US Population Distribution from 1950-2050: WOW!

I highly recommend you look at this chart. Keep looking it for a few seconds.

You may read/view it here.

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Gadget Mania

This morning as I was running my errands I found myself getting restless by the minute. I wondered why that was as the anxiety was of a distinctly different nature. It was nuanced by a kind of emergency I had yet to experience. I did a run-down of my routine and all seemed in order. All minus one thing, that is.

I had forgotten to bring my iPhone along.

If I'm walking or waiting in line somewhere I use the opportunity to read the news, email, or text and satisfy an array of multi-tasking inclinations. Gadgets like the iPhone succeed in claiming your attention because they are just that well deserving of your attention. They, more often than not, produce the right info. Not only that, they're quick and they don't waste time by producing a litany of 'uhms,' 'you knows,' and 'likes.' How many humans can we say this about, folks?

I was away from it for about ninety minutes today and I don't think I've ever hurried that much to get home. Under other circumstances, I would have checked into the nearest Betty Form clinic for the clinically addicted to iPhones and other such über-cool gadgets. Instead, I realized that I, like millions of others, have long fallen into the unavoidable lap of trickery of the iPhone. For, once a user, always a user.

And yet somehow I didn't try to rectify the problem and get all 'zen.' I suppose I know who I'm dealing with so I gladly give in. Because, after all, I do know that just when I start to think I'm out, it, the gadget, will find a way to pull me right back in.





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What I've been Reading

In Pursuit of Elegance by Matthew E. May has been quite a find for me. If you're interested in the science/art dynamic, aesthetics, and symmetry this is a book I highly recommend.

The narrative style of May features a dose of classical philosophy and enough Americana references to make the reading experience most pleasant. If you liked the HBO series the Sopranos and are a fan of aesthetics, get to the nearest bookstore and check May's book out. You'll get into it after the first few pages. It's the kind of book that begs for constant attention, hence you'll be done reading it in a very short time.

A bit says: [Elegance] is about finding the `aha' solution to a problem with the greatest parsimony of effort and expense. Creativity plays a part. Simplicity plays a part. Intelligence plays a part. Add in subtlety, economy, and quality, and you get elegance...Elegant solutions relieve creative tension by solving the problem in finito as it's been defined, in a way that avoids creating other problems that then need to be solved. Elegant solutions render only new possibilities to chase and exploit. Finally, elegant solutions aren't obvious, except, of course, in retrospect."


Grown up Digital has proven to be one of the most enlightening books of the year for me. Don Tapscott zeros in on how the new generation processes information and how conventional ideas regarding intelligence and skill sets have shifted. Tapscott explores different ways businesses can learn to apply young talent to the work place and how young people relate to new information and knowledge.

If you're a neophile, you will feel like you have found a functional home in Tapscott's book. Do read this.


Appetite for Self-Destruction by Steve Knopper will especially speak to neophiles with a strong flare for music and the music industry. The chapters about Steve Jobs' road to the 'invention' of the iPod are most exciting. Jobs, the man and the Jobs, the innovator are layered quite interestingly here.

This book explores the major shift that occurred in the music industry once music became digital. One of the albums Knopper mentions with loyal regularity is Michael Jackson's Thriller and why its success is unlikely to get replicated. When in the 80's, do as the 80's folks did.... In the digital age, users shop for tracks not albums, necessarily.

The digitization of music first and foremost means that a behavioral change has happened in the consumer. S/he can choose what to add to the library and what eventually makes it into the check-out basket. Granted, a lot of behavioral changes have had to happen in the merchandizers as well. Well, if they want to stay in the business, at least. Don't try to replicate Thriller, says Knopper, see if you can come up with a business model that can adapt to the new culture of music consumption.

Very good read, as well.

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Science of Sleep

Those who are troubled sleepers value sleep more than those who find themselves in dream-landia two minutes after their head hits the pillow. Why? Well, don't we tend to value the things that come our way with a higher degree of difficulty a tad more?

I also have a theory about general compatibility issues. A troubled sleeper will find her/himself more emotionally comfortable when in relationships with good sleepers than with other malaise-sharers. Misery does not love company, after all. The yang seeks the ying. And so forth. Imo, at least.

Having had sleep troubles since, well, birth, I have an active interest in sleep studies and new research. One of the best gifts I received this past birthday was a computer program called Pzizz. Two of my friends purchased the power nap/sleep program for me and this is a product I heartily recommend.

If you travel a lot as well and find yourselves in different time zones and areas with some measure of consistency, Pzizz will come in handy. It doth work! Turn it on and you will be able to catch a few zzz's. And rather quickly.

The Times had a piece on yet a new sleep-monitoring gadget called Zeo. David Pogue reviewed it and he concludes the piece by noting:

"Just watching the Zeo track your sleep cycles doesn’t do anything to help you sleep better. Plotting your statistics on the Web doesn’t help, either.

