· April, 2012

Stories about Humor from April, 2012

Russia: Astrakhan in Turmoil

RuNet Echo

In Astrakhan, opposition leaders have relied on social media to mobilize and coordinate protestors. Technology, however, is not a panacea for Astrakhan's struggling opposition. Many in the city are still strangers to Internet technology, and others are utilizing it to support the state.

18 April 2012

Singapore: If We Launched the Rocket…

Following North Korea's reported failure to launch a rocket, a hashtag popped up on Twitter: #ifSingaporelaunchedarocket. Singaporean tweeples used the hashtag to write about their observations of Singaporean culture and foibles.

14 April 2012

Russia: Ilya Varlamov, Omsk's Blogger-Mayor?

RuNet Echo

In the city of Omsk, a local activist group has arranged online primaries for opposition candidates, in order to nominate one for the city's June mayoral election. Popular Muscovite photoblogger Ilya Varlamov has emerged as the contest's front runner, but what impact could his candidacy have on regional politics?

13 April 2012

Israel: Tweeting the Passover Seder

The Jewish holiday of Passover began on the night of Friday April 6, and millions of Israelis gathered for the Seder, the traditional ritual feast. The Seder is infamous as an occasion when one is forced to spend time with disagreeable family members. Israeli Twitter users, known for their sense of humor and cynicism, could be counted on to tweet their Passover Seder experiences.

8 April 2012

Russia: Watching News of Patriarch Kirill's Watch Travel

RuNet Echo

Observers watched this week as a controversy that began in the Russian blogosphere concerning an altered photograph of the Patriarch's watch on the official site of the Russian Orthodox Church spread to Western blogs as well as to mainstream Western sources.

7 April 2012