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Blogs debate over Brazil's latest electoral scandal

Jose Murilo Junior · 23:00

In the last days before the October 1 vote, the Brazilian electoral process was shaken again by the latest event in a string of scandals tainting the ruling Workers Party (PT). The PT has been accused of paying 1.7 million reals (790,000 dollars) for a smear campaign that attempted to implicate the candidates of the opposition Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) in the corruption scandal that has been under investigation by Congress. The handover of a dossier of the information was ultimately prevented by Federal Police.

As opinion polls show Lula winning in the first round with the necessary absolute majority of votes, the media are suggesting that the dossier was intended to help the PT candidate beat Sao Paulo state governor Jose Serra. But the plot seems to have backfired, giving further ammunition to those who blame the president for such corruption. Lula has firmly denied any involvement in the scheme and is demanding that the Federal Police go deep into the investigation. Since many aspects of the situation remain obscure, the case has drawn a fierce battle over different versions and narratives about the scandal within both the traditional media and the blogosphere. While Lula's supporters blame the media, his antagonists are celebrating the opportunity to revile the popular Brazilian president at a crucial moment.

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Kurdistance

Deborah Ann Dilley · 21:48

First up on this week's edition of Kurdistance, there has been a fantastic conversation about the Kurdish Question on the Washington Post's PostGlobal feature. The conversation has been very active for several weeks now, I would recommend reading it and joining in!

Save Roj TV, whose courgeous work we have discussed on this weekly before, are beginning a new letter campaign

the “Save ROJ TV” action urges you to participate in its letter campaign to neutralise the Turkish state global conspiracy against Kurdish culture and heritage.

For more information and to participate check with their website.

While reporting about a recent bomb attack in Diyarbakir, Southeast Turkey, Vladimir who writes for From Holland to Kurdistan, had an interesting run-in with a Turkish blogger (Me and Others) about the issue of Kurdish violence in Turkey. It is an interesting read, specially the comments.
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Pana-Blogs Report

Melissa De Leòn Douglass · 21:26

#1: From Panama FAQ: Panama's Tap Water - The Best in the World?

This might surprise people coming from the US and Europe as I often see them logging bags full of bottled water back to their hotels. But the drinking water in Panama is not only safe to drink, but it is also the best tasting water I have ever tried.

Now back in Panamá after nearly 2 years in Denmark I am really crazy for the water. It is so refreshing that you will sometimes here the expression the Champagne of the Chagrés. Read the complete post!

#2: From Private Sector Development Blog "The Economic Impact of the Panama Canal"

Noel Maurer and Carlos Yu have a new working paper on: What Roosevelt Took: The Economic Impact of the Panama Canal, 1903-29. Unsurprisingly, they argue that the United States, not Panama, benefited the most from the canal’s construction. (Didn’t everyone know this going in?) They then draw a warning for other developing countries:

Panama’s experience with the Canal, therefore, holds warnings for modern underdeveloped countries that seek to rapidly develop through the construction of large infrastructure projects, be they pipelines (as in Central Asia and Africa) or “land bridges” (as in Central America). The spillovers from such projects may prove disappointing. Continue reading…

#3: El Blog de Hoja de Bijao is a recently founded project which compiles all things cultural happening in Panama. From Art Exhibits to writer's workshops, and great photography of Panama City. Head over there and find out what's going on…

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Barbados: Road signs

Georgia Popplewell · 17:49

bdos_crossroads

Photoblogger Barbados in Focus posted this image of a sign at a crossroads in rural Barbados. “No matter where in the world you are you still have the make a decision,” he writes. “It is so universal, a street sign.” As the image below indicates, however, some types of street signs can be quite location-specific.

barbados_bus_sign

Says Barbados in Focus: “These Bus Stop signs are all over the island. If you are lost just look and see if the bus stop indicates you are going out the city or heading to the city. Safe travel….“

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Notes on Montenegro and Transnistria

Veronica Khokhlova · 17:06

In his yesterday's Balkans Blog Roundup, Ljubisa Bojic quoted this passage on Montenegro by a Serbian blogger:

[…] I know how things operate down there. Its also a privatised state - I wonder how long it will be before the Europeans become intolerant of all those Russian businessmen who own hotels and casino's on the coast. EU membership doesnt come for free.

According to a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor, “worries about Russian investors are the talk in many Montenegrin cafes and bars”: “[…] Russian Federation investors are sixth, after central European countries and Britain, with 2.7 percent of investments here over the past four years.”

One Russian blogger - Sergei, LJ user dromo, 27, a native of Moscow - now lives in a coastal town of Budva, Montenegro, selling real estate. Here's how he ended up there (RUS):

Before [moving to Montenegro], for eight years I worked in big companies like Beeline, R-Style, IBS. But at some point I got tired of being a [tiny part] in a huge mechanism, and I happened to know a little bit of Serbian by that time. And so, totally accidentally, I've found myself here, in Montenegro, and I'm rather happy about it.

Below is the translation of some of his notes (RUS) on life and real estate business in the newest European state (population: 630,548):

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Links for Roundups

Sub-Saharan Africa

Eastern & Central Europe

Amid the continuing protests in Budapest, Pestiside.hu is trying to help foreign reporters covering the situation: “So as a public service to these naive hacks and their even more clueless editors back home, below is a handy guide to the similarities and differences between ‘56 and ‘06.”

