New RA site for sequels and more
You do have to sign up for this, so I'm not sure how useful it will be on desk
Gene Hackman writes a western
Why Steampunk Is An Important Trend
We've been saying this for a little while now. My nephew reports that it is very popular among his fellow engineers at Iowa State. In fact, after finding a nixie tube in the basement of the engineering building, he is considering making a steampunk clock.
Some quotes:
The idea is essentially a fixation with Victorian technology. A romantic mix of steam, metal, gears and mechanical engineering. But it’s not what it is but what it represents that fascinates me.
The reason that Steampunk is interesting is that it is highly relevant to our times. It is a response to the realities of modern life, especially the fact that parts of our lives are out of control. (scroll down this page and you will see a trend toward finding ways to relax.) It is a counter-trend to the fact that life, especially in developed nations, is atomised, fast-paced, over-loaded with information, choice and needless innovation.
Steampunk is to consumer electronics what Punk music was to Disco music. It makes the hidden visible. You can play with it, fool around with it, subvert it, hack it and touch it. Most of all anyone can do it.
That’s what I think is missing nowadays. We want to understand how things work but most of all we want to touch things and use our hands as well as our brains.
The best analogy I can think of is old cars vs. new cars. Used to be you could go in and fix problems by yourself - it was mechanical. Today with the electronics, only the brave dare do it themselves!
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