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February 9th, 2009
Stories
Morocco: And The Winners Are…
The second annual edition of the Maroc Blog Awards were held in Casablanca on January 31. The awards honor the best Moroccan bloggers (as well as bloggers whose primary blog topic is Morocco) in 13 categories. This year, awards were given in the following categories:
- Best Moroccan Blog 2009 (”Blog of the Year”)
- Best Political Blog
- Best IT Blog
- Best Artistic Blog
- Best Humor Blog
- Best Blog Design
- Best “Skyblog” (honoring blogs which are presented like diaries)
- Best Rookie Blog (honoring a blogger who has been active for less than one year)
- Best Thematic Blog
- Best Blog in French
- Best Blog in Arabic
- Best Blog in English
- Best Blog in Spanish
Reb, who is an American researching the Blogoma (Moroccan blogosphere), congratulated all of the winners:
This is a little late–I was out of town last week–but congrats to all the winners of the 2009 Maroc Blog Awards! You all definitely deserve recognition.
Robin Des Blogs, winner of the Blog of the Year and Best French Blog categories, wrote about attending the ceremony and winning the award:
Dire que jusqu’à ce matin j’ étais un citoyen ordinaire, juste un mec avec plein d’ambitions et de rêves comme tout le monde…Ce soir, je rentre chez moi avec cette impression de pouvoir tout faire, non pas parce que je me suis découvert quelque talent caché ou des forces mystérieuses, mais parce que j’ai gagné au Maroc Blog Awards…deux titres dont l’un n’est tout autre que le prestigieux blason de meilleur blog marocain de l’année 2009, rien que ça… Tu parles d’une soirée !
The blogger also shared a photo from the event:
Casawaves, who won the award for Best Thematic Blog, shared videos from the event, including this one of a percussion group performing:
Saad Erraji, winner of the Best Skyblog category, also shared a photograph from the event:
Armenia: Eurovision Hopefuls
Although considered by most viewers in Europe as somewhat of a joke, there is no doubt that the Eurovision international song contest is taken very seriously indeed in the South Caucasus. Seen as a perfect opportunity to showcase national culture and identity, many in Armenia are already impatient to discover who will represent them at the contest to be held in Moscow in May.
One possibility is that local singers Inga and Anush will represent the country and they already have a Facebook group set up to support their bid. However, The Armenian Observer is not impressed.
As I can’t stand these girls whining and barking, pretending to be singing, I kept postponing posting about this, however, having received an invitation to join a Facebook group supporting the girls at Eurovision, I came to understand, that like it or not, they will be representing Armenia and I’ll be supporting Armenia - despite this obviously poor choice. After all - Eurovision is strangely enough, a really big thing in Armenia, and there aren’t very many alternatives to them either. […]
Others, however, feel differently. Unzipped: Gay Armenia, for example, hopes the two singers will be chosen at the national draw on Saturday.
Inga and Anush Arshakyans revealed that they will perform song “Gutan” as Armenia entry in Eurovision 2009. Of course, if they are chosen to do so during the final selection on 14 February. […] They are talented, have good voice and performance skills. They are not boring, and different in a nice way. And I quite liked their song “Gutan” - mixed folk song. Not bad. Not bad at all. Quite good, actually. Go Inga and Anush!
Real Armenia agrees.
[…] my vote goes for Inga and Anush Arshakyan!!!
Arshakyan initially started with the Armenian State Song Theatre and later presented Armenian ethno-folk songs in modern arrangements. The music saves the traditional melodies and adds a beautiful modern twist to them.
In five days time, the choice will be made and Armenians at home as well as abroad will be preoccupied with very little else.
Madagascar : Bloggers react to Red Saturday's bloodshed
Since riots and lootings claimed fifty dead in Madagascar on January 26, the situation has become bleaker. Saturday, February 07 was an even bloodier day. Dubbed “Red Saturday” by some, it saw the presidential guard fire upon a crowd of protesters who had gathered outside the Presidential palace of Ambohitsirohitra.
The crowd had marched to the palace where it wanted to install Monja Roindefo. Roindefo had minutes before been nominated “Prime Minister” by Andry Rajoelina, himself proclaimed “President”, by the protestors that started demonstrating in December, when Andry Rajoelina's TV station was shut down by the Ravalomanana government. The protests have since become violent, resulting in lootings and riots, and with its supporters demanding Ravalomanana's resignation.
Among the victims of Red Saturday was Ando Ratovonirina, a 26 year old cameraman for the television station RTA. He is no stranger to the Malagasy Global Voices team, as he was the one who reported on citizen media in Antananarivo, as encouraged by FOKO, a Rising Voices grantee.
Bloggers have reacted strongly to the news, struggling to understand what circumstances led Malagasies to fire upon each other. Bloggers discuss who bears final responsibility for the massacre: those who incited, then led, demonstrators to the presidential palace, knowing that it was marked a “red zone” and that the soldiers there would have liberty to fire upon anyone violating the “red zone”, therefore creating “martyrs” for a protest movement running out of steam; or those who gave the orders to shoot.
“Pour provoquer la sortie de l’impasse créée par une auto-proclamation, les tenants de la prise de pouvoir insurrectionnelle emmènent la foule marcher sur un Palais présidentiel. Classés zones rouges, ces bâtiments sont protégés par un régime de protection spéciale qui expose les contrevenants au pire.
Quel que soit le Président en fonction, quel que soit le Palais concerné, quel que soit l’opposant qui mène la foule, quelle que soit la cause à défendre, quels que soient les militaires, les règles sont immuables : on ne peut impunément pénétrer dans un Palais d’Etat.”
Regardless of who is the sitting President, of which Palace may be involved, of who may be the opposition leader leading the crowd, the cause to be defended, or the soldiers involved, the rules are immutable: one cannot enter a state palace with impunity.”
Solofo, Avylavitra and Barijaona were eyewitnesses.
Solofo posts pictures of before and after the shootings and pointedly wants his readers to notice a certain man wearing a grey tie and black suit. The same man is apparently shown in a video posted on topmada.com .
“J'étais persuadé que tout avait été négocié à l'avance, que la foule resterait gentiment à distance, que seule une petite délégation entrerait à l'intérieur des grilles du palais et que c'est cette délégation qui demanderait ensuite à la foule de se disperser.
J'étais trop loin pour savoir ce qui s'est passé dans la foule peu avant que le cordon de sécurité ne lâche. Si un responsable du mouvement a laissé entendre qu'on pouvait “y aller”, sa responsabilité est énorme.
Je ne peux parler que de ce que j'ai vu et entendu de mes propres yeux, mais ai trouvé étonnant que Andry Rajoelina et Monja Roindefo soient restés à l'écart des délégations négociant l'entrée dans les grilles du palais.”
Avylavitra wonders if laws are void during exceptional times like these:
“Satria tokoa mantsy na aiza na aiza, dia ny vahoaka no tompon’ny fahefana fa mpindrana fotsiny ny mpitondra. Ka raha vahoaka haka izay nampindraminy no andraisana azy ireo, tsy ho azo natao ve ny nifampiresaka taminy? Raha ny fandraisako azy mants (tsy asiko firehana an!), dia rehefa tonga amin’ny fara-tampony toy izao ny fitakian’ny vahoaka, dia efa lasa ambonin’ny lalàna rehetra izany fitakiana izany, ka mihisaka maka zoron-trano daholo aloha na ny Lalampanorenana, na ny hafa. Diso ve aho? Raha eny, mba hazavao ny saiko.”
He writes about his visit to the injured at the HJRA hospital and posts pictures of the wounded and dead (Warning: very explicit pictures).
Tsy nitsahatra ny fivezivezen’ireo taxi sy fiaran’olon-tsotra ary fiara mpamonjy voina hatramin’ny fito ora hariva (19h) nialako teny amin’ny HJRA androany. Noho ny fahafenoan’ny toerana tao amin’ny tranom-paty dia nisy tamin’ireo razana no napetraka teny ambony bozaka teo an-tokontany aloha mandra-pandamina ny tao anatiny. Be ireo olona tsara sitrapo no namonjy hainga ny HJRA mba hanone maimaim-poana ny rany ho vonjy aina. Hatramin’ny karana aza dia tonga teny. Nanontany azy ireo aho ny amin’ny antony nahatongavany teny hanome rà. Sao mba misy havany marary ao. Rehefa tonga tety tokoa mantsy ka natao ny fanisana faramparany azoko natao talohan’ny nialako ny hopitaly dia dimampolo latsaka ny maty voatifitra. Ny naratra moa dia miditra isaky ny minitra angamba. Misy ny afaka nalefa nody fa ratra vokatry ny fifanosehana kely, fa nisy ireo nojerem-potsiny fa tsy nisy azo natao aminy intsony, nefa tsy vitan’ireo mpitsabo koa ny tonga dia hanatitra olona miala aina ho any amin’ny tranom-paty avy hatrany.
