[local] Weekend of skiing and talking about future/tech-oriented topics Mar 26-29

From the main organizer John:

Hey Futurists!

Ready to blow off some steam and socialize around the fire? Come join
us Future Campers (12 of us signed up so far) at our very first annual
Freezing Woman retreat in Truckee/Tahoe this Mar 26-29! We have a
sweet condo in Truckee that sleeps 20 for Future Camp, and dare you to
rent another condo near us if we go over 20.

The basic plan is hot-tubbing and socializing Friday eve at the condo
(we have a hot tub at the condo), Unconferencing (dazzle us with your
tech-y, future-y, or anything-y presentations, skits, brainstorms,
debates) all day Saturday at the condo, and optional skiiing or
snowboarding at nearby Northstar or Squaw Valley on Sunday and
optional Monday (we have the condo Fri afternoon, Sat, Sun, and Monday
till 1pm).

We may even get flag football in the snow, snowfights, or broomball in
there somewhere. Chief Fun Officers Paul Grasshoff, Matt Bell, improv
comedian Cheryl Cline and me are the organizing crew. Send us your
suggestions!.

We still have 8 spaces left in Condo 1, which sleeps 20. When it gets
full, we dare you to form another Camp by renting a second condo near
ours, for even more socializing, unconferencing, and ski cross on the
slopez!

Details at:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AWe5KfshTCk1ZGNicGdqZ2tfNDVncjRqcmhnag&hl=en
Checkitout!

Haunting (and oddly beautiful) new aerial WTC collapse photos

Apparently the NYPD just released a set of aerial photos of the collapse of the world trade center.  Taking the event almost entirely out of context, it's interesting to see the patterns made by the billowing, chaotic clouds of death and destruction as they make their way through the highly precise urban landscape of the polished buildings around them. 
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/02/10/nyregion/20100210-WORLDTRADE_index.html

However, as I write this, I'm reflecting back on all the things that have gone wrong in America as a result.  Our misguided knee-jerk reaction to this event, propelled by special interests, has led us down a mistaken path that has cost us over a trillion dollars.  If America is to have a jumping-the-shark moment in retrospect, this is probably it.

Edit:  Although... come to think of it, jumping the shark moments are supposed to be moments of triumph, so perhaps this one is more appropriate:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZGswXlKDDQ