Uhm. Wow. Need an “am I an emotional being” check? Watch this 3-minute commercial –
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Just last week, the Discovery Channel officially announced it’s green-lighting a brand-new show, “Unchained Reaction” – a 6-part show starring two of my small-screen heroes, Jamie Hyneman & Adam Savage.
The show revolves around pitting two teams against each other in a Rube Goldberg-style build-off for a period of 5-days. The winning team will be judged by Hyneman and Savage and a special guest-judge for each of the six episodes.
Personally, as a huge fan of Mythbusters AND Rube Goldberg machines, this is a no-brainer win-win for me!
Discovery’s official press-release on the show:
(Los Angeles, Ca.) – Discovery Channel announces UNCHAINED REACTION, a new series executive produced by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman of MYTHBUSTERS. The duo also serve as judges for the six-part series, which pits two teams of varying backgrounds against each other to build an elaborate chain reaction contraption. But they’re not creating a mere string of dominoes – teams must utilize ingenuity, innovation and know-how to build contraptions on a massive scale. UNCHAINED REACTION is set to premiere on Discovery Channel in March 2012.
Each week, two teams made up of artists, rocket scientists, animatronic specialists, engineers and even your average Joe, are provided with identical sets of tools and materials and given five days to complete a series of mechanisms based on a specific theme. It’s the ultimate build-off pressure cooker, where refined mechanical movements, pyrotechnics and large-scale destruction are encouraged. Making a refrigerator a pendulum? Totally possible on UNCHAINED REACTION. Catapults? Flying saucers? Guillotines? Anything goes as long as they trigger the next link in the chain.
Teamwork and outside-the-box thinking are what it will take to be the UNCHAINED REACTION winner, as teams compete to see who can achieve the most impressive build in such a short time. Each week, Jamie and Adam are joined by a new guest judge to decide which team impressed them the most with their innovation, energy and how much spectacle they can create. “The spirit of UNCHAINED REACTION is at the intersection of art and engineering, and Adam and Jamie are the masters at celebrating teamwork and gee-whiz wonder at how the world works,” said Eileen O’Neill, Group President, Discovery Channel and TLC. “We are thrilled to bring this new series to our always curious and engaged Discovery Channel audience.”
Said Savage, “We wanted to craft a show that puts the process of problem solving and ingenuity front and center, and we’ve done exactly that with UNCHAINED REACTION.” Hyneman continued, “The innovative solutions and boundless energy demonstrated by the contestants surprised us every single time.”
UNCHAINED REACTION is produced for Discovery Channel by Discovery Studios and BermanBraun. Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage are executive producers. For Discovery Studios, Daniel Soiseth is executive producer and Derek Wan is co-executive producer; for BermanBraun, Lloyd Braun, Gail Berman and Gene Stein are executive producers, and Jared Heinke is co-executive producer. David Pritikin and Tracy Rudolph are executive producers for Discovery Channel.
Here’s hoping we see innovative creations like this throughout the show:
A powerful reminder from singer/songwriter Marc Scibilia –
Lyrics:
I been to Paris, I been to Rome
Seen a little bit of the world that’s known
But it seems no matter where I go
I know this world, it ain’t my homeI got keys to a house that’s on loan
I got keys to a car with rust and chrome
I got keys to things I’ll never own
‘Cause I know this world, it ain’t my homeAnd you take me so very close
But I can’t cut down this thought that grows
That no matter where I rest or roam
I know this world, it ain’t my homeSometimes it seems a far-off dream
Just inside, but out of reach
I don’t know where to go, but I just keep going
‘Cause I know this world, it ain’t my homeAnd you take me so very close
But I can’t cut down this thought that grows
That no matter where I rest or roam
I know this world, it ain’t my homeMaybe I could try to fall in love again
Find a little house with a picket fence
But you know, you know that I, I’m a travellin’ man
To a distant country in a far-off land.And when my time is used and done
When I see that final settin’ sun
I’ll leave everything I’ve ever known
And that house above, it will be my home.
I just finished reading CNN’s translation of the recently published conversation between the captain of the Concordia Cruise Liner and the Italian Port Authority. The conversation (read it below) reads like a movie-scene and provides some powerful insight into what was going on the night that the ship capsized and the captain allegedly abandoned his post for the sake of his own safety.
After reading the transcript, I couldn’t help but wonder how many ministry peers have been in similar situations – or are on the cusp of an opportunity to “abandon ship”. I also thought about some conversations I’ve had with friends who have been on the brink of abandoning their marriages because of ‘capsizing’ and how harsh I’ve been with them, too.
I invite you to read the conversation below and maybe allow it to challenge YOU in wherever you are to NOT abandon ship – but to realize your responsibility (in ministry, in marriage?) and to live out the role you’ve been given.