He also reports on people's reactions on radio:
“Ireo onjam-peo izay henoina amin’izao ora izao dia mikiaka valifaty noho ny rà latsaka , ary mitaky ny fisamborana an-dRavalomanana daholo izay antso an-tarobia tafiditra. Miantso tody ihany koa ho amin’ny taranak’ingahy Ravalomanana, ary misy mihitsy aza ny midradradra ny amin’ny hisamborana sy hamonoana azy.”
Jentilisa writes on immediate reactions in the streets after and during the shootings, with other reactions than those cited by Avylavitra. He also reports on opportunists who pounced on the occasion to wreak more havoc and loot some more:
“Ny nahavariana, teny Soarano indrindra aho no nandre ny tifitra voalohany, fa nikoropaka avokoa na dia ny olona tany aza. Samy nandositra avokoa na ny mandeha an-tongotra na ny mpitondra fiarakodia ka nisy ny tsy nahatandri-tena intsony ka nodonin'ny fiara izay nanavotr'aina ihany koa. Mafy dia mafy ny nahazo ilay ramatoa voadona… Tsitapitapitr'izay fa nikatona avokoa ny toeram-pivarotana rehetra. Maro tamin'ny mpivarotra amoron-dalana no nanangona ny entany. Tsy niala tamin'ny toerany kosa anefa ny atsasaky ny mpivarotra teny Isotry (tsena ny andro Asabotsy) izay mihevitra fa tsy hanenjika olona hatreny kosa ny mpitandro ny filaminana. Nahare poa-basy koa ny teny Besarety, nahavariana ihany io raha ny halavitry ny toerana no heverina, hay saiky hisy hamaky avy hatrany indray ny shoprite teo Ambodivona izay tsy vaky nandritra ny andron'ny talata 27 janoary 2009. (…)
Nitantara mivantana avokoa manko ny ankamaroan'ny fampielezam-peo tamin'ity vanim-potoana “lehibe” ity… ka maro tamin'ireo tsy mankasitraka ny tolona no efa mitaintaina nahatonona mihitsy hoe “tifiro! tifiro amin'izay!” ary mba nahatonona koa izy ireo hoe “ela loatra koa izy izany!”. Malahelo aho milaza aminareo fa maro tamin'ireo izay tsy niomana ho eny, no nahasahy nilaza mihitsy hoe “nahazo izay notadiaviny izy izany!” ka toa tsy antra fo tamin'izay niharam-pahavoazana mihitsy aza. Ny mpankasitraka ny tolona sy izay nankeny Ambohitsorohitra kosa (ny teny Isotry no tena nohenoiko) dia mamerimberina hatrany fa “ny mpikarama an'ady” (ilay laingalainga nafafy hatry ny ela) no nitifitra fa tsy nisy Malagasy nitifitra izany. Maro tamin'izy ireo no nanozona ny filoha Ravalomanana sy nilaza azy ho mpamono olona. Inona koa? ny filoha Ravalomanana sy ny Praiminisitra no naneho voalohany ny fiaraha-miory sahady… fa i Andry Rajoelina kosa tamin'ny 18:30 vao nanao izany sady “nitomany” nanameloka an-dRavalomanana ho tompon'andraikitra amin'izao vono-olona izao. “
Almost all radio stations reported this “great” event live..and many of those who are not followers of the movement were heard saying “shoot! shoot now!” and some expressed their impatience “this is taking too long!”. I am sad to report that many of those who did not walk to the Palace dared to say that “they got what they deserved!” appearing to have no sympathy for the fallen. The followers of the movement and those who went to Ambohitsirohitra (I heard opinions from those in Isotry mostly) repeated that mercenaries (lies long spread by some) had shot because no Malagasy would fire. Many cursed President Ravalomanana and condemned him as a murderer. What else? The President and his Primeminister were first to express their condolences… Andry Rajoelina waited until 18:30 to do so, and then “cried” when condemning Ravalomanana as the one responsible for the deaths.”
