Gerd Anthoff, der scheue Atheist By Gerhard Fischer

Photo Credit: Catherina Hess

Ingmar Bergman hat Gerd Anthoff gelehrt, wie man Aggressionen spielt. Der Regisseur, der Schweden wegen Steuersorgen verlassen hatte, und der Schauspieler trafen sich in den Achtzigerjahren am Residenztheater in München. Anthoff spielte in Ibsens "Nora" den Erpresser Krogstad. "Und Bergman hat bestimmt, dass die Rolle vom Scheitel bis zur Sohle mit Aggressionen ausgefüllt sein musste", erzählt er. Das Problem war, dass Gerd Anthoff eher ein sanfter Mensch ist. "Bergman wusste das", sagt Anthoff, "und deshalb hat er bei der Probe unterschwellig eine ungeheure Aggression ausgestrahlt - gegen alles und jeden." Anthoff hat die Schwingungen aufgenommen. "Ich war plötzlich wie der Fisch im Wasser", sagt er. "Und seit dieser Zeit kann ich die Aggressionen auf der Bühne ausleben." Gerd Anthoff, 70, hat in seiner Fernseh-Karriere ein paar Kotzbrocken gespielt, etwa den rücksichtslosen Bauunternehmer Toni Rambold in "Der Bulle von Tölz" oder den korrupten Kommissar Dr. Claus Reiter in "Unter Verdacht". In der ersten Folge hat Reiter sogar einen Mordanschlag auf seine Kollegin Eva Prohacek (Senta Berger) initiiert. "Es kam nie heraus, ob er tatsächlich dahinter steckte", sagt Anthoff, "aber er steckte dahinter." Wenn das einer wissen muss, dann er. Gerd Anthoff sitzt im Stadtcafé und erzählt unentwegt Geschichten - von Berger, von Bergman oder vom Brandner Kaspar, wo er mehr als 950 mal den Nantwein spielen durfte. Dabei hatte der Spiegel einmal über Anthoff geschrieben, dieser entziehe sich "dem Mediengetümmel fundamentalistisch"."Ich gebe selten Interviews", sagt er dazu, "und mit roten Teppichen kann ich gar nichts anfangen." Warum? "Ich bin scheu." Auf die Anfrage der Süddeutschen Zeitung hatte er freundlich, aber zurückhaltend geantwortet: "Wir können gerne versuchen, miteinander ins Gespräch zu kommen." Die Scheu ist ein Charakterzug, aber sie kann auch damit zu tun haben, woher ein Mensch kommt. Gerd Anthoff ist nicht in einem reichen Akademiker-Haushalt aufgewachsen, in dem das Selbstbewusstsein zur inneren Einrichtung gehört. Anthoff stammt aus kleinen Verhältnissen im Münchner Westend. Als er 1946 zur Welt kam, wurden dort die Trümmer des Zweiten Weltkriegs weggeräumt. Die Kinder hat das nicht bekümmert, sie spielten zwischen dem Schutt in den Hinterhöfen. "Es war eine schöne Kindheit", sagt Anthoff. Aber es folgte "eine bedrückende Jugend". Er will nicht weiter ausführen, worin die Sorge bestand. Trost fand er im Theater. [... Page 2]/[... Page 3] SZ

Gerd Anthoff, the shy Atheist By Gerhard Fischer/Translation

"I always enjoy playing a role to discover: Humor, Despair, Chaos," says Gerd Anthoff. The actor learned from Ingmar Bergman, to play a truly unsympathetic person on stage. And later on TV.
From Gerhard Fischer
Ingmar Bergman taught Gerd Anthoff how to play aggression. The director, who left Sweden because of tax worries and the actor met in the '80s at the Residenztheater in Munich. Anthoff played the hijacker Korgstad in Ibsen's "Nora". "And Bergman advised that this role had to be played with aggression from head to toe," he said. The problem was that Gerd Anthoff tends to be more a gentle person. "Bergman knew that," said Anthoff, "and nevertheless he radiated an aura of subliminal, intense aggression at the rehearsals, against everything and everyone." Anthoff sensed it and was in sync. "I was suddenly like a fish in water," he said. "And since that time I can live out the aggression on stage." Gerd Anthoff, 70, had during his TV career many of these kinds of roles, unsympathetic and aggressive, like the reckless building contractor Toni Rambold in Der Bulle von Tölz or the corrupt detective Dr. Claus Reiter in Unter Verdacht. In the first show of the series, Reiter even initiated a murder attempt of his colleague Eva Prohacek (Senta Berger). "It was never found out whether or not he was really behind the murder," said Anthoff, "but he was the one behind the attempt." If anyone would know, it would be him. Gerd Anthoff sat in the Stadtcafe and told one story after another - about Berger, about Bergman and about the Bavarian Theater Play Brandner Kaspar, where he more than 950 times played the role of Nantwein. Spiegel wrote once about Anthoff that he tries to get fundamentally away from "the media frenzy." "I seldom give interviews," he also said, "and I can not do the red carpet." Why? "I am shy." A request from Süddeutschen Zeitung he answered friendly, but quietly answered: "We could try to talk to each other." Shyness is a characteristic, but it could be based on where someone comes from. Gerd Anthoff was not raised in a rich academic home in which inner confidence belongs. Anthoff was from blue collar roots in the Munich Westend. When he was born in 1946, rubble from the bombs of WWII was being cleared. The children didn't worry, they played between the rubble in the backyards. "It was a nice childhood," said Anthoff. But it was followed by a depressed youth. He did not want to go further into more detail about the reason for those worries. He found comfort in the Theater. [...] SZ

Monsieur Dior und seine Liebe zu Kleidern By Dennis Braatz

Christian Dior wollte nichts als Mode machen - doch dass alle seine Kreationen begehrten, quälte ihn. Zum 70-jährigen Bestehen des Hauses wird die Autobiografie des Designers neu aufgelegt. Kurz nachdem das letzte Mannequin den Laufsteg hinter sich gelassen hat, schiebt der Couturier den grauen Satinvorhang zur Seite und tritt in den Saal. Er schüttelt Hände, küsst parfümierte Wangen und erntet Bravorufe. Er wird rot. Am liebsten wäre Christian Dior jetzt allein mit seinen Kleidern, um sie in Ruhe anschauen und ihnen danken zu können."Ich möchte schreien, so überwältigend ist das Gefühl, dem Leben wiedergegeben zu sein. Und dennoch weiß ich, dass ich schon morgen eine grausame Leere verspüren werde", schreibt er in seiner Autobiografie über den Moment nach einer Show. Besser könnten zwei Sätze Diors Beziehung zur Mode nicht auf den Punkt bringen: Er hat sie verehrt und geliebt. Gleichzeitig empfand er sie als Last und fühlte sich von ihr erdrückt. Erstmals auf Deutsch ist seine Autobiografie "Dior" im Jahr 1957 erschienen. "Es gibt keine pikanten Histörchen über berühmte oder berüchtigte Kundinnen", schrieb damals mit leiser Enttäuschung die Zeit. Stattdessen habe Dior in seinem Lebensbericht dargestellt, wie er wurde, was er ist. Nahezu 60 Jahre lang war das Buch vergriffen. Nun, zum 70-jährigen Bestehen des Hauses, hat es Schirmer/Mosel unter dem Titel "Dior und ich" neu aufgelegt. Die 260 Seiten sind nicht nur deshalb lesenswert, weil heute jeder die Marke Dior kennt, aber kaum noch jemand etwas über ihren Gründer weiß. Das Buch ist auch ein lehrreicher Gegenschnitt zur aktuellen Situation der Branche. Es geht schon damit los, dass Christian Dior die Schlagzahl an Kollektionen zu hoch fand - dabei waren es damals nur zwei pro Jahr. Drei Monate arbeitete er mit seinem Personal an einer neuen Saison. Danach fuhr er auf sein Anwesen an der Kanalküste, nicht weit entfernt von seinem Elternhaus in Granville, um sich zu erholen: "Ich habe nie mehr als drei Monate Zeit, um über die vergangene Kollektion nachzusinnen, bevor ich schon wieder an die nächste denken muss."

