ukraine will need to do in order to navigate around Kyiv.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Ukraine: Intellectuals Condemn Tymoshenko Trial in an Open Letter · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Alexander J. Motyl of Ukraine's Orange Blues comments on an open letter signed by “a diverse group of 28 writers, scholars, and commentators,” in which “they condemn the [Tymoshenko] trial and call on Ukrainians not to be indifferent to the injustice being perpetrated by the Yanukovych regime.”


text:
Ukraine: The 1975 ‘Ukrainian Cuisine’ Book · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Pickle Project reviews the English-language ‘Ukrainian Cuisine’ book, published in Kyiv in 1975.


text:
Ukraine: Western Bloggers React to Ukrainian Official’s Steve Jobs Plagiarism · Global Voices
Tetyana Bohdanova

Serhiy Pishkovtsiy of Blogoreader.org.ua reviews [uk] the reactions of Western bloggers to reports that Ukraine’s Secretary of National Security and Defense Raisa Bohatyryova has plagiarized [uk] Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford graduation speech, and quotes bloggers from The Next Web, The Financial Times, BusinessInsider, Gizmodo and PCWorld.

author: Tetyana Bohdanova


text:
Arab World: The Twitter Vs Facebook Debate Continues  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A discussion is raging on Twitter tonight, comparing the micro-blogging site where users can post messages in 140 characters to social networking site Facebook. Here are some of the observations from Twitter users in the Middle East, who lend their voices to a topic which is trending on Twitter worldwide.
From Cairo, Amna Amer tweets:
@Amnamamer: #TwitterVsFB u choose who to follow cause ure convinced, fb u have to accept every friend request cause otherwise u would b blamed!
Egyptian Wael Ghonim, who rose to fame after being arrested in the early days of the Egyptian revolution, notes:
#TwitterVsFB a worldwide trending topic tonight
@Ghonim: Twitter one-way relationship makes a lot of people trying to be more unique & less main stream to acquire followers #TwitterVsFB
While Egyptian architect Basem Salem, who lives in Doha, Qatar, asks:
And Ahmed Awadalla, also an Egyptian, from Cairo, notes:
@3awadalla: Around 8.5 million fb users in #egypt but only 130000 twitter users. #TwitterVsFB
Meanwhile, Egyptian Mohamed Diab reminds us:
From Doha, Qatar, Sylvia Ayman has made up her mind:
@S_for_Slyvia: #TwitterVsFB خلاصة الموضوع..I like twitter much more than facebook
She further adds:
@S_for_Slyvia: #TwitterVsFB Twitter: less security, more decent people .. Facebook: ultimate privacy and scum bags are everywhere!
Back in Egypt, Egyptian Shaimaa Khalaf concludes:
@shaymaakhalaf: Facebook is where you lie to your friends. Twitter is where you're honest with strangers.#TwitterVsFB
And Amira Salah, also an Egyptian, notes:
@amira_salah: #TwitterVsFB Facebook makes u hate people close to u, twitter makes u love people u never knew
For more reactions, please check out the hashtag #TwitterVsFB

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Bangladesh: Celebrating The Monsoon · Global Voices
Rezwan

The Monsoon season is a blessing or sometime woes for Bangladeshis and Shahnaz at Dhaka Dweller celebrates the monsoon season in Bangladesh with some lovely pictures.


text:
Bangladesh: Human Rights Training For Journalists · Global Voices
Rezwan

Shahidul Alam writes about the recently concluded human rights training for journalists in Bangladesh arranged by Drik and INTERNEWS network.


text:
Bangladesh, India: Illegal Bangladeshis In Assam, Myth Or Reality? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Hisham Barbhuiya at Youth Ki Awaaz breaks the myth spread by communal bigots that Bangladeshi migrants cross over to India everyday and have a sinister plan of turning Assam into a Muslim-majority state.


text:
Brazil: Constraining the “Spread” of Homosexuality by Law · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

The City Council of São José dos Campos, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, has approved a law by the councilman Cristõvao Gonçalves that forbids the “disclosure of any material that may induce children to homosexuality”, reports [pt] the blog Eleições Hoje (Elections Today).


text:
Comedic Fun with Japanese Hashtag Memes · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

