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[ 1 ] Launch TELEMATICS TIMELINE
 


[ 2 ] Add your own history to the timeline
 

[ 2 ] Telematic Embrace: A Love Story?
Edward A. Shanken


[ 3 ] "Buckminster Fuller: Illusive Mutant
Artist"
Victoria Vesna

  [ 4 ] ecafe manifesto
Kit Galloway & Sherrie Rabinowitz


[ 5 ] Making Art Online
Judy Malloy

  [ 6 ] la plissure du texte
Roy Ascott et al


[ 7 ] hearsay
Norman White

hearsay
Norman White
Hearsay

A telecommunications event based upon the children's game whereby a secret message is whispered from person to person till it arrives back at its originator. In this case a message was sent around the world in 24 hours, roughly following the sun, via a global computer network (I. P. Sharp Associates). Each of the eight participating centres was charged with translating the message into a different language before sending it on. The whole process was monitored at Toronto's A-Space.


http://www.normill.com/artpage.html
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A COMPILATION OF TEXT GENERATED BY THE

HH HH HHHHHHH HHH HHHHHHH HHHHHH HHH HH HH
EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE
AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA
RRRRRRR RRRRR RR RR RRRRRRR RRRRRR RR RR RRRR
SS SS SS SSSSSSSSS SS SS SS SSSSSSSSS SS
AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA
YY YY YYYYYYY YY YY YY YY YYYYYY YY YY YY

PROJECT

>> NOVEMBER 11-12, 1985 <<

*******************************************************************

THE ORIGINAL TEXT:
THE MESSAGE

(FOR MARSHALL MCLUHAN)

THE MESSENGER ARRIVED OUT OF BREATH. THE DANCERS STOPPED THEIR
PIROUETTES, THE TORCHES LIGHTING UP THE PALACE WALLS FLICKERED FOR A
MOMENT, THE HUBBUB AT THE BANQUET TABLE DIED DOWN, A ROASTED
PIG'S NUCKLE FROZE IN MID-AIR IN A NOBLEMAN'S FINGERS, A GENERAL BE-
HIND THE PILLAR STOPPED FINGERING THE BOSOM OF THE MAID OF HONOUR.
"WELL, WHAT IS IT, MAN?" ASKED THE KING, RISING REGALLY FROM HIS
CHAIR. "WHERE DID YOU COME FROM? WHO SENT YOU? WHAT IS THE NEWS?"
THEN AFTER A MOMENT, "ARE YOU WAITING FOR A REPLY? SPEAK UP
MAN!"
STILL SHORT OF BREATH, THE MESSENGER PULLED HIMSELF TOGETHER. HE
LOOKED THE KING IN THE EYE AND GASPED: "YOUR MAJESTY, I AM NOT
WAITING FOR A REPLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO MESSAGE BECAUSE NO ONE SENT
ME. I JUST LIKE RUNNING."

-------------------------------------------------------------------
(C) COPYRIGHT BY ROBERT ZEND, 1973.
FROM "FROM ZERO TO ONE",
THE SONO NIS PRESS, VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA,
CANADA, 1973.

REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION OF JANINE ZEND.

**NOTE**
ROBERT ZEND, A BRILLIANT HUNGARIAN-BORN POET,
DIED THIS PAST SUMMER. THIS PROJECT IS A TRIBUTE TO
HIS LIFE AND WORK. HIS WIDOW, JANINE, WAS ON HAND TO
HIT THE "RETURN" KEY WHICH SENT THE MESSAGE ON ITS
WAY AROUND THE WORLD.
IN THE TRANSMITTED VERSION, NEITHER THE SUBTITLE
NOR THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR WAS MENTIONED. THIS WAS
DONE SO AS TO MINIMIZE CLUES AS TO THE CONTENT OF
THE TEXT.
… IN THE SEQUENCE OF TRANSLATIONS WHICH FOLLOW, AN
ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO PRESERVE THE TEXT EXACTLY
AS IT WAS REGISTERED BY THE I.P.SHARP COMPANY'S
CENTRAL COMPUTER, INCLUDING TEXT DISTORTIONS
GENERATED BY TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND BY TELEPHONE-
LINE "NOISE".
THE FOLLOWING "TIME-STAMP" RECORDS THE TIME AT
WHICH THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE WAS SENT FROM TORONTO
('NTW') TO DES MOINES ('EBANK'). MOST OTHER TIME-
STAMPS OCCUR IN THE HEADING PRECEDING EACH TRANSLATION.

