Deductible Junkets
If You're Headed to Orlando for SIGGRAPH 94
It was once a sleepy agricultural region, filled with groves of citrus trees and fields of sugar cane. But that was BD – Before Disney. Now, AD, Orlando is best known as a theme park metropolis.
Actually, Walt Disney World is located twenty miles south of Orlando at Lake Buena Vista. Devout Disneyites say the park can be done in no less than four days. Accepting the challenge, we offer the SIGGRAPH Theme Park Express Tour. Start your day at Epcot's World Showcase with a dizzying 360-degree view of the Great Wall at the China theater exhibit, but skip the Chinese restaurant and head over to the tiled Moroccan eatery for couscous. In the afternoon, step into Future World and peek at Disney's take on technology in the 21st century.
The Disney World experience requires serious nostalgia for childhood, so you may opt for an evening stroll through The Park. The Star Tours simulated space flight ride, based on Star Wars, is a must for thrill seekers and VR fiends – check it out at the Disney-MGM Studios.
But if an oversized mouse running around hugging a few thousand screaming kids isn't your thing, don't worry, there is life OD (Outside Disney). Playa Linda, a clothing-optional beach at the north end of Canaveral National Seashore, is the perfect place to play hooky. This is not another Ft. Lauderdale – you can quietly walk for hours along the sand dunes of this pristine Florida beach. Or head east to De Leon Springs, where you can take a dip, dip an oar, or go for a walk.
The colonial Old Spanish Sugar Mill at the springs has been converted into a make-your-own-pancake restaurant: a great weekend brunch, but be prepared for a wait.
Entertainment abounds within the city limits. Eateries along International Drive and in the Market Place arcade on Dr. Phillips Boulevard offer platefuls of lunch possibilities. Chamberlin's Market and Cafe serves sandwiches, soups, and a salad bar sure to delight all but the most unhealthy eaters. And their best-selling Pep Power drink from the juice bar will carry you through the afternoon conference sessions. For dinner, the lakeside Chatham's Place offers continental entrees with a side of flamboyance. Your tongue will be tickled pink by their Florida Black Grouper served with cajun spices and pecan butter!
The lively downtown Yab Yum Coffeehouse is an introduction to the funkier side of Orlando. The neighboring Go Lounge is pure '40s retro (bring plenty of quarters for the jukebox), with a '90s selection of imported and microbrewed beers. Both establishments have live music on weekends. You can also catch a few riffs of the Orlando music scene at The Downtown Jazz and Blues Club, where local and big-name bands play live every night. And finally, some Florida do's and don'ts: do bring insect repellent and plenty of sun block, don't disturb the sea turtles at the beach, and don't expect to see flamingos everywhere – they're about as native to the Sunshine State as senior citizens!
Jessie Scanlon
Hot springs of appreciation to Leigh Shipley and E-thanks to my America Online sources.
ALIFE IV; Cambridge, Massachusetts (July 6-8)
Artificial Life is the branch of science that synthesizes phenomena normally associated with natural living systems via computers and other artificial media. ALIFE IV will touch upon issues of theoretical biology, discussing not only "life as we know it," but "life as it could be." Held on the MIT campus, ALIFE IV hopes to encourage the exchange of opinions, ideas, and techniques. Registrants may tour the Institute's Artificial Intelligence Lab or the Media Lab. Registration fee is US$300, $200 for students. Contact Professor Rodney Brooks: +1 (617) 253 0073, fax +1 (617) 253 0039, e-mail alife@ai.mit.edu, or via the "Events at the AI Lab" page on the World Wide Web.
SIGGRAPH 94; Orlando, Florida (July 24-29)
Nearly 30,000 high-tech professionals and artists will travel to SIGGRAPH 94, the mecca of computer graphics and interactive technology. This year's event includes the annual juried Art and Design show, the Electronic Theater – the creme de la creme of computer imagery – the interactive exhibits SIGKids and VROOM, and the usual array of insightful papers and panels that explore the directions and visions of computer graphics technology. Registration fees range from US$50 (for a pass to the exhibits) to $1,115 (for all conference events). Contact: +1 (312) 321 6830, fax +1 (312) 321 6876, email siggraph94@siggraph.org.
AAAI-94, Seattle, Washinton (July 31-August 4)
You aren't the only one who thought last year's American Association of Artificial Intelligence national conference was a yawn. Well, leave the NoDoz at home this year. AAAI-94 will move away from more established research paradigms toward new and experimental concepts and techniques. New this year will be the emphasis on AI applications in the arts and entertainment. And don't miss the Robot Building Competition! Registration fees are US$460, students $175. Contact AAAI-94, 445 Burgess Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025; +1 (415) 328 3123, fax +1 (415) 321 4457, e-mail ncai@aaai.org.
EWHCI '94; Petersburg, Russia (August 2-6)
The fourth annual East-West International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction brings together researchers and practitioners involved in the theory, development, and analysis of interactive, computer-based systems from every hemisphere. Particular attention will be given to multicultural aspects of human-computer interaction, activity theory, and computer-aided education. The conference will incorporate research from the former Soviet Union that has outpaced that of the rest of the world. Potential attendees should join the electronic discussion list for up-to-date info on registration and travel. Registration fee: approximately US$300. Contact: Keith Instone, +1 (419) 372 8704, e-mail ew-info.chi@xerox.com, or on the World Wide Web.
ISEA '94; Helsinki, Finland (August 23-28)
The Fifth International Symposium on Electronic Art, sponsored by the University of Art and Design Helsinki (along with other Finnish cultural organizations) brings together artists and scientists for a whirlwind week of papers, panel discussions, workshops, multimedia exhibitions, and performances that will turn today's electronic culture inside out. The conference will cover Spacescapes (how technological advances have altered our understanding of "space"), High & Low (the cultural histories of electronic technology), and The Next Generation (questions of the future of electronic art). In addition, ISEA '94 and SGI will announce their annual six-month grants for artists in the electronic and computer arts. Registration fees are US$450, students $140. Contact: ISEA '94 Project Manager Minna Tarkka, +358 (0) 756 3601, fax +358 (0) 756 3602, e-mail isea@uiah.fi, or on the World Wide Web.
