Flashmob Obsession

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This week, I became obsessed with the idea of flashmobs. Flashmobs are gatherings, where people meet at a certain time at a certain place, suddenly break out into some crazy action for five minutes and then leave again as if nothing has happened.

People did flashmobs in remembrance of Michael Jackson and other occasions. However, usually, people just do it for fun.

It is a very "Western" thing to do and has absolutely no purpose except for having fun and confusing people and give them something to talk about.

But why hasn't it happened in Cairo yet? I mean, this is a large city with a large population of young people and it would be a great way to irritate the oppressive government here, even if it's just for a couple of minutes.

What if, coincidentally 500 people would meet up on Tahrir Square and suddenly freeze in their motions for five minutes. Would police come and arrest you? Would you get beaten up?

As I'm wondering, I decided to organize one myself - but I have to admit that I'm too chicken to do it in a public place. However, it simply irritates me how good the government has done its job of intimidating people, that even I get freaked out.

It is indeed sad, if you think about it.

Listening Journal - "Live? Die? Kill?"

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"Family" was one of the most common answers
to Mill's questions. (Picture by Austin Evan)

Title: "Live? Die? Kill?"
Producer/narration/reporting: Karen Mill
Length: 14 min 14 sec
Link: Third Coast International Audio Festival

For this documentary, independent radio producer Karen Mill, traveled around her neighborhood and asked people three questions: What do you live for? What would you die for? And what would you kill for? Mill interviews around 100 people for this feature and uses what she considered the best answers for her piece. To find those people she visits an art gallery, a Baptist Church, a farmers market, a senior center and a winery.

The documentary has a very promising title. After all, these are three questions that sound so simple and are yet so hard to answer. However, the documentary wasn't particularly interesting. I feel, Mill went a little bit overboard and should have maybe only concentrated on one of the groups that she visited. The most interesting part of the documentary is her visit to the senior center... I know this might sound cruel but, who would think, that people this old still have so much will to live?

The quality of the narrators voice was ok. In parts of her interview, I could barely make out what she was saying but other than that, the narration itself was fine. However, I have to admit that when I first listened to the piece, I thought the narrator was a man for the first five minutes. Whether that is a good or a bad thing is yet to be determined.

The length of the documentary was ok. At times I thought, it was a little boring and repetitive though. It's 14 minutes long, but I feel with a little bit more of an angle and more focus, it could have been done in a much more compelling way in maybe 5-7 minutes.

All in all, this feature is alright. It's a little bit frustrating to know that this could've been made so much more compelling, if Mill only narrowed down her interviewee group. There is one more thing that I noticed and that really irritated me: Mill often starts sentences with her narration and has them finished by her interviewee. I just feel that is really cheap and that this should only be done, if the quality of the soundbite is really bad. Why not let the interviewee say the whole thing?

At the end of the day, the idea to this feature is great but the realization is mediocre.

"Away We Go" - My audio movie review

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"Away We Go" - A movie that makes everything seem half as bad..
... at least if you're not alone

Title: "Away we Go" audio film critique

Duration: 3 min 45 secs

Background music: "All my days" by Alexi Murdoch

Script:

Hi, I'm Jasmin and in today's podcast I want to talk to you about a movie that really touched me and that I think everybody should see. It's called "Away we Go" and no! It's not a chickflick.
So.. listen up:

The director of the Oscar winning movie "American Beauty" has created a new, maybe... a little less spectacular masterpiece. In his new movie "Away we Go", director Sam Mendez portrays a happy couple that is on the quest for the perfect place to raise their baby.

Burt and Verona are an unmarried couple and expecting parents. Burt, is played by "The Office" darling John Krasinski and Verona is played by Maya Rulolph, who has been appearing a lot on Saturday Night Live.

Anyways, Burt and Verona travel around the country and visit friends and family and hope to find a support system for their own future family. Slowly, they have to realize that not everything is gold that glitters. In fact, they witness that many of the couples that they always thought were living the so-called perfect life, are really messed up and suffering deep down. It's no wonder that they start doubting whether the perfect place and the perfect life they've been looking for only exists in their hopes and dreams.

(soundbite from the trailer)

'Away we go' doesn't stand out for it's special effects or amazing dialogues. What makes this movie special is it's genuine nature, it's cinematic poetry and the amazing actors.

