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Lorna Mills and Sally McKay
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All the above images were taken by Joester.
I expected the Maker Fair to be good wholesome geeky fun, but I didn't expect it to give me teary-eyes and lumps-in-the-throat.
On the human-powered midway people flung themselves around in the air on beautiful gawky machinery using bicycle technology. It was fossil-fuel-free but in no way smug or preachy, just thrilling dang coolness and exciting fun that made me feel sort of nice about the future for once (albeit in a Russell Hoban kind of way).
There was also a huge hall full of tables, glue guns, trashed computer pieces, masses of other misc. bits of detritus and about 500 kids digging through piles and bending over their projects, completely absorbed in making some groovy weird shit. It reminded me of the Diorama Extravaganza, but on a massive scale. Could've stayed in there all day.
At the gates we were met with SRL-style fireballs that shook the ground and made you worry about your eyebrows. Also a multi-storey version of the old game Mouse Trap, very reminiscent of Der Lauf Der Dinge by Fischli and Weiss. Also a gi-normous walking giraffe-type thing with pretty LEDs and a fibre-optic tail. It talked when you petted its nose.
There's a bit of video here but it makes the rides and fireballs look much tamer than they really were.
Of course there was lots lots more. My favourite art-like presentation was a performance; a guy knitting a red scarf with big drum-stick sized needles, playing his drum kit in time as he knit (video). We also got to meet artist Phil Ross with his sad little plants in glass tubes, maintained with light and nutrients regulated to keep them alive but not growing. "Survive, not Thrive."
We were there for many hours, and didn't even get to see the doggie monorail. I wanna go again next year and help Rob Cruikshank man a booth. Rob, you gotta do it! More fun than anything else ever.
Note: joester and I had competing candidates for most geeky guy at the fair. There were a lot of people wandering around with tinfoil on their heads, but they didn't compare to the pony-tailed dude who'd made his own Segway (joester's pick) or to the white-short-shorts-wearing guy I'm championing, overheard telling a good looking young woman who was working a booth: "There's lots of information on the internet, just use Google."
Happy Victoria Day, Dear Little Blog People!!!!
From general-anaesthesia.com:
"Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert first took an interest in chloroform in 1848. However, her physicians had grave reservations about the safety of obstetric anaesthesia. Victoria's seventh delivery, Arthur, Duke of Connaught (1850-1942), took place in 1850 without the aid of an anaesthetic.
The Queen's senior physician, Sir James Clark ("a walking medical calamity"), was especially dubious about the innovation and its low-born users. However, The Prince Consort was remarkably well-informed about anaesthesia and pain-relief. In early April 1853, Prince Albert first summoned its leading English practitioner for an interview at Buckingham Palace. Four days later, on 7th April 1853, the man who made "the art of anaesthesia a science", Dr John Snow, administered chloroform for the birth of Prince Leopold. Snow did so again for the birth of Princess Beatrice in 1857.
"Her Majesty is a model patient", declared Dr Snow. He refused to disclose any more details despite many importunate inquiries from the Queen's loyal subjects."
The only things more wonderful than a Queen or Horse painting by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (who was able to paint with both hands at the same time, for example, paint a horse's head with the right and its tail with the left, simultaneously..)
...are the doggies.
I'm comfortable categorizing that last Landseer as a dog since the lion's head was obviously plonked onto the body of a Golden Lab [you may discuss this subject amongst yourselves]
some 20th century Italian opera, based on John the Baptist,
image sourced by Anthony Easton
CAMP WILL SAVE US ALL: Curated by Rachel E. McRae
for the insideout video festival
Monday, May 21, 3:30pm
at the NFB, 150 John Street, Toronto
In the midst of tabloid breakdowns and reality TV confessions, Camp comes to the rescue! When artifice reveals more than documentary, I say to hell with virtual reality, gimme fiction!
Nikki Forrest and Nelson Henricks, My Heart is the Devil
Satan is in your video!
Diane Wilkins, Cremmate: Muffy
Your loved ones aren't just in your thoughts; they're in your coffee.
Mark Kennith Woods, Designer Gays
These perky, offensive stereotypes will feng-gay your straight way!
Wayne Yung, Asian Boyfriend
Lonely? Just call 1-800-ASIAN BOYFRIEND!
Kent Monkman, Group of Seven Inches
"I have for many years contemplated the race of the white man…"
Shawna Dempsey & Lorri Millan, Lesbian National Parks and Services: A Force of Nature
The dutiful, do-gooder Lesbian Rangers cheerfully educate the public on their activities and the preservation of the natural queer world.
Peter Kingston, Join The Army
A very persuasive recruitment campaign.
Benny Nemerofsky Ramsay Uropop
Sometimes after a long night of dancing, a boy just needs a bit of refreshment.
Steve Reinke, Regarding the Pain of Susan Sontag (Notes on Camp)
It's all done in post.
George Kuchar, Song of the Whoopee Wind
To Godzilla, to house pets, to good old familiar friends; George Kuchar sends his well wishes to all creatures real and manufactured.
John Forget, Renew
Some "cliches" will always be worth fighting for.
David Weissman, Beauties Without A Cause
A bombshell, waitress, hairdresser and devout Catholic decide to go for a nice little drive.
...and since we're on this topic:
I only started watching Dancing With The Stars because I wanted to see if Heather Mills' prosthetic leg would fly off.
It's OK, we're cousins. (no we aren't)