Global Voices Online

Stories

Turkey is Typing….

Deborah Ann Dilley · 18:21 · Middle East & North Africa

Well the Turkish roundup is back after a long hiatus, and as it has been so long there is no way to get fully caught up or cover everyone, so we are going to focus on the highlights. Let's get caught up a bit on our friends shall we?

Amerikan Turk, who recently injured himself in a soccer game (get well soon-my friend), has posted a record 45 times in the last three weeks, perhaps that doesn't mean much to anyone, but I think that it is of statistical interest….and for the rest of the authors I cover this week, I am going to tell you their post count for the past three weeks. However, continuing on with the update… Murat gives us a comprehensive look at Muslim protests throughout the world over the recent Mohammed cartoons, but sharply outlines the hypocrisy of Muslims protesting about a cartoon while children are suffering from the earthquake in Pakistan.

Erkan's Field Diary (69 posts in three weeks) mentions the assasination of a Catholic priest in Turkey which has been linked to the outrage over the Mohammed cartoons. Erkan also went to the courthouse where the trial of several Turkish journalists are being held, it is an interesting introduction to the Turkish Judical system. He posted a copy of a cartoon about Turkey joining the EU which I found hilarious, but those who haven't encountered a restroom of that sort might not get it.

Ignore Me If You Can (13 posts in three weeks) posts about beggar-children in Turkey, a horrible but very common encounter that happens in Turkey. She also announces the addition of new authors for Metroblogging: Istanbul (25 posts in the last three weeks). Metroblogging covers a range of items this week that range from ATM scams in Istanbul and a tribute to the alcoholic beverage Raki.

Talk Turkey (10 posts) writes about living in the “OC”, and he has an excellent post about “blogger etiquette”.

Turkish Torque (60 posts in three weeks) writes about compassion in nature and Turkey's first Olympic skater. However Tork's most important post in these past few weeks is his announcement that he was named as one of the top 12 blogs in Asia by the Best of Blogs. Congrats!

The final blog to be covered in this post and also our winner of the most posts in three weeks–a whooping 93!– is Mavi Boncuk, who recently celebrated his 1300 posting. With so many postings and gems of Turkish and Ottoman history it is hard to select only a couple of highlights, here however is my short list: the train car of the sultan, background on the recently deceased Princess Durruhsehvar of Berar the last Ottoman princess, and a book that I desperately want, Slang in Turkish Culture.

Lastly, I would like to apologize to the Turkish bloggers that I regularly cover for slacking off as I have, the friendship offered to me by this blogging community means a lot to me and I am very grateful for their support.

4 comments · read »

From the Jordanian Blogosphere

Roba Al Assi · 14:48 · Middle East & North Africa

The Jordanian bloggers are angry over the attack on Islamic, particularly Shi'aa, monument the Askariya Shrine, some of them are comparing the unneeded reactions from Muslims towards the Danish cartoon fiasco to the current apartheid at the ruination of a 1200 year old mosque. Mazen Arafat says, “Where is the MORAL outrage, the demonstrations, the demand for moral rectitude and neighborly decency between two communities? Why aren't Sunnis on the street saying: whatever the anxieties we may harbor as a result of the seismic shifts in power between the two communities of Islam, we are outraged and demand justice? I smell rot in the lack of anger, of a moral sensitivity that knows how to order the significance of things: cartoons by insular Danes designed to have a laugh at the expense of a minority is not worth more moral outrage than a vicious and cynical attempt to launch civil war by destroying a holy shrine.” Haitham Sabbah agrees, “Shame on you Muslims. Shame that you protest over the Dane cartoons yet shut-up on the Human/Muslim flesh cartoons.” Meanwhile, Roba Al-Assi wonders, “Why should such architectural treasures, that should be not only Iraqi treasures but also international treasures, suffer from the political struggles?”

On a brighter side, the Jordanian blogosphere is relieved to know that Jordanian embassy driver kidnapped two months ago by Iraqi militants, Mahmoud Saedat, has been freed, and everyone is praying for the safe return of Jill Carroll.
(more…)

0 comments · read »

Computer Crash: Food Overload

Melissa De Leòn Douglass · 13:32 · Middle East & North Africa , East Asia

Was your umbilical cord attached to a computer when you were born? It may sound like a strange statement, but the truth is that some of us think that. Especially if you happen to be in the middle of the Ecuadorian Andes and there is no telephone or Internet for ten days.

