Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

FREE INTERNET FOR ALL

 

By Tammy Duffy

 

 

 

In the future will the internet become a monopoly or will it be free for the world?

 

In 2012 only 35% of humanity had internet access. This equates to 4.2 billion people who sit in internet darkness.  Now, imagine a library in every village. A library in every pocket.  Every person in humanity contributing to the world’s educational system. What would that world look like?  What would people read about if their governments no longer had the ability to deprive them of free information? How many dark periods of humanities history could have been avoided if we must knew more?  How many could we avoid in the future and what would that world look like? How many politicians would be exposed of their cheating ways if journalist did not feel threatened by harassment and harm by said politicians?

 

There are inflection points that change the course of humanity.  Access to the internet is an example of one such event.  A new device, called the LANTERN, manufactured by a NY based company, Outernet, has the potential to change the world.  Their device has the ability to continuously receive radio waves broadcasted by outernets in space and turn them into digital files.  When you want to get onto the internet, one would just turn on your LANTERN and enable your wifi enabled device. It is that easy.  It works like an offline version of the internet that updates constantly. You can also charge your phone with your LANTERN.  When power is not available the LANTERN can charge itself with its built in solar panels.

 

Outernet takes the best of the web and broadcasts it from space for every human on Earth. The content that they broadcast is determined by anyone who chooses to vote on the most important things to share with humanity. Outernet repurposes broadcast satellite TV equipment and we offer instructions on how to build a DIY-receiver. Once a receiver is configured, Outernet’s content can be accessed by any WiFi-enabled device.

 

This new device, the Lantern, will allow us to response faster and more efficiently during the next natural or man made disaster. When cell towers go down and cell towers are compromised, you will not longer be compromised. You will be able to get your news anywhere in the world, even the countries with strong censorship rules. You will never have a huge cell phone bill again during your oversea travels, use your Lantern.

 

The world will be able to create their own digital library. Parents can control what their kids see. The Outernet will have courses available to build literacy in parts of the world where literacy is compromised. This makes education and learning truly universal.

 

Outernet is working with IREX in Namibia and the World Bank in Sudan to turn on Lanterns in those countries. This is just the beginning. Lantern is broadcasting from space, so if you have a government that says you can’t watch this or see that, Lantern lights the path to override this censorship.  Everything a user consumes is anonymous. 

 

Everyone on Earth can use the Lantern. You will be able to use the Lantern to download news, weather, books, videos and audio for FREE. You will have access to information, freedom from censorship and consume Internet content anonymously. You will even be able to charge your phone with Lantern. 

 

 

Access to news, civic information, commodity prices, weather, and construction plans for open source farm machinery...anything. Outernet eradicates information poverty and censorship everywhere on Earth. Since Lantern is so small, it can be used discreetly. If your country refuses Lanterns to be imported, no problem, outernet will send you the plans to build your own.  

 

There are projects with similar goals, like Project Loon from Google and Internet.org from Facebook.   These are very different from Outernet’s Lantern.  Both of these alternatives will only provide two-way Internet to everyone. That is a commendable goal, but it will also be a fee-based service. Facebook’s (internet.org) is a partnership between social networking service company FACEBOOK and six mobile phone companies: Samsung, Ericsson, MediaTek, Nokia, Opera Software, and Qualcomm) that aims to bring affordable Internet access to everybody by increasing affordability, increasing efficiency, and facilitating the development of new business models around the provision of Internet access. 

 

Google’s Project Loon is a research and developmentproject.  Its mission is to provide Internet acesss to rural and remote areas. The project uses high-altitude balloons placed in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 32 km to create an aerial wireless network with up to3G-like speeds. The balloons are maneuvered by adjusting their altitude to float to a wind layer after identifying the wind layer with the desired speed and direction using wind data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Users of the service connect to the balloon network using a special Internet antenna attached to their building. The signal travels through the balloon network from balloon to balloon, then to a ground-based station connected to an Internet service provider, then onto the global Internet. This balloon project I suspect will deflate quickly, although a cool concept.

 

Outernet's signal is free to receive. There are no balloons or slick corporate maneuvers involved. There are also sovereign air space issues with Internet devices, like balloons and drones, inside the atmosphere. Breaking censorship will be difficult in places where a free Internet is unwanted this these approaches. You also encounter enormous spectrum regulation when the user device goes from being a receiver to a transmitter (it talks back). So you can see they are not competing services, as we are solving a problem for a different segment of the market. 

 

Outernet is directly hooking into the satellite operator’s infrastructure. Their uplink bandwidth is really not measured. Their download speeds, however, range from 100 kbps to 25 Mbps. Technically, they are able to burst to download speeds of 80 Mbps, but they prefer to make content available to small-sized antenna, so we will likely limit download speeds to 25 Mbps. A 25 Mbps downlink can deliver 10 GB of data over the course of an hour

 

Is this a new era, no censorship? Outernet works so that if one frequency is jammed, they simply move to an alternative--and can do this across 5 difference channels (or more). Since Outernet is a broadcast solution, the monitoring stations are actually irrelevant, since the reception of broadcast content ensures the anonymity of consumption. Since they use existing spectrum licenses, their anti-censorship plan is all perfectly legal and abides by all restrictions of local jurisdictions. But since they are broadcasting data in a multi-channel, multi-speed, and super duplicated manner, it just makes it hard to selectively censor specific works that we distribute. Of course, a government is always able to continuously jam all of our frequencies (this is a little more difficult for certain bands), but which government wants to be the one that is publicly known for disrupting humanity's public library?

 

Outernet currently resides on two satellites, Galaxy 19 and the Hotbird in space.  This covers NE, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.  Outernet plans on broadcasting from 5 additional satellites in the near future.  They will be able to broadcast to the entire world, for free once this implementation takes effect.

