The very first Ignite NYC takes place next Tuesday, July 29th at M1-5 in Manhattan.

Ignite is really great series organized by Brady Forrest where speakers give 5 minute talks on a variety of geek-centric topics using 20 auto-advancing slides that are up for only 15 seconds each. See Brady’s post on the O’Reilly Radar blog for more info, including the list of 16 speakers.

As an added bonus that night, Ignite co-founder and Etsy video producer Bre Pettis will be hosting a NYC Soldering Championship.

With solder irons blazing, and the power of molten metal at their finger tips, New York City’s electricity enthusiasts and hardware hackers will connect components to complete circuits for the glory of being the fastest soldering gun in NYC.

On stage and under hot lights, contestants will complete an electronics kit in the shortest time possible while still maintaining the integrity of the circuit. Who will be New York City’s soldering champion? You’ll need to be there to find out!

guest post by Todd Lappin (Telstar Logistics)

Avast ye landubbers and shutterbugs!

On Wedensday, July 23 at noon (that’s tomorrow!), a parade of 32 tall ships will pass under the Golden Gate Bridge as part of the San Francisco Festival of Sail, an event produced by the San Francisco Maritime Park Association. Special guest stars will include the USCG Eagle, a spectacular, three-mast Coast Guard training ship, and the HMS Bounty, which was built in 1960 to star in Mutiny on the Bounty, a movie about the famous British crew who overthrew Captain Bligh in order to remain in the Islands of the Pacific. (Arrrrrrrrrrr!) Prime viewing spots will include the span of the Golden Gate Bridge, Crissy Field, Fort Mason, and the Embarcadero, as the ships parade from the GGB all the way to the Bay Bridge. Lots more detail via the link below.

San Francisco Festival of Sail

photo of Russian tall ship Palladia in San Francisco during 2004 by Telstar Logistics

Here are are few photos from Sunday’s 1 Wall / 25 Gears Benefit For Todd Blair which took place at Rhythmix Cultural Works in Alameda. If you couldn’t make the event, but would like to help out Todd and Alex, here’s more info.

I also shot a short video of the Wall of Gears in action.

More Coverage:

- Jon Sarriugarte
- k0re
- Nina Alter

UPDATE: Here’s video of Shannon making Neverwas Steam Cooked Hot Dogs.

photos by Scott Beale

guest post by mikl-em

Forget American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, the new contest that matters is between small teams taking on the challenge to write, shoot and produce a short film within a 2-day period in The 48 Hour Film Project 2008. Contests are going on around the country with an eventual world champion to be crowned later this year.

In SF the shooting, acting and editing is all done (this past weekend) and it’s all down to showing the finished products. That happens on 4 nights over the next week at the Roxie Theater on Tuesday-Thursday July 22-24 plus Monday, July 28th.

By the way, on Tuesday night the lineup includes some of the usual suspects from The Dark Room in their own short subject silent film.

See 48-hour film fest films online and get tickets for the SF showings here.

guest post by Aaron Muszalski

San Francisco’s RayKo Gallery is currently presenting “Into the Ether,” an collection of work from ten contemporary photographers who use the historic collodion - or “wet plate” - process to create their unique images.

Come see this landmark West Coast exhibition featuring the work of 10 of the greatest contemporary collodion artists to ever coat a plate. Both ambrotypes (one-of-a-kind images made on glass) and ferrotypes, or tintypes (one-of-a-kind images made on thin metal plates) will be exhibited. The photographers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and pursue a wide range of subject matter, but they are united in their choice of process and their passion for this technique that renders some of the most exquisite photographs ever seen.

The exhibition includes work from John A. Coffer, the “traveling wetplate artist” who spent seven years wandering through North America in a horse and carriage, working as an old-time portrait photographer.

In 1978, John Coffer hitched a bay workhorse named Brownie up to a 19th century style darkroom wagon dubbed the “Photographic Van” and criss-crossed the continent for seven years, plying his trade as an old time traveling portrait photographer. This was an experience as unique as the many tintypes he made and sold along the way. In 1985, after more than 11,000 wagon miles and having passed through 36 different states, John and his horse, Brownie, settled down on their own 50-acre farm in the heart of the beautiful Finger Lakes country of up-state New York. John lives in a one-room cabin that he built himself. He lives off the land and has no phone, no electricity, no automobile, and no running water. There, Coffer photographs the livestock, the farm implements, and the annual cycles of nature.

