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Venezia. Sarà Tinto Brass il presidente del Queer Lion 2008.
Sarà il maestro del cinema erotico a guidare la giuria del premio collaterale dedicato al miglior film con tematiche omosessuali alla prossima 65.Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica. Il premio verrà consegnato dall'On. Paola Concia. Inoltre: vetrina di film gay al Venice Market.
Queer Lion anno secondo. Dopo il successo della scorsa edizione, torna anche quest’anno il premio dedicato al miglior film con tematiche glbt (gay, lesbo, bisex, transgender), organizzato dall’associazione CinemArte, con una giuria d’eccezione capitanata dal regista veneziano e maestro dell’immaginario erotico cinematografico, Tinto Brass... continua Sarà il maestro del cinema erotico a guidare la giuria del premio collaterale dedicato al miglior film con tematiche omosessuali alla ... more -
Rakhi - Biggest Traditional Festival in India
Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) is a traditional Indian festival in which sisters tie a sacred thread of protection around their brother’s wrists. By accepting a thread from his sister, the brother is bound to protect his sister from harm.
The sanctity of the thread that the sister ties to a brother’s hand makes the relationship glow with noble thoughts and blessings of love, devotion and duty of the brother towards his sister.
People in India celebrate this festival on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravana. The frail rakhi thread is considered stronger than iron chains in India as it binds brothers and sisters in a bond of everlasting trust and love. Sisters apply ‘tikka’ on their brothers’ foreheads and brothers reciprocate by giving them gifts and tokens of cash.
In turn, sisters buy gifts and sweets for their brothers. The meaning of this festival has expanded, so those who do not have brothers tie rakhis to others and initiate a new brother-sister relationship that usually continues for a lifetime.
This festival also has an important social significance, because it underlines the notion that every one in society should live in harmonious coexistence with each other as brothers and sisters in society. The best way forward towards attaining this social goal is to initiate a lifetime bond that makes men and women, young and old alike with pious feelings towards each other.
The aim of Rakhi is to achieve a harmonious coexistence for everyone and removal of social strains. Simultaneously, it strives to cultivate noble thoughts in society and imbibe feelings of brotherly as well as sisterly love for members of society.
The festival is rooted deeply in the psyche of every Indian since the past. Legend says that Rajput and Maratha queens have send rakhis even to Mughal kings who despite their personal differences, rose to protect them from harm.
Another story has it that Lord Indra - the ruler of the heavenly realm, was almost on the verge of losing a long drawn battle against the demons. Indira’s wife came forward to help her husband and tied a talisman on his wrist. This helped Lord Indira win the war against the demons.
Yet another legend has it that Lord Yama, the God of death had a sister Yamuna. On every “Shravan Purnima”, she would tie a rakhi on her brother’s wrist. Since then it became customary for sisters to tie a rakhi on their brother’s wrist.
There are a lot of rakhis available in the market encompassing both traditional and modern themes. These include thread rakhis, moti (pearl) rakhis, silver rakhis, silver coin rakhis and more. There are rakhis even for children such as chocolate rakhis, Superman, Batman, Pokemon, Krish, Mikey mouse rakhis, and so on.
On this day, brothers and sisters send cards and gifts to each other. Traditional gifts mark the occasion. These gifts include rakhi baskets with ethnic stuff, fashion jewellery, gift hampers, ethnic dresses like sarees, kurtis, Punjabi suits, dresses and dress material, traditional puja thalis, Indian Sweets like Kaju Katli, barfi, pendas, boondi laddoos and such, dry fruits such as cashew nuts, raisins, almonds, pistachios, and such.
Other gifts include apparels, watches, perfumes, etc other due to the influence of the present day modern culture. On this occasion, brothers also give a token of money as appreciation for their sisters. Sisters also purchase return gifts for their brothers, which includes men’s items such as perfumes, kerchiefs, sunglasses, watches, mobiles, shirts, trousers, wallets, belts, apparels, electronic items, and such.
