Escape Velocities

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

This week Arizona State University’s Center for Science and Imagination published Visions, Ventures, Escape Velocities: A Collection of Space Futures, a free digital book collection of fiction and nonfiction about space exploration. The free book, which was funded by NASA grants, is available for download in EPUB, MOBI, iBooks, and PDF formats.

The publication’s stories and essays explore journeys to Mars, mining asteroids, searching for exoplanets, dwelling in space, and human settlement of distant planets. You can download your own free copy right here. 

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Rationalizing Airport Security

Posted on December 10, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

During the last two weeks Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport has been testing a novel approach to airport security screening. The Personal Security Pass pilot project aims to demonstrate that it’s possible to reduce wait times and make passenger security screenings less onerous. The program allows flyers to reserve specific time slots to go through a dedicated security checkpoint. Using the airport’s webpage or a special app, travelers can select an appointment slot from four days prior to a flight up to 75 minutes before take-off.

Participants in the pass program are sent a QR code for scanning by security staff and are then directed to dedicated security gates. The goal is to move 120 passengers an hour through the Personal Security Pass lanes. If the pilot project is successful, Schiphol hopes to begin rolling out the system throughout the airport.

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Reasons to use a guidebook

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

As a former travel guidebook author, I am biased in favor of old-school print travel guidebooks. Not that I am completely averse to digital travel literature; I use e-book guides too. But print guides are easier to highlight and annotate, and never run out of battery, need a wifi connection, or require an expensive international data plan to access. This little video from DK Eyewitness Travel books celebrates the many virtues of old-school travel guides.

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Coffee Makes The World Go Round

Posted on December 8, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Folks who know me will vouch for my life-long love of coffee. For the most part, I’m a coffee purist; I tend to stick with simple and direct caffeine delivery systems. Give me a doppio espresso, a Red-Eye, or just a cup of joe black and I’m good to go. Although when I’m in Greece I do love my daily frappé. The neat infographic below does a nice job demonstrating all of the ways that people complicate a cup of coffee around the world.

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The Matter of Jerusalem

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

During the last few days, Jerusalem has once again been at the top of the world news. The clever short film below, which was inspired by a new exhibition on medieval manuscripts at Oxford’s Bodleian Library, reminds us that the city is never far from the news of the day.

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A few fomas and some granfaloons

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

During my adolescence, I was strongly influenced by reading Kurt Vonnegut’s brilliant novels. His thoroughly original mash-up of science fiction, satire, dark humor, and political commentary resonated with my angsty teen self. Over the years, I’ve collected and sold a number of Vonnegut first editions, but I haven’t seen many interesting limited edition versions of his fiction until I recently ran across this set from the Easton Press.

The impressive clothbound collection includes Slaughterhouse-Five, The Sirens of Titan, Cat’s Cradle, Breakfast of Champions, and Mother Night. A goldfoil stamped rendering of Vonnegut’s famous self-portrait adorns the spines of the dust jackets and each volume has original artwork by the painter Richard Sparks. The limited edition set is pricey, but Vonnegut fans and collectors may want to check it out here.

 

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Not Quite The New Yorker

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

The Not Yorker is an unofficial, unaffiliated site that collects and curates rejected New Yorker magazine cover illustrations. The project is the work of three Brooklyn-based illustrators still aiming for their own covers.

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Winter Fountains

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

What happens to public fountains during the winter? In many cities they are simply turned off until spring. But this year Philadelphia has come up with an imaginative way of using the fountains to brighten-up the dark months. Running from the end of November to March 18, 2018, the stunning “Winter Fountains” project transforms four historic sites on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with dramatic video installations.

Created by multi-media artist Jennifer Steinkamp and sponsored by the Philadelphia Association for Public Art, the four installations incorporate large translucent domes. After dark, sixteen projectors transform each fountain into phantasmagorical displays of light, color, movement, and shapes.

The fountains are located at Aviator Park by the Franklin Institute, at 21st street by the Rodin Museum, at Park Tower Place, and near the Art Museum at the Spring Garden Triangle.

While you’re in town, be sure to visit the Winter Garden on Dilworth Plaza by City Hall and the Christmas Village at the newly renovated LOVE Park.

 

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Book Lovers Never Go To Bed Alone

Posted on December 3, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

These fabulous letterpress prints made by printer Amos Kennedy would make great holiday gifts for the book lovers in your life. And 100% from the sale proceeds go to the Elmwood Park Library in Detroit. Each piece is hand-pressed and one-of-a-kind. Check it out.

 

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December is the toughest month

Posted on December 2, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

“December is the toughest month of the year. Others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, October, August, and February.”
Mark Twain

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