An #Outsider Newsflash: Bring Ai Weiwei's Tree sculptures to London's Royal Academy by Royal Academy of Arts

We here @ #Outsiders joined this project and was pleased to see that it has been fully funded.     We wanted to report on it today and as developments ensue, we will report on it.

7 We made it! Posted by Royal Academy of Arts

Thank you so much to all our backers for your incredible support of this project! Thanks to you, we have exceeded our target of raising £100,000. You are now officially a part of the largest ever arts Kickstarter project in Europe! We’re very excited about sharing the story of this installation over the coming weeks. We’ll be in touch very soon to arrange delivery of your rewards - keep an eye out for the surveys we will be sending out to gather your contact details and other information.

The Friday Musical Interlude: Bob Baldwin Plays People Make the World Go Around

As we welcome all to Friday here in #outsiders, it is time again for the Friday Musical Interlude.  Our artist for this week is Bob Baldwin as we hope all enjoy this:

Thought 4 the Week

It is "mid-week" here in the #outsider network.   It is time for a "Thought 4 the week" our team chose that we thought was quite timely:

“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength,
carrying two days at once.
It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time.
Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow,
it empties today of its strength.”
~ Corrie ten Boom

On the #Outsider Media Watch: On #Vox & #BuzzFeed

We here @ #Outsiders are always gratified as we see success stories.    One recent development was recent funding that +Vox  received.    They received a funding of $ 200 Million from NBC Universal that is part of the Comcast Corporation.   We understand that this funding values Vox at $ 1 Billion Dollars.    Ezra Klein of Vox is a regular contributor to MSNBC broadcasts.

We also was quite gratified as we saw that at the same time, Buzzfeed  also received $ 200 Million from NBC Universal that values it at an estimated $ 500 Million.    They have done some interesting and innovative ways in which they have been reporting on and Buzzfeed Team members have been regularly featured on MSNBC.    This is as it is trying to be "trendy.

We here @ #Outsiders congratulate both organizations on this momentous milestone.

Notations For the weekend: Creating a Personal "Vision of the Possible"

Our team wanted to share some timely thoughts we chose for this edition of "Notations For the weekend" which we hope all enjoy so that all can embark upon creating a personal "Vision of the Possible".   The first series of thoughts are from the great Og Mandino: Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity." "Do not listen to those who weep and complain, for their disease is contagious." "I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars." "I will not allow yesterday's success to lull me into today's complacency, for this is the great foundation of failure." "Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new." "The person who knows one thing and does it better than anyone else, even if it only be the art of raising lentils, receives the crown he merits. If he raises all his energy to that end, he is a benefactor of mankind and its rewarded as such." "The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams." "Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster. Your life will never be the same again." "I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth, will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy."   We leave you with this "Grid" as our journey continues:

The Friday Musical Interlude: Vincent Ingala

Welcome to Friday here in #Outsiders as we hope all enjoy this from our Artist for the Week, Vincent Ingala as he performs, "For the Love of You":

#Outsider Tech Watch: On Projects We're Backing thru #Kickstarter & Other Thoughts

This week is to the start of a new feature called #Outsider Tech Watch where we will have periodic commentary on what we're up to in that space.  Our Team is always on the "Prowl" to assess up and coming technologies.     We were quite pleased to support the following over the past 2 days:

We here were an early supporter of @keepod and invested in the new 16 GB...will have updates soon in #outsiders: http://t.co/ocG0P2I86q

— The Daily Outsider (@DailyOutsider) August 11, 2015

We invested in the first one as it came out and we are enthusiastically awaiting the arrival of the new 16 Gb which we hope to feature soon.     We also were quite pleased to support this:

We were pleased to back this project: Bevel turns your smartphone into a 3D Camera is popular on @Kickstarter! http://t.co/MTKIx4OGfx

— The Daily Outsider (@DailyOutsider) August 11, 2015

One of the initiatives we have is to create "Outsider Productions" and we thought that this will help with our on-going initiative.   We eagerly await the arrival of this to enhance our on-going production capabilities as we have been using +olloclip for our on-going development work and the expansion of the emerging collection we have on https://www.twenty20.com/.     

