Art Visible from Space
Have you ever wondered if any artworks are visible from space, or thought of going on a journey of “extra terrestrial” discovery using Google Earth?.
Artist Merrill Kazanjian explores art visible from space from Google Earth Gallery
This video was created by an artist looking at that perspective – Merrill Kazanjian is an artist who creates a lot of art tutorials and shares them on YouTube.
He gives his reasons for choosing this medium for sharing:
“I am dyslexic and I always struggled with text.
Video gives visual learners a great alternative to text, and I want to supply a textual alternative for artists.
I also taught as an art teacher for eight years. My job was eliminated three times in eight years due to budgets. My first step by step videos were created with the purpose of keeping misbehaving students occupied.”
Merrill uses mixed media of all kinds, digital manipulation and traditional art methods. In this video he uses mixed media and a photocopier.
“My friend Al Alvir has a very popular Boxing/Mixed Martial Arts blog- http://shootafairone.com/ and I decided to create a character for one of the writers he has on staff (O’Toole). Allen is a big fan of Mike Tyson (heavyweight champion) and his legendary trainer Cus D’Amato who also trained managed Floyd Patterson (olympic and heavyweight champion) and Jose Torres (light heavyweight champion) so I made this character with D’Amato in mind.
I used D’Amato reference photos for my initial drawing but also had fictional “Rocky” trainer Mickey Goldmill in mind (portrayed by Burgess Meredith). Using these two icons; one from pop culture one from reality, gave me an interesting image to illustrate. In this video, I documented my process. ”
Merrill calls his YouTube channel “Kazanjian – the Unspellable Art Channel.”
http://www.youtube.com/user/kazanjianm
http://www.merrillk.com/
If you know of other artwork visible from space and would like to share it or discuss it – post it on the rainbowzebra forums. www.rainbowzebra.com/forums
Read MoreConnecting Girls, Inspiring Futures: Women’s Day
A selection of women’s art to celebrate Women’s Day 2012:
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/artwork.asp
Left: Artist: Sarena Kirk
Title: Celebrating Women Helping Women
International Women’s Day theme
2012 Theme: CONNECTING GIRLS, INSPIRING FUTURES
If every International Women’s Day event held in 2012 includes girls in some way, then thousands of minds will be inspired globally.
Each year around the world, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.
Organisations, governments, charities and women’s groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.
“Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures” is the 2012 theme of the internationalwomensday.com website and this has been widely used by hundreds of organisations including schools, universities, governments, women’s groups and the private sector. Each year the United Nations declares an overall International Women’s Day theme. Their 2012 theme is “Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty”. Many organisations develop their own themes that are more relevant to their local contexts. For example, the European Parliament’s 2012 theme is “Equal pay for work of equal value”.
Find events in your area for International Womens Day:
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/theme.asp
The Challenge
We are challenging you to Walk In Her Shoes. The challenge is simple; choose any week in March 2012 and walk 10,000 steps per day for the whole week.
See the website for details http://www.carechallenge.org.uk/charity-challenges/charity-walks/walk-in-her-shoes
Into Eternity: A Few Hours to See a Hidden Place
Dont Miss This!
You have a matter of hours to see this film live-streamed for free.
See a place that has been carefully hidden from most of us,
along with the frightening realities it hides.
This may perhaps be the longest-lasting monument to our civilisation, and what will it say about us?
Watch it Live while it is available…here…
INTO ETERNITY is a multi award-winning documentary film about long-term safety issues in nuclear energy production. The film is set at ’Onkalo’ the world’s first permanent storage site for nuclear waste, which is under construction in Finland. However, all countries with nuclear energy facilities have to deal with nuclear waste for at least 100 000 years.
With the Fukushima disaster, Japan now has additional nuclear waste. Onkalo is an underground facility, but Fukushima is above ground, vulnerable to natural disasters, war, and economic crisis. The reactors, that suffered full or partial meltdown, will have to be permanently controlled and maintained for millenia on end.
THE EVENT
The radioactive evacuation zone is now uninhabitable. It has become a blind spot in the middle of
Japan, a symbol of the dangers of blindness in thinking about safety. We cannot secure ourselves
against things we cannot – or will not – see.
A TOTAL OF 150 837 PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED AS A RESULT OF THE FUKUSHIMA DISASTER.
A window of 150 837 seconds of free on-line streaming of the documentary
INTO ETERNITY has now opened.
WHEN
March 3rd, 2012 at 7.32 am (CET): The window opens
March 5th, 2012 at 1.26 am (CET): The window closes
AWARDS:
Wild & Scenic Film Festival, January 2012, California, USA
Best of Festival
FilmAmbiente – International Environmental Film Festival, November 2011, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Best International Feature Film
Baikal International Festival of Documentary, October 2011, Irkutsk, Russia
Grand Prix
Antenna International Documentary Film Festival, October 2011, Sydney, Australia
Best International Film
International Uranium Film Festival, May 2011, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Jury Award: Best Feature Documentary
Cinemaplaneta, March 2011, MEXICO
Award for: “the most innovative approach to an environmental issue”
Documentary New Zealand Trust, February 2011
Best international editing
Special Mention: Best International Feature Doc
FIFE, Paris, France, November 2010
Grand Prix
IDFA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, November 28th 2010
IDFA Green Screen Award
Sheffield, UK, November 7th 2010
Special mention Sheffield Green award
Festival des Libertes, Brussels, Belgium, October 30th 2010
Lichtpunt Prize
CineEcoJúri Internacional, 25 October 2010, Portugal
GRANDE PRÉMIO CINE’ECO 2010
Youth Jury Award
Nordisk Panorama – 5 Cities Film Festival, Bergen Norway, September 29th, 2010
Nordic Documentary Award
Docufest, Prizren, Kosova, August 8th 2010
Special Mention
Planete Doc Review, May 17th 2010, Warsaw Poland
Green Award
Vision Du Reel, Nyon, Suisse, April 13th 2010
Grand Prix
CPH:DOX, Copenhagen, Denmark, November 16th 2009
Audience award
IN ADDITION MICHAEL MADSEN AS DIRECTOR HAS RECEIVED:
CPH:DOX, November 2010, Denmark
Reel Talent 2010 Award
The Danish Arts Foundation, The Committee for Film and Theatre, spring 2010
Award for Into Eternity
Read MoreCelebrating 200 Years of Charles Dickens
Tuesday 7th February 2012: There have been global celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Charles Dicken’s birth. Prince Charles laid a wreath on the author’s grave in Poet’s Corner, at a service at Westminister Abbey.
There was also a ceremony in Portsmouth, where Dickens was born. with readings by actor and biographer Simon Callow and actress Sheila Hancock.
A 24-hour readathon, organised by the British Council is taking place from Albania to Zimbabwe, reaching the UK at 9pm on the evening of Tuesday 7th with readings by author David Nicholls from Great Expectations, at the British Film Institute.
The Dickens Anniversary was also celebrated by the charity NewstrAid – a charity which was founded n 1854 to help men and women from the newspaper industry who were in need, and of which Charles Dickens was President from 1854 until his death in 1870
Google celebrated the day with one of its Google Doodles, and the artist Mike Dutton points out some details about the work on the Google Doodle site.
Dutton says: “We have quite a number of characters who showed up today to help celebrate Charles Dickens’ 200th birthday. Twelve recognizable ones at least. This naturally made for a pretty busy doodle, and while we managed to squeeze in a few extra pixels to make the logo slightly larger than usual, we thought it’d be kind of nice to show you a couple close-ups here. ”
“Of course, arriving at the final image was a slight technical challenge (as crowd scenes depicted at 500 pixels wide tend to be). So I worked a bit at making the overall shapes and gestures of each character recognizable even at small sizes.
For example, Scrooge’s back is drawn exaggeratedly hunched over. Tiny Tim looks even smaller compared to the ghostly apparitions in the sky behind him. Pip’s arm is tucked behind him, and he looks meek compared to Estella, who towers over him.”
Read MoreThe Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Year Launches
2012 is a year of celebration for the UK – not only is it the first time the Olympic Games will be held here since 1948, but Queen 
Elizabeth celebrates her Diamond Jubilee this year.
The Official Jubilee Emblem design (left) for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is based on an original illustration drawn by Katherine Dewar.
It was selected from 35,000 entries submitted by children aged 6 to 14 years from all over the UK in response to a Blue Peter competition.
The official launch of the Diamond Jubilee Year is the 6th of February 2012, celebrating the day she came to the throne on 6th February 1953. The only other British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee was Queen Victoria in 1897
This special year is being celebrated in many different ways with many events, ceremonies and entertainment for all to enjoy, as well as with many charitable and long-term projects such as the Jubilee Woods Project, launched in February 2011 which aims to plant six million trees across the UK, creating hundreds of new woodlands, including 60 “Diamond Woods” of at least 60 acres each to mark each year of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
Some of the events and activities to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee are:
MAY
Diamond Jubilee Pageant at Windsor Castle
“Around the World in 60 Years and 90 minutes”
Dancers, musicians, military and equestrian displays from around the world will come together for three nights in the private grounds of Windsor Castle on 10, 11 and 13 May
In a show consisting of seven acts, visiors will be treated to a spectacular journey around the world, reflecting The Queen’s State and Commonwealth visits during the course of Her Reign. Starting from London the journey goes West visiting The Americas, Australasia, Asia, The Middle East, Africa, Europe and finally Great Britain.
The Diamond Jubilee Pageant is a not for profit event with all surplus going to selected charities to help the disadvantaged and disabled.
JUNE
The Big Jubilee Lunch
Sunday 3rd June 2012
This will be the fourth annual Big Lunch and is part of the main progrmme of events over the Diamond Jubilee celebrations over the special 4-day bank holiday.
The Big Lunch is a very simple idea from the Eden Project that aimd to get as many people together as possible across the UK to have luch with their neighbours in a simple act of community, friendship and fun.
Jubilee Beacons
Monday the 4th of June, 2012 will see thousands of beacons lit across the world to celebrate Queen Elizabeths 60 year reign over the UK, and as head of the Commonwealth.
4th June
Concert at Buckingham Palace
Also on the 4th June is a concert at Buckingham Palace, organised by the BBC with tickets are available to UK residents by public ballot.
JULY
Thames River Pageant
The Thames River Pageant on the afternoon of Sunday 3rd July 2012 will be one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the river.
Left: The Royal Barge at Tower Bridge, by Joseph Bennett.
The armed forces, fire, police, rescue and other services are all afloat and there are an exuberance of historic boats, wooden launches, steam vessels and other boats of note.
In addition to this, the center of the river will have up to thirty thousand flag-waving members of the public on passenger boats, moored mid-river for an eye-level view of the pageant.
There will be music barges, boats spouting geysers and pyrotechnic barges spitting smoke and daytime fireworksas well as specially constructed elements like a floating belfry, with its chiming bells answered by those from riverbank churches.
The Official Emblem for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
The Official Emblem for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is by 10-year old Katherine Dewar, from Chester, and is the winning design in a national competition for children between 6 and 14.
Living Without Wikipedia
China is able to limit its people from reaching much information on the web. The power of the internet lies in the freedom of expression it has given to all who can access it.
If the internet slowly loses its independance, we have the prospect of all information being controlled by… who?
Yes. freedom of expression can be abused, but the abuse and the abusers should be addressed, not the freedom. There are many powerful people with hidden motives, who do not include the welfare of the general public as part of their plans.
Wikipedia shut down its English language service today in protest at the proposed new laws to contol the internet. This is a message we all need to think very hard about.
Wikipedia Explains:
Why is Wikipedia blacked-out?
Wikipedia is protesting against SOPA and PIPA by blacking out the English Wikipedia for 24 hours, beginning at midnight January 18, Eastern Time. Readers who come to English Wikipedia during the blackout will not be able to read the encyclopedia. Instead, you will see messages intended to raise awareness about SOPA and PIPA, encouraging you to share your views with your representatives, and with each other on social media.
What are SOPA and PIPA?
SOPA and PIPA represent two bills in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate respectively. SOPA is short for the “Stop Online Piracy Act,” and PIPA is an acronym for the “Protect IP Act.” (“IP” stands for “intellectual property.”) In short, these bills are efforts to stop copyright infringement committed by foreign web sites, but, in our opinion, they do so in a way that actually infringes free expression while harming the Internet. Detailed information about these bills can be found in the Stop Online Piracy Act and PROTECT IP Act articles on Wikipedia, which are available during the blackout. GovTrack lets you follow both bills through the legislative process: SOPA on this page, and PIPA on this one. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the public interest in the digital realm, has summarized why these bills are simply unacceptable in a world that values an open, secure, and free Internet.
A Perspective on the internet censorship bills from the Alyona Show on YouTube.
Why is the blackout happening?
Wikipedians have chosen to black out the English Wikipedia for the first time ever, because we are concerned that SOPA and PIPA will severely inhibit people’s access to online information. This is not a problem that will solely affect people in the United States: it will affect everyone around the world.
Why? SOPA and PIPA are badly drafted legislation that won’t be effective at their stated goal (to stop copyright infringement), and will cause serious damage to the free and open Internet. They put the burden on website owners to police user-contributed material and call for the unnecessary blocking of entire sites. Small sites won’t have sufficient resources to defend themselves. Big media companies may seek to cut off funding sources for their foreign competitors, even if copyright isn’t being infringed. Foreign sites will be blacklisted, which means they won’t show up in major search engines. And, SOPA and PIPA build a framework for future restrictions and suppression.
