Plane is Boarding, Good Films

As I type this I can see the people lining up for my flight to Newark via Paris. Yes it is that time of year again, time to float off to the US and A. In the days leading up to my departure, I had the chance to see several documentaries at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. For whatever reason, my person theme this year was the internet-spam-inspiring world of so-called sexual disfunction.

I use the term “so-called” because 20 years ago this condition did not exist. So of course neither did the now famous blue pills and their descendants. This fact was one of the main points underlined in both Michael Schaap’s hilarious and informative film “The Erectionman” (aka The Viagraman in the Netherlands) and Liz Canner’s Orgasm Inc.

Michael’s film focuses on the male universe as it relates to the erection. I’m sure some people squirm at the topic, but it is no secret that since the dawn of time human behavior and human history has been highly influenced by that all-important phenomenon. Indeed during this film Michael takes us back in time to how different civilizations related to erections and generally the occurrence of impotence. Eventually it brings us to the present where even the word impotence is now taboo. Replaced by the pharmaceutal industry and doctors affiliated with the industry, by the term erectile disfunction. Why the new term? For both marketing and regulatory purposes. The marketing part should be obvious, there is plenty of embarassment connected with the term impotence, so if you make a more scientific name there will be more willingness to come forward.

The regulatory function of inventing a new condition is the most interesting aspect of both of these films. In the case of erectile disfunction, in order to market their famous blue pill Pfizer and other pill makers needed it to be approved by the FDA. However the FDA will only approve the drug if it treats an actual condition. Enter the multipronged communications and marketing strategy by the big drug companies. With their legions of doctors and funny ads that make people believe that there is a condition involving men’s erections that plagues society and can be cured with help from their pills.

Liz Canner completes the equation of this manufactured industry, by looking at the development of female viagra. She again looks at what companies are doing in their quest to develop a drug that will enable women to have orgasms who have until then been unable. The name of the new condition in order to justify the development of the drug – Female Sexual Disfuction (FSD).

Surprisingly at the conclusion of the film we learn that female viagra, known specifically as Intrinsa, got rejected by the FDA in the US. Yet somehow the drug has been approved by the European Union, though it has only been used in some very specific and extraordinary circumstances.

Perhaps my favorite conclusion that in many ways applies to both films was put forth by Michael as he lamented something like “.. at some point I realize I’m entirely dependent on commercial entities in order to have pleasure… “

Remix at VlogEurope2009

Over the weekend a modest but passionate group of European Videobloggers got together for the 5th time in 5 years.  While the world of video online didn’t quite turn out how we had hoped or perhaps how we had thought, we still gather to discuss issues as well as reminisce about the past and what may come.

Instead of trying to further explain it, I’ll end on a lighter note, with a video of me being remixed by my good friend and videoblog veteran Raymond who was in town from Norway.

ctrp320 The Arctic as a Personal and Global Challenge

He does what? – People often ask whenever I mention Lewis Gordon Pugh. He swims the arctic, I tell them again.  Why? – is always the next question.

When you sit across from Lewis Gordon Pugh for just a few minutes, you understand why immediately.  You also understand you’re in the presence of someone who puts his entire life on the line for a global problem he is passionate about tackling.

Lewis’s concern about climate change and the urgent need to do something about it take him beyond the freezing waters of the arctic, as he explains in this interview, he is also concerned for the rapidly melting ice in the Himalayas, water that 1/5 of the world’s population lives on.  Thus setting the stage for his next swim, a lake formed from a melting glacier on Mount Everest.

If you enjoyed this interview and want to learn more about Lewis’ work, visit his website. I highly recommend seeing the video of his arctic swim.

Azeri Video Bloggers Update

A recent podcast on this site was dedicated to telling the story of the Azeri videobloggers/youth activists who were attacked, arrested and held on a hooliganism charge. At that time their sentence had still not been decided.  In this past week the verdict was handed down, Emin 2.5 years, Adnan 2 years in prison.

In an analysis of this verdict and its impact on freedom of expression and the press, especially for bloggers and different types of citizen journalists, Ali asks the questions:

How do Azerbaijani youth activists and citizen journalists feel? Are they scared? Will this verdict cause them to be less outspoken and critical in the future?

According to Ali, when their sentence was handed down, Emin declared to the court that it was an honor for him to be imprisoned for his ideals.

Choosing War Over Food

The purpose of their international summit is to do something to help the 1 billion people worldwide who will face famine this year. In order to address this global problem, this week the UN asked the international community at the UN Food Summit for 44 billion dollars to invest in agriculture in developing nations. The summit said no to this request.

Meanwhile the total amount spent by the US alone on the occupation of Afghanistan will total 223 billion dollars this year.  According to Jo Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes’ research, both wars combined have cost 3 trillion dollars.

Military experts and political leaders continue to argue about how best to resolve the conflict in Afghanistan, how best to spend  the hundreds of billions of dollars for fighting their war. Yet we know what it takes to stop hunger, we know how to feed people, and we don’t do it.

ctrp319 Mass Student Revolt in Austria

You’ve heard the story before, especially over the past decade: a European university announces sweeping reforms because of the legendary Bologna Process and EU requirements.  This discussion often comes with the introductions of new fee’s for students, tighter controls on how long a student can study, and the move into a bachelor-masters structure.  While all these changes come into effect, students as well as faculty are told that it has to be this way, with limited if any, consultation.

Recently it was the University of Fine Arts in Vienna that tried to make this move. But unlike many Universities where students might have disagreed, protested, and eventually gave up the fight – students in Austria have taken matters into their own hands; They have occupied their school. Highy organized, their occupation is now more than 24 days old and has spread beyond the borders of Autria into Germany and other neighboring countries.

My friend and uni student Marty joins me on this podcast from Vienna, to explain how this all started, how the occupation works, what the demands are, and what we can expect in the coming days and weeks.

Check out the website where you can find links to every aspect of the student protests and occupations.