Stories from 4 July 2009
Brazil: “President Lula is a nerd”
After his speaking for the first time against the proposed Digital Crimes Bill, hugging Pirate Bay’s spokesman Peter Sunde, defending the use of open source software and inviting Internet users to chip in and contribute to his soon to be launched government social media initiative, the blogosphere concludes: "Brazilian president Lula da Silva is a nerd". Or is it just because 2010 is an election year?
Belarus: A Holiday, Sort Of
Mikhail Larchanka reviews what some Belarusian bloggers write about Belarus' three Independence Day holidays, including the official one, which took place on July 3.
Mexico: The Campaign to Protect the Vote
"Cuidemos el voto" [“Let’s protect the vote”] is a project that plans to protect the votes of Mexicans during the July 5 election from “old enemies”: violence, false IDs, damage to ballot boxes and other obstacles to reach transparent elections. Its weapon? Text messages, Twitter and the web.
Bahrain: Fast Justice
Bahraini blogger Ali Abdulemam wonders how four Emirati citizens who were allegedly attacked by a group of Bahrainis received a rapid official response, including a visit from the Bahraini Prime...
Bahrain: The Michael Jackson Phenomenon
In Bahrain, Ashish Gorde comments: “I really don't know Michael Jackson and, for that matter, neither does any of the scribes who have written loud commentaries on his life, his...
Honduras: Was it a Coup?
The political crisis in Honduras reached its highest levels last Sunday with the arrest and subsequent expulsion of the now ex-president Manuel Zelaya, which was carried out by the Honduran Armed Forces. The response to the aftermath has accentuated the divisions within the country and there are citizens taking a side in the question, "was it a coup or not?"
Iran: Protest in Kashan University
A film on student protest movement in Kashan University in Iran.
Bahrain: Pros and Cons
Bahraini blogger Evil Odd doesn't like Bahrain: “I feel like enough time has passed since my last visit to Bahrain to write a fair description of what I thought of...
Iran:Press TV New Footage of Basij Military Base Attack
Thanks to Irannegah, we can watch Iran's State-run Press TV new footage of Basij military base attack.
Iran: Myth and reality about Twitter
International media coverage of the Iranian protest movement in the past weeks has widely celebrated ‘Twitter power' as a tool of organizing and reporting on protests, but the reliance on Twitter has had both positive and negative results in this crisis. We look at some of them here to demystify the actual degree of impact.
Syria: Blogging Pains
After three months of work behind a computer screen, Syrian blogger Hossam Akras visits Old Damascus with his family. Find out why he was putting in nine to 12 hours a day for all that period, in this post I am translating from Arabic today.
Japan: Gundam 30th anniversary
This year is Mobile Suit Gundam‘s 30th birthday. While a giant statue of the robot stands in Odaiba's park (in the Tokyo bay area), in a theatre of northern Tokyo,...
Japan: On How to Perceive the Japanese Web (Part Three)
Continued from Part Two. As examples of the Japanese web that it isn't ‘disappointing’ at all, many bloggers referred to the success of the video sharing website Nico Nico Douga....
