Loosely Assembled » info

Bike Tour of San Francisco Rooftops at Night

fekaylius — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:24:01 +0000

If you and I know each other, consider this an invitation, if we don’t, consider this a call for submissions :)

I’m organizing a small intimate evening bike ride to visit a few rooftops in San Francisco. Unless everything falls apart, it’ll happen this coming Thursday, October 27th, 2011, starting probably at 7pm (specific invites to follow, please get in touch for more details). We have a few splendid and amazing spots confirmed but could always use a couple more. This is your chance: looking for private rooftops that can host a group of up to maybe 20 people. So far everything is in the mission and soma, but other areas are welcome.

To clarify one last point, we won’t be bringing bikes onto the rooftops, but this was just such a cool pic I wanted to include it, thanks to J.B. Davis for the pic.

Cheers!

-Jason

Start Archiving Your Platial Maps Today

fekaylius — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:07:13 +0000

Cross post from the Platial Blog:

Now is your chance to beat the imminent rush and export your full archive quality KMZ maps from Platial. We are in the last stages of testing 2 new export tools and would appreciate your participation and feedback.

The 2 new tools are a full KMZ exporter with all uploaded images embedded (any images that were added to the map via the flickr tool or as a web based image link will continue to link out) as well as a newly formatted KML version with image hosting provided by GeoCommons.com.

To enable the 2 new export modes, simply append ?export=1 to the end of any map url. This should work for visitor maps (/mapv/) as well as normal ones (/map/).
http://www.platial.com/map/Cable-Access-Highlights/10095 becomes http://www.platial.com/map/Cable-Access-Highlights/10095?export=1

Note: this will enable a new KMZ and KML link in the map header area

These export tools are applicable to any map on platial.com, so if you appreciate someone else’s map, feel free to grab a copy (with the exception of a user places map (the map of all your places), in which case, it will only be available to that logged in user.

Feedback is welcome as commentary here on the blog, on the getsatisfaction page, or via the Platial feedback page.

Known Issues you can avoid commenting on:

With very large maps, anything over 2000 points, using the KMZ version sometimes comes out with an empty file despite taking a really long time to process
some date ranges on geocommons hosted images are missing

Thanks,

Jason

Also, You can expect a few more announcements in the next few hours and/or days about Platial. Might want to start following @platialmaps for breaking news :)

Ignite Submit

fekaylius — Sat, 16 May 2009 00:50:49 +0000

Sunday is the deadline for submitting your “idea for a talk” to ignite portland, it’s a pretty lightweight submission process, and definitely a fun event whether you get included or not.

Local Comic/Fiction/Zine About House Shares

fekaylius — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:59:27 +0000

The Super Hero Shared Housing Omnibus Vol 1 is full of dark shared housing humor, familiar conflicts and beer, beer, and more beer.

from Tinzeroes

Food Cart Festival – Portland

fekaylius — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:02:56 +0000

Here’s your chance to celebrate Portland’s street-food scene and sample dishes from some of Willamette Week’s favorite food carts all in one place–for the recession-busting price of $5. The event is on Saturday, April 18, from 5:30–9:30 pm, at the Disjecta space at 8371 N. Interstate Avenue, conveniently located near the Denver MAX stop.

Rudy of JUNIOR AMBASSADOR’S will have 11 hand-made ice cream flavors on scoop.

check out the details

(Via JUNIOR AMBASSADOR’S.)

Hacker Camp in a Missile Silo

fekaylius — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:09:53 +0000

toorcamp

On How to Speak Anonymously in Public: A Hacker’s Guide

Prix Ars Electronica – time to submit

fekaylius — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:44:47 +0000

Dear Friend and Participant of Prix Ars Electronica,

The 23rd Prix Ars Electronica – International Competition for CyberArts is open for entries now!

We kindly invite you to submit your latest projects! If you know any further interesting works we’ll be happy to get your recommendation!