“Into the Ether” will be on display through August 28. RayKo is open Tuesday-Thursday from 10am to 10pm, and Friday-Sunday from 10am to 8pm. Gallery admission is free.

via Criollo

photos by Will Dunniway and John Coffer

The 14th Annual Brainwash Drive-In/Bike-In/Walk-In Movie Festival features two nights of original short movies from around the world projected on an outdoor screen in West Oakland. The festival takes place July 25th & 26th at the Alliance for West Oakland Development Parking Lot in Oakland and advance tickets are now on sale.

The sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes wacky, but always original Brainwash Movie Festival returns in the summer of 2008 for a slightly darker, perhaps more macabre engagement than in previous years.

Attendees to the festival are encouraged to either drive, bike, walk, or take public transit to the venue — a parking lot near the West Oakland BART station — where movies are screened in traditional drive-in movie theater fashion, complete with FM transmission and a full-service concession stand.

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

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), Joshua Ellingson (table BB6), STRANGEco (booth 4629), Dumbrella (booths 1335 & 1337), GAMA-GO (booth 4738) and Keith Knight (table K15).

photo by Scott Beale

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

guest post by Simone Davalos

[Ed. note: I originally posted this on my other site, Scott has kindly asked that I re-post it here, and I am happy to oblige.]

It’s always hard to have one of your own down. The accident happens, the drama occurs, the people flurry to help, it’s what everyone’s talking about, and we all revel in the joy of community and grow closer in tragedy.

It’s one of the only good things that comes out of something like this, and it’s an important facet of living, but what we forget is that time keeps going, and that help and virtuousness of feeling and closeness dissipates into what-project-are-you-working-on, oh-man-my-car-broke-down, what-are we-doing-this-weekend, etc etc.

Sometimes people forget that even though the high drama has passed, the wounds are still there, insurance still needs to be supplemented, rehab is still going on, and Our Man still has a long way to go.

It’s singular to note, then, that even though it’s no longer the event of the moment, even though the casual observer has drifted off into the next huge thing, that there is a core of dedicated, loving people who make sure to remember their friend, and bloody well make sure that everyone else remembers him too. It’s the kind of community (jeez I hate that word) that anyone would be proud to be a part of.

Todd Blair was injured in an accident at RoboDock almost one year ago. He’s fighting the good fight for long, long time, and will still be fighting well into next year.

Behind the scenes, people like Nina Alter, Mark Pauline, Amy Critchett, and dozens upon dozens of others have made a huge effort to set up a brand spanking new Todd Website, and to orchestrate a completely awesome fundraiser at Rhythmix Cultural Works in Alameda. So join us for the unveiling of 1 Wall/25 Gears this Sunday, July 20th, the latest benefit for Todd Blair and his partner Alex Ismerio:

July 20th 2008, come celebrate!
The Wall of gears built by all our hard-working gear-makers will come to life at Rhythmix Cultural Works in Alameda.
3pm - 8pm
2513 Blanding Ave, Alameda CA 94501

$5 to $500 donation at the door
All donations are tax deductible
All Ages Welcome

1 Wall / 25 Gears is a 7′ x 8′ kinetic monument of aluminum gears being sponsored and built by 25 artists and artist organizations, in honor of and to financially support Todd Blair. This event is to celebrate Todd, the gear-maker’s efforts… and of course, to have plenty of fun doing all of the above and then some!

+ Witness The Wall built throughout the day
+ Food, Drinks, Raffle, DIY Shirts, Performance
+ DJs Matt Heckert, Kal Spellitch, Mori Pauline

· DIY Shirts with Amy Jenkins
· Laloos Goat Milk Icecream
· Flaming Lotus Girls Feathers
· Bissap Baobob Senegalese food
· Maze Diako drummers
· Dogs Steamed by Shannon O’Hares Steam car
· Kyrsten & her Amazing Bellydancers
· Joan Ryan reading
· Raffle of amazingness
+ MORE!

Even if you can’t make it, do try to send Alex and Todd a little bit of cash, they are struggling and even with all the lovin’, it ain’t easy. As my Uncle Christine says, “Chip in, hippie. Remember - next time it might be you.”

