Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/380554
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2014 38 THIS WEEK Think 'grazing herds of wildlife' and no doubt images of wide expanses of East African savannah spring to mind – Malta certainly doesn't feature anywhere in the formula. Yet only yesterday I was watching a bunch of over a hundred wild animals rooting around in the ground. No I wasn't in Kenya or Tanzania or anywhere abroad, and it wasn't a television documentary either. The location of my safari was a bay, and the herd of wildlife was a silvery host of young Striped Sea Bream foraging about for edible scraps on the sandy seabed. All at just two metres' depth. The Striped Sea Bream (M: Mingus) is a common sh around our coasts and it's a gregarious animal, so if you see one you're more than probably going to see a bunch of them. They're relatively tame and approachable, and will graciously allow you to share their space. What is more, if you rue in the sand a bit, they're bound to show interest in the spot for any titbit you may have uncovered. So nd a snorkelling mask and make the best of a sea that's still warm but much nicer now thanks to the diminishing crowds. 421. STRIPED SEA BREAM GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 323: FOLLOW THE HORSE – You can follow news from the tour online at: https://storify.com/foeeurope/trojan-horse-treaty This week was the first date on Friends of the Earth's 'Trojan Treaty' tour – a European tour of a giant Trojan horse to raise awareness of the threats posed by the secret EU-US trade talks. The first stop on the tour was Copenhagen. Friends of the Earth Denmark/NOAH inflated the eight metre high Trojan horse in the city centre to draw attention to the hidden dangers of the EU-US deal (known as TTIP or the Trans- Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership). These dangers include secret corporate courts that could fine governments for introducing laws to protect health, the environment or citizens' rights, increased use of genetically modified crops in Europe, and more fracking, shale gas and other dirty energy. If agreed, this trade deal between Europe and the US will affect every single citizen in Europe. Real people power can prevent irreversible damage being done by this Trojan treaty. The Trojan horse tour is about standing up for citizens and our right to decide our own laws and putting people and our planet before big business profits. Other stops on the tour will include Germany, Hungary and Belgium in 2014, and many other European Countries in 2015. The tour starts as news has emerged of how the Trojan treaty could open the door to genetically modified (GM) food. Documents analysed by Friends of the Earth Europe show that European countries are under increasing pressure from business groups to open their borders to GMO imports of as part of the negotiations. Trojan Horse Treaty Tour Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us www.foemalta.org. You can also support us by sending a blank SMS donation on 50618070 (€4.66) or 50619223 (€11.65). Text and photo Victor Falzon 'Strada Stretta should honour its musicians' Celebrating Frank Miller ahead of Sin City 2 STRADA Stretta should celebrate the top musicians who hit the right notes to put it on the international map, according to researcher George Cini. The narrow street in Valletta is going through a rebirth after some four decades of decline. It had, for this long time, looked like an aban- doned film set of a once thriving entertainment hub. Newly-opened bars, restaurants and other eateries are luring more people to Valletta particularly during the evening. 'The Gut' as the street was known to British and other servicemen was on a wave in the Thirties, For- ties and early Fifties for the fine live musical fare it provided. Cini was speaking on the occasion of the re- print of his book Strada Stretta: 'The Gut' Which for Many Years Lit up Valletta. "Top Maltese musicians like Wiġi Fiteni tal-Pjanu, Vinny Vella, Oscar Lucas, Ġużi Curmi, il-Pusé and his brother Pawlu l-Pampalun, Frank Bibi Camilleri, Jimmy Dowling and Lee Spiteri, il-Budella not to mention drag queens Bobbie and Sugar were followed religiously by thousands of men down this notable street to en- joy their showmanship and musical artistry." Asked how the street could show its gratitude to these pioneers, Cini said those places that are being or have been restored could commission a high- or a low-relief of the musician who used to play at that particular haunt and fix it to their façade. "For example, il-Bibi used to play at the White Star, corner with St Christopher's Street. Vinny played at the Metro Music Hall and Ġużi Curmi, il-Pusé and his brother Paw- lu, il-Pampalun performed at the Fo- lies Bergere." A marble tablet giving a couple of lines about the musician would ac- company the sculpture. These mu- sic memorials would make the street more attractive, especially to visi- tors as they come to know of the rich vaudeville history of this Valletta landmark, Cini said. Readers who have any memora- bilia or experience about Strada Stretta and would like to discuss it with the author, can contact him on gcini400@gmail.com or on 9943 0578 EURO Media Forum and Eden Cinemas, present the Frank Miller event at The Sofa Cinema at Univer- sity Msida Campus on September 15 at 18:30. Miller's revolutionary work was launched with his grand- daddy of graphic novels, The Dark Knight Returns, which was not only a source of inspiration for Christo- pher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy but also ensured that his uniquely dark take on the comic book narra- tive would leap onto the big screen. Certainly chief among Miller's works is 300, adapted for the screen by Zack Snyder, which was filmed with a super-imposition chroma key technique, to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. However, Hollywood's Dark Knight truly outdid himself when he di- rected Sin City together with Robert Rodriguez. Sin City blew audiences away with its hardboiled characters and unique colour processing that managed to make a film look more like a comic book come to life, and it has paved the way for a sequel – out this year. Guest speakers' comic book re- searcher David Pace and film re- searcher Justin Camilleri will lead the audience into a greater appre- ciation for this American writer, artist, and film director. The audience is invited to partici- pate and put forward to the guest speaker their questions, curiosities and observations. There will also be a Frank Miller quiz, with the oppor- tunity to win cinema tickets and a free pizza meal for two. The film discussion is being done in collaboration with Eden Cinemas, Vintage Boutique (Savoy Arcade, Valletta), Comics in Education and Giotto restaurant. Entrance is free however limited seating is avail- able. For bookings email euromediafo- rum@gmail.com or send an sms to 99454066, or log in http://www.fa- cebook.com/Euro.Media.Forum Eva Green in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For Pawlu Curmi, il-Pampalun (pictured) and his brother Guzi, il-Puse performed at Folies Bergere in Strada Stretta