Circuit Bent Saturdays, The eSymposium
EVERY Saturday, 12:00 noon – 3:00 PM
Lizard’s Liquid Lounge, 3058 W Irving Park Rd, (773) 463-7599
To nurture the Midwest experimental electronics community, we host a free weekly “eSymposium,” a lateral lecture series where participants are both teachers and students. There’s soldering, tinkering, Q&A, show-&-tell, bending circuits, hacking toys, and Chicago’s only weekly Circuit Bent Open Mic. Stop by, join the eSymposium’s Google Group, or check out what we’ve been up to at youtube.com/eSymposiumChicago and soundcloud.com/eSymposiumChicago.
Here’s an article I wrote for the Fractalspin blog that’s a “DOs and DON’Ts” for men’s geek fashion:
“Geek Chic Men’s Fashion Fails and Wins” [via Fractalspin's blog]
Among the fails: LED belt buckles that visually scream GEEK; god-awful so-called “utilikilts;” NES Controller belt buckles; LED / electroluminescent t-shirts that either interact with sound or announce the presence of a WiFi signal by blinking / lighting up; bad haircuts; doing it wrong
Among the wins: G-Star’s men’s line featuring a futuristic Poindexter nod with their signature crazy-stich detailing; “nerd glasses;” intentionally-tousled hair and deliberately disheveled, dressed-down suit ensembles on Doctor Who’s Tenth Doctor (David Tennant); microcontroller cufflinks; J.Lindeberg; cool ties; Converse All-Star
So what do you think? Did I nail the WINs wholeheartedly or come down too hard on the geeks who are trying their darndest to be proud of who they are?
Here are some cool things that would be nice to have!
Korg KP3
A great tool for live performance, the KP3 allows you to control multiple effects parameters and manipulate samples in real time. On stage or in the studio, these gestures and moves can become powerful and expressive performance elements. More than a processor, the KP3 is a complete instrument allowing you to manage, recall, and play back samples; sample on the fly; and add dynamic processing to any audio signal or to the samples themselves. The KP3 comes equipped with 128 great-sounding effect programs Sure, the traditional essential effects are there – delays, flangers, etc., and they sound amazing. But using newly developed algorithms, the KP3 also provides fresh, exciting effects such as a grain shifter, decimator, a vintage analog style filter with a tone-bending drive circuit, and expanded EQs that are controlled directly from the pad. And moving beyond effects, there are also drum grooves and even RADIAS-inspired vocoder and synthesizer sounds that can be played free-form on the X/Y pad. WANT!
Pedobear Plush
Ah, the sweet dreams to be had to cuddle up the infamous child-chasing Pedobear.
Uh, or, um–not. The cuddly inviting Pedobear actually has more nefarious deeds in mind, so watch out, young’ns!
Although the lulz would be had, it’s definitely not a good gift for kids under 16.
M Audio X Session Pro Mixer DJ Controller
I had the earlier version of this to control Traktor. It was lightweight and did its job, so the new version would be good to have for more laptop-based performances where there aren’t vinyl turntables. The M Audio X-Session Pro USB MIDI controller is the easiest way to bring traditional DJ mixer-style control to the world of computer DJing and live performance.With a single USB connection, you get dedicated tactile controls for volume, pitch, EQ, cueing, transport and a crossfader. As a class-compliant USB MIDI controller, you can use it to control applications like Ableton Live, Traktor DJ Studio or any software that supports MIDI Learn, enabling you to bring DJ-inspired crossfades and filter sweeps into your live performances as well as studio productions.
Techno Fashion
The first roadmap into the relatively uncharted frontier of fashion and technology. And like any new world, this is one fraught with excitement, expectations and unknown potential. Comprehensive in scope and vision.’ Surface ‘Cerebral fashion gets the scholarly treatment by a writer intent on deconstructing the work of such artists and designers as Issey Miyake, Hussein Chalayan, Mandarina Duck, and Lucy Orta. Quinns book focuses on fashion as a multidisciplinary artform that encompasses architecture, interior design, and even camping equipment. Armed with thorough research and surprisingly personal interviews, Quinn makes fashion look smarter than the clothes could ever make the man.’ Black Book ‘Quinn’s book insightfully excavates the terrain of contemporary fashion and technology. From digital-display dresses to remote control couture, computerized clothing and i-Wear (intelligent wear), Quinn investigates the fusion of fashion with communication technology, electronic text.
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
I’ve read and worked from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything and loved his recipes and instruction, so his vegetarian version should be awesome. Author of a dozen bestselling cookbooks and beloved columnist for The New York Times (“The Minimalist”), Chef Mark Bittman bookends his award-winning modern classic, How to Cook Everything, with How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian the ultimate one-stop resource for meatless meals. Refreshingly straightforward and filled with illustrated recipes, this is a book that puts vegetarian cuisine within the reach of every home cook. You’ll want to spend countless days in the kitchen with Bittman’s latest culinary treasure.
