From extropians-request@extropy.org Sat Jan 22 02:25:11 1994 Return-Path: Received: from usc.edu by chaph.usc.edu (4.1/SMI-4.1+ucs-3.0) id AA01440; Sat, 22 Jan 94 02:24:56 PST Errors-To: Extropians-Request@gnu.ai.mit.edu Received: from news.panix.com by usc.edu (4.1/SMI-3.0DEV3-USC+3.1) id AA12603; Sat, 22 Jan 94 02:24:51 PST Errors-To: Extropians-Request@gnu.ai.mit.edu Received: by news.panix.com id AA20327 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for more@usc.edu); Sat, 22 Jan 1994 05:03:10 -0500 Date: Sat, 22 Jan 1994 05:03:10 -0500 Message-Id: <199401221003.AA20327@news.panix.com> To: Extropians@extropy.org From: Extropians@extropy.org Subject: Extropians Digest #94-1-379 - #94-1-392 X-Extropian-Date: January 22, 374 P.N.O. [05:01:09 UTC] Reply-To: extropians@extropy.org Errors-To: Extropians-Request@gnu.ai.mit.edu Status: RO Extropians Digest Sat, 22 Jan 94 Volume 94 : Issue 21 Today's Topics: [1 msgs] [2 msgs] [1 msgs] [1 msgs] [1 msgs] [1 msgs] [1 msgs] [1 msgs] [1 msgs] [1 msgs] [1 msgs] [2 msgs] Administrivia: No admin msg. Approximate Size: 52392 bytes. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jajohnso@ingr.com Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 17:10:57 CST Subject: [94-1-379] NET: Russia world-wide-web (fwd article) - - - - - begin included article - - - - Article: 959 of alt.binaries.multimedia From: natasha@push.stack.serpukhov.su (Natalia Bulashova) Newsgroups: alt.binaries.multimedia Subject: New Announcement Date: 19 Jan 1994 08:58:01 GMT Organization: Stack Ltd., Pushchino, Russia Message-ID: <2hismp$cnf@push.stack.serpukhov.su> NNTP-Posting-Host: push.stack.serpukhov.su Dear college, we want offer to your attention New Announcement about New Russia-American World Wide Web Server Friends and Partners >From Russia and from America comes a new information service called "Friends and Partners" -- one of the first information systems jointly developed by citizens of these two nations. It is hoped that it will contribute towards better understanding between our nations by providing instruction on our countries and cultures, by providing a common base of information about issues affecting relations between our countries, and by providing a common 'meeting place' where folks can find and communicate with each other. If you wish to visit, the following uniform resource locator (URL) will allow you to connect to the World Wide Web server: http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/friends/home.html At the moment, it is more a 'framework' of an information system -- more 'heart' than substance. The goal is to help others build upon the framework -- to create and link together information on our nation's histories; our art, music, literature, and religion; our educational and scientific resources; our geography and natural resources, our languages; and our opportunities for communicating, travelling, and working together. The 'end product' -- an evolving and continually changing information resource -- should be useful to many and will hopefully help bridge the gap of understanding that exists between our nations. It will hopefully also demonstrate the potential for good that exists with this wonderfully chaotic, global resource we call the Internet. What are the potential uses? Scientists should be able to use the service to find information about funding opportunities and exchange programs, access various databases and library resources, and locate potential colleagues and co-workers. Teachers and educators at all levels should be able to find and contribute interesting and up-to-date material to assist in their instruction -- making their courses more 'alive' and more pertinent to real world issues. Folks in business should be able to learn about the economic environment and opportunities in both countries as well as the rules and laws pertaining to conducting business. Artists from all fields (and their patrons) should be able to learn about, meet and work with each other. And people from all walks of life should be able to learn more about these two nations -- so closed off from one another for so many years. The primary motivation of this service is to help introduce new friendships and partnerships between our peoples. It hopes to build upon the excellent work already being accomplished by our governments and by the various groups, centers, and institutes who have been working for so many years towards this same goal of cooperation and friendship. Perhaps the only difference from other efforts is the intention to use the World Wide Web on the Internet as the method of communicating information. The World Wide Web was chosen because of its ability to handle mixed media (text, graphics, audio, etc.), the excellent graphic and non-graphic browsers available for free on the Internet, and its ability to 'integrate' information from all of the best Internet-based tools and utilities -- Listservers, Gophers, WAIS indexes, FTP archives, etc. If you do not have a WWW browser, you can use our 'friends' account. Telnet to solar.rtd.utk.edu. At the login: prompt, enter friends and press return (make sure to enter friends in all lower case). This will place you in a non-graphic WWW browser called 'Lynx' (on-line help is available). (Note: you must be emulating a vt100 terminal to use this method of access.) We will soon be providing a 'mirror' of this server in Pushchino, Russia (near Moscow) on the computer of co-developer Natasha Bulashova. This will