Update:
Evil Mad Scientists Laboratory has made the foundation of this build available as The Peggy for $80.
In typical EMSL fashion, that link includes tons and tons of information, including full details, board design, source, and loads of implementation notes.
So, apparently, it is being called Aqua Teen Day. Good enough.
Better yet, though, is that the fine folks of boston — the level headed public that makes the city such a great place — are celebrating the first annual “Aqua Teen Day” by decorating the city with LED art.
On January 31st, 2007, the authorities in Boston completely lost their minds. It wasn’t the first time, but this particular date was heavily reported and even the most head-in-the-sand die-hard “OMGWTFBINLADENFTChildren!!!one!!!” fear mongers found it ridiculous.
I am, of course, referring to the Aqua Teen Hunger Force “Hoax Device” bomb scare.
I could go on a political rant about fear based leadership and the general stupidity of the security theater played out in our cities and airports.
But that is boring.
I’d rather remind people of the jackassery that has happened and, once again, laugh at it. Then vote appropriately.
To that end, I purchased memorial kits from the fine folks at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories and put them together over the last few days.
The results are just stunning. And effective. I brought the boards into work on Monday and, on the way home, stopped for a beer with boards in hand. Several folks asked about them and, upon explaining the history of the boards, they became just a touch more enlightened as to the stupidity of certain leadership and just a slight bit more inclined to learn more and vote accordingly.
Mission accomplished. With laughter included.
(The kits were a special edition from EMSL — you’ll have to contact them for availability. The LED “peg board” is generic; you can lay out the LEDs anyway you want to make any kind of similar display, including a “charlieplexed” mode that allows simple animations. I believe EMSL will be offering the generic form of the kit sometime soon.)