From the box of “things you never thought existed”, comes this videoclip of Soviet jazz group “Orera“. Attention to detail in those times was clearly focused on what matters (musical quality) and not where it doesn’t (actual video/sound syncing).

[Via Dark Roasted Blend]

They win in style points, danger points and fake points:

[Via Neatorama]

It really must be getting comfortably warm down there

Number of tourists in Antartica:
1990: 5.000
2003: 15.000
2007: 37.000
2010: 80.000 expected

No wonder they are building a highway across the continent.

Antartica [wiki]

And I add “so far” because evidently we are waaay far from reaching anything that could be labelled as “definitive” regarding UFO’s”. THIS is the link to the “Out of the Blue” documentary on Stage6, although there is a slight disconnect from this file and the documentary’s Wikipedia and Official page, where the movie’s publication year is shown to be 2002 (the website doesn’t say this textually but they are selling a “5 year anniversary edition”) and its running time 90 minutes. The documentary available on Stage 6 runs for 113 minutes and shows and narrates documents and events happened in the last few years up to 2007 (that, or I am mixing memories of documentaries). Perhaps this is the 5 year anniversary edition, I don’t know, but in any case, best for us; more material, more proof… more hope?

One of the “additions”, I guess, is the mention and extensive summary of The Disclosure Project (non-profit organization with the intention of de-classifying and disclosing all information on UFO’s) [wiki] National Press Conference that “hosted over 20 witnesses, most of them ex-military, who provided testimonies, some of them about the cover-up of the UFO issue. You can actually watch the full conference in Google Video (2 hours). I would however recommend watching Out of the Blue first.

Another document addressed in the movie and worth commenting on outside is The Cometa Report, roughly a French version of The Disclosure Project [wiki] [more at Ufoevidence.org with links to the complete translated report in PDF].

Typically when the brain wishes to impose significance upon something, it rewards the activity with a portion of endorphins, thereby enticing the individual to repeat the action as often as possible.

The bliss found in eating fatty foods, for instance, probably provided early humans with the ambition to hunt and devour energy-rich animal flesh. Sexual intercourse also rewards the participants with a cocktail of natural feel-good biochemicals, perhaps as a means to encourage the development of the pornography industry, which is vital to a strong economy.

[Exctract from Damn Interesting’s article about the scientific study on laughter]

Translated excerpt from José Luis Trechera’s “La sabiduría de la tortuga” (The wisdom of the tortoise, only in Spanish).

Some expert enterprise consultants travel to a rural area in order to discover possible “future business reservoirs” and to incite the locals to the enterpreneur spirit. With this objective, they find a man who’s calmly sitting under watching over his sheep flock.

The consultants see the ideal opportunity to apply everything they learned in the MBA they completed at a prestigious College. They approach the shepherd and they proposed the following:

—¿Do you have a business plan? They explain that he should optimize his resources: which sheeps you don’t need? how to better sell the lambs? when is the right time to buy? how to exctrat added value from your assets?…
—What for? Replies the shepherd.
—So that you can invest more in your business and, for instance, buy more sheeps.
—And what do I want more sheeps for?
—So that you can breed more lambs.
—And what do I want more lambs for?
—In order to have a bigger and more select flock.
—And what do I want a a bigger and more select flock for?
—In order to have lambs that with better market positioning.
—And why would I want lambs that sell better?
—Because you would be able to buy more land and install corrals so the number of livestock increases, contract employees and computing equipment that will let you do all these tasks and export “with quality”, and therefore have enough capital and resources to retire and observe your property calmly under a tree.
—The shepherd replies: Isn’t that what I’m doing right now!

(more…)

People send postcards with their secrets to the website, secrets are shared with the world.

I believe this and Facebook’s honestly-named Honesty Box application, which allows the sending of annonymous private messages, are solid steps forward for open public sincerity. How can you possibly not find that exciting!

[Via Legal Alien]

THIS IS AN ACTUAL CRAIGSLIST POST

What am I doing wrong? Okay, I’m tired of beating around the bush. I’m a beautiful (spectacularly beautiful) 25 year old girl. I’m articulate and classy. I’m not from New York. I’m looking to get married to a guy who makes at
least half a million a year. I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City, so I don’t think I’m overreaching at all.

Keep reading: (more…)

What would happen if every blog published posts discussing the same issue, on the same day? One issue. One day. Thousands of voices.

