orion: james, sahn, & adam

to recap: constellate is the first of the reclamation “rituals” created to accompany planetarium. it asks people to choose a constellation (and the more enthused like mark and gregory create their own) and create them with their bodies. interpret as you see fit. and don a white outfit from home depot to boot. constellate anywhere, whenever, at any time. get your picture taken, or take a picture and send it to us to upload and then thank you very much because we’ll do just that.

some of the pics have been put on this blog already in an informal way. as of today, more “formal” pics — with constellation and participant names attached and backgrounds photoshopped out, are available for view (and comments) on the reclamation project flickr page and will also soon be available for perusal on a subpage purely devoted to constellate (once i get the kinks worked out in the html).

since october, reclamation has taken this piece to various ends of the universe. at fritz haeg. then the day after fritz haeg, drew and i along with 2 of our brave friends tried it out at grand central station in nyc. ari kletzky of islands of la has partnered with drew, jack, and claudia to do some more constellating on and across traffic islands — so i suppose you can say it’s island/star-hopping — as well. and that’s only just the beginning.

i’ve been thinking about how to present the documentation. the photos we took and continue to take of constellate and others to come. as much as i am interested in the act, the gesture, the conflation of the individual-communal act, the fun, the nerve-wrackingness of ritual, i’m also interested in the archive of the thing. documenting these constellating souls, sending documentation back to those who participated so that they/he/she/it/you can have evidence of their/his/her/its/your own cosmic participation (for better and worse), and then considering what do we do with all of this accumulated information? this research, this archive? a rhetorical question, indeed.

one i don’t have The Answer for. but at least for constellate, i plan on bringing constellated imagery together. envisioning that once we have collect a critical mass of constallations, of placing reclamation constellations in an expanse of night sky in the appropriate places. in a massive photographic mural that tells its own story of reclamation, of people, of how we come together or don’t, as murals often do.

likewise, i plan to do the same for constellate’s siblings. which i’ve been thinking of in terms of the following:

• topography for aquarium: form river shapes with bodies; overlay on a map of the world’s rivers
• branch for terrarium: form tree l-grammar and plant shapes with bodies; overlay on a map of trees/forest/jungle
• radiate for solarium: form sun/light ray shapes with bodies; overlay on a 3D map of the sun

to this end, in each space, i’d like to set up a very portable space for carrying out topography, etc. (preferably against a green screen-esque background for obvious photoshopping reasons). am thinking the different overlay perspectives also work well with encompassing a “total view” as constellate looks at the world from bottom up, topography is from top down, branch is horizontal, and radiate is spherical/360.

there’ve been discussions amongst the five of us  regarding object versus the gesture versus performance, etc. (with lots of references to this that and the other Very Important Smart Person that would beef up this post into something most impressive illustrating our profound literacy and substantial understanding in art and critical theory. but names, etc. escape me at the moment and just wanting to go on this thread, so will get to that later). there’ve been questions/criticism of things/objects — as something that takes up space, isn’t necessarily good for the environment, the headache that is storage, and potentially is just the fallout of consumerist culture. in short, there’s been much criticism of the object, perhaps a backlash in the wake of relational aestheticism. after long convos on the subject, we generally end up saying, well, the installations we’re making are different because they’re not simply “things” but spaces/houses for performance.

but do we need to qualify the installations in this way? are they not justified in and of themselves? i think they are, for the two — the gesture/performance and the object/making the object — are not mutually exclusive. in fact, they are in many ways the same thing.  first off, i have to say, i like making things. whether it is making the parts of aquarium, planetarium, etc. in putting together instructions for constellate, in gathering the research and documentation and seeing that these parts can create another story in a mural, that the making is a processing as well. a meditation, something that makes me probably a better person to be around, more functional in this universe, and even if that’s the only result to everything, i think then making serves a purpose (though i suppose, if i was making something wholly nefarious like torture chambers, or something, well, that presents a dilemma…). yes, there’s an end product, a thing for sure, but it’s not just about “here’s this thing i made.” the investment in making, the gesture, the time in processing, a work is and can be the reflectino/reminder/impression/product of that. not simply a fixation on the end product. just because you make a widget doesn’t mean it’s about the widget. and in that way, there is no difference between making a work in front of other people (performance) and by yourself (making something/an object even if no one ever sees it), especially if learning, processing, problem-solving, insight-gaining happens during both. likewise, just because the art object has been commodified, etc. does not mean we have to commodify it or that when it comes down to it,or value it if we don’t value it, or consider it garbage if everyone else thinks it’s garbage (and so we come fuuuulll circle… to garbage that is). this isn’t to say that every thing in this world resonates with some magic aura, but objects/things — they can serve as touchstones and batons of communication and conversations and thoughts and imaginations that we would never have otherwise. the making without always being around others — well, that also offers a gateway for some solitary meditation about people, etc. without having to be around people, etc. in a more quiet space. on this line of thought, though perhaps going in a different direction, who is to say that a gesture made in front of others is any more of a testament of commitment/belief/this/that/other than an isolated gesture or thought? i don’t know if i’m quite making sense; feel like i’ve spewed a million bits of ineloquence. but what it comes down to is… why the judgment or the separation. as humans, we use and interact both as “performers” and “makers” of objects and situations, etc. so why the differentiation made in art? seems unnecessary.

