Weird and Wacky Engineering
Urban Air – Bamboo billboard "gardens in the sky"
Clive Maxfield
11/21/2012 12:10 PM EST
Following the recent $100 Supercomputer project with which I became embroiled, I must admit that I've become a tad addicted to the whole Kickstarter.com concept.
As you may recall, Kickstarter is a funding platform for creative projects – everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. If people like a particular project, they can pledge money to make it happen. It's only if the project succeeds in reaching its funding goal that the backers' credit cards are charged – if the project falls short, no one is charged.
In many cases you can support a project of your choice for as little as $1 to $5. Of course in this case all you get in return is a "Thank you" from the project's initiator, but the point is that you feel like you are part of something and that you've helped something to happen.
As you increase the size of your pledge, you receive more in return. For example, I personally love graphic novels. While I was on the Kickstarter site for the $100 Supercomputer project, I started to root around a bit and I ran across the Chinatown Graphic Novel project by the Sun Brothers.
As the Sun Brothers say: "Chinatown blends together strong elements of magical realism, adds in some trippy psychological horror, and finishes off with memories from our own cultural experience. In Chinatown, there's just no telling what lies skulking in the dirty streets and back alleys."
This looked to be really interesting, so I pledged $50, for which I will receive a digital copy, a thank you on their website, an invitation to the Launch Party, and my own signed copy of Chinatown that will include my name in the special thanks section printed in the book. Furthermore, I will also receive a signed copy of their next graphic novel, Apocaypse Man, which is scheduled to come out in February 2013!
The problem, as I say, is that you can easily get sucked into the Kickstarter vortex if you aren't careful. Every time you visit the site there is something new to peruse and ponder. Just a few minutes ago as I pen these words, for example, I ran across the Urban Air – Los Angeles project.
Here we read: "Imagine floating, globally connected urban forests growing where billboards stand. Artist Stephen Glassman and his team are doing it."
I must admit that I have a soft spot for bamboo, and that this does look rather interesting. And you wouldn't believe… but "No!" I have far too much to do to keep on rampaging around the Kickstarter site. You are on your own (but please let me know if you run across anything really tasty :-)
If you found this article to be of interest, visit Programmable Logic Designline where – in addition to my Max's Cool Beans blogs – you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to programmable logic devices of every flavor and size (FPGAs, CPLDs, CSSPs, PSoCs...).
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for my weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
As you may recall, Kickstarter is a funding platform for creative projects – everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. If people like a particular project, they can pledge money to make it happen. It's only if the project succeeds in reaching its funding goal that the backers' credit cards are charged – if the project falls short, no one is charged.
In many cases you can support a project of your choice for as little as $1 to $5. Of course in this case all you get in return is a "Thank you" from the project's initiator, but the point is that you feel like you are part of something and that you've helped something to happen.
As you increase the size of your pledge, you receive more in return. For example, I personally love graphic novels. While I was on the Kickstarter site for the $100 Supercomputer project, I started to root around a bit and I ran across the Chinatown Graphic Novel project by the Sun Brothers.
As the Sun Brothers say: "Chinatown blends together strong elements of magical realism, adds in some trippy psychological horror, and finishes off with memories from our own cultural experience. In Chinatown, there's just no telling what lies skulking in the dirty streets and back alleys."
This looked to be really interesting, so I pledged $50, for which I will receive a digital copy, a thank you on their website, an invitation to the Launch Party, and my own signed copy of Chinatown that will include my name in the special thanks section printed in the book. Furthermore, I will also receive a signed copy of their next graphic novel, Apocaypse Man, which is scheduled to come out in February 2013!
The problem, as I say, is that you can easily get sucked into the Kickstarter vortex if you aren't careful. Every time you visit the site there is something new to peruse and ponder. Just a few minutes ago as I pen these words, for example, I ran across the Urban Air – Los Angeles project.
Here we read: "Imagine floating, globally connected urban forests growing where billboards stand. Artist Stephen Glassman and his team are doing it."
I must admit that I have a soft spot for bamboo, and that this does look rather interesting. And you wouldn't believe… but "No!" I have far too much to do to keep on rampaging around the Kickstarter site. You are on your own (but please let me know if you run across anything really tasty :-)
If you found this article to be of interest, visit Programmable Logic Designline where – in addition to my Max's Cool Beans blogs – you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to programmable logic devices of every flavor and size (FPGAs, CPLDs, CSSPs, PSoCs...).
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for my weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
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