Eastern & Central Europe

Belgrade Blog writes about the city's taxis: “Its a sad fact (or happy depending on your perspective) that educated taxi drivers are increasing in numbers.”

Eastern & Central Europe

Dictionary of the Serbian Mess writes about Serbian military and domain issues.

Eastern & Central Europe

Copydude shares some literary and real-life “Don't Try This At Home” cocktail recipes from Russia.

Eastern & Central Europe

English Russia posts pictures of the Russian Federal Highway “Moscow-Yakutsk”: “Everytime it rains the road gets paralized, these shots are made a few days before the traffic jam for 600 cars got stuck there. Hunger and lack of the fuel followed, according to the witnesses. One woman gave a born to a child right in the public bus she was riding.”

Eastern & Central Europe

Alex(ei) of The Russian Dilettante's Weblog writes about “racism and human nature” in Russia: “Xenophobia is even necessary, as is the immune system.”

Eastern & Central Europe

LEvko of Foreign Notes writes about the new head of Victor Yushchenko's Presidential Secretariat, a 43-year-old Victor Baloha, a former mayor of Mukachevo, a man of “decidedly ‘mixed' [political] background.”
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South Asia

Youth and rebellion. The Delhicate Constitution on why youth and children are the way they are. “I'm simply saying that being rebellious and anti-establishment in this case is not merely a fashion statement. It might be for some, but for the most part it is because it is inevitable. This generation has no choice.”

South Asia

On what issues are the Muslim Clerics in India issuing fatwas? “However, A TV channel, with the help of sting operations, has shown that some of the Muslim clerics were taking money and issuing fatwas on any matter what the reporters were asking.”

South Asia

The Tamil Sri Lankan community in London is being pressurized to join demonstrations on UN Peace Day. “What is enlightening is the LTTE organisers are using events like these to get people to come by feeding them with false hopes.”

Middle East & North Africa

In Community Weblog of Persian Students in the UK we read that Grammy Award-winning production and Iranian-American DJ duo Deep Dish today announced the recording of ‘Be the Change', an eclectic musical work dedicated to Anousheh Ansari's historic Space flight as she became the world's first female private space traveler.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Is there such a thing as White Africans?

South Asia

Moju on the current conflict in Sri Lanka and the concerns of the Muslim Community. “In August 2006 the Muslim community of Mutur found itself at the centre of the ‘undeclared war’ that is still continuing and as a result, faced multiple humanitarian and human rights violations.”

South Asia

Drishtipat Group Blog on the issues that the fisherfolk face in Bangladesh. “Without navigation knowledge and equipment, very frequently they find themselves in foreign water and a large number of Bangladeshi fishermen are now in jail in countries like India, Myanmar, Thailand etc.”

Americas

Bloggings by Boz says that Brazilian President Lula da Silva's speech to the UN General Assembly is not to be missed.

Americas

Jeff Barry introduces the 30th anniversary of Argentina's Night of the Pencils, “another sad but notable event from the most recent dictatorship in Argentina.” This year's remembrance was remarked by a controversy over Wikipedia's entry on the historical event. Eduaro Arcos has more detail on that controversy [ES] (make sure to read to the bottom for the clarification).

Americas

Robert Wright continues his virtual tour of Buenos Aires with a look at the city's legislature.

Americas

Nick Buxton reflects on the meaning of “patrimony” and “common good” in his introduction to Bolivian anti-globalization social movement leader Oscar Olivera.

Americas

Adam Isacson posts a translation by Mariam Khokhar of Moritz Akerman's article from El Colombiano which takes a look at progress made in the negotiations with the ELN.

Americas

Katy takes a photographic look at Hugo Chavez's reelection campaign while Oil Wars offers a photographic tour of new schools throughout the country.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Following the heated debate about the Digital Citizen Indaba on Blogging, Mental Acrobatics has a practical suggestion:

“So this is what i suggest. Clearly we have many African bloggers who have an opinion on what an African blogging conference should or should not have, should or should not do. We have many African bloggers who have an opinion on how an African blogging conference should be run. Well then, let us hear it.

I have set up a google email discussion group called “African Bloggers”. This email group has a simple task but it is a massive one. This group is created with the intention of working towards organizing a conference for African bloggers in 2007. Our discussions within this group will centre around (but may not limited to) sponsorship, dates, venues, facilities, speakers, agenda. This group is open to ANYONE who has a blog.”

The latest movie “The City of Golden Armor” directed by Zhang Yi-Mou was released on September 20, but reporters had not been invited to the movie preview. Buchimifan in Bullog quotes the movie producer Mr Zhang Wei Ping's advice to the reporters: “if you criticise our movies, we won't let you join the preview shows; if you listen to me, then I will let you watch the shows.”(zh)

East Asia

The 2nd Chinese blogger conference is going to take place on October 28-29 in Hanzhou, China. The latest schedule, speakers and sessions is now online; here is the details about “How to become a Web Support/Sticker Sponsor”.

East Asia

Shang Peijin in Shanghaiist summaries a discussion on Chinese BBS concerning how much are Chinese professors paid? The range is from US$500 to US$10,000 per month.