timothycomeau.com > writing

The International Space Station &
the newsworthiness of Rex Harrington

14 December 2003

The International Space Station

Apparently Bushy down south is going to soon announce a return to the moon. Like the weapons of mass destruction, I’ll believe this big-election-next year-bribe when I see it. For the past while I’ve been content to make do with watching the space station fly overhead every once and awhile. Now, it’s not that big of a deal, but it is one of those things that most resemble art while making no pretense to be so. Like a conceptual masterpiece, it is rather banal and boring, but it can inspire much thought. Nothing else so reminds me of what Heidegger was talking about when he was going on about Greek temples. But I mean really, Greek temples…when we’ve been to the moon for god’s sakes. Why should any of that classicism make sense to us when we have a space station orbiting the earth, and visible according to a schedule worked out using good old fashioned Newtonian physics and viewable using good old java applets and contemporary telecommunication technology (links below). Nothing so makes one so aware of how pathetic our attempts to go to space have been, then seeing this fragile light cross the sky.

Rating: 9/10

Sighting opportunities by city
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/index.cgi

Real Time Orbital Data
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/tracking/index.html

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Rex Harrington’s Retirement on CFTO News, Wed 19 Novembe 2003 11.20pm

You can’t buy arts coverage on the TV 11 o’clock news and yet they think we care about the ballet? I mean, at least I understand the economics of celebrity and why they think anyone should care about Ben and J’Lo and the ultimate downfall of American civilization that was Ryan and Trista’s wedding. But Rex Harrington…. does CTV news even know who Brian Jungen is? Are they even aware that Sobey’s is shelling out 50 grand to artists who usually get in the news for “wasting tax payer money”? And yet they think the public cares about an anachronistic fey sport like ballet? Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been to a ballet and I probably would not turn down the chance – I tend to be open minded about fey things – but I honestly can’t see what they were thinking in imagining anyone cares. I don’t understand how Rex Harrington is a household name. Hockey, curling, and ballet? The Karen Kaine days are ovah. Bye bye Rex, I so don’t care.

Rating: 2/10