WE LOVE YOU, PEOPLE OF EARTH

The Universe People are a Czech Republic based UFO religion formed in the 1990s led by the not particularly charismatic Ivo A. Benda. 

They are apparently in close contact both physically and telepathically with a variety of benign extraterrestrial civilisations, and are awaiting evacuation in the event of an apparently imminent global catastrophe. They fear evil lizard aliens, vaccination, satellites, money and identity chips. They don't like copyright, either, so are in always in legal trouble for appropriating other people's stuff.

The group, who are also known as Cosmic People of the Forces of Light, aren't terribly well-organised and they lack a coherent message. Benda occasionally gives rambling lectures that further muddy the waters.

Their promotional material - which everyone is free to share - is very Word Art 2002 and extremely repetitive. The images above are taken from a short 'meditation' film, which is far too busy and confusing to give the viewer anything other than mounting anxiety, the total opposite of relaxation.

The good news is that they aren't apparently hurting anyone, even themselves, so their amateurish attempts at challenging the world order are unlikely to end in either societal upheaval or a Heavens Gate-style mass suicide.

If you want to know more, I guarantee their website will be of virtually no use whatsoever

RUNNING MAN

 

Olympiad, d. by Lililan Schwartz and Ken Knowlton (1971)

Based on Eadweard Muybridge's seminal photographic studies of a running man, this short film made in Bell Studios was one of the first ever computer animated films, and was delivered in time for the 1972 Olympics in Munich. For the record, Knowlton wrote the algorithms, and Schwartz edited.

It's worth mentioning that cool looking person Lillian Schwartz is happily still with us, having turned 97 in July. Her continued presence in this world enriches us all. 

COOL LOOKING PEOPLE

 

001: Lillian Schwarz, Artist

FLAME ON

 

I have a thing for the Olympic Games, both ancient and modern. I love the dream, I love the reality; I love the variety and the diversity. I love the highs and lows, the humanity, the pomp and the pageantry. 

I also collect 'interesting' postcards (it's all subjective), so these, which feature aspects of the Olympic Flame ceremony, were irresistible. They were also quite cheap,  considering that they look to be about 2,500 years old.

EVERYDAY ELECTRONICS

001: Damp Locator

Earlier in the year, I purchased a job lot of Everyday Electronics magazines, a run that goes from the first issue in November 1971 up to August 1980.  I'm not particularly interested in electronics, to be honest, but I was drawn in by the fantastic mix of the visionary and the banal offered by the featured projects. In this new series, I will simply be sharing some of the most interesting. Circuit diagrams and full instructions are available upon request.

Kicking off with this ^^^ all time classic... 

BANGING

I have a proactive approach to music, I like to keep moving, like a chubby shark, so I have a new favourite group every few months, and that brings me joy. The latest addition to my personal pantheon is the Primitive Percussion Youth Orchestra, a rolling collective of 10 to 14 year old kids who attend a school in Todmorden in the Upper Calder Valley, West Yorkshire (the birthplace of Geoff Love, fact fans, so clearly a place steeped in music). 

Under the direction of their teacher, Mr. Williamson, the group improvise with a range of percussion instruments (and the odd electronic device) in a variety of settings: some inside, some outside, some formal such as school assemblies and concerts. The results are amateurish in the best possible way: fresh, free, alive and brimming with energy and creativity.

Their Bandcamp page holds many downloadable delights, all reasonably priced. Their first CDR We Demand Everything Now, however, also comes with a badge, so there's that to consider.