IN THE NEWS
Red Bull Cliff Diver Leaps for Lady Liberty
With the world’s most famous icon of freedom, the Statue of Liberty, at his back, 38-year-old professional cliff diver Orlando Duque leapt 23m into New York Harbor in Manhattan on Monday morning ahead of the fifth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Boston on Sunday, August 25.
Read more about this impressive event at the 2013 Cliff Diving World Series at http://www.redbullcliffdiving.com/en_US/article/good-morning-america
Tribute Flight to Salute Armed Forces
The American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport will launch an unprecedented formation flight of historic B-25 Mitchell bombers and World War II escort fighters this Labor Day weekend for a tribute flight near the World Trade Center and Statue of Liberty to salute our armed forces serving in the War on Terror.
Photo credit: www.richard-seaman.com
Throughout the upcoming holiday weekend, Friday, Aug. 30 through Monday, Sept. 2, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., these aircraft will also be on public display at the museum’s Farmingdale facility along with a squadron of other World War II planes, vintage cars and period armor as part of the annual “Wings, Wheels and Tracks” celebration.
Flight experiences will also be available in a B-25.
Labor Day weekend adult admission at the museum is $15, Senior/Veteran (with ID) is $10, children between 4 and 12 are $4 and children three and under are free.
More information is available at http://www.theislandnow.com/news/article_93960d32-05cf-11e3-b1da-0019bb2963f4.html
Vintage Crowd Funding
Thanks to the popularity of sites like Kickstarter and IndieGogo, these days “crowd funding” is all the rage. But did you know that the idea was around long before the Internet and played an important role in the history of the Statue of Liberty?
In 1885, to raise money to build the pedestal upon which Liberty stands, a range of raffles, auctions and souvenirs were offered to the public. The following is an official flyer advertising the availability of Liberty statuettes.
Earth Cams Back in Action
EarthCam’s popular Statue of Liberty Cams will be back online tomorrow (8/2) and people around the world are invited to experience an exclusive look at New York City from Lady Liberty’s perspective once again. Tomorrow is a particularly special day as it marks the 179th birthday of Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the French sculptor responsible for bringing the Statue of Liberty to life.
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, EarthCam’s cameras remained offline for 9 months while Liberty Island recovered and rebuilt. Due to the hard work and dedication of the National Park Service and teams restoring power and internet on Liberty Island, the webcams are online once again, inviting the public to experience the most unique and spectacular views of the Statue and New York City, New Jersey and Ellis Island.
“Opening the Statue on the 4th of July was fantastic, and having the TorchCam live again adds so much more to the Liberty experience,” stated David Luchsinger, Superintendent of Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. “Our sincere thanks to the folks at EarthCam and to the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation for partnering with us in making this experience possible.”
In partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) and The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation (SOLEIF), EarthCam donated five custom-engineered cameras in celebration of Lady Liberty’s 125th birthday on October 28, 2011. EarthCam’s innovative cameras, installed on the torch, provide unrestricted access to unique and exciting views that were instant fan favorites. Receiving recognition worldwide, the popular HarborCam delivers uninterrupted live views and sounds of the always busy New York Harbor and the custom-engineered TorchCam brings viewers up-close and personal, virtually stepping out onto the torch balcony. Viewers can really get to know “The Lady” with an unprecedented look from the CrownCam, gazing upon her regal face, crown, tablet and pedestal.
“These webcams are truly special, not just because they allow people to visit the Statue of Liberty anytime, but because the audience can enjoy it from a vantage point that has been closed to the public since 1916,” said Brian Cury, CEO & Founder of EarthCam. “The ability to share this unmatched experience speaks to our mission of delivering the most interesting live views that are both entertaining and educational.”
Virtually climb the steps to the torch balcony with EarthCam’s Statue of Liberty Cams and enjoy live views 24/7, available online tomorrow by visiting http://www.earthcam.com/statueofliberty.
