Kathrin of DRUEBERLEBEN

Before voting for your favorite female blogger closes at 6 pm today (check out the little image to the right ->), let me seize the opportunity to introduce to you another contestant: Kathrin of DRUEBERLEBEN, a blog on surviving depression.

Follow the jump below to find out why blogging turns Kathrin on, why she believes that every blogger cares about the number of her readers (even those who claim otherwise), and why reaching many people through your writing isn't always nice...

**UPDATE Kathrin just won the Mädchenmannschaft's Female Blogger of the Year 2010 Award! Antje Schrupp, who has been introduced on GCB last year as well, and Anke Gröner came second. Congratulations to all winners and participants! **

Photo Source

Saturday Thoughts

Photo Source

Presently, there are a number of topics I'd like to blog about: 

The fact that, with the help of Vodafone and Orange/France Telecom, the (now resigned) Egyptian government shut down the country's Internet and cut the phone lines. [Access Now has a petition for you to sign!]

The ongoing debate amongst German bloggers whether it is OK to accept money for links from SEO companies - by guaranteeing discretion to their contractors and without labelling those links as sponsored. [Please find a long and informative German article on the subject here.]

Proxy servers and proxy clouds. I have only a very vague understanding of how they work, which is pretty much based on a Wikipedia article [in German or English] on the topic and the image shown above. (Of all people, by the way, it was my mother who inquired with me about this!)

A photo series by photographer Gabriela Herman that portrays bloggers from New York City - after all both female and male - in settings that are, well, unrealistic to say the least. While Gabriela's photos might be atmospheric, I can hardly imagine people blogging standing up in front of their open fridges or naked on the sofa. It bothers me, really, that series like these still portray bloggers as people who are, in spite of their respective expertise and voluntary, unpaid night-shifts, nothing more than convenient hobbyists.

BUT I have other things on my list for this afternoon and will have to see how I get ahead with them before immersing in any of the above mentioned topics. Hope my little summary was better than nothing, though.

What Happens When You Read Fashion Blogs for Work...

Photo Sources:  Mode Junkie,  Picked Pics, Sea of Shoes

Like I Said: Girls Can Blog

Susanna Lau of British fashion blog Style Bubble. (Photo source.)

Anne Feldkamp weist auf BLICA auf eine neue Artikelserie mit dem Titel The Business of Blogging hin und fasst zusammen, was man wissen muss, um von der Fashionbloggerin zur Modejournalistin mit  Gehaltsscheck aufzusteigen (kleiner Tipp: alles!).

Katharina Brunner ist aus den Staaten zurück und schreibt seit dieser Woche wieder aus Deutschland.  

Anna Niestroj hat ihren Perlwebrahmen rausgekramt und Steffi Schubert verweist auf "grafisch unanstrengende" Desktophintergründe.

Ninia LaGrande

One of the most recent additions to my feed reader is Ninia Binias's blog Ninia LaGrande. A woman who, with her charming self-description on Twitter - "Short. Puberty. Still short." - quite obviously sells herself... short.

Follow the jump below to find out how Ninia's nick came about (if you can't guess at this point), what easy way she recommends to come up with a concept for your own blog, and why commuting might turn anyone of us into a news junkie.

For German Readers: Nachwuchsförderung in Politik- und Sozialwissenschaft

Heute wird in Osnabrück (das liegt hier zwischen Enschede und Hannover) die Deutsche Nachwuchsgesellschaft für Politik- und Sozialwissenschaft gegründet. Sie soll Studierenden dabei helfen, sich sowohl untereinander als auch mit möglichen späteren Arbeitgebern zu vernetzen.  Bisher existiert von dieser Organisation meines Wissens nur eine Email-Adresse, die sich gemeinsam mit weiteren Informationen zum Projekt hier findet. 

Award-Reminder: Grimme Online und Mädchenmannschaft

Nominiert hier noch bis zum 15. März Eure Lieblingsseiten für den berühmten Grimme Online Award. (Via Nikola Richter.) 