But the funny thing is, you do wind up getting better sleep — because of what I call the Personal Trainer Phenomenon. People who hire a personal trainer at the gym wind up attending more workouts than people who are just members. Why? Because after spending that much money and effort, you take the whole thing much more seriously.

In the same way, the Zeo winds up focusing you so much on sleep that you wind up making some of the lifestyle changes that you could have made on your own, but didn’t. (“Otherwise,” a little voice in your head keeps arguing, “you’ve thrown away $400.”)"

Read more here.

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Did You Know?

Tip of the hat to David for the pointer.

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Verdi on High Definition?

Some snobbism is allowed when Verdi's work is at stake. At least, according to many Verdi-informed music lovers. Since I have loved his work since I was able to read, I consider myself worthy of voicing an opinion on the matter.

Incidentally, I am currently reading much about Verdi's impact on Italian/European politics of the 19-century and the more I become involved with the topic, the more I see my admiration for the composer morph into yet another (much deserved!) cognitive appreciation. Experientially, I have always 'gotten' his work. Now it's cognition's turn to catch up.

As a supporter of the arts, I list Verdi as one of the highlights of my upbringing and life. Watching things like Casa Ricordi didn't just give me musical pleasure for the moment, it also taught me concretely about the pragmatic aspect of creative genius. Verdi epitomizes just that. Having overcome an amazing sea of hardships, the composer manages to maintain his stoicism while creating some of the most soul-feeding melodies the West has yet to experience.

Watching a Verdi production live is something that the language cannot adequately contain or explain.
Nabucco, Aida, and Traviata were created to be experienced by sold out audiences and Verdi, like very, very few artists, had the right vision to know that when people would love his work, the would love it in great numbers and with much passion.

I read an interesting bit on the Times today about the use of technology in broadcasting and how it is making an impact on live productions of operas as well. I think Verdi would have been a fan of the notion of allowing many people to experience his works in almost perfect synchronicity.

Something like La Scala times 1000 would have given him pleasure, I think.

The composer produced the kind of music that inspired not only the bona fide music lover but people at large, peasant and nobleman alike.

Would I like to watch Aida on a huge screen in San Francisco when it is being performed live in Milan? Yes.

Would I rather want to watch it at La Scala? Yes.

This scenario strikes me as a rare yes/yes one.

A paragraph says:

"The Teatro Alla Scala in Milan broadcast its gala opening night, a performance of Verdi’s “Don Carlo,” live on Dec. 7. At the New York showing, in the Miller Theater at Columbia University the Milanese glitter of tuxedos, gowns and dripping jewels on the screen contrasted with the bulky sweaters, down jackets and eccentric facial hair of an Upper West Side crowd."

The entire article is here.

And might I treat you with Verdi's "Va Pensiero sull' ali dorate" from his opera Nabucco? This particular production comes from 2001 at the Metropolitan Opera House.

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Mark Your Calendars: The Android's Almost Here

Joseph and I were discussing Google's super phone, the Android, a mere couple of weeks ago and while we both expressed an interest in becoming Android-ites eventually, the release date of the super phone seemed still a thing of the future. Google's uber-phone will actually be available this month and it will be interesting to see if it will indeed crush the iPhone.
Even though I tend to favor Apple products for a good number of healthy reasons, the Android is promising to provide many of the features I care about having in a phone.

A snippet from today's Times article article says:
"Android comes with built-in programs like Contacts, Calendar, Calculator, Music, Google Maps, a YouTube module and chat and text-messaging programs. The Web browser uses the entire, glorious, 3.2-inch screen (480 by 320 pixels); unfortunately, it offers no Flash video. Worse, you have to do a lot of zooming in and out, and the onscreen + and - buttons are much fussier to use than pinching on the iPhone’s multitouch screen."
Read more here.

What do you think of it?

The Goggle Machine Surprizes Again

I like Gmail. It's got my kind of capacity and my kinds of features. I like the ease of using Google Calender, Google docs, et al. In short, I'm a happy user. Hence, when told about Gmail's latest feature, I simply had to post it here.

I wouldn't have thought about this but someone at Google did and it apparently sounds like a great feature to many a user judging from the responses and comments they have received. Can't say I'll have a need to use it but I reckon it's usually a good idea to be open-minded vis-a-vis the 'Google machine.'

A bit says:

"When you enable Mail Goggles, it will check that you're really sure you want to send that late night Friday email. And what better way to check than by making you solve a few simple math problems after you click send to verify you're in the right state of mind?

By default, Mail Goggles is only active late night on the weekend as that is the time you're most likely to need it. Once enabled, you can adjust when it's active in the General settings.

Hopefully Mail Goggles will prevent many of you out there from sending messages you wish you hadn't. Like that late night memo -- I mean mission statement -- to the entire firm."
Read more here.

Some of you who also do work/write at night might find this annoying and unnecessary but plenty of AM folk might find it really useful. I suppose that's Google's strongest suit: catering to all on some level and in some capacity.

