Hip-hop can’t stop, won’t stop in Burma

Things move slow. And the country is still pretty conservative. But now people are really open to new things, showing different stuff that would be normal in America 21-year-old rappers Ash and X-Box explain the challenges that came with creating hip-hop culture in a military dictatorship. Read article on GlobalPost. More

Sunday Roundup: Sudan, particles, Gil Scott-Heron

New Visual Evidence of Government of Sudan War Crimes in Abyei. Here we are, again. Al-Bashir is back, alive and kicking. Hard. Again. And unlike in #Darfur, this time we have proof of what is happening right now, thanks to the Satellite Sentinel Project: ‘The Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) has released new visual evidence that the Government of ... More

Sunday Roundup: Unhappy China, JPMorgan Chase, Jal

It’s about being ‘happy’ or ‘unhappy’. Support of #Ai Weiwei makes #China “unhappy”. Reported by Yahoo News, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: ‘The Chinese people also feel baffled — why do some people in some countries treat a crime suspect as a hero? […] The Chinese people are ... More

Sunday Roundup: Portal 2, Tim Hetherington, MOCA…

Portal 2 is out! This game is awesome and I think I should write an entire blog post about it. Seriously. It’s clever and fun, even CNN says so! ‘The story is fantastic, and the writing and dialogue remain one of the cornerstones to this series. GLaDOS’s voice is dripping with sarcasm and malice even as her tone remains soothing and calm. ... More

China’s Fabulous Deals: Curb Your Enthusiasm

I wish I was talking about Larry David’s TV show, but I am not. A few days ago, China’s President Hu Jintao arrived in Paris for a three-day state visit with billions of dollars in deals thrown in. When it comes to make deals during those difficult economic times, France like many other countries, is ready to look away to ... More

Sudan, Burma, Congo… The power of carrot and stick: reductio ad absurdum?

I have expressed my humble opinion about Sudan, Burma, Congo and other issues on many occasions on this blog, looking at the root causes and trying to explain them with simple words. I have close friends working in local organizations in France but also abroad, and it is always rewarding to discuss with experienced people. For the “60 Signers for the 60th ... More

Darfur, Congo, Burma: is ‘good will’ enough?

The plights in Darfur, Congo and Burma are different on many aspects but the initiatives launched by organizations (human rights, humanitarian, etc) all have the same goal: help the people living in danger and provide them assistance when needed. As you may already know, I truly think Tall oaks from little acorns grow, nevertheless I am not naive and I know ... More

People of goodwill against the rest of the world? Maybe…

The world is complex and the more we try to simplify it, the more difficult it is to see the large picture in its full complexity per se. This rule is applicable to politics, religion, science, economy and to our daily life. Oversimplifying a situation or an issue by making hasty generalizations will undoubtedly lead to inaccurate conclusions. And basing a ... More

Martin Luther King Jr. and Obama’s election: Free at last?

Martin Luther King Jr. holds a special place in my life. When I was at school I studied everything he said, everything he did; I used to write articles about him for my student newspaper. I am not into religion at all so sometimes I was uncomfortable with some of his speeches but Martin Luther King’s strength, commitment and powerful discourses ... More

Will 2009 be better or only ‘less worse’ than 2008?

Yes, I know, I am late. Well, not yet. Before writing this post, I read the one I posted last year, on December 31st 2007: Tall oaks from little acorns grow and nothing has really changed since then… I mentioned the plight in Darfur, Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma, and several crisis (environment, food, economics…) threatening us. And I am afraid to ... More