Archive for
October 13th, 2006
Stories
YouTube. Whose Tube? Google's acquisition triggers Lusosphere debate
It could be seen as just another dot-com mega-deal that would not get much discussion beyond in-depth reports in specialized magazines. But gleaning the discussions of Lusophone bloggers is revealing that the YouTube acquisition by Google is capturing a lot of attention and generating many interesting perspectives. It also displays how the web functions as an arena where familiar archetypes such as Google, YouTube and the like joust as virtual gladiators in a global digital amphitheater.
É oficial: o Google comprou, por US$ 1,6 bilhão, o site YouTube. Um ato covarde, pois o Google Video tomava pau do concorrente. Agora, o Google controla os serviços de busca, e-mail, blogs, orkut, livros, mapas - e vídeos. Estou ficando com medo. Desse jeito, só o projeto Google Will Eat Itself pode salvar a humanidade…
Passando dos Limites - Blog do Sayeg
It is official: Google has bought YouTube for US$ 1.6 billion. A pusillanimous act, as Google Video was being crushed by the competitor. Now Google controls search services, e-mail, blogs, orkut, books, maps — and videos. I am getting scared. The way things are going, only the Google Will Eat Itself project can save human kind…
Crossing the limits - Blog do Sayeg
Zimbabwe: Smuggled DVD brings union protest beatings to light
This video reached me late last night via Ethan Zuckerman. At nearly ten minutes, it's longer than the other videos we've put up, but I strongly recommend you watch this.
It includes footage of the Zimbabwean police and security intelligence services breaking up a peaceful demonstration by members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trades Unions (ZCTU) on September 13th. The police repeatedly beat the demonstrators, who are calling for the provision of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for the treatment of HIV, a minimum wage, and stabilisation in the prices of certain basic commodities. The bulk of the video involves interviews with the ZCTU members describing the events of the day, and the actions of the police. Ethan and Rachel Rawlins have kindly provided a transcript.
When news of the beatings originally leaked out, trades unions in other countries strongly condemned Robert Mugabe's hardline approach with legitimate and peaceful demonstrations. Last week a court dismissed the police report on the incident, and postponed the trial of the ZCTU protestors until October 17th, to give the Criminal Investigation Department time to conduct a thorough investigation of the allegations of police torture. When footage of the protests was smuggled out of Zimbabwe on DVD to South Africa this week, it prompted the head of one of South Africa's labour unions to say that she would give President Thabo Mbeki a copy of the DVD of the beatings in a meeting with him on Friday.
More as and when it emerges…
Lebanon: Politics and the Finer Arts
The political turmoil in Lebanon seems to be taking its toll on the Lebanese blogosphere. Many posts reflect on the internal squabble going on. But we can still find some art, poetry and environmental concerns.
Starting with the fine art of caricature: Amal started a series of cartoons in which she draws Lebanese bloggers in addition to her cartoons on current events. Her latest was that of Jamal. Check out her depiction of other bloggers like jij, eve and hilal.
In the spirit of Ramadan, Jamal defines the meaning and job description of the “Msaharati”:
A dude banging a drum and screaming his lungs out at 3 a.m. is one of these factors that aren't programmed into your night noise blocking system. That's the Msaharati. His message is “Wake up and Eat.” A noble cause except he is the bar tender who pokes a passed-out drunkard to sell him one more drink.
The best part about the Msaharati is that he will come to your door the day after Ramadan to “wish you a happy holiday”. No Shame whatsoever.
The Msaharati, a Ramadan tradition for karaoke bar rejects.
While Mirvat has another very interesting poem, (more…)
Dispatch from Uganda
Peace talks continue in Juba, Sudan, between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Ngomrom faults the Government of Uganda and Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) of lacking seriousness in the talks with the LRA:
Why would anybody even consider that the peace talks proceed with ICC threat unresolved? Museveni, has to provide conditions to keep the ICC away from Kony and his commanders, otherwise there will be no peace involving those five men. These two issues are mutually exclusive. Without these men, there must be modified peace talks, becasue the people of Uganda in the affected areas still need peace from the government of Museveni. Twenty years of oppression and mistrust cannot be wiped out by mere signing of documents in Juba.
