the e-magazine issue 13 / 2006 Editorials W hile writing one radio, stories filled my mind and if Asa didn’t of my last articles stop me I would probably fill this issue with god for this issue of the knows how many pages. To be honest, Asa said Ovi magazine, I that he’s not going to proofread any more articles heard on the radio of mine so I’d better stick to what I’ve written that is constantly till now. on next to me that Slobodan Milošević is dead. To be exact, the re- Our last issue “sexuality” was one of our most porter announced that there was a rumour that successful, not only for the visits our site had but Milošević was dead and in the next breaking because it raised some interesting conversations news they were going to give more details and if and reactions, and that’s exactly what we want. possible a verification of the event. You must have noticed that our young IT wizard Oddly enough, at that very moment, I was writing continually adds new things, including the latest my last article about my radio memories, since video news from Reuters. Oliver has also added a this issue of Ovi magazine is all about ‘Radio page for our radio show which you can download Waves’. I have a lot of stories about my relation- a couple of days after the Sunday broadcast. ship with the radio; stories that have to do with history, politics, fun and romance. Tony, Hutch, Satya, Georgios, Jonathan, Jan and Theo are here, and we are waiting till the last mo- I remember when I was really young, one summer ment for Phil and John - I’m writing the editorial in a Greek village next to the sea, I spent endless and there’s been no news from either of them, nights listening to romantic songs and holding a yet! I’m not going to say anything about Asa be- young French girl. It’s funny that I don’t remem- cause I’ve been a fan of his writing style for a ber her name or even her face, but I do remember long time and I loved his ‘I Spy W” a song they played often, “Summer’s Gone” by Paul Anka. Thank you all, guys, your unique writing styles and messages prove how stupid a commend I Radio, in many ways, has been a big part of my heard a few weeks ago that, “Ovi is just a ‘game’” life and I remember my father complaining all the and also that “Asa and I write everything with dif- time that it was impossible for any person to do ferent names.” Envy is something we have never their homework while having the radio blasting felt in Ovi, actually the last six months we have away next to them. I think I am one of these very been the victims of envy - jealousy is something lucky people to ‘do’ radio a few times in my life. we leave to little people. I mean really ‘do’. Not one of these extra-modern digital radio stations, I mean radio stations like In Ovi magazine we are always looking for new the one Asa and I have our program now. people to join us and knowing that our readers expand from Europe to Japan, America, Africa It is an old building with an old analogue console and Australia, we invite anybody who wants to coming from the ‘80s (twenty years are like cen- join to send us a mail. We are looking for people turies for radio), it even has an old record player, who can share our style; we are looking for jour- while the studio is just a room with funny cheap nalists, reporters, corresponder, photographers, lamps and filled with people who have a passion illustrators, anything you can imagine, but espe- for radio. People who live and breathe for the ra- cially more female contributors. dio. People like Dickey Troll, a very unique char- acter who works for Lähiradio here in Helsinki Thank you for being with us again, and, even though he is part of modern Finnish ra- dio history, I could never see him in one of these Enjoy our radio issue digital extra-modern radio stations. Thanos You see, that’s what happened to me from the be- ginning when we decided to make an issue about I must begin by apologising to all the tion. Tony Butcher discusses the coded sentenc- Triskaidekaphobics, who are unable es that tell the markets what is going to happen, to overcome their fear of the number Jan Sand takes a walk down memory lane with thirteen to properly enjoy this issue. all of his favourite radio stars from yesteryear We discussed the option of numbering and Theo Versten is back with the second chap- this issue 12b or jumping to fourteen, ter of ‘The Dead Pinky’. but we thought that would disappoint any Sikh or Chinese readers who believe that thirteen is There are a few from me, a few more from Th- lucky. You’re damned if you do, damned if you anos and all the usual sections for your enjoy- don’t. ment. Don’t forget that Ovi is democratic and endorses freedom of speech, which is why you Welcome to another issue of Ovi, whatever the don’t need to register to use our forum or to number, and we hope you are looking forward leave a message on our blog. You can also use to what written delights we have for you this the feedback facility to the left of every article month. Following last month’s weighty ‘sexu- and we do read all of your comments and sug- ality’ theme, we have eased up on the severity gestions. and chosen ‘radio waves’ as the topique pri- maire (apologies to the French speakers). Thanks for taking the time to read Ovi, Many of our regular readers will be aware that Asa Butcher we have extensive and intellectual reasoning behind the choice of topic, this issue is no dif- ferent. At the beginning of February, Thanos and I began our new independent radio show for a Helsinki radio station, which is also avail- able to download from the Bad Boys link on the left-hand side of the page. Our buzzing creative brains derived the conclusion that ‘radio’ would be quite appropriate. Thanos has put me to shame with his wealth of articles about growing up listening to the radio in Greece, although I didn’t know that Socrates presented the breakfast show. Be sure to read ‘Radio memories’ about his first transistor ra- dio and ‘ Farewell Greek BBC’, which is an interesting article about the BBC’s Greek radio service and its part in history. Our regulars are back with more for you to enjoy, including Satya Prakash examining the potential danger of AT&T returning to its pre- 1984 stranglehold, Jonathan Fischer presents another ‘Death of the Party’ and F.A. Hutchison asks and answers the one million dollar ques- radio waves Radio buttons By Thanos Kalamidas Usually I write an article and then I think of a header, but this time it started a bit differently. I have an idea on what I want to write about and then the title came alone without any second thought. So, radio buttons and there are a lot but the ones who have made the best use of all these buttons are politicians. Politicians of every color from deep red to total black and every side from left to right. I think the first people who really the history books but even from the there doing nothing. Radio Alba- following: in a race that took place understood what the radio can do if bestselling paperback spy novels. nia was famous and a big laugh in Washington D.C. between Presi- you press the right buttons were the then with all the wooden language dent Richard Nixon and USSR Gen- politicians with first two megastars, The Red Cross used the power of and the cliché slogans for the mon- eral Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, Winston Churchill and the notori- the radio a great deal looking for strous capitalism and the American the American president won while ous Joseph Goebbels. The Nazi missing people, soldiers or just and British capitalism. his Russian rival finished last.” On propaganda master used the radio civilians. It continued after WWII the other side of the world all the to promote and mislead the Ger- during the Cold War. During the I remember a joke during the Cold Russian stations were transmitting man public years before the begin- Cold War the radio waves war be- War period. The General Secretary the following: after provocatively ning of WWII, he realized soon came tenser. American stations all of the USSR Leonid Brezhnev was challenged, the General Secretary enough that radio of the C.P. of USSR can reach far more took part in a race people than any oth- around the White er printed media and House where, among in the most far away others, the President places of Germany. of the United States His constant bom- participated. After a bardment of false difficult ending, our messages and lies General Secretary worked perfectly came second, but the for the Nazi party American president until the first years was only one position of WWII. Then the before the last.” The allies showed their funny thing was that real talent taking somehow they both over. said the truth. That just shows a taste of Winston Churchill’s the power radio used radio messages have to have. been documented and they are already Nowadays it seems part of history. His that television enjoys famous “We will this glory but still never surrender” nothing has managed speech is a lesson to beat the power not only of a bril- of the radio, at least liant strategist and with the morning pro- propagandist but as a lesson for around Europe transmitted pro- visiting the USA and President grams when most of the people are marketing on how to use the radio grammes in Russian and German Richard Nixon. During his visit in their cars. Perhaps that’s why the and the words to inspire the mass- for the East Germans and any other Nixon invited him, in the spirit of American president still addresses es. The BBC became radio free Eu- language from the countries that friendship, to join him one morn- his citizens weekly from the radio rope since the rest of Europe was belonged in the Warsaw Pact. ing for some jogging, which was and before elections the media that occupied and anybody who could supposed to be Nixon’s morning somehow monopolizes the biggest had escaped to the UK. The ally se- I remember from my childhood in habit. Since both of them weren’t part of the adverts is the radio. cret services used radio to transmit Greece that we had three or four ra- very young and not exactly fit the messages to the occupied countries, dio stations based in the American jogging finished after once round So as you can see/hear, radio can the resistance, especially in France bases transmitting anti-communist the White House. be one of if not the most powerful and to spies who worked undercov- propaganda in Greek, Albanian, weapons of mass distraction! er in the occupied countries. Most Bulgarian and Yugoslavian. Not Only hours later, all the American of these are known not only from that the other side was standing radio stations were transmitting the Radio is cheap By Jan Sand There are several creatures that can construct their world by the use of sound alone. There are bats, there are dolphins, and there are humans. Bats and dolphins confront the world with a precise sound capability involving a specialized nervous system. This can create a topological model of their environment with exquisite precision. Bats guided by sound alone can fly safely through a space crisscrossed with fine threads and can accurately lo- cate tiny insects in flight to capture them and gobble them up. Each evening we kids listened to The Allen, Jack Benny, Tim and Irene, Since it is the rare human who is Singing Lady, Uncle Don, Jack Arm- Amos and Andy, Burns and Allen, There were others, of course. During fascinated by gobbling flying insects strong (the all American boy), The Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Durante, Lum the day there were the soap operas humans have a more generalized Lone Ranger, Little Orphan Annie and Abner, The Columbia Workshop, like the Story of Mary Marlin, Our sound capability to create their sur- (with her dog Andy-arf, arf), Bobby The Mercury Theater, Fibber Magee Gal Sunday, The Romance of Helen roundings and this permits sound to Benson, The Shadow, Buck Rogers, and Molly, Grand Central Station, Trent, Stella Dallas, Myrt and Marge delude humans into a fabricated real- and Mr. Keen, tracer of lost persons. Major Bowes Amateur Hour, Can and the Goldbergs. In the evening, ity which is the magic of radio. In a On special nights there were Edgar You Top This, The Sixty Four Dollar news people like Gabriel Heater and radio studio a technician can crumple Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Fred Question, Information Please. Lowel Thomas and H.V.Kaltenborn cellophane to create a roar- were the early people to be ing fire, can slap his thighs succeeded by Edward R. in a precise pattern to cre- Murrow and Eric Sevar- ate a galloping horse, can ide; a rich and fascinating repeatedly permit a loose parade of personalities kept bundle of dowels to hit a the nation enthralled and table top and an army re- informed. And it created its lentlessly marches forward. own reality that occasion- To do this on television is a ally even revealed the real very expensive business. world. Radio is cheap because it It was only during the Sec- calls upon the imagination ond World War that corre- and experience of the lis- spondents were actually sta- tener that can evoke vivid tioned overseas to report the pictures in the mind. In this, news on the spot. The Co- it is closely related to the lumbia Broadcasting Sys- written word. The visual tem was prominent in this image is where humanity effort and Edward Murrow lives so humans are very is still fondly remembered good in accepting abstract in his courageous battle sound clues to make per- with the despicable Repub- sonal mental images. lican Senator McCarthy in the current film “Goodnight With a good descriptive and Good Luck”. narrator, sound can create a beautiful woman, a deli- And, of course, after WWII, cious frying breakfast, the there was the rise of the wry roaring takeoff of a huge funny men like Henry Mor- spaceship, an encounter gan (who was chastised