Totally over Brasil, right now.
A month in Brazil was great, but I missed so many things while I was away…Here’s my list of six things that either went over my head while I was in Brazil:
1. SADDAM’s execution (See Number 6 on this same list)
2. YOU TUBE … my “Walking Table” video somehow (I have no idea how) got featured on You Tube’s main page for a week and I had over one MILLION views on that nine-second video clip and I honestly have no clue as to why (anyone) cares … it’s just a boring clip about an interesting table I saw at a design expo in Holland … and everyone seems to love it. I blogged about the walking table in early Nevember if you want to see it under the Design category.
3. ARGENTINA. I was in denial for the first 20 days in Brasil about not being in Argentina. I got a consolation bracelet.
4. TOFU. Ever try telling a room full of Brazilians that you’re a vegetarian?
5. WI-FI. There’s something beautiful about free wireless internet whenever you want it.
6. MEDIA. Anything in English. Anything.
And six things I was not ready for:
1. INSECTS. They’re everywhere and I battled them.
2. BEING A “GRINGA”. Gets stale fast.
3. PRESUNTO. It’s everywhere. Gross.
4. FLAVOUR. Anything other than salt.
5. CLASSISM. It’s heart-breaking.
6. HIPPY MARKETS. It was beaded necklace overdose.
Douglas Coupland is on MySpace!
The ringleader (tormentor extraordinaire), ultimate Canadian and big brother of all generation-X’ers, Mr Douglas Coupland has been discovered on MySpace. That’s right, Douglas Coupland is on MySpace.
To read a blurb about MySpace’s latest user demographic information and to link to recent data on the matter, check out Cult of MaHKU.
[That quirky] Dutch Design Week
Last week I had the opportunity to see some brilliant, some entertaining and some very questionable design in the Dutch city of Eindhoven during Dutch Design Week (October 21-29).
There was a lot of interesting stuff, but the first headturner I checked out was this fascinating walking table …
THEN, there was the girl that designed the lamp that crochets or knits its own lamp shade. The light (when switched on) charges the motor in the knitting machine, so the longer the lamp is on, the longer the knitted shade will be. What you see in the picture below is apparently “almost one week” of the lamp being switched on. The girl in the photo is the designer of this fascinating item.
And of course no design expo is complete without the guy that thinks of bachelor convenience …
Pictured above is the the “Bachelor Board” — an ironing board that converts into a chair. And if you’re wondering … you store the iron in the headrest. Now the funny thing is, I’m not sure I know any guys that even own an iron.
Perhaps that warrants its own blog entry.
Steve Jobs versus the Australian government?
Not really, but this article is an interesting news story about the current technology dilemma in Australia’s classrooms. Teachers are unwilling to switch to (less expensive) PC platforms because they rely on Macs as teaching aids, advocating the educational tools and software available on a Mac platform.
The article quotes the president of the Australian Mac Users Group (seriously?) … who says Aussie education departments have declared war on Macs.
Clearly the PC versus Mac debate has been going on forever, and clearly the problem isn’t unique to Australia — I certainly don’t know of any education department in any country that is excited to fund a dual platform system in its schools — and it’s no secret that PC platforms are significantly cheaper …
However, as a lifetime Mac user and “enthusiast”, I do feel that Apple’s growth and muscle should nurture the new generation(s) of Mac users by substantially subsidizing the costs for state-funded schools internationally. Yes, education discounts already exist, but as long as the PC versus Mac debate exists, and as long as the cost of operating on a Mac platform is significantly more expensive … Mac resistance will run rife in our bargain-hunting global society.
Brilliant, brilliant!!
This is AMAZING. Another YouTube treasure. I think the animation, cinematography and script are just wonderful. I was so impressed I looked up the guy that made it — It’s a 649 Films production — an independent New York-based film company that is the work of Mike Santoro, who seemed very humble when I sang his praise. Santoro said he had been going through some rough times, explaining: “This is something that helps me to keep going.” Wow — when I go through rough times I write longhand in my journal, or cry, or listen to Black Sabbath or The Smiths really loud … and this guy .. he makes totally amazing cartoons. I’m so impressed. Doubly impressed because I’m learning animation and flash right now and it’s not exactly an easy ride.
Anyway, you’ll love it x
Stop Googling things, says Google
This just in, from the European Journalism Centre:
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Stop Googling things, says Google
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GOOGLE has issued letters to media organisations asking them to refrain
from using its name as a verb. In order to ‘protect its trademark’, and
prevent it becoming a generic term, the search firm has sent letters to
publishers advising them on its proper use.
Google’s letter includes helpful examples of appropriate and
inappropriate use of the company’s trademark. For example: ‘I used
Google to check out that guy I met at the party’ is fine, but ‘I
googled that hottie’ is not. Similarly, it’s OK to say: ‘He ego-surfs on Google
to see if he’s listed in the results’ but not ‘He googles himself.’
The key distinction is whether Google is used to describe searching in
a general, non-specific sense. ‘With constant generic use, trademarks can
lose their special status and their proper name capitalisation,’ said
Google in the letter. ‘It has happened to once-trademarked products
including yo-yo, trampoline and nylon. Trademark lawyers call it
‘genericide’.’
Source: – VNU Net
Iran’s president launches blog
IRANIAN President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has joined a burgeoning international community – by starting his own weblog. The launch of www.ahmadinejad.ir was reported on state TV, which urged users to send in messages to the president.
Mr Ahmadinejad’s first posting, entitled autobiography, tells of his childhood, Iran’s Islamic revolution, and the country’s war with Iraq. The blog includes a poll asking if users think the US and Israel are trying to trigger a new world war.
Source: BBC
