Yosemite is a “must see” place and this vid does it justice. In fact, this could be the best time lapse video I´ve seen, they are getting a bit too common out there but this is an amazing production… Good to hear its Marin kids behind it!

It never gets old. I think it may be one of the best musical compositions ever, and one of the best performances ever: The 2nd Movement of Concierto de Aranjuez, by Joaquin Rodrigo and performed by the great Paco de Lucía.

Its a unique piece of music - inspired by the death of Rodrigo’s son in childbirth and written while his wife was near death herself. They had had their honeymoon at the gardens of Aranjuez near Madrid. Usually a symphony will drown out a lead guitar which is why you hardly ever see it in this setting. Rodrigo was able to find a brilliant way to have the symphony follow the lead.

Rumor has it, this video records Paco de Lucía playing Concierto de Aranjuez for the first time with an aging Joaquin Rodrigo in the audience. Afterwards, Rodrigo is supposed to have said he had never heard it played so well.

I’m happy to be part of this program, Jovenes con Futuro (which means Youth with Future in english), that is finding young and talented Spanish programmers and bringing them to Silicon Valley.

Its an interesting time in Spain, suddenly entrepreneurship became a real hot topic as its been building up more political steam especially in the context of the crisis.  But I’m concerned that there is a lot of misinformation that surrounds a convenient but careless pushing of this kind of agenda.

Its easy to point to success stories, to compare differences between startup cultures, to call for younger people to not be scared of failure, etc.  While these points are of course quite relevant in Spain, I still think this is just skimming the surface.

What is needed is more positive references, examples, tangible feedback from those who have done this before (entrepreneurship taught in school as well but thats another topic).  Whats needed is to answer this question in a real way - whats needed to get a startup going in Spain? This also requires confidence and optimism - instilled at young ages in people who are given opportunities. 

I’m not Spanish, so there is nothing necessarily patriotic about my involvement here - its gratifying enough to be involved in a sector I enjoy and to find young people who enjoy it as well.  We are coming into the second year of this program that, at least to me, finds positive examples for the Spanish to look to and starts a constructive longer term process of getting it right.

Me and a couple friends put together the video above that will introduce you to the participants currently in Silicon Valley.  I hope the message gets across… And If you happen to be a young Spaniard, feel free to apply at www.stepone.com/jovenes.

Could one destroy the entire Roman Empire during the reign of Augustus if one traveled back in time with a modern U.S. Marine infantry battalion or MEU?

Could one destroy the entire Roman Empire during the reign of Augustus if one traveled back in time with a modern U.S. Marine infantry battalion or MEU? 7 answers on Quora

Could one destroy the entire Roman Empire during the reign of Augustus if one traveled back in time with a modern U.S. Marine infantry battalion or MEU?

“We Stopped Dreaming”

The US Government ended the space shuttle program and along with a number of Americans, I’m a bit disappointed.  

I work in tech, I love the sciences and I think that when institutions promote these kind of activities it inspires future generations.  Countries need dreamers, it is at the core of entrepeneurship and innovation.  With all of the arguments for the diminishing role of the US amid the recent political mess and credit downgrade, the fact that the US cuts down investment in space shuttle program is telling.  To me, its the biggest indicator that these arguments may be true. 

Neil deGrasse Tyson points out in the video above (in reference to the spending cuts on space exploration) that “we have stopped dreaming”.  Its not all bad news, there are still more discoveries, moon landings and giants leaps to be taken.  Its just that now other countries will be taking them, and new generations abroad will be doing the dreaming.  Maybe in this global world it was probably bound to happen anyway.

Interestingly enough, Tyson will be hosting a new series that will build upon Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos”, which is a personal favorite.  Both Sagan and Tyson are the kinds of popular scientists that both relate to their audience and have the ability to explain complicated things.  

Sagan’s series, broadcast over 30 years ago, was incredibly optimistic.  To him we were “just wading into the shores of the cosmic ocean”.  I’m looking forward to Tyson’s upcoming series, and I hope he finds a way to inspire us to keep dreaming.  However, I think it will be tough to match Sagan’s optimism in this current climate.

SIDESTORY - Video - Tyson talks about Carl Sagan’s influence on him, and about the responsibility of fostering the new generation to study the universe.

