I know, it sounds weird if not stupid. But...
I have been watching some stories about autistic children who at some point in their live are able to communicate and some of them even become prodigies; e.g. Jacob Barnett, Carly Fleischmann. The ones that are able to communicate have mentioned that they cover their ears, scream, rock in their place or tear their clothes off because they are overwhelmed with sensory stimulus; it's too much and it hurts. My first though on how to help them was to put them in a room with as little sensory stimulus as possible. I imagine a empty grey room (or some other "quiet" colour) with no sounds, no shapes around, etc. And start providing them with very simple stimulus so they can continue with their growth. And I say continue their growth because I believe their brain is still in a state like the rest of us is when we are in our mother's womb.
You see I believe autism is the next step in human evolution just like today human babies are completely helpless in our first year after we are born whereas the majority of mammals are able to walk and do other things right after they are born. I have seen horses and cows being born and able to walk after a few hours of being born, but it takes us 10 months or so to do so. And then there is the fontanelle; that closes at approximately 18 months of age which is believed to be an evolutionary solution to accommodate for our growing skull and brain otherwise we would not fit through our mother's birth canal. So we finish our basic development outside our mother's womb whereas other animals do it before they are born. We have already developed some technical solutions to this problem; the C-section that allow babies with larger skulls to be born that otherwise would have died stuck in the birth canal (I am one of them).
I believe that autism is waiting for a technical solution that would allow them to finish their mental development. Possibly a womb like environment with a reduced amount of sensory input. I guess we will find out just how long it takes them to finish their development. My guess is that it is around 8 years.
I can't wait to see just how much more intelligent these new humans will be. If Jake Barnett is any indication of the new level of intelligence; this new step in human evolution is going to be impressive. And that's just raw brain power but after these new humans create their own tools and technologies to expand their reach who knows what they will be able to accomplish. Yup, it's very exciting.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Friday, September 13, 2013
About creativity, innovation, cultural differences and synchronicity
First post after some years!. A very interesting synchronicity happened to me today. On my way home from work I came across a dance event at Place des Arts in Montreal as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the place. These are free events on the street.
The first dance group I saw was a group from Seoul Korea. A group of 3 very talented dancers dressed in black and performed a story about conflict, control of others, etc. All in all it was interesting. The dancers executed their piece with a high technical level and the story was interesting. The next group from Montreal (in the picture) performed a very interesting idea. It starts with a musician playing the trumpet and another wind instrument (its names escapes me). As he is playing two dancers enter the scene representing beings created by the music or rather by the musician's intention. The story continues with elements from video playback; the dancers and musician represent with their movements a video being played back back and forth and freezing. They also represent video static and other things. Initially the musician does not notice he has created these two beings with his music but slowly the beings start interacting with the musician until he notices them. After a few moments and after overcoming the initial shock the musician starts interacting with the newly created beings through dance, music, etc. For me it was a very powerful idea, executed beautifully by the dancers in a highly technical manner, including the musical talents of the musician.
And why is this important? Well, it is important to me in many levels. I have been working for a company called Myriad creating the user experience of a mobile messaging application. It just so happens that the leadership has changed how the company works and has affected my work for the worse during the last 9 months at a point where I have started looking for another job. Before december of 2012 I was part of a team of user experience designers, graphics designers and product managers in charge of the design of this messaging application. During most of 2012 we did a major redesign of the application and I feel we did a fantastic job in creating the product vision and design. However during this time the original company that I was hired by, Synchronica, was bought by Myriad. And slowly but surely we began feeling its effects around November and more strongly after December.
For multiple reasons my team mates either left the company on the own or were fired. I am the last one standing and I now report to another designer in Korea (hint hint). When the Montreal team was still intact we already had a few difficult arguments with the Korean leadership. Mostly related to cultural differences which I tried, and failed, to explain to the Korean leadership. These cultural differences have become extremely evident in the last 4 months.
In today's dance event I saw the result of these cultural differences and it hit me like a pack of bricks.
More background: In the past few years I have been interested in what is needed to be creative or rather to have a creative team and how to have innovation in a company. With the works mostly from Ken Robinson I became convinced that consistent innovation and creativity is an organic business. Creativity and innovation are part of the human nature but can only be obtained by creating the proper environment. It cannot be dictated by rules, processes or money. The same way as a farmer cannot mandate how a plant will grow, the farmer can only stride to create the optimal conditions for the plant to grow itself in the best possible way. In the same way a company can only create the optimal conditions for creativity and innovation to occur.
Last year, 2012, as part of the previous design team we were given the broad mandate to improve the design of the application with very high level guidelines. Our manager trusted us enough not to impose any of his ideas. However he participated in most of our brainstorming and design sessions acting like another designer and only reminded us from time to time the business goals of this application. So we went to town and did a major rethinking of the whole thing. Long work hours that did not feel like such at all. Very satisfying work I must say.
Then the Korean leadership and design members appear into the picture late last year with some hidden agendas too (not a problem usually). However what was immediately evident where the cultural differences between Canada and Korea (remember the dance teams today? Seoul and Montreal? synchronicity?).
Probably a couple of years ago I had read about the concept of "power distance index"(http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html). And during the early arguments with the Korean leadership it became evident to me that this was a textbook cultural difference. The first topic that became an argument between the Montreal team and the Korean leadership was that he felt "we were disrespecting his position as design director" by not complying to his demands. For which it begged for a "WTF?" response from our group. Me coming from a similar cultural background (Mexico) than Korea and having experienced first hand these cultural differences I immediately spotted the problem which I began to explain to the Korean director. I followed my explanation with an email with links to these topics to no avail.
Next move from the Korean director and another executive was to send two Korean female designers to "help" in the design. Unfortunately for me when the Korean designers arrived in April I was the only person left from the previous team. During the first week I felt some problems but I assumed they were due to the language barrier so I did not think of them much. Next week these problems were "clarified" by a higher level executive by putting me under the leadership of one of these Korean designers. Initially I did not think too much about these changes. However problems started to show up constantly. The main types of problems are related to following rules, creativity and innovation. For the Korean designers in my team they perceive that best work they can do is by copying what other applications do (Kakao talk, line and whatsapp). Which I agree to a certain extent. But the most annoying problem is the constant reminder about following rules, doing what you are told and doing as everybody else. At this point it even became an issue showing at the office on time which never had been an issue before and has not been an issue with the other teams in Montreal. After the first week of April it became apparent to me that I needed to find another job.
So I have been thinking about this situation, creativity and innovation. Under the new work environment I do not think innovation is possible in a consistent manner. There environment is not conducive to creativity and innovation. There is no space for trying things out, mistakes are highly frowned upon and forget about brainstorming sessions; you only have to follow what the team leader says.
Back to cultural differences. According to Hofstede the Power Distance Index is the perceived power attributed to members of a group depending on their position in a hierarchy. If the power distance index is high then members of a group accept the power of the person above them in the hierarchy without question; this power is given by the sole hierarchical structure and no justification is needed. If the power distance index is very low then there is very little perceived power associated to the person above the hierarchy; and hierarchies are in place for convenience only. In countries with low power distance index people believe that managers should facilitate and empower subordinates. In countries with a hight power distance index people believe that managers should be benevolent dictators.
As I mentioned before, the first problem with the Korean director was that "we disrespected him". He told us that "we should respect him because he is the design director". This concept is very dissonant to a Canadian mind because in the Canadian culture (and other countries where the power distance index is low) respect is earned. Another problem is doing as you are told. In a low power index country or organization you are expected to be empowered, be bold, create new ideas on your own or in a team, challenge accepted ideas, etc. A manager can only give broad guidelines but he or she is expected to let the subordinates do their best work, and empower them to do so. In a country or organization with a hight power distance index subordinates are expected to do as they are told by their manager.
And what about the dancers? Even though both groups of dancers (Korea and Canada) where highly proficient in the technical aspects it was very evident to me that the group from Montreal were bold, experimented with new ideas, props, etc. The story became more salient than the technical aspects of their dance. You could even see it in the way they were dressed: the Korean team had matching black and purple clothes, the team from Montreal were all dressed different and according to the story they where telling. The group from Montreal was made of two dancers and one musician playing the trumpet (not a dancer), they included concepts from video, dreams and spirituality. To me the differences between the teams and similarities to my work situation were uncanny.
During the time I have lived in Canada and specially in Montreal I have noticed the importance in individuality and empowering the individual in this society. It is very common to see on the street people dressed in outrageous ways, while people respect your individuality. Different people are expected to have different ideas and this is accepted as normal. For example: In Canadian public schools students do not wear a uniform and are allowed to wear their hair in whichever way they wish. In contrast Mexican schools require the use of a uniform and are strict regarding hairstyles. In Canada I can wear bermudas to work whereas in Mexico I would be given the evil eye even if I wear bermudas on the street let alone at the workplace.
My conclusion is that it is very difficult to have creativity or innovation in a consistent way in a country with a high power distance index. I am not saying it is impossible but the only avenue to be creative in such a country is by being some type of a rebel. Whereas in a country with a low power distance index and high regard to individuality it creates an environment more conducive to creativity and innovation. To me this is a structural problem, meaning, these basic elements such as power distance index, individuality, etc determine whether a country or organization can have innovation in a consistent manner. And going back to Ken Robinson, innovation cannot be mandated it can only spring by providing the appropriate environment.
The first dance group I saw was a group from Seoul Korea. A group of 3 very talented dancers dressed in black and performed a story about conflict, control of others, etc. All in all it was interesting. The dancers executed their piece with a high technical level and the story was interesting. The next group from Montreal (in the picture) performed a very interesting idea. It starts with a musician playing the trumpet and another wind instrument (its names escapes me). As he is playing two dancers enter the scene representing beings created by the music or rather by the musician's intention. The story continues with elements from video playback; the dancers and musician represent with their movements a video being played back back and forth and freezing. They also represent video static and other things. Initially the musician does not notice he has created these two beings with his music but slowly the beings start interacting with the musician until he notices them. After a few moments and after overcoming the initial shock the musician starts interacting with the newly created beings through dance, music, etc. For me it was a very powerful idea, executed beautifully by the dancers in a highly technical manner, including the musical talents of the musician.
And why is this important? Well, it is important to me in many levels. I have been working for a company called Myriad creating the user experience of a mobile messaging application. It just so happens that the leadership has changed how the company works and has affected my work for the worse during the last 9 months at a point where I have started looking for another job. Before december of 2012 I was part of a team of user experience designers, graphics designers and product managers in charge of the design of this messaging application. During most of 2012 we did a major redesign of the application and I feel we did a fantastic job in creating the product vision and design. However during this time the original company that I was hired by, Synchronica, was bought by Myriad. And slowly but surely we began feeling its effects around November and more strongly after December.
For multiple reasons my team mates either left the company on the own or were fired. I am the last one standing and I now report to another designer in Korea (hint hint). When the Montreal team was still intact we already had a few difficult arguments with the Korean leadership. Mostly related to cultural differences which I tried, and failed, to explain to the Korean leadership. These cultural differences have become extremely evident in the last 4 months.
In today's dance event I saw the result of these cultural differences and it hit me like a pack of bricks.
More background: In the past few years I have been interested in what is needed to be creative or rather to have a creative team and how to have innovation in a company. With the works mostly from Ken Robinson I became convinced that consistent innovation and creativity is an organic business. Creativity and innovation are part of the human nature but can only be obtained by creating the proper environment. It cannot be dictated by rules, processes or money. The same way as a farmer cannot mandate how a plant will grow, the farmer can only stride to create the optimal conditions for the plant to grow itself in the best possible way. In the same way a company can only create the optimal conditions for creativity and innovation to occur.
Last year, 2012, as part of the previous design team we were given the broad mandate to improve the design of the application with very high level guidelines. Our manager trusted us enough not to impose any of his ideas. However he participated in most of our brainstorming and design sessions acting like another designer and only reminded us from time to time the business goals of this application. So we went to town and did a major rethinking of the whole thing. Long work hours that did not feel like such at all. Very satisfying work I must say.
Then the Korean leadership and design members appear into the picture late last year with some hidden agendas too (not a problem usually). However what was immediately evident where the cultural differences between Canada and Korea (remember the dance teams today? Seoul and Montreal? synchronicity?).
