A Grafitti Park grows in Stockwell

Neither Stockwell nor Brixton have historically been viewed by mainstream observers as the fountains of aesthetics.

You do not learn about Brixton at the Academy. however, those of us interested in contemporary art or modern urban history are likely to find ourselves in stranger places. London, to world travelers, may seem tame in its roughest edges. Art, however, is not tame here. Projects are being developed. One which grabbed my eye way the Signal Project.

While Stockwell and Brixton have always been contemporary and artistic in the heaps on aesthetics they shed upon the modern cosmopolitan mind of London, I am not a scholar of English urban history. What I do is blog, blogging, and walking or some combination in between. And when I have time to pause, I pick up the local free papers, the local art papers, or a wifi/internet signal and research what I can turn up.

This blog turned up from the Thursday edition of the Evening Standard on graffiti gardening.

It is a terrific story (which you can link to above). Public art, 'spray can art' or outsider neo-art is what some of us think of as a new revolutionary spirit. It is embraced, disgraceful, misunderstood. It is highly debatable. It is a challenge to get a hold on whether you have read Banksy or prefer to simpy accept mottos. Solo's motto is often painted on the walls of the ball courts of stockwell and Brixton, "Say Something Beautiful or Be Quiet." I have said something similar in my revious blogs on the subject. Graffit can be damaging and offensive without purpose, or without even meaning to not have purpose. It can be venally vain.

It can also be a powerful movement for uplifting rises of power in marginalized communities. It sometimes can say what we have thought but not heard. It can replace and undermine the worlds of consumerism, advertising, and corporations. It is powerful. It cannot be turned off.

Like the arts and sciences this public art incorporates, is incorporated, shares and crosses boundaries with what it means to be human, social, cultural, individual. It can be as simple as the biases we already have, graffiti belongs with rap, breakdance, basketball, being black. It can be as ritzy and accepted by art forums as Banksy's wonderful book Wall and Piece.

London is not so shallow. It is multi-cultural (probably the multicultural capital of Europe).

Solo-one, the hero of our insider article, sees graffiti as feeding young people with positive ideas. "You have to have the heart to do it..." he says, tagging as opposed to art can, bring neighborhoods to the brink of "descending into madness." Art and the ability to pursue the skills of being an artist and perfecting the artistic craft is an agreed upon ethic that crosses generations of street artists whether they are well known or invisible. "If it is good, the walls are better off plain." Solo-One says, "Sacrifice is important. If a piece has only taken 20 minutes I know the artist's heart wasn't in it."

What is the difference really between the honing of artistic craft today and the construction of great murals, mosaics, and other public art pieces of the past?

In today's London, some of the best, most loved contemporary art can be found in the outdoors. Galleries are tucked between forgotten streets and along abandoned industry and rail yards. There are galleries tucked into the vacant spaces (read: parks) in Stockwell Park Estates. This is the domain of Solo-One and his kindred spirits. "This is a safe-place for kids to learn how to paint," he says, and to understand the commitment it takes to be a good writer."

Today we are off to the Meeting of Styles, it is an important part of our trip to London. We will try and guide ourselves to finding a Banksy tour beginning Waterloo underneath the railway arches... that is all we have right now to work with. Art it seems is never far nor hard to find.

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White is More Aerodynamic

While driving through Bretagne, I loved looking out over the hills and seeing the marching rows of wind turbines, so linear and powerful against the green hills. I love the presence of them, strong and seemingly indestructible and so forceful. So modern and futuristic.

Guess what people, the future is here.

Indifferent Cows; Dirk Ingo Franke

I am enamored with wind turbines. I think they are the cats meow. Perhaps I would feel differently if the turbine were in my backyard?! But the truth is that I don't have a personal backyard at this point in my life; the world is my backyard. And I am thrilled to see wind turbines scattered throughout so many parts of our globe.  It's incredible to see such a massive object, with such little environmental impact. Wait, let me correct that statement. Such little negative impact. Such a small (I'm guessing somewhere around a 10 foot diameter) footprint on the earth, with such dramatic positive impacts. They are graceful and serene and mesmerizing. They do not use fuel and do not create air pollution. They generate energy using a renewable resource (wind) and while cows may not share my strong enthusiasm, they are nothing less than indifferent.