Jentilisa also analyzes the two only possible outcomes of Saturday's rally when Andry Rajoelina nominated Monja Roindefo, as “prime minister” of his governement:
“Tranga roa no tsy maintsy hitranga nanomboka ny tolakandro ka efa tafakatra teny Antaninarenina amin'izay ireo olona (miala tsiny mivantambantana miteny hoe ny avy any ambany tanàna no tena maro an'isa tamin'ny fitarihana sy fialohavana teny ampilaharana tonga teny Antaninarenina): Na mitifitra ny mpitandro ny filaminana na may Ambohitsorohitra, ireo ihany, tsy misy hafa. Raha nanaiky ny hidiran'ny vahoaka ny lapan'Ambohitsorohitra ny miaramila tao anatiny dia mivandravandra fa tsy mifehy ny tafika intsony ny filoha Ravalomanana ka tsara ho azy ny miala ny toerany avy hatrany. Ny olona koa etsy andaniny efa mihorakoraka ny “ela loatra” ary tsy maintsy handroso (”jusqu'à la mort” hoy ny tarigetran'ny mpanohana ny TGV izay). Ny zavatra nahavariana dia tsy niakatra nankeny Antaninarenina mihitsy i Andry fa ny lalana mody ny azy no nasiany olona, noho izany dia ny Jly Dolin Rasolosoa no tena nandrindra ny fihetsiketsehana rehetra sy ny fifampiresahana tamin'ny mpitandro ny filaminana. Ny “Praiminisitra” vao notendrena Monja Roindefo Zafitsimivalo kosa moa dia karazana kofehy manara-panjaitra ihany.”
POV, a cartoonist, wonders what led the demonstrators to rush towards armed soldiers:
“Puis les coups de feu ont éclaté. Les enquêtes démontreront peut-être ce qui s’est passé. Je doute que ceux qui étaient en première ligne allaient se ruer sur une rangée de soldats prêts à tirer. Je soupçonne que la pression de la foule en arrière les a poussés à faire un pas trop loin, vers la zone sécurisée.”
POV condemns Andry Rajoelina's actions :
“En lâchant sa foule sur le palais présidentiel, il a su (et espéré ?) qu’il y aurait certainement de la casse. Tel un général sur le champ de bataille, il se tient en retrait, observant les manœuvres de sa troupe, dirigée par ses lieutenants.
De tous les endroits où il pouvait envoyer sa horde, il a choisi le palais présidentiel. Symbolique, certes, mais c’est également une zone rouge – un site où les gardes sont autorisées, voire tenues d’ouvrir le feu sur ceux qui outrepassent les limites. Il a galvanisé la foule de rhétoriques du genre « entrez-y, le palais présidentiel appartient au peuple ! » Selon des témoignages, les gens ont d’abord flotté autour du site. Des pourparlers étaient en cours entre les lieutenants de Andry Rajoelina et les chefs de la garde présidentielle.”
News2Dago reproduces a column written by Valiavo Nasolo Andriamihaja, where the latter wonders if President Ravalomanana is still in charge in the country and calls for him to resign if he has lost control:
“Impiry impiry, hatramin’ny nanombohan’izao raharaha izao, no nitsangana sy niteny ny olona maro sady tsy momba ny atsy no tsy momba ny aroa : «mampidi-kizo izao fiziriziriana izao, tsy maintsy ny resaka no vaha-olana». Tsy misy nihaino isika.(…)
Ilay Filoham-pirenena, tsy hita, tsy nandrenesam-peo, mahabe ahiahy ny olon-tsotra manara-dalàna sady tsy tia korontana. Raha mba miteny indray, lavitra loatra, toa zary miafina, sanatria toa efa lositra. Fa Fanjakana inona loatra ity eto amintsika ity ? Tompon’andraikitra amin’ny haja sy voninahitra fotsiny fa mialangalana rehefa misy fahasahiranana ? Ianao ihany, Ravalomanana, no nihomehy ilay mpiandry omby miandry omby tokana : «tsy fantatra intsony, hoy ianao, iza no sefo, izy sa ilay omby». Mbola sefo ve ianao, Ravalomanana ?”
A feeling echoed by a commenter on Avylavitra's blog:
“Maninona raha noraisina fotsiny ireo solo tenan’ny mpitokona dia nosamborina raha nilaina dia naparitaka fotsiny ny olona avy eo ? Raha tsy mandray andraikitra haingana ianao sy ny gouvernemantanao eny fa na amin kery aza raha ilaina hampandeha ny raharaha andava,andro dia tokony ary rariny raha mametra pialana ianao.”
