13 December 2008

Stories from 13 December 2008

Brazilian Police Literally Gets Away with Murder

  13 December 2008

At the moment when the world was celebrating Human Rights Day, and exactly when a similar crime sparks riots in Greece, Brazilian bloggers cry out against yet another death caused by the disastrous approach of the police going unpunished in Rio de Janeiro - this time the victim was a boy of just three.

Armenia: Musical Prime Minister

  13 December 2008

Unzipped posts a summary in English of an informal meeting between some local bloggers and the new prime minister of Armenia. The blog notes that the posts by Alkhimik and 517design reveal the prime minister plays guitar and enjoys art-house films. All three blogs post photographs.

Japan: “Change”, the ideogram of 2008

  13 December 2008

Every year on the 12th of December, the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society announces the Kanji of the year [en]. This year the kanji is 変 (hen), the ideogram representing “change”. Miki Tansho (丹所美紀 comments on the choice, writing that to many Japanese 変 by itself recalls the meaning “change for...

Fiji: Democracies’ double standards

  13 December 2008

A few members of Fiji’s blogosphere have begun to lash out at what they see as double standards from the international organizations and countries preaching democracy to the Pacific Island nation that has been ruled by military leaders for the past two years.