for with a most horrible mon- claiming Life Savers can- ster, a snoring slob, a swarm dies cheated the public with of vicious invincible insects, the hole in the center) and - all at negligible cost. Each Bob and Ray. of these pictures is different for each individual since we Radio today is submerged have each lived different by all the other ways people lives with different ideals have perfected to commu- but this is far more effective nicate throughout the world than an actual picture that but I am still nostalgic over appeals to the taste of the that couple of decades be- TV director but has variable fore the rise of television effect on the individuals in when immense talent cre- an audience. ated an era when the human ear overwhelmed temporar- I grew up in Brooklyn, ily the ever-dominant eye. New York, back in the 1930s when radio was the emperor of the imagination. radio waves Radio memories By Thanos Kalamidas When I was a kid there was a rule in the house, eight o’clock I should be in bed. A different time then, school was six days a week, Saturdays included with church in the morning. Anyway I must have been eight or nine years old when, as a Christmas present, I got a small transistor. trying to escape from the big ugly ture was to follow, believe it or not dictators. The American bases in Now, talking about a small transis- spider. He was using all his forces the first time I heard about Jerome Athens created a radio station that tor in the age of the Walkman and and most of all the scary KGB. I’m J. Jerome and his three men was in started broadcasting an all Ameri- iPods and I don’t know what else sure that this sounds unbelievable a radio programme when a woman can programme with a lot of jazz, is like talking about cave paintings for the younger generation but then with a very soft voice read chapter blues and an hour of rock & roll. in the Tate Gallery, but back in the it was reality. after chapter in a daily programme. ‘60s that was a real revolution. I Wolfman Jack! I’m serious, that could fit it in my pocket and it soon The first time I came in contact In the late-60s Greece suffered from was the name of a DJ with a very became a nightmare for my father with Shakespeare it was through the dictatorship and more anti-com- wolfish voice who brought to me since the small transistor accompa- the radio again. Macbeth, my all munist programmes appeared, with rock & roll. The man was wow, The nied me at all times, except school time favorite play, was broadcast- rock & roll becoming somehow il- Beatles and The Rolling Stones, hours. The batteries rarely lasted ing on the radio and then came all legal since it was against the reli- Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. The Vi- more than two days and when they the big Greek theater plays. Litera- gious and nationalistic ethic of the etnam War was going on and Wolf- died it was like somebody had tak- en my breath away from me. The radio became my inspiration for another love in my life, the theater. Back in the ‘60s in most countries, including Greece, the ra- dio was a state business with very little advertisement and most of the European radio stations were trying to be as more intellectual as possible, with the BBC as their role model. There were a lot of plays on the radio. I know it will sound weird but my first contact with Samuel Becket came through a ra- dio broadcasting play at the age of nine, I think. I used to go to bed at eight, lights turned off and my little transistor in my ear listening to “Monday theat- er” or every Wednesday “Caught in the spider’s web”, I’m sure some Greeks will remember that and I have no doubt that similar pro- grammes were on the radio in other European countries. Remember it was the ‘60s in the middle of the Cold War, so the spider’s web was the other side. The show had dramatized stories of young men and women who been caught by the communist spider in- side the web, trying to escape. They were some kind of light spy stories with stereotype dialogues, but in this radio play it was always Stalin, angry with a heavy Russian accent, making it the one aim of his life to catch the little boy or girl that was man Jack was playing Neil Young ones who survived the pirate sta- no swearing, we were totally free tions. To be a radio producer meant and Let Emily Play, the first Pink tions becoming legal. The first in our choices. I still think that this that you could bring adverts and Floyd song I ever heard. radio station was a result of one period, except mine, was the best radio shows were depending on man’s effort and surprisingly a period of Greek radio and many statistics and numbers. Quality and Later I got another transistor or politician who, at the time, was the people who later had radio or tel- passion had no room there. better a cassette player with a ra- major of Athens, Miltiadis Evert. evision careers started from there. dio, you might have seen them in The man, despite political and ide- The amazing thing is that the same I know that I might sound bitter some kind of Pop Art museums, ological differences, called around man later became the leader of the about the ‘90s, but I feel that the the ones where the cassette is on him people who loved radio to staff conservative party, but I think his radio has lost something. I have a the top and the buttons are huge. the first private radio station. more modern touch on the contem- weekly radio show with Asa, but I That was the moment I started re- porary life and his honesty didn’t still miss the hours spent in the ra- cording my favorite songs. I think I was lucky enough to be part of let him survive long in a conserva- dio station in Athens, helping each that should be a reminder to all that and I have some of the best tive party at least as a leader. other and making shows for fun not those record companies executives memories from that time. Nobody for the numbers. You never know, who going on about copying. Then ever told us what to say and how The 90s was the total commerciali- this might be another period before we used to create our own cassettes to say it, nobody ever told us what zation of the radio. Suddenly the the next evolution like it happened with music from the radio. Believe kind of music to play and as long same people who owned football back in the ‘70s. or not…I still have one of them. we kept some kind of ethic code, teams started owning radio sta- The ‘70s gave me one of my most dramatic radio moments. The stu- dents of the polytechnic closed themselves inside their school demonstrating for freedom and de- mocracy against the dictatorship. They created a small radio station since a lot of them were engineers and seconds before the army at- tacks the building and the tank destroys the entrance of the school killing more than a hundred kids a girl’s voice was screaming, ‘We are brothers, please don’t kill us, we are brothers.’ Only the sound of the voice in my memory still brings tears in my eyes. The decade also meant another thing, the pirate radio stations. Suddenly student bedrooms and garages with a transmitter and a record player became radio sta- tions. Boys and girls were sharing their personal stories or passions with the radio waves. Unbeliev- able moments, John loves Mary and he dedicates the next song. That was real fun but out of all this bad broadcasting came some really good DJs who really loved radio and made history. In Greece one of them was Giannis Petridis, a man with over 30,000 LPs and the first to bring punk to the Greek pirate stations playing Sham 69, Sex Pis- tols and Blondie. The 80s was the era of the private radio stations which was nothing other than all the passion of the radio waves Farewell Greek BBC By Thanos Kalamidas However odd it sounds some of the best moments of Greek radio came from England, to be exact the BBC Greek service. In a short message in Greek at the beginning of 1967, the Nobel Prize awarded poet Georgios Seferis said he had gone against one of the darkest periods of Modern Greek history, the military dictator- ship. Unfortunately, he died soon after, but the recorded message was often transmitted to encourage the Greeks who were suffering under the dictators. During the Nazi occupation in the member that the dictatorship didn’t stopped one evening last Decem- ‘40s, the BBC was the voice from During the seven years of the mili- only find the socialists and the left ber. There is nothing wrong with the free world, the government and tary dictatorship, the BBC was as opposition but the biggest part creating a television in Arabic and part of the army had escaped in there again, but this time more ac- of the conservatives who acted im- probably a lot of people will agree Egypt and united with the allies in tive, occasionally not to the liking mediately and very strongly against that there is a need for an independ- the African frontier. The BBC was of the British government. They the dictators. ent news agency in the Arab world. transmitting in Greek every night criticized the dictatorship, inter- Still, is this an excuse for shutting sending news and messages to oc- viewed known politicians and per- Somehow the Greek service of the down history? I’m not sure, I’m cupied Greece. Behind the songs or sonalities that had fled Greece and BBC is part of the New Greek his- just sorry it happened. love poems, messages encouraged lived all around Europe. Andreas tory and it has documented a lot of people and gave them the feeling Papandreou was a fugitive liv- dramatic moments. A few months For the ones who can understand that they were not alone. ing all around the world that time ago, the administration of the BBC Greek some of the most dramatic hunted by the dictatorship and their decided to end this service even or beautiful moments of the Greek The Nazis forbid people to listen lackeys. though it had moved from the tra- service of the BBC are still online, to BBC, but…who cared. It didn’t ditional short wave transmission to including George Seferis’ voice: matter how deadly the threats Melina Mercury, Mikis Theodor- the internet. The excuse was that http://www.bbc.co.uk/greek/ were, people tuned into the BBC akis, Nikos Kazantzakis, Kostanti- they were going to create a BBC every night and the next morning nos Karamanlis, Giannis Tsarouxis, television station in Arabic. the news was transmitted mouth to Maria Callas, Pavlos Bacogiannis, mouth. the list of names is endless. Re- 66 years of presenting Greek events Prize losers By Asa Butcher A story from an online news source caught my eye today: A 10-year-old girl dug out a winning coffee cup from the trash, but lacked the strength to roll up the tough cardboard rim and asked an older schoolmate for help - now the two families are locked in a battle over a $30,000 Toyota SUV. The seeds of moral- Let’s try to ig- ity are sewn by the nore the fact parent and it is up that a young to them to nurture girl was digging the positive values through rubbish on which society at school and thrives. neither of the girls had actu- Everybody feels the ally purchased emotions of jealousy, the cup of cof- greed and envy, but fee, and try to it depends upon how focus upon the we are raised that de- attitudes of the termines how we re- parents. “Find- act to them. Do you ers, keepers,” become bitter and proclaimed one angry, hating others of the fathers, for what they have? while the other Or do you respect is investigating what they have man- legal action. aged to achieve and enjoy it with them? What effect is this going to How difficult was have upon the it for the father to two young girls sell the car, split the involved? Their winnings and open initial positive an account for both reaction was to the girls? We do not share the car live in a society that and go to Walt is just and fair, and Disney, but, be- when it happens to cause one of the an innocent girl what fathers decided chance does the wid- otherwise, it er world have? may make his daughter think differently in the future. Being a role model is one of the jobs of a parent and teaching your children the values of gen- erosity, sharing broken a promise, I am sure some How has he explained away his ac- and honesty is an integral part. of the punishments would have tions to his daughter? How has he included being grounded and no clearly explained why it is ok to lie, Imagine what the father would have pocket money, so why is it different cheat and steal from friends? Will done if he had found out that his for the father to be a hypocrite? the father bear the responsibility of daughter had not been honest and his daughter’s future dishonesty? iFormat $1 million lesson! By F.A. Hutchison The Daily Dosage, 19 September 2006 A recent title to an editorial in ‘China Daily,’ probably the most widely read English-speaking publication in China: ‘As we get wealthier, do we get happier?.’ I read the editorial (in the February commission and ‘tour of active of Staff, and the Secretary of De- love! I lived like the ‘other half’ 11-12th edition) and had to respond duty,’ more advantageously than fense in Washington, D.C. (most (rich people) live, but guess what! to this question, as I talk about this most. I ended up stationed in New recently attacked on 9/11/02). Well, several things… subject all the time in ‘The Daily York City, being assigned to the Usually, there’s a line of limousines Dosage.’ Today’s ‘Dose,’ entitled, Army Pictorial Center (in Long a mile long at the VIP entrance. First, I’d been taught how to ‘get ‘The $1-million dollar lesson!’ Island City)—thus using the skills Additionally, there’s so much rank there’ (ambition) but never how I’d learned working at an NBC and ‘brass,’ in the building they use to deal with it, once I ‘got there!’ I have some experience in China affiliate. Not only did I ‘shoot’ Lieutenant Generals (one-star) to Thus, here I was with high-rolling now, almost a year, and from 35MM film at the Pictorial Center, sweep up the floors (as ‘janitors’). ‘assholes,’ (rich and powerful peo- Shanghai to Kashigar (the length but made friends across the East ple) and beginning to hate myself! of the country from east to west). River in ‘The City.’ One in a mil- Here I was the lowly of the lowli- Thus, I have some idea what’s go- lion for any Second Lieutenant in est (a Second Lieutenant) request- This led to a form of depression ing on in China (bursting capital- the Army, circa. 1963! ing my orders be changed (unheard that caused me drink excessively. ism). I lived the majority of my life of)! But, ‘hudspaw,’ (Marty will I can’t really explain my behavior in the U.S., so I know what went on But, as an example of my tenac- know how to spell the Yiddish!) during this period of my life, ex- there (while I was there: 1940 to ity, I must tell you how I managed works! I plead my case, as hav- cept bizarre (I didn’t know what to 2004). Now, a declining culture of to get assigned to this unusual ing five years experience at a com- do.)! capitalism. But, in the 1960’s, the military ‘post.’ I remember there mercial TV station, and it would U.S., much like it is now in China! were people in the U.S. Army, who be a waste of taxpayer’s money to Here I was on top of the world, didn’t even know this facility exist- have me in Bullville! Amazingly, flying first class, producing sport- It may amaze my friends there in ed! I did, however, and thus when it worked! My orders were ‘recut,’ ing events all over the world, and the U.S. and other places, to learn it came time to select where I want- (the military expression), and I was I should have been ecstatic! But, I had made one million U.S. dol- ed to be ‘stationed,’ I knew what to assigned to the ‘Pic Center,’ as we I wasn’t! There was so much lars before the age of 30!. I’d had a put on the form: U.S. (domestic) called it. ‘bullshit,’ at that ‘high’ level, I plan, from the time I was 17-years and the ‘lst Army Area’ (New York was drowning in it! It takes a cer- old, and that to work in television City). They didn’t let you pick the During my active tour of duty at the tain kind of person to ‘swim with in New York City, and my plan exact ‘post,’ just the Continent and Pictorial Center, which took me all sharks;’ to swallow that kind of worked! ‘Moon River, wider than the Army area. over the world, I planned my next bullshit! I simply didn’t have the a mile, I’m crossing you in style move: to get a job at one of the ability, nor did I want to acquire some day!’ my inspiration, the But, boy was I shocked when I got television networks across the East it! Thus, I started telling them (my movie ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s!’ In- my orders for the 1st Army Com- River in ‘the City!’ I had my heart bosses) what they didn’t want to spiration is important! munications Complex in Bullville, set on working in the ‘big time!’ hear, and soon became PNG (‘per- N.Y. (roughly 100 miles northwest Impossible, most said! sona non grata’). I wasn’t a particularly bright kid, of New York City)! just persevering! I could (and still Ah, I love the word, now used by The upshot, I got fired from ABC! can) out work most people, and After recovering from shock, and ‘Adidas,’ in their AD campaign Amazingly, this turned out to be with the tenacity of a ‘Gila Mon- never giving up my dream, I de- (at least in China: ‘Impossible is one of the best things that could ster!’ (1) vised another plan! Luckily, at the nothing!’). I remember I would have happened! I’m still amazed, time I was studying the ‘care and respond to such negativity with, how life appears at one ‘stage,’ By the time I was but 18-years old feeding’ of teletype machines at ‘Watch me!’ only to appear completely differ- I was directing the ‘live-live,’ news Fort Monmouth, N.Y. But, fortui- ently at another ‘stage!’ I went on strip at a TV station in Tucson, Ari- tously this Army post just happened I found out personally, that per- to work for the other television net- zona. Not exactly ‘prime time,’ to have a major television facility. severance, is in fact, omnipotent! works (wouldn’t give up), only to but I learned some key things, In order to get the job I wanted at discover, I was right the first time! some basic things, as I had thought- Thus, I went and presented myself ABC Sports, Inc, I called my ‘boss I was in the wrong place. ful ‘bosses.’ I got this job at the to its ‘CO,’ or ‘boss,’ of this Army to be,’ a guy named Chuck Howard TV station, when my friends said TV facility and plead my case! He every day for six months, every day There’s absolutely no integrity in I’d never work in television. was most kind and had some useful mind you! I remember the Director ‘that game!’ The old coach of the ideas. One, he would write a letter of ABC TV Personnel, telling me Green Bay Packers, Vince Lom- I attended the University of Ari- for me, and secondly he suggested I to give up, that I’d never get a job bardi had said it, ‘Winning isn’t the zona, as it was there where I lived, go to Washington, D.C. to the Pen- in Sports (he’d been trying himself only thing, it’s everything!’ In that and inexpensive for ‘townies’ of tagon (with this letter). for several years). ‘league,’ (network television) the which I was one. Simultaneously, ‘means justify the ends!’ I saw peo- I joined ROTC (Reserve Officer’s Now, for those of you who know, After getting the job on the 28th ple ‘killed,’ and over money, over a Training Corps.), which meant maybe have been in the military, Floor, at 1330 Avenue of the Amer- job! I saw lives ruined nee ‘Death studying military science. you might understand the Penta- icas, it was all ‘downhill!’ after of a Salesman!’ (by Arthur Miller). gon, the five-sided building hous- that! Money flowed like the Cha- My bosses back at KVOA/4 in However, I used my subsequent ing all the services, the Joint Chiefs teau Lafite Rothschild (2) I grew to Tucson, hadn’t mentioned anything about this, prepared me for any- empower them to discover their having a ‘relationship with ‘that.’ tial! Daring to live, to risk, to get thing like this! And I couldn’t own destinies. I don’t go to church nor read a out of that small ‘box’ you think ‘stomach’ it! I couldn’t compete book describing ‘it.’ I’m writing in! Do what I did, dare to ‘fail in this ‘league,’ saddled with my I think what’s important in life is a book of my own! your way to your success!’ old-fashioned western morality! living to discover your own des- Who would have ever thought! tiny! But, you have to discover I’ve discovered something sub- That’s what life is all about! and evolve on your own! Expe- lime, yet ineffable! Something I got out of network television rience is all! I have a University that will take hundreds of years ‘Those who are not busy being and New York City and saved degree, but learned little from all to get into main stream con- born, are busy dying!’ (Bob Dy- my life! I started giving away all the years of formal education! sciousness (long after I have no lan) that I had amassed, from cash to What I value is a ‘Ph.D.’ from ego body)! I’ve tried to explain clothing, and the less I had, the the ‘School of Hard Knocks!’ my to some of my more enlightened Be ‘busy being born!’ And, all better I began to feel! mother called it! friends, but they don’t get it, the time! they’re not ready! And who am Now, some forty years later, I Many people tried to explain to I to ‘sell’ it! Seek the unknown, by creating have very little, and I’m the hap- me what it was like at ‘the top,’ a life worth living, by giving to piest I’ve ever been in my life! (getting $ rich) but I couldn’t One of Rumi’s (5) great lines, others (less ‘fortunate’), by dis- I don’t own anything, nor have hear when I was growing up! only discovered 800 years after covering who you really are! any kind of insurance, but live I had to experience it for my- he ‘lost his ego body:’ ‘How can basically on a bicycle and my self. I had to live my own life I sell sorrow, when you know it’s ‘Life is a daring adventure, or meager SSA check (that I earned to discover what’s important to good for them?’ nothing at all!’ (Helen Keller) (3)). How to explain? me, and to ‘allow’ my destiny to evolve! I had to ‘fail,’ my way to Now, who would have ever Dare to have a great adventure! Thus, when you pose this ques- (my) ‘success!’ known, least of all me, about You’ve but one life to live as tion to me, ‘As we get wealthier, such matters! I wanted to get $ your name! do we get happier?’ I can tell There’s one very important thing rich, make a million dollars be- you from experience that I didn’t to learn, and that is that each of fore I was 30-years of age, get Join us! Let us ‘Make magic to- get ‘happier,’ but unhappier. you has a ‘destiny!’ Each of you the beauty queen and live hap- gether!’ Money, and we all need a requi- has something to do, to learn, pily ever after! But it turned out site amount to live, can buy some to create, to understand! That that the money wasn’t important, 1 Gila Monsters, a small desert security, but that’s all. If that’s consciousness is the most im- the lesson was! So, I got a ‘mil- lizard that get their name from your idea of ‘happiness,’ so be it, portant thing you can acquire lion-dollar lesson!’ the fact that once them clamp it wasn’t mine! (worth billions, trillions of dol- down on something with their lars). Yet, you can’t buy it with Now, I’m genuinely ‘rich!’ ‘Rich’ jaws, they never release (have to Of course, you can hardly tell money. Only with ‘blood, sweat, beyond explaining! be killed to be removed). any young person this (be they and tears!’ Maybe with a little 2 A French red Bordeaux wine. Chinese or American), their ap- (actually a lot of) help from that Unfortunately, for the world (cir- 3 People inadvertently believe petites whetted with ‘fame and ‘thing,’ that unseen, unheard, un- ca 2006), ‘money has become that this is a government ‘dole,’ fortune!,’ the beauty queen or material thing, that if I named it God,’ and how they get it, a ‘re- but not! You pay into this fund king,’ the big car and the big (for you), it would lose its pow- ligion!’ But, you don’t have to for years, and are entitled to col- house, with endless luxury! (4) er! listen to such! You can be differ- lect it (at age 62)! A good idea, How can you explain to them this ent! You can create something FDR had! is the worst thing that could ever Some religions called it ‘God!’ everlasting! 4 Just like I was! happen to them…? You can’t, so I’m not into religions! 5 My favorite 12thC. Sufi poet. I don’t, it’s not my business to We can create something ever- tell them (directly)! I’m a mystic! And mystics don’t lasting together! believe in ‘middlemen!’ (priests, What I try to do with young peo- ministers, gurus, or popes). Let us ‘Make magic together!’ ple (or any that ask) is to tell my They believe in going directly to story, and help them develop and the ‘Source’ (beyond words) and How? By unlocking your poten- iFormat The wider picture By Asa Butcher We are all very familiar with the cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Muhammad that were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten and subsequently in newspapers in more than fifty other countries, leading to violent protests involving dozens of deaths. The most controversial of the twelve cartoons depicts Muhammad with a bomb in his turban, with a lit fuse and the Islamic creed written on the bomb, but have Muslims stopped to ask why has they have become associated with bombs, death and terror? Out of approximately 40 cartoonists, the cartoonists. A demonstration held on display and the crowd called for turn for the angry reaction and the only twelve responded and less than by some Muslims in London at the the enemies of Islam to be killed, ‘Be cycle began once again, except both half were flattering to the Islamic beginning of February damaged any prepared for the real holocaust!’ pro- sides had hardened their positions faith. Anger at the cartoons has been good will that some may have had claimed one placard. against each other. Throughout this quite evident, but anger can make with their cause in UK after placards whole controversy, I have only been all of us blind to underlying issues, glorifying the 7 July bombings were This time it was British public’s impressed by one comment and it whether we want to acknowledge was made by an elderly French Mus- them or not. During all of these pro- lim man, “When I see some cartoon tests and televised discussions, has a about our prophet I feel some bleed- single Muslim that stopped to think, ing in my heart. Really. But at the “Shit, is that how they really view same time, I have the same feeling our faith? Where did we go wrong? when I see the flag of Denmark burn- How can we begin regain one anoth- ing outside. Because this is not our er’s trust?” behaviour as a Muslim. It is not our character. Really.” Whether you believe the cartoons are culturally insensitive, insulting or The world needs a few more like blasphemous, or they are exercising that old man because many of us are a right of free speech, these cartoons too blinded by what is in front of us, were not drawn absent-mindedly or arguing over whether or not the car- even depict Muhammad; they are a toons should or should not have been representation of how the majority published, instead of what they rep- of the west view Islam and that view resent. Sadly Muslims have to realise is one of terror, death and bombs. A that Islam does currently have the viewpoint that is unlikely to have im- stereotype of death, bombs and ter- proved much since the protests have ror, but it is now up to them to stop now resulted in death and have gone and think, “Shit, that is how they see one-step too far in the minds of the our faith. How can we change that?” west. Protest, that is everybody’s right, but don’t undermine your protest by re- inforcing the caricatures drawn by Freedom of speech By Thanos Kalamidas It seems that the whole cartoons case has closely followed the same path of other global news stories over the last few years. It became a comet that burns brightly for some time and then disappears, and then a new one appears. It seems that nobody remembers the riots in Paris, even though the people are still suffering in the east side of the city, and only two months after the huge demonstrations in the Arab countries everybody seems to forget about the Mohamed cartoons. Or maybe not? The reason I’m returning again to wards other institutions. When we this issue is an article I read in a say ‘institutions’ we shouldn’t in- Finnish monthly magazine and the clude our western democracy, since reaction of Muslim editor/publisher he often sarcastically criticizes that, when I tried to talk to him about his probably preferring an Iranian style article regarding the cartoons. theocracy. Let’s pick the Pope as an institution. First of all, after probably hundreds of pages in the international media, According to Catholics, the Pope it seems that everybody forgot to is the representative of God on ask the cartoonists themselves why Earth and the Catholics are nearly they drew these cartoons. It seems a billion in number worldwide. The that everybody was bothered about very same Pope is against Turkey’s the publishers and the editors of membership to the EU and he has the magazines and newspapers been blamed for anti-Muslim feel- that published the cartoons, but no- ings regarding his decision. Is this body bothered to ask the cartoon- known publisher going to criticize ists. Even in Finland, an editor of a the Pope when it comes the time? magazine lost his job just because he published a very clever – at least Don’t forget that a great number of for me – cartoon that criticizes the the European leaders are Catholics whole situation with the cartoons. and for them the opinion of the Pope might become important. Let’s take I believe my experience as a car- it even further. George W. Bush has toonist for daily newspapers allows often said that God talks to him, so me to give my opinion and add to is this certain publisher going to the argument. I have often men- criticize George W. Bush in the fu- tioned that cartoonists try to find ture about his religious views? things to criticize and provoke all the time. They are like stand-up Most of the western governments comedians, but in print form. You talked about freedom of speech, see a stand-up comedian and you but then they all emphasized the probably laugh with some of the need to respect institutions and that most racist jokes, but when you see there should be a limit to what peo- cation to make the Muslim states it print it is a totally different reac- ple produce. Now we cannot make The second thing that makes me rebel. Despite the fact that the tion. Why? cartoons of Mohamed, later we will more worry, which is what I tried to certain publisher and publication not be able to write about the Pope, say to that editor/publisher, is that, enjoys the freedom of speech pro- I never really understood. The car- followed by the president, the gov- if I didn’t know better, I would sus- moting his anti-western attitude, toons were not to my taste and dur- ernment, the big companies and pect that he is either an undercover anti-Finnish rage and his support ing my long career I have designed even Guantanamo Bay since some provocative of the CIA or a crypto- for the Iranian dictatorship, but in some cartoons that were quite pa- consider it a temple of justice. supporter of the new republicans. the case of the cartoons he seems thetic. Quality aside, the moment The man took such a loud position to believe that freedom of speech I produced them it was to serve a After trying to explain all the above over the cartoons issue by support- has a limit and that cartoons of this purpose. They were targeting a per- to the same publisher, he ended the ing the idea that there should be a theme are used mainly for propa- sona, an institution or an event that conversation on one conclusion: limit to what you can publish and ganda against ‘innocent’ Syria and had crossed the border that sepa- He said that he can write whatever what you can not. Iran. rates the serious from the ridicu- he want because this is freedom of lous, and be sure that this happens speech and I cannot criticize him! Actually, he blames the western My question was, and still is, often, especially regarding politics media for hypocrisy and even hints whether this certain publisher is and religion. that the whole thing was a provo- going to keep the same attitude to- iFormat Suvi-Anne Siimes By Thanos Kalamidas For many years it has been a question between historians about the role of a personality in events. Some personas are so strong that things happened much faster than they were supposed to or slowed down other events that were not supposed to. European history is full of personas like used the chance of a civil war there. admiral gave reminding that the danger made her a well-appreciated speaker. that and I’m not only referring to people Soon after independence Finland got from the east is not over. If he’s right or that actually changed the history of the inside a civil war with all the atrocities wrong is another case, what is important Just to prove once more what a roman- continent and not only for their nations, coming from a civil war. The red side is that the fear is still here. tic soul she is, she realized that reality such as Olof Palme in Sweden, Willy was the loser of this war and it had to is taking over ideas in Europe and she Brandt in Germany or François Mitter- suffer exile, punishment and often In this cold climate, literally and meta- foresaw that soon she going to be a mi- rand in France. In the modern European death. Finland was the last frontier to phorically, Suvi-Anne Siimes became nority in a party that feels that the time history we talk about personas who communist USSR and the Finns lived in the leader of an alliance that included came for compromises and cooperation made the difference in their own coun- the constant fear of when the Russians socialist, former communists, euro- with governments, even when they are tries and hopefully their example will will decide to invade the country, a feel- communists and any left movement. administrated from conservative parties. brighten the future. ing similar the Berliners had to live. The She had to fight prejudice that being a So she decided not to be a brake for the invasion came in late-30s and the Finns communist made you immediately a majority and resign, even refusing to be Finland has many personalities to show defended successfully their country, but supporter of the enemy, therefore a trai- a candidate for the next parliamentary at this level, Urho Kekkonen was one of with the side result being that the fear tor. elections. these personalities and his contribution and the hate for the neighbor got higher during the hardest years of the Cold War and continued building up during the According to what I have read and Mrs. Suvi-Anne Siimes’ decision sad- will be remembered for a long time, not Cold War. heard about her, she managed very well. dens me because democracy needs only in Finland but in European his- First of all she managed to unite all the all the voices especially in a time of tory books - the man earned his place In 2006, memories are still here. People broken pieces of a movement that had globalization. Romantic voices are the in European history. Martti Ahtisaari is who fought in the war are still alive, suffered after the fall of the Berlin Wall. most valuable, from the other side her another former president of the Finnish people who still feel uncomfortable with Her knowledge in European politics and decision shows her deep romantic char- democracy who will gradually take his the breath of the giant neighbor and the economics made her a fearless opposi- acter and there is nothing else to be said place in European history, even though latest example is the interview a Finnish tion and her honest reaction to history than I hope she will not stay far away. he’s not much appreciated in Finland at least not as much as he is abroad. In an interview a few years ago with a philosopher in Paris, he said to me something that I kept all these years. This interview was a bit after the fall of the wall and the dismantling of the old USSR, the man was a theoretical repre- sentative of the new conservative wave starting at that moment in Europe. He said to me: to be a communist is very romantic, think of it asking total equal- ity in the 20th century, demanding an equal share of all the goods but to con- tinue being a communist now it means that you are totally romantic, hopeless to change. Mrs. Suvi-Anne Siimes gives me exact- ly this picture that she’s the total roman- tic and I think that above anything else that made me like her. Being in politics in Finland is not an easy thing, being a left wing politician in Finland with often the reputation that you are a communist is reaching the limits of being a danger- ous sport. She is another persona that I think will take her place in modern Finnish history one day. The reason I am writing this is due to her latest an- nouncement to retire as chairwoman of the Finnish left alliance. Finland became a nation after the split- ting up of the old Czarism Russia and Tarja’s salary By Thanos Kalamidas The Finnish government announced that they are going to increase the President’s salary from 102,000 eu- ros a year to 126,000 euros a year. According to the Finnish law, the salary is tax-free and all the expenses for the president’s residence and staff are paid from the government’s annual budget. To be president of any country is Anybody familiar with Greek po- reminded everybody that Greece a big issue and with the support of a superior honor. I have learnt that litical history, since ancient times, had nearly 10% unemployment and the media gave a strange dimension presidents of a country, at least for will know that nobody ever reached over 2,000 homeless people, he re- to the whole issue. the majority of European coun- the acceptance of Stephanopoulos; minded that 30% of the population tries, are people who, through their 98% approval over the last four could barely afford every day’s ex- Yes, the people understand that actions, personality and ‘above years of his presidency. I think this penses and that the country could their president needs money, far parties’ behavior, have become is an unbelievable number for any spend less money on defence and more than the average citizen but is symbols of unity and their icon rep- politician in any country around more money on its own citizens. it necessary to scream in a country resents their country abroad. the world. Aside from his character, with nearly 10% unemployment, reputation as a pure democrat and The former Greek president used to in a country with homeless even In most of European countries his long involvement in Greek poli- donate the biggest part of his sal- through the Arctic cold, in a coun- presidents don’t have real power tics, what made him so popular was ary to organizations that help poor try where many families live with and they are there more as higher his personal behavior as president. people, kids and handicapped. I’m less than 1,000 euros a month? advisors to the governments, a bal- sure a lot of people regret that the They don’t need to know that their ance between the government and The man continued to live in an Greek constitution prevents a third president is getting a 24,000 euro the opposition and as the voice of apartment that was his residence all term for the president and the new pay rise. the public inside and outside the the years before he became presi- president must have felt the heavy country. The former president of dent; he used to walk to the presi- responsibility of taking over from a There are members of the senior the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel, dential palace and often he used to persona like C. Stephanopoulos. management in the private sector is an example of all the above. A criticize the government and the who take much more, probably five known east European writer of the leading personas of political life Coming to Tarja Halonen, I’m not times more a month, but none of ‘70s and ‘80s became the symbol with their extreme use and exhibi- going to judge how much money them is the president of the repub- of change for Czechoslovakia in tion of their position and power in she takes. According to what I know lic. Why suddenly do the govern- the 1990s, the first and the last free- using luxurious state cars, helicop- she’s a persona with an active past ment and the media decide to hurt ly- elected president of the Czecho- ters and airplanes, luxurious holi- in the country’s history, she’s been the presidential institution? Is it bit- slovakian democracy and the first day destinations, residences and active in minorities’ rights and vo- terness for the election result or just president of the Czech Republic. parties. cal to the welfare state. What I can- vindictiveness? not understand is why the govern- Vaclav Havel totally strengthened In a public speech in early 2000, he ment had to make the whole thing the presence of the new republic internationally. Most of the biggest names in the international theater have one of his plays in their reper- toire and there are not many people who don’t know about the ‘Spring in Prague’ or the ‘Velvet Revolu- tion’ - the most dramatic moments of the Cold War in Europe. Wher- ever he went everybody had to bow in front of the legend and, to an ex- tent, the Czech Republic. Havel is just one example and I can think of