Der Verkaufsdruck überschattet den kreativen Prozess

Auch einem anderen Dior-Designer war alles zu viel: Raf Simons kündigte 2015 seinen Job, weil er kaum noch Zeit für den kreativen Prozess fand und sich dem Verkaufsdruck ausgesetzt fühlte. Allerdings musste er auch mindestens sechs Kollektionen im Jahr entwerfen, zwei für das Prêt-à-porter, zwei für die Couture und zwei Zwischenkollektionen; zwischendurch jettete er noch zu Store-Eröffnungen (Monsieur Dior dagegen schipperte höchstens mal mit der Queen Mary nach New York). Das Label schmückt inzwischen eben auch Männer- und Kindermode, Schuhe und Taschen, Sonnenbrillen, Schmuck, Uhren, Parfums, Make-up, Nagellacke und Cremes. Es ist eine Zentrale des Luxus geworden, in Zahlen: mehr als 35 Milliarden Euro Umsatz im Jahr bei weltweit 122 000 Mitarbeitern. Als Christian Dior am 15. Dezember 1946 in der Pariser Avenue Montaigne seine Räume für handgemachte Kostüme und Kleider eröffnete, hatte er gerade mal zwei Handvoll Angestellte. Ein kleines Studio, einen Vorführsalon, ein Zimmer für die Models, ein Direktionsbüro, sechs Umkleideräume. Mehr war nicht. Bis kurz vor Unterzeichnung des Mietvertrags zweifelte er noch schwer daran, ob er als Couturier überhaupt geeignet sei. Tatsächlich explodierte der Name Dior in Europa dann innerhalb kürzester Zeit - wie heute #chanel auf Instagram, wenn Fashion Week ist.
1946 ist das Jahr, in dem sich Europa langsam wieder aufrappelt. Nach dem langen, grausamen Krieg sehnt man sich wieder nach Verschwendung und Schönheit. Das Zentrum kann nur Paris sein, weshalb die Vertreter der hohen Gesellschaft dort eine Lustbarkeit nach der anderen veranstalten. Zum "Ball der Vögel" des Künstlers Christian Bérard müssen die Gäste mit einer Halbmaske aus Federn kommen. Die Schriftstellerin Marie-Laure de Noailles lädt "Auf den Mond". Was der neuen Hoffnung fehlt, ist die richtige Tagesmode.

Entfremdung von der eigenen Kunst 

In seinem Atelier verbraucht Dior zu dieser Zeit für einen einzigen Rock so viel Stoff wie andere für zehn. Dazu komponiert er die streng taillierte "Bar"-Jacke (benannt nach der Bar im Hotel Plaza Athénée) mit kleinem Schößchen, das den voluminösen Rock einleiten soll. Vorbild ist die Wiener Hofmode, die Sisi-Silhouette, bloß eben nicht bodenlang, sondern bis übers Knie. Die Stoffauswahl und Schnittfindung ist für Dior ein Vorgang voller "Sorgen und Verwirrungen". Am Ende liebt er das Ergebnis so sehr, dass er es "Chérie" tauft: "Es verlieh der Trägerin die Brust einer Nymphe, die Taille einer Sylphide und entfaltete, einem riesenhaften Fächer gleich, seinen Rock, in den achtzig Meter weißen Taft eingearbeitet waren, in tausend Falten, deren wogende Weite fast bis an die Knöchel reichte." Diese Mode, die tonangebend für die nächsten zehn Jahren werden soll, wird von der Presse "New Look" getauft. Wochenlang muss die Schau wiederholt werden, weil der Strom an Kundinnen und Einkäufern nicht abreißen will. Es kommen so viele, dass der Aufgang zum großen Salon verbreitert wird. Der Couturier ist überglücklich und gleichzeitig betrübt. Er fühlt sich seiner Kleider beraubt, nennt sie "Beutestücke einer gewonnenen Schlacht". Er kann sie jetzt nicht mehr anschauen. Christian Dior ist ein Modemacher, der sich der Kreation von Kleidern völlig hingibt. Selbst die Abnahme ihrer Prototypen lässt er wie ein Theaterstück aussehen: Während er in einem Sessel sitzt, muss ein Assistent jedes Mal, wenn ein Mannequin zum Vorführen ins Zimmer kam, laut rufen: "Monsieur Dior, ein Modell!". Mit dem Geschäft, das um seine Kleider herum passiert, und ihrer Handhabe als Ware kommt er jedoch nicht klar. Er verabscheut auch das Spiel mit der Presse und beschreibt länglich, wie es ihn schmerzt, wenn seine Mode kopiert wird. Einmal habe man sogar einen Gast mit einer Fotokamera erwischt, die kaum größer als ein Knopf war!

Ein neuer, feministischer New Look

Zu einer "systematischen Plünderung" kommt es durch eine Amerikanerin, die Kundinnen in die Schauen einschleust und seine Kleider aufkaufen lässt. Später verleiht sie die Kleider für bis zu 500 Dollar an Frauen, damit die sich die Originale günstig nachnähen können. In Frankreich wird die "Modellverleiherin" später zu ein paar Millionen Francs verurteilt. In den USA ist ihr Gewerbe aber durch kein Gesetz verboten - sie darf weiter praktizieren. Heute gehört Dior zu den meist kopierten Modefirmen der Welt, nur läuft die Sache mit den Plagiaten inzwischen ein bisschen anders ab: Jede Show landet sofort im Internet, Fast-Fashion-Konzerne bieten die Looks für eine Handvoll Euro schon Wochen später in den Fußgängerzonen an. Was Monsieur Dior wohl dazu sagen würde? Gefallen dürfte ihm aber sicherlich, dass erstmals eine Frau an der kreativen Spitze seines Hauses steht: Die ehemalige Valentino-Designerin Maria Grazia Chiuri hat bei der Pariser Modewoche im September ihre erste Kollektion gezeigt, die sie explizit als feministisch verstanden haben wollte. Ein neuer New Look, sozusagen. Christian Dior führte sein eigenes Haus nur zehn Jahre lang: 1957 starb er bei einer Kur in Italien an einem Herzanfall. Die Ursache ist nie richtig aufgeklärt worden, aber es wird vermutet, dass er eine Tuberkulose nicht richtig auskuriert hatte. Wie seine Marke danach ständig vergrößert und auf immer mehr Umsatz getrimmt wurde, mit Mode als Stangenware und den ganzen Accessoires und Beauty-Produkten, davon hat er nichts mehr mitbekommen. Heute läuft das überall so, auch bei Chanel, Louis Vuitton oder Yves Saint Laurent. Christian Dior, dieser feinsinnige und überaus schüchterne Mann, der in jeder Kollektion Herzblut vergoss, hat an das Diktat des Kommerzes nie so recht glauben können: "Mögen alle, die da glauben, der Wechsel der Mode könne kaufmännischen Gesichtspunkten gehorchen, sich eines Besseren belehren lassen", schreibt er in seiner Autobiografie. "Ich versichere ihnen, dass so eine beeinflusste Mode keine Lebenskraft hat, keine Chance zu gefallen, keinerlei Entwicklungsmöglichkeiten haben würde."
In diesem Punkt hat er sich leider getäuscht. SZ Amazon.de (Deutsch) Wikipedia.de (Deutsch)
Wikipedia.de (Deutsch)

Maria Grazia Chiuri named first female director of Christian Dior By Elizabeth Schumacher

