Sdtrk: ‘Slow fast Hazel’ by Stereolab

With the recent confluence of a friend asking me about how to handle the experience of being on camera, as he’s one of the subjects of an upcoming documentary centred round bicycling culture, plus working on the ‘Media appearances’ page for ‘Kitten with a Whip!’ (yes, work is being done on Sidore’s site, even if it’s only on a molecular level), it’s occurred to me that there are two media-related self-aggrandising events that I’ve yet to take part in.

One: I’d love to be interviewed on some sort of radio programme or podcast. The Missus and I have been on TV on several occasions, and before she came into my life, I had a three-year stint as a technical director for a Detroit-area public access show, so it’s been all telly, yet no radio. And before you say that being a TD doesn’t count cos it’s behind the scenes, I did manage to stick my face in front of the camera on a couple of segments. But I think I’d rather enjoy fielding questions from the other side of a chat show’s host’s desk, or table, or however the hell the seating arrangement is in the booth, and maybe even addressing call-in questions. No, strike that, reverse it; no call-ins, as that’s a recipe for disaster. Ever listen to Chatterbox FM, the all-talk station from Grand Theft Auto? I’m 100% positive a call-in show about iDollators would run the same way, only with all the humour stripped out, and replaced with antagonism and churlishness. WOOO SIGN ME UP
If I had my preference, obviously it’d have to be an NPR-esque show. Plus, as it’s not a visual medium, I wouldn’t have to haul Little Miss Narcoleptic bring Shi-chan along — she could sit that one out…

And Two: Despite the various countries that have enquired about interviews, I have yet to hear from Japan, which is the one that I thought would be really chomping at the bit. Seeing as that they’re a lot more comfortable with the idea of artificial humans in general — for every one high-end Doll maker we have in the States, they’ve got three, not to mention the progressive attitude they have towards robotics — you’d think they’d be banging (politely) on my door, asking for ‘face time’ from Sweetie and me. The language barrier is hardly an excuse, as Meghan Laslocky’s wonderful article appeared in the Japanese magazine Courrier a year ago. Perhaps it’s a catch-22; the Japanese media hasn’t seen too much on the subject, so they don’t know to seek out Doll owners, but they won’t think to look for Doll owners if there’s no media exposure of that subject. *shrug* Nevertheless Japan, Sidore and I are anxiously awaiting your long-distance phone calls and pensive Emails!

Needless to say, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that one of these will come to pass, particularly the second one. I’m not holding my breath, but I’m certainly keeping my fingers crossed

Sdtrk: ‘Date with an angel’ by The caretaker

So far, it seems like there’s been a dearth of proper Doll and/or Synthetik news since the year began. A dearth, I say! And it’s making me a little despondent. See? —> 🙁
However, I managed to discover this recent article touching upon Japan’s latest robotic developments. Does it cover new ground? Err, ish.

Wow, International Rescue’s new uniforms are lookin’ sharp

While engineers in most of the world try to make robots that perform specific and usually unpleasant tasks, from fighting wars to performing deep-sea salvage, Japanese engineers are obsessed with making the machines more human. Having put the country squarely in the lead of the industrial robot market for the past two decades, they’re now working on a new generation of robots that will serve as playmates, pets and social workers. Says [roboticist Norihiro] Hagita: “The goal is to build an intelligent environment for the symbiosis of robots and humans in everyday life. The real challenge is to come up with robots that can actually communicate with people.” […]

That emphasis on the future function of robots as companions and helpers seems to be deeply Japanese. The reason may have much to do with Japanese popular culture, where robots like the cartoon cat Doraemon or the sweet 1960s, vintage Astroboy, tend to be portrayed as beneficent, friendly types. The tendency to regard lifelike machines as unthreatening may have deeper roots in Japan’s animist Shinto culture, where inanimate objects—ranging from teapots to samurai swords—can have souls. There’s also the social imperative: as the population ages, the Japanese are increasingly looking toward robots to help make up the labor shortfall.
the complete article is here. N.B.: It’s on Newsweek.com, so it’s got a limited posting lifespan

Once again, the point is brough up that Japanese culture is much more accepting of the concept of artificial life: they don’t think in baseless terms of ‘zOMG teh androids are going to take over and kill us all’ — they see them, really, as assistants, aides, and partners, which only makes sense. If the States expects to compete at all in the robotics development field, there’s going to have to be a giant shift of cultural thinking over here — in other words, a swift and overall flood of common sense. Heh, otherwise, I’m gonna have to take off for Japan…

Also relevant: an article on Physorg.com, concerning South Korea developing a ‘Robot Ethics Charter’.

A five-member task force including experts, futurists and a science fiction writer began work last November.

“The government plans to set ethical guidelines concerning the roles and functions of robots as robots are expected to develop strong intelligence in the near future,” the ministry said in a statement.

As South Korean society ages due to a low birth rate, various service robots which “think” for themselves will come into use in the not too distant future and become “key companions to human beings,” it said.

