Archive for
July 31st, 2007
Stories
Across the Panamanian Blogosphere
· 22:56
#1: From Panama Guide, What to do with Noriega :
The other big story that will be continuing until at least September 9th is the pending release of Manuel Noriega from a prison cell in Miami where he has been held for the past 17 years on drug trafficking charges. France has asked for Noriega to be extradited there to serve time on a money laundering conviction, and Panama has (officially, anyway) asked to have him returned to Panama to do time for three convictions. The US has indicated that they intend to send Noriega to France (whew) but his case will go before a judge in the US who will rule on Noriega's request to be returned to Panama. Read more…
#2: From Panama's Noriegaville News, Panama starts Jihad on teenage girls:
Teenage girls who don't behave according to PRD Sharia standards will be persecuted and denied their right to education. The policy is aimed at pregnant schoolgirls and those who otherwise walk out of line, for example by living together with a partner without being properly married. Read the complete article…
Photo credits: BoqueteGuide.com
#3: From Boquete Guide, visit the Mercado Municipal (Municipal Market) in the city of David in the Chiriqui province, one of the most popular places for foreigners to retire in Panama.
This province, Chiriqui is known as the food basket of Panama.
Vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy for much of the country comes form here. That means if you live here and buy fresh food they are really fresh, really good and unlike what we were acustomed to in the US.Instead of selecting for long shelf life, color and transportability the selection here tastes like it has been a selection for just that, taste.
#4: From Rob-Rivera.com, Camping in Chicá, Campana :
Not as far but just as interesting as El Valle, Chicá in the Campana region of the interior is a great way to escape the city whether you’re in the mood to relax, do something fun or live out an RPG campaign. I went with some friends in order to congregate in the spirit of a grandiose camping adventure and what I got was a very welcome change of pace from the diatribe of the city.
Being the improvisational kind of cat, a good look at the trunk of my car carries everything one would possibly need for a wilderness adventure in Panama, no matter what your handicap setting is. Take notes, kids: Read the complete article…
#5: From Panama's Noriegaville News: Canal Board Appointments Revive Shady Past .
The appointment of two new members of the board of directors of the Panama Canal has generated political controversy as opposition leaders claim that president Martin Torrijos' selection of candidates is based on political favoritism rather than selecting the best persons for the job.
A closer look at both new candidates reveals that banking interests as well as a history of corrupt financial mismanagement are appointed into the Canal board by the PRD government. Read more…
#6: The Cooking Diva reports! From the Tropics: Tree Tomato Salsa - Salsa de Tomate de Arbol
I was first introduced to this unique and colorful fruit in one of my trips to Ecuador a few years back. There, this fruit is very well loved, consumed almost in a daily basis when it's in season. In Quito I tried it as a very refreshing fruit juice offered by friends or at restaurants and in a very intriguing looking hot sauce at a seafood restaurant. I say intriguing just because it was a sassy sauce!
All About The Sassy Fruit
It was LOVE at first sight. My senses indentifyed a delicate ripe mango aroma packed in a tomato skin with the soul of a passion fruit and the sexy red of pomegranate juice dancing around the seeds. Far from trying to confuse you, I am reinventing this fruit which I suspect is unknown or underestimated by many. When was the last time you had a Tree Tomato? Hmm, right…That is exactly what I thought! LOL. You haven't had the pleassure of trying it at least once, YET! Continue reading...
Photo Credits: Matt Landau, The Panama Report
#7: From The Panama Report: Moving and Shaking in the Pearl Islands .
…Soon enough, we caught some beautiful 60-lb bonito tunas which in reality more looked like a collection of footballs. Keenan landed a stunning yellow and green Dorado which, once it experienced rigor mortis, he then used like a paddle to smack Sam in the back of the head.
At one point we intercepted a large flock of dolphins and they surfed alongside the boat, jumping and swerving and being gay. One of them had a white spot on his chest and I called him Lassie! Simultaneously, the first mate on the boat couldn't remember Keenan's name and referred to him as Quizno.
The islands themselves are glorious. Caves, secluded beaches, coral reefs. There's this amazing contrast of blue water, white sand, and deep green forest that inspired me to take out my easel and watercolors and paint until my hand got tired. That is, until I realized I don't own an easel or watercolors. I don't even know why they call it easel anyways as that reminds me of a small animal. Read the complete report...
#8: From Chiriqui Chatter: Should You Carry Medicare Part B in Panama?
1 comment · »»First let me say that I understand that Medicare is worthless in Panama. This is one of the downsides of moving to Panama. While you may have worked your entire life in the US and religiously paid all of your taxes, you will not be able to collect a penny from Medicare unless you are in the US.
That being said the US puts the squeeze on you by telling you that your premium for Part B will go up each year at a rate of 10% a month for each year you postpone taking it. The current premium which went into effect January 2007 is $93.50 if your annual was $80,000 or less.
In 2005 the cost was $78.20. The current rate of $93.50 will translate to $112.20 with a two year delay. Read more…
Arabeyes: Muslim Brotherhood Egyptian Blogger Vanishes
· 20:39
Egyptian blogger Ahmed Saad Domah has vanished, according to the Blogger's Observatory, which has been set up to monitor the arrests and harassments bloggers and online writers in the Arab World face.
The site has posted the following email from an anonymous source, which claims that Domah has been arrested for spearheading a campaign to collect a million signatures to protest against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Bloggers usually interchange the words ‘vanished' and ‘kidnapped by authorities' when writing about arrests.
