Cyberjunk

Key concepts:  Exxon-Mobil, Greenpeace, culture-jamming

 

Attention Conservation Notice:  it's political

 

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The "Embrace the Decay" Contest

Just two days left!

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest

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From: Kert Davies <kert.davies*wdc.greenpeace.org>

To: Bruce Sterling <bruces*well.com>

Subject: FW: [usa-staff] Oil Sector Story on XOM

Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 17:04:41 -0400

 

 

"Thought you might appreciate this bit of agit-prop. I'm

sure you caught wind of our invasion of the HQ building

before their annual meeting as well.  Fun."

 

(((Thanks for keeping us Viridians in the loop, Kert!  

 

(((Ladies and gentlemen, quite frankly, I have some qualms

about this kind of culture-jamming.  It seems to me to

tread close to forgery.  But let's be realistic here.  

This is EXXON-MOBIL we're talking about!  These marauders

are beyond the pale of civilization.)))

 

 

"Here's the article from OPIS == the oil industry

newspaper."

 

Link:

http://www.opisnet.com/aboutus.asp#us

 

"Head: ExxonMobil under 'green' attack

 

   "About 700 journalists, oil analysts, shareholders,

and company executives this week are receiving in the mail

large white envelopes emblazoned with the familiar

ExxonMobil logo and the words 'Revised Annual Report

Enclosed.'

 

  "Recipients are bound to think that the official-

looking correspondence comes directly from the oil

company.  They should think again. The mailing comes from

Greenpeace.

 

   "The faux annual report, a pointed and slickly

produced satire, takes the oil company to task for what

Greenpeace and other groups contend is a poor

environmental record. The spoof pulls no punches. For

example, the real report depicts three globes, whereas the

fake report features the same globes, but they're on fire.

 

(((So is our own globe, but who's counting.)))

 

  "To be sure, ExxonMobil is coming under ferocious fire

from shareholder and environmental groups that want the

company's shareholders to support global-warming

resolutions at its annual meeting May 28 in Irving, Texas.

 

   "ExxonMobil is steadfastly against the resolutions.

(((Exxon-Mobil also lavishly supports black-propaganda

efforts that attack climate science.)))

 

   "In a separate activist campaign that seeks the same

goals, the two strongest institutional evaluation services

in the United States == Institutional Shareholder Services

and the Investor Responsibility  Research Center == this

month published reports increasing pressure on ExxonMobil

shareholders to vote 'yes' on the resolutions.

 

  "The resolutions that will be voted on by ExxonMobil

shareholders on May 28 call on the company to create the

following:

 

"* a report on the risks presented by climate change and

how ExxonMobil will mitigate those risks (Item 14 on the

Proxy Card);

 

"* a report on how the company will respond to regulatory,

competitive, and public pressure to develop renewable

energy (Item 15 on the Proxy Card); and

 

"* greater balance on its corporate board by separating

the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Item 9

on the Proxy Card).

 

(((It would likely help a lot with this last bullet-point,

if Lee Raymond of Exxon-Mobil were sent to The Hague to

face trial.)))

 

  "Previous to the shareholder group actions, pressure on

the oil company already was mounting. Notably, Campaign

ExxonMobil released on May 13 a 29-page report from

London-based Claros Consulting charging that ExxonMobil is

alone among the four major oil companies refusing to adopt

any strategy to counter global warming."

 

  (((Look, that's not a "charge."  That's a fact.)))

 

  "Campaign ExxonMobil is a non-profit organization that

represents shareholders who are concerned about how

ExxonMobil is failing to respond to the problem of climate

change.

 

   "The entire campaign == especially Greenpeace's clever

bit of agit-prop == is causing considerable anger in the

corporate suites of ExxonMobil.

 

  "'We've been a target of organizations like Greenpeace

for some time,' said Tom Cirigliano, spokesperson,

ExxonMobil. 'None of this is new; these measures have been

soundly defeated before by our shareholders, and they will

again on May 28. Our shareholders know that we're doing

something about climate change and we take it seriously ==

we're doing a lot more than Greenpeace is doing!'

 

(((Boy, that's for sure.  Exxon-Mobil probably spews more

carbon in an hour than Greenpeace has in 30 years.)))