This post is part of our special coverage Languages and the Internet.
In the weeks since Twitter introduced Japanese language capability for hashtags, the Japanese Twitterverse has taken to them like ducks to water.
Up until now, we've been using English hashtags in our Japanese tweets, which acted as unifiers or clickable search filters. Oftentimes, it did not particularly add context to that tweet beyond an event or campaign name.
Some are observing that Japanese hashtags have turned Twitter into an oasis for ohgiri, a style of wordplay that has its roots in the traditional comedic storytelling form of rakugo. Participants compete to give the wittiest response to a short theme.
Wordsmith Hideaki Matsunaga says [jp]:
人によってはタイムラインが日本語ハッシュタグ大喜利に埋め尽くされている場合もあるようだ。「#名作のタイトルに団地妻をつけるとロマンポルノになる」など、ついつい大喜利に参加したくなるネタが続出している。
He goes on to give several explanations from a linguistic point of view, stating that the biggest reason could be that compared to alphabet tags, Japanese hashtags can easily be turned into sentences:
アルファベット文には半角スペースは欠かせないが、そこでハッシュタグは切れる。空白を除いたとしても、#followmejpや#londonriotのように二～三語の連結ぐらいが限界。あるいはアンダーバーを使って #where_we_come_from というような形にすることも可能は可能だが、冗長であるし字数も費やしてしまう。必然的に、文より単語のハッシュタグが増える。
一方、日本語は（わざわざ分かち書きをしない限り）空白を使わないので、句読点を除けばハッシュタグで文を表現できる。その結果、「#小説のタイトルの一部を残業に変えると悲しくなる」のような自然な日本語がハッシュタグで表現できる。
On the other hand, a Japanese hashtag can be a whole sentence. That means that a hashtag can be used to express something like “Replace a word in the title of any novel with the word ‘overtime’, and it becomes a sad story ” and it will be natural Japanese.
Ohgiri Event by Flickr user raccoflickr
Here are three memes that were Tokyo's Trending Topics for a day or two.
“You know you’re a designer when” (#デザイナーあるある)
There's been many an “aru aru” (you know when you're) meme, where people have fun commiserating together or trading common memories. At the end of July, graphic and web designers had their turn and shared their everyday grievances in a torrent of tweets.
@kamesaku
「ここは？」「目立たせたい」「ここは？」「もっと目立たせたいい」「ここは？」「目立つように」「ここはいいですよね」「目立つように」#デザイナーあるある
@1041DC
ダミーです。この文章はダミーです。ダミーです。この文章はダミーです。ダミーです。この文章はダミーです。ダミーです。この文章はダミーです。ダミーです。この文章はダミーです。ダミーです。この文章はダミーです。ダミーです。この文章はダミーです。ダミーです。この文章 #デザイナーあるある
Tokugawa Ieyasu, first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate
“Common Tweets in the Edo Period“ (#江戸時代のTwitterにありがちなこと)
What would social media have been like during the Edo Period (1603–1868)?
Perhaps the men would have used Foursquare to check in at the red light district for coupons:
@ryu_po_po
I'm at 吉原遊郭 (江戸日本橋1-2-3)#江戸時代のtwitterにありがちなこと
Japan has had a hand in revamping records for Tweets Per Second for many excitable events, and since Edo (present day Tokyo) was repeated devastated by fires….
@Ein__Clown
また火事なう #江戸時代のtwitterにありがちなこと
One of the most popular tweets referred to the Incident at Honnō-ji, where Oda Nobunaga was forced to commit suicide by Akechi Mitsuhide. The event occurred much earlier than the Edo Period, not that it deterred the Tweeps!
@sakatandao
信長「本能寺なう！」光秀「敵は本能寺にあり！」 #江戸時代のtwitterにありがちなこと
This one conjures up a conversation with Commodore Perry, coming to Japanese shores with his war ships to open the country.
@12chikasa22
本人からRT来たｗｗｗｗ RT @ペリー Hello :) RT やべぇｗｗｗｗ黒船来たｗｗｗｗ #江戸時代のtwitterにありがちなこと
“Replace part of a movie title with the word ‘Udon’ and the setting of that movie becomes Kagawa” (#タイトルの一部をうどんにすると香川が舞台になる)
Udon noodles. Image by Flickr user alkuden (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
Kagawa Prefecture is well known for its udon (wheat noodles). Tweeps mixed up some local pride with pop culture references.
@highoh
ティファニーで、うどんを。 #タイトルの一部をうどんにすると香川が舞台になる
@aegisL
アイ・アム・うどん#タイトルの一部をうどんにすると香川が舞台になる
@p_e_n_t_o_
ネヴァーエンディングうどん#タイトルの一部をうどんにすると香川が舞台になる
@yamainutakumi
崖の上のうどん　#タイトルの一部をうどんにすると香川が舞台になる
This post is part of our special coverage Languages and the Internet.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


text:
India: Nationality Debate In Mizoram · Global Voices
Rezwan

Paritosh Chakma reports that a recent comment by Chief Minister Lalthanhawla about the nationality of Mizos sparked much reaction and resentment among the Mizo society.


text:
India: Was Delhi’s SlutWalk More of a Media Hype? · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

