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Turkey is Typing…

Deborah Ann Dilley · 20:36 · Middle East & North Africa

There are many elements of a good Turkish meal and Turkish bloggers are always offering up their opinions as to what those elements are: Zen in the Kitchen discusses traditional Turkish breakfasts; Yogurt Land shows us how shredded filo dough is made; and the Round ball in Ankara writes about Efes beer and football.

The strange news item of the week is brought to us byAmerikan Turk writing about human quadrapeds found in Turkey (although many Turkish bloggers linked to this article as well).

Mavi Boncuk gives us a bit of pop culture with Turkish Comics and the writtings of Turkish author Kemalettin Tucu.

Talk Turkey gives us profiles of three prominent Turkish Americans this week: U.S. Senior Airman Romina Sidi, Ali Kasikci, the Managing Director of The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel, and whistle blower Sibel Edmonds.

Metroblogging:Istanbul posts about a recent article written about them, however Idil from Ignore Me if You Can has a more detailed posting about the same incident. Erkan's Field Diary tells his version of the interview process and laments not getting an invitation to a Kurdish Conference being held at his Univerisity.

Turkish Torque posted a quote from the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism that explains a lot about archaeology mismanagement in Turkey (something I have gotten to witness first hand): “If the archeological masterpieces were not smuggled out of Turkey, perhaps we would not be able to protect them this well.” He also points out the high price of Turkish passports and gives a link to a children's magazine for Turkish Americans called Bonbon.

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First Woman President in Chile

Rosario Lizana · 15:39 · Americas

Photo: www.emol.com

Chile is very excited. For the first time a woman has been elected as president and we are talking about it; in the streets, on the radio, on television and in Blogs. The presidential period of 4 years started today with a ceremony that took place at the Chilean congress building, in Valparaíso. More than 70 international delegates (including presidents) attended the ceremony.

“El Morrocotudo” (ES) posts a emotive view, including details about how people were shouting to president Michelle Bachelet “We are with you Bachelet!” , in the beginning of the ceremony and the goodbye tears of ex-president Lagos. A very clear list of the symbolic facts of this historic act can be found at the bottom of the post.

“Peridismo Global” (ES) , emphasizes ex-president Lagos´ farewell speech, who said of Bachelet “She is a sign of our times, in a country that has moved for new challenges, a society that has deeply positive changes, through liberty, pluralism, challenges and equality.”

“Ciberamerica” (ES) emphasizes the responsibility of Chile: “although all the presidents and foreign delegations that attend are a big support, they commit our country with the world. Now we are obliged to show better results, no-one would understand a regression.”

“Itaxac” (ES) posts about the international guests attending the ceremony in “Republican Fest”. He shares with us that he has a strange emotional feeling, that is reminiscent of when the democracy was won in 1998.

A very good summary of Michele Bachelet´s profile is can be found on Libardo Buitrago blog (ES) .

For a Chilean press review of the ceremony, click here.

President Michelle Bachelet Blogs

Michelle Bachelet has two official blogs: the campaign blog (ES), made for the community that supports Bachelet, and the blog (ES) that is based upon her commitment with information technology and communication. This blog is made to inform what will be happening in these areas during her period of governance.

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Interview with Nasrin Alavi

Farid Pouya · 13:37 · Middle East & North Africa

There are about 75000 blogs in Persian in world and their numbers are growing fast. We are Iran, written by Nasrin Alavi and published in English and German. It is first book written about Iranian blogs. WE ARE IRAN was amongst a handful of books last year recommended by English PEN . It has also been selected amongst the books of the year by both the Independent and the New Statesman. Nasrin in this interview first introduced book and then answered questions.

Global Voices: May you introduce your book and its objectives?

Alavi says I can't claim that “We Are Iran” is scientific controlled study of the Iranian blogsphere. But for example I have tried to highlight common themes, common/recurring topics and areas of concern etc. For instance a “common theme” was defined as a topical discussion by 5 or more high traffic blogs. Yet to show a spectrum of viewpoints other bloggers (not necessarily high traffic) that contributed to debates on the message boards of such blogs were also followed through and sometimes quoted. It is the voices of this educated youth that comes through the phenomenon that is the Iranian blogosphere.

Like most Iranians I am also terrified of a US attack against Iran. As the Americans ask the world to consider Iran as a major world threat and potentially the next place after Iraq to be precision bombed into democracy. I wanted to highlight the existence of this dynamic community of bloggers that has risen out of a dynamic society. In the book you get to eavesdrop into the intimate conversations of this so called world threat. And get a unique glimpse of the changing consciousness of Iran’s younger generation. What is happening in Iran is more significant and sustainable in the long run than the mere overthrow of dictators; that as we are witnessing in Iraq is the easy part.

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Pulse of the Saudi Blogosphere

Ahmed Al-Omran · 13:32 · Middle East & North Africa

So, what's the most interesting stuff Saudi bloggers have been talking about in the past seven days? Let's take our weekly tour in the Saudi blogosphere to find out.

Aya posts on her experience with the current state of the Saudi blogosphere, saying she is very encouraged by finding many interesting and well written Saudi blogs. “Although things don’t always come easy for Saudi bloggers, the will of Saudi bloggers is flourishing and thriving. The internet, after all, has no ceiling & one can always find ways around censorship.” she added.

Mo5 o 7ekma has a strong post on women's driving (Arabic):

Yes, I'd like to get my own car, and I'd like to drive it myself. Neither you, nor anybody else on this earth has the right to ban me from something that my religion did not ban me from. There is not even rational justifications for this ban. I say, we demand women's driving because it is our right, and that's enough.

However, she says that she does not like it when non-Saudis who do not live in Saudi Arabia talk about this topic, trying to analyze, criticize, and condemn, because their analysis usually lacks perspective and accuracy, “and even if they had those, it is still a domestic affair,” she added.

On the same topic, Aya also wrote:

Driving a golf cart in an already segregated event might seem to some as a trivial issue, however, it is certainly not for the self-appointed anti-anything related to women’ progress camp. Their logic is simple: If women drive golf carts today, they will want to drive real cars tomorrow, certainly, a major sin that should be uprooted as early as possible.

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Echoes from the Tunisian Blogosphere

Mohamed Marwen Meddah · 13:27 · Middle East & North Africa

The 11th Tunisian blogger meetup was held last sunday in the Latina café/restaurant. Turnout was pretty good for this meetup with 18 people showing up. The next meetup should be held in the mountains of Zaghouan. Many of the present bloggers wrote about this meetup (Tom (FR), Marouen (FR), Karim (EN), MMM (EN), Staka (FR), Mochekes (FR), Foufa (FR)).

Tunisian music podcast Tunizika release a new Moroccan music style episode with music from artists: Ahmed Soultan, Darga, Casa Crew and Hoba Hoba.

There's been a lot of talk about Tunisiana's new mobile internet offering, starting from Marouen (EN) who announced it before the service was publicly launched, to Keitaro (FR) who's using it, to Mochekes (FR) who has been giving tips and advice about it.

Both Yamen and MMM picked up the news of the new political party that was born in Tunisia on Friday, March 3rd. The new formation, named “the Green Party for Progress,” (the PVP) is Tunisia’s ninth legal party.
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