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October 16th, 2007
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Arabeyes: Eid Al Fitr Celebrations (Part 3)
· 18:58
The Holy month of Ramadan culminated with Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations throughout the Muslim world. Here's what bloggers are saying about the occasion in the last of a three-part series. Today's tour takes us to Iraq, Libya, Jordan, Iran and Palestine.
Iraq:
Our first stop is in Iraq, where Yasmine takes us on a trip down memory lane, to a happy pre-war Baghdad, where her mother and sisters gathered to prepare Eid desserts in their hot kitchen.
The day of Klecha (a dessert) was a special day.. though I now remember it with nostalgia, I used to see it as a day of work, work and more work back then in Baghdadna,..
Of course, she would announce the Day of Klecha about a week earlier, as we approach the last week of Ramadan, or the last week before Eid el Adha, and though we all looked forward to taste the delicious specialty of Happy events, we (me and my sisters) all had on our minds the loooong hours of working in the hot kitchen, checking the oven and checking on the Sewanee (trays), I don’t know why I cant forget the stifling heat of the kitchen..
On Klecha day, my mom would be up early (as always), we come down from our rooms to find her already into the Ajeen (dough) process..
Yasmine, who has left Iraq with her family, adds:
Its strange, mom now never makes Klecha.. the Eid feels different..its not about missing Klecha, its about missing a whole era.. another time , another life.. mom now Does buy Jahez men el Sough (ready-made from the shops).. any kind of cake or pastry would do.. to serve when Khottar (visitors) visit (if any ever shows up) ..i myself never was interested in making Klecha.. but its just a reminder of Eid in Baghdad.. a Must..
But Klecha in Baghdad is till made, as my friend 's text tells.. perhaps I should take this a s a sign , maybe one day the good days Will return, and I Would make Klecha in Bghadad..
just for the sake of Eid, lets be optimistic for once..
Ayyamkom Saeeda..(May your days be happy)
Libya:
In Libya, Soad El-Rgaig, also travels to her childhood, giving us a day-by-day breakdown of how Eid was celebrated when she was growing up.
When I was a little girl growing up in Cyrenaica, Berqa, Eid was Magical. The preparations for the special days would start from the 24th or 25th of Ramadan. For around three or four nights my mum and some of her close neighbours would gather in our house after Iftar and the feverish marathon of Libyan sweets making would commence. K’ak, Ghreiba, Maqroud, Imsammana, etc. The gatherings are marked with the occasional outbursts of singing, hand clapping, and Sherqawi Bedouin dance, known as tahjeel :). We the girls would be helping with small and easy chores: washing dishes, handing stuff, tying scarves, bringing water, while the boys would be responsible for taking the huge trays of freshly made K’ak, Ghreiba, etc, to the local bakery, El-Kosha and bring them when they are done without major damages.
Jordan:
Meanwhile, Jordanian blogger Naseem Al Tarawnah wasn't amused with visitors who knocked on their door during Eid, where families visit each other to exchange greetings.
I have these relatives who love to talk about themselves. They’re not wealthy; probably as middle as middle class can get in Jordan. Nevertheless they enjoy nothing more than to speak of their accomplishments. Their kids are tremendous. They’re not big achievers or anything, mediocre at best, but nonetheless, anything small they do is a huge thing. One of them went to Canada for about a year and his mother now talks about that as if he went to work for NASA or something.
Iran:
From Iran, Tribooneh Azad (means free tribune) says [Fa] that a couple of political activists have been arrested while they wanted to celebrate Eid Al Fitr ceremony and perform prayers. The blogger says even before Islamic Revolution, such a thing did not happen. He says it is amazing that even prayer can be considered as a “way to overthrow the regime.”
Palestine:
Our last stop is in Palestine, where A Blogger from Gaza takes us on a photography tour, showing us some of the tastes and sights of Eid. She also laments how Eid is marked on different days in different Muslim countries.
Today is the second day of Eid here in the Arab and Muslim countries.. most of them at least!! i really can't understand how some countries see the new month's crescent while other countries don't… don't we all have the same moon or what?!!
As i was saying, today is the second day of Eid, and we got the chance to get out. according to Arab and Islamic customs, going out in the first day is a little bit hard, because men have to get out and visit all the sisters, aunts, relatives… etc in the first day, which makes it more like a visiting day.. while in the second day you can go out, that's if you don't have a big family, because if you do, visits may extend to the next day ;)
Part One of the series is found here and Part Two here.
0 comments · »»Colombia: Uribe vs. Supreme Court
· 15:50
On Monday, October 8, President Álvaro Uribe Vélez appeared on national television claiming that he was being accused of ordering the murder of a paramilitary warlord known as René. According to Reuters,
The court, which is probing dozens of Uribe's political allies on charges they supported paramilitary death squads, accuses the president of obstructing those investigations while Uribe says it is plotting against him. In several radio interviews, Uribe said on Tuesday the court offered benefits including a reduced sentence to jailed paramilitary chief Jose Moncada in exchange for testifying that the president ordered the killing of another militia boss in 2003. He made the charge in private questioning last week and news of his testimony has just begun circulating.
Xinhua complements:
“The country needs to know if the president is an assassin or if the lawyer and Mr. alias Tasmania are liars. All we Colombians can be investigated, starting from the president, but it is necessary that the means be legal and decent,” Uribe told a press conference. […] Velazquez has received the unanimous support of the supreme court's 23 judges through a communique.Uribe said, “I believe that it is bad to obtain a deceitful confession through torture or through gifts.” High peace commissioner, Luis Carlos Restrepo, said in 2004 that “Rene” confessed to him that he feared to be a victim of assassination attempts ordered by Uribe or by the government forces, and that is why he had refused to leave the concentration region.
On Sunday, it was learnt that the letter from the paramilitary chief Moncada, alias Tasmania (or perhaps Taz-Mania, since the animated television show is better known in Colombia than the Australian island), was delivered to the president by his older brother Santiago Uribe, according to national newspaper El Tiempo [ES]. As usual, this incident sparked outrage in the Colombian blogosphere and a huge controversy between president Uribe's supporters and those ones who side with the Supreme Court, especially when justice Iván Velásquez, the one accused by the president, “carries [ES] the burden of investigations of over 30 politicians for their links with former chiefs of the Self-United Forces of Colombia (AUC)”, most of them from the ruling coalition, including Mr. Uribe's own cousin, senator Mario Uribe Escobar.
