Photo_091605_002 Originally uploaded by Professor Shiny. LED is on when switch (bare wires at top) is open. Closing the switch causes the light to go out. Boring on the outside, rich with possibilities on the inside.

Photo_091605_004 Originally uploaded by Professor Shiny. Flashes the LEDs in sequence. Very pretty.

PhysicalBlink Originally uploaded by Professor Shiny. Step 4. A blinking light, with a physical source for the oscillation. A photocell under the fan acts as a variable resistor. The potentiometer varies the speed of the fan. As the blades turn, the photocell receives more or less ambient light, causing the LED to flicker. It was

ResistanceIsUseful Originally uploaded by Professor Shiny. Step 3. Variable resistance made the LED vary in brightness. Careful not to turn the pot too far down, ’cause the LEDs blow up. Maybe it would be safer to have a little resistor in this circuit. But in this photo, we’re living on the edge….

MoreLight Originally uploaded by Professor Shiny. Step 2. It was almost impossible to see three lights in this circuit, so I went back to two for this photo.

LetThereBeLight Originally uploaded by Professor Shiny. Step 1. The circuit in action with momentary switch.

It’s always informative to read the news two years later. Andrew Boyd’s depiction of a brave new wired world empowering grassroots activism must have read as a hopeful herald of more democratic times. Today, alas, is reads more like a casualty list for the political left. The Iraq war (which he depicts prematurely as “over”)

Ventured up to 59th and 6th at 9:30 this morning to experience Janet Cardiff’s “Her Long Black Hair” with my wife and her friend. There was a huge crowd even though the audio kiosk had not yet arrived. Apparently the principle of scarcity was in action here. It was the last weekend to check out