Prix Ars Electronica 2009
Online Submission Deadline: March 6, 2009
Contact: info@prixars.aec.at
Total Prize Money: € 122.500,-
Categories: Computer Animation / Film / VFX; Digital Musics; Interactive Art; Hybrid Art; Digital Communities; [the next idea] Grant; Media.Art.Research Award; u19 – freestyle computing

More details about all categories and online submission are available only online at: http://prixars.aec.at

DIGITAL COMMUNITIES

The Digital Communities category is open to political, social and cultural projects, initiatives, groups and scenes from all over the world that display contentious commitment in coming up with smart, successful ways of deploying digital technologies to solve social problems. Particular emphasis is placed on a project’s degree of community innovation, its sustainability and its use of technology in a way that makes good sense and is attuned to the needs of the people meant to benefit from it. Digital Communities projects should make it easier for people to access technology, networks and the Digital Commons. We explicitely encourage community-related net.art projects to submit.

Please feel free to forward this to all interesting/ed parties.

With best regards,
Bianca Petscher on the behalf of the Prix Ars Electronica 2009 Team

Bianca Petscher
Producer Prix Ars Electronica
—————————————
Ars Electronica Linz GmbH
Hauptstraße 2-4
4040 Linz, Austria
Phone: 0043-732-7272-79
Fax: 0043-732-7272-674

Support the Rolling Stop Bill! Idaho Style.

fekaylius — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:24:41 +0000

This is important.

In the fall, I witnessed a friend, biking her daughter to school, get pulled over and ticketed by a cop, for rolling through (and turning right into a bike lane!) a stop sign. It’s one of those intersections where you can see so clearly in all directions, there is actually never a reason to actually stop here (if you are on a bike). The reflective yellow clad mother was in tears, the helmeted first grader was scared, and the cop had no mercy, he was a literalist.

My main issue I have with the “equal rights, equal responsibilities” rationalization for enforcing traffic laws designed for cars onto cyclists is that CARS OFTEN KILL PEOPLE, AND BIKES DON’T.

The wording in the new proposed law explicitly cites this huge difference in potential injury and damages as the primary argument for the bill. My only concern is that it could be seen as an attempt for cyclists to simply get around the law. I hope the conversation gets statistical, looking at this as an incentive for more people to bike, for biking to be more pleasurable, more efficient, more rewarding, to feel special, yes! If Portland wants to be the model of a bike friendly city, we need to make biking as attractive as possible, and the cops won’t stop ticketing for bullshit reasons till the laws are changed. Go BTA!!

Here are snippets from bikeportland’s article:

Exclusive: BTA will go for “Idaho style” stop sign law: “

The BTA hopes to make
it legal to roll through
stop signs.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA), a Portland-based non-profit with over 5,000 members statewide, has proposed a new law that would make it legal to roll through a stop sign while riding a bicycle in Oregon.

One tactic Rohde has found works well in explaining the proposal is to equate it to walking. ‘When you walk up to an intersection in a neighborhood and no one’s around,’ he said, ‘you don’t come to a complete stop. You just look around and then go if it’s safe. We’re just applying that same logic to biking.’

For the BTA, passage of the Idaho Stop Law would accomplish many things, including:

It would make biking easier and more efficient (having to stop unnecessarily is a ‘deterrant to many people’),
it would put an end to the long and controversial legacy of Police enforcement actions (a.k.a. ‘stings’) at stop signs so they could ‘focus more of their limited resources on high-risk intersections’,
it would ‘eliminate the argument that cyclists are always breaking the law when they are actually acting in a very rational manner.’

(Via Bike Portland.)

La Superette Call for Submissions

fekaylius — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:40:33 +0000

La Superette 2008 OPEN CALL

La Superette 2008 is looking for:

survival crafters
conceptual product makers
conceptual product makers
DIY game producers
micro distributors
fashion hackers
electro-gadget inventors

We want to see what you’ve got!

++La Superette IS:

An annual hybrid event mixing art, shopping, music, and community spirit

—La Superette is NOT:

An ordinary exhibition or craft fair

La Superette WANTS:

To promote and sell commodities made by artists and designers of
all career levels
To offer shoppers unique superettenly affordable items
To incite and inspire participation, collaboration, and conversation

La Superette 2008 is happy to announce that this year’s event is
supported by LMCC

Deadline for online submission is November 10
All products must be delivered to La Superette by December 1

La Superette will be held on December 13 and 14

Please visit our website http://lasuperette.org/call.php to complete your
application and carefully read all guidelines.

WhereCampPDX :: Oct 19th

fekaylius — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:55:02 +0000

WhereCampPDX

It’s going to rock!