Tessmann Planetarium premieres "America in Space" show on December 1. Photo: ©iStockphoto.com

America’s space program is both part of our nation’s living history and its legacy. With the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik in 1957, the U.S. was catapulted into the space race—NASA became operational 51 years ago in 1958 and it hasn’t stopped since.

We’ve all seen the images of America’s space exploration on television and on computer screens, but here is an opportunity to see these images on the Tessmann Planetarium’s 30-foot dome. Thanks to the planetarium’s new LCD projectors, the images are huge and crisp.

The premiere showing of “America in Space” is set for Tuesday, December 1 at 7:00 p.m. at the Tessmann Planetarium, located on the Santa Ana College campus at 1530 W. 17^th St. in Santa Ana. Future shows will be held Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. by reservation only.

Not only does “America in Space” provide a chronology of the space program, but it also reminds us of the impact this program has had on us. Our lives have been simplified by the advent of cordless power tools, made safer by smoke detectors, made healthier by CATScans, MRIs, digital mammograms, ultrasounds, and laser surgery—all technology made possible through the space program.

Since 1966, Santa Ana College’s Tessmann Planetarium has opened a window to the solar system and beyond for K-12 students, college students and the community.  Last year, more than 19,000 K-12 students visited Orange County’s only planetarium to view star shows, including “How Rare Is Earth?,” “How Far Is Up?,” and “Where Are You?”

Attendance for “America in Space” is $6 and open to the public. For reservations and show schedules, call (714) 564-6356.

Why not?  Since Nerd became the new Cool, geeks have been freaking over the cross-branding possibilities. Chicago’s Adler Planetarium’s Adler After Dark event series kicks it up a notch by transforming the coolest-ever third grade field trip venue into a party worthy of your 21+ colliding worlds, without the third graders.  Every third Thursday of the month, hit up  Adler After Dark, to impress the co-workers/colleagues, score with the hot date, and bring the guys/gals in case all that fails — because here, there’s something for everyone.

Word has it that the December 17 party theme is BIG BANG. Oh yeah.

Glasses-On: cocktails, appetizers, and  lectures from cool cats like the dudes at FermiLab , a proton-antiproton collider in Batavia, Illinois.

Glasses-Off: romantic viewing of the sky by night as only possible after dark through the Doane Observatory, the largest telescope available to the public in the Midwest.

All Night Long… music by DJ D-Rek, bar-style bags-toss games, and of course, the exhibits you haven’t seen since Bush 41 was President and some new ones like “How Baby Fresh Is Your Birthday Suit?”

cosmos photo via

ist definitiv nicht mein Fall!

Festgestellt wurde dies an einem Abend im Planetarium, “Dark Side of the Moon” in der Sternenkuppel. Der Abend, die Begleitung, die Musik, die Lichtshow, die Sessel, der Vordermann – alles phantastisch! Aber der Nebel war grauenhaft. Die Idee dahinter war wohl Laserlicht besser zur Geltung kommen zu lassen oder Atmosphäre zu erzeugen.

Atmosphäre hatte ich. Wie bei toter Oma im Schrank. Pudrig, süßlich, igitt. Liebes Planetarium, wenn ich demnächst die Deep Space Night bis morgens um 6 mit Major Tom und was weiß ich noch wem genießen will, dann wehe euch, wenn ihr Nebel einsetzen wollt!

Ich werde eine Windmaschine mitbringen, oder wenigstens einen Fön. HA!

Ach und dies geht an den netten älteren Herrn in Reihe 6 Nordwest:

HÖR AUF MIT DEM FUSS MIT ZU KLOPFEN! Du warst zwar die meiste Zeit im Takt, aber sowas überträgt sich durch den Boden und macht mich wahnsinnig.