This is a "developing" story.....

Notations From the Grid: A Major Development From #Google

We here @ #Outsiders view this as a major development:

Quite a development: #Google is reorganizing under a new umbrella company called #Alphabet http://t.co/AxiHjUL5gC via @thenextweb

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) August 10, 2015

It will be interesting to see how it all "develops".      In our "daily roundup", our founder recalled a similar strategy by Sun Microsystems  (now owned by Oracle) during the 1990's when it created the "Sun Planets".     As we went to press, we saw reporting on the "Grid" that it was the brainchild of the new Google CFO.

 It will be interesting to see whether this all goes. 

Notations For the Week-End (Special Edition): Nagasaki

 

At approximately 11 AM Local time on Sunday August 9, a minute of silence was observed in Nagasaki on the 70th anniversary of the dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki. 70,000 people lost their lives.   BBC Carried it live Worldwide as our team researched images of that day in 1945 when the Bomb dropped and today under the guise of the Peace Statue.

The Mayor of Nagasaki implored the Government of Japan and the World to rid the World of Nuclear Weapons.  Although there are some who note Japan's sense of victim-hood despite all that it was responsible for throughout World War II, the reality remains that Japan has been the only victim of the Atom Bomb as the World continues to be on the edge of the abyss.   Our team has noted the continued conflicts on its' Daily Twitter Feed on the challenge on the India-Pakistan Border as just one example.    

The Japanese Prime Minister also spoke to underscore Japan's commitment without directly mentioning his efforts to reinterpret the post-war Constitution.    Before he spoke at the Nagasaki Peace Park in the shadow of the giant statue, one of the survivors spoke of the horror of that day.  He was 16 years old on that day and recounted the horror and the subsequent agony he had to undergo for years.    

 It is critical ever more that the story of Hiroshima and Nagasaki continues to be told even after the survivors are gone.    The future of our planet depends on it.       

The Friday Musical Interlude: Nelson Rangell's "Grace"

It is time for the Friday Musical Interlude here @ #Outsiders.  For this week, our chosen artist of the week is Nelson Rangell as we hope all enjoy "Grace":

Notations From the Grid: #EMC Going to VMWare

The transformation of our World continues faster than we can blink an eye as epitomized by this development our founder shared during our daily "roundup":

How fortunes shift as I see #EMC considering a possible buyout by #VMware via @FortuneMagazine http://t.co/3XeoY4OBjF

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) August 6, 2015

What was quite striking was how it was EMC that gave "birth" to VMWare.  EMC has been one of the leading storage players and a pioneer and VMware grow out of it as Virtualization took off.  It continues to grow today.     The stock prices of the two companies tell the story as noted in Bigcharts today--it is even more ironic that EMC owns a majority interest in VMWare.  It reminds us of another company with a somewhat similar predicament:  Yahoo with its' interest in Alibaba and Yahoo Japan as it has worked to figure out a way to stay relevant in the ever so changing landscape.

Truly interesting times..... 

View of the Week: Welcoming the Unexpected

For this edition of "View of the Week" here in the "Visions" Channel, our team chose this latest compilation from +Jonathan Huie  which is required reading for us as we continue to build & curate outsiders.   It is this view that underscores the commitment to create the ultimate "Vision of the Possible":

 

 

 Sometimes the things you really want sneak in the back door. Notice.
- Mary Anne Radmacher


Unexpected events can set you back or set you up.
It's all a matter of - perspective.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Mostly, it is human to dislike surprises -
often with great intensity.
Be open to new ways;
sometimes newness just knocks on your door;
welcome it.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Notations From the Grid: On The Latest From the White House

 +The White House has hosted the first White House Demo Day.    It has been quite fun to be privy to some of the great innovations out there.     This, though, underscores the challenge still being faced to create the ultimate "Vision of the Possible":

RT @DCxchange: Why the economy needs more women entrepreneurs @jeremyquittner @Inc @KauffmanFDN #WHDemoDay @Inc_Ent http://t.co/nXEDJeD1bs

— Case Foundation (@CaseFoundation) August 4, 2015

 

On the Eve of a New Week & a New Month....