The email posted on the Observatory is as follows:
تم أختطاف المدون والشاعر الإخوانى
أحمد سعد دومة صاحب مدون شاعر اخوان
وذلك إثناء وصلوله إلى مكان سكنه فى شارع 25 متفرع من شارع خمسين بالقرب من المؤسسة فى شبرا الخيمة
حيث أفاد مقرب منه أنه فوجئ بثلاثة رجال يهاجمون أحمد سعد ، وهو يقاومهم ولكنهم استخدموا عصابة فى تغمية عينه، واقتادوه إلى عربة شيفورليه بوكس نقل كحلى كانت تقف على ناصية الشارع الجانبى يعنى فى شارع 25 ، وكانت تقف بجوار هذه السيارة سيارة ميكروباص بيضاء ، أنزلوه من السيارة الشيفورليه إلى السيارة الميكروباص واقتادوه إلى جهة غير معلومة، وكانت الساعة حوالى العاشرة والنصف أوالساعة الحادية عشر من صباح الخميس 26/7
وحسبى الله ونعم الوكيل
أرجوا من الجميع التحرك، والتضامن
مع أحمد سعد
بوضع البانارات، أوبالاتصال بمن يعرفون من الحقوقيين
وجزاكم الله كل خير.
Commenting on the post, blogger Meedo writes:
والمواقع .
لغاية دلوقت محدش عارف مكان أحمد فين
الامن اخطفه من الشارع ولحد الان لم يتم الافراج
Uganda Responds - and Doesn't - To “Stop Trying To Save Africa”
· 19:49
“Maybe I just go where the weather is better,” says Josh of In an African Minute.
He's referring to why he chooses to work in Africa rather than where his family is from in Eastern Europe, but also to the current ruckus that’s been unleashed by the essay “Stop Trying to Save Africa,” in the Washington Post by Uzodinma Iweala. The American raised and Harvard educated Nigerian novelist wrote a compelling essay, one which the Expats in the Ugandan blogosphere have almost all felt necessary to formulate a response to. The Ugandans, however, have linked to the essay, and even commented on Expat blogs, but remained quiet on their own pages.
The full essay is online, but I'll quote just a bit here…
Last fall, shortly after I returned from Nigeria, I was accosted by a perky blond college student whose blue eyes seemed to match the “African” beads around her wrists.
“Save Darfur!” she shouted from behind a table covered with pamphlets urging students to TAKE ACTION NOW! STOP GENOCIDE IN DARFUR!
My aversion to college kids jumping onto fashionable social causes nearly caused me to walk on, but her next shout stopped me.
“Don't you want to help us save Africa?” she yelled.
It seems that these days, wracked by guilt at the humanitarian crisis it has created in the Middle East, the West has turned to Africa for redemption. Idealistic college students, celebrities such as Bob Geldof and politicians such as Tony Blair have all made bringing light to the dark continent their mission. They fly in for internships and fact-finding missions or to pick out children to adopt in much the same way my friends and I in New York take the subway to the pound to adopt stray dogs.
When a name like Uzo, a popular novelist, writes something as bold as this, people react. There are 160 links to this essay, according to Technorati, and that's just the people who ping regularly.
The responses are immediate and visceral from people who live in Uganda. While some people just linked to the essay or posted a bit here or there, others wrote longer accounts.
Here's some more of what Josh had to say:
On closer examination, however, we see that this critique holds no water. America's foreign policy history clearly shows that America will do nothing about a humanitarian problem unless its own citizens raise hell. Would as many college kids be involved if Africa wasn't fashionable? Of course not, but I'm still glad they are doing it.
He continued:
After spending a year in Uganda, this is point I continue to seriously grapple with. In many ways I felt that there were things about Uganda that I would never be able to understand. When I got back to the US, I stumbled upon (the recently departed) Richard Rorty's Contingency, Irony and Solidarity, who pointed that in a post-modern world, the only real value we can find is choosing to value our own tradition and community, even if we see the irony in the choice itself.
Following Rorty and Uzo, I should learn Lithuanian and start working on EU-Baltic integration because this is where my family came from four generations ago. Of course, culture is never static, and I may be doing much more to honor my own culture by working on African issues than on Baltic issues. Then again, maybe I just go where the weather is better.
Pernille of I‘ve Left Copenhagen for Uganda had an especially angry reaction in her post titled, “Ha ha, I do look like as if I am trying to save Africa, don't I?!”:
But come on! - Iweala's argumentation is threadbare and his arrogance makes him speak on behalf of all Africans. Categorising them all in one go, as well as he does with the whole group of ex-pats trying to save Africa. No doubt that a change of the Western way of saving Africa is necessary. No doubt that a lot of ex-pats, whatever reason they are in Africa for, can be a pain in the ass (I know some). But I also know a few Ugandans who would never put their feet in West Nile and Kampala youth who would never date a ‘Northener' because of tradition and the history - and the image! The stereotypes and lack of information thrive within Uganda, Africa and among Africans. It is only the Africans who are well off who can afford rejecting support to Africa. They cannot speak for the rest.
Glenna of Uganda Scarlett Lion (okay, full disclosure, that's me) also chimed in:
I wish I could say [national superiority] wasn't affirmed through aid. But until bags of rice don't say USAID on their side, and benefits aren't planned just because a donation is made, it will.
Unsurprisingly, (or perhaps surprisingly?) the Ugandan national blog community chose not to comment much about the essay, though some people did link to it. The 27th Comrade left some harsh comments on people's blogs, but not all of them can be reproduced for various reasons. Here's one, and I'll leave you to some searching…
It is always refreshing to see that we are of a fair number, those of us who are tired of seeing Africa used as a way to clear the conscience.
We don't need the West. Truth be told, we'd be better off if the West didn't exist. (via In an African Minute)
Here's another good comment on the same blog:
Of course the best thing would be if all of those enthusiastic about saving the world would first seek education before spearheading any initiatives. But that just means more interns, which Iweala doesn't sound crazy about, or else maybe it means more people who get the zeal sucked out of them through 4 years of development theory.
Is this a simple digital divide or does it reflect a more insidious divide in the blogosphere among foreigners and nationals? How the debate plays out in the blogosphere, who writes what and where, however, is the newest manifestation of a problem that goes back to missionaries and explores and now exists incarnated in development workers, journalists and experts.
What do you think?