That having been said, let's travel and eat around the world, sponsored by our traditional food blog round-up:

#1: From Argentina

Beginning with a description backed up by the Argentinian Food Code, Error del Sistema shares his favorite recipe to prepare traditional Argentinian Alfajores de chocolate y dulce de leche (Chocolate - Dulce de Leche Alfajores from Argentina.) I am not sure why, but it is very true that most of the time people are intimidated by the making of these delicious cookies. Just give it a try, come on…, you will learn that they are not as difficult as you thought, besides the point is that you can add as much dulce de leche as you want!

#2: From Italy

If you are looking for a place in Rome where you can eat three meals a day for free and at the same time meet very interesting people, you are going to love this post. Christopher comments about "Christian Charity: The Other Roman Vacation," the article he wrote for Vice Italy.

#3: From Chile

Visit CoBe, by Daniel Greve, and you will have an amazing opportunity to experience the food from Chile at its highest point of expression. Pick your favorite among: Cevichisimo (Ceviche Mania), restaurant review: Sukalde, Mas alla del Sushi (Beyond Sushi), and Catar, Catar (wine tasting adventures.)

(more…)

3 comments · read »

Update: Samarra Catastrophe

Salam Adil · 02:35 · Middle East & North Africa

The developing situation in Iraq is moving too fast and filling more column inches than a roundup can satisfy. Here is a summary of the blog events since Thursday. It is at times like this you can see that blogging comes into its own above other journalism. There is no other medium that can give you the feel of people's opinions and emotions in almost real time.

Word from the Street:

Zeyad of increasingly misnamed Healing Iraq is in the thick of the fighting and is updating regularly:

Fierce streetfighting at my doorstep for the last 3 hours. Rumor in the neighbourhood is that men in black are trying to enter the area. Some armed kids defending the local mosque three blocks away are splattering bullets at everything that moves, and someone in the street was shouting for people to prepare for defending themselves. … The news from other areas in Baghdad are horrible. I don't think it's being reported anywhere.

But fortunately:

UPDATE: Apparently, the attackers were fended off in our neighbourhood. The fight ended about 2 hours ago, about the same time electric power returned to our area. Now we are only hearing sporadic gunshots here and there. To have an idea of what was going on, listen to these small audio files I recorded using a cell phone.

He also posts detailed mosque by mosque updates and maps showing where violent incidents have happened in the past three days.

Christopher Allbritton reports a large armed but peaceful demonstration marching towards the Interior Ministry at 4pm on Friday. He follows this with reports of Sunni's hitting back against Shi’a neighborhoods and religious sites.

Iraq the Model [sic] gives some reports of Thurdays events and observes:

The sense in the streets and the statements given by some Shia clerics suggest that retaliation attacks are organized and under control and are focusing on mosques frequented by Salafi and Wahabi groups and not those of ordinary Sunnis.

(more…)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

3 comments · read »

Pulse of the Saudi Blogosphere

Ahmed Al-Omran · 01:56 · Middle East & North Africa

Many different and interesting topics were discussed in the Saudi blogosphere this week, so let's start our roundup right away.

What is the difference between democracy and American democracy? Hassan thinks he has the answer (Arabic). “In democracy, those who gain more votes should win. In American democracy, those who win should not harm America, and if they won, they have to be hurdled in every possible way. The evidence on this is the American stand from the Hamas government in Palestine and the Iraqi government.”

Farooha had a recent visit to the neighboring island kingdom of Bahrain, and was not very pleased with the behavior of her countrymen there. She wonders, “where the hell we were on the day God handed out civility and manners?” and says that “we probably overslept that morning.”

Aya writes about women's driving, calling it the most polarized issue in Saudi Arabia. She added:

If women ever get their right, there will be a “Saudi Arabia before women driving” and a “Saudi Arabia after women driving.” Things will never ever be the same again. And for this same reason this issue gets more resistance, it is not just about a car and a woman being alone together, no, it is about opening Pandora’s Box.

Green Tea has a short comment on the sentence of an Austrian court to jail the British historian David Erving. He writes (Arabic):

Excuse me, I think I'm getting confused! But isn't this story goes under the so-called ‘freedom of expression' that they keep on telling us about it. Or is it just applicable to our prophet (peace be upon him) and our religion, and not to their proclaimed Holocaust!

(more…)

0 comments · read »