Democracy in Zimbabwe : Missing Presumed Dead

Video from the Solidarity Peace Trust.



Inflation in Zimbabwe has now hit 1,700,000%, and it is forecast to hit between 1,800,000% and 2,000,000% by next week.

The government is now printing money on ordinary office paper.

Great moments from the campaign trail

Micah Sifry looks at Obama's problems with the jewish vote and found this video from Boca Raton, Florida.



He says:

I learned two things from watching this. One, that Obama seems to have won over his audience pretty effectively, judging from the loud applause and standing ovation he gets at the end. Two, he has a very funny way of disarming people who have been getting those viral emails claiming that he is a Muslim. At about the 6:00 mark in the video, he asks them "If you get an email from a Nigerian who says you can make a lot of money is you send him a $1000, don't send your money." The crowd starts to laugh knowingly. They roar as he continues, "We don't believe stuff when there are advertisements that say we can enhance your ... then why would you believe an email that says stuff about me?

On this other video, which was taped by someone who recorded part of the live TV coverage of Obama's appearance, it's interesting to see that the audience actually applauds appreciatively when he explains that his name, Barack, actually comes from the same root and has the same meaning of the Hebrew name, "Baruch," which means blessed. Corny, but effective, perhaps.

This is pretty neat too, Obama dancing in the streets in Peurto Rico

But the highlight thus far was watching the Democratic National Committee (DNC) meeting today in Washington DC to determine the fate of the contested Florida and Michigan delegates. Sounds terribly boring but it was actually all about the highest drama.

I could watch it live as it was streamed and the stream was offered to anyone as embeddable by the DNC. Great stuff and very practical politics as on the DNC site the stream was only getting 1700 viewers but this was magnified by also being available on many other very popular blogs and websites - real edemocracy in action.

Poor us, fuel costs and the next generations

I had an interesting experience this week. A work colleague of mine was bemoaning the rapid rise in fuel costs as her taxi business is tipping over into unprofitability. It was hard to be unsympathetic because she works very hard and doesn't make much money (her job isn't well paid) - there are thousands of people in her sort of situation - so I expressed sympathy and nothing more.

The problem I had being just sympathetic was that things aren't going to get any easier and everyone actually knows this. Basically, her industry has no future unless it changes and the best thing to say would be to move out of it and do something else because the government isn't subsidising change and doesn't seem likely to. But I didn't say that.

There's a weird disconnect where everyone realises oil is running out, carbon is accumulating and most know the future climate will change with very bad impacts for coming generations.

How we're reacting to this as individuals is pretty badly, I was also thinking this whilst reading Can the ecohackers save us? in The Guardian

Many scientists now believe the Earth can be altered to tackle global warming. But are these geoengineers being overly optimistic?

People want to put iron in the oceans, reflectors between us and the sun, and shoot sulfur into the atmosphere. You have to think that somewhere, something like this will actually happen and have some sort of disastrous unforeseen global impact.

At the end of the article one scientist says "[actually] the simplest thing is to stop putting in the gases that cause the warming."

The problem being, of course, that this means some selfless behaviour for the benefit of future generations, change, especially of lifestyles we're used to, and 'little' things like whole industries - such as taxis - changing radically if they're not to go to the wall. None of which we yet seem to be very good at or forcing politicians to enable or, in my case, consistently arguing for, even when it's very difficult.

Oh jeez! Not the sheep!

Dutch ad for free chocolate condom giveaway in equivalent of Radio Times. Very popular with Gene Robinson, apparently.

BBC Web Review; curate's egg

I must admit that I wasn't expecting much from the BBC Trust review of their website — and the big headlines are all about money issues. Yawn. But it makes a few points which are totally correct. More additions when I read the whole thing.

"We believe that effective external linking is a key way in which the BBC can manage the risk of becoming a 'dominant gateway service' identified in the [Philip] Graf review [of bbc.co.uk in 2004]."

Doh! BBC linking isn't very useful for users - this isn't the language used but should be. Look at a story, any story, and see who they link to, and where, compared to who, and where, an average blogger would pick. BBC picks are too corporate rather than user-friendly.

They also nailed BBC search: "is not effective and its usage is declining". Because it's not useful. Again with the language. It really is crap compared to searching the site via Google. But the Internet team knows this, it's obviously just the higher-ups who haven't let them prioritise fixing it. Or just buy Google Enterprise.