I’m so joining this. And if you happen to have a blog, so should you.

[Via Zen habits]

Antes de “An Inconvenient Truth” y su oposición The Great Global Warming Swindle (tampoco cierto del todo), estaba el oscurecimiento global [wiki], un fenómeno relativamente desconocido que cambiará la perspectiva sobre las causas del cambio climático. Aquí está EL documental:

Hay decenas de teorías sobre el cambio climático basadas en modelos que, por definición, se crean en la búsqueda de un patrón en particular, desde un interés en particular. Éste documental de BBC Horizon de 2005, sin embargo, parece más realista, honesto y neutral sobre un problema —la reducción de la cantidad de luz solar que llega a la superficie de la Tierra— que es tan verdad como es sentido común, y cuya solución (la reducción de la contaminación que ya se está llevando a cabo globalmente), paradójicamente contribuye al calentamiento global. Sí, el oscurecimiento global enfría la Tierra y contrarresta el calentamiento global, de ahí la creciente inestabilidad del clima causada por ambas fuerzas luchando entre sí. Aunque está brillantemente presentado, narrado y respaldado, cuidado con a quién se lo pasáis, que puede dar cierto miedo.

ACTUALIZADO: A continuación, y a la espera de su disponibilidad íntegra, los primeros 12 minutos del documental, en español: (more…)

From the upcoming documentary about The Young @ Heat Chorus. “At an age when most people are either dead or living out their last days in retirement homes, these men and women are up on stage singing their hearts out about the big taboos surrounding old age: about love and sex, loss of youth, loneliness and death. In their mouths, familiar lyrics take on whole new meanings.”

[Via The Documentary Blog]

De título original “The Green Machine”, éste documental de Odisea (2006) expone ejemplos privados y públicos, empresariales y nacionales, relacionados con energías renovables, construcción ecológica, sostenibilidad, etc. Ésta parte en concreto trata de cómo Chicago es una de las ciudades con mejores intenciones al respecto. Un parque verde en el tejado de cada rascacielos es uno de sus objetivo, y el ayuntamiento ya tiene uno.

[Upload de VSG71]

I have watched several documentaries and presentations about Peak Oil and the following is in my opinion the most informative, complete and comprehensive, if only a bit shocking for some people (with spanish subtitles btw):

The End of Suburbia

Crude Impact: The most boring due to slow talking, long static scenes and general lack of moving statements or facts. Still recommendable.

Oil, Smoke and Mirrors: Its first part is a really good summary of the Peak Oil phenomena and its implications, straight to the point and even more mind-opening than The End of Suburbia. It switches to 9/11 conspiracy theory mode, however, and only wraps around Peak Oil a little bit at the end. Highly Recommendable if you can take that with a grain of salt.

Let me introduce you to Peak Oil. That we are running out of oil, we all have known for years. But with how’s, why’s and especially when’s are answered, it starts to get… “interesting”. Watch the clip below and if you’re fact-hungry, he (Jeremy Leggett) explains it all in all detail in the presentation after the jump (here).

NOTE: The only thing Jeremy is forgetting to take into account is that with the end of fossil fuel burning (which indeed reduces CO2 emmissions) comes the solution of Global Dimming. And for those of you who still don’t know what this means, the dissappearance of CO2 in the atmosphere (in the form of sunlight-dimming particles) will actually let more sunlight onto the Earth’s surface causing Global Warming not only to continue, but to grow at a higher rate. It is already happening in hotter and hotter Europe, where the emissions are being lowered. Scientific community and BBC, I think we’re ready to hear about Global Re-enlightening.

(more…)

A clip about the future of media according to Italian consulting firm Casaleggio Associati, in which, among many other predictions, they present an upside down world where copyright is what’s illegal, and where your virtual avatar is as important as your terrestrial avatar.

[Via Neatorama]

One of the funniest in weeks. First, in an episode of Better Know A District, Washington’s 9th district representative gets nailed so hard he hardly recognizes himself after the interview. After that, an interview with a guy who’s written a book entertaining the idea that USA is like Rome. If you know Stephen Colbert you’re already laughing.

[Via Techeblog]

A 1500 year old sport/dance hybrid from Myanmar, Southeast Asia, where there are no opposing teams or winners and the “goal” is to play the game most beautifully performing moves of amazing foot skills, as complicated as possible, for the longest time. [wiki] There is also a documentary.

