A satirical piece on the satirical site of The Onion imagines Mark Zuckerberg’s daughter writing to her father criticizing Facebook Daddy, I’ve been thinking. I know I never talk to you about Facebook. You’ve worked really hard on it, and it means a lot to you, so as your daughter …
Read More »Some thoughts on the upcoming 2018 polls
Keep it real As the 2018 polls come around the corner, I can understand that politicians will want to give it their all. However, they should avoid setting impossibly high standards of piety or overnight development, and in the process raise unrealistic expectations. Democracy is not a silver bullet to …
Read More »Looking Around
Kindness is the glue that holds Bhutanese society together. In an often hostile world, we revel in the traditions and glories of this beautiful country. It is a special place in so many ways. As a resident of Thimphu, and a long time observer of Bhutan and the Bhutanese, I …
Read More »Bedside Toilet- Dignity and Desperation
Bedside Toilet Borrowing program was created at Bhutan Toilet Org in 2017, almost accidentally. We had four units of portable potty, which were bought to be used as guest toilets during Highland Festival in Laya, but after realising that the potties wouldn’t be suitable for huge public events we kept them …
Read More »Social Media: No longer a Knight in shining armor but a mirror and amplifier
When the Arab Spring broke out in the Arab streets in 2010, everyone swore by the benefits of the social media in fostering and strengthening democracy and human rights. Be it Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or other platforms social media was seen as the perfect tool to get beyond the oppressive …
Read More »Why Is Bangladesh Booming?
NEW YORK – Bangladesh has become one of Asia’s most remarkable and unexpected success stories in recent years. Once one of the poorest regions of Pakistan, Bangladesh remained an economic basket case – wracked by poverty and famine – for many years after independence in 1971. In fact, by 2006, …
Read More »How Press Freedom Is Won
ACCRA – Every year on May 3 – World Press Freedom Day – news producers and consumers pause to reflect on the state of global media. This year, as journalists and government officials gather in Ghana for the event’s 25th observance, attention will turn to the myriad pressures and challenges confronting the profession …
Read More »Responsible use of social media: a reminder for anonymous users
There is no doubt that the evolution of social media has really transformed our lives. It has never been easier for us to connect with our long-lost friends or meet our loved ones all from the comfort of our own home. Today, we live in a world where Facebook alone …
Read More »Voters with disabilities require more accessible polling places in the country
The Election Commission of Bhutan is gradually trying to break these barriers to allow persons with disabilities to come out of their closets and meaningfully participate in the political process of the nation Elections are a great opportunity for ordinary citizens to make their voices heard in the nation’s political …
Read More »Facebook and the Future of Online Privacy
NEW YORK – Chris Hughes, a co-founder of Facebook, recently noted that the public scrutiny of Facebook is “very much overdue,” declaring that “it’s shocking to me that they didn’t have to answer more of these questions earlier on.” Leaders in the information technology sector, especially in Europe, have been warning of …
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The Bhutanese Leading the way.