[Sponsor] The Alessi Grow Watch is a cool new timepiece designed by Andrea Morgante of Shiro Studio and now available at Watchismo! The watch concept is derived from the 'act of growing' which often results in forms and patterns which we can all instinctively relate to. The surface of the design features a rippled texture, much like the muscle fibers which lay below our skin. Perceived as a single entity rather than an assembly of multiple mechanical parts, 'grow' is an external manifestation of our bodies' qualities.
Molotov cocktail in the shape of a heart Great Graphic Novels: Ménage à Bughouse by Steve Lafler Archie comic from 1972 about 2012 Cool Mint Chocolate Clif Bars are basically giant crunchy Thin Mints PokitDok: helping sick people find out cash cost for treatments The Kairos Mechanism: a half-sequel to The Bone Shaker Inflatable Unicorn horn for kitties: "Cats love it" Cory at Oakville Public Library (and other Toronto stops) this week Caturday preempted Father and son send toy train into the stratosphere Fallout shelter necessities Gweek 068: Matthew Modine Kickstarter re-commits to ideas instead of pre-orders Video about New Dimension comic book store (featuring Ed Piskor!) Blanket that makes you look like you're cuddlng with Thor and Loki Confusing photo Hand lettering the lyrics to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" Great Graphic Novels: Alan's War: The Memories of G.I. Alan Cope Tree dollhouse Sneak peek at Preservation Hall Band live at Carnegie Hall album Open source brick machine: the evolution In case you need to be impressed today, here is the cast of Les Misérables performing all their musical numbers live Incredible lava lake video Art textbook with no art: school trying to fix it Helen Mirren will continue in her role as "backup Queen" in The Audience Kickstarting a book of homemade D&D modules from the 1980s Bus cab converted into office The Emmys are this Sunday night, get ready for a live-Tweeting extravaganza! Authors of study linking GM corn with rat tumors manipulated media to prevent criticism of their work Oldest recorded message in a bottle Molotov cocktail in the shape of a heart
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 22, 2012 12:45 pm "Armament" is Francis Baker's Arab Spring-inspired Molotov cocktail in the shape of a glass heart: "I created this work, inspired by the Egyptians and the so called Arab spring. The visual starting point is the Molotov cocktail that has been the weapon of choice for the protesters. There is a connection in any conflict between ...
Read in browser Great Graphic Novels: Ménage à Bughouse by Steve Lafler
By Jim Woodring on Sep 22, 2012 12:30 pm Last month I asked my friends to write about books they loved (you can read all the essays here). This month, I invited them to write about their favorite graphic novels, and they selected some excellent titles. I hope you enjoy them! (Read all the Great Graphic Novel essays here.) -- Mark Ménage à Bughouse ...
Read in browser Archie comic from 1972 about 2012
By David Pescovitz on Sep 22, 2012 11:28 am Reportedly snipped from an Archie comic from 1972 in which he time travels to 2012. Even if the 1972/2012 bit is off, it's a great panel anyway. (via @coseyfannitutti)
Read in browser Cool Mint Chocolate Clif Bars are basically giant crunchy Thin Mints
By Dean Putney on Sep 22, 2012 11:00 am I'm not much of one for energy bars, and I don't think I've ever had a Clif Bar before, but I just bought a Cool Mint Chocolate Clif Bar on a whim and let me tell you: Wow. It's basically a giant oatmealy crunchy Thin Mint. I realized that as soon as I cracked the ...
Read in browser PokitDok: helping sick people find out cash cost for treatments
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 22, 2012 10:34 am Peter Biddle sez, Some friends of mine are up and running on a web startup called PokitDok. I'm on their tech board and the Facebook, blog and Twitter posts I did while I was dealing with my father's illness and death over the past year became part of their VC pitch materials. Ted and Lisa ...
Read in browser The Kairos Mechanism: a half-sequel to The Bone Shaker
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 22, 2012 09:00 am Back in 2010, I reviewed Kate Milford's dreamy, Bradburian YA novel The Bone Shaker. And back in April, I blogged Kate Milford's Kickstarter pitch to fund a print-on-demand half-sequel to act as a bridge between Bone Shaker and its direct sequel The Broken Lands. That Kickstarter was fully funded, and Milford used the money to ...
Read in browser Inflatable Unicorn horn for kitties: "Cats love it"
By Xeni Jardin on Sep 22, 2012 08:17 am Happy Caturday. (thanks, Tara McGinley)
Read in browser Cory at Oakville Public Library (and other Toronto stops) this week
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 22, 2012 08:15 am Great news, West Torontonians! The free Oakville Public Library event I'm doing next Wednesday has been opened to all comers (it was previously teen-only). There's refreshments, too. You need to pick up a ticket at a local OPL branch, or you can call or email (ecole@oakville.ca or 905-815-2042 ext. 5037) to book ahead. Hope to ...