World’s Fastest Talking Female
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

World’s Fastest Talking Female

 

By Tammy Duffy

 

 

When Guinness Book of World Record holders get together, each of them will look at each other and say, “Wow, you did that?”   They are all amazed by each others accomplishments and deeply respectful of each other. We all have something in our lives that we have done that is fantastic. Guinness Book record holders take this to another dimension.

 

I recently got to interview Fran Capo, a true renaissance woman. Fran is an adventurer, an author, a Guinness Book record holder for being the fastest talking female in the world, a comedian, a motivational speaker and a writer. Her list does not stop there.

 

I asked Fran, “How does one become the fastest talking female in the world?  How did this come about?”  Her response was riveting! 

 

Capo was raised by a mother that helped her understand that nothing is impossible. Her mother signed her yearbook, P.M.A. (positive mental attitude) Her father always taught her to find the humor in life.  These two philosophies created her.  Anytime Fran did something in life if it worked out well it then became a part of her motivational speaking. If it did not work out well it became a part of her standup comedy act.  It is a win-win situation for Capo. She is a go getter and nothing is impossible in life. She once walked into a library and said to herself, “If all these people can write books, so can I.” She has now written more than 18 books.  Fran lives by the phrase, “There is light at the end of the tunnel. Fran says, ‘Forget that, bring your own flashlight.”

 

 

Capo was working at WBLS FM; she was a stand up comic already at this point, where she was writing stand up comedy for them. One day kidding around she said,’ I can do a really cool Mae West impression, but she called the character June East,  Mae West’s long lost sister.”   At that moment the producer gave her the weather and traffic copy to read. She had never done weather and traffic before, so she just did it, all the while doing this character June East. In the 30 seconds that she did this copy a woman from the Daily News called the station to speak with Capo. The Daily News person asked Capo how long she had been doing weather and traffic. Capo did not want to tell her it was her first time so she elaborated on her expertise. She was then asked what the next gig on her horizon was.  At that moment Capo did not have a next, but she knew that she had to think of something because she had someone from the Daily News on the phone.  Capo then blurted out, “I want going to break a world record.”  Excited, the woman from the Daily News said,” For what?” At that moment Capo did not have the what so she said,”I can’t tell you because it would jinx it.”  So the Daily News person said to her,” My article has to be submitted by 6pm today, if you decide you want to tell me call me and I will include it in my article.”

 

Capo then scurried to a bookstore to obtain a Guinness book and began flipping through it. Should she do pogo sticking….what could she do? Then she saw fast talking. Everyone always told her she talked fast. She never thought about breaking a record but now she thought what the heck.  I will give this a try.

 

A phone call was made to the Daily News by Capo at 5:55pm.  She then said she would break the fast talking record. At the time, in the book, the record was 552 words a minute. The Daily News reporter asked Capo where she was as compared to the record. Capo replied,” 550.”  This gets printed in the paper. The very next day the team from Larry King Live show called Capo to have her break the record on his show.  At that point Capo did not know who Larry King was. She heard the words cable and knew she had her chance in the spotlight and she was taking it.

 

A call was made to Guinness to learn what she had to do to break the record.  They told her she had to read something from Shakespeare or the Bible.  Capo did not care for Shakespeare but there were bible passages that her mother had taught her in the past, so she went with that.

 

She practiced for hours and hours and then went on the show. The next day she went onto the Larry King Live show (she only had three days to prepare from the initial interaction with the gal from the Daily News to break this record) and she broke the record. She spoke 585 words in one minute.  This was on March 5, 1986.  She broke the record a second time on June 5, 1990 at the Guinness book museum in Las Vegas. She spoke 603.3 words in 54.2 seconds. One may wonder how Guinness ensures the number of words per minute spoken. They bring have an Olympic timer; they use a lexicon compression technique and a professional speech analyst to calculate the words per minute.

 

http://francapo.com/frans-fractured-fairy-tale-little-red-riding-hood/

 

Click on this  link above to hear Fran Capo reading Little Red Riding Hood

 

 

This Renaissance woman is always on the go. She holds 6 other records with Ripley Believe it or Not as well. They include a book signing at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro (it was a cash only event), she just did 12 shows in 17 days in South Korea, she visited the Titanic and became an ordained minister to say the first prayer next to the Titanic, and she did a book signing next to the Titanic as well and much more.

 

Capo began her days as a stand up comic while she was studying accounting and philosophy. She was approached by people who asked her if she ever thought about being a stand up comic. So Capo asked God,” If I am supposed to be a stand up comic, send me a sing.”  She believes in signs, they always have guided her way in life. After attending a card show where they had a hand writing analysis stand she was told that she has a great sense of humor, that she should use it to make money. Sign one.  She was in line at Great Adventure speaking with her friend and a man tapped her on the back and said,” I was just at the Improv last night and you are funnier than the comic who was on stage.” 

Sign two. She then was taking an acting class and she was reading a scene and a fellow comic was in the class and said to her, “I will give you my slot on stage just so you can have the chance to perform.”  Sign three.  She continued to pray to see if stand up was going to be a gig for her.  Then sign four happened quite conveniently.  She walks into Queens College, into the door that she normally would go through to take her philosophy class and the door is closed. She had to go around to the side door due to construction. There was a giant sign on the door that read,” Stand up comedy auditions today only.”  The time for the auditions was 5 minutes from the moment she saw the poster.  So she went. The auditions were in a broom closet. She got the gig. The rest is history.