Carlos Cuentero [ES] writes at El desván:
Gritos e insultos a la Corte Suprema de Justicia… ¿dictadura democrática?
Shouts and insults to the Supreme Court of Justice… a democratic dictatorship?
On the blog Atrabilioso [ES], journalist Miguel Yances makes a summary of the case and attacks some of the Colombian media:
Lo extraño de este suceso es que la opinión especializada que difunden los medios masivos, de forma casi generalizada se dedicó a descalificar, no a Tasmania ni al magistrado, sino al presidente; mientras que en la Urna Virtual de Caracol, más del 70% de quienes participaron, estuvieron de acuerdo con el proceder presidencial. ¿Por qué algunos políticos, periodistas y medios masivos -me consta que El Universal no- le cargan tanta bronca al presidente? ¿Solo por qué es buen negocio; o por venganza? La venganza la sanciona la opinión pública, y el dinero es bueno y necesario, pero hay que medir bien las formas que se usan para conseguirlo.
The strange thing about this event is that the specialized opinion spread by the mass media, in a generalized way, spent their time to discredit not Tasmania or the justice [Velásquez] but the president, whereas a virtual poll in Caracol TV shows that more than 70% of the participants agreed with the president's actions.
Why do some politicians, journalists and mass media -I can say El Universal [the daily Yances works for] have so much anger towards the president? Just because it's good for business or for revenge? Revenge is sanctioned by the public opinion, and the money is good and necessary, but the ways used to get it should be measured.
Valentina Díaz from Realidades Colombianas [ES] says:
¿Qué interés oculto tiene el presidente para seguir en la misma tónica echarle leña a la fogata contra el poder judicial y presionar para orientar las investigaciones de la Fiscalía? ¿Por qué el Comisionado de Paz asegura que “alias ‘René' no se desmovilizaba porque tenía miedo que el presidente y su amigo Ernesto Garcés lo mataran”? Por eso y mucho más hay quienes creen que estamos al borde del desplome institucional.
What hidden interest has the president to continue in the same attitude of adding fuel to the fire against the judiciary and putting pressure in order to guide the Attorney General office's investigations? Why does the Peace Commissioner claim that alias René wasn't going to demobilize because he was afraid the president and his friend Ernesto Garcés were going to kill him? Because of that and a lot more thare are some who believe we're on the brink of an institutional collapse.
At equinoXio [ES], Carlos Uribe slams the way this incident broke into the media with such intensity:
Es necesario concluir también en que alguien –persona o grupo– desconocido aún, ha sido el promotor de todo este lamentable enredo para quizás poner el debate nacional en otra parte y desviar la atención de todo el mundo, incluidos por supuesto los medios de comunicación que corren desbocados y sin criterio detrás del escándalo.Persiste, finalmente, la confirmación de que la Corte Suprema de Justicia –como le ha tocado otras veces a la Corte Constitucional– anda enfrentada a la Presidencia, porque aquí hay que incluir a todos los turiferarios. Y que el Presidente de la República no pierde oportunidad para revolver la opinión, para hacer uso y abuso de los medios de comunicación, más allá de la mesura deseable, y que sobre todo, le encanta el poder concentrado en una sola figura, la suya, que ahora comienza a ser promovida como candidata a un tercer periodo presidencial. Que Dios nos ayude, si es que ya no ha firmado un acuerdo con nuestro piadoso soberano.
It's necessary to conclude, too, that someone -a person or a group- yet unknown has promoted this regrettable mess in order to perhaps put it into the national debate elsewhere and divert everyone's attention, including of course the mainstream media which run unstoppable and without any criteria behind the scandal. It persists, finally, the confirmation that the Supreme Court of Justice -as in other times has been the Constitutional Court- is confronted with the Presidency, because here we must include all the sycophants. And that the President of the Republic misses no chance to agitate the opinion to use and abuse the mass media, beyond the desirable restraint, and that above all, he loves the power concentrated in one person, his own, which is now being promoted as a candidate for a third presidential term. God help us, if there's already no signed pact with our devout sovereign.
Tienen Huevo [ES] takes it humorously by depicting alias Tasmania as Taz and alias René as Kermit the Frog, known in Latin America as the Rana René.
2 comments · »»Sudan: When Death Becomes Normal
· 14:34
For most of us, witnessing someone’s death can be a traumatizing experience. However, when you’ve been surrounded by it for a long period of time, it’s just “one of those days” and no big deal. This is what SudaneseReturnee discovered after spending years abroad in Europe and upon returning to Juba, Southern Sudan, a place that witnessed two decades of bloody war:
For ages, I never knew the reason why I always thought I’d die young. In Juba, people talk about tragedy and death may be more often than Europeans talk about the weather.
… Just after 2 days in Juba, something happened that stunned me. I was seated with some friends at home under the night sky.
… then an loud screams of what sounded like pain, confusion or freight.
… It was an accident… His head was totally deformed… it looked like he died instantly when he was hit by whatever hit him. Then I heard someone say there was another fatality.
… He clearly looked dead, but some people would still kneel down to feel his pulse and without any emotion announce “aaah, de intaaha!” (this one is finished!)
… They were brothers from the same mother!
… The crowd slowly dissolved into the night… for most of them, it was just another day in Juba. For the mother and me, this day we shall never forget.
SudaneseReturnee was also feeling ill. He tried looking for Dr. Konyokonyo but couldn’t find him in his clinic. Maybe that’s because Dr. Konyokonyo was busy blogging a post on prioritizing health issues in Southern Sudan:
How do you chose which problems to tackle first? When the GOSS [Government of South Sudan] came on, they promise quick fixes for lots of things like building hospitals, clinics and health centers where none existed before. Old hospitals will be rehabilitated. Health surveys were done in all the states. What happend next?
It is unfortunate that many of the promises have fallen down the drain… We need priorities in health.
Drima, The Sudanese Thinker blogged about how a child was used for a failed assassination attempt:
Eyewitnesses said that an unknown man in the audience handed an explosive device to a child and asked to proceed to the podium where Kodi was present. However the device exploded before the child made it to the podium
He also posted this picture of Omar al-Bashir's recent visit to Italy in which he met the Pope!!
