Stories about Russian from February, 2009
Azerbaijan: Popular website back — minus forum
After several days of closure, the popular semi-independent Azerbaijani news and discussion website, Day.az, is back. However, raising additional questions about its brief disappearance, the site's forum — known for its open and somewhat democratic discussion — is not.
Ukraine: Politics on Twitter
Ukrainian president Victor Yushchenko has an official Twitter account; his tweets mirror daily schedule announcements and latest news items that are featured on the official website as well. There is also a Yushchenko impersonator on Twitter. Former speaker Yatsenyuk seems to have a Twitter account, too, but his political movement's press service would not confirm it.
Ukraine: “Russophone Ukrainian Nationalists”
In this post, which has generated over a hundred comments and is now listed as the 4th most popular item on Yandex Blogs, LJ user alek-ya explains what a "Russophone Ukrainian nationalist" is.
Russia: Alleged Racist Murder in Moscow
Moscow Through Brown Eyes translates LJ user plucer‘s post (RUS) about an alleged racist murder in Moscow.
Germany: “Putins Pressefreiheit”
LJ user drugoi highlights Vladimir Putin's “appearance” at the carnival in Düsseldorf, Germany, and receives nearly 300 comments (RUS).
Kyrgyzstan: Back Count for the U.S. Airbase
On February, 19th, 2009 nearly all Krrgyz MPs approved a motion denouncing the agreement between Kyrgyzstan and the USA about the American airbase at Manas. Of 89 total MPs, 78 voted for, one against, and two abstained: The government, in the name of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, after signing...
Kazakhstan: Politics and Society in Times of Crisis
Politics remain the major topic of the online discussions in Kazakhstan – much more frequently and intensely than in public life. One of the most recent events, widely discussed by the bloggers, was the establishment of the new state award – the title of the Kazakhstan's Hero of Labor (an...
Russia: Cherkizovsky Market in Moscow
Moscow Through Brown Eyes writes about an article (RUS) on Moscow's Cherkizovsky Market that appeared in the latest issue of Bolshoi Gorod: “Each of these bewilderingly diverse stories could be the subject of its own article, if not an entire book. Taken together, however, these portraits add up to something...
Russia: Henri Cartier-Bresson's Photos of Soviet Union
LJ user jolita (RUS) has posted Henri Cartier-Bresson's 1954-55 and 1973-74 photos of the Soviet Union in the ruguru LJ community.
Armenia: Remembering the Budapest Murder
Yesterday marked the fifth anniversary of the murder of 26-year old Gurgen Margarian, an Armenian officer attending a NATO Partnership for Peace program in Budapest, Hungary. Killed in his sleep with an axe wielded by his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ramil Safarov, some Armenian bloggers made special posts to commemorate the day.
Russia: “Poverty” Photos
LJ user kunstkamera (RUS) posts photos of “poverty in Russia” – and portraits of people posing next to their most expensive possessions.
Ukraine: Giving the Mayor Away For Free
LJ user induktor‘s post (RUS) in the Ukrainian “Will Give Away For Free” LJ community (otdam_darom_ua) has generated three pages of comments: the blogger is giving away Kyiv's mayor Leonid Chernovetsky. (More on Chernovetsky and his policies – at Ukrainiana.)
Kazakhstan: A Kazakh Video Tube
On St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, a Kazakh video hosting project Kaztube.kz came to life. Dozens of videos with congratulations from celebrities and government officials had been uploaded for the opening of the website. Even the prime minister congratulated on the opening of new service — such PR is unheard...
Belarus: The case of external liberalisation
LJ user Plaschinsky begins [RUS] a series on the externally driven liberalisation and transitional democratisation of Belarus.
Armenia: New and old traditions mix on St. Valentine's Day
Founded in 301 AD, Armenia’s longest surviving institution, the Apostolic Church, is considered the world’s oldest national Christian order. But, over 1,700 years years later, pagan traditions remain alive in the country even if now absorbed into the Christian calendar. While much of the world marked St. Valentine's day, Armenians also celebrated one such tradition -- Trndez.
Russia: “Russianwitness” vs “Da Russophile”
A debate on life in today's Russia between “Russianwitness” and “Da Russophile” – at Streetwise Professor‘s blog.
Russia: Debate on LJ and Propaganda
Matthew Bown of IZO responds to LJ user papasha-mueller (RUS), who took him “to task for a post last week (IZO) dealing with the Western powers’ attempts to influence the russian-language blogosphere.”
Armenia: Tax Lottery
Unsuccessful with punitive measures to prevent widespread tax evasion, the government of ex-Soviet Armenia has introduced a monthly national lottery based on an 8-digit number found on the back of sale receipts. From increasing sales to encouraging male customers to hit on female shop assistants, bloggers think the initiative to make businesses accurately report sales and pay taxes has the potential to prove a win-win situation for everyone.
Russia: Tension in Dagestan pressures Moscow
LJ user sunlike77 writes about [RUS] rising tensions in Dagestan as violence and human rights’ concerns increase, making it a major hotspot in the north Caucasus.
Russia: Reflections on Recent Murders in Moscow
An Anglophone blogger writes about high-profile murders that took place in Moscow this past week. A Russophone blogger describes the situation in the Russian capital in a morbid mock letter to "out-of-town relatives."
Russia: Vegetarian Borscht
Russian Blog shares a vegetarian borscht recipe.
