Festifools Megatitan

I have been talking a lot about building a giant street puppet for Festifools this year. The idea of the Megatitan character from Revenge of the Titans has generated a lot of enthusiasm:

It would be 12 feet tall by 8 feet wide. The giant dome of the head would hang from three bamboo poles operated by three puppeteers. A fourth puppeteer would wear the body and walk under the head.

I already have three volunteers, although more are welcome. in order for the project to succeed on time, here are the essentials we need to obtain no later than Wednesday, March 9:

1. Several refrigerator/washing machine boxes, or equivalent amount of corrugated cardboard, at least 2x3 feet wide.
2. A staple gun.
3. At least three keychain rings.
4. At least six zip ties.
5. Three or four bamboo rods, six to eight feet long.
6. Dark green, bright green, and white spray paint.
7. A wide (2" or 3") roll of masking/painters tape.
8. A truck to transport it from Ferndale to Ann Arbor by 4 PM, Sunday, April 3, and back at 7 PM.

Does anyone have any of these to donate?

Non-essential cool additions, if we can get them:

1. Green transparent tape for the eyes.
2. Two very bright light sources behind the tape.
3. Some type of portable battery that can last half an hour, for the lights.
4. A boom box to project a roaring sound.

Absence of Evidence

There's a saying: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." Actually, it usually is.

If you were in this room, I would probably see you. You are not the sort of people to hide in rooms. The evidence of your absence is not totally conclusive, but what difference does that make?

"If you can't disprove what I say with absolute certainty, both alternatives carry equal weight." No, they do not. At all. Not even close.

Some things generate evidence by their presence. An unseen postage stamp in this room-- that's small enough that I can buy this argument. But if you say a full-size 747 jet plane is in this room, I would expect it to generate a metric ton of evidence. The bigger, brighter, noiser, or more active, the more this applies.

If you say it is an invisible and intangible 747, I would say that's not a 747. We really don't have to take this sort of thing on faith.