There's some returning costumes, but there's also a few NEW ones. Plus there's a new background in the catalog.

The microscope pin is in the Sport Shop on the pink surfboard.

Club Penguin's coming out with figurines that you can, well, see what Billybob has to say.

Billybob: Another great idea that came directly from you were these two inch figurines. They are different than the ones you may be used to. They are made of three parts (head, body, feet) that can be interchanged with other figurine toys! So you'll be able to switch them all around - there will be endless cool combinations!! We can't wait to see what you come up with!

I think I'll get one for Christmas!

There's a new penguin poll you can take. It asks you what your favorite shop is. Mine's the Coffee Shop of all of those.

]]> http://spacecoast.wordpress.com/?p=603 Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:49:44 +0000 Space Coast http://spacecoast.es.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/space-coast-co-hosts-worlds-first-3-d-interactive-film-festival/ The world’s premier digital “3-D Film & Interactive Festival” (3DFF) will debut October 10 – 12, 2008 in Orlando and continue October 17 – 19 in nearby Cocoa Beach.

Hosted by AMC Entertainment® (AMC) and presented by RealD 3D, The Kerner Company, Domaine de Canton and Florida’s Space Coast, 3DFFproject is noted as the first competitive film festival in the world to feature a program comprised entirely of digital 3-D stereoscopic content in all forms of entertainment media.

The show opens with a gala event in Orlando on October 10 with a screening of 3ology,” a feature length program comprised of various 3-D feature clips, short films and music videos from around the world including: the trailer for Disney’s upcoming “Bolt” directed by Byron Howard & Chris Williams, Missy Elliott’s “Ching-a-Ling” 3-D Music Video directed by Dave Meyers, and Bjork’s “Wanderlust” 3-D Music Video directed by Encyclopedia Pictura.

The program also features clips provided by several leading 3-D production companies including: CGI Studios, DzignLight, In-Three, nWave, Paradise FX, The Scar Company, PassmoreLab, Uvphactory, and 3-D film and television pioneer 3ality Digital, who will feature a song from their “U23D” film, directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington. All films and 3-D content will be screened in RealD 3D.

The three day Orlando portion of the event, hosted by AMC at Disney’s Pleasure Island,

continues through October 12 with additional 3-D screenings, the weekend prior to the ShowEast Convention, where 3DFF will support its sponsors on the showroom floor.

3DFF then will relocate to the Cocoa Beach Hilton Oceanfront for its three day Space Coast Edition from October 17 through October 19. 3DFF’s scenic beachside venue will kick off with a Space Coast Screening and Party on October 17 and feature “The 3-D Film & Interactive Lounge” where attendees can interact with some of the world’s most advanced 3-D HDTV displays and 3-D video game presentations presented by leading 3-D technology companies.

For tickets or more information visit:

WWW.3DFF.ORG

If you are new to my blog I invite you to go check out my more frequently updated deviantART account brevityraccoon.deviantart.com as I will be faster in replying to you on there than here if you wish to contact me.

I have been solidly active within the art community for round about two years now but have been doing art my whole life in different forms. I recently took two courses, one on character design and pre-production and the latest one in the twelve principles of animation which was extremely useful and has taught me much in the skills I strive to perfect.

Commission Information (please help price my commissions in your comments)

I will take on anything you ask me to but for newcomers and frequent buyers I have a set of default commissions which you may purchase.

800x600 Standard Sized Digital Work

The above may be done in the following for different prices: 

• inked ...
• coloured ...
• coloured with a simple background ...
• coloured with a detailed background ...

1280x800 Standard Sized Digital Work

The above may be done in the following for different prices: 

Just the other day, Nanners received this email from a long time friend and felt he should pass it on to his dear readers:

I'd like to tell you about a project I saw on Members Project. It's called "Protect Cocos Island - World Heritage Site," and with your support it could get funding from American Express. American Express Cardmembers can vote for this project to receive potential funding by going to Protect Cocos Island - World Heritage Site

Members Project is an exciting initiative that brings people together to make a difference in the world. It's simple. People go online to share ideas for projects — and ultimately vote on which projects will share $2.5 million in funding from American Express.