Rakhi Festival 2008 Celebration - Infibeam.com launches india's largest online rakhi and gifts collection - http://www.infibeam.com/rakhi-gifts
Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) is a traditional Indian festival in which sisters tie a sacred thread of protection around their brother’s wris... more -
Watch Pitchfork 2008 live at your computer
1:30 pm - The Dirty Projectors
2:00 pm - Boris
3:00 pm - The Apples in Stereo
4:00 pm - Les Savy Fav
5:00 pm - Dodos
7:00 pm - Spiritualized
8:00 pm - Dinosaur Jr.
9:00 pm - Spoon
For those of you who can't be at the 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival, you're in luck. They're streaming most sets completely live, right to your bedroom. Sitting in front of your computer is a far cry from lounging in the sun at Union Park, of course, but you'll get to catch live video from Spoon, Animal Collective, Public Enemy, the Hold Steady, Spiritualized, and a ton more. Enjoy! 1:30 pm - The Dirty Projectors 2:00 pm - Boris 3:00 pm - The Apples in Stereo 4:00 pm - Les Savy Fav 5:00 pm - Dodos ... more -
Worst break-ups ever turned into a play: are yours as dramatic?
Ok, so it’s not high on the 'lots of wars, lots of conflict' news agenda, but it is proper interesting. And it has a topical peg and everything.
When the Bush Theatre asked people to share their worst break-up experiences, it was inundated with replies. Now those stories have become a play, '50 Ways to Leave Your Lover', which will debut at Latitude festival this weekend.
Ranging from the flippant one-line kiss-off to the tender conclusion of a quarter-century of marriage, a four-strong cast, two women and two men, including Ralf Little, best known as The Royle Family's Anthony, will race through 50 break-ups in as many minutes in a lo-fi production that was originally commissioned for Latitude Festival. Sounds like fun!
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, a kind of Bayeux Tapestry of broken hearts, features the much-loved/hated clichés ("Let's just be friends", "I'm not ready for a relationship" etc) but also some spectacularly inventive excuses for waving goodbye. Who, for example, could argue with the following? "Yeah, I see a future for us, but it's more a global warming and climate catastrophe sort of vision. So I'm going take some preventative measures. For the sake of the planet."
What about the cad who dumped his lady via his Facebook status? Or the girl who was charmed by the love token of a hand-made teddy bear, only to discover that it growled, "you're dumped. And I want my CDs back" when she squeezed its tummy? Or the charmer ended it all "three days before the wedding.... I told her I was gay... It wasn't very nice..."
So go on, let it all out. What are your worst break-up stories?
Ok, so it’s not high on the 'lots of wars, lots of conflict' news agenda, but it is proper interesting. And it has a topical peg and e... more -
A Day At the Races - Samurai Style
In the northeast region of Japan, in the prefecture of Fukushima, the Soma Nomaoi, an age-old tradition handed down from samurai times, is celebrated to this day with a fanfare of medieval parades, horse racing, and horse chasing.
Nomaoi means “wild horse chasing” and dates back over a thousand years. Warriors in full battle dress would chase wild horses in the areas of Shinto shrines dedicating the best horse to the gods.
The Soma Nomaoi was started by the Soma clan, a small but valiant clan surrounded by powerful enemies. They used the Nomaoi festival as a military exercise in order to keep their fighting skills sharp.
Perhaps another reason they survived the Sengoku (Warring States) Period was their horses. Soma had a reputation for excellent horses in the Tohoku area (northern Japan). Good horses were always in demand by warring clans and it would not have been wise to wipe out the best horse trainers in the area. In 1622, when the country was at peace, Soma’s wild horses began to be painted onto teacups and pottery.
The Soma Nomaoi festivals spans three days: July 23-25. The first two days are held in the small town of Haramachi, two hours by train from Fukushima City. The first day is more like a preview of the second with a short parade and a few horse races.
In the northeast region of Japan, in the prefecture of Fukushima, the Soma Nomaoi, an age-old tradition handed down from samurai times... more -
Global Warming Sand Sculpture in Indian Record Book
Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik will find his mention in the Limca Book of Records 2009 for the third time next year for being the first Indian to win the world champion title twice at the USF World Double Championship in Berlin.
