It almost looks like a painting right? It’s actually a long-exposure shot taken by photographer AppuruPai of Japan’s first fully computer-operated New Transit Yurikamome line that connects Shimbashi to Toyosu, as it passes through Odaiba Island and the Rainbow Bridge, to connect to the rest of Japan’s mainland.
See, even technology has beauty when looked at from a different perspective, right?
– found through another DesignTaxi Post
I stumbled on this forward-thinking entrepreneur from Gist, T.A. McCann, who is indeed talking the language that many of us want to hear. No longer is there an antiquated mentality that we must all conform to some strict code of business conduct while performing our “duties”. From hearing him talk, duties will no longer be a word that we use for our work. His vision is one that I completely adhere to as a freelancer who is working my way to becoming an entrepreneur. Continue reading
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro2aZWrgU9Q&feature=player_embedded#at=29
Vilize is an web app that wants you to help build a shared visual culture. You can search their database of inspirational designers, upload your own contribution, and even collaborate on research of shared folders. And the discussions will probably open up new areas of creativity that you wouldn’t have thought of alone. Simple drag-and-drop functionality along with straightforward pull-down menus make maneuvering images to your folders like filling a shopping cart. Features for social media communications are also embedded into Vilize. Go to their beta site to give it a try. It looks like this can make image collecting a true cultural experience.
– found in a DesignTaxi post
Listening is disappearing in a cacophony of sound. The act of listening is no longer an active practice for many of us, because we’re too busy filtering those sounds that we don’t want to hear. But once the filter engages, how much information have we lost and how much less has our life become?
Most of our social media channels allow us to “friend” one another, or even to “follow”, but the button is a toggle switch that can be turned on and off when we decide that we’ve enough of that person. Of course, choice is important but thought behind the choice should be more important. Some people are so invested in the numbers game, that they freak when they lose even one. It’s like someone slapped them in the face. And in a way, that’s exactly what you do when you turn the button off and stop listening to the person that you first chose yourself.
Julian Treasure’s Ted Talks video has a pretty powerful message of how much fuller our world would be if we all chose to actively listen to our surroundings. Because we might just find that one thing that’s been missing that just made our day a little brighter, and our actions a little kinder.
So go out there and listen to what you’ve been missing. It’s a big world with lots to hear, lots to learn, and lots to inspire.
As we struggle, we also wait. We’re waiting for something to happen. Something that means change. Something that means hope. Something that simply means something precious to us all. Its spark is still a small one, and yet it is starting to swell. We can actually see its birth and first tender steps. We are aware that those initial steps are tentative, and will cause some things to fall. But those things that fall are only things that stand in the way of this desired change. We are in awe of its potential. There is no place on Earth where the spark won’t reach, as long as there is someone open to it. Within each of those regions, there are those who sense that spark, and push away their own desires because there is something that they want more.
Freedom Continue reading
Our world issues seem to get bigger and bigger, and yet the attention that is paid to them is fleeting at best from the mainstream. The ones who care the most, and remember the most frequently, are the ones directly involved in a particular issue.
A new project wants to change all that in a permanent, in-your-face kind of way. The Social Tattoo Project wants to make social empathy permanent. Volunteers are allowing the audience to vote for a world crisis to be turned into a tattoo for a particular volunteer. All they ask is that you choose one issue out of the four and tweet your vote #socialtattoo to their Twitter account, @social_tattoo. Continue reading
We all judge at the first glance. But what if our inner image is completely off? Did we make it worse for that person we judged unfairly? Maybe this short glimpse will make you see differently:
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No, you can’t ‘ave my picture. Do I look stupid? You gonna give it to a copper, aren’t ya?
Yeah, people look at me like they all scared. Guess it’s workin’, right? In this god-forsak’n place, you got to put it on to survive. You know, attitude and stuff. Dog eat dog’s easy. This is way worse ’cause we hurt and kill each other for stupid things. We all a bunch o’ mean dogs. That’s what you got to be when you got nothing. Fight for the last bit o’ meat or last word. ‘Cause who gets that last bit is as tough as who got the first. When you don’t get any, then you gots to get it somewhere else.
We all got a right to somethin’ in this world. Even if its crappy, it’s mine, you know. And I don’t give up what’s mine. I got no choice but to fight.
I was once like the rest of ya. But then Da’ lost his job ’cause they didn’t like him talking lip. My lil sis was real sick and he wanted to go home to her. Mums already gone so she’s the only girl left. They said no ’cause he’s supposed to stay ’til they say he can go. He finished his stuff but others didn’t so he had to stay. When he got the call that she died, they let him go. What the hell good is tha ’cause she’s dead now?! After he lost his job, he sat home drinkin’ and swearin’. It’s good when he’s drunk ’cause he don’t hit us then. He hit me lots ’cause I ‘ad to protect the younger ones. Calling us all good for nothin’. What was I supposed to become? My own da’ thinks I’m good for nothin’.
So I got out to go to the streets ’cause some social worker took everyone away but me. I was too old, they say. No one wants trouble, they say. OK, if I’m trouble, then I might as well do it, right? Everyone else is doin’ it so I’m nothin’ special. I guess they do ’cause my friends say so, you know. Not like I got things to do anyhow. No one does ’cause it all got closed. They say we all good for nothin’. Just like Da’ used to say. Whatever, gotta go. Got nothin’ but this now…
(turning in anger he spouts one last thing)
You judge me but you don’t know me or where I been. Don’t talk ’til you been through what I been through. At least my brothers are safe now. I heard Da’ kicked it finally. Too much alcohol they said. Yeah, who did that to him? All ’cause he couldn’t go home to see my lil sis just once more.
Them other kids do it for fun. Not me. I gotta survive ’til tomorrow. Day by day, you know?
(this is fiction – I want to do his character right, but it’s hard when I don’t have these experiences personally.)
It looks like the seaside has swept into the middle of London with the Dri Dri Italian Gelato ice cream store. And this is just a temporary pop-up shop for the Front Room at the St. Martin’s Lane Hotel, which changes its face with each retail offering partnering with the hotel. Seems like a clever way to brighten the day of every passerby, while also filling their tummy with cold yummy goodness.
The design was done by Elips Design of London.
– from DesignTaxi post
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I was reminded of two things over the weekend:
Opening myself up to the world has given me an interesting window into the human psyche. And there are two distinct conversations happening everywhere. There are those who are doing a great imitation of Chicken Little’s “the sky is falling”, and reacting in ways that are really destructive to anyone within harm’s way of their reach. And then there are those who are so focused on their own world, that they’re moving as though not one iota has changed. Frankly, both views are sad and endemic of the disease that permeates today’s society. Reality is not available on any of their networks. Continue reading
Update on 8/11/2011: For all of the controversy that this show garnered, it still attracted more support: Art In The Streets sets record for MOCA-LA.
I had to put up this video by a fan (artDysfunk on YouTube) of the MOCA-LA exhibit, Art In The Street. Seriously great camera work and spirit for a dynamic and inspiring show featuring 50 of the artists that brought street arts, or graffiti, to the mainstream view. Today (8/8/11) is the last day of this show, and it’ll be free to all visitors courtesy of Banksy. But don’t wait because the show is only open until 5:00 p.m.
Here’s the background to the show as a reminder of what you’ll miss if you don’t make it there today. And if you can’t make it, well, here are some shots at various points in the show.