I found myself filled with questions about wind turbines. If you are curious, read on!

What is the cost for purchase and installation of a personal wind turbine?
They are expensive: $6,000 to $22,000. Information I found states that the wind turbine could make back the investment in six to ten years.

Okay, well, that's expensive, but maybe there are tax credits or other forms of financial assistance?
Some fantastic incentives exist, but they are different from state to state. For example, Louisiana will
cover 50% (maximum $12,500) of the cost of each system. Awesome! As a larger state with greater expanses of land and larger wind farm opportunities, Oregon has very different and much more extensive policies that include residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural tax incentives. Visit the DSIRE website for incentives for your state!

Can you get a little turbine? How about one for a suburban backyard?
Although mini-turbines exist, they don't appear to be very effective. An area of land no less than an acre is more appropriate. I expect that this will change over the years. Whoa....I just got a mental picture of IKEA having a store section of minimalist and classy wind turbines. A continuation on that small segway: the oyster transportation card of London is sponsored by IKEA and the small envelope that holds it has directions to all London  store locations. Nice marketing IKEA, you are awesome.

Will this really save me money? 
Apparently, the turbines can lower electricity bills by 50-90%. Sweet. But there is more to keep in mind...

"...the most cost-effective way to power your home is not to buy a larger, and therefore, more expensive wind turbine, but to examine how your electric bill got to be so high in the first place. It is always cheaper to use electricity efficiently, conserving where appropriate, than it is to generate large amounts of electricity that are squandered by energy-wasting appliances. Replacing your existing appliances with their most energy-efficient counterparts is always more cost-effective than installing a larger wind turbine."

- Mick Sagrillo, American Wind Energy Association

What is the life span of a wind turbine?
Wind turbines don't require any maintenance, operate automatically, and are designed to last up to 20 years. Apparently they can be refurbished to add on an additional 15 years of life. This seems like a pretty short life to me. I couldn't find information on how much "refurbishment" would cost, but I expect that it has a substantial price tag.

Wait a second, but we just learned that the turbine might not re-coop the investment for fifteen years. So electricity is only free for five years and then I have to buy a new one?
No answer here, but it sounds like yes. However, wind turbine technology has grown tremendously in the last fifteen years, so presumably, it will in the next fifteen as well. Still lingering on that IKEA image...

Is there any motor involved, at all?
Wind turbines don't have motors. They are constructed with very few moving parts and are powered solely by wind. 

How do wind turbines hold up in the event of an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, etc.?
It seems to depend on who installed it and what the quality of the unit is. And how strong the anchor is.

Do you have to get permission from your city or state to install the turbine?
Wind turbines require a Certificate of Approval (Noise) under section 9 of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA). But as usual, exceptions can always be made.

How do you hook it up to your own house and how does the electricity rebate work?
Apparently, wind turbines are pretty easy to hook up to your house. Now, I'm not saying that I or you could do it, but it's a pretty simple process for a professional. No wiring will need to be changed or modified to accommodate the turbine. After installation, you will have two utility meters: the standard one and your wind meter. Here is some more good news: federal regulations require utility companies to connect with and purchase power from small (less than 80MW) wind turbine systems.  When your wind turbine generates more electricity than needed for your personal use, the utility company is required to buy it back.


N says that wind turbines can be really noisy. How noisy is noisy?
Wind turbines make about as much noise as a washing machine. There is some controversy about whether the noise can negatively effect people over the long-term. 

Why are they always white? Why not fuchsia or pin-striped or covered with advertisements or patterns that create a trippy kaleidoscope effect?
N says that white is "more aerodynamic." I'm not buying into that one. But a little research found an article that suggested that black is the more aerodynamic of colors, at least for racing cars.  I couldn't find a suitable answer to this question, so perhaps there is a niche market for yours truly in the field of "wind turbine decorative arts?"

Some additional thoughts:
I want one for my very own.

Additional research yet to be completed:
Are there communities who have banded together to invest in wind turbines to be used by all members? I would love to read some stories on this...but no time to research. 

*****
For more articles and information, check out these links on Wind Turbines!

General FAQ's from the American Wind Energy Association

Check state-by-state FAQs from the The United States Department of Energy: Wind Powering America.

DSIRE: a great database of state incentives for renewables and efficiency. This site has rules, regulations, tax credit information, financing info, etc.

Cool!! Plans are in the works for a GIANT offshore wind turbine that mimics a spinning sycamore leaf (proposed by British company Wind Power Limited.

Wikipedia information on wind power and wind turbines.

A story about the effects of wind turbines in inner Mongolia. 

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Blackberries and Bicycles

We have traveling by way of so many different modes during this journey around the world: plane, train, tram, bus, funicular, ferry, big rig, rickshaw, tuk-tuk, bicycle, and of course, our own weary feet. But after a rather extravagant week spent in Bretagne, France, we can add rental car to the list. 

Oh, I had forgotten the delights of independence you can find when behind the wheel of your very own car. The power to choose winding scenic roads instead of highways, the joy of a quick u-turn to more closely examine that old, ivy-covered stone chateau, the happiness felt in propping bare feet up on the dash in the bright sunlight streaming through the window, and the luxury of pulling over to stretch/explore/pick roadside blackberries whenever the need arises.

We looked for hitchhikers to pick up.

none.

We navigated a drive from Moncontour to Paris without a road map.

not entirely true. we had a tourist map of bretagne. when we left moncontour after we arrived in normandy we stopped at a supermarket and took photos of the sections of road map we might need. I squinted at these to determine our path.

We talked about places we've been and things we've seen and people we remember.

in bretagne we saw family for the first time in seven months; this sparked lots of conversation the multitude of dear family and friends that we wonder about and look forward to seeing.

I skimmed through radio stations.

the soothing babble of french talk radio was a favorite, followed by "nostalgia" with both french and american classics.

We didn't pay a single toll.

although the drive was eight hours longer, the distance and gas usage was the same. we never took the toll roads and enjoyed the slow country lanes instead, found much cheaper gas further from the interstate, and saw a huge chunk of France.

After visiting the Chartres Cathedral we car camped.

turning down a bumpy, dirt road in the pitch dark left us slightly unsure of exactly where we were. but the stars were bright and the night quiet. we awoke to find ourselves alongside a cornfield, mist rising from the earth in the pre-sunrise glow of dawn.

I was a pretty good navigator and N drove.

that being said, my tiny keychain compass proved to be faulty, I started feeling carsick from trying to read the map from a miniscule digital camera screen, and we both were hyperventilating as we navigated Paris with a photo-copied, blurry map and minutes ticking down for our British Airways flight. we returned the car at terminal 2F and our flight was at 2A. they are not very close together.  I was fibbing my way through an elaborate story about my invisible husband as the flight was being closed...N showed up just as the eyebrows of the ticket agent were about to pop off of her head.

In recent months I have become a huge proponent of public transportation, but I'd sorta forgotten why personal cars are so great. The independence. The power to "choose your own adventure." It is so easy to slip back into the mindset of regarding personal cars as the main (and most viable) mode of transportation. And of course, sometimes they are. My mother couldn't exactly find public transportation to Eugene (40 miles) four days a week. The New Orleans public transportation system includes lovely street cars that oftentimes take longer than walking, and public buses that don't seem to run on an actual schedule, they just rumble by when the mood strikes.

When in a land of functional, efficient, effective public transportation options, it is much easier (and oftentimes much more affordable) to use public systems. We love the bike sharing systems of Paris, London, China, and many other international cities. In fact, it seems that most urban cities of the Western world have bike-share/rent programs. Africa, Thailand, India, and Turkey were without a formalized system, but most likely have informal, community-driven programs that are not discernible to the foreign eye. 

So while we are here, still in the land of viable transportation options, we are off to use them! Though the hazy dream of that cushy Citroen rental car still lingers at the back of my mind, it's time for some sensible shoes and some London tube action!

*****

p.s. we are still sans-computer. no help has arrived. but we are SO grateful to David for the use of his computer while we are in london. be assured that our blog will be patchy until we return to our other laptop in the states (new york in twelve days).

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S.O.S

Our laptop has died. For the third time, Windows XP has decided to spontaneously "corrupt," but unlike the previous times, we now find ourselves in the fancy WEST where computer repair is expensive and overly-involved. Can you help us? You will get a special shout-out on our blog with a feature story of your choice, your photo, WHATEVER! Just help us out. Don't you want to read more about our trip? Help make this possible if you can! Please!!

