No photoshop

5 March 2011 - I came across an interesting website (http://thechive.com/2011/03/03/celebrity-close-ups-sans-photoshop-26-photos/) with the pictures of 26 American celebrities without being photoshopped. The portraits are rather intense, often beautiful and always captivating. I do not know who all these "celebrities" are, but there are the amazing faces of Clint Eastwood, Helen Mirren and Cate Blanchett staring you in the eye. No photoshop does not mean no make-up, but these white screen gods suddenly become real people. You could almost meat them in the supermarket. Little is said about the vision of the website, but it's a great initiative. Great people, great picture, great site.

Guam

4 March 2011 - I have never been to Guam, but the name of the place has this magical ring to it. Yet, I seldomly hear of people visiting the place. I checked the Lonely Planet website, and it is explained that there are a few good reasons why Guam, a former Spanish colony and the biggest island in Micronesia, is so rarely visited. From North America or Europe, only a few airlines will take you to this US territory in the Pacific Ocean and almost every route has stops in either Honolulu, Tokyo or Seoul. And with round-trip tickets starting at $1,500, it is not exactly the cheapest place to get to either. But one will forget the long, expensive flight once set foot on the island, which is one third of the size of London and has year-round temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. One million Japanese tourists flock here every year for the predictable weather, white beaches and crystal-clear Pacific Ocean. They swarm the theme-park style hotel pools, beach-side wedding chapels and the luxury shopping malls that feel like an air-conditioned, less-crowded version of Fifth Avenue. These distractions make for a happy few days away from reality, or a honeymoon, but it might be missing the point. Guam is not just about tourists offerings. The real draws are the local food and culture.

Soumaya Museum

3 March 2011 - The Soumaya Museum has opened! Designed by LAR + Fernando Romero, the Soumaya Museum will house a diverse collection of international painting, sculpture, and object art from the 14th century to the present, including the world’s second largest collection of Rodin sculptures.  Conceived as a sculpture, the museum’s amorphous form will be a contemporary icon for Mexico City that is also a functional curatorial space. The Museum is funded by Mexican rich man Carlos Slim, who can rightfully claim the title of the world's richest man. The museum will also house his private art collection. .

Quote of the Day (29)

2 March 2011 - So, Oscar season is over, but let's not forget thsi quote before we turn the page:
David Seidler, 73, accepting best original screenplay for The King's Speech:

"My father always said to me I would be a late bloomer. I believe I'm the oldest person to win this award. I hope that record is broken quickly and often."

Business Cards

1 March 2011 - Industries may change and brand names may come and go, but at least one tradition in the business world has remained largely unchanged for hundreds of years. The exchange of cards between two people who are meeting for the first time is a ritual that goes back as far as business itself. For most of us, the handing over of contact details is an important moment - a clear signal that a connection has been made. But as our lives turn increasingly digital, technology is attempting to provide a range of futuristic alternatives to the old-fashioned card. Ever since the arrival of electronic communication, people have been exploring new ways to share information with each other- from swapping email addresses to trading mobile phone numbers and, increasingly, connecting through an online social network. A range of services have appeared to take advantage of this trend, including Bump Technologies, a two-year-old startup based in California's Silicon Valley. Its application, which users download to their phones, lets people trade contact details simply by tapping their handsets together. It is an approach that has a number of advantages over the traditional paper card, says Bump's Sadie Bascom - particularly since nobody goes anywhere without their mobile these days.
"It's easy, always on your phone, and you never have to remember to grab a stack of physical cards or worry about them running out."

One-dog Policy

28 Feb 2011 - Most people know of China's one-child policy, but now there is something new cooked up. China's leading metropolis Shanghai has adopted a one-dog policy, passing a law limiting homes to one dog each as it tries to curb the growing popularity of man's bast friend. The law takes effect on May 15, the China Daily reported earlier this week. Under the law, dog owners must give their pet's puppies to eligible no-dog households or to government approved adoption agencies before the pups reach three months. Anyone currently owning two or more licensed dogs will be allowed to keep them. Official estimates put the pet dog population in Shanghai at 800,000 although only a quarter of that number is registered.

Karaoke Hits

27 Feb 2011 - Some people think that Karaoke is merely an Asian activities. Not rue, and although I do not have any figures to proof it I like to share the Top Ten of Most Poplular Karaoke songs in British venues, as published by The Telegrap. Here we go go go:
1. Waterloo - ABBA
2. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
3. My Way - Frank Sinatra
4. I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
5. Dancing Queen - ABBA
6. Angels - Robbie Williams
7. Like A Virgin - Madonna
8. Its Raining Men - Weather Girls
9. Summer Nights -  Olivia Newton John and John Travolta

10. I Should Be So Lucky - Kylie Minogue