Five Bullets 6.17.22
This week: Jules Verne, William Klein, Golden Gate Bridge duets & more
Happy Friday everyone! Here’s five things I found interesting this week:
This week I'm reading Jules Verne's 1870 science fiction classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. In about two weeks I will be visiting Nantes, France where Verne was born. I last read the book as a young child, so I felt compelled to revisit it. (I'm also a big fan of the 1954 Disney movie which I highly recommend).
Recently I watched The Many Lives of William Klein , a documentary about photographer and filmmaker William Klein. Klein is an innovative photographer who captured iconic street and fashion images. The documentary details Klein's career while following him to his old Harlem neighborhood where, at age 84, Klein still enjoys talking with folks and taking photos wherever he goes, as he did in his younger days. His lust for life is palpable.
In 2021, musician Nate Mercereau read an article about the 'humming' of the Golden Gate Bridge due to recent renovations. High winds caused the bridge to moan, creating the world's largest wind instrument. He set up his guitar and a couple of mics to capture the ambient tones being generated by the bridge and recorded an album titled Duets: Golden Gate Bridge. I've been fascinated by this project lately. The tones that the bridge creates are otherworldly and Mercereau's guitar adds to and improvises with the bridge’s tones.
NYC animals have been in the news this week! Two articles:
Eavesdropping on the Secret Lives of Dolphins in New York Harbor. People have been spotting dolphins everywhere lately, from Rockaway Beach to the East River near Greenpoint. The article details efforts by marine and conversation groups to track and understand the recent rise in dolphins in New York Harbor. What's drawing them into waters which haven't previously seen many dolphins? How can we better understand their behavior and seek to minimize danger to their numbers? If you’re boating, jetskiing or headed to the beach this summer, keep in mind that New York's waters are for all creatures!
Happy the Elephant Isn’t Legally a Person, Top New York Court Rules. An advocacy group brought a case against the Bronx Zoo arguing that Happy the Elephant has been illegally detained there for more than 40 years. I was surprised to learn that this elephant has been at the zoo for so long! The case brings up an interesting issue - are elephants intelligent enough to be given certain rights/privileges as non-human persons? The court sided with precedent and ruled in favor of the zoo. At the very least, cases like this will hopefully cause us to rethink how we can better care for and treat these animals.
I've been digging through numerous podcasts by some of my favorite musicians including Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce) and Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers, Dead & Company). Their interviews with legends such as John Scofield, Ivan Neville, and George Porter Jr. offer endless insight, history and behind-the-scenes stories which enrich their musical traditions. I'm usually taking notes while listening to these, jotting down albums to check out. If you're a music lover and want to dive deeper, be sure to give them a listen.
Got something to share? Leave me a comment!
That's all for this week! As always, thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
Until next time,
KW