18 May 2007
Stories from 18 May 2007
Peru: Just Say No! to the OLPC
The Peruvian Minister of Education, José Antonio Chang, recently announced that Peru would participate in the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project. With only a model of the XO in...
Africa: Blog This Poem!
The African blogosphere is rapidly expanding, bringing more voices online in the form of commentaries, opinions, analyses, rants...and poetry. Blogs have created a new space for African poets to share their creative and imaginative works with a wider audience. Today, I will introduce you to a few poems written by African bloggers.
Serbian “Prayer” Wins Eurovision Song Contest
Just a few days ago, major news outlets reported that the main course of discussion at the Serbian Assembly session was to determine which political party is supported by the 2007 Eurovision winner, Marija Serifovic. Milutin Mrkonjic, who presided at the meeting, invited the singer to visit the parliament. When she came in, Mrkonjic said, “Fellow deputies, please turn around and greet Marija Serifovic. We will be having a short break. Let all of us go to the lobby to have a juice with our Marija.” Serbian bloggers have been discussing various aspects of Serifovic's victory, too, of course, and Ljubisa Bojic translates some of the reactions.
Kazakhstan: A President for Life
On 18 May the Parliament of Kazakhstan adopted the changes into the Constitution in the second reading. According to one of the amendments, the first president of Kazakhstan will no...
Morocco: Fighting ignorance, injustice, and irrationality
Giving one's child a special first name should be an inalienable right, not a lengthy bureaucratic process. Hamza Daoui covers a debate stirring up over this very issue, as well as the upcoming Moroccan elections and the timeless subject of ignorance.
China: Citizen blogger treading new ground?
With all the hype and money behind web 2.0 citizen media in America, is it possible that one young Chinese vegetable farmer has been able to make more gains more quickly than any Western initiatives have?
Brazil: The Once and Future(?) King
There are two kings in Brazil. Pelé, the world famous football star, and Roberto Carlos, a great icon of Brazilian popular music (MPB). The singer and songwriter acquired fame as the main figure of the 60’s musical movement known as Jovem Guarda — Young Guard — in opposition to the ‘old guard’ of Brazilian music. But late last year, the launch of an unauthorized biography has made this King go to war. Confirming the Brazilian saying that “once King, you’ll never loose the majesty”, Roberto Carlos has recently succeeded in a legal settlement with the writer — historian Paulo César de Araújo — and his publisher where all the unsold books will be called back to him, and the book will never again be published. But then… there is the Internet.
YouTube Vs.Thailand: The Latest Round
YouTube's latest round of trouble with Thailand started in April when some YouTube user uploaded a video mocking the Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology...




































In my opinion, the only slang from this list which is falling out of vogue is the nickname of Medvedev...
I'm from Russia, use internet daily, and I didn't know half of these words. The other slang words are not...