Like all popular music groups, the Jukebox Trio has its own successful formula. Presenting a rich mix of classic covers and original material in an open, friendly, accessible style – with two singers and a human beatbox – it’s hard not to enjoy the experience of seeing them play.
“I don’t know any other a cappella bands with only three people,” says lead singer Vladimir Ivanov. “Usually they have six, but we cut it down to the main things: bass, rhythm and melody. And actually, that’s all you really need in music.” Clever live sampling techniques are also often used to create layered, harmonised soundscapes that give the impression of more voices.
The group formed in 2004, when brothers Vladimir and Ilya Ivanov met Kirill Sharafutdinov at a vocal studio where they learned jazz and funk fundamentals. “We had mutual interests, we were listening to a lot of the same music – Bobby McFerrin, Take 6, Queen, The Beatles. It’s different music but we like it all,” explains Vladimir.
At live shows, this diversity is evident. Re-worked Elvis Presley hits, silky Bossa Nova ballads and sermonising soulful serenades are all on the agenda. The penultimate track on the Trio’s debut album, Acappellipsis, features a list of influential artists: names as varied as Ozzy Ozbourne, John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix and the Chemical Brothers are recited in comically exaggerated Russian accents.
However, copies of the CD are somewhat hard to come by. “We decided not to sell the album in shops, it’s only available at our concerts,” says Vladimir. Why? “It’s a big problem to make a good production with Russian record labels. They are really down now.” He also cites the mercenary nature of the country’s music industry as something the group wants to avoid. “Radio stations and TV channels play everything just for money, apart from maybe Western musicians – mainstream stuff. If you want to be big in Russia, you have to pay.
“The most important thing with Jukebox Trio is that, at first, it wasn’t for money – simply for pleasure. When we started to earn money with the music, it was a bonus. And that’s still the order of priorities.”
The fickle nature of the scene in their home city, Kazan, was another obstacle the group strove to overcome. “The funny thing about Kazan is that, as it’s the capital of Tatarstan, the Tatar public tend to like mostly Tatar singers. We were like some kind of circus for them. Breaking onto Moscow stages in 2006 was a really big step for us – people started to say we were musicians and not just a circus, we were getting real respect,” says Vladimir.
A subsequent string of gigs around Russia earned Jukebox many fine reviews, as well as a prize from pop heroine Alla Pugacheva and the chance to open Elton John’s show in Rostov-on-Don. They are already writing for a third CD, which will come after an album comprising cover versions of well-known Russian rock songs.
Ilya Ivanov, the Trio’s rhythmic engine, is optimistic about future prospects. “We’re hoping to collaborate with a suitable record label, which can help us produce great albums.” And in the long term, he makes no secret of lofty ambitions: “We want to become famous and be like rock stars all over the world – at least like The Beatles! I want to travel and perform in many different countries. And I think it is really possible, because I believe in the power of music.”
The Jukebox Trio take music down to its basic elements, focusing on the purity and versatility of the human voice – no instruments required. An online video for their song ‘So… Let Me Know’ emphatically illustrates this concept, as the group are shown smashing guitars into splinters at the tune’s climax. Don’t expect that to happen at every show, but, as Vladimir says, “you’ll be put in a good mood”.
Published in The Moscow Times, 9/6/09 - click here for original.
Comparto con ustedes un video de una exposición que tuve la oportunidad de hacer el año pasado en representación de la Asociación Vientos del Sur, titulada "Participación Juvenil y Nuevas Tecnologías".
En mi exposición abordo someramente conceptos y herramientas útiles para el trabajo de las ONGs juveniles.
Web 2.0, Ciberactivismo, los nativos digitales, el poder de los Blogs, los Wikis, las mal llamadas redes sociales, entre otros temas están incluidos en este resumen de menos de 10 minutos (la exposición original duró 30 minutos)
Gracias a Gastón por realizar la filmación y a Nacho por convertirla a formato digital.
A quienes les interese la relación entre participación, juventud e internet, los invito a leer un artículo que escribí el año pasado para un dossier sobre "juventud y TICs" para el Portal de Juventud de América Latina y el Caribe, clickeando acá
“I always wanted to be a cosmonaut,” states Fyodor Yurchikhin without hesitation. “When I was a small boy, I jumped from a second floor balcony because I thought I was Gagarin! My father jumped after me, it all happened very fast, and luckily we were both OK.”
Born in January 1959, Yurchikhin grew up during the heyday of the Soviet space programme. Yuri Gagarin’s maiden flight in 1961 held mythical significance: “When we played in our yard, we would pretend to be Russian cosmonauts,” he recounts. “We knew all their names and I can’t tell you how much it meant to us. Gagarin was more than a name. For us, what he did was something like the impossible. He was an icon, a symbol – ‘Wow, Gagarin!’”
Yurchikhin’s face still glows with childlike enthusiasm as he talks, springing up to illustrate the balcony scenario or act out the process of spacewalking. His two missions to the International Space Station, in 2002 and 2007, amount to over 200 days, with nearly 19 hours working in open space.
“My first time on the ISS, the biggest problem was orientation. There’s no gravity, everything is floating around; until you adjust to that, you have to move very slowly, holding onto things.”
“When I first looked down out at the earth, I realised it’s impossible to understand this view from pictures. It’s black of course, but when you get there you see it’s not a normal black – it has infinite depth. I wanted to touch the colours, they are so bright and clear. No photos can convey the beauty of that sight.”
Nevertheless, Yurchikhin keenly uses orbital photography to spread his ideals for the future of humanity. His work has been exhibited around Russia[?]. “The name of my gallery is ‘Our House on Earth,’ because everybody should understand it’s very small. Yes, very big for us, but in reality very small. You need to keep your house clean and beautiful, we need to understand this; otherwise, we may destroy the house. It’s terrible.”
He applies this approach to both environmental and social concerns, as well as international relations. “People need to understand each other. We need to stop settling problems with weapons and war. It’s quite probable there is life on other planets. I think contact could be valuable for both sides if we understand and respect each other. But this doesn’t happen on earth, a planet where people have been living together for thousands of years.”
“I think the international space programme can be used as a model for the future: many different countries, different languages and different levels of technology all working together. America and Russia in particular have very different ways of thinking. For example, there’s an old joke that when the Americans found it was a problem to write in space, they spent a million dollars to invent a special space pen. The Russians used pencils!”
Yurchikhin picks a potent analogy to look at these varying national standards. In the first class at school, children arrive knowing different things. Even if some start off being able to count higher numbers, for example, this doesn’t mean they’ll finish in first place. “I don’t know how we will graduate the ISS school. Russia and America too should understand we are all still in school, we must continue and share knowledge.”
“If we’re doing complex work in a difficult area, like cosmic research, it is very useful to work with others. Views can become clouded. Including different people can bring new perspectives to old problems.”
Looking to the future, Yurchikhin believes the next step is colonisation. “We should go to a planet, build something and live there. The moon should come first, then possibly Mars. We should also continue developing ideas for a new spacecraft.”
On April 12, Russian Cosmonauts’ Day, the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics opened its refurbished doors in northeast Moscow. It is situated beneath a towering, angular monument with a soaring rocket at the peak. More than 3,000 exhibits include a life-size replica of the space station Mir, Gagarin’s legendary orange spacesuit and all kinds of lunar vehicles – in short, a fascinating stroll through Russian space history.
“It’s a good idea,” says Yurchikhin. “I hope lots of kids will go. I love meeting children who have this dream, just like I did. Maybe now more people will talk about cosmonautics as well – it’s not as popular as it used to be.”
Again emphasising the spirit of unity he so desires, Yurchikhin remains an optimist at heart. “For a while I wanted the Russian space programme to be number one, but perhaps now we should change our minds now. It’s better if our national programme is part of a wider international project. Being first isn’t important. We’re all going to fly into space together.”
“Going to space, every one of us went as a patriot of our own country. But we came back as patriots of our earth.”
RIR Dossier Fyodor Nikolaevich Yurchikhin was born on 3/1/1959 in the autonomous Republic of Ajara, Georgia. On graduating high school in 1976, he entered the Moscow Aviation Institute. He qualified as a mechanical engineer in 1983 and joined Energia, the Russian Space Corporation, where he rose to the position of lead engineer. In November 1999 he completed his basic cosmonaut training course. In January 2000, he started training for the ISS programme. In October 2002, Yurchikhin flew aboard STS-112; his first space flight logged a total of 10 days, 19 hours, and 58 minutes. His second flight, in April 2007, was a 197-day tour of duty commanding the Expedition-15 mission aboard the ISS. He was honoured as a Hero of Russia on October 23, 2008. Yurchikhin also holds a PhD in economics and enjoys reading, sports, stamp-collecting and space history.