Danke.

ESA bestellt Mondorbiter – Studenten machen den Rest

Das Education Office der europäischen Weltraumbehörde hat für einen nicht genannten Betrag bei dem britischen Kleinsatellitenhersteller Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. einen Mondorbiter bestellt: Viel kann er eigentlich nicht kosten, denn den Großteil der Arbeit sollen Studenten erledigen. In eine Mondumlaufbahn soll der European Student Moon Orbiter 2013 oder 2014 gebracht werden. (Homepages bei ESA und Warwick, Wikipedia, ESA, SSTL Press Releases 6.11.2009)

Die großen offenen Fragen der Physik

wurden im Oktober im Rahmen eines großen Festivals am umstrittenen Perimeter Institute in Kanada erörtert, das mit dem Geld des BlackBerry-Erfinders bahnbrechende Forschung leisten soll – natürlich war viel Kosmologisches (“Why this Universe” und dergleichen) unter den Themen. (New Scientist 23.10.2009. S.a. Nature 461 [23.9.2009] 462-5 zum Perimeter Inst. Und die 10 weirdest physics facts)

Der Pressesprecher der American Astronomical Society geht in den Ruhestand – Steve Maran hat nach 25 Jahren Beobachtung der Szene (und Steuerung des Informationsflusses, v.a. während der beiden Jahrestagungen der AAS) eine Menge zu erzählen. (Science News, The SpaceWriter 7.11.2009)

Das Feuer auf dem Mt. Wilson ist immer noch nicht aus

Zwar hat die Feuerwehr das ‘Station Fire’, das im Sommer die Sternwarte auf dem Mount Wilson bedrohte, bereits vor mehreren Wochen als “contained” eingestuft, aber hier und da qualmt es immer noch – und wo Rauch ist, da … So wird man bis in den Winter hinein, wenn starker Regen die letzten Nester erstickt, wachsam sein müssen. Und zugleich wird jetzt gesammelt, um die Sternwarte besser schützen zu können. (LA Times 12., 10., Tracker 12.11.2009. Auch ein Audio-Interview kurz nach dem Feuer) NACHTRAG: Die Suche nach dem Brandstifter ist auch noch nicht weiter gekommen.

Neue Sternwarten in Indonesien geplant – mit kurioser Begründung: An besseren Standorten als dem traditionsreichen Bosscha Obs. auf Java, das zu nahe an der Großstadt Bandung liegt, sollen sie (so wird es jedenfalls gegenüber der dominant muslimischen Bevölkerung dargestellt) vor allem für Sichtungen der jungen Mondsichel sorgen. Damit die auch dann gesehen wird, wenn es theoretisch möglich sein müsste, auf dass es eindeutige Monatsanfänge gibt. (Jakarta Globe 6.11.2009)

Plötzlicher Durchblick für Radioastronomen nach Abschaltung von Analog-TV

Auch in den USA ist die analoge Ausstrahlung von Fernsehsignalen seit Juni Geschichte – und dadurch ist plötzlich ein Bereich des elektromagnetischen Spektrums frei, der vorher völlig unbrauchbar war. Bis sich dort binnen eines Jahres neue Nutzer breit machen, wird jetzt zwischen 700 und 800 MHz energisch beobachtet, z.B. nach exotischen Pulsaren gesucht. Unabhängig davon gibt es die Forderung, bei der Spektrumsvergabe wissenschaftlichen Belangen mehr Wert beizumessen – was übrigesn die Erdbeobachtung aus dem Orbit genau so betrifft wie die Astronomie. (New Scientist 5., Scientific American, Ars Technica 2.11.2009)

Int’l Dark Sky Association ehrt deutsche Initiativen – der Europe Galileo Award und der Outdoor Lighting Award der internationalen Organisation wider die Lichtverschmutzung sind dieses Jahr beide nach Deutschland gegangen: an Andreas Hänel von der VdS-Fachgruppe Dark Sky und eine Firma, die Straßenlampen nur auf einen Anruf hin einschaltet. (IDA Press Release 4.10., KosmoLogs 6., NOZ 14.11.2009)

