Not That I'm Counting

There are 27 days left until the smoking ban comes into effect in England (the last region of the UK to introduce such a ban) and in the last few weeks, adverts have been popping up on TV and radio as well as in print media. This was the most smile-inducing tactic I've seen yet:

This happy cigarette was handing out pamphlets about the ban and encouraging passers-by to use the upcoming inconveniences of being a smoker as a good reason to quit altogether. I especially liked the cuddly "smoke" on top of the cigarette's head, and his face reminded me of all those Kool-Aid packets from my childhood. I then wondered if kids still drank Kool-Aid, and came across something really scary. Coming from Vancouver, where an indoor smoking ban has been in effect for the last ten years (and there is currently talk of outdoor patios going non-smoking in Vancouver as well), it'll be very nice when 1 July rolls around here, assuming businesses comply with the ban--which is, of course, the big "if." From smoking and sugar, I moved along to moths and hummingbirds: "What?" you may be thinking. Well, the moths and hummingbirds are part of a five-day sound installation, The Smallest of Wings, by Stephen Vitiello. Speakers suspended on the playground-equipment-like mesh play multi-channel recordings of forest moths and hummingbirds from New York, Virginia, and the Amazon forest. Depending on where you are on the grass, sounds quickly shift around you, changing in depth and volume. Add in the noisy atmosphere of Broadgate Arena (people in suits, rushing around, having power-lunches, talking on mobiles, clacking hard-soled shoes), and the experience is quite surreal. When I stood right in the middle of the grass, I couldn't hear anything except for the moths and hummingbirds. Very nice. If you want to hear a little bit for yourself, you can do so on the Cities in Transition website, under "Extras," although to get a real sense of the installation, you'll have to listen to the sample in a very noisy urban environment!