Capitalogix

Resonant Chamber

This Animusic video is mesmerizing.  The animation is better than what you find in many video games and adds something to the music, which is pretty good in-and-of itself. 

The video was not animated by humans.  Instead, the studio that created this video invented an animation engine that analyzes the notes in a piece of music and the engine's algorithms animate from there.

Fascinating; check-it-out for yourself.

Here is a direct link to the video on YouTube.  Animusic has their own YouTube Channel.

Data Visualization of President Obama's Inauguration Speech

Here are two interactive ways to look at and understand what was said.

Go to Wordle's site to make one yourself.  You can choose colors and layouts to get the look you want.

Also, here is a Word Tree from IBM's Many Eyes site.  I like this type of tool because you can interact with the data.  Type in any word you see in the Word Cloud above.  This will show you every instance of that word, in context.

Also, here is an embedded link to a version you can interact with yourself.  I suggest you start with words frequently used in the speech like: Nation, People, Today, New and Must.  You can also try phrases like "We Will".

The Word Tree tool is interesting and useful. Also, I can see how it will work in a business setting with business plans, proposals, marketing material, etc.  This is very cool; and it is easy to build a word tree on your own data at Many Eyes.  Have Fun. 

Other Links:

• Word Clouds of Inaugurations Compared (Bush, Clinton, Reagan, Lincoln). (Read Write Web)
• Hand-Drawn Mindmap of Obama's Speech. (Agerbeck)
• Photosynth Image of Inauguration site. (Mashable)
• Another Inauguration site panorama with incredible detail. (Gigapan)
• Pictures of Obama's Inauguration from Space; puts things in a different perspective. (GeoEye)

Hope, As Something to Hope For

It doesn't matter if you've read "The Audacity of Hope."  Tuesday, change will come.

I'm pretty sure that President Obama will not have these lines in his Inauguration Speech.

"Most of all, I want to thank the Republicans for making this historic occasion possible. Of course, I must also thank you, President Bush, for years of angering the American people. Without your efforts, none of this would have been possible. You have shown the world that  "change" is not only something we can believe in again, but something we demand."

What Obama won't say on Tuesday ... is being said with cartoons or gadgets like this Obama Inauguration Speech Generator.
Click the image below to make your own.

I found it at Mashable, and enjoyed remembering playing MadLibs as a little kid.

Also, Esquire had an interesting piece that generated two links on this topic.

• Just the facts. Click here to see a time-line showing major event milestones of the last 8 years.
  Worth looking-at.  I forgot some, and wish I forgot others.
• Also, click here for an article that reflects on the past 8-years, and asks how we handled them.

Uncle Jay's Musical Re-cap of 2008.

Funny!

Here is the direct link to video on Uncle Jay's site..

The Onion Reports That Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

Just what I needed. Watch the video.

Very clever reporting from The Onion.

The Year in Pictures

Browse through some of the best pictures from 2008.  A picture is worth a thousand words; some that come to mind are beautiful, shocking, and surprising ...

It took me way too long to put this list together.  Why?  Because I started browsing and enjoying myself.  Hope you do too.

Here are some Best Photos-of-the-Year sites worth looking at as we close out 2008.

• Boston Globe's Big Picture Series (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
• Stunning Pictures and Photos (Smashing Magazine)
• LATimes Best of Photo 2008 Series.
• A Year in Pictures (MSNBC, Agency France, and DocStoc)
• Pixeteria (Best of 2008 Galleries, People's Choice, Editor's Choice, Weather)
• Reuters has lots of great graphic content (100 Best of 2008 & Different Best of Slideshow)
• National Geographic (Editor's Choice, Best Animal Pics, DCP)

Here are some that are just for fun.

• A collection of "weird" people (Chive)
• A collection of "funny kid" pics (Chive)
• A collection of "perfectly timed" photos (Chive)

Here are some others that are from "artier" sources.

• Flickr's Hivemind
• Some Flickr High Dynamic Range Photos (Set 1 and Set 2)
• Photo.net Picture Finder Filter (Photo.net)
• 10 Picture worth a look. (XciteFun.net)
• Interesting photo hosting site (Pixdaus)

In 2008, many traders felt "over their heads" ...

It was scary for much of the year ...

Still, here is what I'll leave you with ... Winter always comes before Spring.

Best wishes for a Happy New Year.

Luck is Pretty Good Too

Luck is underrated. Here is a fun video montage where the hand of fate wasn't so fickle.

Here is a direct link to the YouTube video.

What you focus on determines your life.  It has been said many times, in many ways.

It is easy to focus on what is wrong, what is missing, or what you want to change.  On the other hand, it probably serves us better to feel confident, grateful and loved.  So as we begin 2009, think of how many things went right, how much opportunity is in front of you ... and how even "terrible things" serve to put you back on the right track or start on a better path.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Photology - A New Way To Find What You're Looking For

Overwhelmed by too many photos?  Too busy to sort and tag them?  Try this.

Photology helps you navigate the flood of digital photos on your computer by finding photos using simple and intuitive filters like faces, sky, color, location, and time of day ... automatically.

Can't find the photo of you in that pink silk jacket from the 4th of July party on the beach a few years ago? No problem, even with seemingly endless folders of random photos.  You know the expression, "finding a needle in a haystack," right? Thanks to Photology, haystacks of photos will get a lot smaller, making it much easier to find the "needle" you're looking for – even if that needle is an a pink jacket.

How do you do it?  Well, like this.

First stop questioning why you own a pink silk jacket.  Then start remembering what you can.  It was a few years ago (probably 2006).  The photo was of faces.  It was outside.  You were wearing pink.  And It was sunset. 

You can also combine, mix, and match any or all of these tidbits from your memory to find your photo.  It is fast, fun, and very easy to use.

Try it yourself with this online demo.  After the demo launches, try the filter options on the left.

I paid this software - and it was worth it.  Now it is free; an even better value proposition.  I'm still going to use Photoshop Elements for the heavier lifting ... Still, Photology has its place in the toolbox.

So click here to download the software.

Happy Holiday Season Wishes

I put together a short photo album and holiday card.  I hope you'll click this to watch.

Make a Smilebox photobook

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a terrific 2009.

This Holiday Season ... Beware of the Doghouse

A funny reminder of what not to do this holiday season.

When I asked what she wanted for a holiday present, my wife asked me to buy her an Apron.  Really.  She also wants a saw to cut wood, and a steam cleaner for the carpets.

I might have been born at night. But it wasn't last night.

Yes my wife claims to want certain things ... But I've been trained better than to buy them as gifts.  I give them to her the day before ... "just because". 

Here's why.

Direct link to YouTube video.  Also, here is their website.

Extra: Click Here for "Things You Don't Say to Your Wife" video.