Photo: Kay Strasser One could view everything in our world as a collection of prototypes available to be changed. In these interesting times, we have all the tools in the world, all that is needed is a conversation to start the (re)making. Welcome to Berlin’s Makerplatz. By Jay Cousins Our dominant cultural paradigm has been, […]
Author Archives: Jay Cousins
The Berlin Bubble
“I came to Berlin to visit a friend and missed my flight home. I’ve been here ever since” This is the story of many Berliners. I felt it on my first visit – a sense of possibility, great vibe, no stress. A place for those who don’t know what they’re doing with their lives to […]
Consume less energy you must – Energy Saving Yoda and the joy of making stuff up as you go.
Energyhack – Yoda from Christian Jacob on Vimeo. We’re last up, the tension has been building, last minute hacking and scrambling as the tension builds. The Yoda Head completed it’s 3d print (big thanks to FabLab Berlin) as the first presentation started, I drilled out it’s eyes with a “for the camera” psycho glare (I […]
Documentation 101: Guidelines for Maker Documentation
Inspire Start with Motivation – “Why I’ve done this and you should want to copy me” Keep it fun, keep it awesome Make it Accessible No geek speak/Jargon/TMFA ( Too many fucking acronyms) Easy to understand language Specify regional measurement systems Communicate what parts do – so people can switch for local components Make all […]
Shadebulb
My most critical insights from 2012
Precursor – these insights follow 11 years on the Edge, 7 followed the money and I was insecure (financially and morally), 3 followed meaning and I was insecure (financially and morally). Key summary: Don’t compromise money for meaning or meaning for money – demand both – only do meaningful things that create value in your […]
Copy, Adapt, Reproduce (AKA solving problems without creativity)
Evolution has allowed life to adapt and survive in the harshest of environments. The copy, paste, randomly change model allows for life to continue evolve and succeed in incredibly hostile conditions. Survival of the Best Adapted. Yet with our own culture, rather than emulate the success of this model, we have pursued the God Model. […]
Notes from a Swedish Island
I recently hosted a couple of workshops on an island off the coast of Sweden. I took some basic equipment and offered attendees the option to do a carefully planned workshop to make “firefly’s” – Leds powered by tiny lemon juice batteries – based on this or to do a more creative workshop to make […]
Living in beta: the guest pod
This is what happens when you create space for things to happen. After building my tree house I had so much room that Chris Doering built a guest pod that he and other friends can stay in when they come visit. Still have room for a lounge area in between and storage rental for Le […]
Dropping out
Ok Iron Blogger, I hereby withdraw. I think the desire to post comes from the desire to share. Beer or penalties only serve to cause me to rush post on my mobile phone or try to think of hasty content at this hour on a Sunday. Besides – it looks like i’ll be leaving berlin […]
Hyphall 