 

 

Her newest book, Hopeville, The City of Light is a story that came to her in a dream. A voice came to her in a dream and told her this story that the book would have a message for the world. The voice was relentless. The voice kept telling her it would become a best seller.  She drove to get her car fixed and would work on her Adrenalin Adventures book. She had complete writers block.  She was frozen in time. So she started writing the book, Hopeville, The City of Light. For the next three hours she was glued to her computer writing. She did not stop for three hours. The mechanics did not interrupt her. She typed,” The End” and the mechanics came up to her to tell her that her car was ready. She did not look at the book for two weeks.  She read the story. It is a wonderful book filled with hope and promise for a town. A town gets transformed by hope.  There are 44 lessons at the end of the book that are delightful.  She went to her publisher (who was Staples at that time) and printed 50 books. All 50 sold immediately in 2004. She never did anything more with it.  She has now launched this book as an eBook on amazon.com.  She is currently working on making this new book an audio book as well. Any active or inactive member of the military can get her book for free.

 

 

 

 

The mindset of world record holders and successful people is that they never give up.  The difference with world record holders is that they look at things in different ways.  They take things a step further than the normal person would.  Make it bigger!

 

What’s next for Capo? She believes that one stays young by keeping inspired and focusing on the next great thing. Capo also has a new show that will be shown on Launch TV entitled, Radio Housewives. They just shot the pilot. Launch TV is a channel dedicated to launching new films, TV series, music projects, product lines, fashion lines and businesses. Some of the shows on Launch TV, like the show, Living in Exile, get 3 million viewers per episode.  This show will launch soon on Launch TV.

 

Capo also has a dream to go down to the hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the ocean.  Initially the thought was no life could exist down there. However, clearly there are species living there. There are millions of albino creatures living in these hydrothermal vents. In 700 degree F water, the animals are thriving. There are only 4 submersibles that can handle the pressure. Today, there is no physical way for civilians go get down there. Her plans are endless to continue her adventures, her writing, her comedy, and her quest for spiritual positivity.  

 

Visit Fran Capo’s website at www.francapo.com to see learn more about this amazing trailblazer! 

 

EL Diablo: NEW LOOP RIDE AT GREAT ADVENTURE
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

 El Diablo: New Loop Ride at Great Adventure

 

By Tammy Duffy

 

 

 

 

 

The devil is in the details for Six Flags Great Adventure's new looping coaster, set to open this spring. Originally announced in the fall of 2014 as "Looping Dragon," with an Asian-inspired moniker and location in the Golden Kingdom section, the park's 13th coaster was re-imagined by park management who opted for a more “devilish” theme – El Diablo.

 

"The Jersey devil has deep roots in our state's history, and inspired the new theme for our upcoming thrill ride," said Park President John Fitzgerald. 

 

 Click this link to watch a video clip of the new ride

 

https://sixflags.app.box.com/s/9us76li16jjlpjky7d1j/1/2732227056/24941729205/1

 

 

The giant, fiery red El Diablo looping coaster will make its home next to the world's top-rated wooden coaster, El Toro, in the Mexican-themed Plaza del Carnaval section. It features riders sitting in “face-off” seats rocketing forward and backward pendulum style until the train gains enough momentum to complete a full revolution seven stories in the air. The coaster then kicks into high gear, completing full revolutions until it stops momentarily with riders suspended upside down, and then reverses direction for even more thrills.

 

"El Diablo is the perfect addition to Plaza del Carnaval, as it appeals to both thrill seekers and families alike. Rides like El Toro and Tango attract a wide audience to this area, which also provides ample opportunities for dining, shopping and relaxation from the excitement of the world’s largest theme park," Fitzgerald added.

 

El Diablo is set to open this spring, and will have a 48 inch height requirement to ride.

Sing Along to Disney's "FROZEN" at MCCC's Kelsey Theatre Jan. 24
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

 

 

 

Back by popular demand, Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre presents "Disney's FROZEN Movie Sing-A-Long" on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  Kelsey Theatre is conveniently located on the college's West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.  Children will delight in the chance to sing along to the inspiring score of the Academy Award-nominated film, which has become a sensation for the younger generation.

Based on the classic fairy tale The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, it's a story filled with bravery, optimism and love. A fearless princess sets off on an epic journey alongside a rugged mountain man Olaf, his loyal pet reindeer, and a hapless snowman. Their mission is to find Anna's estranged sister, Elsa, whose icy powers have unintentionally trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. What can Anna do to save her kingdom – and her sister?

This spirited adventure is led by the talented cast members of Theater To Go, who appear as characters from the movie and lead the audience in a costume contest and trivia contest. Audience members receive a gift bag of activities that accompany the action in the movie.

Tickets for the “FROZEN Sing-A-Long" are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $14 for students and children.  Tickets may be purchased online at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333.  Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking available next to the theater.

For a complete listing of adult and children's events for the 2014-15 season, visit the Kelsey webpage or call the box office for a brochure.

Northlandz: A Train Amazement
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

Northlandz: A Train Amazement

 By Tammy Duffy 

Guinness Book of World Record Series

 

 

 

 

A recent Google search in quest for a museum that I have not visited brought me to Northlandz. This is a 52,000 square foot concrete building located at 495 Route 22 in Flemington, New Jersey. 

 

I am fascinated with anybody who puts their passion into a hobby, sport or craft and makes it not only into a world record, but a livelihood as well.  Bruce Williams Zaccagnino, the owner and creator of the 16 acre train museum has done this with Northlandz.

 

Zaccagnino is not just some retired guy tinkering with a hobby. He was also a concert musician, successful entrepreneur, and multi-award winning computer software game developer and publisher of Perfect General and Solitaire’s Journey.

I should have visited Northlandz sooner. Tucked into this vast gray building in Flemington is, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was awarded in its time, the world's largest model train exhibit. A one-mile tour invites visitors to follow the progress of 125 trains as they traverse the countryside, zip through tunnels, scale mountains, cut through canyons, and soar over suspension bridges.  There is eight miles of track in all.

