After giving it a great deal of thought, I’m going to suggest to Linette that she use her tattoo coupon to have the image from Carl Sagan’s Pioneer 10 plaque transferred to the back of her neck.
While we’re on the subject of things that have been jettisoned into space, does anyone know where I could obtain digital recordings of the “Sounds of Earth” clips that were included on the Voyager spacecraft? I’d also be interested to know, in case there are any space buffs in the audience, how the sounds included on that record were decided upon. Some, like “baby” and “surf,” seem fairly obvious, but I’m curious how the sound of “herding sheep” got included. (Was the Sheep Herders Union incredibly strong in 1977?) And how did “laughter” make it on, but not “crying”? And what kind of sounds do “mud pots” emit?
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There’s a whole scene in ‘Cosmos’ about this.
In it, Carl Sagan flies that fake animated spaceship he has to a K-mart and finds a really great 8-track tape in the discount bin of ‘Halloween Sound Effects’.
“How will they interpret this?,” he asks the camera.
Then he gives his classic shit-eating grin, and the episode ends.
…and before someone asks me why sheep would be on a halloween tape, I can tell you that i have personally herded sheep, and the sound is definitely unsettling enough to warrant inclusion.
The Sounds of Earth
I think it is too complicated as a tattoo. I would suggest that it just be simplified down to the nekked man but have Mark’s face added instead of that generic guy.
What the fuck? Did you listen to “mud pots,” Ken? What are the creatures on the other side of the universe going to make of that?
Mark, I don’t know what to make of any of that shit let alone some guy 20 light years away that is shaped exactly like a mattress.
I suppose you could add a boner too, and a bubble coming out of his mouth saying something like, “Hey, space ladies,” or, “Bored interplanetary housewives, if you’re looking for some fun….”
I tried really hard not to weigh in, but I found I couldn’t not.
Its not too complicated for a tattoo, if it was done big enough to age gracefully and retain legibility. Which means thigh or as part of a backpiece
Stella, how about the face? I think there was a young man here the other day talking about having a patriotic ribbon of some sort tattooed onto his face. Would that age gracefully?
I had successfully held my tongue (or fingers technically,) when that one went by, it (they) itched, though