Culture of creativity features at Furnal Equinox 2018

Visual art, fabric art, photography, performance, dance, virtual reality, and music were all the subject of sessions at Furnal Equinox 2018, a conference held from March 16 to 18 at Toronto's Westin Harbour Castle. Canada's largest furry convention by attendance, the annual event offers dozens of subculture-specific programs.

The convention's communications and public relations coordinator for the event, Ronnie, describes furries as "people that enjoy arts and culture centred around animals and animal-themed topics, essentially. Furnal Equinox in particular, we like to celebrate in a very visual and very [...] artistic nature, where we have lots of arts and performances and crafts that go on, and people celebrate with lots of socialisation involved."

Of the attendees, Ronnie told Wikinews "they come from all walks of life. They are people of all ages, sizes, all sorts of backgrounds, and they come together under one mutual interest, which is their love for animal culture."

"Programming at Furnal Equinox involves[...] a lot of informational panels, so you can find out about topics from art and how to draw, or how to visually incorporate different elements into your artworks. You can also find panels that teach you how to write better, be a better fiction author for example," explained the event representative.

At one panel Wikinews attended, members of its all-volunteer organising committee spoke of the year-long process of planning the event, and their reasons for committing such a significant amount of their time. Said one panelist, "if you're happy, we're happy."

The largest hub of activity at the convention was a dealer's room; nicknamed the "Dealer's Den", giving it an anthropomorphic twist. Vendors were selling original visual art, wearables like faux fur tails or ears, or things like jewellery or soap with motifs that would interest attendees.

The back area of the room was dedicated to a charity auction, with proceeds benefiting Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary. According to the convention website, the charity is "dedicated to rescuing abused, neglected, and abandoned farmed animals. Their goal is to provide a safe, life-long home for all of their residents, and to educate the public about the true nature of farmed animals through tours, volunteer programs, and community outreach."

Split into groups, some attendees played "Fursuit Games" in front of an audience, like trying to toss a ball into a garbage can. The activity made harder, of course, by the limited dexterity and vision the most of the costumes entail.

Only 10–15% of people within the fandom own a fursuit, according to a 2011 study, contrary to the impression that this photo montage may give.


Lentepunt-weekend in Tortonto I: Furnal Equinox 2018

In het afgelopen weekend vond de Furnal Equinox (harig lentepunt) plaats in de Canadese stad Toronto. Naast de Toronto Comicon was het een van de twee jaarlijks evenementen rondom het lentepunt. Dit tijdstip houdt in dat de dagen en nachten even lang zijn en vindt als exact tijdstip op woensdag 21 maart tussen de middag plaats.

De Furnal Equinox stond ook dit jaar weer in het teken "antropomorfische kunst en cultuur", waarbij "antropomorfisch" (vermenselijkt) verwijst naar deelnemers die verkleed in harige dierenpoppen samen allerlei activiteiten ondernemen. De bezoekers zijn van verschillende leeftijden en komen uit allerlei lagen van de maatschappij. Het evenement werd in 2010 gestart en wordt  jaarlijks volgens de organisatie door rond 1500 deelnemers en bezoekers bezocht.

Het evenement is non-profit en ernaast bedoeld om bewustzijn te creëren en geld op te halen voor voor goededoelenorganisaties in Ontario die zich inzetten voor dierenwelzijn, met thema's mishandeling, verwaarlozing en verlaten dieren. Tijdens de bijeenkomst wordt hierover voorlichting gegeven, worden vrijwilligers geworven en wordt de gemeenschap bij het onderwerp betrokken.

Ondanks het serieuze doel is de opzet luchtig en vooral gericht op samen zijn, spel en entertainment. Een van de deelnemers verwoordde het als: "als jij gelukkig bent zijn wij gelukkig." Er zijn dit weekend allerlei panels georganiseerd waarin deelnemers elkaar fursuit (en) (verkleed) uitdagen op onderwerpen als tekenen, schoonschrijven, tekstschrijven, het maken van kunst, en het opvoeren van toneel, dans en spellen. Daarnaast zijn er stands voor de verkoop van kunstvoorwerpen als nagemaakte dierenstaarten en -oren, zeep, motieven en sieraden.


Czech Republic awards Sir Nicholas Winton nation's highest order

Sir Nicholas Winton, MBE visited the Czech Republic today and received the Order of the White Lion from the hands of president Miloš Zeman. As a British citizen in Czechoslovakia in the late 1930s, Winton, now 105, saved 669 mostly Jewish children from future Nazi oppression organizing their transport to safety.

The decoration took place in the Prague Castle, separate from the evening ceremony where other distinguished people is to be awarded, in respect to Sir Nicholas's health. Winton was accompanied by his family members and met several children he saved. During the same ceremony, Miloš Zeman awarded the Order of the White Lion in memoriam also to the late Winston Churchill, who was the United Kingdom's prime minister during World War II and led the country as a major part of the anti-Hitler coalition to victory over Nazi Germany. Churchill's grandson Nicholas Soames accepted the order.

During the ceremony, Zeman apologized for the delay before Winton eventually received these honors, and said "Great thanks for all children you saved" ((cz))Czech language: Velké díky za všechny děti, které jste zachránil. Winton replied "I want to thank you all for this enormous expression of thankgiving for something that happened to me nearly a hundred years ago" ((cz))Czech language: Rád bych poděkoval všem za tento neuvěřitelný výraz vděku za něco, co jsem udělal snad před sto lety.

The Order of the White Lion is the highest Czech Republic decoration, awarded to the statesmen and other individuals "to recognize superior accomplishments contributing to the welfare of the Czech Republic", as the act of the state decorations defines. With the exception of a few statesmen in office, Winton and Winston Churchill have been the first people to receive the order in the civil division in eleven years.

In recent years, around 250 thousand Czech students signed a petition asking the Nobel Peace Prize for Winton, who has been nicknamed by media "British Oskar Schindler". His acts were not known to wide public until the late 1980s, when his wife found documents in their attic and shared them with an historian. Since then, he has been decorated with the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk in the Czech Republic and knighted in the United Kingdom. In Prague's central railway station, there is a monument to children saved by Winton.

The Czech Republic celebrates its national holiday today. On October 28, 96 years ago, the former Czechoslovakia was founded as a country independent from former Habsburg Monarchy.


Nicholas Winton obdržel Řád Bílého lva

Sir Nicholas Winton dnes v Praze převzal z rukou prezidenta Miloše Zemana Řád Bílého lva. Jako britský občan v Československu na konci 30. let 20. století nyní 105letý Winton zachránil 669 převážně židovských dětí před hrozícím nacistickým nebezpečím. Zorganizoval jejich transport přes Nizozemsko do britského bezpečí.

K vyznamenání došlo na Pražském hradě s ohledem na Wintonovo zdraví odděleně od večerního ceremoniálu, kde byly oceněny další osobnosti. Wintona doprovázeli členové jeho rodiny, setkal se i s několika lidmi, které jako děti zachránil. Zároveň s Wintonem Miloš Zeman vyznamenal Řádem Bílého lva in memoriam také Winstona Churchilla, který byl premiérem Spojeného království za druhé světové války a vedl svou zemi jako důležitou součást protihitlerovské koalice k vítězství nad nacistickým Německem. Řád převzal Churchillův vnuk Nicholas Soames.

Během ceremoniálu se Zeman omluvil za to, že vyznamenání Wintona trvalo tak dlouho, a mimo jiné mu poděkoval za „všechny děti, které zachránil“. Winton na to opáčil: „Rád bych poděkoval všem za tento neuvěřitelný výraz vděku za něco, co jsem udělal snad před sto lety.“

Řád Bílého lva je nejvyšší české státní vyznamenání, udělované státníkům a dalším osobnostem, které se „se zvlášť vynikajícím způsobem zasloužily o Českou republiku“, jak uvádí Zákon o státních vyznamenáních. S výjimkou několika státníků v úřadu se Winton a Churchill stali prvními nositeli řádu v občanské skupině za posledních 11 let.

V minulosti kolem 250 tisíc českých studentů podepsalo petici, ve které žádali o to, aby Winton obdržel i Nobelovu cenu míru. Wintonovy činy nebyly na veřejnosti známé až do konce 80. let 20. století, kdy jeho manželka nalezla v domácnosti jeho vlastní poznámky a předala je historikovi. Od té doby byl Winton, přezdívaný médii britský Schindler, obdržel množství vyznamenání v České republice (např. Řád Tomáše Garrigue Masaryka) nebo v Británii. Na pražském hlavním nádraží se přímo na nástupišti nachází památník dětem, které Winton zachránil.


Nicholas Winton ricevis ŝtatan ordenon de Ĉeĥio

Prezidento de Ĉeĥio, Miloš Zeman, donis la Ordenon de Blanka Leono (la plej altan ĉeĥan ŝtatan ordenon) al Siro Nicholas Winton okaze de festo de 96-a datreveno de fondiĝo de Ĉeĥoslovakio.

Winton ricevis la ordenon dum aparta ceremonio kune kun Sir Winston Churchill, kiu ricevis la ordenon postmorte.

Nicholas Winton helpis forveturigi 669 judajn infanojn de Ĉeĥoslovakio en la jaro 1939 kaj savis ilin antaŭ perzekuo de naziistoj.


Daniel Craig to be new James Bond

British actor Daniel Craig has been confirmed as the man to follow Pierce Brosnan as the sixth James Bond.

Producer Barbara Broccoli and director Martin Campbell called Craig 'a superb actor who has all the qualities needed to bring a contemporary edge to the role'.

"It is a huge iconic figure in movie history, and those things don't come along very often," Craig said. The role makes Craig the second Englishman to act as the British spy code-named 007, based on the famed literary character created by novelist Ian Fleming in 1953.

Craig's film credits include Road to Perdition, Enduring Love, Layer Cake and Sylvia. On British television, his major breakthrough was a starring role in the 1996 BBC drama Our Friends in the North.

The next Bond film Casino Royale is due to film in Italy, the Bahamas, the Czech Republic and Pinewood Studios. The film is due for release in 2006.


Daniel Craig wcieli się w rolę Bonda

Brytyjski aktor Daniel Craig zastąpi Pierce’a Brosnana w serii filmów o Jamesie Bondzie. Tym samym będzie już 6. gwiazdą, która wcieli się w rolę agenta Jej Królewskiej Mości.

Producent filmu, Barbara Broccoli i reżyser, Martin Campbell twierdzą, że Craig idealnie nadaje się do roli agenta 007.

James Bond to pewien symbol w historii kina i takie okazje nie zdarzają się często aktorom – twierdzi Daniel Craig. Aktor będzie drugim Anglikiem, który wcieli się w rolę agenta 007, stworzoną przez pisarza Iana Fleminga w 1953 roku.

Daniel Craig zagrał m.in. w Drodze do zatracenia Sama Mendesa, Enduring Love i Sylvii, u boku Gwyneth Paltrow. Stworzył też kreacje w Our Firends in the North, dramacie zrealizowanym przez BBC.

Najnowsza część przygód Bonda, Casino Royale, będzie kręcona we Włoszech, na Bahamach i w Czechach. Film będzie miał swoją premierę w 2006 roku.


Digg.com suffers user revolt

The popular social news site Digg.com was suffering from what appears to be a user revolt in response to the deletion of several articles revealing the encryption keys for HD-DVD, which would allow individuals to remove the encryption from HD-DVDs. Users are posting articles with links to the codes. At approximately 1:40 a.m [Eastern time] Digg.com was no longer online but returned online with a message from Kevin Rose, Digg's founder, who declared that he would not delete any more articles that contain the code.

"We'll be back shortly. Digg.com will be down for a brief period while we make some changes," said a statement previously posted on Digg.com's website. The notation (Out of service) appeared as the page's title.

According to co-founder Jay Adelson, the stories were deleted as a result of intellectual property infringement, although some users of the site speculate that the stories were deleted as a result of ties to the MPAA and its Diggnation podcast.

"We had to make a call, and in our desire to avoid a scenario where Digg would be interrupted or shut down, we decided to comply and remove the stories with the code. But now, after seeing hundreds of stories and reading thousands of comments, you’ve made it clear. You’d rather see Digg go down fighting than bow down to a bigger company. We hear you, and effective immediately we won’t delete stories or comments containing the code and will deal with whatever the consequences might be," said Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg in a statement on Digg's blogging site. The message also appears as a story submitted by Rose on Digg's main page. Rose included the encryption key in the title of the story, and joined countless other users by repeating the key in the comment section of the story.