The combination of images, words and the amazing soundtrack make this movie really special. I loved the cinematography, which was so understated and yet so beautiful. The same goes for the couple in the story: They seem to be so genuine, carrying around so many hopes and dreams that you can't help but falling in love with them. The way Burt and Verona interact with each other is so sweet and caring and openhearted. And it feels good to see a couple like that on the big screen for once. Because nowadays all you see is messed up couples in a messed up world - and it's just SO reassuring to feel like you witness true love and care.

As for the soundtrack of the 'Away we Go' : Alexi Murdoch's melancholic guitar tunes give this movie it's special touch. Maybe you remember the film 'Lost in Translation' with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, that was so melancholic and also carried by great acting and good music. The feel that I get from 'Away we Go' is very similar. However, it doesn't leave you behind confused and sad like "Lost in Translation" does No. It leaves you and then touches you. The music stays in your head. So do the pictures and the story and the message.

Baz Luhrman would say. The world is not as bad as you think. Just breathe through the tough times, and you'll be fine.

Hashish in Egypt - subculture or mainstream?

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Smoking hash in Egypt has become normality and
so much more than a subculture (Picture: copyright Splifr)

When I first got to Egypt from Germany four years ago, I did not expect to find such a huge "subculture" of hash consumers. Over the years, I found that this is in fact not as much as subculture as it is a mainstream habit.

Most of the people that I'm surrounded by smoke up. Many of my friends, as well as cabdrivers, shop owners and business men and women. There really is no particular kind of person who is more apt to consuming hash.

However, this might be a generation appearance. Older people usually don't smoke up - at least not the ones in the city. With Bedouins, this is a different story. They don't have any age limits on smoking hash.

Anyways, from my observations, I would say that smoking hash is much more than a subculture in Egypt. I would almost estimate that about 60 percent of all Egyptians between the ages 16 and 35 do smoke up. But of course, this is just my own estimation.

Which leads me to my next question: why are they doing it? Smoking hash is obviously a way to feel indifferent to what is going on with and around you. The high, people get, creates a certain numbness and apathy, which many people consider a pleasant experience.

Unfortunately, this only works for the benefit of the Egyptian government. Because, even though the drug laws here are pretty strict, it is pretty easy for the normal Egyptian to get out of getting a jail sentence by distributing a little bribe here and there... everybody knows that.

I'm neither encouraging or discouraging the hash consummation, but I just find it peculiar that in a country like Egypt where so much is going wrong, a large portion of the population are taking drugs that will help them deal with the grievances in their immediate environment... Meanwhile, this country needs people who are aware and awake and ready to fight for their rights.

PSA to join the Student Action for Refugees (STAR)

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Student Action for Refugees (STAR) is a student-run organization at the
American University in Cairo (AUC) committed to working with refugees
to improve their lives in Cairo. Picture by Jasmin Bauomy

Script: DO SOMETHING, JOIN THE STARS!

Producers: Asmaa Alzohairy, Jasmin Bauomy
Announcers: Asmaa Alzohairy, Jasmin Bauomy
Link: http://clubs.aucegypt.edu/star/
Music: Nique
Contacts: azohairy@aucegypt.edu, jasmin.bauomy@gmail.com

STAR (STUDENT ACTION FOR REFUGEES)

Local Contact: Marwa Fikry, 012-237-8306, marwafikry14@hotmail.com

National Contact: Xenia Davis, Volunteering Project Co-ordinator, 020-7729-8880

Organization: Student Action for Refugees (STAR)

Contact Info: http://clubs.aucegypt.edu/star/contact/

http://www.star-network.org.uk/index.php/about/contact/contact_details

Heading: STAR’s Recruitment Campaign

Airdates: Ocotber 14^th, 2009 – December 15^th, 2009

30 seconds


ANNC1: Do you want to do community work and you don't know where to start? Well, how about using your English skills to reach out to refugees?

ANNC2: There are an estimated three million refugees living in Egypt right now. With STAR, the Student Action for Refugees, you get to to work with people, you wouldn't normally meet.

ANNC1: As a volunteer with STAR, you get an extraordinary teaching experience while refugees get a better chance at finding a job.

ANNC2: Check out clubs-dot-aucegypt-slash-S-T-A-R and send us an email.

BOTH: Take an action now, and join the stars!

