Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 7A
Kim Baranowski is one '‘cool" artist. She recently
traveled to Antarctica in search of inspiration. Boy,
did she Lind itl rpiT A A l -1
She has been living on die chilly I I— 1
continent for the past three months, WWOw
at the U.S. Palmer Station. She is participating in the
National Science Foundation's Antarctic Artists and
Writers Program. As part of the program. Baranowski
works with polar scientists who are researching the
continent’s wild!tie. She goes out in the field with diem
and draws and photographs what shese.es.
Baranowski has observed a variety of Antarctic
landscapes, sailed with humpback whales, and much
more. Time For Kids got the scoop from Baranowski
about her journey down south.
TFK: Can you explain some of the objectives you
had in mind when you were planning this trip 1 ?
Baranowski: Mainly, I wanted to find inspiration
for my artwork. (1 wanted to observe animals) like
penguins and whales. 1 also wanted to view land
scapes, like icebergs,
TFK: What is the Palmer Station like?
Baranowski: It is pretty small, but it’s a great
place, Thirty-Uiree people are currently slaying there,
including tire people who keep the station running.
TFK: Have you befriended anyone in Antarctica?
Baranowski: Everyone ai the Palmer Station is
like a family because we spend so much Lime to
gether. I made friends with die scientists who arc
studying animals, and 1 got to see the animals when 1
was working with the scientists.
TFK: What is the food like7
Baranowski: We, have chefs come in from all
over. One day we had Indian food. 1’hey are very
high-class meals.
Wacky Facts
Adult tigers can consume up to 90 pounds
of food at one silting,
■ A pugmark is a tiger’s p*w print.
A tiger’s night vision is six times better
than that of a human.
— savingtigers.com
He’s not just any down —
he’s the star of the show
Artist goes on an
ntarctic adventure
Circus numbers
85,000: Total weight in pounds of 10
elephants in show
15,000: Pounds of ice used to make
snow cones in each oily
1,000: Pounds of popcorn consumed
in each city the circus visits
750: Pounds of sugar used to spin
cotton candy
35D: Number of costume
changes per show
300: ‘lota! pressure m pounds of
a tiger’s jaw
98: Performers in die show
60: Pounds of confetti used per show
S3: Years in age of oldest elephant
23: Years in age of youngest
elephant
21: Horses
4: Goats
PHOTON COUBT'Ejy OF F F L-D E H TE FI TAIH LIE M T
In The News
Chatter Box
**A clown is like aspirin,
only he works twice as fast.’
— Comedian Grancho Marx,
nn lhinkesistcom
By Jaweed Kaleem
McCtalchy Newspapers
T>
emetrius Alexandre Claudio
Amadeus Bello Nock —
“whew” - - has been an
entertainer l'or as Jong as he
can remember
Some people might call him a clown, but
die word doesn't completely wrap around his
signature 12-inch-tall, straight-standing head
of red hair (“definitely not a wig,” he jokes) or
his lack of heavy makeup and the red nose
found on the typical circus perfoimer.
This 38-year-old — Time magazine called
him America's best clown, hut you can just
call him Bello Nock for short — is part of the
Ring ling Brothers and Ramum & Bailey cir
cus, Along with him come elephants, horses,
tigers, zebras, dogs, goats (really) and dozens
of performers, from trumpet players to acro
bats to even a pie car sta ft’.
From die moment he liungees out of a huge
video screen to begin the show to one of the
final numbers — in which 81 look-alikes ap
pear on the arena floor along with him —
Nock is the star of "Rellobration."
“I'm a mixture of a comedian, clown and a
daredevil.” says Nock, who Jives in Sarasota,
Fla., when he's not on the road, "I'm sort of
like Jackie Chan and Charlie Chaplin mixed
together” The Chaplin allusion makes sense,
but Chan? Turns out that Nock, too, does his
own stunts. Finlhermore, he doesn't believe in
safety nets. "A net is like a false sense of secu
rity. You can't net the world,” lie says.
Nock knows the circus and the circus knows
him. He walked his first low wire at age 9 and
his six-part name is an homage to the long line
of Nocks before him. who began performing in
Switzerland in the 18th centuiy. The technology
has advanced since then, but die idea remains
the same: “ft's a barrel of laughs," Nock says.