One thing they couldn't get more wrong is that they think the Beeb shouldn't get embedding happening, as is planned.

"We are [also] not convinced that BBC management's ambition to be 'part of' the web rather than 'on it' by embedding BBC content on other sites, such as YouTube, plays any role in acting as a 'trusted guide' to the wider web. Rather, this is mainly a way of marketing BBC content to those who might not otherwise access it."

And this is a bad thing?

Well they are called the BBC 'Trust' aren't they?

I also found the general tone about helping 'the competition' a bit slack as, in the area of national and international news, where are the competition? What about the bigger context of the decline of newspapers? Is the BBC supposed to play some sort of King Canute role for them when, mostly, it's their own fault? The BBC has dominance in news generally - are they attacking that? And the website merely reflects that dominance.

What could possibly be critiqued is where they're getting away from straight news reporting and into features and columnists. And maybe in the local area. Much local news is pretty pick'n'mix - it's odd how different providers locally pick vastly different 'news'. I can see how boosting local 'news' coverage on bbc.co.uk would rightly piss off local papers.

To quote review chairwoman, Patricia Hodgson, the site must be "distinctive - setting itself aside from what you can find elsewhere." I think it's actually healthy that commercial providers have BBC competition when the BBC is more user friendly (that's when). And actually the UK is not in many areas a big enough market to allow much other competition - what Hodgson may be enabling is simply an alternative monopoly. This idea of 'competitors' shouldn't be about the needs of business but users. Much of the so-called competition just isn't very good - and that's why it doesn't beat the BBC, not because they're "overwhelmed by the scale of the BBC".

Simply put, this isn't a webbies perspective on the web - it's a bureaucrat's reacting to business pressures. Not necessarily good for users (or 'consumers' if you must).

Les Patterson lives!

Despite the best efforts, largely on the backs of aboriginal culture, the success of 'Australian culture' has always been going - shall we say? - against the grain?

This week came a rather traditional backlash, confirmation of the dominant grain, as an art gallery in Sydney was raided (a major one, the RoslynOxley9 Gallery) for 'child pornography' images by the world renowned photographer Bill Henson.

Of course they weren't 'pornographic' except in the eyes of the prudish. But there was a 'beat-up'.

Beat-up
Australian slang - meaning: an exaggeration, big talk about nothing, often found in the media

The PM, Kevin Rudd, weighed in:

"Absolutely revolting. Whatever the artistic view of the merits of that sort of stuff - frankly, I don't think there are any - just allow kids to be kids."

Henson has had numerous shows involving nudes before - no reaction.

What links Rudd and New South Wales Premier Morris ("offensive and disgusting") Iemma? Catholicism, well known for its hypocrisy in such matters. Australian politics is steeped in this stuff.

Now you know why the Les Patterson stereotype is based on more than a kernel of truth.

Update: a group of prominent Aussies, including Cate Blanchett, released a letter today about the raid.

"We should remember that an important index of social freedom, in earlier times or in repressive regimes elsewhere in the world, is how artists and art are treated by the state."

"The intention of the art is not to titillate or to gratify perverse sexual desires, but rather to make the viewer consider the fragility, beauty, mystery and inviolability of the human body.

"The work itself is not pornographic, even though it includes depictions of naked human beings. It is more justly seen in a tradition of the nude in art that stretches back to the ancient Greeks, and which includes painters such as Caravaggio and Michelangelo."

"If an example is made of Bill Henson . . . it is hard to believe that those who have sought to bring these charges will stop with him."

"Rather, this action will encourage a repressive climate of hysterical condemnation."

Stuff you may have missed in the news

Er, why isn't this news?

Press Association: Millions attend gay pride pageant

1 day ago

Millions of people waving rainbow flags and wearing lavish Carnival costumes paraded in South America's biggest city on Sunday to celebrate gay pride and demand an end to homophobia and sexism.

Organisers estimated that about five million people attended the 12th annual Sao Paulo Gay Pride Parade, traditionally one (sic) of the world's biggest. Local authorities did not give a crowd estimate, but said millions were likely present.

I have a hard time even vaguely imaging that number. The biggest anti-war march, biggest ever in the UK, was, upper estimate, 1 million, and Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras upper estimate is 500k. Five million?!