From hard bop to the new school, jazz has found a haven in post-communist Russia.
Moscow's jazz scene is a creature of many faces. Take the comical shenanigans of one big band in a dive of an expat bar, with all members clad in matching mustard-yellow tassled jackets and an old hippy guitarist who looks (and probably thinks) like he's still in the Swinging 60s, or a pastiche Cuban group belting out Santana covers to an empty room. Contrast that with heavy-hitters like saxophonist Igor Butman, a popular figure who cut his teeth in the US for a decade, or Alex Rostotsky, an electric bass player whose latest CD features adventurous adaptations of works by Modest Mussorgsky. Right down to a highly flamboyant yet equally creative acapella vocal trio called Jukebox, it's all here.
According to Cyril Moshkov, editor of jazz.ru, Russia's only jazz magazine, there are about 1,000 jazz players in the city (official population 10.5 million – in reality it's more). They fall into three generations: the old guard, who favour austere hard bop and other mainstream styles; the middlemen, now in their 30s and 40s, 80% of whom left Russia to pursue careers abroad (interestingly, many went to Israel); and, finally, the young cats, still paying their dues and finding a way into the murky world of jazz music.
Russia's first jazz concert took place in October 1922 at the behest of Valentin Parnakh, an enigmatic all-rounder who wrote poetry, choreographed ballet and played piano. He brought the first jazz records and instruments to the country from Paris. The music was thereafter repressed in various ways throughout the Soviet Union – including the period of Butman's emergence in the 70s and 80s, when non-state-sanctioned concerts could see musicians or promoters locked up. During jam sessions with visiting American groups, Russians played with their foreign peers but were not allowed to exchange words. Government inspectors would ensure two violations resulted in dismissal from the state booking agency, which provided musicians with all their work.
Much has changed since those dark days. One look at the monthly gig listings on jazz.ru's information portal will show abundant choices any given night – and not only local groups, but a host of international names as well. Tessa Souter, a British vocalist who lives in New York, recently played a couple of dates at the Union of Composers and was happy to sing the praises of her Russian backing band: "They were great. There's something different about the way Russians swing, it's wonderful. Musicians have a lot of soul like the Russian people."
Financial woe may have hit the country hard, but that hasn't stopped a new jazz club from popping up right in the historic centre of Moscow – the V&J, situated on Old Arbat, a popular tourist promenade. "People are becoming more interested in music and art, not material things, so I don't think the crisis makes a difference" says Victor Voitov, the V half of "V&J". "We wanted to open a place where Moscow's high-level musicians can let new people into jazz music."
Even after three months of pretty solid concertgoing, there's still a lot left for me to see.
Urban youth to benefit from UN-HABITAT's two-million dollar Opportunities Fund
Urban based Youth-led organizations in developing countries who are working to improve the living conditions of their communities can now apply for financial assistance from UN-HABITAT.
Of the one billion slum dwellers in the world today, it is estimated that more than 70% are under the age of 30. Yet these young people have few resources available to improve their own living environment. This is a major oversight as there are many youth-led initiatives in slums and squatter settlements that are in urgent need of financial support.
"In this time of worldwide economic crisis, it is not only banks and automakers who deserve financial support, we also need to encourage youth who are often best placed to solve problems in their communities," said Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT. "The Opportunities Fund is designed to provide financial support of up to one million dollars per year, to youth-led initiatives aimed at sustainable urbanization. We must harness the energies of the young if we are to overcome the problems of urban poverty."
The Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-Led Development will give grants up to $5,000 and larger grants of $25,000 to organizations led by young people, aged 15-32 years.
The Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-Led Development has been established with support from the Norwegian Government specifically to provide funds to youth-led community initiatives. UN HABITAT is seeking the support of other governments and institutions for the Fund.
The Fund is committed to support innovative youth-led projects in areas such as employment, education, environment, health and safety. Applications from organizations partnering with government agencies and the private sector are encouraged. Projects promoting gender equality are particularly welcome.Applications details are now available at www.unhabitat.org/opfund.