Probably a couple of years ago I had read about the concept of "power distance index"(http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html). And during the early arguments with the Korean leadership it became evident to me that this was a textbook cultural difference. The first topic that became an argument between the Montreal team and the Korean leadership was that he felt "we were disrespecting his position as design director" by not complying to his demands. For which it begged for a "WTF?" response from our group. Me coming from a similar cultural background (Mexico) than Korea and having experienced first hand these cultural differences I immediately spotted the problem which I began to explain to the Korean director. I followed my explanation with an email with links to these topics to no avail.
Next move from the Korean director and another executive was to send two Korean female designers to "help" in the design. Unfortunately for me when the Korean designers arrived in April I was the only person left from the previous team. During the first week I felt some problems but I assumed they were due to the language barrier so I did not think of them much. Next week these problems were "clarified" by a higher level executive by putting me under the leadership of one of these Korean designers. Initially I did not think too much about these changes. However problems started to show up constantly. The main types of problems are related to following rules, creativity and innovation. For the Korean designers in my team they perceive that best work they can do is by copying what other applications do (Kakao talk, line and whatsapp). Which I agree to a certain extent. But the most annoying problem is the constant reminder about following rules, doing what you are told and doing as everybody else. At this point it even became an issue showing at the office on time which never had been an issue before and has not been an issue with the other teams in Montreal. After the first week of April it became apparent to me that I needed to find another job.
So I have been thinking about this situation, creativity and innovation. Under the new work environment I do not think innovation is possible in a consistent manner. There environment is not conducive to creativity and innovation. There is no space for trying things out, mistakes are highly frowned upon and forget about brainstorming sessions; you only have to follow what the team leader says.
Back to cultural differences. According to Hofstede the Power Distance Index is the perceived power attributed to members of a group depending on their position in a hierarchy. If the power distance index is high then members of a group accept the power of the person above them in the hierarchy without question; this power is given by the sole hierarchical structure and no justification is needed. If the power distance index is very low then there is very little perceived power associated to the person above the hierarchy; and hierarchies are in place for convenience only. In countries with low power distance index people believe that managers should facilitate and empower subordinates. In countries with a hight power distance index people believe that managers should be benevolent dictators.
As I mentioned before, the first problem with the Korean director was that "we disrespected him". He told us that "we should respect him because he is the design director". This concept is very dissonant to a Canadian mind because in the Canadian culture (and other countries where the power distance index is low) respect is earned. Another problem is doing as you are told. In a low power index country or organization you are expected to be empowered, be bold, create new ideas on your own or in a team, challenge accepted ideas, etc. A manager can only give broad guidelines but he or she is expected to let the subordinates do their best work, and empower them to do so. In a country or organization with a hight power distance index subordinates are expected to do as they are told by their manager.
And what about the dancers? Even though both groups of dancers (Korea and Canada) where highly proficient in the technical aspects it was very evident to me that the group from Montreal were bold, experimented with new ideas, props, etc. The story became more salient than the technical aspects of their dance. You could even see it in the way they were dressed: the Korean team had matching black and purple clothes, the team from Montreal were all dressed different and according to the story they where telling. The group from Montreal was made of two dancers and one musician playing the trumpet (not a dancer), they included concepts from video, dreams and spirituality. To me the differences between the teams and similarities to my work situation were uncanny.
During the time I have lived in Canada and specially in Montreal I have noticed the importance in individuality and empowering the individual in this society. It is very common to see on the street people dressed in outrageous ways, while people respect your individuality. Different people are expected to have different ideas and this is accepted as normal. For example: In Canadian public schools students do not wear a uniform and are allowed to wear their hair in whichever way they wish. In contrast Mexican schools require the use of a uniform and are strict regarding hairstyles. In Canada I can wear bermudas to work whereas in Mexico I would be given the evil eye even if I wear bermudas on the street let alone at the workplace.
My conclusion is that it is very difficult to have creativity or innovation in a consistent way in a country with a high power distance index. I am not saying it is impossible but the only avenue to be creative in such a country is by being some type of a rebel. Whereas in a country with a low power distance index and high regard to individuality it creates an environment more conducive to creativity and innovation. To me this is a structural problem, meaning, these basic elements such as power distance index, individuality, etc determine whether a country or organization can have innovation in a consistent manner. And going back to Ken Robinson, innovation cannot be mandated it can only spring by providing the appropriate environment.
Friday, December 03, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
10 doublings in 10 years for SD cards!
I have just realized that SD cards have increased 1000 in size in the last 10 years that means they have doubled their capacity 10 times! I am amazed.
So in 2000 I was starting at Nokia in Vancouver and one of the things I was asked to design was a music player for a touch screen phone. One of the interesting things is that this device was going to be in the market in 3 years at the earliest. At that time music players using SD cards or internal flash memory had between 16 and 64MB of memory. That gave you enough space for around 20 songs max. So we started designing with that in mind. At some point it dawned on me "wait a minute! how much storage are we going to have in 3 or 5 years?". At that time I used the moore's law (1 doubling every 18 months). So the rounded number we came up with was 100 or 200 songs.
Today, 10 years later, your 100 dollar SD card is between 16 and 32GB with 64GB available for a prime. So basically 1000 times more storage than in 2000; that's 10 doublings or 1 doubling per year! Wow!
Another tidbit I have been following is what type of computer you can buy for 2000 USD. This particular trend I have been following since 1987 when I started reading Byte magazine. At that time 2000 dollars was on the cheap side of prices. Typically prices ran a bit higher than that. I think my first computer (1988 or 89) was an IBM 2 or something with an 8086 processor, 640 RAM, 5MB hard drive and the first version of the 3 1/2 floppy disks (they were making their debut in this machine). At that time I am pretty sure the 80286 was already available but it was too expensive to buy. At school we had 8086 clones with 640KB, 2 floppy drives and no hard drives. I am pretty sure that is what you could buy with around 2,000 US dollars (I need to check my facts though).
So today we can buy pretty powerful computers for less than a 1000 USD. But for 2000 bucks you can get a huge gaming machine with an Intel I7 Quad core processor at 2.8Ghz, 6GB RAM and 650GB of hard drive; not to mention an unbelievable graphics card (Dual ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of memory), DVD/CD reader writer, etc.
Processor speed has increased 500 times; but if we include the quad core idea then it is 2000 times or 11 doublings (is that a word?).
