triggerhappymedia

www.triggerhappymedia.net

2007-04-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

Visit the new Trigger-happy Media site for the latest!!

If the medium is the message...

2007-04-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

As the presidential election draws near, the media is taking a renewed interest in all things France.

Click below for an excellent report from the housing estates in Clichy-sous-Bois, a Parisian suburb whose name will forever be associated with the burning cars and rioting of fall 2005.

This slideshow is particularly striking because of the way it's presented. The use of still photography underlines how the government has also been still- idle- in addressing the horrendous quality of life in the suburbs.

The pairing of the photographs with a fluid audio track underlines the volatility of the environment. The urgency for change is clear, as is the desperation of the French citizens who are still considered aliens in their own country.

________________________________
Trigger: "After the riots" by Angelique Chrisafis and Dan Chung
Site: http://www.guardian.co.uk/slideshow/page/0,,2044805,00.html

Street Art Sweet Art

2007-03-29T16:25:00.000-07:00

After taking in all the ancient art that Milan has to offer, it was refreshing to check out the Street Art Sweet Art exhibition at the Padiglione Arte Contemporanea.

The beauty of the exhibition was its lack of mass appeal. The 30+ Italian street artists featured were so stylistically varied, the fun of it was the search for the most wicked pieces.

Personal favorites included the floor-to-ceiling redheads by Nais, and Microbo's twisted and tangled design.

The upstairs gallery showcased wheatpaste and sticker campaigns. Some, like Matteo Donini's "Wake up!!" wheatpaste bells, were instantly recognizable from a neighborhood here or there.

Others were so vibrant or interesting that you wished the artist would come to yours and jazz it up a bit.

The show has received so many visitors that the closing date has now been extended to April 25th!

Sweet art from a sweetheart. No piece in the exhibition could compare to a birthday gift I received. Umberto's sister happens to know Sten, and they asked him to spray a T-shirt for me.

What makes it such a treasure is that I know this stencil- Umberto pointed it out to me on the streets of San Lorenzo in Rome. Madonna Santa- it’s so nice!

____________________________
Trigger: Street Art Sweet Art exhibition
Site: http://www.comune.milano.it/pac/index.html

It's complex

2007-03-23T03:36:00.000-07:00

Via Moscova: this campaign for mobile phone services is running with high visibility throughout Milan.

It's appeal is obvious, and quite impressive to someone who lives in a country where this would never run without getting loads of complaints of indecency.

This advertisement is representing a sort of ideal sexiness, and in fact I have seen women on the streets here emulating this look - the young and stunning prostitutes.

______________________
Trigger: 'Mary, Mary quite contrary: Italy struggles to come to grips with the Madonna-whore complex' by Amanda Castleman
Site: http://www.amandacastleman.com/mary.html
Quote: "Every culture has traces of the Madonna-whore complex, but none more than Italy. Gentle-eyed icons of the Virgin peer out almost onto every street, as prostitutes stalk beneath. Italians must cope with two Marys quite contrary: the Holy Mother and the Magdalene. The resulting confusion, unsurprisingly, boils over into everyday life, expectations of behaviour and feminine identity."

But does He have a MySpace?

2007-03-21T04:13:00.001-07:00

The Duomo: the center of Milan, its greatest symbol of strength and spirituality.

The Gothic cathedral is the third largest in Europe. The 135 imposing marble spires are only slightly less impressive under the scafolding and cloudy sky. Construction is also taking place inside to reinforce the area surrounding the main altar.

The 15th Century stained-glass windows that line the outermost walls are exquisite, but allow little light to enter. This makes the interior feel like a cave- calm, dark, and peaceful.

Despite their noise, the cathedral is full of tourists and locals praying in front of long, candle-lit altars. In front of the prayer benches sits this sign:

The business cards advertise His website, tutto su Gesu (all about Jesus). Type in the address, and you'll be disappointed to find that the site is not working.

Or maybe it will..but I'd prefer not to think that this is only happening for me.

Jesus, take the Web. But first, please fix that glitch with your server.

_____________________________
Trigger: Jesus on the Web
Site: http://www.jesus1.it/

andiamo a Milano

2007-03-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

Come sono felice-trigger-happy will be reporting from Milan all next week!

So far planned stops include the Milan Triennale, Cenacolo Vinciano (The Last Supper), and the "Street Art Sweet Art" exhibition at the Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea.

One might expect that the best place for a first-time visitor to find information on the city would be the government-run Italian National Tourism Portal (http://www.italia.it/).

But it's not- by a long shot.

A small error or two would be embarrassing for a website that was under construction for three years and cost €45 million. What's puzzling is that the site is riddled with accessibility and usability issues, unappealing design, bad translations, and outright errors.

The controversy behind the portal can be found at Italian Scandal, a site set up to expose "the scandal of an Italian webmonster." It is run by a force of multimedia and technology experts, but invites comments from anyone who is outraged by the mess brazenly passed off as the Italian tourism authority.

Their mission is "to document carefully, objectively, and analytically, point by point exactly why www.italia.it – the site which cost 45 (forty-five) 000.000 (million) euros (of taxpayers’ money) – is a poorly designed, poorly realized, and poorly written portal, and which is begging revenge for the scandalous waste of public funding, as well as for being an offense to the competence and seriousness of Italian web professionals."

It's clear that the Italian National Tourism Portal is one to miss, especially because- as pointed out on the 70,000+ read Italian Scandal blog- it is a sterile read. Information and advice for tourists should reflect the passion that a country inspires in both visitors and the people who live there. That's why we'll skip the site, and instead opt for lots of exploring. Of course, suggestions are warmly welcomed.

_______________________________
Trigger: Italian Scandal
Site: http://italianscandal.wordpress.com/

Why we're off magazines for a month...

2007-03-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

In retaliation against International Women's Day, Vanity Fair presents: misogyny.

Fans of The Sopranos get a nice shot of James Gandolofini looking bored, yet in control. On his lap is photographer Annie Leibovitz's signature woman in lingerie and pumps. The caption below identifies the woman as "a friend", meaning wink wink, nudge nudge.

Apparently it's actress Drea de Matteo who did have a recurring role on the series, but she didn't really need her name mentioned cuz she wasn't like the star or anything.

The man crouching in the corner? That's show creator, David Chase, not Bill Murray's pervert uncle.

_______________________________
Trigger: girls, women + media project
Quote: "While we can't control evey media image in our environment, we all can and should do more thinking about what we're looking at and listening to, and communication our opinions to the corporations and media that serve us."
Site: http://www.mediaandwomen.org/whatcani.html

Dear Editor,

2007-03-05T13:52:00.000-08:00

I'm writing because I don't think that VeeCee Creative co-op deserved to be featured in this month's issue of Adbusters.

VeeCee Creative are the two Israeli artists who staged a protest against the high cost of renting a place to live in their neighborhood. The project features life-sized cut-outs of prostitutes placed on sidewalks and hanging out on street corners.

The artists’ rationale behind the project is as follows:

“The prices of rent in tel aviv has become extremely expensive- and we are pushed to pimp ourselves to find a decent apartment at a decent price. We brought the world best real estate polluters to tel aviv: the whore (prostitutes, hookers…). It is simple: more whores in your neighborhood = lower rent prices.”

At first glance the execution is clever, but the design is thoughtless. Alternative forms of protest, culture jamming, or the general use of art or media to draw attention to injustices can be admirable if done correctly. Protesting high rental prices at the expense of denigrating prostitution- an incredibly serious problem with real social consequences- is not admirable. Nor is it actually effective to advance one issue at the expense of another.

Is it funny to see cardboard cut-outs of prostitutes? What about the real women that have inspired these caricatures?

I challenge these artists for their next experimental piece to do something that denounces the global sex trade. They could use their creativity to raise awareness of the exploited young women and men from poorer countries who become prostitutes after leaving home under the false pretense of being offered legitimate work in a more prosperous country.