Read in browser Caturday preempted
By Rob Beschizza on Sep 22, 2012 03:01 am 
Read in browser Father and son send toy train into the stratosphere
By David Pescovitz on Sep 22, 2012 12:12 am Maker dad Ron Fugelseth and his 4-year-old son sent the boy's favorite toy train eighteen miles up into the stratosphere aboard a weather balloon outfitted with an HD camera and salvaged cell phone for GPS. Then he made this lovely video. (Thanks, Kelly Sparks!)
Read in browser Fallout shelter necessities
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 21, 2012 09:17 pm From 1962, a sparkling set of electronics for your fallout shelter. Equip your fallout shelter.
Read in browser Gweek 068: Matthew Modine
By Mark Frauenfelder on Sep 21, 2012 08:54 pm Click here to play this episode. Gweek is Boing Boing's podcast about comic books, science fiction and fantasy, video games, board games, tools, gadgets, apps, and other neat stuff. My co-hosts for this episode are: Jamie Frevele, Boing Boing's entertainment editor, comedian, and former editor of The Mary Sue. Actor Matthew Modine, who has lent ...
Read in browser Kickstarter re-commits to ideas instead of pre-orders
By Glenn Fleishman on Sep 21, 2012 07:47 pm Kickstarter updated its policies for product design today: a move that will cost the firm money but relieve tension caused by fast promises and slow delivery.
Read in browser Video about New Dimension comic book store (featuring Ed Piskor!)
By Mark Frauenfelder on Sep 21, 2012 06:54 pm [Video Link] I was thrilled to see our pal Ed "Brain Rot" Piskor in this great video about a fantastic old-school comic book store on Pennsylvania called New Dimension that actually sells used comic books! Ed says: Hey Mark. I'm not too sure what the comic shops look like in Cali, but on the east ...
Read in browser Blanket that makes you look like you're cuddlng with Thor and Loki
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 21, 2012 06:50 pm Illustrator Pascalle Lepas created a design for a blanket that would make its user appear to be snuggling with Thor and Loki and had it custom printed. She's not sure if she'll sell them, but she certainly makes a compelling pitch for them in this photo! This Loki & Thor Snuggle Blanket Puts You In ...
Read in browser Confusing photo
By Mark Frauenfelder on Sep 21, 2012 06:33 pm Assuming this wasn't photoshopped, I'm still trying to figure out what's going on here. Is this a photo of three people? (Via Reddit)
Read in browser Hand lettering the lyrics to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues"
By Mark Frauenfelder on Sep 21, 2012 06:28 pm A wonderful homage to Bob Dylan's card-flipping film for "Subterranean Homesick Blues," by artist Leandro Senna.
Read in browser Great Graphic Novels: Alan's War: The Memories of G.I. Alan Cope
By Mike Haeg on Sep 21, 2012 06:20 pm Last month I asked my friends to write about books they loved (you can read all the essays here). This month, I invited them to write about their favorite graphic novels, and they selected some excellent titles. I hope you enjoy them! (Read all the Great Graphic Novel essays here.) -- Mark Alan's War: The ...
Read in browser Tree dollhouse
By Mark Frauenfelder on Sep 21, 2012 06:18 pm Meg Allan Cole says: "Maddie Chambers created this amazingly detailed and beautiful tree dollhouse she dubbed Mad’s Mouse House and it is something to see. It even has electricity and a teeny tiny Oriental rug." Mad's Mouse House
Read in browser Sneak peek at Preservation Hall Band live at Carnegie Hall album
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 21, 2012 05:42 pm Here's a hell of a way to start the weekend: a couple of outstanding tracks from the upcoming album St. Peter & 57th St, from the Preservation Hall Band, the very sound of New Orleans. The album was recorded live in Carnegie Hall, and ships on September 25th. * It Ain't My Fault, featuring Yasiin ...
Read in browser Open source brick machine: the evolution
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 21, 2012 05:33 pm Tristan sez, "Open Source Ecology is a social enterprise based in Missouri. We develop open source machines that can be made for a fraction of commercial costs, and share our designs on the Internet for free. We've just designed version 4.0 of our compressed earth brick press, the Liberator. With this machine, anyone can make ...
Read in browser In case you need to be impressed today, here is the cast of Les Misérables performing all their musical numbers live
By Jamie Frevele on Sep 21, 2012 04:46 pm You might be a cynic when it comes to movies adapted from Broadway musicals, and that's fine. They're not for everyone. But no matter what you might think of Les Misérables or its cast -- Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, among others -- you will undoubtedly be impressed by the approach taken ...
Read in browser Incredible lava lake video
By David Pescovitz on Sep 21, 2012 04:34 pm Filmmaker Geoff Mackley captured this insanely hot footage of Marum Volcano on Ambrym Island, Vanuatu. Check out the incredible photos on Mackley's site too. (via Dave Pell's NextDraft)
Read in browser Art textbook with no art: school trying to fix it
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 21, 2012 04:00 pm Earlier this week, I wrote about a custom textbook for a course in art history from prehistory to 1800 that had been assigned to students at the Ontario College of Art and Design at a price of $180, which was to be delivered without any artwork in it, thanks to a dispute over copyright clearances. ...
Read in browser Helen Mirren will continue in her role as "backup Queen" in The Audience
By Jamie Frevele on Sep 21, 2012 03:58 pm Helen Mirren will play all the queens, all the time! The only actress to ever play both Queen Elizabeths on screen will play the younger version once again for The Audience, a play written by Peter Morgan, screenwriter of The Queen. She won an Oscar for playing Queen Elizabeth II in that, and appeared alongside ...
Read in browser Kickstarting a book of homemade D&D modules from the 1980s
By Cory Doctorow on Sep 21, 2012 03:22 pm Plagmada -- the Play Generated Map and Document Archive -- is kickstarting a book of homebrew D&D modules made by game-geeks in their misspent youth. The lead title is the remarkable The Habitition of the Stone Giant Lord, created by 13-year-old Gaius Stern in 1981. The book will contain other homebrew adventures, and is seeking ...
Read in browser Bus cab converted into office
By David Pescovitz on Sep 21, 2012 03:12 pm A fellow in Hungary converted the front of a salvaged bus into a fantastic workspace "cubicle." Reminds me a bit of the VW Westfalias converted into an office at IDEO's Palo Alto headquarters and a conference room at TuneUp Media. "A Scrapped Bus Cab Turned into Awesome Working Place" (woohome)
Read in browser The Emmys are this Sunday night, get ready for a live-Tweeting extravaganza!
By Jamie Frevele on Sep 21, 2012 03:12 pm Boing Boing is covering the Primetime Emmys this year! This Sunday night, starting at 7:00 PM EST (4:00 PM Pacific), I will be taking over the Boing Boing Twitter account to live-tweet the Emmys. While I am not good making predictions, I am really great at telling people about things right after they actually happen! ...
Read in browser Authors of study linking GM corn with rat tumors manipulated media to prevent criticism of their work
By Maggie Koerth-Baker on Sep 21, 2012 03:06 pm Earlier today, I posted on the recent paper that claims to have found a link between eating genetically modified corn and the growth of tumors in rats. Short version: The research sucked. It's a terribly done study and it demonstrates why "peer reviewed" does not always mean "accurate". But now, this story is getting worse. ...
Read in browser Oldest recorded message in a bottle
By David Pescovitz on Sep 21, 2012 02:52 pm Dropped into the Atlantic Ocean's North Sea on June 10, 1914, this is the oldest message in a bottle ever found. A fellow plucked it from the sea last year. The bottle was part of a study of ocean currents conducted by the Glasgow School of Navigation nearly a century ago. From National Geographic: According ...
Read in browser Meet SparkTruck, an “educational build-mobile” for the twenty-first century.
Dreamed up by a group of Stanford d.school students and funded through Kickstarter, SparkTruck is a mobile maker space currently traveling across the United States. At schools and summer camps and libraries around the country, the SparkTruck team offers workshops to help kids “find their inner maker” as they design and build projects like stamps, stop-motion animation clips, and “vibrobots.”
[video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmRKXqDwieY&feature=plcp]
This might seem all shiny and new. And it is—but only in part. What’s so striking (and exciting) about SparkTruck is the way it combines old and new. It does so in the tools it gets kids using, which range from pipe cleaners to laser cutters. It does so in its educational approach, which combines cutting-edge (get it?) STEM and design pedagogy with the fundamentals of an old-school shop class. And it does so in its method, which combines the iconic, century-old technology of the bookmobile with the hot new form of the maker space.
In doing so, SparkTruck joins a growing number of libraries which are combining time-tested principles (like equal access to information) with new technologies (like 3-D printers), putting in maker spaces and media production labs alongside bookshelves and meeting rooms. As I’ve argued over on bookmobility.org, these combinations make sense because reading and making actually have a lot in common. They’re both creative processes that take existing materials and combine them in new ways. Getting people engaged in those kinds of processes—through imaginative thinking, contemplation, hands-on problem-solving, and collaborative learning—is what both maker spaces and libraries are all about.
Taking that commitment on the road with scissors and hammers and 3-D printers and a great big bookmobile-like truck, SparkTruck serves as a laboratory for new approaches, as well as a reminder that trying new things doesn’t have to (and probably shouldn’t!) necessarily mean tossing old ones out.
After all, what would those vibrobots be without classically crafty pipe cleaners and tongue depressors? And what would a library be without the creative, participatory, straight-up awesome experience of reading?
SparkTruck schedule [sparktruck.org]
How to arrange a visit from SparkTruck [sparktruck.org]
SparkTruck YouTube channel [youtube.com]
Signature: --Derek Attig, bookmobility.org
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