Little.Miss.Dalu expressed her thoughts on FGM as sexual violence:
I titled this entry “FGM as Sexual Violence” because I believe female genital mutilation is an act of violence against a woman's sexuality. The act objectifies her, her body is defiled and her sexuality is violated (silenced, removed, seen as unimportant). Her body an object set up for the pleasures of another (her husband). It's about control, put under the guise of “protection of purity.”
Wholeheartedly-Sudaniya asked the question “Darfur: who wants peace?”
… A rebel attack that killed at least 10 peacekeepers at an African Union army base in Sudan's Darfur region has sparked international condemnation.
(source)
I wonder what Darfurians have to say about this ” here we go again….the selfish idiots want to stop the peace at any cost..”
The Sudanese American commented on Khartoum’s recent crackdown on the SPLM:
This is the kind of things that makes efforts to keep Sudan a unified country more difficult. It sends the wrong message, not only to Southern Sudanese, but also to the Northerners. With national parliamentary elections coming up in two years, hopes that the “unity government” would pave the way for democratic change, and the ruling National Congress party would accept election results, are now in doubt.
Last but not least, allow me to end this round up of the Sudanese blogosphere in a symbolic manner by bringing you Path2hope’s post entitled “New beginnings”:
I’ve arrived in England and I’m happy to say that the weather did not disappoint, it was grey and windy with a bit of showers just like I expected.
… Tomorrow I take a train and head off to the university, Lord knows what I expect to find but I’m hoping for the best:) wish me luck!
While there are certainly positive things happening in Sudan, there are far too many negatives taking place. We Sudanese need a new beginning.
5 comments · »»China: Gamer flag controversy
· 07:53
Liu You-chen, a Taiwanese E-sport player, suddenly displayed a Republic of China flag while he accepted a bronze medal at the award ceremony of World Cyber Games (WCG) 2007, which took place in Seattle USA. The actions immediately infuriated the players like Sha Junchun (aka PJ) and Li Xiaofeng (aka SKY) and members of media from China. The Taiwan media United Daily News reported two Chinese gamers insulted and badgered Taiwan competitors until police and event organizers quickly separated them.
Li Xiaofeng, one of the most famous gamer in mainland, explains his compulsion at the WCG finals in his personal blog at star sports:
WE.SKY看WCG国旗门事件:事情的真相如此而已
ECP电竞中文门户 2007-10-12 10:28:00
关于之前在WCG赛场颁奖时的三两事看到论坛里有些人在议论的比较多。出来随便说下吧，当时的那种情况，确实很难让人接受。
做为一个中国人，在从小就接受教育的同时，在我心里也一直认为台湾的同胞就是和我们一起的。
当然后来慢慢的长大后也懂的了很多，和朋友之间也经常聊起这种事情，有亢奋的，有无奈的，总之都是中国人的现实，在我与朋友的内心里从未改变过。
当时在那里我们已经向WCG组委会提出了交涉，只是后来由于台湾那边的领队措辞过于激人，所以引发了冲突。
当然，我从不会因为这种事情而改变自己对台湾那边的朋友的看法，只是在有些时候，有些场合下，作为一个中国人，我们都会为之尽到国人的义务。
至于什么所谓的围剿什么什么的，媒体的说法，他们想怎么说就怎么说吧，人人都有一张嘴。
公道自在人心。
总之此事，中国WCG组委会已经因为台湾队伍里的少数那几个人的小动作，已经向WCG组委会提出了。
来自宝岛的WAR3朋友，希望我们彼此以后能够有更多的交流！(和台湾的WAR3朋友一起交流也并不是一两天了，我相信彼此之间我们是熟悉的，不要因为一两个人的不愉快而影响到我们彼此之间的友情）
PS：（我并不是一个记者，详细的事情经过我相信会有人出来说明的，作为一个中国人，我完全有必要在我们的团队在外面为我们的国家争取自己的利益，贡献出我自己的力量）
ECP Chinese Electronic Portal 2007-10-12 10:28:00
I see a lot of people are talking about the things happened at the WCG award ceremony. Telling at will, the situation at that time did make me too sad to accept what had happened.
As a Chinese, educated from the very beginning, I always believe the compatriots in Taiwan are standing with us.
Of course, when I gradually grew up I had learned more about it. Talking such kind of issues with my friends, some of them felt stimulated while some of them felt there’s no alternative. Anyway, it’s the reality of Chinese and the belief in our mind has never changed.
At that time, we had made representations with WCG Committee. Subsequently, It’s the Taiwan team leader’s sharp words that caused the conflicts.
Of course, Such kind of things have never changed my views to the friends in Taiwan. However, at some time, under some occasions, being a Chinese, we all have the duty to do something.
As to the attack from all sides or whatever, it’s the media’s spin. Just let it go because everyone has the rights to speak.
Justice will always prevail.
Anyway, China WCG Committee has reported someone’s petty actions in Taiwan team to the WCG Committee.
WAR3 friends from Taiwan, I wish more mutual understanding between us from now on! (It’s not for one or two days that we have communicated with WAR3 friends of Taiwan. I believe we actually know each other and don’t let one or two people affect our friendship)
P.S. (I’m not a reporter and I believe someone will introduce the concrete process of this event. Being a Chinese, It’s absolutely necessary for me to strive interests of our country and devote my own efforts while our team compete abroad.)
Although Li Xiaofeng displayed a mild tune in his blog, lots of netizens in mainland strongly supported Sha Junchun and Li Xiaofeng’s behavior in this event and they did believe what they had done was patriotic and responsible.
Here are two comments from Li's blog:
Ygod 发表于 2007-10-14 16:56:29
公道自在人心 爱国是做人的根本
Justice will always prevail.
Patriotism is the essential to be a good man.
Kyo.陈 发表于 2007-10-12 13:15:55
支持中国选手的做法!!!!
少数的极端份子,是不能得逞的!!
我也看到结果了,WCG组委会对台湾WCG代表队提出了谴责,
而台湾代表队也道歉了!!
中国人民永远是团结一心的!
SKY,好样的 ,
还有FLY,PJ
你们都是中国人的骄傲!!
永远支持你们!!
Support the behavior of Chinese players!!!!
The ultra-minority can never gain their purpose!!