This would involve thinking outside of the frat-boy prank box. If they can do it, I hope to read about it in Adbusters.

_________________________________
Trigger: Adbusters #70, March-April 2007 ; VeeCee co-op
Site: http://www.adbusters.org/home/ ; http://www.veecee.net/

Consumers and crooks

2007-03-02T05:18:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed that drugstores are starting to keep more and more merchandise behind the cashier's counter? Common practice for razorblades (one of the most shoplifted items), but gradually the higher-end dental care and cosmetics have begun to join them.

Just a thought- if a product is not readily available in the vision line of a browsing shopper, how does this affect the number of impulse buys? Consumers might not consider an expensive toothbrush or teeth whitening system until the option is in front of them. Then the effects of an advertising campaign, or the desire to pay extra for a "luxury" item might compel them to buy. But if the products are kept behind counters under lock and key, the opportunity for impulsiveness will be stifled.

Clearly the amount of money lost per year to shoplifting by far exceeds the amount spent on impulse buys. It's still worth noting how the tactics used to deter shoplifters might affect consumer behavior.

_____________________________

Trigger: What do people shoplift?

Site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4477596.stm

Quote: "[T]he acronym CRAVED is used to explain the product characteristics most likely to influence a thief's decision about what to steal. It stands for concealable, removable, available, valued, enjoyed and disposable."

Newsworthy

2007-02-28T20:39:00.000-08:00

Even though it's usually unbearable to read, this week's Newsweek covers what should be a more pressing issue- the lack of attention, care, and support given to veterans of the current war in Iraq when they return home.

________________________________
Trigger: 'How the U.S. Is Failing Its War Veterans' by Dan Ephron and Sarah Childress
Site: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17316437/site/newsweek/
Quote: "Though we tend to mark the grim timeline of the war by counting fatalities, what really distinguishes this conflict is how many soldiers don't die, but suffer appalling injuries."

Good will getting better

2007-02-25T20:33:00.000-08:00

The latest trend in the world of volunteer and charity work is a shift away from the traditional forms of philanthropy.

Cutting a check to a favorite cause or spending Saturday at a soup kitchen are helpful in their own ways. But what they don't do is allow those who volunteer their time or money to feel a real attachment to the community- nor do here and there contributions normally make a lasting impression.

Two organizations- Taproot Foundation and Social Design Network- are maximizing the idea of charitable giving by thoughtfully matching people to projects.

The Taproot Foundation's mission is to strengthen non-profits by organizing business professionals to provide pro bono services to them on a per project basis.

For example, if a non-profit that runs a summer camp for teens has a website that is unappealing and difficult to use, their chances of raising money via the web is slim. Taproot assembles a team of talented individuals- a web designer, copy editor, marketing director, project manager- to completely revamp the site with the mission and objectives of the non-profit in mind.

Taproot currently operates in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and Seattle with other cities to follow in the future.

The Social Design Network hosts competitions eliciting designs that address social issues. In doing so, they are striving to form a global community in tune with the ways in which design can make positive contributions to society.

Current competitions include a global warming awareness campaign, and designing a temporary emergency shelter. The Good, the Bad, and the Missing forum allows designers to share resources and ideas regarding socially aware design.

The idea behind both Taproot and the Social Design Network is that volunteers should lend their talents in a more structured way. This empowers contributors with a greater sense of purpose and accomplishment, while the receiving organizations get the support they need with greater efficiency.

See how your community needs you at:

_______________________________

Trigger: Taproot Foundation and the Social Design Network

Site: http://www.taprootfoundation.org/ , http://www.design21sdn.com/index.php

A little green sign

2007-02-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

A certain multinational media company is encouraging its employees to include the following as part of their standard e-mail signature:

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

What a brilliant reminder to think before needlessly wasting paper!

For more green news, check out IHT's report on the recycling with reports from Paris, Stockholm, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, and Berlin.

____________________________________

Trigger: Recycling: a global work in progess

Site: http://www.iht.com/indexes/special/trash/index.php

Gimmeshelter

2007-02-19T17:23:00.000-08:00

Pop in to 193C Gallery and Event Space in Brooklyn before February 23rd for Gimmeshelter, the traveling art show that raises awareness and money for organizations committed to the homeless.

The show incorporates the work of an impressive range of street artists who have donated their art under the following guidelines: all submissions must be created on a piece of cardboard no bigger than twelve inches on any side.

The use of cardboard brings the viewer face to face with the flimsy material that many homeless use for protection and warmth, and some of the pieces do address homelessness directly. The visual appeal of the show is seeing a variety of artists with different styles tacked up right next to each other.

Although Gimmeshelter is in the midst of a world tour, all monies raised in the stateside shows (either by donation or by the sale of the featured art) will go directly to the D.C. based National Coalition for the Homeless.
___________________________________
Trigger: Gimmeshelter - Cardboard is for boxes.
Top: need shelter by Sjors Trimbach; bottom: mi destello azul by ASLAN
Site: http://www.gimmeshelter.co.uk

Tesco out west

2007-02-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

A few months back the U.K. supermarket chain Tesco announced their plans to expand into the U.S. market.

After a critical revamping of their branding strategy, test sites will open this month in Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Los Angeles under the name Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market.

Think Circle K meets Whole Foods. The concept for Fresh & Easy is simple. The stores will be smaller than regular supermarkets, making the shopping experience more convenient and accessible for shoppers on the go. The product line will also reflect trends in consumer preference for fresh ingredients and prepared meals.

Anyone familiar with the Tesco stores in the U.K. may be thinking that Fresh & Easy sounds like the Americanized version of Tesco Metro (the smaller quick-stop version of the regular Tesco supermarkets). While Fresh & Easy and Tesco Metro are both designed for super convenience, freshness has never been one of Tesco's selling points.

The chain is better known as the go to place for budget shopping. Most items in the store are available in the company's generic brand (pictured), and the space for private labels is held primarily by processed foods. When it comes to freshness, it's difficult for a loaf of bread that sells for 41p to taste any better than a damp sponge.

Beyond the U.K., Tesco has stores across 12 countries with over 2,800 outlets. Time will tell if the re-branding for the U.S. will work in a market that includes a few already very successful grocery chains.

_____________________________________
Trigger: "Tesco touts healthfulness, ease" by Erica Sagon
Site: http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/0208biz-tesco0208.html
Quote: "The chain's emphasis will be on fresh produce and healthful, ready-to-eat meals sold for affordable prices [....] It will stock common American brands and Tesco's private label products, plus beer and wine, but not British food."

The other F-word

2007-02-13T10:38:00.000-08:00

1989

2005

2007-

"The Feminist Future: Theory and Practice in Visual Arts," MoMA New York, January 26 and 27.
"WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution," L.A. Museum of Contemporary Art, March 4 to July 16; National Museum of Women in the Arts Washington, D.C., September; P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center New York, February 2008.
Elizabet A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art permanent space featuring Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party, Brooklyn Museum, opening March 22.

Don't be dismayed that all of the major 2007 exhibitions devoted to female artists come with the "feminist" tag. The Guerrilla Girls, who created the above posters, emphasize the relevance of feminism today:

"We believe feminism is a fundamental way of looking at the world and recognizing that half of us are female and all of us should be equal. It's a fact of history that for centuries women have not had the rights and privileges of men and it's time for that to end.

Despite the tremendous gains of women over the last hundred years, misogyny— the hatred or hostility towards women as a whole— is still rampant throughout our culture and in the larger world. We think that is the #1 reason women need feminism."

I once read that women who truly want to advance the women's movement should consider career roles that are typically filled by men. I don't necessarily agree. A woman doesn't need to be a CEO, day trader, or construction worker to make a difference in the struggle for social equality. The key is for women to challenge boundaries and stereotypes, and push past limits no matter where their professional path takes them.

