Stories about Humor from May, 2009
Bahrain: Swine Flu Arrives
Earlier this week the first case of the new H1N1 flu, or swine flu, was confirmed in Bahrain, arriving with a Bahraini student who had been in New York. Bahrain's bloggers react in this post.
Trinidad & Tobago: Police Presence
From Trinidad and Tobago, Mauvais Langue cannot believe that “in the year 2009 they [the police] still saying they have no vehicles”, while B.C. Pires takes great pride in the way his friend, through a letter to the Editor, comes “around the wicket, to send one right up into the...
Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago: Schengen Waived
As Bajan Dream Diary reports that “Barbadians travelling to the European Union will no longer need to obtain the Schengen visa”, Trinidad and Tobago's fake Prime Minister asks: “Since when do Trinis visit Europe anyway?”
Mexico: Television Comedy Show Makes Light of Actor's Mental Disability
The Human Rights Commission of Mexico DF has asked the television network Televisa to apologize the actor known as Sammy, after the contestants of a comedy game show played a prank on him, even though it is widely known that he suffers from moderate mental disability. The incident brought to light the frequency that Mexican comedians mock others or their situations in order to get laughs.
Trinidad & Tobago: AG Resigns
Bloggers have their say about the resignation of Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney General. This Beach Called Life: “The AG resigned, bringing with it accusations she wouldn’t tow The Party Line. Or support The Dictatorship, depending how you say it”; Jumbie's Watch: “This is a red herring to detract us from…the...
Trinidad & Tobago: Twitter
Trinidad and Tobago's This Beach Called Life attempts to define Twitter.
Japan: Aging Population and Public Transport
Yumeji's Theme sees signs of the hyper-aging population influencing Tokyo's public transport in ‘The Tyranny of the Aged‘ [en].
Armenia: Yerevan sails into election week
Responding to a tweet sent out an hour earlier, Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor photographs and comments on the appearance of what might be the latest obstacle placed in the way of the Armenian opposition ahead of this weekend's municipal election — a replica of a 13th century ship.
Lebanon: Hummus Nation
Hummus Nation is a new Lebanese blog in Arabic that satirizes Lebanese politics, life and issues. “Hummus” is a popular dish in the Middle East.
Lebanon: Porn-oriented Ads
Maya's Amalgam is a new blog by Maya Zankoul, a graphic designer, in which she uses drawings and cartoons to make witty comments about her daily observations and experiences in Lebanon, like this one about billboard ads which she calls “street porn”.
Russia: “A Popular Blogger”
Popularity means different things to different people, in blogging as in real life. Below is a very short humorous take on some of the implications of being a “popular” blogger in the Cyrillic sector of the LiveJournal universe.
Azerbaijan: Smiling dos and don'ts
Once again comparing life in the UK with that of her native country, Scary Azeri in Suburbs looks at the cultural dos and don'ts of women smiling in Azerbaijan.
“Obama” as President of Indonesia
“Obama” presents himself as President of Indonesia through a YouTube video. The clip features an Obama impersonator. The presidential election in Indonesia will be held on July.
Russia: Spiderman in Moscow
A sighting of Spiderman in Moscow – by IZO, via LJ user mrparker.
Trindad & Tobago: Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word
Trinidadian bloggers This Beach Called Life and Jumbie's Watch take issue with the President's “apology” over the Integrity Commission debacle.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Political Eurovision
As voting for the Eurovision Song Contest gets underway in Moscow, bartlemot tweets that the telephone number to vote for the Armenian entry in Azerbaijan was censored. In a second tweet, the same user says that instead of displaying a telephone number in the lower section of the screen it...
MENA: Does Swine Flu Spread from Touching Pigs?
More than 14 centuries after Islam prohibited the consumption of pork, pigs are once again making headlines across the Arab world - this time in the form of tweets. Here's a quick snapshot of some of the messages from Twitter users across the region.
Grenada, Taiwan: Loan Repayment
As Taiwan takes Grenada to court over the non-payment of a loan, Blah Bloh Blog comments: “Cynical Grenadians like myself are wondering if we can’t offer up former Prime Minister Keith ‘Is me damn money’ Mitchell as a form of restitution…”
India: What The Election Symbols Mean
Let's Put Da deconstructs the election symbols of the Indian political parties to find out what to expect from them.
Japan: Nice middle age
Harvey from Japan Newbie introduces a hilarious music video by Takosan called Nice Middle.
Trinidad & Tobago: Integrity Please
As the last remaining members of the Trinidad and Tobago Integrity Commission resign, This Beach Called Life cannot resist posting an imaginary conversation he had with the President, in which he is called upon to be the Commission's newest member.