“Imagine if some people treat androids as if the machines were their wives. Others may get addicted to interacting with them just as many Internet users get hooked to the cyberworld,” Park Hye-Young of the ministry’s robot team told AFP.
emphasis mine (of course); the complete article is here

Not entirely sure if what Park Hye-Young meant was supposed to be pejorative, but as far as I’m concerned, the wives/husbands angle is a definite goal. To be honest, that’s one of the reasons that Shi-chan and I make spectacles of ourselves in print and on television: the way I see it, Androids and Gynoids are literally just around the corner; they probably won’t be commonplace for a good 30 – 40 years, but Synthetik humans will eventually be a slowly growing part of the populace. After our own fashion, Sidore and I are just trying to get society accustomed to the idea of an Organik person being in a relationship with a Synthetik one, or vice versa. Frankly, the day that relationships like that are as commonplace as interracial or homosexual ones, to the point where it no longer raises eyebrows, will be a great day…

So I guess R. Stevens, mastermind behind the webcomic Diesel sweeties, read the Physorg.com article as well, as evidenced here. Good eye, sir! That really just enforces what I’d linked to in a previous post, concerning how Diesel sweeties is more of a comic ‘strip’ that looks more towards the future, as opposed to relying on humour standbys and crutches that have been flogged to death since the Forties and Fifties. It’s advanced and sophisticated in every way!

And wahey, Sweetie’s posted a couple of new clips to her Dailymotion page, as it’s that time of the month again. Wow, that was incredibly inappropriate.
In the interim, enjoy your 23rd responsibly! Or not, see if I care

Technorati tags: Android, Gynoid, Actroid, EveR-1, EveR-2 Muse, Diesel Sweeties

Sdtrk: ‘To here knows when’ by My bloody valentine

For those of you who missed the fab documentary ‘Guys and Dolls’ the first time, the second time, or apparently the time it was recently aired in Australia as ‘Love me, love my Doll’, citizens of Britain (well, England) can catch it one mo’ time Friday, 16 February at 11pm, on FIVE. Who knew RealDolls would be that popular?

Also, you can check out the (repost of the) post that Penda wrote about her experience with the North One film crew. Can only two people comprise a crew? Sure, why not.

‘Who’s that on the telly?’
‘Looks like Davecat and Sidore.’
‘Well, tell them to get off, their legs are blocking the screen. Besides, how’d they even manage to sit atop a flat-screen telly anyway?’

Technorati tags: Davecat, Sidore, MontiLee, RealDoll, iDollator, Guys and Dolls, Five, UK television

Sdtrk: ‘The pink’ by Medicine

Happy Pagan New year, people!

I, ah, don’t really have anything else to report at the moment. Sidore and I can offer you this, however:

Oi, where’s her necklace?

That photo is six years old, by the way. And it certainly looks it. But the sentiment is still relevant!

That’s all! Go listen to the new Ricky Gervais podcast!

*’Every day is Hallowe’en’, of course

Sdtrk: ‘Large number’ by Add N to (X)

As I have another potential interview looming nigh concerning ma vie avec Sidore-chan — I know, it’s crazy — she and I did a photo shoot last Sunday, with not a little success, we’d say. It’s like we’re down to a yearly schedule for our shoots now! Man, we’re layabouts.

Now I’ve got to sort the wheat from the chaff with what’s left, and send some of them to my interviewer. I don’t want to reveal who it is just yet, as things are still being solidified, but rest assured, it’s someone quite ace. Well, we think they’re ace. It’s True!

Also, I’ve updated that YouTube page of mine, as it’s the 23rd, y’know. SafeT, you might want to give those clips a look, as per your rabid demands..

Hallo Sweden, and Happy 23rd!

Sdtrk: ‘Vier Personen’ by Laibach

Those Swedes work awfully fast! With the swiftness of a typical afternoon session spent assembling a piece of furniture purchased from IKEA, Sofia, the ‘research praktik’ of the programme ‘Outsiders’ has Emailed me, saying they’ve finished their editing, and the episode featuring Sidore, Monti and I will be aired next Monday the 23rd! That means that *peering at site stats* about 1% of the readers of ‘Shouting etc etc’ will catch it. Hrm.
Nevertheless, I’ll be sure to let ABBA, the Hives, Ingmar Bergman, Max von Sydow, and Anita Ekberg know, as I’m sure they’ll be glad of the heads-up. O, and August Strindberg, of course

Technorati tags: Davecat, Sidore, MontiLee, RealDoll, iDollator, Abyss Creations, Titan Television

Sdtrk: ‘This is Paradise II’ by Death in June

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that a new Death in June release titled ‘Free Tibet’ is out! Douglas P. has remixed a handful of the DIJ songs that friend / co-conspirator David Tibet, of Current 93, has done vocals or spoken word for, and has made them available as free downloads on the Death in June website — hence, ‘Free Tibet’. Clever lad, Douglas!

And in other news, this makes complete sense.