The women who gave patronage to other women in this year’s shows did just that- they demanded that the male-dominated art world recognize the talents of female artists. Here's to "f" for forward.

_____________________________________
Trigger: Guerilla Girls in ARTNews, February 2007
Site: http://www.guerrillagirls.com , http://www.artnews.com

History repeating

2007-02-06T14:40:00.000-08:00

“In 2002, filmmaker Dan Lohaus set off across the country to document the lives of homeless Vietnam veterans and to listen to their stories. They spoke about returning from combat in Vietnam with overwhelming feelings of guilt and rage, about their nightmares and flashbacks, and about how difficult it was to simply readjust to a 'normal' life in America.

[N]early every homeless Vietnam veteran raised concerns about the new generation of soldiers returning from combat in Iraq.

When, in late 2004, Lohaus found Iraq War veteran Herold Noel suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and living in his car in Brooklyn, When I Came Home became a film about history repeating itself.”

This documentary standout debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival almost one year ago. Since then, President Bush has committed more troops to Iraq, and 1.6 million new veterans have returned home.

One organization, the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America), is dedicated to ensuring that policies are put in place that will provide for both troops and veterans. A huge part of their mission is connecting the average citizen with servicemen and women. In doing so they hope that "an America living life uninterrupted" will wake up to what's going on in Iraq.

____________________________
Trigger: IAVA promotional video
Site: http://www.iava.org/
Quote: “It doesn’t matter if you’re pro-war or against the war or still trying to sort it out. Everybody in America has a moral obligation to take care of the people who served.”

Stop-motion animation was great and all but...

2007-02-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

This is what brings music videos to the here and now.

A community of musicians and filmmakers is gathering at Qoob, a project developed by MTV Italy. The clever feature on Qoob is the video contest.

Every couple of weeks a musician or band hands over a track to the site, and users are invited to create a video clip to match. Other visitors then vote and leave their tips and encouragements.

The best part: the winner will produce the official video for the track!

__________________________________
Trigger: Qoob contest latest challenge: "A Joy (Remix)" by Four Tet
Site: http://it.qoob.tv/video/clip_contest.asp?id=1

Map happy

2007-01-30T20:37:00.000-08:00

Geography 101 just got sexier. Worldmapper, an innovation of the University of Sheffield’s Social and Spatial Inequalities research group, abandons the pastel colors and bland design of your average political map in favor of something more vibrant.

Worldmapper keeps the basic boundary lines of the world intact. The twist is that the sizes of individual countries are inflated or compressed according to a value assigned to each map.

For example:

The Total Population map illustrates how India, China, and Japan hold a relatively large proportion of the world's population...

...while the Net Immigration map shows how North America, Western Europe, and the Middle East are the recipients of 79.5% of the world's immigrants. The United States receives 37.1% of the net total.

Worldmapper covers a diverse list of categories from goods and services to health and education. More map categories (pollution, depletion, communication) will be added to further extend the ambition of the Worldmapper project: to take complex statistical information and make it easily understood through illustration.

Visual learners take note.
__________________________________
Trigger: Worldmapper
Site: http://www.worldmapper.org/textindex/text_index.html

Alice in Wonderment

2007-01-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

Remember when MTV used to actually play music videos in blocks at a time? They were interrupted only by commercials, and short vignettes of creative animation called Art Breaks.

Art Breaks dazzled among the synthesizer and spandex cheesiness of 1980s music videos. One of the most memorable was produced by the Quay Brothers. The famous American twins who studied in London and were inspired by Eastern European culture produced a fantastical doll's world using miniaturization and stop-motion animation. The minute-long Stille Nacht I: Dramolet is just one short in the Quay Brother's long career of creating visual masterpieces.

A retrospective of their work, Tales of the Brothers Quay, was recently featured at the Film Forum in New York. Although viewing eleven of their original films in one sitting resulted in a bit of a sensory overload, their creative intensity was no less impressive.

Luckily, some of the individual pieces are available on YouTube. It's amazing to see these films on a site that also acts as a platform to share contemporary animation. Watch the Quays, and consider the technological advancements that have been made over the past twenty years. Browse what's contemporary, and decide for yourself which wows you more.

__________________________________
Trigger: Stille Nacht II by Quay Brothers / "Are We Still Married?" by His Name is Alive
Site: http://youtube.com/watch?v=_f2khRFo_VA

$eeing green

2007-01-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

Melting icecaps, abnormal weather, Al Gore movies- the ominous fate of our dear Earth received a lot of buzz this past year.

Corporations have surely taken notice that offenses against the environment can damage reputations and cost consumer dollars. It was only a matter of time until this concept was spun around: as eco-horror rises, so will the value of going green.

While Corporate Social Responsibility is by no means a new concept, get ready for it to be the next big thing in marketing. Research that will become increasingly important include the sort produced by Innovest Strategic Value Advisors. Every year, Innovest announces The Global 100 Most Sustainable corporations in the World at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (January 24-28).

The companies vying for a spot on the list are subjected to a rigorous environmental and social assessment. That said, the 2006 winners list included a fair share of puzzling choices: Glaxosmithkline PLC (pharmaceutical monster), Cadbury Schweppes (junk food generators), Diageo (beer and tobacco distributors), Johnson & Johnson (animal testing repeat offenders), and Nike, Inc (sweatshop labor sweatsuits).

A skim through Innovest's methodology tutorial clears up this initial confusion. The Global 100 are not judged based on their ethical worth. The criteria Innovest uses is an "attempt to balance the level of environmentally and socially driven investment risk with the companies' managerial and financial capacity to manage that risk successfully and profitably into the future." Consequently, Innovest thoroughly evaluates each contender, but through the lens of their profit potential from following "green and accountable" industry trends.

While the motivation is less than admirable, at least the profitability of Corporate Social Responsibility will result in more socially and environmentally conscious businesses. It's disheartening, however, that many of last year's Global 100 have vanished from this year's list- apparently quite a few corporations dubbed sustainable in '06 couldn't sustain the title into '07.

_____________________________________
Trigger: The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the world
Site: http://www.global100.org/faq.asp
Quote: "How can a fast food company and a weapons maker be in the Global 100?"

Where thoughts become things

2007-01-19T18:57:00.000-08:00

Followers of the "visualize to materialize" mantra will surely appreciate 43things.com. Visitors to the site are invited to make a list of 43 goals they'd like to achieve- from the simple (sing karaoke) to the serious (to live instead of exist).

Those who have achieved their goals are invited to leave their own stories with advice on how they did it. Browsing through other user's lists can also inspire. I found one of my own long lost goals featured on the front page in bold font: See the Northern Lights.

I clicked through to read about the experience...

"I ran outside to see one of the most amazing thing I had ever witnessed. The entire sky was lit with various shades of green ribbons moving across the black background. They looked so low, I thought for a moment I could have reached up and touched them.

Some people say that they don’t make sounds, but I heard them – they popped and cracked like the sound of a frozen river breaking up, although a whole lot quieter. I stood there for over 15 minutes watching them dance until they faded off..."

..and realized that the aurora borealis that I dream does an injustice to the reality. I can't wait to see it for myself.

___________________________________
Trigger: 43 Things: What do you want to do with your life?
Site: http://www.43things.com/

Expansion beyond means

2007-01-10T07:49:00.000-08:00

Romania and Bulgaria have now joined the European Union as its 26th and 27th members.

One condition of membership for the newly-added countries is that they continually evaluate their social and political policy as viewed through the eyes of the rest of Europe. In Romania, one major concern is the large number of orphaned children living rough on the street.