This post is part of our special coverage SlutWalks 2011.
So finally, on Sunday 31 July, 2011, Delhi held it's own version of the SlutWalk – titled ‘Besharmi Morcha’ to make it more relevant to the Indian context.
The mainstream media was there in full force, perhaps expecting something sensational to take place. But nothing of that sort happened. For all the discussions and debates raging on social media about the event, what actually happened that morning was a pretty muted affair and according to some observers, at one point there were more media people than actual participants. This apparently led to some moments where the members of the media ended up requesting colleagues for soundbytes. On her personal blog, Akhond of Swat, journalist-blogger Nilanjana Roy writes:
The really dangerous part of Slutwalk Delhi is dodging media cameras and  avoiding the mikes thrust in your face. When it starts, the media-aam  junta (ordinary people/participants) ratio is 3:1, which leads to the spectacle of a reporter trying to  persuade a younger colleague from another magazine to give her  soundbytes. “You're marching too, no? Say something as a woman, na?” The  younger reporter declines.
Supporters of the Slut Walk holding banners against eve teasing and crime against women. Image Courtesy Youth Ki Awaaz. Used with permission.
(For more pictures please go to this post at Youth Ki Awaaz)
In the end, about 500-700 people walked the walk (the numbers certainly were better than Bhopal where a few days earlier only about 50 participants had turned up for the actual walk, although over 5,000 people had pledged their support to the cause on Facebook).
Bloggers have reacted to the Delhi event with mixed feelings. On her blog, Diary of a White Indian Housewife, blogger Sharell writes:
I had  grave misgivings about what could happen if Indian women  followed the  lead of women elsewhere in the world and walked dressed in  revealing  clothing. What kind of message would it give out? And could  the men  attending the event be trusted to behave?
I  needn’t have worried though, the tamed-down name of the event  (Beshami  Morcha equates to Shameless Rally) set the tone for the  proceedings.  Unlike SlutWalks in other countries, there was nary a  skimpily dressed  Indian woman in sight. Instead, kurtis and salwaar kameeze were common attire. Volunteers explained that the idea was to “shift the focus from clothes to the cause”.
Some netizens pointed out that perhaps the less-than-expected turnout in Delhi had something to do with the fact that the papers had carried news of a Delhi police decree that the walk would not be allowed (given that Delhi and especially the proposed venue, Jantar Mantar, is currently one of the protest hotspots in the country, the duration and length of the walk was indeed curtailed by the police – so the event finally was a short walk round the block). Others felt that the press ought to have done more to publicise the issue, date & time. Still others debated whether the lack of public support was because a large section of women could not identify with the semantics and/or imagery around the campaign and that perhaps such a walk was not the right vehicle for campaigning against sexual harassment in a place like Delhi. In fact many of the observers pointed out that unlike in other countries, here both in Bhopal and Delhi, the number of men almost overtook the number of women in the walks. While some netizens saw this as a welcome step, others felt a bit baffled at this skewed ratio. Well-known feminist author Taslima Nasreen tweeted:
@taslimanasreen: It's good that men led Delhi's #slutwalk. Men's involvement in ending sexual violence against women is very important.
Anshul Tewari of YouthKiAwaaz.com captured the views of Trishla Singh, Media Coordinator for Slut Walk Delhi. She told about the importance of Slut Walk in India and explained the relevance of the word “slut” in this video:
Many of the bloggers were upset with a section of the mainstream media's reportage of the incident, where pictures of a few foreigners wearing tank tops and/or baring their midriffs were made the focus of attention. Sharell commented:
The foreigner  participants dressed in their usual revealing style. And the Indian  media capitalised on this by showing them as the most publicised images,  with traditionally dressed Indian woman walking sedately behind.
Some of the tweets also echoed this sentiment. For example,
@womensweb -The Indian media's reporting on #slutwalk is what “disappoints”, not the clothes worn.
In an article titled Indians, Foreigners And The SlutWalk Legacy, published in the online magazine NRI, writer Barnaby Haszard Morris asks “Did brazen foreigners and reserved Indians ruin Delhi's Besharmi Morcha (aka SlutWalk)?” Barnaby goes on to wonder if such a ‘misrepresented’ depiction of the Besharmi Morcha:
Carried out with men as the loudest voice, foreign women in revealing clothes as the most publicised image  and Indian women in saris and salwar-kameez walking quietly behind…has done less to combat sexual harassment of Indian women  than it has to promote the notion of foreign women being ready for action anytime, anywhere and with anyone… the aam aadmi (common man) could get the message that Indian women remain conservative and motherly, while foreign women are up for anything and dressed to reflect that.
Supporters of the Slut Walk holding banners. Image by Anish Nair, courtesy Youth Ki Awaaz. Used with permission.
Some of these bloggers felt that by focusing on the ‘provocative’ clothes or lack of it, a section of the mainstream media had perhaps failed to capture the true essence of the Besharmi Morcha. Others however contradicted this opinion by saying that ‘harping on the clothes’ was necessary as it is the most common excuse used be perpetrators of sexual harassment to blame the victims.
Regarding the impact of the Besharmi Morcha too, opinion was divided. Some felt that it had had no impact, partly because of the organisers’ stance of being “conservative rebels”. Comparing this tame version of a protest to the more fiery protest by the women in Manipur in 2004, authors Makepeace Sitlhou and 				Urvashi Sarkar commented that the Delhi SlutWalk, aka Besharmi Morcha, with its self-censored need ‘to avoid ruffling feathers’, had “little Slut, even lesser walk and no message”. Others however were slightly more upbeat. They saw it as a positive step in the right direction. Christine Pemberton, who took part in the event, writes in the blogzine Commentarista:
Obviously, no one honestly expects one walk to change a city’s mindset,  but the very fact that hundreds of  women (some with babies or  children), grannies, and even men came out to walk and protest against  sexual harassment on a baking hot Sunday morning shows that some change  is afoot.
Despite calling the event ‘an ambitious march with little reach’, Gender Matters|India Blog also pointed out that:
The upshot of Delhi’s Besharmi Morcha is that students actively displayed awareness of sexual aggression towards women.
Barnaby has a word of advice for both sides of the debate. He says:
The organisers could learn from this inaugural march and come back stronger, better coordinated, better promoted in 2012. Critics of this Besharmi Morcha have to acknowledge it as the first release of pressure and reserve final judgment until at least a few years down the line. The social norm being challenged –  disrespect and institutionalised  harassment of women – is a powerful view that has centuries of momentum  behind it. Like the American civil rights movement in mid-20th century  US or the suffrage movement in 1890s New Zealand, change will take time.  It will also take perseverance, not only from the chief organisers but  from supportive onlookers who hope for the movement’s success.
This post is part of our special coverage SlutWalks 2011.