A large number of Digg.com users were spamming the site with the 16 byte key to such an extent, apparently, that the site became almost unreadable. Users were not able to submit new material even though a "success" message was displayed after clicking submit.

As with Digg, during the past 48 hours, Wikipedia also has experienced some intensive user (and non-user) efforts to post the HD-DVD codes. Pending legal instructions to the contrary, Wikipedia volunteers ("administrators") have struggled with limited success to keep the codes off its site. Wikinews also experienced some trouble with users and non-users posting the code.

==Sources==


El portal social de notícies Digg.com, col·lapsat pels usuaris

Un dels portals de notícies de tecnologia més importants de la xarxa, Digg.com, es va col·lapsar dimarts per una protesta dels seus usuaris. Tot va començar amb una notícia que publicava un codi útil per a invalidar el sistema anticòpia dels DVD d'alta definició (HD-DVD), si es fa servir amb el programari adequat. Doncs bé, per evitar dificultats legals amb la legislació antipirateria dels EUA els responsables de Digg.com van eliminar-la.

Però, en el moment d'eliminar-la, la notícia ja havia rebut setze mil vots dels usuaris i els internautes s'ho van prendre com un atac a la llibertat d'expressió. En resposta, van començar a publicar una infinitat de notícies que contenien el codi o enllaços a pàgines on també s'havia publicat. Els responsables de Digg.com van provar d'aturar-ho, i fins i tot van esborrar alguns comptes d'usuari, però el resultat va ser que Digg.com va estar, unes quantes hores, fora de servei. La revolta va funcionar: Kevin Rose, fundador de Digg.com, va explicar a The Digg Blog per què havien suprimit la xifra i va comprometre's a no esborrar més notícies que incloguessin el codi. No sols això, també ell el va publicar.

Ara, el codi s'ha publicat a milers de pàgines de tot el món i fins i tot ha sorgit un bloc que el té com a domini i que parla de la censura i de la persecució de què són objecte els qui el publiquen.

Digg.com, un dels portals més llegits d'internet, té per fi la promoció social de notícies: els usuaris voten per decidir quines es publiquen i quines no, i en quin ordre. A més, també s'hi poden afegir comentaris. De fet, l'eix fonamental de la pàgina és la participació dels usuaris, que hom estima que sumen un milió. Entre els blocaires que escriuen en anglès, és molt conegut l'anomenat 'efecte Digg': un bloc que surti a la portada d'aquest portal rep una allau de visites tal que pot saturar-lo.


Veröffentlichung von HD-DVD-Entschlüsselungscode sorgt für Aufruhr im WWW

San Francisco (Vereinigte Staaten), 07.05.2007 – Die Social-News-Internetsite „Digg.com“ wurde in der Nacht vom 1. auf den 2. April möglicherweise einer Art Benutzeraufstand ausgesetzt. Dieser könnte eine Antwort auf die Löschung von mehreren Artikeln sein, in denen ein Entschlüsselungs-Code für HD-DVDs veröffentlicht wurde, der es Privatpersonen erlaubt, den HD-DVD-Kopierschutz zu entfernen. Benutzer oder Hacker veröffentlichten daraufhin Artikel mit Links zu diesem Code. Etwa um 1:40 Uhr Ortszeit (Eastern Time) war Digg.com nicht mehr erreichbar. Kurze Zeit später kehrte die Site mit einer Nachricht von Diggs-Gründer Kevin Rose zurück, in der er schrieb, dass er keine weiteren Artikel mit dem enthaltenen Code mehr löschen werde.

Vorher war in einer auf der Website veröffentlichten Erklärung zu lesen gewesen: „Wir werden bald zurückkehren. Digg.com wird für eine kurze Zeit vom Netz genommen, während wir ein paar Veränderungen vornehmen.“ In der Titelzeile des Browsers erschien neben dem Digg.com-Schriftzug der Hinweis „Out of Service“: außer Betrieb.

Laut Mitbegründer Jay Adelson wurden die Benutzerartikel wegen Verletzung geistigen Eigentums gelöscht. Einige Benutzer der Site vermuteten jedoch, dass die Artikel im Zusammenhang mit der Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) und dessen Podcasts „Diggnation“ gelöscht wurden.

„Wir mussten einen Anruf tätigen, und in unserem Wunsch, ein Szenario zu vermeiden, bei dem Digg unterbrochen oder geschlossen werden würde, entschieden wir uns, uns zu fügen und die Artikel mit dem enthaltenen Code zu löschen. Jetzt aber, nachdem wir Hunderte von Artikeln gesehen und Tausende von Kommentaren gelesen haben, habt ihr es klar gemacht. Ihr würdet Digg lieber kämpfend untergehen sehen, als sich einer größeren Firma zu beugen. Wir haben euch vernommen, und ab sofort werden wir keine Artikel oder Kommentare mit dem enthaltenen Code mehr löschen und jegliche Konsequenzen daraus in Kauf nehmen“, sagte Kevin Rose in einer Erklärung im Digg-Blog. Die Erklärung erschien auch als ein von Rose eingeschickter Artikel auf der Hauptseite von Digg. Rose band den Entschlüsselungscode in den Titel des Artikels ein und schloss sich unzähligen Benutzern durch Wiederholen des Codes im Kommentarbereich des Artikels an.

Daraufhin begann ein augenscheinlich großer Teil der Benutzer, die Website mit dem 16-stelligen Code in so einem Ausmaß zu spammen, dass die Seite beinahe unlesbar wurde. Benutzern war es nicht mehr möglich, Artikel zu veröffentlichen, obwohl noch eine Bestätigung beim Einschicken von neuen Artikeln angezeigt wurde.

Im Vorfeld dieser Benutzeraktion wurde der Suchmaschinenbetreiber Google von der für die Lizenzvergabe von AACS zuständigen Organisation-Advanced-Access-Content-System-License-Administrator aufgefordert, mehrere Internetseiten mit besagten Code aus der Datenbank zu entfernen und eine Unterlassungserklärung abzugeben, um so einen Rechtsstreit zu umgehen. Die zuständige Kanzlei deute die Indizierung der Links zu diesen Seiten als Verletzung des US-amerikanischen Digital Millenium Copyright Acts (DMCA), der das Umgehen, das Verbreiten von Software zur Umgehung und auch das Beschreiben der Umgehung im Ganzen und in Teilen von Kopierschutz-Maßnahmen verbietet.

Diese juristische Aufforderung an Google und die Zensierung der Artikel in Digg waren nicht die einzigen Gründe, warum die Benutzer sich der Eigenschaften des Web 2.0 bedienten und eine Spam-Attacke durchführten, sondern nur die prominentesten Fälle. Wie viele andere Seiten ist auch Digg auf die freiwillige Teilnahme der Benutzer angewiesen, um Inhalte zu generieren. Bei Digg können Benutzer Links zu anderen Seiten setzen, um diese anderen Benutzern mitzuteilen und auf diese hinzuweisen. Eine größere Kontrollinstanz ist nicht vorhanden, so dass die Artikel nur auf wenige redaktionelle Themen und unerwünschte Inhalte, wie Pornographie und rassistische Inhalte, im Nachhinein geprüft werden und schnell veröffentlicht werden können. Diese wenigen Filtermethoden führten zur Flut an Veröffentlichung als Protestreaktion und der folgenden Aufgabe der überforderten Verantwortlichen von Digg.

Aber nicht nur Digg ist von dieser Benutzerrevolte betroffen, sondern auch weitere Seiten mit vornehmlich User Generated Content. So wurden unter anderem auch die englische und deutsche Wikipedia von Benutzern zur Verbreitung des Codes benutzt, welcher in diversen passenden Artikeln eingefügt wurde. Zusätzlich wurde ein eigener Artikel über den Ablauf der Ereignisse gestartet. Dieser Artikel wird dort unter dem Namen HD-DVD Nacht geführt.

Mittlerweile wurden auch vom AACS LA die ersten Kommentare zu diesem Vorfall veröffentlicht. Herr Michael Ayers, chair of the AACS business group, gab auf BBC News wieder, dass er diese Reaktion der Benutzer für eine interessante Wendung gehalten habe, und gab bekannt:

„Sie können das Für und Wider diskutieren. Wir wissen, dass einige sehr kritisch bezüglich dieser Technologie sind. Aber die Grenze ist überschritten, wenn wir sehen, dass die Schlüssel und Werkzeuge zur Umgehung veröffentlicht werden. Ihr begebt euch außerhalb des Raumes, der von freier Meinungsäußerung (US-Term: „Free Speech“) geschützt wird.“

Er machte noch keine genauen Angaben dazu, wie gegen die Veröffentlichung vorgegangen wird, aber angemessene Reaktionen sollen folgen, auch wenn es technisch aufwendig werden wird, jeden, der den Key veröffentlicht hatte, aufzustöbern.
Auch sei der Kopierschutz nicht gebrochen, und besagter Key sei schon geändert und werde bei zukünftigen Filmveröffentlichungen nicht mehr eingesetzt.


Dima Bilan wins the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest for Russia

Dima Bilan has won the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, the 53rd, for Russia with his song Believe. The song was developed by US R&B artist Timbaland. The song won the competition with 272 points; 42 points ahead of Ukraine's Ani Lorak in second place with 230 points for the song Shady Lady. Third was Kalomira for Greece with Secret Combination The voting for the competition came from 43 countries across Europe, but with 25 countries competing, the others having failed to get through the semi finals. Russia has never won the contest before, Bilan having come second in 2006, losing out to Finnish hard rock band Lordi with Hard Rock Halellujah.

Furtherdown the scale Germany's No Angels with Disapear, Poland's Isis Gee with For Life and the United Kingdom's Andy Abraham with Even If came joint last with 14 points. Fourth last was Teräsbetoni, a Finnish heavy metal band performing in their native language with Missä Mihet Ratsastaa (Where Men Ride). Sweden's Charlotte Perrelli had been predicted to repeat her 1999 victory, this time with Hero, but also received a low score.

There was an estimated 100 million television viewers from across Europe.

UK commentator Terry Wogan has garnered significant media attention for criticising the contest live towards the end of the broadcast for being overly political. "It's a disappointment, considering that Andy Abraham gave, I think, the performance of his life with a song that certainly deserved more marks than it got when you look at the points that Spain got, that Bosnia-Herzegovina got - some really ridiculous songs," he said. "You have to say that this is no longer a music contest... I have to decide whether we (himself and his producer, who already announced he wanted to leave) want to do this again. Western European participants have to decide whether they want to take part from here on in, because their prospects are poor." He called the contest "political".

Spain was represented by Rodolfo Chikilicuatre with Baila el Chiki Chiki (Dance the Chiki Chiki) and Bosnia and Herzegovina by Elvir Laković Laka with Pokušaj (try).

Bilan, who received the maximum 12 points from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus and Armenia, all of which are former Soviet countries, was sent a telegram from Putin to congratulate him after his victory. Mevedev also contacted him later by phone to congratulate him. "Russia is the favorite now, it's just tearing everybody up — in basketball, football, hockey, and Eurovision!" commented champion figure skater Evgeni Plushenko, who had joined Bilan onstage to skate as part of the winning performance. He is now also a politician.

Next year's contest will be held in Russia.


Venäjä voitti Euroviisut

Vuoden 2008 Eurovisionin laulukilpailun on voittanut Venäjän edustaja Dima Bilan. Kisat järjestettiin Serbian pääkaupungissa Belgradissa. Suomen edustaja Teräsbetoni sijoittui 22. sijalle saaden 35 pistettä.


Russland vant ESC 2008 - Norge best i Vest-Europa

Målform: Bokmål - Dato: 24. mai 2008 - Oppdater siden - Rediger artikkelen - Flere nyheter

Serbia: Russland vant lørdag kveld Eurovision Song Contest 2008 (ESC). Norge ble beste Vest-Europeiske nasjon på en femteplass.

Det var Dima Bilan, med sangen Believe, som dro i land seieren for Russland, som er Russlands første seier. Russland fik hele 272 poeng, mens Ukraina, som kom på andreplass, fikk 230 poeng. Norge fikk 182 poeng. Maria Haukaas Storeng, med sangen Hold On Be Strong, skrevet av Mira Craig, var Norges bidrag i finalen, og endte altså på en femteplass, som er den beste plasseringen en nasjon fra Vest-Europa fikk i musikkonkurransens finale.