I have seen the results. The WCG Committee has condemned the Taiwan team, and the Taiwan team has apologized!!
The Chinese people will hold together for ever!
Good work, Sky!
So do Fly and PJ.
You are the proud of China!!
Support you for ever!!
An anonymous netizen at Sohu’s blog community has a more impetuous attitude to Taiwan:
发布者 搜狐网友 2007-10-12 21:03
坚决支持！ 扎反！
什么台湾民众！ 都是大陆子民，还在上面舞国旗，什么概念？
如果打台湾，我们学校所有人同学都会参战！！
Strongly support (the China team’s behavior)! Strongly oppose (to the Taiwan team)!
What the Taiwanese! (you are) All the sons and daughters of the mainland; how can you display a country flag there? What do you mean?
If (mainland) attack Taiwan, all the people in our school will take part in the war!!
A netizen named Feng Guangsile (means very famous) gives his opinion on Taiwan’s report at club.china.com:
作者:风光死了 发表于:2007-10-09 12:52:04
事件是真，确有冲突，照片为证。
人物也没错，照片拍得很清楚，好几个中国的小伙子，挺帅。
漫骂也许有，年轻人火气大，特别是李晓峰刚刚输了比赛，心情不会好。
打人则未必，看照片上当时在场人数众多，众目睽睽下发生的事情事后否认得了吗？
但我想不通中国人怎么会骂别人“中国猪”，那不是连自己一块骂了么？不可能有这样的事情，想必是现场有人大声朗诵这个词，媒体找不到朗诵者于是想当然的把屎盆子扣在了中国人的身上，很没有技术含量。
新闻自由了！也不见得都说真话.
The event is true. Surely there’s a conflict which is proved by the photos.
The persons involved are also quite sure. The photos were photographed very clearly — a number of Chinese youth, who are pretty handsome.
Maybe there’s abuse. The youth are always irascible. Especially to Li Xiaofeng, who had just lost the game, he was obviously not in a good mood.
I don’t think there are physical assaults. According to the photos, we can see a lot of people were present; would they deny what they had done in the full light of public notice?
However, I can’t understand how Chinese people call others “Chinese Pig”. Isn’t it insulting ourselves, so such kind of things can never happen. I supposed there must be someone present who loudly spoke this word; the media couldn’t find out the speaker, so they threw the shit to Chinese. It’s really not smart.
Although there’s freedom of the press, it doesn’t mean they always tell the truth.
Even though, there were still a few of netizens in mainland who were against the Chinese players’ impetuous behavior to the Taiwanese.
Some anonymous netizens show their different opinions at Sina’s blog community:
[匿名] 新浪网友
2007-10-10 13:30:51
不支持SKY和PJ的这种形为.一点也没有风度.台湾是不是国家不是你\我\他都能说的算的.这不是一个电竞选手和电竞爱好者能分清的事实.政治的东西应该交给政治.而不是交给向征和平友谊的电竞选手.
2007-10-10 13:30:51
I don’t support the SKY and PJ’s behavior, which has no manners. Whether Taiwan is a country or not is not decided by you/me/him. It’s not a thing that an E-sport player or a hobbyist can figure out. The politics must be handed by the politics, but not by the E-sport players who represents peace and friendship.
[匿名] 新浪网友
2007-10-10 13:33:21
看看以上这些所为的爱国青年的留言吧.我现在终于知道为什么台湾要独立了.真是可悲.我真的希望国人能真正的把台湾当做自己的领土.但现在好像事实正好相反.如果我们永远用这种态度.我想台湾永远不会回来.
2007-10-10 13:33:21
Look at the above comments which are written by those so called patriotic youth. I finally see why the Taiwanese want to be independent. What a pity! I truly hope people in mainland can really regard Taiwan as one part of China. But now it’s quite on the contrary. If we always hold this attitude to them, I think Taiwan will never come back.
China: Tough blogging the Communist Congress
· 05:33
Day One of the Seventeenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China has wrapped up, China's image of a sterile dictatorship remains secure, a delegate has been kicked out, an investigative reporter's career has turned into pulverized coal dust, and while Chinese media, desperate, might have hope of covering these nation-changing conventions one day, they're playing Spot the Difference with newspaper front pages from across the country on their blogs and mocking all the sloganeering via their MSN Messenger handles.
The blogging class, nonetheless, is watching closely, and while the concrete significance of what comes from the Congress (十七大 or 大大大大大大大大大大大大大大大大大 for blogability) might not even be known for a few more years, there's toilet humour for the meantime.
On that note, independent aggregator Bullog blogger Song Shinan caught the official press conference the day before the Seventeenth Congress opened, and then wrote this:
史上最胸有成竹的新闻发布会
刚看了15+2新闻现场会的直播，有一些小发现和小祝福，如下：
1、剧本感很强，之前的排练很下功夫。
2、新闻发言人朗诵讲稿的水平大约与某县税务局局长操高潮同志相当。（操高潮同志演讲模板点此进入）
3、国内记者疑似托儿，国外记者疑似钦点。
4、国外记者常常作不耐烦状，抓耳挠腮、咳嗽，找中国同行说悄悄话遭遇冷脸蛋。
5、国内记者一见镜头摇过来就赶紧做记录状，速度高达1字/10秒。
6、没有特写镜头时，绝大多数记者都不作记录状，因为晓得有通稿。
7、新闻发布会有通稿，就像世界杯决赛的现场直播变成实况录像一样。
8、同声交替传译之女译员尤其从容。
9、热烈祝贺15+2胜利闭幕。
And then the comments:
由此可见，新闻发言人可能是某个不得志的跑龙套演员，但终于在党的爱抚下，休成正果。
都是演员,就看谁能获奖了!
四一哥，你答应给我安排的跑龙套的角色，不是那种没得台词，躺在地上装死尸的吧？
如果四一哥给我安排的是《色，戒》里面易先生那种，可以用不同体位操王佳芝的角色，我就会认为四一哥是世上最聪明最绝顶最才华最横溢最幽默最风趣最悲天最悯人的短篇小说之王。
Brother, if you were to give me a role like Mr. Yee in ‘Lust, Caution', a role where I could fuck Wong Chia-chi in different positions, man I'd think you were the smartest, best, most gifted, talented, humorous, witty and compassionate king of the short story.