Umstrittener Offener Brief fordert Astronomie als Schulfach im ganzen Land

Die zentrale Forderung klingt zwar harmlos, “bundesweit zwei Jahreswochenstunden Astronomie im letzten Schuljahr der Mittelstufe für alle Schüler” plus ausreichende Ausbildung von Astronomielehrern, aber Kenner der Schulbürokratie v.a. in den Alten Ländern halten sie für völlig utopisch und sogar kontraproduktiv: Deswegen haben die Astronomische Gesellschaft und der Rat Deutscher Sternwarten dem Offenen Brief einer Initiative aus Sachsen explizit die Unterschrift verweigert und setzen sich auf subtilere Weise für die Durchdringung des Unterrichts mit astronomischen Grundinhalten ein. Eine breite Diskussion hat der Offene Brief gleichwohl ausgelöst. (Offener Brief 12.11., Interview mit dem Autor, AG/RdS-Statement 10.1., Diskussion bei BdW, ZDF, SZ, TP, EK, UU, AF, AT, AG und LE sowie Frankfurter Rundschau 5.11.2009 zur Lage in Deutschland)

Hybride Planetarien sind die besten, bei denen ein optomechanischer Projektor für nadelscharfe Sterne sorgt und ein Fulldome-Videosystem für jede Menge Effekte dazwischen (so gewünscht): Da sind sich viele in der Szene einig, und in Bochum wird es z.B. genau so gemacht (siehe ISAN 82-8). In Prag hat man dagegen vor, im Rahmen einer Modernisierung den Sternenprojektor zum Museumsstück zu machen … (The Prague Post 21., Sky & Telescope 22.10., WAZ 15.11.2009)

Here it is! One of my Favorite Japanese Singer!! Ai Otsuka!

I just love her adorable and cute smile, (who would know she has passed her quarter life? she was born in September 9, 1982!). Her voice is so cute and sweet, which is so perfectly fit all of her songs (which composed by herself).

Okay, this single, Planetarium is released in September 2005, her tenth single for all, and her second best-selling single after Sakuranbo. It’s included in Love Cook, her third album which released on the same year. This song is also used as insert song of Hana Yori Dango first season (when I first heard this song). This song is usually played when the main character (Usually Domyoji) feeling lonely, and even I don’t know the meaning of the song, I could feel the sadness he bring about. I should say this song is perfectly fit the scene, and I’m wondering about who singing it until I found the videoclip on Youtube. The video shows Ai-chin singing in various background. Backgrounds of starry sky is getting the most part, yeah, but I still love the paper windmills part. I also love how the video clips end, the morning arise…hmm it’s connotation maybe???

Well the song is so sweet, even w/o Ai-chin’s voice (I just trying to say this song is great!). It’s opened by drum instrumental, followed by wood flute and piano sound, the melody is one of remarked of this song. And then Ai-chin sing, her voice is so soft and sweet, but you can fell the loneliness on it. The backing vocal is not bad either (it’s really good actually), since the voice giving more tense for the song’s atmosphere.

Planetarium

yuutsukuyo kaodasu kieteku kodomo no koe
tooku tooku konosora no dokoka ni kimi ha irun darou
natsu no owari ni futari de nukedashita kono kouen de mitsuketa
ano seiza nandaka oboeteru?

aenakutemo kioku wo tadotte onaji shiawase wo mitai nda
ano kaori to tomo ni hanabi ga patto hiraku

ikitai yo kimi no tokoro e ima sugu kakedashite ikitai yo
makkura de nanimo mienai kowakutemo daijoubu
kazoekirenai hoshizora ga ima mo zutto koko ni aru nda yo
nakanai yo mukashi kimi to mita kirei na sora datta kara

ano michi made hibiku kutsu no ne ga mimi ni nokoru
ookina jibun no kage wo mitsumete omou no deshou
chittomo kawaranai hazu nanoni setsunai kimochi fukurandeku
donna ni omottatte kimi ha mou inai

ikitai yo kimi no soba ni chiisakutemo chiisakutemo
ichiban ni kimi ga suki da yo tsuyoku irareru
negai wo nagare boshi ni sotto tonaetemitakeredo
nakanai yo todoku darou kirei na sora ni

aenakutemo kioku wo tadotte onaji shiawase wo mitai nda
ano kaori to tomo ni hanabi ga patto hiraku

ikitai yo kimi no tokoro he chiisana te wo nigirishimete
nakitai yo soreha soreha kireina sora datta
negai wo nagare boshi ni sotto tonaete mitakeredo
nakitai yo todokanai omoi wo kono sora ni…

And the English translation….