NO. 2575245 FILED 17.33.05 MON 11 NOV 1985

-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SPANISH VERSION SENT FROM DES MOINES,
U.S.A. ('EBANK') TO SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA ('CAISY'):

NO. 2575370 FILED 19.30.15 MON 11 NOV 1985
FROM EBANK
TO CAISY
CC NTW
SUBJ MESSAGE

eL MENSAJERO ARRIVO SIN ALIENTO. lOS BAILA DORES, SE PARARON LAS
PIRUETAS, POR UN MOMENTO, LOS FUEGOS DE LAS ANTORCHAS LAMA
TREMULA, EN LAS PAREDES DEL PALACIO, EL "HUBUB" A LA MESA
BANQUETE SE CALMARO, SE HELO EN AIRE EL NUDILLO DE PUERCO EN
DEDOS DE HIDALGO, DETRAS DEL PILAR UN GENERAL SE QUITO LAS DEDOS
DE LOS PECHOS DE LA PRIMERA MADRINA DA BODA.

"pUES, ?QUE ES, HOMBRE?" PREGUNTA EL REY, Y SE LEVANTO DEL TRONO.

"?dE DONDE VIENE? qUIEN SE MARDO? qUE NOTICIAS?" eNTONCES
DESPUES, DE UN MOMENTO, EL REY DIGO "eSPERO REPUESTA? dIGAME!"

eL MENSAJERO, TODA VIA SIN ALIENTO, SE COMPONERE, Y MIRO EN TOS
OJOS DEL REY. eL MENSAJERO DIJO CON VOZ ENTRECORTADA, "mAJESTAD,
NO ESPERO REPUESTA PORQUE NO HAY MENSAJE PORQUE NADIE ME MANDO.
sOLAMENTE ME ENCANTA CORRER."


-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ENGLISH VERSION SENT FROM SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
('CAISY') TO TOKYO, JAPAN ('MASA'):

NO. 2575714 FILED 4.59.21 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM CAISY
TO MASA
CC NTW
SUBJ MESSAGE

the messenger arrived breathless.

the dancers stopped dancing for a moment. the fire of the burning
torches refected on the walls. the hubbub of the banquet table
…subsideed. the pig's trotters froze in mid-air. a general
dressed as a knight removed his hand from the breast of the
wedding's first matron of honour.

the king, getting up from his throne asked,"hat's happening, my
good man ? where have you come from ; who sent you ? i demand an
answer !"

he messenger, still breathless, pulled himself together, and,
looking into the kings eyes, said, in a stuttering voice, "oyour
majexty, do noy expect an answer,because there is none. nobody
sent me, i just like running."


-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE JAPANESE VERSION SENT FROM TOKYO, JAPAN ('MASA')
TO VIENNA, AUSTRIA ('RAX'):

NO. 2575780 FILED 7.58.29 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM MASA
TO RAX
CC NTW
SUBJ THE MESSAGE

SONO MESSENGER WA IKI O KIRASHITE YATSUTEKITA.
ODORIKO TACHI WA SHIBASHI ODORU NOO YAMETA. MOETEIRU TAIMATSU NO HI GA
KABE NI UTSU TSU TE ITA. SONO ENKAI NO TABLE NO ZAWAMEKI WA SHIZUMATSUTA.
SONO BUTA TACHI NO ASHI WA KUUCHUU DE KOOTSUTA. KISHI NO YOUNI KIKAZATSUTA
HITORI NO SHOUGUN GA KETSUKON-SHIKI NO SHUSEKI NAKOUDO FUJIN NO MUNE KARA
KARE NO TE O HAZUSHITA.