 

  "Cirigliano asserted that ExxonMobil is investing

hundreds of millions of dollars in new technology and

research that will make meaningful reductions in

greenhouse gases and other emissions. 'While we're doing

that, Greenpeace is spending a lot of money on meaningless

and expensive PR gimmicks like this sham annual report,'

he said. 'If I were a member of Greenpeace, I'd have real

questions about the money and effort they've put into

this. It shows their usual lack of judgment. From a PR

perspective, it's not even effective communications. Most

people won't take the trouble to read this; they're

preaching to their own choir with this satire.'"

 

(((Great job with the budget analysis there; sadly,

Greenpeace is not a for-profit operation. so they get to

throw away money on really weird stuff.)))

 

   "He cited several anti-pollution initiatives that

ExxonMobil is pursuing, such as its collaboration with

Toyota and General Motors on fuel cell technology, which

he said has the potential to greatly reduce auto

emissions. 'Meanwhile, I don't know how many trees this

brochure may have killed,' Cirigliano said. 'The picture I

get is a group of environmentalists sitting around and

putting this out and snickering about it, as if they're

comedy writers on Saturday Night Live. It's sophomoric. In

a way, I'm glad they did it, because it shows just how

shallow they are.'

 

((("Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous" == Voltaire)))

 

  "Indeed, ExxonMobil has been receiving a slew of

complaints from petroleum analysts and shareholders about

the mailing, and the company is in discussions with

federal, state and local authorities to evaluate any

potential legal remedies against Greenpeace.

 

   ((("Making fun without a license"?  I wonder how many

trees those lawyers will kill with their legal briefs.)))

 

   "Cirigliano also dismissed the concerns and tactics of

the shareholder pressure groups. 'We've been in contact

with them, and we're disappointed with them,' he said.

'They did this last year. But again, an unbiased look at

our environmental record disputes their assertions.'

 

    "Not surprisingly, Greenpeace begs to differ.

 

   "'It seems that we have struck a raw nerve with

ExxonMobil,' said Greenpeace spokesperson Ben Stewart.

'For starters, the report was published on recycled paper.

Moreover, we're not snickering, because global warming is

not funny.  (((Okay, we Viridians will be willing to do

the snickering for everybody. I hope that settles that.)))

 

  "For ExxonMobil to claim that it takes climate change

seriously = now, that's funny. This company is universally

accepted as being the most woeful oil company when it

comes to global warming. They've tried to sabotage every

meaningful effort to tackle climate change, but for them,

the bottom line is all that counts. They should spend less

time feigning indignation over our campaign, and more time

joining the global community in finding ways to tackle

global warming.'  (((It's the truth.)))

 

  "Peter Altman, national coordinator, Campaign

ExxonMobil, echoed those remarks. 'We are working to

educate investors about the risk that ExxonMobil faces,'

Altman said 'That's right; the company faces risks and

doesn't just pose them. There are risks for not only the

earth's climate but for the entire oil sector, upstream

and downstream, because governments and industry around

the world recognize the threat that climate change

represents for the environment and also to economies.'

 

   (((There's no question that Exxon-Mobil makes the best

fall-guy for any government, party or movement anywhere

that has been wounded by climate change and is feeling

vengeful and retributive.  Not only do they obfuscate,

lie, and greenwash, but they've got a track-record decades

long.  Add climate wreckage a couple of oil wars and maybe

a depression to that, and oh my goodness.)))

 

   "He said insurance companies, for example,

increasingly recognize the business risks of global

warming, because it will change water flows, agriculture,

and natural weather cycles, generating enormous insurance

liabilities. He pointed to a report recently issued by

Munich RE, the largest reinsurance company in the world,

which stated that global warming, if left unchecked, would

impose worldwide economic costs of $300 billion per year

by 2050.

 

  "'There is increased potential for severe storms to

wipe out multimillion dollar homes along Florida

beachfront,' Altman pointed out. 'Also, hurricanes

threaten oil platforms and refineries. ExxonMobil is not

investing in alternative energy sources beyond its core

business, so it faces a risk to its bottom line if there's

a major shift to, say, renewable energy. There's already a

pattern around the world where governments are shifting

from fossil fuels to renewable energy; companies like

ExxonMobil could get caught flatfooted.'

 

   "Altman hastened to add that Campaign ExxonMobil

doesn't play any part in Greenpeace's fake annual report.

Greenpeace is engaged in its own campaign, using pressure

tactics with the public against ExxonMobil. Meanwhile,

shareholder and green groups said their complaints against

ExxonMobil aren't a product of their own subjective bias;

they insist that the company is far behind its

competitors, such as Shell, BP and Chevron, which are

investing billions in renewable energy.

 

  "'We don't expect ExxonMobil to get out of the oil

business tomorrow,' Altman said. 'What we want is for the

company to diversify and make investments in renewable

energy, because that would be a sound business decision.

ExxonMobil is not responding to this issue in a way that

would protect long-term shareholder value. The company

needs to come up with strategies."

 

John Persinos

 

Gary Cook

Climate & Energy Campaign Coordinator

Greenpeace USA

702 H Street NW, Suite 300

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: (202) 319-2494

Fax: (202) 462-4507

e-mail: gary.cook*wdc.greenpeace.org

www.greenpeaceusa.org

www.cleanenergynow.org

 

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

THE CLOCK KEEPS TICKING

FOR THE HOUSE OF CARDS

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

Key concepts:  Viridian "Embrace the Decay" Contest

 

Attention Conservation Notice:  Finally, some

contest entries

 

Links:  the joy of making rapid online bumperstickers.

http://www.bumperactive.com

 

Hacking the beauty of the human face.

http://www.beautycheck.de/english

 

We Viridians like our windmills to be

nuclear-reactor sized.

http://www.gepower.com/dhtml....per.jsp

 

(((I just got back from Europe, and tomorrow I fly

off to see NASA.  Only five days left in this contest.

Jared is working on those animations.  I hope they

are running by the time you see this Note.  Got one

working right here.  Wow.)))

 

http://www.codetransform.com/timemachine2.swf

 

From: Jared Tarbell

 

"Hello All Viridians,

 

"Updates to the Embrace the Decay contest have been

published!

 

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest

 

"This includes several interesting new entries! 

Others have been received and are being processed.

The deadline for the contest is June 15. 

The front page is currently receiving about 23 uniques /

day.

 

"Cool stuff!  Great prize Bruce!"

 

Jared

 

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

WITH LUCK I'LL AT LEAST GET THESE

GREENPAGES CATALOGS OFF MY HANDS

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

Great to know your still with us Darthmurph! Look forward to your return!

I watched it because I love Wogans commentary! Aparently the UK entry lost all sound on the monitors so couldnt hear anything. When they started Mrs CJ and I just looked at each other incrediously - they were soooo out of tune it was unreal. It may have been an anti Brit vote but more likley they did not get any points coz of thier singing.

 

However they will prob make it big in the UK now.

Key concepts:  Windpower conference 2003,

wind energy, business, Austin

 

Attention Conservation Notice:  It's very windy.

 

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The Viridian "Embrace the Decay" Contest

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest/index.html

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest/toolsreq.html

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(((Okay, no entries yet.  How hard can this be, people?

On Monday, I leave for Europe, and no doubt in my

protracted absence, there will be a flood of entries,

causing maximum confusion to all concerned.  Get going.

*Why* should you be entering this contest?  Well, check

out this stirring testimonial.)))

 

From: "Igor Knezevic" <igor*flaregroup.com>

Date: Tue May 20, 2003  06:37:52 PM US/Central

To: bruces@well.com

Subject:  I won an international award

 

"Hi Bruce, hi all Viridian crew!

 

"I'd like to share some good news. I just won an

international award for best architectural visualization

at a 3d computer design festival in Copenhagen.

 

"Lots of ideas and inspiration that went into this work

came from Viridian List, so I thought I share it with you.

As a veteran of Viridian contests I can only say this

tower should decay too eventually.   Or... how 'bout this

for Enron2 HQ?

 

"To see winning work and additional concepts directly, go

here:

 

http://www.flaregroup.com/html/arch.htm    

 

"Click on 'vertical village'

 

"While you are there, check out that sustainable white

house idea (on the same page) and gimme some comments or

sue me.

 

"Rock on Viridians!"

 

Igor

 

PS.

"Award announcement is here:"

http://www.3dawards.org/2003/report/index4.html

 

(((That's right, ladies and gentlemen.  Enter these

contests, and some day you, too, can be as Viridian as

Igor.  To further tempt you, let me up the ante.  Now that

the "All Thing Organic" conference has ended here in

Austin, I find myself beset with spare copies of Co-op

America's 2003 edition of the 20th Anniversary NATIONAL

GREEN PAGES.  That's 215 fine-print pages about thousands

of "socially and environmentally responsible

businesses.")))

 

Link:

http://www.greenpages.org

 

(((First five people to enter the "Embrace the Decay"

contest get a free copy of this handy catalog, which

covers every conceivable tree-hugger knickknack, from air

purifiers and aromatherapy to yoga-mats and zipcars.  If

you don't want it, I'll gleefully inflict it on someone of

your choice!)))

