5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

  • The Arabic term for Muslim Iberia Al Andalus, and its derivative Andalusia, are probably not derived from the Berber pronunciation of the word Vandal: "Wandal"where »
  • Pabst Blue Ribbon is brewed by the Miller Brewing Company where »
  • Clockwork Orange was set in the far off future of 1995 where »
  • Almost all people suffer from change blindness where »
  • Elvis Presley had a father (although obvious, it never occurred to me). Also, Natalie Portman can make a mean salad where »

    • 5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1.   Yes, those watches are made of wood http://bit.ly/bm45qm

    2. If you have trouble getting those words you need to write written, then Write or Die might be for you http://bit.ly/9Pq2KB

    3. An engineer who got frustrated with the waste of energy that was his wheelchair reinvented it as the Rowheel http://bit.ly/a7qjwJ

    4. This guy spoofed an iPhone ad to propose to his girlfriend in a movie theater http://bit.ly/dcomff

    5. A large, crazy looking, robot assembled sculpture that is perhaps (?) more engineering than art http://bit.ly/cUS3FM

    5 things I learn this week (and don't want to forget) - episode 7

    1. Prototypes of things you now know better than their inventors ever could have http://bit.ly/9KosQC

    2. A silly little, totally fun, kinda addicting bookmarklet that lets you turn any webpage into a game of Asteroidshttp://bit.ly/bZ3Tio

    3. Ok, so scientists are some of the coolest folks around. Need proof? Here is a how-to brew beer in a coffee maker with commonly found stuff on a research vesselhttp://bit.ly/dkj4tr

    4. This always-on wearable camera is.... cool? creepy? silly? fucked up? awesome? the harbinger of the end times? yes. http://bit.ly/cXzg7w

    5. ...the first truly habitable exoplanet.... um....http://bit.ly/9qL6o0

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1.   Growing up next to San Bernardino, I've always had a soft spot for the Hell's Angels http://bit.ly/9CkpS3

    2. Weather balloon, HD camera, stratosphere, GO! http://bit.ly/96YbVm

    3. Kia's got an all electric car coming out. just a concept car now, but lovely details (the windscreen/roof thing is sweet!) http://bit.ly/bEhX1L

    4. This hand-carved bamboo iPhone case is perfect for the people who want to buy me presents for no particular reason http://bit.ly/acVYRh

    5. ...the first truly habitable exoplanet.... um.... http://bit.ly/9qL6o0

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1.  Mmmm, beer... and infographics... (insert Homer Simpson sound) http://bit.ly/bEVbBZ

    2. Musical acts, and lots of data about them, makes for musical discovery http://bit.ly/aV8tyn

    3. Since wrist watches aren't nearly as needed as they once were, there are some new kinds of watches emerging. here is a 'moon watch' http://bit.ly/9AsC3Y

    4. A silly little, totally fun, kinda addicting bookmarklet that lets you turn any webpage into a game of Asteroids http://bit.ly/bZ3Tio

    5. This one, a walnut tray for Mac keyboard and trackpad, is for people who buy me presents http://bit.ly/b4Her1

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1.   Prototypes of things you now know better than their inventors ever could have http://bit.ly/9KosQC

    2. I read a fantastic article about the development of the RED camera (super high resolution at a not so high price) and now here it is in a further iteration http://bit.ly/bTj0mN

    3. Blackberry joins the tablet game with its PlayBook, which is great. And also, it seems that Future Vision videos are the way of the present http://bit.ly/a2UrxD

    4. With so many traditional magazines scrambling to maintain their business models, new startup magazines are playing with the concepts and forms. Here is a Longshot Magazine which is conceived and created in a 48 hour sprint http://bit.ly/9I1mIr

    5. As an example of what User Experience Designers do, here is a patient-centered health care future envisioned, bringing together systems, technology and people for healthier lives http://bit.ly/9WwuCk

     

    *update from August 25's post (#2) on 100-year-old Russian photos, the Library of Congress has a vast collect of  Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii's photos http://bit.ly/cKjLKS

     

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1. Praying in the same spot for decades has given this Buddhist Monk some very cool grooves http://bit.ly/b0sBMC

    2. The YouTube Time Machine is very well named http://bit.ly/9KTgR3

    3. The American Book Review has a great list of novels with the 100 best opening lines http://bit.ly/bZ6akw

    4. This always-on wearable camera is.... cool? creepy? silly? fucked up? awesome? the harbinger of the end times? yes. http://bit.ly/cXzg7w

    5. Ok, so scientists are some of the coolest folks around. Need proof? Here is a how-to brew beer in a coffee maker with commonly found stuff on a research vessel http://bit.ly/dkj4tr

    5 things I learn this week (and don't want to forget) - episode 6 - Double Edition

    This week, we have a special double edition: two versions of the same episode. we would love to hear which you prefer. 

