Why am I not surprised. Following the media circus surrounding the birth of her eight offspring, somebody is attempting to cash in on the big event. Thing is - interested persons don't even have to be pregnant to qualify.
The story of "Octomom" Nadya Suleman, will soon be a musical, "Octomom: The Musical" to be presented by a small theatre in Los Angeles in June for 10 weeks.
Why am I not surprised.
The show written by one Chris Voltaire and produced by Bang and Cabaret Voltaire, advertises itself as a comedy.
Yeah - why not. If it wasn't so tragic.
Advertisements for the show include statements like, "it must be seen to be believed. A small epic for our strange times."
Ain't that the truth.
Anywaaaay... Auditions to fill the role(s) are taking place at Bang Comedy Studio with the casting session running from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. at 457 N. Fairfax Ave. L.A.
Unable to make the auditions due to geographical limitations? No problem-o since electronic applications are being accepted at octomusicalcasting@gmail.com
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
BRAIN ORCHESTRA MAKES ITS DEBUT - THOUGHT-FULLY
For music afficionados it's not unusual to attend a musical performance played by a symphony orchestra. The blending of the various instruments can make for a relaxing and pleasing experience. The Multimodal Brain Orchestra made its musical world premiere on Thursday led by an "emotional conductor" in addition to a traditional one. What makes this performance unique is that music and video change in time with the performers' brain waves and heart rate. In other words - the end result is for your brain and emotions.
The project, a creation of the Synthetic, Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive Systems (SPECS), the orchestra's premiere performance closed the Science Beyond Fiction conference in Prague.
The piece that the orchestra performed, Xmotion, was scored, giving it an underlying structure, however it's the performers controlling variations of visuals, sounds, frequencies, and volumes in the overall piece.
According to Anna Mura, a biologist and producer of the project, "everything is built to fulfil the circumplex model, which was worked out by psychologists that study emotions. How we feel and what we feel fits into a circle cut into four quadrants, labelled by 'arousal' and 'valence', that is, how much you're excited and how badly or positively you're excited."
Got that? I didn't but then I'm a gotta-hear-it regular-but-simple type-music lover. Anywaaaaay...
Four performers were fitted with caps littered with electrodes that take a real-time electroencephalograph - an image of the brain's electrical activity. Furthermore and according to Dr. Mura, there's a first, second violin and so on, except that instead of the real violins playing, it is a brain performance.
The graphs of those brain waves are projected onto one of two large screens above the orchestra. The performers launch sounds or affect their frequencies and modulations based on two well-characterised effects seen in EEGs: the steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP), and the so-called P300 signal.
"People believe that to understand how we feel will help us to understand what consciousness is all about. This is the technology that is going in that direction; we cannot explain consciousness with this but we are at least exploring the surface of it."
Read more about this "artistic interpretation of the biometric technology" here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8016869.stm
and here: http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1676899/brain_orchestra_performs_at_conference_in_prague/index.html
Personally, I'll opt for a down-to-earth, hear-the-inststruments-in-person concert but then that's just me.
The project, a creation of the Synthetic, Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive Systems (SPECS), the orchestra's premiere performance closed the Science Beyond Fiction conference in Prague.
The piece that the orchestra performed, Xmotion, was scored, giving it an underlying structure, however it's the performers controlling variations of visuals, sounds, frequencies, and volumes in the overall piece.
According to Anna Mura, a biologist and producer of the project, "everything is built to fulfil the circumplex model, which was worked out by psychologists that study emotions. How we feel and what we feel fits into a circle cut into four quadrants, labelled by 'arousal' and 'valence', that is, how much you're excited and how badly or positively you're excited."
Got that? I didn't but then I'm a gotta-hear-it regular-but-simple type-music lover. Anywaaaaay...
Four performers were fitted with caps littered with electrodes that take a real-time electroencephalograph - an image of the brain's electrical activity. Furthermore and according to Dr. Mura, there's a first, second violin and so on, except that instead of the real violins playing, it is a brain performance.
The graphs of those brain waves are projected onto one of two large screens above the orchestra. The performers launch sounds or affect their frequencies and modulations based on two well-characterised effects seen in EEGs: the steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP), and the so-called P300 signal.
"People believe that to understand how we feel will help us to understand what consciousness is all about. This is the technology that is going in that direction; we cannot explain consciousness with this but we are at least exploring the surface of it."
Read more about this "artistic interpretation of the biometric technology" here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8016869.stm
and here: http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1676899/brain_orchestra_performs_at_conference_in_prague/index.html
Personally, I'll opt for a down-to-earth, hear-the-inststruments-in-person concert but then that's just me.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Pet Airways - paws-itively a great idea
Many pet owners when planning a trip, worry about what to do with their four-pawed friends. Pet sitting and pet boarding facilities are available but a new type of service is entering the market place. Would you believe - an airline that flies pets exclusively?