RAM capacity has increased 10,000 times or 13-14 doublings.
Hard drive has increase 100,000 tunes or 17 doublings (approx).
In addition to that I have not included inflation which supposedly has been 27% ; which I doubt. I mean this year alone gold has gone from 700 to 1350! Inflation 27%? yeah, right! At any rate, if we factor the 27% inflation (ha!) then we should be paying 2, 540 for the same 2000 dollars back in the year 2000. But we are now paying around 1,000 for a run of the mill machine. So there you go, another double (or halving of the price).
One side comment: this is why I totally get Apple when they launch a flash memory only laptop or Cannon when they launched a flash memory only camcorder 3 or 4 years ago.
Plus now we can get flat screens, wireless LANS, cellphones, bluetooth, blueray, etc, etc.
This is one of the cool things about working on the high tech industry; you get to design things that will work with technology that will be available in the future. Although this is also a downer when you go to the store and see only the old stuff available. You get so used to working with things that will be available in the future that current things are no longer so exciting.
Anybody want to venture what we will have in 2020? Don't ask me, I only work 3 years ahead :) I get the feeling that we will have a quantum leap that will take us in another direction; totally unexpected. So no need to make predictions, they are overrated.
Senate vote to kill Climate Act disrespects Canadians and democracy
Dear prime minister Harper,
I just cannot believe this government did this!
As a Canadian I feel very strongly about the future of the climate and this planet. I know that with a very adverse climate there will not be ANY economy to defend. What is so hard to understand about that? We need the Climate change accountability act yesterday!
My jaw is on the floor, I cannot believe this government is acting so irresponsibly.
I hope you find it in your heart the courage to act now so that we will not have to answer to our children tomorrow why we acted so irresponsibly and left them with no planet to live in.
Sincerely,
Victor Palacios
Montreal
2010 is almost over
So! 2010 and my contract with Nokia is almost over. Wow how time flies! So many things have happened in the part of the world of tecnology that I follow: iphone 4, Android phones, Google buzz fizzed, Google wave also tanked, facebook places and messages has just been launched (I am interested in what happens there), iPad, N8... etc. The latest political things that I have followed: Republicans take back congress (damn!), TSA scandal, Obama's trip to asia with 3000 guests, 65 airplanes and 35 war ships (whole mole!) and came back empty handed, Gordon Campbell resigned from his post as prime minister in BC, Canada, Canadians for question period reform, G8 in Toronto and the police abuses and that shadowy piece of legislation pulled off from the mayor's sleeve (That's Canada marching to the elite's tune), Lopez Obrador (in Mexico) getting ready for the next presidential election... and of course the economy... yikes have you seen gold?from 700 last year to 1350 today! basically that means that the US dollar is now officially devalued 50%. And I mean officially because with all those bailouts creating so much money out of thin air the real devaluation should be much severe. Mind you the US dollar is supported by nothing, i.e. it's just paper, it actually has no value, thus the wars the US has been involved in just to keep the dollar going. But now after Obama came back empty handed (could not get an agreement on the currency wars going on now) it means that the US dollar and most probably other currencies are going down! Word of advice buy physical gold or else!
I am still waiting for Disclosure... Not much time left.
Holly macaroni there is so much happening that my head is spinning! I did not even went through a quarter of my list. But this much has to happen in order to give way to the new.
Peace
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Bon jour Montreal
Now working at Nokia Montreal. OMG its freezing!
Ahora estoy trabajando en Nokia Montreal. El frio esta jijo!
Ahora estoy trabajando en Nokia Montreal. El frio esta jijo!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The committee of the 300
So this is the committee of the 300! Finally I know who they are (according to Benjamin Fulford's list):
Abergavemy, Marquis of.
Acheson, Dean.
Adeane, Lord Michael.
Agnelli, Giovanni.
Alba, Duke of.
Aldington, Lord.
Aleman, Miguel.
Allihone, Professor T. E.
Alsop Family Designate.
Amory, Houghton.
Anderson, Charles A.
Anderson, Robert 0.
Andreas, Dwayne.
Asquith, Lord.
Astor, John Jacob and successor, Waldorf.
Aurangzeb, Descendants of.
Austin, Paul.
Baco, Sir Ranulph
BalFour, Arthur.
Balogh, Lord.
Bancroft, Baron Stormont.
Baring.
Barnato, B.
Barran, Sir John.
Baxendell, Sir Peter.
Beatrice of Savoy, Princess.
Beaverbrook, Lord.
Beck, Robert.
Beeley, Sir Harold.
Beit, Alfred.
Benn, Anthony Wedgewood.
Bennet, John W.
Benneton, Gilberto or alternate Carlo.
Bertie, Andrew.
Besant, Sir Walter.
Bethal, Lord Nicholas.
Bialkin, David.
Biao, Keng.
Bingham, William.
Binny, J. F.
Blunt, Wilfred.
Bonacassi, Franco Orsini.
Bottcher, Fritz.
Bradshaw, Thornton.
Brandt, Willy.
Brewster, Kingman.
Buchan, Alastair.
Buffet, Warren.
Bullitt, William C.
Bulwer-Lytton, Edward.
Bundy, McGeorge.
Bundy, William.
Bush, George.
Cabot, John. Family Designate.
Caccia, Baron Harold Anthony.
Cadman, Sir John.
Califano, Joseph.
Carrington, Lord.
Carter, Edward.
Catlin, Donat.
Catto, Lord.
Cavendish, Victor C. W. Duke of Devonshire.
Chamberlain, Houston Stewart.
Chang, V. F.
Chechirin, Georgi or Family Designate.
Churchill, Winston.
Cicireni, V. or Family Designate.
Cini, Count Vittorio.
Clark, Howard.
Cleveland, Amory.
Cleveland, Harland.
Clifford, Clark.
Cobold, Lord.
Coffin, the Rev William Sloane.
Constanti, House of Orange.
Cooper, John. Family Designate.
Coudenhove-Kalergi, Count.
Cowdray, Lord.
Cox, Sir Percy.
Cromer, Lord Evelyn Baring.
Crowther, Sir Eric.
Cumming, Sir Mansfield.
Curtis, Lionel. d’Arcy, William K.
D’Avignon, Count Etienne.
Danner, Jean Duroc.
