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By Simona Sitarova

Do you understand this? Is this what we call language nowadays?

There is no denying that the vast majority of us have utilized this sort of writing style at some point in time, be it in a chat room, on Facebook or in text message. When we are thinking faster than we can type or are in a rush to be somewhere, we tend to forget the conventions of proper spelling. Are our lives getting so hectic that there is no longer the time to write grammatically correct sentences? Or are we just being lazy?

Is this really what language has come to? Is all writing going to appear like this in future times to come?  Easy, fast expression and digestion would they call it?

I do not know, personally I am struggling just to type this out. There is a voice in my head screaming with disgust each time I cannibalize a word, furthermore the fact that I am an avid reader of literature does not exactly help either. The reassurance that this is for a good cause helps a little.

The point is that more and more kids and adults nowadays are having trouble spelling, and if we are to put one and one together it would seem that the imminent conclusion is that the two are directly proportionate. When we are trying to get through our fast track daily routine and communicating via new media, we stoop to shortcuts and dismiss grammar.

Perhaps it’s time to stop, think and spell. Language is a living entity, don’t be a murderer.

By Marta Vella

Picture this: On a relaxed Tuesday night, I took my dog out for a walk on the Sliema front. The sun was just setting as I sat on a bench and stared out at the sea. It was my iPhone’s vibration that brought me back to my senses. An MMS from an unknown number. Some usual promotional nonsense, I thought… on the contrary.

The sender was Dexter Morgan. He appeared there in a photo, smiling while holding a sharp knife in his hand. The text asked if I could help him out with some “leather work”. If I wasn’t up for it I’d end up in trouble.

I must admit, it  shocked me a little. All that was passing through my mind was WTF?! I had downloaded the Dexter app a couple of weeks earlier, as I’m a huge fan of the series. All I expected from the app was to watch sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, not to receive actual text messages from Dexter Morgan!

This got me thinking, is this what the world has come to? How is it that we’re actually getting to interact with our favourite on-screen characters?

With the transition into the digital age, the direct connection between the audience and the product has become the currency of the future.

To think that more than:

• 25 million iPads have been sold in just 14 months
• There are now over 450,000 apps available in the App Store
• The fledging Android market has more than 300,000 apps
• 14 billion apps have been downloaded in less than three years
• Each day 80,000 Android devices are shipped worldwide

As we very well know, hype and audience excitement can change the fate of a series itself. Taking Dexter as an example, back in 2009 the second season of Dexter was blasted as being nothing but “a bloody horror series with an evil protagonist”. Showtime (an American television network) had entrusted the series to transmedia stategists as they weren’t satisfied with the feedback and the show’s popularity with female audiences.

The new transmedia campaign included a gaming application for the iPhone, an animated series titled Early Cuts, a teen-oriented portal titled Follow the Code, as well as a role playing card game. The result was an increase in ratings, leading to the most successful season of Dexter to date!

Unfortunately the outcome isn’t always a positive one. Toyota and Saatchi & Saatchi released an advertising campaign called YourOtherYou, promoting Toyota Matrix in 2008. YourOtherYou enabled consumers to play extravagant pranks. One had to input a little information about their friends without their consent, in order to freak them out with personalized emails, texts and calls. YourOtherYou would then contact the friend and would appear to know them intimately, telling them, for example, that they’re driving cross-country to visit. Most sensible people would sense that this may not be the brightest of ideas.

The thought process behind transmedia is a straight forward one. Transmedia storytelling is conveying a story across multiple media, ideally with a degree of audience participation, interaction and collaboration. The story and the characters are now finding their way into our lives, which in turn gives the audience a more rewarding experience. The relationship between the audience and what we watch on TV or at the cinema is becoming more complex.

Transmedia is still a work in progress, yet even though it is in its experimental stages, one cannot deny that it’s the way of the future, and the future sure does look more fun. I mean, I got a text from Dexter Morgan, how cool is that?!

By Mina Tolu

This story is not about sex – not about Female vs Male. It’s about gender identity (woman, man, gender-queer), gender expression (masculine, feminine and androgynous) and the socially-constructed stereotypes which keeps those terms alive. ‘Juan of a kind’ – experiments in gender expression, is a short video project I undertook as an exploration of my own gender expression through drag-personas.

It’s been around a year since I first introduced ‘Juan’ to the world, and since that first day in Gozo, Juan seems to keep turning up more and more often. To clarify; Juan is my drag-king persona. Basically the masculine of me, he’s extremely though, exhibiting extreme masculine traits. Sometimes he thinks he’s Mexican, or a drug-dealer, a party-animal or a lady’s man. Other days he’s in a tie and suit. As a ‘male’ he’s strong, crass, and unashamed of anything. He’s loud, loves to tease and shock. As a drag-king persona he is an exaggeration of stereotypes that are found in society.

