Ready for another good, old-fashioned, classic Nerd Nite SF? We’re back at it again at the Rickshaw and ready to rumble! It’s been fun experimenting with format and location for our first few shows of the year, but you just can’t beat a classic Nerd Night show: We’ve got talks about the art and philosophy of karaoke, the not-so-human origins of the very human love for booze, and a howling history of the unluckiest ship to ever sail under the US flag. It’s all going down at 7pm on Thursday, April 16th at the Rickshaw Stop. See you there!
Presentations
Life, Love, Death, and the Other Self of Karaoke
By: Benjamin Poynter
A talk chronicling data and studies behind real-life excursions into the activity of karaoke across Los Angeles and the cities of Japan. After a certain point, when does the regular self transform into the ‘other’ self when participating in karaoke nights long enough, and what are the parallels, constructive or destructive, between those two selves that reveal themselves? Karaoke is a pastime that has moved beyond a fun, nighttime affair into a form in which people rely on it as a means of expressing and confessing what they normally cannot in daily life. Out of that, tales of love, lifelong friendship, tragedy, inventions, and even language study have come out of the speaker’s excursions. This talk is paired with an ongoing project where 125+ Japanese songs have been performed publicly as a means of studying the language and a special, interactive game, which is now in development out of those experiences.
Ben has most certainly been. He is a world-traveled artist, engineer, inventor, and kid at heart. Whether patenting innovative technologies for Las Vegas venues out of Los Angeles, acting as an exhibiting artist and professor in Beijing, developing wacky contraptions for the latest new media devices in New York City, or en route to a destination that is exciting or interesting, there is no shortage of challenges or skill sets that may call. These unique skills have emanated from the gaming realm, emerging technology, robotics, digital and visual art, performance, and mentorship. Roles span across Sphere, Madison Square Garden, Nickelodeon, Looking Glass, and New York Institute of Technology. This journey has been 10 years plus and ongoing. He resides in Los Angeles and has an affinity for exploring. When not innovating in the studio, he acts accordingly at the skate park or the karaoke lounge.
Get Down, Mr. President! The Unluckiest Ship in the History of the US Navy
By: Sam Litt
Tired of constantly hearing depressing news about the current US military? Come have a laugh at the hapless and absurd tale of a US Naval destroyer from WWII instead! Forget about your dread of endless American imperialism with this true story of 1940’s US militaristic incompetence, and learn how we nearly lost the Second World War – to ourselves.
Sam has always loved learning random facts and stories, particularly ones that ease his impending sense of political turmoil. When he isn’t at work in the lab or utterly consumed by current events, he enjoys combing through SF’s thrift stores and perusing Wikipedia for fascinating nuggets (and is especially fond of the Random Article button). Though he hopes that a deep obsession with WWII history won’t completely engross him until retirement, he begrudgingly admits to having watched simulations of Pacific Theater battles on YouTube (despite his active disdain for the military industrial complex).
Wild Fermentation, The Chimpanzee Diet & The Origins of Alcohol Production
By: Aleksey Maro
Why are humans attracted to alcohol? The answer might be buried in the fruit-filled diet of our early ancestors. Following the ‘Drunken Monkey’ hypothesis, Aleksey measured the alcohol content in fruits eaten by our nearest relatives—chimpanzees—and found they’re essentially knocking back 1–2 drinks a day. Join us as we track the evolutionary trail from fermented forest fruit to the mysterious origins of that which has brought us here today (beer).
Aleksey immigrated from the USSR in the 90s and took the long road to science. Instead of getting a degree in history, he dropped out and traveled the country for years, receiving insights only lived experiences can bring. His love of history brought him back to academia through the forensic detective work of biological anthropology. He is motivated to explore and understand the origins of humanity and what brought us here, to help our species intelligently navigate into the next epoch.
Featuring Friend of the Show: