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K-LUG - Rochester, MN Area Linux Users Group
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We can use presentations for upcoming meetings, please see a list of ideas if you're willing but lacking a topic.
LUG News
K-Lug and the Red Bull Creation 2013 Contest
Recently several K-Lug and PCIG members entered a Maker Contest called Red Bull Creation 2013. We were given an Arduino Shield (called the TurBULL Encabulator and 5 Meters of RGB LED light strips and 1 Meter of addressable RGB LED light strips. We bought 4 more addressable light strips and went to work...creating an invention of Peter Shabinos ...a touch sensitive Rock Climbing Wall called the WALL-O-TRON. Here is our video entry: http://youtu.be/9SB-FD13yPs
More details on the project can be found here: http://k-lug.org/RedBullCreation2013#Red_Bull_Creation_2013_-_K-LUG_Participation
K-Lug and the Deconstruction and Minne-Faire
Recently K-Lug and PCIG members met at The Rabbit Hole Maker space to participate in the Deconstruction 2013. We has had a booth at the Minne-Faire where we demonstrated our projects. I'm leaving a link here for people to find more info about our projects: http://thedeconstruction.org/team/rabbit-hole/ http://k-lug.org/Main_Page/Deconstruction2013
Social: Saturday June 22nd
We're stealing RochesterFest ideas, and finally going to see Cascade Meadows environmental learning center in NW Rochester. There's a 10-2 event about pollinators (bees, butterflies, etc).
When: Noon
Where: Cascade Meadow Wetlands & Environmental Science Center, 2900 19th St NW Rochester MN 55901
We'll meet outside the main doors in nice weather, or just inside them in less plesant weather.
Here is the description offered on their website:
Cascade Meadow is fluttering with excitement to observe National Pollinator Week with a celebration of Bees, Butterflies, Bats, and Birds and their wondrous work as pollinators! We invite you to buzz over to a Pollination Celebration at Cascade Meadow.
Exhibitors from across Minnesota will help you discover the plants and animals that sweeten the world through pollination! The celebration will be fun for the whole family with lots of children’s activities hosted by Minnesota Master Naturalists.
Refreshments celebrating pollinators and their marvelous products will be available for purchase, but bring a water bottle to enjoy RPU’s award-winning drinking water. Admission is free and the Pollination Celebration is a Rochesterfest event! Be sure to carpool for better parking!
Lunch FIELD TRIP: Thursday June 27th
Note change in date and location.
11:30 am, RochesterFest. Meet on the north side of the food area, we'll try to take over a picnic table or two. If you won't recognize the group, this might not be a good first event for you, as we'll probably be hard to spot.
Haven't been to the RochesterFest food vendors area before? They close down Civic Center Drive SE/3rd Ave SE between the library and the civic center. Got a favorite "fair food" that you'd like to make sure you can find? Here's a list of the vendors, what they sell, and coupons.
In case of bad weather, you can still converge on the Apache Mall food court near B&N.
Technical Meeting: Thursday July 11th
Matt Bruzek attended the Bay Area Maker Faire, and will tell us about his experience. Anyone who attends the June KC Maker Faire is welcome to chime in too during discussion.
When: Thursday April 11th - 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Where: RCTC Heintz Center Room HA107
Planned Social: Friday July 12th
Sugru build night and blog writing. Instructables will be sending us a case of Sugru setlf-setting rubber to play with. In exchange, we have to write up 4 blogs about things we did with it.
Your pre-preparation homework: Brainstorm something more unique than smartphone bumpers and handle (bike, garden tools, etc etc) grips.
We're meeting at the Toymakers hacker/maker space again. http://tymkrs.com/rabbithole/
547 Northern Heights Dr NE
Rochester MN 55906
6-9 pm
For anyone who hasn't been there yet, their house is on the north side of the road up a steep and twisted driveway; park on the road with a parking brake. Walk up the driveway, up the steps, and ring the doorbell. into the open garage door, and into the house without needing to ring the doorbell.
Lunch FIELD TRIP: Thursday July 18th
Note change in location
11:30 am. Thursdays on 1st, we'll take over a picnic table on the east end of Historic 3rd Street SW (that one way street on the north side of the Tap House and Billotti's). If you're new and won't recognize the group, this might not be a good first event for you, as we may be hard to spot.
In case of bad weather, you can still converge on the Apache Mall food court near B&N.
Planned Technical Meeting: August TBD
Speaker needed, please let Tim or Tina know if you're willing to volunteer. Willing to present but want to know what people have expressed interest in? Check out our requested topics page.
Lunch: Thursday August 15th
11:30 am, Apache Mall food court, near B&N.
Planned Social: August TBD
Ideas can be found here or invent your own. What would you like to do? Tell Tim or Tina.
Planned Technical Meeting: September TBD
Speaker needed, please let Tim or Tina know if you're willing to volunteer. Willing to present but want to know what people have expressed interest in? Check out our requested topics page.
Lunch: Thursday August 19th
11:30 am, Apache Mall food court, near B&N.
Planned Social: August TBD
Ideas can be found here or invent your own. What would you like to do? Tell Tim or Tina.
Planned Technical Meeting: March or later, 2013
Oculus Rift, "the first truly immersive virtual reality headset for video games"
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1523379957/oculus-rift-step-into-the-game
Peter Shabino
Planned Social: Summer
Rocket launching and kites with Launch Master Kevin Arhelger. Sometime mid-July through October.
Planned Social: Fall or winter
-Jim Henderson, "Silicon Valley" documentary
-Children's Museum. Don't have a kid and feel akward about wandering around to check the place out without one? This is your chance, we'll have at least one coming with the group to salve any feelings of stalking stranger's children.
-Rock climbing at Prairie Walls before they take down the sign we constructed for the Red Bull Creation contest.
-Liquid nitrogen ice cream. This needs a non-Tina organizer. Dennis DeLorme has 2 recipes. We need safety equipment and someone trained enough to keep us from freezing ourselves.
-MAME/foosball/ping pong at Tim Massaro's.
Upcoming Meeting Crisis!
Well, not really a crisis, but we do need some meeting topics (& speakers) for 2013. We'd like to know what you want to see and hear about. Please email Tina or Tim with suggestions for topics. Should we run some previous sessions again (maybe something you really wanted to see but missed out on)? What type of topics are good, what type are bad? Also see this page for a list of suggested topics http://www.k-lug.org/Meetings
Old News Items
See the OldNews page.