Where does size begin and end? Probably not where the smallest or biggest things we know. Two videos for you to think twice next time you “think big”

Drak Roasted Blend compiles series of great photos of all kinds with the common denominator of being stuff you probably haven’t seen ever before (and you probably won’t in person). Here are some examples of “inventions” and “design problem solving”: Lords of the Logistics, Part 3 (Necessity is the mother of invention)

“Mathematics have demonstrated that (…) if we have a sample of severall million people —and free time—, we will certainly be able to find a relation between the hair color and anxiety, or the hip perimeter and interest in movies, for example.”

Two extracts of “El alma está en el cerebro” (The soul is in the brain) by Eduardo Punset [wiki]

“Let’s suppose we have two groups of population, A and B in which a statistical analisys on height is going to be made. Both groups, A and B are very similar in this matter, but the average height of A is 1,70 meters, slightly above that of B, which is 1,72 meters. This average could be due, for example, to the occasional presence of nine basketball players in group B, whose height is more than 2,15 meters, while in group A there is only one person who surpasses that height. A news headline could read: “90% of the people who surpass 2,15 meters belong to group B”. The headline is perfectly correct, but if we came down to the details, we would observe that the gross of both groups measure the same. If we only focused on that detail, we would extract a wrong idea of the situation. Change the height for the annual income or other scales and we see how advantage can be taken from statistics in order to justify or fight economical decisions or of social politics.”

(more…)

Before “An Inconvenient Truth” and its also must-see opposition The Great Global Warming Swindle, there was global dimming [wiki], a relatively unknown phenomenon that will change the perspective on the causes of climate change. Here’s THE documentay:

There are dozens of climate change theories based on models that, by definition, are created in search for a particular pattern, from a particular interest. This 2005 BBC Documentary however feels very neutral, honest and realistic about a problem —the reduction of sun light reaching the Earth’s surface— that is as fact as it is common sense, and whose solution (the reduction of pollution already taking place globally), paradoxcally contributes to global warming. Yes, global dimming cools down the Earth and counteracts global warming, hence the growing inestabilty of the climate caused by the two forces fighting each other. Although it’s brilliantly presented, narrated and backed up, watch out for who do you pass it on to, as it can be pretty scary.

This video essentially shows that, should you die from a nuclear exlposion, it’s not as scary if you’re listening to Ratatat.

[Via Un gaditano en Silicon Valley]

We’ll be back some day

Tu amigo te tiene ganas:

(more…)

A 26-rule summary listing most common cliches in TV and print (and Internet) advertising. Here are some of my favorites:

- Women have jobs they never do in real life, e.g. dockworker (who looks like a model).
- Children will not eat fruit or vegetables. Ever.
- Tortilla chips are the most exciting experience any group of young people can experience.
- Clothes come out of washing machines.
- Public transport is a beautifully clean and relaxing way to travel and you’ll always be able to flirt with an attractive member of the opposite sex.

[Via BoingBoing]

File this under civilization, society, human race evolution. It’s the next Windows OS

Media Alert: Microsoft unveils official name of “Longhorn”, the next-generation Windows. It’s Windows Vista, and you can forget it now if you want: you’ll be hearing it every day for the next 5 or 10 years. How big is that? You can watch the video and imagine me as one of the sectarians attending to the presentation. The slogan? Clear, Confident, Connected. Bringing Clarity To Your World. Fuck clarity, just bring Vista A.S.A.P.

“Meet the World” campaign features several countries’ flags with a small caption describing which color zones correspond to which social group. The thing that made me get back to writing here

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been coming across really interesting stuff that evoqued the “let’s blog this” switch in my head. A change means a lot of changes, and since I’m moving to San Francisco soon (automotive design degree attempt!), why not revive good ol’ Avantglance bloggin’?

If you appreciate/enjoy/ love the piece below, don’t miss this collection of “enhanced” flag designs that show off this kind of inspired design that looks so obvious after some genius invents it. If you don’t, don’t ever come back to this website. [Via Josh Spear]

Drawings of retro-futuristic-looking unrealized buildings in moscow from 1920 to 1950

Probably my favourite topic about crazy empires like the ancient Rome, Hitler’s Germany, the Far East and this red Russia: huge magnificent buildings of self-propaganda. The Palace of the Soviets proposal pictured below is dated 1934 and measured 415 metres high. [Via BoingBoing]