a number of other European presidents who been equally honored and honor the title of president. Nobody I think ever questioned how much these people take, or how much they spent, since their personality was a huge thing for any country’s P.R. The only times people asked questions like that was when the president didn’t fulfill the demands of their honor... and to be president of a country is very demanding. Costis Stephanopoulos was presi- dent of Greece from 1995 till 2005. iFormat Predictable Men By Tony Butcher If you read information about financial markets you won’t be able to get through many paragraphs without some- one saying, “Markets don’t like uncertainty”. Well from our point of view, this is not strictly true. If everyone in the market knows what is going to happen, i.e. certainty, how can anyone make any money? Let’s be clear, we are all looking at these markets with a view to making money, if you are looking for spiritual fulfilment then you’ve strolled into the wrong lobby. Uncertainty creates volatility because a country that is so dependant on its situation continues to be a far more not see Mr Bush backing down on it makes different traders take differ- agricultural industry - I just can’t help pressing and serious issue with coun- this issue. I would not be surprised to ent views on events. In essence, it but form a wry smile. tries from all corners of the world pos- see Israel take a more pro-active and gives traders chances to make money. turing over the rhetoric. destructive approach to any building The problem at the moment is that Ironically, Europe is in the final proc- plans the Iranians have. in the debt / bond markets there is ess of lifting a ten-year export ban on Iran has been giving veiled threats to- not a great deal of uncertainty on the British Beef and it may not be long wards the United States if it continues macro-scale. All the major central before France suffers a similar situa- to refer them to the United Nations banks of the world do a fantastic job tion with its poultry exports. The Iran Security Council, but somehow I can- of ‘signalling’ interest rate expecta- tions to the financial markets. In truth, what markets don’t like is unexpected shocks. The last European central bank meet- ing was a guaranteed quarter point rise, in the same way they are guar- anteed not to do anything at the next meeting. How do we know this? Jean Claude Trichet has developed a lan- guage whereby in coded sentences he allows the markets to know what he is thinking without actually giving straight answers. By using the term ‘monitor closely’ instead of ‘vigilance’ we are led to be- lieve that key European Interest Rates will be left on hold, when he changes the language back that will be the sig- nal for another rate rise. It is widely expected there will be another rate rise of one quarter of one percent in one of the months between April and June. A similar situation has occurred in the United States with former Chairman Greenspan developing his own lan- guage with the help of contacts in the media who translate what he says. The only interesting point will be how the new man in charge, Ben Bernanke, tackles this situation. However, after serving several years under ‘Big Al’ he may become even more transpar- ent for the benefit of the markets. Other global events that continue to bubble away are bird flu and the Ira- nian Nuclear situations, both of which have monumental consequences for the globe if we get anywhere near the worse case scenarios. Bird flu is grad- ually making its way across Europe, and currently France seems to be the worst hit. This could possibly cripple Return of AT&T By Satya Prakash Spread over 22 states of the US it had a complete monopoly till 1984. Then a Federal judge split the giant in 7 smaller parts. Yeah, it was then ‘Ma Bell’ now known as AT&T. Twenty two years later the split is getting reversed. Already four of the seven babies have joined and now there is a new development. AT&T is set to acquire ‘BellSouth’ split it is again the competition. believe if allowed, AT&T will become for a sum of 67bn US dollars. If this what it was before 1984 and prices of At present biggest competition in tel- merger gets the go ahead from the One of the collateral benefit of this all the services will increase. ecom sector is from these companies regulators then AT&T will again be- merger will be coming of Cingular which will be very much there even come largest telecom company in US, – the mobile phone company, into the The question is will the regulator after buyout of BellSouth. But this is pushing Verizon to second place. folds of AT&T. Till now AT&T and think alike? Will they be of view not totally in black and white, there BellSouth has joint holding of Cingu- that competition will be eliminated are several grey areas. In recent years no other industry has lar. The ultimate entity will be sort of with this deal? The answer for them seen so much of change across the one stop for services like local, long might be in the technological change For a start, most people have access world than telecom. Technological distance and mobile calls. AT&T has that has happened in telecommuni- to broadband internet through the net- innovations, convergence of serv- many other benefits to accrue if this cation industry in the past few years. work of the telecom companies which ices and new ways of communication merger goes through. The biggest change is that now voice includes AT&T. So will it lead to un- have made telecom one of the most transfer does not depend on telecom fair trade advantage? Difficult to say profitable sectors. When Ma Bell was I guess regulators will be taking a hard companies. Many internet companies so but I am sure we will have pretty split in 1984 it was to allow competi- look at all the facts. Many consumer like Vonage, Skype and TimeWarner interesting developments in coming tion to flourish in public interest and groups have already gone on record are providing voice services at far weeks. today when Ma Bell is reversing the with their opposition to the deal. They cheaper price. iFormat Greek stories about Iran By Thanos Kalamidas For the ones who are familiar with Greek history there is a period in the modern era that is very sad for all the Greeks first and then for the whole of Europe. From 1967 till 1974, in the country that discovered democracy and practice it first, there were dark times of a military dictatorship. During these times a lot of Greeks had to live in exile or died and this had nothing to do with sides and beliefs, there were many people from the left, but there were peo- ple from the conservative right that believed in democracy and they found themselves obliged to fight any kind of fascism. During this period many coun- tries, politicians and individuals stood and supported the Greeks in exile or the imprisoned vic- tims of the dictatorship. Some countries went even further by not recognizing the dictators as the legal representatives of the country. Sweden was one of these countries and gave a home to thousands of Greeks who were escaping from Greece, includ- ing a lot of known personas of Greek political life, such as future first socialist Greek Prime Min- ister Andreas Papandreou, while France did the same for Constan- tinos Karamanlis, later president of the Greek democracy, and the list goes on. Melina Mercury, the Oscar award winner and Greek actress activist once said that every time a foreign government was going against the dictators they had a party be- cause the dictators were not rep- resenting Greece, had nothing to do with Greece, they were traitors to everything for which Greece stands. I grew up during that period and I realized myself that my beliefs were tested and that’s why I’m so sensitive regarding dictators and dictatorships. I cannot under- stand why some people defend a dictatorship just because they live abroad and they feel like they are obliged to defend their native country. Can’t they understand that if they really love their coun- try they should never defend the people that destroy it? Next, among all these people run- ning from the dictatorship during those years there were some par- asites funded by the dictatorship and moving around the Greek embassies abroad. Their only purpose was to lobby for the dic- tators and inform on the move- ments of the activists abroad. There are many ways to charac- terize these people and I think ‘parasites’ is the mildest word I could think of. However, having the right funds these parasites usually managed to enter the lo- cal societies, getting involved with the local social life, local media and so on. I want to be- lieve that most of these parasites paid for what they did after the dictatorship fell. As a principal, I cannot believe that any theocratic state has any- thing to do with democracy and freedom and I cannot believe that Sharia Laws have anything to do with justice. I have grown up be- lieving that execution is a crime and I’m happy to live in a con- tinent where execution is forbid- den. How can I accept stoning as justice and, further more, how can I accept that a state that uses this practice as a democratic state? that the Iranian people will find of their life, trying to even invade you’, they are the worst night- One more thing I’ve learned from the strength the Greeks found their minds, filling them with a mare of any democratic person dictatorships is how important it thirty years ago to overthrow the blind nationalism and the feeling as they lobby ambassadors and is for them to feel powerful and dictatorship. Alone, just like the that everybody wants to take over promote the ideas that they rep- scary for everybody around them. Greeks, without any invasion that their land. People with free spirit resent. While Greece was suffering, with will lead to worse situations like and beautiful ideas. And then you people getting poorer and poorer it has happened in Iraq, which is get the others. Perhaps the Iranian democrats every day, the dictators were facing a civil war. should follow the example of investing more money in new They are the parasites that, with- the Greeks during the dictator- weapons and new strategies. Living in Finland that has a out good reason, start defending ship that made the names of these strong Iranian community, I had the dictators and voice excuses parasites and their crimes known Now, which country nowadays the chance to meet many Iranians. for their plans. Naïve? Parasites? publicly. From the other side, has a theocratic government, a They are very sweet and friendly I tend to believe the latter. Push- these parasites should never for- monolithic policy a dictatorial people who remind me of Medi- ing themselves inside the local get that nothing lasts for ever and system and researches nuclear terranean people, ready to open social life, getting involved with in the end they will pay and, like capability? I’m sure your mind their houses to you and introduce everything and using the system the Greeks in exile, the Iranian went straight to Iran. Iran has you to their culture and life. A lot and the European spirit of giving real democrats will find friends one of the most dangerous dic- of them came here escaping from everybody a chance. ‘I will de- everywhere. tatorships and you can just hope a dictatorship that manages to fend your right to say what you control even the smallest details want even if I don’t agree with iFormat War games By Thanos Kalamidas When an admiral criticizes the political developments in Russia, emphasizes the concentration of power in Kremlin and reminds everybody that an eye should be kept on Russia, the only thing missing is James Bond and Leonid Brezhnev. This is not an intro for a spy book written sometime in early-80s or late-70s, this is 2006 and the person who said those things in a public interview for a Finnish newspaper is the Chief of Defense of Finland, Admiral Juhani Kaskeala. When comments like that come sian bear will be able to stand up admiral, which makes the whole means. However, I have the picture from a public figure, you remem- alone. Till then, Russia will be de- thing much simpler and far more of all these generals spending their ber that this is democracy and they pending on the financial help from logical. After living for nearly time trying to find ways to get more can say whatever they want, but the USA and EU, which means that eighty years with the big boogey- weapons, calculating how many when these words come out of the the Russian generals have to forget man waiting round the corner, it is people they will kill and planning mouth of the Chief of Defense of old plans even for their war games. difficult to change habits. I don’t it all. a country like Finland that makes Never forget that Russia has a huge underestimate the role of the army you chill. problem with its own war on terror in the defense of any country, es- Unfortunately for the admiral, the in Chechnya. pecially when your neighbor is an enemy has gone and his thirst for Trying to see everything from a imperialistic country, I’m Greek new weapons, more war games and distance there are only two ways The second point is the Finnish and I know only too well what that the need of him being the protector to face what the admiral said. First, of the weak is still there. There is nothing has changed with Brezh- an old Greek poem that goes: After nev’s Russia. The good old bu- they made all the preparations and reaucratic mechanism is still there, they stood there fully- armed, they conspiring how to get into neighbor were waiting for the barbarians, but countries and expand influence glo- the barbarians never came so they bally or the admiral still lives back had to create them and they dressed in the ‘80s. some passing by people like bar- barians and they killed them. Regarding the first case there are