One of my all-time favorite newspapers is in serious trouble (we were all expecting this to happen sooner or later, didn't we). Save The Exile!
Or at least read a few issues as long as you can.
And this article about eleven years of threats, with the subtitle "In a nation terrorized by its own government, one newspaper dared to fart in its face"...
Or at least read a few issues as long as you can.
And this article about eleven years of threats, with the subtitle "In a nation terrorized by its own government, one newspaper dared to fart in its face"...
During one of the reasonably party-filled nights in Riga this weekend, I had decided to go to Tallinn to see a short film made with the involvement of one of my weekend party mates; and besides this, it also looked like a good opportunity to check out these Eurolines Lux buses that are supposed to be like a mobile office, with the only difference to a regular office that you leave it in a different country from where you entered it.
The bus thing didn't work out that fine, and these things are far from keeping what they promise - better fly, the reasons why are here.
The film thing, though, turned into an excellent evening. Now the "excellence" of the evening in the positive sense came mostly from one film, the one I mainly came to see. The rest of the evening was "excellent" rather in the sense of "hilariously amusing PLUS shocking".
The bus thing didn't work out that fine, and these things are far from keeping what they promise - better fly, the reasons why are here.
The film thing, though, turned into an excellent evening. Now the "excellence" of the evening in the positive sense came mostly from one film, the one I mainly came to see. The rest of the evening was "excellent" rather in the sense of "hilariously amusing PLUS shocking".
I found out that when doing nothing, it's very important to have some breaks.
Because if you're busy doing nothing the whole day, the risk is very high that you lose the capability to distinct your active periods during which you do nothing - from the naturally necessary passive periods, in which you take breaks, relax, and all that.
But once you can't distinct these active and passive periods of the day anymore, you can't consciously decide any longer when your body needs a rest ("passive period") from all the activity ("active period"). This could lead to having clearly too few breaks during the day, which would result in being very tired in the evening, and, in the long run, can seriously harm your work-life-balance.
Therefore, be sure to have a short break from doing nothing about once per hour (go smoke a cigarette or do some petty shopping, for example). And every four to six hours, plan a longer break (go smoke multiple cigarettes, do some sports, have a walk, sleep for an hour, have dinner, or do some serious shopping).
No need to thank me for sharing my knowledge, I'm happy to help.
Because if you're busy doing nothing the whole day, the risk is very high that you lose the capability to distinct your active periods during which you do nothing - from the naturally necessary passive periods, in which you take breaks, relax, and all that.
But once you can't distinct these active and passive periods of the day anymore, you can't consciously decide any longer when your body needs a rest ("passive period") from all the activity ("active period"). This could lead to having clearly too few breaks during the day, which would result in being very tired in the evening, and, in the long run, can seriously harm your work-life-balance.
Therefore, be sure to have a short break from doing nothing about once per hour (go smoke a cigarette or do some petty shopping, for example). And every four to six hours, plan a longer break (go smoke multiple cigarettes, do some sports, have a walk, sleep for an hour, have dinner, or do some serious shopping).
No need to thank me for sharing my knowledge, I'm happy to help.
Spent that short part of the day that I was awake watching Weeds, by now the third season, reached episode 10, might keep watching for a while. I can only repeat everything I said earlier, and more - it's actually getting even better. Beautifully crazy even, at times, which might have been the only thing I occasionally missed in season 1.
No idea yet what the heck I'll do when I'm through with season 3. Wait in despair, maybe?
No idea yet what the heck I'll do when I'm through with season 3. Wait in despair, maybe?
A positive result of my temporary and in all probability not clinical insomnia (quite possibly caused by doing too much of nothing) is that I visit all sorts of websites that I had forgotten about, but that I now remember. It's called click-through-stuff therapy or pastime or something, but I'm sure there's a Latin name for it, too.