A late "virtual run" by our team w/this final "thought"...wishing all a Fab rest of the day as we look to Aug :-) https://t.co/8S9vxHvv5u

— The Daily Outsider (@DailyOutsider) August 2, 2015

Notations From the Grid (weekend edition): Thought(s) For the Week

As the new month dawns here in #Outsiders, our team chose this courtesy of +Jonathan Huie  which we hope all enjoy and embrace:

The three controlling desires of every normal man seem to be:

First, to live. Not merely to exist.

Second, to be a man among men.

Third, to do that which will endure.

- James Hulme Canfield

Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime,

and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The ultimate test of a man's conscience
may be his willingness to sacrifice something today
for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.
- Gaylord Nelson

The Friday Musical Interlude: "Dream Seeker"

It is time for the Friday Musical Interlude here in Outsiders.   Our team chose "Dream Seeker" which is ever so in line with the mission of the Visions Channel as we bid farewell to July 2015 and gear up for a month throughout #Outsiders:

Thought(s) For the Week

For this edition of "Thought(s) For the Week", we wanted to note an updated selection of one of our daily "Must Reads" From +Jonathan Huie which is in line with the mission of our "Visions" channel and the broad objectives of the on-going development of #Outsiders:

 

Quotations help us remember the simple yet profound truths
that give life perspective and meaning.
- Criswell Freeman


Examine, inquire.
Look into the nature of things.
Search out the grounds of your opinions,
the for and against.
Know why you believe, understand what you believe,
and possess a reason for the faith that is in you.
- Frances Wright

If you would be a real seeker after truth,
it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt,
as far as possible, all things.
- Rene Descartes

Everything is not as it appears to be.
- Proverb 

An #Outsider Newsflash: An Update on Project C.H.I.P

We here @ #Outsiders are enthusiastic supports of Project C.H.I.P and are eager to get our hands on it.     We received some late breaking developments and wanted to share two very interesting headlines here--What we find so amazing is how everything is free and how they are striving to create the "Vision of the Possible"...

This is a "Developing Story" ....

C.H.I.P. IS OPEN SOFTWARE!

Meanwhile, back in Oakland, Wynter, Alex and the Free Electrons team have been hacking away at C.H.I.P.s software, opening up the software repositories. Take a look! 

Alex and Wynter love open sourcing!

Want to help with C.H.I.P.'s software?  Just miss the Kernel Hacker reward tier? Visit kernel.nextthing.co and let us know how you can help!

CHIP IS OPEN HARDWARE!

C.H.I.P.'s design files are licensed Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike.  That means you can download all the files to build your own C.H.I.P. modify it and use it as a starting point for your own projects! Git the files @ http://docs.nextthing.co/

The folks at Make Magazine put together a nice summary of C.H.I.P.'s open source status - http://makezine.com/2015/07/22/with-linux-and-creative-commons-the-9-chip-computer-reveals-its-open-source-details/

On the Dawn of a New Week.....

It is the dawn of a new week and our team chose this admonition from Rumi.   It is about the creation of the art of the possible to carry on--we hope it serves as an inspiration for all:

When you plant a tree every leaf that grows will tell you,what you sow will bear fruit.So if you have any sense, my friend don't plant anything but love,you show your worth by what you seek. ~Rumi <3 <3 <3
Posted by Rumī Quotes on Monday, July 27, 2015

Notations From the Grid (Week-End Edition): A "Thought 4 the Week-End"

The Week-End is before us here in #Outsiders.    Our team put together a "Grid" of periodic thoughts we ran across which we wanted to feature.   It is in turn with the Mission of this Channel and the broad view our team has in reflecting upon ideas and as we discuss emerging technologies and trends:

😁 1 must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose. - Indira Gandhi pic.twitter.com/rEg6Qt0lom

— The Daily Outsider (@DailyOutsider) July 25, 2015