be perhaps the first information system of its kind in Russia. One of the most exciting developments underway in Pushchino is the development of a 'virtual network' of biological sciences information. This is being designed to be a global information resource on biological sciences research and will be offered soon as a part of this overall service. Efforts will soon begin to establish both servers in Russian and English languages. We have established an electronic mailing list (listserver) to help facilitate communication for this project. Please feel most free to join by sending a message to listproc@solar.rtd.utk.edu with the following text: SUBSCRIBE FRIENDS Your name This is a moderated list with which one 'digest' of all postings will be sent to subscribers each day. Please send us your comments, criticisms, suggestions (and offers of help! :-) ). Natasha Bulashova Greg Cole Pushchino, Moscow Region Knoxville, Tennessee Russia USA natasha@ibpm.serpukhov.su gcole@solar.rtd.utk.edu P.S. We hope to quickly broaden the scope of this server to incorporate information and communication with all of the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union. The information content of this server must reflect a much larger constituency than just our two nations and we should work towards that end. (but, of course, one step at a time . . . ) - - - - - end included article - - - - ====================================================================== Jeffrey Adam Johnson Internet: jajohnso@ingr.com Intergraph Corporation ("I speak only for myself.") ====================================================================== "The right there specified [ in the Second Amendment ] is that of `bearing arms for a lawful purpose.' This is not a right granted by the Constitution. Neither is it in any manner dependent upon that instrument for its existence. The Second Amendment declares it shall not be infringed, ... It shall not be infringed by Congress ... The very highest duty of the States, when they entered into the Union under the Constitution, was to protect all persons within their boundaries in the enjoyment of these 'unalienable rights with which they were endowed by their Creator.'" - US v. Cruikshank; 92 US 542; (1875) ====================================================================== ------------------------------ From: jajohnso@ingr.com Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 17:13:36 CST Subject: [94-1-380] MEDIA: "smartbomb" announcement (forwarded) - - - - - begin included article - - - - - Article: 4466 of alt.supermodels Newsgroups: alt.supermodels From: rob@dexter.psych.umn.edu (Robert Stephens) Subject: smartBOMB Message-ID: Sender: news@news2.cis.umn.edu (Usenet News Administration) Nntp-Posting-Host: dexter.psych.umn.edu Organization: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Date: Mon, 17 Jan 1994 06:22:01 GMT smartBOMB (version 1.0) (followed by the latest news on this event) Minneapolis, MN, USA: On Friday, Jan. 28, and Saturday, Jan. 29 Rogue nightclub and CyberPlex is beginning smartBOMB: the first in a series of live hybrid digital media experiences, on-line and video experiments. We have assembled local vendors in Minneapolis who are sponsoring this event by providing many of the computers, video and data links, and Internet connections. Beginning at 8 pm (CST) hands-on showcases featuring the latest in CD-ROM titles, computer animation, BIOMUSE interaction, and of course, music. Around 10:30 pm the dancing kicks into high gear, and the computers will be running by themselves, dumping any images, sound bites, and video clips contributed by YOU as it arrives onto several video projectors and large screen monitors. SmartBOMB will be taking place at the Rogue Bar, 10 S. 5th St., the Lumber Exchange Building in Downtown Minneapolis. Cover charge is $5.00 Contacts: Maurice Gavin, VP Marketing, Rogue - Voice: (612) 371-9863 FAX: (612) 371-0972 E-mail: rogue.bar@giz.com CYBERPLEX Contact: Robert Stephens, Technical coordinator, smartBOMB Voice: (612) 751-6205 E-mail: rob@dexter.psych.umn.edu ___________New Updates: Rogue/CyberPlex is collaborating with SYNERGY, the people who brought you the first on-line art collaboration to secure an FTP site for the deposition of your images, sounds, and video clips. The location of this FTP site will be posted to several newsgroups Monday, Jan. 17 late afternoon (CST), along with an announcement detailing SYNERGY's involvement in smartBOMB. As an added treat, Paul Robb, formerly of the band Information Society, will be performing with his new band, Think Tank on Friday evening. Help us drop a smartBOMB on Minneapolis: forward this message to at least one other person and drop a line to rogue.bar@giz.com with questions, ideas, etc. Robert C. Stephens rob@dexter.psych.umn.edu Technical coordinator, smartBOMB - - - - - end included article - - - - - ====================================================================== Jeffrey Adam Johnson Internet: jajohnso@ingr.com ("I speak only for myself.") ====================================================================== "The so-called drug war has been with us for perhaps 75 years. The 'war' targets drug growers, sellers, buyers and users. Its chief weapon is the criminal law, vigorously enforced by vast numbers of state and federal agents, police and prosecutors. It has been a very successful war -- gradually destroying our courts, our cities, our budgets, our morals and other countries. It has