 

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(((I just got back from WINDPOWER '03, "the largest wind

gathering in America's history."  And boy, am I rolling in

the conference swag.  This event was *huge.*  I got the

WINDPOWER T-shirt and fluttery rainbow wind-toy. I got

stickers.  I got pens. I got lapel pins and free

magazines.  I got keychains, and I turned down several

mousepads.  I got  a Shell WindEnergy shopping bag and

Shell Wind Post-It Notes.  I got a Vestas gimme hat direct

from the Danes!  Wow!)))

 

Link:

http://www.awea.org/conference/

 

(((This Austin event was so big that it was rather

dizzying, but check this out: it was just the start of a

rolling thunder of state and private commercialization in

Austin.)))

 

AMERICAN SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY: June 20-26

(((I'm speaking there)))

 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE ENERGY OFFICIALS:

September 15-17

 

TEXAS RENEWABLE ENERGY ROUNDUP: Sept 26-28

(((We Viridians never miss it, and we take all our toys)))

 

US-MEXICO BORDER ENERGY FORUM October 23-24

 

NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY:

November 17-19

 

(((I dunno who is the organizer ball-of-fire here,

but that WINDPOWER crowd was there to make money.

Lotta suits, lotta ties, and acres of literal

nuts and bolts, also gears, cables, trucks, towers,

bearings, lubricants, design consultancies, legal help,

federal research labs... I do know that this gaudy burst

of Texan green energy has something  to do with this

crowd:)))

 

Links:

http://www.infinitepower.org

http://www.puc.state.tx.us

http://www.txsen.org

http://www.glo.state.tx.us

 

And there will be photos of the event here:

http://www.treia.org

 

 

(((The show-stopper of WINDPOWER '03 was probably GE

Wind's  Texas-sized "3.6s Offshore Wind Turbine."  Okay,

it exists only as a prototype, whereas Shell Wind, Vestas,

and about half-a-dozen other dapper, stylish European

companies at this event were shipping some real-life wind

product.  But that is General Electric weighing in  with

*3.6 megawatts*  of DOE-sponsored hurricane-sized power.  

That gizmo is a true colossus; you could play football

inside its rotor diameter with room for bleachers

and cheerleaders.)))

 

Link:

http://www.gewindenergy.com

 

More links:

American Wind Energy Association

http://www.awea.org

 

The Feds:

US Department of Energy:

http://www.eere.energy.gov/wind

National Renewable Energy Lab

http://www.nrel.gov/wind

Sandia National Laboratories:

http://www.sandia.gov/Renewable-Energy/wind-

energy/homepage.html

 

The Europeans:

The Mighty Shell

"A Powerful Force for Tomorrow's Generation"

http://shell.com/renewables

Suzlon Wind Turbines, "Powering a Greener Tomorrow"

http://www.suzlon.com

Gamesa Eolica, the elegant Spanish contingent

http://www.gamesa.es

Nordex, "We've Got The Power"

http://www.nordex.de

N.E.G Micon, "For a Powerful Future"

http://www.neg-micon.com

Renewable Energy Systems , the Brito-Texans

http://www.res-ltd.com

Risoe National Laboratory, Denmark

http://risoe.dk

"Risoe's research shall push the limits

for the understanding of nature's processes

and interactions right down to the

molecular nano-scale level"!

Longtime Viridian darlings Vestas

"No snappy slogan, but their furniture looked

great, and so did their hats, posters and shirts"

http://www.vestas.com

 

The Gigs:

 

2003 EWEC

European Wind Energy Conference, Madrid

Organizada por:

http://www.ewea.org

Wind Energy International Trade Fair, Hamburg

http://www.windenergy-hamburg.de

 

GLOBAL WINDPOWER 2004 Chicago

http://www.awea.org/global04.html

 

Loft Beer, a 100 percent wind-powered beer

from Colorado with a kite on the label.  A little

tart and hoppy for my taste, but it's kinda

growing on me.  I'll go buy more.

http://www.newbelgium.com

 

O=c=O O=c=O

A MIGHTY WIND

O=c=O O=c=O

As I have always said - its the people that come here that make this place what it is - not me! But thanks anyway - cherishment of me is always gratefully accepted.

Key concepts:  Viridian Individual Projects, Kevin

Stewart, Involuntary Parks

 

Attention Conservation Notice:  Part of a flurry

of Viridian Notes, as we catch up on backlog.