Davis, John W. de Benneditti, Carlo.
De Bruyne, Dirk.
De Gunzberg, Baron Alain.
De Lamater, Major General Walter.
De Menil, Jean.
De Vries, Rimmer.
de Zulueta, Sir Philip.
de’Aremberg, Marquis Charles Louis.
Delano. Family Designate.
Dent, R.
Deterding, Sir Henri.
di Spadaforas, Count Guitierez, (House
Douglas-Home, Sir Alec.
Drake, Sir Eric.
Duchene, Francois.
DuPont.
Edward, Duke of Kent.
Eisenberg, Shaul.
Elliott, Nicholas.
Elliott, William Yandel.
Elsworthy, Lord.
Farmer, Victor.
Forbes, John M.
Foscaro, Pierre.
France, Sir Arnold.
Fraser, Sir Hugh.
Frederik IX, King of Denmark Family Designate.
Freres, Lazard.
Frescobaldi, Lamberto.
Fribourg, Michael.
Gabor, Dennis.
Gallatin, Albert. Family Designate.
Gardner, Richard.
Geddes, Sir Auckland.
Geddes, Sir Reay.
George, Lloyd.
Giffen, James.
Gilmer, John D.
Giustiniani, Justin.
Gladstone, Lord.
Gloucestor, The Duke of.
Gordon, Walter Lockhart.
Grace, Peter J.
Greenhill, Lord Dennis Arthur.
Greenhill, Sir Dennis.
Grey, Sir Edward.
Gyllenhammar, Pierres.
Haakon, King of Norway.
Haig, Sir Douglas.
Hailsham, Lord.
Haldane, Richard Burdone.
Halifax, Lord.
Hall, Sir Peter Vickers.
Hambro, Sir Jocelyn.
Hamilton, Cyril.
Harriman, Averill.
Hart, Sir Robert.
Hartman, Arthur H.
Healey, Dennis.
Helsby, Lord.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Her Majesty Queen Juliana.
Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix.
Her Royal Highness Queen Margreta.
Heseltine, Sir William.
Hesse, Grand Duke descendants, Family Designate.
Hoffman, Paul G.
Holland, William.
House of Braganza.
House of Hohenzollern.
House, Colonel Mandel.
Howe, Sir Geoffrey.
Hughes, Thomas H.
Hugo, Thieman.
Hutchins, Robert M.
Huxley, Aldous.
Inchcape, Lord.
Jamieson, Ken.
Japhet, Ernst Israel.
Jay, John. Family Designate.
Jodry, J. J.
Joseph, Sir Keith.
Katz, Milton.
Kaufman, Asher.
Keith, Sir Kenneth.
Keswick, Sir William Johnston, or Keswick, H.N.L.
Keswick, William Johnston.
Keynes, John Maynard.
Kimberly, Lord.
King, Dr. Alexander.
Kirk, Grayson L.
Kissinger, Henry.
Kitchener, Lord Horatio.
Kohnstamm, Max.
Korsch, Karl.
Lambert, Baron Pierre.
Lawrence, G.
Lazar.
Lehrman, Lewis.
Lever, Sir Harold.
Lewin, Dr. Kurt.
Lippmann, Walter.
Livingstone, Robert R. Family Designate.
Lockhart, Bruce.
Lockhart, Gordon.
Linowitz, S.
Loudon, Sir John.
Luzzatto, Pieipaolo.
Mackay, Lord, of Clasfern.
Mackay-Tallack, Sir Hugh.
Mackinder, Halford.
MacMillan, Harold.
Matheson, Jardine.
Mazzini, Gueseppi.
McClaughlin, W. E.
McCloy, John J.
McFadyean, Sir Andrew.
McGhee, George.
McMillan, Harold.
Mellon, Andrew.
Mellon, William Larimer or Family Designate.
Meyer, Frank.
Michener, Roland.
Mikovan, Anastas.
Milner, Lord Alfred.
Mitterand, Francois.
Monett, Jean.
Montague, Samuel.
Montefiore, Lord Sebag or Bishop Hugh.
Morgan, John P.
Mott, Stewart.
Mountain, Sir Brian Edward.
Mountain, Sir Dennis.
Mountbatten, Lord Louis.
Munthe, A., or family designate.
Naisbitt, John.
Neeman, Yuval.
Newbigging, David.
Nicols, Lord Nicholas of Bethal.
Norman, Montague.
O’Brien of Lotherby, Lord.
Ogilvie, Angus.
Okita, Saburo.
Oldfield, Sir Morris.
Oppenheimer, Sir Earnest, and successor, Harry.
Ormsby Gore, David (Lord Harlech).
Orsini, Franco Bonacassi.
Ortolani. Umberto.
Ostiguy, J.P.W.
Paley, William S.
Pallavacini.
Palme, Olaf.
Palmerston.
Palmstierna, Jacob.
Pao, Y.K.
Pease, Richard T.
Peccei, Aurellio.
Peek, Sir Edmund.
Pellegreno, Michael, Cardinal.
Perkins, Nelson.
Pestel, Eduard.
Peterson, Rudolph.
Petterson, Peter G.
Petty, John R.
Philip, Prince, Duke of Edinburgh.
Piercy, George.
Pinchott, Gifford.
Pratt, Charles.
Price Waterhouse, Designate.
Radziwall.
Ranier, Prince.
Raskob, John Jacob.
Recanati.
Rees, John Rawlings.
Rees, John.
Rennie, Sir John.
Rettinger, Joseph.
Rhodes, Cecil John.
Rockefeller, David.
Role, Lord Eric of Ipsden.
Rosenthal, Morton.
Rostow, Eugene.
Rothmere, Lord.
Rothschild Elie de or Edmon de and/or Baron RothschiLd Runcie, Dr.Robert.
Russell, Lord John.
Russell, Sir Bertrand.
Saint Gouers, Jean.
Salisbury, Marquisse de Robert Gascoiugne Cecil. Shelburne, The Salisbury, Lord.
Samuel, Sir Marcus.
Sandberg, M. G.
Sarnoff, Robert.
Schmidheiny, Stephan or alternate brothers Thomas, Alexander.
Schoenberg, Andrew.
Schroeder.
Schultz, George.
Schwartzenburg, E.
Shawcross, Sir Hartley.
Sheridan, Walter.
Shiloach, Rubin.
Silitoe, Sir Percy.
Simon, William.
Sloan, Alfred P.
Smuts, Jan.
Spelman.
Sproull, Robert.
Stals, Dr. C.
Stamp, Lord Family designate.
Steel, David.
Stiger, George.
Strathmore, Lord.
Strong, Sir Kenneth.
Strong, Maurice.
Sutherland.
Swathling, Lord.
Swire, J. K.
Tasse, G. Or Family Designate.
Temple, Sir R.
Thompson, William Boyce.
Thompson, Lord.
Thyssen-Bornamisza, Baron Hans Henrich.
Trevelyn, Lord Humphrey.
Turner, Sir Mark.
Turner, Ted.
Tyron, Lord.
Urquidi, Victor.
Van Den Broek, H.
Vanderbilt.
Vance, Cyrus.
Verity, William C.
Vesty, Lord Amuel.
Vickers, Sir Geoffrey.
Villiers, Gerald Hyde family alternate.
Volpi, Count. von Finck, Baron August. von Hapsburg, Archduke Otto, House of Hapsburg-Lorraine. Von Thurn and Taxis, Max.
Wallenberg, Peter or Family Designate.
Wang, Kwan Cheng, Dr.
Warburg, S. C.
Ward Jackson, Lady Barbara.
Warner, Rawleigh.
Warnke, Paul.
Warren, Earl.
Watson, Thomas.
Webb, Sydney.
Weill, David.
Weill, Dr. Andrew.
Weinberger, Sir Caspar.
Weizman, Chaim.
Wells, H. G.
Wheetman, Pearson (Lord Cowdray).
White, Sir Dick Goldsmith.
Whitney, Straight.
Wiseman, Sir William.
Wittelsbach.
Wolfson, Sir Isaac.
Wood, Charles.
Young, Owen
Acheson, Dean.
Adeane, Lord Michael.
Agnelli, Giovanni.
Alba, Duke of.
Aldington, Lord.
Aleman, Miguel.
Allihone, Professor T. E.
Alsop Family Designate.
Amory, Houghton.
Anderson, Charles A.
Anderson, Robert 0.
Andreas, Dwayne.
Asquith, Lord.
Astor, John Jacob and successor, Waldorf.
Aurangzeb, Descendants of.
Austin, Paul.
Baco, Sir Ranulph
BalFour, Arthur.
Balogh, Lord.
Bancroft, Baron Stormont.
Baring.
Barnato, B.
Barran, Sir John.
Baxendell, Sir Peter.
Beatrice of Savoy, Princess.
Beaverbrook, Lord.
Beck, Robert.
Beeley, Sir Harold.
Beit, Alfred.
Benn, Anthony Wedgewood.
Bennet, John W.
Benneton, Gilberto or alternate Carlo.
Bertie, Andrew.
Besant, Sir Walter.
Bethal, Lord Nicholas.
Bialkin, David.
Biao, Keng.
Bingham, William.
Binny, J. F.
Blunt, Wilfred.
Bonacassi, Franco Orsini.
Bottcher, Fritz.
Bradshaw, Thornton.
Brandt, Willy.
Brewster, Kingman.
Buchan, Alastair.
Buffet, Warren.
Bullitt, William C.
Bulwer-Lytton, Edward.
Bundy, McGeorge.
Bundy, William.
Bush, George.
Cabot, John. Family Designate.
Caccia, Baron Harold Anthony.
Cadman, Sir John.
Califano, Joseph.
Carrington, Lord.
Carter, Edward.
Catlin, Donat.
Catto, Lord.
Cavendish, Victor C. W. Duke of Devonshire.
Chamberlain, Houston Stewart.
Chang, V. F.
Chechirin, Georgi or Family Designate.
Churchill, Winston.
Cicireni, V. or Family Designate.
Cini, Count Vittorio.
Clark, Howard.
Cleveland, Amory.
Cleveland, Harland.
Clifford, Clark.
Cobold, Lord.
Coffin, the Rev William Sloane.
Constanti, House of Orange.
Cooper, John. Family Designate.
Coudenhove-Kalergi, Count.
Cowdray, Lord.
Cox, Sir Percy.
Cromer, Lord Evelyn Baring.
Crowther, Sir Eric.
Cumming, Sir Mansfield.
Curtis, Lionel. d’Arcy, William K.
D’Avignon, Count Etienne.
Danner, Jean Duroc.
Davis, John W. de Benneditti, Carlo.
De Bruyne, Dirk.
De Gunzberg, Baron Alain.
De Lamater, Major General Walter.
De Menil, Jean.
De Vries, Rimmer.
de Zulueta, Sir Philip.
de’Aremberg, Marquis Charles Louis.
Delano. Family Designate.
Dent, R.
Deterding, Sir Henri.
di Spadaforas, Count Guitierez, (House
Douglas-Home, Sir Alec.
Drake, Sir Eric.
Duchene, Francois.
DuPont.
Edward, Duke of Kent.
Eisenberg, Shaul.
Elliott, Nicholas.
Elliott, William Yandel.
Elsworthy, Lord.
Farmer, Victor.
Forbes, John M.
Foscaro, Pierre.
France, Sir Arnold.
Fraser, Sir Hugh.
Frederik IX, King of Denmark Family Designate.
Freres, Lazard.
Frescobaldi, Lamberto.
Fribourg, Michael.
Gabor, Dennis.
Gallatin, Albert. Family Designate.
Gardner, Richard.
Geddes, Sir Auckland.
Geddes, Sir Reay.
George, Lloyd.
Giffen, James.
Gilmer, John D.
Giustiniani, Justin.
Gladstone, Lord.
Gloucestor, The Duke of.
Gordon, Walter Lockhart.
Grace, Peter J.
Greenhill, Lord Dennis Arthur.
Greenhill, Sir Dennis.
Grey, Sir Edward.
Gyllenhammar, Pierres.
Haakon, King of Norway.
Haig, Sir Douglas.
Hailsham, Lord.
Haldane, Richard Burdone.
Halifax, Lord.
Hall, Sir Peter Vickers.
Hambro, Sir Jocelyn.
Hamilton, Cyril.
Harriman, Averill.
Hart, Sir Robert.
