| Vitruvian Mind |
| Life as it should be |
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Posted on September 6th, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Travel & Leisure, Philosophy & Spirituality, History & Politics, Philanthropy & Environment, Science & Technology, Arts & Literature, Humor & Pop Culture.
We’re finally home, unpacked, and settled back in after this year’s Burning Man. This was hands down my favorote year yet, and I think I speak for all of our crew when I say an amazing time was had by all.
Our friend Tomas was out there completing a five year retrospective art piece on photos of Burning Man from 2004-2008. He is still working on it, but the current gallery is already available at www.burningmanpix.info.
I encourage you to check it out, as the images are absoluely incredible.
Posted on August 22nd, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Travel & Leisure, Philosophy & Spirituality, Philanthropy & Environment, Arts & Literature, Humor & Pop Culture, Coming Events.
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Time to gather the goggles and glitter. Time to clean out the Camel Back and collect the costumes. Time to prepare ourselves for another week or survival camping on the playa. You guessed it - Burning Man.
At this very moment I am in Reno, NV, fresh from visits to Costco, Wal Mart, and Home Depot. About to grab my boxes and bike from the UPS Depot. Tomorrow the RV, final errands, and then its a half-day eastward journey into the middle of nowhere. Take a left turn after cell phone reception drops out, keep going for another couple hours, and then you’re getting close…
There have been myriad posts on this blog about Burning Man, so I’ll save further explanations here, save one - how to find us if you’re going to be out there. We are heading up the Villains & Virgins crew, which is part of Spanky’s Wine Bar, located at 5:00 and Esplanade. Once you get there, ask for the Pink Panther. If that makes any sense to you, then I’ll see you at the Bordello 
-PP
Posted on August 1st, 2008 by Bijan.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Philosophy & Spirituality, History & Politics, Arts & Literature.
What is with the world these days? It is no question that death and violence will always sell like sex. We have an masochistic craving for morbidity and, whether we pretend to ignore it or not, we always take a peek. But what is most shocking, perhaps, is that we are constantly fed such slop not so much from entertainment media, but our own news outlets. Instead of really focusing on the issues that are affecting the state of our nation and world as a whole, we are continuously driving ourselves into a world of depression.
I like The Christian Science Monitor because it displays extremely relevant news. Don’t be frightened by its name - the website strictly states that it is not religious. From their website:
Everything in the Monitor is international and US news and features, except for one religious article that has appeared each day in The Home Forum section since 1908, at the request of the paper’s founder, Mary Baker Eddy.
It is important that we all keep a positive outlook on ourselves and our lives at all times. There are so many scenarios in which the famous FDR “only thing to fear is fear itself” quote is relevant. We will not be able to find our way out of a war, economic crisis and environmental disaster if we simply keep thinking about how sad we are and what a ‘terrible’ world we live in. Failures must be educational and successes must be celebrated.
Posted on July 11th, 2008 by Myk.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Business & Finance, Humor & Pop Culture.
I just read about Harvey Weinstein’s (of Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love, and many other movies) professional troubles in Gawker. Called that “indestructible cockroach” of independent movies—New York’s Harvey Weinstein—has had a roller-coaster of a career. Some hightlights:
From Gawker:
Harvey Weinstein’s track record of releases has been disappointing since leaving Disney’s Miramax, where he shepherded modern classics such as Shakespeare in Love. (The once-bullish film producer doesn’t even have the confidence to finance Quentin Tarantino’s next project.) The Weinstein Company’s own backers, led by Goldman Sachs, are rumored to be reconsidering their support. And the independent mini-conglomerate’s forays into media sectors other than movie-making have been mixed at best. (Fashion TV show Project Runwayis a money-spinner but social network A Small World has tiny traffic.)
The point of the story is that it seems lackluster performance of his films is hitting him pretty hard and it’s not clear whether there’s any asset that can be sold for cash in an emergency. He’s not a well loved guy in the industry–epitomizing the egomaniacal fat jewish producer archetype.
Thought this is an interesting random pop-culture post.
Posted on July 10th, 2008 by Myk.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Business & Finance, Science & Technology.