On rumors spread by the VIVA and Antsiva stations, both supporters of Andry Rajoelina, that the presidential guard did not warn before shootings and on the rumored presence of weapons among the demonstrators, Jentilisa comments on Avylavitra's blog:
“Miarahaba anao rahalahy! Tamin’ny vaovao manokana navoakan’ny Tvplus voalohany indrindra tamin’ny Asabotsy dia nisy iny tovolahy naratran’ny bala tamin’ny tongony iny. Nisy nibata ilay zalahy io ka rehefa napetraka tamin’ny tany tao amin’ny toerana vonjimaika hitsaboana ilay zalahy dia nisy bala niraraka avy tamin’ilay olona sivily nibata io naratra io. Tsy niverina intsony ilay ampahantsary fa notapahina nandritra ny vaovao manokana hafa rehetra tamin’io andro io. Midika izany fa “nisy” nitondra fiadiana avy taty amin’ny vahoaka, izay nolazain’i Andry Rajoelina tamin’ny resaka nifanaovana tao amin’ny Viva TV androany, fa na nitondra fitaovam-piadiana aza ny vahoaka araka ny nambarany tsy tokony hamaly mihitsy ny mpitandro ny filaminana.”
Finally, Lomelle and Pakysse both write moving hommages to Ando, the journalist who lost his life while covering the rally and the siege of the Presidential Palace.
Georgia: Royal Wedding
Yesterday's wedding between two descendants of the Bagrationi dynasty which ruled Georgia for at least 10 centuries has captured the imagination of royal watchers worldwide. However, for those pondering the state of democracy in the post-Soviet country since the November 2007 unrest, the marriage between Prince David Bagrationi-Mukhraneli and Princess Anna Bagrationi-Gruzinsky has also reinvigorated talk of reestablishing the monarchy.
Last August, for example, Gerald Warner wrote on the Daily Telegraph blog that a constitutional monarchy might be the best model for Georgia to follow.
Democrats have been talking about monarchy on the British model and citing the example of King Juan Carlos in Spain to prove the practicability of a restoration. What brought things back to the boil, however, was a sermon preached by the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Patriarch Illia II, on October 7 last year, in which he publicly called for the restoration of the monarchy as the “desirable dream of the Georgian people”. That led to the question being debated in parliament.
[…]
The acknowledged head of the royal house, the de jure King George XIV, died earlier this year; but his 32-year-old son Prince Davit could be called to the throne of his ancestors as David XIII. This could be the holistic reinvention of itself this unfortunate nation needs.
Royal World agrees.
[…] While the “fairy tale” element of monarchy is important and should not be belittled, that does not mean that a restoration would have nothing to offer Georgia's very real problems. The world's remaining monarchies make a substantial tangible difference in the lives of their substance; why would Georgia not wish to emulate them?
However, also writing for the Daily Telegraph blog, Sarah Marcus is less convinced.
[…] it's doubtful that the restoration of the monarchy will become anything more than a fantasy in the foreseeable future. While one of the opposition parties, the Christian Democrats, has made some noise in support of Georgia becoming a constitutional monarchy, no one really appears to be taking the issue seriously enough to do much about it.
Although the wedding has received a considerable amount of attention here and 40% of callers to a television show discussing the marriage said they that supported the idea of a constitutional monarchy for the country, many people I've talked to seem to regard the idea as an entertaining diversion from the real issues dogging this country.
[…]
In some ways the dream of a restoration of the Bagrationis is a dream of instant escape from today's complex problems into an era when Georgia's glory days might live again.
Azerbaijan: Obama campaign manager in Baku
Just weeks before a controversial referendum will likely remove a constitutional two-term restriction on the presidency, Barack Obama's campaign manager yesterday visited Baku, capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan. With foreign broadcasts recently banned in the oil-rich former Soviet republic, the trip has not been well-received by most online political commentators.
Letters in Bottles explains why the visit by David Plouffe has caused concern in some circles.
Azeri President Aliyev, fresh off a crooked win in the November presidential race, is seeking to cement his power by putting through a constitutional amendment to end presidential term limits […]. As a good democrat, Aliyev has blocked opposition access to the media, while he uses his his cronies to push the measure:
[…]
The US embassy there claims he will be acting as a “private citizen,” but Plouffe would have to be hopelessly naive not to realize that his talk will be used by the regime as a further piece of evidence that this referendum is a perfectly legitimate form of democratic expression.
Before the visit, Jemal Public Affairs urged Plouffe not to go.
