DAVID ADAMS writes about the odder side of life…
An official looks at the Utah pillar when it was discovered in the desert. PICTURE: Utah Department of Public Safety
• The mysterious pillar which was discovered in the remote Utah desert has gone, reportedly toppled over and taken away by a group of people including an adventure tour guide. The metallic monolith, which stood more than three metres tall, had become something of a tourist attraction after it was spotted by wildlife officials from a helicopter (they kept mum about its location but people soon found it anyway). It was later reported that the pillar, which had sparked comparisons with that seen in the opening of Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, may have been located on the site for more than four years (in fact, it’s been suggested that it’s the work of minimalist artist John McCracken and has stood in the desert for at least nine years). Following its recent “discovery”, however, Bureau of Land Management personnel confirmed during a site visit on Saturday that it was gone, having been removed by “unknown party or parties”. A story has since surfaced that it was taken down by a group of four men, one of whom is adventure tour guide Sylvan Christensen. He reportedly posted a video showing it being removed on social media with the caption “Don’t abandon your personal property on public land if you don’t want it to be taken out”.
• Monolith fever continues, however, with another metallic pillar spotted in recent days, this time in Romania. This four metre tall monolith, which was triangular in shape, was found on a hill near the city of Piatra Neamt, close to an ancient Dacian fortress. The origins of this pillar, which has also since disappeared, may be more easy to determine, however. Local journalist Robert Iosub reportedly attributed its creation to an “unidentified person, apparently a bad local welder”. “[N]ow all that remains is just a small hole covered by rocky soil,” he said.
• The Canadian Army has a new master corporal – though this one’s bigger and furrier than others. Juno the polar bear lives at the Toronto Zoo and, in honour of her fifth birthday, Brigadier General Conrad Mialkowski, commander of 4th Canadian Division and Joint Task Force Central, visited the zoo and informed the bear of her promotion from the honorary rank of corporal to that of honorary master corporal. The bear, who was born on Remembrance Day – 11th November, is named for Juno Beach in Normandy where Canadian forces landed during World War II. The bear was first made an honorary private in February, 2016, when she was officially adopted by the Canadian Army. She was promoted to honorary corporal on her first birthday. “We are truly honoured that the Canadian Army has promoted Juno to Master Corporal as she continues to be an outstanding ambassador for her counterparts in wild,” said Toronto Zoo CEO Dolf DeJong. No comment from Juno.
