Stories from 23 September 2008
Japan: The changing value of knowledge
Japanese Hatena user id:TomoMachi argues that now that everything on the Internet is so easily accessible to everyone, the value of simply “knowing something” is disappearing [ja]. User id:aureliano follows with a post pointing out that while rote memorization is becoming meaningless, the same is not true of writing an...
Pakistan: Facing war
Pak Tea House comments on Saturday's Hotel Marriott bombing in Islamabad: “It is an open political war on Pakistan, a lethal tool to destabilize Pakistan.“
Nepal: Testing time for the new government
ABC blog reports that the new Maoist government had to take back their decision of reducing the budget on traditional Hindu and Mahayana Buddhist rituals of sacrificing animals because of protests. “Unless they abstain from coercing people to behave according to the party guidelines, even such positive and pious intentions...
India: The road ahead for West Bengal
Sunday Posts discusses the politics behind resisting the establishment of Tata Motor's factory in Singur and the State Government's failure to resolve the problem. The blog also discusses the impacts it will have on the West Bengal state.
South Africa: Dude, Where's the Presidency?
The South African Blogosphere just sparked with the recent news of 11 Ministers and 3 deputy ministers resigning including South Africa's star minister, Trevor Manuel and The Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. Here's what the bloggers are saying...
Critical Myanmar online portal hacked
On the the eve of the first anniversary of Myanmar’s “Saffron Revolution,” The Irrawaddy website was hacked. A blog was set-up as a temporary mirror site . The Irrawady focuses on Myanmar and Southeast Asia.
Costa Rica: Daughter of Immigrant Running for State Senator
Fusil de Chispas [es] writes about Sonia Chang-Díaz, the daughter of a Costa Rican immigrant who is running for state senator in Massachusetts.
Venezuela: The Expulsion of Human Rights Watch
Armed military soldiers searched for José Miguel Vivancos, spokesperson for the international NGO Human Rights Watch, and expelled him from Venezuela hours after releasing the report at a press conference, which included critical commentary about the administration of Hugo Chávez. Bloggers and other online forumists provide their thoughts on the recent news.
Poland, Russia, U.S.: A “New Cold War” or Not?
The beatroot hosts a discussion of the Polish-Russian-American relationship in the aftermath of the Russian-Georgian conflict.
Kuwait: YouTube Ban Lifted
News about YouTube being blocked in Kuwait hit the headlines yesterday, with bloggers frustrated over what they described as yet another intrusion on freedom of speech in their country. The ban has since been lifted. Here's a cross-section of reactions from Kuwait.
Poland, U.S.: Ancient Kings and Presidential Candidates
The beatroot muses on what's considered “politics” in the United States and Poland.
Jordan: Honour Crimes Condoned
From Jordan, Naseem Tarawanah gives us a shocking preview of honour crimes in his country, where judges seem to condone such actions.
Saudi Arabia: Happy National Day
“The country is changing, but at a glacial pace that is leaving me and many others dejected and frustrated. It is just disheartening to move in slow baby steps when we can — and should — take leaps ahead to the future,” writes Saudi Jeans on his country's national day.
The Balkans: Driving Through Bosnia
Csíkszereda Musings recounts a summer drive through the Balkans and, among other things, compares Bosnian motorways to those in Romania.
Jordan: Exciting Games
“Games don't impress me much. They're all the same to me. If you've played it once, it doesn't matter how much the graphics change they all appear the same from that point onward….Unless you do something profoundly different… like Lucas Arts in this AMAZING Game…,” writes an excited Qwaider, from...
Romania, Hungary: Hockey and Football Update
Csíkszereda Musings posts “a short Transylvanian sporting update.”
Qatar: Introducing Browser Shots
Dr Net, from Qatar, introduces his readers to Browser Shots, a open source which enables users to make screenshots of their web design in different browsers.
Qatar: Ramadhan Post Sparks Debate
A Global Voices Online post on Ramadhan in the Arab world sparked a debate at Qatar Living.
D.R of Congo: Searching for Congolese musicians
Are you a Congolese musician?: “University of Bergen in Norway is searching for Congolese musicians who perform Congolese music”
Trinidad & Tobago: Budget Summary
Trinidad & Tobago News Blog provides a summary of the fiscal measures announced in the country's latest budget.
Trinidad & Tobago: Reaching for the Sky?
“In Trinidad and Tobago, we have a sadly comical way of only seeing the outer trappings of first world grandeur and not the basic infrastructure and social foundation behind it”: Alien in the Caribbean maintains that skyscrapers alone are not a mark of true development.
