Location-Aware Album by Bluebrain

The National Mall by BLUEBRAIN. The First Location-Aware Album from BLUEBRAIN on Vimeo.

This is a trailer for the "location aware" album by Bluebrain, The National Mall, based on Washington, D.C. As the Pitchfork article that brought my attention to it describes, it's like bringing the soundscape of a video game to real-life. The project appeals to me because I am from Washington, D.C. and have walked around the National Mall to my own mixtape many times. In general, though, I like to coordinate my listening to place, thinking about good road trip mixes for different destinations and the best arrival music to various locations (thanks to the Jim Jarmusch film, Down By Law, New Orleans will always be Tom Wait's Rain Dogs for me).

Here is how Ryan Holladay of Bluebrain describes the project:

We thought, “What if you replace that map within the videogame terrain with the coordinates of an actual map?” In this case, the National Mall. And instead of assigning sounds, like you would in a videogame, to mimic real life, what if you made it musical, or surreal? For instance, as you start at the base of that hill [at the Washington Monument] you hear a single cello and piano. And as you make your way up to the top, more and more instruments keep getting added, to the point where you’re literally at the very top, touching the Monument, and you’re hearing out-of-control blast beats.

Though I have not downloaded the iPhone app and taken the music tour created by the band, one thing I notice and like about the trailer above is that the sense of place is not simply monumental, visiting the major landmarks in the most straight-forward way possible as a tourist would. The approach seems glancing, as with the avatar's experience at the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. Sharing this quirky perspective on place seems like a major contribution to the democratic mapping of Washington, D.C. In a sense, it nurtures the kind of perspective Noah gives us in his post, "The Capitol Who Watches Over All," which opposes the singular conception of the city from the pov of the Capitol.

(All images are screen captures from "The National Mall" video trailer by Bluebrain.)

The Capital Who Watches Over All

National Mall, Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Capitol building sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Senate Wing of the building was completed in 1800, and the House Wing was completed in 1811. The building is still home to both the Senate and the House of Representatives which together form Congress. The National Capital holds many true and symbolic powers. The majority of the time it holds the most influential and important elected officials of the U.S. Government. However, when it is empty it still seems to be active, watching over the city like a big brother.

As you can see in the picture above, the Capitol is situated in an elevated position looking over the National Mall and the City as a whole. This position makes it visible in nearly every area of the city. Although there is not truthfully a person peering out from inside the capital on a daily basis, it still appears to be watching over the city. Whether they are conscious of it or not, people are constantly in the field of vision of the capital.

The picture to the left was taken by a photographer with the last name Bettmann in the 1940's. Run-down tenements sit in the foreground. In the background, the capitol sits in the direct center, watching every corner of the city. This picture is quite ironic if we interpret the capital as watching over the city. It is watching the people suffer in the crowded tenements yet doing nothing about it. Additionally, the U.S. Capitol is a symbol of the 'American Dream'. The people who inhabit these tenements are not living this dream yet they look at the capitol nearly every day.

Watching over the city, the capital serves the same person as a false security camera. Upon seeing it, the viewer adjusts their behavior, thinking someone is watching. The capitol is just a more primitive form of false surveillance, causing people to take just a little more consideration. This surveillance connects to the concept of a "Smart City" which we discussed in class a few days ago. The Capitol helps to make Washington D.C. a "smart city" in a sense, always surveying everyone and everything in sight.

Here is a video History of the United States Capitol.

This idea of constant surveillance connects to the Panopticon style prison.

The Biggest Parking Lot

Its 5:30. I’m trapped on I-35, known at the “worlds’ largest parking lot”. I have been stuck in traffic for over 30 minutes and I have to be downtown in less than 10 minutes with 3 miles left until I can exit…FML!

Traffic is part of our lives for those that live in Austin. Heavy traffic stimulates anger and frustration from many impatient drivers with a busy schedule. Traffic congestion is very heavy during the time of rush hour, from 6- 9am and 4-7pm on weekdays, as people are driving to and from work. Even though traffic in Austin is not as bad as other major populated cities like New York City, sitting in traffic is still very annoying.

In modern society, time is money. People are constantly running around: getting to work, getting home, going to school, picking someone up, having a meeting somewhere, going to the movies, etc. Therefore, speeding has significantly increased because people are always in a rush to get to where they need to be.

Interstate 35 is the most annoying place to be when there is traffic. There is no room to breathe. Joe Taylor a traffic reporter for News 8 Austin describes that I-35 is "designed for a small town, and [Austin] has grown into a very large city." Since 2000, Austin's population growth has increased 15.4 percent in 2008.

As the city of Austin continues to grow, the roadways become smaller and tighter during rush hour as more people are driving on the road. According to Katherine Gregor, a journalist for The Chronicles, "the metric used to document congestion is a road's volume-to-capacity ratio, which compares the existing volume of traffic (flow rate) to a street's real capacity." A capacity of .8 or lower means that there is less traffic. However, downtown I-35 is said to have a capacity of over 1.0! I-35 is not the only roadway in Austin with high traffic congestion: Loop 360, Mopac, and Lamar.