Would you use this feature? Do you find it micromanaging and/or too editing?
graph per google

Jet Man Flew Over the English Channel

I just saw live Yves Rossy, aka Jet Man, fly across the English Channel in a single, jet-propelled wing attached to his back. The live broadcast happened at 8:00 Eastern Time.
An incredible thing to see, a human flying like a bird. If only Da Vinci were born at a different time.....
Read more here.
graph per national geographic

Kindle, anyone?

Are you a neophiliac and a reading-obsessed individual at the same time? Then you might enjoy the Kindle.
I find it as relevant as the iPod. Learn more about it here.
graph per wiki

Quotation of the Day

"I'm anxious. The moment I buy an Apple product, I know a newer, better version is right around the corner. Slow down, Steve Jobs. I just ordered the Classic. Let me enjoy it for a while. Like a month or so."

Uttered by a loyal Apple user when Jobs announced the new iPod upgrade.


graph per ny times

Fascinating!

This is truly amazing.
"A team of biologists and chemists is closing in on bringing non-living matter to life.

It's not as Frankensteinian as it sounds. Instead, a lab led by Jack Szostak, a molecular biologist at Harvard Medical School, is building simple cell models that can almost be called life."
Read it all here.
graph per blog.wired

Prius Envy

And since there seems to be a sea of gender references in car ads and various car-related publications, I figured I had to include this too. These cars are getting more 'character' reviews and attention than the people who get to pay to acquire and maintain them.
Engine, power be thy name?!

Gender Differences: Car Style

Now this.
Apparently an anthropomorphised car is, indeed, this powerful.
I thought Toyota Prius would have been mentioned, too. Well, at least, it could have gotten a favorable mention.

"A study commissioned by a phallically named insurance company proves beyond all doubt that the unbridled roar of an Italian supercar turns women on but the soft purr of a fuel-efficient econobox doesn't stimulate anyone's MPG-spot.

David Moxon subjected 40 men and women to the sounds of a Maserati, Lamborghini and Ferrari, then measured the amount of testosterone in their saliva. He found everyone had higher levels of the stuff -- a measure of their arousal -- after hearing the revving exotics, but the amount the women had was off the charts.

The econobox, however, left everyone colder than a January day in Nome.

The study was commissioned by the ultra-exclusive British insurer Hiscox (we swear we're not making this up), which was curious to know how people respond to high-end luxury cars. "We knew owners of luxury cars felt a connection with the sound of their vehicles," says Steve Langan, managing director of the insurance company. "We have now scientifically proven the physical attraction people feel when it comes to cars."

To test the theory that high-performance cars get people hot, Moxon had 40 men and women listen to recordings of the three Italian exotics and a Volkswagen Polo. Everyone had significantly more testosterone after hearing the exotics, and all of the women were turned on by the Maserati. The guys, on the other hand, were drawn to the Lamborghini."

graph per blog.wired

"Fake Following" per Kotke

Jason Kotke hit it right.
"One of the new features of FriendFeed (a Twitter-like thingie) is "fake following". That means you can friend someone but you don't see their updates. That way, it appears that you're paying attention to them when you're really not. Just like everyone does all the time in real life to maintain their sanity. Rex calls it "most important feature in the history of social networks" and I'm inclined to agree. It's one of the few new social features I've seen that makes being online buddies with someone manageable and doesn't just make being social a game or competition."

Right.

via MR

Text Messaging: Economy of Speech Non Plus?

Textual activity is a necessity to many. Now consider the following:

SMS 1) "Uhm, did u get my email this morning re: that SMS I got last night from ___ after I let a VM for them when I was at that event in SF?'

SMS 2) "ja, ja, & ja."

SMS 1) "Oh my, s/o's chatty this AM!"

SMS 2) "k. N1"

Tip of the hat to the second texter. 'Economy of speech' par excellence.

The BlackBerry Review: European Style

What could this video tell us about cultural differences?
Pay attention to the last 20 seconds especially.

Religion and Health

Via MR.
"SOME people, notably Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford University, regard religion as a disease. It spreads, they suggest, like a virus, except that the “viruses” are similar to those infecting computers—bits of cultural software that take over the hardware of the brain and make it do irrational things.

Corey Fincher, of the University of New Mexico, has a different hypothesis for the origin of religious diversity. He thinks not that religions are like disease but that they are responses to disease—or, rather, to the threat of disease. If he is right, then people who believe that their religion protects them from harm may be correct, although the protection is of a different sort from the supernatural one they perceive."
Read full article here.

A Penny for Your Car?

Just read this over at BBC.
"An Ohio man with a hatred of paper money slapped down $8,000 in coins at a car dealership to buy a Chevrolet pick-up - then paid the rest by cheque.
James Jones, 70, produced 16 coffee cans full of coins to buy his new Chevrolet Silverado in Cincinnati and staff spent 90 minutes counting it."
Read more here.
graph per bbc

Dear Computer: What Gender Am I?

Just in case you need the internet to tell you what gender you happen to be, consider this.
I just took it and per my web history, my score is:
Likelihood of you being FEMALE is 76%
Likelihood of you being MALE is 24%