This won't last long.

 

Links:

 

Attention San Franciscans:

Natalie Jeremijenko's "One Tree Project."

Opening Reception: Fri May 16th, 7-10 pm

w/ Remarks by Natalie Jeremijenko: 8 pm

& Release of One Trees Request for Proposals

http://onetrees.org

 

The latest (paper) issue of the YLEM Journal

features interviews with William Gibson,

Vernor Vinge, and Bruce Sterling.  And they're

pretty good interviews, for an arts mag.

http://www.ylem.org

 

The ZEROGLAB Nanofestival for really teensy web movies.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~are/nanofestival/index.html

 

"Arts Lab" proposes a unique hybrid art center and

research lab  designed to be "fast, competitive, market-

savvy, and not-for-profit."

http://www.artslab.net

 

 

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Links:

The Viridian "Embrace the Decay" Contest

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest/index.html

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest/toolsreq.html

*******************************************************

 

The Viridian "Involuntary Park" concept:

http://www.viridiandesign.org/notes/1-25/Note%2000023.txt

http://www.viridiandesign.org/notes/51-75/Note%2000057.txt

http://www.viridiandesign.org/notes/151-175/ 00166_chernobyl_wildlife_park.html

www.viridiandesign.org/notes/226-250/ 00234_korean_involuntary_park.html

http://www.viridiandesign.org/notes/226-250/ 00242_german_involuntary_park.html

http://www.viridiandesign.org/notes/251-300/ 00287_rocky_flats_wildlife_refuge.html

http://www.viridiandesign.org/notes/251-300/ 00269_savannah_ecology_lab.html

http://www.viridiandesign.org/notes/301-350/00318_dirty_bombs.html

 

From: Kevin Stewart <puppydog*freenet.edmonton.ab.ca>

Date: Sat May 10, 2003  03:24:58 AM US/Central

To: bruces*well.com

Subject: Involuntary Parks

 

"I'm researching the conservation impact of landmines and

unexploded ordances. After reading your notes on

involuntary parks, I looked  through my files and found

several created by landmines. Then I started finding

them every where. (Gotta love search images).

 

  "I've started to archive and catalog articles on

involuntary parks. The beginings of the project are at:

 

Link:

http://home.ecn.ab.ca/~puppydog/involun.htm

 

"ttyl,

 

"Kevin Maddog Stewart"

 

e-mail: puppydog*freenet.edmonton.ab.ca

Project Mkono HomePage: http://www.ecn.ab.ca/~puppydog/

 

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

WEAPONS OF MASS

ABANDONMENT

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

Key concepts: PlaNetwork conference, cybergreens,

San Francisco

 

Attention Conservation Notice:  I really want to go

and I can't, so you should go.

 

Links:

 

Austinites, here comes the "All Things Organic"

trade show.

http://www.atoexpo.com/

 

Don't miss the lunar eclipse.

http://www.nature.com/nsu/030512/030512-1.html

 

Rebellious Texas Democrats face Oklahoma tornado alert.

Man, that's almost too good.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/1910366

 

Download the old-school cyberart project "Aaron"

as shareware for your PC.

http://www.kurzweilcyberart.com/KCATaaron/DOWNLOADbasic

 

A net art meeting.  It's in a derelict area of Riga.

http://rixc.lv/03/info.html

 

Aw man, now that's FURNITURE!

http://www.scarefactory.com/catalog/furniture1.htm

 

******************************************************

Links:

The Viridian "Embrace the Decay" Contest

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest/index.html

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest/toolsreq.html

*******************************************************

 

Source: PlaNetwork Conference

 

"Imagine the potential positive impacts on the world if a

vast network of people sharing ecological and social

justice values could come together, and come to see

themselves as a whole, using the Internet.

 

"What kind of information technology might help to

facilitate, and even catalyze the emergence of such an

electronically mediated network on a global scale?

 

Networking a Sustainable Future

A PLANETWORK Conference

At the Golden Gate Club in the San Francisco Presidio

June 6-8, 2003

 

"Join innovators from the world of information technology,

environmental visionaries, peace and social justice

activists, independent media pioneers, and many others to

explore how social networks, information technologies and

the Internet can play a key role in accelerating positive

global change.

 

"Come participate in the second international Planetwork

Conference: expand your networks, forge new models, share

resources and help implement the creative solutions we

need to build a peaceful and sustainable future.