He is not my only drag-persona though, as Romina also exists, she’s my drag-queen self. Extremely femme, she loves dresses, heels, accessories, make-up. She takes care of her hair, is quiet, and everything society says a woman should be. As you can notice she is my extreme feminine side, fully conformed to society; exhibiting  feminine traits. Finally Mina, my mixed identity, not conforming to the societal notions of masculinity and femininity, Mina is female-male (identity), masculine-feminine (expression).

However, explaining Juan and Romina should be done within the realms of drag culture.

One point of drag culture is to make fun of the opposite sex and extreme male/female stereotypes. For me it’s about challenging the gender binary system, by exploring the two extremes. Yes, I feel like I am in drag both as Juan and Romina. So via dragging myself, I am challenging the gender binary system: the typical ‘male vs female’ constructed on a notion of biological sex, which has no consideration for other genders. By being ‘Juan’, Romina and Mina I am capable of exploring a spectrum of various identities and expressions. For what you make of male and female, are only socially constructed norms.

The video explores these notions by almost caricaturing the extremes. Perhaps this can only really be appreciated after viewing the video multiple times, or by viewing some still shots. At first sight, through the video it seems that I am only experimenting with expression via clothes. This is not the case. Other things come into play: Juan applies his own make up, but Romina requires help. Juan is bold, chooses an outfit and sticks to it. Romina must go through a selection of 4 dresses before she finally chooses the one she likes. Through the use of black and white photographs I distance the viewer, they are not distracted by colour, but only aware of forms, and how these changing forms are challenging their thoughts. Yes, of course the primary purpose is to shock. Finally, my point is emphasised through a slowing down process and a change to colour. The final illustration plays on blending realities.

This story is about Romina and Juan and how they fit into my own story of being Mina, how through their antics I have realised who I am; more female than male (identity), but more masculine than feminine (expression).

Those interested in other queer performance art, artists and photographers should search for Del La Grace Volcano, Catherine Opie and Heather Cassils.

By Julian ‘Skyhawk’ Tirazona

Growing up with a certain fascination for flying, staring up to the sky, the clouds, and the stars at night,. I had gone to an airshow for the first time when I was 4 years old – aviation always had a special place in my life. As I grew up, so did my love for it.

After getting my first computer, flight simulations and games related to planes became my biggest hobby. Most of the money that was given to me was spent on joysticks and computer hardware to be able to run them smoothly. At first, it was all too unrealistic and just for fun, until I discovered something that would change my love for flying forever.

In 2006, I discovered the Virtual Thunderbirds, a team of dedicated people that replicated the United States Air Force Thunderbirds and their maneuvers. The real team performs with six F-16 Fighting Falcons, and fly daring and daredevil stunts in close formation. Having been to many of the yearly airshows in Malta, the feeling of adrenaline and the thrill of being part of a team doing such dangerous stunts were already familiar. I was amazed at what the Virtual Thunderbirds were accomplishing, it was like love at first sight, this is what I wanted to do. And thus I had been reborn in the world of virtual aerobatic teams with my alias – SkyHawk.

To my surprise, that year I was recommended to one of the best virtual aerobatic teams on ‘Il-2 Sturmovik’, a World War II combat flight simulator. I was just under the age requirement but seeing how dedicated I was, they just had to make an exception. The team was known as the ‘Blue Eagles’, and flew 6 fictional P-51 Mustangs. With them, I experienced three different formation positions throughout a span of two years, honing the skills I had previously acquired as well as building upon them. Sadly, the team disseminated in 2008. I had such a hard time believing it had come to an end; it was like a big part of my life had suddenly broken down. On the positive side, during those two astounding years, I had gathered enough skills and experiences to start a new team.

In 2009, Rob Brindley, Francesco Brunetti and myself founded ‘The Virtual Horsemen’, replicating the real Horsemen, the only aerobatic team in the world to fly three World War 2 P-51 Mustangs. Once again, I was excited to be part of a prestigious team. Beautiful memories from the Blue Eagles were coming back to me, my flying skills were rekindled and it almost felt like second nature. Since that time, there were drastic changes, with Francesco having dropped out of the team, and being replaced by Marc Ilic. I am proud to say that the team is still together and growing, with hundreds of fans, both men and women, real and virtual pilots as well as aviation enthusiast from around the globe who keep in touch with us through the social networks – Facebook and Twitter.

