Thursday, May 17, 2012

May 17 CHAD

Anyone who claims to not hate Powerpoint is lying. Some people really hate it, like Edward Tufte, all but blaming it for the fall of Western civilization. In his essay, The Cognitive Style of Powerpoint, and in seminars, he faults the design of the software with some serious mishaps, such as the loss of the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia. It is not far fetched to argue the use of Powerpoint in the military and government provides prima facie support to Tufte's case.

In a coda, I just learned that engineer Roger Boisjoly passed in January. Boisjoly was the engineer who discovered the design problem that resulted in the total loss of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986. Boisjoly tried to stop the launch, presenting his arguments in a fated Powerpoint the night before, but was overruled by Morton Thiokol and NASA management. It has been theorized that NASA was anxious to launch the first teacher into space in time for president Reagan's state of the union speech scheduled later that same day. As a whistleblower, post the loss, he was subject to intense pressures, resulting a nervous breakdown. But he was awarded the Prize for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and dedicated the rest of his career to teaching engineering ethics.

Artist David Byrne has explored Powerpoint in art. There have been several Portland performance art projects using Powerpoint. The latest is a series CHAD, organized by artist, inventor and writer, Mykle Hansen.

His CHAD series is likely to be humorous bordering on ridiculous. Presenters include palindrome champion Mark Saltveit, on the science of non-science Justin Hanes, global inspirationist Lance Banks, pro-lifist Carrie Twoterm, and a channeler of the great Carl Sagan.

CHAD may be had www.thisischad.com at the Jack London Bar 529 SW 4th Ave in the basement of the Rialto Poolroom 8PM $5-10