Außerdem nicht vergessen: Die Wahl zum Bloggermädchen des Jahres geht in den Endspurt! Per Klick könnt Ihr noch bis zum 31. Januar um 18.00 Uhr Eure Liebe bekennen...

For German Readers: Volunteer @ TakingITGlobal

Die kanadische NGO TakingITGlobal sucht deutschsprachige Freiwillige, die bereit sind, sie bei der Übersetzung ihrer Website zu unterstützen. Willkommen sind Studierende der Geisteswissenschaften, aber auch aller anderen Fachrichtungen, die Interesse an globalen Themen haben. Bewerbungen, die ein kurzes Anschreiben in englischer Sprache sowie einen aktuellen Lebenslauf in deutscher Sprache beinhalten sollten, sind per E-Mail zu richten an [Kontakt auf Wunsch entfernt]. Weitere Informationen zu TakingITGlobal sind hier verfügbar.

Stipends, Calls for Papers & Summer Schools

Again, I've collected quite a long list of interesting stipends, CFPs and summer schools. Follow the jump below for more information on programmes encouraging cultural dialogue between Germany and Africa and Eastern Europe respectively, and also for a CFP in Cultural Studies. If this sounds interesting, do also check my last collection of funded programmes - some of the deadlines mentioned then are still open and inviting applications. 

Painting by Kelly Reemtsen

Source

WikiLeaks Article Competition

Sharpen your pencils: ResearchNexus.org, an Australian social networking site for academics, is currently inviting submissions for an essay competition on WikiLeaks. With a cash prize of $1000 privately sponsored Australian Dollars, writing between 500 and 750 words on Julian Assange's recent treatment and WikiLeaks' widespread political condemnation shouldn't come all too hard. Exact essay question and more info here. (No mention of a deadline so far, but I've inquired and will keep you posted.)

Charlott Schönwetter of Afrika Wissen Schaft

Another nominee for the Female Blogger of the Year Awards is Charlott Schönwetter, formerly known as Ebert ( ;) ). As a student of both African Studies and Sociology, she has plenty of knowledge at hand to share on her blog Afrika Wissen Schaft. Follow the jump to find out why Charlott really took up blogging, why she posts in German instead of in English, and why she hasn't  mustered up the courage to post images yet.

The Dead Never Sleep

...is an English language article written by myself in today's D E R Z E I T. Download the whole magazine for free here.

Gender Equality in Poetry Publishing

Photo: Source

Poet Katharina Schultens wrote an interesting article on the role of female lyricists in German publishing. In the case study she provides, it's supportive at best: 

Since 2001, were there really only two female poets that matched the publisher's program? Should there be something made of the fact that the two female poets that did get published aren't primarily known as lyricists, while all published men are? And, without becoming too pettish, why is it that the women's works are 'love poems' and the men's 'poems'?

Last Minute Info

Source

 The Department of Politics and International Studies at SOAS awards a scholarship for the pursuit of an MPhil/PhD degree there which covers full tuition fees for three years. Unfortunately, application deadline for this particular stipend is 31 January 2011 already. More info on it here, general information regarding other scholarships  at SOAS there.

And then there's the BPB's Youth Democracy Award that carries a value of 3000€ and honors young people engaged in European Democracy. Apply before 1 February 2011.

Und auf Deutsch: Noch bis zum 1. Feburar 2011 kann man sich für den Jugenddemokratiepreis der Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung bewerben: Junge Menschen zwischen 14 und 27 Jahren haben die Möglichkeit, 3.000€ für ihr Engagement für Demokratie in Europa abzustauben. Bewerbungsunterlagen und weitere Informationen hier.