Planetarium

The moonlit evening shows its face
And a child’s voice is vanishing
Far away, far away, I guess you’re somewhere in this sky
In the end of the Summer, we sneaked away to this park we had found
Do you remember that constellation somehow?

Even if I can’t meet you, I pursue my memories
I wanna look at the same happiness
Along with that smell, the fireworks open in a flash

I want to live, I want to live and run to your place right now
I can’t see anything in the pitch dark, even if it’s scary, I’m all right
The countless starry sky is still here now, forever
I won’t cry because the sky I saw before with you was beautiful

The sound of your shoes remains in my ears and resounds as far as that path
I guess I’m staring at my own great shadow

It may not change at all but my painful feelings are getting inflated
No matter how I felt, you’re no longer with me

I want to live even if it’s a little, even if it’s a little, right by you’re side
You’re the one I like the most, so I can be strong
I tried softly reciting a wish upon a shooting star
I won’t cry, has it reached you? In this beautiful sky

I want to live, grasping tightly your little hand towards your place
I want to cry, that was, that was a beautiful sky
I tried softly reciting a wish upon a shooting star
I want to cry, you won’t reach my feelings in this sky…

I got the translation on the net, but I don’t know who made it. If you know who made it, please tell me so I can give him/her the credit.

As usual, You can download it here:

Mediafire

or through the direct link on the box.net which located on the right column. I should warn you, the quality is less than on the mediafire, but still good enough to heard.

Leave me a comment so I could review more song/movie or even upload it for you!

]]> http://reclamationproject.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/planetarium-pedicles/ Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:01:55 +0000 jackheard http://reclamationproject.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/planetarium-pedicles/

John Martin asked us to put PLANETARIUM in his show Tiphareth Pedicles at CalArts last week.

I’m sorry we aren’t all on the banner.  He didn’t know any better.

Well, apparently there is water on the moon. So say the Americans. I find it interesting that the BBC chose to put something as huge as this as it’s third story. Le Monde has prioritised it. Le Figaro has it as it’s second story. This surprises me. I think France have some weird fascination with space. The fact that Rennes has a planetarium would seem to support this. Planetariums are rare at home, but they are also amazing. I think we just don’t care. So, yes. That is all.

Singing with the Stars

Saturday, November 14, 2009

8:30pm

Come hang out with friends and sing along to the LASER BEATLES: SGT. PEPPER’S LASER LIGHT SHOW at the De Anza Planetarium (or just listen to others). Tickets are $9 per person and Parking permits are required everyday. Permits can be purchased in every student lot, price is $2 in coins or dollar bills only. So if you can carpool that is best. We’ll meet at 8:30pm at the Fujitsu Planetarium at De Anza College, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, Ca to get tickets for the show. Show starts at 9pm. JewsNextDor[at]beth-david.org

This Friday is the second Friday of the month, and you know what that means… Trenton2Nite! This week’s events include a free yoga class, an opening at Gallery 125, music and spoken-word performances at The Phoenix, and more, including, as always, the Scrabble throwdown at Classics Books. See the full schedule here.

Here are a few other things you can do this weekend instead of raking all those leaves. (Leaf pick-up in Trenton goes until December 20, so why do today what you can put off until next month?)

• Do you knit? Crochet? Are you willing to do it in public? Trenton’s Knit and Stitch group has its biweekly meeting at Classics Books (117 South Warren St) on Saturday at noon.
• Also at Classics Books, the young adult book club discusses the Newbery-Award-winning Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata at 11:00 a.m., and then at 2:00 the grown-ups can join a discussion led by author Jeffrey Perry about Hubert Harrison (1883-1911), agitator, founder of the “New Negro” movement, editor of Negro World, and the principal influence on the Garvey movement. Details on all Classics events on their Facebook page.
• A new dual-artist exhibit opens at the Trenton City Museum (Ellarslie) on Saturday, November 14: The Wall Series by Bruce Rigby and the Sculpture of Elizabeth Miller-McCue. Opening reception Saturday from 7:00 to 9:00 pm (members and artists only from 6:00-7:00).
• We mentioned this last week, but it bears repeating…the Passage Theatre Company presents Blood: A Comedy, a story about an atheist professor who loses tenure for trying to teach intelligent design, and then decides to try to make her entire dysfunctional family get religion. Hijinx, presumably, ensue. Thursday-Saturday 8:00 pm, Sunday 3:00 pm, through November 22. Tickets $25-$30.
• The New Jersey State Museum’s planetarium shows are free on Saturday (and every second Saturday of the month). Free! We said free!
• Dancing horses! The famous Lipizzaner Stallions will be at the Sovereign Bank Arena on Sunday, November 15 at 2:00 pm. Tickets from $22.50.

