Makers Local 256 made the news! We were interviewed by 42 Magazine on 12/9. They published an article on us on 12/15 in their print and online publications.
You can pick up a print publication in Huntsville at locations marked here.
42 Magazine (associated with the Huntsville Times) is the answer to Huntsville’s Technology questions. They are the local technology news magazine and report on technology happenings in town.
Makers Local 256 will run a booth at the local International Space Development Conference (ISDC) and will present the Makers to and advise the conference’s project incubator, the Foundry Workshop. The conference runs from May 18-22 at the Von Braun Center. We’ll be in the Von Braun Center North Hall Lower. The workshop runs from May 19-20 at the Embassy Suites Huntsville Redstone Boardroom (2nd Floor). Come check us out!
We need volunteers to help run the Makers Local 256 Booth and present to and advise the Foundry workshop! Sign up on the wikipage. Booth volunteers get to have FREE access to the conference! Foundry volunteers get to access the workshop as functionaries. They will not need to pay conference fees.
If you are attending the conference and/or workshop, but not volunteering, you must pay for conference registration and workshop tickets on the online form; ticket purchases on Section VI.
However, Makers Local 256 members can register for the conference and workshops at the ‘co-supporter’ discount rate regardless of his/her NSS membership status. In the online form, under ‘Section I’, select ‘Makers Local 256’ in the ‘ISDC Sponsor/Co-Sponsor’ field.
The conference covers several broad areas of study related to building a spacefaring civilization, including transportation to and through space, technology needed to live and work in space, and Earth-based activities to advocate for or educate others about space development. The overall theme for ISDC 2011 is “From the Ground Up,” emphasizing the tools, resources, and social activities that must be accomplished to make a spacefaring civilization a reality. Participants are encouraged not just to describe an ideal “future state,” but to think about the technical, economic, or advocacy steps that must be accomplished to achieve a specific goal.
The Foundry is a project incubator workshop. The Foundry helps participants turn good ideas into doable projects. The Foundry brings together those who are willing to work for a project of their choice and (or those who want to help), the necessary expertise, and the resources all in one place.
ISDC Brought to you by HAL5, the local Huntsville, Alabama chapter of the National Space Society
Makers Local is hosting a Tech Expo with accompanying Mardi Gras Pig Roast on Saturday, March 5th. Members will be showing recent projects and demonstrating the technologies they use, as well as giving tours of the shop. Some of the demonstrations include 3d printing, robotics, vacuum molding, rocketry, microcontrollers and more. Mardi Gras treats will be delivered by the Makers new Candy Cannon!
The Tech Expo begins at 12, food will be served at the same time. Plates are $10, or two for $15.
I recently had an opportunity to visit the fine people at hackerspace.sg in Singapore.
I won’t detail here everything about hackerspace.sg, you can find out all about them on their site (which I recommend doing). Or better yet, you could also ask them yourselves! They chat on freenode: #hackerspacesg .
I arrive at night. The entrance to hackerspace.sg is just a glass door with a logo (their version of the hacker’s glider) facing a small side-street in the south of Singapore. The humble facade belies the powerhouse of creativity, talent, and enthusiasm to be found inside. Outdoor seating for eateries impregnates the warm night air with the smells of many cultures’ cuisines.
I don’t have to knock or ring the doorbell. Just as I arrive, a busy member bustles out of the doorway on a mission of seemingly dire importance. I never found out what. I am greeted by another member with a hello and a quizzical look. I awkwardly ask “hackerspace?” which is countered with a smile and a beckoning “come on in!” Hackerspaces are friendly places.
I am led upstairs to the main area, where perhaps 20 or 30 people are engaged in discussion, tinkering with gadgets, and generally having a good time. There is some dancey/popish music playing over the low roar of conversation, and cake is being eaten. It has the feel of a party. I learn later that this is because it is a party.
After a few introductions and brief conversations, I come to realize that this is all very familiar. This place has an infectious energy, boundless creativity, a collaborative foundation, and a shimmering pool of talent in such high concentration that I am reminded of the legendary tales of Xerox Parc. Hackerspaces are hotspots of awesome.
The people here are excited. The Singaporean hackerspace is only a few months old, yet they have over 30 members. It’s not hard to see why. The leadership, creativity, and enthusiasm of the extremely friendly founding members will ensure hackerspace.sg’s continued success.
The projects here lean toward being media-related. There are graphics design people, video people, music people, social media people, and animation people. But there are also military people, ex-corporate people, and startup people. I see webcams attached to nerf-guns, gramophones, and gadgets and gizmos of all kinds. There is a lot of art, and a lot of ideas. And of course, what hackerspace would be complete without an entire wall covered with a printout of the unix family tree?
After an all-too-short visit, I must leave. I donate some money to the “food fund”. I take some pictures, collect contact information, and say goodbye. I am sad to go, but also uplifted and energized.
It’s an exciting time to be alive. What does it all mean? Why are these hackerspaces popping up all over the world? What’s next? I don’t know yet, but I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more to it than Industrial Revolution 2.0. I do know that visiting Singapore’s hackerspace was a Good Thing(tm). I don’t know how many hackerspace members have the need to go to Singapore any time soon, but I definitely encourage visiting other hackerspaces whenever and wherever the opportunity arises.
It’s almost as if hackerspaces are a new form of life, and when members visit other hackerspaces, we get a glimpse of the evolution taking place. Maybe that’s it. Hackerspaces: we’re evolving.
The Tasks: Find an object from our hints, take a picture of it, and post the picture in a twitter Direct Message to @HSVsh, like so: d HSVsh [some words maybe?] [twitpic URL]
The Objects: Objects in and around Huntsville. Different every week, for four weeks.
The Hints: Every Friday, a hard one. Every Monday, an easier one. Every Wednesday, an even easier one. Posted at 12 pm noon from the @HSVsh twitter account.
The Points: Until the 2nd clue is posted = 5 points. Until the 3rd clue is posted = 3 points. After the 3rd clue until the next object = 1 point.
The Goal: Highest score after 4 rounds (weeks) gets a $50 gift card. In the case of a tie, a tie breaker round will be held. First to tweet the right answer, wins.
The Tools: A twitter account and camera or camera phone. Follow @HSVsh .