We appreciate Boing Boing for acquainting us with a quite fine website called Monumental Trees that has aggregated over thirty-thousand outstanding exemplars, whose multilingual platform features a global map of venerable specimens, including one of our local favourites (all trees are great). The catalogue of this living project is growing and invites contributions of particularly aesthetic candidates—though I hope after seeing the destructive potential of fame and beauty, we have a more mature understanding of celebrity and what all Nature does for us.
Tuesday 2 January 2018
sacred grove
copyfight
As is the case with our friend y2k, America’s period of no new works infusing and enriching the public domain has also entered its age of majority, with no published items released in two decades due to revisions to statue that strongly favour rather the artist and creator (and their adorning public) those studios, clearing-houses and franchisees that benefit from the ownership of exclusive liens and naming-rights.
While other countries and jurisdictions have allowed trademarks and charters to lapse gracefully—and to the public benefit as resources become freely available to schools and other institutions unconditional, the US has moved sharply the in the opposite direction, retroactively freezing the rollout of books and artwork (other than government created content) from the early 1920s onward—that is, if legislators don’t move to extend the option to renew again, which would not surprise me as it’s historically enjoyed bipartisan support since 1998 sweeping reforms that only benefited consumers and venue-operators by giving bartenders permission to unmute televisions or play the radio without fear of reprisal, though the days of a listening-tax are not far gone. Not only does America date itself when Irving Berlin, Jelly Roll Morton, The Ten Commandments and Adam’s Rib are reliable the only properties one can feel confident in airing and sharing and be reasonably certain that they’re not infringing on some ancient claim, it’s also what makes rentiership a viable business model and while making the world a little poorly probably just encourages others to flout the law through piracy.
genius mode or hang the dj
At some point in our lives (sort of like the Restaurant at the End of the Universe of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy) I think all of us pass through that massive five storey night club on the banks of the Vltava in Prague’s old town. Maybe it’s a place that need only be taken in once but perhaps the newest resident disc-jockey on rotation for a few weeks now, however, is rather novel and propels our narrative of eventualities ahead closer towards its technological conclusion in the form of a untiring robotic arm that selects music and tweaks tees up the playlist with flair (see a short video demonstration at the link). It is unclear whether or not the DJ can gauge audience reception and excitement or can only base its play-list based on an insular algorithm, and KUKA (an adapted automotive assembly-line unit) is relieved every other hour by a human counterpart.
Monday 1 January 2018
artful dodger
Not that we ought to begrudge or stint machines in the slightest for having the keener of sight that surpasses human vision and experience (and in fact ought to congratulate ourselves for contriving a such a useful confidant) when it comes to medical screening or spotting exoplanets, that noteworthy but fordable skills-gap made me recall this recent study that aimed to impart the critical look of scholars of the visual arts to those who aspire to become physicians, which had a measurable and subjective impact for those involved.
Medical students—especially those whose diagnoses and treatment plans are built from a collection of visually-oriented evidence, were taught differing dispositions and exercises for reflecting on a tissue sample among colleagues and appreciating it for the work of art that it is. And with this critical eye to construct a narrative, students and practitioners alike were able to draw—possibly with greater insight and creativity—pathologically pertinent conclusions. Moreover as a larger swath of credentialed professionals see their bailiwicks threatened by artificial intelligence and even the most godlike doctor may be made humble and redundant by a sub-routine, it is worth remembering that the combination, collaboration of human and machine (as we’re not fearful of torque or an inclined plane) is always unbeatable against either champion alone. Be sure to visit the link above to learn more about the teaching techniques and to see a video demonstration with testimonials.
shaoxing
We thoroughly enjoyed learning about artist and sculptor Warren King—via Colossal—and his latest series of projects executed in his signature medium of cardboard. Wanting to learn more of his heritage and ancestry, King has been travelling back to China and meeting with and interviewing residents of the village of his grandparents who have shared their memories of the past tumultuous five decades, and his expressive, life-size figures represent the reconstructing connections that are at once incredibly resilient to reach across the years while at the same time fragile and tenuous. Check out a gallery of King’s work at the links above.
open you the west door and turn the old year go
As one prepares to seize new opportunities and resolves to be their own betters, a few happy observations—for what they’re worth—regarding resolutions and remaining steadfast. First the practical bit. Rather than the goal, which is to be sure an important thing to be able to articulate, one should focus on the systems and contingencies that will help formulate it.
For instance, should one pledge to take public transportation more often (a good thing to do for yourself and the planet, surely, and don’t be worried about setting too low of a bar, since this one conscience change in behaviour could cascade into running for public office), a little backwards planning and scheduling around bus and tram days to mitigate frustration will help one overcome the sense of inconvenience and sick to the plan better. Then comes the more challenging part, which I think is the key to enduring change. One importantly needs to stop taking oneself so seriously: it creates emphatic blind spots and one starts to miss a lot and makes it harder to cultivate letting go, which is arguably the most important skill to hone, year in and year out. These are fraught times with a lot of injustice, atrocious people and regressive thinking but we’ve survived worse and at no time in history has society enjoyed at least the potential for greater equality, prosperity and enlightenment. Don’t dwell on the negative but be willing to hold it for however long you feel is needed to understand on several levels and as the other (this is no obligation to study any old garbage—just be receptive to what’s driving others) before letting it move along, already defused of the power it had when it was barrelling down at you. Open you the East door and let the New Year in.