Photo Credit: www.stylish-news.com

(July 8, 2016) The House of Dior has named Maria Grazia Chiuri as its new creative director. The French fashion house hopes to replicate the sales success engineered by Chiuri for Italian label Valentino. Italian Maria Grazia Chiuri will be the first female creative director of Christian Dior, the famed French fashion house announced on Friday. This means Chiuri will leave her co-director position at Italian designer Valentino and end her artistic collaboration with Pierpaolo Piccioli. Chiuri and Piccioli took over the helm of Valentino from its founder Valentino Garavani in 2008 but the pair have worked together for over twenty years. Together they maintained the label's high reputation but also turned it into one of the industry's most profitable and fastest growing brands. According to industry insiders, it was this aspect of her career that gave Chiuri the biggest boost as Dior struggles with flagging sales. Christian Dior is controlled by French billionaire Bernard Arnault, who also controls luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE. "When you listen to a woman talk about a woman, whether it is her body or her lifestyle, her work, the way she travels, what she needs, it is not conceptual," said Sidney Toledano, CEO of Dior. "It is practical. Maria Grazia is very practical: very straightforward, very clear, and she has no fear." "It’s very important to have the eyes of a woman designing for women," he added. Chiuri, 52, follows in the footsteps of fashion giants Yves Saint Laurent and John Galliano. She said her appointment was a "great honor" but also a "tremendous responsiblity," to be the first woman to lead a brand "so deeply rooted in the pure expression of femininity." "I cannot wait to express my own vision," the designer said. Dior has been without a creative director since the unexpected departure of Belgian designer Raf Simons last October. He expressed a desire to focus on his own label after three and a half years at the French house. Simons, both at Dior and his previous position for Jil Sander, has repeatedly come under fire for refusing to use models of color in his catwalk shows.

New Look, new director
Founded by eponymous designer Christian Dior in 1946, the house became famous for its "New Look" suits and dresses which pinched in at the waist and employed voluminous fabric - shocking for a post-war France used to rationing. Dior's work is also credited with re-establishing Paris as the capital of fashion after World War II. In its seventy year history of producing womenswear, every creative director has been male. The reaction to Dior's announcement on Twitter was overwhelmingly positive. Chiuri does not have her own label and she will have more responsibility for other aspects of the brand than her predecessors. Not only will she design ready-to-wear and haute couture collections but will also be involved in advertising and store design, as well as the shoe and handbag branches of the company. Her first public foray for Dior will be a ready-to-wear collection to be presented at Paris fashion week in September. es/jm (AP, AFP) DW SZ Amazon.de (German) Amazon.com (English) Wikipedia Wikipedia Wikipedia Photo

Paris Hilton loves being single

Photo Credit: Bang Showbiz 2016

Photo Credit: Greg DeGuire June 2005

Paris Hilton doesn't need "anyone to validate her happiness". The 35-year-old socialite is currently single after splitting from Thomas Gross in April 2016 after a year of dating but insists she is "independent" and doesn't need a man. She said: "I love being single. Before, I could never be alone. I always needed a boyfriend. Now, I feel so independent and I am so happy with myself. I don't need anyone to validate my happiness." The blonde beauty rose to fame by starring on 'The Simple Life' alongside Nicole Richie but she is desperate to put her reality star past behind her. She added: "I want to be known as a businesswoman. I don't want to be known as a reality TV star. I don't like the way that sounds ... "I have really grown past that ... spoiled, materialistic, bratty [persona]. Now I mostly focus on my empire and my brand, rather than everything else that comes with the reality star kind of life ... I spend my time working rather than just enjoying myself and being on vacation." And Paris believes she was one of the first people to make money out of partying when she was just 20-years-old. The DJ told Harper's Bazaar magazine: "When I moved to New York as a teenager I would just party all the time, but now people think I am actually smart because I have parlayed that into a very lucrative business. "With partying, no one had ever been paid to go to a party. I was the first one to kind of invent that in Las Vegas at 20 years old. Back in the day, a DJ would maybe get $200 and they would be hidden in a DJ booth. "Now they are headliners, making millions of dollars - the whole attraction is them. I saw that coming before it was actually happening." MSN News

STING - A tribute to all the German fans !!

Message in a Bottle 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Concert

Jerry Vale

Photo Credit: pdxretro.com

Snowbird Jerry Vale (born Genaro Louis Vitaliano; July 8, 1930 – May 18, 2014) was an Italian-American singer and actor. During the 1950s and 1960s, Vale reached the top of the pop charts with his interpretations of romantic ballads, many of which he sang in Italian. Wikipedia Photo

No, Italy is not about to leave the euro By Pepe Escobar

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is no more. The temptation is inevitable to ascribe the end of this lucky opportunist’s thousand days in the limelight as a verdict on the euro and the EU. As with all things Italy, it’s way more complicated. The Italian referendum this Sunday was indeed a resounding No to Renzi and the constitutional amendments he proposed. The key takeaway is that Italians essentially voted not to change the constitution to the benefit of an autocratic Parliament. Inbuilt in the No, of course, there’s immense, potential collateral damage – which happens to involve the future of the EU. It’s no wonder the anti-elite Five Star Movement, led by Beppe Grillo, as well as the ultra-xenophobic Lega Nord (Northern League), led by Matteo Salvini, are spinning it as a rout. Voter turnout was particularly high in wealthy Lombardy and Veneto – where the League is quite popular. The League’s message, day in, day out, centers on ominous figures besetting Italy – from three million workers in the black market to eight families out of ten living in extremely precarious circumstances. Blame the government – Renzi’s Democratic Party – as well as immigration. Yet, in parallel, scores across the Left voted No exactly to block the path for the extreme Right to reach power. So the No victory may also be seen as a vote for democracy – as Renzi’s constitutional amendments would facilitate a major power grab for the next prime minister's seat in Rome’s Palazzo Chigi. A Yes vote would have meant the end of what in Italy is known as “perfect bicameralism,” created under the country’s 1948 constitution, where we have two chambers of Parliament filled with elected lawmakers. Both have equal power and must agree on all legislation to be approved. This being Italy, the name of the (perennial) game is gridlock. Renzi’s government proposed the number of senators be reduced from 315 to 100, on top of it elected indirectly, as in selected by regional assemblies, with some mayors thrown in. This Senate emasculation would mean most Italian laws including the crucial state budget – passing without a glitch, thus making the nation “easier to govern.” The Senate would only be effective on ruling about the prickly relationship between Rome and Brussels. No wonder most voters interpreted it as a power grab by Renzi’s Democratic Party.

Tickets for the opera, anyone?