Hartman, Arthur H.
Healey, Dennis.
Helsby, Lord.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Her Majesty Queen Juliana.
Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix.
Her Royal Highness Queen Margreta.
Heseltine, Sir William.
Hesse, Grand Duke descendants, Family Designate.
Hoffman, Paul G.
Holland, William.
House of Braganza.
House of Hohenzollern.
House, Colonel Mandel.
Howe, Sir Geoffrey.
Hughes, Thomas H.
Hugo, Thieman.
Hutchins, Robert M.
Huxley, Aldous.
Inchcape, Lord.
Jamieson, Ken.
Japhet, Ernst Israel.
Jay, John. Family Designate.
Jodry, J. J.
Joseph, Sir Keith.
Katz, Milton.
Kaufman, Asher.
Keith, Sir Kenneth.
Keswick, Sir William Johnston, or Keswick, H.N.L.
Keswick, William Johnston.
Keynes, John Maynard.
Kimberly, Lord.
King, Dr. Alexander.
Kirk, Grayson L.
Kissinger, Henry.
Kitchener, Lord Horatio.
Kohnstamm, Max.
Korsch, Karl.
Lambert, Baron Pierre.
Lawrence, G.
Lazar.
Lehrman, Lewis.
Lever, Sir Harold.
Lewin, Dr. Kurt.
Lippmann, Walter.
Livingstone, Robert R. Family Designate.
Lockhart, Bruce.
Lockhart, Gordon.
Linowitz, S.
Loudon, Sir John.
Luzzatto, Pieipaolo.
Mackay, Lord, of Clasfern.
Mackay-Tallack, Sir Hugh.
Mackinder, Halford.
MacMillan, Harold.
Matheson, Jardine.
Mazzini, Gueseppi.
McClaughlin, W. E.
McCloy, John J.
McFadyean, Sir Andrew.
McGhee, George.
McMillan, Harold.
Mellon, Andrew.
Mellon, William Larimer or Family Designate.
Meyer, Frank.
Michener, Roland.
Mikovan, Anastas.
Milner, Lord Alfred.
Mitterand, Francois.
Monett, Jean.
Montague, Samuel.
Montefiore, Lord Sebag or Bishop Hugh.
Morgan, John P.
Mott, Stewart.
Mountain, Sir Brian Edward.
Mountain, Sir Dennis.
Mountbatten, Lord Louis.
Munthe, A., or family designate.
Naisbitt, John.
Neeman, Yuval.
Newbigging, David.
Nicols, Lord Nicholas of Bethal.
Norman, Montague.
O’Brien of Lotherby, Lord.
Ogilvie, Angus.
Okita, Saburo.
Oldfield, Sir Morris.
Oppenheimer, Sir Earnest, and successor, Harry.
Ormsby Gore, David (Lord Harlech).
Orsini, Franco Bonacassi.
Ortolani. Umberto.
Ostiguy, J.P.W.
Paley, William S.
Pallavacini.
Palme, Olaf.
Palmerston.
Palmstierna, Jacob.
Pao, Y.K.
Pease, Richard T.
Peccei, Aurellio.
Peek, Sir Edmund.
Pellegreno, Michael, Cardinal.
Perkins, Nelson.
Pestel, Eduard.
Peterson, Rudolph.
Petterson, Peter G.
Petty, John R.
Philip, Prince, Duke of Edinburgh.
Piercy, George.
Pinchott, Gifford.
Pratt, Charles.
Price Waterhouse, Designate.
Radziwall.
Ranier, Prince.
Raskob, John Jacob.
Recanati.
Rees, John Rawlings.
Rees, John.
Rennie, Sir John.
Rettinger, Joseph.
Rhodes, Cecil John.
Rockefeller, David.
Role, Lord Eric of Ipsden.
Rosenthal, Morton.
Rostow, Eugene.
Rothmere, Lord.
Rothschild Elie de or Edmon de and/or Baron RothschiLd Runcie, Dr.Robert.
Russell, Lord John.
Russell, Sir Bertrand.
Saint Gouers, Jean.
Salisbury, Marquisse de Robert Gascoiugne Cecil. Shelburne, The Salisbury, Lord.
Samuel, Sir Marcus.
Sandberg, M. G.
Sarnoff, Robert.
Schmidheiny, Stephan or alternate brothers Thomas, Alexander.
Schoenberg, Andrew.
Schroeder.
Schultz, George.
Schwartzenburg, E.
Shawcross, Sir Hartley.
Sheridan, Walter.
Shiloach, Rubin.
Silitoe, Sir Percy.
Simon, William.
Sloan, Alfred P.
Smuts, Jan.
Spelman.
Sproull, Robert.
Stals, Dr. C.
Stamp, Lord Family designate.
Steel, David.
Stiger, George.
Strathmore, Lord.
Strong, Sir Kenneth.
Strong, Maurice.
Sutherland.
Swathling, Lord.
Swire, J. K.
Tasse, G. Or Family Designate.
Temple, Sir R.
Thompson, William Boyce.
Thompson, Lord.
Thyssen-Bornamisza, Baron Hans Henrich.
Trevelyn, Lord Humphrey.
Turner, Sir Mark.
Turner, Ted.
Tyron, Lord.
Urquidi, Victor.
Van Den Broek, H.
Vanderbilt.
Vance, Cyrus.
Verity, William C.
Vesty, Lord Amuel.
Vickers, Sir Geoffrey.
Villiers, Gerald Hyde family alternate.
Volpi, Count. von Finck, Baron August. von Hapsburg, Archduke Otto, House of Hapsburg-Lorraine. Von Thurn and Taxis, Max.
Wallenberg, Peter or Family Designate.
Wang, Kwan Cheng, Dr.
Warburg, S. C.
Ward Jackson, Lady Barbara.
Warner, Rawleigh.
Warnke, Paul.
Warren, Earl.
Watson, Thomas.
Webb, Sydney.
Weill, David.
Weill, Dr. Andrew.
Weinberger, Sir Caspar.
Weizman, Chaim.
Wells, H. G.
Wheetman, Pearson (Lord Cowdray).
White, Sir Dick Goldsmith.
Whitney, Straight.
Wiseman, Sir William.
Wittelsbach.
Wolfson, Sir Isaac.
Wood, Charles.