Barack Obama’s Campaign Manager David Plouffe’s impending trip to Azerbaijan is inappropriate and should be cancelled. I hope that the President and Sec. of State Clinton dissuade Plouff from traveling to an authoritarian county to promote the government’s undemocratic ambitions.
This kind of trip is dangerous and represents the worst of American foreign policy. It’s anything but a break from the past 8 years. Cozying up to a government not because they share our values of liberty and freedom, but because of oil revenues.
Writing on the Harper's blog, Ken Silverstein is also less than impressed.
A Plouffe associate confirms details of the trip to Politico. He says Plouffe will be speaking to university students “about the 2008 election and the power of grassroots people to make change…He’ll be focusing on the power of democracy and what it means to people around the world.”
Spare us. Plouffe was invited by a pro-government group headed up by hacks loyal to the regime. Whatever his motivation is, and I could make a pretty good guess, democracy in not high on the list.
The Carpetblog, written by a keen observer on all things Azerbaijan, offers Plouffe some advice.
No one knows better than Carpetblogger how to ingratiate oneself to an obscure, corrupt dictator with oil, so we're a little miffed Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe didn't call us before his upcoming trip to Azerbaijan. Who hearts Baku more than Carpetblogger?
[…]
Remember, David, it's not selling out, it's buying in! We're glad GovAZ is establishing links with the new administration and we hope you're presented with some quality investment opportunities while there. Democracy is for chumps!
And while RBO examines U.S. strategic interests in the region, 27 Months in Azerbaijan wonders if Plouffe's visit is more than just that of a private citizen.
Right after the Georgia-Russia conflict over Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Dick Cheney […] met with the president. To me, that message read “we’ve kind of got your back as long as the oil and gas keep flowing.”
Now, it appears David Plouffe, the Obama campaign strategist is coming to Azerbaijan:
[…]
[…] It’ll be interesting to see if America’s foreign policy shifts toward Azerbaijan.
Whatever the reason for his visit, however, few media outlets had the opportunity to cover it. The Foreign Policy blog, for example, says journalists were denied access to Plouffe.
The journalist in Baku who broke the story of Plouffe's visit, of the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, told a contact that she and other journalists tried to attend Plouffe's speech Monday at Baku's Gerb (Western) University but were not allowed in. […]
Dirty South… Caucasus thanks Plouffe for “stopping by.”
Ecuador: An Interview with Winner of Best Latin American Blog
Even though he was unable to travel to Spain [es] to receive the prize for “Best Latin American Blog” in the contest [es] sponsored by the Spanish newspaper 20 Minutos, Carlos Suasnavas is humbled by the recognition and dedicates it to his readers. The blog, which he co-writes with Evan from Argentina, is called Sentando Frente Al Mundo [es] (Sitting in Front of the World) and was chosen by a jury and by other bloggers. In this interview from his hometown of Quito, he shares a little about his reasons for having a blog in the first place and about why he believes he may have more readers outside of Ecuador.
Carlos Suasnavas in an special portrait for this interview in Quito, Ecuador. Courtesy of Suasnavas
Milton Ramirez: Who is Carlos Suasnavas?
Carlos Suasnavas: Carlos Suasnavas is a 37-year-old Ecuadorian, who loves a good book, classic literature, science in general and who tries to share something on his blog that he has read, learned or has impacted him deeply. He's also a businessman, aware of the economic situation of his country, the welfare of their workers and customer satisfaction.
MR: Your blog is summarized in the expression “Sitting in Front of the World” What does that mean for you?
CS: It means that you and I or anyone else are lucky enough to be able to sit in front of the window of the internet which gives us the knowledge of cultures, customs, stories, lifestyles and attractions of this small blue planet. Personally, I feel privileged to be born in this era where we have this wonderful window to the world on our desk. Yet I cannot understand that there are people who only come to look for pornography or celebrity gossip when you have at your disposal the ONLY tool that brings to your home virtually all human history, art, science, technology, politics, as well as your planet, its geography, animals and a thousand other things to your home. Sometimes we do not consider how fortunate we are to have any information from anywhere in the world just a click away. My blog's name, Sentado frente al mundo, encompasses the whole idea.
MR: What do you think about Ecuadorian blogosphere and as habitual reader, which would be your favorites?
CS: Regarding Ecuadorian blogs, as in everywhere, you have high quality blogs, but also from the others. It is that there are still bloggers who think the rest of us are interested to know about their private, emotional, or sexual life, but since a blog is free they can do it and there are no rules to follow, therefore you also find a lot of garbage out there. And since blogs are global, you also have readers for everything too.