The below link features a heartbreaking slideshow on the orphans of Bucharest, and a short explanation of why child homelessness is such a huge problem there- and what the authorities have proposed as a solution.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/slideshow/page/0,,1985460,00.html

______________________________
Trigger: "Romania's blighted street children" by Glenda Cooper
Site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3665646.stm
Quote: "Romania is in the midst of great change and is aiming to end its reputation for neglect and abuse of children."

Living the American dream

2007-01-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

August in Italy means time for a personal holiday, and not just your odd four-day weekend. Everyone goes on vacation for a longer stretch, and it widely accepted to do so (in fact, not taking a leisurely holiday is viewed as a pitiable offense). Businesses shut up shop for a week or two without the concern that competing businesses will profit- because at some point during the month they will be closed as well.

This would never happen in the US. Even if all businesses came to an agreement to close for a certain amount of time, there would always be someone who would see dollar signs and remain open.

That's the thing about business in this country- there are no rules when it comes to taking every opportunity to make an extra buck. Take Mall Walkers for instance. Most stores in mega malls across the United States open their doors at 10am. The buildings that house these stores, however, open hours before to accommodate this rare breed of early risers.

Mall Walkers descend upon the mall's stale corridors not to window shop, but to exercise. They arrive at 6am and walk around in circles, wildly pumping their arms in the air conditioned comfort.

The introduction of the Mall Walker caught the attention of the mall's food vendors. People who exercise need water and snacks, they suspected. The vendors began to require their employees- primarily teenagers and other low-paid workers- to start their shifts at 5:30am. Considering that mall closing times run as late as 10:30pm, the revenue generated by the Mall Walkers hardly seems worth the added restriction on the mall employees already precious few hours of free time.

So while Americans may never enjoy August the Italian way, there will always be a cool indoor spot to exercise- and shop!- and escape the summer heat.
________________________
Trigger: "Economics discovers its feelings"
Site: The Economist, December 23rd 2006 - January 5th 2007
Quote: "To clamber up the pecking order, some people slave away nights and weekends at the office. They gain in rank at the expense of their free time. But in making that sacrifice they also hurt anyone else who shares their aspirations: they too must give their weekends up. [...] many people would like to work less, if only others slackened off also. But such bargains cannot be struck unilaterally. On the contrary, people compete in costly 'arms races', knowing that if they do not work harder, they will lose their standing to someone who does."

who suffers...

2007-01-03T12:08:00.000-08:00

I read the following about Kofi Annan, who recently finished his ten years of service as Secretary-General at the United Nations, in Time magazine:

"Annan quietly understood that an American invasion [of Iraq] would be a disaster. He suffered physically and mentally over his failure to prevent the war. After the invasion, he experienced a mild nervous collapse. For a time, he actually lost his voice."

...and I wondered, why is the man who tried to stop the war more tortured than the men who championed it?

_________________________
Trigger: "The Teddy Awards: 2006" by Joe Klein
Site: Time magazine, December 25 / January 1, 2007

I won!

2006-12-17T11:05:00.000-08:00

I have an announcement to make- I have been named one of Time magazine's "Person of the Year." How did I do it, you ask? Without giving too many of my secrets away, I can reveal that I was given this title because last night I searched MySpace.com to find my sister's profile.

Despite not being able to find my sister (I was tipped off that her nickname is "Sweet H", but this took me to a 15 year-old in Salem, New Jersey smiling sweetly in her prom dress), I am among those Web Users of Content Sites who have received this year's honor. It's a nod to the "digital democracy" of self-made content sites, from information sharing on Wikipedia to artful time-wasting on Second Life.

The Person of the Year was awarded to the phenomena of the computer in 1982, so it was only a matter of time before its users were given some credit for how the machine has come to be used. I'm curious to see how the magazine will praise Web 2.0 for giving a platform to the little people with something important to say-- and how they will address its more widespread use by the acutely self-obsessed.

The December 25th issue hits newsstands tomorrow- read all about me!
___________________________
Trigger: Person of the Year: You
Site: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/16/time.you.tm/
Quote: "This is an opportunity to build a new kind of international understanding, not politician to politician, great man to great man, but citizen to citizen, person to person. It's a chance for people to look at a computer screen and really, genuinely wonder who's out there looking back at them."

On u-turns

2006-12-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

Brilliant cover on this week's Economist- will be interesting to read their take on the advice presented by the Iraq Study Group...

_________________________
Trigger: The Economist, December 9th-15th print edition
Site: http://www.economist.com/printedition/

What art means now

2006-11-28T13:39:00.000-08:00

Roaming through the National Gallery in London over the weekend, I wondered aloud if artists are simply not as talented as they used to be.

My boyfriend questioned me, and I asked if he thought that artists today have the talent or the training to produce such fantastic, accurate representations of the human form like those that hung on the walls around us. He disagreed that it was not for lack of talent, but a difference in inspiration that modern artists do not even attempt to produce the same kind of works of realism that dominated previous eras.

Although modern artists are not inspired by the same historical and cultural circumstances, the art itself continues to fuel ideas. An example of this is on display just outside the Gallery- Marc Quinn's Alison Lapper Pregnant. The concept behind this bold marble sculpture came from Quinn's study of Greek and Roman marble statues, or rather, their fragments.

"I went to the British Museum and the Lourve a lot, and I saw tourists admiring works such as Venus de Milo," says Quinn. "And I realized that even though this was probably the greatest cultural emblem of feminine beauty, if someone with the same body- no arms, no legs- walked into the room, those same tourists would probably not know how to react."

As this idea evolved, Quinn decided to sculpt a person with missing limbs. He chose fellow artist Alison Lapper as his subject. Due to a medical condition called phocomelia, Alison was born without arms and shortened legs. The 11.5 metric ton statue now sits of the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, a modern-day Venus de Milo welcoming visitors as they walk towards the Gallery of ancient masterpieces.

"To see a different kind of body celebrated in stone seemed interesting and slightly futuristic," Quinn says. "It felt like art from a more enlightened time."
__________________________
Trigger: "I'm Quite Perverse" by Martin Gayford
Site: ARTnews, December 2006

Zadie Smith: Failing Better

2006-10-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

Zadie Smith is currently at work on a book of essays on ethical thought in twentieth-century fiction.* This past Sunday, Zadie talked shop at an event held at 37 Arts in New York.

What makes a good writer?

Writing is not just about craftsmanship- skilled writers are not necessarily good writers. There is a connection between personality and prose; fiction is not disengaged from its author. His or her sense of self and soul is ever present, no matter the subject and how far it may seem from the writer’s actual experience in the world.

What personal qualities does it take to write well?

Personal qualities will vary. Good writing reveals or betrays the author’s best or worst self.

What is failure in writing?

Inauthenticity. Writers fail when they work with a “they” in mind and are too eager to please. The “they” can be anyone: the public, market trends, critics, award panels, family or friends.

Writing also fails when it is clichéd, not just in ideas but even in the choice of words or phrases. Relying on clichés is choosing the familiar rather than the truth. Bad writing does nothing, and changes nothing.

What is a writer's only duty?

Writers must accurately communicate an experience and articulate the reality of other people’s lives. The writer is not the star while other people are extras. Fiction should show a reader that he or she is not the only real thing in the world.

Your reason for writing?

"I write so that I don't sleepwalk through my entire life."

*How To Fail Better released next year. Zadie will spend between now and then in Italy reading all the books she's always wanted to, but never before found the time.

____________________
Trigger: Zadie Smith speaking at The New Yorker Festival
Site: http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth257

Tell us something we don't already know.

2006-09-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

In President Bush's address to the nation last night, he acknowledged that Saddam Hussein was not responsible for 9/11. That must have been difficult to admit. It was clear 5 years ago that Saddam Hussein was not responsible for 9/11. What was so bewildering in 2003 was that the attacks became a key rationale for invading Iraq.

This discussion of what happened back then is useful, but what was glaringly absent from Bush's speech was any real dialog on what is happening in Iraq today- or what exactly he plans to do now.

_________________________
Trigger: "Bush Speaks to a Changed Nation, Where Unity and Clarity Have Evaporated" by David E. Sanger
Site: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/12/washington/12assess.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Quote: “'We are now in the early hours of this struggle between tyranny and freedom,' Mr. Bush said, describing a conflict with no end in sight."

University challenge

2006-08-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

For those who still fear outsourcing as the number one threat to America's economic security, here's an update. The latest fear is that America is losing its winning edge in the race towards technological advancement. The reason- a lack of initiative beginning at the university level. The number of American university students choosing computer science, physical science, and other left-brain pursuits is on the decline, while the number steadily increases abroad.

The Economist notes that "in the battle to invent and innovate, China and India, in particular, with their gazillion-strong cohorts of engineering and science graduates, will soon overwhelm the dullards and liberal arts students churned out by America's education system."

The article's writer was a bit conflicted to then present the argument of Amar Bhidé. Bhidé is on staff (dimwit academic) at Columbia University (prestigious) business school (useful). He believes that the failure of American universities to churn out scientists and other technological innovators will be less detrimental to the economy than a drop in the dollars spent by consumers on these new innovations.

Bhidé suggests that in the end it will be more important to concentrate on how to keep consumers consuming than worrying about the utter waste of majoring in Art History. Perhaps it's not a good idea then to dissuade the dullards from investing in one of them pricey liberal arts degrees. The economy of universities depends on it.

______________________________
Trigger: The Decline of Liberal Arts Education by Mark A. Thoma
Site: http://economistsview.typepad.com/
Quote: "Sociology, economics, political science, languages, etc., [...] are cash cows compared to the sciences. They teach a lot of students in very large classes and the cost per student credit hour is relatively low. On a cash flow basis, they generate income for the university and subsidize other units [....]"

Trigger: Venturesome consumption
Site: http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7223828

Yes, we have dreams...

2006-08-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

Young adulthood would be a lot less miserable without those moments of realization, when it is clear that certain dreams will never come true. Jacques Audiard beautifully captures this journey towards an unwelcome clarity in his film, “The Beat That My Heart Skipped.”

Tom is a 28 year-old real estate agent who spends more time roughing people up then settling them in. A chance encounter with a childhood piano teacher gives Tom hope that he might still have the opportunity to follow his musical passion. When his teacher unexpectedly offers him an audition, Tom feels alive with a newfound energy.

After practicing for one month with a Chinese musical prodigy, Tom goes to the audition. Thirty sweaty and agonizing seconds later, Tom leaves mumbling apologies. Without a tidy happy ending in sight, Tom fails to realize his dream- and the film’s faithfulness to reality is sealed.

***

In the early 80s, photographer Amy Arbus had the unique opportunity to snap the now ultra famous hanging out on New York City. This work is available in her retrospective, On the Street: 1980-1990. Her subjects include the likes of Anna Sui, Madonna, and the Clash. They were not yet famous, but both Arbus and these creative aspirants knew that celebrity status was just around that gritty downtown corner.

Arbus remarks, “There was something incredible about the optimism of the time. People were just convinced that they were going to succeed at whatever they were trying to do. [And they did], which leads me to believe that that’s all it takes. Sadly, that isn’t the case anymore, I’ve noticed. Everything is a lot less certain. To convince yourself that you can do anything you want to do must be more challenging while growing up now, even if you’re raised to believe that.”

It would be an interesting analysis to try and assess at what point creative and hopeful individuals stopped daring to dream. Where has the optimism and self-assurance gone? And more importantly, what can be done to get it back?

____________________________________
Trigger: “The Beat That My Heart Skipped” directed by Jacques Audiard
Site: http://www.wellspring.com/movies/movie.html?movie_id=63

Trigger: “Once Warriors” by Joy Merrifield
Site: City magazine, September 2006, p 72.

Rome on the ground

2006-08-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

Summers in Rome are too hot to do much of anything, especially panic. The London Underground had been bombed twenty-nine days earlier, and all the Italian newspapers were reporting that Rome would be next.

During this week the Carabinieri were on heightened alert. Piazza Navona shut down the following afternoon; each entrance along the long rectangular perimeter was blocked. The piazza's usual magical chaos was not enough to disguise an odd presence. The pigeons sensed it and scattered suddenly. Light-colored jeans and shiny dark skin moved quickly around the khaki shorts and pastiness. Hands dropped to the ground in a well-practiced maneuver, pulling four corners together to form a bundle. They tried to run, but couldn't move quickly enough around those who stood confused and weighted down by ice cream and Euros.

Starched uniforms waited patiently to load the van. Bright white sneakers darted left and right and finally gave in and lined up among other bright white sneakers when it was understood that it was all a trap. The terrorist's plot to tarnish Saint Prada's good name was thwarted-- if only for today.

__________________________________

Trigger: Adbusters magazine: call for creative non-fiction
Site: http://adbusters.org/home/

Perfect shot

2006-07-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

It's pretty clear that Target is making a killing.

I was a little surprised when the chain of stores associated with brand-name bargains and low quality goods took over a full corner of billboards outside of Times Square station. I was more than amazed when Target Corp purchased an entire issue of The New Yorker- all advertising pages in a magazine where one inch of space costs $2000. But that’s not all.

For their latest advertising trick, Target purchased a section of the tunnel walls in the Washington D.C. Metro system. For about 300 feet before reaching the Chinatown station, passengers no longer need to stare idly into the blackness. Instead, images of the Target brand- people laughing and jumping and playing and not caring that their world is strictly red and white and the annoying Target bulls eye logo is menacingly following them everywhere they go- flash at commuters. The technique to see the advertisement functions like a flipbook. Fifty still images appear to move when viewed in succession from a speeding train.

It’s marketing genius, and if I wasn’t so nauseated by it, I might point out how cute it is that the ad is visible only on the red line train.

________________________

Trigger: What should have been an innocent train ride...

Now hear this.

2006-07-17T07:21:00.000-07:00

You'd think Bush would have learned his lesson by now. But here we have another instance of a private conversation being caught on a live mic- this time at the latest G8 summit, an impromptu chat with good buddy Tony Blair.

What immediately struck me about this conversation is that the normally articulate Blair uses the word "thingy." I was less surprised that Bush swears like a drunken sailor/cowboy.

Last week my Arabic teacher expressed her hopes for a fair reaction from the international community to the current crisis in Lebanon. Here are Bush's off-the-cuff thoughts on the matter:

Bush: You see, the ... thing is what they need to do is to get Syria, to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over.

Well done. I'm sure a fair resolution is just moments away.
______________________________

Trigger: "Bush & Blair Raw & Uncut" by Adam Boulton
Site: http://adamboulton.typepad.com

Al-hamdu lillaah

2006-07-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

My Arabic teacher and her husband was supposed to fly to Lebanon yesterday to visit their families. They're lucky they didn't plan their trip to arrive any sooner. Beirut International Airport was one target of a series of bombings in this latest conflict.

I really don't understand what happened that warranted such violent fighting between the Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel. I always find the BBC's Q&A links to be useful in clarifying complex issues; for key issues in this latest crisis, follow the link below.

My teacher wrote:
"We just hope that the international community would take a FAIR decision toward what is happening..." This part I understand a bit better, but I'm afraid any question of fairness has long ago left this discussion. I just hope her friends and family are safe.

___________________________________

Trigger: "Q&A Middle East Crisis" by Tarik Kafala
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5180202.stm

Is our children learning?

2006-07-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

7 out of 12 on the "How much do you know about George Bush?" quiz is considered "not bad." But how good is 58%?