On the second year of the championship, the artist created a 25ft high sculpture based on the theme of global warming depicting a polar bear sitting on a globe and praying with three faces representing Africa, Europe and Asia supporting the base.
for full story
http://www.worldamazingrecords.com
Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik will find his mention in the Limca Book of Records 2009 for the third time next year for being the firs... more -
The twelve best parades to pick up hot chicks
Parades. They're crowded, smelly, and corny… but you can get some incredible tail if you go to the right ones.
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Ravers lose sight at laser show
Since the Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, dozens of partygoers have been checking into Moscow's hospital complaining of eye and vision problems.
"They all have retinal burns, scarring is visible on them," Kommersant newspaper quotes one health official as saying.
"Loss of vision in individual cases is as high as 80% and regaining it is already impossible," the opthalmologist said.
Heavy rains meant organisers were forced to erect massive tents for the all-night dance party, and lasers that normally illuminate upwards into the sky were instead shone into the ravers' eyes.
"I immediately had a spot like when you stare into the sun," raver Dmitry told Kommersant.
"After three days I decided to go to the hospital. They examined me, asked if I had been at Open Air, and then put me straight in the hospital. I didn't even get to go home and get my stuff," he said.
Industry website www.laserfx.com said focused laser light can cause eye damage almost instantly.
The owner of a Moscow laser rental company said the accidental blindings were due to "illiteracy on the part of technicians".
"It was partly the rain, but also partly the size of the laser," said Valentin Vasiliev.
"Somebody set up an extremely powerful laser for such a small space," he added.
Mr Vasiliev said his company did not provide the Aquamarine lasers. Since the Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, dozens of partygoers have been checking into Moscow's hospital complaining of eye ... more -
Two found dead at Norway rock festival
Police say two people have been found dead at a music festival in southern Norway headlined by Alice Cooper.
The victims were found in or near a bus at the Festival in Kvinesdal.
"We do not know exactly how they died, but we assume they suffocated on fumes while they were on the bus," said police spokesperson Asbjorn Enoksen.
Six more festival-goers were taken to hospital after being found outside the vehicle, he told the AFP news agency.
Preliminary hospital reports indicated carbon monoxide poisoning could have been a cause.
All of the victims were believed to be Norwegian citizens in their 20s and 30s, Enosken added.
The names of the two who died have not been disclosed.
The Kvinesdal festival was established in 2006 and this weekend's events are expected to continue despite the deaths.
Motorhead and The Quireboys are the headline acts on Sunday. Police say two people have been found dead at a music festival in southern Norway headlined by Alice Cooper. ... more -
Crazy Angel Company Band from Tokyo Design Festa
Here's a bit of a big band I caught at Tokyo Design Festa called Crazy Angel Company.
They have a lot of energy and it shows in their performance.
http://www.crazy-angel.com
Here's a bit of a big band I caught at Tokyo Design Festa called Crazy Angel Company. ... more -
IL PIENO DI STARS PER L’ISCHIA GLOBAL FEST
Matt Dillon a Terrence Howard e Vanessa Redgrave. Hollywood si trasferisce a Ischia per il VI Ischia Global Film & Music fest che rilancia l’isola verde come capitale estiva dello star system mondiale e meta del turismo fra le più ambite. Il festival, presentato ieri da Antonio Bassolino e da Pascal Vicedomini, ha un calendario ricco di eventi e di ospiti. Oltre alle stars americane ci sarà anche il fior fiore del cinema italiano. Tra gli invitati Giancarlo Giannini, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Michele Placido, Nancy Brilli per quello che diventa un importante evento nazionale, forse il secondo dopo Venezia, vista la probabile fine della festa romana del cinema. “Napoli è la città più viva e creativa d’Italia, tutti i comparti della produzione artistica, dal cinema, alla musica. E lo dimostra il Global fest, che per la qualità del programma e per l’impressionante parterre di star è ormai un evento di carattere internazionale”, ha sottolineato il presidente della Regione Campania, Antonio Bassolino, presentando il calendario dell’evento ideato da Pascal Vicedomini. Si parte domani, 13 luglio e si chiude il 20. Tra i tanti eventi che coinvolgeranno l’isola è importante segnalare la scelta del tema dei diritti umani di cui si dibatterà al II Social Cinema Forum, proprio alla vigilia delle Olimpiadi di Pechino. Matt Dillon a Terrence Howard e Vanessa Redgrave. Hollywood si trasferisce a Ischia per il VI Ischia Global Film & Music fest che ... more
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Taiko Drum Festival brings Cheer to Old Island of Exile
In olden days, going to Sado Island generally meant one of two things: exile or gold. Sado Island, the 6th largest island of Japan, was for a long time not the pleasure excursion that is today. During the Heian Period (794-1192), Sado was often the dumping ground of political exiles from the Kyoto capital. The trend continued for nearly a thousand years up until 1700 with a scattering of dissent poets, irate Buddhists monks, and even an unfortunate emperor.
