Stories from 8 April 2008
Jamaica: Singing Obama's Praises
YardFlex.com reports that a popular Jamaican singer has composed a song honouring Barack Obama.
Korea: Drama Kingdom
Korean dramas have been popular outside Korea. There has been a term to refer to this popularity, Hallyu (Korean wave). Pretty girls and neat boys, and their pure love or triangular love relations…. They would be characters to represent Korean dramas. The popularity of Korean dramas has become one of...
Bahrain: Surreal Gulf Moments
Bint Battuta in Bahrain describes “one of those surreal Gulf moments when I found myself unable to get my message across in either Arabic or English.”
Pakistan: Chaos in Lahore
Lahore Nama points to the chaos in the city thanks to sheer mismanagement and lack of urban planning.
Pakistan: Where is the change?
Elections were held in Pakistan with the promise of change, and Pakistani Spectator asks where all that change is.
Nepal: Elections in 1959
With elections due in a couple of days, Nepali Netbook takes a look at the elections in 1959.
Barbados: Taking Stock
Notes From The Margin wonders if the Barbados Stock Exchange is becoming irrelevant.
India: China, Tibet and the Torch
With all eyes on the Olympic torch, Sacred Media Cow talks of the flame, China and all the attention it is getting.
Bermuda: Support for Obama
Vexed Bermoothes says that “Obama has a lot of support from Bermuda, partially due to his theme of bipartisanship. Whether he’s earnest or not, it strikes a hopeful chord for the 48 percent of Bermudians who are disenfranchised by our current government.”
Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, DR: Junot Wins Pulitzer
Both Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp and Trinidad & Tobago blog Antilles report that Junot Diaz has won the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.
Guyana: Jungle Gym
Guyana-Gyal discovers the “jungle-garden” workout.
Bangladesh: Secure enough
Mukti reflects on a trip to India, and on the differences in the presence of military forces as compared to Bangladesh.
Hong Kong: Olympic and Justice
Diumanpark agreed that Olympic shouldn't be politicized, however, it is related to people's aspiration for justice [zh].
Taiwan: Ma Worships at the Tomb
Michael Turton comments on the newly elected president Ma Ying-jeou's visit to Chiang Kai-shek‘s mausoleum to commemorate the anniversary of the his death.
Japan: Penis Pandemonium
Lee from Tokyo Time posts photos of the annual fertility festival at Hachiman-gu Shrine.
South Korea: How the Dead are Remebered Differently?
Matt discusses about how the dead are remembered and forgotten in South Korea.
New Zealand: China Free Trade Caption Contest
Whaleoil.co.nz is running a caption contest for a picture that features the Chinese leader gesturing while talking to the prime minister of New Zealand.
Armenia: Gender Trouble
Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports on an exhibition staged yesterday to mark observance of Motherhood and Beauty Day in Yerevan. The exhibition was staged to remind people that the “real meaning […] has been erased from people’s memories.”
Ecuador: Security and Privacy Concerns on the Internet
Internet security and privacy are of great concern to many people. In many cases, government websites are left vulnerable by purposeful attacks by hackers. In other rare cases, private consumer information is left vulnerable by questionable policies by some private firms. Ecuadoran bloggers highlight some of these cases and provide some recommendations on how to protect the sites and personal data.
China: Tibet Fatigue Syndrome and Lhasafication
Fuge noticed new terms popping up after the Tibet riot [zh]. Tibet Fatigue Syndrome – meaning getting tired of the debate about media representation of Tibet incident. Lhasafication – meaning too much military control over places with strong religious belief.
Kyrgyzstan: Opposition Convention on April 12
Elena considers whether Kyrgyz social action group “For Justice” will hold a popular convention on April 12, as it intends to. They accuse the government of putting obstacles in the way of holding their assembly.