The Radford University Planetarium offers FREE shows to the general public on Tuesday and Thursday nights at 7:30pm and on Saturday mornings at 10:30am.  The shows vary by the season, time etc. so be sure to check their website for the shows currently running.  The Saturday morning shows are usually specifically for children.

Current shows include:

• The newly-acquired show “The Planets” which takes audiences on a tour of our solar system, explaining how our solar system and its planets formed, why things rotate around the sun in the ways they do, and eventually looks at the planets that have been discovered around other stars.  This show was produced by the Southeastern Planetarium Association and is narrated by Kate Mulgrew (aka Captain Katherine Janeway of “Star Trek: Voyager”) .
• The three shows in the “Explorers” series.  These were produced by the Bishop Museum Planetarium in Hawaii and address many of the national and Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) for K-12 students.
• The children’s show “In My Backyard”, produced by the Calgary Science Center.  This show takes younger audiences (from 3 years old to second graders) on a tour of many of the objects that can be seen in the night sky without a telescope.
• “Dinosaur Prophecy”:  The audience joins paleontologists at the scene of the crime, excavating bones and wondering what killed the mighty dinosaurs.  Be amazed as your favorite giants come to life, roam across the dome, and meet their catastrophic deaths.  Find out how NASA scientists monitor the Earth and solar system for potential disasters!
• And the always-popular Christmas show ” ‘Tis the Season” chronicles many of the legends and traditions of the Christmas holiday season, including the story of a certain star.

Tina’s take:  I brought my son and a couple of his friends here for an evening show.  They loved it and can’t wait to go back!  Curie Hall, where the Planetarium is located on the Radford campus, is easy to find and free parking is available right behind the building.  The young lady leading the show we attended seemed to be very passionate about her work and took extra time to answer all the kid’s questions.  Shows last anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes.

Since everyone is doing it, am also giving in to the meme started by Moodoo.

Name: Runa Bhattacharjee
IRC Nick: mishti and/or runa_b
IRC Channels: #fedora-l10n, #fedora-india, #fedora-docs, #fedora-i18n
Location: Pune, India

Photo:

This past Friday evening (November 6th), I volunteered at the Adler Planetarium, to teach mostly 6-10 year old children the basics of recycling water. The theme for the night was exploration. The idea behind the water recycling experiment was not only to teach children the importance of water recycling technologies in space, but also give them an idea of how valuable resources, that we take for granted on earth, would be in space. We allowed the children to experiment with different materials and figure out what materials help filter out impurities the best.

Now this might not seem very much in line with my basic astronomy interest but I do this for several reasons. First off, volunteering at the Planetarium is a good way to make astronomy less of a just-me hobby and interact with other astronomers. Secondly, I do get to do astronomy-promotion which is something I’m very interested in. And thirdly, they pull out the scopes at the planetarium and since it’s right by the lake (i.e. slightly less light pollution, especially towards the east), you can see pretty things in the sky. This Friday of course Jupiter was looking pretty with it’s four moons!

it’s the week end…

i have to do something instead of staring at my laptop’s screen and declaring some integers, or surfing my google reader

so, i’ve read about an event in BibAlex related to a mini book fair, i’m not fan of such things but lets try, may be i can find a book related to programming

but it was a smaller event than what i was expecting, and i found some shelves having books about VB, C# and Windows Me

anyway, i got out of the hall looking for something to do, and there was the planetarium…

for those who don’t know it, it’s the blue-stripped moon seated beside the sun of BibAlex

actually i’ve never been there before, i just wasn’t interested, so i gave it a try

i bought a ticket for a show called “The stars show”

ok, i entered and liked it from inside, that rounded screen that is above our heads and that astrology professor who is sitting behind 3 computer screens

it seemed nice

of course the number of visitors was very small, may be 10 girls, a family and me !!, that was expected anyway

the show name was “Stars Show” not “Star Academy”

anyway, it started showing some information about the planetarium itself then about astrology vs astronomy, then about some stars and star birth from a nebulae while showing some amazing views on that rounded screen

then showed some stars locations and formations, i was pretty amazed when i knew that zodiac dates have changed than what is known due to the rotation or all the stars in our galaxy so now i knew that i belong to Pisces rather than Aries, and every one should be belonging to the sign that is one before what he currently think he does

anyway, that is another evidence that shows that those who relate zodiacs to life or luck are mistaken as zodiacs themselves are not stable, so i might be lucky this year but not lucky the next years, or love someone this year and hate him the next

but i really liked the imagination of the Greeks who can form from some points in the sky a pretty painting to just give it a name

anyway, despite i have noticed a couple of bugs in the rendering of a star, i really liked the show, and i think i’m gonna repeat that visit again

