Dear all
Its been a while but finally here is the first edition of our newsletter which should be regular but we’ll just have to wait and see….
After 3 weeks in the UK (including a fab week in Scotland touring one or two whisky distilleries…), we finally got on the plane to the US on Thursday Sept 1. We left ourselves a 6 hour gap between arriving in Washington DC and our connecting flight to Syracuse to allow for any delays I might have because of immigration. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) the immigration process took no longer than 10 minutes, so we had plenty of time eat, sit, walk around a bit, sit, read, sit and then catch our plane. We finally arrived in Syracuse at midnight.
Kane started work on the Friday but it was mainly just a meet and greet and administration day. He was able to get off work early and the hunt for a new home began… After looking at some thoroughly disappointing places and also some fabulous loft apartments (which we had no hope of affording!), we finally found a great little townhouse. 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ bathrooms, a double garage and, bonus of bonuses, a big den in the basement, which Kane has already commandeered as his office/movie theatre/Star Wars room. An added advantage is that it is right on a street which goes to downtown Syracuse, I can get a bus or even walk downtown in 20 minutes so if I can find a job downtown we won’t need to get an extra car yet.
We moved in on Saturday but our furniture shipment is not due to arrive until Oct 17 so we have rented the basic pieces of furniture (TV!!!) until then. On Sunday (Sept 11 – eek!) we flew to New York to collect our car as it arrived earlier than expected. Even though some would have considered it bad luck to be flying to NY on this date, we consider ourselves very lucky as we visited Ground Zero when all the memorial ceremonies were taking place. It was a very moving experience and I cried like a baby!
Now that we have our own car back we have to reregister it and both get NY State driving licences….no problem for Kane but I have to take a driving test as I do not yet have a US Driving licence – bleurgh :o(
Syracuse is a nice little town although it is difficult to measure the size because things are organised a little differently over here than what I am used to! Imagine taking all the high street shops and department stores out of the downtown area of Frankfurt, Bournemouth or wherever you are and dumping them in a shopping mall out of town. There wouldn’t be much left downtown apart from offices and bars/restaurants and maybe some smaller boutiques. That’s what Syracuse is like. There is a huge (!!!) shopping mall on the outskirts of town but downtown is mainly made up of the yuppie coffee shop and boutiques, the bars and restaurants, and larger offices like Chase, Axa Financial and the Federal buildings. Its great for a night out and there are lots of festivals, in fact when we arrived the New York State Fair was on (that was big!) and the following week there was an Irish festival downtown (which we visited in memory of Yours Irish bar in Frankfurt!).
Kane has been working hard and settling into his new job as lead reporter for WSYR an local Syracuse ABC affiliate. His stories are mainly on the evening news and you can also see them on www.9wsyr.com if you are interested…
I on the other hand have been cleaning our new home….the tenant before us had two dogs apparently and there is dog hair in places I would never have dreamed of! I’ve been cleaning for 9 hours a day for 2 days and every part of my body is hurting. I’m obviously not cut out for this manual work – come back desk job all is forgiven!
The weather has been unbelievably hot here, over 30 degrees every day. Everyone is warning us that this is NOT NORMAL and to “just wait until you experience a Syracuse winter”. According to the locals, winter lasts until April and it will snow most days….looks good for the skiing!
We are off to Ottawa, Illinois tonight for Kane’s 10 year high school reunion. Kane is really looking forward to it and after some of the stories I’ve heard about his school days, I must say I’m quite interested in meeting some more of his partners-in-crime…
We are all set up with internet at home now so please email us and let us know how you are getting on!
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Thursday, August 4, 2005
Moving Right Along
Hello All!
Long time since the Kanstergram made it's way to your inbox, but figured I would drop a line (albeit a quick one) to let you all know that we're making the move back to the states!
Joanne and I will be in Washington D.C. starting September 1st. I'll be working at the Army's Walter Reed Army Medical Center as a producer / director there. Joanne will be immigrating to the states and we're both looking forward to our new adventure in the states with a lot of enthusiasm!
While our physical address will change, you can all still reach me here at this e-mail address. Once we get settled and get a new address, I'll forward on the information.This is also a good time to have you respond with new or good e-mail addresses to keep on file for you.
Also, those of you from Ottawa... any word on our high school reunion? I heard a whisper it was September 17th, but haven't heard anything else since then... if you have any information, I would be glad to hear it!
Hope all is well with you and yours... please write back and stay in touch!
Cheers!
Kane
Long time since the Kanstergram made it's way to your inbox, but figured I would drop a line (albeit a quick one) to let you all know that we're making the move back to the states!
Joanne and I will be in Washington D.C. starting September 1st. I'll be working at the Army's Walter Reed Army Medical Center as a producer / director there. Joanne will be immigrating to the states and we're both looking forward to our new adventure in the states with a lot of enthusiasm!