failed in one respect only: It has had no inhibiting effect upon the traffic in drugs. Indeed, that traffic, as the direct result of our criminal laws, has increased. It is time to consider some form of legalization." - Martin L. Haines, a retired Burlington County (New Jersey) Assignment Judge and past president of the New Jersey Bar Association, in the article "Drug War: America's War of Self Deception" from the June 21, 1993 "New Jersey Law Journal". (134 N.J.L.J. 616) ====================================================================== ------------------------------ From: peb@procase.com (Paul Baclace) Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 15:50:55 PST Subject: [94-1-381] extropian shelter and self reliance >From: Brian D Williams > Excellent points! Of course as all Fullerites know the >acceptance of new ideas takes time. I would certainly think if your Bucky Fuller put the lag of adoption of new technology housing to be 50 years. Paul E. Baclace peb@procase.com ------------------------------ From: usr1593a@tso.uc.EDU (Bruce Zimov) Date: Fri, 21 Jan 1994 19:29:33 -0500 (EST) Subject: [94-1-382] Shakeout I'm unsubscribing. It's really too bad. I'm probably one of the few with an active artificial conciousness research program in full swing with a team of more than one person. Well, you can read about it when we're finished. I did enjoy lurking while it was free. Bruce Zimov usr1593a@tso.uc.edu ------------------------------ From: 155yegan@jove.dnet.measurex.com (egan_t@measurex.com) Date: Fri, 21 Jan 1994 16:39:17 -0800 Subject: [94-1-383] extropian shelters Paul E. Baclace says: >>From: Brian D Williams > >> Excellent points! Of course as all Fullerites know the >>acceptance of new ideas takes time. I would certainly think if your > >Bucky Fuller put the lag of adoption of new technology housing to be >50 years. Well, I guess 'ol Bucky blew it on that one. If I remember correctly, he built the first one in the twenties or thirties. Maybe it's different in your neck of the woods, but around here, it seems to be very difficult to get a building permit for a dome. I know I'D rather have one, than the box I have now. Regretfully Terry Egan ( egan_t@measurex.com ) ------------------------------ From: sjw@liberty.demon.co.uk (Stephen J. Whitrow) Date: Sat, 22 Jan 94 00:11:42 GMT Subject: [94-1-384] Extropians as Family Tim May [on the distinction between "immoral" and "inappropriate"] writes: > >Libertarians often miss this distinction, I think, perhaps because >society so often attempts to take what ought to be issues of courtesy >and appropriateness--wearing a bathing suit to a dinner party, for >example--and make them into "laws." (Ditto for areas like common-sense >safety, such as wearing seat belts....I _always_ wear my seat belt, >which is "appropriate behavior" in a car, but I resent like hell the >fact that most states have made it a law that seatbelts must be worn, We must also be careful not to mix up "courtesy" with "appropriate behaviour", if "inappropriate" implies that which is out of fashion, or behaviour currently practised by a minority. After laws were introduced on the wearing of seat belts it suddenly became fashionable to wear them, but I don't think the pro-belters should be allowed to get away with implying that non-wearers are somehow "ill-mannered". Governments would love to be able to manipulate more of their opponents into believing themselves to be discourteous or even immoral, even if this malleability is limited to the feebleminded. And it also pays governments if they can manipulate the masses into seeing minorities such as Extropians, life extensionists and anarcho-capitalists as discourteous or immoral. Maintaining a buffer between inappropriate and discourteous is an important part of the defences between unusual activity and illegality. I don't intend to start wearing seat belts just because some immoral protection racket monopoly with a lot of firepower continues to strengthen its grip on its captive customers by raising controls on, and money stolen from, them, under the guise of desperately trying to save money needed for an ailing National Unhealth Service. However, I do now wear seat belts when a passenger, as I accept not to do so could be impolite / incur boundary problems in addition to being inappropriate (unusual). It would be putting the driver under increased risk of being stopped and coming under the scrutiny of the law. When governments succeed in painting some group as "immoral", there may be snoopers who report those whom they view as discourteous / immoral (naturally, the snoopers had better make damn sure they aren't found out!). The statists have succeeded in convincing some that gun ownership is immoral, and in some instances guns are confiscated due to informants. I think it'll be quite a while before we see snooping with regard to not wearing seat belts, eating chips or red meat, or going to bed after midnight, but you never know.... In the cases where the feebleminded are led to believe that their actions are immoral, this is a more direct control of behaviour. Paying income tax is currently appropriate behaviour, but when crypto-anarchy dawns we don't want folks refusing to use digital cash because they think it's immoral. Steve Whitrow sjw@liberty.demon.co.uk ------------------------------ From: davisd@auburn.ee.washington.edu Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 17:22:32 -0800 Subject: [94-1-385] META: List Security > With each method there would be three modes that each user can > set for himself 1) reject any messages from his address without > authentication 2) add a banner/header to your message saying > that the message was authenticated, but do not stop unauthenticated > messages from being processed 3) ignore all security > > -Ray Will 1) include bouncing the post back to sender, or notifying him in some other way? Buy Buy -- Dan Davis ------------------------------ From: desilets@San-Jose.ate.slb.com (Mark Desilets) Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 17:24:36 PST Subject: [94-1-386] FWD: ba.general #8977 - CYBERFILM:San Francisco Sorry to waste bandwidth, but I thought this might be of intereste even for non Bay-Aryans. Mark In article , ggach@path.net writes: |> |> |> |> |> January 14, 1994 |> |> |> We are excited to be hosting CYBERFILM at the U.C. |> Theatre in Berkeley, Friday, January 28-February 4. It is |> a Festival of films and video exploring humankind's |> relationship to developing technologies including |> cybernetics, robotics, biotechnology and virtual reality. |> American and international filmmakers have created an |> incredible variety of "cutting edge" big screen experiences |> which will challenge audiences, and are certain to spark |> controversy as a not-so-distant future is visualized where |> body invasion (prosthetic limbs, implanted circuitry, |> cosmetic surgery, genetic alteration) and mind invasion |> (brain-computer interfaces, artificial intelleligence, |> neurochemistry) become a part of daily life. |> |> To my knowledge this is the first such event to happen |> anywhere. Since my expertise is film programming and I am |> trying to learn all I can about the issues dealt with in |> CYBERFILM, I've consulted with several experts in the |> burgeoning cyberart and cyberculture movement including |> Gareth Branwyn (a regular contributor to MONDO 2000, WIRED |> and bOING bOING, and co-creator of Beyond Cyberpunk, a |> hypermedia computer book about cybermedia and cyberculture), |> Mark Frauenfelder (associate editor of WIRED and co-editor |> bOING bOING) and Richard Kadrey (author of the new hot- |> selling Covert Culture Sourcebook, the novel Metrophage and |> many articles for magazines including THE WHOLE EARTH REVIEW, |> OMNI, REFLEX,etc.) |> |> We came up with dozens of older film to consider and |> chose a selection we felt were especially appropriate. I |> have been scouting for new works from film festivals and got |> enthusiastic response from filmmakers eager to have their |> films included in CYBERFILM. Additionally we will showcase |> new forms of animation and interactive multimedia, and |> provide forums for filmmakers and experts in related fields |> to discuss this work with audiences. |> |> Attached is the Festival's complete schedule, with |> additional information about the Premieres and Special |> Events. |> |> Sincerely, |> |> |> Gary Meyer |> UC Theater |> |> PS Please tell the ticket-taker if you heard about |> CYBERFILM on the Net, and, if so, where. Thank you! |> |> ************************************************************* |> |> |> CYBERFILM |> |> WHAT: "CYBERFILM," a Festival of new and classic films |> exploring the merging of electronics, humanity and |> biotechnology. |> |> WHEN: Friday, January 28 - Friday, February 4 |> |> WHERE: U.C. Theatre, 2036 University Avenue, Berkeley |> |> ADMISSION: Each program (including "classics" double bills) |> $6.00 general, $3.50 seniors or children under 12 (most |> programs are inappropriate for children). Festival discount |> cards available, 5 admissions for $22.00. Sunday afternoon |> seminar is free. METROPOLIS with Clubfoot Orchestra special |> admission prices. |> ************************************************************* |> |> THE SCHEDULE: |> |> (start times for each film follow title in parentheses; a |> star* denotes each separate program) |> |> FRIDAY, JANUARY 28: |> * Ridley Scott's uncut BLADE RUNNER (3:00 & 7:00pm) plus |> Aaron Lipstadt's ANDROID (5:15 & 9:15) |> |> SATURDAY, JANUARY 29: |> * Stanley Kubrick's 2001:A SPACE ODYSSEY(1:30 & 7:00pm) and A |> CLOCKWORK ORANGE (4:15 & 9:40) |> |> SUNDAY, JANUARY 30: |> *Premiere showing of CYBERPUNK (1:30pm) with William Gibson, |> Timothy Leary, Jaron Lanier and Michael Synergy plus Alvin |> Toffler's FUTURE SHOCK (2:45pm). |> |> * (3:30pm) Panel discussion led by Mark Frauenfelder |> (Associate Editor of WIRED; Co-Editor of bOING bOING) and |> Richard Kadrey (author of Covert Culture Sourcebook). Free |> admission. |> |> *THE FUTURE OF ANIMATION IS NOW! (7:00pm) Animation expert |> Karl Cohen presents dozens of examples using new techniques |> and developing applications. Animators in person. |> |> *Sneak Preview of Abel Ferrara's controversial remake, BODY |> SNATCHERS (9:30pm). |> |> MONDAY, JANUARY 31: |> *David Blair's WAX OR THE DISCOVERY OF TELEVISION AMONG THE |> BEES (3:00pm) and new works from SURVIVAL RESEARCH |> LABORATORIES (4:50pm). |> |> *Shinya Tsukamoto's TETSUO:THE IRON MAN (7:00pm) and |> Japanimation science fiction shorts NEO-TOKYO (8:20pm) . |> |> *Premiere of Albert Pyun's cyborg thriller NEMESIS (9:30pm). |> |> TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1: |> *David Cronenberg's adaptation of William Burroughs' NAKED |> LUNCH (3:00pm) with Howard Brookner's film portrait of the |> outlaw author, BURROUGHS (5:15pm) |> |> *Premiere of Alex de la Iglesia's outrageous ACCION MUTANTE |> (7:15pm) produced by