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Serbia: Big Brother Mania

Ljubisa Bojic · 18:09 · Eastern & Central Europe

Serbian bloggers explore the Big Brother mania by talking about the basic idea behind the puzzlingly super-successful world-wide TV project. Most of them are stunned by the extent of the show's popularity, acquired in such a short period since its kick-off in the country. One of the communal house residents even managed to become the most popular person in the nation by wearing no masks when exposed to the eye of the public. Does watching the “real soap opera” improve your social intelligence? Does it teach you the rules of the new world? Tune in to read if the essence of the trendy series is just about pure entertainment or much more.

At the Inter Cafe discussion board, Majra states:

I know the reality program is just a part of a global study of human psychology conducted by a group of scientists. […]

Srculence:

[…] As the time goes by we get to know more about the contestants, their character, habits and nature. We decry how by following the rules and enduring they are to win a 100.000-euro prize. There are numerous funny and interesting situations along the way. […]

Sinadin belongs to the small minority of those who don’t watch the “big show.” He was introduced to the project when Miroslav Djurisic, who left the Big Brother house, appeared in a serious politics TV program. He says:

[Famous talk show host] Olja Beckovic invited odd-looking bloke who turned out to be a participant in the Big Brother scheme. As soon as the show’s live airing kicked off, he made an impolite remark and discreetly belched. It is a disaster to choose such a guest in a serious daily issues program at the time of a state crisis. […]

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Voices from Central Asia and the Caucasus

Ben Paarmann · 15:04 · Central Asia & Caucasus

Meat vendor in Osh market, Kyrgyzstan

Just returning from a shopping tour on Osh Market, we welcome you to the latest roundup of notable online conversations that took place during the last two weeks, brought to you bi-weekly by neweurasia.

Armenia:
France's new legislation to make the denial of the Armenian genocide a crime is making waves in the blogosphere beyond the Caucasus. Turk Erkan Saka, PhD candidate at Rice University, has several posts on his blog and connects the new law with those in France who don't want to see Turkey as a full EU member. Onnik Krikorian on his blog Oneworld also has some information. Artyom thinks that together with the announcement that Orhan Pamuk today received the Literature Nobel Prize, Thursday 12 is not a very lucky date for Turkey.
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Philippines: The perfect storm

Mong Palatino · 03:28 · East Asia

More than twenty typhoons enter the Philippines every year. But super typhoon Milenyo (international name: Xangsane) which recently hit the northern part of the country shocked everyone with its ferociousness and the degree of destruction it left along its way. Metro Manila was severely damaged. Power blackouts gripped the Luzon island for almost a week. Flashfloods were reported even in the highlands.

Basang Panaginip was able to track almost all stories, photos and videos posted by bloggers on the impact of typhoon Milenyo.

Iloilo City Boy describes the damage inflicted by typhoon Milenyo in Panay island, part of central Philippines.

A Nagueño in the Blogosphere is from the region which was most badly hit by the typhoon. The blogger recalls how he and his neighbors have to bribe the village electrician to have their broken lines fixed.

Airs in G returns to his home province and was shocked by what he witnessed:

“The city remains in terrible condition: no power (the electric cooperative, mired in debt, projects full power restoration only by December), no classes everywhere with the extensive damage to school buildings, hundreds of evacuees still housed in classrooms, and ordinary businesses that can't afford generators unable to function.”

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Arabisc: Ramadan, War, Freedom and Other Issues

Amira Al Hussaini · 03:24 · Middle East & North Africa

With all Muslim countries marking the Holy Month of Ramadan, UAE blogger Bin Kerishan, wonders why people fast.

كل العبادات تسبب للانسان الاما و معاناه كالحج و الصلاه و الصيام و الاخير من اقساها و اكثرها ضررا على صحته.. لماذا لا يكون الطقس الديني مسليا؟ كالذهاب لملاقاة الاصدقاء في المقهى او البار او حضور حفله راقصه او مسرحيه كوميديه او الاستماع الي الموسيقي..لماذا يجب ان تكون هناك معاناه اصلا؟
إن السبب الرئيس في اعتقادي يكمن في الاحتقار الشديد الذي تحمله جميع الاديان لجسد الانسان . يمثل الجسد بالنسبة للاديان العدو الاول

Although he admits he doesn't observe the fast, he goes on to include other religious rituals in his “NO GO” list because of their danger to his well-being.

All religions cause some pain and suffering for people, like Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), praying and fasting. The latter in particular is the most cruel and dangerous on people's health. Why can't religious rituals be entertaining like meeting friends at a coffee shop or bar, or attending a dance, or a comedy, or listening to music? Why should there be any suffering the first place? I believe that the main reason for this is because all religions despise the human body, which is their number one enemy.

Away from religion and to the heart of politics, Syrian Pages, brings together the articles of Syrian writers under one roof in a blog, which sadly doesn't give its readers the option of commenting!

Writer Nabeel Shabeeb tells us:

أخيرا صرح الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد بأنه يتوقع عدوانا عسكريا إسرائيليا على دمشق في أي لحظة، وسيان ما هو الهدف من هذا التصريح وتوقيته، يبقى أنه يصف الواقع الفعلي، وإن لم يترتب على التصريح ما ينبغي أن يُصنع فعلا لمواجهة العدوان.
فقد ظهر أن الحرب العدوانية الإسرائيلية ضد لبنان، كانت مدبرة بتخطيط إسرائيلي-أميركي، وبهدف ولادة “شرق أوسط جديد”، أي أنها كانت ضمن مخططات تشمل سوريا على وجه التخصيص، من بين حلقات ما بات يوصف بمحور يضمها مع إيران ومنظمات المقاومة بلبنان وفلسطين

Syrian President Bashar Al Assad finally declared that he expects an Israeli offensive aganist Damascus at any time. The timing and purpose of this announcement doesn't matter. What matters is that it tells us about reality on the ground, without informing us what should be done to confront this offensive. It has now become obvious that Israel's war against Lebanon has been planned in advance by both Israel and the US, with the aim of creating a “New Middle East”. It was part of a plan which included Syria in particular and what is now described as the “axis”, which includes Iran and the resistance movements in Lebanon and Syria.

With a lack of an organised resistance movement, like in Lebanon, (more…)

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