I took a recent trip to a place I´ve always wanted to visit in Spain ever since seeing a BBC documentary (highly recommended) on the Spanish Civil War .  The documentary opens with a scene in the town of Belchite, in the province of Aragon a bit outside of Zaragoza.  The following comes straight from Wikipedia:

Between August 24 and September 7, 1937, loyalist Spanish Republican and rebel General Franco’s forces in the Spanish Civil War fought the Battle of Belchite in and around the town near Zaragoza. The whole town was destroyed. Franco ordered that the ruins be left untouched as a “live” monument of war. A new town was constructed near the former.

Its places like this that make Spain such an interesting country.  The modern history fascinates me just as much as the ancient.  Both histories are very tangible in living monuments, artwork and ruins, and both have a direct application on everyday life.  

Much of the Aragonese countryside was destroyed in the war, some friends even tell stories about how they found bullets and played in the trenches as kids.  

A couple pictures are above, and the full gallery can be seen here.  I didn´t realize it at the time but the area is also near Fuendetodos, the birthplace of the artist Francisco Goya. Belchite must have looked quite similar at some point.

picasaweb.google.com

One of the best short films I’ve seen, I don’t even understand all of it cause the Spanish is a bit quick but the production and photography, even the credits at the end are all very well done.  Kudos to Israel Sas and his Canon 5D Mark II.

I’m looking forward to working on new video stuff with a new friend in town (@jlwheels) in possession of a Canon 7D.  I think this is an amazing camera and I’m strongly considering getting my own not only for just photos buy videos as well.  

There is a bit of a cult following for 7D users, and even here in Madrid there is some great work out there like this video (shot in 24 hours).  Technical details coming up, I’ll have to understand what HD glidetrack, edited and graded with FCP (I think thats Final Cut Pro), Compositing & Finishing with After Effects (yeah, thats part of the Adobe Suite I never got around to downloading).

One of the things I most miss about back home is getting right at that hamburger craving that comes around every once in a while.  Nothing beats Phyllis’ and if you’re from the Bay Area you know what I mean (or Blimps if you’re old school ‘Fax). Here in Madrid there are some good spots around but nothing really satisfies it completely.  I went to Hard Rock Cafe the other night with Spanish friends and even they all realize that’s about as close as it gets (and yes, I’m aware of Alfredo’s Barbecoa and the Peggy Sue’s chain, a decent option is HomeBurger as well). Hamburguesa Nostra has the most interesting marketing approach to cooking your own burger at home. Their menu really breaks down their 30 different flavored paddies nicely. But you can’t take it away from the land that makes stuffed hamburger presses - Amazing stuffed hamburger press from Williams-Sonoma.

One of the things I most miss about back home is getting right at that hamburger craving that comes around every once in a while.  Nothing beats Phyllis’ and if you’re from the Bay Area you know what I mean (or Blimps if you’re old school ‘Fax).

Here in Madrid there are some good spots around but nothing really satisfies it completely.  I went to Hard Rock Cafe the other night with Spanish friends and even they all realize that’s about as close as it gets (and yes, I’m aware of Alfredo’s Barbecoa and the Peggy Sue’s chain, a decent option is HomeBurger as well).

Hamburguesa Nostra has the most interesting marketing approach to cooking your own burger at home. Their menu really breaks down their 30 different flavored paddies nicely.

But you can’t take it away from the land that makes stuffed hamburger presses - Amazing stuffed hamburger press from Williams-Sonoma.

teaim

A ridiculous picture of Preikestolen, in Norway, a cliff almost 2,000 feet high and a popular tourist attraction.  I ran across the pic and thought it was worth reposting.  Credit goes out to Jim Boud (Boudster) for taking it and for inspiring me to want to head to Norway soon.  I’ll have to make my way to Lysefjord. For an even more dramatic pic of the cliff, check in here, I’d like to put it up on the blog but its so good its licensed, and can’t (read: shouldn’t) be downloaded.

A ridiculous picture of Preikestolen, in Norway, a cliff almost 2,000 feet high and a popular tourist attraction.  I ran across the pic and thought it was worth reposting.  Credit goes out to Jim Boud (Boudster) for taking it and for inspiring me to want to head to Norway soon.  I’ll have to make my way to Lysefjord.

For an even more dramatic pic of the cliff, check in here, I’d like to put it up on the blog but its so good its licensed, and can’t (read: shouldn’t) be downloaded.

Flickr / boudster