我可以考虑给你一个易中天先生那样的角色，跟不同的市委书记用不同的体位写书。
我靠，那就不叫易先生了，叫毛先生。
没有什么变化
“操高潮”这名起得真有水准
“国内记者疑似托儿，国外记者疑似钦点。”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
就算新闻记者是无冕之王，但天朝还是锤镰听政。
Even if journalists were kings without a crown, the hammer and sickle courts are still in session behind the screen.
各大门户网站在讨论惩治腐败这么无聊的话题！！！！
人民网北京10月13日电（记者 王倩）党的十七大召开在即，人民网网友“对党说句心里话” 和“强国论坛”的讨论红红火火，不断升温。网友在留言中热情洋溢地预祝十七大圆满召开，字里行间透露出对党和祖国的无限热爱。
惩治腐败，重拳出击
最令网友深恶痛绝的是党员干部的腐败问题，很多网友提出“希望党的十七大能够带来反腐倡廉的气象！”
张家口市网友“山水人家”说：“我希望在这次会议上，对有关党员干部的廉政监督制度得到进一步的切实加强，从制度上加强对党员领导干部的廉政监督，增强党员干部防腐拒变的制度约束，让那些想贪污的家伙没有可乘之机。”
…[series of similar netizen slogans redacted]…
截至10月13日8时，人民网“对党说句心里话”栏目的留言已经达到8443条。网友们踊跃地畅谈新生活，诉说新期待，围绕党的建设和国家发展建言献策，数量不断刷新。
不得不拜阿,操高潮同志
“没有特写镜头时，绝大多数记者都不作记录状，因为晓得有通稿。”
该句有误。实际情况上是——地球人都知道——通稿只能用新华社，一版版面安排全部由人日总编室传真。
This line is mistaken. What actually happens—and the whole world knows this—is that only Xinhua pieces can be used, and a whole page is reserved for what the editor-in-chief of People's Daily sends out.
李东生啊，李东生！
“没有特写镜头时，绝大多数记者都不作记录状，因为晓得有通稿。”
该句有误。实际情况上是——地球人都知道——通稿只能用新华社，一版版面安排全部由人日总编室传真。
__________________________________-
还有国外记者呢，国外记者还假装提问了呢，四一没错。
This line is mistaken. What actually happens—and the whole world knows this—is that only Xinhua pieces can be used, and a whole page is reserved for what the editor-in-chief of People's Daily sends out.”
And foreign reporters? What about the foreign reporters pretending to ask questions? Song Shinan got it right.
听说五毛党长工资啦
Siyi哥哥，那个操高潮同志可是你客串的？
否，乃是真人也。
中国地大物博，尤盛产各类公仆。中国当今之政府，乃史上规模最大之政府，出个把操高潮，很轻松，很愉快。
China's a big place with abundant resources, especially when it comes to civil servants. China's government today is the largest one in history, something like ‘bang out an orgasm' comes quite easily, even pleasantly.
也只有 罗伯特·罗德里格斯 的《恐怖星球》恐怖星球 的对白 能够招抚他了！
人渣！
无语了！
拜读了“操高潮”同志的大作，确实是我党工作报告的典范。希望同志们得以大力推广。
操高潮同志的报告居然和我单位的报告几乎一样。
这么多年了，一点进步都没有。
Hu Jia, still blogging away at MSN Live Spaces as he goes through life, day 150 of his ongoing holiday spent held captive in his home in Beijing's Bobo Freedom City—now with twenty state agents stationed outside his door, he notes, and several hundred more days until next year's Olympics will close—one of the few bloggers in the country to write anything critical of the Congress [zh], has seen enough certain improvement to compile a list of several Guinness world records he has now applied for, from the CCP's incredible enrollment figures to Hu's estimated 492 government officers, agents, guards, drivers, workers and wait staff serving each Congress delegate this week as well as the associated costs and GDP stimuli—and those unaccounted for, the numbers of unruly citizens recently “harmonized” through words and violence, the numbers of foreigners recently repatriated; others like him on extended, state-enforced home stays, those in detention, prison or psychiatric wards; the highest number of television channels live broadcasting the opening ceremony for a political gathering, the most times the word democracy has ever been mentioned in a single speech given by a state leader (50-60 by Hu's count), the highest concentration (photos) of police, armed police, special police, undercover police, soldiers, other assorted security personnel and their weapons in a tourist destination and with that, the highest number of troublemakers detained in a single day.
4 comments · »»Korea: Pressroom and Freedom of Media
· 00:57
On the 12th of October, the South Korean government announced that they would close the pressroom as they announced before. Journalists have been strongly against it and international media have conveyed this news as concern about the freedom of media in Korea.
How have netizens reacted it? Not a few netizens have different opinions.
…현재, 기자실의 폐지에 대한 논쟁은 3가지가 있다.
1. 정치권 : 기자실을 폐지하자는 것은 국민의 알권리를 맞는 행위다 그러니 다시 원상 복귀해라.
2. 언론사 : 기자실 폐지는 국민의 알권리를 막는 것이다. 위헌적 요소고 있다.
3. 블로그 ; 기자실? 그게 뭐죠? 그만의 링블에서는 본인의 경험담을 통해 기자실의 실상을 말하고 있다. 기자들이여 발로 취재하라는 것
…국민의 알권리를 주장하기 전에 기자들은 자신의 입장을 한번쯤 돌이켜보는 것이 필요하다는 것이다. 굳이 기자실을 폐지하지 않더라도 충분히 기존 취재 관행 즉, 기자와 공무원과는 무분별한 밀월 관계를 청산할 수도 있었을 것 같다….
이러한 면을 고려한다면, 응당 기자실이라는 것은 취재를 위한 편의 시설이 아니라, 기자와 해당 기관 사이의 둘 간의 관계를 위한 모임 장소로 작용할 뿐이다. 공보담당자는 기자와 언제든지 말하고 논의할 수 있고, 선배 후배하면서 해당기관의 안 좋은 기사를 올렸다 내렸다 한다.
기자실을 담당하는 부서, 공보 등의 부서들은 기자를 접대하는 듯하다. 그들의 손가락 하나가 자신의 목줄을 잡고 있으니 당연한 일이다.
언론사와 정치권은 왜 기자실 폐지를 국민의 알권리 주장하면서 위헌이라고 할까? 그 많은 기자들은 기자실이 없으면 기사를 못쓰나? 그들만의 쉴 공간을 만들어 달라는 것인지 등등이 고민스럽다. 흔히들 기자는 발로 뛴다고 하는데 요즘은 발로 뛰는 기자들은 몇 없다. 또, 기자실에서 나오는 기사는 대부분은 해당 기관에서 제공하는 보도자료에 준해 쓰는 경우가 많다고 본다.
혹시, 기자실의 폐지를 놓고 자신들의 처지가 애처롭게 될까봐 그러는 것은 아닌지 고민해봤으면 좋겠다.
물론 기자들의 취재를 활성화시키기 위한 편의 시설로 기자실을 제공하는 취지 자체는 좋은 것이다. 또한, 기자와 해당부서 담당자가 자유롭게 커뮤니케이션 할 수 있게 하는 것도 필요하다.
세번째, 네티즌들은 기자나 또, 그렇게 결단을 내린 청와대나 둘다 문제를 지적하고 나서고 있다.시실 기자와 기자실, 어울리지 않는 모습이다. 본인들 스스로 일찌감치 정리를 하는 것이 좋은 모습이었을 것 같다. …
청와대는 너무 성급했다…..
1. Politicians’ side: To abolish the pressroom is against the peoples’ right to know. Therefore, restore it.
2. Media: To close the pressroom means to block the peoples’ right to know. The decision is unconstitutional.
3. Blog: Pressroom? What’s that? Bloggers are talking about their own experiences of the reality of the pressroom. Journalists! Get news on your own feet….
Before talking about the peoples’ right to know, it’s necessary that reporters look back on their own situations. Before criticizing the closure of the pressroom, the journalists should have abolished close relations with government officials.
The pressroom has been used for a convenient place for reporting and a meeting place for reporters and related government officers. Public-relations officers can talk with reporters anytime and articles depend on their relations.
It seems that public relations officers serve those reporters. Maybe it’s natural because those journalists’ fingers affect their jobs. Why do media and politicians insist that the abolition of the pressroom is unconventional? Are those reporters not able to write articles if there is no pressroom? Do they want a rest area? Usually we have the perception that reporters use their own feet in order to get news, but it seems not lately. In addition, articles from the pressroom are based on press releases from the related government offices.
I feel that the reason why those journalists are so against this abolition is from the fear that their circumstances would be sympathetic.
Of course, it is good that the pressroom has a function to invigorate the collection of news. It is necessary that journalists and officials are able to have communications as well.
Netiznes point out at problems from both sides, reporters and Blue House. As a matter of fact, reporters and press rooms don’t look good. The reporters should have left first…
The Blue House is also way too hasty….
Other countries and history give reason to question the existence of the press room.
기자실 폐쇄에 대해서는 그 동안 많은 시도가 있었다. 김대중 정부 때도 언론개혁’을 언급한 이후 기자실 폐쇄에 대한 논쟁이 있어 왔으며 해결책을 쉽게 찾지 못한채 흐지부지 되었던 난제였다.
미국만 보더라도 우리처럼 기자단이 기자실을 상주하는 공간의 개념은 아니다. 백악관이나 국무성 등 큰 기관에는 기사작성이나 송고를 위한 작업장으로 기자실이 있을 뿐이다.영국 역시 기자실, 기자단이 없음은 물론이고 기자들이 앉아 일을 할 수 있는 공간이 의회와 런던 경시청을 제외하고는 찾기 힘들다.
우리의 기자실 운영 형태는 일본을 답습한 것으로 일본의 기자단은 1910년 이후 각
정부기관에 생기기 시작, 태평양전쟁이 시작되자 정부가 신문을 통제하기 위한 수단의 하나로 ‘신문연맹’을 만들어 정부기관의 발표를 기자단을 통해서만 일률적으로 하도록 함으로써 개별적인 기자활동에 제약을 가하기 위함이었다.그 동안 기자실은 ‘관•언 유착의 고리'의 통로로, 폐쇄적인 운영과 정보독점, 보도자료에 의존한 기사 쓰기 방식, 기자실 운영비로 인한 혈세 낭비, 촌지 수수 등의 의혹을 떨칠 수 없었다.
In America, the pressroom is not a space where reporters stay. In White House and the Ministry of National Affairs, its function is to write reports and deliver them to their media centers.
In England, there is no pressroom and no space where reporters can sit and work except the Parliament of England and New Scotland Yard.
Our pressroom system follows Japan. After 1910, each Japanese government office made its own press association. After they started the Pacific War, the government made the ‘newspaper alliance’ as the means of controlling newspapers and individual reporters’ activities.
The pressroom has been suspected as a path of ‘close relationship between government and media,’ exclusive management and monopoly of information, articles based on press release, waste of tax for the management of the pressroom, and bribes.
Bloggers mostly question the necessity of the pressroom.
…신문사도 영리단체 아닙니까 ? 신문팔고 광고팔아 수익을 올리고 있지않습니까 ?
그렇다면 취재할때 당연히 취재료 줘야하고 기자실이 필요하다면 언론사에서 운영해야지 그걸 왜 기관에서 운영하도록 합니까 ?그리고 지금은 모바일 시대로 언제어디서나 장소에 구애받지 않고 기사송고를 할 수 있습니다. 왜 60년대 식 기자실이 있어야 합니까 ?
막막로 기자실이라는게 해당기관에서 주는 보도자료 받고 좀 심하게 이야기하면 커피마시고 좀 쉬다가 오는곳 아닙니까 ?…
모바일시대에 걸맞는 언론인이되십시요. 그리고 기관의 보도자료도 이제 기자실에서 받지말고 이메일로 받으세요. …60년대에 교통과 통신이 불편해서 멀리 온거 고려해서 기자실이 있다구 하지만
지금은 교통편리, 통신편리 .. 무슨 기자실이 필요해요.
In addition, it is the mobile time at present. They can deliver their articles anywhere and anytime. Why do they need the pressroom like the 1960s?
Frankly speaking, isn’t the pressroom a place where those reporters can get press release, drink coffee, and take a rest?…
Be journalists suitable in a mobile time! Get the press release from emails, not from the press room…. In the 1960s, transportation and communication were not good, so that there was the pressroom, but why do they need it now?…
Kaonic makes clear the meaning of the closure of the pressroom in the Blue House through a TV panel on this topic.