Well, today is Saturday. This is what we call “le week-end” here in Frankreich. It is a pleasant time, where not a lot generally happens. Places that once bustled during the week, are no longer bustling. It is an odd experience. That said, today Victoria and I went to IKEA. This is where all the Frenches and Frenchettes go at the weekend. No word of a lie, it was so busy. And, we arrived at dinnertime (lunchtime for readers outside of anywhere north of the M25), which means that every single French and Frenchette were there, waiting for their “boules suédoises” or “saumon fumé”. That said, I cannot fault IKEA for its’ meatballs. They are delish. Even though I’m still unsure what “lingen berry” is. Some things are best left unanswered. This was a more successful trip: I bought nothing, and Victoria bought what she needed: wins all-round.

Following the IKEA extravaganza, I went to Les Champs Libres in town with a few of the gang. Les Champs Libres is some kind of museum-cum-library. It is odd, but a bit cool. Anyway, we went to the musée de Bretagne, which was pretty much like any town museum back home. Romans this, Vikings that. Where my interest lie was how they treated the interesting periods of WWI and WW2. WW1 was general stuff, “come fight” etc. WW2 was more interesting. Our WW2 history involves getting bombed by the enemy, and lots of propaganda against the enemy. Their’s involved a lot of bombing by their allies (the UK and America mainly) to get the enemy out, collaboration (natürlich), propaganda against the Allies (C’est les Anglais qui ont fait ça!, referring to “liberating” them), Vichy, and lots and lots of people publicly being announced as having been shot. Seriously, heavy stuff. It was interesting though.

Après ça, we went to the Planétarium. Seriously, I’ve never been so excited about anything before in my life. Ever. Except IKEA. Anyway. We went in, in a bunch – this is France after all, they don’t belive in forming an orderly queue – and took our seats. The woman began. It was so good. It was even up to date, with it’s exclusion of “Pluton”. This made me sad. A whole part of my childhood has been erased, how else will I remember the 8 planets? My very excellent Michael Jackson Song Using No (Piano) doesn’t work without the last word.  Anyway, it was interactive. The woman asked various questions “Who know’s what the sun is made of?” etc. She asked how far the Earth was away from the sun. A small child responded “Trois cents kilomètres”. That is 300km. Seriously. That’s not even how far it is to get home. Daftness.  It was good though, and she ended it quite poignantly with “Are we alone in the universe?”. Well, who knows.

Quoi de plus… Erm… After, we went to the cinéma, to see “Le Petit Nicolas”. It was great, mainly because it wasn’t too difficult to follow, and it’s humour was simple.

All in all, a bonne journée.

I gave a short presentation in Martin Plot’s “Positions and Dispositions” about the affects of my participatory ethnography thesis research upon my artistic practice. One direct affect, I believe, is my ever-growing fascination with the performative possibilities of Reclamation. Like Constellate! When I described that activity, one student brought to my attention the fact that Tom Waits plotted both American and European tours according to constellations. Mapping the stops on his “Glitter and Doom” tour in 2008 reveals the constellation Hydra.
Read more here.

Two hundred and twenty five years ago, Trenton was the nation’s capital for about a month and a half. several Trenton area community groups have gotten together to put together a celebration of this auspicious anniversary. The kickoff party is Saturday night at the New Jersey State Museum, from 6 pm – 10 pm. There will be live music, food, and much Trenton-boosting camaraderie. The suggested donation of $10 per person/$15 per couple seems like a bargain, so go check it out! A handful of other cities also served as capital for a few weeks or months here and there before Washington, D.C., took over, but I bet they don’t party like Trenton does.