The new airline company, Pet Airways working out of Delray Beach, Florida, is aimed exclusively at pet travel. Like their human counterparts, pets get to travel in the main cabin and their owners aren't permitted to join them. What's more, the airline claims to be the first of its kind designed specifically for the safe and comfortable transportation of pets.
Seats normally for human pasengers will be removed to make room for pet carriers. The first departure for cats and dogs is scheduled for July 14 and the carrier will serve 5 U.S. cities including New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.
There is no mention of expansion plans to include other species/pets like gerbils, mice, birds, snakes, etc. etc.
The pawsengers, as the new airline calls them, can be booked in online and are checked in to a Pet Lounge at the airport. Does this mean that there will be catering services that offer bones or a steak before departure? Do you see another $$ lucrative$$ market here?
The pawsengers will get a "potty break" before departure and will be monitored during the flight. Presumably, this will be in the hands of the pet attendant who is on standby to cater to the travellers.
Owners or Pet Parents can follow their travel progress using an online "pet tracker".
The flights will be made in 19-seat turbo-prop planes operated by Suburban Air Freight, which have their seats removed to make space for the pet carriers.
The new airline company, Pet Airways working out of Delray Beach, Florida, is aimed exclusively at pet travel. Like their human counterparts, pets get to travel in the main cabin and their owners aren't permitted to join them. What's more, the airline claims to be the first of its kind designed specifically for the safe and comfortable transportation of pets.
Seats normally for human pasengers will be removed to make room for pet carriers. The first departure for cats and dogs is scheduled for July 14 and the carrier will serve 5 U.S. cities including New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.
There is no mention of expansion plans to include other species/pets like gerbils, mice, birds, snakes, etc. etc.
The pawsengers, as the new airline calls them, can be booked in online and are checked in to a Pet Lounge at the airport. Does this mean that there will be catering services that offer bones or a steak before departure? Do you see another $$ lucrative$$ market here?
The pawsengers will get a "potty break" before departure and will be monitored during the flight. Presumably, this will be in the hands of the pet attendant who is on standby to cater to the travellers.
Owners or Pet Parents can follow their travel progress using an online "pet tracker".
The flights will be made in 19-seat turbo-prop planes operated by Suburban Air Freight, which have their seats removed to make space for the pet carriers.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Celine Dion to sing for hockey fans?
Quebec's (and the world depending on your view of her) very own chantoozy, Celine Dion, wants to own the Montreal Canadiens hockey club. To be more precise, Celine and her hubby, Rene Angelil.
Actually, Celine is one of a few group of interested/potential buyers but somehow her interest and possible ownership strikes me as funny. Then again, there are a lot of things strike me as funny... If she does acquire the team, does this mean hockey fans will be cursed.. that should read, treated to a selection of Dion songs during half-time?
Given her show-biz background and should she be successful, perhaps the Bell Centre, the Canadiens home arena, will be converted into a Vegas-style venue. Or they'll re-name it "The Celine Dion Hockey Arena for the Performing Arts or something like that.
The possibilities are endless...
Actually, Celine is one of a few group of interested/potential buyers but somehow her interest and possible ownership strikes me as funny. Then again, there are a lot of things strike me as funny... If she does acquire the team, does this mean hockey fans will be cursed.. that should read, treated to a selection of Dion songs during half-time?
Given her show-biz background and should she be successful, perhaps the Bell Centre, the Canadiens home arena, will be converted into a Vegas-style venue. Or they'll re-name it "The Celine Dion Hockey Arena for the Performing Arts or something like that.
The possibilities are endless...
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Another addition to the family for Brad and Angelina
As part of their hourly commitment to each other, Brad Pitt and Angelina Joli have adopted celebrity, Paris Hilton.
"We've always felt that she needed guidance," Brad explained to Access Hollywood host, Nancy O'Dell. "Who better than us?"
The pair, through a mutually-acceptable representative, approached Hilton a month ago about the possibility of adoption. Although unreceptive initially, she relented last week and moved in after assurances that a house would be built specifically to accommodate her wardrobe.
"We love children and Paris is just a big, old overgrown kid," Pitt said. "Part of our house rules are that she has to text us which clubs she's at."
"Whatever he says," Angelina added, staring romantically in Brad's eyes. "I love it when he's so masterful!"
"We'll always have Paris," Brad said stroking Angelina's head.
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!
"We've always felt that she needed guidance," Brad explained to Access Hollywood host, Nancy O'Dell. "Who better than us?"
The pair, through a mutually-acceptable representative, approached Hilton a month ago about the possibility of adoption. Although unreceptive initially, she relented last week and moved in after assurances that a house would be built specifically to accommodate her wardrobe.
"We love children and Paris is just a big, old overgrown kid," Pitt said. "Part of our house rules are that she has to text us which clubs she's at."
"Whatever he says," Angelina added, staring romantically in Brad's eyes. "I love it when he's so masterful!"
"We'll always have Paris," Brad said stroking Angelina's head.
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!
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