 

A quote that Zaccagnino lives by is,” If you can develop and maintain enthusiasm, you can do anything.”  His life long generosity in the creation of this museum started way back. As a child he always had trains around the Christmas tree. In 1973, when he and his wife built their first home they decided to dedicate the entire basement to trains and model railroading.  As the model railroad progressed, friends and visitors encouraged him to make it available to the public.

 

 

 

This accelerated five new additions to their home to support this initiative over the years. The final addition was built to install newly acquired theater organs in 1984.  They obtained a variance to allow for public tours that would take place two weekends a year.  Local charities benefited from the ticket sales of these events.  At this point, they had built the world’s largest model railroad.

 

In 1990, the Zaccagnino’s purchased land on Route 22 in Flemington, N.J. and built Northlandz.  The construction and installation of the model railroad was completed in 1996.  Upon completion the railroad grew in size by 15 times what it was in their home. The result is a landscape as powerful as any depicted by an artist.  It's part reality, part fantasy, part commentary on a vast, changing land.

 

As visitors enter, you are greeted by the creator, Zaccagnino. When people enter they do not know this, he is the man behind the counter who sells the tickets and tells you about the museum. There is an audiotape recording describing the high mountains, scorching deserts, great cities, vast valleys, a mountaintop monastery, and the world's only toothpick farm and bridges.

 

It takes one any where between two and three hours to go through the exhibit.  There is a great amount of railroad history in this exhibition. Your first stop is in Delbert’s Cove, one of the Great American Railways.  You see a huge gorge and detail in the buildings that leaves one awestruck.  In 1825, when England’s George Stephenson built the first railroad, he based the distance between the tracks on wagon axles of the time.  That same measurement is still used today (4 feet 8.5 inches) in standard United States railroads. 

As you walk through this exhibit you will see Bavarian castles, Swiss villages, ghost towns, factory towns, quarry digs, Civil War battle scenes, Gothic cathedrals, Pennsylvania railroads, Grand Canyon, miniature miniature golf courses, rain forests, junkyards, roadside carnivals, and tombs of unknown hobos. It's a seemingly endless work of tireless imagination.  There is even the town of Dunmore, where Zaccagnino lived until he was four. As you near the corner where you see this skyscraper down your jaw will just drop.

 

 

 

Another special part of the exhibition is Grandma’s pit. More than 27 years ago at the Flat rock quarry, a woman refused to sell her home to make room for the quarry. The quarry company proceeded to build around her property and actually made a bridge for the woman to access on and off her “rock island”.

 

Northlandz is impossible to describe. People think they know what they're going to see, but you get there and you will love it passionately. The level of creativity, workmanship and passion to maintain this exhibit is unlike anything I have ever seen.

There is a wall of the dining car-styled snack bar which is covered with graffiti, signatures of those who've passed through. Patricia Arquette was supposedly there. So, inexplicably, was Rod Stewart. There is even a painting of the two of them in the art exhibits that are throughout the museum as well. Other names of those who visited but didn't sign are nevertheless also scrawled on the wall, presumably by Mr. Zaccagnino. They include Joe Piscopo, Pee Wee Herman (there is a signed Pee Wee doll in the doll exhibition that is also in the museum), Senator Bill Bradley, the late Gene Rayburn, local radio personalities, and the singer Neil Young.

 

 

 

 

There is also a 250-seat theater with showpiece organ, artwork by local artists displayed incongruously in any spare space. Zaccagnino on a daily basis plays the organs, a glorious sound and performance.

 

The exhibition leaves you breathless.  As a visitor I was not bored. There are a series of walkways and ramps (like you have at the Guggenheim) that force visitors to interact with the topography, coaxing them over, around, looking at all vantage points. He is a true artist to force people to do this. One climbs a high ramp only to peer into a canyon. There goes a train, but oh -- what's this? -- A tiny village perched on a ledge beside a river. Crane your neck for a better look, and mountains block your way.  You stoop down to see what else you can see. What are the people doing? When will the next train come out of the next tunnel? There are over 400 tunnels in the exhibition.  This is a landscape that is actually static, except for those marvelous trains that remarkably make it more dynamic.

 

The movie the African Queen is forever playing at the Bijou, cities showing history appear and seem spectacular but somehow stopped in time. His factories and work sites are studies in geometry and gesture; he breathes life into the tiniest dilapidated building with nothing more than paint, board, and an X-Acto knife. The terrain is intriguing.  He manages to make the ugliest utility shed look beautiful simply by taking pains to mimic it precisely.

 

A pair of suspension bridges, for example, are so large and so exquisitely rendered that they're liable to make visitors wonder why they never paid much attention to the real thing. They are made of toothpicks and balsa wood.

 

 

The fun does not end at the museum. There is a 10 minute train ride that one can take on the grounds. It is well worth its $2.75 cost. Northlandz, 495 Route 202 South (just North of the Flemington Circle), Flemington. (908) 782-4022. Open weekdays from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission: Adults (age 13 and older), $13.75; children (ages 2 to 12), $9.75; seniors (age 62 and over), $12.50. All major credit cards are accepted. An optional train ride on the grounds is also available; you are required to purchase tickets to both attractions and use them the same day. Northlandz is handicapped accessible. You can visit them on the Web at: www.northlandz.com.

 

 

 

 Mr. Zaccagnino was also bestowed with the highest honor that is given by the Hindu faith, the "Maan Patra". This honorarium was presented to Mr. Zaccagnino in recognition of his years of dedication to the creation of Northlandz. It was awarded to him by Swami Jagadishswarandandji at the Geeta Temple of Queens, NY in June, 1996 with thousands of worshipers of the Hindu faith in attendance.” This is what we do" says Zaccagnino, who along with his wife (Jean passed away 8 years ago) steadfast support has worked 365 days a year in pursuit of this accomplishment. 