One of my oldest all-time favorites is Postsecret. And incredible, sometimes heart-breaking, sometimes mood-lifting, sometimes shocking, sometimes just simply funny collection of incredibly diverse secrets which incredibly diverse people send to the creator of this site on postcards. Postcards that reveal a wide-spread design gene, and astonishing imagination. Read now, it's short before Valentine's Day, and naturally in these days some of the cards are just that little bit too much for anyone to read them all in one go. And then check back a few days or weeks later, when Valentine's Day is over. And then again, of course.
And believe me, the books are even far better. You can get them on Amazon, or if you're near borrow the one I have. I myself intend to borrow some more the next time I'm in Vilnius, where I think a good friend has some more.
One of my oldest all-time favorites is Postsecret. And incredible, sometimes heart-breaking, sometimes mood-lifting, sometimes shocking, sometimes just simply funny collection of incredibly diverse secrets which incredibly diverse people send to the creator of this site on postcards. Postcards that reveal a wide-spread design gene, and astonishing imagination. Read now, it's short before Valentine's Day, and naturally in these days some of the cards are just that little bit too much for anyone to read them all in one go. And then check back a few days or weeks later, when Valentine's Day is over. And then again, of course.
And believe me, the books are even far better. You can get them on Amazon, or if you're near borrow the one I have. I myself intend to borrow some more the next time I'm in Vilnius, where I think a good friend has some more.
I'm almost, almost on the way to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, again. Last time I was there is an incredible 5 or 6 months past, when I left in the first days of September to meet up with Marc and Syd in Siberia.
It's a trip I'm really looking forward to. I know, it's winter now, and even in Uzbekistan it's cold - this winter, it's even extremely cold. And the place looks like most places look in winter: Grey, gloomy, uninviting. Still, my memories of Uzbekistan are mostly summer-related, and are as colorful as the place itself.
Most of all, I noticed that Tashkent has a very specific smell in these central districts with their small streets and nice houses. I am incapable of describing this aroma, but it's very specific for the place. It's warm, it's colorful but mostly red and green, it's embracing, and it actually made me smile many times, especially when walking through a small street parallel to Shota Rustaveli, leading north towards the Swiss embassy, near which my office was located when I worked there.
What my trip and my pleasant anticipation make me understand is that I think that Uzbekistan is probably one of the most underrated countries I've seen. And yes, I'm very aware of the political side, but that's not what this is all about: This is about a country how it could be, how it in a way even is, despite having a government that is not quite above all doubts.
Allow me to summarize why I love this place. It'll be a little long, so don't bother reading if you're not planning to travel there. But if you are, be sure to let me know - I'll gladly join and share my favorite places:
It's a trip I'm really looking forward to. I know, it's winter now, and even in Uzbekistan it's cold - this winter, it's even extremely cold. And the place looks like most places look in winter: Grey, gloomy, uninviting. Still, my memories of Uzbekistan are mostly summer-related, and are as colorful as the place itself.
Most of all, I noticed that Tashkent has a very specific smell in these central districts with their small streets and nice houses. I am incapable of describing this aroma, but it's very specific for the place. It's warm, it's colorful but mostly red and green, it's embracing, and it actually made me smile many times, especially when walking through a small street parallel to Shota Rustaveli, leading north towards the Swiss embassy, near which my office was located when I worked there.
What my trip and my pleasant anticipation make me understand is that I think that Uzbekistan is probably one of the most underrated countries I've seen. And yes, I'm very aware of the political side, but that's not what this is all about: This is about a country how it could be, how it in a way even is, despite having a government that is not quite above all doubts.
Allow me to summarize why I love this place. It'll be a little long, so don't bother reading if you're not planning to travel there. But if you are, be sure to let me know - I'll gladly join and share my favorite places:
Not being much of a comedy fan myself, my praise means even more: I find that Weeds is one of the best-written comedy series I've ever seen. It's not hilarious, and not even overly funny - it's just nicely amusing, light-hearted, and human. Sure it's a comedy, yet it goes a little deeper than just delivering one joke after another.