Young, Owen
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Drunvalo Mechizedek
Saquen sus palomitas y ponganse comodos que esto "estam guenisimo". Ademas tiene subtitulos en Espanol. Que lo disfruten.
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Get the popcorn and put your feet up that the show is about to start (in so many levels). Enjoy!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
My Fellow Canadians
My fellow Canadians: I am absolutely disgusted by the elections results! I can't believe the Conservatives won again! I can sum it up as follows: you are as spineless stupid as my fellow Americans!
Enjoy your fricking government! and go back to watching Canadian Idol, hockey and whatever stupid TV program is running nowadays. You definitively have the government you deserve!
BLAH!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The disclosure project - 2 hour DVD
I found one of the DVDs from The Disclosure project on Google video.
Part 1
Part 2
This is the original disclosure on May 2001 at the National Press Club.
It is interesting to see how this story was taking force but then 9/11 happened so it went on the wayside.
Do you want to see even more crazy stuff? Check www.projectcamelot.com and www.consciousmedianetwork.com .
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
It's just a ride
THE truth can certainly come from anywhere or from anyone.
This is more or less how it goes:
=====
The world is like a ride at an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it, you think it's real, because that's how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down and round a round, it has thrills and chills, and it's very brightly coloured and it's very loud. And it's fun, for a while.
Some people have been on the ride for a long time, and they begin to question: 'Is this real? Or is this just a ride?' And other people have remembered, and they come back to us and they say 'Hey! Don't worry, don't be afraid - ever - because ... this is just a ride'. And we kill those people.
'Shut him up! We have a lot invested in this ride! Shut him up! Look at my furrows of worry; look at my big bank account and my family. This has to be real.
It's just a ride. But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that - ever notice that? - and we let the demos run amok. But it doesn't matter, because... it's just a ride, and we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort. No worry. No job. No savings and money. Just a choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your door, buy bigger guns, close your self off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one.
Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, into a better ride. Take all that money that we (the US) spend on weapons and defense each year and, instead, spend it feeding, clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would do many times over - not one human being excluded - and we can explore space together, both inner and outer, forever... in peace.
=====
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
USA election 2008
So who would I vote in the USA 2008 election (if I could)? I would vote for Ron Paul. I actually would vote for Dennis Kucinich but he dropped from the race (darn!).
My favourite Ron Paul's ideas:
- Eliminate the federal reserve and go back to the gold standard. That alone would change the world in so many ways. If most countries would do that that would eliminate pretty much all wars, economic bubbles and busts, etc. Ever since 1913 or so we have been run by bank cartels. Both world wars and other wars have been created and funded on both sides by the bank cartels. The way money is created out of thin air causes inflation which is a flat tax on everybody but the elite. Also most of the income tax in the US and Canada is spend on paying the interest that central banks charge when they create money out of nothing! So they create money out of nothing and then charge interest on top! And we are paying our income taxes only for that!
- Getting out of any wars. I guess everybody can agree with that. But in reality this could be accomplished as a side effect of eliminating the federal reserve and the bank cartels.
- Energy. That's another arm of the bank cartel: the energy cartel. Even though Ron Paul is focusing on the known energy technologies including nuclear, which I am not fond of, I like the idea of eliminating subsidies on nuclear. I, of course, like the tax credits on solar and wind energies. One thing though: I would love to see investment and support for other alternative energy sources such as zero point energy and cold fusion. That would completely change the civilization as we know it.
- Government secrecy. I have not found this on his list of issues but I have seen it mentioned in some of his speeches. I am for open government (who isn't). I would say that most of the secrecy in current governments is because they actually are the elite servants. And secrecy is used to maintain the illusion that governments are here to serve the general public.
- Wars and foreign policy. This is a big one. I mean the threat of war with Iran is scary. Not only that, the main reason why the US is at war with Iraq and Afghanistan is to limit the production of oil and keeping the prices up. Again this is done by the banking cartel via the governments (USA, Britain, Germany, etc). And now they are threatening to go to war with Venezuela? Also, they change governments all over the world, including the last stolen election in Mexico. So definitively I am for "non policing the world, talk and make deals with the countries of the world".
Least favourite ideas:
- Health care. In principle he is right that the current way health care is handled in the US is appalling and that HMOs should be eliminated. But I don't agree with the argument that we Canadians would prefer the US health care. The canadian healthcare needs a lot of improvements and right now is currently under heavy attack by the Harper Conservative government by decreasing its funding and forcing private industry involvement (well, actually the health care industry is forcing this government to do so). But it is probably one thing that canadians are the most proud about. I love it. I mean the fact that when you have an accident or have to use the hospital for any reason, you don't have to worry at all how much it is going to cost is awesome! In this year alone I have saved a ton of money. My wife had a baby and we spend around 4 days at the hospital and that cost us zero dollars! Then she had a skin infection and had to have a small surgery plus multiple trips to the hospital to get IV antibiotics. My daughter had a wrist fracture and had to go to the emergency room and got a cast plus follow ups. And all the visits to the pediatrician and vaccines and whatnot. Everything at a cost of zero. Well not really, we need to pay a monthly fee of 108.00 canadian dollars. That's it! I mean how cool is that! But I would love to have the nordic system where they get the full royal treatment: Hospital, doctors, medicine, etc paid by taxes. All levels of school paid by taxes (all the way to PHD level, which is why the minimum level they consider worth doing is a masters degree).
- Which is why I am not that big on small government. I mean, sure everybody would like to get the government off their backs (me too), but we the people via the government should be able to decide what is best for us. One thing that I would change in the way of laws is the corporation personhood. Which is where I coincide with Ron Paul.
This post could go on forever, but I think I capture the keystones of my ideas and why I would support Ron Paul (If I was a US citizen).
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Healthy alternatives
I found this awesome health store just 2 blocks from my place. It's called Healthy Alternatives. Besides the healthy supplements, herbs, seeds and whatnot, they have a library about these subjects plus a large room where they have meditation and healing sessions most of them free of by donation. I mean what else do you need? The owner is open to other uses of the room, anything spiritually and healing related goes. Pretty nice.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Small town Richmond
One thing I like about Richmond is its small town feel. Even though there are a lot of high rises going us now. It still retains its small town feel. Open horizon.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
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