· April, 2012

Stories about Humor from April, 2012

Russia: Astrakhan in Turmoil

RuNet Echo  18 April 2012

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.

India: Administration Backlash over a Political Cartoon and it's Aftermath

  16 April 2012

The recent arrest of an university professor in West Bengal, India, over a humorous political cartoon has been met by stiff resistance and protest both online and offline. On his blog Pabitraspeaks, blogger Pabitra Mukhopadhyay discusses how the incident is another in a slew of recent incidents that have negatively...

Singapore: If We Launched the Rocket…

  14 April 2012

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.

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

RuNet Echo  13 April 2012

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?

Puerto Rico: Kike Estrada's Cartoons Live on the Internet

  10 April 2012

Enrique "Kike" Estrada is a cartoonist of an endangered species in Puerto Rico. For a cartoonist with his sense of humor, the Internet is the perfect place to exhibit his work. In this online space, he found the freedom to express his point of view. Angel Carrión interviews him.

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.

Colombia: Nostalgia for 1990s Peruvian TV

  5 April 2012

In the 1990s, cable television was too expensive for most Colombians, who resorted to cheap satellite dish services colloquially known as perubólicas [es] (a portmanteau of Peru and [antenas] parabólicas), because they carried virtually all Peruvian networks. On the night of April 4, 2012, hundreds of Colombian Twitter users recalled...

Portugal: Prayers on Twitter for April Fools’ Day “Coup d'Etat”

  3 April 2012

A false rumour of a coup d'etat became a trending topic – and a worlwide joke – on Twitter with the hashtag #PrayforPortugal. The Spanish newspaper El País and The Associated Press released the news that “the Portuguese President dissolved Parliament and called for calm”; netizens replied with funny messages...

Guinea: Of the “Good Old Days” and Guinea's Future

  2 April 2012

Ma Guinée Plurielle  wrote the following [fr] on the  Salte Afrique blog : “I became downright pessimistic about the future of Guinea. When I was a little boy, I heard that yesterday was better than today but tomorrow will be alright eventually. Twenty-five years later, I am still hearing the same...