Austin's traffic continues to get worse because of the lack of an alternative form of transportation. Capital Metro is one form of an alternative form of transportation that helps to ease traffic in the city; however, this form of transportation is not very popular to the public. In addition, businesses and shops in Austin are often very far apart and it is only convenient to drive, rather then riding a bike or walk.

So what is The Austin Department of Transportation doing in response to driver's frustration to the increase traffic?

The Austin Department of Transportation is constantly readjusting the route of city buses to make it more convenient to the public. The city has also built a Capital MetroRail that runs from downtown Austin to the norther part of Austin. According to Robert Spillar, director of The Austin Department of Transportation, they are trying to build "new sidewalk and bicycle improvements and advocating that people simply drive less, both regionally and in town."

How does traffic affect Austinites?

Some of the obvious reasons are that traffic causes people to be late to their activities and makes people anger. However, traffic also plays a role in car accident. Many people become reckless drivers when they are angry and frustrated in traffic: changing to the faster lane or using the shoulder to cut through traffic. Traffic accidents are heard almost everyday on the radio (KLBJ) and Joe Taylor also updates his Facebook about the incidents. In addition, businesses are also affected by the traffic. High traffic in an area can cause businesses to lose valuable customers because people tend to avoid the cluster of cars.

Taipei Essential

We had already seen the other two big cities' story in Asia, Beijing and Shanghai, this time let's see another amazing city, Taipei, which is where I'm from.

If you Google image "Taipei" you will mostly get the image of Taipei 101 which is the most symbolic building in Taipei. Taipei 101 is as known as the Taipei World Financial Center it is a multi-purpose building, if you want to step out from the image of a serious busy city surrounding by skyscrapers and take a breath you can go on the top of Taipei 101 and view the gorgeous city view from the tallest point, and the beauty of this city will amaze you. But Taipei 101 is not the place I want to recommend today.

Today I would like to introduce some other place Eslite bookstore is a place you can relax, read, and spend your afternoon or whole day there. People loves to go to Eslite in

middle of the night maybe take a sip of coffee and spend rest of your night in books. In Eslite you can find almost every kind of published lectures in major languages such as English, Chinese, French, and some others. Eslite usually has café that people can buy books and stay there and eat and read. Go to Eslite had become a “fashion trend” in Taiwan especially Taipei, some tourists listed Eslite as one of the must-to-do when they visit Taiwan and of course my family and I really enjoy the environment in Eslite.

Just like Austin, TX, Taipei is also a place full of live music and independent music. In Taipei we have plenty events every year for people who want to show off their skills and share their music, the

government has push and encourage people to try out for those music events. In Taipei there are many neat live houses for example, Legacy Taipei, THE WALL, and Witch House they have live music concert every weekend. Listen to concert in the live house is different from listen to concert in the big concert, in the live house people dress casually and everything is soft and touches your heart nothing fancy but the purest voice and the power through the music. A lot of singers love to take their guitar, stand on the stage and sing what they feel to sing at the moment, nothing is in rush or worried.

Small City of Saudi Arabia

Rahima, Saudi Arabia is one of many little cities in this Middle Eastern nation. This one in particular is right outside the Aramco compound, Ras Tanura. This small run down city holds an abundance of delicious Arabic foods as well as the American fast foods KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, and Baskin Robbins Ice Cream. In the old tattered shops there is everything from expensive gold souks to fake brand clothing stores, and of course the traditional clothing of Saudi Arabia.

The layout of the main shopping area of the city is two main streets that enclose about four perpendicular side roads. One of these roads contains the gold souks, there is a men's street and women's street, and the last street contains Abdulah's Jewelry which caters to westerners as well as some electronic shops.

Rahima is filthy. Trash and oil marks cover the sidewalks and streets. The buildings are all a tan color covered in dust from a previous shamall. Many people live above their shops, so AC vents drip on to the pedestrians. Mangy cats walk around, indifferent to the people. But what makes the distraught nature of this city interesting is walking into a gold souk or Abdulah's Jewelry. When walking in the heavy door the clean air is refreshing. The pail floor is spotless. Shiny gold hangs in the windows and along the wall in glass cases. Under glass tables white spotlights are delicately placed to enhance the sparkling diamonds inlaid in gold on the soft off white trays. It is amazing that those stores can have such beauty and richness inside while outside lies the dirt and chaos of the street and the honking horns of cars.

When the time for Prayer approaches, all of the shops close up with metal blinders locked at the floor, the dirty streets are free of the chaos of cars and people that are now at the mosque. But it is still not quiet. Prayer call echoes through the streets. There are multiple mosques throughout Rahima. Most are simple square buildings with a tall standing minaret. There is one large mosque which is not a sore sight like the rest of Rahima. It has four minarets surrounding the large dome with a crescent moon on top. I have never been inside, but I have heard it is very pretty. Intricate designs adorn parts of the walls and there are areas of stained glass. Prayer call occurs five times a day: two thirty minute prayers and three fifteen minute prayers.

