There is a whole lotta buzz out there about 3D printers right now. Folks are saying that 3D printing could be heralding in an era of “desktop manufacturing” echoing the
major successes of desktop publishing in the 80’s, and desktop video in
the 90’s. But is this fuhreals? Can the 3D printer unleash a new era of
good ol’ American ingenuity?
I’ve had the opportunity to get up-close
and personal with a couple of 3D printers lately at the Iowa Innovation
Learning Center in Hiawatha, Iowa. I got the chance to develop and print
my own original designs, as well as open source designs from sites like
Thingiverse.com.
I gotta say, this technology is serious FUN. Is it ready to save
America’s manufacturing economy from the onslaught of CCC (Cheap Chinese
Crap)? Honestly, probably not, but I do think that this scrappy upstart
tech has some serious potential. Read More
In the coming year, the MUM Sustainable Living department
will be launching a new class that will introduce students to the
“Maker” movement and the growing culture of DIY (do it yourself)
technology. Some might ask, “how do electronics, robotics and 3D
printing fit into the concept of sustainability?”
When
thinking about “sustainable living,” many of us visualize organic
farming, natural building and solar energy. However, unlike the “back to
the land” movement of the 1970s, the new generation of “tiny house”
dwellers and organic farmers depend heavily on...
For some reason, as I unpack the new Ridgid “Gen5X” tools, I started
humming an old song by the 1970s punk rock band Generation X called
“Your Generation.” Their vocalist (a young fella known as Billy Idol)
snarled:
There ain’t no time for substitutes
There ain’t no time for idle threats
Actions are rather hard to place
Cause what you give is what you get
Okay, so it may be a bit of a stretch, but as far as cordless power
tools go, Ridgid’s new 18 volt Gen5X lines are pretty punk rock! They
are a little futuristic looking, but they combine both older and newer
cordless technology. Above all, they perform with A LOT of power. Also,
like Billy Idol, they seem to go forever! [Read more…]
I hereby declare the
fourth week in November... NATIONAL E-PRIME WEEK!
HIP-HIP...!!...I
said...HIP-HIP...hoo-ray.....
Okay, so maybe I'm
alone in this endeavor, but I think that the fourth week in November
is the perfect time to do a little annual semantic experiment. Hear
me out! You may actually agree with this. But first, I know you may wonder: “What the FUCK is E-Prime?”
Alfred Korzybski. One cool cat.
E-Prime emerged from
the study of General Semantics in the early 1960s. Alfred Korzybski,
the “Father of General Semantics” found that the word “is,”
and all of the other derivatives of “to be,” suffer from
structural problems and lack validity. For instance, the statement
“this song is horrible” can be completely subjective. Even the
statement “The sky is blue” may not necessarily be accurate.
David Bourland, a
student of Korzybski, suggested that a more accurate method of
communication might completely eliminate be, am, is, are, was,
were, beenand
being. Bourland
pointed out that by using this method, which he called “E-Prime”
or “English Prime,” language can become less dogmatic. “This song
is terrible” becomes “I don't like this song” and “the sky is
blue” becomes “the sky looks blue to me,” therefore, inviting
discussion rather than conflict.
So,
why do I think that we need to celebrate this obscure academic
exercise each year during the fourth week of November? THANKSGIVING,
yo! Because, this week, due to some societally enforced ritual, many of us find
ourselves occupying the same space for
an extended period of time
with other spawn of our hereditary genetic pool, some of whom may
have very different outlooks on life than we do. Let's face it, “IS” can be a semantic chip on our shoulder, one that invites
alcohol-addled ancestors,
cro-magnon cousins and
other kooky kin to knock it off. What better time to practice a
little non-confrontational
thought experiment?
Obsolete Press announces the upcoming release of the long-awaited first volume of the new publication, AnarchoSF. The book/zine will the first in a series of Obsolete Publications to explore the themes of anarchy, anarchism and the stateless society through the work of science fiction writers and artists, both contemporary and classic.
AnarchoSF v.1 hits the streets this month! Until April 15th you can pre-order your copy for the special price of $6.99 ($7.99 after the 15th) with free U.S. shipping. AND, you will get some free Obsolete Press swag along with the book!
AnarchoSF v.1 is the first in a series of Obsolete Publications to explore the themes of anarchy, anarchism and the stateless society through the work of science fiction writers and artists, both contemporary and classic.
The collection is edited by Obsolete Publisher Rich Dana and includes recent work by Tobey Anderson, Davi Barker, Ben Beck, FJ Bergman, Chris Bird, Ricardo Feral, klipschutz, Nicholas P. Oakley, Ursula Pflug, Alou Randon, illustrations by Tobey A. Anderson and Chris Bird and cover art, book design and illustrations by Blair Gauntt. It also features classic stories by Philip K. Dick and E.M. Forster. This premiere volume of AnarchoSF is dedicated to the late, great anarchist prankster and SF writer Mick Farren and features a salute to Mick, along with one of his last short stories.
Digital copies will be available for review by journalists, zinesters, bloggers, and podcasters. Send a request for a review copy to anarchosf@riseup.net. A limited number of hard copies will be available for reviewers as well.
A limited edition of AnarchoSF #1 including a special cover and extra material will be available for readers who pay with Bitcoin and other select crypto-currencies.
