Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Check schedules before going to Showcase

 http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=200526
(The Fiji Times)


Bringing you the latest in important and breaking news from the island nation of Fiji, we’ve received word that people attending Fiji Showcase 2012 should be sure to arrive at the venue well in advance of the scheduled start time for any act they wish to view.

The fun, fun times are already well underway. Here is a picture from the Fiji Times (www.fijitimes.com) which was taken at the Vodaphone Arena in Suva on Sunday.

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As you can see, the children appear to be in some sort of fairground ride, which has been covered in camouflage and painted with slogans like “666” and “The Fall of Osama.” These are memories they will cherish for a lifetime.

New Zealand clown legend ‘Cookie the Clown’ will be in attendance at the fair, with his ‘Crazy Comedy Show.’ Here’s a lovely montage of a recent Cookie appearance in neighbouring Papau New Guinea:

The soundtrack (of course) is Apocalyptica performing Metallica’s Nothing else matters. At 3:28, you get a nice shot of him posing with the heavily-armed security detail.

Unfortunately, his website (http://www.cookietheclown.co.nz/) doesn’t appear to be working right now. Here’s hoping he gets that fixed soon!

Cookie has been coming numerous times to Fiji over the years. In a 2009 article in the Fiji Times (http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=123315), he came over with a whole gang of friends, including:

-        Mr Fungus, the Kiwi mime

-        The Great Gondoes, acrobats from Australia. One of them squeezes herself into a see-through beer carton (photo from Australian Brews News: http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2011/04/vb-on-ice/)

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-        James Johnson, a Canadian who has a 10-foot balloon (said the actress to the bishop)

-        Pierre – he’s a bit disappointing in the name department, sadly even lacking JJ’s alliteration, but who will tattoo somebody (you? your children? strangers? himself?) for a reasonable fee.

 

While he doesn’t appear to be making a stop at Showcase Fiji 2012, Mr Fungus has a terrific name. So here he is in action:

And taking us out, here’s Fijian musician (and opening-night main stage sensation) Savuto Vakadewavosa singing Bulou noqu i Tau (featuring Sera Fatafehi):
(In the Fijian language, Bulou usually refers to a lady chieftain, and noqu is one of the several forms of ‘my’. ‘My lady’ maybe? ‘i' usually means ‘to’ and ‘tau’ might be rain or fall, assuming it isn’t a modified version of another word. So make of that what you will – ‘Lady Chieftain mine, to rain?’)

Russia Won’t Bar American Artists

http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=35556
St Petersburg Times (Russia, not Florida)

The Russian government is unhappy that the United States denied a visa to Iosif Kobzon, but says that they won’t retaliate by barring American artists. So Lindsay Lohan should be ok to audition for the lead in an upcoming Russian horror film – they say it’ll be like “Crime and Punishment” meets “Saw” meets “Saw 2”.

Kobzon is a “legendary Soviet crooner and State Duma deputy for the ruling United Russia party.” Why no visa? Suspected mafia ties.

He’s a legendary figure in Russian popular music. Here’s his monument in his hometown of Donetsk, Ukraine: (www.wikipedia.org)

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. He’s clearly a man who knows where he wants to go, and is in the process of getting there, in a tux.

He admits that he used to know the late Vyacheslav Ivankov, but claims that he has never been involved in anything illegal. Vyacheslav was a reputed leader of the Russian mafia. After being shot several times in the stomach by a sniper in July 2009, he finally succumbed to his injuries in October of that same year.

Here’s an article about him (http://dmitryscloset.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/notorious-russian-crime-boss-vyacheslav-ivankov-is-buried/) and here is a lovely keepsake photo you may wish to print out and carry in your wallet (from the BBC News story http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1998/03/98/russian_mafia/70485.stm)

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The hitman was driving a minivan, the car choice of mob enforcers around the world: (from the blog 'Leaving California and Other States of Mind' http://leavingcaliforniaandotherstatesofmind.blogspot.ca/2011/04/minivans-mor...

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He was shot coming out of the Taisky Slon (Thai Elephant). Here’s a link to their website (http://www.slon.su/) and here’s a recent review from Tripadvisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g298484-d2344885-Reviews-Taisky_Slon-Moscow_Central_Russia.html). Unfortunately for the recent guest in the linked review, the server was gauche enough to complain in front of their gathered birthday party that the tip was only 7% instead of the standard 10%. Food seems good though. Just be careful about minivans hanging about in the parking lot.

But enough of all that. Here’s singer Iosif Kobzon in happier times, doing what he does best: