Kamangir (Archer)

Global Voices Online

Kamangir | April 26, 2006 | Category Iran

There is an email with a strange name on it in my mailbox. In the first sight, it is very long, so I think it should be something about a lottery that I have won or a notice that somebody with my last name has died in Nigeria and now I have a few million dollars to claim for. Strangely enough, it reads like an invitation to Global Voices Online (see), and also asks me to show if I am qualified for. Following the links I find a banner which I have seen before in Lisa’s blog (see). Not bad! The site is devoted to finding, aggregating, and tracking the voice of “bridge bloggers“.

A growing number of bloggers around the world are emerging as “bridge bloggers:” people who are talking about their country or region to a global audience. (see)

The first post I read there is one translated from Russian (see), I know that because the translation says so (see). It describes the experiences of a 22-year-old man who is guarding the contaminated areas in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. It is sad.

We are all standing, afraid to sit down on the grass - because of radiation. Here’s one who has lost patience and sat down. Another one after him. Ten minutes later, everyone’s lying on the grass, sunbathing - and it’s not scary at all because radiation’s invisible.

Good probe into blogs in very different languages!