The Grand Telectroscope

Over the long holiday weekend, my boyfriend and I went out to Brooklyn to see this interesting art exhibit called the Telectroscope. Multimedia artist and sculptor Paul St. George created an art installation that links London to New York City. In each city there is a steampunk-esque telescope device that protrudes from the ground, allowing visitors to look down into it’s lens. There they will see the city, and people who are standing in front of it in the other city, via a HD camera and broadband setup.

St. George also concocted an interesting fictional back story for the exhibit where he says that this project was based off of the plans of his great-grandfather Alexander Stanhope St. George, who was said to be an eccentric Victorian engineer. Alexander is said to have come up with these plans after tunnels were found on a mid-Atlantic island that were dug to entomb French prisoners of War, or to aid escaping slaves. Paul says that he found these plans and decided to follow through on his great-grandfather's.

The telectroscope in NYC resides on a pier under the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side. It looks as if it was pushed up onto the dock, complete with rocks and wood planks surrounding the base of the scope. At the front there is an area for people to stand (or queue for the Brits) to get their chance to look out at London. New Yorkers get to see the Tower Bridge in the background, and Londoners get to see the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s very fun to look down this long tube and see people smiling and waving back at you in real time. My boyfriend got a kick out of writing on a white board “Manchester United #1” and finding out that one gentleman on the other side is not a fan.

I was able to get some photos of the Londoners (who may or may not have been posing), and what looks like fireworks in the background. Once I have them uploaded I’ll post them here for debate. Was there some holiday yesterday in the UK that would be cause for fireworks?

This has been my favorite exhibit of the summer so far!

Top picture courtesy Stephanie Summers; Bottom picture from Wikipedia

This is happy news

Lori Drew, the mother who created a fake myspace account in order to gain the trust and then harass a young girl, who wound up hanging herself has been indicted. Article here on CNN.

When I first read about this story on Fark, I was shocked and appalled by the actions taken. Granted, kids doing something like this happens, but for an adult, who knew that this girl suffered and was on medication for depression to do this was completely out of line. And I wasn't the only one upset. The legions over at Fark quickly did detective work and found this woman's name (which wasn't originally listed), home address, phone, business information and other facts. The power of the internets. I always find it interesting to watch that happen... amazing how quickly an online mob can amass members and information.

Anyway, glad to hear that this woman is going to do some time for being a failure as an adult.

Go away or I shall taunt you a second time!

Fark is always great for random funny political news... take for example this article, where the author makes fun of Hillary's campaign using a Monty Python reference. In the Fark thread, cue the comments involving images and the following from user saintstryfe:

Howard Dean: Bring out your dead!
[clang]
Bring out your dead!
Barack Obama: Here's one.
Howard Dean: Ninepence.
Hillary Clinton: I'm not dead!
Howard Dean: What?
Barack Obama: Nothing. Here's your ninepence.
Hillary Clinton: I'm not dead!
Howard Dean: 'Ere. He says he's not dead!
Barack Obama: Yes, he is.
Hillary Clinton: I'm not!
Howard Dean: He isn't?
Barack Obama: Well, he will be soon. He's very ill.
Hillary Clinton: I'm getting better!
Barack Obama: No, you're not. You'll be stone dead in a moment.
Howard Dean: Oh, I can't take him like that. It's against regulations.
Hillary Clinton: I don't want to go on the cart!
Barack Obama: Oh, don't be such a baby.
Howard Dean: I can't take him.
Hillary Clinton: I feel fine!
Barack Obama: Well, do us a favour.
Howard Dean: I can't.
Barack Obama: Well, can you hang around a couple of minutes? He won't be long.
Howard Dean: No, I've got to go to the Romney's. They've lost nine today.
Barack Obama: Well, when's your next round?
Howard Dean: Thursday.
Hillary Clinton: I think I'll go for a walk.
Barack Obama: You're not fooling anyone, you know. Look. Isn't there something you can do?
Hillary Clinton: [singing] I feel happy. I feel happy.
[whop]
Barack Obama: Ah, thanks very much.
Howard Dean: Not at all. See you on Thursday.
Barack Obama: Right. All right.
[howl]
[clop clop clop]
Who's that, then?
Howard Dean: I dunno. Must be a king.
Barack Obama: Why?
Howard Dean: He hasn't got shiat all over him.

Fark user Magorn also uses the Black Night skit... which also really fits the situation:

Hillary Clinton: Right. I'll do you for that!
Obama: You'll what?
Hillary Clinton: Come here!
Obama: What are you going to do, bleed on me?
Hillary Clinton: I'm invincible!
Obama: You're a looney.
Hillary Clinton: The Hillary Clinton always triumphs! Have at you! Come on, then.
[whop]
[Obama chops the Hillary Clinton 's last leg off]
Hillary Clinton: Oh? All right, we'll call it a draw.
Obama: Come, Michelle.
Hillary Clinton: Oh. Oh, I see. Running away, eh? You yellow bastards! Come back here and take what's coming to you. I'll bite your legs off!

I'm rooting for Obama, but I must say this whole race is just... annoying. Can someone just declare the winner for the nomination already? This really feels like it's being dragged on longer than it should have. I'm starting to get into the frame of mind "wake me when it's over" and then I'll look in more detail at policies and whatnot.

And now for something completely different...

