How to enjoy a night in the wilderness, in 7 easy steps
(1) Create a packing list
(2) Pick a scenic spot
(3) Set up tent before nightfall (and hope the waters don’t rise)

(4) Listen to the nighttime bestiary come alive and supplement with scary stories

(5) Lay down, look up, and let your handheld astronomy app tell you what you’re observing
(6) Sleep well, wake up in the mist
(7) Celebrate!

I'm John Tolva, Chief Technology Officer for the City of Chicago.
I make music with Beat Research Chicago.
» But, wait! There's more ...
Marginalia
- Literally Unbelievable
"Stories from The Onion as interpreted by Facebook" - Amtrak gets OK for 110-mph Chicago-Michigan service
Make it happen. - The Death of the Cyberflâneur
"The idea of exploring cyberspace as virgin territory, not yet colonized by governments and corporations, was romantic; that romanticism was even reflected in the names of early browsers (“Internet Explorer,” “Netscape Navigator”)." - Book Art by Brian Dettmer
Like carving soft stone with thousands of shifting layers. So very gorgeous. - Bricks in Space
LEGO experiments on the International Space Station. Yes, please. - Personified Teeth Dental Signs
They really are creepy when you stop to think about it. Creepiest: personified teeth *with* teeth. - Apollo 11 Lunar Landing Visualization, 1969
Very cool, multi-axis visualization of Apollo 11 landing, with audio. - Letters of Note: Dear Son
Wonderful, deeply moving letter from the father of the second American astronaut to circle the planet. - New Release: Orbital: Wonky
April 3 (U.S.)/April 1 (international). - Gmail Snooze
Oh how I wish this were available for non-Apps mail.
Immerito Tweets
- Lakefront, architecture, making amazing things, @harper. These are Chicago's greatest assets. Most probably not in that order. 3 minutes ago
- RT @dansinker: Batshit crazy right-wing Midwesterners, ya done good. 20 hours ago
- I got the Bieber Cleaver. And I am taking it to my daughter's playlist modifications. 1 day ago
- Just bit into a chayote thinking it was a pear and it was disgusting and my mouth hates me and OMG I HAVE TO GARGLE RIGHT NOW. 1 day ago
- Is password hacking based on forensic analysis of iPad finger smudges a thing? 1 day ago
ChicagoCTO Tweets
- Just got real --> @ChicagoCDO: Met with Code for America fellows this afternoon. We are going to keep them very busy :) @codeforamerica 1 day ago
- RT @gregorywass: My 2.6.12 @uicegovernment class will feature @ChicagoCTO John Tolva and @codeforamerica fellows re #open311 & #gov20 . ... 3 days ago
- RT @juggernautco: Intersection: Civic Hackers (@ City Hall) | SessionCast http://t.co/hLGvMudk via @thetechweek 5 days ago
- Video from Chicago Tonight talking city data and civic startups: http://t.co/JWuvuCQj 1 week ago
- "Code For America In Chicago: Open311 Will Be City's Next Big Tech Move": http://t.co/etU7b87Z 1 week ago