In 1601 gold was discovered and a new breed of exiles was flung upon the island: convicts and homeless. The gold came under the ownership of the Tokugawa Shogunate Government. No gold-digging prospectors or women of low virtues were allowed to clutter up the island. It was strictly controlled for the sake of the Shogunate’s coffers. Hard work and deadly misery not sudden fortune was the fate of these hard-pressed workers.
In more recent times, Sado became infamous for North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens. Lying off the coast of Niigata in Northwestern Japan, it was in convenient reach of North Korea.
Given the island’s rather grim history, it would seem a strange place to hold a music festival celebrating taiko drumming and the earth itself. Yet this is exactly what happens every summer in the normally sleepy town of Ogi in the South-Eastern section of Sado. In olden days, going to Sado Island generally meant one of two things: exile or gold. Sado Island, the 6th largest island of Japan, wa... more -
Running From the Bulls of Pamplona
There comes a time in the life of every young man when he feels the need to test his meddle and tempt the hands of Fate. This may take the form of signing up with the French Foreign Legion and fighting in far away places, hunting large animals with large guns, jumping out of airplanes, or pitting his wits against the speeding enraged bulls of Pamplona.
Personally, I blame that macho-istic bastard Hemingway for my foolhardy decision to run with the bulls of Pamplona several years ago. Ernest Hemingway’s classic novel, “The Sun Also Rises”, brought world-wide attention to Pamplona’s bizarre age-old festival of allowing bulls to run through the streets as they please running over and goring those mad enough to run with them. Hemingway created an international pilgrimage of machismo to Pamplona’s San Fermin festival. For some of those pilgrims, that journey has led to a gory martyrdom.
But gory martyrdom is what the San Fermin festival is all about. Saint Fermin, Pamplona’s patron saint, was martyred in Roman times by being drug through the streets by bulls somewhere in France. This grisly demise is honored by Pamplona’s residents every year in July with a huge week-long festival. In the morning the bulls and the fools run. In the afternoon bullfights are held in the Plaza de Toros Arena. The rest of the day and on through the night time is spent in merry-making. Various different parades of floats, musicians, and banner-waving drunks periodically sway and weave their way through the crowds. People will party until they drop where they stand from exhaustion but the party just rolls on. Its like Mardi Gras with bulls.
Hemingway’s spirit seems to haunt the festival. I could just imagine old Ernest slouched jauntily in a doorway with a drink in one hand and Sangria stains down his white shirt as he watched the festival with approving eyes. In one of the streets, there is a bust of Hemingway wearing a bull runner’s bandanna.
The night before my run I was dancing and drinking in the company of some young local senoritas. One girl I particularly fancied was a dark-haired girl named Bettina. We chatted as best as we could with my limited Spanish which encompassed only a few swear words and some pick-up lines. Surprisingly, I was doing quite well but she would periodically point to her hand. On her hand she had scrawled her boyfriend’s name. I guess this was so she wouldn’t get carried away and forget about him. The ink wouldn’t wash off either much to my misfortune.
Still I was able through the use of pantomime to get her to promise me that she would cry for me if I were gored by a bull in the upcoming run. I believe Hemingway would have approved of this: dying a glorifyingly gory macho death and having a beautiful girl cry over your body.