The 'follow the money' scenario is once again preeminent in Italy. The EU banking ecosphere is agog the No victory will make it even harder to rescue Siena’s Monte dei Paschi – the oldest bank in the world and currently Italy’s third-largest; it badly needs to raise €5 billion of equity and sell off €28 billion in bad loans. In fact, virtually the whole Italian banking system is on the ropes, needing a rescue package of at least €40 billion. Italy is paying JP Morgan to come up with a solution. European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member Ewald Nowotny, who’s also the head of Austria’s central bank, insists Italy might have to spend a lot of public money for the rescue. This will be considered toxic by most Italian voters. Couple the banking crisis with the fact Italy’s industrial output may be as much as 10 percent smaller than it was ten years ago. And unemployment – at a hefty 13 percent - is roughly double than it was before the 2008 financial crisis. What’s immediately ahead is, what else, a political crisis, although containable. President Sergio Mattarella, elected only last year, must oversee the formation of a new government. The Five Star Movement and the Lega Nord are already calling for immediate elections. A look at the major players jockeying for position in the new government sweepstakes is not exactly uplifting. They are: Renzi (Democratic Party); Silvio 'bunga bunga' Berlusconi (Forza Italia); Beppe Grillo (Five Star Movement); and Matteo Salvini (Lega Nord). If these signori don’t agree on anything, there could be a snap election soon. Grillo’s Five Star want an election so badly because it will be held under the new electoral laws before it’s all changed back to the good old proportionate system. Expect a lot of (figurative) blood on the Colosseum before any solution. As the EU observes, in thrall, the bottom line is that Italy is not anywhere near a referendum to leave the eurozone, not to mention the EU, as most Italians are Europhiles (except when it comes to the German domination of the ECB). The next elections, whenever they take place, will feature a battle of three political formations: the anti-elite Five Star Movement; Renzi’s Democratic Party – now in a shambles; and the center-right (Berlusconi) probably aligned with the Lega. Any of these three, but mostly the Five Star, stand a chance to win. So Italy is now firmly concentrated on trying to get a new – functional – government, not abandon the euro. But that still entails a fascinating sub-plot; none other than Angela Merkel will have to step up and lend a hand to “save” the EU by saving the future of Renzi’s Democratic Party. Now that’s what an opera buffa is all about.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

Pepe Escobar is an independent geopolitical analyst. He writes for RT, Sputnik and TomDispatch, and is a frequent contributor to websites and radio and TV shows ranging from the US to East Asia. He is the former roving correspondent for Asia Times Online. Born in Brazil, he's been a foreign correspondent since 1985, and has lived in London, Paris, Milan, Los Angeles, Washington, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Even before 9/11 he specialized in covering the arc from the Middle East to Central and East Asia, with an emphasis on Big Power geopolitics and energy wars. He is the author of "Globalistan" (2007), "Red Zone Blues" (2007), "Obama does Globalistan" (2009) and "Empire of Chaos" (2014), all published by Nimble Books. His latest book is "2030", also by Nimble Books, out in December 2015. RT

Sergei Polunin Lands Major Movie Roles By Jennifer Stahl

Photo Credit: Natalia Osipova and Sergei Polunin
www.criticaldance.org

It’s hard not to resent Sergei Polunin a little bit. After walking away from his principal position at The Royal Ballet at age 23, frustrated—as he later told Dance Magazine—by the lack of support, money and exposure he was getting as a ballet dancer, now it looks like he’s having his cake and eating it, too. Not only is Polunin dancing again—under Igor Zelensky in Munich’s Bayeriches Staatsballett, and with girlfriend Natalia Osipova in her program of contemporary works—but he’s also getting the Hollywood attention (and paycheck) he’s always wanted. In addition to starring in his own bio-doc, Dancer, Polunin recently confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that he’ll be appearing in two major upcoming movies: the spy thriller Red Sparrow, featuring Jennifer Lawrence (who plays a ballerina-turned-Russian spy who falls for a CIA officer) and the whodunit classic Murder on the Orient Express starring Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz and Judi Dench. For now, Polunin’s roles in both movies are unknown. But we’re keeping our fingers crossed they include some dancing. Don’t let yourself get too bitter. Sure, he’s landed numerous priceless opportunities in spite (or maybe because) of his “bad boy” reputation. But watching Dancer, you realize he’s struggled the same as every aspiring dancer. What’s more, he’s determined to give back: He says his new Project Polunin is designed to be a company to support other dancers by setting them up with resources like scholarship funds, lawyers looking out for their interests and agents who can connect them with other industries—like film. Dance Magazine Photo

Spanish Royal couple enjoy whirlwind trip to Portugal

Photo Credit: www.gettyimages.it

Spain’s King Felipe VI and his wife Queen Letizia this week conducted a three-day tour of Portugal to pay testament to the bond and diversity of the relationship between the two countries and their peoples. Monday’s itinerary saw the royal couple welcomed at Porto Town Hall, and also viewing the collection of artist Joan Miró at the Serralves Foundation. After visiting Porto and Guimarães, Felipe VI and Letizia, moved on to Lisbon, arriving on Tuesday afternoon where they were welcomed at the city chambers and offered a dinner by the Prime Minister, António Costa, at the Palácio das Necessidades. The King and Queen of Spain ended their visit on Wednesday with Felipe VI giving a speech to Portugal’s parliament and visiting the cutting-edge Champalimaud Foundation. The monarchs then went to the residence of the Spanish ambassador in Lisbon at the Palácio de Palhavã, in Praça de Espanha, for a reception with the Spanish community that lives in Portugal. The visit ended with Felipe VI and Letizia visiting the Champalimaud Foundation, where they were once again accompanied by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The Portugal News Photo

Richard Marx

Ready To Fly Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963) is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician and record producer who has sold over 30 million records. He had a stream of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights," "Right Here Waiting," "Now and Forever," "Hazard" and "At The Beginning" with Donna Lewis. Although some of his major hit songs were ballads, many of his songs have had a classic rock style, such as "Don't Mean Nothing," "Should've Known Better," "Satisfied," and "Too Late to Say Goodbye." Marx placed himself in the record books by being the first solo artist to have his first seven singles hit the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart (3, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 4). His record sales worldwide exceed 30 million. Aside from songs that he has written, composed, and recorded for himself, he has written and/or composed, collaborated on the writing and/or the compositions of, and produced such successful selections for other artists as "This I Promise You" by NSYNC and "Dance With My Father" by Luther Vandross. The latter song won several Grammy Awards. His 14th and latest chart topper, "Long Hot Summer," performed by Keith Urban, gave Marx the distinction of having a song he wrote or co-wrote top the charts in four different decades. Marx was born in Chicago, Illinois, the only child of Ruth (née Guildoo), a former singer, and Dick Marx, a jazz musician and founder of a successful jingle company in the early 1960s. He has three half-siblings from his father's previous marriage. Wikipedia 

Steve Winwood

Back In The High Life Again

Paris Agreement: Savior for the world's climate?

The global climate agreement is now officially in force. Parties to the treaty will work under this framework to prevent catastrophic global warming. But what's in the Paris Agreement, and can it achieve its goal? This Friday (04.11.2016), the United Nations agreement on climate change has come into force. As of that day, 97 countries have ratified it - among them the largest worldwide greenhouse gas polluters: the United States, China, the European Union and India.
Ratification in such a short time by so many countries has been considered historical, and represents a turning point in climate policy.
What is the objective of the agreement?
The stated goal of the agreement is to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) or ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius. For the 1.5-degree goal, emission of greenhouse gases would have to decrease very quickly. The greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is released during combustion of fossil fuels and in deforestation. This is the main gas responsible (72 percent) for the greenhouse effect. In order to limit global warming to a maximum of 2 degrees, coal, oil and gas must be mostly phased out as energy sources by 2050 - to achieve the 1.5 degree target, this would need to happen even earlier. The greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide (N2O) constitute about a quarter of global warming, and are released primarily due to industrial agriculture. Methane is produced in the stomachs of cows and sheep, and nitrous oxide through fertilization of cropland. Lower meat and milk production and lower fertilization would help reduce emissions. Reforestation helps to reduce greenhouse gases, since trees remove CO2 from the air and bind it back into woody material. However, international air traffic and shipping are not included in the Paris climate agreement. The share of air traffic in the greenhouse effect is currently more around 5 percent. And as all forecasts predict rising air traffic, this share could increase. The share of international shipping traffic toward global greenhouse gas emissions is about 3 percent.
What's at stake?
With a temperature increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius, some coral reefs could still survive, and sea levels would probably rise by "only" 40 centimeters by 2100, according to PIK. But a temperature increase of 2 degrees could mean the end of coral reefs. Droughts, extreme storms and crop failure are further consequences. According to PIK calculations, with a 2-degree global temperature increase, by 2100 sea levels would be about 50 centimeters higher than today, and through ongoing ice melt from 1.5 to 4 meters higher by 2300. This would have devastating consequences for coastal regions around the world. The Netherlands, Bangladesh, Venice, New York, Tokyo, Sydney, Mumbai and London would all be hard hit. Today, 46 million people live in areas less than a meter above sea level. The UN's Executive Secretary for Climate Change Patricia Espinosa believes the agreement is also a cornerstone for sustainable change. "It lays the foundation for a transformation that will lead to a world very different from the one we know now," Espinosa told DW. A quick end to the use of fossil fuels, a successful global transition to clean energy technologies, and far greater energy efficiency are among the primary challenges. But the UNFCCC is optimistic that in the years to come, there will be a worldwide trend toward further climate protection. DW

