Swedish opera singer Malena Ernman won the Melodifestivalen contest and will represent Sweden in Moscow for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
European Broadcasting Union rejects Georgia Eurovision entry
The Eurovision Song Contest reference group has reviewed the Georgian submission for the 2009 competition and, earlier than expected, has issued a decision. The song selected in Georgia's national final, We don't wanna put in by Stephane and 3G will not be allowed to participate at the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow.
The song appears to have clear political meaning and is has been widely seen in international and local media as an attack on the Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin. The song is in breach of the Eurovision Song Contest rules and will not be allowed to take part in the competition.
The article on esctoday.com includes a Youtube video of the song.
The song appears to have clear political meaning and is has been widely seen in international and local media as an attack on the Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin. The song is in breach of the Eurovision Song Contest rules and will not be allowed to take part in the competition.
The article on esctoday.com includes a Youtube video of the song.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Got a middle name?
Karl-Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg is the new German Federal Minister of Economics and Technology
Wikipedia link
Nonsensical Inventions
From Magazine on Radio Prague: The Brno Technical Museum is offering a look at the lighter side of life with an exhibition of nonsensical inventions. The exhibition features a tandem bike for married couples - with the man and wife sitting back to back and pedaling in opposite directions, glasses for Peeping Toms with an opening designed to fit a keyhole, a candleholder for a light bulb, a screwdriver inside a sealed bottle, a hammer made of porcelain and a gun that shoots backwards for people who want to commit suicide. The exhibition of crazy inventions that “failed to change the course of history” is on display until May 18.
More odd news on the Magazine Homepage.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Thank God I'm an Atheist!
"There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." That message, on British buses for just over a month, is coming to Switzerland.
The Swiss freethinkers' association launched a campaign on Monday to collect donations to "give a voice to those people who feel plagued by the missionary slogans" plastered around the country.
"We did it because so many people asked us to do it," Reta Caspar, spokeswoman for the association, told swissinfo.
"We hadn't planned it – we had our own campaign last October in which we invited people to 'out' themselves on our website, saying they were non-religious and why."
Caspar said one of the aims of that campaign was to give faces to the 11 per cent of Swiss who are non-religious.
"When we saw what happened in London and how people were so happy to have a campaign like this and how much support they got, we said we had to do it."
Read more here in an article on swissinfo.org, where you'll find quite a few links.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
WEF in Davos
World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week.
How to pronounce Davos? Wikipedia has this: English-speaking broadcast journalists covering the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting, along with many speakers at the meeting itself, commonly mispronounce the town's name by emphasizing the first syllable and shortening the o to make the word rhyme with "moss", i.e., DAH-voss ([ˈdaː·vɔs]). The correct pronunciation is dah-VOHS ([daː·'vos]).
As I was growing up, every winter and spring day I would hear the avalanche report on the radio, right after the weather forecast. It came from the Swiss Institute For Snow And Avalanche Research, then located at Weissfluhjoch, Davos. That's how I know how it's pronounced...
Where's Davos? This from mySwitzerland.com: Davos in Grisons is a place of superlatives: this holiday destination with international ambience is the largest resort in the Alps for mountain holidays, sport and conferences, at 1,560 m (5,118 ft) the highest town in the Alps and a high-altitude health resort with a long tradition.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Polish Chart Show
This feature is from Polish Radio, External Servic, presented by Peter Gentle.
MALOWANY CHLOPAK - Janusz Radek (Universal)
PARZYDELKO - Pustki (Pustki)
MIASTO BRZYDNIE - Pudelsi (Agora)
ALARM CYKLICZNY - Hurt (Luna Music)
BUDZIC SIE I ZASYPIAC (Z TOBA) - Dorota Miskiewicz (Sony BM
PO PROSTU PASTELOWE - Strachy Na Lachy (SP Records)
UCIECZKA Z WESOLEGO MIASTECZKA - Czeslaw Spiewa (Mystic
LESZEK MI MOWIL - Voo Voo (EMI)
KAZDEGO DNIA - Mesajah (Pink Crow)
ROSOL - Maria Peszek (Kayax)
W SPODNIACH CZY W SUKIENCE - Ania (Sony BMG)
The songs played in this week's show are listed below. Here's the link to the original webpage.
MALOWANY CHLOPAK - Janusz Radek (Universal)
PARZYDELKO - Pustki (Pustki)
MIASTO BRZYDNIE - Pudelsi (Agora)
ALARM CYKLICZNY - Hurt (Luna Music)
BUDZIC SIE I ZASYPIAC (Z TOBA) - Dorota Miskiewicz (Sony BM
PO PROSTU PASTELOWE - Strachy Na Lachy (SP Records)
UCIECZKA Z WESOLEGO MIASTECZKA - Czeslaw Spiewa (Mystic
LESZEK MI MOWIL - Voo Voo (EMI)
KAZDEGO DNIA - Mesajah (Pink Crow)
ROSOL - Maria Peszek (Kayax)
W SPODNIACH CZY W SUKIENCE - Ania (Sony BMG)
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Where's NASA's missing toolbag right now?
Find out where the toolbag is at this moment.