My lack of knowledge on the important events presented in this quiz (incidence of choking, fishing expeditions) does me no injustice. According to my quiz results, 7 out of 12 makes me about as informed as the average US voter and yet too bright to run this country. Ok, so I added the second bit.

Take the quiz. It's only two minutes of your life that you will never get back.
____________________________________

Trigger: "How much do you know about George Bush?"
Site:http://www.guardian.co.uk/quiz/questions/0,,1813796,00.html

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain…

2006-06-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Citing personal reasons, Michael Gerson has stepped down as President Bush’s principle speechwriter. Karl Rove told the New York Times that Gerson will be missed for his ability to channel the President’s “spirit and soul.” We can only guess that this mawkish exaggeration was also written by a speechwriter.

It’s no secret that Bush is a horrendous public speaker. Websites, cartoons, and many an e-mail forward have been dedicated to cringe-worthy Bushisms. His blunders have been known to evoke laughter, embarrassment, and sadness- usually all three in that order.

But with the help of writers like Mr. Gerson, Bush verbal eloquence, if not his delivery, improved. Gerson most notable contribution to Bush’s post 9/11 agenda was coining the phrase “axis of evil.” This phrase first reared its compelling head in pre-war 2003, and was used by Bush and company to describe the countries believed to be developing weapons and sponsoring terrorism: Iraq, Iran, North Korea, and later Syria, Libya, and Cuba.

There’s no mistaking what imagery can be evoked by using such powerful language. The word “axis” necessarily implied that a connection exists between these six countries. But even an elementary analysis of the individual histories of these countries reveals that the relationship between them is either antagonistic or simply non-existent. And there’s no question that the word “evil” elevates emotions of fear and hatred, and brings to mind an inherent and total badness.

“Axis of evil” is a significant example of the power of words to excite and convince. Gerson should be commended for his ability to capture such terror, and at the same time mislead and manipulate- all in one simple phrase. It’s a close call whether it’s more dangerous for Bush to use his own words or those of someone who knows how to put two together.

____________________________

Trigger: Bush speechwriter resigns by Oliver Burkeman
Site: http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,329506072-110878,00.html
Quote: "Announcing his resignation yesterday Mr Gerson said he had been planning to leave for months, but had wanted to wait until the political situation had stabilised. "This was a case where many good things are coming together at the White House, and it, to some extent, makes it easier to leave," he said. He planned to concentrate on writing, he added."

Warped vision

2006-06-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

Architect Zaha Hadid’s designs are instantly recognizable on canvas. At the beginning of her career, Hadid abandoned 90-degree angles in favor of sloping, fluid patterns. Her illustrations often look more like elegant art than the blueprint for a three-dimensional form.

The promotional materials for Hadid’s latest exhibition at the Guggenheim in New York call her the future of architecture. This hefty proclamation should be taken in both a fantastical and a literal sense, for Hadid has far more designs that are TBC than finished. However, when Hadid became the first female recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004, her popularity soared. She now has a commendable number of works commissioned in cities across the globe.

Visitors to the Guggenheim can’t help but tilt their heads at Hadid’s architectural visions. Her large body of work is displayed along the museum’s twisting structure in the form of sketches, paintings, models, and photographs. Her few finished projects are also featured in video presentations throughout the gallery. The most eye-catching is the BWM plant that opened in 2005 in Leipzig, Germany. From the outside, the structure resembles a nondescript warehouse. Inside, the factory is a sterile hub of whirring activity.

Hadid’s £900,000 design was based on the idea of integrating the natural divisions of the company – from the highest manager in the business office to the lowest blue collar worker- into one open work space. The BMW plant is a nod to the future in both design (the shells of half-completed cars zip through the building's center like laser beams), and workplace philosophy (executives and laborers share the same cafeteria). The different departments of the company are contained in simple glass partitions to improve social interaction. The open factory floor and offices are meant to show both blue and white collar workers the function and value of their colleagues across the corporate stratum.

Despite her best intentions, Hadid’s architecting for social relationships is a bit Henry Ford gone mad on George Orwell. The assembly line and division of labor remain intact; the only difference is that every worker is visible at all times. That means no more taking care of personal business, no more absent-minded scratching and, most importantly, no more slacking off.

So at what point does an increased visibility equal improved interaction? Will management dining with factory workers really break down the hierarchies that are an inbuilt part of any corporation? Hadid’s idealism is laughable. But with all the projects on deck stemming from the success of this one, Hadid is surely laughing heartily—all the way to the bank.

_____________________________

Trigger: "Top gear: Zaha Hadid's new Central Building for BMW radically re-envisages the industrial workplace" by Catherine Slessor
Site: http://www.findarticles.com/
Quote: "A key aim was organisational transparency, achieved by a fluid layering and interpenetration of space, so that people are aware of other kinds of activities going on around them. As this regimented line of gleaming ghost cars glides silently past cascading terraces of open plan offices and the staff canteen (democratically shared by workers and management), there could be no more overt reminder of collective purpose."

Look out below!

2006-06-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

At end of day yesterday, John Lahr called the office to ask what kind of speech he should give the next morning. He was told to talk about himself and what he does as the Senior Drama Critic for The New Yorker magazine.

Luckily, Lahr rejected going the personal biography route. Within five minutes into his talk, Lahr had fully disclosed his philosophy on the American way of life. He described American culture as propagandized, homogenized, and completely closed to discussion. He lamented the lack of dialectic, and the insolence with which people defend their strong opinions without the willingness to hear out the arguments against them.

This cultural climate has had a direct effect on journalists that cover the theater beat. Theater critics have been reinstated as theater reviewers. The review formula is widely accepted by readers who only care to know a plot synopsis and an opinion—is the show worth going to or not? But Lahr believes that both journalists and readers miss out on any greater understanding of the history, the politics, or even the psychoanalysis that provide the foundation of great theater. And because of this, masterpieces have often been overlooked in favor of absolute rubbish.

This is why John Lahr loves his job at The New Yorker. He has the room to be a true critic who, for better or worse, unreservedly researches and discusses all aspects of each theatrical piece he is assigned.

“There is no objectivity in journalism,” he said. “It simply does not exist. So if we as journalists are meant to critique something, we must be both well-informed and unafraid to make a judgment.”

Lahr praised The New Yorker for giving him a platform to write critically without fear or restriction.

*

Meanwhile upstairs, a member of The New Yorker advertising staff has forwarded an e-mail to all assistants. This e-mail is sent out weekly, and asks for them to read through the articles in the following week’s issue. They are to mark with a highlighter all instances of swearing, strong sexual content, or other vulgarisms that might ruffle conservative feathers.

Each issue also comes with a specific list of things that can’t be mentioned in accordance with contractual agreements made with New Yorker advertisers. Forbidden items are a puzzling mix, anything from negative references to the Japanese to mentions of erectile dysfunction. The attention paid to these items becomes clear the following week when Toyota and Viagra appear in the prominent full-page ads at the front of the book. If an article set to be published in that week’s issue had contained the inadmissible items, The New Yorker would be contractually obliged to pull it to run at a later date.

Contact between The New Yorker’s editorial and advertising department is a rare occurrence. This protocol is followed so that the writers can write and the business side can do business without one being affected by the other. The magazine relishes in the division of these departments, so much so that they even occupy different floors in the same building- editorial 20th, advertising 21st. With the advertisers clearly in control of the editorial content, it makes sense that they are on top.

_________________________

Trigger: Breakfast and conversation with John Lahr
Site: CondeNast building, 4 Times Square, NYC

Imitating l'art

2006-05-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

Not to be outdone by the Tate Triennial or the Whitney Biennial, Paris is now hosting a contemporary art showcase, "La Force de l'Art." The opening of the exhibitions in London and New York are notoriously criticized by art commentators and the general public alike.

