Capitalogix

Watch as Astronaut Chris Hadfield Covers Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ in Space

Life imitating Art.

Here is a version of David Bowie's Space Oddity, recorded by Commander Chris Hadfield on board the International Space Station.

Hadfield is not only an astronaut, he is a social media star who invited the world to experience space differently by sharing the photos and videos he captured during his stay on the International Space Station.

 

 

With deference to the genius of David Bowie, here's Space Oddity, recorded on Station. A last glimpse of the World. youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9d…

— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) May 12, 2013

 

 

In the clip, Hadfield floats around the space station singing the 1969 track (with modified lyrics such as, “Ground control to Major Tom, lock your Soyuz hatch and put your helmet on,”) and playing an acoustic guitar while gazing at Earth from space.

Kind of fun to watch.

 

Bill Gates Annual Letter - Why The 'Right' Measures Matter

Why does measurement matter?

Bill Gates explores this question in his 2013 Annual Letter, highlighting innovations in measurement that are helping to eradicate poverty and disease.

 

Download Bill Gates' 2013 Annual Letter in PDF format.

Also see his "My Hope for 2030" video.

 

Related articles

10 Key Takeaways From Bill Gates' Annual Letter

What Bill Gates Is Focusing On In 2013

Bill Gates says he has no use for money... He is doing 'God's work'

Bill Gates says Steve Jobs was "always cooler than me"

If the World Were 100 People ...

As we enter 2013, the world population has surpassed 7 billion people.

How can we get a sense of what it means ... and who we are?

One way is by statistically representing the world population as 100 people.  That way, complex issues become more comprehensible and help us get a stronger sense of the big picture.

Here is a video introduction to the 100 Person Project.

 

The 100 People Project: An Introduction from 100 People Foundation on Vimeo.

 

And here is an infographic of some of the highlights of the research.

 

by KVSStudio. Check out our data visualization blog.

 

If the World were 100 PEOPLE:

50 would be female
50 would be male

26 would be children
There would be 74 adults,
8 of whom would be 65 and older

There would be:
60 Asians
15 Africans
14 people from the Americas
11 Europeans

33 Christians
22 Muslims
14 Hindus
7 Buddhists
12 people who practice other religions
12 people who would not be aligned with a religion

12 would speak Chinese
5 would speak Spanish
5 would speak English
3 would speak Arabic
3 would speak Hindi
3 would speak Bengali
3 would speak Portuguese
2 would speak Russian
2 would speak Japanese
62 would speak other languages

83 would be able to read and write; 17 would not

7 would have a college degree
22 would own or share a computer

77 people would have a place to shelter them
from the wind and the rain, but 23 would not

1 would be dying of starvation
15 would be undernourished
21 would be overweight

87 would have access to safe drinking water
13 people would have no clean, safe water to drink

 

If you want more information on this ...

The detailed research and source information can be found here and the statistics provided by Donella Meadows in 1990 that originally inspired the 100 People Project can be viewed here. A different groups research is here. And the Snopes research is here.

Can Germany Save Itself and the Euro Zone?

The Euro Zone is safe; at least someone is propping up the euro.

The picture was taken last week in the financial center of Frankfurt, Germany. The handmade signs in the foreground are part of the Occupy Frankfurt movement, which is still active a year after it started.
 

 

This visit to Germany prompted some questions. While my observations are not scientific (nor statistically relevant) I'll share a few of them with you anyway.

First, there seemed to be a pervading sense of wariness and weariness. I heard many people express concerns about the economy and the future. "Zeitgeist" is a German word that means spirit of the times ... and the spirit here seems somewhat dampened, despite a 24% gain in the German DAX Index this year.

Second, native Germans are not having babies at the rate they used to. This would typically result in an aging population. However, it seems to have triggered a major influx of immigrants from other countries in the region, like Turkey, but also from Pakistan, Afghanistan and other Muslim nations.

Third, while stereotypical, my sense is that the German national identity was somewhat tied to "craftsmanship". But as their economy manufactures less, it's as if the nation struggles to figure out what it will become. 

Fourth, while America may be a melting pot, historically Germany hasn't been.  So, it isn't hard to imagine the cognitive dissonance felt by a Germans  who don't know how to respond to a Germany that is becoming less "German".

