There's a lot of genuine science built into the kinetic creations of "Almost Scientific" artist Alan Rorie. That doesn't necessarily mean that his mechanisms comply with the natural laws that govern our world—although they might.

From an early age, Alan Rorie knew that he wanted to study science. So he did. But as he neared completion of his Ph.D., his interest in making art eclipsed his passion for research. But he's found that there's really no separating of the two interests.

The dramatic photo above is a device Rorie called a Neuron Chamber. See it in action in this video:

While his post-graduate training in neurobiology has informed his art, Rorie says he also has found his education as good training for learning the new skills he's needed to develop to create his art.

 Alan Rorie will offer alive demonstration of his  Uira Engine Tuesday evening, Nov. 16 at 6:30 pm as part of the current Mad Science exhibit at the Sonoma County Museum. Here's a preview:

The Icarus Project has become an outspoken advocacy organization for the idea of "radical mental health. Co-founder Jacks McNamara explains how they define that concept.

Radical mental health asks if being "different" is something that requires treatment, or can sometimes be recognized as just a different way of being. need not be seen or treated as a mental illness, argues Artist and poet Jacks McNamara argues that her bi-polar disorder should be seen as a "dangerous gift," something to cherish and to be wary of.

The art and poetry of Jacks McNamara, as well as her personal history as told in her own words, forms the subject matter for the short film, Crooked Beauty, by  Ken Rosenthal. Here is a trailer for the film.

Now that the Icarus Project is eight years old, and well established across the country and beyond, McNamara says she is now turning more of her energies toward nurturing a new class of leaders and advocates to take the organization on to its next level.

Representative democracy in America has become so distorted that most citizens have opted out and don’t even register to vote. Ted Rall’s suggested cure for the many ills that afflict the United State’s current political system is radically simple: Tear it all down and start over again.

Rall isn't much interested in the coming mid-term election, noting that only a small minority of Americans will have anything to do with it.

Ted Rall will speak about his book, The Anti-American Manifesto,  at Sonoma State University  on Monday night, Oct. 18 at 7 pm in the Student Union Building's Multipurpose Room.

 

What can people in poverty do to improve their lives? Mary Gonzales takes an atypical approach; organizing disadvantaged communities to exercise political clout they didn’t know they had.

Mary Gonzales, The Gamalilei Foundation's regional organizer for California and Hawaii, reports that her greatest success story to date occurred in Venturra County, where a combination of organizational outreach and concentrated research enabled the local agricultural community to fend off a major mining operation's plans.