1,000 Graphic Elements: Details for Distinctive Designs
Great inspiration! Often, the small, delightful details make a piece shine, similar to the way unique buttons on a white shirt can give it an entirely new look. This book explores 1,000 of these embellishments available to graphic designers across all kinds of projects, from books to brochures, invitations to menus, CDs to annual reports. Exacting photography, which is accompanied by credits outlining the vendors and materials used, focuses on these details. This book invites designers to literally shop for ideas. Content is organized by type; if you?re in the market for an unusual binding, turn to the bindings section to see a wide collection of fresh ideas. Other topics covered include fasteners, graphics, unique materials, embossing, debossing, specialty inks, type treatments, interesting color usage, add-ons, die cuts, and much more.
Bendable LED Branches
I want a ton of these in different heights to decorate with! Too cool. The 36″ lighted branch has 5 LED lights and is the middle branch in the image above. These are LED lighted bendable branches. The branches work off a battery pack which is sold separately. The battery pack will power up to 3 of the branches at one time on 3 AA batteries. It has an on off button and a button if you want them to blink. The branches are beautifully crafted with hand-wrapped stems that are bendable into any shape you need. Use to light your wedding cake, ice sculptures, create unique centerpieces.
Oh and there’s lots more cool stuff! Here’s my Amazon Wishlist
<< Ibiza Ride Leather Cuff – Black
This totally sexy and nerdy version of the original Ibiza Ride watch is totally futuristicly nerdy with a rock star edge. The staff here are fighting over these guys! It features a super wide black leather cuff with an innovative buckle system, and the same dial as it’s older brother, that oh-so-popular kid: Ibiza Ride LED watch.
>> #000000 Tie (Black Tie)
This will undoubtedly be your best bet for all black tie affairs. Printed with a large “#000000? –hexadecimal code for the color black, sure to make all graphic designers and web developers giggle.
Everything here is in-stock and will ship via First Class USPS mail if ordered by Dec. 20 in time for Christmas. Woot!
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1. Cat5 Bracelet - $15
Who would have thought that the guts of ethernet cable would make such a pretty multicolored bracelet? Anyone who rocks this multi-stranded wire bracelet sends a subtle signal to those in the know that the wearer is not just a geek, but one with style.
http://www.fractalspin.com/x/product.php?productid=9&cat=0&page=1 |
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2. Video Game Candy Tins – $3
Unexpectedly cute Super Mario Bros. Mushrooms and Stars have the secret bonus of being filled with tasty sour candy, and replicas of a Nintendo Wiimote and NES controller contain gum and mints. Not only are they great stocking stuffers, the tins can be re-used to hold memory cards, games, paper clips, headache medicine or those teeny-tiny mystery screws that you find after you’ve re-assembled your laptop to swap out its hard drive (total bummer).
http://www.fractalspin.com/x/home.php?cat=25 |
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3. Credit Card Organizer Wallets – $40-$60
The innovative, patented design of this aluminum wallet allows you to organize, protect and select up to either six or twelve of your favorite credit, ID and membership cards quickly and easily at the push of a switch. No complicated electronics or batteries needed. Never hold up a checkout line again!
http://www.fractalspin.com/x/product.php?productid=119&cat=0&page=1 |
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4. Varistor Necklaces – $18
Varistors keep important circuits safe from damaging power surges (variable + resistor), but when worn as jewelry they become elegant geek jewelry. Two versions are available–one in a shorter, black cord for men, and a longer chain version for women.
http://www.fractalspin.com/x/product.php?productid=133&cat=0&page=1 |
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5. IDE Belt – $16-$18
Check it out–here’s a belt made from genuine parallel cable for IDE hard drives. One size fits all–there are instructions in the package how to customize it to your size. And speaking of the packaging–just like working, sensitive electronics, it comes delivered to you in an anti-static bag.
http://www.fractalspin.com/x/product.php?productid=4&cat=0&page=1 |
Dogs are social critters, as are humans, and that’s probably why our species have gotten along so well over time. In having a rather large dog these past 9 years (by large I mean 160 lbs), I’ve learned a lot, mainly because I can’t just pick up my dog [Madeline] and remove her from a situation–it means I have to actually interact with her as an individual and try to understand her emotions, needs, and way of expressing herself.
Some things I’ve learned so far:
- Shaking means “I’m trying to relax myself. I feel tense and this helps me.” She does this all the time when at the vet’s.
- Yawning means “I’m annoyed / frustrated.” IE: I am preparing dinner and she cannot has.
- Putting her head on my lap means “I want something, and you can give it to me.” IE: “It’s been 5 hours and I have not been out and I need to pee, please help me do that in the way that you prefer, or else I will take care of that in the manner you do not prefer.”
- Rolling over means “Love me, please rub mah chest thx”
- Hiding under the bed when I come home means “Yeah, I did something that Alpha Girl gets mad about…hide before she find out (IE: “was on bed” / “got into recycling bin” / “both”)”
- Prancing on tiptoes with ears up while staring at another dog means “I’m *so* gonna eat that other dog” (Welcome to having a pitbull–but because I’m such a hardass she has improved greatly, btw. I will not divulge my methods tho! haha)
- Whining means she wants something she cannot have. Most often, access to another dog. Very often heard at the vet’s, or when she knows there is a visiting dog outside the apartment.
I think someone needs to start a Neurolinguistic Programming for-dogs thing. My woof is showing me stuff.