There are many cities in Saudi Arabia with the same characteristics I described, so Rahima is not exactly the impoverished city, but rather the norm, especially for a small city. There are also many people who live in Rahima who are from a different country which has worse conditions so they work in Saudi and send their money home. I have also never talked to anyone who lives in Rahima because the majority of the people out

are men and Sharia Law forbids assosiation with someone of the opposite sex.

A trip into Rahima is always chaotic with its horid drivers and timing the trip between prayers, but non the less it adds a little diversity to the day and a pit stop at a shawarma stand is always enjoyed.

Video of Islamic Prayer Call
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GiZPyII-hg

The Hierarchy of District 9

Statue in front of District 9 caption saying: "District 9, Paving the way to unity"

District 9 is a motion picture directed by Neill Blomkamp which depicts the compartmentalization of an alien race, segregating them from the rest of the population. The "prawns" are only allowed to live in a government camp that translates to a real world slum or ghetto. This movie consists of a classic problem with urbanization, the separation of classes. In a city, someone has to be on the bottom of the social/economic ladder.

In Johannesburg, South Africa this is true for the immigrating aliens who are not accustomed to the social norms of human society. In the picture above is a statue showing the unity between the aliens and humans. This statue is only an act to satisfy the ironically named "humanitarians" of earth but the aliens are still a completely seperated part of the community. One woman when being interviewed for the documentary style

A picture showing the would be new residence for the aliens

movie says "[the government is] spending so much money to keep them here when they could be spending it on other things. At least they're keeping them separate from us." The aliens are considered to be hostile and gross creatures. In district 9 there is an abundance of gang activity and crime but what is not acknowledged is the fact that the aliens are uneducated. For instance when Wikus van de Merwe is going from shack to shack asking for the signatures of residents agreeing to move out of their homes within 24 hours many do not know what eviction means and yet are still forced to sign the document. But why keep them confined on earth if they only contribute violence and crime to human society? Because their weapons are more powerful than anything ever created by man yet men have not been able to control or reverse engineer any of the weapons.

Humans had been performing cruel experiments on the aliens for years trying to master their technology. And although the aliens have more advanced technology they are still confined to their camp and looked down upon. Having to live amongst the discarded remains of Johannesburg, the aliens become such monsters that society systematically organized them to be.

Movie Trailer

Smart Cities v. Jaywalking

There was an interesting article in the NYTimes this weekend about "Not-So-Smart Cities" that I thought relevant to the class. The author was responding to an experiment in New Mexico in which a company is building a city populated entirely by robots in order to test out new technologies for running cities more efficiently. This project is part of what is called a movement in urban planning focused on designing and constructing "smarter cities." You might have seen IBM commercials about "building a smarter planet":

In fact, IBM has a series of infomercials about building "The Smarter City" specifically.

The argument for smarter cities is well summarized by the author of the NYTimes piece, "that armed with enough data and computing muscle, we can translate cities' complexity into algorithms" and thus create a more efficient system for living. The basic argument of the NYTimes opinion article, though, is that a city governed by machines will always be inherently flawed, since humans are more dynamic and will never be entirely predictable. The author invokes the urban activist Jane Jacobs to make his argument.

Jane Jacobs's famous battle with Robert Moses over the Lower Manhattan Expressway is worth retelling here, as it pits two ideas of the "city" against each other. Moses was an urban planner and was the prime mover in the development of modern-day New York, responsible for a number of major bridges and expressways in and around the city. He certainly represents an early proponent of the "smart city" model, prioritizing efficiency of movement throughout the city above all else. His most famous projects were expressways.

Jane Jacobs was a community activist. She most famously fought against Robert Moses's proposed plan for the Lower Manhattan Expressway that would have destroyed a large part of the historic immigrant neighborhood of Little Italy. (This is where Jacob Riis took many of his photographs of tenement life on the Lower East Side.) Many families and businesses would have been displaced by the construction of the expressway. For Jacobs, the chaotic and beautiful life of the sidewalks in such neighborhoods was the heart of the city.

London (Bridge) is Falling Down

Most people are familiar with the song called "Our House" by Madness as a happy goofy pop song from the early 1980s. And it is. But, a lot of the music that came out of England from that period was more critical of London and the British Government. Songs from groups like the Clash, The Jam, and even the Sex Pistols, better illustrate the unrest and dissatisfaction among England's working class. These songs identify many of the conditions that made young people in London and other cities in England feel so alienated.

In the 1970s, England like many other countries, including the US, experienced a recession. Unemployment, inflation, and prices were high, which especially affected middle and lower class workers. Whole sections of London had become run down and even abandoned. An influx of immigrants from former British colonies, such as India and Pakistan, added to racial tensions. The general feeling in London was that England's best days were behind her and that she had little to offer younger generations.

In "London Calling," the Clash mentions that "Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust," meaning that the pride England might have felt about the Beatles can no longer cover up the country's real problems. The song lists some of these problems as clashes between police and youth, the decline of manufacturing jobs, drugs, and the fear of nuclear war. The singer's refrain that "I have no fear/'Cause London is drowning, and I live by the river" is an ironic acknowledgement of how few options existed for many young people in London in the 1970s and 1980s.