In 2007, Members Project provided clean drinking water to children all across Africa. What will Members Project do this year? The decision is yours. Please get out the vote about this project.

Here's a video about the project:

Show Your Support
membersproject.com

This concludes this month's 'Nanners get activisty' segement. Look for more segments like this in the coming months!!

NEXT WEEK: Nanners gets political...again!!!

The lens covers and the film index hole cover are super strength magnets; fender washers are glued to the wood body. I put some self stick camera light seal material on the backside of the magnets. This was part of a general camera light seal fix kit from an online auction site.

The level is from one of those dollar store assortments. I broke the holder off and glued it in a routed slot on the top. This is a very important item. Stereo images that are not level are very hard for your eyes and software to rectify.

The inside shows how I set the two images five inches apart (all measurements here are approximate). There are five compartments, The two end ones are for the film rolls; the middle one is for the staggered image; the other two are the pinhole compartments.

The white tape is some teflon tape I had around and used in an attempt to reduce friction on the film, The first roll shows some scratching of the negatives in every frame, so I have to rethink this.

The pressure plate is simply a piece of wood mounted on the back with foam weatherproofing tape. Foam tape was  also used  between the back and front as a light seal; a note here- I didn't wait quite long enough for the paint on the wood to cure; and the tape was ruined in a couple of spots when I opened it up, after two weeks stored closed, for these pictures. I'd say wait a week or so or just store it unassembled.

So, I have two things to remedy - the tape scratches and replacing the damaged light seals. I am happy that there are not more problems.

As for the spacing of images on the film. As the roll is advanced through its length the stereo pairs are like this 1R.2R.1L.2L.3R.4R.3L.4L.5R.6R.5L.6L as they roll on the take-up roll. Six pairs per 120 film. Looking at the film back through the back hole the number sequence is 2.3.6.7.10.11 as the pictures are exposed.

There is a fold up/down viewfinder from an unknown folding camera to get a general idea of the framing.

There are three screw adjusters on the bottom of the camera. Since this is not exactly tripod friendly due to its width, I figured car tops, fences, chairs, benches, rocks, tree trunks, etc will be the normal resting place. These give me a way to level the camera. I do have a super reinforced tripod mount on the bottom, but unless it is a still day or indoors I'll use a support as mentioned above.

Using hardware store parts I made spring loaded roller guides and roll winders. Whatever works for your plan - after all this is part of the fun - being conceptual artist, designer, engineer, fabricator, assembler, trouble shooter,  and user. When the first roll comes back it reflects what you have done.

As with all my projects/hints - please read the Notice at the bottom of the right hand column >>>>>

OK, so Nanners was a little too scared to actually be in this picture, so he photoshopped himself in. As scared as he his, he can't stand to see these majestic creatures, as well as other sea animals (like whales and seals), being hunted to the brink of their extinction. It's just not right, particularly when their extinction could spell a major imbalance in our own ecosystem!

Several organizations have fought to stop whaling and shark hunting, but only small strides are being made. Check out the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for info on what they do, and to donate to their cause.

Also, be sure to check out the official site for Sharkwater, an exhaustive, shocking documentary about illegal shark hunting. Here's a review of the film from DVDFuture.com.

Here's a video about why the Sea Shepherd does what they do:

Here's a video of the Sea Shepherd battling whalers!

There's just something so innocent and adorable about the Red Panda, yet people keep destroying this cute, cuddly little fellow's habitat which has placed the Red Panda on the endangered species list. 

Just watch this video and tell Nanners you don't think these little furry guys are utterly adorable:

To learn more about the Red Panda, read the WIKI. To learn more about the conservationist effort and/or to donate to the cause, visit The Red Panda Network.

One gripe I have with Photosynth is the fact that the images you create can not be viewed off of the photosynth website. It seems to me that they would have to implement a tool to embed the photosynths into blogs, Facebook pages, and the like before it could really take off. Furthermore, most of the end results that I saw were rather clunky and uninteresting despite being comprised of an exceedingly large amount of pictures. Even though we’ve become quite comfortable with the lack of privacy in the digital age, the fact that all photosynths created are available to the public is also a bit unsettling.

