Feb 2005 Show notes!

PODCASTING

With any luck you've already heard the podcast.

So maybe you have a system for subscribing to podcasts, or maybe you have no idea what I'm talking about. To learn all about this stuff and download the software you need to participate in this exciting new method of distributing communication, check the "mother of all podcast sites"-- iPodder.org

There have been a number of articles in the media, and brief mentions on TV regarding this "new" system as well... A quick google search for podcast should keep you busy...

If all you need is software (whether Mac, Linux, or the dreaded Windows) you can go straight to their download page.

Please remember (and remember to tell people) that you do NOT have to use an iPod! Any MP3 player will do, and that includes your PC. Podcasting is merely a way of distributing MP3 files on a subscription basis. And by subscription I mean in the automatic sense, not the pay-to-play sense.

Once you have your podcast software, the stuff you use to subscribe to "feeds" you'll want to paste this URL into that software so you'll automagically get the show each month (usually the 20th):
http://www.superpixel.com/davinci.xml

Let's say you don't want or need to be automated. Let's say you like to just download the show manually. If so, you can get to the files using this base URL:
http://idisk.mac.com/vagreda/Public/davinciThemeTest.mp3


Now where it says davinciThemeTest you'll want to change that text each month. The format will be the word davinci, plus the 3-letter abbreviation of the month, plus the 2-number abbreviation of the year. So this month it is:
http://idisk.mac.com/vagreda/Public/davincifeb05.mp3
NOTE: the above is now a link, so you can save it directly to whatever you like now...

Also note that this URL will only work for current shows. So in March, that URL won't work. It's not a great situation, but the best I can do for now. If you subscribe via feed I think everything will work out OK. I'll post links to archived shows next month...


Leonardo Da Vinci

Here are some links for more info on the man himself, Leonardo Da Vinci.

For basic encyclopedia information check out the Wikipedia article.

Italy has a Leonardo Da Vinci museum.

The BBC has a great interactive site too.

And there's this simply done but nice site.

Last, there's the Boston Museum of Science's pages on Leonardo.

Rise of the Creative Class

Don't forget to check the link to buy the book on the right side of this page (scroll down), which helps pay my bandwidth bills!

But here's Richard Florida's official site. And I see he's released a couple of new books...
Here's a 3rd party article discussing the book.
Here's an article with some deabte on Florida's work. We'll discuss some of this later: Creative Class War


MAGIC

There are two versions (not conflicting) of how Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear.
The non-technical and the more technical.
Make sure you read the last couple of lines on the technical page...

Recommended reading on Magic tricks:
Juan Tamariz wrote a seminal book on the art of magic.
Eugene Burger can take a simple trick and build an amazing story around it.
Read more about both of them here. I highly recommend The Art of Magic by Tamariz.

Paul Harris is one of the most innovative magicians ever. The collections "Art of Astonishment" include sections where he simply imagines tricks-- things that MIGHT be possible. It's great.
Check his work out here, here, and here. That last link will take you to Penguin Magic, one of the best shops anywhere...

Jay Sankey is exclusive to Penguin, and a new breed of magician who really does think "outside the box."

I happened to find ONE halfway decent article on creativity and magic, but it's written for magicians by a magician. Go figure. Check it out here if you're interested.

And lastly, you'll find a HUGE list of magicians here. I would suggest you check out books by Harry Lorayne too. He wrote several popular books in the 70's around memory, that is, systems for remembering things. He largely pioneered (or popularized anyway) mnemonics, a great system for remembering things AND kind've a creative exercise as well.

CLOSING COMMENTS

I hope you enjoyed the show, and I thank you for reading and listening. If you wish to contact me about the podcast directly, please use the ipodcase AT gmail DOT com email address.

The transcript of the show is also available to those who email me. There are some errors in the podcast, so no need to point them out. For instance, I say that the Creative Class doesn't span age or income-- it does! I also had a few logical mixups... These will be sorted out in future podcasts, so stick with us!

Until the 20th of March,
_victor