 

How do we reformat our $300 Acer laptop without paying $75 at a French computer repair shop?

 

fingers crossed and love from Bretagne!

 

*brittany

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Paris on $25 a day (or less)

Paris is great! Paris is easily one of those cities (like all great cosmopolitan centers) where you can just as easily spend $50 a day as $5000. It is a city of great class, great confidence. It is a city that everyone who can must visit.

I recommend Paris very highly because it has so many of the ingredients which I believe give quality, luster, and value to the conditions which the western philosophies (economies, religions, aesthetics) have placed upon our world. Paris deserves your attention whether you think the western world created our time, is causing a race for more time, or has brought about the end of time... Paris is no doubt a fountainhead for our current dilemma.

Lucky for B and I that we did not try and test any of the foreboding above when we came to Paris. We were here by happenstance. You see, our trip is certainly about great luck. In Paris, our luck acted like it was effulgent, then acted as if it wanted to run dry.

This is our story.

Paris, ah, Paris. What a strange sight you are in the August vacation month of Europe. How can you live with your queer friends? Your residents completely abandon you every August; then you accept this torrid affair with mad crowds for the month? Maybe you know more about what to do with Summer than the rest of us? Anyway, the weather is good - so we gave it a try with everyone else.

I would have to admit, after beating it around the world on $5-10 day average Paris terrifies.

But, we have friends. We should be able to get off the beaten path. We know that what we are looking for is community. Surely, community is something which Paris has a lot of?




While nonsequitor - all of my points above have a meaning. For me, Paris exemplifies what our world is now, what is has been, and (maybe) what it is to become. But, this is only true through looking at Paris as a series of what ifs.

Our trip to Paris was nonsensical. We arrived having no idea where we were staying only to find that we had been put up just meters from the Seine and spitting distance from Le Jardin des Plantes - one of the loveliest gardens you will ever encounter.

Luck, it seems stays with us. But, as we have pointed out so many times in our blogs: We travel unconventionally. We are open to magic (and luck happening). We begin our travels from a very privileged position that we can imagine them; that we know we can do them; that we are not afraid of them; that we know that good and bad we will gain from our experiences.

On the downside, we were waylaid for a day and depressed for two when we busted our host's washing machine (top load washer Americans is more confusing than would at first seem). We saw the issue as a lesson, which it was. We also proved our honesty and self-worth by fessing up quickly and then doing what it took to get it fixed.

This blog is not only about Paris. It is about how you might enjoy life if you were somewhere great, ssomewhere where all the world lives, and somewhere where you wanted to enjoy the great fruits of civilization in a civilized way. Life can be very expensive. But, our quality of life depends on what is inside of us. If Paris for less than $25 a day interests you, read more.


So here is what I am going to go out on a limb about on the subject of visiting Paris: Paris is for everyone. Paris if for the old and the aged. It is for the young (everyone under 18, for example, get into all of the National Museums for FREE. (If this great perk would only also include Paris-Disney I am sure it would quickly rival Orlando, FL as the ultimate family vacation hotspot.) Paris is a city for the rich. Do not go into any corner cafe thinking you can cover the cost of a coffee and OJ or a beer without making certain that you can. My Aunt has had a reciept for purchasing a Parisien OJ on her fridge for at least 10 years and they paid $12 euro back then.

But, Paris is really free. Its best parts are. And they are not too touristic (even in August). It is a city filled with delightful parks. There is the Seine River (at night we split time between the Tango and the Irish Jig dances taking place every night on its waterfront. There are dozens of beautiful ancient churches filled with art (many masterpieces) - they are all free. Only Sacre Coeur and the other one have lines! The City itself manages about 15 museums which are almost all free. Then there are les Champs-Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, the Markets, and the street life, shopping, galleries, bakeries, fromagers - too much.

So, our story has no end. Only happy beginnings to return to. Paris, or, the Paris I know and love costs $25 a day or less. It requires a couch or the gumption to bring and sleep in your tent (people do this). It has a maximum three bottle and a minimum one baguette and one chevre diet- which is acceptable for short-termers but probably unhealthy if permanent.