Pedro Almodovar. |> |> *Premiere of WILD EAST (9:30pm) , a post-punk apocalyptic |> tale from Kazakhstan, directed by Rachid Nourmanov. |> |> WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2: |> Streamline Pictures presents "ASIAN EYE: Four Premieres |> from Japan. " |> |> *MEGAZONE 23 Part 1 (3:00pm) - Virtual Reality Japanimation |> adventure. |> |> *CYBER NINJA (5:00pm) - Non-stop live action cybertronic |> thriller |> |> *MEGAZONE 23 Part 2 (7:00pm) - A stand-alone sequel |> considered the prototype for Japanimation classic AKIRA. |> |> *ZERAM (9:00pm) - A female bounty hunter in a futuristic |> virtual world battles a mutating space alien. |> |> Streamline representatives are scheduled to be present, |> showing models and animation cels from Japanese science |> fiction films. |> |> THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3: |> *George Miller's ROAD WARRIOR (1:00) plus Terry Gilliam's |> BRAZIL (3:00) (final U.S. showing of uncut European print). |> |> *John Sanborn's MESS 'O' MEDIA (7:00pm), cutting edge film, |> video and interactive multi-media presented on the big |> screen. |> |> THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3 continued: |> *VIRTUAL LOVE (9:30), San Francisco artist/filmmaker Lynn |> Hershman Leeson's new narrative about virtual reality love |> affairs with advice from intermedia authorities like Todd |> Gitlin, R.U. Sirius and Jaron Lanier. Hershmann will lead a |> panel discussion on Virtual Reality following the film. |> |> FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4: |> *THE CLUBFOOT ORCHESTRA accompanies METROPOLIS (7:00 and |> 9:15pm), Fritz Lang's 1926 silent classic about a futuristic |> city and its mechanized society. (Special admission: $8.00, |> Festival discount cards not accepted but CLUBFOOT series |> tickets available) |> |> ************************************************************* |> CYBERFILM PREMIERES & SPECIAL EVENTS |> |> *CYBERPUNK- William Gibson's acclaimed science-fiction novel |> Neuromancer spawned an ultra-hip underground movement dubbed |> "cyberpunk," known for its outrageous melding of weird |> science and computer culture. CYBERPUNK is a savvy, funny and |> often frightening tour of the future-shock world of hackers, |> industrials rockers, phone phreaks, art and fashion, road |> warriors, roboticists, prosthetic engineers and the prophets |> of Virtual Reality- featuring William Gibson himself, Timothy |> Leary, Jaron Lanier and Michael Synergy. |> On the same program is FUTURE SHOCK, a1972 documentary |> adapted from Alvin Toffler's best-selling book. Concerned |> with "the disease of change," it presents the idea that "to |> absorb the impact of change, we too must change and learn to |> control change!" Various social, scientific, and |> technological developments are examined in a way that makes |> the viewer aware of the effect of high speed change on all |> aspects of life. Narrated by Orson Welles. Sunday, January 30 |> at 1:30pm. |> |> *NEXT? A panel discussion on where the next 20 years might |> take us, moderated by Mark Frauenfelder (Associate Editor of |> WIRED; Co-Editor of bOING bOING) and Richard Kadrey (Covert |> Culture Sourcebook, Metrophage). Free Admission. Sunday, January |> 30 at 3:30pm |> |> *THE FUTURE OF ANIMATION IS NOW! Take a glimpse into the |> future of filmmaking via a wide range of animation |> techniques. Works shown include clips from science fiction |> features, ride simulator films, scientific visualizations, |> astonishing TV commercials and a selection of the best |> computer generated visions from Boss, Industrial Light and |> Magic, Midland, PDI, Pixar, Rhythm and Hues, Steve Segal, |> Xaos and others. (Colossal) Pictures will present the cg |> character Moxie and their MTV hit AEON FLUX. The program is |> curated by Karl Cohen (President of ASIFA, the Bay Area |> animation association; SFSU guest lecturer; author) who will |> introduce animators and surprise guests. Sunday, January 30 at |> 7:00pm |> |> |> *BODY SNATCHERS-Sneak Preview of Abel (BAD LIEUTENANT) |> Ferrara's update on Don Siegel's 1956 original and Philip |> Kaufman's 1978 re-make of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. |> The aliens invade a military base to which an EPA scientist |> has just moved with his new wife (Meg Tilley), teenage |> daughter (Gabrielle Anwar) and young son. Paranoia and |> military collusion join to question just how superior the |> destructive humans are, even compared to the soulless pod |> people. Meg Tilley's valium-calm "Where you gonna go? Where |> you gonna hide?" will haunt viewers. Sunday, January 30 at |> 9:30pm. |> |> *WAX OR THE DISCOVERY OF TELEVISION AMONG THE BEES- |> archival footage with new video, David Blair gives us an |> extraordinary feature, WAX. ..It tells the story of computer |> programmer and beekeeper Jacob Maker and the discoveries he |> makes when, hearing the voices of bees in his hives, he |> learns that the bees are the link between this world and the |> land of the dead. But that is only a small part of the multi- |> generational, multi-dimensional story." (from Richard |> Kadrey's Covert Culture Sourcebook.) WAX is experimental and |> demanding but unlike any cinema experience we've seen. |> Monday, January 30, 3:00pm |> -on the same program- |> SURVIVAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES- Mark Pauline and Leslie Asako |> Gladsjo present recent works where artists and technicians |> are dedicated to exploring