While our physical address will change, you can all still reach me here at this e-mail address. Once we get settled and get a new address, I'll forward on the information.This is also a good time to have you respond with new or good e-mail addresses to keep on file for you.
Also, those of you from Ottawa... any word on our high school reunion? I heard a whisper it was September 17th, but haven't heard anything else since then... if you have any information, I would be glad to hear it!
Hope all is well with you and yours... please write back and stay in touch!
Cheers!
Kane
Monday, June 6, 2005
RIAS Radio, TV and New Media Awards 2005: Award Winners
Awards were given for radio, TV and New Media productions which made special contributions to the mutual understanding between the people of Germany and of the United States of America.
Award Winners 2005
1ST RADIO AWARDS
Arthur Landwehr (SWR)
Religion & Wahlkampf in den USA
Among Arthur Landwehr’s numerous contributions to SWR’s 2-week focus US program, his reports about the importance of religion in the American society are especially interesting to German listeners. In six relatively short spots he deals with “religion and consumption” in the United States (“which car would Jesus drive today?”). Topics include public demonstrations of religious conviction — e.g. saying grace in restaurants —, the self-financing of congregations employing professional business plans and the influence of religion on White House policy. The reports are straight forward, unbiased and very informative.
The jury also acknowledges the focus US program itself, which broadcast numerous stories from many different reporters, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the United States and its population before the presidential election.
The special commendation of focus USA includes particular mention of SWR’s website www.swr.de, where most radio reports supplemented by additional material were available on demand. The Remarks about a Partnership on SWR3 is an excellent example of radio programming supported by the internet.
Monika Müller (NPR)
Berlin Impressions
In poetic audio flashes Monika Müller presents scenes of daily life in Germany — especially Berlin after the fall of the wall — to American public radio listeners.
This award acknowledges her unique style, merging text and music to elicit a unified emotional effect. The short features combine sensitive observations with poetry and sublime irony. With these reports Monika Müller develops a new method of journalistic presentation.
2ND RADIO AWARD
Burkhard Müller-Ullrich (WDR)
Wahltagebuch aus Florida
Burkhard Müller-Ullrich ridicules German suspicion of American democracy with refreshing irony. His biting sarcasm is based on the irregularities of the 2000 election in Florida with the close margin of victory for George W. Bush. The author wittily suggests the only possible solution: the Germans themselves should elect the US president in the future. With his unusual and very personal commentary, Müller-Ullrich promotes better understanding of American politics.
1ST TV AWARD
Thomas Berbner and Christoph Lütgert (NDR)
Die Bushs — eine amerikanische Dynastie
This documentary uses the rise of the Bush-clan to the top of American business and political life as an example of the influence of family dynasties on public life in the US. The Bushes also became part of the social aristocracy starting with the grandfather of the current president a wealthy entrepreneur and conservative republican senator. Many incidents illustrate how close cooperation over three generations has resulted in an impressive network of power which has so far produced two presidents and two governors.
The focus here is on George H. W. and Barbara Bush. Although this is not a detailed political analysis this comprehensive film does not omit the dark chapters in the career of president George W. Bush. Without prejudgment this captivating documentary uses archival footage to illuminate an important period in US political history.
2ND TV AWARD
Kane Farabaugh (AFN Europe)
On The Air — Over There (Part III)
The military station AFN (American Forces Network) quickly became the voice of the American way of life for the German population and a “must-hear” for the post-war generation throughout Europe. American music – forbidden in Nazi-Germany– was the medium and the message. Many German radio stations eventually adopted AFN’s casual programming style. Over the years the station became an important news source beyond the American target audience. When the AFN headquarters in Frankfurt/ Main were closed, the authors – with diligence and sympathy – produced this nostalgic documentary on the station’s history, personalities and popular programs.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
THE RETURN OF THE FORCE - Star Wars Fever Kicks off in the United Kingdom
LONDON - It’s been twenty eight years in the making. So the few hours of constant pouring rain and cold weather didn’t distract thousands of Star Wars fans camped out in London’s Leicester Square from lining up against the red carpet to usher in the newest, and last, installment of the most successful movie saga in history.
If you are a fan of Star Wars, then Revenge of the Sith is more than just an episode… it’s a bridge between what is old and what is new. It’s one of those movies you’ve been waiting most or all of your life to see. To have those questions answered. Or at least one in particular.
“What everyone wants to know,” says John Knoll, the man behind the curtains at George Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic responsible for bringing the daring and epic space battles to life, “is what makes Darth Vader… Darth Vader. What makes Anakin Skywalker turn from the dark to the light.”
Responsible for answering that question on screen is Canadian actor Hayden Christiansen. Off screen, on the red carpet in front of the Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square, he shared with us his hopes for the film, in which he stars as both Anakin Skywalker, and Darth Vader.