From my view, it's a very "modern" comedy, in the sense that the characters aren't just empty hulls designed to drive punchlines home; they're indeed characters, and they're developing over time, which gives them a depth that I've rarely seen in comedy, and which makes this series an elegant mixture of comedy and drama. One that makes you smile all the time, sometimes out of mild amusement and sometimes because it's bitter-sweet. For a comedy, it will rarely make you laugh - but when it does, it's because of some really smart turn in the action that's accompanied by some brilliant statement, rather than just because of a great punchline. In fact, calling it a comedy series is only true to an extent - the more of it I see, the more I think it's actually a whole new genre (knowing that "a whole new" doesn't mean a thing, yes), a somewhat documentary-related ethnographic drama comedy with a cross-cultural blend of styles and narration techniques that I find highly admirable.
I've watched the first season a few months ago and then almost forgot about it, but now borrowed the second season DVD set from Roman; and just watched the first six episodes in one sitting. Might well continue through the next six, and will eagerly wait for the release date of the season 3 box set.
From my view, it's a very "modern" comedy, in the sense that the characters aren't just empty hulls designed to drive punchlines home; they're indeed characters, and they're developing over time, which gives them a depth that I've rarely seen in comedy, and which makes this series an elegant mixture of comedy and drama. One that makes you smile all the time, sometimes out of mild amusement and sometimes because it's bitter-sweet. For a comedy, it will rarely make you laugh - but when it does, it's because of some really smart turn in the action that's accompanied by some brilliant statement, rather than just because of a great punchline. In fact, calling it a comedy series is only true to an extent - the more of it I see, the more I think it's actually a whole new genre (knowing that "a whole new" doesn't mean a thing, yes), a somewhat documentary-related ethnographic drama comedy with a cross-cultural blend of styles and narration techniques that I find highly admirable.
I've watched the first season a few months ago and then almost forgot about it, but now borrowed the second season DVD set from Roman; and just watched the first six episodes in one sitting. Might well continue through the next six, and will eagerly wait for the release date of the season 3 box set.
Visited a nice concert at my beloved Riga club Depo yesterday: Of Gaujarts, a band where a friend of mine plays. I had heard their songs, but hadn't yet seen them live. Highly recommended you go do that!
Now I do have to get myself a Playstation. I fell in love with what's probably one of the silliest games I've seen - and it's so bloody fun. I've never heard of it before, but here it is. We played it at an office party Friday night at Solvpilen: Guitar Hero II. It's fabulous. In the design of a guitar neck, colored dots are running towards you. You stand there with a plastic guitar imitation that has five colored buttons on its neck, and one where the strings should be played. Various songs and difficulty levels, and of course a multi-player mode. Loud rock music. Beer and potato chips. Hey, good we got robbed, otherwise we might have spent that night doing something else!
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In Zurich's main railway station, we found the coolest toy ever yesterday.
It's a... well, sort of screen. It's hanging there under the ceiling of the station's big hall. It's made of hundreds of small light bulbs. But they're not arranged flat, but in 3D, meaning that there's a square (x and y axes), but consisting of multiple layers (z axis).
Then, there's a touch screen a little bit away from it, where you can pick what should be displayed. Most of the pre-programmed animations (in color) are visualizations of mathematical formulas and other scientific visuals, such as a visualization of a human heart, or of the big San Francisco earthquake, phase changes, etc. But that's not the end: Instead of just choosing, you can draw yourself on that touchscreen. You can pick colors, and then just move your finger across the screen - and your drawing is almost immediately drawn on the screen.
Click for some photos and video links.
It's a... well, sort of screen. It's hanging there under the ceiling of the station's big hall. It's made of hundreds of small light bulbs. But they're not arranged flat, but in 3D, meaning that there's a square (x and y axes), but consisting of multiple layers (z axis).
Then, there's a touch screen a little bit away from it, where you can pick what should be displayed. Most of the pre-programmed animations (in color) are visualizations of mathematical formulas and other scientific visuals, such as a visualization of a human heart, or of the big San Francisco earthquake, phase changes, etc. But that's not the end: Instead of just choosing, you can draw yourself on that touchscreen. You can pick colors, and then just move your finger across the screen - and your drawing is almost immediately drawn on the screen.
Click for some photos and video links.
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