People. All sorts, all colors, doing all kinds of stuff. Any activity you can think of, someone's doing it right now. Sheep dipping? Yep. Tobogganing? Sure. Eating a grilled cheese sandwich? You're covered. This week we picked a handful of people (out of almost six billion!) to salute in a very special way. So congrats to our lucky winners, and to everyone else, thanks for playing.
There's a cryptic Pavement lyric that goes, "You've been chosen as an extra in the movie adaptation of the sequel to your life." We're not going to attempt to parse the statement, but we're tickled by this quirky take on the old "life as art/art as life" saw. And no one personified this hall-of-mirrors concept better than the late, great Andy Kaufman. Uncanny Elvis impersonator, world-class conga player, and All-Time World Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion, during his brief lifetime Andy Kaufman was probably the weirdest person on the planet. Here's hoping that Jim Carrey can pull off an onscreen impersonation of a genius of improvisation. Who knows, maybe Andy'll show up as an extra.
Uncle Chester, one of our most favorite people of all time, is known here and there as a Renaissance Man. We've never been too sure exactly what that means, but we sure do love the old guy, so we're willing to go along with it. In fact, the last time Chester was here, we showed him Investigating the Renaissance, a demonstration of the way computer technology can aid in the study of the material aspects of Renaissance paintings. It's really quite fascinating: We witnessed the cleaning of The Virgin and Child. We examined parts of the Last Judgement in great detail. And we looked at the Portrait of a Man through ultraviolet, infrared, and x-ray layering. Chester, for his part, slept through the whole thing.
Many times, a particular person will spark our interest because we consider him or her to be unique, different, a real standout. But what happens when that special person is you? Perhaps Frida Kahlo summed up that situation best when she quipped, "I paint self portraits because I am so often alone. Because I am the subject I know best." It's not that Frida Kahlo's friends and colleagues weren't interesting (Leon Trotsky? Diego Rivera?), it's just that she was more so. As this lavish tribute site will attest, Frida nurtured a rich personal vision which wasn't always rosy. Browse her paintings, read a brief biography, or scan the bibliography for reading suggestions. Don't mind the spider monkeys.
Some of our favorite people we've never even met, yet we know them as well as we know ourselves. We're talking, of course, about online journalers--those intrepid writers who share their lives regularly on the Web. Seems we're not alone in our affection for digi-diarists, what with the premiere of Metajournals, a full-service webzine dedicated to "the art of online journaling." You'll find interviews, columns, links, round-table discussions, staff favorites, a poll, and plenty more. If you're not yet a fan of the genre, Metajournals will whet your appetite. If you're already familiar with online journals, then you might even have a chance to guess the 'zine's "Mystery Diarist." (We suspect it's our Uncle Chester.)
While on the subject of sharing, we would be remiss if we didn't mention Hans Jakobsson. You see, Hans has a passion, and while you might not share his love of Airline History, you've got to respect anyone who designs a spiffy little site dedicated to their pastime. If you happen to land on Jakobsson's effort, you'll find a killer list of sites that deal with defunct airlines, disfavored aircraft, and dog-eared airline advertisements. Hans also offers a page detailing the history of one of his favorite airports, Sweden's Torlanda, which welcomed travelers from 1923 to 1977. Also check out the screen shots from some of Hans's personalized Flight Simulator scenarios. Hans, if you're listening, we have a set of shiny little pilot's wings with your name on 'em. (Note to Hans: Not really. Please don't actually ask for them. We were only speaking figuratively.)
We also like tour guides, vending machine resuppliers, and people who hold doors open for others, regardless of gender. And we have an affinity for those who are more adventurous than we are (which is pert near everyone). Take, for example, the millions of motorcycle riders out there, braving the uncertainties of the modern road with nothing more than leather pants and a devil-may-care attitude. Lucky for us, you don't need a crash helmet to pay homage to stylish cycles. Just visit The Art of the Motorcycle, a new exhibit from New York's Guggenheim Museum. There you'll find a brief design history of motorbikes from 1868 to the present, with both text and photos. You'll learn that the motorcycle predated the automobile by 25 years, that Gottlieb Daimler is regarded as "the Father of the motorcycle," and that the 1969 Harley-Davidson Easy Rider Chopper is one wicked-looking ride.
Sometimes we find ourselves in difficult situations where there are so many people around it's just too hard to pick someone special. Like, for example, on our recent trip to the People's Republic of China. Really, how do you choose favorites among a quarter of humanity? It's too hard! Instead, we found it more pleasant to simply wander the stalls of China's Free Markets, those bustling farmer's markets that appeared daily on what seemed like every street corner, selling every kind of fresh produce imaginable. Of course, the next best thing to being there is this wonderful web site, a photographic essay and walk through of the vibrant scene. And, more than just a look at a new type of consumerism in China, the site's anecdotes and images offer an interesting look at life on the street in the country. Definitely worth a visit.
There you have it--a hand-picked selection of interesting people carefully chosen from the entire world population. Looks like we're going to hit six billion sometime next June. Who will be the six-billionth baby? Take your pick(s).
If you know of any timely, informative, or wacky web sites, please drop us a note. Also, feel free to send any general thoughts or comments about Picks.