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Sweat/sauna/sweatlodge | Digital Photography/New Media/Web Production
Shinto/Spiritual Odyssey | Chris Marker
The Finnish Sauna Society was founded during Word War II. In 1952 they opened a large sauna complex near Helsinki on the island of Vaskiniemi which includes two smoke saunas and two vented wood-burning saunas. When I was living in Helsinki and working on Sweat the Society was extremely supportive of my efforts. Not only did they open their library to me but they gave me free access to their wonderful saunas as well. I suggest that anyone visiting Helsinki visit the Society and their saunas. Be sure to call ahead for bathing hours. For details go to the Society's web site.
Sweat bathing and solar eclipses brought Dr. Andrew Weil and me together in 1979. Andy has written extensively on the subject of sweats and sweat lodges. Here is a link to just one of his writings.
Ivan Mihael Cankar of Helsinki University of Technology has posted a very thorough site devoted to all aspects of sauna bathing. Definitely check this site out.
One of my favorites sweats in New York city is the Russian & Turkish bath on East 10th street. The owners of the bath have also put up a site, promoting both the New York location and a new bath they've just opened in Florida. Go to here for more information. My friend Jonathan Berman made a film on this great New York bath and on the Shvitz in general. Check out his site for more information: www.shvitz.com
Digital Photography/New Media/Web Production
Because of new tools such as Apple Quick Time VR, panoramic (or emmersive) photography has become one of the hottest topics around. My friend Scott Highton, who took the panoramic photo of me found on my bio page, is a pioneer in this new technology. Check out his site.
My new book, Photoshop for the Web has just been released by O'Reilly & Associates (April 1998). You can order the book at O'Reilly's site for $29.95. While you are at their site be sure to check out other fine books on Photoshop, Web publishing and design. After working with O'Reilly for the last year I can see why they have such a reputation for quality and detail.
Surfing the web one night I chanced upon Cyber Shrine and really liked what I saw. It's a site that includes locations and photos of Shinto shrines found all over Japan, as well as other goodies such as charms against evil and an oracle.
My story, The Sword of Heaven, has been excerpted in a Traveler's Tales book titled, The Road Within. For more information on this book go here.
Chris Marker, the French multimedia artist, is one of my all-time heroes. A few years ago, I met and talked with him at his home in Paris. Afterward, I wrote about this meeting for a now-defunct magazine, Digital Creativity. Then, with Sean Parker, Maria Yap and others at Option X, I created a web site that includes some of Marker's work and excerpts from my story. Go here to see this site.