author: Aparna Ray


text:
Japan: Kusoshigoto blog closed down · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

“Diary of a NEET Working Abroad” by Kusoshigoto “crappy job” was unexpectedly closed down and deleted, with a short message that conveyed his regrets and fear of danger. Tweeps are speculating [ja] that his identity had been compromised. A Japanese expat in Singapore, Kusoshigoto blogged against “slaving away” for Japan Inc., and his provocative tone of voice often elicited emotional response from the Japanese blogosphere.


text:
Japan: Mapping radiation online · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Rick Martin  gives an update on the radiation mapping work by Yahoo Japan and Safecast.org.


text:
Malaysia: Bersih Rally and UK Riots Compared · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Aliran posts an article comparing the Bersih Democracy March which drew thousands of people in the streets of Kuala Lumpur last month and the riots in the United Kingdom.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
Malaysia: Islamization of Education · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Bakri Musa notes that the rapid Islamization of Malaysian education started in the 1980s. The author cites the negative impact of excessive Islamization on the quality of education in the country.


text:
Malaysia: Poverty Problem in Sabah · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Daniel John Jambun writes about the economic hardships experienced by many people in Sabah, Malaysia.


text:
Malaysian Football Website Hacked · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A Malaysian football website, Ultras Malaya, was hacked by an angry Singaporean fan after Singapore's football team lost to Malaysia in a World Cup qualifying round.


text:
Nigeria: Adrift, Awaiting the Arrival of a Woman? · Global Voices
Nwachukwu Egbunike

I owe the title of this post to my Facebook friend – TJ:
Most Nigerians don't know, that all of Nigeria is adrift, awaiting the arrival of a woman…
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (NOI), the woman in question, is Nigeria’s new Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy.  Until recently, NOI was the Managing Director of the World Bank.
As soon as the press went wild with her appointment, netizens have not ceased speaking about the most powerful woman in President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet.  For many, she is one of the best in the team that the president will be working with.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's new Finance Minister. Photo source: IMF (Public Domain)
Obviously Okonjo-Iweala is a trouble maker as @nmachijidenma explains:
“When I became finance minister they called me Okonjo-Wahala – or Trouble Woman. It means ‘I give you hell.’ But I don't care what names they call me. I'm a fighter; I'm very focused on what I'm doing, and relentless in what I want to achieve. If you get in my way, you get kicked.”
The above were statements by Nigeria's former minister for finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on her ministerial tenure in Nigeria.
Segun Adeleye applauds both NOI’s patriotism and President Goodluck’s goodwill:
The engagement of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Bank managing director, as the Minister of Finance, the position she formerly occupied under the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, can be seen from the point of view of great sacrifices both on the part of President Goodluck Jonathan and Okonjo Iweala. Without any preview to the negotiation that brought the former finance minister back, the President must have conceded a considerable power to her to manage the economy, while on her part, for a second time, she is resigning the job that has made her a global star to serve her father's land.
In a country where corruption is the norm, one has to be a ‘trouble woman’ or else it would be impossible to become “Nigeria’s Economic Reformer”. TED posits that:
As the first female Finance Minister in Nigeria, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala attacked corruption to make the country more desirable for foreign investment and job creation. Now as a director of the World Bank and head of the Makeda Fund, she works for change in all of Africa.
In her first sojourn as in the Finance Ministry, NOI was credited with the following:
President Olusegun Obasanjo recruited Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from the World Bank and made her Nigeria’s finance minister from 2003 to 2006, and briefly foreign minister in 2006. During her time in office, she was probably the most successful and highest profile minister in Obasanjo’s government. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala promoted transparency into the Nigerian government’s finances by publishing in the newspapers Abuja’s monthly funding allocations (largely based on oil revenue) to each of the thirty six states. She also oversaw Nigeria’s first sovereign credit ratings from Fitch and Standard and Poor’s, BB- at the time.
However, there are many craters ahead and as such “Fears for Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala” are not unfounded:
This, indeed, is good news for Nigerians, but the challenge is how Okonjo-Iweala will achieve this in an environment where both the executive and legislature are neck deep in profligacy. Already, Okonjo-Iweala has been reported to be getting threat calls from corrupt politicians and businessmen warning her not to return to Nigeria for this assignment. …. There are fears that the lady might be isolated in a cabinet that may not be on the same wavelength with her on some of the sensible reforms she would likely introduce. In particular, she is likely to step on some big toes in her bid to try to reduce the high cost of government.
Her association with the World Bank leaves her with a Janus-Complex. It may be a tight rope trying to wade off the ‘Imperialist’ label.  Uchenna Osigwe insists that:
I have nothing against NOI and actually rejoice with her in her modest achievements in her chosen field. But I am also conscious of the fact that the institutes she works for are imperialist institutes that have not lifted any so-called third world country out of poverty. I challenge anybody reading this to point out one country in the southern hemisphere that has been lifted out of poverty by the institutes that has been in existence for that very reason for almost 70 years now. None. On the contrary, those who achieved any significant measure of financial autonomy, like Brazil, did it in opposition, indeed in defiance, to the prescriptions of those institutes.
Nonetheless NOI will be a breath of fresh air for Nigeria. As such it is difficult to demur with Nmachi Jidenma that:
… For corrupt and undisciplined government officials: ‘wahala dey’. It looks like ‘the trouble woman’ is back in town! This is of course good news for Nigerians and most of us would be happy to have her back.

