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It Will Be The Year Of ‘Interactive TV’…
After a decade or two of promise, ‘interactive TV’ will finally start to become a reality. This will be kicked off by growing broadband penetration and a face-off in the booming race among over-the-top box makers. It will be the start of an era in which the living-room TV will account for more online video views than computers, starting with video-on-demand and time-shifted viewing. This will eventually mean that some online entertainment video brands/shows will take their place among TV household names.
” — Robert Andrews
I just watched a great Ted Talk by Sheryl Sandberg: Why we have too few women leaders. In a very challenging environment and male dominated field she offers some inspiring advice for those who want to be corporate leaders. One of my favorite lines:
No one gets to the corner office by sitting on the side, not at the table. And no one gets the promotion if they don’t think they deserve their success, or they don’t even understand their own success.
Big key points:
[video]
“A state of Peace among men who live side by side with each other is not the natural state. The state of Nature is rather a state of War…The state of Peace must, therefore, be established; for the mere cessation of hostilities furnishes no security against their recurrence.” — Immanuel Kant, 1795
Facebook Visualizing Connections World Map
Facebook intern Paul Butler has been poring through some of the data held by the social networking firm on its 500m members.
The map above is the result of his attempts to visualise where people live relative to their Facebook friends. Each line connects cities with pairs of friends. The brighter the line, the more friends between those cities.
The Design Galaxy- interactive map
Interesting visualization by Jason Furnell of Agile development…Go Scrum!
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Hope my family in Glasgow are not buried in snow!
On Wednesday I leave London for an 11 day excursion through Iran with my Aunt Kathleen & Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) organized by Academic Arrangements Abroad. After a quick flight change in Frankfurt I will arrive in Tehran on Oct. 28th, and join our group of about 25 Americans will be a team of guides and curators, lead by Olivier Bernier. Itinerary is as follows:
October 28: Tehran
Attend a brunch lecture before we explore Sadabad Palace, built by the Pahlavi Dynasty in the 19th century and today a fine historical museum. At the Carpet Museum view the superb collection of Persian carpets from all over Iran. Return to the hotel for a welcome reception and dinner.
October 29: Tehran
This morning we focus on the Archaeological museum with its ceramics, stone figures and carvings from the 4th and 5th millenium BCE. Following a lunch of local specialties, tour the Abguineh Museum, which displays porcelain, glasswork and crystal in an elegant residence that was the home of former Prime Minister Ahmad Qavam. Dinner is at the hotel.
October 30: Tehran | Ahwaz
Golestan Palace is one of a group of royal buildings that were once enclosed within Tehran’s historic citadel. Among the highlights of our morning visit will be the state rooms used by the last Shah for official receptions. After lunch discover the Treasury of the National Jewels Museum, located in the vault of the Markazi Bank. View Iran’s stunning ‘crown jewels’ and the legendary Peacock Thrown. This afternoon fly to Ahwaz, where accommodations are at the Hotel Ahwaz Fajr. Dinner is at the hotel.
October 31 Ahwaz
Drive to Chogha Zanbil, built in 1250 BCE and one of the few remaining ziggurats outside of Mesopotamia. Continue to ancient Susa and the Achaemenid palace built during the reign of Darius I. After lunch, continue to Shushtar and admire the Sassanian watermills on the river Karun. Return to Ahwaz in time for dinner.
November 1 Ahwaz | Shiraz
Depart this morning for Shiraz, stopping to visit the site of Bishapur, the 3rd-century hunting palace of the Sassanian King Shapur. Following lunch, travel through dramatic mountain scenery and descend into the valley, arriving at the elegant Hotel Homa in the late afternoon. Dinner is at the hotel.
November 2 Shiraz
Our exploration of Shiraz, “City of Roses and Nightingales” begins at the residential citadel of Karim Khan of the Zand Dynasty. Then visit the pink-tiled 19th century mosque of Nasir-al-Molk, the Qajar period Narenjestan Garden and House, the Vakil Complex and the Bazaar of Shiraz. After lunch we will tour the Fars museum, an octagonal pavilion built by Karim Khan. Today it houses historic artifacts relating to the province of Fars. Dinner, with traditional music, is arranged at a former hammam (bath house).
November 3 Persepolis
Persepolis, once the center of the great Persian Empire and one of the most important sites of the Ancient World, is the focus of a full-day excursion. Explore the remains of the palaces of Darius the Great, Xerxes and Artaxerxes. Continue to Naghsh-e- Rostam to see Ka’be-Zardosht “free temple” and the Royal Tombs; and to Naghsh-e-Rajab, a nearby grotto with Sassanian reliefs. Return to Shiraz in the late afternoon to visit the tomb of the poet Hafez, located in a lovely park. Dinner is at hotel.