If nothing else, it’s going to be a screaming fun time, so if you are anywhere near the Bay Area on the 20th, do pop in.

See Previously: Todd Blair Injured After SRL Robodock Show in Amsterdam

photo by k0re

Last week Gary Vaynerchuk was in San Francisco for Wine Library TV episode #500, which was recorded and streamed live by Revision3 from the wonderful Crushpad wine making facility. In the episode, which is now up on Rev3, Gary takes us on a tasting tour of the Rioja wines from Spain.

Here are a few photos I shot at the Wine Library TV episode #500 recording.

See Previously:

- Wine Library TV, A Daily Wine Video Blog by Gary Vaynerchuk
- Wine Library TV Party At De Loach Vineyards In Santa Rosa
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s Wine Library TV SXSW Meetup at Cork & Co.

photos by Scott Beale

Bay Area startups Xoopit, Zivity, and Powerset are organizing a private premiere screening of the new Batman film The Dark Knight on the day before it opens at 6pm this Thursday, July 17th at Metreon in San Francisco. They are offering 20 free tickets to Laughing Squid readers on a first come, first served basis. UPDATE: All of the free tickets have been given away.

They are also hosting an after party at DNA Lounge from 9:30-2:00am. If you are interested in a free pass to the after party, email batmanevent@gmail.com.

San Francisco Zine Fest 2008, an annual two-day free conference for independent and underground publishing, takes place July 19th and 20th at the San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park. This year’s event features over 60 small press exhibitors and a several great workshops and panels.

The San Francisco Zine Fest will be back for our seventh annual celebration of small press, zines, comics, and all things DIY in an even bigger and better new location: The San Francisco County Fair Building, in Golden Gate Park. As always, the Zine Fest is free and open to the public! Over 60 small-press and DIY creators will be selling, trading, and otherwise sharing their work with over a thousand attendees.

The Zine Fest serves as a vital annual showcase of the diversity, vitality, and ongoing exuberance of the small-press movement. The exhibitors range from established small-press publishing houses including RE/Search Publications, Manic D Press, Sparkplug Comics, and Tugboat Press to first time self-publishers and creators. Writers, cartoonists, crafters, illustrators, printmakers, and all manner of artists will be in attendance. While the majority of the exhibitors hail from the Bay Area, creators from across the West Coast and beyond will be represented.

poster by Vanessa Davis

Our friends over at Mashable have been touring around the US and tomorrow night they are hosting SummerMash at Mighty in San Francisco. The event is selling out fast, but there are still some tickets available through Eventbrite. See you guys there!

California Extreme 2008 is an annual celebration of classic arcade games, including pinball machines and video games, where you can play all of the games for free (no quarters needed). It takes place July 19th and 20th at the Parkside Hall in San Jose.

California Extreme is the “Classic Arcade Games Show”. It’s an annual celebration of coin operated pinball machines, video games and other novelties you once found in game arcades. All games on display are set for free play, so leave your quarters in the ash tray in your car. You won’t need ‘em.

See Also: The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, The Battle For Donkey Kong

photo by Marcin Wichary

Here are a few photos I shot with the Ricoh GR Digital II at last weekend’s Foo Camp 2008, an amazing 3 day “Friends of O’Reilly” event that I attended at the O’Reilly Media offices in Sebastopol, CA.

More Coverage:

- TechCrunch
- Joi Ito
- Dave McClure
- Because We Can

See Previously: Foo Camp 2007 Photos

photos by Scott Beale

On Thursday, August 7th I’ll be headed to The Start Conference, a one-day conference organized by web veterans Jeff Veen and Bryan Mason for entrepreneurs looking to start their own companies. The event takes place at Fort Mason’s Cowell Theater in San Francisco and features a full day of great speakers with a wide range of startup experience. Space is limited, so regsiter soon if you plan on attending.

Start is a one-day conference in San Francisco designed for smart, talented Web people to take hold of their ideas, follow their dreams, and start their own companies.

You’ll hear from founders of successful startups, and learn from investors, lawyers, and others who can outline potential pitfalls. They’ll give you practical advice, tell their horror stories, and maybe lend you a little inspiration. If you’ve ever dreamt of taking the plunge, don’t miss this chance to hear from the experts!

guest post by mikl-em

The Long Now Foundation presents Mechanicrawl, an exploration of mechanical marvels which takes place this Saturday, July 12th in San Francisco.