STARR TAKES ALL EVENTS OVERS AT GFS

Stephen Starr Takes Over at GFS

 By Tammy Duffy

 

In 2009, Stephen Starr took over Rat's Restaurant in Hamilton Township, N.J. It was a management deal, much like his Steak 954 in Fort Lauderdale. Today, Stephen Starr event planners confirmed that they have now taken over the entire event planning at Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton, N. J. as well.  Starr’s group is also in the process of obtaining the liquor license that the Grounds For Sculpture currently holds as well, according to Starr Event Planning.

 

What does this really mean for the Grounds For Sculpture? The event planning staff at the GFS was let go recently as well.  One of the employees resigned after learning the team was dissolved. The employee had no team left to plan events, so the employee resigned.  These were people on the event team who worked at GFS for many years. They received no notice other than a call into an office stating, that Starr was taking over and there job is no longer in existence. There was no offer from the Starr organization to have these employees blended into the new Starr event planning at GFS. One can only wonder what an event will cost now that Starr’s group have taken over. This sudden change took a lot of jobs away from people in the local community. 

 

If you are planning an event at the GFS in the future, you no longer have any choice for caterers. This also means that all the caterers who used to be on “the list” for potential clients to pick from while planning events at GFS, have also been removed from the picture.The list of caterers that will no longer be offered on new events include: Main Street Caterers, Chez Alice caterers, Provence caterers, Max Hensen’s  and Merri-Makers. The vendors have been notified; however it was a very sudden announcement according to representatives at Chez Alice.

 

Stephen Starr will have a fixed menu that they will offer for their events.  The events that will continue to take place will be weddings, parties and corporate events. There will be an expansion to the Van Gogh Café’s hours and Starr will be the exclusive planner for the Epicurean Palette as well at GFS. They are also taking over the Peacock Café at GFS. The Van Gogh Café is now closed for renovations.  

 

At this time, there are no Corporate or Private Event requests listed on the GFS volunteer sign up calendar. GFS volunteers can only assist GFS, not Stephen Starr Catering. The volunteers at GFS were an integral part of the success of the events. Therefore, it is possible that GFS may host an event in the future where volunteer assistance will be needed and appropriate. In essence, volunteers can assist the non-profit but cannot assist the for-profit catering company.

 

There is a migration happening at  GFS that is in full swing. Mr. Seward Johnson is no longer financially supporting GFS as of Jan 1, 2015. The Grounds For Sculpture, the Atlantic Foundation, The John Art and Educational Foundation, The Johnson Atelier, and the Sculpture Foundation are migrating together to form one entity and making GFS self sufficient.  How will this evolution of self sufficiency unfold?  Only time will demonstrate what happens next. The first step to self suffiiciency has hurt numerous people in the community. Hopefully, this will not continue to be the trend.

 

A Place of Paramount Peace in Robbinsville, NJ
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

 

A Place of Paramount Peace in Robbinsville, NJ

 

By  Dr. Tammy Duffy

 

 

 

 

Religious architecture represents sacred space amid this profane world and has always played a pivotal role in the history of mankind. 

 

There is a new architectural spiritual wonder that has been constructed on the site of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville, NJ.  The construction began in early 2010. The Mandir was the second phase of the Hindu American Religious Center construction and was completed early in the overall project to facilitate a leveled growth of the center. In looking at the construction specifics, chiseled Italian carrana marble was used to build the 12,000 sq. ft. Mandir. Carrara marble has been used since the time of Ancient Rome. The marble is shipped from Italy to India where it is then carved by master sculptures. All of the exquisite work you see in the Mandir is done with a chisel and hammer. Despite heavy snowfall during the winter months, the mandir was completed in August of 2014.. A consecration ceremony was held on August 10th, 2014 in the presence of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, senior swamis from India and devotees from across the world. During his visit His Holiness gave input on some of the design at the Mandir. There will be alterations made to accommodate his requests. (i.e. marble mosaics vs. paintings on the walls and the entrance changed to cover the bare internal walls that surround the mandir allowing people to visit 365 days a year.

 

Initially, after taking off your shoes and walking up the white marble staircase to enter the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, you may notice the floor is a little dusty.  There are artists working behind a barricade adding to the temples splendor.

 

Once you enter, though, it's nearly impossible to look down as you take in how much detail is carved into every inch of the temple's Italian white marble surface. The scene is overwhelming. Each piece of iconography is different  yet there is a precision to the symmetry of the designs.  It is quite stunning as well that this is all done by volunteers.   The devotion is overwhelming.

 

 

As soon as you walk in, what hits you the first time is the aesthetic appeal, the beauty. The positive energy is electric. The Robbinsville mandir, or Hindu house of worship, is one of only six traditional stone mandirs that exist in North America. The one in Robbinsville is the only one carved completely of marble.

 

The temple sits inside of a larger building to protect its surface from New Jersey's harsh winter weather. That shield could help it last more than 1,500 years.  Pieces of the structure were hand-carved by 2,000 artisans in India and shipped over individually, where they were assembled in layers. The entire process, from the choice of stone to the completion of construction, has taken about five years.

 

Some of the most detailed carvings in the temple's surface feature peacocks and elephants which represent purity and strength and the lotus flower, which represents purity for its ability to grow in water yet manage to stay dry.

 

Several LED lights embedded into the floor accent the stone structures brilliantly, and provide depth to the carvings. The creators of the temple will be working with Yves Pepin on the expansion that is planned. Yves Pépin has built a worldwide reputation as one of the most innovative designers and one of the most successful artistic directors of ground-breaking entertainments.

