Paradoxical Diversification

Just as the print and online situation is at the lowest for Paradoxical News, this week the editor-in-chief was just offered a new position as producer for several tv features and interviews for regional tv-channels. So this week has been a slow week at PN.

The PN editor-in-chief is thrilled by the new challenges:
'It all comes as a great surprise. I've worked with television and radio before, but as a journalist. This new opening gave me the chance to explore the electronic media, to work with experienced people in the industry, and to challenge and test myself in areas that had been unexplored until now,' she explains after having produced three new tv segments for two different channels.

Until further notice, the paradoxical diversification will not change the situation for this niche publication. Paradoxical News will continue to produce news about national and international paradoxes for as long as they continue to flow - and for as long as the journalists at PN can manage to work under the strained conditions.

Aussie Election Paradox

No sooner is Paradoxical News back from a relieving hiatus, before the paradoxical news overflow with undiminished force...

In anticipation of a granted support from the electorate Australian de facto PM Julia Gillard has set a date for the next election. Welsh-born Gillard from the Australian Labour Party has announced an Australian election on 21st August. Not long ago - end of June - she took over from former PM Kevin Rudd, who stepped down. And now she will be up against opposition leader, centre-right Liberal Tony Abbott, for the upcoming election.

Now, it just might be the bewilderment of the heatstruck editor-in-chief of Paradoxical News - but isn't a generally accepted practice of good governance in democracies to ask the voters before you form government? And after an election? Or have de facto PM's become the new best practice? It certainly is an entertaining ride to watch practically all world leaders and politicians shift positions within a span of a few months to a few years. PN simply couldn't survive if it weren't for this flow of fantastic news!

For further information, please see:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/07/17/australia.election/index.html?hpt=T2

http://www.news.com.au/features/federal-election/julia-gillard-expected-to-call-early-august-election/story-e6frfllr-1225885802778

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Gillard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Abbott

Le Quatorze Juillet

'Allons Enfants de la Patrie.......' Today is Quatorze Juillet aka Bastille Day in France, to be celebrated with all of the pomp and circumstance that the French nation can offer - with parades, military show off, and fireworks. And naturally, the playing, singing, and eventually roaring of the French national anthem of La Marseillaise.

An ever present image of this Fête Nationale is the figure of Marianne or Liberty Leading the People in the 1830 painting by Eugène Delacroix - a depiction of the French Revolution and the storming of the Bastille 14th July 1789.

The storming of the Bastille prison was to mark the end of the royal rule of Louis XVI and the establishment of the First Republique in France. Ever since it has been a tradition of the French President to pardon petty criminals on this very day - as per Article 17 in the French Constitution - although in 2007 Nicolas Sarkozy declined to continue the practice.

On 13th July 1989 - to mark the bicentenary of the French Revolution - the inauguration of the Bastille Opera took place. It was conceived by Canadian-Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott who won an international architect competition in 1983. And the Bastille Opera is one of former French President Francois Mitterand's so-called Grands Traveaux, which also include La Grande Arche in La Défense by Danish arcitect Johann Otto von Spreckelsen, Musée d'Orsay, and the Louvre Pyramid.

These 'Great Works' were initiated by Mittérand's Minister of Culture, Jack Lang - building on a French cultural and humanist tradition of former President De Gaulle's Minister of Culture from 1959, writer André Malreaux, who expanded the cultural ties between nations - in particular through the cultural institutes and centres of app. 30 nations in Paris. So there you have it, 200 hundred years of political and cultural history of France up to present day in one PN segment!

Today Paradoxical News sends all its best wishes for France - and for The Children of The Revolution!

Côte d'Azur - Part Three

Vue sur mer. Or ocean view. This is what you get at Côte d'Azur in more impressive amounts than you can handle. The cobalt blue sky, sun, sand and oceanic silver shimmer. This appears to be what Catalan artist (Barcelona-born) Jaume Plensa tries to capture and grasp in his sculpture Nomad. The nomad is situated on the pier of Antibes, overlooking the port, boats, and the ocean.

The 8 metre tall, 6 tonnes heavy metal sculpture and landmark takes the form of a human (male) sitting, knees folded under him, and is made up of letters from the Human Rights Declaration carved in metal plates, welded together in random alphabetical order. As Jaume Plensa explains, he imagines that the human skin is tatooed with letters as a communication form. One association could be the giant stone heads overlooking the ocean from remote and isolated Easter Island. Communicating to sea farers.

Another Côte d'Azur ocean view landmark are the residential holiday flats of Marina Baie-des-Anges. The complex consists of four seperate buildings with altogether some 1600 flats placed around the port, and is situated in Villeneuve-Loubet between Antibes and Cagnes-sur-Mer. Construced as swinging and swaying buildings, with tier-laid terraces in pyramidical form. They could ressemble the many tiers and levels of a giant cruise ship. So there, don't say that the shoe string traveller can't have great experiences!

For further information, please see:

http://culturebox.france3.fr/all/23125/jaume-plensa-trone-sur-les-remparts-d_antibes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaume_Plensa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCRWooC9Wuk

Côte d'Azur - Part Two

Scent of a Woman is not only the title of an excellent Al Pacino film, based on an Italian book Il buio e il miele (Darkness and Honey) by Giovanni Arpino. It is also the theme of another book. For those who have read the odd, but welwritten, murder mystery Das Parfum (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer) from 1985 by German author Patrick Süskind, a visit to the small town of Grasse is relevant. Or visit Grasse and read the book(s) after. The perfume town is nested in the mountain region some 20 kilometres from Cannes. Easily accessible by local buses on one euro bus rides from either Nice or Cannes.