- Tenk at vi kom på 5.plass!! Herregud! Jeg er så stolt! Dette var fantastisk! Det funket!! Jeg har aldri vært gladere! Nå skal vi feire!! jublet Maria til NRK etter femteplassen.

- Vi har en god act, jeg mener vi fikk den til å sitte som den skal i kveld også. Husker ikke om vi gjorde noen feil...Nei, vi gjorde ikke det! Jeg er glad vi er sist! Dette er fryktelig nervepirrende!!!, sa Maria til NRK om sin egen opptreden da hun kom av scenen

Med Sverige gikk det ikke like bra. Charlotte Perrelli endte opp på en 18.-plass.

Personer i 43 land i Europa kunne stemme i musikkonkurransen.


Россия впервые победила на «Евровидении»

Российский певец Дима Билан занял на песенном конкурсе «Евровидение» первое место. В 2006 году он уже занимал второе место. В номере российского исполнителя участвовали также знаменитый фигурист Евгений Плющенко и скрипач Эдвин Мартон.

Это — первая победа России на конкурсе, в котором она участвует начиная с 1994 года.

Благодаря победе, «Евровидение-2009» состоится в России. Город и арена пока неизвестны. Наиболее вероятные кандидаты: Ледовые дворцы Москвы и Санкт-Петербурга, Петербургский СКК, СК «Олимпийский», новый комплекс в Сочи.

Однако одна из стран-участниц Евровидения, Украина, заявила об фальсификации и подтасовке. По мнению украинцев, победила их певица Ани Лорак, которая на самом деле заняла второе место.

25 мая 2008 года


Disco diva Donna Summer dies at 63

US disco singer Donna Summer died Thursday aged 63 in Key West, Florida, following a struggle with lung cancer. During her career, Summer won five Grammy Awards and had nineteen number one singles in the US charts.

Summer's family gave the following statement: "Early this morning, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith. While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy."

Her first hit was the 1975 track Love To Love You Baby, which was banned by the BBC.

The 1977 Giorgio Moroder-produced single I Feel Love pioneered the use of synthesisers. Brian Eno told David Bowie upon hearing the song, "I've heard the sound of the future".

After disco's popularity wound down, Summer moved across genres, with the 1979 song Hot Stuff earning her a Grammy Award for best rock vocal performance. She said of this: "I am actually the first woman — not black woman — but woman, period, to get a rock-and-roll Grammy".

Donna Summer also appeared in the 1979 movie Thank God It's Friday, and her performance of the song Last Dance earned her an Academy Award for best song.

Her popularity in the gay community was threatened in the 1980s after it was reported that she had made anti-gay remarks at a concert, specifically that "AIDS is the result of your sins". In 1989, she told the gay magazine The Advocate that she did not make the statements she was reported to have made, and expressed regret at the loss of friends to AIDS: "I never said, ‘If you are gay, God hates you.’ Come on. Be real. I don’t understand that. Anybody who really knows me knows I wouldn’t say that."

Summer was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1948 as LaDonna Adrian Gaines. She learned she could sing in her church's gospel choir and then in musicals. In 1973, she married an actor she had met in Austria, Helmuth Sommer, from whom she gets the name "Summer". Before her divorce in 1975, Summer gave birth to Mimi Summer. Five years later, she remarried to Bruce Sudano, a musician, who fathered two daughters, Brooklyn and Amanda.


Πέθανε η Ντόννα Σάμμερ

Η βασίλισσα της ντίσκο, η Ντόννα Σάμμερ, πέθανε τη Πέμπτη στην Φλόριντα, μετά από μακροχρόνια μάχη με τον καρκίνο του πνεύμονα. Ήταν 63 ετών.

Η Ντόννα Σάμμερ μεσουράνησε στο αμερικανικό και το διεθνές μουσικό στερέωμα στη δεκαετία του 1970 με επιτυχίες όπως οι Hot stuff και Bad Girls που εδραίωσαν την μουσική ντίσκο. Η Σάμμερ συνέχισε να τραγουδά και στη δεκαετία του 1980, ενώ έχει τιμηθεί με 5 βραβεία Γκράμμι.

Ο Πρόεδρος των ΗΠΑ, Μπαράκ Ομπάμα και η σύζυγος του εξέφρασαν λύπη για τον θάνατο της Ντόννα Σάμμερ, την οποία χαρακτήρισαν μουσικό θρύλο με αξέχαστη φωνή.


Disparition de Donna Summer

Le site TMZ annonce la mort de Donna Summer à l'âge de 63 ans. Elle aurait succombé à un cancer. La chanteuse était une légende des années 1970, et avait même remporté 5 Grammy Awards.


Musica in lutto: è morta Donna Summer

Lutto nel mondo della musica: si è spenta infatti quest'oggi all'età di 63 anni dopo una lunga battaglia contro il cancro la cantante statunitense Donna Summer, "regina" della disco music degli anni settanta-ottanta.

L'annuncio della morte della cantante, che al momento del decesso si trovava in Florida per preparare un nuovo disco, è stato dato dal sito di celebrità Tmz. Secondo fonti vicine all'interprete, pare che la Summer negli ultimi giorni non desse l'impressione di essere particolarmente sofferente.

Donna Summer, che in realtà si chiamava LaDonna Andre Gaines, era nata a Boston il 31 dicembre 1948.

Tra i suoi brani di maggiore successo, ricordiamo Love to Love You Baby, I Feel Love, Hot Stuff e Could It Be Magic (cover dell'omonimo brano di Barry Manilow). In carriera vinse per cinque volte il Premio Grammy.


Умрла краљица диска Дона Самер

17. мај 2012.Лос Анђелес-  (Бета) - Америчка "краљица диска", певачица Дона Самер умрла је данас у 64. години на Флориди од рака, објавила је њена породица.

Од почетка 1970-их Дона Самер обележила је историју диска хитовима као што су "Bad Girls", "Last Dance" и "Hot Stuff".

Добитница је пет Греми награда а њени хитови доминирали су топ листама током 1970-их. Задржала се на врху топ листа и у 1980-им годинама хитовима као што су "She Works Hard for the Money" и "This Time I Know It's for Real"

"Рано јутрос изгубили смо Дону Самер Судано, жену са многим талентима, а највећи је био њена вера", наводи се у саопштењу породице.


Disney animator Ollie Johnston dies at 95

American animator Ollie Johnston, the last of Disney's so-called "Nine Old Men", has died at the age of 95.

Johnston died of natural causes on Monday in Sequim, Washington, according to Walt Disney Studios Vice President Howard E. Green.

Johnston worked on many of the Disney's classic films, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Pinnochio (1940), Fantasia (1940), Bambi (1942), and many others.

Johnston worked extensively with his best friend Frank Thomas, a fellow "old man" who died in 2004. The pair met at Stanford University in the 1930s and worked together until Thomas' death. They retired from animation in 1978, but remained popular speakers and authors about Disney and animation.

"Ollie was part of an amazing generation of artists, one of the real pioneers of our art, one of the major participants in the blossoming of animation into the art form we know today," said Roy E. Disney.

Johnston devoted much of his retirement to writing and lecturing, but perhaps even more to model trains, a field in which he became considered one of the world's foremost experts.

Ollie Johnston's last film was The Fox and the Hound (1981) on which he worked as a supervisor.


Desenhista Ollie Johnston morre aos 95 anos

O americano Ollie Johnston, último membro vivo do grupo de artistas que elaboraram os desenhos animados da época de ouro da Disney, como "Pinóquio", "Peter Pan" ou "Bambi", morreu aos 95 anos, anunciou o próprio estúdio. O artista era o último membro vivo do seleto grupo batizado de 'Nine Old Men' por Walt Disney.

De acordo com Howard E. Green, vice-presidente dos estúdios da Disney, Johnston morreu nesta segunda-feira de causas naturais.

Como animador, Johnston foi responsável por animar a memorável (e emotiva) cena da morte da mãe de Bambi, no filme de mesmo nome.


Disney buys Pixar

The Walt Disney Company has finalized a US$7.4 billion deal to acquire its long-time partner Pixar in an all stock buy-out. The deal will make Steve Jobs, current Pixar and Apple CEO, Disney's largest shareholder with about 7% (valued at over $3.5 billion) and a member of the board of directors.

The merger was speculated all day Tuesday on the stock market and the announcement came just after trading closed for the day. Terms of the merger include Pixar's John Lasseter becoming Disney's new chief creative officer in charge of animation at the combined Disney-Pixar Animation Studios, as well as principal creative advisor at Walt Disney Imagineering, the unit of the company responsible for research and development of Disney theme parks worldwide.

Jobs purchased what became Pixar for $10 million in 1986 from George Lucas's computer animation division at Lucasfilm. Toy Story, its first feature film, came a decade later, and began a long string of animation hits, including Finding Nemo. Such successes proved to be increasingly elusive for Disney to manage on its own. The partnership between the two studios had become shaky in recent years, as former Disney head Michael Eisner clashed with Jobs over the renewal terms of their agreement. In 2003, prior to his dismissal from Disney, Eisner infuriated Pixar's creative team by predicting Finding Nemo would be a failure. Steve Jobs broke off negotiations in January 2004, having told one executive previously, "I don't see how the relationship can continue as long as Eisner is there."


Großfusion: Walt Disney kauft Trickfilmstudio Pixar

Burbank (Vereinigte Staaten), 26.01.2006 – In den USA steht eine Großfusion bevor, die die US-Medienbranche beeinflussen wird. Die Firma Walt Disney übernimmt Trickfilm-Studio Pixar. Die Transaktion per Aktientausch kostet 7,4 Milliarden US-Dollar.

Steve Jobs, Geschäftsführer von Apple Computer und Chef von Pixar, wird Mitglied des Disney-Verwaltungsrates.

Um den Verkauf abschließen zu können, müssen noch die Aktionäre von Pixar zustimmen. Zusätzlich ist noch die Genehmigung der US-Aufsichtsbehörden erforderlich.

Bekannt wurde Pixar durch Filme wie „Toy Story“, „Die Unglaublichen“ und „Findet Nemo“. Alle drei Zeichentrickfilme hatten mehrere Hundertmillionen Dollar eingespielt.


Disney compra Pixar

La compañía Disney ha anunciado la adquisición de la empresa de animación Pixar por un valor de 7.400 millones de dólares (unos 6.025 millones de euros) tras un acuerdo con sus accionistas.

El consejero delegado de Pixar, Steve Jobs (también conocido por ser el dueño de Apple), se convierte con esta transacción en el mayor accionista individual de Disney, con una participación del 7% (avaluada en US$3.500 millones). Es probable que Jobs, que adquirió lo que hoy se conoce como Pixar en 1986 por US$10 millones, ocupe un puesto en el consejo directivo.

A mediados de los noventa, Disney había hecho una sociedad con Pixar para la producción conjunta de películas de animación tridimensional, todas ellas éxitos de taquilla, como Toy Story, Buscando a Nemo y Los increíbles. No obstante, dicha sociedad se disolvió después de arduas negociaciones y enfrentamientos entre Jobs y Michael Eisner, entonces presidente de Disney.


Målform: Nynorsk - Dato: 25. januar 2006 - Oppdater siden - Rediger artikkelen - Flere nyheter

USA: Disney sitt kjøp av animasjonsgiganten Pixar inneber ei heilomvending for grunnleggjaren av Apple, Steve Jobs, som eig meir enn halvparten av Pixar. Kjøpet inneber at Jobs får ein plass i styret i Disney, melder BBC News.

Pixar har hatt ein distribusjonsavtale med Disney som skulle ha gått ut i slutten av året. Sidan føretaka ikkje har komme overeins om korleis vinsten skulle delast i samband med ein ny avtale, såg det ut som Disney og Pixar ville splittast.

Når no Disney kjøper Pixar for 7,4 milliardar dollar inneber det ei heilomvending. Den noverande sjefen i Disney, Robert Iger, har lukkast med å løyse konflikta mellom Steve Jobs og den tidlegare sjefen i Disney, Michael Eisner.

- Med transaksjonen ynskjer vi velkommen den unike kulturen på Pixar, som på to tiår har skapt nokre av dei mest innovative og framgongsrike filmane i historia, uttala Iger.

