Blog Archives
Yes, You Can(‘t)
What does it mean to be a creator in the year 2017?
One of the metrics for defining a particular generation is by identifying its creators and innovators. The individuals who dare to see the world in a vastly different light than his or her peers are the ones who set the stage for how people to see the world in the future. The reason why my childhood was different than my parents is due to people who innovated something that was currently in existence or to people who created something brand new out of thin air, so to speak.
For my childhood, the name Steven Spielberg instantly comes to mind.
For the children of 2017 and beyond, who will alter the way they see world?
The same culture-shifting giants, like Steven Spielberg, will certainly lead the pack like the past. That’s a great thing. However, with technology constantly evolving and occupying more parts of our daily lives, our culture is witnessing a sea change, of sorts. The bar for influencing large populations has transformed in dramatic fashion.
And each new social influencer, according to YouTube sensation Casey Neistat, continues to change the way we see the world through one phrase:
“Do what you can’t.”
(FYI – A couple four-letter words are spoken in this fast-moving montage video)
So, do what you can to do what you can’t…
In other words, record a lightsaber battle while skydiving and post that epic awesomeness on YouTube.
A Fresh Return
“Throwback Thursday” got a little jazzy today.
https://youtu.be/QAPrNuX03ug?t=1m25s
Nostalgia has a very special place in all of our hearts and the past few years has been glorious/surreal in celebrating the 20th, 25th and 30th anniversaries of amazing films and television shows that made up a golden era of funny and witty entertainment.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is a prime example and Smith’s announcement is great news that DJ Jazzy Jeff will be known to multiple generations as “their DJ.” The positive feelings and memories towards this show and characters is great. Kids who grew up with the series are now showing their kids the reruns cleverly filled with humor, life lessons and the official dance moves to Tom Jones.
The good news for Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff is that parents today just may understand what they’re singing about.
Starry Sight
Vincent van Gogh was a genius.
That esteemed term, typically reserved for the few, is far too often granted to the many. However, in the case of the Dutch painter born March 30, 1853, it’s appropriate. Despite only reaching 37 years of age and painted portraits with an expression that balances between indifference and scowling, his legacy is surprisingly inspiring and long-lasting. The way that van Gogh conceptualized the world in colorfully wavy, yet defined spaces screams (sorry, wrong artist) a visionary that captivates people and admirers alike 125 years after he passed away.
Remarkable.
His masterpiece is “Starry Night.” As a matter of fact, it’s my personal favorite. On April 12, 2013 at 6:03 p.m. (iPhone picture info.), I was a mere three-feet from this chef-d’oeuvre!
(“Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh, MoMA)
There are many tributes to Vincent van Gogh and to “Starry Night” in particular. The following use of dominoes is truly something else.
“FlippyCat—easily the most patient YouTube celebrity—spent around 11 hours recreating Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night using 7,067 carefully stacked dominoes that were then sent tumbling in a glorious chain reaction.”
–Andrew Liszewski, Gizmodo
Creativity has a tendency to reveal new, unseen dimensions.
It’s like discovering a new constellation.
Our Attraction with the ‘Future’
First prize goes to Hendo Hover by Arx Pax.
Second place is awarded to SLIDE by Lexus.
While the interiors differ by way of a supercooling superconductor and the exterior designs differ in function versus luxury, the undeniable correlation between Arx Pax and Lexus is their dependent use of magnetism used to glide their respective hoverboard inches above the ground. Thus far, principles of physics have revealed magnets as the primary source of generating a hovering effect with a person riding a wheel-less skateboard above a metal/magnetic surface.
To create the illusion of a hoverboard Marty McFly might ride to perfect his riding and escaping skills, Lexus built a skate park in Barcelona, Spain with magnets underneath the surface and just below a sleek water strip. The promotional video for the company (which was devised to showcase its innovative prowess) will admittedly not lead to a hoverboard for purchase down the road (well, technically not for the “road”) or any further hovering parks. That’s a bummer.
Still, their finished product is pretty damn cool.
Arx Pax and Lexus clearly have the best taste in entertaining cinema and they also understand the wonderful power of dreaming big. We all wanted to travel to “2015” when we saw Back to the Future: Part II in movie theaters in 1989. Besides buying a pair of Nike power lace shoes (later this year!), wearing a power-drying jacket and getting our hands on “Grays Sports Almanac from 1950-2000,” we wanted a hoverboard. As our pop culture-driven scientists are in the alpha stage of developing an anywhere-anytime hoverboard, it’s exciting to be on any path that resides above the ground.
Every life-altering invention started somewhere stuck between limitation and doubt.
And then the future arrives…
Jimmy's Daily Planet 