…간만에 즐거운 100분 토론이다. 그래서 결론은 100분 토론을 통해 기자실 문제에 대해 확실히 알게 되었다는 것. 현재 송고실이라고 쓰고 기자실이라고 읽는 장소가 조금 줄었을 뿐이며, 전부 일거에 사라진 것은 아니라는 것을 알았다. 모든 언론사에 똑같은 정부의 자료가 제공되며, 똑같은 브리핑을 받을 수 있단다. 여기서 더 알고 싶으면 발로 뛰어야 하지 않을까? 기자실이 돌아다니며 취재하는 것과 무슨 상관이 있단 말인가. 빠른 소식의 전달? 한 두 시간 늦어도 상관없으니 PC방에 가서 송고해도 되잖은가. 기자실 통폐합은 정부의 취재요청 거부나 차별만 효과적으로 없앨 수 있다면, 점진적으로 유익해 질 것 같다. 기자들은 이제 발로 좀 뛰어 다니고, 몸 좀 굴려야 겠다… 뛰어라!
However, there are opinions that it would be way too early.
…그러면서 한가지 느꼈던 것들은 지금 정부기관 기자실에 대해서 메어저 언론사에 주어진 독점적인 구조나 기득권에 대하여 우리사회에 메이저, 마이너 관계없이 다양한 기자들이 들어와 취재를 할 수 있는 ‘취재의 자유’가 주어져야 한다는 생각이 들었습니다.
제가 알기론 기자실이나 송고실 같은 곳에서 언론사별 등급처럼 여겨지는 것들도 사실 문제라고 생각합니다. 이 같은 문제의 중심에는 정부기관도 한몫 거들고 있기는 한가지입니다. 만약 저 같은 활동가가 들어가 취재를 한다는 것 사실 쉽지 않은 문제이거든요….
…필자의 관점에서 이번 기자실 통폐합은 인식의 전환이 필요한 것 같습니다. 특히나 청와대는 언론과의 많은 싸움을 벌여왔습니다. 위에서도 지적했지만 이번 기자실 통폐합도 정부나 청와대가 더 큰 권력을 가지고자 한다는 생각을 떨칠 수 없습니다. 이는 언론의 역할을 제약하는 행위가 분명합니다.(보수 언론의 개혁과는 별개 사안임을 강조합니다) 다른말로 국민을 속이는 ‘정치적 쇼'에 불과하다는 이야기입니다.
필자는 이번 정부의 기자실 통폐합은 나중에 해도 늦지 않을 내용이라 생각합니다. 중요한 부분은 먼저 선행되어야 할 문제들이 더 많다는 이야기와 다르지 않습니다. 해서, 정부와 청와대 스스로 무엇을 성찰해야 하는지 것인지 그리고 정부와 청와대 스스로 무엇을 혁신해야 하는지 돌아보아야 할 것입니다.
As far as I know, it is problematic that the pressroom has levels based on the kinds of media. I think that the government encourages this kind of problem. People like me (blogger news reporter) have a hard time to report….
…In my opinion, we need to change our perspectives about the abolition of the pressroom. Especially, the Blue House has had fights against media. It is hard not to think that the government would like to get bigger authority. It controls roles of media (I would like to emphasize conservative media is not included). It’s like ‘political show’ to deceive peoples in other words.
I think that the government could abolish the pressroom later. The important part is there are so many things to solve beforehand. The government and the Blue House should recognize what they have to accomplish first and what they have to reform.
Blog Action Day: Voices out of Africa and the Diaspora
· 00:21
Today many bloggers around the world united to write about one single theme, the environment. The blogs from Africa and Diaspora that participated did so with much variety in style and content. What follows are links and tidbits from Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and other global citizens.
Kenya
Afrigadget posts ‘Where others see junk, Africa Recycles'. Pictures of Simon the blacksmith who recycles scrap metal into animal sculptures. 
Phil of Kenya environment news contributes two posts, one on ‘Environmental change and infectious disease' and another on ‘poverty and the environment'
Because poor people have limited financial resources, they depend on the environment for their basic needs, such as water, food, shelter. When environmental degradation occurs, the capacity of poor people to make decisions that contribute to their well-being is undermined. Until the high degree of dependency of poor people on the environment is addressed, poverty alleviation will not be achieved.
Rob writes from Nairobi, Kenya: ‘A convenient excuse' looking at the oft cited link between climate change and conflict in Darfur. He sees a similar (misplaced) allocation of blame to global warming affecting the lives of nomadic tribes in northern Kenya.
Mzungu Chick posts about ecotourism in Kenya, noting…
Statistics show that spending by tourists makes up 12% of our economy and about half a million Kenyans depend on the travel industry for a living so it is absolutely vital that we take care of it.
Kenyans are generally well aware of this fact and are most definitely making more of an effort with regards to sustainable tourism development and promoting practices that will conserve Kenya’s natural environment and improve livelihoods of associated communities.
Kikuyumoja posts on things he'd like to see more often, from waterless urinals to q-tips made out of rolled paper as opposed to non-biodegradable plastic.
South Africa
Rory of Carbon Copy will have a series of posts from the 15th of October to the 19th. The first in the series is ‘Shades of green'
If I were to identify a single issue that I consider to be critical for environmental sustainability, it would be that there is rarely one clear solution to any particular challenge: there are almost always shades of green.
There is no single correct choice, no state-of-the-art solution to be pulled off the shelf, no world best practice to be taken from one country and applied in another. To be sure, there are benchmarks against which we can judge potential responses to individual challenges, but as knowledge grows and technologies evolve, so do the benchmarks.
Eish asks ‘Blog Action day - Why bother?' and discusses the importance of environmental issues to each person, giving a rationale for caring about this on a personal level.
Turbosprout contributes with a wrap up of green news.
Flint.za posts tips for ‘efficient electricity use in the home'.
Nic of SA Rocks is incredibly proud of his country and the natural abundance it is blessed with, including some facts about sites, flora and fauna in South Africa;urging others to continue keeping South Africa beautiful.
Notes from the underground posts some links on Orthodox Environmentalism
Worksucks posts tips on how to reduce paper waste at work.
