Bruce Sterling's Blog, page 669

Globespinning with Gilberto Gil

http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/03/25/2067493/globespinning-with-gilberto-gil.html

"Gilberto Gil, 67, is a living legend of Brazilian music. One of the pioneers of that country's tropicalia scene of the '60s — a movement combining traditional rhythms, rock and social observation — he was harassed by the then-military government and fled to England. But he returned to Brazil and became a force, ultimately releasing more than 40 albums and being named Brazil's Minister of Culture in 2003, a...

Green LOHAS venture angels

*This is one of those enterprises that feels like design fiction but apparently isn't.

http://www.investorscircle.net/resources/book-list

"Partner Organizations

"The following is a list of organizations that Investors' Circle works closely with and that we think might be of interest to you. Please also see our book list

Angel Capital Association

The Angel Capital Association is a peer organization of angel investing groups in North America. The professional association focuses on networking and...

Francois Roche

*Apparently our Francois has mocked-up some kind of prototype mobile cement-spewing robot powered by medieval humors. If you go by "Le Laboratoire," lemme know about that.

http://www.new-territories.com/blog/architecturedeshumeurs/

Research-Exhibition at "Le Laboratoire" /

22nd January – 16th May 2010 / 4 rue du Bouloi / 75001 Paris /

Open from Friday to Monday / 1pm to 7 pm

Pictures

- Models

- Prototypes

- Exhibition

An architecture "des humeurs"

- Intro (English/Francais)>>

Credits

The Turinese Magic Museum

*To be built in an abandoned church. Boy, that place oughta be lively. If you go looking for weird esoterica in Torino, it tends to show up.

*Have at it, Google Translator:

http://www3.lastampa.it/torino/sezioni/cronaca/articolo/lstp/159632/

(…)

"Turin, explained Brachetti, is internationally recognized as a world center of both white magic and black magic. The first is part of a triangle composed of the cities Turin, Lyon and Prague, while the second has for vertices Turin, London and San...

Mega-region urban corridors

*Imagine living in a place like that. Or, a hundred years later yet, imagine living in the endless rambling *ruins* of a place like that.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/22/un-cities-mega-regions

(…)

"Cities are pushing beyond their limits and are merging into new massive conurbations known as mega-regions, which are linked both physically and economically. Their expansion drives economic growth but also leads to urban sprawl, rising inequalities and urban unrest.

"The biggest...

Arphid Watch: How Dead is That Doggie in the Window

*When it comes to engineering moral panics, Katherine is not just taking the cake here, but jumping up and down on it repeatedly. Whatever next? Tumor-ridden viral Lolcats, maybe.

From: kma@spychips.com

Subject: [Caspian-press-l:] Chipped Dogs Develop Fast-Growing, Lethal Tumors

Date: 25 marzo 2010 03:06:27 GMT-05:00

For a version of this press release with photos of the dogs, please see:

http://www.antichips.com/press-releas...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 25, 2010

CHIPPED P...

Design Fiction at SXSW Interactive 2010: the podcast

*It lacks something without the graphics, but it's listenable.

http://audio.sxsw.com/2010/podcasts/031310i_designFiction.mp3

Retrowow

*There is something rather alarmingly comprehensive and well-packaged going on here. And it's British.

http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_faq.html

"Modern retro products

"The modern retro product is modern in functionality, but old in look and feel. It is a compromise, an antique that performs as well as a modern product. The retro appeal is less about quality and more about style with a large dose of fun added.

"Retro products give us the past we remember, or don't remember, without the...

Muammar Gaddafi, science fiction writer

*Undeterred by the grumpy review, I'm inclined to read this. One wonders if Gaddafi, like Saddam Hussein, collects Rowena knock-off fantasy paintings.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/mar/24/dictator-lit-gaddafi

(…)

Slightly more interesting (and almost a story) is Suicide of the Astronaut, in which a man visits the moon, finds nothing, and upon his return to earth discovers that his qualifications as a space explorer leave him, like an arts grad, unable to secure useful work...

Smart Things by Mike Kuniavsky

*I'm reading it. Check it out: this Kuniavsky guy knows everybody.

http://www.experientia.com/blog/book-ubiquitous-computing-user-experience-design/

"I am also in intellectual and social debt to: Adam Greenfield, Andrew Otwell, Ben
Cerveny, Bill Buxton, David Zicarelli, Eric von Hippel, Erika and Mike at Mule Design,
Genevieve Bell, Jan Borchers, Jeff Callahan, Jesse James Garrett, Judith Zissman,
Malcolm McCullough, Matt Cottam, Matt Jones, Matthias Richter and Susanne Backer,
Molly Wright...