Disney skal ha tent omkring 3,2 milliardar dollar på Pixar sine seks filmar, men mange analytikarar meiner den store fortenesta ligg i att Disney får tilgong til den kreative krafta som finst hjå Pixar.

John Lasseter, mannen som pleier å få æra for den kreative atmosfæren på Pixar, kjem gjennom kjøpet ikkje berre til å bli sjef for animasjonssegmentet til Disney, men òg for Walt Disney Imagineering som står bak førnøyelsesparkane til Disney.


Disney compra a Pixar

A companhia Disney anunciou a aquisição da empresa de animação Pixar por um valor de 7.400 milhões de dólares (cerca de  6.025 milhões de euros) após  um acordo com seus acionistas.

O representante da Pixar, Steve Jobs (também conhecido por ter fundado a  Apple), converte-se com esta transação no maior acionista individual da Disney, com uma participação do 7% (avaliada em US$3.500 milhões). É provável que Jobs venha a ocupar um posto no conselho diretivo.

Em meados dos anos noventa, a Disney tinha feito uma sociedade com a Pixar para a produção conjunta de películas de animação tridimensional, todas elas sucessos de bilheteria, como Toy Story, Procurando Nemo e Os Incríveis. Apesar do sucesso essa sociedade se dissolveu  após dura disputa  entre Jobs e Michael Eisner, então presidente da Disney.


USA –
Disneys köp av animationsjätten Pixar innebär en helomvändning för Apples grundare Steve Jobs som äger mer än hälften av Pixar. Tidigare har han meddelat att Pixar kommer att avlägsna sig från samarbetet mellan företagen men köpet innebär att får Jobs en plats i Disneys styrelse, uppger BBC News.

Pixar har haft ett distributionsavtal med Disney som skulle ha löpt ut i slutet av året. Sedan företagen inte kunnat komma överens om hur vinsten ska delas i samband med att ett nytt avtal diskuterats har Pixar meddelat att man går skilda vägar.

När nu Disney köper Pixar för 7,4 miljarder dollar innebär det en helomvändning. Disneys nuvarande vd Robert Iger har lyckats reda ut konflikten mellan Steve Jobs och Disneys tidigare vd Michael Eisner.

Iger sa i ett uttalande: "Med transaktionen välkomnar vi den unika kulturen på Pixar som under två decennier har skapat några av de mest innovativa och framgångsrika filmerna i historien".

För Disney hade onekligen en förlust av Pixar inneburit en stor förlust. Företaget har tappat marknadsandelar den senaste tiden sedan dess senaste filmer misslyckats med att dra en riktigt stor publik.

Disney uppskattas ha tjänat omkring 3,2 miljarder dollar på Pixars sex filmer men många analytiker menar att den stora förtjänsten ligger i att Disney får tillgång till den kreativa kraft som finns hos Pixar.

John Lasseter, den man som brukar få äran av den kreativa atmosfären på Pixar, kommer genom köpet att bli chef inte bara för animationssegmentet på Disney utan även för Walt Disney Imagineering som ligger bakom Disneys nöjesparker.


Docudays UA eleventh edition opens

The Eleventh International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival opened Friday in the Red Hall of the Kyiv Cinema House, in Kyiv, Ukraine. The festival spans eight days, ending on March 28.

Competition programs are divided into DOCU/Right, DOCU/Life, and DOCU/Short. Each program has its own jury that consists of famous human rights activists, film producers, directors, critics, writers etc. Among them are Andrzej Poczobut (Belorus), Natalka Zubar (Ukraine), Oksana Sarkisova (Hungary), Boris Mitić (Serbia), Chris McDonald (Canada), Simone Baumann (Germany), Andrei Zagdansky (Ukraine), Victoria Belopolskaya (Russia), and Stephanie Lamorre (France). Students' Jury and Audience Awards are also to be given. The Organizing Committee is to award an Andriy Matrosov Award.

Non-competition programs are divided into areas titles Ideorruption, DOCU/Ukraine, DOCU/Riot, DOCU/Art, DOCU/Best, HOT DOCS presents, Artdocfest presents, and Andrei Zagdansky Retrospective.

The best films are also to be shown during Docudays UA Travelling Festival.

The opening film was called Euromaidan: Rough Cut. It was a combination of shots of different film directors that have been filming the protests in Ukraine during these past four months. Organizers and creators explained, "This is what it is. It is actually a 'rough cut'. It is a collection of different episodes".

The festival was first held in 2003, called at that time Docudays on Human Rights. In 2006 the festival was accepted as part of the international Human Rights Film Network at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. It is usually held during the last week of March.

In 2013, the festival opened with a performance, showing Berkut — Ukrainian special police — oppressing the journalists:


Docudays UA: 11-е видання. Відкриття

21 березня 2014 розпочався XI Міжнародний фестиваль документального кіно про права людини «Docudays UA» в Києві.

Конкурсна програма традиційно складається із відділень: DOCU/Право, DOCU/Життя та DOCU/Коротко. Серед журі — відомі закордонні правозахисники, кінопродюсери, режисери, кінокритики та сценаристи. А саме: Андрей Почобут (Білорусь), Наталія Зубар (Україна), Оксана Саркісова (Угорщина), Боріс Мітіч (Сербія), Кріс Макдоналд (Канада), Сімона Бауманн (Німеччина), Андрій Загданський (Україна), Вікторія Бєлопольська (Росія), Стефані Ламорре (Франція). Також окрему нагороду присудить студентське журі та глядачі. Від організаторів Docudays UA традиційно буде також вручено премію імені Андрія Матросова.

Серед підбірок позаконкурсної програми — «Ідеорупція», «DOCU/Україна», «DOCU/Спротив», «DOCU/Арт», «DOCU/Коротко», «HOT DOGS презентує», «Артдокфест презентує» та «Ретроспектива Андрія Загданського». З більш детальною програмою фестивалю можна ознайомитися на сайті Docudays UA.

Фестиваль триватиме до 28 березня, найкращі фільми будуть презентовані в регіонах України у рамках Мандрівного фестивалю.

Довідка: Фестиваль Docudays UA проходить у Києві протягом останнього тижня березня з 2003 року. Фестиваль позиціонує себе як неполітичний та некомерційний, тож усі покази — безкоштовні. Зараз це — найбільший фестиваль документального кіно в Україні.

Відкрив фестиваль фільм ініціативи BABYLON'13 "Євромайдан. Чорновий монтаж" ("Euromaidan. The Rough Cut"). У ньому без коментарів показані зняті крупним планом епізоди тримісячного протистояння. По завершальних кадрах, присвячених «Небесній сотні», Мар’яна Садовська виконала пісню «Пливе кача». Зал слухав її стоячи і після вигуків "Герої не вмирають" заспівав Гімн України.

21 березня 2014


Dominican comedian Freddy Beras-Goico dies aged 69

Dominican comedian Freddy Beras-Goico has died at the age of 69 in the United States. Beras died at the Mount Sinai Medical Center on Thursday in New York. Admitted to the hospital on November 5, the comedian died on Thursday, three days before his 70th birthday, of pancreatic cancer.

Beras, who started his career as a cameraman in the 1960s, was also an actor and television presenter. As a child Beras fled Colombia with his family due to the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. During the 1950s and 60s he became a political activist and was jailed in 1965. He reached national fame when he began to present a weekly variety television programme. During its thirty year run the show featured some of the most famous musicians from the Dominican Republic and Latin America.

Tributes have been paid to the late comedian. The president of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez, said that he spoke out against the social and political conflicts of the country. He added that "He appealed with energy and integrity for the construction of a better society."

His son posted an announcement through his Twitter page. He said "It is with great pain that I announce the death of my father. Infinite thanks to all for your solidarity in these days. Peace to his remains."

His funeral is to take place in the Dominican Republic and his body is due to return there today.


Ο Δομινικανός κωμικός Φρέντυ Μπέρας-Γκοΐκο πεθαίνει στην ηλικία των 69 ετών

Ο Δομινικανός κωμικός Φρέντυ Μπέρας-Γκοΐκο πέθανε στην ηλικία των 69 ετών  στο Mount Sinai Medical Center της Νέας Υόρκης, τη Πέμπτη, 3 μέρες πριν τα 70ά του γενέθλια. Ο Μπέρας που ξεκίνησε την καριέρα του ως κάμεραμαν την δεκαετία του 1960, ήταν επίσης ηθοποιός και παρουσιαστής. Ως παιδί ο Μπέρας διέφυγε στην  Κολομβία με την οικογένειά του λόγω της δικτατορίας του Rafael Trujillo. Στις δεκαετίες του 1950 και του  '60 έγινε πολιτικός ακτιβιστής και φυλακίστηκε  το 1965. Απέκτησε εθνική φήμη όταν άρχισε να παρουσιάζει ένα εβδομαδιαίο τηλεοπτικό πρόγραμμα. Στα τριάντα χρόνια διάρκειας αυτής της εκπομπής παρουσίασε τους πιο αξιόλογους μουσικούς της Δομινικανής Δημοκρατίας και της Λατινικής Αμερικής.

Τιμές αποδόθηκαν στον ηλικιωμένο κωμικό από τον Πρόεδρο της Δομινικανής Δημοκρατίας Λεονέλ Φερνάντες που είπε ότι ο αποθανών πήρε θέση κατά των κοινωνικών και πολιτικών συγκρούσεων  της χώρας του. Πρόσθεσε επίσης ότι  "έκανε έκκληση, με ενεργητικότητα και ακεραιότητα, για την οικοδόμηση μιας καλύτερης κοινωνίας."

Ο γιος του έκανε μια ανακοίνωση μέσα από τη σελίδα του στο  Twitter γράφοντας: "Με μεγάλο πόνο σας ανακοινώνω τον θάνατο του πατέρα μου. Απεριόριστες ευχαριστίες εκφράζω σε όλους όσοι έδειξαν αλληλεγγύη αυτές τις μέρες. Ας αναπαυθεί εν ειρήνη."

Η κηδεία του θα γίνει στην Δομινικανή Δημοκρατία  και το σώμα του ήδη έχει επιστρέψει εκεί από τις 20 Νοεμβρίου 2010.

21 Νοεμβρίου 2010


Don Van Vliet, best known as 'Captain Beefheart', dies aged 69

US avant-garde musician and painter Don Van Vliet — better known by the stage name Captain Beefheart — died Friday aged 69. New York's Michael Werner Gallery confirmed the cause of death as complications with multiple sclerosis, a condition Van Vliet suffered from for many years.

Born in Glendale, California on January 15, 1941, the highly experimental musician created several unique and influential albums from 1967 through to 1982, backed by a frequently changing group of musicians known as The Magic Band. His most famous album, Trout Mask Replica (1969) melded free jazz, blues-rock, and avant-garde styles to create a critically acclaimed (albeit commercially unsuccessful) work. He retired from music in 1982 to focus on painting.

Whilst none of the albums released by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, including 1967 debut album Safe as Milk, were commercially successful, his work is regularly cited as highly influential. Groups such as The Sex Pistols, Jethro Tull, Hawkwind, and Roxy Music all mention Beefheart as influencing their music.

A childhood friend of Frank Zappa, Beefheart was christened Don Glen Viet, later changing this; and, adopting the stage name of Captain Beefheart at Zappa's suggestion. Of the dozen albums produced under various lineups of the Magic Band, Trout Mask Replica is placed at number 58 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Despite no formal training, it was under his own name and as a painter, that Van Vliet experienced his greatest commercial success. His first exhibition was in Liverpool, in 1972. In the wake of this he was advised that as a painter he would be unlikely to be taken seriously unless he abandoned his musical career.

He is survived by his wife of over 40 years, Jan Van Vliet.


Ο Ντον Βαν Βλιτ πέθανε στην ηλικία των 69 ετών

Ο Αμερικανός μουσικός και ζωγράφος Ντον Βαν Βλιτ - γνωστός με το ψευδώνυμο Κάπτεν Μπίφχαρτ - πέθανε τη Παρασκευή, 17 Δεκεμβρίου 2010, σε ηλικία 69 ετών. Η Michael Werner Gallery, της Νέας Υόρκης επιβεβαίωσε ότι ο Ντον Βαν Βλιτ πέθανε λόγω πολλαπλής σκλήρυνσης, ασθένεια από την οποία έπασχε  χρόνια.

