Gapminder - FACTANK!

Today I wanted to revisit Gapminder saying that it has now been refreshed and it is still an incredible tool.

For those who never saw my posts talking about Gapminder I will do a small description. It is basically a fantastic tool that provides, in a very user friendly way, the capability for you to see how the world "develoment indicators" have evolved throughout time. For example you can compare the income per capita versus the life expectancy and see how the different countries have evolved since the 1800s.

Getting the point?

I don't know how accurate the data is and if you can actually rely on this tool for sociological, economical or other kind of university analysis, but it might help! This non profit venture was started by Hans Rosling, University Professor, but it is now part of Google.

Well just pop up into their site and have look!

http://www.gapminder.org/

Magic Lisbon

Czech EU art stokes controversy - Europe Entropia Installation

Did you see the News today?

"A new art installation going on display at the European Council building in Brussels has angered EU members with its lampoons of national stereotypes." Today, BBC

A strong David Cerny installation is giving a heart stroke to the European Union workers. I see in this object a strong critic on how the european union is not being able to reach a bigger Europe, limiting itself to a non-matching puzzle. This instrumental europe has no head, a big body and a lack of direction. It is moving slowly and with the flow of economical needs.

Where is Europe?
Try to see if you can guess the countries...














More info at:

Cambalache & the 20th Century

Love this Song: Cambalache
Strong and Sarcastic view on Human Nature.



Lyrics:
Que el mundo fue y sera una porqueria,
ya lo se...
En el quinientos seis
y en el dos mil también!
Que siempre ha habido chorros,
maquiavelos y estafaos,
contentos y amargaos,
valores y dublés...
Pero que el siglo veinte
es un despliegue
de maldad insolente
ya no hay quien lo niegue.
Vivimos revolcaos en un merengue
y en un mismo lodo
todos manoseaos...
Hoy resulta que es lo mismo
ser derecho que traidor..!
Ignorante, sabio, chorro,
generoso o estafador!
Todo es igual! Nada es mejor!
Lo mismo un burro
que un gran profesor!
No hay aplazaos ni escalafon,
los inmorales nos han igualao.
Si uno vive en la impostura
y otro roba en su ambicion,
da lo mismo que sea cura,
colchonero, rey de bastos,
caradura o polizon...

Que falta de respeto,
que atropello a la razon!
Cualquiera es un señor!
Cualquiera es un ladron!
Mezclao con Stavisky va Don Bosco
y "La Mignon,"
Don Chicho y Napoleon,
Carnera y San Martin...
Igual que en la vidriera irrespetuosa
de los cambalaches
se ha mezclao la vida
y herida por un sable sin remache
ves llorar la Biblia
contra un calefon.

Siglo veinte, cambalache
problematico y febril!
El que no llora, no mama,
y el que no afana es un gil.
Dale nomas! Dale que va!
Que alla en el horno
nos vamo a encontrar!
No pienses mas,
sentate a un lao.
Que a nadie importa
si naciste honrao.
Que es lo mismo el que labura
noche y dia, como un buey
que el que vive de los otros,
que el que mata o el que cura
o esta fuera de la ley.

Buraka Som Sistema in Pitchfork's "The 100 Best Tracks of 2008"

Buraka Som Sistema with "Sound of Kuduro" was considered one of the top 100 tracks of 2008.
Feel the punch!

Century of the Self

Century of the Self, is a great Adam Curtis documentary about how psychoanalysis has influenced post war america and its society. From the creation of Public Relations to Market Research, the aim is to train people to be led by their most inner desires and not by their rational needs.

He questions the roots of modern consumerism and representative democracy. If the individuals are driven by their inner desires & need of self expression being these fulfilled by products, what space is left to real democracy?

To quote the BBC site:
To many in both politics and business, the triumph of the self is the ultimate expression of democracy, where power has finally moved to the people. Certainly the people may feel they are in charge, but are they really? The Century of the Self tells the untold and sometimes controversial story of the growth of the mass-consumer society in Britain and the United States. How was the all-consuming self created, by whom, and in whose interests?

Hope you enjoy.



1. Happiness Machines

2. The Engineering of Consent

3. There is a Policeman Inside All Our Heads: He Must Be Destroyed

4. Eight People Sipping Wine in Kettering

Tuna Fish

Hi All,

Hope you are all doing fine.
I am currently going through a quite complicated period in my life...

On one hand I am currently struggling to understand what is the meaning of life. Well, but that is no news.
On the other hand I have been able to catch up with some of my hobbies. Not taking photographs but, publishing them! ;P
I also have more time to read so I might be able to start writing more about my opinion on current issues.

Well, I was captured last week by an article in the economist about tuna fish. (don't laugh!)
In the last 2 weeks I saw compulsively Planet Earth and Blue Planet magnificent documentaries, and I believe I have got 2 things out of it. One is a David Attenborough's way of speaking and the other is a renewed sensibility to how Gaia, our living planet is evolving.

I was astonished by reading the following article in the economist talking about the possible disappearance in the next couple of years of one of the Tuna species. One of the most concerning points was some scientists believe that even if the fishing would stop today it might just simply be too late.

It simply seams that the world is not becoming a nicer place for our sons to live on...

Enjoy life.

http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12675910&CFID=34305634&CFTOKEN=84352706