As a result, this newly diverse population is struggling to decide how to allocate resources.

I'm reminded of the warning flight attendants give you on an airplane; if the oxygen masks are deployed, make sure you use them yourself first, before trying to help someone else, because it's tough to help somebody else if you're incapacitated.

By many measures, Germany is the strongest nation in its region. However, the burdens of a new economy and a new world order are hard to ignore.

It may pay to remember the saying: "Pigs get meaner as troughs get smaller."

A Trip to Singapore is Making Me Re-Consider "What's Hot"

I am in Singapore.

 

 

 

 

Southeast Asia is hot ... temperature wise, and also because a lot of smart money is paying increased attention to opportunities here.

 

Outside, cranes are everywhere -- so are many other signs of impressive growth and vibrancy.

 
Downtown, condos are selling for $2,000 per square foot.

 
Traders know Momentum is something to follow.  So, what are some trends worth paying attention to now?  

 
Algo Trading, Big Data, the Cloud, and Southeast Asia come to mind quickly.

 
What are some others areas you sense are focus-worthy?

Some Links for Your Weekend Reading

Great graphic shows whether you should check your e-mail.

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

 

Lighter Links:

• Top 50 Entrepreneurial Blogs. Pretty good list - (Business2community)
• The Top 10 Regrets In Life By Those About To Die (Infographic). (Addicted2success)
• A Cut Above. Chart Showing Who Has the Most Plastic Surgery? (Economist)
• Keep Out. NASA Asks Future Moon Visitors to Respect Its Stuff. (Wired)
• New Airline Fees: Carry-Ons, Pillows, Water, Once Included, Now New Revenue. (ABCNews)

 

Trading Links:

• An Audacious Promise: The Moral Case for Capitalism. (Manhattan-Institute)
• Indonesia Chases China as Middle-Class Consumption Soars. (Bloomberg)
• How to Place More Effective Stops. (BCLund)
• It's Official: Google Is Now a Hardware Company. (BW)
• This Is the First Time In History that All Central Banks Have Printed Money at the Same Time … And They’re Failing Miserably. (ZeroHedge)

Around the World in 3 Minutes - Watch the Move, Learn, and Eat Videos

Inspiring and Fun!  Seems appropriate for the start of the Holiday Season.

Beware, these three short videos may encourage you to travel, learn something new, move your body, or create something.

3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage… all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food.

Click to Watch.

 

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

 

 

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

 

 

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

 

Does Your Health Depend On the Temperature of Where You Live?

It was over 100 degrees, here in Texas, as my son graduated high school. 

 

 
Our out of town guests weren't buying the "But it's 'dry' heat" line. So, much of the weekend was spent eating and searching for air-conditioning.

Sometimes it is just too hot to trot.

Exercise Frequency Goes Down as the Heat Goes Up.

The Economist recently printed a chart showing that people who live in colder states exercise more than those who live in warm ones.

 

 
A recent report by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declares that only 64% of Americans surveyed can be described as physically active (defined as over 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or half as much vigorous activity). Almost a quarter get no exercise at all outside the workplace.

The report offers a breakdown of exercisers by state. In general, it seems that people who live in cold states like Alaska are more likely to get their weekly work-out than those in sunny Florida.

The biggest outliers from this correlation are Hawaii, where 70% are energetic, and Tennessee, which has the lowest percentage of active people despite a lower average temperature than several other states.

Related articles

• New York City Heads to Hottest July on Record as Heat Continues (businessweek.com)
• How to Exercise Safely (everydayhealth.com)

Some New TSA Slogans to Brighten Your Holiday Travel

Holiday travel can pose challenges, and the new security requirements add to them.  The TSA is just doing their job.  Here are some humorous ways to look at it.

For more, click here.

Related articles

• TSA Skit: SNL's Parody of the Airport Security (VIDEO) (rightcelebrity.com)
• TSA Chief Asks Holiday Travelers for Patience - ABC News (news.google.com)
• Economics versus the TSA (blogs.forbes.com)

Brazil's Campaign Video

If you're still trying to figure out why Chicago lost the Olympic bid, this RIO 2016 commercial might explain it. 

Nicely done; short and compelling.  It certainly makes me want to visit.