November 4 Shiraz | Isfahan
Following breakfast depart for Isfahan, stopping in Pasargadae to explore the ruins of the capital and palaces of Cyrus the Great, including his majestic tomb. Arrive in Isfahan for check in and dinner at the Hotel Abbassi, a renovated 17th C. Royal Caravanserai that is considered the most luxurious hotel in Iran.
November 5 Isfahan
Isfahan, the 17th C. capital of the Safavids, is referred to as Nesf-e-Jahan, or “Half of the World.” Today we will see the famous bridges of Shahrestan, Khajou and Sio-se-pol, and the churches in the Armenian Quarter, including the Cathedral of Vank. After lunch visit the splendid Friday Mosque with the famous Uljaitu Mihrab of the Il-Khanid period and the Palace of Chehel-Sotun (Fourty Columns), set in a beautiful park. Conclude at the Qeisrieh Bazaar, whose hundreds of shops display the art and handicrafts for which isfahan is famous. Dinner @ hotel.
November 6 Isfahan
Continue exploring the magnificent city of Isfahan, beginning with a stroll through the Maidan-e-Naghsh-e-Jahan, or Imam Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Ali-Qapu Palace with its enchanting music rooms and balcony overlooking the maidan (square). Tour two of the Islamic world’s greatest mosques, the Sheikh Lotfollah and the Imam Mosque, with magnificent architecture and tile work. Following lunch you may wish to return to the bazaar or relax at cafe. This evening a festive farewell dinner.
November 7 Isfahan | Tehran
This morning is at leisure before we fly to Tehran, where day rooms are arranged at the Hotel Laleh. Late this evening, transfer to the airport for flights back home.
November 8 Tehran | London
Photos to follow…
5 Ways to Get a Job Through YouTube
Having just seen Aaron Sorkin’s film, The Social Network, I could not help myself but think one thing…I was there. Not that I had anything to do with the creation of facebook, but I can remember as a college senior receiving a ‘friend request’ to my @JMU.edu account, and thinking…’whats this?’ Who knew that filling in age, sex, location data would be so important to the success of this billion dollar company. At the time it was a chance to log on and see the ‘real name’ of that kid in my Psych 101 class who wore a sweatband to class everyday or to see the faces of Fairfield University, where my best friend from Floral Park was attending. Passive Communication. Meanwhile a product had been already doing this for years, AOL’s instant messenger AIM. Status messages were called ‘away messages’, profile data was ‘buddy info’, and profile photos were ‘buddy icons.’ I’m not just saying this because I dedicated more than 4 years of my life to improving the product, but the obvious point that there are very little new ideas today but unique takes on old ideas.
Ok so the secret to billions is being an asshole and scoring with Asian chicks? I sure hope not. I also hope that the youth of today did not walk out of the movie thinking that all frat parties include table top dancing and strip poker or that Palo Alto is full of swanky night clubs (maybe I was just invited to the wrong parties :/). One thing I think the movie did do well was highlight the themes of loyalty, power, ambition, greed and the turmoil felt by many start-ups over the past decade. In addition, the film’s score was composed by NIN’s Trent Reznor which brilliantly added to the tension-filled-furiously coding moments. Looking forward to another decade of products developed by young brilliant minds.
This evening I saw a wonderful and inspiring film about a group of young kids from Rwanda who follow a dream to travel to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup Games. Commonly compared to Slumdog Millionaire (might be because Pathé helped create film), the story has a very rags-to-riches theme and highlights the relentless hope of children. Set in a dangerous, genecide they still manage to find fun and joy in life using football as their united language. I specifically enjoyed the sporadic animations and vibrant score.
After the credits roll the Director, Debs Gardner-Paterson, came out to talk to us about the fascinating journey they took to produce the film and gather the cast. I’m really digging this week. Still lots more to see.
My rating: ***
In a colorful mood. Love Carl Kleiner’s paper work art. Would love to hang one of these in my new bedroom. 
I recently attended the gallery opening of ‘Fine Things to be Seen’ at London’s Kensal Green Cemetery. The show is a series of exhibitions ran by a collective group hosted by the Intervention Gallery. Curated by both Ben Street and Tom Juneau, the exhibition includes the works of Edwina Ashton, Karl England, Gabriel Hartley, Eleanor Morgan, Brian Sayers and Rose Wylie.
Composed of sculptures, paintings, and etchings sprinkled throughout the main chapel, the raw contemporary arts is juxtaposed by the charming Victorian cemetery. Show runs for another three weekends so if you are in town check it out!
More write ups here:
http://thebenstreet.blogspot.com/2010/08/fine-things-to-be-seen-week-two.html
http://park-life.org/2010/08/fine-things-to-be-seen/
http://www.corinnaspencer.com/fine-things-to-be-seen/
mmm feeling some fruity pebbles today! (via halesyeah)