author: Nwachukwu Egbunike


text:
Pakistan: The Good And Bad Of Observing Ramadan · Global Voices
Rezwan

Salman Latif lists some good and bad practices in the Pakistani society during the month of Ramadan.


text:
Russia: Babe Armies of Putin, Medvedev and Limonov · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Gerhard Mangott reports [ger] that the use of Russian pre-election campaign videos with scantily clad girls now has spread from Prime Minister Putin [ru], via President Medvedev [ru], to National Bolshevik leader Limonov [ru].

author: Vilhelm Konnander


text:
Russia: No Exaggeration in Rumours of Reset Death? · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Edward Lozansky of Russia Blog argues that the US Russia reset policy is losing steam in view of decreased domestic support and increasing opposition.


text:
Sri Lanka: Cutting Down Trees In The Name Of Beautification · Global Voices
Rezwan

Groundviews reports that the Weeping Willow trees at the Independence Avenue in Colombo, which were planted in the 1970s, were cut down in the name of beatification.


text:
Thailand: Student blogger ‘witch hunted’ on Facebook · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Suluck Lamubol writes that the first student blogger who was charged with Lese Majeste in Thailand was ‘witch hunted’ by a Facebook group called Social Sanction. The group's objective is “to increase public awareness of corruption and create pressure to combat it and to stop the crime of lese majeste”.


text:
Armenia: Biking and Tweeting through Turkey · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

One Hell of a Ride, an Armenian Biker's blog, says that it is travelling across neighbouring Turkey on a motorcycle. The journey will cover over 4,500 kilometers and take in more than 80 cities and towns. The blog plans to update its readers on the adventure en route, including via Twitter.

author: Onnik Krikorian


text:
Armenia: Welcome to Turkey · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

One Hell of a Ride posts an update on its motorcycle trip from Armenia across Turkey. The blogger has now entered the country from Georgia and says that Georgian police are so much more polite and professional than their Armenian counterparts while also noting that Turkish border guards welcomed him into Turkey in the Armenian language.


text:
China: Large NIMBY Protest Erupts in Dalian · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Sign reads: "PX—out of Dalian now!"
Four years after similar protests in Xiamen, residents of Dalian in northern China took to the streets in large numbers on Sunday in protest of the Fujia p-Xylene plant which they feel is located too near to the city. Authorities said late this week that they would relocate the plant, but the sites under consideration have yet to be announced.
Banner reads: "p X out"
The public concern which led to the protests was sparked by Typhoon Muifa last week, which Chinese media reported posed a possible threat to the chemical plant.
Photos and updates from Dalian dominated social networking sites on Sunday morning, and online forum Sina Weibo began aggressively deleting related information and even user accounts just before noon.
Cell phone signal coverage was reportedly also being blocked at Dalian's People's Square, where the protest began before moving onto the street.
Follow Twitter users @WLYeung, FMN breaking news, @mightyboom and MissXQ for translated updates from others at the scene. Photos from Dalian are being aggregated here and can also be found under the #大连px Twitter hashtag [Note: more photos here and 100+ photos here].
12:45 PM photo update:

author: John Kennedy


text:
China Model in Two Different Cities · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

