Stories from 5 March 2007
Russia: More on Putin's Munich Speech
Somewhat belatedly, the Russian Dilettante shares his opinion of Vladimir Putin's Munich speech: “The problem with Putin's speech is Putin.”
Egypt: A Busy Complaints Department
“So I live in a place that is sunny almost every day and I can ride my horses out my gate into the Sahara Desert to visit pyramids and the food is wonderful because it's fresh all year round. So what can I possibly complain about?” writes Egypt-based blogger Maryanne...
Russia: Lenin, More Lenin, and the Old-Guard Democrats
Darkness at Noon follows a Lenin look-alike from Lubyanka to Red Square; buys two old Soviet posters of Lenin and listens to what an elderly Russian selling them has to say about an imminent world war; and observes a bunch of “the original Russian democrats” during a speech given by...
Egypt: Thomas Friedman – A “Dangerous” Man
“Someone has to give Thomas Friedman an education before he makes the view that Arabs and Muslims are congenitally amoral subhuman hordes completely mainstream,” writes Issandr El Amrani in The Arabist, adding that the man is “becoming dangerous.”
Bahrain: Cultural Evening a Hit and Miss!
Bahrain-based blogger Bint Battuta spent a cultural evening out – the first left her annoyed but the second refreshed. “A disappointing performance was followed by a frustrating three-quarters of an hour spent trying to get out of the car park, because it seems that unless white lines are painted, people...
Thailand, Russia: Two Females Shot
White Sun of the Desert had returned from the Thai resort of Pattaya right before two Russian female tourists were shot to death there.
Bahrain: Camel Piss Anyone?
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif is urging his readers to have their belly full of camel piss – a drink he claims is Islamically sanctioned and therapeutic in one go!
Hungary: Budapest City Guide
Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar quotes from an atypical Budapest city guide.
Russia: Theater Jams Cell Phones
St. Petersburg’s Alexandrinsky Theater “has installed equipment to block mobile phone signals in a desperate attempt to force patrons to stop taking calls during performances,” Russian Spy reports.
Bahrain: Interesting to Pronounce Words
Bahraini Rants is back to his weekly word teasers with three “interesting to pronounce” words. They are: Higgledy-Piggledy, Didactic and Quiddity. “Look at yourself in the mirror and say them out loud, drop one of them across your dinner conversation, or maybe even have a meltdown and yell one out...
Russia: Sochi News
Sochi Travel reports these city news: On March 8, Sochi is hosting this year’s finals of the Missis World 2007 beauty contest; the average monthly salary in Sochi in 2006 was $350; 47 students took part in the Armenian literary language competition; avalanche kills a 10-year-old at Krasnaya Polyana ski...
U.S., Russia: Paul Joyal Shot
Siberian Light writes on the shooting of Paul Joyal, which some consider to be the Kremlin's revenge: “There are plenty of those who are critical of Vladimir Putin, and the current Russian government. The KGB would have a hard time silencing them all…”
Egypt: CIA Recruiting Scheme
Egyptian blogger Sandmonkey claims the CIA is now posting recruitment ads, in order for it to be able to compete with private intelligence agencies!
Egypt: $450m for Bird Flu Campaign
Egyptian blogger Sandmonkey links to a news article which says that his country will be spending $450 million to conduct a nationwide campaign to vaccinate live poultry against avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu. “But don't you start spreading rumors that we might be having a Birdflu epidemic or...
Bahrain: Muslim Girl Thrown Out of Canada Football Game
Bahrain-based Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah is outraged that a Canadian Muslim girl was thrown out of a football (soccer) game because she was wearing the Islamic head cover – the Hijab. “I see this as another example of how some idiots are trying to get immigrants to toe a cultural...
Palestine: Film on Benghazi Aids Epidemic
Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah links to a video highlighting the plight of a Palestinian doctor and a group of Bulgarian nurses accused of inflicting more than 400 children with the deadly Aids virus in Ben Ghazi, Libya, here. “Injection is the real-life story of six health care workers falsely accused...
Bahrain: Muslim Girl Thrown Out of Canada Football Game
Bahrain-based Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah is outraged that a Canadian Muslim girl was thrown out of a football (soccer) game because she was wearing the Islamic head cover – the Hijab. “I see this as another example of how some idiots are trying to get immigrants to toe a cultural...
Bahrain: Goodbye Peter
Canada-based Silly Bahraini Girl bids her Jewish landlord farewell here. “He doesn't know that my tears are the only way to mourn a friend who knew how to make the most out of life .. but is now gone .. and did not take anything with him!” she writes.
Algeria: What's Up in the Middle East?
Algerian blogger Nouri gives us an in-depth analysis of the situation brewing in the Middle East between Iran and the US here.
Kyrgyzstan: Regionalism & Protest
New protests from a rejuvenated opposition led by former Prime Minister Feliks Kulov look to be on the horizon in Kyrgyzstan. Sean Roberts explains how these protests could be more destabilizing than other recent ones.
Uzbekistan: Blogosphere Roundup
Tolkun Umaraliev rounds up the Uzbek blogosphere.
