I rarely endorse Kickstarter projects, but Call Me Ishmael is a worthy literary project that deserves attention. Honored by the National Book Foundation with the Innovations in Reading Prize, Call Me Ishmael has already surpassed its modest Kickstarter goal. Inspired by the famous opening line of Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby-Dick, the Call Me Ishmael Phone uses repurposed vintage payphones to help book lovers discover great reads. This video explains it all:
h/t to Aubrie Rudnick for this post
We have all seen the horrible pollution that has been accumulating in waterways and on beaches around the world. Well, the brilliant Washed Ashore project in Bandon, Oregon on the shore of the Pacific Ocean is doing something about it and simultaneously working to raise awareness about the dangers to our marine environment.
Under the direction of lead artist Angela Haseltine Pozzi, Washed Ashore has organized thousands of volunteers who have collected more than 17 tons of plastic debris from beaches. Some of the trash, which is 90% petroleum-based plastic, has been transformed into colorful sculptures of marine creatures.
The non-profit community organization takes the art work on the road for awareness raising exhibits on pollution in aquatic environments. Along with stops around the Pacific Northwest, Washed Ashore has brought the travel show to far-flung corners of the U.S. as far away as Florida and Texas. This year, the exhibition will be featured at the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C..
Visit the project’s website to learn more and possibly make a donation.
Since returning to Iceland this summer after many years away, I’ve become a little bit obsessed with the extraordinary island nation. If you have ever been there, you will understand where I’m coming from. With the largest unspoiled wilderness area in Europe, Iceland is an environmental treasure. So, it’s depressing to find that the most pristine areas of Iceland are under immediate threat from rapacious developers.
This week,Björk and the Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason held a press conference to announce the launch of a global campaign to pressure the Icelandic government to stop the construction of further hydroelectric dams for the production of electricity. They are especially concerned with plans for a high-voltage cable between Iceland and the UK, which they argue would create increased pressure for further damming up of rivers and the utilization of geothermal areas. You can watch the whole press conference (in English) below.
Björk and Magnason are among founding members of the environmental group Gætum garðsins, which translates as “Protect the Garden”. The group proposes the creation of a National Park in Iceland’s pristine Central highlands, ensuring the area is protected and preserved for future generations. Even though a large majority of Icelanders support the creation of a National Park in the highlands power companies have opposed the idea, while they plan to build new power plants and high voltage transmission lines in the highlands. The Icelandic government has supported some of these plans.
If you care about protecting Europe’s largest wilderness area, you can help by signing a petition at the Heart of Iceland website protesting the development. You can also contact the Icelandic embassy in your home country to raise concerns about these misguided projects. Local embassies can be found through www.iceland.is/iceland-abroad/ .
A few weeks back, Parc de la Ciutadella in the heart of Barcelona was the site of a temporary star gate. Located in a repurposed DC 9 jet aircraft, the Portal estel-lar was a brilliant sound and light show that took passengers on a trip without ever leaving the ground. The very trippy installation was create by artist Eduardo Cajal, along with a group called PlayMid for a local festival. They hope to reprise the star gate soon. But for now, we will have to be content with the video below.
New York City-based artist and graphic novelist Robert Sikoryak has solved the dilemma that every iTunes user faces: how to slog through the deadly boring legal terms and conditions of use. He has created a comic book-style exploration of the complex, wordy legalese that most of us never bother to read. Mimicking the styles of famous comic book artists, such as Chester Gould, Charles M. Schulz, Alison Bechdel, and R. Crumb, Sikoryak transforms the wording of the legal agreement into manageable little scenarios that occasionally mirror the text. You can follow the graphic adaptation online here and even purchase a book version here.
The excellent TED-ED lesson below was written and narrated by Noah Tavlin. It offers a clear and succinct explanation of what the term “Orwellian” actually means. A helpful reminder to be discerning in our word choice, too.
As you might predict, New York City’s first museum dedicated to food and drink is located in Brooklyn. Launched last week in a converted garage—of course—the Museum of Food and Drink has big plans for its visitors. By 2019, MOFAD expects to move to a larger permanent space, but for now the nascent museum will be presenting changing multimedia exhibitions on food, nutrition and beverages.
The inaugural show at the Williamsburg space is called “Flavor: Making It and Faking It”. Visitors are treated to exhibits such as the “Smell Synthesizer”, which offers the opportunity to experience 19 radically diverse scents. This fragrant exhibit required the installation of smell-hiding technology borrowed from commercial marijuana growing firms.
While wandering the interactive displays that focus on the natural and manufactured flavor industry, MOFAD visitors can sample flavor infused tablets that are dispensed at a bank of gumball machines.
Maybe it’s not worth a schlep to Williamsburg just yet, but if you’re in the area why not check it out.
With all of the hubbub and hullabaloo about the George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art planning to open in Chicago, last week’s announcement finalizing the plans for the American Writers Museum got lost in the media fog. The good news is that the nation’s first institution dedicated to American writers will open in downtown Chicago in early 2017.
Located across from Millennium Park on North Michigan Avenue, the purpose-built museum will feature rotating exhibitions on wide ranging literary topics such as: rare books, the Beat Poets, censorship, characters in novels, the immigrant experience, book arts, ethnic literature, and much more.
Books are the plane and the train, and the road. They are destination, and the journey. They are home.
Anna Quindlen, “How Reading Changed My Life”
Set in 1912 Ireland, “Uisce Beatha” (Gaelic for Water of Life) is based on the true tale of a feckless young Irishman who leaves his rural home with hopes of finding his fortune in America. Irish director Shaun O. Connor wrote, cast, shot and edited the award-winning short film in one month and on a budget of less than €300.
Today, the premier issue of the new Lonely Planet magazine hits the newsstands in the United States. You may be saying to yourself: “but I’ve seen copies of the Lonely Planet magazine all over the world for years”—and you would be correct. The travel guide series stalwart already publishes eleven other versions of the magazine in various international markets, but this is the first time that an edition designed for the U.S. market will be published.
From what I’ve seen, the new quarterly will offer Lonely Planet’s idiosyncratic perspective and a mildly adventurous take on travel. The new American publisher promises to include stories on travel technology and gear, tips and advice, culture and history, and great photography.
The Winter 2015/2016 issue has features on Rome, Nashville, and Cuba. Cover price for each issue is $5.99, with discounts for both print and digital subscriptions available.
Travel Between The Pages 