5 comments · »»Malaysia: GVO's Jeff Ooi joins Opposition Party
· 15:46
Today marks one of the most important occasion in Malaysia's blogging community as Screenshot's Jeff Ooi, who is dubbed as one of the most prominent blogger in Malaysia's blogosphere joined an Opposition Party - the Democratic Action Party (DAP).
Speaking at the the press conference announcing his decision, Jeff reason's for joining the DAP is an eloquent expression of patriotism of a Malaysian. The statement illustrated that patriotism is an integral part of all Malaysians and not the monopoly of those who holding office or high positions. Among the few highlights he mentioned:
- Think "Malaysian First"
- Foster Real Racial Integration
- Give us good governance
- Wake up to knowledge-based economy
- Overhaul education system
- Uphold democracy
- Equitable distribution of national wealth
- Enrich the joe public
Rocky's Bru Ahirudin Attan, who recently along with Jeff was being sued for defamation by one of the mainstream newspaper the New Straits Times (NST), declared that he will walk with Jeff and even their defence lawyer Haris Ibrahim is ready to walk with Jeff.
Opposition Leader cum blogger Lim Kit Siang said blogging particularly socio-political blogging is not an end by itself but a means to an end and a time must come when bloggers must decide whether they should "dirty their hands" and make the transition from advocacy of their political ideals in cyberspace to enter the political terrain to be able to directly translate their ideals into action.
Politics 101 Malaysia hopes Rocky will join DAP in the future to help solve the image problem among the Malays, in which the Silo feels that DAP does not do anything to keep non-Chinese from joining while YienJee urged Jeff to expand his circle of influence and do more ground work to spread his ideology.
Meanwhile, Shawn Tan is elevated by the news as it's his main wish to see a competent opposition and a more accountable one.
Give the Gahmen a solid competition and make them sweat. This will just result in better government for the people. The current opposition just doesn't show that it's a viable alternative to our ruling Gahmen. Kick all the version 1.0 politicians out of parliament and replace them with the version 2.0 ones.
Well said.
While it's a new beginning for Jeff, it's a good start for the new generation of Malaysians too. Just like what Jeff said before he ended the press conference: HIDUP MALAYSIA! (LONG LIVE MALAYSIA!)
1 comment · »»Japan: A Historic Election Defeat
· 12:52
Did the overwhelming defeat of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan's upper house elections signal a wind of change sweeping through the Japanese political landscape, a groundswell of support for the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), or was it simply a long-overdue rejection of “business as usual”? As the election came to a close on Sunday night and early results started to appear, there were no lack of interpretations offered to explain what had been widely predicted beforehand.
When the dust settled, the ruling LDP/New Komeito coalition was left with only 105 seats in the upper house versus the 137 seats held altogether by the opposition parties. The LDP in particular only managed to reclaim 37 of the 64 contested seats it held prior to the election, whereas the DPJ surged ahead, capturing 60 of the contested seats from the mere 32 it held pre-election. Of particular note was the unprecedented degree to which DPJ captured single-seat districts, LDP strongholds historically perceived to be unassailable due to unflinching support from rural voters; the LDP managed to win only 6 of the 29 contested single-district seats, whereas the DPJ, overtaking support in rural areas, came away with 17.
Seats won in Upper House elections (note: New Komeito ended up winning one more seat, bringing their total to 9).
As some have noted, the results of the election offered a mixed bag of new faces [Ja] and crushing defeats. While Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori failed in his bid on the People's New Party ticket, 31-year-old Kawada Ryuhei [Ja], the HIV-positive independent candidate infected by tained blood, won his seat — a sign, perhaps, that the so-called “Lost Generation” has come of age. Then again, candidate Otsuji Kanako, running on the Democratic Party ticket, lost in her bid, putting an end to hopes that the National Diet would see its first openly gay member [Ja].
Bloggers have, not surprisingly, offered mixed reactions to the election results. While some have voiced support for the DPJ and their leader Ozawa Ichiro, others have argued that the DPJ victory is grounded more in dissatisfaction with the LDP — and, in particular, palpable anger and frustration over the pension fund fiasco — than anything else. One thing that most seem to agree on, however: given the long and largely unbroken history of LDP control, the emerging contours of the post 7/29 Japanese political landscape are very difficult, at this point, to predict.