Here are a few other Trenton happenings this weekend:

• Tonight the Sovereign Bank Arena is bringing you seven-on-seven full-contact tackle football played by women in bikinis. We are pretty sure that the existence of this is one of the signs of the apocalypse, but it could be a good time all the same. Kickoff at 9:00 pm, tickets from $15.
• The Passage Theatre Company presents Blood: A Comedy, a story about an atheist professor who loses tenure for trying to teach intelligent design, and then decides to try to make her entire dysfunctional family get religion. Hijinx, presumably, ensue. Thursday-Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 3 pm, through November 22. Tickets $25-$30.
• Classics Bookstore at 117 South Warren is hosting a few events on Saturday, most deliciously including a sweet potato pie bake-off. Show up at noon with your pie (email book_cellar@mindspring.com for more information). There’s also a poetry reading/open mic and a discussion and booksigning led by Dr. Cynthia Russel, author of Created to Be a Woman, Not a Slave, at 2:00 pm.
• Are you a forensic science geek? Want to show your kids how cool science can be? Then the Patriots Theater at the War Memorial has got a show for you. Canadian group Mad Science presents CSI: Live, ”an exciting, interactive journey through the fascinating world of crime scene investigations.” This seems way better than watching David Caruso take off his sunglasses and say crazy things, and since it’s appropriate for kids 8 and up, we’re guessing there will be fewer severed body parts as well. Sunday at 2:00 pm, tickets $18.50 for adults, $14.50 for kids 12 and over, kids under 12 free, plus there’s a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
• And speaking of science, don’t forget that the NJ State Museum’s planetarium is up and running again, with shows every weekend at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00.

The Klein Bottle House. According to the World Architecture Festival Awards, it’s the best home of 2009. F-117 pilots, dorky Tron fanboys, and aliens all through the galaxy would agree. I’m in one of those categories.

Jews’ Next Dor events are open to all Jewish 20 and 30 somethings. For more upcoming Jews’ Next Dor Events visit our event calendar.

• Wednesday, November  4, 7:30pm, Volunteer Planning Meeting

  Jews’ Next Dor is fully volunteer led, depending on volunteers for all aspects of operations. We love our current volunteers, and welcome new ones and fresh ideas. Come weigh in on group decisions, help calendar and plan events for the coming months.

  If you cannot make the meeting, we still want your participation. Send your feedback,  event ideas, or if you’d like to become a Jews’ Next Dor volunteer to JewsNextDor[at]beth-david.org or use our Event Feedback form. The meeting will take place at a private home in Cupertino, RSVP for the address to the above e-mail.

• Sunday, November 8, 7pm, Ice Cream Social & Game Night

  Jews’ Next Dor Board Game Night and Ice Cream Social returns. Please bring your favorite board game(s) to share and join your fellow Jewish 20 and 30 somethings to indulge in ice cream with all the fixings! We’ll be in the Social Hall at Congregation Beth David, 19700 Prospect Road, Saratoga, Ca.

  $5 a person.

  RSVPs appreciated to JewsNextDor[at]beth-david.org.

  Contribute to our annual Toy Drive by bringing a new toy or more for our annual toy drive to support Jewish Family Services. We’re looking for new toys for ages 0-17 unwrapped.

  Please RSVP with your favorite Ice Cream flavor and toppings to JewsNextDor[at]beth-david.org.

• Wednesday, November 11, 7pm, Meet & Greet @ Thaiphoon

  Enjoy vegetarian/dairy dinner with fellow young adults at our monthly Meet & Greet on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. This month we’ll be enjoy the taste delights of Thaiphoon, 543 Emerson Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301. Please bring cash. RSVP and send menu preferences  to JewsNextDor[at]beth-david.org.

• Saturday, November 14, 8:30pm, Singing with the Stars

  Come hang out with friends and sing along to the LASER BEATLES: SGT. PEPPER’S LASER LIGHT SHOW at the De Anza Planetarium (or just listen to others). Tickets are $9 per person and Parking permits are required everyday. Permits can be purchased in every student lot, price is $2 in coins or dollar bills only. So if you can carpool that is best. We’ll meet at 8:30pm at the Fujitsu Planetarium at De Anza College, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd to get tickets for the show. Show starts at 9pm. JewsNextDor[at]beth-david.org

• Saturday, November 21, 7pm, Spicy Havdala Dessert Party

  It’s getting chilly outside, but T’KEYA and Jews’ Next Dor are warming things up with a Spicy Havdala Dessert Party. The night starts with cozy havdala goodness and fire, wine, and spices.  You are welcome to bring your own implements of havdaluction.  Our spice boxes can play together.  Potluck dessert and wine party to follow.  Join us!  Please bring chocolate, fruit, a vegetarian dessert of choice, or your favorite kosher wine or spirit.  Please note our host has a cat. Please RSVP for the Sunnyvale location to JewsNextDor[at]beth-david.org or youngadults@kolemeth.org by November 19.