The median age of Americans is 38. Did you know that?? As of last season, the average age of Americans watching live TV is…drum roll…50. Yep. I suppose we already knew this was going to happen but PSFK brought the topic to our attention. This is one of those “thought you should know” posts.
Posted on July 7th, 2008 by Bijan.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Consumer Products, Business & Finance, Science & Technology, Coming Events.
“Scientists Set Sights on Invisibility Cloaks”
Such is the title of an article posted on CNN.com last Tuesday. Did you know that? Apparently, scientists from all over the globe have been experimenting with something called a “Superlens” which, essentially, can make things invisible. A superlens has a negative refractive index, meaning that it refracts light that an object projects in the opposite direction, thereby causing the light waves to cancel each other out and, voila! - renders the object invisible. Check it out for yourself.
Yet ironically, since websites like CNN are more concerned with matters such as “Mini Me’s” sex tape and these damn bikini-touting baristas in Seattle (seriously people, its a bikini. GET OVER IT), we oftentimes miss the truly important things that are happening in the world.
But news media debates aside, the scientific community is largely lost in the obscurity of politics, economics and pop culture. Consider the fact that only two decades ago, the idea of an iPhone would have sounded almost as feasible as, well, an invisibility cloak. Websites like the National Science Foundation provide oceans of information regarding the latest scientific discoveries and upcoming scientific research. It is important to note the vast impact even the most minor scientific innovation can have on society as we know it, and, as gradual as these things seem - they aren’t. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself shopping for jetpacks, teleporters and Beryllium Spheres in the near future. Just watch out for shoplifters - always wearing those pesky cloaks…
Posted on June 24th, 2008 by Myk.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Travel & Leisure, History & Politics, Business & Finance.
I’ve been remiss in writing on VM lately…but fear not friends….we continue to look for random, intellectually stimulating, and fascinating pieces of information to share. Check out THIS link! It’s a section of www.newseum.org ’s site, which is a museum in DC that follows the history and development of journalism. The link takes you to today’s Front Page of 575 newspapers. Think about that…these guys compile the up-to-the-day info on what media outlets around the world are writing about.
For all those who lament the US media’s spin and banal topics, you can check out what the topics du jour are in Le Monde or the Moscow Times. The site also provides analysis of what newspapers are writing about on a given day (what’s interesting in many ways is what they are NOT writing about)…
So read all about it folks!
Posted on June 7th, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Travel & Leisure, Philosophy & Spirituality, Philanthropy & Environment, Science & Technology, Arts & Literature, Sports & Health, Humor & Pop Culture, Coming Events, Storytelling.
On August 25th, 2008, Burning Man will open its gates. The week that follows will mark the peak of the year for many people, as Black Rock City one again rises like a phoenix from the ashes. For the week that it exists, the Black Rock City (the remote city that is Burning Man) is Nevada’s fourth largest city. Nearly 50,000 inhabitants gather in the middle of a dry lakebed to create something truly unique - a shining jewel on America’s tarnished soul. Once the event is over, the entire city vanishes without a trace, leaving only the memories, friendships, and the promise of things to come.
To some of you reading this, just the mention of the words “Burning Man” is enough to send a happy and mischievous tingle down your spine. To others, he subject is not too clear. If you asked 100 people what they thought Burning Man was all about, I’m sure you’d get a 101 different answers. Some would speak of freedom, personal expression, and universal acceptance. Others would rave about the art, music, and amazing characters they encountered. Many would tell stories of friends made, relationships formed or strengthened, and personal breakthroughs achieved. These are all threads of the same fabric, one that envelopes everyone who sets foot on the playa.
The intention of Burning Man is to generate a society that connects each individual to his or her creative powers, to participation in community, to the larger realm of civic life, and to the even greater world of nature that exists beyond society. BM is radically inclusive, so its meaning is accessible to anyone willing to make the journey. The touchstone of value in its culture will always be immediacy: experience before theory, moral relationships before politics, survival before services, roles before jobs, embodied ritual before symbolism, work before vested interest, participant support before sponsorship.