ITN (only UK mention) sardonically noted:

On a visit last year to Brazil, the world's most populous Catholic country, Pope Benedict attracted less than 1 million when he spoke out against homosexuality and called for traditional family values to be reinforced.

“They have got to have some skin in the game”

A sickening member of the US Congress, Rahm Emanuel, said today about Iraqi reconstruction “they have got to have some skin in the game” — meaning that they should pay for all destroyed bridges, hospitals, schools as well as cities, towns and villages.

Dr. Dahlia Wasfi was born to a Jewish mother and an Iraqi father. She put her medical career on hold to visit with family members in Iraq, and recently returned from a three-month stay in Basrah and Baghdad. Dr. Wasfi described her experience in Iraq and discussed the life of Iraqis under occupation on April 27, 2006 to a Democrat congressional caucus.

Well worth ten minutes to hear and be reminded of, she sums up the ongoing horror and underlines the sheer chutzpah of characters like Emanuel. Blair and Brown: you will never be forgiven.



I will note as well that life for gays is far worse now than under Saddam.

HT: Crooks & Liars

This is some footage of testimony by an American soldier at a 'vets against the war' conference which has just been published. (n.b. contains disturbing thoughts and images).



Source.

Web power: Avaaz beats the Burmese colonels

This is a pretty amazing demonstration of how the Web is able to respond and deliver in ways unimaginable a decade ago.

In the days since a catastrophic cyclone struck Burma and killed over 100,000 people, Avaaz members have donated $2 million (almost 1.3 million Euros) to the aid effort. Our community has given more than many governments, and our aid hasn't been stopped at the border like theirs -- we've supported Burmese monks and other aid groups who have worked without their brutal government's permission.

Avaaz.org is an international civic organization that promotes issues such as climate change and human rights. Its stated mission is to "ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making." The organization operates in thirteen languages, and claims more than three million members from every country in the world.

It's been a challenge to get such a lot of money in. Most Burmese groups can safely move only a limited amount of money each day through informal networks. So far, we know that $550,000 has arrived in Burma and been spent, and an additional $1,000,000 is en route and may have arrived. We are currently working with the International Burmese Monk Organization and 7 other Burmese organizations, including monk groups, educational groups, and medical clinics, who have asked not to be named for their own security.

The way the money moves is through informal transfers between bank accounts and by hand. Sometimes it is as simple as a deposit in one country that is then withdrawn inside Burma by the account holder and then carried to a monastery or aid group. Because many merchants do this, the Burmese government cannot tell the difference between commercial funds and aid money.

This work carries some dangers; Burmese junta has harassed and, in one case, attacked the groups we are working with. But in the vast majority of cases, soldiers simply arrive, warn our partners that their work must be authorized by the government, and leave. Once they are out of sight, the aid work continues.

It is a challenge in such circumstances to exercise complete oversight over how the money is used -- most of the work is in secret. But we have chosen to work only with the most universally respected institutions, and we have asked them to provide detailed lists of monasteries and groups who receive it. These details allow us to verify receipt of the funds.

And this is where that money's ended up.


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Here's their donation page.

Cabinet Office still got no, nada, zip clue on web best practice

Public Sector Forums has been chasing the Cabinet Office over accessibility. It says that their "prestigious new 'Customer Service Excellence Standard' website":

• breaches the legal requirements and government standards on accessibility
• ignores the Cabinet Office's own web guidelines
• flouts completely the Central Office of Information's guidance on procuring 'Delivering Inclusive Websites'
• contravenes the PAS 78 'Good Practice for Commissioning Accessible Websites' (which the Cabinet Office contributed to)

It's actually blindingly obvious, there in front of your eyes, why this website just doesn't get it with how government websites need to improve their 'service' to get customers using them.

Have a look at the navigation -




That's grey text on dark grey background. Very hard to read. There's 'standards' on that, y'know. And above it a breadcrumb trail featuring the faintest grey text.

You couldn't get a clearer example of being - literally - out of touch on what this page calls "Customer Insight. Segmentation. Leadership" when it comes to the web. Find me one successful commercial website using grey text on grey background and I'll snog GB.

If they can't even recognise what's right there in front of their eyes, well. Where do you start?

It, of course, gets worse. Type 'analytics' or 'usability' in the search - nothing.

And the page title is 'Hub' ...

'Leadership'? 'Excellence'? You have got to be jossin' me ...