Stories from Quick Reads from July, 2006
Latvia: Baltica Festival
Dykun posts footage from the Baltica Festival in Latvia: “More specifically, this is footage of two groups from Latgale. Latgale is a region of Latvia that has long fascinated me; it is considered by many to be the most rural part of Latvia, and it shares a long border to...
Czech Republic: Moravian Folklore
Bored in Brno posts a report from the 49th “annual celebration of local music and folklore in the town of Velka nad Velickou in South Moravia”: “Being a Czech festival, the beer flows liberally. Despite the higher elevation, the region can still sustain some grape cultivation and there is a...
Serbia: Yugoslav Film Archive
Belgrade Blog writes about the new storage space for the Yugoslav film archive.
Russia: Brian Grover & Matthias Rust
Copydude writes about two men who became (in)famous after they flew their light planes into Russia illegally: Brian Grover (1938) and Matthias Rust (1987).
Saving Nature
KO criticizes the corruption ridden Pakistani politicians for supporting the Pakistan Air Force to acquire land to establish a weapons trial range in the Hingol National Park, the largest National Park in Pakistan. This will drive away the wildlife from the park and the temple of Hinglaj, one of the holiest sites of the Hindus located there will be off limit for the devotees.
Power of Blogs
Desipundit on the global impact of the Indian blogosphere: "while it is true that it’s only a small part of Indian population that is online, and even smaller number accesses blogs, when it comes to the online world, Indian blogs are windows, potholes and doors into India."
Iran: Velayati meets Fisher
According to Dr.Velayati's followers, Joschka Fisher, former German Foreign Minister will be in Tehran for two days conference on Iran-European Relations in Strategic Centre [Fa]. Fisher is going to meet Akbar Velayati, Leader's adviser on Foreign Affairs.
Tour Nepal, save Nepal
South Asia Biz tells why the tourists around the world should travel Nepal. With the restoration of a democratic government and the end of Maoist insurgency, there are plenty of reasons to visit this land of happiness.
Iran: Batebi was arrested
According to Ikna, Ahmad Batebi, activist student was arrested again [Fa]. Batebi had already spent six years in jail to participate in a student protest movement. His wife is going to start a hunger strike in front of United Nations office in Tehran.
China and South Korea: whose cultural heritage ?
Richardson in Korea Liberator blogs about the potential debate between China and South Korea concerning Mt Baedu (or Changbaishan in Chinese pronounciation) as China has decided to register Mt. Baekdu on the World Geopark list designated by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
South Korea: green tea
Sanshinseon in Marmot's Hole blogs about the recent Tea World Festival in Seoul and gives the readers some background about Korea green tea culture.
South Korea: fan death
Robert Koehler in Marmot's Hole blogs about the urban legend of “fan death” in South Korea: Can you really die from falling asleep with your fan on and your windows closed?
Hong Kong: Richard Li
Martinoe comments that even though Richard Li (Tycoon Lee Kar-shing's son) is able to purchase the liberal intellectual Chinese newspapers, Hong Kong Economic Journal, some young progressive columnists will probably leave and the original readers community won't be the same anymore.
China: the chinese blog guidebook
Jason Li introduces the newly published chinese blog guidebook titled as Everyone Plays with Blogs.
China: Tangshan earthquake
Joel Martinsen in Danwei attemps to explain why the Chinese Government spent so much effort to commemorate the Tangshan earthquake. “To some extent, it is this determination, and not the tragedy itself, that is being commemorated today.”
DRC: Counting of Ballots Has Begun
The Salon writes: “Counting has begun in many voting stations in the Eastern part of the country, which is an hour ahead of Kinshasa, and the West. Radio Okapi's live service is reporting an estimated level of participation that is higher than 70% in most of the stations that have...
DRC: Voting At Last
Extra Extra writes: “It has been a beautiful day here in Kinshasa, and the atmosphere has been very peaceful and more friendly than usual wherever I’ve gone. (…) The officials at the voting centres are doing a good job, helpfully explaining what to do. (…) There have been a few...
Tahiti: Miss Bora-Bora Contest
From Tahiti, Jean-Marc posts (Fr) pictures of the Miss Bora-Bora contest.
Martinique: Plane Crash Aftermath
Bien Vu writes (Fr):”It's been more than 8 months since 152 Martiniquans died in a crash in Maracaibo [,Venezuela]. Since then, talks at cross-purposes between the Association aux Victimes du Crash Aerien [association of victims of the aerial crash] (AVCA) and the Brazilian insurer of West Caribbean Airways who cannot...
DRC: Carefully Hopeful
Echoing the optimism of another US-Based DRC blogger, The Salon writes (Fr): “The elections have finally begun. Though there are justified worries about the election's transparency, this is a a historic experience on this vast land which is as large as Western Europe. As a Congolese, while keeping a sane...
Reunion, USA: From Maryland to Florida
US-based Reunion-born blogger Reunion-USA2 discovers (Fr) cultural differences between Maryland and Florida:”My husband is happy in Florida: no more politically correct here! When he goes out with colleagues, they all drink beer –in Maryland, nobody drank during work hours so as not to be labeled a drunk. Yesterday they had...