That very same year, we were ecstatic to be accepted to perform for the first time in the world’s biggest virtual airshow, the Virtual Festival of Aerobatic Teams, together with other reputable teams like the Virtual Red Arrows, the Virtual Blue Angels, and the team that got me into all this, the Virtual Thunderbirds. Being able to meet and talk with the people who I had idolised was probably more exciting than actually performing in front of hundreds of viewers.

Having literally studied several aerial displays and replicated them in the virtual world has helped me become a better judge of real teams. It has helped me see through optical illusions that as a spectator on the ground with no knowledge of how real teams perform can seem very life threatening. In reality these teams also have strict safety regulations to follow. I have gained much more respect for the real teams because ultimately I understand that there are forces that the simulator cannot simulate.

Those who thought that the flight simulators we use are just video games for kids, have become more appreciative of what we do after discovering how real they can get. The feeling of being immersed and making the simulator feel like the real thing are our objectives. Although seldom, it gives me great pleasure to see Maltese aviation enthusiasts of various ages dedicate themselves to virtual aerobatics.

At the present day, this alias has become like my second identity, one that lies somewhere between reality and the virtual reality, an avatar that represents what I love, so much so that some people address me with this ‘name.’  Even though maturing quickly through the early stages of life, SkyHawk is a virtual aerobatic pilot who has much more to learn, and a lot more potential to unlock.

By Mila Camilleri

In the words of Rebecca Black, today is Friday. It also happens to be the 13^th day of the month. Do you treat today like any other day or do you have an even harder time deciding on which seat to take, fearing the worst?

This allegedly cursed day has many legends and myths related to its origins, from Norse mythology and the Knights Templar, all the way back to Biblical times. Although the exact cause for the negative connotation between Friday and the number 13 is unknown, the combination of the lores that Friday is an unlucky day and that 13 is an unlucky number, makes for a particularly sinister pairing.

Regardless of origins or plausibility, some of us humans take the fear of this day to the max. There is even an official name for the phobia of Friday the 13^th, paraskavedekatriaphobia. It is not unheard of that hospitals and hotels skip the number 13 when numbering rooms, or that skyscrapers lack a 13^th floor or even airplanes omit a 13^th aisle.

In 1993, research was carried out on the amount of cars on the road on Friday the 13^th. Although fewer cars were around because people were quivering under their blankies, in fact more accidents occurred because superstitious drivers were more jittery than usual.

And for you paraskavedekatriaphobics out there, on Friday the 13^th 2029, the asteroid 99942 will be the closest it’s ever been to Earth. Start praying.

As a final goodbye I shall leave you with a tip of the day: if you happen to come across a man wearing a hockey mask today, you may want to run (but avoid screaming girlishly) in the opposite direction.

By Roberta Basarboliewa

I got into rock music when I was around 15 and have rarely turned back. Various dance tunes catch my attention every once in a while but never hold it for long. Some years ago I was introduced to Japanese rock music – a very particular genre of it. On top of the language being different, I was also intrigued by the visuals. While most bands I ever listened to and knew about looked like something the cat had dragged in (and that was on a good day) these guys obviously seemed to spend more time on their makeup and hair than I do, and sometimes more than they did on making music. Swayed by the pretty makeup, bright hair colours and flashy costumes I also fell for a number of kaleidoscopically-coloured, incompetent bands at first. Then I learned to listen first and look second, and found my niche.

This particular stream of Japanese rock (which encompasses anything rock-like produced by Japanese bands) I found out to be called visual kei or style. Rather than a genre of music it is a genre based on visual image – the only thing visual-style bands have in common with each other is the heavy makeup and involved costumes. The whole theme revolves around male musicians in feminine attire to varying degrees. Their music varies from the lightest, happiest tunes, to heavy metal/industrial riffs, screams and love ballads. While the most typical bands are either made up of four (vocalist, guitarist, bassist, drummer) or five members (two guitarists instead of one) there are bands with keyboardists, violinists, three guitarists, two vocalists and other combinations. Variations abound even in gender. Traditional visual kei stemmed from artists such as the American band KISS and the English David Bowie, and the inspired by them X JAPAN and Luna Sea who retain their legendary status even now and recently became active again. As the style grew in popularity and diversified, female visual bands started cropping up. Incidentally, they often look more masculine in their feminine attire than their male counter-parts. In the last few years, a number of bands with female vocalists and male instrumentalists have also appeared.

