Friday, January 31, 2014

SCARLET MEANS RED?

About Super Bowl censured Soda commercial:
 "is just a matter of establish standards ... once is done, there will be more to follow afterwards... the system hypocrisy is that everyone is doing something that looks like (banking, food, pharmaceutical, you name it), ... and are accepted or not accordingly the key players (usually the powerful ones)... so what to?, besides citizens really take the destiny that they want...."


Clearly that this debate has its epicenter wherever someone wants to put it, and surely its roots depend on who will be affected (how loud you have made your shout).
I'll try to focus here very briefly,and in a random order, several issues :

Marketing Strategy and Product itself, the commercial content, the fuss....

-as for the marketing, well sometimes a censure has much more advertising effects than a whole campaign itself... so this leads me to the "what if" this was done on purpose? (except the side effects on miss Johansson). Market are the soda consumers or energetic beverages consumers also;

- the product itself is an innovation, a portable device to have soda at home... ( that would make some cola and beverage brands go nuts.... and make them possibly what they can to stop it.... or in time, follow it). Of course there are the consumables such as the CO2 bottle, the flavouring spares, maintenance contracts etc... so the basic concept as for espresso coffee or the trendy "do it by yourself", "tailored made".

-the commercial itself is very visual, the actress is surely appealing, the lines are in my opinion too shallow, who would expected more ?!... this is not properly a "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", directed by Woody Allen); of course there is sexism and in sum the whole script could be a bit more ... polite, but for essentially a manly football fan audience, someone just followed his basic instinct which is in this case, sex.

-finally about the fuss itself.... this is just hypocrisy,  as i've said above every major company try to reduce is costs wherever in the world... being Energy, Finance, Coffee, Cocoa, Pharma or Textile.... all over the world, (i wouldnt dare now to point out a country, since this a Global issue);  you could question market rules or foreign laws, so you'll have to act through your mandatory or representative officer, considering you're a living in a democracy where citizens will has an effect.

So is up to people to decide whether to choose where their energy should be spent at, and if it is worth, in a cause effect perspective.



Thursday, January 16, 2014

THE READER [ALL THAT MEANT TO BE GOOD]


to enhance your sound experience, try using your headphones, enjoy!



Wednesday, January 8, 2014

PATTERN



Sometimes (most of the times) we can get efficiency (as in energy for instance) if we can recognize a certain pattern; so we can define certain procedures which can be repeated/replicated through a several amount of tasks, that we can detail to the essence; than probably, if we try to eliminate the heavy weights (waste), our system can get that precious % of better results .... governments, municipalities should apply such efforts to do better, but at the end is just a complex bureaucratic tie and web that they get into...hence citizens suffer from it also; Is just a vicious cycle as if it were some kind of control (automation definition) but where in the feedback line you couldn't get a corrected sign only add noise.... lots of it.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

EUSEBIO - your legacy lives

EUSEBIO legend lives!
One of the greatest world soccer players, has left our common earth today. He was an humble sportsman and was a pinnacle reference of soccer in Portugal and all over. Soccer pride, portuguese pride Rest in peace.

watch here:





Thursday, January 2, 2014

INNOVATE innovation in 5 steps

One thing that nature can really reveal us, is that from the stormy weather, there can be always surprises that keep us wondering. Thats what innovation is.... expectation for a surprise.



About innovation processes.... our mind is a well of ideas.... and an idea (as a surprise) can be a source of innovation... so, how can that occur "out of the blue"? What would be the right context to nurture your ideas? How much aware/ awareness have you from your surrounding world? How can you properly select or filter your ideas and get to the one that leads to innovation?
Of course that during our lives there's lots of noise that can't keeps always think in creation for innovative products, services, politics... whatsoever.... Many companies try to reproduce a favourable environment to enhance creation that leads to innovation.... which as good results (IDEO, 3M.... etc etc). But as a rainbow appears because some variables just gather properly in a time range, so innovation and ideas appear.
Da Vinci for instance, (and much more) had a inner source of ideas and most of it through observation ....
So observation through our possible senses, would be one of the keys.
But for itself observation can't produce an action ... so you begin another development step: which is questioning... like a child discovering things for the first time, trying to make sense of its surroundings....exploring and answering the naive questions (shape, proportion, colours , sounds, purpose, transmitted emotion, .... in a repeated process).
Do you feel like have answered the bulk of the questions? Can you figure a path for it ? Does it tell you anything... Can the answers communicate with you in a compelling fashion and keep you connected?
Then lets try it.... lets build your own scenarios and see how it goes  you can imagine how would it be (does it exists already and anyone looking for your idea...?), or can actually make, produce, at the beginning as the simplest form as you can reduce it, but as a sample which is relevant for your idea....
does it work? good! innovation complete!
doesn't work ... good in the same way (lots of steps have been crossed , and you have now more info that you were at the beginning) try it again as an iterative and feedback process; If this process is taking too much of your resources (better establish a limit from the beginning and stay with it! ) then you have to be humble enough to leave it.
Do you have a tangible thought? Do you want to keep it for yourself? or otherwise do you want to show it to the world and make it go forward?
If you want to show it..... get your compelling story for your idea and sell it....as much as you can, keep more ideas coming and get people as enthusiastic as you for you innovation.
Soul... is the master piece achievement.... the push forward strength that can tell you to believe on the art that you have just done, and to convince other to the same belief.... will be what it can differs from other.
Enjoy innovation and have good ideas!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

WELCOME 2014 - forecast for 2014

For 2014 i believe that world trends will emphasize in 2 distinct directions. By one hand economically and by another society.
2014 will definitely be in general (as a whole average) slightly better, if no wildcard takes ahead....

1st people are more aware, thats a good thing result of the information access so technology had a key role here; Although this process is slow, i think awareness is important in advanced societies where democratic structures are more efficient and more people focused.

2nd these same people for themselves realise more that can't rely and be so states/ government dependents, so they'll create their own structures and figure for themselves how to define and achieve their requirements. (ONGs, Groups, Networks .... this nothing new but its actually taking place in scale as Peter Drucker foreseen)

3rd New players are creating their agenda and with it societies will have to adapt to it, for instance "new" foreign languages teaching in some schools regarding these country economic weight or investment (powerful tool as i see it). So new cultural mixed standards and also technological ones.

4th New tech advances in hardware (nanotech advances) and augmented reality will bring new breakthrough opportunities in how people relate with machines  and with each other. Increasing tailored made productive systems.

5th There are also some uncertainties in what consumption concerns. The weak signs of EU, China 1st slowdown impact, the doubts for Japanese Bank as a key role for investment support, US debt dependencies ...









Saturday, December 28, 2013

BACK HOME

In this season there are lots of people travelling around the world, usually for celebrations, gatherings, or new work opportunities;  In my opinion home is a concept for your comfort place, whether its tangible or not. Wherever you geographically are, your thoughts will be and remain with you (at least up to the moment :) ). Sometimes you feel the need to share this same thoughts to anyone, some other just to your closest ones; maybe also you need to change paradigms, and look for what your were, if that makes you happy, or to get back to your roots whether if they are materialized near a group of persons (family or not) or enjoying the silence and your thoughts. Its some sort of personal reengineering where you get your own machine more efficient in that such  NTP (ptn) conditions...  (remembered Sheryl Crow with " if it makes you happy..." and Depeche Mode "enjoy the silence" ).


Friday, December 27, 2013

THE CLOUD

Much has been said and written about digital info and data content share and its use. Nowadays we are most closely to a big and worldwide reality show. Everyone is using major data, seeing his target profit. No naive thought about this issue, is just the way is all being addressed by the big players. Is general population nothing more than just mere sitting ducks? Is all taken to the point where the matter is how much you worth by your collected data? Of course information as a price, but what i am talking about is the way and means this same information is collected and finally used. Can you name now a step in your life where data collection isn't done? I can't.  Lets take a very small example. You go to work, take your car, stop in a gas station, and there you are in a screen controlled by someone (of course for security reasons); But the real doubts start precisely after the image being processed/recorded and archived. The image can collect your behaviour for a certain socio study easily transformed in the stats useful to be sold (of course without your permission) for any marketing company, gov etc. In  the way to work you have to pass in tolls (peáge) imagine that your car plate is being checked each time a car passes the toll, what represents the amount of info collected from the drivers: where they go, at each time of the day etc etc who would benefit with such info..... and goes on..... and i didn't mention yet anything about cellular phones, or computers, net..... So what to do ... well, our own info must be worth something for someone .... and i would like to collect my bucks ......!


Tuesday, December 24, 2013

THE WINTER TALE

Once there was this young boy, that lived here and there, most about in social institutions of a big city, but it actually liked to be outside watching traffic jams, counting cars, figure people behaviour,  watching neon lights, big wall advertisements, hanging out with its palls, making some pranks or bullying at school.
Very soon his round big green eyes allowed him to become aware of the surroundings, but hated the winter season, because he was always looking to find new ways to get warmer, but his skinny type body wouldn´t permit such comfort with so much lack of clothing, so he thought to be in constant move, which meant always in some kind of trouble. Most of the times his actions were based on self amusement i.e. "just for fun";
In snowing days, when he skipped to classes, he liked to be at the park climbing some of the not so small trees, throwing some "snow gifts" (so he called) to the crossing by foreigners (yes, he and the gang had a code for that: throwing snow balls to locals was forbidden, unless of..... having done it...).
It happened that one of the days, some old lady has crossed they're sightview, the same old lady that they're used to know when passing under her window behind some translucent white lace curtain.
The sun was fading away and the silence of the park was interrupted time to time by some cold breeze and some people jogging.  With all their weaponry set and ready to "fire", they've waited the right moment to strike, and unlikely, because of their code, one of them thought and murmured that the end of the day was somehow near and probably that was their best chance to get a fine target, but the young boy tried to refrain them, up to the moment that one of the other sent is snow gift to the poor lady. She was wearing a wood cap, dark scarf over a long light jacket, hardly handling two plastic bags , when she fell on the floor triggered by the gang hit, so she dropped the bags spilling every thing of the content, while prostrated in the snow floor, hoarsely, called for help. Silenced in the trees, the youngsters remained freezed, not only by the dropping temperatures, but also for the situation itself, when suddenly noticed two persons that seemed to go on rescue but unlikely they intercepted the old lady grabbing her with violence and demanding  her money ... the kids couldn't believe what they're watching, so two of them jumped of the tree and ran away, the young boy stood alone and with a mix of controversial feelings, started to yell as throwing some more snow balls at the two men; With that kid intromission and noise the men runned from there and got away, leaving the old lady frozen, crying , no one more came for help despite the so much fuss. The young boy jumped of the tree, and nervously walked towards the lady and arriving asked if she was ok? Visibly scared she urged to instantly cower herself ; The told her to not be afraid so the bad were gone, and he was there now and would help her; And so he did. First he helped her to seat, and cleaned  some of the snow in her hands face and clothing; eventually, his smile made her feel more calm and yet with difficult breathing she murmured a thanks for his action. After the young boy insistence, she accepted his help to raise up and and walker at home. During his walk, was just thinking how the hell he put himself in that situation and how would leave it; there was no way back, he felt guilty as never before and didn't understand why, watching behind his back he saw his two friends peeking.
Finally they got to the old lady's home, an old mansion in middle of the big city; She have invited him for a cup of tea since it was cold and would like to thank him for his gesture; After some long hesitation he entered that big door, and after he slammed the door a grey cat appeared from the long dark and tall corridor; He took of his sort of wrecked gloves. He was invited to go to the main room where there was already a generous fireplace and a big couch and dozens of books. She served the tea in a small table near the couch and the brown wood seats, where the boy waited. He was just amazed with  size of the house with paintings and the books and written papers, spreaded all over.
While pouring the mint tea, she commented that she used to see him crossing her window for some time and like to hear the gangs laughs, which were very inspiring for her ideas, so he concluded that she were a writer.
He asked if she would write about that park episode, at what she observed with some perhaps but had not yet decided what the subject be... if it was about some crooks that tried to steal her or about a skinny boy and his gang that attacked her with snow balls and after regrets and guilts help and old lady and after that modified his all life, helping others and especially that old lady that would be pleased to help him and educated till his manhood or until he fed up with it and follow his own path.
The young boy cried at the old lady arms hopping that the guilt just fade, the only ones that seemed to ever transmit some affection up to the moment. He promised to stick with her ever. And he did. The years crossed fast as the universe laws permitted and the boy became a fine adult business man, keeping the old lady promise, the same old lady that had already left the world the mansion the crying boy, but raised a fine person and changed the world, their world. Now was his time too, to change anyone else's world. And so he did.








Sunday, December 15, 2013

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all

May this season bring everyone more bright thoughts and that such thoughts are translated in good for all. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.


Thursday, December 12, 2013

SELFIE

In the days that "everything counts in large amounts", what a nice prize for a word of the year "SELFIE"; I thought that human ego couldn't grow more... but how far I was/ am of the truth; I suppose that human ego is directly proportional to universe expansion within its own entropic behaviour. To me SELFIE represents the peak of our own isolation driven by technological evolution but at the same time a call for exacerbated attention. The "I" has made an hostile take over of the "We", and human kind seems to be in line with that. So what are the main concerns here? Does society rings a bell? Well a "new" society trend would be.... individual networking society, where everyone follow its own path but has to link somehow to others even if they don't mean nothing as a real physical connection. Some would say "what for"? Answer: Balance. Balanced societies scarce and individualism took place as never before... selfie is one more definition of it. Did this has something to do with Obama et al? Sure, It just gave me the topic for this post... :)


Friday, December 6, 2013

MADIBA (MANDELA) LIVES




In these days where raw models are lacking or scarce, one more has left this earth. Most of the newspapers refer to Mandela as being dead, but actually it is my opinion that should be written that he lives. He lives in his spirit, testimony of humbleness, fight for freedom, union, sense of mission and commitment for peace, hence a messenger in his journey in a troubled society and world;  Can you name at the present moment another living example of a person that fought for freedom and union of persons? Personally I hardly can't.
Much things are being said, so i'll try to stick to my own perception of MADIBA (Nelson Mandela). First real impression that I've had was during his release back in 1990. I thought "what kind of a person stays arrested for its true cause for so many time?". An idealist and inspired person would do that (i now say). So many persons (leaders with society and world responsibilities or simply the citizen itself)  should put the eyes on this human heritage and spread it in their actions around the globe. Everyone can make the difference. Peace, union and freedom are worth to fight about. Thank you Nelson Mandela.

Friday, November 15, 2013

THE LITTLE MOON



Moon always played an interesting role in our lives, even as a business (space, astrophysics, astrology....). Although its far enough, it can influence people and the whole nature (tides, wind....) with its magnetic and gravitic fields. Atraction or repulsion between persons although sometimes (most of the times) are "physicaly" dependent the core is really in persons spirit. As a matter of an example most of times the public/ or private sector front offices are leaded by (unfortunetly) miseducated people, and most of the times dont know how to treat a "costumer". Everyone should know the importance of a front office which reflects the company or institution first impression hence it can repulse or attract; imagine this for a country, who does have the KEY role to conduct a country front office? Or who has the power and knowledge to attract investment, to create jobs policies, to enhance innovation culture, who are these front officers???

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

WATER LINES


Indeed that water is our creation basis, it can be a reflection ( ) of our daily motion. It flows, sometimes floods, other just runs narrow or don't run at all.. A Jump into the water could mean that you get to your roots and finally become free for yourself. Our "leaders" seem to have taken an agenda for which they don't have the closest idea where did it came from and where will it lead us to, and sincerely i would dare to say that they care as much as the rest of the common mortals..... assumig that 90% of the persons make plans for a day, or as lot of maketeers like to put it "now"! So, maybe (just maybe) there are some considerations, examples, to recover from the dust that can point out a direction, in order to get the flow that so many aspire.




Wednesday, October 30, 2013

WHAT LIES BEHIND THE CLOUD


Every end of day should be inspiring, this one reminds (perhaps) that there's always an waiting sun that can overcome any obstacles and is ready to find every one in that momment or on another day. In one word there can always be HOPE no matter what.