Press Clippings: From website iO9 (it should be in your bookmarks) comes this very interesting explanation of why you can hear your neighbors conversations from across the lake (and, of course, the opposite…why they can hear yours).It’s winter in North America and most are safe from pan-lake eavesdropping, but spring is just around the corner and ripe for exploitation. A word to the wise……
Sight
“Sight is swift, comprehensive, simultaneously analytic and synthetic. It requires so little energy to function, as it does, at the speed of light, that it permits our minds to receive and hold an infinite number of items of information in a fraction of a second. “
iFF
Ferrari: We knew it was coming from the day of the first announcement when Apple Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Service, Eddy Cue, joined Ferrari’s Board of Directors. Cue brings a unique understanding of the digital world—and the possibilities of such a world—to Ferrari. And Ferrari, a company long known for technological innovation, wasted no time in putting Cue’s insight to work.
The result: the integration of the FF’s infotainment system with an Apple iPad. The use of the Siri Eyes Free vocal command will enable control of the FF’s very sophisticated electronic entertainment and information system. And for those in the backseats: movies, videogames, or internet surfing, via a pair of iPad Minis built into the FF front seat headrests.
Is tighter integration of the digital world and the newest Ferraris on the way?
Count on it.
Shake Hands With The Future
Press Clippings: A NASA telescope has captured an image from far across the galaxy that resembles the “Hand of God” . The image was made possible by new technology (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telephoto Array) but is interesting for a couple of reasons and one is the convergence of scientific theory and religious beliefs. Science and religion are starting to track a lot closer as scientists probe the extreme edges of life, creation, the universe, and physics. One of the most interesting such research projects was the search for the “God Particle” , also known as the “Higgs Boson“, which was successfully concluded on 4 July 2012 via the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland but we’ll dive into that at some later point. In the meantime, check out the photo…it’s pretty amazing.
The Tommy Bahama Story
Adventures in Branding: Years ago, Inc. Magazine ran a very good article about how three guys (Bob Emfield, Luca Dalla Gasperina, Tony Margolis) started the now ubiquitous Tommy Bahama brand. Tommy Bahama started out selling bathing suits and t-shirts and now sells a very wide range of clothing, bags, accessories and home furnishings and even operates Tommy Bahama restaurants, which are co-located with their stand- alone retail stores. The article may be a big dated in terms of specific information, but as a process and insight piece, it’s very, very good. Perhaps in 2014, the year of your startup, it might be time to give it a read or a re-read. Here’s the link to a modern business classic, from the archives at Inc. Magazine: the backstory on the creation of the Tommy Bahama brand.
App-Propriate
Press Clippings: Do you know who Killian Bell is? Do you work on a Mac or have an iPhone or iPad? If you do, Killian is someone you need to know, and, more specifically, you need to know his website, Cult of Mac. Killian, along with John Gruber ( you also need to know John) who runs Daring Fireball, will keep you informed on what’s happening in the Apple centric world. These two very bright fellows provide vastly different perspectives on the Apple universe, but both are necessary for you to be fully informed and always enlightened. Cult of Mac focuses more on new products and software while Daring Fireball covers everything from Apple’s financial results to the modern philosophy of the use of periods in a text messages. Today, I direct your attention to Cult of Mac’s best iOS apps for 2013. Very good selection, especially if you’ve migrated up to iOS 7 for your mobile Apple products.
DRAFT: CLASS WARFARE: LE MANS 2017
THE LE MANS LINEUP FOR 207
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is off and running. The 2017 race is the 94rd anniversary of the famed historic endurance race, one of the top three automobile events in the world (Grand Prix of Monaco, Indy 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans), justifiably famous for the demands it puts on cars and teams and for the legends who have won there.
In 2017, there are only four classes at Le Mans. You can read very specific information about each class via this link to the ACO Site. A short description of each of the categories is listed below.
LM P1- For manufacturers and privateers.
The top class with the most advanced prototypes, dominated over the last decade by the magnificent prototype program run by Audi, but also featuring major league efforts from Porsche, Peugeot, Toyota, and Bentley in the past. This year, Porsche –who has won 18 times overall at Le Mans with their win last year—has staked a claim to being (again) the team to beat at Le Mans.
There are two subgroups in this class, one with hybrid energy systems and one without (only privateers can run in the non-hybrid category)
LM P2-For privateers only
This class is P1,lite. All closed cockpit (in the past there have been open cockpit cars in the class) and a very short list of chassis suppliers (Dallara, Ligier,Oreca, and Riley) and one engine supplier, Gibson).
LM-GTE Pro
LM-GTE (Le Mans Grand Touring endurnace) is the professional GT category at Le Mans. This category is packed with factory backed entries. Most of the players in this group are familiar to followers of IMSA and the WEC (World Endurance Championship) series: Porsche (back with yet another iteration of the iconic 911 RSR); Corvette (C7R); Aston Martin Vantages; Ford and Ferrari.
LM-GTE Am
This is the “amateur” category for GT Racing. In this category, an amateur ( or “Gentleman driver”) is paired up with one or two drivers of equal or better skill(there’s a rating system for the drivers). The cars in this category are at least one year old.
Le Mans, to its’ credit, is very generous in opening up classes for privateer and amateur teams. The newspaper headlines will go to the P1 category and the LM-GTE Pro classes.
Into The Mystic
“We were born before the wind
Also younger than the sun
Ere the bonnie boat was won as we sailed into the mystic
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic…”
Prepster
Paying Attention: The Ivy-league initiated clothing style known as “Preppy” never really goes away. It’s too basic and ingrained in the American culture to disappear, no matter which direction fashion moves in. But, working within the rather tight, iconic framework of “preppy” clothing designs (and colors), there are always new brands that rise up. Bloomberg recently took a look at three of the latest, one of which is an old-line English favorite (always a good pedigree for preppy). Here’s the story.
COMT I (Christmas One More Time)
The Hunt For New (Christmas)Music:
For over a decade, I’ve been putting together a Christmas playlist.
The goal is simple: Introduce friends to new Christmas music they probably haven’t heard, or old Christmas music performed in a new version by a new artist. In the spirit of Christmas, it’s time to share these lists, all of them, starting with the very first playlist. There are now 10 lists in total and they will be posted every few days starting on November 30th and ending approximately on December 16th.
It’s the season for great music–Christmas and otherwise–so spread the spirit of the season by playing and sharing.
[table “” not found /]