“I just want them to like the movie, you know? I hope that the die hard fans will feel a good sense of fulfillment, and I hope that those who aren’t will just enjoy it as a good film onto itself.”
I guess I would consider myself to be one of those die hard fans that Christiansen speaks of. For me, Star Wars has been a big part of my life.
Anyone who knows me, knows that the borderline obsession with this intergalactic space epic has inspired me in many ways.
Watching the first Star Wars Saga planted the seeds of interest in film and video editing, looking with wonder and amazement at how all those spaceships and different scenes worked together to deliver this fantastic story.
In Kenneth Inman’s AP History class at Ottawa High School in the 1990’s, we were assigned to write about a person we thought was the most influential in society. I took this opportunity to write a twenty page diatribe on the history and contributions of Star Wars creator George Lucas. As the head of a multi-billion dollar business and one of the most successful movie directors of all time, I was sure that I effectively conveyed his importance to society, and the
film industry.
While George Lucas may have inspired a generation of filmmakers and a generation of film watchers, Ken Inman was hardly impressed, and gave me a “B” with the immortal words written on the cover of the paper “You didn’t convince me that he was an influential figure.”
I wonder how Ken Inman views George Lucas these days. Forbes.com has the man listed as 194th richest person in the world, with an estimated personal wealth of $3 billion, and the head of a film empire that is the most influentiual in the business.
A moment I have dreamed about for some time has finally arrived on the red carpet here in London. For a brief moment leading up to my short interview with Lucas, I thought about sharing with him the fact the he caused me to get a “B” instead of an “A” on that paper some years ago, or the fact that because of him I applied (and wasn’t accepted) to the film school at the University of Southern California, or any number of Lucas or Star Wars related connections that he might have found dreadfully boring or probably heard from fans before.
I instead decided to focus on the business at hand, talking with him about the movie.
“For me, both making the movies and meeting the fans is the fun part of all of this,” says Lucas under the shelter of an umbrella in the typical London downpour. I’m a bit relieved that he likes to meet fans. I could only worry if he called me a geek and told me to get a life.
For a man who is both shy and creatively intrinsic, he seems to have an eternal smile when talking about his thirty year distraction known as Star Wars.
Perhaps it’s because he views his role in the creation and delivery of the saga more as spinner of a moral lesson rather than a weaver of flashy effects and blockbuster satisfaction.
“If they take away one thing, it’s that ultimately what it is that turns you to the dark side and what the consequences of that are.”
I am about to find out what those consequences are.
As an added bonus, I managed to get a ticket to the premier screening… sharing a theater with the latest “in” crowd in England, including Lucas himself and other Star Wars luminaries who turned out for the event.
Sitting near English pop star Sophie Ellis Baxter and some celebrity from the UK version of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” plus a plethora of people I’m sure I should know, I can’t be bothered by my surroundings because the moment of a lifetime is about to unfold on screen, and George Lucas is the man who is introducing it to me.
For the next two hours and fifteen minutes, I easily forgot there was anyone else in the theater.
If you were disappointed by the previous two movies that have brought us to this moment in Star Wars history, fear not, find what you are looking for you will with Revenge of the Sith. Without spoiling the fun for those who wish to stay in the dark until they get a chance to see the film, know only that it’s dark and sinister, tragic and foreboding, breathtaking and fresh, and more than I expected.
“What I like very much about it is that the ties between the first film they made in 1976 and this one are strong,” says the erstwhile Scottish actor Ewan McGregor in a rare-but-lucky-for-me interview. He stopped by the red carpet on a break from his rehearsals for his performance as Sky Masterson in the London production of “Guys and Dolls”
“It marries together beautifully, and I didn’t see it until yesterday, and it wasn’t until then that I realized that all of the hard work that we had been doing since the first one I did made the transition work.”
Critics also seem to think the transition works. Many have given the film high marks, a stark change to the beating the previous two movies received.
For the man who plays C-3PO, and one of the only actors to appear in all six films, Anthony Daniels is hardly surprised by the recent turnaround in critical acclaim for the movie.
“There is so much in this movie! There is something for everybody just like in the Star Wars saga. It’s become this one enormous story and you can take from it the thrill of the battle scenes, you can take from it the affection, the human characters with each other, the love indeed… which is the problem with this movie, where love leads Master Anakin.”
Though Episode III is the final movie, we can all take a deep sigh of relief knowing that it’s not the end of the Star Wars franchise. If you haven’t heard it before, let me be the first to tell you that George Lucas plans to make two different Star Wars ventures into television, one in cartoons and the other in live action.
If a few years it too long to wait, or if you prefer to stay within the confines of your own home and watch Star Wars on your personal entertainment system, get the subwoofers and surround sound ready to blare the trumpets of Star Wars opening theme as all six films reach a video store near you, in a mall not so far away, to capture your imagination all over again.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Thursday, April 21, 2005
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