Picture Sundays: Kiddo the Airship Cat

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Animals, Cats, Picture Sundays
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A delightful lecture by Paul Koudounaris on the history of ship cats tipped me off to the story of Kiddo, the airship cat. Kiddo went aboard the ill-fated airship America in an unsuccessful attempt to cross the Atlantic in October 1910. Kiddo did not enjoy the experience, at first, and led to what may have been the first air to ground radio transmission, “Roy, come and get this goddamn cat!”

After a journey of over a thousand miles, inclement weather led to the abandonment of the airship. Kiddo and crew were rescued by a British steamship (Kiddo was found snoozing in the back of the lifeboat).

Mascot of America-1ce-588

The story is proof that the celebrity cat phenomenon pre-dates the interwebs. Kiddo, renamed Trent after the rescue ship, was welcomed back to New York where he spent a period on display in a gilded cage at Gimbel’s department store. Postcards of Trent went all over the world. He spent the rest of his life with the daughter of the airship’s owner.

For more details of the story see Purr n’ Furr Famous Felines.

Saturday Tweets: Cornbread Controversies, 2×4 Furniture and El Niño

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Saturday Linkages
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Is Lead Poisoning a Risk in Urban Gardens?

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Gardening, Lead
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82-Lead-Tile

Those of you who have followed our blog over the years know that our yard is contaminated with lead. This is, most likely, due to some combination of lead paint residue and car exhaust. For years we’ve grown vegetables in raised beds because of this issue.

But if the results of a University of Washington study on lead and urban agriculture are to be believed, we might not need to be as concerned. The researchers note that most vegetables don’t take up lead and that improving soil with compost greatly reduces the bioavailability of lead.

You can read a summary of the results of this research paper here.

Thanks to Joanne Poyourow of Environmental Change Makers for tipping me off to this research.

075 Visionary Architect Glen Howard Small

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Design, Podcasts
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Flying House from the Biomorphic Biosphere

Our guest this week is architect Glen Small. If you’re not familiar with his work I’d really recommend taking a look at some of his amazing buildings, drawings and models while you listen to this podcast–you can see them on his blog which is Small at Large and at glenhowardsmallarchitect.com. Glen was one of the founders of the architecture school SCI-Arc and is probably best known for his visionary Biomorphic Biosphere Megastructure, which we talk about during the podcast as well many other projects and buildings such as the Downtown Troposphere and the Green Machine.

Green Machine 1977-1980

Green Machine 1977-1980

He was also the subject of a documentary by his daughter Lucia Small, My Father the Genius. During the conversation we discuss the state of “green” architecture, Small’s large proposals as well as his buildings in Nicaragua and much more.

If you want to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-2591 or send an email to [email protected]. You can subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store and on Stitcher. The theme music is by Dr. Frankenstein. A downloadable version of this podcast is here.

Take a class with architect Glen Small

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Design, Events
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Image source: Small at Large

Visionary architect Glen Small doesn’t need a computer. He can take a bunch of scrap paper, cardboard and some glue and make amazing models. He’s also of the last generation of architects who know their way with pen, paper and watercolors.

Small was one of the early proponents of a style of architecture informed by natural forms and environmental concerns. He was one of the founding members of the architectural school SCI-Arc. And I’m hoping to have him on the podcast soon.

If you’re in the Southern California area you have a great opportunity to take an inexpensive, hands-on architectural modeling class with him at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree, CA.

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