Stories from 7 June 2010
Macedonia: Singing Skopjans Cover Footbal World Cup Anthem
Singing Skopjans celebrated [MKD] the start of the Football World Cup in South Africa by singing its anthem, “Waving Flag,” because they “realized that the Somali K'naan managed to slip a powerful social song to FIFA and Coca-Cola, which fits perfectly with the current situation in Skopje.”
Macedonia: Programmers’ Salaries
Instant Expert writes [MKD] about monthly salaries of software developers in Macedonia: from juniors (EUR 200), to analysts (EUR 350), to seniors (EUR 500+), to “rock stars” (EUR 1000+%). Ping.mk user miopa disagreed [MKD], saying that the figures for seniors are underestimated, suspecting a hidden agenda to persuade programmers to...
Trinidad & Tobago: Setting Precedents
“There were some precedents set by the last PNM, which were so shocking, even by our elastic standards, that they must be highlighted, so we can ensure they are never repeated”: Afra Raymond thinks now is as good a time as any to remind Trinidad and Tobago's new government about...
St. Kitts & Nevis: Jumbie Tree?
“‘You parked us under a silk cotton tree at NOON?'”: Lifespan of a Chennette reminds us why that's not a particularly good idea.
Brazil: This is Rio de Janeiro
Rio Gringa reviews Rio é Assim: a crônica de uma cidade, a book by José Carlos Oliveira, “one of the most realistic, jarring, heartbreaking, inspiring, hilarious, and truly Carioca literary visions you will find of the city.”
Caucasus: Eurovision gossip
Chasing Liberty’s Shadow comments on Azerbaijan's entry into last week's Eurovision Song Contest and considers what benefits a victory might have brought the country. The blog also comments on speculation that Azerbaijan spent as much as $10-16 million on its entry while Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports on a minor spat...
Mexico: One Year Since the Tragedy at Guardería ABC
A year has passed since the tragedy at Guardería ABC, a daycare center in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora that was consumed by a fire, taking the lives of 49 children and leaving more than 70 with permanent conditions. Citizens mourn the loss and critize the lack of response from the government.
Bolivia: Completing World Cup Sticker Album as Tradition
Completing the World Cup sticker album was a family tradition started by the grandfather of blogger Miguel Centellas in Bolivia. Now, Centellas is trying to continue this practice in his grandfather's memory.
South Africa: 54 things you must do in South Africa
A list of 54 things you must do while in South Africa for the World Cup from Bernard Pollack and Danielle Nierenberg:
Jamaica: Ingredients for a Caribbean Classic
What is a Caribbean Classic? Thanks to Jamaican born writer Opal Palmer Adisa, litblogger Geoffrey Philp finds out.
Armenia: Stone crosses
Ianyan features a guest post and accompanying audio slideshow on a specific cultural legacy in Armenia — the centuries-old art of carving stone crosses.
Azerbaijan: Baku concerned with social media
With progressive, alternative voices finding a new outlet via new and social media in Azerbaijan, and the first case of imprisoning blogging activists in the region occurring there last year, news reports now warn that possible new legislation might yet seek to silence others. On a related note, In Mutatione...
Mozambique: Photos from a Literacy Project
Blog Encounters presents a collection of photos from portuguese artist Margarida Botelho, featuring a literacy project she implemented in Mozambique based on the idea that “If we can learn how to convey our life story in a book with words and illustrations perhaps we can further our awareness of whom...
India: Bhopal Gas Tragedy Verdict – too little too late?
More than 25 years after India's worst ever Industrial disaster, a court in Bhopal has pronounced a guilty verdict on the Indian arm of Union Carbide (UCIL) and also convicted 8 former UCIL officials for negligence in the large-scale, Bhopal gas leak tragedy. Bloggers react.
Concert for Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness in Paris
As sickle cell anemia came in the spotlight with the withdrawal of French soccer player Lassana Diarra from World Cup because of the disease, the APIPD (Association for Information & Prevention of Sickle Cell Anemia) announces the venue of a large concert to raise sickle cell anemia awareness, DREPACTION 2010,...
Trinidad & Tobago: Caribbean-American Heritage
“With June officially proclaimed as National Caribbean-American Heritage Month in the USA, you’d think the Caribbean community would be full of excitement”: Outlish Magazine gets feedback from the blogosphere about the month designed to be “the platform for a dialogue between Caribbean peoples and the American public.”
Russia: Famous Blogger Speaks About the Future of Social Networks
Sergey Kuznetsov, one of the first RuNet activists, discusses how social networks will look like in five years. In his interview to Lenta.ru [RUS] he argues that analysts should focus on functions but not platforms, describes the new ways of virtual connections between people, and suggests that the social networks and electronic devices...
Jamaica: The Real ‘Dudus’
Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke is probably one of the most wanted men on the planet. Annie Paul and Jamaica Salt find out more about the person behind the persona.
Brazil: Brazilian President in Israeli TV Video-Joke
Brazillian netcitizens react to Israeli Latma TV video mocking President Lula da Silva. Hellington from Full ideas blog believes [pt] that the video only shows the ignorance of the world concerning Brazil, though he agrees with the idea that the Brazilian President shouldn't meddle with Iran and other sensitive issues....
Russia: Protest Against Building in the Historical Center of Moscow
Bloggers post photos [RUS] and footage [RUS] of the protests against a building site next to the Church of the Resurrection in Kadashi that is located in the historical district of Moscow [EN]. Moscow authorities deny both the problem and the conflict, while conventional media simply ignore them.
Angola: Self-censorship shrouds journalist's killing
Rafael shows how a shroud of state censorship and self-censorship by the Angolan media obscured the factual circumstances of January 8, 2010 attack on Togolese national team in Angola.