Pepin was Artistic Adviser for the worldwide acclaimed Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Ceremonies where he did all the water and laser shows.  Also, he produced the worldwide applauded pyrotechnic show on the Eiffel Tower for the Year 2000 handover.

Yves Pépin invented and developed, in the late 1980s, the film projection on waterscreen technology, adopted since then by several theme park operators including Disney, Universal Studios and others.

 

 

 

When architects come here to view it, they are marveled by what they see . They have difficulty understanding not only at the beauty of the design, but at how the entire structure is able to stay standing and support itself because it's so heavy.

 

Roughly 40,000 practicing Hindus live in the Central and South Jersey area, with several hundred thousand more in the tri-state area..  Although there are other mandirs in the area, the growing size of the congregation was enough to support construction of a traditional stone temple, one that can host special rituals.

 

An assembly hall adjoining the mandir structure will host weekly rituals. Plans to build a second, larger limestone mandir are already in place with completion expected in about 10 years. The entire complex sits on about 140 acres of land.

 

In speaking with Anil Patel, Public Relations Director at the Temple, he said, “They want to see that tradition is kept alive, I think, to me that's just most impressive and precious," said Patel.  

 

His Holiness, Pramukh Sami Maharaj, the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, has inspired millions of people across the world t o lead a more moral life.   The 92-year-old Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj of India, one of the most respected spiritual leaders in the Hindu religion. He was here for the ceremonial placing of the first piece of marble as well.  He is their leader.

 

The 5th, and last phase of the project, the Swaminarayan Akshardham Mahamandir is expected to be completed within the next 5-7 years. The foundation for the Mandir is complete, and the stone carving has begun in India. Phase 4, the Visitor's Center, will also house a small exhibition on Indian history and culture. Countless volunteer hours have gone in the design and planning for this project. The devotees have truly upheld their Guru’s vision and woven it into their mission. This is going to be a massive place when its finished. A beautiful spectacle for all to see.

 

In order to fully admire the Mandir’s beauty and grandeur,one must understand how the Mandir was made. The Mandir, built in the Nagaradi style, stands 42 feet tall, 133 feet long and 87 feet wide and is made entirely of Italian Carrara marble (68,000 cubic feet); only the third Mandir of its kind. The beautiful carvings seen around the Mandir are not only aesthetically appealing, but are also meaningful in many ways. For example, 98 pillars depict the lives of the great paramhansas (spiritual aspirants) and devotees of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Their inspiring stories, as well as Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s key messages are incorporated throughout the Mandir.

 

In Sanskrit, Mandir means a place where the mind becomes still and experiences inner peace. In the Mandir, time stands still.  I attended one of the daily Arti during my visit. Arti is a Hindu form of worship using lamps to illuminate the murtis of God, an expression of ones complete and unwavering love towards God.  The tradition dates back thousands of years to the ancient mandirs of India. Having been raced Irish catholic, I found this ceremony particularly moving.  The positive energy overcomes your entire body as you enter into the mandir. As the collection basket was passed one blessed themselves over a candle before placing money into the offering basket. I saw one woman have the ability to get change for a large bill prior to her offering. This would never happen in a catholic church, they would take your money, without blessing.

 

 

The shrine is the sacred centre of the mandir. It houses the temple deities and is usually situated at one end of the main hall. To the side or close by is a room in which the priests prepare for worship according to a fixed daily schedule. Often only the priests, freshly bathed and wearing clean clothes, are allowed to enter these sacred areas.

 

To begin with, each temple is dedicated to a particular god ,although representations of other gods are allowed. In fact, mandir actually means"dwelling." At the heart of the temple rests a shrine to the chosen deity. These shrines contain an image usually a statue or painting of the god. Each morning the priest adorns the shrine, surrounding the image with fresh flowers, fruit, incense, candles, lamps, and other decorations.

 

Hindus believe that although an image cannot contain God, deeper understanding can be achieved by meditating on a representation of Krishna, Vishnu, Brahma, or other deities. It is in this spirit that Hindus perform puja, daily worship. Temple pujas are performed at dawn, noon, dusk, and midnight. Participants take an active role in their worship, beginning with darshan, which simply means "to focus upon a deity." Next, the devotee makes a food offering. The priest blesses the prasad, or food, which is then consumed by the worshipper. It is also common for the priest to burn some of the gift and smear the consecrated ashes on the giver's forehead. Finally, some temples have room for followers to circle the shrine in a clockwise motion, another popular form of worship.

 

Traditionally, the outside walls of a mandir are decorated with sculptured representations of an array of mythic and worldly happenings. In fact, some older temples are literally carved out of rocks and caves. Some of these sculptures are magnificent, intricate works of art. Other temples are simple, unadorned buildings. Some rise into spires, or towers, symbolizing the meeting of the celestial and earthly. The entrance, usually facing east, welcomes the guest into a pillared hallway, an assembly hall, or both. These lead to the shrine room, the heart of the structure. Many temples also contain bathing tanks where devotees cleanse themselves.

 

Unlike the members of many other religions, Hindus may maintain their spiritual devotion without visiting their house of worship. As you will see, many worship their chosen deity at their family shrine. Still, the mandir serves an essential role in the spiritual life of a Hindu. It is a place where the world is left behind for awhile, a place of ritual, devotion, and cleansing.

 

 

Mandir means "abiding place" or dwelling." It is the home of the god worshipped there. The main services at a mandir are at sunrise and sunset.