“ The circus, it’s like the ultimate reality show."
Keep an eye out for some of these daredevil
and animals acts.
M Sway pole: Towering atop this 94-foot -
tall, three-inch-wide tube. Nock will swing to
and fro almost 20 feet in every direction.
■ Wheel of Steel: Nock and daredevil
Nikolas Wallenda balance on a 39-foot struc
ture that is sus]>ended in the air and resembles
an enormous four-prong bubble blower com
bined with a set of hamster wheels revolving
on a center axle. Powered hy the muscles of
Nock and Wallenda as they walk inside the
wheels and perform tricks, the prongs criss
cross each other and turn in circles at 15 miles
per hour, producing a zero gravity effect.
■ Double Flighwire: Brothers Alberto and
Mauricio Aguilar of Mexico City balance on
parallel wires 25 feet in the air using umbrel
las, unicycles, jump ropes, chairs and even fire
as props. If that’s not enough, their finale in
cludes blindfolds!
■ Double Human Cannonballs: Brian
and Tina Miser arc stacked atop each other in
two cannons and simultaneously launched
across the arena, flying at 65 miles per hour.
■ Taba and his Tigers: Chi lean-bom Taba-
yara Antonio Maluenda de Campos.Tabu for
short, brings 12 tigers into the arena as they
jump tluough hoops and show olF their skills.
A spin on the Wheel of Steel.
Taba flips for tigers.
A real balancing act.
TFK: Will you bring any fun souvenirs home?
Baranowski: Since conservation is an important
point, I am not allowed to take home anything, like if I
found a feather or something. There's a gift shop at the
Palmer Station that lias all of the necessities, like toodt-
pasle and iootlibrushes. 1 bought some sweatshirts tliere.
TFK: What overall grade would you give this trip?
Baranowski: I would give it an A-t-td I get to woik.
with such experienced and knowledgeable people, and
die animals and landscapes I’ve seen arc so exhilarating.
TFK: Are you planning to return to Antarctica after
tliis trip? What would you do differently?
Baranowski: If I ever got the opportunity to re
turn to Antarctica, l would take it Right now I have to
stay within 20 miles of the Palmer Station. (So, next
time) I would like to explore different places on the
is land. — Jennifer Fbhaco
Q 2008 Tim Inc All Righto Reserved
TIME FOR taps and Trflfll&ntkte ootti rsgfc»r*d mirfrmarlti of Tim* |rw
COURSES v or- KIM SARA NOW SKI
Artist Kim Baranowski works with polar scien
tists who are researching the continent's
wildlife. She goes out in the field with them and
draws and photographs what she sees.
Puzzle Play
Help!
■
MARTY WE.5 TM ANj'MG?
FIND THE DIFFERENCE
There are more than 10 difference in the pictures below. How many can you find?
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Face your fears
DEAR AMERICAN GIRL: /get
scared over siily things in movies.
iVi? mutter how much I tell myself
that they're not real, 1 can't stop
thinking about them. My sister calls
me a scaredy cat. — Seared Stiff
DEAR AMERICAN GIRL: When l need
to go into the basement. I'm scared of
what could be down there. I ask some
one to go down with me. — Help Me
W It’s easy to freak yourself out by
imagining creepy critters in the
■ Many people feel just the 1 dark. Instead, sing a cheerful song
way you do. To keep from getting out loud. It also helps to die am up
that creepy feeling, be choosier! something sweet that you wish were down
Find out ahead of time Jw \ * 1™ 8ke the cutest puppy
whether a movie will have '^4. AlTlCUCcLIl VTllT you ever saw, in a basket
scary parts. If it sounds
had, tell your family or friends you don't
think you'll like it, and suggest another
movie. If no one agrees, do something fun
by yourself. Don't waste time watching
things you don’t enjoy.
lined with a fuzzy blanket.
If you really concentrate on the details, you
won't have a chance to let shadows give you
the shivers. Turn on all the fights, too!
Visit americangiri.com to get or give advice.
© 2008 Amefican Girt. LLC AJI n^its riMervad