Dad and kids make Star Wars VII

Check out the amazing Star Wars VII sequel made by awesome Mark Lucier and his awesome kids Alex and Noah.

Rainbow connection

I was reminded of the phenomenal rainbow from last year's burn. Everyone there witnessed two 180 degree arches of the boldest and brightest rainbow imaginable. Some claim to have seen a triple rainbow, though it was fleeting if there at all. However, I saw a bizarre echo of colors under the first rainbow - which I've never seen anything like it before or since. There were 3 to 5 faint stripes of vibrating color in the 2 o'clock position of the arch. I've spoke several others about it
and most didn't see it, but I know it was there. Since then, I've had many conversations about that moment, and it seems that a collective feeling of awe prevails from that special occasion. So I've been wondering, what exactly creates a second rainbow?

Wikipedia offers "Secondary rainbows are caused by a double reflection of sunlight inside the raindrops" and as a result "the colors of a secondary rainbow are inverted compared to the primary bow."

"A third, or tertiary, rainbow can be seen on rare occasions, and a few observers have reported seeing quadruple rainbow" Echoing stripes below the first arch are very rare, but can happen too.

And I'm happy to learn that I wasn't imagining things, there is infact something called Supernumerary Rainbows "caused by interference between rays of light following slightly different paths with slightly varying lengths within the raindrops" It's the result of constructive and destructive interferences. "The very existence of supernumerary rainbows was historically a first indication of the wave nature of light". Evidence that light is a wave! That is so cool. Here is a Flikr pool of supernumerary rainbows.

Mother nature is the ultimate effects coordinator, and she sure got the invitation for 2007: First we saw the full lunar eclipse at midnight monday night, then the rain shower in the high desert and legendary rainbow that followed, and let's not forget the fierce dust storms while everyone was packing up and leaving.

Nearly a week before leaving for the Burn '08, can't wait to see what's in store this year...

Live simply.

A nice post on neatorama discussing how materialism might actually make you unhappy.
read

Beckhead

I just bought a ticket to see Radiohead at the first Outside Lands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park (8/22). Beck goes on before them - I think I may explode with joy.

Things We Think About Before Sleep

I'm just learning about Trollback+Co but after seeing their "Things We Think About Before Sleep" video I'll be watching closely. They challenge their designers, Tetsuro, Peter, Anna, Paul, Emre,
Christina and Tolga, to create short films that capture the semi-conscious thoughts they have as they drift from wakefulness to the realm of sleep. The music selections we're awesome too.