As I tend to prefer music rich in fast beats and involved guitar instrumentals, I naturally  gravitated towards the heavier spectrum of visual kei- which also tends to have more sinister visuals, leather and metal in their costumes, and darker and less sociably acceptable lyrics. Bands such as the recently disbanded D’espairsRay, and the world-known Dir en Grey struck my fancy. However, as visual kei includes a huge array of music styles the visuals vary just as much. There are many poppy, rainbow-coloured bands that set fashion trends more often than write songs and whose main occupation seems to be to smile. There are also themed bands that define their music in complex ways and try to follow up with names, lyric topics and general style. The strangest bands I have personally come across were a pirate-themed band that had picked up just enough English to sound like a pirate’s parrot (‘Ahoy, me hearties,’ and the like), a band that had a blow-up doll with an established name with them on stage, a band with a fish-shaped balloon as a mascot, and a hospital-themed band. The latter’s concert I did not last through but from what I did see they were all wearing doctor gowns and paraphernalia and had used up a good amount of bandages to decorate the stage during the band change and sound check period after the previous band.

English features heavily in song names and lyrics – used for shock value, ‘coolness’ factor or full-length properly translated and pronounced English lyrics, it’s everywhere. This has also initiated an amusing trend among the thousands of foreign fans to compose their own lyrics based on mispronunciation and mishearing. The most recent trend that took root among the fan communities online involved the mistaken understanding of the words ‘Play of psychopath’ as ‘Real stinky bus’. Enough said.

By Daniela Azzopardi

I follow you as you make your way to the study garden.  You sit down on one of the wooden tables, get your notes out and start working without losing a second.  I occupy a table a few meters away and closely observe your every move.

I bring my wristwatch, which doubles as a communicator, close to my face and after making sure there is no one to overhear me, I softly whisper, “Alpha 101, Alpha 101, do you read me?”. The LED on my watch flashes once.  “This is Echo 7, reporting.  Subject has alighted in a public area, where she seems to be working on decoding the message.”  I see you ruffle your hair in distress as you come across a particularly hard part to decipher.  “She seems to be having a hard time decoding it. Over.”

You sigh and lower your head, your black curls doubling as a curtain over your face.  You are soon joined by a couple of friends and I see them bending over your assigned work, offering you help.  You gladly accept and they start working it out with you, but give up after a couple of minutes.

“Alpha 101, this is Echo 7.  Recruit 14 is asking for help in her decoding.  She has shared the data given to her with her friends.  This is a serious breach to our regulations.  How do I proceed?”  I observe the LED light.  Soon enough it starts transmitting.

-.-/././.–.

—/-../…/./.-./…-/../-./–.

“’Keep observing’?”  I question the device.  I get no answer.  “Keep observing it is.”  Your friends have started gossiping, but you keep focusing on cracking your code.

I don’t see what my superiors see in you.  How could a simple first year, without any kind of background, be recruited to join our national secret service?  You can’t even crack a level 10 code.  I could do that in my sleep.  Although, I do have to admit, you are hardheaded.  Most of the recruits I have overseen in the past gave up after two minutes, but you have been going at it without pausing for over half an hour.  Maybe you aren’t that bad after all…

Looks like you have had a breakthrough, a slow smile is growing on your lips.  Have you figured it out yet?

Seems like you did.  You smile, clearly satisfied and I can’t help but smile with you.  “Alpha 101.  This is Echo 7.  Recruit 14 has achieved her objective.  She has been promoted to Delta 14.  How do I proceed?”

Before I can get my next orders, I see trouble.  Two men, wearing white from head to toe have spotted me and are quickly making their way towards me.  My previous abductors have tracked me down once more.

“Alpha 101, I have been spotted by the enemy.  Requesting backup.  Alpha 101, send reinforcements ASAP”. My voice is rising in panic as I speak and you are looking my way, with an alarmed expression on your face.

The men are getting closer.  I start to run, but my legs cannot keep up with me.  All that time I had spent captured had weakened me more than I had realized.  The men have reached me.  They have gotten a hold of me.  I try to fight them off, but the three of us fall down to the ground, a squirming mess of fighting limbs.

“Dammit!  Back up, back up!  Delta 14, help me!”  I cry to you desperately but you quickly gather your things and hurry away, your friends at your heels.  “Is this desertion?” I yell at you.  “Don’t think you’ll get away with this, you noob!”

I realise the men are injecting something into my arm.  Before passing out, I realise the transmitter is forming a message.

-…/..-/…/-/./-..

.–/…/-.–/-.-./…./—

“’Busted, psycho’?  What’s that supposed to mea-”
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