 

Since Vedic times, India's sages have been enlightened with profound spiritual truths that served as basis of their rituals, philosophies, scientific discoveries and religious faith. As an expression of their spiritual faith, the yogis evolved and created beautiful Mandirs to uphold these traditions. In a similar token, this Mandir aims to serve as a place of understanding and appreciation of India art, culture and religion for generations to come. It will stand as a sanctuary for countless men and women, who will be able to sustain their culture and heritage in the form of arts, language, music, and spiritual learning. The Mandir will provide a platform to encourage the act of giving back to our communities through various charitable efforts like Walkathons, Health Fairs, Blood Drives, flu shots, cultural programs for children, celebration dates of Hindu festivals, music and tabla classes for children, Gujarati classes for children, spiritual classes for all age groups.

 

The process behind building a magnificent Mandir such as this one is multifaceted. The stone marble was quarried in Europe and sent to India through sea cargos. Once the marble reached India, it was trucked to Rajasthan where hundreds of talented artisans would begin the work of hand carving the stones. All the pieces were first assembled at the workshops in India to ensure that they fit appropriately and accurately and were subsequently numbered, using a system developed by the onsite engineers. The pieces were then disassembled, packed with care and shipped to America, where the pieces were organized to begin the process of assembling the Mandir. From Europe to USA, each stone travelled a distance of 21,500 miles.

 

Encasing the Mandir is a beautiful Mandap made of Bulgarian Limestone standing 55 feet tall and 135 feet wide. The Mayur Dwar, or main gate, of the Mandap is adorned with 236 carved peacocks, and various other carved elephants, devotees and paramhansas. The Mandap allows for the Mandir to be enjoyed year round, and shielded from the elements, it will ensure that the Mandir will maintain its beauty for generations to come.When looking at it from this perspective, you can certainly gauge the complex process that was required to build such a grand scale Mandir. However, the efforts that are not seen to the naked eye were equally important while making this mandir. This Mandir, like all other BAPS Mandirs, is the epitome of volunteerism and serves as a symbol to show the value of sacrificing one’s time and efforts towards bettering the community. Volunteers of all ages have devoted their time and resources from the beginning: assisting in the construction work, cleaning up around the site, preparing food for all the artisans on a daily basis and helping with other tasks. A total of 4.7 million man hours were required by craftsman and volunteers to complete the Mandir. His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj has continuously inspired everyone to dedicate their best efforts towards completing this Mandir that would serve as a platform for cultivating Hindu values and serving the community in many ways.

 

There are many structural details to the Mandir. There are 40 small Fasnakar style shikhars (spires),2 large and 8 small ghummats (domes),98 sthambhas (carved pillars),66 intricately carved peacock style arches,144 carved sacred figures,58 decorative ceiling designs,34 decorative grills,91 elephants with various musical instruments and flowers

44 Ganesh Murtis portrayed offering devotion to Bhagwan,and 13,499 individual carved stone pieces.

 

 

BPAS has been serving around the world for the past 40 years.  After visiting the temple you can visit the gift shop that is filled with an array of prayer and gift items, incense, CD’s, DVD’s and spiritual books. I purchased a wonderful incense for just $2.00 and a wonderful spiritual book for just fifty cents.

 

There is also a wonderful Shayona, that upon entering it you can smell all the wonderful spices that are part of tradition in the culture.  One has the ability to purchase the freshest ingredients and savory foods and sweets, indicative of the culture.

 

I also found it quite mind boggling that there were surrounding townships that refused to allow this amazing wonder of the world to be built. I am confident when those very political figures and directors of economic development of those towns will soon see the positive economic impact this will have. They no doubt will regret those unfortunate and uneducated decisions.

 

I highly recommend you visit this temple, no matter what your religious beliefs are. Everyone is welcomed and made to feel welcomed at the temple. The zen feeling that overcomes you upon entering enough to make you want to make a return trip the next day. When you are in the temple you are removed from the outside world and all its negative energy. I truly beautiful place to frequent.  The Temple is located at 112 North Main Street, Robbinsville, NJ 08561.

Trenton's Renaissance
Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST

https://www.createspace.com/5215216

Please copy this link above to purchase DUFFY's new book on Trenton's Renaissance. This book focuses on the current economic development occurring in Trenton, New Jersey as it relates to the arts. 

Three Generations of Tapestry Artists Featured in HAM Exhibition
Topic: ART NEWS

Three Generations of Tapestry Artists Featured in HAM Exhibition

Tapestries might conjure up images of medieval castles, unicorns and other mythical beasts, but a new exhibition at the Hunterdon Art Museum weaves a fascinating picture of how the art form has evolved in the past 70 years.

Contemporary International Tapestry highlights the work of three generations of artists from nine countries who are elevating tapestry to a whole new level of technical and aesthetic excellence. The exhibition opens Jan. 11, 2015, with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. featuring talks from artists from around the world. Everyone is welcome to attend.

“At the Museum, visitors can appreciate in intimate settings all aspects of the broad scope of today’s tapestries and the individuality of their makers,” said Carol K. Russell, curator for the exhibition and a leading expert in the field. “There is no sameness of imagery; no stiffness of the noble class; no disconnect from present-day life and concerns.  People, animals, symbols, abstractions – and even new ways of visualizing a familiar thought or theme – are brought to life in the hands of artists from various cultures and countries. “

The exhibition featuring 39 artists will fill three of the four Museum galleries, includes loom work by some of the most renowned artists working today, among them:

·         Archie Brennan, a leading international figure in tapestry for more than 25 years.  Brennan joined his fellow artisans in 1948, as an apprentice, and has served as director of the prestigious and award-winning Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh.

·    Joan Baxter is inspired by the rich cultural heritage and wild beauty of the highlands of Scotland where she resides. “I choose to work in the traditional woven tapestry medium because I like the way my initial ideas can develop and expand during the slow and deliberate making process,” Baxter notes. “The process, although a very ancient one, allows me to push boundaries in design, technique, materials and concepts.”