Posters for Upper House Elections
On the night of the election results, many bloggers were commenting on the coverage itself, which was nonstop and dominated airtime on nearly every channel. Blogger Sota complains:
テレビが選挙速報一色だ。どんな事件が起きても通常番組を崩さない愛すべきテレビ東京も、とうとう特別番組になってしまった。いつも思うのだが、NHKと全民放こぞって選挙速報をやる意味有るんだろうか。選挙結果なんてそう急がなくたって、明日になれば全てがはっきりする。当選確実とか出しておきながら、実は落選だったなんてことがあると、そういう速報ってどうなんだろうと思う。政治は今日明日で終わりじゃないんだから。まあお祭り騒ぎにして、投票率を上げる効果はあるのかもしれないけど。
As election results became clear, many bloggers offered their thoughts and reactions. Blogger Sasamoto Kenji expresses his surprise at the scale of the LDP defeat, and offers a possible explanation:
昨日の参院選は、自民党が劣勢だと伝えられてはいたが、これほどの大敗になるとは思わず、ビックリした。
先回の衆院選が圧倒的な自民党の勝利であったから、やはり驕りがでたのか、と思う。もちろん、社会保険の問題も大きかったはずだが、小泉前首相のような破天荒なキャラクターの後では、どんな人が総理になってもやりにくいことには変わりがない。
Other bloggers reflected on the victory of the Democratic Party of Japan, some voicing skepticism and apprehension about the change:
7/28の参議院選挙は大方の予想通り自民党が惨敗。メディアは早速ポスト安部ちゃん探しに躍起になっていますが、当の本人はやる気満々。勘違いもここまで来ると正直痛いなぁ。
とはいえ、圧勝した民主党の方も正直頼りない。日テレの選挙特番だったと思うが、参院選後のビジョンが不明瞭な民主党の議員の発言を聞くと不安になります。
LDP poster featuring Prime Minister Abe Shinzo
The decision of Prime Minister Abe to hold onto his seat, despite exit polls showing a majority of Japanese people want him out, did not go down well with Japanese bloggers. Blogger hanahanasakura opens a post on the topic of Abe's decision not to stand down with the following thoughts:
選挙の結果がはっきりしないのに、早々に続投を決めた安部さん。「今やめてしまえば、国民の皆さんとのお約束が果たせない。」のだそうだ。今回の結果って「あなたと約束した覚えはない。」「あなたと約束したくない。」という意思表示なんじゃないの。自分の政策が悪かったのではなくて、もぐらたたきのモグラみたいに次々不祥事を起こした手下と、社保庁の職員が悪かったんだって思っているのかな。次々と重要法案を通してしまったことについては、むしろ胸を張っているようなところがあって、やっぱ相当勘違いしてるなあって思う。
The look on Abe's face in television coverage left an impression with many bloggers. One blogger expresses surprise:
選挙結果！…(;´-`).｡ｏO(ぇ・・・・)
自民党…負けるとは思っていたけど…安倍首相の…目が泳いでいたのが印象的でした。。。
The Liberal Democratic Party… I thought they were going to lose, but… Prime Minister Abe … the way he averted his eyes left an impression on me…
Blogger Middle Earth, in a post entitled “I saw it! Abe had a face like he was about to cry,” (見たぞー安部の泣きべそ顔) writes:
今朝は、久しぶりにさわあやかな気分で目が覚めた。
なにせ、自民党ボロ負けしたからなあ、ひひひ。
テレビを観てたら、安部総理の今にも泣き出しそうな顔も出てきたし。
たっぷり楽しめたわー♪
Why? Because the Liberal Democratic Party lost decisively, hehehe.
For one thing, when I was watching TV, I saw Prime Minister Abe with a face like he was about to cry (and still is now).
I had so much fun! ♪
[…]
しかし、民主党も責任が重くなったぞ。
下手なことをすると国民はすぐ背を向けるだろーから、しっかりせなあかん！！
If they handle things badly, then the people may quickly turn their backs on them, so they better do a good job!!
Finally, blogger Spiral Dragon, in a blog entry entitled “Abe Jong-il, dissolve the lower house immediately!” (安倍ジョンイルは直ちに衆議院を解散せよ！), minces no words when comparing Prme Minister Abe to North Korea leader Kim Jong-Il:
今回の参議院選挙の選挙結果とは、善良な有権者の大多数が安倍ジョンイルに対して「おい、このうすらトンカチの嘘つきのペテン師野郎！国政選挙によって選ばれていない総理のくせして、 いつまでも偉そうに総理の座にしがみついているんじゃねえよ！国民の多くは、テレビにお前の顔が写ったとたんにチャンネルを変えるくらい、お前のことが嫌いなんだよ！とっとと衆議院を解散して国民の前から失せろ！」という意思をはっきりと示したのだと思います。
Global Voices in Persian Takes off
· 06:04
Global Voices in Persian finally takes off officially. It started its first baby steps in June and a few of its translations have already been republished on a few sites including a very popular one, Gooya.com and the Iranian Digg,Balatarin.
On good days we get around 350 hits and 250 visitors and some bloggers have sent very encouraging emails. Our target audiences are Iranians and Afghans.
A new Iran-based website, Fararu, has published an article about us, saying: “Global Voices, considered a giant medium for blogs, has recently launched a version in Persian.”
When I heard that GV was available in Chinese, I thought it was great news but was skeptical about whether it would work for Iranians. Fortunately, it seems that I was wrong.
I should thank Alice Backer, GV Lingua Team Leader, for her care and attention and David Sasaki, our Outreach director, who encouraged me to start Global Voices in Persian.
10 comments · »»China: Citywide taxi strike
· 05:10
More than ten thousand taxi drivers in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province have gone on strike starting July 30, a number of blog posts yesterday and today are saying. The reason for the strike remains largely unclear and Chinese media have yet to report on the situation, but at least one blogger is saying that the local authorities are dealing with the situation by bringing in cabs and drivers from surrounding cities.
From Live Spaces blogger Weichen 22:
郑州的出租车罢工了
今天出租车罢工，给我罢郁闷了，怎么着也打不到车，好容易打到一个司机还要挑地方，大路可以走小路不拉···原因是怕同行看见他拉车把他车给砸了，据说上午已经出现了几例。对了，还不敢打表。
都疯了···
没有出租车的日子还真的挺难，市政府的头们估计今天是一个脑袋两个大。中国的通货膨胀已经让中央集团头晕脑热，人心动荡。真是大有大的乱法儿，小有小的闹法儿
Craziness…
Days without taxis are so hard to get through. I guess the city government is in over its head with this one. Inflation in China has already left the central government dizzy with brain fever, the people are uneasy. Little people know how to make little screw-ups, but only the big guys can pull off something like this.
Ycul blogger Li Yaoshuai:
在郑州出差
在郑州出差。出租车司机今天罢工了，一辆辆车在街上开过，都挂着牌：今天休息。但说休息又不真的休息，就来回遛，给需要坐但又坐不上的人一个刺激。
我没有车坐。但到郑州怎能不去喝羊肉汤呢？所以叫来好友黄威想办法。黄威是坐公交来的。看到这些来回游荡但在休息的出租车，黄威表示：不能受这窝囊气，年后要买车！
我心说，买了车上面写个牌子，天天休息。然后天天在郑州城里逛。怎么样？
当然，我并不反对出租车司机罢工。或许罢工是有道理的。——只不过坐不上车发几句牢骚罢了。
后来找了辆三蹦子，突突突，直奔羊肉汤店。喝完拉倒，再坐三蹦子，突突突，回酒店。今天三绷子扬眉吐气了：世界是你们的，也是我们的，就今天来说，是我们的！女司机，一位大嫂发了狠话：
瞧那些时样的，平时不坐我们的车，打的，今天怎么不打呢？
下车时黄威付钱。大嫂指责我：你看你脖子里挂着珠子，也不掏钱！谁时样我说谁！
我就让她说，心里高兴极了。
I don't own a car. But then I go to Zhengzhou and I can't even go out for mutton dinner. So I called my buddy Huang Wei up to think of a way out of this. Huang Wei took the bus over, and seeing all the taxis just wandering around said: this is so pointless. I can't take it. Next year I'm buying a car!