 

"REGISTER NOW ON-LINE:

http://planetwork.net

 

 

"Featuring over eighty presenters, with Plenary

presentations by:

 

"World renowned authority on Sustainability Hazel

Henderson, MoveOn Cofounder Joan Blades, and a special

Friday evening session honoring Douglas Engelbart –

inventor of the mouse, hypertext, and windows, and father

of modern computing, for his lifelong dedication to

evolving intelligent technology to address the real needs

of the Planet, and a performance Saturday evening by

renowned singer songwriter peace activist, Stephan Smith.

 

"Panel Topics include:

 

* Digital Identity == as Global Citizens

* LinkTank Whitepaper on Social Network Tools

* Sustainable Media Networks: Why not now?

* Direct Philanthropy: Disintermediating Giving

* Mobilizing Global Youth: Networking the Future

* Creating Community == Online & Off

* Digital Earth: Geobrowsers

* Cross Platform Media Strategies for Global Change

* Complementary Currencies on the Net

* GIS Networks: Conservation & Open Source

* Big Networks: Online Communities Come of Age

* Social Entrepreneurs: Incubating Social Change

* Global Scenarios: Modeling the Future

* What Works: Non-profit needs for tech tools

* Internet Based Barter

* Messaging Equity

* Mobilizing on a Dime

* Open Source Dollars

* Blogs Blogs Blogs

 

 

"Collaboratory:

"The entire building will support wired and wireless

networking inside and out, all sessions will be streamed,

and an extensive Collaboratory process facilitated On-line

by Blue Oxen Associates, and On-site by the Knowhere

Store, will begin before the event and continue well

beyond.

 

"Conference Registration Fees:

for three full days and two nights of intensive events

$250 until April 30th, (or until allotted quantity sold

out)

$350 at the Door

 

$195 Special, until sold out, with Video Overflow Seating

during Plenary Sessions

PlanetWorkExchange Tickets available on a first come,

first served, basis - see website

 

REGISTER NOW ON-LINE:

http://planetwork.net

 

"For more information, see http://planetwork.net or email:

info@planetwork.net

 

"On behalf of the organizing crew, we invite you to join

us for this unique event,

 

"Jim Fournier & Elizabeth Thompson"

 

O=c=O

GO!

O=c=O

I'm getting one of these and I dont care if I look girly in it because its going to absolutley guarantee me a seat on the Underground on my way into work.  

 

What happens when it starts raining hard - do you glow?

Key concepts:  Viridian design contests, Los Angeles

Museum of Contemporary Art, net.art, media decay, Jared

Tarbell

 

Attention Conservation Notice:  It's yet another in a

series of Viridian contests.

 

(((I have turned in the manuscript of my new novel.  This

allows me to return to  Viridian interests.  And lo

they exist in plenty. I might point out for that the sky

here in Austin has been steel-gray for a week due to

Mexican fires, while the rest of America had its most

active week of tornadoes on record.)))

Links:

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/20749/story.htm

http://www.canoe.ca/CalgaryNews/cs.cs-05-11-0025.html

 

 

(((But never mind mere planetary destruction. I've got

other fish to fry. Specifically, a new Bruce Sterling web

artwork commissioned for the digital gallery of the Los

Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.)))

 

Link:

http://www.moca-la.org/museum/digital_gallery.php

 

(((That's right: Angelenos are paying me to create some

net.art. I couldn't refuse them this, because it looks so

great on my resume'. The theme of this forthcoming work ==

which will likely be titled "Embrace the Decay" in some

kind of nifty sub-Damien Hirst riff  == is media decay.  

Specifically,  "Embrace the Decay" is an interactive

meditation on the dire relationship between typewriters

and the Internet.  

 

(((You see, I am of the very last generation of authors

to work professionally on typewriters.  I get to be artsy

and nostalgic about this.  Typewriters are suffering

techno-obliteration now.  Viewers accessing this Sterling

artwork, "Embrace the Decay," will be typing on a virtual

typewriter which decays as they use it.  The

"typewriter's"  "paper" will decay, too.  Eventually this

digital artwork itself will no doubt vanish from human

ken, because hey, we are talking Internet art here.

(Okay, it might conceivably be saved, but only if Jon

Ippolito is reading this.))))

 

Link:

http://www.fondation-langlois.org/e....nm.html

 

 

(((This contest is not strictly a "Viridian" contest,

because except for that Viridian design principle "Embrace

Decay," there's  nothing very Viridian about it.  My

feeling is that we  Viridians have suffered enough for a

while, so it's high time for us to have some fun here.

