Global Voices Online

View from Iran writes I watched Khameini speak at the induction of new police officers (on television, not live). Thousands of blue-hatted men lifted their fists in the air and shouted “Down with America” like a bunch of automatons. Why do regimes always choose to portray themselves in the most despicable manner? Why do they goose step and raise their fists in the air? Why do they choose to set themselves against an enemy rather than for themselves?

Digital Kelachinkov says it seems Ahmadinejad is the only one,except a few of his friends,who does not worry about a USA military intervention in Iran.The blogger says besides Ahmadinejad's belief in divine interventions, maybe he simply thinks that nothing will be happened and USA and Iran will make a compromise [Fa].

Azarmehr writes that Amir-Kabir University news website reports about new dress code restrictions for female students. A big sign at the gates warns women students that they can only attend the classes if they strictly observe the Islamic dress code.

Thanks to Shirin Ahmadnia's [Fa] blog I discovered Alriza Dezfoolian‘s art works in Australia.

“You like the hot new soca music you hear on the radio but where can you purchase it before Carnival?” asks the Caribbean Beat blog. The answer is “downtown” — or used to be, before the soca music download site Trinihits.com came on the scene.

Blogdai makes a rather bleak statement about Nepal's problems. “Nepal is a nation unique; where democracy gives birth to unelected oligarchy and peace agreements lead to continued violence. Nepal is a country where terrorists are hailed as hero’s and thieves are appointed to govern.”

The Evil Lankan does a tongue-in-cheek post about internet critics who obsess over grammar, spelling and punctuation. “All this harassment from us other perfect blogger brother and sister friends (Perfectly anonymous as well) reminded me of several incidents last year.”

United We Blog! has an update on the politics and turmoil in Nepal. Covering Maoists, the Terai region and the Army. “Suddenly, it appears, things are now returning to normalcy in Nepal. But everything is not rosy.”

Metroblogging Islamabad on a seminar on Ulema's views on family planning. “The research showed that many Ulema did not support family planning as it meant to them limiting the number of children one can have, which is not permissible in Islam. However, majority of them believed that Islam permits birth spacing. It was observed that high the level of formal education among Ulema, the greater was the perception that Islam approved family planning”

Unheard Voices on catching those who are involved in corruption, including the ones at the very top. “It is immensely heartening to see the Caretaker Government moving aggressively in arresting the numerous corrupt and criminal politicians who have freely raped, pillaged and terrorized the young nation of Bangladesh. But what about the proverbial elephant in the living room?”