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Hacer periodismo online a veces puede parecer tedioso, repetitivo, y hasta alienante, pero en ocasiones, también puede ser gratificante. A mí me gratifica servir para que algunas historias sean contadas y difundidas:
“Somos una pareja de hombres y nos queremos casar”
Alex y José María se conocieron en 2005 y mañana solicitarán un turno para contraer matrimonio. “Sabiendo que la interpretación de la ley actual nos va a discriminar, les pedimos que nos acompañen en este acto de amor”, dice la invitación...Seguí leyendo esta historia en la nota que escribí para ElArgentino.com
Escribo esto mientras se me caen las lágrimas de tristeza y emoción al mismo tiempo leyendo todos los mensajes de agradecimiento y reconocimiento en Twitter, Facebook y diarios online.
Hace menos de dos horas murió el ex presidente de la Nación, Raúl Alfonsín. No tiene mucho sentido que me explaye mucho. Solamente vale decir que como joven político (en sentido amplio y estrecho de la palabra política) siempre tuve gran admiración y respeto por su persona. Me pareció siempre un tipo inteligentísimo, muy culto y sobre todo, honrado.
Durante mi adolescensia fui con ganas a varias conferencias que dio cuando ya era ex presidente. Me acuerdo cuando en una de ellas dijo -palabras más, palabras menos- que el "tercer sector" debía ser valorado, pero en su justa medida, porque también representaba una forma de privatización de lo público... en ese momento recién se empezaba a hablar de las ONGs y esa idea, en el contexto del menemismo, era una llamada de atención...
Hoy un compañero de trabajo me preguntó si me acordaba algo de su gobierno y sí, algunos fragmentos de esos tiempos tengo en la memoria.
Lo primero que recuerdo es la campaña presidencial. Tengo la imagen de estar en la casa de mi abuelo viendo la televisión (tenía 5 años) y a mí me había caído re bien esa forma de saludar de Alfonsín, agarrándose las manos y yo lo imitaba. Hasta que mi mamá me dijo que no hiciera eso delante de mi abuelo porque se iba a enojar (él era peronista hasta la médula). También me acuerdo de las pintadas Luder-Bittel y la RA de las calcomanías.
Me acuerdo de la gran movida cultural en los barrios. Mi papá me llevaba seguido a fiestas en las calles y a centros culturales, por ejemplo el de Parque Chacabuco, siempre con exposiciones y con actividades para chicos.
Una vez, en un festival se armó un concurso de baile y vaya uno a saber por qué me llevé uno de los premios! :P Tengo todavía el trofeo en la casa de mis viejos. El animador decía "que suba el chico que tiene tal y cual ropa (no me acuerdo exáctamente) y yo no me daba por aludido... hasta que alguien me dijo: che, me parece que hablan de vos, juajaua...
Otro gran evento al que fui con mi papá fue la Bienal de Arte Joven. Había mucha gente con boinas blancas y no recuerdo bien a raiz de qué exposición de la bienal mi papá me explicó de qué se trataba la llamada "guerra de las galaxias" (y no hablamos de la película eh...)
También me acuerdo de la elección de 1987. Yo tenía varicela, pero no me había pegado fuerte, así que mi papá me llevó a votar y me dejaron entrar en el cuarto oscuro!
Y sí, también me acuerdo de los momentos malos. Me acuerdo del copamiento al cuartel de La Tablada. Y me acuerdo de estar en el Supercoop con mi mamá y que muchos repositores estuvieran cambiando los precios permanentemente. Y me acuerdo en la colonia de vacaciones charlando con otros chicos sobre el precio del dólar (!)
Me acuerdo también de haber ido a varias marchas con mi mamá en contra de la ley de obediencia debida y punto final.
Y sí, también me acuerdo, aunque cueste decirlo, de festejar el triunfo de Menem en las elecciones de 1989 :S Pero también, de lo rápido que se desmoronó toda la ilusión cuando de revolución productiva se pasó a darle todo el poder a Bunge & Born.
Los ignominiosos años del gobierno de Menem y la mierda de la que se llenó el hacer política no hicieron otra cosa que iluminar la figura de Alfonsín.
Don Raúl, muchas gracias por todo. Como acaba de decir mi novia, al contarle de tu paso a la inmortalidad: fuiste "el político más capo que mi generación pudo conocer". Que descanses en paz.