Reading Through a Power Failure

Due to a district-wide, half-hour power outage on Saturday afternoon I have been unable to access the Internet from home since then. This, of course, makes blogging somewhat difficult. So on Sunday, I read Alison Bechdel's surprisingly well-written graphic novel Fun Home in one go, consciously listened to music, re-arranged furniture and cleaned out my closet. Pretty much the stuff  I used to do before the Net came around. And, wow, I quite enjoyed it. I was really surprised at how high the pile of books I have been meaning to read for a long time has gotten. [Apropos reading: I had one last week in Neukölln. For more  info on how it went and a photo of me slumped over my manuscript,  feel free to check out my other blog.] On top of that pile lies songwriter Patti Smith's autobiography Just Kids which was given to me as a Christmas present by my dad. I'm really looking forward to this and will start reading it as soon as I finished We Need to Talk About Kevin, which, as I learned after I started, won the British Orange Prize - an award especially designed for female fiction writers. And like every year in January, I have resolved to read more books this year than last in 2011 as well. If you'd like to join me in my pledge, add a Read the Printed Word button to your blog or join The 50 Books Challenge.

Boxed

Source

How To: Sell Your Products on Your Blog

Some of you might have noticed that since December, I have been selling Girls Can Blog bags (pictured to the left is bag 'Magda'). So far, you could buy and pay only via  direct bank transfer to me. Now, thanks to my brand new Etsy shop, you may also shop via PayPal. Listing my items there cost me about 3€ so far, which I think is fair enough. BUT I'll immediately shut down my accounts there if the system doesn't help you guys in any way - PayPal cutting of WikiLeaks from all financing was an anti-democratic move and their fees are very high. So basically, what I am trying to say: I'd still much prefer you emailing me your bag requests directly.

Just drop me a message with your order or questions to girlscanblog [at] googlemail [dot] com and I'll happily provide you with all necessary further information.

For everyone else toying with the idea of selling stuff via your blog, try Design*Sponge's article on How to sell your products on your blog for starters.

Eva Ricarda Lautsch of Stadtpiratin

With her blog Stadtpiratin, Eva Ricarda Lautsch has also made it onto the list of nominees for the Mädchenmannschaft's Female Blogger of the Year awards - congratulations! To vote for your personal favorite before 31 January, click on the little drawing to the right ->

With a powerful mix of political, feminist and web issues, the 20 year old managed to gather a faithful readership around her writing. Now if you like, follow the jump to find out more about her blog for "independent people of all sexes"...

Some Music of 2010

Already at the beginning of last December, Liisa posted an extensive personal musical retrospective of 2010.

Mid-December, the Mädchenmannschaft published a long German post on Ella Baker, complete with an acapella version of a song sung in her honour by a band called 'Sweet Honey in the Rock.' And mid-November, it was the Mädchenmannschaft's Magda again, who dug out a brilliant live version of Beth Ditto's 'Standing in the Way of Control'.

And at the end of November already, Markus of Netzpolitik posted a link to non-girl band Girl Talk's free download of long-playing mix 'All Day'. Free legal music!

Drei Fragen an Sascha Lobo

Spiegel Online hat sich eine blogartige Kolumnen-Serie ausgedacht: Vier Männer, drei Spiegel-Autoren und Sascha Lobo, und zwei Frauen schreiben von nun an jeweils einmal pro Woche über ihnen zugewiesene Themen. Die Männer über Politik, Kultur, das Weltgeschehen und Netzthemen, die Frauen über Klatsch und Tratsch im weitesten Sinne. Dazu habe ich auch nach dem ersten Schock noch ein paar Fragen an Sascha Lobo, die ich ihm nach dem Sprung in Form eines offenen Briefes stellen möchte...

For German Readers: Das ist aber nett!

Im neuen Spiegel-Bloggerteam dürfen auch zwei Frauen schreiben. Eine - Sibylle Berg - sogar über was anderes als Jet-Set-Trends: Nämlich die "Widrigkeiten des Lebens"! Echte Themen (Weltgeschehen, Internet, Politik, Kultur) sind den Herren der Schöpfung vorbehalten. Wow, Spiegel, ey... echt!!!