the potential for redirecting the |> techniques, tools and tenets of industry and science away |> from their typical manifestations in practicality or product. |> "Homemade machines are the players in SRL's shows, walking, |> crawling, rolling and even flying across the performance area |> like mechanized Bosch demons. The themes are almost always |> political, the staging blackly comic in its over-the-top |> combination of crashing metal, ear-blistering noise and |> flames." (from Kadray's Covert Culture). Scheduled are two |> premieres, SRL AT THE SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART |> GROUNDBREAKING and THE DELIBERATE EVOLUTION OF A WAR |> ZONE |> (excerpt from work in progress) plus THE PLEASURES OF |> UNINHIBITED EXCESS (1991). Monday, January 31 at 4:50pm. |> |> *TETSUO: THE IRON MAN - Director Shinya Tsukamoto's cyberpunk |> retelling of Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" is a fast-paced, |> frightening and darkly funny science fiction horror story |> backed by a driving industrial soundtrack. On the same |> program are two shorts |> from the Japanese animated collection, NEO TOKYO: Running |> Man |> features the "Death Circus," a grim, super-mechanized 21st |> century racetrack where the drivers are cybernetically linked |> to their cars; |> The Order to Stop Construction, made by the animator of |> AKIRA, is a black comedy about a multi-conglomerate's efforts |> to use a network of robots to build a city in a tropical |> nation. Monday, January 31 at 7:00pm. |> |> *NEMESIS - Year 2020 - Japan and America have joined forces |> but anarchy is rampant and violence is accepted as a daily |> occurrence. Science has perfected cybergenics to such a |> degree that any part of the body can be replaced - even the |> brain. A global split is occurring between cyborgs who |> develop a desire to be human, and the humans who created |> them. NEMESIS is a fast-moving action thriller with thought- |> provoking themes. Monday, January 31 at 9:30pm. |> |> *ACCION MUTANTE - "Cyberpunk splatter meets Almodovarian camp |> in Alex de la Iglesia's outrageous thriller. In 2012, beauty |> and style have replaced justice and truth as society's |> guiding principles. Only one group, Accion Mutante, a |> renegade group of genetic malformations and handicapped |> exiles, fights against the evil designer titans. Made with |> the involvement of Pedro and Augustin Almodovar, ACCION |> MUTANTE is simply a wild, very funny sci-fi extravaganza, |> with spectacular costumes, unbelievable effects and the |> coolest six-shooter ever to grace planet Earth." (excerpted |> from Noah Cowan, Toronto Film Festival) Tuesday, February 1 at |> 7:15pm. |> |> *WILD EAST - "Imagine THE SEVEN SAMURAI crossed with EVEN |> DWARFS STARTED SMALL against a landscape that suggests a ROAD |> WARRIOR knockoff by a Roger Corman unit, and you'll get a |> rough idea of this film from Kazakhstan, the last movie |> officially finished in the old Soviet Union. It's a post-punk |> apocalyptic tale about a disintegrating empire overrun with |> bandits, boozers, weirdos, motorcycles and rock 'n' roll. " |> (Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune). Director Rachid |> Nougmanov's previous film THE NEEDLE(1989) became something |> of an emblem of a new younger and hip look in Soviet Cinema |> under glasnost. He is now living in Paris and preparing to |> make his first film in America. Tuesday, February 1 at 9:30. |> |> |> *Streamline Pictures, a U.S. distributor specializing in |> science fiction and fantasy films, presents a day filled with |> visually stunning, action and idea-filled wonders from |> Japan.....not for children. Representatives will be present |> to answer questions as well as show and sell models and |> animation cels from the movies. Wednesday, February 2 |> |> MEGAZONE 23 Pt.1 - The ultimate Virtual Reality Construct, |> this SF adventure is set nearly five hundred years in the |> future as entire population centers are unsuspectingly |> sequestered in MEGAZONES, mammoth stellar VR habitats, in a |> massive governmental cover-up designed to keep the Earth's |> failure to stop an alien invasion from becoming general |> knowledge. The Government conspiracy is maintained via an |> elaborately detailed program of mind control and computer |> simulations. One of the most outstanding examples of pop |> artistry from Japan's new wave animators. 3:00pm |> |> *CYBER NINJA - High Tech meets high adventure in this non- |> stop live action cybertronic thriller. In the distant future, |> civilization has evolved into two opposing camps; one |> defended by an android army imbued with human intelligence |> ripped from the bodies of fallen warriors, the other |> comprised of people who have developed their latent psi |> powers into combat weapons. 5:00pm |> |> *MEGAZONE 23 Pt.2 - Seen as both a sequel and an original SF |> story, it picks up where the earlier Megazone film left off. |> Only this time with a wilder and more convoluted cyberpunk |> plot and a new team of designers and animators. Taken in |> context, this outrageous animated feature complete with a |> trashy biker gang, a sexy VR simulant, grotesque aliens and a |> military industrial complex with an arsenal of high-tech |> weapons that would make George Lucas drool, is the blueprint |> for the best pre and post-AKIRA animated features. 