BAN OF NIQAB IN EGYPT - I think, I beg to differ ... I think

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A woman wearing the Niqab demonstrates for the victims of the Gaza war.
Picture by Jasmin Bauomy

Recently the full face veil, the Niqab, was banned in Egyptian classrooms and dormitories. I don't quite know how I feel about that.

On the one hand, I was raised in Germany where freedom of religion is a valid law and people have the right to believe in whatever they want. But even there, the Islamic headscarf is banned in schools. And now, Egypt is doing "almost" the same thing and bans something that is considered "radical" for many "normal" Sunni Muslims.

But why all these quotation marks? Well, because things are relative. I find it really hard to develop an opinion about this because who am I to judge whether people want to cover their faces out of religious reasons? Can I look inside their head? No. Do I know the exact implications and details about this belief? No. - So, why does everybody seem to have an opinion but me?

This is what I believe: I believe, everybody has the right to practice their religion as they interpret it as long as no harm is done to others. And what is the harm that is being done to me, when I see a niqabi at school? As long as she doesn't tell me to put one on myself, I shouldn't be bothered or irritated.

As for the Niqab itself, I don't think that it is a sign of oppression. On the contrary, for many women it is an expression of their freedom. They know they are deviant to society, yet they choose to put on the Niqab. Very often even, you can find these women being extremely outspoken. Just like many others who don't wear the veil, they fight with cab drivers and curse like sailors. However, I often get the feeling that they are hiding something behind that veil. The fact, that they are hiding their faces gives them that extra freedom of saying things and doing things that many others wouldn't do. The facial veil often seems to be like a one way security wall - things can only reach the outside, but nothing will ever reach the inside.

But how would I know. Maybe things do reach the inside? You never know...

Listening Journal - WORLD VISION REPORT - "Esperanza Sings"

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Esperanza, the singing hotel housemaid

"Esperanza Sings" on World Vision Report, produced by reporter Todd Melby (duration 3 min 57 seconds)

Amidst protests against firing housekeepers of a hotel, reporter Todd Melby makes a wonderful discovery. While he is staying at a luxurious hotel in Arizona, he meets housekeeper Esperanza who sings beautifully while she works. This feature is the story of this encounter, in which he describes his emotions and thoughts about meeting Esperanza. This feature almost has the format of an audio diary and Melby doesn't shy away from using many natsounds and painted language that create images in the listeners' heads. Melby also interviews Esperanza and tells the listener about the detailed process of getting an interview with this maid. The piece ends with Esperanza singing and leaves behind a strong impression.

This feature was definitely very interesting. I actually think, I'll never forget it. Even though it was not particularly newsworthy, it offered a ray of light amid the darkness of today's unemployment figures. It illustrates, how some people are happy with what they have - simply, because that is what they can get. The use of natsound and interviews, as well as the Melby's narration make this piece unforgettable.

The quality of sound was great. But what impressed me the most in this feature was how Melby used his natsounds. He has natsounds of the fake waterfall in the hotel lobby, the elevator bell when he reaches his floor and you can even hear him getting closer to the source of music, when he approaches the room that Esperanza was cleaning while she was singing (or the other way round). The interviews were genuine and as a listener, I feel like I met Esperanza in real life.

The announcer's and the reporter's voices were very clear and the quality of sound was superb. Melby had natsounds backing up his narration, which didn't affect the quality of sound at all.

All in all, this feature had the perfect length. It feels like you went to a party and left when it was at it's best. It feels like, you want to stay but you know you shouldn't because from that point on, it'll just get boring.



World Vision Report - Week of October 3, 2009 - Esperanza Sings

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Listening Journal - NPR NEWSCAST

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NPR NEWSCAST with Carol Van Dam on Saturday Oct. 10, 12 a.m (duration: 4 min 49 sec)

This newscast included stories from all over the world, including the gunmen attacks on a main Pakistani army facility, killed NATO soldiers in Afghanistan, multiparty negotiations with North Korea about its nuclear weapons program, UN peacekeepers that were killed in a plane crash in Haiti, Pennsylvania's new budget, fires in California, the opening of the ski season in Colorado and Nevada, the US president speech to a gay rights group and several sports news. Most of the bulletins were readers and natsound was only used once for the story about the governor of Pennsylvania signing the new budget. Other than that some bulletins hosted NPR nationally and internationally posted correspondents.

