One World Action's El Salvador description

Este blog mudara. De lingua, porque de pais. Dentro de poucas horas, parto para El Salvador. Razoes, motivacoes, vontades. La, terra de minha metade fraterna, estarei por inicialmente seis meses. Ainda assim, alguns dos proximos posts aqui seguirao sobre Londres em ingles e portugues porque ha alguns registros que nao foram mas merecem serem feitos. Logo apos a fase de aclimatizacao, Deiticos passara a ser sobre El Salvador e em espanhol. 

Aqui segue, para quem eh clueless sobre El Salvador, uma pequena descricao da One World Action (nao animadora, mas real) sobre meu segundo pais e que hoje tenho a chance de descobrir.

Hasta pronto!

------------------------------------------------------

Since the signing of the peace treaty which ended El Salvador’s devastating twelve year civil war in 1992, the country has made significant economic progress. Sadly, recovery has been seriously hampered by the succession of natural disasters which have hit Central America, notably Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and two sizeable earthquakes in 2001.  El Salvador remains plagued by poverty and by vast inequalities in wealth whilst the legacy of weapons left by the civil war has contributed to a serious gang problem in recent years.  Despite this, however, the World Bank predicts that the country is on track to meet most of the Millennium Development Goals ahead of the 2015 target date. 

Uma rapidinha sobre Banksy

Banksy tem estado surpreendendo, irritando e provocando a Inglaterra ha muitos anos. Mais recentemente, ele passou a ser amado tambem, por assim dizer, e muito, mas realmente muito valorizado. Seus stencils atingem cifras de milhoes de libras. Com toda a febre sobre Banksy, sempre presente na midia britanica, fiquei supreso de ouvir na Ipanema FM, na semana passada, um comentarista apresentando Banksy como uma novidade que ele por acaso tinha esbarrado na internet. De fato, em conversas com amigos de diferentes partes do Brasil, comprovei que a fama do grafiti-artist de Bristol ainda nao cruzou muitos mares, embora ele ja tenha grafitado ate o muro da segregacao entre Israel e Palestina.
Quem se interessar, e vale muito a pena, pode clicar na barra de video ao lado (Gotta watch this!) e descobrir mais sobre o misterioso (porque sua real identidade eh desconhecida) e bom pra caramba, Banksy.

You are welcome to join me in my farewell marathon!

Hi everyone,

Aleks is leaving for El Salvador at the end of the month and we're throwing him a grand farewell party. Actually, no, we're just sending him off from a pub in Whitechapel on Friday, February 15 from 9 pm. Alexa's band, Morning Bride, is playing there that night. I can't tell you the exact venue right now, will have to ask Alexa. But please pencil this in and join us then.

----------------------------

Hello all my lovelies,

To celebrate the fact that you will have Aleks out of your hair for a few months we are going to go the the Horse and Groom pub on Curtain road (as I told all of you yesterday :) )
Just emailing you all the details and a map to the location.
Cant wait to see you all!!!!! :0)
Horse and Groom
28 Curtain Road,Shoreditch,London,EC2A 3NZ

(Mad)die Campaign

Ainda na esteira dos recortes, das anotacoes e dos papeletes redescobertos como resultado do processo de mudanca segue um comentario sempre em mente, nunca escrito, da epoca do bombardeio diario sobre a Madeleine McCann. Alguem que assinou somente "Tom", sem dar chance de se tentar adivinha a nacionalidade pelo sobrenome, mandou uma cartinha para o London Paper (um dos quatro ou cinco jornais diarios distribuidos gratuitamente em Londres, sem contar os locais de cada borough) no dia 25 de junho do ano passado que expressou uma das minhas opinioes e a de muita gente por todo o mundo, acredito, que nao aguentava mais a campanha - que alias ainda existe, apesar de ter nos dado uma tregua.

Ai segue o texto:

So the McCanns have now got a campaign manager. A campaign manager? Does anyone else think this whole thing is getting a little out of control? The movie rights will probably be discussed next week. We don't seem to care that a thousand kids go missing in the UK a year, but one little blonde (and, dare, I say, white) girl disappears in Portugal and suddenly she's the most wanted person on the planet - apart from (maybe) Osama Bin Laden.
How do parents of other missing children feel when they can't get their stories on Page 11 of a national newspaper, mainly because Page 1 through to 10 are full of stories about the fact there's no more news about Maddie?
It's time for a reality check.

