Amazing detail. This is a huge 8mb image of Burning Man 2007 from space.

View the full image (You’ll probably want to right-click and download the full size image)

This is really exciting!

The Lunar X-Prize.

The two members of Lulacruza are in residency at the Red Poppy Art House for the fall. They are having a myriad of musical workshops and whatnot. I’ll be at at least one and Charlotte another. Find out about the workshops, open laboratory, film screenings on Lulacruza’s Residency site.

What I’ll likely be attending:

Nov 6, 13, 20, 27
Mirroring Nature with Music: Sound Composition using Ableton Live

This 4-week workshop will use loop-based software music sequencer “Ableton Live” to understand the connection of nature and music. We will learn a series of audio manipulation techniques to create sonic landscapes. We will start with acoustic sound and learn ways in which electronic processing can be used to expand, change, and re-create sound. We will listen to and process field recordings to explore the places they are able to evoke. We will be introduced to computer-generated rhythmic and textural material to broaden our sound world. We will explore and discuss naturally occurring acoustic phenomena and its applications in music. We will listen to bird songs, listen to music, and read about nature & technology.

Participants will gain basic knowledge of “Ableton Live”, as well as expand their concepts of sound, music, space, place, silence and nature. Bring some sonic material to create your own personal sonic landscape. All levels welcome.

Instructed by: Luis Maurette
Cost: $80 / 4 classes ($20 each)
Nov 6, 13, 20, 27
Class size limited to 10 students.
Length: 2 hours

 What Charlotte will likely be attending:

Oct 3, 10, 17, 24
Joyful singing: A Voice Workshop for the whole body

This 4-week singing workshop will work with breathing and singing exercises to free and strengthen the voice. By grounding ourselves and connecting to the whole body, we will explore the vocal timbre and range, undo hindering vocal habits, and develop a loving non-judgmental singing practice.

Based on the practices of yoga and tai-chi, we will experience mind/body awareness and breath control techniques. We will also discuss the body mechanics of voice production and learn tools for a more aligned posture and present mind. Participants will work with toning and visualization to expand the resonance, color, and flexibility of each individual voice. We will use “sound showers”, collective improvisations and other fun tools to cultivate self-confidence, free the voice and rediscover the joy of singing. Ultimately, we will deepen our connection to ourselves and our community through sounding.

Beginners, amateurs and professional singers are equally welcome.

Instructed by: Alejandra Ortiz
Cost: $100 / 4 classes ($25 each)
Oct 3, 10, 17, 24
Class size limited to 6 students.
Length: 2 hours

Check out all their programs in San Francisco.

The PHProxy web proxy works with Dreamhost :-) . Get it here. The author isn’t supporting it any more so here’s a copy of the latest version of PHProxy AKA Poxy taken from Sourceforge on 9-9-07. You’ll want to put it behind a password because Dreamhost doesn’t technically allow open proxy servers (just imagine the huge server and bandwidth load on your $7/month account).

Here’s a good guide to anonymous proxy servers. I found it here.

Heavy Ink is going to be a better place to buy and trade comics than any currently exist online OR IN PERSON. Doors open in October.

Trav’s “Progress Report #1” gives you a good primer:

Continue reading ‘Heavy Ink’ »

 I emailed the following to Answer@AnswerSF.org today:

I spoke with a volunteer today at about 23rd and Valencia in SF wheat-pasting flyers for the October 27th Fin del la guerra ahora march.

He had wheat-pasted 22″x17″ fliers onto a garbage can and other items. Please do not have your volunteers use wheat-paste on public property for events; wheat-pasted flyers remain up long after the event is forgotten. As the posters degrade over the course of a few years, they make our beautiful city look ugly.

Use tape, use staples, use nails, post on billboards, post where billboards are welcome, post in laundromats, post in community centers. Do not wheat-paste my city.

The volunteer told me in response to my critisism, “the city has a program to take down flyers like these.” No, it is not the city’s responsibility to remove your garbage. It is -your- responsibility. Take responsibility.

San Francisco -does- have a program to deal with graffiti. Call 311. First time, offenders are usually reprimanded. After further offenses fines are levied.

I have no problem at all with the march. I’ve marched in events myself. I have a problem with how you are promoting it.

If your volunteers committed to removing the posters after the event, you would gain much local support.

Here’s what I’m bringing:

SWARM.   Video of same.

