Stories from 16 March 2007
Africa: Blogging business, investment, and entrepreneurship
In our first post on Africa's business bloggers we introduced you to the Africa bloggers focusing on business. In this second post, we are only going to focus on a few blogs. Apart writing about fashion and entertainment, J Kofi Annan explores such general business topics as corporate exectutives and...
Haiti: Chavez Visit and the Diplomatic Dance
Anticipating Chavez's upcoming visit to Haiti, Roody Edme writes [Fr]: “His arrival requires an apt diplomatic dance… The recent American decision to list the country as a nation that might possibly benefit from the ethanol project echoes Caracas’ decision to make us benefit from the Petro-Caribe clause … While we...
Poland: “De-communization Zeal”
The beatroot writes about the Polish government's “de-communization zeal.” Among other things, bloggers might be affected by the new law as well: “All journalists – public or private – born before 1972, must now be vetted for communist era collaboration.” The post has generated 51 comment thus far.
Poland, Russia: Responsibility for Katyn
The beatroot reports that “the Russian NGO Memorial has pledged to pursue all legal means to get Moscow to recognize Soviet responsibility for the deaths of over 20,000 Polish officers in the Katyn massacre of 1940.”
Latvia: Documentary on Latvian President
Vilhelm Konnander writes about a documentary being made on Latvia's outgoing president Vaira Vike-Freiberga.
Russia: Unreliable Electricity
The Turkish Invasion experiences a blackout: “So another myth about Russia is busted…no reliable electricity.”
Russia: Interview With Sean Guillory
Andy of Siberian Light interviews Sean Guillory of Sean's Russia Blog.
Russia: Coverage Critique
Russia in the Media critiques Luke Harding's Guardian piece on Russia's poor; Russia Blog awards The Stranger's Annie Wagner with “the Shoe Award” for her review of the 9th Company movie.
Russia, USA: Cold War Movies
Russian Kafe writes about Cold War films that could have caused “a child to write things like ‘I have been worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war’ and ‘I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country’.”
Central Asia: Local Democracy
Tolkun Umaraliev agrees with the new Turkmen president's views on democracy — namely that it cannot simply be imported ready-made, but that it instead has to be adapted to local traditions and culture.
Russia: Has it Really Been Lost?
Russian bureaucrats force Darkness at Noon to live without his passport; at some point, it looks like the passport has been lost; but then the blogger hears this: “In Russia we don't lose things. We just take a long time looking for them!” – and, bingo, “this little saying puts...
Kyrgyzstan: Latin Kyrgyz
The Azamat Report argues that Kyrgyzstan should reintroduce a Latin alphabet for the Kyrgyz language. It briefly used a Latin script while part of the Soviet Union.
Tajikistan: The President vs. Islamization
At neweurasia, Vadim discusses the Tajik president's opposition to the construction of new mosques. Vadim agrees with the president that the money could be better spent on new businesses and education.
Russia: No Toilet Seats
Darkness at Noon ruminates on the missing toilet seats in the Russian public bathrooms.
Afghanistan: Reconciliation and Accountability
Safrang continues discussion on reconciliation and accountability legislation in Afghanistan, wondering how both can be obtained in the country's current political climate.
Mexico: The World's Third Wealthiest Man
He is, writes Mark in Mexico, “the world's third richest man, whose fortune grew by 19 billion dollars just last year alone.” But will Carlos Slim jump on the Bill Gates/Warren Buffet philanthropy bandwagon? Spanish readers will also be interested in “Los 10 Secretos de Slim” from Enchílame.
Colombia: Para-Politicos
More watchdog blogging from Adam Isacson: “here is our most current list of Colombian government officials and congresspeople facing accusations of assisting or associating with paramilitary groups.”
El Salvador: Deadbeat Parents
Tim Muth on “Deadbeat parents from El Salvador”: “This is an aspect of Salvadoran emigration to the US which you do not often read how about — what happens if a parent stops providing support to children left behind in El Salvador?”
Peru: The Juntos programme
The Overseas Development Institute calls the Juntos program “the most ambitious and innovative government attempt at tackling childhood poverty in Peru, a country where two out of three children live below the poverty line and many lack access to basic services.”
Mexico: $1,000 to get Naked
Eduardo Arcos[ES] links to a post by Verónica Mellado [ES] offering bloggers $1,000 to videotape themselves getting naked. The winning submission will published on the web. Arcos suggests Paniagua [ES].
Nepal: Abdication talks and the provocative CD
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s suggestion that King Gyanendra and Crown Prince Paras should abdicate created the loudest buzz in Nepal. Amid talks of going into republic after the king assumed the executive powers in Feb 1, 2005 and then lost it due to April 2006 Uprising – a people’s...