From BBC News: Seal attempts to have sex with a penguin

The 100kg seal first subdued the 15kg penguin by lying on it.

The penguin flapped its flippers and attempted to stand and escape - but to no avail.

The seal then alternated between resting on the penguin, and thrusting its pelvis, trying to insert itself, unsuccessfully.

After 45 minutes the seal gave up, swam into the water and then completely ignored the bird it had just assaulted, the scientists report.

Why a fur seal would indulge in such extreme sexual behaviour is unclear.

I know why... Interspecies Erotica. Not just related to donkey shows in Mooby's anymore.

In all seriousness though, the article is pretty interesting. The animal kingdom seems to be a lot more perverted than one would have you think. Apparently "sexual harassment" is common among animals in the same species, but this is the first recorded harassment between two different classes of vertebrae.

Ah the good ole TSA...

I remember when I was a kid, going on trips with my parents, security at the airport was a breeze. I could walk through the metal detector carrying a stuffed animal. Not to mention, we were always treated fairly nicely.

Back in those days (I’m olde tymie…) you could also meet people who were coming in at the gate, or if traveling alone, you could wait with family or friends before boarding the gate. I also remember when my mom would have to book a specific non-smoking flight because of mine and my dad’s asthma not being able to handle the regurgitated smoke on the planes.

Boy have things changed. Airline employees tend to be a lot more surly, and customers are not treated as nicely. It’s more like we’re cattle, and should be happy that we’re being allowed this service that they provide. And consumers are showing their disapproval by not flying as much, or not traveling certain airlines, thus forcing mergers or having to declare bankruptcy.

But today’s entry shall focus on the good ole TSA. After 9/11 restrictions have become tighter, and understandably so. However with some things, the TSA can be a bit much. One of the new regulations is putting small 3oz or less liquid or gel containers in a ziplock bag in your carry-on luggage. Fine by me, but at the same time, there are some things that could be an issue to passengers, like adults traveling with small children. A news article I remember reading last year talked about a mother who was detained and treated horribly by TSA over her child’s sippy cup (message board post with article here)

The story quickly spread on the Internet this week after blogger Bill Adler, a Washington author, saw a note Emmerson wrote on a Web site for city parents. Adler interviewed Emmerson and relayed her account.

He wrote that a TSA screener seized her 19-month-old's cup after asking if there was water in it, causing Emmerson's son to cry. Emmerson was told she would have to leave the security checkpoint and dump out the water if she wanted to keep the cup.

Emmerson said she accidentally spilled the water because she was nervous and traveling alone with a toddler.

TSA, however, said Emmerson dumped, not spilled, the water on the floor.

Now yes, the TSA made the rules for safety, we should obey them, and I can understand this. The issue comes in with the treatment of passengers with regards to these rules. If they treat people calmly, then people will generally respond calmly. If they take an attitude, well, the results will be less than pleasing.

Thankfully, I’ve only had one bad experience. I was able to take my half-full face wash through JFK to Tampa, but apparently I couldn’t do that on the way back. Gotta love consistency! I think if the TSA went through some customer service training, and if they didn’t hire people who looked like they hated their existence, things could go better.

Then again I may just be idealistic…

Mini news bites

• Apparently, NYC is freaking out over Emperor Palpatine Pope Benedict's visit. Many streets are being closed off in the areas he will be visiting over the weekend, and in AM New York, it advises that if you can leave your neighborhood (if one of the pope’s stops is there) for the weekend it is advisable. Really? Come on. Getting around NYC is a hassle in general. And if you live near the UN and are whining about traffic being closed or increased police presence, it’s your own fault you moved there then. I will be happily tucked away in Queens far from the madness.
• I’m also fluent in Nerdic according to “experts”. Some key terms are: RickRoll, UGC, Mashup, HDMI, Android (according to Pixmania.com’s top 10 list.
• This is just full of stupid and I don't see how it would be considered art. FAIL
• As for good art, check this out “Cereal Mascot Reunion” His artworks is very interesting and thought provoking. I also like “Space Girl” (link in sidebar).

Ghost in the Shell: Live action movie (Spielberg has awesome taste)

According to Variety, DreamWorks has acquired the rights to the Japanese manga “Ghost in the Shell.”

Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul of Seaside Entertainment are attached to produce and brought the project to the studio. Jamie Moss has been tapped to pen the adaptation.

Universal and Sony were also chasing "Ghost in the Shell," but Steven Spielberg took personal interest in the property and made it happen at DreamWorks.

" 'Ghost in the Shell' is one of my favorite stories," Spielberg said. "It's a genre that has arrived, and we enthusiastically welcome it to DreamWorks."

Ghost in the Shell is probably one of my all time favorite manga and anime series. There’s just something compelling about the world and the characters that were created by Masamune Shirow in the manga, and the fantastic way that they were adapted into animated films and a TV show.

The prospect of a live action GITS is interesting, especially with it being tied into using 3D technology. That would make the net diving scenes pretty interesting. Not sure who I would want them to cast as Motoko Kusanagi, but it would have to be someone who would do her character justice, otherwise I’ll probably hate the movie. I’m always worried about movie adaptations for video games and anime. From all accounts the live action Aeon Flux was horrible, and most people haven’t been happy with video game movie adaptations. Though I must admit, I really enjoyed the first Tomb Raider movie.

Now if only people can make up their minds with regards to the Halo movie…