Sarah Manners of Quirk e-marketing posts on 'saving the world, one blog post at a time'.
Szavanna introduces Ben Saunders, a polar explorer.
Jenty posts a picture showing air pollution from a petrol and oil processing plant (sasol), and also includes a conversation with 4 year old son Bradley who gives her a different perspective on air pollution.
Nigeria
Omodudu writes of the Niger Delta stating
So here is my one voice of thousands: We demand that the Oil companies in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria treat our land and people with respect.
Thank You.
On the Hill shares thoughts on caring for the environment through sustainable design, including design features that have a positive effect on the environment.
Giamarro speaks adds a solemn pledge that reads in part…
Let's be kind to each other and be kind to this land. Let's take a stand. If we loose the land, what do we have left?
Global Citizens
Dan of Migrations blog looks at the possible link between environmental damage and declining numbers of migratory birds.
Crisscrossed examines the problem of e-waste around the world, with facts relating to India, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and China.
Bluedreamer writes about illegal logging in the worlds' forests.
Bazungubucks says ‘Everybody's cryin' mercy' sharing his thoughts and providing links on sustainable initiatives.
Last but not least is Nobaddays' top priority for the next home they buy…an outdoor washing line to hang their laundry.
Special thanks to Erik of WhiteAfrican for some of the links on this post, and to all the bloggers who participated in Blog Action day.
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Links for Roundups
Eastern & Central Europe
MoldovAnn takes a critical look at programs for “the so-called ‘children of Chornobyl'” and other Chernobyl-related aid efforts: “I do believe aid organizations want to help people have better lives. But when I hear them talking about ‘we’re going to support this community because it’s not too far from Kyiv and we can easily visit it in a day during our short visit to Ukraine', it’s hard for me to take them seriously. If they really want to help the most needy, the most affected, the most at-risk people, then they should go to the far away, isolated, hard-to-get-to places - precisely because no one goes there.”
Eastern & Central Europe
Scenes From the Sidewalk posts info on how to register for the charitable tennis tournament to be held in Kyiv Oct. 27-28.
Eastern & Central Europe
“A week is a long time in politics,” according to one “former British PM” and LEvko of Foreign Notes, who is considering the future of the “democratic” coalition in Ukraine.
Middle East & North Africa
Nika has published several photos of a Zoo in Tehran.The blogger regrets that these animals are kept in small cages.
Middle East & North Africa
According [Fr]to freeSolouki, French-Iranian film director,Mehrnoush Solouki, is accused of making propaganda against Iranian government.Solouki came to Iran after receiving permission to make a documentary.She was arrested without being accused of any wrongdoing.
South Asia
Pickled Politics on football in India, traditional rivalries between clubs and the current state of the sport.
Middle East & North Africa
Algerian blogger Lameen Souag introduces us to a new language learning site.
South Asia
Stand up comedy and music talent shows in India have had some Pakistani participants and they've met with great success. All Things Pakistan on the trend, with some interesting insights in the comments space.
South Asia
The Pakistani Spectator doesn't approve of the dating scene in Pakistan.
South Asia
A fascinating insight into the workings of the Music Video industry in Nepal at the Wagle Street Journal.
East Asia
Kevin Li posts two music videos of rap about feng shui and two feng shui masters, Mak Ling Ling and So Man Fung (zh). Feng shui is a discipline with guidelines and techniques of site planning, internal furniture arrangements and fortune-telling. Feng Shui masters used to dress in traditional costume and looked serious. Yet, in Hong Kong, feng Shui masters have presented themselves as celebrity, talk show guests, comedians and stars over the past ten years. But this is the first time they appear in Cantonpop music video.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Basawad asks whether Uganda is the land of plenty: “Uganda is indeed the land of plenty of food and water. I write this, with Uganda that was in the 60s and 70s - in mind. Growing up in Uganda then, I never knew what hunger was, till the age of about 12, when - as a Muslim - I started fasting during the month of Ramadhan.”
Sub-Saharan Africa
Grandiose Parlor argues that Nigeria's moral barometer is broken:”There is ample evidence that the moral and ethical threshold for Nigeria’s political appointees and elected officials is just few notches above zero, if not an outright zero.”
Sub-Saharan Africa
Nata village blog describes daily life in Nata village, Botswana: “While most people in the developed world buy their beef wrapped in plastic at the local supermarket, many Nata residents still have to rely on their skills of slaughtering animals to put beef on the table. The two men pictured above are cleaning the stomache and intestines of a slaughtered cow. Many people enjoy the intestines cooked in a nice gravy served over maize meal porridge.”
Sub-Saharan Africa
Africa Flak discusses the tale of two anniversaries in Burkina Faso: “No matter how Compaore celebrated, the 20th anniversary was always going to sensitive and emotional. Compaore came to power through a coup that struck down and killed his brother-in-arm Tomas Sankara, a populist politician who towards the end of his mandate had become increasingly distant and paranoid, not even speaking to his inner cabinet.”
Americas
In light of the attention being given to former Playboy Playmate Susie Scott Krabacher's philanthropic work, Haiti Innovation writes, “Haiti needs all the friends it can get…at the same time, though, I am frustrated that the need for such celebrity philanthropy exists.”
Americas
Steve's Dominica posts a Flickr photoset of some of the island's Independence celebrations.
Americas
“I want a Bahamas that I can be proud of, but at the present time I can’t say that this is the case”: Craig Butler at Bahama Pundit thinks the behaviour of the island's two major political parties is counter-productive.
Americas
Corruption-free Anguilla is concerned about the recent goings-on at the island's Health Authority.
Americas
“I never thought I’d see the word ‘feeling’ appear in the title of a V.S. Naipaul book. Has Sir Vidia gone fluffy on us?” asks Andre Daniel Bagoo, as he reviews the author's latest offering.
Americas
West Indies Cricket Blog mourns the sudden passing of cricket stalwart Stephen Alleyne.
East Asia
Liu Xiao yuan noticed that a new term “right to express” appeared in the 17th party congress (zh). He pointed out the existing Chinese constitution has ensured freedom of speech, yet in reality, it is a sensitive issue. The blogger suggested that in order to protect the “right to express” and “freedom of speech”, the legislation body needs to pass very concrete law to protect citizen's rights.