Giant Tree Sculpture For Sale

fekaylius — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:06:15 +0000

Hand Crafted by Paul Burn (of many tree sculpture fames), this tree served us well in our loft dwelling, child rearing years in williamsburg brooklyn. But alas, we have long since tucked this baby into storage, and are now seeking to not ship it out west. I think It belongs in NYC.

I will be out there from 9/11-9/18 and would like to take this opportunity to get it installed somewhere (your home? your institution? your daycare? your store?)

Scavenger Hunt, RIGHT NOW

fekaylius — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:08:16 +0000

Get details and play at http://platial.com/laborday

Win a trip to NYC for the Conflux Festival!!!

via Pixelache, a call for artist residency applications

fekaylius — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:47:57 +0000

** Call for applications **

HIAP (www.hiap.fi) will invite 2-4 artists from Nordic region to
stay at HIAP residency in 2009. The duration of residencies will
be 2-4 months.

Pixelache can propose artists for this programme, the final selections
will be made by HIAP board during September 2008. The deadline
for applications is ** 5 September 2008 **.

We are looking for artist(s) from Nordic countries who would be
interested in presenting their work in the next edition of Pixelache
festival, scheduled for 2-5 April 2009.

The residency includes
- Apartment/studio at HIAP in Ruoholahti, southern part of Helsinki
- A monthly grant of 1000 euros
- Travel costs covered

To apply, send an informal application (1-2 pages of text) to
address ** nordicresidency08 ((at)) pixelache.ac **.

In the application you should include
- Your full contact information
- An initial plan for work you would be doing during the residency.
This work would be presented in the context of Pixelache festival,
either as work-in-progress or as a finished piece. Instead of a piece
of work, you can also propose something else – organising a
workshop or some other events.
- Links to website / portfolio / cv (do not include your portfolio
files in the application email)

The application deadline is ** Friday 5 September **, but we would
prefer to receive the applications already earlier. The selections will
be made by HIAP board during September 2008.

If you have questions, please send an email to office ((at)) pixelache.ac.

Please spread the word!

Anti-War event May 15th

fekaylius — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:55:44 +0000

Just got this from my pal Sam

Dear Friends,

Red76 and Psych(A)P are about to launch the first in a series of events under the moniker of No War U.S.O.; a continuing effort to create convivial get-togethers which are explicitly anti-war, and serve to create an atmosphere welcoming to returning vets and those who just don’t quite know how to publicly display their individual dissent for the current war in Iraq.

No War U.S.O., through its jovial public manifestation of dissent, as well as through its ability to raise funds for veterans groups and anti-war causes, aims to take the spirit of friendship, fun, and conviviality that the U.S.O. traditionally elicits, and flip it on its head as a overtly anti-war statement.

Below please find info concerning No War U.S.O.’s first event. We’d love for you to join us. It should be bunches of fun, and an easy way to voice your opposition to the war, and voice your support for soldiers and returning vets.

100% of the nights proceeds go to support the anti-war organization Iraq Veterans Against the War (www.ivaw.org), along with that organizations collaboration, with Red76, on the counter-recruitment strategy, Befriend a Recruiter (www.befriendarecruiter.org).

We’d love for you to join us, but as well, PLEASE DISPERSE THIS E.MAIL FAR AND WIDE. The more people that attend this event the more wonderful actions the IVAW can engage in, such as their stunningly successful Winter Soldier campaign which occurred earlier this year in Washington, D.C. (www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier).

Hope to see you there, and again, please help spread the word!!! (If you have any questions please feel free to write me and I will answer as best I can).

Thanks,
Sam
_____

btw, the event is at Rotture

Hearing Today

fekaylius — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:08:54 +0000

Today, the Supreme Court will hear administration lawyers defend the indefensible: that the President can ignore the writ of habeas corpus and hold people indefinitely, without charge and without question.

The hearing challenges the administration’s attacks on our system of justice and the assertion that fear, not freedom, guides our country. The outcome could mark a significant shift back to our founding values of truth, justice and liberty.

As four Supreme Court Justices put it,

“[I]if this Nation is to remain true to the ideals symbolized by its flag, it must not wield the tools of tyrants even to resist an assault by the forces of tyranny.”

