Every year, I like to build a gift for the world. This year, it’s the Infinite Canvas, an online collaborative art project of infinite scope. It came out of a discussion between me and Tim R, and only scrapes the surface of what’s possible for such a medium. If you have Mozilla*, try it out:

http://www.existencia.org/canvas/

You’ll be dropped somewhere random on the Canvas where there’s already some drawing. Use the tools at the top to move around and zoom in or out (you can do any of these indefinitely). Then select a color and start drawing! Click the save icon at the top at any time to commit your drawing to the Canvas for others to discover.

You can save a location on the Canvas with the value at the bottom of the page. Use this value by putting it back in the text box and clicking “Go!” (or just save the resulting URL).

Play around with it. Tell me what features you’d like to see, and I’ll add them to my list!

* Currently, I don’t support any browser other than Mozilla (I’ve only tested it on my copy, and I know it doesn’t work in IE). If the “Status” never changes to “Done”, it’s probably broken for you. Tell me, so I can fix it– and include what browser you’re using. Thanks!

My family is spending Christmas in Utah with my sister this year. Much as I love my sister, I had to be guilt-tripped into going to Mormanland. It could be the last Christmas we spend together for a while.

I flew to Las Vegas Sunday evening. I didn’t reserve the shuttle to Utah, so it didn’t come. So I went to the Greyhound station, found out when the next bus was the next morning, and trekked to the local hostel (Greyhound station attendee: “you mean, like a halfway house?”). On the way, I got to talking to a nice guy who offered me grass, or bitches, or whatever I wanted. I said I appreciated the offer, but not tonight. He then briefly begged for money, then threatened to have me beat up by some guys we were approaching (a clear bluff), then begged some more. Riiiiight. I met him again on the way back, 6 hours later– same deal.

I love my family. My parents got me Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes. The jokes aren’t exactly thigh-slappers, but it’s fun. My favorite line so far: “Is that an aspirin you’re taking, Bob, or an atypical elephant?”

Next semester, I’m teaching my last seminar at MIT, and you should join in!

The Coming Years: An Exploration of the Future

What will the world be like in 20 years, or in a hundred years? In this seminar, we will draw upon several disciplines (including anthropology, system dynamics, and fiction) to illuminate the possible future developments in science and technology, culture and lifestyles, and dominant paradigms and societies. The scope of the class will range from the effects of the internet over the next decade, to the worldwide political changes we can expect in the next century, to the feats of engineering that might emerge in the coming millennium.

It’s a reading/discussion/modeling/project class, and it’s going to be a *blast*! Pass the word! More information at http://www.existencia.org/future/. If you aren’t an MIT student, tell me and I’ll put you on my list.

Plus, I’m going to teach a three-part lecture series on “How to Stage a Revolution” some time in March! It’s inspired by a seminar of that name taught this last semester, which apparently failed to give any practical advice on the question in question. My lectures will concentrate on cutting-edge technologies and methodologies for producing rapid culture-wide change, as well as suggestions and ethical considerations on what changes to push. Tell me now if you want to know when that’s being scheduled.

Aaaand I’m giving a short talk at MathWorks (Makers of MATLAB) tomorrow about vocal technologies in Rock Band!

I want to apologize to everyone who got kicked out of my party when the police came. I feel particular bad about not making it clear to the cops that the vast majority of people there were in no shape to drive. I hope everyone got home safe.

I love hosting parties, and I like them to be big, and good, and *loud*. I plan my parties a month in advance, and having the cops visit is not on the agenda.

I’m going to talk to all my neighbors within earshot. After apologizing for the noise, I’m going to say, “So, I have these late Saturday night parties every couple months. How can I make sure they don’t disturb you? Here’s my cellphone number.” I might even warn the cops that there’s a late-night party, but that the neighbors all know about it.

I’ll tell you’all how it goes. I want this to be the last cop-visitation, but not the last loud party.

Also, by my next party, my apartment should have a fully finished kitchen for the first time in a decade! Woo-hoo!

[Edit: Talked to landlord (who lives on the third floor) and two neighbors– no one even noticed the noise. My landlord even wondered if the party was canceled because it was so quiet.]

Story 5 won, at the 11th hour. Thanks to all who played!

For those who are curious, the fetish spectrum of my flist is:
Story 1: 9 votes, 21 total; Story 2: 7 votes, 15.5 total; Story 3: 7 votes, 15.3 total; Story 4: 6 votes, 13 total; Story 5: 6 votes, 22.5 total.

Also, a friend asked me to post her Naked Elf Graphic Novel, and collect scores– Please Vote!

Apparently, I have an overzealous spam filter when it comes to erotic literature, so if you wrote me any sexy emails recently, I might not have gotten them.

And, The Loneliest Mystery of the Deep is the saddest thing I’ve ever read:

For the last 12 years, a single solitary whale whose vocalizations match no known living species has been tracked across the Northeast Pacific. Its wanderings match no known migratory patterns of any living whale species. Its vocalizations have also subtly deepened over the years, indicating that the whale is maturing and ageing. And, during the entire 12 year span that it has been tracked, it has been calling out for contact from others of its own kind.

It has received no answer. Nor will it ever.

Read the story below and vote on how hot it is, between 1 (not so hot) and 5 (I orgasmed just reading it). Anyone can vote! (Votes screened.)

Voting ends tonight at midnight! This and other stories got spam filtered– if you submitted a story and didn’t see it posted, tell me now.

Game Game Story 5

This is for the copy of Rock Band, submitted by one of the contestants. Read the story below and vote on how hot it is, between 1 (not so hot) and 5 (I orgasmed just reading it). The winning story is the one with the largest *cumulative* score. Anyone can vote! (Votes screened.)

Game Game Story 4

This is for the copy of Rock Band, submitted by one of the contestants. Read the story below and vote on how hot it is, between 1 (not so hot) and 5 (I orgasmed just reading it). The winning story is the one with the largest *cumulative* score. Anyone can vote! (Votes screened.)

Game Game Story 3

… is the most beautiful thing in the world.

But friends who come visit you in it are divine.

This is for the copy of Rock Band, submitted by one of the contestants. Read the story below and vote on how hot it is, between 1 (not so hot) and 5 (I orgasmed just reading it). The winning story is the one with the largest *cumulative* score. Anyone can vote! (Votes screened.)

Game Game Story 2