The Lardner Report

Unleash your creative superpowers!

Today’s Pic: Stunning But Deadly

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Up close: Gorgeous hues and geometric lines of the Cold Spring Canyon “Suicide” Bridge – linking Santa Barbara with Santa Ynez.

Spectacular engineering feat still haunts locals.

“Jump up — not down!” screamed a dude in a pickup truck as we began to shoot a few photos of this magnificent scene. I should have known something was up. It only took a couple of casual chats with people along Stagecoach Road to figure out what it was.

Built in 1963, the Cold Spring Canyon Bridge embodies the perfect blend of strength and beauty. The 1200-foot crossing is by far the longest steel arch bridge in the state of California — a brightly colored architectural symbol of the Santa Ynez Valley.

But its history paints a darker picture — as 55 people have plunged to their deaths from the deck of its imposing span over a 420-foot canyon below. Eight lives lost in 2009, making it the most lethal year in the bridge’s history.

For years, residents have been calling it a “suicide hotspot” — many have been fighting for the installation of safety nets — though it has become a contentious legal battle in and out of court. But last week Caltrans announced it would begin installing grid mesh barriers on both sides of the historic structure; the project is expected to be completed this spring.

Bridge in the abstract: handsome contrast in color

Highway 154 (also known as The San Marcos Pass) is a sweet 33-mile ride through a portion of the Los Padres National Forest.

Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its load partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side.

Photos  by Josh Kaplan.

 

Proof Positive: Dogs Dig…. Music

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When art touches soul 

In my corporate workshops I always stress the importance of art — in any form — as a way to enrich our daily lives. Allowing art to find us, touch us, and inspire us — can lead to a visceral sense of complete joy and fulfillment. That apparently applies to quadrupeds as well.

Studies show that animals do respond to music — and in some cases, researchers notice a healing effect. When a team of researchers in Belfast, Northern Island, exposed 50 dogs in an animal shelter to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Greigs Morning and other classical pieces, the dogs “became calm and laid down.” When the researchers played music by Metallica and other heavy metal bands, the dogs “became agitated and began barking.”

In the attached video, you’ll see a what anthropomorhically appears to be a quite charming adult golden retriever — completely enraptured by a song played on guitar by a UConn college student named Drew Acoleo. Watch closely, and you can see “Bailey” actually bopping to the beat and “smiling” when antibiotics Drew begins to strum. As soon as he stops, Bailey does too.

The musician received so many queries about the video’s authenticity that he felt he needed to explain: He says he was playing in the basement of a friend’s house when he noticed his buddy’s golden responding to his tune. He was as surprised as we are, and he decided to record the session on his iPhone.

Drew says he wants to make it clear–that he doesn’t work for Anheuser-Busch. (You’ll notice the can of Bud Light propped in a very strategic place on the right side of the screen.) Guitar World Magazine concluded that it’s just a clever way for us to watch Drew’s hand strumming in the can’s reflection.

The viral video has now reached nearly 6 million views in just one month’s time. Now some Bailey fans are hoping to see this clip run as a commercial during the Super Bowl next week. Hey, goofier things have happened. Here’s one of the finalists from the “Crash the Super Bowl” homemade ad contest for Doritos:

Left Brain – Right Brain: In Living Color

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Smash Hit: Ad Campaign for Mercedes Benz Israel by Y&R Interactive, Tel Aviv

It’s not hard to see that the brains behind this stunning print campaign lean right.  The images showcase the qualities of the two opposing parts of the brain that complement each other: the left side, responsible for analysis and logic — juxtaposed with (or maybe more accurately – compatible with) the more creative, intuitive side. The message, according to Communication Arts,  is that “Mercedes Benz, like the brain, represents a combination of opposites that together create technological innovation, breakthrough engineering, inspiring design and passion.”

Whatever. I stand in awe of this sweet, super-clever metaphorical celebration of science and art.

A closer look: The text in the copy for the left brain reads:

“I am the left brain. I am a scientist. A mathematician. I love the familiar. I categorize. I am accurate. Linear. Analytical. Strategic. I am practical. Always in control. A master of words and language. Realistic. I calculate http:healthsavy.com equations and play with numbers. I am order. I am logic. I know exactly who I am.”

Text in the copy for the right brain reads:

“I am the right brain. I am creativity. A free spirit. I am passion. Yearning. Sensuality. I am the sound of roaring laughter. I am taste. The feeling of sand beneath bare feat. I am movement. Vivid colors. I am the urge to paint on an empty canvas. I am boundless imagination. Art. Poetry. I sense. I feel. I am everything I wanted to be.”

And if you’re still wondering where you fit — you can always take this Left Brain – Right Brain Test here. For more Mercedes images, click here.