Besides, this is *real art!*  In a museum!  Wow!

 

(((My techno-art guru and collaborator, Mr. Jared Tarbell

of www.levitated.net, has invented a nifty Flash device

for us that will animate some decay.  We will be using

Jared's template for this contest.)))

 

Links:

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest/index.html

 

You will need "the Flash development environment" to work

on this.  If you have never heard of this, well,

try anyway.

http://www.levitated.net/sterling/contest/toolsreq.html

 

 

(((Please note that this contest is by no means the same

as the consequent LA MOCA artwork.  I won't go into the

contractual obligations that compel this separation, but

it's real different, okay?   This contest even has a

contest judge all its own, and it's not me.  No!  Instead,

the Viridian contest judge is Lola Brine. Ms.  Brine, a

sharp-eyed young Austin woman of extensive net interests,

has such exquisite good taste in net.art that she is  

Jared Tarbell's girlfriend.  All of Lola's decisions will

be final!)))

http://www.levitated.net/lb/

 

(((Note that this means that the winner of this Viridian

contest may not even *be* in the LA MOCA artwork.   We did

it like that ON PURPOSE. If I decide that your Flash decay

algorithm (or whatever the hell it is) is of some use, you

will be hearing from me *entirely separately* from this

Viridian contest.   In fact, you and I may get to know one

another rather well, by the time the artwork hits the web,

which will be in September 2003.)))

 

(((There is a whole lot of stuff in this art project of

mine that needs extensive figuring-out. Like, for

instance, I need an engineer who can hack Lego engines and

get them to a spray a fine mist of nitric acid in response

to web prompts.  Can you do that kind of thing? I so,

speak up.  I don't want any "Nitric Acid Contests" here,

because the casualty rate is too high, but if you grok

this stuff, you and I need to talk.)))

 

(((And, while I'm at it, I also need an aelopile.  Like,

a cute little desktop one.  Has anybody seen an aelopile?

Anybody want to build one?

 

(((Okay, let's get to the crux here.  The Viridian CONTEST

PRIZE!  Yay! Since this contest involves graphic efforts

to "rot" a virtual "sheet of paper," you'll  be getting a

lot of real-world use out of this prize:  

a ROYAL MD100 Media Destroyer!)))

 

Link:

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,110452,00.asp

 

(((Your Royal "Media Destroyer" is a fully-functional,

high-security paper shredder. But it doesn't just shred

mere archaic paper!  Oh no!  The "Media Destroyer" also

handily obliterates CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks!  Win this

contest, and the Royal Media Destroyer will be shipped

direct to your home or office, anywhere on this

planet not under SARS quarantine!  Good luck!)))

 

This contest expires June 15, 2003.

 

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

http://www.deadmedia.org

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

Next time someone points an air freshner at you and says keep away, think twice before ignoring them!

 

New Scientist report

Happy birthday. Have a great day!  

I am still playing as well but its loosing its appeal - had 1 issue 3 times now.

Just found out you have to book for tonight's event and I just missed their office. Pants. And I can't make Saturdays Forbidden Planet signing. Life is a pooh at times.    My own fault really.

Ah now here is a subject I am well versed in! I used to be a card carrying member of CAMERA. the best beer I have ever tasted was Pittock Wee Heavy brewed by the Mount Hood Brewery in Oregon. Admittedly I am biased as it was named after a relative and other relatives used to part own the bar that is above the brewery. I used to knock American brews but there are some superb micro breweries in the States - actually not some but a lot - a lot more than we have, which is unfair. Although the Bridge outside Burton used to do a superb drop of Pedigree.

 

Back to the survey:

The worrying thing is that ugly birds appear 25% nicer after only 2 pints. So after 4 pints (not a massive amount over an evening) they are 50% better looking and after an 8 pint session they are all gorgeous - which is obviously a lie. Now if you start off with a good looking bird after 2 pints you are just going to get a very hard slap and at 4 pints you you are going to start a feud.

 

It's a good reason to give up drinking, probably!

 

It's possibly because of the rise of consumerism and seriously no pun intended. Brands and product image are now such a fine art that you have to assume that all advertsing has a lifestyle spin. (Can you tell I am about to start my masters???) Pressures exerted upon society to live a / the lifestyle that is best, according to xyz manufacturer, are so immense that its changing society and the social order. How cyberpunk is that. I love this stuff! Bring on the blipverts!

