The end of the year 2008 has come and the beginning of 2009 is a fact. What it will bring? What will I forget about it, what will I take with me for the rest of my life? I don't know?
2008 was a good year for me. I traveled quiet a lot. I've been multiple times to London and have been to, Dublin, Nottingham, Florence, Pescia and Beirut.
Back to 2008, I've seen The Black Crowes twice, met some wonderful people who've I've befriended, met a very nice woman where I eventually broke up with. I still think that Marc FantasticMotherfuzzin'Kung FuFord is the best guitarist for the Black Crowes, I'm looking forward to the new album off the Derek Trucks Band and can't wait to finish the project for The Black Crowes Bootleg Project. Last year was a repetitious year professionally speaking, I think that dull would be the best way to describe it. That's why I started to do some things when I was bored!
In 2009 I hope to find new inspiration to express myself in better ways that fit me. Plus find more challenging things on my path, 2008 was boring!!! Meet more interesting people. And what do I mean with that? Chris Robinson has a good name for them. He call's them illegal people. People who dare to question the status quo, that don't live by tradition but rather create their own and meanwhile don't make other people live by those rules.
The Crap list is a new thing I came up with, instead off giving stars to things you think are good. You give brown stars to things that suck. Meaning that getting a ***** brownstar rating is the ultimate crapfest. No stars means it gets my recommendations. This time I would like to start with six movies I've just seen.
Milk
After moving to San Francisco, the middle-aged New Yorker, Harvey Milk, became a Gay Rights activist and city politician. On his third attempt, he was elected to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors in 1977, making him the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the USA. The following year, both he and the city's mayor, George Moscone, were shot to death by former city supervisor, Dan White, who blamed his former colleagues for denying White's attempt to rescind his resignation from the board.
This is damn fine movie, a bit of a slow start, but people who are sensitive for human beings for their rights to be just human beings will like this movie with and dramatic ending. So, zero stars for this one.
Pride and Glory
A saga centered on a multi-generational family of New York City Police officers. The family's moral codes are tested when Ray Tierney, investigates a case that reveals an incendiary police corruption scandal involving his own brother-in-law. For Ray, the truth is revelatory, a Pandora's Box that threatens to upend not only the Tierney legacy but the entire NYPD.
Another good movie, it seems I was lucky this week. Though a story I've seen in movies many times, it's the cast that makes it so much more believable. No start for this one also.
Body of Lies
Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a covert CIA operative working in Jordan searching for terrorists who have been bombing civilian targets. Ferris uncovers information on the Islamist mastermind Al-Saleem (Alon Aboutboul). He devises a plan to infiltrate Al-Saleem's terrorist network with the help of his boss back in Langley, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe). Ferris enlists the help of the Chief of Jordanian Intelligence, Hani Salaam (Mark Strong) on this operation, but he doesn't know how far he can trust him without putting his life in danger. The uneasy alliance leads to a cultural and moral clash between the men.
What can I say? It's a nice movie, not the best, shallow acting by Leonardo DiCaprio. One brown star *
Seven Pounds
Once, Tim Thomas (Will Smith) was a gifted aerospace engineer with a beautiful wife and a lovely beach house. Then, while using his cell phone while driving, his car wandered across lanes and he became responsible for the deaths of 7 others, including his beloved wife. Unable to forgive himself or raise the dead, Tim sets out to give "pounds of flesh" that will give new life to seven deserving individuals to make up for the seven lives he destroyed. Just as Antonio would have to die to pay Shylock the "pound of flesh" he demands, Tim intends to kill himself to atone for his sins. His brother Ben (Michael Ealy), who works for the IRS, is deeply concerned about his state of mind. Tim steals his brother's IRS ID to access the IRS database and to find and meet people who he believes worthy of his gifts which includes body organs and material possessions. Holly Apelgren (Judyann Elder), Ezra Turner (Woody Harrelson), Connie Tepos (Elpidia Carrillo) and Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson) are among those whom he identifies to help. Furthermore, Tim assumes his brother's identity of "Ben Thomas" to personally investigate these people and verify that they are indeed the right people he should help. He has a plan for when he identifies his 7 beneficiaries that requires his best friend Dan (Barry Pepper) to see that his wishes are carried out after he is dead. Tim's plan threatens to unravel when he begins to fall in love with one of the people he is trying to help.
Hmmmm, I must admit I've still got Will Smith fatigue. And this movie doesn't take it away. He is a shallow actor and he will stay that. Though this is an interesting movie to watch at least I thought so. So just one brown star *
Disaster movie *****, nuff said!
Religulous
'Religulous' is a 2008 American documentary film directed by Larry Charles and starring political comedian Bill Maher. According to Maher, the title of the film is a portmanteau derived from the words "religion" and "ridiculous," implying the satirical nature of the documentary that is meant to mock the concept of religion and the problems it brings about.
Simply a nice documentary, though the way it was edited leaves me thinking it forces a way to think on you... still one you'll have to watch! No stars for this one!
This goes out to the free thinkers, the illegal people, the ones who keep counter culture alive, the artists among us, the ones that brake rules without loosing any human integrity. Merry X-mas and a happy new year to all!
I don't what it is but I really like vintage pictures. Old pictures, preferably black and white makes me fill with enthusiasm. Most of those pictures use the best of lighting and angles. What I see that these days photographers still try to mimic what they did in those days. Now, I did not start writing this to tell you about my opinion. But it's the fact I stumbled upon a website filled with high resolution pictures of old movie stars. Click here to find the finest of vintage pictures!
If you ever wanted to hear microwaves play Jingle Bells, now is your time! Click on the picture above and you'll be transported to a place where microwaves become instruments. A very original idea for X-mas greeting!
What an experience! It's been a revaluation to meet people that in a way risk their own lives by putting question marks behind their whole upbringing!
And while the'll be shutout if people know how they think they put up a fight for their right of free thought! And I say free thought because it's not even about free speech! It's about the right to think what one wants to think without being judged!
About bloggers, lawyers, filmmakers and journalists from the Middle East that don't want to be subversive, but rather not be killed or jailed because about things they question! They want a dialogue! Intelligent people with a mind of their own!
They care for Muslim values and all they want is to be cared for like any other person in the world.
Everyone should have the same rights, as a human being. And not be judged because of their religious background! They raised themselves above religion, they've become human beings!
Fond memories from my Beirut trips are.
Sitting with six people (read stacked!!!) in a beaten up taxi.
A music store that sells only copied CD's (I make copy for you, yes?).
The women are very, very, very, very, very beautiful.
Waterbong smoking is the best thing I've done in ages... sure I smoked hasheesh like that before but this was something else.
An interesting thing on PSFK (one of my favorite blogs!)
MAKE points us to a pretty wild find. Robin Massink from the Netherlands has created a magnetic levitation light bulb. Floating light bulb? Pretty cool of course, but the real interesting angle here is that the light bulb is powered by wireless energy transfer. Massink goes into detailed scientific explanation of how this works - but just watch the video to get the gist.
Young London artists looking for cheap studio space in an expensive city are turning their eyes toward subway cars — though those eyes would be looking up, not down. That's because these retired subway cars are actually on top of a warehouse-turned-art-gallery in Shoreditch, London, where they offer a sparse, multi-purpose space for artists who pay an oh-so-cheap $30 a month. Auro Foxcroft, the mind behind Village Underground, even got a sweet deal on the cars: £800 for four of them.
It's a novel idea, and one that breathes new life into what's essentially junk. Foxcroft plans to expand his Village Underground to other cities, including Berlin, Lisbon and Toronto. (Hey, what about New York?)
Yeah, it's been around for a while. But still very relevant in case of online marketing!
Here are 10 off the 95 rules:
Markets are conversations.
Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors.
Conversations among human beings sound human. They are conducted in a human voice.
Whether delivering information, opinions, perspectives, dissenting arguments or humorous asides, the human voice is typically open, natural, uncontrived.
People recognize each other as such from the sound of this voice.
The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that were simply not possible in the era of mass media.
Hyperlinks subvert hierarchy.
In both internetworked markets and among intranetworked employees, people are speaking to each other in a powerful new way.
These networked conversations are enabling powerful new forms of social organization and knowledge exchange to emerge.
As a result, markets are getting smarter, more informed, more organized. Participation in a networked market changes people fundamentally.
The reason why I only buy canned Coke is the fact that plastic bottles always go flat within a few hours. And this little apparatus could prolong the life of fizzy drinks... maybe an option... but not just yet... it looks ugly! Want one Click here!
Wow, I'm not the type that finds the skinny woman attractive. I rather lay in bed with a creamy one like Jennifer Hudson. But once in a while you can't deny ones beauty. With Sienna this is the case. She's such a classic beauty! And for some high res pictures you'll have to click the links :)
Our favorite new iPhone hack, the duiPhone, will let you know for sure whether you should hand the car keys to a friend after a long night in the bar…
Once you blow into the mouthpiece, the application will determine your blood alcohol level - either telling you you’re good to go, or that you should consider calling a cab.
We built this from a store-bought-and-hacked breathalyzer attached to a 3G iPhone - our first experiment with Tellart’s newest Sketchtool: NADA Mobile.
Yes, this video was taken at our office. Yes, those are real 40s on the table.
Hey, moron. If you’re a teenager, or in your twenties. You’re part of the dumbest generation. The reason? The internet. You know nothing. You’re losing your social skills. You steal. You’re violent, you’re a bunch of bullies. You’re a narcisitic “Me"-generation.
I stumbled upon an interesting blog, specially for whom who work in advertising. Read the quote and decide yourself!
