"Zerstörung durch Fortschritte der Technologie"...

...or "Destruction Through Technological Progress" in English, is the title of the self-published manuscript linked to many of the villains in Fringe. Especially David Robert Jones, who is shown here suffering the effects of a wonky homemade teleporter. Fun trivia fact: David Robert Jones is the birth name of David Bowie.

I took some liberties and made a composite of the various bugs, slugs and parasites genetically altered for mayhem. I had a bit of fun with the unfortunate airline passenger who turned into some kind of dog creature.

Up next, the science team, feds and maybe another depending on where free time fits in.

I dig the show Fringe...

...so much so, that I've been working on a series of posters inspired by those mad scientists, government agents and other assorted freaks. I decided to begin with the taste bud challenged, depilated, Observer and his band of mysterious colleagues.

Hope to follow up a poster each for Monsters, Scientists and FBI Agents...

Things not to do in Tiananmen Square

Here's a sign posted on entry to the shopping district just south of Tiananmen Square. I can't figure out if it is real or a joke of some sort. I can also understand why some of these things would be ill-advised in a public space, but I say that if you can figure out a way to operate a standard surf board hundreds of miles from the ocean, on concrete and with a few thousand people in the way... hell, you should be allowed.

Harbin Ice and Snow World 2010

If snow sculptures dominate your afternoon in Harbin, then at night, head on over to Ice and Snow World, where tons of ice have been built into an incredible city. Each building is constructed at an enormous scale, and when fitted out with neon and LEDs, creates an amazing sight. On the banks of the Songhu River, this festival is celebrating an eleventh year. A 500 meter ice slide from the top of an enormous snow bank carved in the shape of the Great Wall is just one highlight. A scale model of the Sphinx with ice slides, the Coliseum in Rome, St. Peters Cathedral and Angkor Wat are just a few of the reproductions on display.

Additional ice representations of Terracotta Warriors, a Chess Set and a courtyard of celebrity busts from around the globe compete for attention with local food, imported Russian crafts, Harbin Beer and music that could best be described as adult contemporary Wiggles. At nearly -30° C it was a bit of a struggle. Luckily, there was plenty of ginger tea and Harbin beer on hand to keep us warm, not to mention a yak or odd snow fox...
 

Harbin Snow Sculpture Art Fair 2010

So, Harbin... a stone's throw from Siberia, may well be the coldest place I have ever been. It also could be one of the most interesting places I've visited. It differs from many Chinese cities in having a lot of Western influence from Russia, France and Eastern Europe. In the early 1900's it was central in the import and export of fashion between the West and Shanghai. But enough history... Let's talk about the amazing Winter Culture in Harbin.

There are several annual festivals dedicated to ice and snow in Harbin. We ventured out during the day in -25° C to see the Snow Sculpture Art Fair, where artists from around the world gather to create some amazing sights. Ranging from smaller snow carvings to enormous panoramas, it is one of the most impressive things we've seen.

Heaps to do and see at this event... Snow slides, Pastiche parade of Disney, Cartoon and Pop Culture icons, Reindeer and of course a run in with the fabled Abominable Snow Mao...

Twilight Vs. the Chinese Cultural Revolution

Can there be any comparison made between unswerving devotion of millions of adoring Twilight fans to the objects of their affection, and the seemingly unflinching devotion of millions to one Chairman? Definitely not... Although both phenomenon were huge beneficiaries of marketing machines (Corporate and Government Propaganda respectively), the difference is freedom, particularly freedom to read about and watch what you want, even mealy-mouthed, brooding sparkle vampires.

Having said that, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at what the Cultural Revolution might look like through the eyes of a Twilight fan.

Figure 1: The Sun Rises (or Falls?) on our Vampire Hero & Mortal Heroine

Figure 2: Corporate Werewolves Unite (with apologies to Wolf-Man Jack)!

Figure 3: Vampire Bats or Casey at the Platelet