Maker Faire New York

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This past weekend was Maker Faire, a regular, traveling celebration of different types of nerd. Maker Faire has been happening for a few years now, starting as a Bay Area thing five or six years ago. This was the second annual New York City iteration. Last year was far, far more interesting. Why?
Well, last year there was this:

and this:

By default, Maker Faire is “Family Friendly”, kind of a G-rated event, child safe in a way that tends toward all-edges-sanded-off and dull; going counter to the “violate your warranty” ethos of Make Magazine, but prob making their lawyers a lot happier.
Safety Third! cried the Madagascar Institute, and we added in a little sex, a little violence, while keeping it at a solid PG, maybe PG-13 (depending on Sarah Mac’s top). This year, we were barely asked back, too little and too late, and the event suffered for it.

Anyway, my ego knows no bounds, so I did show up and met fans of the show:

Pretty sure I met all of them, all twenty or so. Photos were taken, hands were shook, one autograph was signed.

Also, I gave a talk on Teevee stardom as a means to an end for Makers:

Video of the talk is online.

1 thought on “Maker Faire New York”

  1. I had hoped to get a ride on Jet Pony this year, as I had to be in Toronto during last years Faire…

    This year it was my turn to get run a little roughshod over – I was asked to bring a catapult to this years faire, and that I would get to fire it. I stood around for hours on Friday, while they dithered about where I would be shooting from. (I finally picked the most logical spot, and set the machine up, I suspect I would still be waiting for them)

    When it came time to fire, (we worked out a schedule), it meant putting up caution tape to set off the firing range, and I had to scare up the volunteers I was promised for crowd control. Someone on the Faire staff shut me down before I could fire a shot.

    I did get a few shots off later that day (with the permission of the organizers actually in charge of that area), till the staffer that shut me down the first time, returned with a museum official, who shut me down for good.

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