certain suspicions, after a long There is another conversation go- period, when the economy is in ing on in Finland which harks back pieces, a big power like Russia to the Cold War as well. The ques- seems as though it is trying to re- tion of joining NATO. First of all, cover. After decades of dominion NATO has no good reason for its in the east side of Europe, as a big existence since it was the oppo- power, there is the fear of the other site war machine of the Warsaw side. Russia found herself fighting Pact that doesn’t exist either. The between crime, an economy in a excuse that NATO can play the deadlock, a public at the limits of role of international peacekeeper poverty, the highest possible unem- sounds very poor, since for that ployment, no health system and no reason we have the United Nations education system. and Finland is one of the most ac- tive members of the Peacekeeping Boris Yeltsin was perhaps the best force. Coming now to a more coop- solution, even though history will erative and active defense program remember him only for the drunk- that includes other countries in the en moment he started conducting continent, this is the new EU force. the army band, while sat next to Once more the whole idea of join- Bill Clinton in front of the White ing NATO is like a general’s dream House. Vladimir Putin is another for war games. story altogether. He is a contrast to Boris, who is open-hearted, always I’m afraid that what the admiral in a good mood, the former basket- was doing with his interview was ball player is open to the public and just proof of how sad his life has always ready to say something in become with no barbarians. We can front of the cameras, while Putin is only hope that the rest of the people exactly the opposite. realize that and the political admin- istration of the ministry advise the The secretive former KGB rarely admiral to keep his mouth shut in smiles; there is something cunning the future and leave diplomacy to in the way he looks around at every the diplomats…maybe somebody public appearance that does not should also remind him that the pe- inspire trust. However, Mr. Putin riod of the Cold War is over with- knows that the road to democracy out no scheduled return. is one-way for Russia and it will take a long time before the Rus- Are you ready? By Thanos Kalamidas What happened in the end of January 2006 in Palestine is unique in every sense for the political history of this world. In a region with no democratic background, in an occupied land with over fifteen armed organi- zations half of them considered terrorists, a public organizes elections under the force of the Americans and Europeans, makes elections in a way that even the observer Jimmy Carter has to admit that they should be an example of democracy for other countries, no conflicts, no street fights, no threats of coups and elects people nobody wants to recognize as the winners. It looks like everybody wanted successful democratic elections but with the winner they had already decided. This is not a very good example of democracy, is it? In the end the whole thing proved how ready the Palestinians are to take over and rule their own destiny without any instructions and help. To the question if the result of these elections could have been any dif- ferent the obvious answer is no and that’s because: Yaser Arafat, who was supposed to be the setback for any peaceful solution from both Israel and the West, was dead for over a year and the truth is that during this time the Palestinians didn’t see any differ- ence in what going on with their land and their destiny. In the beginning, the west was really happy with Mahmut Abbas replac- ing the dead Arafat and only two months after his placement as the new leader of the Palestinians, Ar- iel Sharon withdrew from any kind of talks with the excuse that Abbas During the peace talks in Madrid, they wanted to show to all those In 2006 it seems that the only ones is not doing anything to disarm and after the Oslo agreement, the then who became rulers of their destiny who kept their promise were the imprison the other Palestinian or- Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir prom- in one night promoting their own Palestinians. ganizations. Something that would ised to James Baker, then USA good and forgetting the struggle of obviously lead to a civil war and Secretary of State, that Israel was the people that they knew how to The Palestinians, despite what will no Palestinian leader would dare going to stop every movement with punish them. They elected Hamas. happen in the future with Hamas do, however peaceful and ready for the settlers and that no more set- and if EU and the Americans will compromises he was. tlements would be built. In 1992, The Palestinians did everything. accept the idea that they have to when this promise was made, there They signed in Oslo, including the negotiate with them, managed to The Israeli occupation army during were 120,000 settlers in the West recognition of Israel, and the only send a very clear message: We can the year after Yaser Arafat’s death Bank and now the number is up thing they wanted was the other play the game with your rules if made 1,100 strikes on villages, cit- to 240,000 making the settlements sides to keep their part of the deal. you want, are you prepared to ac- ies and refugee camps killing over 30% of the occupied land. The Oslo agreement was putting as cept the result? Unfortunately the 750 Palestinians. The same time a point date the year 1993 when the last messages coming from the Israel ignored all the talk from all The Palestinians had to do some- Palestinians would recognize Israel American administration show that around the world, including the EU, thing. They had to show that they as a country and then the peaceful we are not! and continued building the wall that cannot accept any more this quiet process was supposed to last till not only divides villages and cities agreement from the EU and the 1999, when a new independent na- in two but farms and houses. support to Israel from the USA, and tion would arise in the West Bank. fArt Fighting piracy By Asa Butcher For those of you who watched the 78th Academy Awards, you will have noticed a number of references to movie piracy. The first was in the form of a joke by host Jon Stewart about it financially hurting actors so much that some of the women here tonight couldn’t afford enough material to cover their breasts. The second came during a speech by the Academy President Sid Ganis, who said: “Please keep going to the pictures.” Going to the cinema was once an experience I used to enjoy at least once a week, but now I am lucky if it is every two months. Aside from the lifestyle changes, what are the reasons are I not tempted to make the journey to my local cinema and hand over a large number of banknotes to the cashier? Oh that’s right, it’s because I have to hand over a large number of bank notes. Why has it become so expensive to go to the cinema? Admission, pop- corn and drinks take the price for a married couple to such a heady height that it’s better to buy a couple of DVDs and watch them at home. Movie piracy can cost you nothing, which makes the prospect very at- tractive, but it is not something in which I participate. Investing in a DVD, I feel that it is important for my daughter’s cultural development. The prospect of her be- ing able to watch classic movies on the big screen is minimal, while the likelihood she gets to watch a remake of a classic is highly probable, so be- lieve it is better to compromise and let her watch the original on a small screen. Hollywood studios need to stop re- making and producing sequels, and begin re-releasing these classic for get the cinema multiplexes to rewind the release of Bonnie and Clyde, In love them, we love the montage of new and past audiences. ‘Nostalgia’ a few decades? the Heat of the Night and Cool Hand classic films, we love the stars from is the buzzword for most generations Luke, fifty years since The Bridge on yesteryear and we love to go to the and few of us would pass up the op- Next year sees the thirtieth anniver- the River Kwai and 12 Angry Men, cinema because it is “the only place portunity to watch some of our fa- sary of Annie Hall, Close Encoun- and sixty years since Gentleman’s to watch a movie” - I mean, how vourite films on the big screen for the ters of the Third Kind and The Spy Agreement and Black Narcissus. can you experience Jaws in Media- first time. Forget the ‘bonus’ disc you Who Loved Me, which are three Os- Player? get with the Special Edition DVD, car-winning films that still entertain Let’s celebrate them all by watching not all of us can afford the latest audiences today. Why not go back them where they were supposed to home cinema technology, so why not further? 2007 marks forty years since be enjoyed. Moviegoers everywhere Is radio an art? By Thanos Kalamidas To perform is an art, to share your feelings and make other people share theirs with you is art, to sculpt ideas and give a shape to sensitivity is art, then why isn’t radio considered art? Drawing cartoons for long time, I was lucky enough to see people recognizing cartoons and comics as the 9th art form during the late-70s and the rise of the Pop Art, but till then it was always under question. If you think of it, every single square that makes a comic page is a small painting with every single detail that makes a painting and through the history of cartoons we often saw comic art following the same waves. We saw Cubism in the late-30s and Surrealism in these lit- tle squares, while at the same time we saw literature and theater in- volved. Suddenly to make a comic you should be gifted in a number of things, draw well, write well and have a huge imagination, since we had to create new worlds and new situations on a piece of paper. I started talking about cartoons and comics because this is a field I have studied a great deal over the last 40 years, since I realized that I can read and enjoy the text that accompanied all these pictures. I often write articles about comics and I was more than happy when Umberto Eco wrote books about comic art, analyzing all the little details most of us miss most of the time and that from the side of a phi- losopher researcher. Doing radio now, since I am one of these lucky people who has been on both sides of a radio pro- gramme, either as a listener of ra- dio programmes or as a producer of a radio show, I can say that it is art. It’s the art of performing and it has nothing to do with if you have radio voice or radio attitude. A ra- dio voice helps, but what you need more is inspiration, passion and love, just like drawing comics. Over the last year, Asa and I lived the adventure of a radio show was something we carried for hours broadcasting once a week in Hel- I will never forget two shows we after the show. Ok, I might have pushed it a little sinki. Most of the people cannot un- did, one when the tragic events of too much, but the truth is that all derstand or feel what we are doing the explosions in London and an- A radio show includes the following of us have laughed or cried with a and we had some really bad hours other one when we were talking elements, a radio station, a script, radio programme and all of us have in this programme. We have to be about the Holocaust and the 60th music and the presenters. Compar- shared feelings or memories with a something like invisible clowns anniversary of the liberation of ing the whole thing with a painting, good radio show, but that’s exactly that have to entertain our listeners Auschwitz. We were not planning the radio station is the canvas, the what a good play does or a good for an hour, make them smile and to make a dramatic show, after all script is the colors and the theme, film. So, if a movie can be art why feel that we are their escape pod, we were supposed to make people the music is the background and not a good radio show? even when we have to mention smile, but somehow everything the presenter is the painter and his some of the most tragic things. turned so sad and depressing that it inspiration. radio waves Tuning in By Asa Butcher “Good evening, you are through to the late-night request show! What song can we play for you?” “I’d like to hear Africa by Toto, please.” “Certainly, why do you want to hear that particular song?” “Oh, it always reminds me of Africa.” “Have you been?” “No!” A few seconds of stunned silence and the song begins. Radio is a great source for classic anec- dotes and that was one of my favourites. Radio seems to have a wider availability to the public, since they can interact with sta- tions far more easily and more often than with television. Whether they are phoning in to request a song, voice an opinion, enter a competition or just pass the time of day with the DJ, the public live on-air can pro- vide some great amusement. A woman phoned in during a breakfast show and the presenter asked her what she was doing, she answered, “I just got out of the shower and I am sitting on the bed naked” For once the DJ was at a loss for words, as was the giggling audience. Another classic caller moment came un- expectedly during a competition week, when somebody phoned a little too early trying o win the big prize, “Sorry, listener, you have to call when we play the special song!” “Oh, I just guessed because I don’t have a radio.” During 1995 I became addicted to a late- night show on Talk Radio UK hosted by a man known as Caesar the Geezer. Wheth- er you could describe him as a shock jock is debatable, but the type of callers and the style he dealt with them was both hilari- ous and informative. Ranting and raving, callers would ring in to complain about all manners of topics and he would construc- tively argue, agree or dismiss them every time. I remember him once saying during a dis- cussion about