EOM

Where many of my friends are staying. What a detailed map, eh?

illumination_village_07_200×400_final.pdf

I was asked today if I could be quoted in the next Museum of Bad Art book. Of course, I consented.

From Louise Sacco, Permanent Acting Interim Executive Director of the Museum of Bad Art

Lee,

We’re putting together the second MOBA book.   Of course, we’re recounting the tale of Eileen’s theft and recovery.   May I quote you in the book?   It would be as representative of the reactions of Friends of MOBA to the recovery of our painting.

Also, where do you live?   We would identify you as Lee Sonko, town, state.

Yours in bad art,

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Louise Sacco
Permanent Acting Interim Executive Director
Museum of Bad Art         www.MuseumofBadArt.org
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

>
> The return of Eileen gives me hope for humanity.
>

>

We’ve had a few TV mentions of late :-)

Most notably, there’s a piece on Current.TV and this piece on the local news :-)

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=drive_to_discover&id=5584601

Get the latest Flash Player to see this player.

Richard Hart and his camera man came by a few weeks ago to do a story on us. Alan Wang of ABC7News.com introduced

Here’s a transcript of the video:

Richard Hart narrating:

This is a robot. Well, actually a roll-bot. It doesn’t even have wheels. It just sort of rolls along. But then it’s not supposed to do much. This robot was born to dance.

Michael Prados – “I think a lot of it came from brainstorming about kinetic art. And a lot of the discussion is centered around dance as an inspiration. And so by thinking about dancers and the way they move, we started to think about how we could have machines that had some of those same aspects.”

At the bottom of the sphere you will see something swinging back and forth. That’s a very heavy battery. By shifting it backward or forward like a pendulum you can force the cage to roll backward or forward, even change direction. On top is a black radome connected to an inexpensive wireless network called Zigbee, connected to a laptop which is connected to a common video game controller. But wait, there’s more. Michael Prados, Lee Sonko and a small team developed this for the art festival in the desert, Burning Man 2007. They are busy fashioning aluminum ribs and electronics for five more robots which will all become dance partners; because the black dome atop the robot contains a GPS unit in addition to wifi. So a half dozen robots will be able to talk to each other and synchronize their dance without needing the remote control. At least that’s the plan.

Michael Prados – “We hope that we can impart at least some small bit of it and suprise and delight people with a new kind of machine behavior.”

With the next roll in bots, Richard Hart, ABC Seven News.

Here’s the text of the article

Bay Area Group Building Dancing Robot

Will Be Used At Burning Man

By Richard Hart

Aug. 19, 2007 – The Burning Man festival is only one week away, and, in warehouses throughout the Bay Area, artists are rushing to finish performance projects in time for the annual desert event. One of those groups is building a GPS ballet.

This is a robot. Well, actually, a roll bot. It doesn’t even have wheels. It just sort of rolls along. But, then, it’s not supposed to do much. This robot was born to dance. Michael Prados of the Swarmbot Project: “I think a lot of it came from brainstorming about kinetic art. And a lot of the discussion has centered around dance as an inspiration. And, so, by thinking about dancers and the way they move, we started to think about how we could have machines that had some of those same aspects.”

Look closely at the bottom of the sphere, and you will see something swinging back and forth. That’s a very heavy battery. By shifting it backward or forward like a pendulum, you can force the cage to roll backward or forward, even change direction. On top is a black radome connected to an inexpensive wireless network called Zigbee, connected to a laptop, which is connected to a common videogame controller. But wait. There’s more.

Michael Prados, Lee Sonko, and a small team developed this for the art festival in the desert, Burning Man 2007. They are busy fashioning aluminum ribs and electronics for 5 more robots, which will all become dance partners. The black dome atop the robot contains a GPS unit in addition to wi-fi.

So, a half-dozen robots will be able to synchronize their own dance without needing the remote control. At least, that’s the plan.

Michael Prados: “We hope we can impart at least some small bit of it, and surprise and delight people with a new kind of machine behavior.”

Burning Man officially kicks off on August 27, 2007.

——- Links ——-

The Swarmbots project is funded by
The Black Rock Arts Foundation, a part of Burning Man.
www.blackrockarts.org

Home of the SWARM Robots www.orbswarm.com

SWARM Blog blog.orbswarm.com

SWARM Wiki http://wiki.orbswarm.com