I was surprised at how much better I could follow the NPR newscast than the BBC one. Hence, it's only natural that I found this NPR newscast much more interesting. The sentences were clear and concise and were all connected in context. I also liked that there was a sports section at the end. However, I found that only half of the newscast was focused on international news, the other half dealt with national news. And this is completely fine, considering it's called NPR, i.e. "National" Public Radio.

The quality of sound was great except for the recording of the correspondent in the Haiti story. It sounded like it was recorded over the phone. The sound was low and a bit muffled. I wish, the announcer would have mentioned that this was recorded over the phone. Maybe then I wouldn't have noticed it that much. As for the natsound, Van Dam only used one soundbit of the governor of Pennsylvania when he spoke about the new budget. I liked the use of that soundbit because it summed up what actually happened and also gave some background information.

The announcer's voice was good. Carol Van Dam seems to know what she's talking about and doesn't seem rushed in anything.

At the end of the day, I really liked that newscast. Even though it fit more stories into less time than BBC's newscast, I felt I could actually follow the information. The balance between natural sound and the information that was selected to make the bulletins conclusive was exactly right.

(Picture: copyright Carol Van Dam - The announcer of this newscast)

Listening Journal - BBC Worldservice Newscast

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BBC WORLDSERVICE - Excuse me, can you repeat that?

Hourly Newscast (Sat., 11 a.m.) with David Laing (duration: 5 min)

This newscast covered several international news such as a gunmen attack on a checkpoint in Pakistan, talks with North Korea about its nuclear weapons program, the death of 11 UN peacekeepers in Haiti, the Lisbon treaty of the European Union, rescue works in the Philippenes after the landslides, the conviction of a Canadian financier to 13 years in prison and the first clown in space. Most of the bulletins included reports by BBC's foreign correspondents and only one story was accompanied by an actuality.

To be honest, this newscast wasn't particularly interesting. But then again, is a newscast supposed to be interesting or informative? Hence, yes. It was definitely informative - however not particularly interesting. I don't quite understand how they decided on the ranking of the newscast. However, I do understand that casualties usually come first in a newscast. But recently so many things have been going on in Pakistan. Almost every day, people die in attacks or suicide bombings. If we are talking in terms of "interestingness", then this story has become quite "boring. I would have preferred to maybe have another angle on the story, other than the one of previous attacks. In the last sentence, the reporter mentions the Taliban that are somehow connected to the attacks. This would have been something that they could have elaborated on or given additional information instead of some of the information that was offered. Also, in order to say whether this newscast was interesting, I would have to have completely understood all the information that was given. Now, this might be because I'm slow but I'm asking, could it be that BBC presenters talk unbelievably fast? In fact, I could only fully understand everything the presenter said after I went back a couple of times. But what if I was just listening to the radio and was unable to rewind? There is absolutely no way I could have understood everything.

However, the quality of sound and David Laing's voice were good. I would have loved to have more natural sounds incorporated in the bulletins. But considering the content of today's news, I have to admit that it is hard to find any natsound that would go with the stories. So, the only natsound that was used was in the story about the first clown in space and I have to admit, that this is the story that stuck most in my memory, even though it might have been the least important and the very last in the ranking.

Timewise, the newscast was exactly right. However, I would have preferred to listen to one or two stories less in the same amount of time. Eight stories in a 5 minutes newscast: How can the announcer not talk fast and leave out some important additional information? It's impossible. So, if I was the producer, I would have given the announcer less stories and therefore more time to read and include facts that might further the understanding of the listener.

Project #2: Narrative / Nat Sound

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Cairo view from the Moatam hill at sunset. Photo by Jasmin Bauomy. If you want to listen to
the sounds of Cairo, follow this link or click on the title of this entry

On a weekend day in Cairo there are many sounds that accompany you.
If you follow this link to my podcast or click on the title of this entry, you can hear 10 natsounds of a Cairo day-off.

And these are the sounds:

1. The muezzin calling for prayer
2. Doing laundry
3. Cairo traffic with honking cars
4. Microbus asking for passengers
5. "Bekia"-guy asking for things he could sell
6. The metro driving into the station
7. Going to a cafe
8. Making lunch/ chopping veggies
9. Going to a concert of an Irish band
10. On the way home passing by a wedding