Stories about Development from September, 2008
Kazakhstan: Above and Beyond
Joshua Foust wonders if the retirement of the U.S. space shuttle will make Baikonur space launch site in Kazakhstan even more important than it already is.
Afghanistan: How to Win
Joshua Foust takes issue with an essay about how to “win” in Afghanistan.
Kazakhstan: New landmark of Almaty
Adam posts pictures of Esentai district, which will include Mariott hotel, residences, offices, retail etc – a projects that changed the Almaty cityscape.
Bahamas: Culture of Agriculture
“There’s a myth, see, in the world, see, that says that technology is hierarchically stacked and that agriculture is better than horticulture which is better than foraging and fishing…and in this world, it’s true that agriculture failed in The Bahamas. But what nobody tells you is why it failed.”: Nicolette...
Sudan: Returning to Sudan, US Politics and New Media
In this round up of the Sudanese blogosphere, we delve into Sudanese commentaries on Sudan, US politics, and new media. It's good to see that the blogger, Path2Hope, finally overcame her writer's block. Apparently she needed a space to vent her anger after she returned to Sudan.
Morocco: Rural Women
Peace Corps volunteer Duncan Goes to Morocco explains what life is like for women in the rural community where he lives.
Angola: A new African El Dorado for foreign workers
Since the end of the civil war in 2002, Angola has been home to many foreigners coming to find work. It is estimated that there are over 70,000 foreigners living in the country, mostly coming from South America, China, Portugal and other African countries. Find out how this melting pot is evolving through the view point of Angolan and immigrant bloggers.
Cuba: Back to Normal?
Things appear to be getting back to normal in Cuba post-Hurricane Ike, but Generation Y questions the definition of “normalcy”: “I do not believe that a month ago we had anything resembling ‘normal.’ Furthermore, in the three decades that I have under my belt I do not think I have...
Sierra Leone: No money, no doctor
No money, no doctor, writes a Sierra Leone based blogger, Sandra: “Last week I saw a little boy who was moderately sick. He had lost weight, had many palpable lymph nodes and a chest infection. I decided to treat as outpatient with a strong antibiotic and see the child again...
Africa: Surprising Africa
Ethan's impressions of the daylong Surprising Africa event at PICNIC08 in the Netherlands.
Environment: Maps, Online Communities & Carbon Footprint Calculators
Earlier this year, GV Environment listed the web2.0 tools for environment activism. Since then many more tools have been developed. This post will highlight some mashups, online communities, carbon footprint calculators and one online game. Mashups Rory of Carbon Smart Blog announced the Greening Africa Map by outlining the goal...
Azerbaijan: Urban Development Blog
Social Science in the Caucasus comments on a new blog established to monitor urban development in Baku by two German researchers. The blog includes commentary and photography and is at http://urbanchange.wenedeux.com.
Bangladesh: Meeting Queen Rania
BRAC Blog reports that Dr. Fazle Abed, founder of BRAC, the largest NGO in Bangladesh and the world met with Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan and she writes about him in a blog post: “People like him fill me with hope.“
Trinidad & Tobago: Film Festival
“We need a film festival like America needs to not vote for McCain,” says Trinidadian blogger Attillah Springer, but warns: “It shouldn’t just be about film as business. What about art for art’s sake? Money can’t be the only thing that motivates our capacity to create.”
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.
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.
Angola: Luxurious flats for the rich, soaring rent for the poor
Land and property speculation in Luanda is one of the causes of the significant increase in housing prices in the Angolan capital. In this article, Clara Onofre investigates how luxury developments are quickly taking over Luanda's landscape. But who are they for?
South Korea: Han River
Robert Neff from Ohmynews! posted some historical photos of Han River (from an exhibition) to indicate how the river changes over time.
Why do Egyptians get Divorced?
Statistics show that 75,000 Egyptian couples got divorced in 2006/2007. Marwa Rakha brings up oline reactions to the phenomena in this post.
Young Egyptian Women Do Not Want to Work!
While some women are still struggling to prove themselves in the workplace, the young generation of Egyptian men and women seems to be taking different route. Marwa Rakha brings us the story of how young Egyptians told a television show that they did not want their wives to work.
Jamaica: Mining Woes
Abeng News Magazine reports that communities along Jamaica's North Coast are concerned about plans for bauxite mining and the construction of an alumina plant in the parish of St. Ann: “Some residents complained that negotiations were proceeding without consultation with the people who would be affected by the proposed mining...