What you should really be eating to protect yourself against dementia By Chloe Lambert

Dr Estep’s rules for keeping your brain young The Telegraph

Eat at every meal:

• Vegetables, including leafy greens and herbs, and pulses
• Small portion of carbohydrates such as white rice or pasta, sourdough breads such as ciabatta
• Vinegar and other fermented foods such as miso and pickled vegetables
• Coffee or tea (Drink with meals to inhibit the absorption of iron. Decaffeinated coffee works too, as does herbal tea)
• Olive oil and nuts

Eat a few times a week:

• Fish and seafood, particularly smaller, fattier fish such as herring, sardines and anchovies (If you are vegetarian, choose an omega 3 supplement)
• Fruits
• Cheese
• Eggs; poultry
• Alcohol (Red wine is best, no more than two small glasses a day. If you don’t drink, don’t start)

Eat occasionally or never:

• Red meat
• Commercial white bread
• Milk and milk products
• Deep fried food

Bono’s tech-y daughter Jordan heads up Brooklyn startup By Debbie McGoldrick

Photo Credit: ActionButton.org

Bono has spent almost as much time traveling the world on behalf of his humanitarian projects as he has with U2.  So it’s no surprise that his eldest child, daughter Jordan, has taken a leaf out of Dad’s book with her first big project. Jordan, 27, is head of her own Brooklyn-based tech start up, Speakable, which last week launched its new product – an “action button” that will appear on news sites which allows readers to instantly respond to stories they are reading on a page either via a poll, signing a petition or donating to the story’s relevant cause.  Companies that have already signed on to include the action button on their content include the Huffington Post and Vice. Hewson told CBS News that the idea for the product came to her after reading about the heroic Pakistani schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, who was shot multiple times on her school bus and miraculously survived.  The article, Hewson said, linked to a petition to support the education of girls worldwide, but she never clicked. It made her think that if the petition was right there on the page, it would have been easier to take action. “I never clicked on the link,” Hewson told CBS. “Ten minutes later, I thought, ‘If I’m not going to sign this, who will?’ I started to think very seriously about the barriers that exist to taking action and engaging with content. If we make it faster and easier to affect the things people care about, it will be more likely that they will actually do something.” Bono is not involved with Speakable, which raised $2 million earlier this year.  “My dad is a good resource, but I try to keep him away from the company as much as possible,” Jordan told Fortune. But his influence is clear to see in his daughter. “From a young age, I was always attending interesting events or conferences or interesting parts of the world. My family did an incredible job of educating us, of trying to keep us balanced in terms of what we saw in our environments,” Hewson said. This generation, she feels, wants to make an impact, and the action button will allow them to do just that. “Millennials have different expectations of digital content,” she said. “They want to do more than read headlines — they want to change headlines.” Irish Central Photo Action Button

Irish port to be European shipping hub after Brexit By Philip Ryan

The Port of Foynes is to become Europe's gateway to the US under a radical new Government initiative aimed at capitalising on Britain's decision to leave the EU. The move would see the port in Limerick developed into a shipping hub to rival Rotterdam Port in Holland, the central destination for European freight companies shipping goods to the US. Central to the plan is a proposal to base US custom officials in Foynes who could give pre-clearance to cargo ships. It is hoped the redeveloped port would also reduce costs for Irish manufacturers shipping produce to America and Continental Europe, and create thousands of new jobs. The project is being proposed by Denis Naughten, Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources, who said there is a "huge opportunity" to develop the port into a hub for shipping in Europe and attract investment for Limerick. "Rotterdam is becoming hugely congested as the main port of Europe and there is potential to develop on the western seaboard a major port at Foynes that would act as a transit point for freight to and from North America," Mr Naughten told the Sunday Independent. "My suggestion is to do what we have done for passengers and have pre-clearance for large freight out of Foynes into the United States. "Freight would come into Foynes, get scanned there, get certified and can land in New York and it is the same as an internal shipment," he added. The Minister said a so-called 'hard Brexit' - as is being proposed by UK Prime Minister Theresa May - will result in EU border checks which will drive up costs for freight companies shipping out of Britain into Europe. Ireland could become a more attractive destination for companies shipping from outside the EU into Central Europe through Britain. However, Mr Naughten believes the redeveloped port would also attract business from within Europe. "It's not just from a Brexit point of view, this is an opportunity of attracting industry in from right across Europe that are exporting into the US," he said. "Our second biggest export destination is the US. The reality is post-Brexit exports into the UK are going to be put under pressure so this is an opportunity to make a new market and make it far more efficient for the export of goods." The Irish Independent

REM

Photo Credit: motherlovemusic.be

Man on the Moon Photo

How Stockholm's cold climate boosts creativity

Photo Credit: pininterest.com

Picture the scene: Dusk begins to settle on Stockholm, magnifying the glow from the candle-lit windows that warm the city. Frost invades the Swedish capital as quickly as the sun fades, the vicious bite of the ice ushering people indoors. It’s dark, it’s cold and (this is the best part) it’s only 3pm! Welcome to winter in Stockholm. As soon as those telltale signs of autumn start to appear, tingeing the city a crisp, golden shade of brown, preparations for winter truly commence. Boats are lifted from the harbours, thermals are dug out of the basements, and winter tyres are readied for the vehicles. But no matter how harsh or relentless the winter here may be, Swedes don’t go into hibernation, and Stockholm does not do long winter naps. On the contrary: it’s during these long, dark winters, that Stockholm arguably makes its name as the Creative Capital of the World. Sure, summer in Stockholm is beautiful, but it’s when the sun disappears for half a year that the Swedes stop dawdling around the archipelago and spend more time, attention, and energy on other activities...like launching startups. The impressive startup scene in Stockholm turns heads around the world, and for good reason too. The Swedish capital is home to five of the biggest unicorns around the globe, including tech giants Spotify, Skype, Klarna, Mojang and King (the Candy Crush folk). So what’s the secret behind Stockholm’s startup success? “Creative people tend to be night owls, and in Sweden we get two nights per day for half of the year,” claims Kaj Drobin, co-founder of the e-commerce Stockholm startup Tictail. Kaj co-founded the company in 2012 alongside Siavash Ghorbani, Birk Nilsson and Carl Waldekranz. Now, according to Kaj, “Tictail is the go-to destination for emerging designers, with a sprawling marketplace of 100,000 independent brands from 140 countries around the world.” A key ingredient to Tictail’s recipe for success, however, is the cold and dark climate of their Stockholm roots. “Since the dark and cloudy climate mostly keeps us indoors, we put focus and energy into finding unique solutions to complex projects to keep the days from being mundane,” Kaj explains. “Our minds are constantly moving. We never get stuck, even if we're stuck inside all day.” And Tictail aren’t alone in this theory. Victoria Bastide, CTO of Stockholm-based startup Lifesum, also believes the bitter Swedish climate can aid the creative process, and subsequent success of startups in Stockholm. “As so much time is spent indoors because of the cold, it leaves a lot of time to come up with creative and exciting ideas,” she says. “We spend a lot of time with our family and friends in the winter, which means that any ideas that we do come up with can be discussed in plenty of detail, with constructive input from others. This usually means that the idea is not only good, but a lot of thought has gone into its execution, increasing its chances of success.” Speaking of spending time with family and friends, there are few better ways to evade the frosty outdoors than with a fika in a warm and welcoming café with good company. This winter, startups will come together for an invigorating coffee at Sup46’s brand new Startup Café. Sup46 – a startup hub launched to bring startups together (genius!) – is at the very heart of Stockholm’s thriving startup community. Jessica Stark, CEO and co-founder of Sup46, agrees that the harsh Stockholm climate makes for an excellent startup environment. “What more is there to do between October and May than letting your brain work in mysterious ways?” she asks. “The climate encourages you to be creative with your time… Also, too much cold and darkness is bad for the brain – best to stay in front of the luminous screen of your laptop making time pass by building something extraordinary!” But it’s not just about what the Swedish climate makes us do, it’s also about how we do it. Over at podcasting platform Acast, Karl Rosander, co-founder and President, and Måns Ulvestam, CEO and co-founder, consider the cold and dark Swedish climate to be beneficial for the character of budding entrepreneurs. “It [the cold and dark climate] makes us tenacious,” they say, “Which we think is the most important skill or talent for entrepreneurs.” So embrace the ice this winter in Stockholm, appreciate the absent natural light, and applaud the subzero Baltic breeze. Because somewhere in the city, someone – a young, tenacious entrepreneur – is sheltering from the cold, directing all their time, energy and focus towards the next startup from Stockholm. Invest Stockholm and The Local-Sweden Photo