racism that the word ‘rac- ism’ doesn’t exist, it is actually ignorance. His caller was complaining about political incorrectness and Caesar would correct him on all of his innocent racist remarks and statements; Caesar was fired from favour. Talk Radio UK after only a few months! Now I am co-presenter of the Bad Boys Radio will hopefully continue to offer Ten minutes later the girl phones into the radio show on Lähiradio 100.3, a station many more anecdotes in the future, al- My first experience working on radio show and politely declines his offer of a broadcasting across the Helsinki region, though it will probably be when we begin was on a two-week college station called date. Milking the situation for all it was and I am discovering the difficulties of taking calls live on-air! Until then, have Krispp FM in Grimsby, England. I helped worth, my friend built up the reply for a Dead Air, ums and errs, wrong songs and you ever noticed that when you decide on the phones during a friend’s rock show, good five minutes before breaking the guests accidentally swearing. The cursing to look for a station playing music you al- aside from the calls asking to speak to Mr poor lad’s heart. Another five minutes is a strange aspect because we are not sure ways do it at the turn of the hour and only Salt & Vinegar and Mrs Ready Salted, we passed and the girl phoned back, but she whether swearing in English on Finnish find news broadcast? Or is it just me? had a young guy call in to ask a girl out on hadn’t reconsidered - she asked us to tell radio is bad, since stations often play the a date. My friend embellished the request, the guy that her brothers won’t beat him uncensored versions of songs at all times added romantic music and did the guy the up. of the day. Seven radio changes By Thanos Kalamidas Being an old dinosaur myself I have a special love for the radio, something that television has never man- aged to win. Actually I was just thinking that since last June I have watched something like 20 hours of television and that was mainly the news. I’ve been listening radio since the which most of the time follows the 4. The reporters, journalists, DJs are a general problem with the media golden age of piracy, when private demands of the advertisers. there to do what the boss wants and nowadays. radios were illegal and making a when the management is changing radio programme was a passion for 2. Computers again, replacing the - something often with the private 7. The involvement of people that people who actually had to build passion, playing music and adverts radio stations - they easily change have nothing to do with the media their ‘radio stations’ inside their without anybody’s help one song their style; it’s like they never had in general but use it as a way to pro- room or in the garage. That period after the other. No comments, no a character. mote other activities or even them was real fun. Then came the end or mistakes, so perfect that makes it self. at least things changed. How can anything else than radio. 5. The sameness between pro- they change back? grammes and music the different I suppose I could add a few more 3. Producers that make an hour pro- shows play makes radio borrow- but somehow I feel that the radio 1. Computers. The radio stations gramme without really caring about ing, the same borrowing with the has changed nowadays because of don’t have a DJ with a pile of LPs what they play, without having any television. these seven reasons. under their arm getting ready to memories or personal attachment describe the cover of the album to with the songs, often without even 6. The advertisers that have opin- you. Nowadays there is a play list hearing them before. ion on the programme but this is radio waves Perfect radio By Thanos Kalamidas In a survey between media students about how they want a radio show the students answered that they want a show that can criticize life and events, be sensitive to people and their lives, help the imagination, give a chance for a conversation and other opinions, give information, play refreshing music, be independ- ent for advertisers and bosses and finally do something for the common good. The very same survey proved that any thought. Many listen to the should somehow match the style other media and I think that soon radio is something more romantic radio while doing a sport or when of the station; I think the adverts on it will become the next step in the in the media world. When it comes they want to have a rest away from MTV fulfill this idea. radio evolution. Here in Ovi maga- to careers the majority of the media the colorful bombardment of the zine, Asa and I have a weekly radio students put radio first, newspapers television. Advertisers from the other side show that we try to improve week second, magazines third and, far have to remember that they are by week. The radio show is broad- behind in fourth, television. I sup- This is very hopeful for people like sponsoring something that enter- cast live from a Helsinki local radio pose when you are a student you me, who grew up with the radio and tains and informs the public, not station and to our amazement we are dreaming to be Clark Kent in are still listening and doing radio. something they can manipulate. found that since we put the record- Metropolis, choosing radio and newspapers as the first choice these kids show that they are ready, since radio and daily newspapers are hard work. Another interesting part of the sur- vey is that the majority of the par- ticipants enjoy music, even during informative programs they want music breaks, while they hate the advert breaks and the stations’ self- promotional jingles. They are inter- ested in sports but only as a part of an information program and not as a whole sports program. When do they listen to radio? Most of the time it is while they are on the move, but most popular is while they are driving; somehow it seems that driving and radio go together. Obviously that expands to everybody since the best hours for the radio are traffic hours. It’s common in a lot of radio stations to have short traffic news and in many capitals there are even helicopters The truth is that radio is romantic Over the last thirty years big com- ed show online another number of hired by radio stations to fly over and you have the sense of partici- panies all around the world sponsor listeners appeared. And this time the city and give live news on the pation in the events. After all, it is all kinds of events, from sports to our listeners were more global. traffic. much easier to call a radio show theater, music to painting exhibi- and ask for a song and take part in tions. When they sponsor a painter Perhaps we will never see that per- Buses, train, metros are full of peo- a conversation than doing the same I don’t think they even dare ask the fect radio but there is one thing that ple listening to their Walkman, iPod with any other kind of media. exhibits to be all painted in purple, makes it perfect comparing to other and other devices that have a mul- for example, just because that’s media, it is romantic to make a ra- titude of other names - lately even Coming now to the adverts, it the color of their logo. By trying dio show and nothing can replace mobile telephone companies have seems that this is an issue in all the to manipulate what a radio station this feeling at least for the people added radio to their services. It is media, often people complain about broadcasts they are doing exactly like us who are involved. transportation again. A lot of peo- adverts, but perhaps it is not a case the same. ple using radio as an escape mode of quantity but quality. In a radio in their work, especially when they station playing music for young The Internet certainly gave a sense do manual work that doesn’t need people the quality of the adverts of freedom to the radio as much to GIORGOS “DEREK” VRACHLIOTIS MAR-APR 2006 C a f fei n ated The longest traffic jam I’ve ever seen CountrySide VS the City Right now I’m traveling through some forests returning to the city from a weekend at my par- RUMBLING ents house in Corfu island and I’m thinking “Why on earth am I leaving this heaven?” and to go where? To Reality is an illusion caused by the city??? the lack of alcohol! It’s more of philosophical di- lemma actually since I already know Something you’ll never get to see in a city!!! If you can’t avoid it enjoy it! the answer to this question, I can’t study there! The local university Don’t miss it If it doesn’t suit you, change it! doesn’t support my subject and I Salonica documen- couldn’t possibly make the same tary film festival! The 8th documentary film festi- “business connections” there. How- val takes place in Salonica Greece ever I can’t stop thinking about between 10/03 and 19/03. This this... What is this special thing big years topic is globalization and the cities have that make us... floc there? featuring films look really promising. It can’t be the small distances, Anyway I was reading the other I will have more to say on the sub- there aren’t any! It can’t be the clean day in some paper that some EU ject when the actual festival takes natural environment, there is no project is going to instal free place since it hasn’t begun yet but wireless internet to my village such thing in a city! It can’t be the judging from the last years festival somewhere in the middle of safe and secure streets, there aren’t it’s going to be quite educating and nowhere... On one hand this is a any, and it definitely isn’t the quality really rich in fresh images of the terrible waste of funds since I surrounding a child requires to grow can’t think of anyone capable of world! up! taking advantage of such a bed So why do we insist on living in of roses, on the other hand such a place? Employment, enter- though it will give one more Don’t miss it tainment and fast and easy access to incentive to visit more often!!! A brief escape to the quality medical care are a few things After all with or without wire- that come to my mind instantly. The country... less it’s still a heaven... Well since we can’t move away opportunities are endless in a city... from the cities the least we could do Oh who am I joking? I began is to take a few moments away from writing this piece in order to make a all this craziness... I think it’s worth convincing argument on why it it!!! would be cool to move to the coun- tryside but I’m not even able to con- vince my self... I like it here! Some- times it feels really “cold” and un- welcoming but I still like it! Sports Cheerleaders are athletes By Asa Butcher Mention cheerleading and the Hollywood image of dim-witted beautiful blonde girls in short skirts comes to mind. Other common beliefs are that cheerleaders are not real athletes and the sport is only for girls. Ovi magazine wanted to know how true these stereotypes are and what is the deal with cheerleading, so we met Marie Jenkinson, a ‘cheer grandma’, who is ready to set the record straight. “Ultimately, there can be truth in In August 2005, Ashley Burns, a 14- accepted as a “complete fluke” by together (like the state of Nebraska) any stereotype, but overwhelmingly year-old cheerleader, died after her both cheerleading safety experts would have been a damaging blow the stereotype is inaccurate,” begins spleen was damaged after she was and medical experts. The response to the sport.” Marie, 26, “However, it can be quite caught across her stomach, instead to this tragedy was handled well by harmful, people never consider that of her back, when she did not com- acknowledging safety statistics of The physical costs are evident, but most cheerleaders are children, who plete a rotation during a dismount. the sport and industry expert opin- what are the financial costs of be- go to school, participate in other “Ashley’s death was tragic but was ions. Banning stunts or stunting al- coming a cheerleader? “Brand new sports or activities, and are fearless athletes. Don’t believe those 1980’s movies.” In high school, Marie hung out with skateboarders, played football and wore baggy trousers, “I didn’t sleep around and I went to university to study architecture; cheerleading came second - that’s not to say I don’t have my ditsy girl moments though.” Marie has been cheer- leading competitively since the age of ten and she cheered for the UIC Flames during university. Today, Marie is working with Cheer Ltd. in the USA as an instructor and competitions judge, and she is a judge’s instructor. In addition to that, she is a head instructor for Future Cheer in the UK and coaches the King’s College Cheer Society in London. Proper training is essential in cheerleading, especially during ‘stunting’, which involves one or more persons holding or tossing another cheerleader in the air and is one of the most dangerous aspects of the sport. “Many sports physicians rate cheer- leading more dangerous than Ameri- can Football and cheerleaders suffer from wear and tear injuries similar to those of gymnasts and runners, explains Marie, “The most common injuries are bruises from colliding with another person, but sometimes there are sprains, broken bones and sometimes there are fatalities. uniforms may cost around $100 but as it gains momentum and the 1898 that somebody actually led a are much less, but are catching each, but they are usually owned demand grows, you’ll see cheer- crowd in a chant. The sport used to up. Some of the best cheerleaders by the team and are used for as long leading squads in the schools very be an all-male activity and it was I have ever seen are guys,” notes as possible. Cheer shoes will cost soon.” not until the 1920s that females Marie putting an end to another of about $50, bodysuit (worn under the began participating, “Cheerleading the stereotypes. uniform) $15 each, bloomers (these Cheerleading began at Princeton at the