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La foto que ilustra este posteo me la saqué en agosto de 1997, durante una conferencia que dio Alfonsín en la sede del Partido Demócrata Cristiano. Yo en ese entonces tenía 19 años, era militante político y presidía la Juventud Demócrata Cristiana de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. :)
Hailed by none other than Bill Clinton as one of the world’s greatest living saxophone players, Igor Butman is an icon of Russian musical life. Born in St Petersburg in 1961, he took up the instrument at 15 with encouragement from his jazz aficionado father, a keen musician who worked by day and gigged by night.
“My father told me about jazz. I hadn’t actually heard much, because I’d been listening mostly to Soviet pop, but my dad was an amateur drummer and singer who often played at weddings and in restaurants,” Butman explains. “He was really the person who got me into jazz music, and music itself.”
Jazz in Russia goes back to the 1920s. According to Butman, it has been through various blurry periods of development, as well as confusion with classical music. The Soviet regime’s strict control of artistic liberty presented both opportunities and challenges: “As soon as I started playing sax, I was able to perform in jazz clubs around St Petersburg. I travelled with different groups to places like Moscow, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine, but I wasn’t allowed to go abroad because they thought I might escape.”
“In Soviet times, the state-owned booking agency would provide you with concerts – it didn’t matter if you sold out or had two people in the audience, they would still get you 14 concerts a month,” says Butman. However, despite supplying a steady stream of work, this closed system placed considerable constraints on creativity. “I put together my own band, but I couldn’t get a job because I wasn’t in the state booking agency. It wasn’t easy to get professional status and be able to travel. So I decided to go to the United States and try the normal way.”
In 1987, Butman arrived in Boston to study at the renowned Berklee College of Music. “I was already the best in the Soviet Union and I knew my limitations,” recalls the saxophonist. “I had to study, play and be in competition with the best in the world. After graduating, I moved to New York for a few years, before coming back to Russia permanently in 1997.”
It was on his return to Moscow that Butman’s career really took off. He began to establish himself as the leading light in Russian jazz, recording several CDs – including his most recent release, Magic Land, which features theme tunes from Soviet cartoons and an elite group of American players.
Russia’s jazz scene today is a far cry from its state in the former USSR, when you could be thrown in jail for holding unauthorised concerts. Butman is quick to acknowledge how “everything has changed,” especially in terms of healthy competition in the musical world. “It’s a harder life for us in a way. There’s a lot of competition between orchestras and groups, which I like. You have to keep improving and really provide something interesting and unique; you have to think about what you can give to venues or concert halls.”
“Now there are a lot more good young musicians. A lot of things are happening all around Russia – every town has its own interesting scene. It’s not only Moscow, but Novosibirsk, St Petersburg, Vladivostok, Rostov-on-Don, Yaroslavl. There are also a lot more jazz clubs competing with each other, and they are able to bring in the best musicians from all over the world.”
The sense of anticipation when a big act hits town is exciting for Butman, who has been organising his own jazz festival for nine years. “It’s called Triumph of Jazz. I’m trying to find new names and give them the opportunity of playing here, as well as bringing old stars who made a revolution in jazz.”
“I think there’s a big market for that in Russia. People are interested in jazz, and they’ve heard about me – a lot of people know me, so they can place trust in what I’m going to play or the people I’m going to bring, even if they don’t know who it is. There’s a big sense of curiosity, because it’s not every day we have something so special. A lot of different people come to the concerts.”
Butman’s status as something of a jazz celebrity in Russia has built up from numerous angles, not least his powerful and distinctive voice on tenor saxophone. In addition to running a club and the Triumph festival, he also hosted the show ‘Jazzophrenia’ on national television.
Most recently, he embarked on an ambitious eight-concert US tour with the Crossover Concerto, a collaboration featuring classical maestro Yuri Bashmet and the composer Igor Raykhelson. “We have my big band and a chamber orchestra, the Moscow Soloists, conducted by Yuri Bashmet. It’s a combination of different music: they play classical pieces, with a little jazz influence, and we play some classical in our jazz way. It’s challenging, but it sounds so good – for us it’s just incredible.”
The current vitality of Russian jazz receives no better endorsement than the fact Butman does not see a reason for returning to America: “I don’t have to live there. Of course I really liked it, but I like to live in Russia just as much.” Habitually sold-out gigs indicate this feeling is mutual.
