[Robotgroup] [Fwd: First Night Media Party--this Thursday!]

[john at cozmicfunk.com]

In response to the "First Night" casualties from the RG, I offer to 
bring J-65!
First, it works, It has received overwhelming response from Maker Faire
and DorkBot, it fits in my car, easy to tranport and Since I am both 
"Starving"
and "Artist" I would definitely be a fit in with the artistic Austin 
Bohemian Culture
or ABC for short.

And second, I should also mention that since I have been so industrious 
in my abilities
to save money, I gave myself my own haircut and am now sporting my own 
version of
Mohawk with my gray hair and all, so now I am definitely ABC.
I actually got a compliment on it last night. 42 and still cool :)

J-65 page here to refresh those interested: 
http://www.cozmicfunk.com/J65Robot.html

And for those who also have nothing to do on Sunday night at 10:30, I 
will be on public access
channel 10 performing my one Mandroid band on the Sci-Borg Sam show. 
Talk about good times!

Peace:)
P-Funk

Vern Graner wrote:
> Ed Gonzales wrote:
>   
>> Is this the ONLY notification The RG members would get for this event?
>>     
>
> It might have been announced elsewhere, but I just fwd'd the email when 
> I got it. It *might* be the only notice, I'm not sure (I don't keep up 
> with everything that well, sorry). :(
>
>   
>> Are they so disorganized as to give The RG participants only ONE day's notice?
>>     
>
> Mebbe...? I haven't checked the paper work they gave us or the web site 
> to see if it was already announced and we missed everything but the 
> "reminder" email. Could be me that is that disorganized. :/
>
>   
>> What happens if somebody already has something scheduled that evening?
>>     
>
> Lots of the First Night acts are dancers or musicians and so they, in 
> many cases, just show up with their instrument-- in costume and/or with 
> a boom box and dance or play. Or if they paint, they bring a poster and 
> some markers.. not much setup. Lots of artists are "free spirits" (i.e. 
> unemployed) ;) so they may only have to reschedule meeting their coffee 
> chat buddies at Ruta Maya. :D
>
>   
>> Have they recently completed a Toll Road that runs from the outlying areas straight into downtown so it only takes five minutes to drive there?
>>     
>
> Agh! I hope not. /me h8s toll roads, but thats a different discussion. 
> ;) I know that these type things (events early in the day) are usually 
> arranged to make it so the local media can shoot it and then use it on 
> the evening news. It also makes it so the city officials can appear and 
> make announcements/speeches before they leave their office for the end 
> of the day. In many cases the "starving artist" types (metaphorical or 
> actual) will ditch their "sandwich artist" gig in a heartbeat for the 
> lure of performing on TV. ;)
>
>   
>> IMHO, I think bringing ANYTHING more (such as the P-Nator) than the originally agreed to commitment for the event (the RSA) would be considered over-extending the Group's willingness to support this organization.  This isn't the first time The Group has received last-minute notice, and should be taken into consideration before signing up for more work, reduced financial reimbursement and MUCH less time.
>>     
>
> I can certainly understand the sentiment here, as it kinda seems like 
> they're "ripping us off" in that they 1) slashed our requested budget in 
> half 2) didn't approve *any* of our new proposals, 3) they pulled the 
> artist fee completely out of the proposal. It feels like, by doing this, 
> they are effectively declaring we are not "worth" as much, and it can 
> seem insulting to us and our efforts...  At the same time, we (and by 
> *we* I mean *I*) :) have "upped" the benefit to them by offering to 
> bring the Ponginator.
>
> So the question is, WHY would I offer to add the Ponginator to the mix?
>
> Mostly, because of my talk with Ginny. She is pretty fed up with the 
> folks at First Night and with their precipitous plunge in funding. Turns 
> out that, for a number of reasons, First Night does NOT have the funds 
> they had in previous years. They have had to cut acts and/or ask for 
> folks to reduce their financial requests in order to  put on the show at 
> all. (we're not the only ones who had projects not approved and/or 
> funding cuts).
>
> But still, WHY would I offer the "upgrade"? Lets put some perspective in 
> here. First Night provided %100 of the money for some of the major 
> projects we've done in the last 2.5 years and those projects have served 
> us well:
>
> --%100 of the Therepings
>
> <<How many events have we used those in (Yes Mike, "Too many!", I 
> know..) They were featured at *both* Maker Faire's, been used multiple 
> times at the Children's museum (both San Marcos and Austin), were the 
> focus of a national tech article in Nuts and Volts and even featured in 
> SPIN magazine!>>
>
> --%100 of the Theremin Marching Band T-Shirts.
>
> --95% or the RoboSpinArt (I spent some of my
>    own money there cause I had goofed on my
>    estimates of costs, not their fault).
>
> <<How many events have these things been featured in? Children's Museums 
> both in Austin and San Marcos, Dorkbot(s), EFF party, Armadillocon, 
> wheel roundup, etc.>>
>
> --100% of the tie-dye RSA t-shirts were funded
>
> So, total $$ given for projects by First Night so far?
>
> about $5000.00!
>
> In comparison, we went to great effort and brought out *everything* for 
> the EFF/SXSW party and got $500.00.. we brought multiple things to the 
> Children's Museum and got $100.00 and for Maker Faire, and it *cost* us 
> about $1000.00 to participate!
>
> I'm not saying we didn't get a benefit from going to all those other 
> events, (including Maker Faire), but I am pointing out that First Night 
> (from a *strictly* financial perspective) is most deserving of any 
> additional effort we might be able to put out.
>
> I think it's a visceral response when we feel resentment towards First 
> Night (or any organization for that matter) that, through their actions, 
> appears to devalue our works. But, examining the circumstances, I think 
> its justified to suspend the emotional response and try to help out a 
> group that has helped us financially more than any other single group in 
> the last 3 years. Just my $0.02... :)
>
>   
>> Sonia is right:  If it takes a trailer to bring your display, you're taking too much.
>>     
>
> It sure "ups" the investment of time and energy. :( With this in mind, 
> the RSA was designed to be handled by one person (with little 
> difficulty) and be transported on a bench seat in a car. The Boogie Bot 
> was supposed to be a step towards self-deploying systems (mostly cause 
> I'm not gettin any younger and dang it, I'm TIRED when we're done with a 
> gig!).
>
> Maybe we should find some way to size-reduce Ponginator..? Maybe an 
> inflatable skin? hmmmmm I wonder if we could "seal" the skin we have and 
> use an air pump to inflate it? Then we would just have to find a way to 
> support the guns... hmmm.... :)
>
>   
>> Now you see why I'm not running for an elected position this month . . . . . . 
>>     
>
> How's next month looking? ;)
>
> Vern
>
>