university level is almost half cover your underwear) $10 each,” University in the 1880s with a male, especially in the USA. All- www.futurecheer.net lists Marie. “There are entrance crowd chant, but it was not until Star teams and high school teams www.cheerltd.com fees for competitions and camps, about $25 per person per event, and there are other costs, such as private gymnastic instruction and competi- tive programmes are more costly because they involve more compe- titions and intensive training.” Developing the sport would allow the athletes to develop their physi- cal talents safely and more creative- ly than ever before, but to do this the sport needs coaches who are ac- tually trained in cheerleading, “This will make the biggest impact on the sport because people will learn the right techniques from the start. Over the past two years the major players in the cheerleading industry came together to standardise the rule systems and also set a standard for coaches’ training that is recog- nised by insurance companies.” “It would be great if cheerleading could be an Olympic sport, but, be- cause there are so many age groups that participate, it would be difficult to decide who could qualify and who couldn’t. Olympic cheerlead- ing is still many years away as it is still developing around the world. The closest thing right now is the Cheerleading Worlds in Orlando where you’ll find teams from all over. All over includes the UK and even Finland, who seem to really have it together when it comes to cheer- leading, in Marie’s opinion. “Most Finnish teams cheer in English and their style is very similar to All-Star cheerleading in the US, which al- lows more difficulty in stunting than scholastic teams. The UK is developing this style very quickly but was using the US’s scholastic rules up until last year.” “The Finnish squads have a sense of team unity and discipline that I haven’t really seen in the UK, but it is prominent in the US. Cul- turally, the northern states in the U.S. (cheerleading was born in Minnesota) are very Scandinavian, so the concepts of cheerleading may lend themselves more to Fin- land than the U.K. However, like the UK, the teams are not affiliated with schools, like most in the US, iKritic Fangs for nothing By Asa Butcher Dracula (1931) Directed by Tod Browning Over the last few issues of Ovi, I have been reviewing some of Universal’s monster classics and it has been a pleas- ant experience. I take into account the fact that these movies are over sixty years old and the audiences expected something different compared to today’s cinemagoers, but after watching ‘Dracula’ I realised that finally one of them had bored me rigid. some of the other actors are great, plus The next is Dwight Frye who plays and I have discovered that the music Perhaps my initial reaction to the film ‘Grand Hotel’ was released the fol- the multifaceted Renfield, who is bit- from Act 2 of Swan Lake is quite ir- was too harsh, so I decided to wait a lowing year and features some of the ten by Dracula and become an insect- ritating. day before writing this and see if my best performances of that era. eating madman; his insanity scenes feelings changed. After ‘sleeping on are far more chilling than anything I would be amiss if my review failed it’, I began to remember some of the Lugosi had come straight from por- Lugosi has to offer. to mock the highly irritating charac- positive and comedic moments from traying Dracula on stage and naturally ter of John Harker, who is the fiancé the film, even though the feeling of brought his melodramatic persona My favourite character has to be Mar- of Mina - a girl who speaks like this: disappointment remained. with him. We can forgive him the tin played by Charles K. Gerrard. The “And just as I was commencing to get poor delivery of his dialogue since character is one of the warden/order- drowsy…” The pair are well suited 75 years is a substantial age for a he had learnt his lines phonetically, lies at the sanatorium, but he has some and provide the comic climax to the movie; the lame special effects, such but he was one of those unfortunate of the funniest moments and lines in film as they ascend the sweeping stair- as the bats flapping about on wire and actors caught between the stage and the film. At one point, he is walking case to safety…forgetting that only the armadillos running around a castle the change from silent movies to talk- in the grounds of the sanatorium with moments earlier the door at the top is in Transylvania, are forgivable, but the ies. Strangely, I also felt some pity for a shotgun randomly shooting at bats securely locked. performances by a couple of the main Lugosi, after learning about his future and later exclaims: “Strike me down actors is not. Here I’ll write something heroin addiction from ‘Ed Wood’ and dead, doctor! He’s got me goin’! Now I understand now why David Man- that will upset many people: Bela Lu- the sad fact that he was typecast from he’s gone and twisted them bars as if ners, the man who played John Hark- gosi was terrible as Dracula. this movie on. they was cheese!!” Classic stuff. er, never watched Dracula despite living for 67 years after the film was Yeah, I know that Lugosi is the defini- Dracula does have its positive mo- Watching the first of three universal released. tive Dracula, he is synonymous with ments, such as the atmospheric sets, Dracula films was an experience, es- the character and his performance is imposing scenery and mysterious pecially seeing all the iconography the benchmark, but that doesn’t make cinematography, plus three of the now closely associated with vampires, him good. He was as wooden as a other actors are fantastic. The first although it was strange not to see any coffin, his lines were delivered with is Edward Van Sloan playing Prof. fangs or bite marks throughout the splinters and his mesmerising stare Abraham Van Helsing, who strongly whole film. Over the opening credits, just wasn’t scary. Once again, this has resembles Max von Sydow and is be- it was obvious where the inspiration nothing to do with the period because lievable as the strong-willed scientist. for the future Batman logo was found iKritic The Opera Ghost By Asa Butcher The Phantom of the Opera, 1910 (Le Fantôme de l’Opéra in France) By Gaston Leroux Forget Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lon Chaney or the dozens of other interpretations, let’s go straight back to the original literary material published nearly a century ago. The Phantom of the Opera is synonymous with unre- quited love, masked monsters and the mysterious cellars below the Opera Garnier in Paris. Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux was a in Erik’s presence is memorizing and with a cellar. Ah, yes, we must needs French journalist, detective and nov- her narrative of the forgotten genius pity the Opera ghost.” elist who created the evil genius called teaching her how to sing under the Erik, also known as the Opera Ghost, pretence he is the ‘Angel of Music’ is or O.G. to his tormented acquaint- quite emotional. ances. Leroux’s famous story is writ- ten as a personal investigation into Horror or romance, this is the question the strange events that had occurred when it comes to describing the genre, at the opera house culminating in the but there are also moments of tragedy disappearance of a beautiful soprano and surprising comedy. The frustra- protégé named Christine Daaé. tion of the two new opera managers is painfully funny in a macabre sense, Writing the story through a mixture also a woman killed by a falling chan- of first-person narratives and research delier raised an unexpected smile: from interviews leaves you with the “TWO HUNDRED KILOS ON THE feeling that it is a true story, but you HEAD OF A CONCIERGE. That must keep reminding yourself that it is was her sole epitaph!” a fictional story. There are ‘Phantom Phans’ that believe there is some ele- One of my favourite characters was ment of truth, but these facts are often known as the Persian, who saved dismissed as either urban legend or Erik’s life many years before and just more fiction. knows many of his secrets. He guides Raoul through the cellars and base- True or not, The Phantom of the Opera ments to find Christine and Erik’s is a beautiful book that cleverly plays underground lair, and maintains an air with your emotions. Throughout the of mystery throughout the story. The majority of the book, the reader hates Persian features in one of the most the Opera Ghost, he is portrayed as exciting parts of the book - the hunt a cold-blooded ruthless killer and for Erik - and is on hand to describe blackmailer, but, by the conclusion, Erik’s sophisticated traps and torture you feel a sympathy that you never devices, such as the Punjab Lasso and knew could exist for an individual the Torture Chamber. such as O.G. The Phantom of the Opera is a beauti- Two chapters stood out in my mind ful book that deserves your attention; as being some of the best writing I it is a requiem to unrequited love and have had the chance to experience. its tragedy. It was not difficult to un- Describing one would spoil the story derstand why it has been adapted so for you, while the other has Chris- many times, but there is always some- tine Daaé describing her relationship thing special about reading the source with Erik to her childhood boyfriend material and reading first-hand about Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny. The Erik: “He had a heart that could have gentle way she describes the confu- held the empire of the world; and, in sion, terror, anger and pity that she felt the end, he had to content himself Time travel twist By Asa Butcher Frequency (2000) Directed by Gregory Hoblit “You went down thirty years ago, pal. You just don’t know it yet,” declares an emotional Jim Caviezel midway through the film and I found myself swallowing the lump in my throat. Frequency is a different type of time travel film that has the two main characters communicating across time via a HAM radio set, but don’t be fooled into thinking this is a far-cry from Doc Brown’s DeLorean or Bill and Ted’s phone booth. Frequency was a film that came free tanker crash and rescue, to the excit- with my DVD player and it took quite ing finale. Jim Caviezel also does an some time before my wife and I sat outstanding job as the emotionally down and watched it - the fools we scarred son, who has tried to carry on were! Time travel is one of my favour- with his life as a New York homicide ite movie genres and this film is now detective. in my Top 5 thanks to an enthralling plotline and two great performances The film is fast-paced, the plot twists by Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel. and turns, and some of the best mo- ments come while events from the Due to a rare intensity of the aurora past begin to alter the present. I loved borealis, Frank Sullivan, a New York the scene when Quaid burns a message City fireman (Quaid), is able to chat to into the desk in 1969 and it magically his son John (Caviezel) thirty years in appears in 1999, plus many others that the future via a short-wave radio. John I won’t spoil for you here. warns his father of the fire in which he died the next day, but history tragi- Frequency is the perfect thriller for cally changes after saving his father’s both guys and girls, and is definitely life. Across three decades they must one for those who love the time travel work together to stop the murder of genre and the work of Dennis Quaid. his mother and several other women. Check it out… Initially I was dubious about the be- lievability behind the film, but the di- rector subtlety brings realism to events through both the actors’ reactions and background news broadcasts discuss- ing the atmospheric phenomenon. Both John and Frank disbelieve what is going on, which reassures the view- er that the characters are normal peo- ple and the tension of the forewarned fire is tripled. The scenes between John and Frank are emotionally charged, especially their first proper conversation chatting about life and baseball. Dennis Quaid is a great actor whom is often forgot- ten for his roles in the 80s, but you can see why he is still getting roles. He dominates the screen from the very first scene, which involves a dramatic iBite Slobodan Milošević died. There is a suspicion that after a light dinner with Croatian light chicken he later showed the symptoms of some kind of flu. ********** Is Iraq heading for a civil war? Is the sequel of “Good morning Vietnam” going to be called “Good night Baghdad”? ********** My team is second twelve points behind the first. Hope dies last. Mine died last season! ********** Silvio Berlusconi stepped out of a televised interview complaining that they weren’t letting him speak and express himself. Why didn’t they? They want him to lose, don’t they? One hour of him expressing himself should be enough What’s the sequel to “Good night Baghdad”? to lose any elections. “The Camel Hill” and then “Iran, here I come” ********** ********** Thinking of it there is only one person who would be If you don’t like the Bad Boys radio show you can able to cope with Berlusconi for one hour on television. always turn your radio off!!! Guess who!!! ********** George W. Bush!!! The same brain waves! The last Ovi magazine was…sexy, especially the cover! ********** By the way, the two girls are not sisters and the Correction, the same waves … no brains!!! man in the background is NOT Asa or Thanos! ********** ********** Just tune your radio to the Ovi Bad Boys, your Schumi came second in the F1 grand prix in Bahrain PC is good as well since you can download the but the German newspapers call him the big winner. shows!!! “Just don’t remind them of the war” John Cleese from the series Fawlty Towers. **********
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