Keys to Neuromarketing Christophe Morin, co-author of Neuromarketing: Understanding the Buy Buttons in Your Customer's Brain, says entrepreneurs can improve their products, services, marketing and advertising by learning six keys to neuromarketing. These tenets stem from Morin's argument that most purchase decisions are made subconsciously, in the nether regions of the mind he calls the primal brain, areas where basic fight-or-flight instincts kick in. We buy, he says, out of fear.
1. We're self-centered: Nothing triggers self-centered action like a transaction. "People are completely egocentric and all they want is something that will create a difference in their lives, eliminate pain and possibly bring them more pleasure," Morin says. 2. We crave contrast: "The bottom line is, on any given day, we will receive about 10,000 ad messages, and only the ones that are huge contrasts will get any attention," he says. 3. We're naturally lazy: Abstract advertising and marketing won't get through. Keep it simple, but strong. "Most companies tend to create abstract messages and use too many words," Morin says. "Reading is much more a function of the 'new brain.' We recommend that, of course, companies use a lot of concrete visuals." 4. We like stories: Advertising and marketing with strong beginnings and ends create anchor points that we latch onto, so Morin advises entrepreneurs to sum up and recap their strongest selling points at the end of any promotional material. "The brain has a natural tendency to pay attention at the beginning and end of anything," he says. 5. We're visual: Appealing video and graphic presentations can make the difference at cash registers where price and reason can't. "We process and make decisions visually, without being aware of them," Morin says. "Only later do we rationalize decisions we made." 6. Emotion trumps reason: Give us the right emotion to ride on, and we'll buy what you're selling. "When we experience an emotion," he says, "it creates a chemical change in our brain, hormones flood our brain and change the speeds with which neurons connect, and it's through those connections we memorize. We don't remember anything if there isn't an emotion attached to that experience.
Interesting guy, interesting thesis, worth the whole 38 minutes!
About this video Only Malcolm Gladwell could bring Fleetwood Mac into the design discussion and make wonderful sense. In his enlightening talk about innovation and misconceptions about what it takes to become a success, Gladwell uses this unlikely metaphor for creative synthesis in an entertaining entrée into the concepts of his forthcoming book, Outliers. Genius and creativity don’t necessarily spring forth unbidden, he says; they require time and support to experiment, to try and even fail. During this time of economic crisis and eventual renewal, he hopes that the design community will be able to “rediscover the true roots of creativity and innovation.”
I've been watching the video podcasts from Coolhunting for a while now. Just short documentaries of about four minutes. And now they did one of my favorite champagne! Watch it!
The new DTB single “Down in the Flood” will be available through iTunes and all major digital music providers Nov. 4, a little taste for those of you eagerly awaiting the new dTb studio album Already Free (due in stores Jan ‘09).
Already Free was self-produced by Derek at his new home studio in Jacksonville. In addition to the core members of the dTb, the album offers collaborations with a close circle of family and friends including Doyle Bramhall II, Oteil Burbridge, Susan Tedeschi, Duane Trucks and more. The album came to life organically in Derek's backyard as friends stopped by to write and rehearse in the new studio. Derek explained in a recent interview: “When we went in the studio originally it was just to write and kind of get comfortable in the space. It wasn’t to do a record, so there was no pressure. There were some times when everybody would go out to dinner and I would stay behind. If I got an idea, I would run into the control room, hit ‘play,’ then run out into the recording room and set up a mic. You’d hear this thing banging around and then this guitar part comes in. A lot of the album was completely done by the seat of our pants, and a lot of the sounds we got, it was just so in the moment.’”
Original material makes up a major part of this record, largely due to a luxury Derek isn’t used to: time off. His hectic schedule finally opened a window for Derek to write at home with band mates and friends. “Everyday I would get up, and me or Susan would drive our two kids to school,” Derek says. “I’d come back, have some coffee and then head to the studio and start messing around with a guitar and hope a song idea appeared. Somehow without fail, there was at least a song written every day, or some great cover idea that came to us and we recorded it. So there was a good three or four-week period where every day we were writing and recording a song. That was different for me.” In addition to the wealth of original material on Already Free there are some choice cover songs interpreted and revived as only the dTb can do, including the single being released in November. “Down in the Flood,” from Bob Dylan and the Band’s Basement Tapes, is a tune that may have more portent now than when Dylan wrote it in 1967. “That was one that was kind of an afterthought,” admits Derek. “We just went in and tracked it. I think it really turned out to be one of the most powerful songs on the album. Lyrically, it’s pretty timely. Crash on the levee, down in the flood, are significant post-Katrina. They are good metaphors, as there are in most Dylan tunes.”
Who am I? Or what interest me? All things in general I guess, all things that move me in specific. It's difficult to define, it could be a note played by a musician, the voice of a singer, a brushstroke on a painting. I like the small things that usually go unnoticed, but sometimes seem to stand out.
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