Ο Ντον Βαν Βλιτ γεννήθηκε στη Καλιφόρνια στις 15 Ιανουαρίου 1941. Από το 1967 μέχρι το 1982, κυκλοφόρησε αρκετά μοναδικά άλμπουμς με το συγκρότημα The Magic Band. Το πιο γνωστό άλμπουμ του είναι το Trout Mask Replica (1969), το οποίο περιέχει free jazz (ελεύθερη τζάζ), blues-rock (μπλούζ-ροκ) και avant-garde (αβάντ-γκάρντ). Αποσύρθηκε από τη μουσική βιομηχανία το 1982, για να ασχοληθεί με τη ζωγραφική.

Αν και κανένα από τα άλμπουμ των Captain Beefheart & Magic Band, συμπεριλαμβανομένου και του Safe as Milk (1967), δεν ήταν επιτυχίες, η δουλειά του είχε μεγάλη επιρροή. Συγκροτήματα όπως οι The Sex Pistols, Jethro Tull, Hawkwind, και Roxy Music επηρεάστηκαν από τη μουσική του Ντον Βαν Βλιτ.

Παιδικός φίλος του Φράνκ Ζάπα, ο Μπίφχαρτ (ψευδώνυμο του Βλιτ) βαπτίστηκε Ντον Γκλέν Βλιτ, αργότερα όμως το άλλαξε - και, μετά από πρόταση του Ζάπα, μετανομάστηκε σε Κάπτεν Μπίφχαρτ. Το άλμπουμ Trout Mask Replica θεωρείται έλαβε τη 58η θέση στη λίστα των 500 μεγαλύτερων άλμπουμ όλων των αιώνων του Rolling Stone.

Ο Βαν Βλιτ βίωσε μεγάλη εμπορική επιτυχία στον τομέα της ζωγραφικής. Η πρώτη του έκθεση έγινε στο Λίβερπουλ, το 1972. Στην αρχή της προσπάθειάς του κάποιοι συμβούλεψαν τον Βλιτ ότι δεν θα ληφθεί σοβαρά υπόψη ως ζωγράφος αν δεν αποσυρθεί από τη μουσική βιομηχανία.

Έζησε 40 χρόνια με τη σύζυγο του, τη Τζαν Βαν Βλιτ.

18 Δεκεμβρίου 2010


Doris Lessing wins Nobel Prize for Literature

After lots of speculations and speculative London betting on the outcome it has been announced that British author Doris Lessing ("The Golden Notebook", 1962) is the winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Literature.

At the International Book Fair at Frankfurt, Germany, which is currently underway, this decision has met with general approval, as a decision awarding the literary work of an author well established beyond her native country, rather than a political statement. The reason given for giving the prestigious award to Doris Lessing was to honour "that epicist of the female experience, who with skepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny".

Lessing herself, who will turn 88 on October 22, has been named a potential candidate over the last 30 years - so long in fact, that she herself once exclaimed: "I'll never get it". Finally, on December 10, 2007, the Nobel Prize including 10 million Swedish Kronor (€1.1 million) will be awarded to her in Stockholm, Sweden.


Literaturnobelpreis 2007 geht an Doris Lessing

Stockholm (Schweden), 11.10.2007 – Nach vielen Spekulationen steht nun fest: Der Literaturnobelpreis 2007 geht an die Britin Doris Lessing, Autorin von „Das Goldene Notizbuch“ aus dem Jahr 1962.

Auf der derzeit stattfindenden Internationalen Frankfurter Buchmesse wurde diese Nachricht allgemein begrüßt, als Entscheidung, die das Werk einer bekannten Autorin auszeichnet, ohne dass die Auszeichnung selbst eine vornehmlich politische Aussage darstellt. Lessing selbst, die am 22. Oktober ihren 88. Geburtstag feiert, war seit dreißig Jahren im Gespräch für den Preis gewesen und allmählich zu der Überzeugung gelangt: „Ich bekomme ihn nie.“

Der mit zehn Millionen schwedischen Kronen (1,1 Millionen Euro) dotierte Preis wird am 10. Dezember in Stockholm verliehen.


Doris Lessing es galardonada con el Premio Nobel de Literatura

11 de octubre de 2007Estocolmo, Suecia —

Luego de mucha especulación, se ha anunciado que la autora británica Doris Lessing ("The Golden Notebook", 1962) ha sido la ganadora del Premio Nobel de Literatura de 2007.

La decisión ha recibido aprobación general en la Feria del Libro de Fráncfort, Alemania, y ha sido vista como una decisión que galardona al trabajo literario de la autora, quien se ha establecido más allá de su propio país. La razón dada para conceder el prestigioso premio fue el reconocimiento a Doris Lessing como "la narradora épica de la experiencia femenina, que con escepticismo, ardor y una fuerza visionaria escruta una civilización dividida".

Lessing, quien cumplirá 88 años el 22 de octubre, había sido reconocida como una candidata potencial durante los últimos 30 años – tanto tiempo, de hecho, que ella una vez comentó: "Nunca lo obtendré".

El Premio Nobel, que incluye 10 millones de coronas suecas (1,1 millones de euros), será concedido el 10 de diciembre de 2007 en Estocolmo, Suecia.


Le prix Nobel de littérature est attribué à Doris Lessing

Après de nombreuses spéculations et des paris animés à Londres sur l'attribution du prix Nobel 2007 de littérature, la récompense a finalement été attribuée à l'écrivain britannique Doris Lessing (The Golden Notebook, 1962).

La décision a été accueillie positivement au Salon international du Livre de Francfort (Allemagne) qui se déroule actuellement. Le prix récompense en effet l'œuvre littéraire d'un auteur bien reconnu au-delà des frontières de son pays, plutôt qu'une prise de position politique. Selon le communiqué officiel, le prix Nobel de littérature a été remis à Doris Lessing pour honorer "la conteuse épique de l'expérience féminine qui, avec scepticisme, ardeur et une force visionnaire, scrute une civilisation divisée".

Doris Lessing a finalement reçu le prix Nobel de littérature cette année, douze jours avant son 88e anniversaire, alors qu'elle avait été proposée comme candidate depuis trente ans - en réalité depuis si longtemps qu'elle s'était un jour exclamée : "Je ne l'aurai jamais !" Pourtant, le 10 décembre 2007 à Stockholm, c'est bien elle qui recevra le prix et les 10 millions de couronnes suédoises (1,1 million d'euros) qui l'accompagnent.


Nobel per la letteratura 2007 assegnato alla scrittrice inglese Doris Lessing

Il premio Nobel per la letteratura 2007 è stato assegnato alla scrittrice Doris Lessing. La motivazione ufficiale afferma che il premio è stato assegnato alla scrittrice, poiché «cantrice dell'esperienza femminile, con scetticismo, passione e potere visionario ha messo sotto esame una civiltà divisa». Il premio di dieci milioni di corone svedesi (1,54 milioni di dollari) è stato assegnato dai quindici saggi dell'Accademia Svedese, che ne ha dato notizia attraverso il suo segretario, Horace Hengdal.

Nata a Kermanshah il 22 ottobre del 1919, quando l'Iran ancora si chiamava Persia, la futura scrittrice trascorse una faticosa e infelice infanzia, che tuttavia non le mancò di far trasparire nelle sue opere una compassione sia nei confronti dei coloni britannici (tale era la sua famiglia), sia nei confronti degli indigeni. Autodidatta dall'età di quindici anni, nel 1949 pubblica a Londra il suo primo libro, L'erba canta. Altro lavoro interessante è Il taccuino d'oro, considerato un classico della letteratura femminista, e che la fece evidenziare fra i possibili vincitori di un Nobel, ma la sua successiva "svolta fantascientifica" allontanò il premio. Doris Lessing non ha mai smesso di lavorare sino al presente: l'ultimo libro risale infatti a tre anni fa, quando la scrittrice aveva 85 anni.

L'artista è considerata un'icona del femminismo anni Settanta, ma la Lessing non ha mai accettato questa etichetta.


ドリス・レッシング氏、2007年ノーベル文学賞を受賞へ

スウェーデン・アカデミーは11日、2007年のノーベル文学賞を英国在住のドリス・レッシング氏（87歳）に授与すると発表した。

アカデミーによると「女性の抒情詩人として、懐疑、情熱、先見性をもって分断された現代社会を洞察し描いた」というのが受賞理由。日経新聞によるとドリス氏は女性として史上11人目、また史上最高齢での文学賞受賞となる。賞金は1,000万スウェーデン・クローナ（約1億8,000万円）で、授賞式はノーベルの命日である12月10日にストックホルムにて行われる。

時事通信によるとレッシング氏は1919年にペルシャ（現イラン）生まれ。5歳のときから25年間南ローデシア（現ジンバブエ）に在住し、その後英国に渡ってから「草は歌っている」（1950年）をはじめとする数多くの作品を発表し評価されてきた。また、西日本新聞によると代表作である「黄金のノート」（1962年）は20世紀のフェミニズム運動に大きな影響を与えている。


Literacki Nobel dla Doris Lessing

W czwartek ogłoszono laureata tegorocznej Nagrody Nobla z literatury. Otrzymała ją brytyjska pisarka Doris Lessing.

Lessing jest najstarszą laureatką literackiej Nagrody Nobla w jej historii. Urodziła się w 1919 roku w Persji. Następnie rodzice przenieśli się do Rodezji Południowej (obecnie Zimbabwe). Do Wielkiej Brytanii noblistka wyjechała w 1948 roku.

Najbardziej znane jej książki to "Lato przed zmierzchem" (1973), "Pamiętnik przetrwania" (1975), "Piąte dziecko" (1988). Noblistka opublikowała również pięć powieści fantastycznych pod tytułem "Canopus in Argus. Archives". Doris Lessing jest także autorką opowiadań o problematyce moralno-psychologicznej, w których krytykuje stosunki społeczne w południowej Afryce.

Nagroda Nobla dla 88 letniej pisarki będzie to uwieńczenie jej pisarskiej twórczości i prezent urodzinowy, bowiem pisarka 22 października obchodzić będzie swoje 88. urodziny.

Literacka Nagroda Nobla zostanie wręczenia 10 grudnia w Sztokholmie. Oprócz wyróżnienia laureatka otrzyma 10 milionów koron szwedzkich czyli równowartość ponad półtora miliona dolarów.


Doris Lessing ganha Nobel

A escritora Doris Lessing,[1] 87 anos, ganha o prêmio Nobel de Literatura. Em uma entrevista a imprensa inglesa, diz que completou seu Royal Flush de prêmios com sua carreira de romancista.[2] Além do reconhecimento pela academia, Lessing recebe 1,1 Millhões de Euros.


Doubts on yesterday's Italian Lotto and Superenalotto drawing

The live television broadcast of the Italian Lotto draw, which was used to award the record-breaking €72.090.405,19 Superenalotto prize Tuesday, is reported to have had problems in the drawing procedure.

Only the numbered ball extraction of the "Ruota di Roma" (Wheel of Rome) was shown in the live television broadcast.

Instead of the traditional ball extraction made by a child, a new method based on an automatic machine was used for the "Wheel of Rome" and for the new "National Wheel". The other "Wheels" were drawn with the traditional system but were not broadcast on public television.

The operation with the new machine worked for the new "National Wheel" but when the operation started for the "Wheel of Rome", something went wrong. Not all the balls were taken into the box by the compressed air jet. A person tried to solve the problem, but a ball had fallen on the floor. Television images did not make it clear what really happened. Some parts of the procedure may not have been shown on television. The organization stated that the fallen ball was reinserted into the box, but this was not shown on television.

For these reasons, doubts have arisen about the regularity of the draw. Mr. Corbelli, the president of Movimento Diritti Civili, an association for civil rights, has stated that he wants an investigation to be made by the justice system to clarify what really happened and to check if the drawing was regular.


Contestata estrezione di Lotto e Superenalotto


Dresdener Elbe Valley becomes UNESCO World Heritage site

Since July 2, 2004 the Elbe Valley near Dresden has been in the process of becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Friday saw the hand over of the documents in Castle Albrechtsberg confirming the status. Today, mayor Roßberg and Professor Bandarin will unveil a plaque in the church of Loschwitz - starting the Elbe Valley celebrations.

The cultural landscape consists of an 18 km long strip along the Elbe between Soebrigen and the Dresden bridge Flügelwegbrücke. It includes the ancient city of Dresden, the many castles along the river Elbe, the town centres of the small villages near the river as well as the very famous Castle Pillnitz.