Published in Russia Now, March 2009, w/ Washington Post (USA) & Daily Telegraph (UK).
Según escribieron los organizadores del Twestival Buenos Aires:
"El 12 de febrero de 2009 más de 150 ciudades alrededor del mundo serán sede del Twestival que reunirá a la comunidad twittera local para pasar un buen momento y recaudar fondos para la ONG Charity: Water (http://www.charitywater.org)
El Twestival está organizado 100% por voluntarios.
Charity Water es una ONG que brinda agual limpia y segura a los paises en via de desarrollo financiando proyectos para proveer agua de manera sustentable en las regiones más pobres. En este momento 1000 millones de personas no tienen acceso al agua potable."
En la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, el Twestival tendrá lugar en Alicia Moreau de Justo 1808, Puerto Madero, el 12 de febrero a las 19.30 hs.
Es una interesante iniciativa en tanto aprovecha muchos aspectos propios de la "web 2.0", como la viralidad en la difusión de los mensajes, el interés y la predisposición para colaborar que hay entre los usuarios (especialmente una vez lograda cierta "masa crítica" y la participación de "referentes") y por sobre todo, el perfil del twittero, predominantemente profesional de clase media/media alta, al que le gustan las reuniones sociales "entre pares", después de la oficina.
The new Russian patriarch will need all his diplomatic skills to manage what has become a fractious church.
The Russian Orthodox church's new Patriarch faces several challenges as he comes to power; not least, a fresh wave of questions over the institution's role in everyday life.
A recent poll conducted by the Russian public survey centre, VTsIOM, saw nearly half of respondents express a degree of opposition to the suitability of Orthodox moral standards in modern society. Thirty-five percent went half way, saying some standards were acceptable and others not, while another 14% held all Orthodox practices to be completely outdated. The number of undecideds was 21%, with only 30% believing people should unequivocally stand by the Orthodox moral schema.
While these findings may be indicative rather than definitive, they come at a crucial moment. The popular Patriarch Alexey II, who led a spiritual revival after decades of enforced Soviet atheism, died in early December, setting off a wave of public grief. On 1 February he was replaced by former Metropolitan Kirill, a man whose coverage in the western media has created as many questions as answers. Kirill, the first post-USSR patriarch, must ask himself why people seem to be drifting away so soon after the church's supposed renaissance. What can he do to stanch the flow and win them back?
The first problem stems from the patriarchal election process. The competition was bitter and ugly. Though the candidates themselves were diplomatic, their followers engaged in smear tactics and mudslinging, spreading rumours on the internet and openly defaming opponents. Kirill must immediately cast this aside. His famed PR skills will be put to good use – known as an inspirational orator, he has hosted a weekly national TV show. The nasty campaign has at least produced a decisive victory, with Kirill winning 508 out of 702 votes; he should use this mandate to deal confidently with the challenges facing him.
Questions surround Kirill's relationship with government. He is known for being close to the Kremlin, but observers appear divided over where he could take the church-state relationship. Progressives are aching for him to usher in a new age of independence for the church, but this is unlikely to happen any time soon, if at all. Nevertheless, the critical consensus seems to be that, one way or another, Kirill will be a politically involved patriarch.
In his Christmas speech, Kirill discussed the economic crisis. The dire financial situation means he must be cautious – at least publicly – about how closely he allies himself to Putin's establishment. He has said the relationship should be based on "mutual non-interference in each other's affairs", but the truth of this statement remains to be seen. During these times of falling government popularity and rising prospects of social unrest, Kirill's best tactic would be presenting himself as the detached voice of reason, projecting calmness and hope.
As in all religions, rampant factionalism has plagued the Orthodox church; an institutionally conservative body encompassing hardliners, moderates and more progressive thinkers. It is impossible to keep everyone happy. The issue of ties with the Roman Catholic faith is controversial: while serving as the Orthodox church's director of external relations, Kirill improved relations with the Vatican. His elevation to the patriarchy received words of welcome from the pope himself. However, on the eve of the vote, Kirill had made a wily bid to secure the support of ultraconservatives: he refuted reports that he was set to swiftly convene a papal meeting if he won, saying problematic issues remained to be solved. As the Roman Catholic church is excluded from official status in Russia, this is an area he must navigate extremely carefully – perhaps by continuing to moderate his own conciliatory instincts.
