Stories about History from June, 2010
Russia: Moscow's Female Poplars
Belatedly, a link to Vilhelm Konnander's post about Moscow's female poplars and the trouble they've been causing for half a century.
Czech Republic: Dr. Milada Horáková's Death 60 Years Ago
The Reference Frame writes about the execution of Dr. Milada Horáková 60 years ago: “Many people were killed by the communists but she has clearly been the brightest woman ever murdered by them.”
Belize: Mayans Win Right to Land
Repeating Islands reports on a landmark court ruling “in favor of 38 Mayan Communities in the Toledo District”, which confirms their rights to the land surrounding their communities.
Barbados: White Elephant
B.C. Pires fears “there is a white elephant in the West Indian drawing-room.”
World Cup 2010: Who's to blame for Nigeria's performance?
Nigerian football fans were dismayed Tuesday when the team's final chance of advancing in the 2010 World Cup evaporated in a 2-2 tie with South Korea. In the blogosphere, disappointment was the prevailing emotion, though many fans were not surprised by the outcome.
Taiwan: Fly, Wen Gui Hospital, Fly!
Have you ever seen the Pixar/Disney animation “UP”? See the real version in Tainan County, Taiwan(zht) when students from Tainan National University of the Arts tried to save the old Wen Gui(文貴) Hospital(photos) , a historic building which is scheduled to be demolished on June 30.
Japan: The Hero, Sakamoto Ryoma
Confident, charismatic, and ever so dashing, Sakamoto Ryoma has always been one of Japan's favorite historical figures. Since NHK started to broadcast the historical drama series Ryōmaden ('The Legend of Ryoma') this January, a nation-wide Ryoma boom has exploded.
Angola: Once Upon a Time in Roque Santeiro
The development experienced by Luanda holds one of the most frequented commercial spaces in the city. The Roque Santeiro Market, that generates thousands of dollars a day, to account, is about to close its “doors” to reopen in a more dignified and modern area, in Panguila.
Ukraine: Gorbachev and Chernobyl
Window on Eurasia writes about Mikhail Gorbachev's order to hold the May Day demonstration in Kyiv shorly after the Chernobyl catastrophe.
Azerbaijan: Zhiguli
Sheki, Azerbaijan honors the Zhiguli, a Soviet era car, with a post remembering it as part of history.
South Africa: Rethinking customary law
Pierre de Vos discusses South African customary law: “When I studied law at Stellenbosch University, we did not study a single aspect of customary law. It was as if customary law (and the millions of people who lived in terms of it) did not exist.”
Hungary: Pál Schmitt, a Presidential Nominee
Hungarian Spectrum writes (here and here) about Pál Schmitt, the current speaker of the National Assembly and a nominee for the Hungarian presidency.
Turkey: Jazz and the Russian Revolution
The Daily Seyahatname/Blogging Balkanistan writes about “how the Russian Revolution brought jazz to Turkey.”
Malaysia: Historic jail demolished
Despite the protest of concerned citizens, artists, and historians, the Malaysian government has decided to demolish the 115 year old Pudu Jail, a historical landmark in Kuala Lumpur. Bloggers react
Mozambique: 35 Years of Independence
On the 35th anniversary of Mozambique's independence [en], blog Moçambique Para Todos [Mozambique For All, pt] publishes several opinion articles, reflecting upon the political situation and the economical dependency of the country as well as the conclusions of a survey related with the political decisions which were made in 1975.
East Timor military record of Indonesian President
Timor Archives summarizes the study made by an Australian researcher about the military stint of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in East Timor. Indonesia occupied East Timor from 1975 to 1999.
Poland: “Still Divided”
Raf Uzar summarizes the results of the first round of Poland's presidential election and concludes: “What is really thought-provoking is the fact that after centuries of turmoil and upheaval, Poland is still a country divided.”
Kenya: On loving football
Kenyan Pundit discusses her love with football: “I remember hanging out in our Mada balcony waving the AFC flag (I had a special mini-one) as the isukuti entourage swept through from Kibera on their way to City Stadium or Nyayo Stadium.”
Taiwan: The Chiang Kai-shek personality cult
Michael Turton analyses a paper by Jeremy Taylor which looks at how a personality cult was built around Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan and China.
Russia: Flaws and Pitfalls of the Subsidized “Social” Internet Plan
Gregory Asmolov examines the potential of the Russian government's two new initiatives that aim at reducing the digital divide in the country.
Hungary: Sinning with Impunity
Twenty years after the transition to democracy, Hungary is discussing whether those who had committed crimes against citizens during the communist era should be called to account.