The city of Dresden sees the status as an internationally-effecting advertisement for investors and tourists in the acknowledgment as a site of world heritage.  By this status it will give no further restrictions for the UNESCO. The possibility "of a developing culture landscape" granted itself.


UNESCO-Welterbe für das Dresdner Elbtal

Dresden (Deutschland), 24.06.2005 – Am 2. Juli 2004 stand es bereits fest, am 24. Juni 2005 wird die Urkunde feierlich auf dem Schloss Albrechtsberg überreicht: Das Dresdner Elbtal ist UNESCO-Welterbe. Am 25. Juni 2005 enthüllen Oberbürgermeister Ingolf Roßberg und Professor Bandarin feierlich die Gedenktafel in der Loschwitzer Kirche – pünktlich zum Elbhangfest.

Die Kulturlandschaft umfasst einen etwa 18 Kilometer langen Streifen entlang der Elbe zwischen Söbrigen und der Flügelwegbrücke. Eingeschlossen sind unter anderem die Altstadt, die zahlreichen Elbschlösser, die elbnahen Ortskerne sowie das Schloss Pillnitz.

Die Stadt Dresden sieht in der Anerkennung als Welterbe ein international werbewirksames Prädikat für Investoren und Touristen. Durch diesen Status wird es keine weiteren Restriktionen von der UNESCO geben. Es wurde die Möglichkeit einer „sich entwickelnden Kulturlandschaft“ eingeräumt.


Dublin gets ready to be rocked once again by U2

240,000 U2] fans are preparing for Ireland's most successful band ever to return for a hometown gig in Dublin. The supergroup is playing Friday, Saturday and Monday in front of 80,000 people a night at Croke Park. Gardaí have put in place a massive traffic management plan to cope with the influx of people. Fans have been queing since Thursday morning when a group of fans from Holland, Italy and Canada started queuing outside the stadium.

The concert forms part of U2's current "Vertigo" world tour. The support acts include emerging Irish bands Snow Patrol and The Thrills along with already very popular Paddy Casey. Ash and The Bravery will cap it off as warm up acts on Monday.

The gates for the gig will open at 4pm with the actual band not expected until around 8.30pm. Irish media has entered a frenzied anticipation of the concert all this week, with constant coverage on radio stations. The national broadcaster, RTÉ, is set to dedicated almost 3hr 30min to the band with an exclusive interview by Dave Fanning forming the centerpiece of the stations coverage of the "U2 weekend". Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who played in front of a sell out crowd in Dublin earlier this week told fans that U2 were "still the best band in the world".

Croke Park is the fourth largest stadium in Europe, with an official capacity of 82,000 - bigger than both Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and Paris' Stade de France. Croke Park is used to host GAA matches in sports such as hurling and Gaelic football and regularly attracts audiences of 60,000 or more in the summer months.


Dublin se prépare à trois concerts géants U2

Voir aussi, dans l'encyclopédie Wikipédia, l'article U2.

Publié le 24 juin 2005
Vendredi, samedi et lundi il y aura trois concerts géants de du groupe U2 à Dublin, Irlande. Le célèbre groupe irlandais chantera devant une foule de 80 000 spectateurs chaque soir. Le premier concert débute vendredi soir, mais les spectateurs d'Italie, de Hollande et du Canada ont commencé à faire la queue jeudi matin. Une affluence record est prévue et la police irlandaise, les Garda ont préparé de régulation de trafic pour faire face à la venue de centaines de milliers de spectateurs.

Le concert fait partie de la tournée mondiale « Vertigo » de U2.
Les jeunes groupes irlandais Snow Patrol, The Thrills, Paddy Casey, Ash et The Bravery enflammeront le stade lundi avant la dernière présentation de la tournée à Dublin. U2 a été formé en octobre 1976 et aujourd'hui il est un des plus populaires au monde.

Le concert aura lieu à Croke Park - le quatrième plus grand stade d'Europe avec 82 000 places. Il est plus grand que le Millenium Stadium à Cardiff et le Stade de France à Paris. Les portes s'ouvriront vers 16:00 (15:00 UTC), mais le concert ne débutera qu'à 20:30 (19:30 UTC)

Toute la semaine, les médias irlandais s'étaient empressés de rapporter l'événement du week-end, faisant de nombreuses interventions anticipatoires dans Croke Park même. RTE, le groupe de télévision et de radio public, prévoit une interview de plus de trois heures avec les irlandais, pièce centrale du programme « U2 weekend ». Chris Martin, du groupe Coldplay qui avait joué à Dublin plus tôt dans la semaine affirmait même que U2 « était toujours le meilleur groupe au monde » (still the best band in the world).


Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Dave Arneson dies

Dave Arneson, co-creator of the first roleplaying game, Dungeons and Dragons, died on Tuesday of cancer, at the age of 61.

A close friend of Arneson, Bob Meyer, reported on April 5 that he had taken a turn for the worse and was admitted to a hospital.  Family later confirmed that he was in a facility "where we can focus on keeping him comfortable."  Reported at that time, the doctor indicated that he had days to live.

The Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design in 1984 inducted Arneson  into their Hall of Fame.  Pyramid Magazine in 1999 named him as one of The Millennium's Most Influential Persons, "at least in the realm of adventure gaming".

Arneson started out as a wargamer including naval games. He soon developed some for his personal use due to the major publishers' slow release of games.  With David Wesley and the other members of the Midwest Military Simulation Association, Arneson developed the basis of modern role-playing games with individual miniatures representing one person and having non-military objectives.

Arneson attended the University of Minnesota as a history student.  He was a founder, along with Gary Gygax, of the Castle & Crusade Society as a medieval miniature chapter of the International Federation of Wargamers.  With Gygax in 1972, he authored Don't Give Up the Ship!, a naval wargame.

Arneson's Blackmoor was the first role-playing game, a genre in which players describe their characters in thorough detail and can attempt almost any action the character plausibly could.  Ernest Gary Gygax, then a close friend of Arneson, worked with him during 1972–73 to develop the extensive set of rules (in this case three volumes) that such a game requires.  This became the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons.  With his experience with David Wesley, Arneson tried it with fantasy miniatures free style calling his game, Blackmoor.  He then latched on Gygax's Chainmail miniature game and Fantasy supplement for resolution of battles.  He showed Gygax what he was doing.  Gygax got involved and started preparing a set of rules to supplement Chainmail.  They shopped the game, Dungeons & Dragons, around to various gaming companies but got turned down.  Gygax started a business partnership, Tactical Studies Rules, to publish the game in 1974.  The game launched a whole new category in gaming.

Although not involved with rulebooks for later editions of D&D, Arneson did create adventure modules for later editions.


Falleció Dave Arneson, co-creador del popular juego "Calabozos y Dragones"

El co-creador del exitoso juego de rol Dungeons & Dragons (en español: Calabozos y Dragones), Dave Arneson, falleció a la edad de 61 años producto del cáncer que llevaba dos años combatiendo.

Arneson junto a Gary Gygax crearon el juego del mundo de fantasía en la década de 1970, aportando principalmente las reglas básicas del juego. Calabozos y Dragones se ubica principalmente en un ambiente medieval donde los jugadores deben sobrevivir en diversas aventuras.

El éxito del juego llegó a generar una saga de libros, una serie de televisión y varios videojuegos basados en el concepto, además de crear un nuevo tipo de juegos denominados como rol, ya que el jugador controla un rol dentro del desarrollo de la historia, por lo cual sus decisiones se reflejan dentro del transcurso de la historia.


Dutch TV kidney reality show was a hoax

A Dutch reality TV show broadcast yesterday evening which was designed to show a terminally ill woman choosing a patient to receive her kidneys has been shown to be a hoax. The Big Donor Show had attracted considerable condemnation earlier in the week when outline details had been released. The producers said that the programme was made to highlight the shortage of Dutch donors.

The "donor", known only as "Lisa", was an actress, although the three individuals competing for the kidneys are real patients requiring kidney transplants. The choice was to have been made based on the history and profile of the "contestants" and conversations that the actress is indicated to have had with their families and friends. Viewers were also invited to send in their advice by text message during the programme.

At the point in the show when the choice of recipient was to have been revealed, the show's presenter Patrick Lodiers revealed that the exercise had been a hoax. "We are not giving away a kidney here, that is going too far even for us," he said.

Political parties in The Netherlands together with medical organisations and kidney specialists had united in condemning the programme prior to its broadcast. Joop Atsma of the ruling Christian Democratic Party had said "It's a crazy idea. It can't be possible that, in the Netherlands, people vote about who's getting a kidney." Professor John Freehally, immediate past President of the UK Renal Association stated that "the scenario portrayed in this programme is ethically totally unacceptable", continuing that the show would cause confusion and anxiety rather than contributing further to an understanding of transplants. He also pointed out that the set up of the programme bears no relationship to the processes for making decisions about transplants in normal circumstances.

However, speaking after the broadcast, Dutch Minister for Education, Culture and Science Ronald Plasterk, claimed that the show was a "fantastic stunt" and kidney patient Caroline Klingers watching the programme at a treatment centre in the town of Bussum praised it saying that it would be "good for the publicity and there are no losers".

Speaking at a news conference after the programme, a producer said "We have only done this cry for help because we want to solve a problem that shouldn't be a problem", and this view was underlined by presenter Patrick Lodiers who claimed that it was "reality that was shocking" in that about 200 people die in the Netherlands each year waiting for a kidney where the average waiting time is more than four years. Bart de Graaff, the founder and former director of the TV station which broadcast the programme, died from kidney failure at the age of 35 after spending years on a transplant waiting list.

The programme was made by Endemol, the company which makes Big Brother and which is not immune from criticism. On Wednesday of this week it was required by UK regulator Ofcom to broadcast an apology for its handling of potentially racist material involving Indian actress Shilpa Shetty in the January 2007 Celebrity Big Brother in the UK. Ofcom had received a record number of 44,500 complaints.


Niederländische Fernsehshow verlost eine Niere

Den Haag (Niederlande), 29.05.2007 – Der niederländische öffentlich-rechtliche Jugendsender BNN will in einer Fernsehshow unter drei Kandidaten eine Niere verlosen. Dabei muss sich eine unheilbar kranke Frau vor laufender Kamera entscheiden, welchem der drei Dialysepatienten sie eine Niere spenden will.

Die Produktionsfirma Endemol will nach eigenen Aussagen mit dieser Show provozieren.

Derzeit beschäftigt sich das niederländische Parlament mit einem Verbot der Sendung.


Grote Donorshow BNN blijkt mediastunt

Aan het eind van de uitzending van de hoogst controversiële De Grote Donorshow van BNN werd bekendgemaakt dat het om een in scène gezette uitzending ging. De 'terminaal zieke patiënte' bleek eigenlijk een actrice genaamd Leonie te zijn die helemaal geen nier gaat afstaan. De deelnemers waren wel echte patiënten, die op de hoogte waren van de opzet van het programma en meededen om het tekort aan orgaandonoren aan de kaak te stellen. De grap lijkt hiermee geslaagd.

Minister van OCW Plasterk noemde de uitzending een "fantastische grap", alsmede D66-kamerlid Boris van der Ham. CDA'er Joop Atsma die het programma eerder reeds had bekritiseerd, vond het programma alsnog verwerpelijk. Ook minister Klink van Volksgezondheid hield zijn negatieve kritiek staande.


Egypt wins 2008 Africa Cup of Nations

The Egyptian national football team became Africa Cup of Nations champions for the sixth time in the history of the competition by beating the national team of Cameroon 1-0 in the Ohene Djan Stadium, Ghana.

Mohamed Aboutreika scored the only goal in the game in the 77th minute after Cameroon failed to clear the ball from their area under a period of heavy attacking play. This was Aboutreika's 34th international goal for his country and was driven into the bottom corner of the net from a distance of 16yds.

Egypt's victory closes the tournament, the 26th occasion the trophy has been contested, which began on 20 January 2008 and was hosted by Ghana. Ghana's national team came third overall with Côte d'Ivoire taking fourth place in the final standings.

Cameroon and FC Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o was the tournament's highest goalscorer with 5 goals.


L'Égypte remporte la Coupe d'Afrique des Nations 2008 face au Cameroun


Egyptian man names daughter 'Facebook'

An Egyptian man in his early twenties has named his newborn daughter 'Facebook' following the 2011 Egyptian Revolution which was almost solely organized on the social-networking site Facebook.  The father, Gamal Ibrahim, told the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram that he gave his child the name to "express his joy at the achievements made by the January 25 youth."