Here's what I'm thinking: I'll go buy a car and put up a sign: ‘no service everyday' and then go drive around Zhengzhou city. How about that?
Of course, I'm not opposed to the taxi drivers going on strike. At least striking has some sense to it—but do your strike thing, launch a few complaints, and then get on with it.
Later I found a tuk-tuk, rush rush rushed, straight to the mutton shop. Drank until I couldn't drink anymore and took another tuk-tuk, rush rush rush, back to the hotel. Today the tuk-tuk drivers are in their glory: the world is yours, but it's ours too. As for today, it's all ours! One female driver, one big auntie, made this snipe:
“Just look, normally you'd never take our rides, take taxis instead. So where are your taxis now, huh?”
We got off and Huang Wei paid. The auntie pointed at me and said: look, she's got pearls hanging around her neck, so why doesn't she pay huh? Not so ‘in' the way I see it!”
I just let her speak, and I was really happy inside.
Sina blogger Liu Gan, with photos and comments:
2007年7月30日，和往常一样月底来到郑州公司，不一样的是早上怎么也等不到出租车；真是奇怪！
好不容易等来了一辆！–（狂喜）；
只见司机师傅很有礼貌的踩了一脚刹车，
然后用手指指前挡玻璃；
直见一张纸条
–《今日休息》！
又过了许久。。。
后来才听别的司机说：“今天我们罢工了！”
陆续又传来一位出租司机“拉活”–车被同伴砸了！
晚上19点左右，突然狂风四起，下起了暴雨，，，
还是见不到出租的影子！
Finally one came and I was madly happy
Only to see the driver pull up sharply
And point to a piece of paper
Taped on the windshield
“No service today!”
A lot more time went by…
Then I heard another driver say: “we're on strike today!”
And so it went on until one driver stopped for a “pick-up”—and another taxi drove right into his!
Around 7 pm, the wind suddenly started blowing from all directions, and heavy rain burst down…
Still no sign of taxis!
到底怎么了！
这个城市发生了什么！
他们为什么这么做！
我们期待着明天的到来！
希望明天上班能坐到出租车！
What's happened in this city?
Why are they doing this!
We're waiting to see what happens tomorrow!
Hoping tomorrow there will be taxis to take!
Reader comments:
[匿名] 新浪网友
2007-07-31 08:39:50
一群猪，郑州市zf就从隔壁市调过来几百辆车运营个百八十天，看看是哪个王八蛋着急！！！！
[匿名] 新浪网友
2007-07-31 08:45:43
以上评论针对引起这起事件的单位、组织！
Would a city-wide taxi strike be enough to make one want to kill themselves? Sina blogger Yuyu812 jokes that it is in her post ‘Day One‘:
第一天变的特郁闷～～又开始淅淅沥沥的下雨～我有忽然变的不知所措～～不知道未来，不知道明天。。。虽然，拼死给自己定了目标。。知道如果要实现是难上加难的事。。。但是依然没了办法～～还只是默默接受～～
是不是默默接受的事太多了呢？？？让自己这样无措～
今天郑州出租车全体罢工～～果然，下了班出来从郑州北到郑州南。总共见了16辆出租车～14辆挂着牌－今日休息～～人民力量大～～估计那个不合理的改革也见不着下文了～～真是超强哎～～走完整个文化路只见了5辆～然后在27和火车站附近又见了9辆～～一路走的那叫个顺啊～～～真是从来没在下班时间走那么顺的路。。开始从农业路上拐文化路上还吓我一跳呢。。起码我前方100米内一辆车都没哎～这可是超不符合郑州实际情况呢～～劳动人民最光荣～～把劳动人民惹闹了。。任你是个谁出门让你打不着车～～
Does it sound like I'm silently accepting too much? That this is making me so forlorn?
Today all the taxis in Zhengzhou went on strike…sure enough, when I got off work I had to go from North Zhengzhou to South Zhengzhou. Of the 16 taxis I saw go by, 14 had ‘not in service' signs up. The power of the people is so strong! But I guess anything that doesn't go along with reforms doesn't stand much of a chance. But what a strong sight! Down all of Wenhua Rd. I only saw 5 taxis, but then near 27th and the train station I saw another nine…I've never seen the traffic flow so smoothly…never seen it move so fast during rush hour. All the way from Nongye Rd. to Wenhua Rd. I was shocked—for at least 100 meters ahead of me I couldn't see a single taxi. This is way too much for reality in Zhengzhou…the working class are the most glorious. When the working class gets ticked off, they can even stop you from finding a single taxi starting the minute you walk out the door…
And Live Spaces Timer Xu, also on a business trip, just happened to be having bad luck yesterday with transportation mess-ups that only ended with his arrival in taxi-less Zhengzhou:
下午17：20 空姐说5分钟后可以降落郑州新郑机场。
下午17：25 飞机掠过新郑机场，空姐说新郑机场上空有降雨云层，不适合降落，机长决定备降洛阳机场。
下午17：38 飞机降落洛阳机场。洛阳机场小雨。
晚上18：40 飞机从洛阳起飞，前往郑州。
晚上19：00 到达郑州新郑机场。新郑机场小雨。
晚上19：30 坐机场大巴开始出发前往郑州市区。
晚上20：15 到达郑州民航酒店。郑州大雨。在酒店吃饭。
晚上21：00 吃饭完毕。郑州小雨。出酒店门口发现大街上没有一辆出租车。
揽客跑长途的黑车师傅说今天郑州万余出租车集体罢工， 晕倒。
晚上21：10 上了一辆三轮车。三轮车师傅很拽，不是火车站方向的不拉，没有选择的机会。
晚上21：29 坐三轮车到住处。三轮车师傅很拽，20元不打折，没有讲价的余地
一句话总结就是：7月底，出行不宜
Afternoon 5:25 The zooms over Zhengzhou Airport, the stewardess says the weather above Zhengzhou airport is cloudy with light showers, not suitable for landing, and the captain has decided to reroute to Luoyang Airport.