OUSAMA WA KARE NO SEKI KARA TACHIAGARI-NAGARA TAZUNETA, 'KIMI, NANIGA
OKOTSUTANODA?, DOKOKARA KITANODA ; DAREGA KIMI O YOKOSHITANODA?
HENTOU O YOUKYUU SURU!'

MADA IKI O KIRASHITE ITA SONO MESSENGER WA KI O SHIZUME, SOSHITE OUSAMA NO
ME O NOZOKI KOMI, DOMORI NAGARA ITSUTA, 'HEIKA, KOTAE O NOZOMANAIDE KUDASAI,
NANIMO NAI NODESU, DAREMO WATASHI O YOKOSHITEMASEN, WATASHI WA TADA
HASHIRU KOTO GA SUKINA DAKE NANODESUKARA.'


-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE GERMAN VERSION SENT FROM VIENNA, AUSTRIA ('RAX')
TO GWENT, WALES ('ASCOT'):

NO. 2575890 FILED 10.38.55 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM RAX
TO ASCOT
CC NTW RAX

DIESER BOTE IS ATEMLOS HERGERANNT. DIE TAENZER HABEN EINEN MOMENT
AUFGEHOERT ZU TANZEN. DIE FLAMME DER FACKEL REFLECTIERTE AN DER WAND.
DAS RAUSCHEN DER BANKETTS IS STILL GEWORDEN. DIE SCHWEINSKEULEN SIND
IN DER LUFT GEFROREN. EIN PRUNKVOLL GEKLEIDETER "SHOGUN" HAT SEINE HAND
VON DER BRUST DER DAME, DER HOECHSTEN BEGLEITPERSON DER HOCHZEITSZEREMONIE,
…WEGGENOMMEN.

DER KOENIG IST VON SEINEM PLATZ AUFGESTANDEN AND HAT GEFRAGT: "DU, WAS
IST GESCHEHEN? WOHER BIST DU GEKOMMEN? ICH BEFEHLE DIR ZU ANTWORTEN!"

DER IMMER ATEMLOSE BOTE HAT SICH ETWAS BERUHIGT UND IN DIE AUGEN DES
KOENIGS BLICKEND GEANTWORTED: " MAJESTAET, BITTE VERLANGEN SIE NICHT
MEINE ANTWORT. ES IS UEBERHAUPT NICHTS GESCHEHEN. NIEMAND HAT MICH
HIERHERGESANDT, ICH LAUFE NUR GERNE.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE WELSH VERSION SENT FROM GWENT, WALES ('ASCOT')
TO PITTSBURG, U.S.A. ('DAX'):

NO. 2575987 FILED 13.32.42 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM ASCOT
TO DAX
CC NTW
SUBJ HEARSAY

mae'r negesydd hwn yn colli ei anadl. gorchmynwyd y dawnswyr i
ddawnsio. adlewyrcha oleuni fflam ar y wal. mae rhuo'r wleddm
yn tawelu. mae'r golwythion cig moch yn oeri yn yr agored.
gorffwysa "shogun",bendigedig ei wisg,ei law ar fynwes boneddiges,m
a ymddengys yn oruwch i hebrwng yn y seremoni briodas.
mae'r brenin wedi codi o'i sedd a gofyn "ti, beth sy wedi digwydd ?M
pam ddaethost yma? mynnaf ateb!"
er ei fod yn dal heb anadl, mae'r negesydd wedi tawelu rhywfaint
ac wrth lygadrythu ar y brenin, atebai "eich mawrhydi, na fynnwch
ateb ohonnof i. wedi'r cwbl, 'does dim wedi digwydd. 'does neb
wedi !ngyrru yma. 'rwyf ond yn rhedeg am sbri".


