Can’t quite finish the vlog I’m working on tonight so instead I wanted to bring up Burma. Or Myanmar, same difference.
What strikes me as odd and worthy of attention about Burma is that over the past 6 years they’ve managed to come in completely below the diplomatic and global media radar. Besides the international sanctions applied years ago, rarely does any politician in any country make a concerned speech about a country ruled by a bunch of military thugs. They periodically arrest political dissidents and are conducting their own insane slave labor project of building a new capital, mostly funded with the help of Dick Cheney associates of the oil industry. I guess that detail helps to explain some of the silence from the diplomatic side.
Today I read about Russia’s deal to supply them with a nuclear reactor. Naturally the Russian government, having long shown it doesn’t care much for human rights, see’s no problem in doing such big business with a cabal that the world likes to not think about. And irritatingly enough, compared to all the noise about Iran, or the scary stories spread about North Korea, one would have to work very hard to find criticism of this deal from any powerful government out there.
For the time being, I’ll look to the Burma correspondents of global voices online, who normally provide a good snapshot of happenings in the isolated country.
Tomorrow I’m coming out of academic retirement and participating in blogwalk Amsterdam. I think I’ll take the boat, hopefully parking won’t be bad.
Just over a year ago, Michelle Bachelet was elected the first female president of Chile. A moderate socialist, there were high expectations about social programs and a more progressive Chilé. However things have not gone as many imagined, and in the last year there has been a sort-of revolt against the president from many social groups. This podcast tells that story.
Guest: Rosario Lizana of Global Voices Online
We Discuss:
-Bachelet’s popularity
-Problems with the education system
-Public Transport Revolt
-The president before
-The situation for women
-The media versus the blogs
-Pasqua Lama goldmine
-The silver lining?
-Argentina
note: There will be no special 200th episode, too much time is wasted on the self-congratulating process in the blog-pod-vlogosphere. However, thanks to everyone out there who has listened and still listens to my program, its an honor to part of your listening routine.
In the western world, blogs are famous for being both about nothing and something. We see different examples of how blogs are used everywhere as we travel the internets. But what about in Uganda; who is blogging, what are they talking about, and why?
my guest, sitting with me at a bakery in the heart of Amsterdam, is Josh from In An African Minute.
We talk about:
-What internet access is like in Uganda, how the average person accesses the net.
-Dominant media in Uganda, which are they, and how do they report the news.
– Bloggers in Uganda, what are they concerned about?
– who are the bloggers, the profiles of Ugandan bloggers.
– the importance of blogs in talking about events in Somalia, and the military deployment there.
– Computers in Uganda, and who has them.
– The future of the blogosphere, as compared to neighboring countries.
– And more.. so give it a listen!
We also mention the following recommended reading:
Jackfruity
GLobal Voices Online