I started this project quite some time ago, in fact some of you may have seen it at Maker Faire back in May.  Originally, this was intended to be an example of 'how to steampunkify an object.'  The idea being that by removing the casing and exposing the interesting insides of the phone you can make it more exciting and attractive.

I guess it kind of worked, but to be honest I'm not that pleased with the results.  In any case, it will make a fine telephone for the workshop.

. . .

Oh hey! I just came across this video from TechieDiva where Nathaniel Johnstone from Abney Park shows off my phone at Maker Faire - what's so cool is that he gets it just right and this video was likely filmed with in hours of the time when Nathan and I first met in person!

We have a new puppy in the house, and while this is a wonderful thing in general, it means I sometimes have to get up in the middle of the night to let him out. The problem is I don't have a bedside lamp so I end up stumbling across the bedroom to turn on the overhead lamp so I can find the leash as well as my robe and shoes. Needless to say this does not please The Lady. So, my next project had to be a new bedside lamp.

Like most of my lamp projects this one started with a visit to the junk bins.  At right you see part of an antique student lamp I rescued from the metal recycling bin before the ban on picking at our local dump went into effect.  It's quite nicely made, but this is all I was able to retrieve.  The other parts are from various more mundane fixtures and the bulb at left is a reproduction Aerolux glow lamp. 

. . .

Yes, that is the Steampunk Strat in the hands of Nathaniel Johnstone of Abney Park on stage at SteampoweredCon 2008.

Sigh.

I made her but I could not give her what she needed as I have not the musical talent.  I'm glad she found a good home and I expect we'll all be hearing great things from her in the future.

In fact, I understand she's already laid down some mad trackz on AP's newest album project.

See ya 'round Lady Strat!

[Thanks to Kathryn Hedges for the photo!]

This year's theme was The Wizard of Oz.  I hacked up a rear projection TV that I got off of Craigslist to be the Great and Powerful Oz.  The original intent was to use the then working TV to present the image from a camera.  Unfortunately, the moment I started tweaking the gain controls to get a bright and colorful image the high voltage supply popped!

No worries though as I was able to strip out the interior entirely and utilize a presentation projector I borrowed from work.

Click through for more pics and a video . . .

Back from a morning of shopping in Seattle.  Got Hungarian Paprika, Madras Curry, Bacon Band-aids and a pair of vintage drafting sets at the Seattle Antique Market.  This town is really growing on me!

One of the crappy things about contextual advertizing on the web is that you can't always stay on top of what's presented on your site. 

Know that we here at the Steampunk Workshop will always Vote for Love and we sincerly hope the good people of California will do the same tomorrow!

Yours,

Jake von Slatt.

Update #2: Clearly the Goog got A LOT of mail on this one - here is their response.  And California: not cool, man. Not. Cool.

Only a few more days until the Steam Powered - The California Steampunk Convention!! 

It's been a big week for me already and it's only Monday!  Yesterday I got the propane torches and sound system working on our primary prop for All Hallows E'en.  We're doing "The Wizard of Oz" and I get to be "The Great and Powerful!"  I know you are anxious to see the rig, so I'll try and get some video up tomorrow.  Friday is going to be a blast!  Mwhahahahaa!

Then Saturday morning, likely sometime around 4AM, a car will arrive to whisk me off to the airport and the first California Steampunk Convention.  I'm really excited about this because I'm going to get to see so many of the people I met at Maker Faire again!

I'm also going to get to meet some folks in person for the very first time  including Ann and Jeff VanderMeer the editors of the Steampunk anthology. 

Jeff and I really seem to have hit it off and have been plotting and planning ever since we met online back in April.  A little earlier today we received some sensational news! The details are still in the works, but we will almost certainly have an exciting announcement for you on Saturday at Steam Powered!

Tomorrow is the Yankee Steam-Up!  From the New England Wireless and Steam Museum website:

The Original Yankee Steam-Up
For model makers, Machinists, Engineers & Historians
Saturday October 4, 2008
9:00AM-4:00PM
1300 Frenchtown Road, East Greenwich, RI 02818
Steam & Compressed Air for Models.
Licensed Boilers & Licensed Engineers.
New Englands Largest Steam-Up Boiler.
Giant Working Steam Engines & Hot Air & IC.
Admission, $15.00         Children under 12 $5.00
All Steam-Up Proceeds go to Upkeep of the Museum
Free Parking         Food on Grounds

I'll be heading down in the morning, click through for pictures from my visit last year . . .

In 1978 James Burke produced and narrated a series on the history of science called Connections. It's a wonderful series and I highly recommend you get a hold of all three seasons.

But right now, watch this video about technology traps.  You'll get the idea after the first ten minutes but feel free to seek out and watch the whole thing.

When the infrastructure in the city breaks down it would seem that the smartest thing to do is flee.  But that is not an option for many and anyway you have to see disaster coming to get out ahead of the swarm of humanity with the same idea. 

And where will you go?  When you get there, what will you do? Will you even know when to leave?

The apocalypse will come by inches, you won't know it's upon you until long after it's too late.  But if you have a copy of this book you may not notice it at all because you'll by comfortable, well fed and in a position to help those around you.

Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew of Austin's Rizome Collective have put together this book, Toolbox for Sustainable City Living on sustainable living, permaculture, aquaculture, energy production, bioremediation and many other subjects all designed with city dwellers in mind.  Subjects such as gardening, alternative energy and fuels are only touched upon as there are many resources already available.  However the information on Aquaculture and particularly bioremediation of contaminated land (brownfields) is extensive and unique.

The Apocalypse will be slow and boring - pay attention and prepare and you might not even notice it.

This book arrived in the post just as I was leaving for vacation so I was actually able to read it over a period of just 3 days - a rare thing for me!  Ms. Sedia draws a detailed picture of an ancient city ruled by a tripartite balance of power between the Mechanics, the Alchemists, and the Duke in concert with the ancient race of watcher Gargoyles.  Her style of prose is direct and sparse, yet she evokes sounds, smells and qualities of light that brought the city alive for me.

Mattie, the protagonist, is an Automaton, a clockwork artificial intelligence - for this is a world where mechanics and alchemy have advanced to the level of magic.  Mattie is recently emancipated from her Mechanic creator and is starting a new career as an Alchemist, a pursuit to which she is dedicated and at which she is very skilled. Yet she is not fully accepted even by her peers in the Alchemist's Guild.

Throughout the book Mattie seemed very familiar to me and after some contemplation I think I understand why.  Mattie's situation reminded me strongly of how women in engineering and IT were often treated at some of the more dysfunctional companies where I've worked. I suspect that many women pursuing careers in technology will feel an immediate kinship with Mattie!

But not all of the Mechanics are bad and not all of the Alchemists are wholly good.  This is neither a Utopian nor a Dystopian city, but it is a whopping good tale!