--------------------------
Entao, agora os McCanns tem um gerente de campanha. Gerente de campanha? Alguem mais tambem concorda que toda essa historia esta ficando um pouquinho fora de controle? Os direitos do filme provavelmente serao discutidos na proxima semana. Parece que nos nao nos importamos com as milhares de criancas que desaparecem no Reino Unido a cada ano, mas uma menininha loira (e me atrevo a dizer, branca) desaparece em Portugal e de repente ela eh a pessoa mais procurada do planeta - com excecao (talvez) de Osama Bin Laden.
Como pais de outras criancas desaparecidas se sentem quando nao conseguem ter suas historias publicadas na pagina 11 de um jornal de circulacao nacional, principalmente porque a pagina 1 ate a 10 encontram-se cheias de historias sobre o fato de que nao ha mais noticias sobre o paradeiro da Maddie?
Eh tempo para um exame de realidade.

Igreja de Palhacos (nao eh nada contra as instituicoes catolicas...)

Ta no forno. Na pipe-line, como se diz por aquí, um texto que chamarei de “Declaracao de Amor a Londres”. Soa cafona, talvez, (ou de fato eh cafona) mas nao, nao sera cafona. Ademais, acredito que eh um titulo que se presta ao papel de tentar sintetizar impressoes e razoes (no seu sentido ambiguo) no aproximar do fechamento - ou pelo menos suspensao - de um intenso capitulo.
Enquanto isso, as pequenas ou grandes, mas definitivamente incessantes, descobertas sobre Londres surpreendem, divertem e motivam um rapido comentario.
Tenho um amigo palhaco aquí. O Beto da Flauta, brasileiro de Curitiba e tio de uma amiga em Pelotas, foi uma das primeiras pessoas que conheci aqui e foi quem me apresentou - quando tentava entender a superposicao de ideias na tipica fase de recem-chegado - um pouquinho da cidade nova. Na verdade ele nao eh mais palhaco full-time, embora esteja sempre presente como artista de rua no Thames Festival e outros eventos.
Foi ele quem tambem me falou sobre a igreja de palhacos. Ele tentou me contatar para irmos a missa anual em memoria do Grimaldi no ultimo domingo, mas eu perdi a ligacao e tambem o, surreal e incrivel, evento.
No primeiro Domingo de fevereiro, palhacos de todo o Reino Unido se reunem em Dalston (pertissimo de onde moro) para participar da missa que homenageia o palhaco Joseph Grimaldi. A tradicao ocorre desde 1946 e desde 1967 os participantes tem permissao para mostrarem sua reverencia ao primeiro palhaco britanico em vestuario e maquiagem completa de palhaco. Inclusive o padre!
Grimaldi eh reconhecido como o maior palhaco britanico. Nasceu em Londres em 1778 e morreu em 1837. Se apresentou em teatros como o Sadler’s Wells e nas famosas casas de Drury Lane.
O evento, por assim dizer, eh um dos destaques do calendario do Clowns International, a associacao internacional de palhacos que mantem essa inacreditavel tradicao.Nao pude me conter. Copio aqui o texto do site, mas nos links acima eh possivel conferir diretamente o web site da “nossa igreja de palhacos”.

-------------------------------------

Our Clown Church

A highlight of Clowns International's calendar is the Joseph Grimaldi Memorial Service; a unique Church Service, annually held on the first Sunday of February at the Clown's Church, the Holy Trinity, Beechwood Road, Dalston, London.

Clowns started meeting annually for divine worship in 1946. These reunions began informally and initially took place at St James Church, Pentonville Road, Islington; the connection being that Joseph Grimaldi was buried in the Churchyard. February was the chosen month as performers were generally in the London area, Circuses, such as Bertram Mills at Olympia, Tom Arnold's productions at Haringay Arena or Jack Hylton's shows at Earls Court. Alternatively, many circuses had their winter quarters in the locality. Increasing numbers of Clowns attended.

St James Church has since been demolished, but Grimaldi's grave preserved, with the graveyard transformed into a Memorial Garden. A summer celebration has been inaugurated by the residents of Islington. This occurs during the children’s half term (either the last week of May or the first week of June). The date also coincides with Joey's death and burial, but is far from a gloomy affair; the sum usually shines on a festive outdoor occasion, full of fun and laughter.

The Clowns transferred to their present spiritual home, the Holy Trinity in Dalston in 1959. It is here that the occasion has grown to its present proportions; the Church packed to bursting point and the proceedings covered by all the media. The event really came into its own when in February 1967 Clown Smokey succeeded in gaining permission for Clowns to attend in full motley. Clowns from all over the World, irrespective of religious convictions, attend in full 'motley and slap' (make-up and costume). They give thanks for the gift of laughter and honour the father of present day Clowns, Joseph Grimaldi. After the Service it is traditional for Clowns to entertain the public in the adjacent school. In 2001, a special BBC edition of Songs of Praise filmed the Grimaldi Service, and it was fittingly transmitted on Sunday,1st April, 2001, April Fool's Day!