Meanwhile, Uganda-CAN warns that there are nearly unnoticed security challenges in the eastern region of Karamoja, where small arms proliferation is rampant. Uganda-CAN indicates that these small arms cross the border from Sudan and threaten to spill over into northern Uganda:
While peace talks between the Ugandan government and LRA rebels continue, lawlessness and violence is flaring up in the east almost unnoticed. Per Engebak, director of Unicef for east and southern Africa, said even if a peace deal is signed, violence in Uganda's eastern Karamoja region threatens to spill over into the war-weary north.
Great day for Bangladesh: Dr. Yunus and Bangladesh gets the nobel prize
Wake up world. This is real. For the first time in recent history Bangladesh has made news in all the international media for a positive contribution to the world. Dr. Muhammad Yunus and his organization Grameen Bank have jointly been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006 “for their efforts to create economic and social development from below.”
The Bangladeshi blogosphere's take on this:
People are delighted over at the Bangla blogging platform “Bandh Bhanger Awaaj“. Drishtipat has news, pictures and more links to texts and videos on Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank. Mudhpud Chickness says Dr. Yunus has put Bangladesh on the map. The South Asia Biz says “Today is a great day for Bangladesh.” Tanvir (more…)
Ecuador Chooses
This coming Sunday Ecuadoreans will head to the polls for the first round of presidential elections. As Bloggings by Boz notes, only three presidents have finished their full term in the last 27 years. Given the indecision that has stood out in each of the campaign polls, it seems that anything could happen.
What we do know is that this year's election has marked an important transformation in how Ecuadoreans have covered and discovered information about the campaign, the candidates, and the electoral process. Global Voices contributor Milton Ramirez recently interviewed Gullermo Sornoza [ES], a systems engineer from Guayaquil who is one of the founders of Ecuador Elige [ES] (”Ecuador Chooses”), a citizen's media project to supplement Big Journalism's coverage of the elections. The interview was conducted in Spanish and I have translated it here.
Gullermo Sornoza is a noteworthy blogger in Ecuador. He resides in Ecuador's main port city of Guayaquil and, beyond working as a system's engineer, he also dedicates himself to protecting the interest of the Ecuadorian citizen by means of a project that has taken the name Ecuador Elige. We engaged in a dialog with him via email and here are his reflections:
1. What is Ecuador Elige and how did it come about?
We could define Ecuador Elige as a project of bloggers, carried out with the purpose of helping people be able to choose their candidate. We tried to make use of citizen journalism, official sources, and traditional media, as well as the testimony of each person who collaborates on the project. Beginning in May Ernesto Monserratte and I began talking about the restlessness we felt about wanting to start a blog focused on the elections. We started forming the project and the rest is history.
2. What is the roll of Ecuador Elige within the framework of public information?
That's precisely it: to inform. As it is, we do not have a strict editorial line. Our policy is simply that insults are not used and any accusation made is done with respective evidence. Additionally it is not permitted to post information in any anonymous way. By having several collaborators, and letting everyone have the freedom to publish what want they want, the editorial line becomes very large and unrestrictive. Everyone has their thoughts and points of view which, in the end, enrich the debate and help us choose the best candidate. Regrettably our country does not have good internet penetration, so the information does not arrive to everybody. But this is our way of improving the country on this occasion.
Links for Fri, 2006-10
An anonymous contributor to the Save the Gardens blog writes an eloquent defense of Bermuda's Botanical Gardens.
Registan.net discusses the savviness of Georgia's president in making the country's case and gaining sympathy in the West that enhances its power in its ongoing conflicts with Russia.
Sean Roberts reports on the probable emergence of a new political party in Kazakhstan that would serve the interests of businesspeople.
Dan O'Huiginn reports on some of the social impacts of the Russia-Georgia conflict.
Blogrel outlines some of the impacts and consequences of the passage of France's law against denying the Armenian genocide. While the author is happy the bill passed, he hopes that it ultimately fails in the interests of free speech.
Denise reports at neweurasia on a media crackdown in Azerbaijan that has resulted in the closure of a popular newspaper and an order to cease broadcasting news prepared outside of the country.
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