BTW - we really meant to get to Musee D'Orsay, the Louvre, Palais de Luxembourg and other incredible sightseeing hits in Paris. I would probably not recommend these in August. We will save them for the next time we come. Maybe we will landd here on a first Sunday of the month (when all the museums in Paris are free.

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The Plage

I’ve never exactly been a geographic nincompoop, so I was surprised to emerge from the winding streets of Paris onto the Beach.

Hundreds of people were enjoying the warm Saturday afternoon, stretched out in lawn chairs and canvas hammocks and children were racing around barefoot on the hot sand.

Did I mention that we were in Paris?

“The Plage” is a project put together by the city of Paris to bring a free seaside to the city, begun in 2002. Installed along the north bank of the Seine River, Parisians (and undoubtedly many tourists as well) are enjoying summer beach life without ever leaving the city.

It’s a Seine-side holiday!

Ranging from a kids BMX course to misting areas, and wooden lawn chairs with umbrellas to oversized trampolines, the Beach is a great way to spend a chilled-out day in Paris. There is a lending library, a free swimming pool with scheduled activities, evening concerts, and plenty of ice cream vendors.

The only drawback is that after a few hours of sunbathing, the cooling view of the Seine just isn’t enough and the misting tent seems a poor substitute for a refreshing ocean dip. But hey, at least we didn’t have to leave the city to find a taste of the beach!

For the last few years, the Paris Plage has added a sustainability component to their installation: recycle containers are prevalent and visible, drinking of tap water is emphasized through the use of fun drinking fountains, previous years equipment is reused each year, and even the beach sand is recycled! Some educational programs are also scheduled throughout the Plage summer.

The Paris Plage runs along the Seine from the Louvre to Pont de Sully, and from Rotonde de Ledoux to the former Magasins Généraux. The Paris Plage is open from July 20th to August 20th.  

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Land of Opportunity: Questions about the Future of New Orleans and Beyond

As long as we have known her, Luisa Dantas was making her documentary about post-Katrina, New Orleans. Now, on the heels of the 5th Anniversary of the disaster, she is releasing her documentary film, "Land of Opportunity". A great trailer for the film can be seen on the Land of Opportunity website.

Luisa spent a lot of time attending the meetings which planned the reconstruction after the disaster. She spent a lot of time listening. She attended the community meetings and got to know many of the passions which guide New Orleans' determination to exist.

Her documentary will raise questions which we should all be asking about how our lives may be affected by disaster. It will ask us to become more aware of how major events such as natural or man made disasters, war, economic crisis etc can be major shifts upsetting the lives of individuals, communities, entire peoples, even the planet.

Today's headlines described economic shudders felt globally, climate changes gone unnoticed, wars without certain end, continued environmental degradation. Luisa's film takes one relatively small event - the human and nature caused destruction of an economically insignificant city in which mostly peoples' communities were severely affected. Yet, it transposes these events onto us all. Could this type of event, could this type of disaster, affect your community? If something like a Katrina hurricane happened in your country, how would the community that you live in recover? What makes for a resilient community? What are efforts governments and others can support or enhance following disasters to grow human restoration, community engagement, and cultural resiliency?

A free community screening of the movie, "Land of Opportunity" by Luisa Dantas is an appropriate way to view this film and begin these important conversations. If you can't be in New Orleans for the sneak peek - make certain to support it coming to your town.

Happening Here: An Evening of Film,Theater, Poetry, and Food

Featuring Poet Sunni Patterson, The New Orleans Day Labor Theater of Revolution, and a SNEAK PEEK of the documentary film Land of Opportunity!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14TH • 5PM-9PM • WARREN EASTON HIGH SCHOOL 3019 CANAL ST • FREE EVENT • FOOD AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

Doors at 5PM, Program begins at 6PM

This event is organized in partnership with JoLu Productions, New Orleans Video Access Center, PATOIS: The New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival, The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, Survivors Village, and the Louisiana Justice Institute. Land of Opportunity is a multi-platform documentary project that follows people from different walks of life through the last four and a half years of the reconstruction of this city. During this time, footage and short pieces have been used as tools for organizing and education and even featured in art exhibits in New Orleans and across the country. After years of filming, we and our partners want to share this work with our friends and family: the entire New Orleans community! Please join us as we present this evening of performances and film designed to inspire, educate, and galvanize.

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