On 11th October 1985 Holy Trinity was devastated by fire. Luckily, the Clowns' Gallery, which was also housed there, did not go up in flames. However, smoke damage and years of neglect and subsequent flooding from burst pipes, all took their toll. After two years, Holy Trinity re-opened its doors for worship. A beautiful stained glass window was installed; it was commissioned by Clowns International as a tribute to the life of Joseph Grimaldi. It was designed and made by Susan M Cook and depicts scenes from Grimaldi's career. Over the following years Clowns International refurbished the Gallery and exhibits.

The Clowns' Gallery remained at Holy Trinity until July 1994, when, because of plans to redevelop the Church Hall into a Community Centre, a new home at No. 1 Hillman Street, Hackney, London was found. The premises had generously been provided by Hackney Council. The Gallery and Archive was officially opened on 4th November 1994 by Clowns International's Honorary Life President, Ron Moody. Due to financial restraints, however, the Gallery was relocated to The All Saints Centre, Haggerston Road, Haggerston on 17th October 2002 and it officially re-opened to the public at the Grimaldi Memorial Service day on 2nd February, 2003.

Why not pay us a visit???

Papel eletronico - Publishing Revolution

Arrumando papelada. Muita. Atividade indispensavel da mudanca, enorme, que se aproxima e sobre a qual muito sera registrado. Ela, alias, altera a natureza deste blog quanto ao proposito, porem outros fins serao estabelecidos para o mesmo meio.
Nesse entremeio, encontrei muita coisa recolhida e arquivada que o individuo que guarda sempre julga interessante. Entre elas, um recorte de uma noticia de um material que vi durante a Publishing Expo, que visitei ano passado pela JungleDrums. Na controversa condicao de “jornalista” o assunto me deixou com uma pulga atras da orelha, nem sei se pra bem ou pra mal.
Em especial para os amigos/colegas da area, que eventualmente ainda nao ouviram falar sobre isso, segue alguma informacao, apenas em ingles, sobre o incrivel papel eletronico e o caminho, mais do que nunca visivelmente claro, para uma revolucao das publicacoes.
----------------------------------------------
Sorting out papers. And it is a lot of them. Indispensable activity of a change, huge one, which approaches and whose topic a lot will be written about. It, by the way, alters the very nature of this blog on its purpose; however, other ends will be set for the same mean.
Amongst this, I have found many stuff collected and filed that only the individual who keeps it judge interesting. One of these things was a clipping of a news about a material that a witnessed during the Publishing Expo, which I visited last year as a JungleDrums staff. At the controversial “journalist” position, the subject has triggered my curiosity but not sure if in a good or bad sense.
Especially to friends/colleagues of the field, who eventually have not heard about it yet, follows some information about the incredible e-paper and the clear track for a publishing revolution.


E-paper, instant magazine, downloads, social publishing. Web 2.0 and the end of the newspaper as we know it – welcome to the brave new world of publishing, or is this all just pie in the sky?
It won’t be long before buying a copy of your favourite newspaper (I would not say Diario Popular or whatsoever, but it is absolutely up to you) could become as niche activity as buying a vinyl LP. Instead of leisurely flicking through a magazine on the sofa with a cup of tea, you will read it on the web, download it to a piece of e-paper or simply publish it yourself.

According to David Renard, author of The Last Magazine, in the next 25 years only 10% of the European and American paper-based magazine industry will remain, kept alive by “connoisseurs, aficionados and ageing Luddites”. The rest of us will embrace the publishing revolution.
Such predictions are always suspicious, but despite the well know apocalyptic tone that is often heard from different sources when it comes about technological novelties, it is amazing to imagine the way things may be working so soon. Instead of nipping to the newsagent, you will download the day’s news from a vending machine and read it on a piece of e-paper. And when you finish, you’ll put the e-paper in your briefcase and update the content the next day.
E-paper is already available (be amazed!). Sony introduced its e-book device in 2006, but Japanese company Fujitsu will launch what it claims is the first colour e-paper this year. The manufactures say the e-paper “looks like colour newsprint, it is though, flexible, very thin and you could change the image on it every two seconds for a year using tripe A battery.” The technology is already being used in Japan (of course!) where members of a music club get flyers containing reviews.
For the members of this odd field, the follow is worthy to notice. “Journalists will (increasingly) become freelance, but they will get a share of the advertising revenue if their stuff is read and will make a lot of money if they are at the top of the rankings. Social publishing might mean that there’s a lot of rubbish written, but author ranking technology can judge which is the highest quality content, so the best rises to the top.

* Article adapted from The Guardian (12 February 2007)

A common little note one sees around an English office... (3)

(Actually, I have been given this one, randomly, from a good, desperate colleague with a peculiar sense of humor.)


"The escape committee is planning on meeting on Tuesday night after lights out.
There is a rumour that some red cross parcels may get through next month!"

