Latest posts by Veronica Khokhlova from August, 2010
Russia: Anglophone Bloggers Discuss Social and Political Aspects of the Wildfires
Anglophone Russia bloggers have been discussing social and political aspects of the catastrophic wildfires and the ongoing firefighting efforts in central Russia since early August. Here is a selection of their views.
Poland: “Defenders of the Cross”
Updates on Poland's “Defenders of the Cross” story and on “how a tragedy has turned into a feacial farce” – at 20 east and the beatroot (here, here, and here).
Russia: TorrentReactor Village; $17,000 in Roaming Charges
Svetlana Gladkova of Profy shares two stories much discussed in the Russian blogosphere now: how a “Russian village almost got named after a torrent website in a publicity stunt,” and how a Russian woman received a $17,000 roaming charges bill after her son had spent some four hours playing games...
Soviet History: “What Stalin Said About Hiroshima”
“What Stalin said about Hiroshima” to the U.S. Ambassador to the USSR on August 8, 1945 – at De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis (via LJ user oboguev, RUS).
Ukraine: Businessman Seeks Protection Via YouTube, Not Police
A Donetsk businessman posts hidden camera footage of threats and harassment by a competitor, as well as an appeal for help to the Ukrainian president, on YouTube; the video (RUS) has generated over 56,000 views so far. (A detailed Kyiv Post story by Peter Byrne is here (ENG); Vadim Isakov's...
Hungary: Xenophobia, Homophobia, Crime
Hungarian Spectrum posts an update on the investigation into a series attacks on and murders of Gypsies that took place over a year ago, and writes about several recent murders and the discussion of homosexuality-related issues that they have generated online.
Hungary: Budapest's Subway
Hungarian Spectrum writes about Budapest's subway and the politics of its long-term construction: “The Budapest metro is very old, yet still unfinished.”
Hungary: Proposed Media Law Threatens Freedom of Expression
Hungarian Spectrum writes about the proposed new media law and wonders whether PM Viktor Orbán “doesn't understand democracy and has no idea of the meaning of the freedom of expression” – “or perhaps he understands them all too well and simply doesn't want them for Hungary.”
Hungary: The New President
Hungarian Spectrum writes about the inauguration of Hungary's new president, Pal Schmitt; about Albert Wass, a Transylvanian-Hungarian author whose work Schmitt quoted in his inaugural speech; and about Schmitt's first few days in office: “Since his inauguration the not too sympathetic Hungarian public has been watching Schmitt's every move.”
Russia: Towns and Villages on Fire
Hundreds of forest and peat fires are raging across central Russia. The organization of the firefighting effort has been inadequate in many cases, and local residents often choose to self-mobilize and defend nearby towns and villages with whatever means they happen to have at their disposal.