Here a video of The Long Now Foundation’s Alexander Rose introducing Mechanicrawl.

This Saturday a very special event in San Francisco ties together several of SF’s most storied attractions, all of which have a mechanical bent. These metal gears and pistons beget unimaginable wonders–touching the fantastic by way of the practical. It’s an event not to be missed.

Mechanicrawl offers a chance to experience the treasures of San Francisco in a unique way. There will be special access and demonstrations during the event that are not standard at these attractions, emphasizing the details of particular mechanical features. There’s a good chance that some other mechancial and steampunk wonders will materialize in the vicinity. It’s not at all a bad idea to wear your mechano-Victorian best.

Tickets are on sale now. Members of the organizations can get in for free (contact your organization for details).

The participating attractions in Mechanicrawl are The USS Pampanito, SS Jeremiah O’Brien, Musée Mécanique, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, The Long Now Foundation, and The Exploratorium.

Featured machines range from games at the Musée Mécanique that are over a century old to The Long Now Foundation’s most recent creation the “Walking Bearing” which was completed this year. The Jeremiah O’Brien made history as part of the D-Day invasion, while The Exploratorium insures our future by educating and delighting children (of all ages) with the wonders of science.

The Mechanicrawl website helpfully assists you in planning your route whether by bike, bus, on foot, or even (ewww!) by car. There are also suggestions for food & drink along the route. There will also be Twitter updates about event the day of; you can follow Long Now to get them.

A few more details about some of the attractions:

USS Pampanito

The mechanical computer, known as a Torpedo Data Computer, on the USS Pampanito is an early electromechanical analog computer that was incredibly compact for its time in order to fit on a submarine. It has been rebuilt to working order and will be demonstrated through the day.

The Jeremiah O’Brien

The Jeremiah O’Brien’s 3-story tall steam engine (shown above) will be running throughout the event. The ship, which stormed the beaches of Normandy, is celebrating it’s 65th anniversary and is one of only two seaworthy Liberty Ships in existence. Mechanicrawl-goers will be able to go into her engine room and see the engine going at full blast. I recently rode on board the O’Brien–you can see my pix and video.

The Long Now Foundation

Organizers of the event, The Long Now Foundation are located in Fort Mason and are dedicated to fostering long-term thinking and responsibility. As part of this mission they are building a clock to last for 10,000 years. This incredible mechanical wonder is being designed with millenia in mind and will do much more than keep time, including detailing the relative positiion of planets in our solar system. There is a lot of mechanical goodness to see up close at their Museum and Store.

Details on picking up Will Call tickets are up now on the Long Now Blog as is information about a few other events going on in the area that day.

See Previously:

- The Long Now Foundation Public Space Opening Photos
- SS Jeremiah O’Brien Documentary Premier
- Telstar Logistics Celebration Aboard The Jeremiah O’Brien

photos by Scott Beale

The Renegade Craft Fair, featuring over 200 DIY craft vendors, takes place Saturday, July 12th and Sunday, July 13th at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion in San Francisco.

RCF has gained a reputation over the last five years as being the biggest, best and the most well-known of all the DIY craft fairs out there. Each individual fair draws hundreds of applicants and tens of thousands of shoppers from all over the country and abroad! At the RCF you’ll find all sorts of cool handmade stuff ranging from comic books to craft kits, silkscreened posters to reconstructed clothing.

“Nerdcore For Life”, a documentary by Dan Lamoureux about Nerdcore Hip-Hop, screens this Saturday, July 12th at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco as part of the San Francisco Frozen Film Festival.

The term “Nerdcore” refers to both a sub-genre of hip-hop music that is created by self-professed nerds and to the subculture that has grown out of that style of music.

Nerdcore For Life! profiles the fascinating and tumultuous world of Nerdcore Hip-Hop. Born on the internet, “Nerd rap” is breaking out into the real world at a lightning pace. Our cameras follow the top names in this new genre as they celebrate Geek Life to the fullest and deal with the common obstacles that block musicians of all genres from fulfilling their dreams.

Here’s more on the “Nerdcore For Life” screening from Doctor Popular.