Hit and Run

fekaylius — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 05:10:39 +0000

Last night in SF my kids, wife and I witnessed a hit & run (a first for all of us). It was pretty intense, as it was a crowded area, involved lots of squeeling tires, and we had to literally rush out of the street to avoid being hit by the fleeing man in his white Ford pickup. I was searching around online to see if i could find any news about it, (couldn’t) but came to a terrible realization, hit and runs are way too common! On a simple google news search for the exact phrase “hit and run” i get 6,432 results for articles published in the last 24 hours. That means about 268 articles PER HOUR are published throughout this country about hit and runs. (i’m assuming there hasn’t just been a sudden upswing today).

The details of our experience barely even warrant a retelling, but what the hell. We were crossing the street near castro and 25th around 7pm, it was dark, there were lots of people out, several cars double parked on castro while people dashed in and out of shops doing errands. All of a sudden a mid sized white pickup comes ripping around the corner a block up the hill from us, revving the engine in a way that can only be described as reckless, the truck headed directly for one of the double parked cars, then suddenly (as if realizing he was about to rear end something) the driver slams on the brakes, goes into a sideways skid and crunches heartily into the back of this parked car. The engine dies. Everyone turns their heads, people come out onto their fire escapes and balconies, people come out the shops. Then we hear the truck start his engine back up again, it takes him 2 tries to get his truck unhooked from the rear bumper of this poor vehicles (going forward then back again) and he floors it again, this time right towards us (we are still slowly dragging the 2 kids along), we quickly get up onto the sidewalk and i whip out my camera to snap the trucks plates as it passes, but it doesn’t have one (on the rear). We turn back towards the scene to see a woman getting out of the car, and her companion coming out of the video store to meet her. A crowd gathers, police are called, many pitch in their version of the description of the truck and driver, we do as well. Then we spend the drive back to Caterina’s answereing questions about driving, crashes, jail, laws, licenses, mean people, irresponsible actions, and related ephemera.

The truck was a mid sized white FORD pickup (red logo on the back) driven by a shaved headed or bald man at least in his 30’s or 40’s wearing dark eyeglasses. The truck had no rear plate, and as i recall, no rear bumper either. The damage of a side impact would be found on the passenger side of the truck right about mid-vehicle. If you live in SF, keep your eyes peeled :)

In terms of my previous post about a car free portland, this stunning numerical realization just emphasizes the multifaceted inherent dangers of an auto-centric environment that we all just take for granted, accept, as if we didn’t have a choice, as if there were no other options.

(this is not a picture of the actual vehicle)

la superette

jason — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:52:26 +0000

My good friends are putting on the 10th annual La Superette this year in NYC. It’s a little hard to describe, but basically it’s a huge art challenge, but the challenge is to make multiple edition, retail ready art that will be shown in a gallery, but set up like a store. It happens in December, they usually have bands and lectures and classes throughout the event. This time around it looks like it’ll be going on for 3 weeks!

I’d like to encourage you all to put something together for the show, it’s a fun challenge (we usually make games), the gallery is at Times Square, and it’s a great way to make a few extra bucks. We’ll be testing out a new game this month here in Portland to see if it has what it takes for a La Superette submission. If you are around the 27th of October, come on by for a game: 8pm till late: zing me for a location.

Skate Video Night debrief

jason — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 03:53:25 +0000

A great time was had by the small knot of homies that craned their necks between sips of draft Ranier to treat their eyeballs to a mix of nostalgic (bones brigade stuff, chocolate classics including ‘mouse’), historic (skateboard kings, a bbc documentary from 1978) and current (éSpecial) skateboard videos projected with DJ Pat Smith’s selection of skate rock. By the way, Pat’s not afraid to mix out johnny rad’s cliche monologue about not looking too hard for animal chin.

So, the event is a weekly one at Dunes, 1909 NE MLK, and you can keep up to date on here on this blog, or directly on the myspace page

oh yeah, we also highly encourage people to bring videos they own, or have made, or have remixed, etc.

Skateboard Video Night – 8/28

jason — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:20:43 +0000

(portland, or)

skate stuff tonight

fekaylius — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 22:36:16 +0000

CITY HALL ART SHOW AND SKATE JAM :: 5PM – 8PM

GLEAMING THE CUBE – OUTDOOR CINEMA NIGHT