Amber Heard for Equality

By Tasya van Ree

For German Readers: Workshop Professionell Bloggen

Blica führte gestern ein kurzes Interview mit Mary Scherpe von Stil in Berlin. Es geht darin um einen Workshop zum Thema 'Professionell Bloggen', den Mary im Rahmen der kommenden Fashion Week Berlin für Modebloggerinnen anbieten wird. Interessentinnen können sich nach wie vor um eine Teilnahme bewerben.

"Mediterranes" Magazine is Calling for Papers

Mediterranes, the magazine associated with the Euro-Mediterranean Association for Cooperation and Development (EMA), is calling for all sorts of contributions on 'Environment and Energy': Articles, photos, interviews... Whatever you got! Follow the links provided for more [German] info on the call for papers, the magazine and its submissionion guidelines. There were no specifications made regarding compensation or submission language (that I assume to be German in spite of the organization's English name).

Janina Scheidmann of Kunstkrempel

Janina Scheidmann is one of those brave people who dare to stand in front of a class of pupils doomed 'problem students' in one of the roughest neighbourhoods of Berlin. Good for us that she blogs about her experiences in art class on Kunstkrempel - an delivers an honest and sensitive account of her work.

Follow the jump to find out more about blogging at the intersection of art, life and school, why to Janina blogging is also an art form, and why she would like to be read by many more readers still...

New Publication: The Rise of Citizen Journalism

The Washington-based Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) has recently made available a new report on Citizen Journalism written by journalist Eugene Meyer. Click here to download the free .PDF-file of 34 pages. Image: CIMA

For German Readers: Mehr zum "Bloggermädchen 2010"

Aus gegebenem Anlass fasst die Opalkatze (selbst nominiert) nochmal die Anfang 2010 von Anne Roth losgetretene Debatte um Frauen im Netz zusammen, beschreibt Drüberleben (ebenfalls nominiert) sehr schön die Nervosität, die mit so einer Wahl für die Kandidatinnen einhergeht, favorisiert die Brückenbande im Zuge eines längeren Posts zum Thema doch tatsächlich Girls Can Blog. Schöner Abend, das, vielen lieben Dank Euch allen!

Off Topic: Yes, I guess I am 'Post-Privacy' in Some Respects

This is what I look like unable to attend my Yoga class and stuck in bed due to menstruation cramps. (No, not really. I stole this image here.) I just wanted to let everyone know that sweating under hot-water bottles sucks. I'd rather practice my elephant pose. (Again, not me, just from Flickr.)

YESSSSSSSSSSS! :)

Along with nine other blogs, Girls Can Blog has been nominated for an important German blog award! Help me - or any of the other girls - win this by voting* for your favorite female blogger here, and, better yet, by sharing the link to the election via your channels.  Thanks so much! 
*Watch out, the poll is hidden next to the article in the left side bar.

Zusammen mit neun anderen Blogs wurde Girls Can Blog für den Blog Award der Mädchenmannschaft nominiert! Helft mir - oder einer der anderen Ladies - den Titel abzustauben, indem Ihr hier für Eure Lieblingsbloggerin abstimmt*, oder, noch besser, den Link zur Wahl über Eure Kanäle verteilt. Vielen herzlichen Dank!
*Achtung, die Umfrage befindet sich etwas versteckt auf der Linken Seite des Textes in der Seitenleiste.

Katharina Brunner of Schafott.net

Katharina Brunner's blog Schafott.net oscillates between Bavaria and China, often with a focus on politics.

Follow the jump below to find out why she opted for such a seemingly violent blog name, where she's blogging from at the moment, and why blogging is as easy as updating a Facebook profile

(Photo: Postsecret)

For German Readers: Kurzer Hinweis

Das neue Jahr startet gut: Ann-Kathrin Eickhoff ist die neue Missy Magazin-Gastbloggerin und wird uns im Januar mit spannenden Artikeln rund um das Thema Musik versorgen. Yeah!