ABOUT EARTHCAM
EarthCam is the global leader in delivering webcam content, technology and services. Founded in 1996, EarthCam provides live streaming video, time-lapse megapixel cameras and complete managed services for corporate and government clients in more than 1,500 international cities. With numerous applications in the construction, transportation, entertainment and tourism industries, EarthCam’s revolutionary camera systems deliver superior HD clarity, monitoring, documenting and archiving of the world’s most important projects and events.
The award winning company hosts many highly trafficked tourism cams, which offer views of popular locations and landmarks such as the Washington Monument, Times Square, Abbey Road Crossing in London, Petra in Jordan, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the Eiffel Tower.
Pieces of Liberty Shine in Paris
Have you ever wondered what Lady Liberty looked like before her trademark patina settled in? Well, look no further than Vietnamese artist Danh Vo’s current installation, We the People, now on display in Paris at Musée d’Art Moderne.
As Gizmodo reports:
The objective of Vo’s project, however, is not to erect another statue in its totality but to reconstruct its individual elements and allow them to be dispersed to various museums and art venues across the globe. The scattered fragments remain connected to this universal symbol but emphasize the abstract nature of the concept of freedom.
For additional coverage of the exhibition, visit http://gizmodo.com/this-life-size-statue-of-liberty-replica-shows-her-pre-934351990
National Geographic Publishes Rare Statue of Liberty Photos
As one of the most iconic symbols in the world, the Statue of Liberty has been photographed hundreds of millions of times since her unveiling in 1886. In celebration of the Statue’s re-opening after Hurricane Sandy-related repairs were made, National Geographic has published a series of some of the rarest views of Lady Liberty ever captured. Click here for their extraordinary collection of photos.
Visiting the Statue of Liberty Summer Guide 2013
The Statue of Liberty herself was saved from heavy damage during Hurricane Katrina’s devastating force, but the infrastructure surrounding the statue and the museum on Ellis Island were impacted to the tune of $77 million in damage.
Thankfully, the Statue reopened on the 4th of July, 2013 and visitors can once again ascend to her crown for one of the world’s most unique views. The following is a guide to visiting the Statue throughout the summer (and potentially the fall) of 2013:
Spirit of Liberty is “OCC’s Copper Chopper” in V-Twin
V-Twin magazine features the Spirit of Liberty motorcycle, and the five-page spread within highlights the bike’s construction by Orange County Choppers and appearance on the popular television program American Chopper. The article includes many images of the chopper’s incredible detail, from the incorporation of real Liberty copper and cables to symbolic imagery like a light-up torch on the DaVinci carburetor and Lady Liberty’s profile on the wheels.
“In the very special case of the Liberty Chopper, the term ‘one-off’ takes on historic proportions,” the author writes. “Commissioned by the Gold Leaf Corporation, which is involved in the restoration of the Statue of Liberty, this theme bike is literally clad in copper gleaned from the statue itself.”
The article also notes that the bike traveled to Tim McGraw’s concerts to raise funds for the Statue of Liberty’s restoration, and the author calls the bike itself “a national treasure.”
Spirit of Liberty Bike Visits BikeXpo Allentown
The Spirit of Liberty Chopper stopped in at BikeXpo Allentown, where it was the “pièce de résistance.” The event featured Motorcycle Hall of Fame “super builders” Dave Perewitz and Donnie Smith as special guests, custom bike awards like “Best Chrome” and “Best Engine” and, of course, the opportunity for motorcycle fans to see the Statue of Liberty bike crafted from real statue materials up close and personal.
Liberty Bike Roars into Camp Lejeune
The Spirit of Liberty bike visited the Marine South Expo at Camp Lejeune. Visitors had the opportunity to sit on the motorcycle for photographs and to speak with the bike’s originator, Richard Stocks.
In a DRASH News article, DHS Systems marketing communications manager and former US Marine Brian Gallagher says that DHS Systems sponsored the Statue of Liberty chopper’s appearance at the event “for the men and women of our armed forces who constantly preserve, protect and defend liberty.”
