Meet Barack Obama, the comedian!

New York, June 20 (ANI): US President Barack Obama sent the crowd into stitches with his jokes at the 65th Annual Radio and Television Correspondents Association Dinner.

The popular leader made other politicians, the economy, health care reform, his own White House team and other problems facing the nation the butt of his jokes during the Washington, D.C. affair.

Obama scored enough laughs while referring to a picture of Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel riding a camel in Egypt.

“I admit, I was a little nervous about the whole situation. I said at the time, “This is a wild animal known to bite, kick and spit. And who knows what the camel could do?” the New York Daily News quoted him as saying.

Speaking about the attempts to reform health care, he said: “I have gained the support of the American Medical Association.”

He then added, “It proves true the old expression that it’s easier to catch flies with honey. And if honey doesn’t work, feel free to use an open palm and a swift, downward wrist motion.”

Obama then told those present that efforts were being made to help restore financial institutions and auto companies gain back their strength.

He added: “But you probably wouldn’t understand the concept of troubled industries, working as you do in radio and television.”

And when he realised, that may stir a commotion, the President grinned and said: “W-h-a-a-t! I can’t joke about that.”

He later declared: “I have no ambition to run an auto company.”

Obama did not even spare Secretary of State Clinton’s fractured broken elbow, saying the “Secret Service spotted Richard Holbrooke spraying WD40″ all over the driveway where she fell.

He joked: “Now on top of the cost of health care and the recovery plan we have another fiscal problem. Fortunately, the lawyers tell me Hillary is ready to settle.” (ANI)

Ethnic bonding

Indigenous Australian artists Otto Jungarrayi Sims and Ormay Nangala Gallagher share something with the tribal artists of India. Both husband and wife love to paint their traditions, life and their legends of origin in bright colours.

‘My paintings are all about water dreaming – my family insignia or the symbol which is the story of the emu in search of water in the desert. My father’s place of water dreaming – the origin – is west of Alice Springs at a place called Mikanji in the rugged northern territory of Australia,’ Gallagher told IANS.

Her works are on display along with 87 other ethnic artists in the biggest ever exhibition of tribal Walpiri art from Australia at the Open Palm Court Gallery at the India Habitat Centre.

Gallagher took to painting at 15 as both her parents were artists. Her husband’s family symbol is ‘Milky Way Dreaming’ – one that relates to the universe.

‘We are the sons of the milky way,’ Sims said. ‘Every family has a different dreaming – or jukurrpa, the stories of their origin. Some have snake vine dreaming, some men dreaming, others fire and star dreamings.’

Of the 800 tribals residing in the Yuendumu area near Alice Springs – Sims and Gallagher’s home – 400 are artists.

The duo’s art works – mostly complex and colourful shapes made of small dots – are vibrant and eye-catching. ‘Walpiri art is all about dots. It represents everything,’ said Sims.

‘The Australian trade commission is trying to market aboriginal art in India and this exhibition is an effort to familiarise Indian buyers with Walpiri art. Aboriginal Australian art is sold all over the world,’ said Michael Carter, Australian trade commissioner to India.

Eye-socket camera films from inside the head

There’s a blurred line between challenge and opportunity.

Having lost his eye in a childhood accident and suffered a lot of pain, Rob Spense, a 36-year-old filmmaker, has decided to do something that’ll put filming and seeing into just one eye, quite literally.

The prosthesis and the tiny camera it contains.


(Credit: Eyeborgblog.com)

His work is called the Eyeborg project, and involves his friend Kosta Grammatis, a photographer/engineer, and a team of ocularists, inventors, and engineering specialists. The team is building a prosthetic eye that can capture and transmit video.

While the idea is simple, it’s a great engineering challenge. For the project to be successful, the smallest, lightest, most power-efficient technologies have to be found and implemented.

The team is using the world’s smallest CMOS camera for the project. This device is about 1.5 millimeters squared. It’s so small that if you sneeze while it’s resting on your open palm, you might never find it again.

The eye camera captures and sends video signal wirelessly using an RF transmitter as small as the tip of a pencil. According to Kosta, the data will be sent to a recorder placed in a backpack. The eye-socket camera is powered by a lithium polymer battery that fits inside the prosthesis.

Rob and the team are currently working on a documentary about the Eyeborg Project and the experience of living with a bionic eye.

Their work could ultimately help San Francisco artist Tanya Vlach who is looking for technology to use for her own bionic eye-cam.