Caution: there are a few PG-13 word-choices used by the Port Authority.
Livorno Port Authorities: “Concordia, we ask you if all is OK there.”
Concordia: “All is well.”
Port authority: “Concordia. We ask you if all is well there.”
Concordia: “All is well. It is only a technical failure.”
Port authority: “How many people are on board?”
Schettino: “Two-three hundred”
Port authority: “How come so few people? Are you on board?’
Schettino: “No, I’m not on board because the ship is keeling. We’ve abandoned it.”
Port authority: “What? You’ve abandoned the ship?”
Schettino: “No. What abandon? I’m here.”
Port authority: “You must return on board. Climb the ladder (rope ladder), return to the fore (stem) and coordinate the work.”
Schettino does not reply
Port authority: “You must tell us how many people are on board, how many women, how many children. You have to coordinate the rescue operation. Commander, this is an order. Now I’m in charge, you have abandoned ship and now you are going to go to the stem and coordinate the work. There are already dead bodies.”
Schettino: “How many?”
Port authority: “You should be the one telling me this…What do you want to do? Do you want to go home?…Now go back on the stem and tell me what to do..”
Port authority: “Listen, this is De Falco from Livorno. Am I speaking with the captain?”
Schettino: “Yes.”
Port authority: “Tell me your name.”
Schettino: “This is Captain Schettino, commandant.”
Port authority: “Listen Schettino, there are people trapped on board. Now, you have to go with your lifeboat and go under the boat stem on the straight side, there is a ladder there.”
Port authority: “Get on board on the ship and tell me, you tell me how many people there are.”
Port authority: “Clear? I’m recording this conversation, Captain Schettino.”
Schettino: “Well then commandant, I need to tell you something.”
Port authority: “Speak loudly.”
Schettino: “The ship now…I’m here in front of it…”
Port authority: “Captain, speak loudly.”
Schettino: “Commandant, at this moment the ship is tilted.”
Port authority: “I understand. Listen. There are people who are coming down the stem ladder. You must take that ladder in the opposite direction. Get on board the ship and you tell me how many people are on board, and what do they have. Clear? You tell me if there are children, women, people with special needs. And you tell me how many there are of each category…”
Port authority: “Is that clear?”
Port authority: “Look Schettino, you might have been saved from the sea, but I will make sure you go through a very rough time…I will make sure you go through a lot of trouble. Get on board, damn it.”
Schettino: “Commandant, please…”
Port authority: “No…please. No, you get on board. Assure me that you are getting on board.”
Schettino: (Hard to understand) “I’m here with the rescuers. I’m here. I’ve not gone anywhere. I’m here.”
Port authority: “What are you doing captain?”
Schettino: “I’m here coordinating the rescue.”
Port authority: (Speaks over captain): “What are you coordinating there? Go on board and coordinate from there the rescue operation. Are you refusing?”
Schettino: “No, no, I’m not refusing.”
Port authority: “You are refusing to go on board? And why are you not going on board?”
Schettino: “I am going because now there is the other motorboat (Lancia) that has stopped now.”
Port authority: “You go on board. It is an order. You cannot make any other evaluations. You have declared abandoning ship. Now I’m in charge. You get on board. Is it clear?”
Schettino: “Commandant…”
Port authority over captain: “Are you not listening to me..”
Schettino speaks over Port authority: “I’m going…”
Schettino: “Call me immediately when you get on board. Our rescue officer is there.”
Schettino: “Where is your rescue officer?”
Port authority: “My rescue officer is at the stem…Go …(can hear captain saying OK)…There are already bodies, Schettino.”
Schettino: “How many dead bodies are there?”
Port authority: “I don’t know. I know of one. I’ve heard of one. You are the one to tell me how many there are. Christ!”
Schettino: “Are you aware that it is dark here and we cannot see anything?”
Port authority: “So? Do you want to go home Schettino? It is dark and you want to go home? Climb the ladder and get on the stem.”
Port authority: “…and tell me what can be done, how many people are there, what do they need. Now.”
Schettino: “Commandant, we are with the second in command…”
Port authority: “Then both of you climb up. What is his name?”
Schettino: “Dimitris Christidis.”
Port authority: “You are your guard. Go on board, now!”
Schettino: “Commandant… I want to go on board, it is just that the other lifeboat here…there are other rescue operators… it has stopped and it is stuck there… now I’ve called other rescue operators…”
Port authority: “It is one hour that you are telling me this. You go on board. On b.o.a.r.d (says the word slowly almost spelling it out). And you immediately tell me how many people there are”
Schettino: “OK.”
Two years ago today.
Time flies.
Healing? Not so much.
I’m (still) remembering (and praying for) Haiti!
