Thursday, June 25, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Loic "Flying Dude" Jean-Albert Wingsuit Flying
"...so we play around!"
Loic Jean-Albert
www.loicjeanalbert.com
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Democracy: The European Parliament Elections
"From Strasbourg with indifference
Jun 4th 2009
From The Economist print edition
The European Parliament has failed to win legitimacy with voters. Look to Denmark for a solution
The rich world’s biggest election, with 375m potential voters, ought to be both exciting and uplifting. Yet campaigning ahead of this weekend’s election (June 07, 2009) to the European Parliament has been neither. Almost everywhere it has focused exclusively on national issues, not European ones. In several countries a ragbag of extremists, nutcases and xenophobes look set to win seats. And the turnout, which has fallen in every European election since 1979, may yet sink to a new low.
The fact is that Europe’s electors do not care about their parliament. Most do not bother to vote. Those who do take the excuse to cock a snook at their national governments and boost fringe parties. In so far as they have any view about the European Parliament, they see it as a talking-shop with no influence—a place that lavishes its unknown members with pay, pensions and expenses and wastes oodles of euros every month on a ludicrous commute from Brussels to Strasbourg.
Some (but not all) of this is either unfair or plain wrong. The European Parliament has real power—and will become still more powerful if the European Union’s Lisbon treaty is ratified (see article). In many ways MEPs have more say over legislation than do most of their national counterparts. "
Complete article at the Ecomomist.com
Jun 4th 2009
From The Economist print edition
The European Parliament has failed to win legitimacy with voters. Look to Denmark for a solution
The rich world’s biggest election, with 375m potential voters, ought to be both exciting and uplifting. Yet campaigning ahead of this weekend’s election (June 07, 2009) to the European Parliament has been neither. Almost everywhere it has focused exclusively on national issues, not European ones. In several countries a ragbag of extremists, nutcases and xenophobes look set to win seats. And the turnout, which has fallen in every European election since 1979, may yet sink to a new low.
The fact is that Europe’s electors do not care about their parliament. Most do not bother to vote. Those who do take the excuse to cock a snook at their national governments and boost fringe parties. In so far as they have any view about the European Parliament, they see it as a talking-shop with no influence—a place that lavishes its unknown members with pay, pensions and expenses and wastes oodles of euros every month on a ludicrous commute from Brussels to Strasbourg.
Some (but not all) of this is either unfair or plain wrong. The European Parliament has real power—and will become still more powerful if the European Union’s Lisbon treaty is ratified (see article). In many ways MEPs have more say over legislation than do most of their national counterparts. "
Complete article at the Ecomomist.com
Monday, May 18, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Spring Swing Fever Party!
(Athens) Swing Riot !!!
4/25/2009 10:00 PM at Blue Fox
Asklipiou 91, Athens
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Joanna's MSF Blog from Zimbabwe
“Coléra, coléra!!” shout little Zimbabwean kids running after our MSF minivan as it splashes through sewage soaked muddy roads in the high density Harare township of Dzivaresekwa (or Dziva or just Dizzy as some expats have started calling it). Revayi our driver laughs and puts the music up higher. He usually works his minivan as a combi (privately owned transport for locals). “What’s your name mean Revayi?” I ask him as I try to hold on in the back seat — all Zimbabwean names mean something. He says it means bad gossip, because his mother-in-law talked bad about his mother while she was pregnant so in revenge she named her son like that. Dominique turns around and we look at each other, both rather stunned with the explanation and not really knowing how to respond.
I change the subject and ask Dominique to tell me about his field of water sanitation and the project of trying to get safe and clean water to Harare’s most vulnerable residents. Dominique, French-Canadian, young and crazy obsessed with water. Any kind of water, dirty, clean, sewage — with dark thick hair and intense brows he gets easily carried away about his favorite subject ...
Read her articles at MSF
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
The first "ATHENS SWING RIOT!" party of the Year
Rendez-Vous at Asklepiou 91 in Exarheia (Ασκληπιού 91, Εξάρχεια) on this Saturday (the 31st of January '09)
If you come unfashionably early (22:00-23:00), you can follow "Stroll" Lessons. Later on you can order a Casablanca at the bar and go nuts dancing until morning listening to Miss Blitzkneg "Blue Lu" Baby, Mr. Manos K. & Mr. Le Mod. And before you leave, don't forget your gift CD.
If you come unfashionably early (22:00-23:00), you can follow "Stroll" Lessons. Later on you can order a Casablanca at the bar and go nuts dancing until morning listening to Miss Blitzkneg "Blue Lu" Baby, Mr. Manos K. & Mr. Le Mod. And before you leave, don't forget your gift CD.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday, December 01, 2008
This is not going to end well
They are going to make you a crepe you cannot refuse!Thanks to Alcibiades for that one!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Yatzer.com article about Yiannis Ghikas
"One of Greece's most important Industrial designers, Yiannis Ghikas will participate with his BASIC I & II side tables at "L'Europe des Designers" part of FLIGHT NUMBER TEN exhibition during the Saint–Étienne International Design Biennial in Saint–Étienne (FRANCE) from 15-30 November 2008. The FLIGHT NUMBER TEN is curated by Chloé Heyraud.
"L'Europe des Designers" highlights European designers through innovative ideas which could turn customs upside down. This presentation is put together in partnership with Culturesfrance as part of the European Cultural Season.
ABOUT YIANNIS GHIKAS
Yiannis Ghikas was born in 1969 in Greece, a few kilometers out of Athens and he was an 18-year-old student of informatics at the Athens University of Economics and Business, when he realized that he wanted to become an industrial designer. So It took him a long time to become a student again, this time in product design. His official website holds his name under the title"Concepts on a waiting list", because according to his words "most of my ideas are waiting to come to life".
YIANNIS GHIKAS answers yatzer's questionnaire
Describe yourself in five words.
Impatient, reliable, social, controversial, obsessed
If you could be a different nationality, what would it be?
I would keep the great Greek mother and I would add a Scandinavian father to balance the Mediterranean nature, so a mixed one.
What’s your favourite movie?
It couldn’t be just one. I’ll name a few that stayed in my mind for a long time: Lars von trier’s “breaking the waves”, Gus van sant’s: “Gerry” and Wang kar wai’s “In the mood for love”.
What kind of music you like to listen?
I like many completely different kinds of music. Quality is the key. An example of a timeless music I really love is R. Straus’s “Vier letzte lieder”.
What is your favorite design material?
I love natural oak and white porcelain.
What is the most expensive piece of furniture in your house?
A pair of Eames LCW chairs and a Citterio’s 6 drawer mobil box.
What inspires you?
Everything I have experienced.
You are going for a weekend “somewhere” and you have to invite seven famous people, dead or alive to join you. Where would you go and who would they be?
I would invite Manos Hadjidakis, Issey Miyake, Akira Kurosawa, Dawn Upshaw, Joep van Lieshout and the Bouroullec brothers at their floating house.
Are you afraid of the future?
Yes I am afraid of the future concerning the climatological changes and the consequences of people’s political inactivity.
Describe me the perfect day?
Exploring an unknown city, sharing the experience with people I love.
What does space mean to you?
A necessity
Luxury is?
Dissipation of resources
Design is?
Design is an applied art rich in cultural content"
via yatzer.com
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