The art of clowning through the years By Jessica Villagomez

"Fear of clowns is called Coulrophobia"

When DePaul sophomore Alyssa Padilla watched the horror film “It”, Pennywise the dancing clown haunted her dreams and intensified her already poor perception of clowns. The heavy make-up disguising the human identity beneath, and horrific intentions against a group of children, added onto her belief that clowns could do no good. Padilla can’t explain her fear of clowns, or what it is that frightens her but she knows one thing: she can’t even be in the same room as one. “It could be a clown with little to no make-up and I’ll still freak out,” she said. “I feel uncomfortable when they are around me and tend to freak out when they get near me.” The cultural perception of clowns has evolved over the years. With recent creepy clown sightings terrorizing neighborhoods across the country, clowns have gained a bad reputation being seen as creepy killers, bad omens and mysterious figures, causing people like Padilla to despise them immediately. Associate professor of media and cinema studies Paul Booth said the art of clowning has been around for centuries in various formats. “We might think that clowns are a recent phenomenon, but every culture has some type of clown,” Booth said. “There are differences between types of clowns, though — the clown image we have today is a combination of many different types of clowns, including the circus clown, the jester and the ‘Pierrot’, a type of clown from French court.” Booth said that clowns have been portrayed in a variety of ways including as mean and angry or figures of trickery and mischief. “The clowns we see today are actually just an evolution from the earliest depictions of clowns,” Booth said. “Fear of clowns is called Coulrophobia, although most people just think they’re creepy rather than having an actual phobia.” Booth said that clowns are a cultural symbol of where we stand as a society today, acting as a mirror to ourselves. “What changed is not the clown itself but the fact that our culture today is more sensationalistic, voyeuristic, and extreme than in the past,” Booth said.  “The clown reflects culture back at us.” The Chicago Tribune reported sightings of clowns armed with weapons including knives and guns attempting to lure children into the woods. Clowns have also been reported to chase nearby bystanders as well as stand outside homes and schools. DePaul senior Michelle Cahill attributes her poor perception of clowns to past actions made by criminal clowns. Cahill understands that not all clowns are killers or creepy but thinks that their unknown identity comes from a history of mystery. “To do terrible things dressed as a clown is especially terrifying because it’s the antithesis of what’s considered normal behavior” she said. “I actually feel sorry for them,” she said. “Just because I’m not a fan doesn’t mean that they don’t have fans and this weird warped aspect of their identity just hurts their overall appeal. Especially because some of it is intentional, like when people dress up like clowns to do bad things. I don’t think people who dress like clowns to visit kids in the hospital deserve to be lumped in with people manipulating the image for nefarious reasons.” Booth also attributed public perception of clowns to marketing in the media in horror films and Halloween stories. The DePaulia

300 million children exposed to heavily toxic air, says UNICEF

Some 300 million children live with outdoor air so polluted it can cause serious physical damage, including harming their developing brains, the United Nations said in a study released Monday.

Nearly one child in seven around the globe breathes outdoor air that is at least six times dirtier than international guidelines, according to the study by the UN Children's Fund, which called air pollution a leading factor in child mortality. UNICEF published the study a week before the annual UN climate-change talks, with the upcoming round to be hosted by Morocco on November 7-18. The agency, which promotes the rights and well-being of children, is pushing for world leaders to take urgent action to reduce air pollution in their countries. "Air pollution is a major contributing factor in the deaths of around 600,000 children under five every year, and it threatens the lives and futures of millions more every day," said Anthony Lake, executive director of UNICEF. "Pollutants don't only harm children's developing lungs. They can actually cross the blood-brain barrier and permanently damage their developing brains and, thus, their futures. No society can afford to ignore air pollution," Lake said. UNICEF points to satellite imagery which it says confirms that about two billion children live in areas where outdoor air pollution exceeds minimum air-quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization. The air is poisoned by vehicle emissions, fossil fuels, dust, burning waste and other airborne pollutants, it said. South Asia has the largest number of children living in such areas at about 620 million, followed by Africa with 520 million and the East Asia and Pacific region with 450 million. The study also looked at indoor air pollution, typically caused by burning coal and wood for cooking and heating. Together, outdoor and indoor air pollution are directly linked to pneumonia and other respiratory diseases that account for almost one death in 10 in children under the age of five, making air pollution a leading danger to children's health, UNICEF said. The agency noted that children are more susceptible than adults to indoor and outdoor air pollution because their lungs, brains and immune systems are still developing and their respiratory tracts are more permeable. The most vulnerable to illnesses caused by air pollution are children living in poverty, who tend to have poorer health and little access to health services. UNICEF is calling for more robust measures to reduce pollution, increase children's access to healthcare and to monitor and minimize children's exposure to polluted air. (AFP) France 24 Edurite UNICEF

New earthquake rocks Italy, buildings collapse but no deaths reported By Isla Binnie

