Adam Sandler performed a parody version of “Magic Bus” as a tribute The Who, introducing them as they took the stage at the VH1 Rock Honors Award Show.
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Adam Sandler’s “Magic Bus” Parody Tribute To The Who
Yeti-Bama t-shirt by GAMA-GO. Yeti change I can believe in.
image via GAMA-GO
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guest post by Aaron Muszalski
Doctor Popular - the noted San Francisco game theorist, crafter, musician, artist and yo-yo performer extraordinaire - has posted an article in which he envisions the potential applications of the iPhone as an alternate interface for videogames. Rather than merely using the iPhone as a stand-alone gaming platform, Doc suggests using it as a uniquely capable adjunct to games that are currently played on laptop or desktop computers.
Although developing games for the iPhone may be hindered by it’s lack of controls, the iPhone itself could surprisingly make for an awesome game controller itself. Imagine controlling the avatar on your computer over WiFi with your iPhone. Tilting it to move forwards or backwards, selecting weapons from your touchscreen, controlling your weapon via swipe motions. The iPhone could make a great game controller, hell it’s even got a built in rumble pad!
Meanwhile, in his post “Baby Steps to an Augmented Future“, new media producer and gamer Eric Rice theorizes that the iPhone is just one step towards a future where such alternate interfaces have become ubiquitous.
What do the new iPhone, fashion industry, and video games have in common? They might be baby steps towards a future world where the virtual overlaps the real.
The general definition of augmented reality is the combination of computer-generated data (images, videos, etc) with real, tangible things that are located in our ‘real’ world. Most early ventures with augmented reality involve overly-geeky headsets and contraptions to accomplish a simple augmentation of what we see in front of us.
One example of a possible augmented reality interface is Robert Winters’ AUGNAV - or AUGmented reality NAVigation - an imaginary application for a future iPhone that would combine video capture, location-awareness and wireless data access to provide a navigation experience far beyond anything offered by current GPS units.
While a system as advanced as AUGNAV remains at least a few years away, the equally-revolutionary gaming interfaces suggested by Doctor Popular are well within the iPhone’s current abilities. And really, if you’re an iPhone developer, wouldn’t you rather work on something truly innovative, rather than yet another flashlight app?
photo by Doc Pop
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The iPhone: Alternate Gaming Interface, or Harbinger of an Augmented Future?
I’m conducting a survey, if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and work in the web/tech industry, do you go to Burning Man?
Feel free to pass this poll along. Of course there is no way to verify that only people in the Bay Area are responding, but it should give a general idea of who is/isn’t going these days.
A decade ago this poll would have been a joke. Back then almost all of us went.
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Poll: San Francisco Bay Area Web/Tech, Do You Go To Burning Man?
The organizers of ROFLCon, the wonderful conference on internet memes that took place at MIT in April (here are my ROFLCon photos), have been busy planning a series of smaller summer events around the US. On Friday, August 29th they will be hosting the mini-con ROFLThing at Mighty in San Francisco.
A great lined-up of speakers is already starting to emerge, including Andy Baio who will be doing a talk about the Star Wars Kid, Sean O’Steen founder of Fail Whale Fan Club and Cheez, who is president of I Can Has Cheezburger? Here is the preliminary schedule for ROFLThing and registration is now open.
Dogster & Catster have signed on as ROFLThing sponsors and they are still looking for more sponsors if know of any companies or organizations that might be interested.
See Previously: ROFLCon 2008 Photos
photos by Scott Beale
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ROFLThing, Exploring Internet Memes in San Francisco
Scott Van Den Plas came across busted out brick wall in a Chicago neighborhood, so he promptly “took the proper corrective measures” and plastered some Kool-Aid Man Wanted posters on the surviving area of the wall. Looks like Paul Addis has some competition.
See Previously: Animation of Dane Cook Talking About The Kool-Aid Man
via Urban Prankster
photos by Joe Van Wetering
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Kool-Aid Man Wanted on Destruction of Property Charges
guest post by Todd Lappin (Telstar Logistics)
I recently met a city employee who was painting San Francisco Department of Parking and Traffic logos and “Tow Away” markings on curbs around the Mission. These are the very stencils used to create the curb markings that generate so much pain and anxiety for San Francisco motorists. It also occurred to me that from a revenue perspective, the return-on-investment from a DPT stencil must be huge, given how many expensive parking tickets each one generates. Just the sight of them made my blood pressure rise.
photos by Todd Lappin (Telstar Logistics)
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Be Afraid: San Francisco’s Parking Stencils of Doom
Comic-Con 2008, the largest comics and pop culture conference in the world (125K+ attendees), takes place next week, July 24-27 at the San Diego Convention Center. Several of our friends are exhibiting there this year, including Hi-Fructose Magazine (booth 4939), Last Gasp (booth 1614), STRANGEco (booth 4629), Dumbrella (booths 1335 & 1337), GAMA-GO (booth 4738) and Keith Knight (table K15).
photo by Scott Beale
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Comic-Con 2008, A Giant Comics & Pop Culture Conference
Maker Faire Austin 2008, organized by Make Magazine and Craft Magazine, takes place October 18th and 19th at Travis County Expo Center. Make just put out this year’s Call For Makers, so if you are interested in participating, you have until September 4th to submit your application.
Maker Faire returns to Austin, Texas for its second year. This two-day, family-friendly event celebrates the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset and features interactive exhibits organized by individual enthusiasts, hobbyist groups and clubs as well as student groups. It’s for creative, resourceful folks who like to tinker and love to make things. Maker Faire is an opportunity to share what you do with others.
This will be the second year for Maker Faire Austin. Here are my photos from 2007.
This Saturday, July 19th in Dallas there will be a “An Afternoon at Maker Faire” from 9am-5pm at the The Museum of Nature and Science.
This Sunday, July 20th Maker Faire Austin Auditions will take place at the Austin Children’s Museum from 1pm-5pm, followed by a Maker Faire Townhall at La Madeleine from 6pm-9pm.
Speaking of Maker Faire, Celeste Headlee recently did a story on the event featuring Mister Jalopy for NPR’s “Day to Day”: “Are You Sure You Own Your Stuff?”
photo by Scott Beale
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Maker Faire Austin 2008 Call For Makers
Cracked posted an article in March about the “5 Works of Art That Can Probably Kill You” which featured art from several of our deadly friends, including SEEMEN (see “Fire Shower” video above), Survival Research Labs and The Flaming Lotus Girls.
Thanks to Weazie for the tip!
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Cracked Features 5 Works of Art That Can Probably Kill You
see how fast you can type. It’s pretty lame that it doesn’t have real sentences bu tI guess that’s what you get.
