<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A name=OLE_LINK1><SPAN lang=EN-AU>*sincere apologies for cross-posting*</SPAN></A></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Leonardo Electronic Almanac: December 2004</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>ISSN#1071-4391</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>art | science | technology - a definitive voice since 1993</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>http://lea.mit.edu</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>In LEA's December issue, guest editor Michael Punt presides over Part II of a special double-issue, based on the theme "From the Extraordinary to the Uncanny: The Unusual and Inexplicable in Art, Science and Technology." </SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Following this theme, the first article, by Peter Anders, explores intriguing parallels in the development of communications technology and spiritualist practices, including stage magic, in the nineteenth century; Josephine Coy discusses her project, *Media Ghosts*, in which images adapted from various news media "seemed to have emerged as if through a fissure between worlds," and describes the process of creation of the works.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Len Massey looks into various takes on the supernatural within the alternative media, finding an interesting contrast to the "saturated spin we are fed on a daily basis;" Pia Tikka looks at "Cinema and the Biological Basis of Otherness," discussing her view that interactive cinema can be seen as an "externalization of mind;" and C. S. Unnikrishnan makes a compelling case for the central role of "unobservables" in cosmology and physics, arguing that exploring the nature of such<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>phenomena can even lead to profound spiritual insights.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>In Leonardo Reviews, introduced by Robert Pepperell, Pia Tikka contributes a review of<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>*Metacreation: Art and Artificial Life*, Sean Cubitt reviews *The Digital Sublime: Myth, Power and</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Cyberspace* and Amy Ione reviews *Experiments in Form*. </SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>We also take a look at the contents and selected abstracts from the first 2005 issue of *Leonardo*, while ISAST News brings us the latest events in the Leonardo/ISAST community. On a final, more somber note, John Milner brings us an obituary of the Russian artist Kirill Sokolov, a long-time supporter and contributor to the *Leonardo* journal.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>********************************************************************************</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>LEA Information and URLs</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Receive your FREE subscription to the Leonardo Electronic Almanac e-mail digest at http://mitpress.mit.edu/lea/e-mail -- just provide your email address, name, and password, and check off that you'd like to be added to the Leonardo Electronic Almanac monthly e-mail list to keep on top of the latest news in the Leonardo community.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>How to advertise in LEA?</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-journals/Leonardo/isast/placeads.html#LEAads</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>For a paid subscription (to become an ISAST member and access archives dating back to 1993): http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=4&tid=27&mode=p</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>The Leonardo Educators Initiative</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>-------------------------------------------------------</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>The Leonardo Abstracts Service (LABS) is a comprehensive database of abstracts of Ph.d, Masters and MFA theses in the emerging intersection between art, science and technology. Thesis Abstract Submittal form at http://</SPAN></SPAN><A href="http://leonardolabs.pomona.edu/"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none">leonardolabs.pomona.edu</SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU> </SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>LEA also maintains a discussion list open only to faculty in the field. Faculty wishing to join this list should send a brief biography to lea [@] mitpress [dot] mit [dot] edu</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>What is LEA?</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>For over a decade, Leonardo Electronic Almanac (LEA) has thrived as an international peer-reviewed electronic journal and web archive, covering the interaction of the arts, sciences and technology. LEA emphasizes rapid publication of recent work and critical discussion on topics of current excitement. Many contributors are younger scholars and artists, and there is a slant towards shorter, less academic texts.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Contents include Leonardo Reviews, edited by Michael Punt, Leonardo Research Abstracts of recent Ph.D. and Masters theses, curated Galleries of current new media artwork, and special issues on topics ranging from Artists and Scientists in times of War, to Zero Gravity</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Art, to the History of New Media.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Copyright© 1993 - 2004: The Leonardo Electronic Almanac is published by Leonardo / International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology (ISAST) in association with the MIT Press. All rights reserved.</SPAN></SPAN></P><p>
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