NORCIA, Italy A powerful earthquake struck Italy on Sunday in the same central regions that have been rocked by repeated tremors over the past two months, with more homes and churches brought down but no deaths reported. The quake, which measured 6.6 according to the U.S. Geological Survey, was bigger than one on Aug. 24 that killed almost 300 people. Many people have fled the area since then, helping to avoid a new devastating death toll. With thousands already made homeless, a leading seismologist warned that the earthquakes could go on for weeks in a domino effect along the central Apennine fault system.The latest quake was felt across much of Italy, striking at 7.40 a.m. (0640 GMT), its epicenter close to the historic Umbrian walled town of Norcia, some 100 km (60 miles) from the university city of Perugia. Panicked Norcia residents rushed into the streets and the town's ancient Basilica of St. Benedict collapsed, leaving just the facade standing. Nuns, monks and locals sank to their knees in the main square in silent prayer before the shattered church. "This is a tragedy. It is a coup de grace. The basilica is devastated," Bishop Renato Boccardo of Norcia told Reuters. "Everyone has been suspended in a never-ending state of fear and stress. They are at their wits' end," said Boccardo, referring to the thousands of tremors that have rattled the area since August, including two serious quakes on Wednesday. Italy's Civil Protection unit, which coordinates disaster relief, said numerous houses were destroyed on Sunday in the regions of Umbria and Marche, but either they were deserted at the time or most of the residents managed to escape in time. Civil Protection chief Fabrizio Curcio said no deaths had been reported and around 20 people were injured, none of them critically. He said it was too early to say how many more people had lost their homes. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi promised a massive reconstruction effort regardless of cost and took advantage of the disaster to resume his frequent criticism of the European Union's public finance rules. "This morning's quake has hit the few things that were left standing. We will have to start from scratch," Michele Franchi, the deputy mayor of Arquata del Tronto, told Rai television. Experts said Sunday's quake was the strongest here since a 6.9 quake in Italy's south in 1980 that killed 2,735 people. Sunday's earthquake was felt as far north as Bolzano, near the border with Austria and as far south as the Puglia region at the southern tip of the Italian peninsula. It was also felt strongly in the capital, Rome, where transport authorities shut down the metro system for precautionary checks. Authorities also toured the city's main Roman Catholic basilicas looking for possible damage. Italy sits on two geological fault lines, making it one of the most seismically active countries in Europe. Its deadliest quake since the start of the 20th century came in 1908, when a tremor followed by a tsunami killed an estimated 80,000 people in the southern regions of Reggio Calabria and Sicily. (Writing by Crispian Balmer and Philip Pullella; Additional reporting by Steve Scherer, Gavin Jones and Mark Bendeich; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Larry King) REUTERS

German Polizei

FOCUS

Russia Ousted From UN Human Rights Council in Historic Vote By Kambiz Foroohar

Photo Credit: www.iatp.org

Russia lost its bid to retain a seat on the UN Human Rights Council amid daily accusations that the country may be guilty of war crimes for its support of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s assault on the city of Aleppo. The 193-member General Assembly on Friday elected 14 countries to the 47-member council. With 112 votes, Russia lost to Hungry and Croatia. As many as 87 human rights groups had objected to Russia’s candidacy, said Akshaya Kumar, deputy UN director for Human Rights Watch, a New York-based advocacy group. “It’s hard to imagine the atrocities happening in Aleppo weren’t on the minds of the people casting their votes today,” Kumar said. “This is a historic rejection.” The humanitarian crisis in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo worsened after a U.S.-Russian ceasefire deal fell apart and Assad’s Russian-backed forces stepped up their campaign to defeat rebels holding the city, where some 275,000 people remain trapped. The incessant bombing has prompted some U.S. and European leaders to threaten possible sanctions, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry saying a war crimes investigation may be warranted. Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin downplayed the vote, saying that Croatia and Hungary, “are fortunate because of their size they are not as exposed to the winds of international diplomacy.” Russia had been on the council for a while and “I’m sure next time we’re going to get in.” Other countries elected to the council on Friday included Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, China, Brazil, Rwanda, Cuba, South Africa, Japan, Tunisia, the U.S. and the U.K. Bloomberg Photo

Recipe of the Day: Cheesy Bacon, Onion & Herb Quiche with Fennel and Apple Salad By Nick Nairn

Serves 8
Pastry
110g unsalted butter
280g plain flour
large pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
Filling
50g bacon, chopped into small strips
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
3 medium eggs, beaten
300ml double cream
50g strong Cheddar cheese, grated
25g fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tbsp mixed herbs (parsley, chives), chopped
Maldon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Salad
Half a medium fennel bulb
1 red apple
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp caraway seeds
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190C. For the pastry, rub the butter, flour and salt together in a mixing bowl (or food processor) until it has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and bring it all together into a dough. Add a tablespoon of cold water, if necessary. Knead lightly 3 or 4 times with floured hands. Cover in cling film and refrigerate for an hour.
2. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line a greased 25cm tart tin. Bake the pastry blind until just firm and golden – about 10mins with baking beans, then 2-3 mins without to crisp up.
3. Gently fry the onions until softened but not coloured. Add the bacon and fry until just cooked. Set aside.
4. Beat the eggs and cream together in a jug and season with black pepper. The bacon should be salty enough not to add extra salt. Stir in the chopped herbs and Cheddar cheese.
5. Place the cooked onions and bacon in the tart case, then pour over the cream and egg mix until full. Sprinkle over the Parmesan. Cook for 25 minutes, until just set.
6. For the salad, finely slice the fennel and apple and toss with the olive oil, caraway seeds and lemon juice.
7. Remove tart and leave to rest for a few minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with some dressed green salad leaves plus the apple and fennel salad. Herald Scotland

Over 200 opera singers apply for Minsk Christmas Singing Competition

Photo Credit: www.belta.by

MNSK, 27 October (BelTA) – More than 200 singers from 20 countries have applied for the third Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition, BelTA learned from the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the Republic of Belarus. The competition will feature young singers from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Canada, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Lithuania, United States, France, Mongolia, China, Armenia, Israel, Latvia, Turkey, Sweden, Korea and Ireland. All in all, 226 vocalists have applied for the event which will be running in Minsk on 7-13 December. Winners of past years will be invited as guests to perform at the final gala. Today these names are well known to opera lovers: Ramiz Usmanov (Uzbekistan), Nadezhda Pavlova (Russia), Mikhail Malafiy (Ukraine), Lasha Sesitashvili (Georgia), Yelena Stikhina (Russia), Viktor Mendelev (Belarus), Ilya Silchukov (Belarus). The third Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition will have three rounds: the first and the second rounds will take place with piano accompaniment, and the third round will take place with orchestral accompaniment. The 3rd round (final) will see the competitors sing a lead role in a scene from an opera of classical or modern repertoire. The winner of the grand prize will receive $10,000 in prize money; the winner of the first prize will get $8,000. The winner of the second prize will collect $6,000, and $4,000 will be given to the winner of third prize. The jury panel of the Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition will be led by Vladimir Gridyushko, General Director of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, and will include the world's biggest opera theaters, impresarios and world-renowned musicians. Among them will be Tadey Eder, General Director of the Solomiya Krushelnytska Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, Ukraine; Academician Plamen Kartaloff, Director of Sofia National Opera and Ballet, Bulgaria; John Allison, editor of Opera Magazine, London, the UK; Christoph Meyer, General Director of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Germany; Alain Surrans, Director of the Opera de Rennes, France; Gianluca Marciano, Artistic Director of the Al Bustan Festival in Beirut; Italy and many others. The competition will be followed by the 7th Minsk International Christmas Opera Forum (on 14-20 December) which will feature the opera stars from all around the world. Thus, literally within two weeks Minsk will host the artists, musicians, famous impresarios, directors of theaters and agencies from 32 countries. Belarus News

Baby, it's cold outside - 10 winter coats that cost less than €100 By Amy Mulvaney

If you're searching for the perfect winter coat, look no further. We here at Independent Style have picked out 10 gorgeous coats under €100. Ready, steady, shop: The Irish Independent

Phil Collins

Photo Credit: www.zimbio.com

You'll Be In My Heart Photo

Obama to visit Berlin in last presidential trip to Germany

Photo Credit: DPA

The White House announced on Tuesday that US President Barack Obama will be paying one last unexpected visit to the German capital - his last before he leaves office.