In the past few years, the term “China Model” has been widely discussed among intellectuals in China, and is now slowly spreading to other developing countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa. In short, the China Model is a system of government that is based upon economic freedom and political repression.
However, the implementation of the model within China varies from region to region. Recently on Public Consensus Net, there was a special feature comparing the model as implemented in Guangdong and Chongqing in four major areas: politics, economics, culture and public policy. Below is a translation of the major points of the feature:
Politics: The relationship between people and government
The skyline of Chongqing city by Flickr user sanfamedia.com (CC BY-ND 2.0)
重庆：唱红打黑 强化大政府的管理机制
且看政治层面，重庆唱红打黑无疑在过去的一两年里赚足了眼球。然而，唱红打黑的背后是一个强政府的存在，这些都需要一个权力较为集中的政府，需要政府能调动各种资源，保持一定而持续的社会动员力。而这有可能对司法权构成挑战，所以，在李庄案发生后，引起了法律界的一片哗然，法律界怀疑行政权对司法权进行了干涉，这无疑危及了法律界所念兹在兹的“司法独立”。
另外，重庆恢复共产党的群众路线，重庆在全市机关干部中组织开展“三进三同”、“结穷亲”和“大下访”三项活动，按照中央部署唱红打黑，扫除腐败，让共产党重新获得最大多数人民的拥护。 因此，重庆模式可以说是部分地回归原有体制，以此缓解当下的社会冲突。
广东：思想解放 强调国家治理体系创新
政治方面，广东强调社会发展要以幸福为导向，提倡社会自治。近年来，广东各地在不同层面进行了广泛的改革，包括广州政府的预算公开化、顺德的“党政联动”大部制改革、河源与惠州的网络问政、深圳党内民主的试点以及广东最近提出的社会管理中的“多元共治”等。汪洋对于法治的强调，也是合乎上述变革之逻辑的，这些就构成了一个取向鲜明的“广东模式”。 曾有人大代表说，中国的民主制度主要体现在人大制度，而广东一直处在中国人大制度改革的最前沿。
汪洋访德之后，大力提倡思想解放，就是要赋予“广东模式”以政治、文化与精神的内涵。
In terms of politics, Chongqing has caught everyone's attention in the past two years. However, it takes a strong and authoritative government to allocate resources and launch such a political campaign. It may undermine the judicial system. After the Li Zhuang case, the legal sector trembled and questioned the intervention of the administration in the judicial system, undermining the independence of the judiciary.
Guangdong: Liberate thought, stress innovation of state governance
Guangdong stresses that development should be guided by the principle of people's happiness and advocates a self-governing society. In recent year, a number of reforms have been introduced in the Guangdong region: the Guangzhou city government has adopted an open and transparent government budget; Shunde has encouraged more interaction between the government and the party; Heyuan and Weizhou have gathered opinions from the internet; Shenzhen has experimented with internal democracy within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); Guangdong has introduced the idea of “diversity in social governance”. Guangdong Party leader, Wang Yang's emphasis on rule by law fits into the above-mentioned reforms, which are summed up by the term “Guangdong model”. A representative from the People's Congress has said that Chinese democracy lies in the system of People's Congress, and Guangdong is on the frontline of the People's Congress reform.
After Wang Yang visited Germany, he advocated the liberation of thought as the core value of the “Guangdong model”.
Guangzhou and Pearl River by Flickr user sanfamedia.com (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Economics: Market or government
广东：注重市场机制
汪洋认为，广东现在要把社会建设摆在重要位置，尤其强调要注重民生问题。但是要做大蛋糕仍然是要以经济建设为中心，就是说分蛋糕不是重点工作，做蛋糕是重点；广东省长黄华华认为当前一些提出是不是要以“公平”为中心的舆论不合时宜，还是要以经济发展为中心，效率与公平是对立的，经济建设、经济发展、经济效率比社会公平、分配合理更重要。
就广东模式而言，虽然也在中国模式的框架之下运行，但这一模式的重点并非固守旧有的元素，而是试图增加新的元素。政治学者肖滨认为，相比重庆模式，广东模式更因循市场逻辑的发展，并试图去缓解中国模式内部的紧张性，推动中国模式按照市场运行的逻辑向前发展。
重庆：政令护“公平”
中国的改革开放尽管是摸着石头过河，但却一直是以市场化为导向的，但市场并不是万能的，不仅在经济领域常常失效，对许多社会问题更不能提供解决之道：如环境保护、贫富差距。今天在中国形成的三大民怨：高房价、看病难、教育负担。重庆模式可谓是针对这些问题提出的解决方法，以此促进民生。
重庆率先征收房产税，而后又推出保障房政策，以期为虚火上身、高烧不退的房地产市场降温 。此外，还进行民生户籍改革，加强食品医药管理，也提出了要调整收入分配，实现共同富裕的目标。
Wang Yang believes that Guangdong should prioritize social development, in particular focus on people's livelihood. In order to make the economic cake bigger, economic development is still at the core; the emphasis is not on how to cut the cake but making it bigger. Huang Huahua, the head of the Guangdong province, believes the issue of “fairness” should be put aside, with economic development the core instead. Efficiency and fairness are contradictory. Economic construction and development is more important than fair and reasonable distribution.
Although the Guangdong model stills follow the principle of the China model, it has introduced some new elements. Scholar of political science Shao Bing has pointed out that when compared with Chongqing model, Guangdong follows the market mechanism to relieve the stress within the China Model.
Chongqing: Policy to protect “fairness”
Chinese reform has been guided by the market mechanism which has had moments of failure. It can't solve many social problems, such as environmental protection and the divide between the rich and the poor. There are three major grievances in China nowadays: expensive housing, lack of health care, and high education expenses. The Chongqing model attempts to address the above problems.
Chongqing is the first city to collect property tax and introduce a public housing policy in order to cool down the overheated property market. Moreover, it has also introduced household registration reforms, monitored the food and medicine markets and put forward the principle of the redistribution of wealth.