Afternoon 5:38 The plane lands at Luoyang Airport. Luoyang Airport has light rain.
Evening 6:40 The airplane takes off from Luoyang Airport, proceeds to Zhengzhou.
Evening 7:00 We arrive at Zhengzhou Airport. Zhengzhou Airport has light rain.
Evening 7:30 I take the airport shuttle toward downtown Zhengzhou.
Evening 8:15 Arrive at Zhengzhou Aviation Hotel. Zhengzhou has heavy rain. Eat in the hotel.
Evening 9:00 Finish eating. Zhengzhou has light rain. Go out the hotel door and see there's not a single taxi on the streets.
A guy scouting for passengers for an illegal long-distance taxi says the more than 10,000 taxi drivers in Zhengzhou have all gone on strike. I faint.
Evening 9:10 I get on a tuk-tuk. The tuk-tuk driver is very obstinate, will only go to the train station or won't go at all and refuses me any other choices.
Evening 9:29 Take a tuk-tuk back to the hotel. The tuk-tuk driver is very obstinate, 20 yuan or no deal, before I even tell him where I'm going.
A few words in conclusion for the end of July: not fit for travel!
Arabeyes: Singers Banned in Syria and Terrorist Arabs at All Airports
· 04:44
A number of female Arab singers have been banned from singing in Syria - to put a limit to moral corruption. In another development, Arabs seem to be targeted at airports around the world, even in their own homes, where they are being treated like terrorists.
These are just two of the conversations taking place in Arabic blogs this week.
Syria: No to Some Female Singers
Subzero Blue from Tunisia has a story about banning famous singers from performing in Syria in this post.
و وضح عبيد أنّ هذا القرار صدر للحدّ من: “التلوث الأخلاقي الذي يسببه الغناء الذي ينتمي الى العري أكثر من انتمائه لفن الغناء”.
لا أدري لو كان كلامه صحيحاً أو أنّ ما تتناقله بعض وسائل الاعلام هو الصحيح، و لكن ما أعرفه و أوافق عليه هو أنّ الوسط الفنّي العربيّ وصل إلى مستوى لا مثيل له من التلوث و الانحطاط الأخلاقي، و أتمنّى لو أنّ جميع البلدان العربيّة و المهرجانات الكبيرة تتخذ موقفاً ضدّ هذا الانحدار المتواصل.
I don't know whether what he is saying or what the media agencies are saying is the truth. But what I agree with is that the Arab singing scene has reached an unprecedented low level of pollution and moral decay. I really do wish that all Arab countries and festivals take a united stance against such corruption.
Egypt: Arab Terrorists at Airports
Ahmed Gharbiya from Egypt describes how all Arab men are suspected as being terrorists in airports around the world and at home.
ضع كل متعلقاتك في هذه الصينية
هل ترتدي حزاما؟
الزجاجات و القناني لا يمكنك أن تمر بها بعد هذه النقطة
هل يوجد حاسوب محمول في هذه الحقيبة؟ يجب أن تخرجه ليمر وحده في الماسحة
مرّ من البوابة الآن
أرني بطاقة صعود الطائرة..وثيقة السفر
ما هذا؟ شريحة ذاكرة؟
أصبحت أحب الذعر الفضول الذي يسببه شكلي لهم؛ ذكر شاب من الشرق الأوسط باسم عربي مسلم و شعر داكن يسافر وحده و لا يحمل سوى حقيبة واحدة و وثيقة سفر عجيبة الشكل و الحجم مكتوبة بياناتها بخط اليد.
أسأل: معي عملات معدنية، أضعها في الصينية أيضا؟
أرفع قميصي بشكل مبالغ فيه قائلا: انظري لا يوجد حزام.
أمر من بوابة الماسح بخطوات مسرحية مادا ذراعيّ كجناحين و بنظرة تدعو فرد الأمن ليمرر يده أو جهازه…خُش عليّ خُش
أفتح زجاجة المياه في بطء و أشرب منها.
أفكر قبل الإجابة على كل سؤال حتى لو كانت الإجابة حاضرة.
بعد أن أمر من آخر عقبة أمنية..أستكشف قليلا ثم أعود لأقف و أراقب من الناحية الأخرى كيف تعمل نقطة التفتيش.
من سيكون عليه الخضوع لتدقيق أكثر، من سيخلع حذاءه. ما مواصفات ذاك الذي يثير شك رجل الأمن.
أقارن بين كيفية عمل العقبات في كل مطار و كل بلد. الدقة، الانسياب، سلوك الموظفين، سلوك المسافرين و نوعياتهم.
أنا إرهابي..فلأستمتع بالدور.
كنت أُعد إرهابيا في الخارج و أنا الآن إرهابي في وطني أيضا. أفكر في طلب منحة تفرغ.
I have a lot of time there which I have spend.
Put all your belongings into that tray.
Are you wearing a belt?
Bottles and glass will not be allowed into the airport beyond a certain point.
Is there a laptop in this bag? You have to get it out so that it gets scanned on its own.
Now you can pass through the door.
Show me your boarding pass and passport.
What is this? Figments of your memory?
