Stories from 8 January 2007
India: Mazgaon in Mumbai
Fresh fish, docks and Mumbai captured in photographs at Trivial Matters. “Ferry Warf, Mazgaon, is a daring mix of the bright colours of the machiwalli’s saris, dried salted fish, and the flowing melt of sea-scented blocks of ice. It smells of diesel exhaust and fish guts.
Nepal: Watching a Nepali movie
Wagle Street Journal on watching Nepali movies. “Produced with comparatively low budget, Nepali films are poor in quality and other benchmarks. An average Nepali film’s standard budget is around Rs. 4.5 million (slightly more than US $ 55 thousands).”
Pakistan: Folktales, culture and Sohni Mahiwal
All Things Pakistan on folklore and the story of Sohni-Mahiwal. “Folklore is a mixture of beliefs, facts and fiction. Over time, the different elements get so interwoven with each other that often it becomes difficult to separate one from the other.”
Sri Lanka: LTTE and terrorism
indi.ca on the changing tactics of the LTTE and why the attack on civilians amounts to terrorism. “However, the LTTE has now begun what they started a bonafide and terrifyingly random campaign of terror against average citizens in the South.”
Bangladesh: Going back to get married
Mezba on why men of the expat and diaspora community go back to Bangladesh and why he may not do the same. “Even though girls from back home are maybe more Bollywoodishly beautiful, charming, will make tea for me (my only demand), and so on, my reasons for marrying a...
Brunei: Press Freedom in Brunei
Old Man's Blog comments on Reporters Without Borders ranking Brunei at 111 in its Press Freedom Index. The blogger talks about the places where Brunei is areas in which Brunei is better than its neighbours with respect to press freedoms and also discusses the weaknesses of Brunei press.
Iran: An ex political prisoner is painting about her suffering
Soudabeh Ardavan has spent 7 years in prison in 80's because she was a member of a leftwing group.Soudabeh is a painter and she is painting about her suffering and dreams.
Malaysia: Visit Malaysia Year
Lucia Lai hopes for the success of Visit Malaysia Year program that was announced recently to attract more tourists. The blogger also comments on the installation of a ferris wheel in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. “i will still talk negatively on the eye of malaysia as i feel it was...
East Timor: Egg Shortage
Dili-Gence talks about the shortage of eggs in East Timor. “I asked two locals and both said that there had been a huge buy-up for Christmas feasting. One (with a wicked smile on her face) blamed the Portuguese for baking too many cakes.”
Singapore: Kick Starting Web Entrepreneurship
Bjorn Lee comments on a event that a government agency is organising in Singapore to kick start web entrepreneurship. The blogger says “For starters, dun get government to push it. Get industry leaders, academics, foreign thought leaders from technological hubs in israel, silicon valley to speak at fund launches like...
Personal and political: The anti-Castro blogosphere reacts to Cindy Sheehan's Cuba visit
Hell hath no fury like an anti-Castro blogger confronted with the idea of a US anti-war activist's visit to Cuba. Or so the reactions to Cindy Sheehan‘s visit to the island would suggest. Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed in 2004 while serving in Iraq, came to the world's attention...
Kazakhstan: Youth and Laws
Leila posts a translation of a post calling for laws on youth that work.
Armenia: Potatoes for Votes
The latest Armenian Parliamentary Election Monitory at Oneworld Multimedia rounds up the latest election news with a large section devoted to Gagik Tsarukian, who is now making headlines not for losing tons of money or gunfights involving his hired muscle, but for giving out potatoes to buy votes.
Kazakhstan: Hare Krishnas
KZBlog reports an update to the fate of Kazakhstan's beleaguered Hare Krishna community.
Tajikistan: Voices from Tajikistan
Vadim rounds up goings-on in the blogosphere related to Tajikistan.
Afghanistan: Kabul Express
Afghan Lord posts a clip from Kabul Express, a Bollywood film that has been banned in Afghanistan for insulting the Hazara ethnic group.
Armenia: Naval Disasters & Elephant Romance
Onnik Krikorian writes about an Armenian blog he's newly discovered called Armenia Blog. Content on the blog covers all variety of topics germane to Armenia, and Onnik draws attention to a post on the Soviet Union's biggest naval disaster and the search for a mate for the elephant at the...
China: And we don't stop
First blind reproductive rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng was charged in August last year for destruction of property and instigating a riot and sentenced to four years in prison, and land rights lawyer Guo Feixiong was arrested in September charged with running an illegal printing press out of his home, terms...
Kenya: is Nairobi ready for the World Social Forum?
Julia Opoti blogging on African Path asks whether Nairobi is ready for the World Social Forum 2007, “According to Brian Adero, a reporter with the East African Standard, the Kenyan hotel industry is worried about handling the large influx of delegates in Nairobi. In addition to the need for accomodation...
Nigeria: Nollywood and Hollywood collaboration
Timbuktu Chronicles writes about the Nigerian film director, Lancelot Imasuen, and the possible collaboration between Nollywood and Hollywood, “With a $200, 000 non-union budget film titled, Friendly Enemy Imasuen has also succeeded in entering a major deal with three Hollywood companies that might see coming into fruition the much-expected Nollywood/Hollywood...
What Salvadoran bloggers are saying — about the new year
Salvadoran bloggers begin 2007 with a call for realism when looking at the situation facing the country. There was considerable reaction to the end of the year statements(es) of the president, Tony Saca, who asserted that the economy was growing very healthily and declared that 2007 was to be the...