Culture: Red vs. blue
重庆：红色的频道
文化方面，重庆卫视全面改版。改版后，重庆卫视不再播出商业广告，并将减少电视剧和外购外包节目，同时增加新闻节目、自办文化栏目、公益广告和公益宣传片。重庆广电集团将策划制作一大批符合频道定位、展示重庆城市形象、倡导社会公德职业道德家庭美德等方面的公益广告和宣传片。此类公益广告和宣传片将不在单个节目或电影、电视剧中插播，而是安排在各档节目之间适当播出。
重庆已然继承了革命的、大众的文化传统，甚至黄金频道都改成了红色频道，对于这种重庆上下一片红的壮观景象，有人警惕的认为有文革遗风，也有人认为仅仅是宣扬主旋律而已。
广东：媒体的胆量
广东在文化方面的开放则为其他地方所不及，所谓“南方报系”影响范围极广，充分继承和发扬了敢想、敢说、敢做的“领头羊精神”。国内的纸媒中，数广东的媒体最不吝啬舆论监督。07年的一次新闻界联谊会上，广州市委书记朱小丹说，“好的舆论监督是连带批评和建议一起出来的。对于政府工作中的问题，老百姓怎么看，媒体出出主意，这对政府本身就是推动。一句话，加强舆论监督，可以使我们不至于盲目，不至于懈怠，不至于失职。”
广东的开放在自有其历史渊源，晚清时期广东就是革命的思想策源地，也是革命在实践上的试验场，改革开放也是在广东打响了第一枪；此外，加之广州经济的发达和距离港澳的有地利之便，思想新风容易传入。如果说重庆的颜色是红色的话，那么，至少在思想文化上，广东则呈现出海洋文明所特有的蓝色。
In terms of culture, the Chongqing satellite TV has changed its output radically. It has stopped broadcasting commercials and reduced soap operas and externally produced programs. At the same time, it has increased news reports, cultural programs and public welfare ads. The Chongqing broadcast bureau has produced a series of shows to improve the city's image, society's morals, family values and public welfare. All these programs are shown during and between movies and soap operas.
Chongqing has re-introduced the legacy of the revolution and changed its golden TV channel into a red channel. In the midst of this campaign of red culture, some are worried that it could trigger the political culture of the Cultural Revolution, but others claim that that the red culture campaign is merely propaganda.
Guangdong: Courageous media
Guangdong has a very open culture. Thanks to the influence of the Southern Media Corporation, people are very expressive. Media in Guangdong has played an important role in monitoring the government. During a gathering of media workers in 2007, the city party secretary Zhu Xiaodang said, “Good public opinion and monitoring comes with criticism and suggestions. The media can improve governance by monitoring the government, reflecting public opinion and making constructive suggestions. In a nutshell, monitoring by the public can help us to correct our mistakes.”
The open culture in Guangdong has a historical background. Guangdong has been a center of revolutionary thought since the late Qing Dynasty, and a experimental field for the revolution. Even the economic reform began in Guangdong. Moreover, Guangdong is geographically near to Hong Kong and Macau, so new ideas enter the region very quickly. If the color of Chongqin is red, Guangdong is represented by the color of the ocean – blue.
Public policy: Democracy or people's livelihood
广东：民主才是硬道理
广东首开网络问政的先河，省委书记汪洋、省长黄华华率先触网，在网络上与网友互动，直接交流，听取民意。同时，广州市人大创新人大代表视察制度，规定人大代表可以自发相约调研。此外，广州市人大明确常委会可以对代表和人民群众普遍关心的问题，开展专题询问和质询…
广州还涌现了一大批具有强烈的现代民主意识、鲜明的现代民主观念的现代公民，他们关注公共事务，并且依法、和平、理性地表达他们对公共事务的关注。
重庆：民生才是硬道理
薄熙来曾强调：“如果发展不能改善民生，那就不是‘硬道理’，而是‘没道理’。”“五个重庆”，个个都紧扣民生——“森林重庆”是为了让老百姓多吸氧，“畅通重庆”要让主城不塞车、乡村有油路，“平安重庆”要让群众的人身、财产和家庭安全有保障，“健康重庆”要让孩子长得壮、老人能长寿，“宜居重庆”要让全市百姓，特别是中低收入的市民都有房住，而且环境好。
Guangdong is among the first regions to engage with citizens through the internet. The party secretary Wang Yang and the head of the province Huang Huahua have interacted directly with netizens and listened to their opinions. Moreover, Guangzhou city encourages representatives of the People's Congress to organize investigative tours concerning city management. The Steering Committee of the People's Congress can demand the government answer questions that people are concerned about…
In Guangzhou, there is a large population of citizens that believes in democracy and cares about public affair. They show their concern for public affairs peacefully, rationally and legally.
Chongqing: People's livelihood is the path
Bo Xilai once said, “If development cannot improve livelihood, it is not ‘the path’, it is a ‘dead end’.” The policy of “Five Chongqing” is all about people's livelihood: “Forest Chongqing” is to build a green city; “Unblocked Chongqing” is to clear the roads of traffic jams; “Safe Chongqing” is to develop a sense of security in people's lives, property and family life; “Healthy Chongqing” is to develop healthcare for children and the elderly; “Livable Chongqing” is to provide cheap and good quality housing for middle- and lower-income people.
Netizens’ comments
So much for the description of the two models; let's take a look at how ordinary people have reacted to the comparison in Weibo's discussion thread:
大兴一叶孤帆 半斤对八两，不要心存幻想。(21分鐘前)
ly-1983 2个模式 2个人 2个背后集团(38分鐘前)
昊戈 不同意你的观点。不存在模式之争。是领导的政治资本之争。薄少爷在大连搞城市建设。来重庆打黑除恶唱红歌，是因为重庆穷山恶水没得可搞不得已而为之，他去广东也搞经济，唱红歌不犯傻逼吗。广东的领导去重庆也是照方抓药。(今天 12:01)
江门大南瓜 我在广东干了几年，感受到一条毛的民主，“广东相对更民主”这种口号也不知道什么时候吹出去的，官僚、专制作风一点不比内地弱。(今天 11:47)
杨乾武 双方若是实事求是，从地域具体情况出发，探索改革之路，殊途同归，无可非议，都有理。原本就不可能一刀切，统一行动。但若还是依赖官本位，神马都是一把手拍脑袋说了算，甚至神化个人，那所谓XX模式恐怕仍然只是忽悠。(今天 11:37)
火焰山之虎 我从来不信专制可以给民众公平！我也从来不信靠某个官员可以让百姓幸福！(今天 11:33)
无敌豌豆 政府说民主就是民主，政府说和谐就和谐，真正人民感受到了吗？(今天 11:26)
cq姚伟 不管白猫黑猫，能抓到老鼠的就是好猫。广东重庆模式敦优敦劣，三十年后自然有一个公断。
程远征 没有民主何谈民生，没有民生就是奢谈民主，这是一对孪生兄弟，谁也离不开谁。想分开谈的人都是另有打算，用些美好的字眼做幌子而已。重庆真的注重民生就不会把钱花在唱红上，不如多关心教育医疗就业。广东如果真注重民主就不该有那些暴动和强拆，不该有深圳大运会无视民权的那些荒唐事件。(今天 10:52)
古道西风0427 我想自己做自己的主，不想做猪。