Evidently the French are not to be out-grumbled either. Complainers bemoan the new show’s hefty cost, awkward venue, and hasty execution under the direction of 15 curators. The sociological analyst types say the show emphasizes too many political themes, or suspect that Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin organized the exhibition to increase support of his bid to win the upcoming presidential election.

Perhaps the biggest barrier to the success of this exhibition is that the French are simply not so interested in contemporary art. Nonetheless, protestors unhappy with the artists chosen for the show were present at the opening gala.

So essentially “La Force de l’Art” is characterized by a misguided overspending, a squirming Prime Minister, a generally uninterested French public, a crowd of angry protestors and a touch of riot police called on to protect museum-goers.

As for the show's heavy emphasis on political themes- one could only assume that the above piece represents one of the cars destroyed by flames during the rioting in the Parisian suburbs?

Je ne pense pas.

_____________________________________

Trigger: "Entr'acte: Mixing art and politics at the 'Expo Villepin' " by Alan Riding
Site: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/24/news/entracte.php
Quote: "There were some positive remarks, but the majority were critical, some quite witty. One noted: 'Its main achievement was to take 7 euros off me.' And another: 'Beauty is in the eye that sees it and, God knows, I have looked and seen nothing.'"

Fighting fiction

2006-05-18T11:18:00.000-07:00

The timing was fitting to be having lunch with an ex-Numerary member of Opus Dei, just days before the general release of The Da Vinci Code. He actually never mentioned Dan Brown’s popular work, and I was happy to not have that overblown piece of airport gift shop tat enter into an otherwise interesting conversation.

Inevitably the conversation focused on why he left the organization. He said it was the most difficult decision he ever made, especially because he never questioned his devotion to God or the Catholic Church.

“I won’t say anything to denounce them either,” he clarified. “Just because it wasn’t the right thing for me doesn’t mean that it’s not right for someone else.”

He entered into his vocation at eighteen, and lived in Opus Dei communities in Spain, Italy, and South Africa for twenty-plus years. Because the purpose of Opus Dei is to maintain closeness with God in the secular world, he was always encouraged to live as normal a secular life as possible. But as a Numerary, he lived among other members who had all sworn to a life of celibacy.

“I was a professional. I would go to work, make friends, but there was always a limit on what I could do. It would be too worldly to go to a baseball game or go for a drink. But there is always the issue that you can’t make friends because you are constantly turning down invitations, and going home every night to the residency.”

I was puzzled why Numeraries, who are not considered official clerical members of the Church, must lead a celibate life. He explained that the majority of Opus Dei members are married, but that the select few Numeraries take the extra vow to stay focused on their devotion.

“On the one hand I was being told that I was just like everyone else. I was like any other normal guy except with the awareness of living my life fully for God. But how could I live normally in the secular world in this way?”

What drove my lunch companion to dissolution was this disharmony between his vows and secular life. Now this would make an interesting story.

________________________________

Trigger: What is Opus Dei?
Site: http://www.opusdei.us/art.php?p=12224
Quote: “The members of Opus Dei are ordinary citizens who enjoy the same rights and are subject to the same obligations as any other citizen. In their professional, family, political, financial or cultural activities, they act with freedom and personal responsibility, not involving the Church or Opus Dei in their decisions, nor presenting those decisions as the only Catholic solutions. This implies respecting the freedom and the opinions of others.”

Let's Go to the TriBeCa Film Festival! Part II

2006-05-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

Viva Zapatero
2005, Italy
Director Sabina Guzzanti

"When Italian comedienne Guzzanti's satirical TV show was canceled after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's media corporation filed a 20-million-euro lawsuit, she got serious, sort of. Following in the footsteps of Michael Moore, but far more talented at imitating her target, Guzzanti exposes the seedy underbelly of Berlusconi's right-wing regime in this viciously funny documentary."

____________________________________________
The director and central voice in the Italian documentary Viva Zapatero begins her story by call herself a buffoon. But Sabina Guzzanti may be less a comedienne than a polished satirist and public speaker.

In 2004, Guzzanti created a comedy show quickly picked up by Italian state television. The program, appropriately titled RAIot, featured sketches of the meatiest political material. No issue or person was safe from a send up, not even Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (wickedly played by Guzzanti herself).

RAIot's first episode was witty and widely watched, yet never stood a chance in the government-controlled world of Italian media. Shortly after the airing of the first episode, lawsuits to the tune of $41 million were filed against the show on behalf of Mediaset, Berlusconi’s company that legally keeps the major Italian television stations and newspapers under his thumb. RAIot was immediately cancelled and pulled off the air.

The lawsuits against RAIot cited "defamation of character" against the mocked politicians. But Guzzanti fiercely defended her right to base her comedy on actual people, events, and speeches. With no answer to this argument, further legal justification for RAIot’s cancellation claimed the show was "not satire" and, furthermore, "not funny."

What makes this documentary so subtlety powerful is that Guzzanti does not accept this pathetic veil for censorship, but instead tries to understand it. On a mission to then find an accurate definition of "satire”, Guzzanti speaks with the most famous satirists in Italy, as well as those in England and France- two neighboring countries where satire is a hugely embraced and integral part of political life. Guzzanti's interviewees are puzzled by the accusations made against her show, and eventually the judge on the RAIot case agrees.

Despite winning the legal battle, RAIot was never put back on the air. Undeterred, Guzzanti heads to the parliament for answers. The most eye-opening scene in Viva Zapatero is in the moment where one Senator who stops to speak with Guzzanti becomes fed up with her questions. He tells Guzzanti to talk to her father, a right-wing Senator, about the show and about what she can do in the future. She responds that because she is an adult she can think for herself. When she is unwilling to be patronized, the senator walks away.

Viva Zapatero concludes with Guzzanti holding a performance outdoors without the involvement or assistance of the Italian media. Although her efforts defy convention, it is clear that it will take far more than a comedy show rally to challenge a dispicable government. But the waning sense of hopelessness by the thousands who turned up to watch is as good a place as any to start.
________________________________________________

Trigger: Showcase, TriBeCa Film Festival
Site: http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/

Let's go to the TriBeCa Film Festival!

2006-05-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

Brasilia 18%
2006, Brazil
Director/Screenwriter Nelson Pereira dos Santos

"A star medical examiner is called to Brasilia to confirm the identity of a beautiful, young congressional aide’s dead body. But his scientific rigor soon leads him to details of a multi-layered political scandal"...
____________________________________________

The average humidity in Brasilia--18%. This lack of moisture in Brazil's administrative capital leads to dusty, desolate landscapes- the perfect moody backdrop for a story of oppressive political corruption. Director/screenwriter Nelson Pereira dos Santos even jokes that 18% isn’t just about the weather. It’s also a nod to bribery, and the figures that go with it.

Dr. Olavo Bilac (Carlos Alberto Riccelli) travels to Brasilia to work on a highly-publicized murder case, and he quickly finds himself a helpless stranger in the land of scandal. His determination to do his job in a good way is a weakness that isn’t helped by recurring hallucinations of both his dead wife and the corpse in question.

Ultimately, the government threatens to give the media erotic pictures of Bilac’s sister with a political goon unless he lies about his forensic findings. The pictures show his clothed sister sitting tentatively on a sofa, looking away in disgust at the smiling naked man who has his arm slung casually over her shoulder. Caught-in-the-act pictures they are not, but they are enough to convince Bilac to do as he’s told.

Although this scene is meant to be humorous, Brasilia 18% oversteps the mark into the realm of ridiculousness. The significance of Bilac’s hallucinations (or are they?) is never clarified, making these scenes little more than aggravating holes in the storyline. The ending leaves a number of questions hanging, but not in a way that would rouse the audience to care about the answers.

After the showing, Pereira dos Santos explained that his light approach to a heavy subject was intentional. Brasilia 18% was meant to highlight how deeply-rooted political corruption is in Brazilian life. Dos Santos hopes that his film will draw attention to the problem, and inspire action for change to the business of politics in his country. It’s a shame that his good intentions translated into such a forgettable film.