Come morning I remembered that I had never actually read any of Hemingway’s works except for “The Old Man and the Sea” when I was in the 5th Grade. This story about a big fish didn’t exactly prepare me for handling big bulls. I was entirely on my own. My only knowledge of the run came from second-hand information and the opening scene of “City Slickers.” In it, Billy Crystal is seen at the festival running in front of a bull that is just jogging along at a reasonable pace. I thought this was the normal speed of bulls. No problem.
There comes a time in the life of every young man when he feels the need to test his meddle and tempt the hands of Fate. This may take... more -
Jay-Z gets bumped up the charts after Glastonbury
Headlining at Glastonbury has seriously helped Jay-Z's record sales. His 2004 single '99 Problems' looks like it's going to sit comfortably in the Top 25 UK singles chart this weekend, and his duet with Linkin Park is also on its way to the Top 40.
And after opening with Oasis' Wonderwall, he's made Noel Gallagher eat his words. Gallagher had called Jay-Z a "wrong" choice to headline the festival. But now Wonderwall is making a come back on the charts -- What's the Story album has seen a sales increase of 200%. Not so 'wrong' anymore, is he?
Headlining at Glastonbury has seriously helped Jay-Z's record sales. His 2004 single '99 Problems' looks like it's going to sit comfor... more -
The world's first mobile hotel room
The Travelpod would soon be available at a number of UK festivals. Could this be a farewell to the raindrenched tent? What are festivals coming to? The Travelpod would soon be available at a number of UK festivals. Could this be a farewell to the raindrenched tent? What are festiva... more
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Amy Winehouse punches fan
Amy performed on Glastonbury's Pyramid stage last night drawing some of the biggest crowds the stage has ever seen with an estimated 75,000 people in attendance, towards the end of her set, when performing down in front of the crowd she appeared to lash out and punch one of her fans. Her spokesman says it was because they tugged at her beehive!?!
Amy's tantrum was followed by a set from Jay Z who gave a triumphant performance to win over critics who said he should not have been booked to headline the festival. He included a rendition of Oasis's 'Wonderwall', a nod to Noel Gallagher who was a vocal critic of the rapper's appearance. See it here ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7479703.stm
More videos on the link ... Amy performed on Glastonbury's Pyramid stage last night drawing some of the biggest crowds the stage has ever seen with an estimated 7... more -
News from Glasto
Guardian's 'Mudcast' podcast updates us on last night's headliners and their worries about playing the main stage, and Edwyn Collins tells us he's not really bothered about the whole thing. Listen at the link. Guardian's 'Mudcast' podcast updates us on last night's headliners and their worries about playing the main stage, and Edwyn Collins t... more
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Scenes from the Aoba Festival of Sendai, Japan
This is old, old footage taken before I had a video camera. I shot these scenes with a digital photocamera so they're very low-res.
Anyway, these are some scenes from the first day of the Aoba Festival in Sendai which is several hundred miles north of Tokyo in the Tohoku region.
The festival celebrates the founder of the city - Date Masamune who was a warlord from the 16th-17th Century.
This is old, old footage taken before I had a video camera. I shot these scenes with a digital photocamera so they're very low-res. ... more -
Fires delay Glastonbury fans
If it's not mud, it's fire. Music fans on their way to Glasto may be delayed because a fire at a nearby scrapyard has closed down the A37, one of the main routes to the festival.
The fire is situated in Pylle, about a mile from the festival site.
If it's not mud, it's fire. Music fans on their way to Glasto may be delayed because a fire at a nearby scrapyard has closed down the ... more -
2008 Monolith Festival
Vampire Weekend, Justice, Atmosphere, The Cribs, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses and more will be rocking the beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheater September 13th and 14th this year. There will be over 50 artists and 5 stages for them to throw down on!
Just a few miles outside of Denver, Colorado, Red Rocks has been voted time and time again as the best outdoor venue. Check out the 2nd annual festival if you can. 2-day passes are $110 and single day passes are $60. Vampire Weekend, Justice, Atmosphere, The Cribs, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses and more will be rocking the beautiful Red Rocks Amph... more
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Festivals
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Festivals