The protests, which were largely organized on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, began on January 25 and led to the end of Hosni Mubarak's 30-year reign as president of Egypt.

The Al-Ahram report stated that, "The girl’s family, friends, and neighbors in the Ibrahimya region gathered around the new born to express their continuing support for the revolution that started on Facebook.  'Facebook' received many gifts from the youth who were overjoyed by her arrival and the new name. A name that shocked the entire world."

The Egyptian spelling of 'Facebook' is فيس بوك.


Tras la revolución en Egipto, llama a su hija "Facebook"

22 de febrero de 2011El Cairo, Egipto —

Una joven pareja de egipcios ha decidido llamar "Facebook" a su hija, como celebración por la caída de Mubarak. El nombre completo de la niña será "Facebook" Jamal Ibrahim.

La conocida red social creada por Mark Zuckerberg ha tenido un importante papel en las revueltas egipcias, ya que los jóvenes fueron quienes las organizaron a través de las mismas, tanto que en muchas paredes de El Cairo pueden verse escritas leyendas como "Gracias Facebook".

El padre de la niña se refirió a que el nombre tiene como fin "expresar la alegría de los logros conseguidos por los jóvenes desde el pasado 25 de enero".

Egipto posee más de 5 millones de usuarios de esta red social.


Eleventh Docudays UA concludes

The Eleventh International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival Docudays UA, in Kyiv, Ukraine, ended on Friday.

The Awards Ceremony was held in the Red Hall of the Kyiv Cinema House. There were 36 documentary films competing for prizes in three festival programs: DOCU/Short, DOCU/Right, DOCU/Life. There were also special prizes from Students’ Jury, Audience Award, and the Andriy Matrosov Award from Docudays UA Organizing Committee.

The special guest of the Awards Ceremony was a symbol of the festival — Nikita Mikhalko. He is featured on the official posters of the festival. Nikita was on Maidan Nezalezhnosti on February 19, in the morning. The picture of him was chosen by the organizers as the "image that would deliver the spirit of our [Docudays UA] festival to the best of its possible might". The piece of movie where he is taking tangerines from a woman that morning has become the official trailer of the festival. The episode is featured in the opening film of the festival Euromaidan: Rough Cut. Thus Nikita and his burning glasses have become the symbols of the festival. The organizers decided to find out who the symbol of the festival was, and if he was alive. They have started looking for him and luckily, they were able to ask him to come as a special guest of the Awards Ceremony. Nikita had the opportunity to say on the microphone, "Slava Ukraini" (Glory to Ukraine), and have the whole hall hollering back at him, "Heroiam Slava" (Glory to the Heroes).

The Eleventh Docudays UA Winners are (in the order of awarding):

The Audience Award went to Joanna, directed by Aneta Kopacz, Poland, 2013.

The Students' Jury Award went to Tucker and the Fox, directed by Arash Lahooti, Iran, 2013, awarded for "an optimistic story about a life-long passion".

Joanna, directed by Aneta Kopacz, Poland, 2013, received special mention. The jury chose it for "filmmaker's ability to be both intimate and discreet"

Mom, directed by Lidia Sheinina, Russia, 2013, received special mention for "ability of the filmmaker to find in the closed world of one apartment 'things that quicken the heart'".

The main prize went to Liza, Go Home!, directed by Oksana Buraja, Lithuania, Estonia, 2012. The film was awarded for "filmmaker's poetic sensibility and respect for other humans’ secrets".

Andrei Zagdansky, a Ukrainian-American, was awarding. The other two members of the jury were Victoria Belopolskaya of Russia, and Stéphanie Lamorré of France.

No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka, directed by Callum Macrae, UK, 2013, received special mention. The film was awarded for "the powerful use of video advocacy in global awareness-raising and opinion-shaping regarding the mass murders of civilians belonging to a Tamil minority in Sri Lanka".

Captain and His Pirate, directed by Andy Wolff, Belgium, Germany, 2012, received special mention for "exceptional courage of the film crew and an outstanding presentation of international piracy phenomenon as presented by a victim and his prison guard".

The main prize went to Mother’s Dream, directed by Valerie Gudenus, Switzerland, 2013. The jury awarded the film for "a highly sensitive, empathic, and artistic presentation of a controversial and socially resonant human rights problem, affecting the fates of women and children globally".

Natalka Zubar of Ukraine announced the winners. The other two members of the jury were Andrzej Poczobut of Belarus, and Oksana Sarkisova of Hungary.

Crepuscule, directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych, Ukraine, 2014, received special mention. The film was awarded for "a visually and emotionally superior depiction of human resilience, sensibility, and interdependence".

Night Labor, directed by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin, USA, Canada, 2013, received special mention for "a provocative, atypical, allegorical description of industrial work and personal freedom".

The main prize went to The Last Limousine, directed by Daria Khlestkina, Russia, 2014, awarded for "a dignified, compassionate portrayal of state-factory workers lost in transition, but not in humanity". The jury mentioned the film was perfectly casted.

The whole jury was present: Boris Mitić of Serbia, Chris McDonald of Canada, and Simone Baumann of Germany.

The Andrey Matrosove Award went to A Diary of a Journey, directed by Piotr Stasik, Poland, 2013.

After the ceremony The Last Limousine, the winning film of DOCU/Life program, was screened.

The festival was first held in 2003, called at that time Docudays on Human Rights. In 2006 the festival was accepted as part of the international Human Rights Film Network at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. It is usually held during the last week of March.


Одинадцятий Docudays UA оголосив переможців

27 березня 2014 відбулася урочиста церемонія нагородження переможців XI Міжнародний фестиваль документального кіно про права людини «Docudays UA» у Червоній залі Київському Будинку кіно. Ведучими церемонії були журналісти Громадського Андрій Сайчук та Наталія Гуменюк. Церемонія розпочалася зі згадки партнерів та спонсорів. На сцену запросили символ цьогорічного фестивалю, хлопця, фотографія якого була на фестивальних постерах — Нікіту Міхалко[1]. Він отримав пам'ятні призи, зокрема — власну фотографію з майдану Незалежності, зроблену вранці 19 лютого після ночі штурму. Головною пам'ятною (і символічною) нагородою цьогорічного фестивалю стала бруківка із Майдану.

У конкурсній програмі змагалося 36 стрічок. Нагородження переможців розпочалося із вручення призу глядацьких симпатій. Гроші на цей приз було зібрано завдяки сувенірній крамничці фестивалю. Таким чином фільм «Йоанна» режисерки Анети Копач (Польща) отримав грошову винагороду 15 660 грн. Сама режисерка не змогла бути присутня на церемонії, зал мав змогу почути її промову через скайп-включення. Студентське журі нагородило фільм «Далекобійник і лис» режисера Араша Лахуті (Іран, 2013) «за оптимістичну історію: захоплення довжиною в життя».

Журі відділення DOCU/Коротко — Андрій Загданський (Україна), Вікторія Бєлопольська (Росія), Стефані Ламорре (Франція) — обрало переможцем стрічку «Лізо, ходи додому» режисерки Оксани Бурої (Литва, Естонія, 2012). Фільм отримав нагороду «за поетичну чуттєвість і повагу до людських таємниць». Особливо відзначили журі роботу Анети Копач «Йоанна» — за «здатність кінематографіста наближатися, водночас зберігаючи дистанцію», та «Мама» Лідії Шейніної (Росія, 2013) — за «вміння кінематографіста знайти у замкненому просторі однієї квартири „те, від чого тьохкає серце“».

У відділенні DOCU/Право перемога була присуджена фільму «Материнська мрія» режисерки Валері Ґуденус (Швейцарія, 2013). Робота була нагороджена «за глибоко особисте, проникливе та художнє відображення контраверсійної та соціально важливої правозахисної проблеми, яка стосується долі жінок та дітей у всьому світі». Першу особливу відзнаку отримала стрічка «Зона без вогню: Убивчі поля Шрі-Ланки» режисера Каллем Макрей (Велика Британія, 2013) «за потужне використання відеоадвокації у всесвітній кампанії з формування громадської думки про масові вбивства цивільних представників тамільської меншини у Шрі-Ланці». Другої відзнаки удостоївся фільм «Капітан і його пірат» режисера Енді Вольффа (Бельгія, Німеччина, 2012). Журі зазначило, що це відзнака «за виняткову хоробрість знімальної групи фільму та видатне відображення феномену міжнародного піратства у викладенні жертви та її наглядача».

Фільмом-переможцем відділення DOCU/Життя став «Останній лімузин» режисерки Дар'ї Хльосткіної (Росія, 2014). Журі відділення — Боріс Мітіч, Сімона Бауманн, Кріс Макдоналд — відзначили фільм «за благородне, співчутливе змалювання життя робітників державної фабрики, що загубились у реформах, але не в людяності». Спеціальні відзнаки було присуджено фільму «Присмерк» режисера Валентина Васяновича (Україна, 2014) та «Нічна робота» режисерів Девіда Редмона й Ешлі Сабіна (США, Канада, 2013). Перша робота — «за непересічне візуальне й емоційне змалювання людської стійкості, чуттєвості та незалежності», а друга — «за провокативне, нетипове й алегоричне відтворення праці у промисловій галузі та особистої свободи».

Традиційний приз імені Андрія Матросова від організаторів фестивалю «Docudays UA» отримала стрічка «Щоденник подорожі» режисера Пьотра Стасіка (Польща, 2013).

Завершилася церемонія показом фільму-переможця відділення DOCU/Життя «Останній лімузин».

Довідка: Фестиваль Docudays UA проходить у Києві протягом останнього тижня березня з 2003 року. Фестиваль позиціонує себе як неполітичний та некомерційний, тож усі покази — безкоштовні. Зараз це — найбільший фестиваль документального кіно в Україні.

28 березня 2014


Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner dies aged 87

Irvin Kershner, director of the second Star Wars movie The Empire Strikes Back, died Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, California aged 87; this followed a three-and-a-half year battle with lung cancer.  The announcement of his death was made Monday, by his god-daughter, Adriana Santini.

His previous credits, working as a photographer and musician, included A fine madness and Eyes of Laura Mars, the latter of these being the inspiration for the creator of the Star Wars movies, George Lucas, to offer him the director's role for The Empire Strikes Back — something which he initially refused, only to be later persuaded because Lucas felt his attention to the development of characters was important.  Lucas later admitted he hadn't wanted to direct the sequel himself. Speaking of the director, Lucas said: "He knew everything a Hollywood director is supposed to know. [...] but was not Hollywood."

He also gained recognition after being nominated for an Emmy, for the 1976 TV Movie Raid on Entebbe, an award which he didn't win, but which thrust him into the spotlight.

As a director, Kershner went on to be the driving force behind Sean Connery's return to the role of James Bond, directing Never Say Never Again in 1983.  Moving further into the realms of Science Fiction, Kershner directed Robocop 2 in 1990.

Kershner was not limited to behind the scenes work; he acted in two films, Martin Scorcese's The Last Temptation of Christ, in which he played Zebedee; and, starred as a film director in Stephen Seagal's On Deadly Ground.


Помер режисер "Зоряних воєн"

Помер американський режисер Ірвін Кершнер у віці 87 років після тривалої хвороби. Про це повідомила хрещена донька режисера Адріана Сантіні. Він помер у своєму будинку в Лос-Анджелесі.

Народився Ірвін Кершнер у 1923 році. Найбільше він відомий як режисер другої за датою виходу і п'ятою за сюжетом частини «Зоряних воєн», «Імперія завдає удару у відповідь» (1980).

Після зйомок епізоду знаменитої кіноепопеї Джорджа Лукаса, Кершнер поставив такі фільми, як «Ніколи не говори «ніколи»» (1983 рік), в якому Шон Коннері в останній раз зіграв роль агента 007 Джеймса Бонда, і «Робот-поліцейський 2» (1987 рік ) за коміксом Френка Міллера.

Відзначимо, що режисер помер у суботу, 27 листопада, проте відомо про це стало тільки вчора ввечері.

30 листопада 2010


Encyclopaedia Britannica to stop publishing after 244 years

After a 244-year span in print, the Encyclopædia Britannica will discontinue its published volumes.

With less than 1% of revenue coming from print versions, Jorge Cauz, Britannica's president, indicates there simply is not sufficient demand for the print publication. In the last 11 years demand has plummeted due to competition from Wikipedia and Britannica's own digital version.