Next, there is the long-standing dispute over Estonia. Following the break-up of the Soviet Union, the country's Orthodox church split in two: the state-endorsed Apostolic Orthodox church, under jurisdiction of the ecumenical patriarchate, and the Estonian Orthodox church, under the Moscow patriarchate. Sour wranglings over which one has territorial rights, including disputes regarding property ownership, have been a dominant issue – and were particularly so for Estonian-born Alexey II. Kirill's reputation as a talented diplomat and skilled negotiator, finely honed during his time at the external relations department, gives him a fresh opportunity to finally make headway.
It seems Patriarch Kirill will be faced by the emerging challenge of reconciling the Russian people with his church's moral compass, in effect redefining its significance for modern times. This won't be easy: under western influence, Russian society is becoming less spiritual and more materialistic. In an intriguing aside, an online public referendum of senior clergymen saw Kirill win by less than 2% in a poll of 76,000 votes, with 41.1% in total. Moreover, the close second was not one of the three final contenders but Metropolitan Daniel of All Japan. Comical this may be, but perhaps it does indeed reflect an appetite for change from an institution which, according to the New York Times, often has the air of an enforced state religion.
Hace mucho que no posteo en el blog, y la verdad es que a veces tengo miedo de perder las ganas de bloguear. Y no es eso. Tampoco es que no tengo nada para escribir, todo lo contrario. Pero los días pasan y el blog sigue sin recibir nuevos posteos...
Qué cosas tengo para contar?
Bueno, muchas, o varias... Cada una de ellas merecería un post individual, pero no va a ser el caso:
1- Terminé tercer año de periodismo en una maratónica seguidilla de 8 finales en 12 días, todos con muy buenas notas, totalizando un promedio general de lo que va de la carrera de 9,36 :) Pero la mejor parte es que ya tengo un título: Técnico Universitario en Periodismo, que es el título intermedio, previo a terminar los cuatro años y obtener la licenciatura.
2- Terminó la "primera temporada" de "Al fondo hay lugar", un programa de radio que hicimos Sol Frontini, Mauricio Pladellorens y yo en radio Antena 91 de Lomas de Zamora. Fue una linda y divertida experiencia y la pasé muy bien. Este año no voy a seguir porque prefiero focalizar todo mi tiempo libre en otro proyecto, que más abajo comento. El archivo de los 17 programas que hicimos está en el blog.
3- Sigo trabajando como redactor de ElArgentino.com, un nuevo portal de noticias. La fotito es de la fiesta de fin de año que hizo el grupo de medios al que pertenece el diario. Algún día voy a postear sobre la experiencia de trabajar en un medio online, sus blancos, sus grises y sus negros... al menos desde mi vivencia cotidiana.
4-La Asociación Vientos del Sur cumplió 11 años de vida y acciones y lo festejó con un proyecto en marcha que promueve el encuentro y el empoderamiento de jóvenes refugiados. Hay teatro, comidas típicas, música, paseos, reflexión... y mucho más se espera para este 2009, cuando arranquemos formalmente con el proyecto, una iniciativa propuesta por Alejandra. La Defensoría del Pueblo de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires ya nos dio su auspicio institucional.
5- Mi cumpleaños número 31, como ya es una costumbre de varios años, lo festejé en la isla del Tigre. A pesar de los malos pronósticos, hizo un día espectacular y la pasamos muy bien en la casa, en la incursión a la selva y en el agua. Las fotos las pueden ver en facebook. Mi hermano Julián está preparando un videoclip resumiendo los distintos momentos del cumple.
6- Hace ya casi dos años que tengo una idea dando vueltas por la cabeza, la empecé a planear, hice algunas pruebas y avances en 2007, pero quedó ahí. Luego en 2008 la retomé más seriamente, pero las mil y una cosas hicieron que quedara semidormida, aunque con importantes avances. Ahora ya no tengo excusas y tengo una enorme necesidad de que el proyecto sea una realidad. Por ahora sólo puedo decir que mezcla mi pasión por el mundo de la participación, la web y el periodismo. Ahora, con gente querida sumada al equipo y que apoya el proyecto, espero que podamos lanzar la primera versión cuanto antes. La ansiedad me carcome! :)
It’s not exactly new news, but the story of the audacious squatter collective currently occupying 39 Clarges Mews must be seen to be believed. Five minutes from Green Park station, the Ritz Hotel and all that goes with it, the Mayfair property is worth a reported £22.5 million.