     

    1. If I had a silk screening setup I would screen most of these text paintings on T-shirts http://bit.ly/9JBaoX

    2. It's called a stringbike, but most important to note is NO CHAIN http://bit.ly/df8ulh 

    3. I love this Gymkhana video and I am not even a car guy http://bit.ly/cxj9Cd

    4. One of the reasons I love infographics are their ability to make hidden social aspects visible http://bit.ly/d5ksGY

    5. What if Superheroes were hipsters, super funny is what http://bit.ly/9auOMT

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1.   a fantastic video of a sculpture that is a carving of what sound waves look like http://bit.ly/cBDouR

    2. A short whiteboard animation for the talk "Where Good Ideas Come From" http://bit.ly/9fNrH8

    3. A photographer jury-rigged a 102-year-old lens to his DSLR and took some awesome photos with it http://bit.ly/c4GhCu

    4. The NNDB Mapper shows connections between people (political figures, business leaders, newsmakers) and companies http://bit.ly/dpCVgK

    5. A series of map illustrations show stereotyped opinions of Europe from a bunch of different points of view http://bit.ly/drg3dV

     

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1.  Ooooh Oktoberfest! http://bit.ly/bJgfg9

    2. Rather than redesigning their menu, their food, McDonald's is redesigning their stores http://bit.ly/dDroSw

    3. The LA Times Homicide map is still there, still amazing, disturbing and powerful http://lat.ms/dthyJQ

    4. You can now pay for NYC transit or cabs with your iPhone (so it begins) http://rww.to/9GoxVn

    5. These original photos of the early years of nuclear weapons testing are haunting http://bit.ly/aOQko8

     

    Filming day

     Stephen McFadden and I will be filming our next episode thursday at 4 pm at 5 Points in Sarasota (right in front of Selby Library at Main St.). If you are around, come out and say hi (or even come out and say "these are the 5 things I learned today"!) We'd love to see you. 

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1. These typography based movie posters are awesome http://bit.ly/9BLYyz

    2. If I had a silk screening setup I would screen most of these text paintings on T-shirts http://bit.ly/9JBaoX

    3. In general, concept designs are innovative and fun, but this Samsonite one, I WANT http://bit.ly/alX1KZ

    4. In this one project we have design, interactive infographics, ethnography, cognitive psychology and lots of gender jokes? http://bit.ly/c1APED

    5. It's called a stringbike, but most important to note is NO CHAIN http://bit.ly/df8ulh  

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1. The Grand Taxonomy of Rap Names http://bit.ly/duujnX

    2. I love this Gymkhana video and I am not even a car guy http://bit.ly/cxj9Cd

    3. Spirit maps from the shaman of the Saami in northern Finland http://bit.ly/9g5BUe

    4. If you live in a big area, the data for the commute map will give you a good sense of how your commute compares to your neighbors' http://bit.ly/cXzqzi

    5. Issue 10.4 of the diagram has some great poetry and great schematics, which are kinda hard to explain if you haven't seen them http://bit.ly/bTm4EZ

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1. OK GO seems to like to make videos, especially when they get to dance in synchronicity and White Knuckles is no exception http://bit.ly/a6b4ui

    2. What if Superheroes were hipsters, super funny is what http://bit.ly/9auOMT

    3.  Ooooh classic MS-DOS games for free! http://bit.ly/c5DGom

    4. Ubuntu is prototyping using your face as an interface http://bit.ly/cGBnXW

    5. One of the reasons I love infographics are their ability to make hidden social aspects visible http://bit.ly/d5ksGY

    5 things I learn this week (and don't want to forget) - episode 5 - Travel Edition

     

    1. Design + Maker culture + clever style = incredibly cool stuff http://bit.ly/9pWOyO

    2. Keanu Reeves is sad, humble and accidentally (?!) awesome http://bzfd.it/bGJhTI

    3. 100 cats let loose in Ikea, go! http://bit.ly/cxnObH

    4. A fantastic video of Cai Guo-Qiang, gunpowder artist http://bit.ly/dyq3lp

    5. This YouTube compilation of close calls (serious close calls) makes me feel all funny inside http://bit.ly/9PoCR6

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1. Dalí and Disney collaborated on this 6 min film http://bit.ly/ciO9CW

    2. A Florida high school (in Clearwater) issued Kindles rather than textbooks http://bit.ly/c0rxAw

    3. Both this blog (recycle art) and this project (vw pool table) are super cool http://bit.ly/deXpnJ

    4. Dyson, your clever attempt to get me to share the video that shows off your amazing air multiplier worked http://bit.ly/cd3IzK

    5. Mmmm, gmail + infographics = http://bit.ly/9FKLY9

    Special travel edition

    The iphone/webcam/travel episode has been entirely shot by my shaky hand (thanks to all of my wonderful cameos from my amazingly interesting friends and colleagues). Now lets see Stephen McFadden work his magic. Stayed tuned.

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1. Ok, the Yule-aid Man is pretty funny http://bit.ly/cY0uCc

    2. Even though I am not much of a baseball fan, these 8-bit MLB uniform graphics are awesome http://bit.ly/9rgigy

    3. I am totally a fanboy for the neurolinguist, Stephen Pinker, which is way geekier than most any other type of fandom http://bit.ly/a98C0l

    4. Is it too late for me to take up glassblowing? http://bit.ly/ai91On

    5. The first pie chart?! http://bit.ly/dDqUVW

    5 things I learned today (and don't want to forget)

    1.  A fantastic video of Cai Guo-Qiang, gunpowder artist http://bit.ly/dyq3lp

    2. This underwater photography reminds me of how much I love the expression "the green room" http://bit.ly/c0eTw7

    3. This blog is called "How a Poem Happens" and is well named http://bit.ly/cIOGbV

    4. Smiling photos from late 19th Century Japan http://bit.ly/awcALQ

    5. Holy Shitballs! You're gonna kill yourself! (those videos are crazy) http://bit.ly/buQlcV