[Lab] Fwd: makezine, maker culture and hackspaces [Squirrel News]

[Darcy Whyte]

I just send this out to the Squirrel mailing list and I wanted to share it
with you guys....

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Darcy Whyte <darcy at siteware.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 29, 2010 at 11:54 AM
Subject: makezine, maker culture and hackspaces [Squirrel News]
To: Darcy Whyte <Darcy at siteware.com>


Hello Aviators!

I've not sent an update in a while. I've been doing a lot of work behind the
scenes with the Squirrel project as well as my regular volunteer work (and a
bit of new stuff!).

I wanted to share with you that the Squirrel model plane project caused an
avalanche of change in my life. For one thing I started travelling more and
doing volunteer work at a wide variety of organizations ranging from the
Ottawa Mission to community centers to guerrilla style. What's "guerrilla
style"? I do a lot of things through organizations but what I mean by that
are the things I do directly for people. Setting up random kids and people
with planes. Organizations or good but they are not perfectly efficient and
the opportunity to do good can be at the street level without organized
groups. Here is a quote that sums it up.

"Do not wait for instituations and leaders; do it alone, person to person"
-- Mother Theresa

This whole volunteering and helping thing has been very enriching and has
made me enjoy helping people in general even more (even non model plane
stuff). Further the Squirrel project generates a bit of income so I'm able
to make it my principal occupation and enjoy the slightly unconventional
work schedule of a grass roots, micro business.

With the automation projects for manufacturing Squirrels (CNC Laser cutter,
CNC Milling machine, CNC Wire bending, injection moulding to name a few), I
have become more connected to the community of people that make things. When
faced with these sorts of challenges, it was natural for me to seek out
people with the same challenges. Of course I became involved with the
culture of Makezine who facilitates a community including the famous Maker
Faires. They covered the Squirrel (
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/easy-to-build_tissue_and_balsa_mode.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890
).

Further, I became involved with hackspaces. They are little hives in each
city of people that have a grass roots mentality about making things and
hacking. This has put me in proximity the art community (which is a huge
interest of mine). It's a very social and varied community. From robots to
dance.

So I've started a few projects in the artistic space.

The outcome of all this mishmash is that I've created some new blogs to help
manage the social components of these interests.

www.endlessLift.com <http://www.endlesslift.com/> Not about the Squirrel
Specifically but about simplicity in model aviation in general. *Contributions
welcome!*
www.Squirrelify.com <http://www.squirrelify.com/> NOT ONLINE YET Will
eventually be the real Squirrel site. (Still working on getting a design
together)
www.Mambohead.com <http://www.mambohead.com/> Artsy projects

In a nutshell I thought that the Squirrel project was a little hobby
sideline but it has opened a whole new lifestyle and has lead me to a lot of
new friends. Funny how things go...

--
Darcy Whyte
Darcy at Siteware.com
Ottawa, Canada | 613-563-3634 | N 45° 25'03.1" W 75° 42'21.4"

Inspirational Flying Machines:
http://www.rubber-power.com
http://www.endlessLift.com
 <http://www.endlessLift.com>http://www.Squirrelify.com
<http://www.Squirrelify.com>MAAC 23153

Software services since 1988
Web, Database, LAMP
www.Siteware.com
www.generalSocial.com

Art
www.Mambohead.com
www.SalsaMob.com
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