-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ENGLISH VERSION SENT FROM PITTSBURG, U.S.A.
('DAX') TO CHICAGO, U.S.A. ('SAIC'):

NO. 2576354 FILED 19.03.42 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM DAX
TO SAIC
CC NTW

THIS MESSENGER IS LOSING HIS BREATHE. THE DANCERS WERE COM-
MANDED TO DANCE, AND THE FLAMBEAUX WREER GLEAMING ON THE WALL
THE ROARING FEAST CEASED. THE SIZZLING PIG COOLED IN THE OPEN
HE RESTED IN HIS HOLY COSTUME HIS HAND ON A WOMAN'S BREAST
AND APPEARED ABOVE TO CONDUCT THE WEDDING CEREMONY.
THE KING AROSE FROM HIS SEAT AND ASKED HIM WHAT HAS HAPPENED,
AND WHAT ART THOU DOING HERE?I WANT AN ANSWERE! THOUGH HE WAS
STILL WITHOUT BREATHE THE MESSENGER QUIETED SOMEWHAT AND
STARING AT THE KING HE ANSWERED, YOUR MAJESTY YOU DO NOT WANT
AN ANSWER FROM ME, AFTER ALL,NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. NOONE
DROVE ME HERE, I AM RUNNING FOR FUN.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE HUNGARIAN VERSION SENT FROM CHICAGO, U.S.A.
('SAIC') TO TORONTO, CANADA ('NTW'):

NO. 2576467 FILED 21.06.41 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM SAIC
TO NTW
CC SAIC
SUBJ MESSAGE...MAGYAR

[] []UTAER
LEELEKZETEET VESZITI.
[] TAENCOSOKNAK MEGPARANCSOLTAEK
HOGY TAENCOLJANAK EES EEGOE FAEKJAEK
MEREDTEK A FALAKRA
A ZAJOS MULATSAEG ELHALLGATOTT.
[] MALAC PERCEGVE SUELT A NYILT LANGON
A KIRELY NYUGODTAN UELT UNNEPI PALASTON
KEZE EGY NOE MELLEEN
+ UGY TUENT + UEL LAKODALOM UNNEPEEN.
[] KIRAELY FELAELLT HELYEEROEL
EES A FUTAER KEERDEZTE A TOERTEENTEKROEL
EES MIEERT VAN ITT
EES VAELASZT AKAR+E\
[] FUTAER
+ MEEG MINDIG LEELEGZETBOEL KIFOGYVA +
KIRAELYRA NEEZ VAELASZOLVA(

[]ELSEEG[]
VAELASZRA NINCS SZUEKSEEG
VEEGEREDMEENYBEN TOERTEENT SEMMISEEG.
[]ENKI NEM KUELDOETT
[]UTOK CSAK MINDENEK FOELOETT.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE FINAL VERSION TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH AT
TORONTO, CANADA:

TO HEAR

MESSENGER: PANTING.
THE DANCERS HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO DANCE, AND BURNING TORCHES
WERE PLACED ON THE WALLS.
THE NOISY PARTY BECAME QUIET.
A ROASTING PIG TURNED OVER ON AN OPEN FLAME.
THE KING SAT CALMLY ON HIS FESTIVE CHAIR, HIS HAND ON A
WOMAN'S BREAST.
IT APPEARED THAT HE WAS SITTING THROUGH A MARRIAGE CEREMONY.
THE KING ROSE FROM HIS SEAT AND ASKED THE MESSENGER WHAT IS
TAKING PLACE AND WHY IS HE THERE? AND HE WANTED AN ANSWER.
THE MESSENGER, STILL PANTING, LOOKED AT THE KING AND REPLIED:
YOUR MAJESTY, THERE IS NO NEED FOR AN ANSWER. AFTER ALL,
NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. NO ONE SENT ME. I RISE ABOVE EVERYTHING.

ACTION: SEND

NO. 2576692 FILED 1.15.29 WED 13 NOV 1985

-------------------------------------------------------------------
**NOTE**
THE TIME-STAMP ABOVE INDICATES THAT THE
TORONTO TRANSLATOR ADHERED TO THE SAME FOUR-HOUR
TIME CONSTRAINT IMPOSED ON THE OTHER TRANSLATORS.