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
Colombia: The FTA With the United States From the Blogosphere · Global Voices
Robert Valencia

With the pact signed in Washington to increase the debt ceiling following a criticized altercation between Democrats and Republicans, the United States (US) Congressional leaders have returned to the topic of the free trade agreement (FTA) with Panama, South Korea and Colombia.
Republicans Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, much like their Democratic counterpart Harry Reid, initiated the approval of the agreements, as well as a program to aid US workers who had lost their jobs due to foreign competition. Said treaties have been presented before the Congressional session for the past four years, though the free trade agreement with Colombia has become the most controversial of the three, since liberals criticize the Colombian state for its lack of protection towards syndicalist groups that see themselves threatened by insurgent groups of the left as well as the far right.
Juan Manuel Santos and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit to Colombia in June 2010. Flickr image from eltiempo.com (CC BY-NC 2.0).
Being a topic that has been widely discussed for years, it has attracted more critics than sympathizers in the blogosphere. Marion Delgado from The Rag Blog, for example, mentioned that the treaty principally benefits US corporations, and accuses them of financing crimes committed against the syndicalists:
The organizations that stand to benefit the most from this free trade agreement — U.S. multinational corporations — have been involved in aiding and abetting [the] bloodshed [against trade unionists].
The blog Optometría en la Salud [es] explains the damage that a possible free trade agreement with the United States would bring to Colombia:
El TLC no afecta solo a la industria sino también todos los sectores económicos, una parte y muy importante es la salud.
Alfonso Zamudio’s blog Cine y Politica [es] concludes that the free trade agreement does not count on full “freedom”:
Como resumen, un Tratado de Libre Comercio, sin libertad, pues condiciona en el lado exportador entregas máximas anuales, cuotas exportadoras y calidades orientadas a sectores de privilegio colombiano, y en el lado importador una apertura amplia a sectores nacionales de por sí débiles.
The Independent Institute’s [es] Spanish blog shares an article from The Wall Street Journal Americas where John Bussey mentions that, despite the strong feelings developing around this topic and the small transcendence that this business has with Colombia, there are certain advantages:
Puede que aumente las exportaciones del país norteamericano fraccionariamente y podría crear —según cálculos de la Casa Blanca— miles de puestos de trabajo en EE.UU., no decenas de miles. A Caterpillar le gusta porque la compañía vende mucha de su maquinaria pesada en Colombia. Igualmente, hay una expectativa normal en otros sectores empresariales.
Surprisingly, the trills following the US Congress’ announcement last week were few to come by. Sites like International Trade (@IntradeGS) [es] simply echoed that which Washington made known:
El Congreso de Estados Unidos está en proceso de aprobación de tratados de libre comercio con Colombia
Katherin Miranda (@kathmirandap) [es] affirms that one of the obstacles of Colombia’s development is its road network:
La competitividad a la que esta llamada Colombia, es imposible de desarrollarse por su pésima infraestructura vial… Y quieren TLC??
On his part, Julian Buitrago (@buitragojulian) [es] also expressed doubts regarding the advantages that an FTA would bring to Colombia:
El dolar se devaluará más. USA necesita vender para salir de la recesión. Será que el TLC sí le conviene a Colombia??
Finally, Juan David Escobar (@ElReticente) [es] shows pessimism before an eventual trade agreement with the United States:
cosas que ya no me dan ni risa: que en Colombia creamos que en plena crisis aún tenemos opciones de firma del TLC con los gringos.

author: Robert Valencia


text:
Iran: Ahmadinejad & Asad united in an animation · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Here is an animation in You Tube showing Bashar Asad and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came together to repress Syrian and Iranian people. Watch more in Wikisham.

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Japan: Indie service GoogleSatTrack used by NASA · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Isana Kashiwai, developer of GoogleSatTrack, is astounded [ja] to see his software being used in NASA's Mission Control Center. He had happened to be watching the Atlantis return to Earth on NASA-TV.