My final verdict is to check it out now just to see for yourself, but it couldn’t hurt to wait awhile until Microsoft perfects the idea. Who knows? Maybe in a year or so we’ll all be uploading our latest photosynths to our Myspace pages.

Photosynth can be found here.

Nanners may be horribly scared of fish, but he understands their purpose on this great Earth. Every creature, even the scary ones, deserves a chance at life.

Here's a video about the horrors of long-line fishing taken from  the documentary "Sharkwater":

And here's another, unedited video of long lining:

Finally, here's the National Coalition for Marine Conservation's website. There you can learn about numerous fish-related atrocities and donate your time/money to their cause.

Pretty much this will be a DSLR photo shoot. The time it takes to set up and take pinhole/stereo shots with film cameras leaves them out for this trip. If I get a dual digital camera stereo rig put together, that would be ideal for NYC. 

Today I started another blog here on WordPress that centers on my digital photography. There is nothing there yet. I put the link in the Bloglist widget. When there are a few galleries I will again refer to it. It is similar to this blog in that it is not mainstream photography. There will be stereo images of course. Also I have fisheye, tilt and shift lenses to play with. The title is TDC or Top Dead Center  (NOT!)

Here's a video about a potential Squirrel Monkey Preserve:

And here's an article about the project.

For more information about the Las Nubes research and conservation program, or to donate, visit Las Nubes Cafe's website.

Whereby I commit logical fallacies, reference ideas far outside my area of expertise, exhibit ignorance of many aspects of connectivist theory, place groups, communities and networks in a single bag, and potentially annoy a number of people.  In other words... thinking out loud. 

Whenever something new and cool and incredibly smart floats across the computer screen or appears materially at our gadget-enhanced home, there is a standard response for paying homage to this new incarnation of genius: 

"Ooh, shiiiny..." 

I admit to being just as easily distracted by shiny objects as any other not-quite early adopter. But there's also always a little voice in the back of my brain reminding me that some covetable, shiny objects are made in China, with all the attendant issues, or that sixty-seven other people who have come up with something similar won’t get credit, because this one has a sleeker interface.

And so I have spent some time wondering how much connectivism is really shiny, and what this means for the folks in China, so to speak. 

Oversimplification is one of the dangers in trying to capture new information of this complexity. And yet I find I need to make some generalizations to myself as I try to situate this new knowledge. So I plead for tolerance as I think out loud here, particularly as I try to grasp the implications of viewing technology as integral to connectivist theory, and understanding connectivism as a network-only theory.

Flash one: The idea that knowledge lies in the network, that learning is the negotiation of a network resulting in change, sounds a lot like the idea of emergence that I've encountered elsewhere. Folklore analyses, for example, posit that storytelling in the context of performance exhibits emergent knowledge/understanding, where (off the top of my head) the "nodes" that inform this understanding could be defined as including the text, the teller, kinesic elements, ritual elements, the audience as a collective and as individual members, the setting, and the pulls of cultural tradition and personal and group innovation. It is within/out of the multiple channels involved in "telling" that the story informs.

Flash two: In a paper on "Collaborative ways of knowing," addressing adult learning, Randee Lipson Lawrence and Craig A. Mealman note that: "Africentric and feminist pedagogies as well as Native American traditions place high value on collective knowledge through the sharing of rich stories and the cultivation of relationships."

Flash three: Mary Field Belenky's A Tradition that Has No Name  discusses how women develop their learning and their "voices" by being "connected knowers," defined as those who engage with dialogue, role-taking, and contextual analyses (sounding a lot like networked learning?), with a heavy dose of constructivist meaning-making. And this jumped out: "Connected knowers focus on what is coming into being..." It also notes: "A leadership [learning] tradition rooted in maternal practice and maternal thinking ["connected knowing''] has gone unnamed... [D]evelopmentally focused leadership is seldom acknowledged, [whereas] leadership organized around paternal metaphors has been meticulously recorded..."

On one hand, these ideas are out of context for connectivism; even their authors may argue this. And clearly, labeling something with "connect + suffix" doesn't mean it’s related to connectivism as a theory. And collaborative and collective is not the same as connective. And, yes, these descriptions are arguably applicable to communities and groups, and not, based on course definitions, networks.