On my Bloglines account I check the good classic Ecuadorian blogs, that remain since I started and learned from them, such as CeroCuatro [es], Aura Neurotica [es], La Gaby [es], Atrapasueños [es], Ecuador Ciencia [es], Tecnodatum [es], Sueños y Cuentos [es], and El Apestado [es]
MR: In an recent video interview you said that people blog to unburden themselves. Do you have a favorite post in which you unburdened yourself and why?
CS: As you all know, my blog had been in an evolutionary process, from being a personal blog to what it is today. In the midst of that process, several posts remain from the romantic stage and which I recall with great affection such as “Angels and Demons‘ which was a very simple text about a woman who was very important in my life, but I liked that text very much and which I have seen copied on many blogs, some provided the source, others didn't (which is not something that really interests me), I have seen it in personal spaces, forums, and once someone showed me a photoshopped picture with the text as a postcard. Another curious thing was the e-mail I received containing a text of another post of mine called ‘Thrown Cards.'
These are things that once bothered me, but now I look back and I feel really proud. And like I said, those were other times and my motivation at that time also was different.
I have always written to unburden myself, but I've tried to be as careful as to what to reveal from my personal life. I've shown the world only what I wanted them to know about me. If one believes that because one has read my blog one completely knows Carlos Suasnavas, then one is wrong.
MR: How are Ecuadorian blogs contributing to conversation by citizens? Why do you think your posts are read mostly by foreigners rather than Ecuadorians.
CS: I do not believe such dialogue is being built because a blog by nature is biased. Beginning with the President, we complain about how printed press and television media is biased, what can we expect from a blog that is written by someone according to the reality in which they live? There are blogs for and against the government. So far I have not seen a single one which is fair. Until there is fairness, dialogue cannot exist. What takes place are debates in which everyone thinks he or she are the owners of the truth.
The fact that my blog has more foreign readers, I think it is due to two specific situations. First, thanks to the charisma that comes from my co-blogger, Evan, who is Argentinian and shares the same tastes in topics that we post. When I want to change or change gears on my blog as I did a year ago, she captured my ideas perfectly. The other reason may be that my blog there is no morbidity, politics or my personal life, topics that Ecuadorians enjoy to read.
MR: How has the perception of the blogger/entrepreneur Carlos Suasnavas changed in the national media since you received your award as Best Latin American blog?
CS: It is a coincidence that I am an entrepreneur and blogger at the same time, and it was another happy coincidence that I won the Best Latin American Blog. A high school or college student, a housewife or any office employee could have won it. It could also be won by a journalist, but this is the beauty of freedom of the Internet, you do not need to categorize yourself in only one activity or show your diploma to open your own blog. It is an activity where your diploma does not matter, it only matters if people like what you publish and they continue to read.
I don't know if the media looks at me differently. I do know my friends don't. Admittedly, this award has given me enough media coverture, some press interviews, but from there, it did not change anything. The only thing that I appreciate is the increased traffic to my blog, that my blog is being read more and the pleasant satisfaction of knowing that it helped to increase a bit the general culture any reader.
Links for Mon, 2009-02
“The LTTE is simply a nihilistic organization like Al Qaeda. It’s not designed to actually win anything, it’s just a sore loser. They slaughter to make a point, but never to win one,” comments Indi.ca hearing the news that a female LTTE rebel has blown herself up, killing 28 people and injuring dozens more in the North-East of Sri Lanka.
Chapati Mystery posts some mouth-watering pictures of street foods in Lahore.
In Iranian.com we can see several photos of Islamic Revolution in 1978-79.
B.C. Pires [Barbados] and Abeni [St. Vincent & the Grenadines] comment on the West Indies cricket team winning its first Test Match against England in a nearly a decade.
From Trinidad and Tobago, This Beach Called Life blogs about the UDECOTT defense, while The Manicou Report weighs in on the recent resignation of the Integrity Commission.
There is a big difference between the new Metro system in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and other forms of vehicular transportation writes Rocío Díaz of Monaco [es].
The Bajan blogosphere is livid over reports that Chris Brown allegedly assaulted pop sensation Rihanna.
Stunner's Afflictions supports the Jamaican Broadcasting Commission's ban on “the promotion of the activity called Daggerin and songs such Rampin Shop which feature an overdose of sexual references and violence.”
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