Stories from 30 January 2007
Kazakhstan: Queuing for Profit
Ben Paarmann reports on a business so suited for post-Soviet countries that it's a wonder no one had already launched it in Kazakhstan: standing in line for cash. A new company launched by Ruslan Akkuzhin will allow people to hire someone to stand in lines for them. The person in...
Tajikistan: Protest Against Judiciary
Alexander reports that a small protest took place in front of Tajikistan's Supreme Court to draw attention to what protesters characterized as corrupt decisions by courts on land disputes.
Kyrgyzstan: Reactions to the New PM
Yulia of neweurasia surveys opinions around the blogosphere on the new prime minister's appointment in Kyrgyzstan.
Caucasus: iPod Purchasing Power Index
Social Science in the Caucasus posts on the idea of an iPod Purchasing Power Index and wonders why there is such a range of prices in Caucasus states. Onnik Krikorian responds to the post and looks at possible answers to why iPods are so expensive in Armenia.
Afghanistan: Aid & Corruption
Sanjar says that a significant amount of aid to Afghanistan ends up in the pockets of Afghan leaders.
Guatemala: Unearthing the Future
Xeni Jardin, best known for her writing at BoingBoing has also been blogging her recent travels in Guatemala including a five-part series for NPR called ‘Guatemala: Unearthing the Future.’ Patrick of the Guatemalan Solidarity Network expands on Jardin's first piece titled, “Group Works to Identify Remains in Guatemala.”
Colombia: Paramilitary Leader's PowerPoint Presentation
Héctor Mondragón on the failures of “Plan Colombia” and Adam Isacson on “the world's most evil PowerPoint presentation” which was used by top paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso when confessing to his past human-rights crimes two weeks ago.
Argentina: On the Bus in Buenos Aires
“This post inaugurates a new category – On the bus – an occasional series of anecdotes from travels on the city buses.” Buenos Aires-based Jeffy Barry starts the new series with tales from bus #17.
Bolivia: Promoting Quechua and Aymara
Bloggings by boz links to a report from today's Washington Post reporting that “Bolivian President Morales’ government is making a major push to teach students Quechua and Aymara, Bolivia's two main native languages.” If you'd like to learn a little Quechua why not start with this lesson [ES] on bringing...
Morocco: War between Village Women!
Cory Driver, an American who lives in Morocco, withnessed a hilarious war between the women of a village he was visiting. “All the grown women.. were throwing grown-women-sized-rocks at each other. The men were mostly just standing around watching; occasionally cheering, occasionally trying to talk some sense into rock-throwers… but...
Venzuela: Translations from Spanish
Guillermo Parra of Venepoetics has published a slew of recent translations including Eduardo Vásquez's “Postmodernity Once Again,” which proposes two distinct foundations for Chavez's so-called “21st Century Socialism.” Parra also introduces his readers to award-winning poet and novelist Alberto Barrera Tyszka whose biography of Hugo Chavez will be published in...
Russia: On Economy
The Russian Dilettante comments on Masha Lipman's recent column.
Morocco: Too Many Policemen at Airport
Adil, a Moroccan blogger who lives in Washington DC, US, says there was far too many policemen at the King Mohammed the Fifth Airport. “I believe that airport is overstaffed with police. Passengers need more service oriented ppl to guide them through the arrival than a policeman with a moustache...
Russia: Litvinenko a Target
La Russophobe posts parts of a report from the Polish newspaper Dziennik on the use of Aleksandr Litvinenko's image for target practice by the FSB, and links to a video and photos.
UAE: Interrogation Stories at US Border Anyone?
UAE resident SolitudDeGitana questions whether anyone knows what the amount of information you have to/should divulge during airport interrogations. “(T)he woman over at luggage inspection started asking me a string of other questions, namely about whether I had a boyfriend where I'm living in the MIddle East. I answered her,...
Russia: Conversation With Litvinenko's Widow, Part 9
Translation of part 9 of the interview with Marina Litvinenko is posted at A Step At A Time.
Nicaragua: Blogging in Granada
Our Man in Hanoi is soon to become Our Man in Granada and starts off with two introductory posts as he prepares for the move.
Czech Rebublic: New Arms Race?
NvB: Bored in Brno writes that the “proposed radar stations around the Czech Republic may be a forerunner of the new silent arms race.”
Czech Rebublic: Dechovka Music
NvB: Bored in Brno writes about dechovka music and posts a YouTube video of Eva and Vasek, “the most successful musical group in the [Czech] Republic from the standpoint of record sales”: “Happy listening! And remember, every Czech is not just a musician but also a dancer.”
Dubai: Seebee Finds Nuns’ Behaviour Hilarious!
Seebee at Life in Dubai is in stitches at the behaviour of a group of Greek nuns, who ran up half a million pounds in debt and then went into hiding after their wool industry failed.
Czech Rebublic: Straznice Folk Festival
NvB: Bored in Brno writes about the history of the folk festival in Straznice that will be held June 21-24, 2007.
