sketchup 3D model ideas for Tour project

1) Tiger Tank            I want to attempt to build a 3D Tiger Tank

2) Factory                   a factory where the Tiger was built

3) T34 Russian Tank     if I have time I'll do the Russian tank

community event #2 music synthesizer workshop

  so I went to the workshop to try my hand at electronics. I can follow schematics and instructions well, however that doesn't mean I know why or how it works. what was funny to me was that, I think it was Greg, the instructor admitted that he doesn't always know why either. so I got a little chuckle out of that. the whole idea behind the project was to make sound.
  we started with the circuit board, also known as the breadboard. from there we added a circuit, a resister, some wires, etc. connected the whole thing to power and an amplifier. if we had connected everything correctly we would get a sound. different resisters created different sounds.
   this was and interesting workshop! I'm not big on electronics but it was fun building the boards and messing around with sound. the guys teaching the class were nice and helpful.

Tourism

  after reading the interview with Dean MacCannel, I would have to agree with a few points. I agree that tourism has been pilfered by capitalism and that the experience tourists get has been altered to maximize the tourist's ideal experience. the examples of the Haight Ashbury and China town is right on. these places have historical significance but are now altered to showcase a now generic version of these highlights that made these places famous. it is sad that the historical significance is now totally lost to its visitors. instead they get the version based around selling trinkets and gifts that say that "they" were at these places.
  when I visit these places I cant help but think how fake it is. china towns shops are all identical and sell the same trinkets in every shop. there is nothing unique. about these shops. its just a colorful place to walk through. there is a surreal feeling I get, like I  stepped into a Chinese outlet store.
  SF is a tourist city that is going to capitalize on such attractions. this is what brings business to the city and puts food on the city's resident's plates. so I cant rip to hard on these cheesy tourist "traps."

"Tiger Terror" - TOUR PROJECT

A tour of the most terrifying land vehicle of WWII: the Tiger I tank.
google earth locations...
1) where it was built
2) 1st battle - Russia
3) successes in battle and famous battle fields - east/west front, N.Africa
4) Tiger Aces - where they fought
5) tour and views of the Tiger Tank

Liz R

Liz is a fascinating woman and artist. i was captivated by her energy and her interesting ideas. I was particularly interested in her terra-cotta  warriors and how she was able to use copyrighted material in conjunction with public domaine pieces and keep them available for public purchase and display without any cease and desist letters. i was also moved by her documentary on Chinese reproduction artists and how she took them out of the "assembly-line" art to give a name and a face to the artist. I wish i could have a coffee with Liz sometime to pick her brain a little more! LOL

Heidegger

so what i gathered from the essay and the speaker Heidegger is saying that technology is a means to an end. That "the relationship will be free if it opens our human existence to the essence of technology." there are four "causes" that further this thinking: material, form, end, effect.
technology is a way of revealing the truth.
man only confronts himself, therefore he doesn't understand man. he does not engage or understand nature.

Community event #1 Exploratorium

  So I went to the Exploratorium and had a good time. it is a little overwhelming there in that there are so many gadgets and things that you kind of don't know where to start. I mean you could spend a week trying everything out and there would still be more to do. everything in there did get you in touch with your senses like hearing, touching, sight, etc. it also showcases technology like uses for electricity, magnets, and light refraction.
  I did find some interesting things relating to technology and art though. the "found faces" is an enjoyable collection of facial expressions found in inanimate objects. very comical and full of personality. I wont look at a sink or dryer in the same way again!
  another artist did some cool contour drawings that look like 3D landscapes that you can touch only to see that it is a 2D image. the toothpick sculptures were impressive as well. the artist made his biggest sculpture interactive in that he created paths within the sculpture that he could send Ping-Pong balls on a rolling journey.
  there was a massive concave mirror, like something NASA would use, that when you approached it you would appear in hyper detail and your reflection appeared in front of you as a 3D reflection. the last thing I found really cool was an artist created these really neat wind-up mechanical puppet sculptures. I cant remember the name of the type of art that it is but he inspired young people and there were some others that were made by 10 year olds that were really cool as well. it was basic mechanical gears and pulleys in miniature form that activated comical little characters to act out movements. very creative!
  I would recommend everyone check this place out!