After stooping low to enter a dusty back-garage-type-area with a makeshift information desk, various bikes and a welding station, I soon realise this is not one, but two connected houses. The first is mostly used as sleeping quarters, while the second serves as nerve centre for the Temporary School of Thought – a freewheeling educational project with all kinds of workshops and sessions on offer.
A quick snoop around is anything but that. It spans four or five floors, with most rooms in reasonable condition but showing obvious signs of disuse. Gutted, gaping concrete cavities glare forlornly up from where majestic fireplaces used to recline, and the occasional window shutter hangs limply from its fittings. Floorboards creak. An aged lift stands dead behind criss-cross gates in a spooky stairwell. As evening approaches and darkness closes in, exploring becomes a game of shadowy surprises – who or what lies behind the next door? A dilapidated bathroom? Another cavernous palatial living space with red fleur-de-lis wallpaper? An improvised cinema? This could be the setting of any B-list horror movie, or, with a little imagination, the most typical British costume drama.
‘Starting a post-capitalist enterprise’ – how’s that for an oxymoronically intriguing workshop title? A shy middle-aged fellow named Mike claims to have done exactly this, but, over the course of nearly two hours, doesn’t actually get round to explaining even vaguely how. According to him, people who created the first companies didn’t have profit in mind: it was the corrupting influence of shareholders which catalysed today’s viciously money-driven market angle and, hence, the onset of capitalism. A colourful dramatis personae including fellow wannabeatniks, one silent note-taking bookish type, a couple of voluble old timers and a Lebanese film producer nevertheless yields a spirited discussion, although by the end we are no closer to formulating an alternative ideology to solve all the world’s problems. Disappointing.
As dusk settles, the house is buzzing. An eager crowd is all ears for a lecture on Palestine; a representative of the amusingly-titled A.S.S. (Association of Squatters Something) presents a step-by-step guide to the art of squatting, from scoping out potential “empties” to prolonging residence by fending bailiffs away; upstairs, in a room with gold trim, ornate hand-painted panelling and ceiling-to-floor mirrors, two enthusiasts play Indian classical music and talk about traditions of the genre. No one pays, no one makes money, knowledge is here for all to enjoy – maybe this is the quintessential post-capitalist enterprise our friend Mike was struggling to define.
Dinner is served: downstairs, everyone is welcomed to the communal eating area. Random artwork adorns the walls. Familiar, unknown and overwhelmingly friendly faces gather round one large table, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world to be sharing scavenged food in a stately mansion with 30 people you’ve never met before. For many of them, it is. Others are mere visitors, passers-by or voyeurs of the lifestyle; those (like me) who fully appreciate the remarkable situation’s cheeky impudence, but probably wouldn’t have the guts or bottle to do something like it. Musicians, artists, climate change activists, nomads, travellers, Swedes, Australians and squat veterans all mix freely – the air is thick with conversation. In the cold, hard, business-powered parallel universe that is central London, this is a refreshing oasis of creativity, freedom and open-minded dialogue.
1- Terminé tercer año de periodismo en una maratónica seguidilla de 8 finales en 12 días, todos con muy buenas notas, totalizando un promedio general de lo que va de la carrera de 9,36 :) Pero la mejor parte es que ya tengo un título: Técnico Universitario en Periodismo, que es el título intermedio, previo a terminar los cuatro años y obtener la licenciatura.
2- Terminó la "primera temporada" de "
6- Hace ya casi dos años que tengo una idea dando vueltas por la cabeza, la empecé a planear, hice algunas pruebas y avances en 2007, pero quedó ahí. Luego en 2008 la retomé más seriamente, pero las mil y una cosas hicieron que quedara semidormida, aunque con importantes avances. Ahora ya no tengo excusas y tengo una enorme necesidad de que el proyecto sea una realidad. Por ahora sólo puedo decir que mezcla mi pasión por el mundo de la participación, la web y el periodismo. Ahora, con gente querida sumada al equipo y que apoya el proyecto, espero que podamos lanzar la primera versión cuanto antes. La ansiedad me carcome! :)