During STS-126 mission astronauts ventured outside the International Space Station to do repair work, but lost a bag of tools they had taken along. Capt. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper of the Navy, an astronaut on a mission to the station, was on the first spacewalk of the mission, which involves cleaning and greasing a balky rotary joint, when she discovered that a grease gun had erupted inside its tote bag. While she cleaned up that mess, the bag — containing two grease guns, scrapers and other equipment — floated irretrievably into space. NASA trains spacewalkers to tether and trap all objects they use, but it is not uncommon for the occasional bolt or single tool to be lost.
During STS-126 mission astronauts ventured outside the International Space Station to do repair work, but lost a bag of tools they had taken along. Capt. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper of the Navy, an astronaut on a mission to the station, was on the first spacewalk of the mission, which involves cleaning and greasing a balky rotary joint, when she discovered that a grease gun had erupted inside its tote bag. While she cleaned up that mess, the bag — containing two grease guns, scrapers and other equipment — floated irretrievably into space. NASA trains spacewalkers to tether and trap all objects they use, but it is not uncommon for the occasional bolt or single tool to be lost.
Figurines of World Leaders defecating
Check out this story and photos from The Telegraph...
The Santa Llucia Christmas market in Barcelona sells everything you could need for your nativity scene. Little statues of Joseph and Mary? Check. A little baby Jesus? Check. Donkeys, sheep and cows? Check. Defecating world leaders? You what?
The Santa Llucia Christmas market in Barcelona sells everything you could need for your nativity scene. Little statues of Joseph and Mary? Check. A little baby Jesus? Check. Donkeys, sheep and cows? Check. Defecating world leaders? You what?
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Pledge Drive show
Our radio station is in the Fall Pledge Drive, so there will be a bit more talk on the show today.
But also I'll finally air the interview I did with DJ Dunkelbunt at the Earthdance festival in mid-September. And a play some of his music, and some other Balkan inspired tracks, in particular from the Putumayo compilation Gypsy Groove, which is actually a pledge premium, yours with a $50 donation.
I'll have a couple of cute news items from the Czech Republic and some news from Sweden and Switzerland, plus a bulletin of world news from Radio Deutsche Welle.
Here's a link to one of the stories from Swissinfo, an indepth study of the campaign rhetoric in the U.S.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Today: Peter Fox of SEEED has a new album, we'll hear a couple of tracks. Check peterfox.de
Also, a new album from Thievery Corporation, more from Phenomden and Patent Ochsner from Switzerland, and some news and stories, and a chance to learn another Czech phrase.
Tune in at www.kmud.org
Thanks!
Looking for nice fall colors? Swissinfo has a slide show with some beautiful pictures.
Also, a new album from Thievery Corporation, more from Phenomden and Patent Ochsner from Switzerland, and some news and stories, and a chance to learn another Czech phrase.
Tune in at www.kmud.org
Thanks!
Looking for nice fall colors? Swissinfo has a slide show with some beautiful pictures.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Anti terrorism campaign in UK
"Thousands of people take photos every day," reads the advertisement being run in London's major newspapers. "What if one of them seems odd?"
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/03/04/london-cops-declare.html
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/03/05/remixing-the-london.html
Monday, December 24, 2007
Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas
I found this lovely seasonal picture today on boingboing.net, in an essay on Christmas in Serbia.Here's the link:
Monday, December 03, 2007
O mein Papa
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Trabant, Traband
The Trabant was a cheap car made in the German Democratic Republic. In German the car is known as Trabi, and it's now a collector's item. You can make your own (miniature) Trabant by downloading a file that you can print, cut, and fold. Here's the site: http://www.trabi-freunde.net/download.htm
Look for Trabant Bastelbogen near the bottom of the page, under the category "Sonstiges" (various). Or just click here to get the file "bastelbogen.zip"
Traband is a Czech Folk/Experimental group, featured on this week's Magic Carpet (from Radio Prague). They also have a page on Myspace where you can listen to a few samples.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
EuroBureau for May 30, 2007
A couple of fun items today that deserve an entry on this website.
First, from Radio Prague's "Magazine" is an item about the Czech prime minister visiting Pakistan.
Is that a Czech flag or a checkered one? Sometimes it's hard to tell. The controversial exhibition showcasing preserved human bodies is turning out to be a hit in Prague - and, a Czech student invents an automated fishing rod! Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
One of the diplomatic skills a prime minister needs to wield is keeping a straight face when one's hosts commit a gaffe. Now the Czech Prime Minister's manners leave a lot to be desired here in the Czech Republic - where he has been known to raise a middle finger at the opposition benches in Parliament, but abroad Mr. Topolanek is tact itself. On an official visit to Pakistan recently his motorcade went past large banners welcoming the Czech prime minister and sporting - wait for it - checkered flags - instead of the blue, red and white Czech flag. Obviously someone who was trying to ascertain what the Czech flag looked like misspelled Czech and got the checkered one instead. If the Czech Prime Minister noticed the goof he never lifted an eyebrow or cracked a joke. His hosts may have got the Czech flag wrong but the banners stated that the Pakistanis were praying for Czech progress and prosperity and like any well-mannered guest Mr. Topolanek acknowledged the spirit of good-natured hospitality. Moreover with a crucial vote on tax reform coming up, the Czech prime minister needs all the prayers he can get.