One way to begin to understand Burning Man is to look at the website: burningman.com, another is to look at its guiding principles:
Radical Inclusion
Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.
Gifting
Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.
Decommodification
In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.
Radical Self-reliance
Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources.
Radical Self-expression
Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit, the giver should respect the rights and liberties of the recipient.
Communal Effort
Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction.
Civic Responsibility
We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. They must also assume responsibility for conducting events in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
Leaving No Trace
Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them.
Participation
Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.
Immediacy
Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience.
If that sounds like something that interests you, you should learn more - but the clock is ticking. Planning for Burning Man is a year round commitment for many, and jumping into the fray at the last minute is nearly impossible. More so, the preparation and anticipation is a huge part of the experience.
So give it some thought, and if you’re ready to get involved, meet me out in the desert this August, and see for yourself. Dive in, the water is warm and welcoming.
Posted on May 28th, 2008 by Myk.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Business & Finance, Science & Technology.
I’d again like to use True Romance, the best movie ever filmed as a heuristic to help us us understand the realities of life. In once scene, Christian Slater (Clarence Worley) is convincing Michael Rappaport (Dick Richie) to help him unload a suitcase of cocain. Dick tell Clarence, “It’s difficult because you’re sellin’ it to a particular group. Big shots. Fat cats. Guys who can use that kind of quantity. Guys who can afford two hundred thousand. Basically, guys I don’t know. You don’t know. And, more important, they don’t know you.”
That’s the topic of interest. We’ve grown up with the phrase “it’s who you know.” Many of most successful individuals are trained to be networkers–I mean one of the most valuable assets of a top-tier MBA program is the oppotunity to meet the “right” people. To know them so that later in life, so that you’re plugged in. That works I suppose, but I’d drill down on something that was stated so elegantly by Dick Richie. It’s not who you know…it’s who knows YOU. The direction of information flow is of paramount importance.
In our world these days, with all the information cruising the ether, it is increasing easy to gain information on people. You already know this. You might even have Googled yourself to see what you can find. Most likely, you find the first link is to some silly paper that you wrote in college or your MySpace profile. That’s not good and I’d like to bring your attention to that fact.
We all spend an-increasing large portion of our lives browsing content online to uncover relevant information. You should probably be thinking about spending a little bit of that time managing YOUR information–ie what others who are searching see about you. I don’t mean taking down those pictures of you doing body shots with god- knows-who (probably a good idea but uninterstingly obvious) but actually creating relevant content that you would like people to know and making it easy to access. Why? Because you want to control the information flowing from you to others. It is a fact that the internet allows others to begin to “know you” (and make assessments about you) without your active knowledge. This can help you or hurt you but it’s also something you have complete control over. When you think about it, it makes sense–do what you have to do to own your information.
This post is a reflection on several recent encounters where someone found content about me online (specifically this blog and our corporate website). In both cases I was able to skip a few steps in the lets-get-to-know-each-other game. In both cases I got points for information that I had shared. And in both cases I was stoked that Phil and I write VM. I know that we’ve been taught it’s who you know, but it’s becoming pretty apparent that who knows me is no less important.
Posted on May 2nd, 2008 by Phil.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Philosophy & Spirituality, Philanthropy & Environment, Business & Finance, Science & Technology, Arts & Literature.
My friend Joanna recently turned me on to a great online resource - TED. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. The TED Talks website is a treasure trove of video snippets covering a host of fascinating topics. From Brian Greene on String Theory to Al Gore on new events in the climate crisis to They Might be Giants playing a live jam session.
The annual conference now brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives - in 18 minutes. More than 200 talks from the TED archives are online, with more added each week. Even better, the videos are released under a Creative Commons license, so they can be freely shared and reposted.
TED’s mission is rooted in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives, and ultimately, the world. Hence their interest in connecting thoughts from the world’s most inspired thinkers with a community of curious souls. The TED Conference is held annually in Long Beach. Over four days,50 speakers each take an 18-minute slot, with a host of other shorter pieces of content, including music, performance and comedy filtering in. There are no breakout groups. Everyone shares the same experience, soup to nuts. Cool stuff.
http://www.ted.com/