I have started to love the look of fear my appearance causes them. A male traveller from the Middle East, with an Arab name and a Muslim religion, with dark hair, travelling alone and carrying just one bag and a funny looking passport, where the details are handwritten.
I ask: I have coins in my pocket. Shall I put them in the tray?
I lift my shirt in an exaggerated manner and say: Look, I am not wearing a belt.
I pass through the door in a theatrical manner, lifting my arms like wings, with a look that encourages the security guard to body search me.
I open the bottle of water slowly and drink from it.
I think of the answer to each question, even if I already knew the reply.
After I pass the final security check..I stop for a while to see how everyone is treated at the inspection point.
Who will be subjected to closer checking? Who will be asked to take off his shoe? What are the characteristics of those who stir the fear of security guards? I compare how those obstacles are tackled in each country and airport - the consistency, the flow, the actions of employees and the reactions and types of passengers.
I am a terrorist - so I should at least enjoy the role.
I used to be counted as a terrorist abroad but I am now considered a terrorist in my own country.
I am thinking of taking a Sabbatical leave.
Iraq: WE WOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!
· 04:05
(3adma announcing the victory of the Iraqi football team in the Asian Cup) With Iraq, very much the underdog, winning the Asian Cup I have another football special today.
(Baghdad Connect suggests a new Iraqi Flag)
You know, a few years back an Israeli, seeing that I was reading a book about Palestine, pointed out to me that the Palestinians never once created a national basketball team, how could they claim to be a nation? Well, by his benchmark, Iraq is the greatest country in the world this week. And here are the bloggers words to prove it…
The feeling we had today will never be forgotten, Iraqis here were all united, there weren't sunni or shiite or kurdish people, they were all iraqis just iraqis.
We all had great moments today, where laughter was mixed with the clean tears of joy of the true iraqs who love their country and do not care about being sunni or shiite or whatever. …CONGRATULATIONS IRAQ……
LONG LIVE IRAQ….
WE WILL HAVE PEACE ONE DAY AND WE WILL ALL RETURN TO OUR HOME AND WE WILL BE UNITED IRAQIS AGAIN, WHERE THE SUNNI IS A SHIITE AND THE SHIITE IS A SUNNI, THE KURDI IS ARABI AND THE ARABI IS KURDI OR TURKOMANI, THE MUSLIM IS A CHRISTIAN AND THE CHRISTIAN IS MUSLIM. THIS DAY WON'T TAKE TOO LONG TO COME, ALL THESE CRIMINALS IN POWER NOW WILL BE REMOVED AND THE REAL IRAQIS WILL LEAD THE COUNTRY AGAIN TO PEACE.
LONG LIVE IRAQ…Ole' Ole' Ole' Iraq.
Elyoum yomak ya iraqi.
The GREAT LIONS OF BABYLON WON!!! You should have been there. YOu should have seen the happiness on everyones faces. You should have seen the tears on everyones cheeks. This surely is one of the greatest days and times for Iraq. For the Great Iraq. … THE GREAT LIONS OF BABYLON WON!!!
Omar:
Today is definitely the happiest day for Iraqis in years. Tears of joy mixed with prayers for hope on the faces of millions of Iraqis…Words truly fail me and I can't describe the feeling so please pardon me if the post doesn't sound coherent; I hear the cheering and music outside although the bullets of celebration keep falling on the ground and roofs here and there. But no one seems to worry about that, the moment is so great that fear has no place in the hearts of the millions of fans, neither from bullets nor from crazy suicide bombers who tried to kill our joy last week.
In my wildest dreams, I didn't imagine that Iraq could win the Asian cup.…. As soon as the refree ended the match. hundreds of thousands of Iraqi all over the globe were out in the street partying the joy of the victory. As for me, I couldn't control myself and I went on crying like a baby. It was a great moment not for my own life only, but for millions of Iraqis I'm sure.
Congratulations to the Lions of Mesopotamia for winning the Asian Cup. You did not let us down. You brought a smile and joy to our hearts, and took the pain out of our chests even if it was for one day.
A Tale of Hero's and Zeros…
According to Nabil, blogging from Jordan, sporting hero's award goes to the Saudi fans in, the capital, Amman:
Saudi people are the best people, they proved that they care about iraqis and that they are brothers to the iraqis… I really respected them today, they went out in their cars carrying iraqi flags an said “Iraqi….Iraqi… you deserve it”.
And zero's of the day goes to the Jordanian Police. Neurotic Wife reports:
Yet even with this joy and happiness, some countries didn’t allow the Iraqis to share their rare celebrations. In Amman and Dimashq, police started beating up the Iraqi fans, and tearing up Iraqi flags. Funny how one anonymous reader asked me to be grateful to Jordan. Oh really??? Look at what theyre doing!!! Even in those rare and short moments of laughter, they kill it. Their hatred is so overwhelming. And when I talk about countries, I don’t mean the people, I mean the governments and their policies, so don’t take me wrong.
and Nabil, again:
it was really a very happy day but the bad thing was the response of the Jordanian authorities, they started to stop the cars and take the iraqi flags from the people and they arrested several people and beated several guys.
Shame on you, Jordan.
A new unity…
Last of Iraqis goes for a walk through the streets of Baghdad:
I was so amazed and happy for what I have seen , I've seen the streets busy as before the war , people every where walking and in cars celebrating and cheering , I was so delighted for this , I've seen the unity at last , for whatever reason it's still a unity , people coming from Adhamiya and from Al-Sa`ab and Al-Kahira and meeting in Al-Nidaa mosque intersection , they met to celebrate at the same spot where everyday confrontations happen , they met to celebrate there country victory in the same spot where conflicts and terrorists attacks takes place , I was very happy to see this , and I laughed my guts out when I saw a National Guards convoy , with the soldiers on the Humvees dancing and cheering in a very funny way , I saw the happiness everywhere , I felt it in the air , I felt safe for the first time since I got back to Baghdad.