With a $1,395 price tag for the print version, many people have switched to the online version of Britannica or free sources such as Wikipedia. Critics of Britannica are often quick to point out that Wikipedia is regularly updated by tens of thousands of users on a wider range of topics. Britannica remains confident that their customers will appreciate their style of articles and the expert contributors.

Britannica peaked in sales in 1990 with 120,000 sets sold. The 2010 edition will be the last in print and has sold 8,000 sets to date; with 4,000 sets remaining.


Končí vydávání Encyclopædia Britannica


La Brita Enciklopedio ne plu eldonota post 244 jaroj

Post 244 jaroj, la Brita Enciklopedio ne plu publikigos siajn volumojn.

La entrepreno diris, ke 1% je profito, montras, ke ne ekzistas sufiĉa aĉetpostulo por daŭrigi publikigadon. Dum la pasintaj 11 jaroj la aĉetpostulo falis senĉese pro la konkurenco de Vikipedio kaj la interreta versio de la Brita Enciklopedio mem.

Ĝia prezo, 1.395 dolaroj (proksimume 1.068 eŭroj), facile komprenigas, kial uzantaro ekuzis la interretan version aŭ aliajn fontojn, kies enhavo estas libera; ekzemple, Vikipedio. Kritikantoj al Brita Enciklopedio kutime substrekas, ke Vikipedio havas dekojn da miloj da kontribuantoj, kiuj senĉese ĝisdatigas enhavojn laŭ granda kvanto da temoj. La Brita Enciklopedio daŭre fidas je la valoro, kiun donas ĝiaj klientoj, al siaj estilo kaj kontribuantaj ekspertuloj.

La Brita Enciklopedio havis sian plej altan vendopinton en la jaro 1990, kiam vendiĝis 120 mil enciklopedioj. La eldono de la jaro 2010, kiu estos la lasta presita surpapere, havis ok mil vendojn, kaj ankoraŭ restas kvar mil enciklopedioj sen vendi.


La Enciclopedia Británica deja de imprimirse después de 244 años

Después de 244 años, la Enciclopedia Británica no continuará publicando sus volúmenes.

Con menos del 1% de beneficios en la versión impresa, la empresa Encyclopædia Britannica declaró que no hay suficiente demanda para la publicación. En los últimos 11 años, la demanda ha caído en picado debido a la competencia de la Wikipedia y de la versión digital de la propia Enciclopedia Británica.

Con un coste de 1.395 dólares (aproximadamente 1.068 euros), es fácil entender por qué tanta gente se ha pasado a la versión digital, o a otras fuentes de contenido libre como puede ser la Wikipedia. Opiniones críticas hacia la Enciclopedia Británica suelen señalar que la Wikipedia se actualiza regularmente en un amplio rango temático, por decenas de miles de personas. La Enciclopedia Británica continua confiando en que sus clientes valorarán el estilo de sus artículos y el trabajo de sus expertos.

La Enciclopedia Británica obtuvo su pico máximo de ventas en el año 1990, cuando vendió 120.000 colecciones. La edición del año 2010, que será la última en papel, tiene ocho mil colecciones vendidas y le quedan aun cuatro mil.


Encyclopaedia Britannica interrompe a publicação após 244 anos


Друкована версія Британської Енциклопедії більше не виходитиме

Після 244 років виходу друком, Британська Енциклопедія припиняє публікацію своєї паперової версії.

Зараз від паперової версії енциклопедії видавництво отримує менш ніж 1% прибутку, це на думку керівника видавництва Хорхе Кауса, вказує на відсутність достатнього попиту на друковану версію енциклопедії. За останні 11 років попит на енциклопедію значно зменшився через конкуренцію з боку онлайнової Вікіпедії і вже існуючої цифрової версії Британської Енциклопедії.

Ціна за друковану версію видання сягнула 1,395 доларів, що спонукало багатьох користуватися швидше онлайн-версією Британської Енциклопедії чи безкоштовною Вікіпедією. Критики часто вказують на те, що на відміну від друкованої Британської Енциклопедії, Вікіпедія регулярно оновлюються десятками тисяч користувачів із більш широкого кола питань ніж друкована версія. Незважаючи на це, керівництво Британської Енциклопедії висловили впевненість у тому, що читачі друкованої енцилопедї по достоїнству оцінять стиль їхніх статей, а також і досвід експертів, які їх написали.

Найбільшу кількість друкованих томів Британської Енциклопедії придбали у 1990 році, коли було продано майже 120 000 екземплярів. Друковане видання 2010 року буде останнім в історії енциклопедії. На сьогодняшній день вже продано майже 8000 комплектів багатотомника і ще 4000 залишаються у продажу.

17 березня 2012


English actor Christopher Lee dies aged 93

Famed English actor, singer and author Sir Christopher Lee died last Sunday morning in London aged 93, after being admitted to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for heart failure and respiratory problems. News of his death only became public on Thursday, as his wife of 54 years, Birgit Krøncke Lee, wished first to inform friends and family.

A spokesman for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea confirmed the issuing of his death certificate.

Lee first rose to prominence in the 1950s starring in Hammer Horror films as the classic movie monsters Dracula and Frankenstein and was more recently seen as Saruman the White in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films as well as portraying the villainous Count Dooku in the Star Wars films Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

In 2010 Lee released a heavy metal album titled Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross followed by another metal album in 2013, Charlemagne: The Omens of Death and several collections of Heavy Metal cover songs including A Heavy Metal Christmas, A Heavy Metal Christmas Too and Metal Knight.

In 2008 Lee was knighted for services to drama and charity, and in 2001 received a Bafta Fellowship.

Lee is survived by his wife Birgit and daughter Christina.


Mor l'actor Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee, el famós actor britànic conegut pel seu paper de Dràcula o, més recentment, el Comte Dooku a La guerra de les galàxies, o Sàruman a El Senyor dels Anells, va morir el diumenge 7 de juny a Londres (Regne Unit), a l'edat de 93 anys, van anunciar dijous, 11 de juny, diversos mitjans britànics.

L'actor va ser hospitalitzat per problemes respiratoris i del cor.

És particularment conegut per aparèixer en pel·lícules com Drácula, L'home de la pistola d'or, La guerra de les galàxies i, més recentment, El Senyor dels Anells i El Hobbit.

Va ser un dels actors més prolífics de la seva generació, amb més de 225 pel·lícules.

A les xarxes socials, molts internautes li han retut homenatge.


Nécrologie : l'acteur Christopher Lee est mort à 93 ans

Christopher Lee, le célèbre acteur britannique connu pour son interprétation de Dracula ou plus récemment du comte Dooku, dans Star Wars, ou de Saroumane, dans Le Seigneur des anneaux, est mort ce dimanche 7 juin à Londres (Royaume-Uni), à l'âge de 93 ans, annoncent jeudi 11 juin plusieurs médias britanniques.

L'acteur était hospitalisé pour des problèmes respiratoires et de cœur.

Il est notamment connu pour être apparu dans des films tels que Dracula, L'homme au pistolet d'or, Star Wars et dernièrement Le seigneur des anneaux et Le Hobbit.

C'était l'un des acteurs les plus prolifiques de sa génération, avec plus de 225 films à son actif.

Sur les réseaux sociaux, plusieurs internautes lui ont rendu hommage.


Morre aos 93 anos, o ator britânico Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee, o célebre ator, cantor e escritor britânico, conhecido por sua interpretação de Drácula ou mais recentemente, Conde Dooku (em Star Wars) e Saruman (em O Senhor dos Anéis), morreu na manhã de domingo do dia 7 de junho, em Londres (Reino Unido), aos 93 anos de idade.

A notícia de sua morte só se tornou pública por vários meios de comunicações britânicos hoje (quinta-feira, 11 de junho), por sua esposa de 54 anos, Birgit Krøncke Lee, que decidiu primeiro a informar amigos e família. O ator foi hospitalizado a três semanas no Chelsea and Westminster Hospital por problemas respiratórios e insuficiência cardíaca (coração). Um porta-voz do Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea confirmou a morte de Lee ao divulgar a certidão de óbito.

Christopher Lee ganhou destaque na década de 1950 estrelando em filmes de terror da Hammer Horror como os monstros de filmes clássicos do Drácula e do Frankenstein. Depois dos filmes de terror, apareceu no papel de vilão nos filmes da década de 1970, que enfrentava o agente secreto 007 no The Man with the Golden Gun (em Brasil, 007 Contra o Homem com a Pistola de Ouro; em Portugal, 007: O Homem da Pistola Dourada) e o Conde Dooku (no Brasil, o nome "Conde Dooku" foi mudado para "Conde Dookan", para evitar trocadilho ofensivo, devido a pronúncia semelhante à parte íntima humana) na série de filmes Star Wars, como O Ataque dos Clones e A Vingança dos Sith. Em anos recentes, foi visto como Saruman, o Branco, na série de filmes, O Senhor dos Anéis e O Hobbit. Era um dos atores mais prolíficos de sua geração, com mais de 225 filmes para o seu crédito.

Em 2008, Christopher Lee foi nomeado cavaleiro por serviços prestados ao drama e caridade e em 2001 recebeu um Bafta Fellowship. Em 2010, Lee lançou um álbum de heavy metal intitulada Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross seguido por um outro álbum de metal em 2013, Charlemagne: The Omens of Death e várias coleções de covers de Heavy Metal, incluindo A Christmas Heavy Metal, A Christmas Too Heavy Metal e Metal Knight.

Christopher Lee deixou esposa Birgit Lee e a única filha Christina Lee. Com anúncio da morte de Lee hoje, inúmeros internautas fizeram homenagens nas redes sociais.


English actress Elizabeth Taylor dies at age 79

Elizabeth "Liz" Taylor, an English born U.S. actress, died on Wednesday at the age of 79, in the Cedars-Senai Medical Center, in Los Angeles, California, where she was admitted six weeks ago. The cause of death was announced as a heart ailment that she had suffered for years.

Taylor made her film debut in 1941 at Universal Pictures, and won two Academy Awards, for "Butterfield 8" (1960), and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (1966). Widely known for her personality, described as "sexy, glamorous, untimely, and fragile," the actress was always surrounded by her fans and the media. As a child actress, she was known for having two sets of eyelashes because of a genetic mutation, distinguishing her face from other actresses.

Recently, Taylor had been using an account on Twitter to keep herself in touch with her fans and friends. "I like the connection with fans and people who have been supportive of me, [...] [a]nd I love the idea of real feedback and a two-way street, which is very, very modern. But sometimes I think we know too much about our idols and that spoils the dream," Taylor said in a 2011 interview for Harper's Bazaar.

Taylor had to overcome an addiction to alcohol and drugs in the 80s through admissions to the Betty Ford Clinic in California, and had been for a number of days admitted to a Los Angeles hospital for heart failure.

Taylor is survived by four children, who reported that Taylor's last wish for her fans was that "they shouldn't be sending flowers for her, that money should be sent to charitable works, or otherwise to her 'Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation,'" in order to continue with her struggle in favour of patients with the disease.


Elizabeth Taylor gestorben

Los Angeles (Vereinigte Staaten), 24.03.2011 – Die US-amerikanische Filmschauspielerin Elizabeth Taylor („Liz Taylor“) ist am gestrigen Mittwoch, dem 23. März 2011, im Alter von 79 Jahren in Los Angeles an einem Herzleiden gestorben.

Die letzten Wochen hatte der Hollywoodstar im Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles verbracht, wo sie auch im Kreise ihrer vier Kinder verstarb. Einer ihrer letzten öffentlichen Auftritte war ihre Teilnahme an dem Begräbnis Michael Jacksons im September 2009, dem sie persönlich sehr nahe stand. Die Familie bat darum, auf Blumengebinde zu verzichten und stattdessen für die von Taylor ins Leben gerufene AIDS-Stiftung zu spenden.

Liz Taylor war ein legendärer Hollywoodstar und bekannt für ihren stürmischen und exzessiven Lebensstil, der sie oft in die Schlagzeilen brachte. Zu ihren bekanntesten Filmen gehören „Cleopatra“ (1963) und „Wer hat Angst vor Virginia Woolf?“ (1966). Insgesamt trat die Schauspielerin in mehr als 50 Filmen auf. Liz Taylor erhielt zahlreiche Preise und Auszeichnungen, darunter zweimal einen Oscar.