Geeky things that I found cool since the last time I posted geeky links (early May).
- A short documentary about board games. Its really good.
- Daniel Wolf talks about the profitability of the niche world and serialized world of comics and television and how they may serve as a model for experimental music economic models. Experimental music definitely has its niche, but I wonder if its creation can fit inside the very budget focused worlds of television and comics.
- Also by Mr. Wolf, “Music As World Building” both describes interesting ways in which music creates a sonic environment and discusses a Haydn opera about a fake moon landing.I’ve lately become curious about how the tools I use to make music contribute to musical environments. Node Beat interested me because its limitations create a very unique sound that any music made with it shares. Your job as a musician using the tool is to sculpt an individual identity within that environment. That is to say, many of our tools clearly define the limitations of the musical world I set out to explore. Even full featured programs I use like Sibelius have territorial boundaries.
- Star Wars the radio play, performed at Emerald City Comic Con by some serious voice acting talent doing their famous voices in the roles. Like, Bender as Luke Skywalker. Also, Batman narrates. Star Wars turned 35 this week, if you didn’t know. People get all up in arms when they see childish manifestations of Star Wars, but they must forget Star Wars disco.
- Speaking of people getting up in arms: Likening geek culture to the tea party. I thoroughly support the author’s perspective in this. Additionally, the heroes celebrated in these films have a habit of reinforcing the dominant culture and status quo. Granted, supervillains are not a disenfranchised minority. At the same time, “a great person will save you weaklings who can’t fend for yourselves” is not really questioning why people may feel victimized.
- An awesome piece of art from Simon Roy, artist of Prophet. A whole story and consideration of our future in a handful of inches.
- I am far from an Apple fan. I can point to a number of superficial squabbles with the company and the culture around it, but most of my problems with the company revolve around its issue of creating restrictive closed platforms. The EFF discusses how it can change this policy.
- “we will not inspire anyone with grand visions of a viable future through the medium of escapism.”
featured image: Hawaii on flickr