Here's the link to the Magazine website (of course the contents change each week, so look at it before June 2nd if you want to see the checkered flag).
From Insight Central Europe comes this item about an exhibition at the Bratislava City Gallery, it's called "The Pope Smoked Dope"
Switzerland's largest retailer Migros has been giving one percent of its turnover to cultural activities for the last fifty years. Here's the story on swissinfo. For instance, many of the music festivals held every summer throughout the country are partly financed by the "Kulturprozent".
While browsing swissinfo I found this image and link:
Listen to alphorn music and yodeling and classical music written with parts for alphorn, read up on alpine traditions, you can even create your own alphorn tune and send it to a friend. I think I may have to do a special about this site sometime soon.
We'll also have the last, the very last edition of "The Week Ahead" from Radio Netherlands.
And we'll include a commentary by Perro de Jong. He starts his talk with Bokito, the gorilla that broke out of his enclosure at Rotterdam's Blijdorp Zoo.
Last week we played some of the finalists in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki. If you want to know more about the artists, or the whole contest, check out the Eurovision website. In the Eurovision Shop you can listen to snippets of songs and buy the whole thing.
First, from Radio Prague's "Magazine" is an item about the Czech prime minister visiting Pakistan.
Is that a Czech flag or a checkered one? Sometimes it's hard to tell. The controversial exhibition showcasing preserved human bodies is turning out to be a hit in Prague - and, a Czech student invents an automated fishing rod! Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
One of the diplomatic skills a prime minister needs to wield is keeping a straight face when one's hosts commit a gaffe. Now the Czech Prime Minister's manners leave a lot to be desired here in the Czech Republic - where he has been known to raise a middle finger at the opposition benches in Parliament, but abroad Mr. Topolanek is tact itself. On an official visit to Pakistan recently his motorcade went past large banners welcoming the Czech prime minister and sporting - wait for it - checkered flags - instead of the blue, red and white Czech flag. Obviously someone who was trying to ascertain what the Czech flag looked like misspelled Czech and got the checkered one instead. If the Czech Prime Minister noticed the goof he never lifted an eyebrow or cracked a joke. His hosts may have got the Czech flag wrong but the banners stated that the Pakistanis were praying for Czech progress and prosperity and like any well-mannered guest Mr. Topolanek acknowledged the spirit of good-natured hospitality. Moreover with a crucial vote on tax reform coming up, the Czech prime minister needs all the prayers he can get.
Here's the link to the Magazine website (of course the contents change each week, so look at it before June 2nd if you want to see the checkered flag).
From Insight Central Europe comes this item about an exhibition at the Bratislava City Gallery, it's called "The Pope Smoked Dope"
Switzerland's largest retailer Migros has been giving one percent of its turnover to cultural activities for the last fifty years. Here's the story on swissinfo. For instance, many of the music festivals held every summer throughout the country are partly financed by the "Kulturprozent".
While browsing swissinfo I found this image and link:
Listen to alphorn music and yodeling and classical music written with parts for alphorn, read up on alpine traditions, you can even create your own alphorn tune and send it to a friend. I think I may have to do a special about this site sometime soon.
We'll also have the last, the very last edition of "The Week Ahead" from Radio Netherlands.
And we'll include a commentary by Perro de Jong. He starts his talk with Bokito, the gorilla that broke out of his enclosure at Rotterdam's Blijdorp Zoo.
Last week we played some of the finalists in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki. If you want to know more about the artists, or the whole contest, check out the Eurovision website. In the Eurovision Shop you can listen to snippets of songs and buy the whole thing.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Swiss Christian Party Attacks Eurovision Song
from swissinfo:
Christian fundamentalists are calling for Switzerland's Eurovision Song Contest entry to be banned because of its allegedly satanic content.
On Tuesday the Federal Democratic Union (FDU) handed in a 49,000-signature petition to the government condemning DJ Bobo's "Vampires Are Alive" as an affront to people's religious convictions.
more
Christian fundamentalists are calling for Switzerland's Eurovision Song Contest entry to be banned because of its allegedly satanic content.
On Tuesday the Federal Democratic Union (FDU) handed in a 49,000-signature petition to the government condemning DJ Bobo's "Vampires Are Alive" as an affront to people's religious convictions.
more
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Guide to understanding rude Parisians issued
PARIS (Reuters) - You don't need to speak French to understand the Parisians. You just need to know how to gesture. Or so claims a new guide issued by French tourism officials to help foreign tourists understand Parisians with a list of commonly used gestures with meanings like "shut up".
"Blend in by using them the next time you're in Paris. People will start mistaking you for a native in no time," says the online guide issued by the Ile-de-France regional committee of tourism at www.cestsoparis.com.
Complete article from Reuters
"Blend in by using them the next time you're in Paris. People will start mistaking you for a native in no time," says the online guide issued by the Ile-de-France regional committee of tourism at www.cestsoparis.com.
Complete article from Reuters
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