On the other hand, there is enough overlap here that I can't escape a sense that these notes reflect some sense of ubiquity for one, or possibly many, features of connectivism, depending on interpretation.  In fact, this "dependent on interpretation" is where I come back to where I started today, and to where I was last week, where technology was identified as a key aspect of the rhizomatic model and connectivist knowledge.

What if the flashes above suggest that a pattern of learning through connecting has been widespread even prior to the existence of technology, but has not been widely named, identified, or acknowledged by the "powers that be?" The above examples apply to populations generally marginalized, and certainly underrepresented in academic spheres that produce taxonomies and formal epistemologies. 

So I have to wonder:  what if it is not that technology has made connectivism possible, but that technology has made connected knowledge visible/palatable/appealing/exciting for a population that was otherwise dismissive of this way of thinking and working?

What if it's the shiny factor that has brought a rich tradition of knowing and learning into the folds of academe?

I appreciate connectivism in the abstract. I know that it's descriptive, not prescriptive. It's a learning theory, not a life philosophy (although I sometimes wonder what the difference is in my own life).  I do not need connectivism to be "all new" (I realize nobody is claiming that it is) to be not only valid, but also extremely valuable in understanding learning.  I recognize the "truths" of connectivism (as I understand it so far) on a daily basis. 

But I wonder if connectivism makes intuitive sense to me not because I'm already living as a node on a network, but because I've been socialized as a "connected knower," and trained in appreciating emergent performance?  Right now, connectivism somehow lacks the "get your hand dirty" aspect of some of my learning -- and my children's learning. It seems focused on the ether. I can't help but think that I need some "ands" here, some acknowledgment of the connectedness and valid knowledge emerging within communities and groups as described above, to prevent connectivism from being an unfortunately limited worldview.

(The language used to discuss the "connected knowing" of women in-depth is quite emotive, whereas Dave Cormier mentioned in an early session -- according to my notes -- that "connectivism isn't really personal." Some classmates have expressed a discomfort at not feeling "connected" to the class. Is this because they misunderstand connectivism, or because they understand it differently, and therefore place different demands upon it? Or is their desire to be personally connected completely unrelated?)

To be clear, I don't feel that connectivism’s fearless leaders have been in any way dismissive of others; G.S. began his introduction to networks by noting the many types of networks in social systems, for example. But the idea that there will be nuances that separate some networks from other social forms, whereby the multiplier effect of technology is inherent to the definition of the knowing, makes me worry that this will -- for some, but certainly not for all -- justify or inadvertently support ignoring forms of knowing operating beyond the technological sphere. As there are populations today who are creating knowledge without benefit or use of technology, is their knowledge somehow going to be seen as less valid or valuable? Is technology seen as so ubiquitous that they are they simply encompassed in the idea of “weak ties?” What happens to nodes and learning that won't/can't upload to the matrix?

Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi suggests there is a difference between "big C' creativity and "small c" creativity -- the difference between earth-shaking innovation and brilliance and daily, small scale problem-solving. He also posits that that Big C work has more impact on society, and I struggle with this assignment of value. But maybe it offers a model for a parallel approach here. Maybe it helps to see connected knowledge developed through network theory and technology as a 'big C’ thing, and connected knowing developed elsewhere as a "small c" kind of act? ... And yet, this type of division is exactly what I'm wrestling with and against.  Connected but non-networked learning is not necessarily an old or outdated model; it still exists, and is still valuable. Maybe Jenny Mackness'  idea about a "3-D" network depiction might help to integrate the idea of "connected knowing" with "connective knowledge." And maybe I just need to hear "more cowbell"  on this particular issue, and am running amok, trying to tackle things too fast and too soon.

In any case, questions abound -- of the causal relationship between technology and knowing; of the difference between connective knowledge, connected knowledge, and connected knowing; of the role of volition in connectivism; and the role of emotions in "big C" connectivism. And, if we were to make the leap to saying that there are various forms of connected and/or connective knowledge that have existed as a widespread, but heretofore underground or largely unidentified phenomenon, what implications would this have for figuring out how to practice this knowledge generation with learners of all ages and backgrounds? 