7:00pm |> |> *ZERAM - A live-action virtual world adventure tells the tale |> of a female bounty hunter who must confront the evil forces |> of Zeram, a giant renegade space alien, in order to save |> earth. Equipped with a warp machine, space bazooka, electric |> shield and a computer named Bob, she is set for an explosive |> evening as the battle ensues between good and evil. 9:00pm |> |> *John Sanborn's MESS 'O' MEDIA - An evening of cutting edge |> media, in all shapes, sizes and forms. Acclaimed Video Artist |> and Director John Sanborn (of San Francisco's (Colossal) |> Pictures) brings a powerhouse of media projects featuring his |> own works in film, video and interactive multimedia. Works |> include "Quirky," a twisted self-portrait, "Sitting on Top of |> the World," a Quicktime created digital video which won the |> Grand Prize at the 1992 International Quicktime Film Festival |> and "MediaBand," a collection of interactive music/videos |> from the forthcoming Marc Canter produced CD-ROM release to |> be published by APPLE. Sanborn will screen works and show the |> process of making digital video on the Macintosh using |> SuperMac's DigitalFilm and Adobe's Premiere. Special |> surprise guests will enhance the evening by screening and |> discussing their own interactive media projects. Thursday, |> February 3 at 7:00pm. |> |> *VIRTUAL LOVE - "Lynn Hershman Leeson's newest project uses |> parallel narratives to tell a story of illusion and truth. |> Valerie Vogel works as a virtual reality archivist who is |> smitten with Barry Rosenthal, an identical twin virtual |> reality researcher. To gain his attention, she inserts an |> idealized image of a woman into his computer and begins an |> electronic correspondence. Meanwhile, Dennis, a loner, has |> become obsessed with Marie, a phone sex 'therapist' who he |> sees on a cable television show. Chip, Barry's twin brother, |> discovers the secret 'real' woman behind the image while |> working on his own underground adventures with Valerie. When |> Barry insists on meeting the "virtual" image, Valerie's panic |> leads a "virtual suicide" and eventually to 'real love.' Each |> of the five parts of this unique narrative is introduced by |> real experts in media and virtual reality." (by K. Brew, |> MVFF) Thursday, February 3 at 9:30. |> |> To be followed by panel discussion: "Virtual Reality of |> Reality" - moderated by filmmaker Leeson and featuring Rich |> Gold (Researcher, Xerox Park; started Artist's Residency |> Program), Sharon Grace (Professor, San Francisco Art |> Institute), Margaret Morse (Professor, UC Santa Cruz; author |> and media critic), R.U. Sirius (Co-Founder Mondo 2000). |> |> *METROPOLIS - Live musical accompaniment by THE CLUBFOOT |> ORCHESTRA. Fritz Lang's1926 "prophetic city of the 21st |> century has two levels: one for the rich and pleasure-loving, |> another - labyrinthine, underground - for the slave-workers |> who |> tend the machines. The industrialist-tyrant who runs |> Metropolis plots to incite riots so that he can crush the |> workers' rebelliousness. His son has gone down to the workers |> and fallen in love with the saintly firebrand Maria. The |> tyrant plots with an inventor, Rotwang, who, in a phenomenal |> science-fiction laboratory sequence, creates a steel double |> for Maria - the false Maria, who leads the masses to revolt. |> But the destruction gets out of hand, the children of the |> workers are about to be caught in a flood, and all of |> Metropolis would be destroyed were it not for the final |> alliance of the industrialist, his son, the true Maria, and |> the workers. METROPOLIS is a spectacular example of |> Expressionist design (grouped human beings are used |> architecturally), with moments of almost incredible beauty |> and power." (Pauline Kael, 5001 Nights at the Movies) |> Friday, February 4 at 7:00 and 9:15pm. |> |> -END- |> |> |> |> |> |> ------------------------------ From: plaz@netcom.com (Geoff Dale) Date: Fri, 21 Jan 1994 18:14:15 -0800 Subject: [94-1-387] META: List Statistics Ray, what are the chances we could get a regular post of the list statistics? I know I've mentioned this before, but I really think this would be useful, and others have mentioned this before. In addition to volume, I'd be very interested in seeing ::exclude/::included levels. The Top 10 ::excluded posters would represent those explicitly excluded (ie- ::exclude all not withstanding). The Top 10 ::included posters would be from the opposite perspective. Those explicitly ::included. Note that the same person could end up in both lists, amusingly enough. The number of "::exclude all"s might also be a useful number, as well as the current number of subscribers. I think I could live with once a week for the frequency. _______________________________________________________________________ Geoff Dale -- Cypherpunk/Extropian -- Plastic Beethoven AnarchyPPL - Anarch (Adjudicator) ExI-Freegate Virtual Branch Head plaz@netcom.com 66 Pyramid Plaza plaz@io.com Freegate, Metaverse@io.com 7777 "Subvert the domination paradigm!" ------------------------------ From: pcm@world.std.com (Peter C. McCluskey) Date: Fri, 21 Jan 1994 21:18:21 -0500 Subject: [94-1-388] Self Awareness is Bunk Ray writes: > Most scientists spend years to decades to come up with a theory. > These theories just don't pop into people's heads. The seed of such > ideas do but my bet is, if you are prepared at the moment of inspiration > to record your thoughts, you'd be able to describe how you thought of it. Jacques Hadamard's book "The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field", has a number of reports from famous mathematicians and scientists which suggest the exact opposite of your claim. Particularly memorable is the description of Poincare's development of an important theorem. He says the full solution to a problem that had been bothering him for a while suddenly emerged into his consciousness while he was boarding a bus and thinking about something unrelated. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peter McCluskey >> pcm@world.std.com >> pcm@macgreg.com >> Klaatu barada nikto ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ From: davisd@auburn.ee.washington.edu Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 18:21:09 -0800 Subject: [94-1-389] Extropians as Family >From Tim May: > > > Put this way, my issue is that some of the "honest and > > > sincere" emotional admissions on this list, particularly the ones > > > talked about so far, are simply bad manners. > > The "ones talked about" were of course the personal comments about > _me_, not just "open admissions." To my mind, that makes my comments > more relevant, as I have become a participant. I hadn't realized that Tim was griping because the admissions were about him. Sorry, Tim, for the misunderstanding. In that respect, I agree with you that such admissions are bad manners (meaning: I don't particularly like such things either). I tend to think of intimate experiences as joint property, and so avoid sharing them freely with anyone who may have later contact with the person I shared the experience with. Of course, it is a mistake to assume that others will share my sense of propriety, so if revelations would bug me, I should make sure up front that the person acts as I do or avoid them in the first place. I can of course complain after the fact that they had done me wrong, but why bother unless I have an interest in continuing the relationship? Stirner wrote back in the mid 1800s of the piety of the supposed "free thinking" atheists who had merely substituted moral piety for religious piety. One of the final retreats of the pious impulse, where unquestioned moral imperatives still reside, is in the realm of courtesy. I've been investigating and revising my own standards of courtesy, weeding out those which don't serve my cause but are instead just phantasms with imperative force. Buy Buy -- Dan Davis ------------------------------ From: sjw@liberty.demon.co.uk (Stephen J. Whitrow) Date: Sat, 22 Jan 94 02:19:56 GMT Subject: [94-1-390] FW: British Minister Calls for Libertarian Agenda Andy Lowton comments: > >davisd@auburn.ee.washington.edu forwards: > > > > - NEWS RELEASE - > > > > THE LIBERTARIAN ALLIANCE > > 25 Chapter Chambers, Esterbrooke Street, London SW1P 4NN > > [deleted for brevity] > > > > Libertarian Agenda > > > > "Deregulation is really part of a much broader Libertarian agenda > > which I fully share", said Mr. Hamilton. "John Major's statement in > > 1989 of a philosophy of freedom and responsibility, a vision of a > > world where 'people ... choose for themselves, and not have choices > > made for them by politicians, self-styled experts, or for want of a > > better word, the Establishment,' is the road we should be taking." > >Unfortunately, their idea of deregulation and less intervention requires me >to pay MORE taxes. If that's a libertarian agenda, then I'm a small sea >mammal called Tracy. Yes, they've raised income taxes as well as purchase taxes. The Press release also included: > >The health fascists, the mandarins of 'political correctness', the > >self-styled arbiters of morality are equally a threat to Britain's > >traditional liberties. The main threats to Britain's traditional liberties are the Major Government and the European Commission. Steve Whitrow sjw@liberty.demon.co.uk ------------------------------ From: peb@procase.com (Paul Baclace) Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 19:05:00 PST Subject: [94-1-391] extropian shelters >From: 155yegan@jove.dnet.measurex.com (egan_t@measurex.com) > Well, I guess 'ol Bucky blew it on that one. If I remember correctly, > he built the first one in the twenties or thirties Domes are not pervasive, but can be found here and there. I think a homeless shelter in L.A. uses them. Most of the ones I've seen are on unincorporated land outside. Paul E. Baclace peb@procase.com ------------------------------ From: bangell@cs.utah.edu (bob angell) Date: Fri, 21 Jan 1994 20:15:55 -0700 (MST) Subject: [94-1-392] Shakeout >I'm unsubscribing. It's really too bad. I'm probably one of the few >with an active artificial conciousness research program in full swing >with a team of more than one person. Well, you can read about it when >we're finished. I did enjoy lurking while it was free. I too will be leaving the list soon since it will no longer be free. I can truely say that this list was/is the most diversified bunch. -Bob- -- Bob Angell | Data Integration (multi-platform) Principal | AWK, C/C++, RDBMS langs, Paradox Management Systems Engineering | Health Systems Engineering Applied Information & Management Systems | Database design/development 1238 Fenway Avenue - SLC, UT 84102-3212 | Simulation/Modeling/Neural Nets bangell@cs.utah.edu; Voice: 801-583-8544 | Freelance writer, major publications IBMLINK:DEV4534, TEAMOS/2 | OS/2 2.x Application Developer [Disclaimer: I don't speak for IBM or the University of Utah!] ------------------------------ End of Extropians Digest V94 #21 ********************************