The very Gothic Süskind novel tells the tale of a man who murders a woman to guard her scent. The fragrance not lasting, he has to find a way to reproduce it. Ever after having to chase the perfume in the southern part of France. Are the notes made of vanilla, or what does the scent consist of? And how do you reproduce human bodily scents? The chase goes on for some 200 pages and the detailed description of the notes of perfume, extracted oils, etc. is amazing. This book was - also - later made into a film.

In Grasse the shoe string traveller can visit perfume factories like Galimard or Fragonard for free guided tours. PN visited the oldest of the factories. Galimard was founded in 1787 and collects flowers - jasmine, rose, lavender, orange flower - or other plants and fruits and presses them to extract the essential oils to produce perfumes. It takes 500 kilos of rose petals to produce one litre of pure rose essential oil perfume. Read the book, see the film, visit Grasse!

For further information, please see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfume_(novel)

http://www.laurahird.com/newreview/perfume.html

http://www.litteratursiden.dk/temaer/parfumen-af-patrick-s%C3%BCskind

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scent_of_a_Woman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfume:_The_Story_of_a_Murderer_(film)

http://www.galimard.com/

http://www.fragonard.com/

Côte d'Azur - Part One

Paradoxical News spent a week travelling the French Riviera - or Côte d'Azur - Nice, Monaco, Cannes, Antibes, Grasse. Although several places like Nice and Monaco were revisited, new experiences were made in some of the Alpes-Maritimes towns.

PN again found that to have fun in Monaco and Cannes, you have to be loaded. The places are all about extravagant living, big boats, gambling, and fashion. This time around PN was travelling as yours truly on a shoe string budget - so looks and views were what could be brought back. And they weren't bad. A walk to the tip of the castle in Monaco to see the change of guards at noon. And a shortlived stay in the Casino to see a few euro notes disappear - fast.

One of the traditions of this southern region of France is the trompe d'oeil mural paintings, seen in Nice, Cannes, Cap d'Ail, etc. With fake windows, flowers, plants, cats and other animals painted on the house walls. The one shown here is from the Cannes bus station, with make-believe people enjoying life on fake balconies, a man hanging from a giant clock, a film crew at work, etc.

Paradoxical Update

Paradoxical News spent one week of hiatus providing news for the travel and culture sections. PN regrets to its followers the discontinued flow of updates, but will revert soon with the latest.

Fourth of July

Today is Fourth of July, Independence Day. On this date in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was debated and approved in the US Congress - creating legal independence from British rule.

Paradoxical News has done everything in its power to make a trip possible to celebrate this Glorious Fourth in the United States, but is hindered by simple cash flow. So here's to all Americans, at home or abroad: Happy Fourth of July!

One Giant Boat Ride

Octopus is the name of the giant private yacht owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen (co-founded with Bill Gates). Paul Gardner Allen is ranked as the 37th richest person in the world according to Forbes. He has founded several non-profit organisations. And created cancer and medical research foundations.

The yacht is 127 meters/414 feet long with submarines, speedboats, joyrides, helicopters - and what have you - on board. And this giant Octopus is currently anchored in the habour of Copenhagen, right next to the Royal palace of Amalienborg.

On several occasions, PN tried to get permission from the staff to board the yacht - in order to cover this story. But accreditations are sadly hard to come by. So the coverage will have to be from the board walk. With one giant gee-wizz!

To Keep the Taxi Drivers Happy

Trains on Time is the DSB (Danish railway system) mantra. This week Paradoxical News discovered, that Trains on Time really means Taxis on Time.

PN spoke with a DSB train driver, whose job it was - every other day or so - to drive a train from one part of Southern Denmark to another late at night. Since he couldn't get to and from the initial point without making use of a taxi, this was the solution for DSB. The ride would amount to just above 1.400 Danish kroner (almost 300 US dollars) one way - the same amount or a little less back from his ending station. When he was not on guard, someone else would be. So according to our DSB man, this kind of taxi trip is taking place every day, year round, to an app. cost for DSB of one million Danish kroner per month - or 12 million Danish kroner per year.

PN wondered if it wouldn't be easier to get someone else in the staff, who lived closer by, to make the train drive - instead of this overuse of taxi rides on the DSB budget. And since 100 percent owned by the state, on tax payer money. He just shook his head - go figure!

Now, perhaps 12 million Danish kroner doesn't sound alarming to an approximate DSB turn over of 11 billion Danish kroner. But still, since the tax payers are paying - wouldn't that be an obvious area to make cutbacks? And perhaps in reality ensure Trains on Time. By simply planning the staffs on guard to fit the rides a little better? Or is DSB just trying to keep the taxi drivers happy?

Not For Lack of Trying

Against all odds news flash: Media accreditations are hard to come by for niche publications such as Paradoxical News. This past week PN tried to get accredited to cover the infamous Roskilde Festival, a children's volcano themed arrangement in the southern part of Denmark - and several other events. Not for lack of trying. Financing is one thing, but when you can't even get through the door, coverage becomes impossible. Yet, somehow PN manages to survive, due to diligent and dedicated journalists. Against all odds.