ARTIFICIAL REALITY
ARTIFICIAL REALITY HAS ARRIVED.
ONE OF THE MANY "SURPRISES" IN STORE FOR US BETWEEN NOW AND THE
YEAR 2000 OPENED IN TORONTO IN JANUARY 1986.
IT'S BEING BILLED AS THE "TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE". AS AN AIRPLANE
AND HELICOPTER PILOT FOR 35 YEARS, I WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO
EXPERIENCE A PRE-OPENING "FLIGHT". IT IS A WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE.
LOCATED AT AND "UNDER" THE CN TOWER, THE TALLEST FREE- STANDING
BUILDING IN THE WORLD, "TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE" IS A TRIP DESIGNED TO
GIVE A TASTE OF SPACE TRAVEL. FLIGHT DATE IS IN THE YEAR 2019, THE
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MAN'S FIRST MOON LANDING.
AFTER DESCENDING "2000 FEET UNDERGROUND" ONE IS GIVEN A PRE-
FLIGHT BRIEFING BY THE CENTRAL SCRUTINIZER, AND PROCESSED THROUGH A
LASER-ACTIVATED "INNOCULATION AGAINST MARTIAN DROPSY" PRIOR TO BEING
LAUNCHED ON A CANADIAN AIRLINES INTERPLANETARY VIEW TRIP TO JUPITER.
WITHOUT RELEASING TOO MANY OF THE SURPRISES CREATED BY TORONTO
ENTREPRENOUR MOSES ZNEIMER (HEAD HONCHO OF TORONTO'S CITY-TV AND
MUCHMUSIC)) AND HIS STAFF OF DREAMERS, I CAN SAY THE EXPERIENCE IS A
WINNER AND AN UNPARALLELED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR OLD AND YOUNG.
THE ENTIRE JOURNEY TAKES UNDER AN HOUR WITH THE ACTUAL SIMULATED
FLIGHT BEING ABOUT FIVE MINUTES DURATION. ENJOY IT. THESE COMPUTER-
GENERATED VISUALS COST $1,500 PER SECOND TO CREATE! THE 40-SEAT
SPACECRAFT, THE FIRST OF A TOTALLY NEW ENTERTAINMENT AND EDUCATIONAL
FORM, IS DESCRIBED AS THE FIRST OFFICIAL LIVING MOVIE. OPERATED MUCH
LIKE FLIGHT SIMULATORS NOW USED WORLD-WIDE TO TRAIN COMMERCIAL JET
CREWS, FLIGHT SENSATIONS GIVE THE PASSENGER A FEELING OF THE BLAST-
OFF, EXTRA G FORCES, AND A FEELING OF HANDS-ON QUALITY WHILE
TRAVELLING IN SPACE.
TOURS TO OTHER SPACEPORTS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND ARE
ALREADY IN PRODUCTION, INCLUDING ONE THROUGH THE TAIL OF A COMET. THE
PRICE OF $7 FOR ADULTS AND $4 FOR CHILDREN INCLUDES A PERSONAL "EARTH
CITIZENS' OFFWORLD PASSPORT".
COMMERCIAL SUCCESS FOR ZNEIMER'S COMPANY APPEARS ASSURED WITH ONE
SALE ALREADY CLOSED FOR AN INSTALLATION PACKAGE TO GO TO TSUKAGUSHI
JAPAN AND ANOTHER PROPOSED FOR AUSTRALIA'S GOLD COAST. THE
DEVELOPMENT COMPANY CLAIMS THEIR INVESTMENT IN THE PROTOTYPE
OPERATION EXCEEDED $13 MILLION DOLLARS. ALTHOUGH IT'S CANADIAN IT'S
NOT, REPEAT NOT, A GOVERNMENT PROJECT. P.S. - TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE
HELIX CATAPULT WORKS TO PUT YOU INTO WARP DRIVE DURING THIS TRIP, I
SUGGEST YOU TAKE ALONG SOMEONE UNDER 12 TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU IN
DETAIL. A LOT MORE OF THIS TYPE OF EXPERIENCE IS ALREADY IN THE
PIPELINE.
MORE INFORMATION:
SUZANNE CHICOINE, PR MANAGER,
INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.,
577 JARVIS STREET,
TORONTO, ONTARIO. M4Y 2J3.
PHONE: (416) 922-2131. TELEX 06524079
INTERACT TOR. FAX (416) 922-4023.
* * *
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