Every Body said that the Iraqi Team united the Iraqi people behind them and did what the politicians failed to do which is bringing the Iraqis together. I think the Correct statement is that the Iraqi National team fixed what the politicians are trying to do which is dividing the already United Iraqi people.
Let the victims of the terrorists and wars celebrate tonight!The football team will unite the Iraqis irrespective of their differences.
Millions of Congratulations for all the Iraqis.
24 Steps to Liberty gets emails from around the world:
I actually got emails from friends overseas congratulating me. For once, I felt like a normal citizen of this globe. People emailed me not to talk about the last casualty number or the last development in the idle political process in Iraq, but to say congratulations. Oh people how much I miss this word.“Hi Champion - Congratulations from Jerusalem!” said one of my friends and professors.
“IRAQ WINS IRAQ WINS IRAQ WINS!!” said the subject of another email from my American friend in Cairo. “Mabruk alayhom!!” the message said, congratulations to them, “it's the best news ever. I hope they are celebrating in the streets again!”
… old divisions …
Neurotic Wife on the Saudi's:
One guy, N, said with great excitement, this was far more than a game, we beat the Wahhabis, he said. We beat them and showed them what Iraq is. We broke their noses (An Iraqi expression). I smiled, for it seems everyone took the football as a war. Just like I did. Everyone wanted to prove a point, everyone wanted to throw the Saudi noses to the floor, and oh yes we did. The Lions of Babylon did this so gracefully. What a team
But Great Baghdad sees a negative side to this attitude:
as the the Saudi people started to congratulate the Iraqi people for their win and achievement, the sectarian minded people in Iraq started to chant that ” against the Wahabists ( the sonni sect in Saudi) this cup is a shiat”. And they say that the others are sectarian!.
… the dead remembered …
On the day of that most Iraqi's celebrated Baghdad Treasure's cousin was collecting her dead son from the morgue. He died while saving injured neighbours from the aftermath of a car bomb, caught in the crossfire between Iraqi troops and angry residents. He writes:
A 17-year-old teenager, Sameer died doing a noble thing, helping his wounded neighbors and friends to ambulances after a massive car bomb …I thought about Sameer a lot. He was a huge fan of soccer. I thought of him when our team won, and never forgot how his body was still at the morgue when the referee announced the end of the game. While many Iraqis rejoiced the triumph, there were many mothers crying for their dead children. My cousin was one of them.
Goodbye Sameer. We’ll miss you a lot. We’ll miss your smiling face when always won backgammon. We’ll always remember your earlier struggle and your heroism that will pave the road of martyrdom and the greatness of all Iraqis who sacrificed themselves to help our country.
Great Baghdad remembers the celebrating fans that were killed by a car bomb after the match against South Korea:
But the fiends of death were not pleased to see the Iraqis gathering in big crowds with no difference or discrimination between Sunni, Shiite or Kurds, so, they tried to kill the joy and turn off the flame of unity and the result was a bombed car and 50 innocent people killed. To be quite honest, I couldn't sleep that night!One of the poor women has lost her son in that brutal blast decided not to set up the funeral because she believed that the Iraqi team would win the cup. So, the Iraqi players made a promise to do the impossible to grab the victory in the final. And they didn't disappoint that poor mother and other 25 millions of Iraqi ppl.
… and the politicians warned
If Iraqis cannot unite on a simple soccer match, then how could they agree on a unified government? There will be no way out of it, if this is so.
It is not worth to wait for lives being lost or for a weak government to reach a decision. We now know that Iraqis can no longer trust their next door neighbors. However, this can change if Iraqis want to attain their peace without the necessity of the government. People from all nations should realize that what goes on within the government can only create more chaos among the local society and to save the people is to encourage an understanding that at certain ocassions like the Asian Cup, Iraqis must do their best to protect their people from any danger against any certain faction of Iraq.
And Laith asks the politicians if they have learned a lesson:
The most important thing our national team did is giving you an important lesson about the most important subject in the school of life. The lesson was (how to be A Real Iraqi). They worked together. We didn’t have 11 players in the field, we had only one player but with 11 bodies. …. This is the lesson I talk about and I hope that you (our politicians) who watched the match and rewarded the knight, I hope you understand the lesson very well and try to pass the exams you have. The political crisis is not more than an exam and you are failures until this moment. I hope you study the lesson of the Iraqi national team again and try hard to pass this final exam.4 comments · »»
Links for Roundups
Sub-Saharan Africa
Mzalendo reports the arrest of Kenyan activists who are opposing the proposed Kshs 1.4 billion bonus for MPs: “Finally, we URGE Mzalendo users to support the protest in your own small way by letting your MP know exactly how you feel about the proposed gratuity by leaving them a comment on their profile and letting them know that their support for the payment will be remembered come voting time. We at Mzalendo will try to gather details about which MPs have lent their support to the proposal, such as MP Mardsen Madoka.”
Middle East & North Africa
Jordanian Natasha Tynes is having difficulties understanding why a Jordanian court halved the sentence of a man accused of murdering his own daughter.
Eastern & Central Europe
Sean's Russia Blog translates a former insider's look at the pro-Putin Nashi youth movement.
Eastern & Central Europe
The beatroot reviews the history of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Anne writes about a very interesting case for bloggers and net activists, “The 39-year-old man suspected of posing as the male prostitute who blogged about having sex with prominent South Africans has appeared in a magistrate's court in Cape Town on charges of theft and crimen injuria*. The crimen injuria complaint against Juan Duval Uys was lodged by Simon Grindrod, the Independent Democrats councillor. Grindrod's name had been used on an Afrikaans blog, which claimed he had had sex with a prostitute named Skye, who is now believed to be Uys.
South Asia
A blog Weeping Sikkim chronicles two people going on a hunger fast (currently Day 41) in the state of Sikkim to protest a particular hydro electric project.
South Asia
Pickled Politics has a message from a mailing list, on the recent controversy in the UK, when a bull belonging to a Hindu temple was put down after being diagnosed with tuberculosis.