·    Designer Yael Lurie and tapestry weaver Jean Pierre Larochette have collaborated on work for more than four decades and across three continents.  Lurie, daughter of a painter, was brought up in a kibbutz in Israel and trained as a painter. Larochette, born in Argentina, is descended from a long line of French Aubusson weavers. The two met through the patronage of Jean Lurcat, the Frenchman widely credited for reviving tapestry in 20^th-century France. “The history of tapestry in the U.S. in the latter part of the 20^th century owes much of its success, direction and development to Jean Pierre Larochette and Yael Lurie” according to Susan Martin Maffei, another internationally known tapestry artist whose grand-scale tapestry appears in HAM’s exhibition.

·    Polish artist Włodzimierz Cygan has always been on the cutting edge of tapestry and textile architecture and continues to reinvent his medium and his messages. Such talent has been rewarded with the Bronze Medal at the sixth International Fiber Art Biennial from Lausanne to Beijing and Zhengzhou, China. His tapestry, Orbitrek 29, earned the Grand Prix at the 12th International Triennial of Tapestry in Lodz, Poland.

“We hope visitors will take away a new perspective on an ancient art form,” Russell writes. “Tapestry can and shall endure through the centuries, though its messages have become more personal. The art form has indeed evolved and become its truest self in the hands of individuals.”

Other artists featured in the exhibition are: Jo Barker, Helga Berry, Rebecca Bluestone,  Elizabeth J. Buckley, Soyoo Hyunjoo Park Caltabiano, Alla Davydova, Annelise De Coursin, Susan Edmunds, Alex Friedman, Ina Golub, Barbara Heller, Susan Hart Henegar, Silvia Heyden, Dirk Holger, Peter Horn, Constance Hunt, Susan Iverson, Ruth Jones, Aino Kajaniemi, Jane Kidd, Lialia Kuchma, Christine Laffer, Ewa Latkowska-Żychska, Bojana H. Leznicki, Lore Lindenfel, Susan Martin Maffei,  Julia Mitchell, Janet Moore, Jon Eric Riis, Ramona Sakiestewa, Micala Sidore, Elinor Steele, Sarah Swett and Linda Wallace.

To commemorate and celebrate this exhibition, Russell has written a new book, Contemporary International Tapestry, to be released by Schiffer Publishing early next year featuring images and information about the artists included in the exhibition.

The exhibition closes May 10, 2015.

The Museum also plans several programs related to the exhibition:

·         Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at 2 p.m. – Weaving Demonstration and Guided Tour with curator Carol K. Russell. Free with admission. Registration is required as space is limited.

·         Sunday, March 22, 2015, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  – A Day of Contemporary Tapestry featuring lectures with artists Archie Brennan and Susan Martin Maffei as well as an interactive demonstration with Brennan.

·         Sunday, April 19, 2015, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Handweaving Tapestries with Carol K. Russell for children ages 6 and up.

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC

The Museum is at 7 Lower Center St. in Clinton, New Jersey, 08809. Our website is www.hunterdonartmuseum.org and our telephone number is 908-735-8415. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 am – 5 pm and suggested admission is $5.

 

Brilliant Brunch
Topic: ART NEWS

 

During the holidays we all have our traditions we participate in. We go to visit family, friends and attend a multitude of other holiday affairs.

This year brought a very special treat. One of my significantly talented friends, Mark Kostabi held a brunch at his new home in NYC. The invitation stated there would also be a concert. 

 

Mark Kostabi rose up in the NY art scene in the 1980's along with Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquait and others. Kostabi is not just a painter but is also a musician. Rita Kostabi, his mother, taught him how to play the piano. He has released several CD's of his music and has collaborated with the likes of Ornette Coleman, Jerry Marotta, Tony Levin, Tony Esposito, Kristjan Jarvi, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and many others.

During the 80's Baird Jones, another dear friend of mine, wrote art criticism for all the downtown papers.   Baird's genius in writing educated the public about the forces that focused on the Lower Eastside's unexpected burst into art world prominence. He was one of the people who discovered Mark. It was Jone's father, who was the editor of Time and one of the founders of People magazine, who told Baird to go and check out the graffiti scene in the Bronx and downtown area as well. He did just that, fearlessly and became one of  "the" art curators in NYC. 

In the 1980's, there was a lot of creative genius that came onto the art and music scenes. The talent was fearless. Baird Jones, Mark Kostabi, Warhol, Cyndi Lauper, Annie Lennox and Suzanne Vega were some of the most noted fearless artists who came onto the world scene. The art and music world were changed forever by many, but these people stand out for me. The female musicians in particular were and still are fearless and amazingly talented.  

Yesterday, at a holiday brunch hosted by Mark Kostabi we all got quite the treat. He serenaded the audience with his music. One surprise guest, Suzanne Vega, serenaded us with her disarmingly powerful a cappella of Tom's Diner. 

There are three women that stand out for me from the 1980's. They would include, Cyndi Lauper, Annie Lennox, and Suzanne Vega. These women are all amazing songwriters and their contributions to music massive.

Suzanne Vega rose to fame in the 1980's as a leading figure with hits like Luka and Tom’s Diner. Her distinctive, clear vibrato-less voice is mesmerizing. To hear her sing 10 feet from me in the classic way, the a capella version of Tom's Diner, was epic and a true holiday treat.  As I left the concert, Suzanne was sitting in front of me. I whispered into her ear,"Thank you for your singing today, it was lovely." 

 Here is a link to the epic surprise concert yesterday by Suzanne Vega. 

 https://www.dropbox.com/s/f34nf9cr4gh7v54/20141221_124259.mp4?dl=0