Stories about Arts & Culture from May, 2010
Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia make Eurovision Top Ten
This year's Eurovision Song Contest drew to a close on a Saturday in a televised final which attracted around 125 million viewers worldwide. But while some media reported lagging interest in the 54-year-old competition and concerns about spiraling costs, countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to take it very seriously indeed.
Sri Lanka: Where To Put Your Trash
Iromi Perera at Groundviews writes about the garbage problem in Sri Lanka and comments: “dumping your trash in front of another person’s house seems to be the common and recommended solution.”
Sri Lanka: Buying A Condom In Colombo
London, Lanka And drums quotes a friend who shares his experience in Colombo: “to the average man buying condoms is a total nightmare.”
Nigeria: Cast your vote in the 2010 Nigerian Blog Awards!
It's time again for the Nigerian Blog Awards! Starting Monday, voters can cast their ballot for the best blog in over 30 categories, ranging from “Best Fashion Blog” to “Most Controversial Blog” to "Best Student Blog" and more.
Chez Gangoueus: A brilliant blog about African literature in French
A close runner-up for the Best of Blogs in French Award is Chez Guangoueus (fr). Réassi Ouabonzi blogs about African and diaspora literature in French from a reader's perspective since 2007. Here is an interview of him for Global Voices:
Japan: Monozukuri for the Modern Age
The Japanese counterpart of Make Magazine, an American quarterly magazine for DIY enthusiasts, organizes a regular event in Tokyo called Make Tokyo Meeting (MTM). The fifth MTM, held at the Tokyo Institute of Technology on May 22-23, was the largest yet, featuring everything from bicycle wheels with LED lights, to complex wooden ball machines, to mechanical robot birds. Check out reports on the event on blogs, Twitter and YouTube.
Africa: A blog to promote African literature
ImageNation is a blog by Ghanaian blogger Nana Fredua-Agyeman promoting literature in Africa.
Caucasus: Eurovision Semi-final roundup
Unzipped: Gay Armenia offers its opinion on last night's semi-final in this year's Eurovision Song Festival, and especially the entries from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The blog, which has become a mainstay for covering the competition in the Caucasus region, also regularly tweets on it at @unzippedblog.
Caucasus: Social media, cleavage, and rare unity in Eurovision
Although last night's second semi-final for this year's Eurovision Song Contest has been and gone, Twitter was alive with commentary and updates throughout. The annual international competition, noted more for its kitsch entries than for its music, is viewed by well over 100 million people worldwide. Its presence online is nowhere near as large, but is increasingly becoming an important consideration.
Bhutan: Such Is Life
Jeans at Kuzu-Bhutan Weblog shares an anecdote of life in Bhutan's capital Thimphu.
South Africa: The World Cup is Coming to Grahamstown
This year in Grahamstown, South Africa, the World Cup coincides with the annual National Arts Festival, which is expected to increase tourism and opportunities for residents. Citizen journalists from the Grocott's Mail have examined many of these issues and how they will impact their local community.
Bangladesh: What To Miss About The Country
Amanda Ferrandino, an US Fullbright scholar, is finishing her study in Bangladesh and lists 14 things she will miss about Bangladesh when she goes back home.
India: The Legend of Goopy And Bagha
Greatbong at Random Thoughts Of A Demented Mind pays tribute to Tapen Chattopadhyay, “the Bengali actor famous for playing the role of Goopy Gyne in Satyajit Ray’s Goopy-Bagha trilogy for children”.
Egypt: Rima Fakih – What does religion have to do with it?
Rima Fakih, an Arab Muslim immigrant, won the Miss USA Pageant. There are those who considered her award an Arab victory, those who considered her a Muslim disgrace, and others who dug up her past.
Azerbaijan: Live tweeting Eurovision from Oslo, Norway
Complimenting the already relatively impressive of social media by Safura Alizadeh, Azerbaijan's entry into this year's Eurovision Song Contest, jazz singer Ulviyya Rahimova will be live-tweeting updates as part of the national delegation. Also blogging at the girl in jazz, she can be followed on Twitter at @UlviyyaRahimova.
Africa: The ultimate challenge for African magicians at World Cup
“More than 6.175 grams of gold: that’s what it weighs, the prize that the African jujus are aiming to claim this summer in South Africa. Africa has a reputation for being the continent where black magic is an inseparable part of sport, certainly where the sport of sports is concerned,”...
Taiwan: Heavy metal and death penalty
One of the top public issues in Taiwan blogosphere recently is whether Taiwan should abolish death penalty or not. Thus, The Ball Music sorts out and introduces several heavy metal songs that are about death penalty(zht). “…You don't have to support the abolishment of death penalty just because you are...
Caucasus: Eurovision girl power
Ianyan comments on this week's Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Oslo, Norway. Noting the often cheesy nature of the international music competition, the blog takes a look at the two female acts from Armenia and Azerbaijan, currently among the main entrants considered to have a chance to win.
Caucasus: Eurovision Social Media
With the first semi-final in this year's Eurovision Song Contest due to take place tomorrow, activity on blogs, social media networks and micro-blogging sites in support of entrants from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, the three countries making up the South Caucasus, is naturally increasing. However, their use also sometimes reflects the geopolitical and technical realities of the region.
Trinidad & Tobago: Election Graffiti
Copy Book Page posts photos of Trinidad and Tobago's election graffiti, adding: “Apparently Graffiti is only legal and accepted around election time.”
Bermuda: Happy Bermuda Day!
Vexed Bermoothes wishes everyone a Happy Bermuda Day.
