Off Topic: Help a friend!

VOTE HERE

The video is in french... but a friend of mine is a finalist to get on Deal or No Deal Quebec edition and I'd really appreciate the votes to help him get on!
So just click and vote.

Time's 100 most Influential People of 2009

The Time 100 most influential people list is a prestigious list to be on, if you somehow make it you will be in the company of champions for human rights, US presidents, financiers and Nobel prize winners. But if you look closely at the current polling results it's clear that our politicians and activists have far less influence on the world than say... Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears.

Britney Spears (while I type this) is in the number 9 position, the Jonas Brothers are in 16th place and US President Barack Obama is in 17th. Miley Cyrus is at number 20 while Aung San Suu Kyi (Nobel Peace Prize winner) sits at number 23, one position ahead of basketball player Kobe Bryant.Yoani Sanchez is at number 32 just behind Zac Efron and evil dictator Robert Mugabe at number 35 is far more influential than say... Hilary Clinton who is number 42, directly behind the current Pope. Just to say how crazy we are: investment guru Warren Buffett (at number 93) is less than Thomas Beatie (the pregnant man)...

This is just a crazy segway into the real reason behind my post, somehow, this list list matters, Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez made it on last year, help get her on there again (and kick Miley Cyrus off) by clicking the widget in the top right hand corner of this blog.

Muchacho Enfermo

Please vote for Ashin and for Yoani

Voting update!

You can vote every 24 hours!
There's 6 days left! that means 6 votes per reader!

Vote for Yoani!

Yesterday I asked you all to support Ashin Mettacara for the Weblog log awards as he was nominated in the "Best Asian Blog" category. Today I am asking you to show your support for Yoani Sanchez as her blog Generation Y has been nominated in the "Best Latino, Caribbean or South American Blog" category.

Yoani is Cuba's most famous blogger, her blog has been blocked from within the island, she has gone head to head with Mariela Castro, she has been interviewed by countless TV stations and was voted by Time magazine as one of the world's most influential people.

Yet, her government still finds ways to harass her and the handful of blogger that blog in Cuba about Cuba. In December both her and her husband, along with another blogger Claudia Cadelo, were summoned by the Ministry of the Interior and were told in no uncertain terms that they should cancel a meeting of Cuban bloggers that was planned for the following weekend. These awards help raise awareness about her cause and help keep her out of jail.

Just as you did yesterday by voting for Ashin Mettacara, please take 30 seconds out of your day and show your support for Yoani and all of the other Cuban bloggers who risk their freedom to fight for freedom speech and freedom of opinion.

Muchacho Enfermo

Vote for Ahsin Mettacara

Ashin Mettacara, who's blog can be found in my blogroll and is someone I've had the privilege to chat with in the past, is a 27 year old Buddhist monk from Burma that is doing his best to spread the word about the injustices suffered in his country. For all of you who like reading Generation Y and about Cuba's struggles, Ashin's website is very much along the same lines, blogging under less than favorable conditions in a country where monks are sentenced to 68 years in prison for marching peacefully in the street and comedians are jailed for making a joke about the "government".

Yesterday was the 61st anniversary of Burma's independence from British rule. How much longer will it have to wait for independence from ruthless dictators?

Ashin Mettacara is one of Burma's best known bloggers and is nominated for best Asian Blog at the weblog awards.

vote here

Muchacho Enfermo