____________________________________________________________

Trigger: International Narrative Competition, TriBeCa Film Festival
Site: http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/

American cops donuts, British cops porn

2006-04-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

My friend and I were having lunch on Upper Street when a young child came into the restaurant, distracted us with pitiful cries, and stole her mobile phone off the table. The restaurant manager called the police and two officers arrived within ten minutes. They took a detailed report despite us all being well aware that she would never see her phone again.

When I was assaulted at my job, I also called the police. The dispatcher told me it was quite an active day for crime. I gave her my number and went home. The police did show up at my workplace- the next day. I wasn’t there, of course, and when no one ever contacted me I walked down to Hornsey police station with the self-shot photographic evidence of my bruised lower lip in my bag. The officer I spoke with eyed me sympathetically from behind a glass window.

But what can we do now? he asked. We only have a simple description of your assaulter, and I reckon he won't show his face in this neighbourhood for awhile anyway. What you should do is if and when you see him again, follow him. Find out where he lives or works. Follow him and tell us where he is and we will go and get him.

My mind was blown. You want me to not run away from, but walk towards the man who hit me? I asked.

Yes. Then we will know where we can find him.

So useless.

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Trigger: Footage reveals police 'culture of chauvinism' by the Press Association
Site: http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,1762609,00.html
Quote: "Police officers secretly filmed for a TV documentary which showed them watching pornography while on duty and treating rape allegations lightly could be disciplined, their chief constable said today."

Seriously, what is wrong with you people?

2006-04-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

I got a call from a very excited man. Apparently he was on a TV show where freelance inventors posit their stuff in front of a national viewing audience. I assume that the winning inventor was given the money for production, and maybe a funny T-shirt that says something like "Inventors Do It Alone in the Garage."

My man on the phone was the creator of My Therapy Buddy. He didn't win, but it didn't matter. Since the airing of the show, he received over $3000 worth of calls for his $70 product. Curious, I went on his website to check out his invention.

My Therapy Buddy is a large, stuffed toy in a vague human-sitting-in-lotus-position form. When you hug your Buddy, a touch-activated recording inside will soothingly tell you that "everything is going to be ok."

And it will be ok- now that I will be able to rub up with a furry toy without feeling the same pervy shame I had previously felt. Thank you, My Therapy Buddy, you've helped me tremendously.

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Trigger: Some fruitcake on the phone, his website
Site: http://www.mytherapybuddy.com/
Quote: "Typically, the transitional object is a baby blanket, teddy bear, doll, or stuffed animal cherished by a young child who carries it everywhere and sleeps with it for comfort and soothing. There is no reason why this soothing function cannot benefit adults as well."

Cube monkey or lab rat

2006-04-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Ahhh the sweet pleasure it will be to never set foot in this cubicle again. Not wanting to find myself in the same situation in my new employment, I've decided that office life is not for me.

I've made some interesting discoveries in my search for an existence that isn't office-based. Example: apparently there are people who country hop to participate in medical experiments that can pay in thousands for very little work (in both time and energy spent). The calendar for this sort of lifestyle is breezy. You collect for a week's prodding and analysis, make a killing upon currency exchange, and then live how you'd like for the next two months. It's brilliant in a it's-brilliant-if-you-don't-worry-what-you're-doing-to-your-body kinda way.

Last month, six medical volunteers came close to death in London's Northwick Park Hospital in a drug trial that went horribly wrong. As an alum of the University of Westminster, I can perfectly picture what Northwick Park Hospital looks like from the outside (part dilapidated school house, part prison), and I shudder at the thought of what happened within. Giving your body to science can certainly relieve financial burdens, or allow for a more carefree lifestyle-- but is it worth the unknowable danger that you might be inflicting upon your body?

The decision to pursue an autonomous working life should be marked by the end of compromise to someone else. To not compromise your dreams, your abilities, your pride- but your health in exchange- what's the difference?

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Trigger: "Drug Firm 'Had Not Tested on Humans Before'" by Jeremy Laurance and Tony Paterson
Site: http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/031706HA.shtml
Quote: "As the men slipped in and out of consciousness, suffering severe reactions that led to swelling, vomiting and pain so extreme that one patient begged doctors to sedate him, they heard hospital statements warning of their potential fate."

Somewhere where they can't find me

2006-04-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

Walking through London's Victoria Bus Station can be pretty intense. It's so seedy that even a cramped bus makes a welcome retreat. Several large signs warn to keep your belongings with you at all times, to not give money to the homeless, or encourage the pigeons with food.

Next to these signs is a reasonable place to put up a Missing Person flyer. Mike Wilson from Barnet was last seen here in 1999 before he boarded a National Express bus headed for Ghent. His family has not heard from him since. They think he may have traveled to India upon realizing that the Belgian countryside is even more boring than Barnet.

Actually, these flyers don't say this at all. What they say is the very sad truth that someone is missing, and a desperate family is waiting to hear from him or her. The natural thought when reading these announcements is that a crime has occurred. Julie was last seen leaving her house when she told her parents she was going to buy some milk. She never returned. And what about the man who abducted her? Is he still lurking out there, waiting to strike again...

Maybe not. The University of York's "Lost from View" study suspiciously quantifies the number of people who have become, not gone, missing. This odd choice of words makes perfect sense considering that 64% of missing persons in Britain have reported that they made the conscious decision to disappear. Only 1% can be accounted to crime.

A recent New York magazine article suggested, tongue-in-cheek, that any American wanting to "disappear" could easily take on the Social Security number of someone who has recently died. That way he or she could carry on a legitimate life by taking on someone else's identity- well, as legitimate as committing fraud could possibly ever be.

But I'm not sure how much an identity change would help. There are many reasons why someone would want to escape his or her life: depression, violent domestic situations, debt, all pressures that become too much to bear. But no matter how far you run, no matter whose identity you take on, you will still be you. And there's no escaping that.
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Trigger: "Have you seen our son?" by Duncan Campbell
Site: http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/0,,1724905,00.html
Quote: " The Salvation Army, which has been helping to reconnect families since the 19th century, undertakes 4,500 inquiries a year and tracks down people in about 85% of them, although they tend to be family members who have drifted away rather than decided to disappear."

Box me in

2006-04-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

If I'm filling out a form that asks the optional question to identify my race, I never answer. If I must answer, I usually tick "other."

This is the dilemma for many people my age with parents from different cultures. We don't know how to identify ourselves. Our foreign parents struggled too much for acceptance into American life that teaching their children about where they came from fell by the wayside. I speak a better Spanish than my friends with Mexican parents. But this is because I chose to study Spanish, perhaps when I should have been studying Arabic. It is amazing to see that today parents take more pride in their culture, and demand that their children learn about it.

I would still hesitate to check a box identifying my Arab roots. I feel like my ignorance of this side of my heritage would make doing so a farce. But I wouldn't check the "white" box either, even though that is how I would be identified at a glance. Perhaps for me the best option would be "incomplete."

Recently, my manager asked my colleague, Cyndi, and I to run an errand for her that required making a purchase. She handed her credit card to Cyndi and said not to worry about forging her signature. Out on the street, she stopped abruptly and turned to me with a thoughtful expression. She took the credit card out of her pocket, and handed it to me.

"You better sign it," she said. "I don't look like my last name would be Adams."

Fair enough, she is Filipina, looks Filipina, but why couldn't her last name be Adams? And why could my last name be Adams? Do I not make a convincing Montasir?

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Trigger: The Mavin Foundation mission
Site: www.mavinfoundation.org/about/mission.html
Quote: "Census 2000 marked the first time that Americans could check multiple race boxes to describe their heritage. The seven million people who did so reflected a dramatic national demographic shift."