********************************************************************
** C R E D I T S **
********************************************************************

**NOTE**
THE FOLLOWING SUMMARIZES THE SUPPORT DOCUMENTA
TION PROVIDED BY PARTICIPATING CENTRES. AN UNEDITED
VERSION OF THIS MATERIAL WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AS AN
APPENDIX. [NTW]

--------------------
'EBANK'
--------------------
TRANSLATOR: CINDY HILDEN
PROJECT COORDINATOR: FRED TRUCK, THE ELECTRIC BANK,
4225 UNIVERSITY, DES MOINES, IOWA 50311.


--------------------
'CAISY'
--------------------
TRANSLATOR: AMELIA BRESCIANI, RADIO STATION 2EA.
PROJECT COORDINATOR: ERIC GIDNEY, LECTURER IN ELECTRONIC
MEDIA AT THE CITY ART INSTITUTE, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.


--------------------
'MASA'
--------------------
TRANSLATOR AND PROJECT COORDINATOR: MASAYUKI HAYASHI,
INTEC INC. (REPRESENTATIVE FOR I.P.SHARP ASSOCIATES)
TOKYO, JAPAN.


--------------------
'RAX'
--------------------
TRANSLATOR: SUMIKO LESTER (JAPANESE CULTURAL SERVICE)
PROJECT COORDINATOR: ROBERT ADRIAN X. (ARTEX STEWARD)
VIENNA, AUSTRIA.


--------------------
… 'ASCOT'
--------------------
LOCATION: GWENT COLLEGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SCHOOL OF FINE
ART, CAERLEON, WALES, U.K.
TRANSLATION TEAM:
FROM GERMAN- ALISON FOSTER, PAUL BEVAN
FINE ART STUDENTS AT GWENT
INTO WELSH- GORONWY DAVIES,
LECTURER IN 3-D DESIGN, GWENT
NIGEL GRIFFITHS,
STUDENT IN EDUCATION, GWENT
ORGANISER: ROY ASCOTT, HEAD OF FINE ART,GWENT; PROFESSOR OF
COMMUNICATIONS THEORY, UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED ARTS IN VIENNA.


--------------------
'DAX'
--------------------
TRANSLATOR: DAVID E. RENSHAW
PROJECT COORDINATOR: BRUCE BRELAND, COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS,
CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIVERSITY, PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.


--------------------
'SAIC'
--------------------
TRANSLATOR: MARTON SASS
TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR: KEVIN HUOTARI
PROJECT COORDINATOR: PAUL HAYWARD
SUPPORT GROUP: JOHN TIMMERMAN, BERNARD HASKEN,
ANTONIO DE CAMPOS ROSADO, JOE DAVIS, KATHERINE SCHUTTA
DOCUMENTATION: PAUL HAYWARD, KEVIN HUOTARI
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE VIDEO AREA,
SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO.


--------------------
'NTW'
--------------------
LOCATION: A-SPACE GALLERY, TORONTO, ONTARIO.
TRANSLATOR: THEODOR CSIZMAZIA
TECHNICAL SUPPORT: BOB BERNECKY (I.P.SHARP ASSOCIATES)
"HEARSAY" CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT: LAURA KIKAUKA, CARL HAMFELT,
ROBERT ADRIAN X., AND NORMAN T. WHITE
GALLERY INSTALLATION AND DOCUMENTATION: LAURA KIKAUKA,
CARL HAMFELT, AND NORMAN T. WHITE.
OVERALL PROJECT ORGANIZER: NORMAN T. WHITE


*******************************************************************
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WHO, BY GENEROUSLY
RELEASING THEIR EXCELLENT SOFTWARE INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN,
TRANSFORMED MY OLD "CP/M COMPUTER" INTO A VALUABLE TOOL. [NTW]
- RONALD G. FOWLER, FOR "MEX", A MODEM EXECUTIVE UTILITY.
- DAVE RAND, FOR "NSWP", A FILE MAINTENANCE UTILITY.
*******************************************************************

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