Stories from 1 February 2008
Bolivia: The Festival of Alasitas
The festival of Alasitas features a diminuative and jolly character called Ekeko, who is said to bring abundance and prosperity. This event is based in the city of La Paz, but it's popularity has spread to other cities like El Alto. There, some new bloggers write about this custom, and how important it is to maintain these traditions from generation to generation.
Serbia: Smokers’ Paradise
Serbia marked the National No Smoking Day on Jan. 31, but, as one Serbian blogger noted, "Serbia is the paradise and El Dorado for smokers." Sinisa Boljanovic translates two bloggers' views on the situation with smoking in Serbia.
DoGooder.tv: A video sharing site for NonProfits
DoGooder.tv is a website for videos with a cause. Through it, non-profit organizations can promote their cause for a specific audience: one that is already interested in hearing what they have to say, and figuring ways in which they can help out.
Russia: “A Guide for the Cautious Traveler”
IVAN vs JAAN guest-blogs at La Russophobe about the dangers of traveling to Russia.
Palestine: Rousing Speech
Leila Abu Saba posts a statement by Israeli activist, Shulamit Aloni, read at the Saturday Gaza protest, which she described as a rousing speech.
Palestine: Snow Pictures
Anne P. posts snow pictures from Palestine in this post.
Jordan: Price Hike
“Thank you, Jordanian government, for removing subsidies and hiking gas prices across the board. We’ll all be walking a little…stiffer…after next month,” writes An American in Jordan.
Ukraine: Yushchenko's Secret Residence
Foreign Notes writes about president Yushchenko's residence in Koncha Zaspa: “It is never been seen by ‘lesser mortals’. There are no known official photographs this place. t was built by former president Kuchma, who now lives very comfortably just a few doors away in a newly-built prestigious dacha. […] The...
Jordan: 10 Tips for Bloggers
Jordanian blogger Qwaider posts 10 things bloggers should avoid in this post.
Paraguay: Herb Market
Muna Annahas writes aboutthe traditional herb market in Asunción, Paraguay and the different uses of each.
Ukraine: Odesa Pictures
Scraps of Moscow posts pictures from Odesa, taken in summer 2006.
Europe, Russia: “The New Cold War” by Edward Lucas
Marginalia reviews Edward Lucas’ The New Cold War: How the Kremlin Menaces both Russia and the West.
Georgia: Photo Blog
Kaukasus again posts more of the excellent work of Georgian photo blogger Lela Meparishvili.
Armenia: Asylum
Unzipped raises the case of a 16-year old Armenian asylum seeker in the UK and asks if anyone can shed more light on the case.
Armenia: Corrupt Justice
Nazarian, a blogger supporting the candidacy of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian in the 19 February election in Armenia, says justice is corrupt and cannot be taken seriously in Armenia. In particular, the blogger cites the case of four Ter-Petrossian activists who have been detained on suspicion of beating a heckler...
Peru: Decorative Philosophy on Public Transportation
Sentimiento Combi [es] is a new Peruvian blog that collects photographs of decorative text on the sides and windows of combis, which are buses and cars used for public transportation in Lima. The site writes, “all of this literature expresses the idiosyncrasy of the Limean, his “philosophy”, his lifestyle, and...
Czech Republic: SMS Tickets
Brno passengers will soon be able to pay for their tram rides via SMS, the Czech Daily Word reports.
Chile: Asian Culture Blog
Vive Asia [es] is a new blog for Chileans to discover the Asian culture and was created by the National Congressional Library in Chile.
Serbia: The Election and Its Consequences
A Fistful of Euros is making predictions on the consequences of Serbia's upcoming vote.
Armenia: Political Satire
With the media becoming as polarized as society is ahead of the presidential election due to be held in Armenia on 19 February, The Armenian Observer posts a satirical cartoon that the blogger believes represents the state of the local press.
Armenia: Aryan Boycott
Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on the announcement by the ultra-nationalist Union of Armenian Aryans that they will not be supporting any candidate in the coming presidential election. The fact that the group says it can't find any common ideological ground with the choices on offer is a positive sign, the...