Does this mean that Wikipedia itself is violating copyright laws, or hosting pirated content?
No, not at all. Some supporters of SOPA and PIPA characterize everyone who opposes them as cavalier about copyright, but that is not accurate. Wikipedians are knowledgeable about copyright and vigilant in protecting against violations: Wikipedians spend thousands of hours every week reviewing and removing infringing content. We are careful about it because our mission is to share knowledge freely. To that end, all Wikipedians release their contributions under a free license, and all the material we offer is freely licensed. Free licenses are incompatible with copyright infringement, and so infringement is not tolerated.
Isn’t SOPA dead? Wasn’t the bill shelved, and didn’t the White House declare that it won’t sign anything that resembles the current bill?
No, neither SOPA nor PIPA is dead. On January 17th, SOPA’s sponsor said the bill will be discussed in early February. There are signs PIPA may be debated on the Senate floor next week. Moreover, SOPA and PIPA are just indicators of a much broader problem. In many jurisdictions around the world, we’re seeing the development of legislation that prioritizes overly-broad copyright enforcement laws, laws promoted by power players, over the preservation of individual civil liberties.
How could SOPA and PIPA hurt Wikipedia?
SOPA and PIPA are a threat to Wikipedia in many ways. For example, in its current form, SOPA would require Wikipedia to actively monitor every site we link to, to ensure it doesn’t host infringing content. Any link to an infringing site could put us in jeopardy of being forced offline.
I live in the United States. What’s the best way for me to help?
The most effective action you can take is to call your representatives and tell them you oppose SOPA and PIPA, and any similar legislation. Type your zipcode in the locator box to find your representatives’ contact information. Text-based communication is okay, but phone calls have the most impact.
I don’t live in the United States. How can I help?
Contact your local State Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or similar branch of government. Tell them you oppose SOPA and PIPA, and any similar legislation. SOPA and PIPA will affect sites outside of the United States, and actions to sites inside the United States (like Wikipedia) will also affect non-American readers — like you. Calling your own government will also let them know you don’t want them to create their own bad anti-Internet legislation.
Is it still possible to access Wikipedia in any way?
Yes. During the blackout, Wikipedia is accessible on mobile devices and smart phones. You can also view Wikipedia normally by disabling JavaScript in your browser, as explained on this Technical FAQ page. Our purpose here isn’t to make it completely impossible for people to read Wikipedia, and it’s okay for you to circumvent the blackout. We just want to make sure you see our message.
I keep hearing that this is a fight between Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Is that true?
No. Some people are characterizing it that way, probably in an effort to imply all the participants are motivated by commercial self-interest. But it’s obviously not that simple. The proof of that is Wikipedia’s involvement. Wikipedia has no financial self-interest at play here: we do not benefit from copyright infringement, nor are we trying to monetize traffic or sell ads. We are protesting to raise awareness about SOPA and PIPA solely because we think they will hurt the Internet, and your ability to access information online. We are doing this for you, because we’re on your side.
In carrying out this protest, is Wikipedia abandoning neutrality?
We hope you continue to trust Wikipedia to be a neutral information source. We are staging this blackout because (as Wikimedia Foundation Trustee Kat Walsh said recently), although Wikipedia’s articles are neutral, its existence is not. For over a decade, Wikipedians have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history. Wikipedia is a tremendously useful resource, and its existence depends upon a free, open and uncensored Internet. SOPA and PIPA (and other similar laws under discussion inside and outside the United States) will hurt you, because they will make it impossible for sites you enjoy, and benefit from, to continue to exist. That’s why we’re doing this.
I have a question that isn’t answered here, or, I would like to send feedback to Wikipedia.
You can reach Wikipedia editors at info-en(at)wikimedia(dot)org. If you need a response, please be patient: we may have trouble keeping up with the mail.
For more information on this see the Wikipedia page here…
The video below is from Border Row Productions on Vimeo, clarifying some of the points to consider with these censorship bills.
Common Sense – SOPA & PIPA from Border Row Productions on Vimeo.
A PSA of sorts. Spread the word, please.
Everything here done by Andrew Hoag and Molly Ryan at Border Row Productions.
Special thanks to Jason Harvey (alienth) for his fantastic article on these two bills, which helped us craft this video. The article can be found here: blog.reddit.com/2012/01/technical-examination-of-sopa-and.html
www.borderrowproductions.com
@BorderRow
SFX Credits to some great users on Freesound.org (ironically, a site that would probably be subject to blacklisting if these laws come to pass).
– gezortenplotz
– dj chronos
– andrew duke
– percy duke
– rumphries
– acclivity
– herbertboland
– digifishmusic
– theta4