Vermelha

Seguindo sobre musica e avancando na nostalgia e, por que nao dizer, no orgulho gaucho (ressalva: orgulho, nao bairrismo) registro o clip de uma banda que parece muito legal, lah da querida Porto Alegre, cujo sonzinho gostei bastante. Aproveito o ensejo para que nao deixem de checar outras boas bandas do bom Rio Grande que tambem sabe "rock".

Vejam tambem, especialmente para os amigos brasileiros de fora do RS, entre consagradas, independentes e novas, o bom som de Pata de Elefante, Tom Bloch, Freak Brothers, Cachorro Grande, Banda Sapo, Jimi Joe, Ultramen e por ai vai.

Video clip "Vermelha"- Locomotores

Monica Salmaso

Monica Salmaso at the Millenium Stage

Muito bom. Muito bom mesmo! Demorei para checar e me arrependi de nao ter visto antes. Obrigado Julieta!

War on Democracy

War on Democracy eh o primeiro grande filme de John Pilger para o cinema – numa carreira que ja produziu mais de 55 documentarios para a televisao. Filmado na America Latina e nos Estados Unidos, o trabalho explora a historica e atual relacao de Washington com paises como Venezuela, Bolivia e Chile.


War on Democracy examina a falsa democracia que se apresenta com corporacoes norte-americanas e instituicoes financeiras e a guerra lancada, material e publicitariamente, contra democracia popular.


"Tantos sao os perigos que se impoem sobre todos nos hoje por uma superpotencia neo-fascista e tao urgente eh a nossa necessidade de informacao descontaminada que as pessoas estao preparadas para comprar um bilhete de cinema para obte-la", diz Pilger.


"As diferencas entre cinema e televisao sao fundamentais. O cinema permite a um panorama desdobrar-se, dando a sensacao de espaco que apenas a tela grande captura.
Embora os cinematrografos filmem em alta-definicao foi necessario fazer a conversao para 35 milimetros, um dos maravilhosos anacronismos do cinema."


"O cinema moderno raramente quebra silencios politicos. No entanto, o cinema esta mudando como se por “default”. O documentario retornou para a tela grande e esta sendo abracado pelo publico."

Uma indigena na Bolivia inesquecivelmente descreve sua pobreza como um commodity para os ricos. Pilger usa as fotos de Sebastiao Salgado e as palavras das baladas de Victor Jara para ilustrar a historia sobre um povo que ele acredita ter deixado de ser invisivel. “Eles sao um poderoso movimento politico exigindo conceitos nobres que foram deturpados pelas corporacoes.”

Pilger falou recentemente no cinema Prince Charles, em Londres, durante a apresentacao do filme em cartaz na casa. Eu fui. Foi uma fala curta que desapontou alguns que esperavam um debate e encontrou apenas uma breve introducao. Ele define seu trabalho como um filme essencialmente positivo. E ele esta certo quando diz que o atual cenario politico da America Latina eh, para alem de outras analises, o comeco de um grande debate que, particularmente em relacao a Venezuela, eh um desafio experimental de democracia popular.

----------------------------------------

The War on Democracy is John Pilger’s first mayor film for the cinema – in a career that has produced more than 55 television documents. Set in Latin America and the US, it explores the historic and current relationship of Washington with countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile.“The film tells a universal story”, says Pilger, “analyzing and revealing through vivid testimony, the story of great power behind its venerable myths.

The War on Democracy examines the false democracy that comes with Western Corporations and financial institutions and a war waged, materially and as propaganda, against popular democracy.

"Such are the danger imposed on us all today by a neo fascist superpower and so urgent is our need for uncontaminated information that people are prepared to buy a cinema ticket to get it.", says Pilger.

"The differences between cinema and television are critical. Cinema allows a panorama to unfold, giving a sense of place that only the big screen captures.
Although the cinematographers shot in high-definition, it had to be converted to 35mm, one of cinema’s wonderful anachronisms."

"Modern fictional cinema rarely seems to break political silences. However, the cinema is changing as if by default. The documentary has returned to the high screen and is being embraced by the public."

An indigenous woman in Bolivia unforgettably described her poverty as a commodity for the rich. Pilger uses Sebastiao Salgado’s pictures and the words of Victor Jara’s ballads to illustrate the story he tells us about a people he believes are no longer invisible. “They are a mighty political movement reclaiming noble concepts distorted by corporatives.”

Pilger has recently spoken at Prince Charles Cinema, in London, during the introduction of the film screening. I have been to it. It was a short talk that has disappointed some who expected a debate and were really met with only a brief introduction. He defines his work as “essentially a positive film”. And he is right when he says that the whole current political scenario in Latin America is, despite everything else, the beginning of a big debate that, regarding in particular to Venezuela, is an experimental challenge in grassroots democracy.