The most technologically advanced exhibit, Janet Echelman’s “The space between” is seen from the inside with the famous Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel as the backdrop. Click image to enlarge. © SGE, Inc.
THOUSANDS OF VIVIDLY GLOWING, singing, dancing, bicycling and twirling works of “art” thronged to the beach and surrounding areas near the Santa Monica, Calif., Pier on Saturday for an all-night art extravaganza that was a feast for the senses and a memorable experience. Anchored by a half a dozen major installations glowing against the balmy summer night sky, “Glow” is billed as an “all night cultural experience that re-imagines Santa Monica Beach as a playground for original, participatory works of art.” It definitely fulfills is mission. About 100,000 attended, organizers estimated. Milling around the 15 creative and inspiring “official” installations, thousands became part of the show exhibiting their own personal interpretations of the theme.
ONLY COMPROMISE CAN END PERPETUAL VIOLENT STALEMATE It is totally understandable that in Israel, tight security checks at every public place have become a way of life. Residents don’t seem to notice; visitors, unaccustomed to it, hardly can not notice. On two occasions during my recent 10-day visit to the region, security was both overwhelming and, seemingly, futile. They are the strongest indications I got anywhere that security cannot be bought with walls and checkpoints. It is a chimera. Security can only be attained through peace. And peace, it seems, can only be accomplished through compromise. I don’t pretend to have all the answers. But, I do have a lot more questions.
ARTISTS’ COLONY THRIVES JUST 90 MILES FROM DAMASCUS
Yakir Gershon, 73, lives in the artists’ colony Ein Hod just 90 miles from Damascus, Syria. If President Obama decided to launch a missile attack on Syria, those missiles would almost fly right over the roof of his house in this artist’s colony about 10 kilometers south of Haifa. Quite probably, a short time later, missiles would arrive from the opposite direction. But the residents of this idyllic village just stay calm and carry on.
SNAGGED AT ‘THE LINE,’ EXPERT DRIVER MAKES BRILLIANT SAVE The view of the world from Palestine on Thursday morning was remarkably different from just a few miles away in Jerusalem – or any western nation, for that matter. An air of hopelessness and helplessness is evident throughout the capital city of the Palestinian National Authority. But, it was on our return trip to Jerusalem a little after noon that the real adventure began.
Due to my need for Atonement and travel time, posting will be light for the next few days.
COSMIC ENERGY AT WESTERN WALL IS POWERFUL JERUSALEM – One does not need to be religious – Christian, Muslim or Jewish – to feel the cosmic energy at the Western Wall, from where one can see the Temple Mount and Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is a “holy place” in the broadest sense of the word. The frequency of the vibe is unmistakable: it is so intense. The headlines are bad enough today to make one feel glum. But a visit to the Western Wall is sufficient to restore one’s faith in the human spirit, and return, refreshed, invigorated, and ready to participate fully in what we call the human experience.
ISRAEL CALM ON EVE OF MOMENTOUS DEBATE IN CONGRESS JERUSALEM – It is a balmy summer’s night in this biblical city, steeped in history both ancient and modern. There is not a hint of tension in the air, even though in a few hours, a momentous debate begins in the U.S. Congress that could have serious personal repercussions for all the 800,000 residents of this city, founded 3,000 BC. “It’s very complicated,” my host told me minutes after my arrival. That’s not an understatement. There is no simple solution to anything concerning the Middle East, crucible of history and cradle of Western civilization.
Blogger’s note: This is the first of an ongoing series “Eyewitness to history” in which we will bring to readers views from across the Atlantic where the debate raging in America will play out in real time with real consequences.
Find out here why this ain’t an overstatement BICYCLE RIDING IS trending upwards around the globe. Almost everyone is beginning to realize just how much fun it can be – and healthy, too! In this video we explore the southern portion of the Marvin Braude Bike Path, which extends some 22 miles from Malibu in […]
WORLD’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS SAILING EVENT ENCOUNTERS STORMY SEAS The premier yacht race on earth – the America’s Cup – begins its finals today on San Francisco Bay. But, can they still call it a “race” with only four entrants? It has not turned out so well for the race, or the teams competing. One crewman died in a tragic accident in May; the Team Oracle USA craft capsized last October. The debris left behind in the City by the Bay should be cleaned up, personally, by Larry Ellison, Team Oracle’s owner, and second richest man on Earth.
RACE IS ON TO OFFER SCHEDULED SUBORBITAL FLIGHTS It has long been relegated to the realms of science fiction and fantasy, but space tourism on regularly scheduled flights is inching closer – and may be as little as one year away. With Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic spaceport in New Mexico well under way, and all the activity in California, there can be no doubt that a new space race is taking place. It is a certain bet that within the lifetimes of most of us under 70 today, space tourism will turn from science fiction into science fact – for those with a wad of cash to spare.
ZEN AND THE ART OF VIDEO EDITING Editing video involves several mental processes, some occurring simultaneously, others sequentially. It requires total concentration: It is this complete immersion that cleanses the mind. All the stresses and strains of the past and future vanish as one processes 30 frames per second, finding just the right ones to include, making split second decisions on where to cut and what to leave out. It can be called the Zen of video editing.