Connectivism, so far, is clean. It's reductively sleek. It is a beautiful machine.

But is it shiny?

Our clever pirate is donning yet another curious hat for BFF director, Tim Burton. Yummy Depp has nabbed the [obvious] role of the Mad Hatter in the real-life adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, 3-D!!!! The film is already underway and is set for release in 2010...

Burton expands on the classic tale:  "The stories are like drugs for children, you know? It's like, 'Whoa, man.' The imagery, they've never quite nailed making it compelling as a full story. So I think it's an interesting challenge to direct."

Actress Mia Wasilowska landed the role of precocious Alice and predictably Helena Bonham Carter is rumored to make a Wonderland appearance -- the queen?

Of course, Beetlejuice, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory set up a pattern for exquisitely fucked-up and deliciously visual and brilliantly executed children's stories. Add in the Captain Eo-factor and they've already done it again.

-Lauren Osterstock

This week Nanners continues his ongoing “Nanners at the Movies” segment, hosted by DVDFuture. 

Nanners escapes the clutches on the deadly Alien Queen but finds himself in deadly waters, facing off against the deadly great white shark from JAWS. Thankfully Nanners isn't a Brody, or a naked woman, so he should be OK.

Nanners managed to dig up a batch of classic spoofs--Jaws, with Monkeys.

Here's part one:

And part two:

The mechanical part of the project is finished. I just have to wait for an SD card to arrive and get the batteries re-charged. The weather is calling for rain for the next four days, so it appears that somewhere around October 1 I will get a chance to try the rig. The yellow object behind the cameras is a tape measure holding the rig up for the pics.

A construction story and related pictures for this stereo digital pinhole camera are posted on my website > http://photographyhacks.org <, a clickable link is in the Blotlist to the right >>>>>>>>>>>>

Also there is a short 'how to' on making pinholes. To make a pinhole cap for any camera with removable lenses, simply make a hole approximately 3/8" in diameter in the dead center of a body cap. Then glue the pinhole to the inside of the cap, centering the pinhole, and paint as much of the metal flat black as possible without filling in the pinhole, this to cut down on reflections. Do not worry about the exact size of the pinhole for your first attempt. Just do it and enjoy the results.

Update 10-03-2008: I just put a stereo camera DOF - Depth Of Field - table from the 1950's in a posting today.

This week Nanners continues his ongoing “Nanners at the Movies” segment, hosted by DVDFuture. 

After being banished from the U.S.S. Enterprise, Nanners sets up camp on an uncharted planet, but soon he discovers the indigenous creatures who inhabit this dirty, musty rock...and they are none too happy to him. They force Nanners to duel against their ALIEN Queen!! It's a battle to the death...

Thankfully Nanners' intoxicating banana breath throws off the Queen and Nanners is able to escape by swimming into a nearby body of water....but what awaits our furry friend is beyond imagination!!!

Here's a clever Alien-related commercial:

And since they're short, here's another:

Nanners managed to dig up a batch of classic spoofs–Alien, with Monkeys:

In a brief chance meeting with the head of marketing for a local retail center, we were discussing the change in vendors at the center, and the revenue.  

As a marketing advisor I had been watching the change in the demographics of the retailers and the shoppers.  When I began to give her my view point as a consumer the conversation shifted.  We discussed not just the demographic concerns, but location of key elements (such as family restrooms, overall look and feel of the center). 

After the meeting I reflected on the conversation from the view point of a shopper and marketing advisor.   Many companies fail to market in what is known as "4-D" and simply keep their message flat.  When that message doesn't work rather than add dimension for multiple view points, they simple switch to a different flat message.  It is vital for all companies big and small to look at how their message is being received.

Most people are familiar with 3-D most commonly in a movie format.  You know it will "pop-out" at you and have dimension.  Some theme parks have developed "4-D" movies where you not only see the movie, you experience it.  When you see water spray toward you on the screen you feel the spray or when you hear mice squeal, you "feel" them on your feet.  When you think about your company and brand is it one dimensional or do you pop?  And what do you customers "feel" when they interact with you?