Yep its always the same. Still I may pop along to the Foyles event and meet the man.

Welcome! please do read the threads and get a feel for what this forum is about - its not for hacking and warez as people think occasionally. Its about discussing cyberpunk culture as in the fictional (there's a new topic) works of Gibson et al. Also we have a large number (majority but its not exclusive) of members who play the cyberpunk role playing games which  means we tend to discuss near future things and how they affect us today and where we think things are going. And yes they are the best forum crowd on the web. Enjoy!

Key concepts: Earth Day, Austin, Viridian Pope-Emperor,

public rally, renewable energy

 

Attention Conservation Notice: News primarily of local

Austin interest.

 

(((My new novel, THE ZENITH ANGLE, is almost complete.

Viridian List will be moving into high gear soon, because

the material arriving has been tremendous.  Stay tuned for

a brand-new Viridian "Embrace Decay" contest for web

designers, involving the Los Angeles Museum of

Contemporary Art!)))

 

Links:

People who wonder if I am alive during my frenzies

of literary composition should check the ol' weblog.

Yup, looks like I'm still alive somehow.

http://www.infinitematrix.net/columns/sterling/index.html

 

Okay, check this weirdness out ==  Burt Rutan built

himself a private spaceship, practically in his backyard.

http://www.space.com/busines....87.html

 

But that's nothing.  This "thermal depolymerization" gizmo

turns sewage into crude oil.  That's great, fellas; tank

up the ol' backyard spaceship.

http://www.discover.com/may_03/gthere.html?article=featoil.html

http://www.changingworldtech.com/

 

Planetwork's coming up.  I wanna go, though my travel

schedule looks nuts this year.

http://www.planetwork.net/2003conf/frames/index.html

 

A contest to redesign dead malls.  Core77, what would

life be without them == a whole lot like a dead mall,

actually.

http://core77.com/reactor/deadmalls.asp

 

(((This is not a major speech by the Viridian Pope-

Emperor. At three minutes, it's more like a benediction.  

But I'll be there.  Bet on it.)))

 

Source:  Texas Sustainable Energy Network

 

Dates: Apr 22, 2003 (Tuesday)

Event: Rally with Us at the Capitol on Earth Day

Time: noon

Description:

TEXAS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY NETWORK (TxSEN)

 

Please join us at noon on Earth Day, April 22, on the

South Steps of the State Capitol in Austin. Among those

speaking will be Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson,

Russel Smith of the Texas Renewable Energy Industries

Association, Austin City Council Member Jackie Goodman and

Bruce Sterling, author of Tomorrow Now: Envisioning the

Next Fifty Years.

 

The Texas Sustainable Energy Network (TxSEN) is promoting

Central Texas as a center of sustainable energy activity.

The campaign is keyed to the series of national and

international events scheduled here through November,

including the national wind and solar conferences in May

and June.

 

Come out to support sustainable energy! And please spread

the word to others interested in sustainable energy.

URL: http://www.txsen.org

 

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

BOMBS STOP DROPPING;

EARTH STILL HERE

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O

Thank you everybody!

 

I spent a few days away at my folks chilling out, which was nice. Mrs CJ bought me suitable pressies for my age. (not a cardigan and a pipe!).

 

To reflect on what has been said - yes this is the most interesting bunch of people on the internet!  I didnt wake up with an 18 year old although I often think that Mrs CJ has the mind body an spirit of one!! I always remember a peice of advice that my dad told me on my 18th birthday: "If your not in bed by 10pm, then come home"...

 

Thanks again!

The server went down for 40 minutes today - we apologise to those of you who couldn't reach the site. We are assuming it was friendly fire.

Third war poll. PM me if you have ideas/questions for war polls.

With the deaths of three journalists and several others wounded by fire from American tanks today I have decided to close this poll. It is a dangerous occupation.

Didn't Iraq buy a load of these a while back? So where are they??? There must be a hidden suicide gyrocopter squad just waiting for thier orders.

My only routine change is that I am tuning into all the news webcams in thier hotel in the middle of Baghdad. The evening standard had a headline on Friday "Ghost Town" but the traffic in Baghdad is still busy and they all seem to be going to work as if nothing was happening - I have aqctually found a use for Real player at last! Fascinating stuff. I keep looking in waiting for the tanks to come flying down the streets which I am sure will happen soon.  

 

These are the best two: (edited coz I got them so wrong!)

 

Reuters

CBS