Stories from Quick Reads from June, 2008
Hungary: Gyurcsány Government's “Half Time”
Hungarian Spectrum writes about successes and failures of Gyurcsány government at what some people think is its half time (and others don't).
Lithuania: Soviet and Nazi Symbol Ban
Itching for Eestimaa thinks that Lithuania's recent decision “to ban both Soviet and Nazi symbols, as well as national anthems, is […] a mistake.”
Estonia: Tartu's Snail Tower
AnTyx compares Tartu's Snail Tower to other cities’ modern architecture.
Cuba: Waiting in Miami
Ninety miles away….in another country points readers to an article about the cultural milieu of Miami's Little Havana, where old men eat Cuban sandwiches and dream of regime change in the island of their birth.
Cuba: The Church and Gay Rights
The Cuban government's growing support for gay rights is drawing criticism from the island's Roman Catholic Church. Protest is good, says Uncommon Sense, but the Church has it all wrong on this issue.
Bolivia: The Unveiling of Bolivia OS
Hugo Miranda saw firsthand the unveiling of Bolivia OS, the open software operating system and features ABI Word in the indigenous languages Quechua and Aymara.
Czech Republic: The Treaty of Lisbon
The Reference Frame writes that “much like in Ireland, the question of usefulness of the Treaty of Lisbon is a controversial question in Czechia, too.”
Bulgaria: Mistreatment of Disabled People
Maya's Corner writes about mistreatment of people with disabilities in Bulgaria.
Czech Republic: Child Abuse Case
The Czech Daily Word is posting updates on the shocking child abuse court case being heard in Brno now.
Bulgaria: More on June 28 Sofia Gay Pride
What's Going Down? writes about the opposition to Bulgaria's first-ever Gay Pride Parade, which is set to take place in Sofia on June 28: “…local right-wing political groups have, predictably, begun publicly denouncing the event in ways that range from the merely embarrassing and depressing to the downright alarming.”
Bosnia & Herzegovina: 55 Zaklopaca Victims Buried
Srebrenica Genocide Blog reports that 55 DNA-identified victims from Zaklopaca mass grave have been buried, and posts photos from the mournful ceremony.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: EUFOR Helicopter Crashes; Bosnian in Afghanistan Killed
YakimaGulagLiteraryGazett reports on the two Bosnia-related tragic accidents that have occurred recently.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Srebrenica Lawsuits
East Ethnia writes about the lawsuits filed by families of Srebrenica genocide victims.
Russia: Facebook, Etc.
The Lede reviews the Russian-language versions of American search engines and social networking sites and their Russian counterparts.
Serbia: New Government, Almost
A Fistful of Euros announces: “Serbia almost has a government!”
Cuba: Above average
The Cuban Triangle comments on the astonishing results of a UNESCO education study on third and sixth graders, in which Cuban students did so much better than the rest of Latin America.
Barbados: New laws
The Barbados Free Press is cautiously encouraged by news that the government promises final drafts of Integrity, Freedom of Information and Defamation laws by the end of the year.
Azerbaijan: Media Concerns
Writing on AFP's Correspondent blog, the news organization's Caucasus Bureau Chief, Michael Mainville, laments the state of the media in Azerbaijan. The post recognizes the pressures and restrictions in place on local journalists in the oil-rich country and comments on the case of Agil Khalil who has been recognized by...
Caucasus: Religious Practices Update
Social Science in the Caucasus provides an update on its survey of religious practices in the South Caucasus. The blog of the Caucasus Resource Research Centers (CRRC) says that women place more significance on the importance of religion in their lives than men.
Armenia: Eurovision Metal
Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on rumors that Armenian-American rock band System of a Down (SOAD) are interested in representing Armenia in next year's Eurovision Song Contest. However, there is also speculation that the band are interested in using the contest to gain exposure to campaign for Genocide recognition. The blog...
Armenia: European Media Demands
Following last week's landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, Unzipped comments on the importance of the judgment for the embattled A1 Plus TV station which was deprived of its broadcasting frequency by the authorities in 2002. The blog says that pressure on the government to allow it...
