Pilot with fake license flew commercial planes for 13 years – until he was caught

by Scott Carmichael on

A successful 13 year career came to an end today, when Dutch police pulled a 41-year-old pilot from his plane. The pilot was minutes away from departing for Ankara, Turkey on his Corendon airlines flight.

The cops were acting on a tip from Swedish authorities, who discovered that the man was not in possession of a pilots license valid for commercial planes.

He did have a basic license for private planes, but he had falsified his credentials 13 years ago, and had been flying commercial planes ever since.

With over 10,000 hours in the cockpit, the pilot had obviously tricked authorities very well – and 10,000 hours without any safety incidents also means he must have known what he was doing up front.

Thankfully, Corendon airlines had been alerted to the upcoming arrest, and had already arranged for a replacement pilot to take his seat. A lawyer for the airline said the fake pilot would never fly for them again.

Oddly enough, this was the second time he had been caught – Swedish cops arrested him several years ago for the same reason, but when they summoned him, he couldn’t be found, so they just “forgot” about it.

Daily Pampering: An evening in Paris with Lucian Freud

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Is there any greater luxury than art? Nothing compares to dropping several million dollars on a single canvas, arranging to have it shipped home and having it suspended from your wall. Beyond an aesthetic decision or an investment, it’s also a reminder of a trip that will stay with you forever. So, if you’re planning an art-related trip, Paris needs to be on your mind. Though Lucian Freud failed to deliver on his black eye at auction last month, you can enjoy his work at the Centre Pompidou in Paris from March 10 to July 19, 2010.

Lucian Freud, a pround member of the Francis Bacon “supply chain,” is among the poster-children of the art market boom that ended with the near-collapse of the global financial system in Septemer 2008. The hype around Freud began in 2002, when London‘s Tate was home to a retrospecive. Today, we aren’t seeing the eight-figure price tags for Freud’s work common through May 2008 , bu he’s still shown that he can rake in prices in the millions of dollars.

True decadence, of course, can only be found in snatching up one of these pieces and bringing it home.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Swinging new art exhibit comes to Vienna Museum

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you want to see one of Gustav Klimt’s pieces, you’ll need to cross through a world that may make you uncomfortable … and you’ll probably need partner. Haven’t figured it out yet? The Secession, a contemporary art museum in downtown Vienna, has plopped a swingers club between the museum and the Klimt – part of a project by Christoph Buechel, an artist from Switzerland. During the day, you’ll find mattresses, a bar and a whirlpool, as well as photos to make you blush. At night, of course, it becomes Element6, and anything between two among as many partners as you can assemble goes.

The project, which runs until April 18, 2010, is intended to recall the controversial “Beethoven” Frieze by Klimt that was exhibited first in 1902. Though it’s now thought to be one of Klimt’s most important pieces, it was originally considered to be pornographic (I guess the Austrians didn’t “know it when they saw it” back then). This time around, the Austrians aren’t offended. The right-wingers aren’t crazy about it, but the general public doesn’t seem disturbed. Gerald Adler, of the Kent School of Architecture in Britain, tells The Associated Press, “He’s putting it in a place that’s an accepted venue for avant-garde art, so it loses its effect.”

European Union puts the thumbscrews on Google Street View maps

by Scott Carmichael on



Google Street View is probably one of the coolest mapping applications of the past decade (along with satellite images). I’ll regularly pull up a Street View map before I head to a destination I’ve never been to, and in most cases, the images make it much easier for me to navigate. I’ve even used it on my Google powered phone as a way to get an idea where I’m heading.

Sadly, the European Union isn’t as big a fan – their privacy laws are some of the strictest in the world, which is obviously great for privacy fans. but not so much for fans of Google Street View.

In a ruling last week, the EU has demanded that Google start deleting all uncensored Street View images after just 6 months (in Europe, Google has to blur all faces), and that Google has to start announcing in advance where their camera car will be filming.

The members of “The Article 29 Data Protection Working Party” want to see the announcements made on Google.com and in the local media.

Of course, these new measures may prove too problematic for Google, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Europeans find themselves without Street View images if the current plan doesn’t change.

Experience Tim Burton’s version of “Alice in Wonderland” in Cornwall, England

by Amy Chen on

Tim Burton’s 3D version of the classic “Alice in Wonderland” tale — starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen — opens March 5.

Since the movie is a mix of live action, animation, and computer graphics, you can’t exactly visit all the film locations and stand where Johnny stood. The live-action sequences, however, were shot in Cornwall, England at the National Trust’s Antony House. To capitalize on the inevitable interest, the National Trust is hosting Alice-themed events at the 18th-century mansion through October 31.

Events: Mad Hatter’s Tea Parties will be held on the Cork Oak Lawn every weekend starting March 6. Explore the house on March 16 and you’ll see Alice’s bedroom and other rooms that appear in the movie. (As part of the installation, the National Trust is decorating the rooms to look as they did during filming.) The White Rabbit Easter Trail, sponsored by Cadbury chocolate April 2 to 9, leads kids through the landscaped gardens, while a week-long schedule of children’s activities from May 29 to June 3 will include a gigantic chessboard with life-size pieces. Kids of all ages can learn how to play croquet at workshops held on July 21, 28, August 5, 19 and 25.

Details: Standard admission is £7.50 for adults and £4.90 for kids. If you’re a member of the Royal Oak Foundation (the U.S. affiliate of the National Trust), you can access the grounds and the house for free. The house, garden, and tea room have different operating hours so double-check before you make the trek. Some of the events, such as the Mad Hatter’s Tea Parties or Easter Trail, will cost a little extra.

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