Obama is now set to stop by Berlin on November 16th, after the divisive US national election takes place on November 8th and following a trip to Athens. But the trip will be short, as two days later he will head to an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru. Obama last landed in the Bundesrepublik in April to drop by the Hanover Messe - one of the most important trade fairs in the world. That visit was thought to be his last to Europe’s largest economy. In Hanover, Obama praised Chancellor Angela Merkel for her “courageous” leadership during the ongoing refugee crisis, pushed the controversial TTIP free trade deal with the EU and US, and urged a preservation of a united Europe, ahead of the Brexit referendum vote in June. His Berlin trip will involve a meeting with Merkel and the leaders of Italy, France and the UK. Discussion will most likely centre around the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Ukraine, as well as the refugee crisis and TTIP. But the November election will determine how much Obama’s Berlin talks will ultimately impact future actions after he leaves office in January and is followed by either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. The Local-Germany APEC

Eros Ramazzotti

L'Aurora Photo

A tour of 15 Spanish cities through their most typical dishes By Elena Sevillano

Migas in Teruel
Trigo in Almería
Salmorejo in Córdoba
Txangurro in San Sebastián
Callos in Madrid
Paella in Valencia
Cocido maragato in Astorga (León)
Piquillo peppers in Lodosa (Navarre)
Fabada in Villaviciosa (Asturias)
Wrinkled potatoes in Tenerife
Snails in Linares (Jaén)
Carcamusas in Toledo
Escalivada in Barcelona
Pulpo a feira in O Carballiño (Ourense)
Suckling lamb in Aranda de Duero (Burgos)
EL PAÍS English

The Euro-Area Economy Is Beating Expectations By Sid Verma

Buoyant sentiment in Germany helps turn the dial

The economic momentum of the euro area is outpacing expectations, with a gauge of its performance relative to analysts' predictions now at a 2016 high. The Citigroup Surprise Index for the region, which measures how official data comes in relative to market expectations, has jumped since late September, underscoring better-than-forecast expansion in Germany and the so-far limited fallout from the Brexit vote on the single-currency bloc's financial system. The index stands at a year-to-date high of 34.30, a level last reached in November. On Monday, a Purchasing Managers’ Index for manufacturing and services rose to 53.7 for October from 52.6 in September, the fast pace since the start of the year, according to IHS Markit Ltd, driven by a strong expansion in factory activity in Germany. The Munich-based Ifo Institute's survey for October, which measures business sentiment in the country based on 7,000 responses from different sectors, rose to 110.5 on Tuesday, up from 109.5 in September and its highest level since April 2014, further underscoring increased optimism in Europe's largest economy. "Both the levels and the direction taken by the components confirm activity is accelerating," Maxime Sbaihi,  Bloomberg Intelligence economist, wrote in a note on Tuesday. "That’s also evident from other recent survey data from Germany, leaving financial markets with a strong impression of the economy as the end of the year approaches." Bloomberg

Vintage Faith Hill

Photo Credit: Catherine Klein
www.pininterest.com

This Kiss
It Matters To Me 

Men-only yoga classes a hit in Denmark By Ray W

Photo Credit: CPH Post/Alexa

Yoga without women entices men to give it a try

The evidence suggests it is easier to lure men to yoga classes if they are same-sex only, and no, it has nothing to do with the promise of spandex. The Danish workout centre Idræt i Dagtimerne in Vejle has been holding yoga classes for men only, and the experiment seems to be working. The centre was already holding coed yoga classes, but only two of the participants were men. “We thought we would try creating a new class for men only,”  Lars Damgaard, the head of Idræt i Dagtimerne, told DR Nyheder. “Incredibly, 25 men turned up.”
Splitting up good for your health
It can be quite a good idea to occasionally split up the sexes, said Svend Aage Madsen, the head psychologist at Rigshospitalet and president of Selskab for Mænds Sundhed, a society for men’s health. He has seen similar success in other contexts: for example, during cancer rehabilitation. “When they are with other men, it makes them a little more relaxed.” Damgaard said that dividing up the classes posed no problems for him. “If we can get more people to be active, then we have made an effort to reduce costs in the healthcare system,” he said. “So I can easily live with someone thinking that it is sexist.” CPH Post

Belarus elected to host 2019 European Games

MINSK, 21 October (BelTA) – Belarus was given the right to host the Second European Games in 2019 after a vote at the 45th General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in Minsk on 21 October, BelTA has learned. Belarus received a majority of vote. Now, Belarus needs to set up an organizing committee and compile a plan for the sport forum in close cooperation with the corresponding EOC commissions. The First European Games were held in Azerbaijan on 12-28 June 2015. Belarus won 43 (10 gold, 11 silver and 22 bronze) medals to place seventh in the medal table. Belarus News European Games

Iceland becoming 'Disneyland' as US tourists outnumber locals By Hugh Morris

Photo Credit: www.demilked.com

Iceland, a country hailed for offering a secluded, otherworldly travel experience, is being turned into Disneyland, it has been suggested, as new figures show that the number of American visitors this year will surpass the country’s population. The capital Reykjavik has been transformed over the last few years as the number of tourists visiting the island has soared, nearly all of whom arrive via the city’s airport on the south coast. And Birgitta Jonsdottir, leader of the anti-establishment Pirate Party, which could yet form the next government later this month, is not pleased about the new arrivals. “It’s like the city is not my city any more,” she said. “It’s like Disneyland downtown.” The exceptional growth of Iceland’s tourism industry is well documented, with dramatic year-on-year rises since 2010, but 2016 will mark the first time that the total number of American tourists will be greater than the number of Icelandic residents. New figures released by the Icelandic Tourist Board detailing arrivals for 2016 up to the end of September show 325,522 visitors from the US. The Icelandic population is 332,000. The number of US visitors will continue to rise through to the end of the year, and contribute to the estimated 1,500,000 visitors from around the world -  the figure was 1,353,000 by the end of September. In 2010, the annual number of global visitors was 459,000; back in 1996 it was just 200,000. Jonsdottir said her party wanted restrictions on the numbers of tourists visiting natural sites outside the city, which often lack basic facilities such as toilets, and would introduce a tax on hotels to help fund tourism infrastructure. The rush of travellers drawn to the island's glaciers, geo-thermal pools, extra-terrestrial landscapes, and seasonal Northern Lights displays has meant the country’s fledgling tourism infrastructure has been under mounting pressure, while the capital has seen an increase in hotels and souvenir shops, and rising rental costs for residents. This month a poll by broadcaster RUV found that 87 per cent of Icelanders believe the government should impose larger fees or taxes on tourists. Though the country welcomes the revenue created – filling the growing hole left by slumps in the industries of both fishing and aluminium – there is concern over the burden placed on the country. The government is currently in the middle of a nine-year tourism strategy that runs to 2020, with a focus on improving infrastructure while also “protecting and maintaining” tourist sites. “The development of tourism infrastructure shall aim at protecting nature, and the tourism strategy shall aim at incorporating the concepts of sustainability and responsibility for Iceland’s culture and natural surroundings,” it said. However, it would not have been prepared for the enormous growth experienced after the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, and subsequent ash cloud that shut down European airspace for seven days, helped put the country on the map. It coincided with a PR drive from the Icelandic tourist board, while its appearance in the HBO series Game of Thrones provided further encouragement to visit. Since 2010, arrivals have soared. This year alone, the number of visitors from January to August is up 33 per cent on the same period in 2015. British visitors over the eight months are up 32 per cent to 200,000. Tourism officials believe Iceland will welcome two million visitors a year by 2020. The influx has caused a number of issues for the country. Attractions around the Golden Circle and south coast have become increasingly busy, with coach-loads of tourists flocking to see the Gulfoss waterfall, Thingvellir national park and the Geysir geothermal park. Iceland’s tourism authority has attempted to educate visitors of both the risks to their safety and the importance of maintaining natural sites. In March it launched a course on how to stay safe in the country, with a spokesperson at the time saying: “The majority of tourists want to experience nature, and we know that Icelandic nature must be treated with respect and care.” Photographs posted on social media showing tourists ignoring safety barriers have not endeared them to the Icelandic public. Attempts to advertise the appeals of eastern Iceland, including new direct flights this year from Discover the World to Egilsstaðir, are designed to take the pressure off the south-west of the country and Reykjavik’s Keflavik airport. The Telegraph Photo