7 Billion: Are You Typical?

A follow up video from my earlier 7 billion post.

Today, October 31, 2011, there are 7 Billion us.

Are you a typical person? What is a typical person in the 7 billion of us? What does the typical person looks like? Male or Female? Where does that person live? Find out...

"Our choices make a big difference... when multiplied by 7 Billion"

You can now download the free 7 Billion iPad app with all the articles, videos and interactive maps and charts from the Apple App Store.

7 Billion, National Geographic Magazine

According to the United Nations the world's population is projected to pass 7 BILLION on October 31, 2011. National Geographic Magazine as put together a collection of articles exploring what that means for all of us.

Here's their promo video, extremely well put together and eye opening. Give some thought to what you'll see.





You can now download the free 7 Billion iPad app with all the articles, videos and interactive maps and charts from the Apple App Store. You'll be just amazed at the facts they've gathered. I strongly recommend this app. I'm sure it's also available in paper.

"The challenge: How to share and sustain the planet while lifting even more people into a better life."

Following in the same direction as my latest post on accountability,

"How big will the population actually grow? What will the planet look like in 2045 [projected 9 billion]? ... The answers will depend on the decisions each of us makes."

Each of us.

When it's everyone else's fault

ac·count·a·bil·i·ty   noun /əˌkountəˈbilitē/  1. To be liable to account for one's actions;

This word of simple meaning is slowly fading away from people's thoughts as society makes it easier and easier to blame others. In almost all situations it is pretty easy to point at someone else or something else for being the cause for our misfortunes.

Before I write anymore, I am aware that I told you I'd have a post about conflicts later this week. It is on it's way, I felt I needed a little more preparation to write a good blog entry. And tonight something, which I'll talk about shortly sparked my interest in the increasing lack of accountability from all of us. That being said let me continue...

Even though my example, the one which sparked my thoughts, is about a very sensitive subject my intent is not to point or judge any group of people by color, language, disability or any other minority. In fact, I love to see the weaker groups strive for excellence. In sports I'm often found cheering for the underdogs. It's often the way people battle for their rights I find misleading and unrepresentative of their true nature or even degrading to their peers.

I'm French Canadian and proud to be. I also live in a bilingual community and I am even more proud of that, to see the progress and how both French and English can co-exists. There are some moments of frictions which is perfectly normal but beyond that it's an harmonious relationship between both entities.

French being the minority, we sometimes have to fight our way. Which again is normal. Today on the News, they announced that a law (it may have been in probation for a while but I think it's just starting to be enforced) forcing billboards to be bilingual. This part of town is a bit more Francophone and some billboard were advertising in English only. To some, this may sound like a victory. To me, it's a poor way to force something on people. And I also find it stupid to force, in example, a radio station to post advertisement in two languages when it's a uni-lingual business.

This brings me to my initial definition of accountability. Maybe, just maybe, that if French people around here would talk French when dealing with businesses that businesses would notice how many of their clients are actually French. Or maybe instead of petitioning for bilingual advertisement French folks would only deal with businesses who makes an effort to offer service in both languages. I've personally stopped going at a certain coffee shop because I didn't get understand when I ordered a "Moyen café" in a part of town that's largely French (I also don't like their coffee much).

I would rather see both groups get along by nature, in a much more organic fashion. It takes time, it may be frustrating at some point but in the end there would be a mutual respect from both sides. Forcing matters rarely brings people closer.

All this being said. Lets take more responsibility for our own faith. Blaming the city for slipping on ice won't repair any broken hips, be careful when you put your own feet. Don't blame others for what's under your feet. Oh!! I should put that in a quote...

"Don't blame others for what's under your own feet."
- Me

 Start being accountable for your actions, your feelings, your moods and your thoughts. When you feel sad look for the reason within and not outside of you. When you make a mistake, it's not your neighbor's fault take responsibility for it. And the most important of all (yes, I kept the best for last)...

Don't wait for others to make you happy, be the happiness in you own life and the rest will follow.

I challenge you all to be accountable for your own lives.

Thought of the day - Balance

"The center is not always the point of balance. When you find that place where balance is achieved, peace will result in all situations. There is no conflict, for everything rests without stain." - Author Unknown

 



A very nice thought. Find balance and you will find peace. Life needs a little of everything but nothing in excess. 

Stay tuned this week for another quote on conflict. Unfortunately, conflicts are common but they are also avoidable. 



 

Righting skils of teh 21st centery - Part 2: Digital Communication

Back in April I wrote a blog about the writing skills of people nowadays. Specifically about how we rely on tools like auto-completion and auto-correction to review our spelling. Google being the leader of information came out with an even more advance writing tool, Google Scribe. This tool not only try to complete the word you are typing but even try to figure the next word (yes, word you have not even started typing or have not even start thinking of yet). Meaning that technically I can now write entire blogs without even thinking. Let's try that...

Today I am going to be a part of the products name and address of the person who is not a valid stream resource in D minor for two violins and a cello player and a great deal of time. But the fact that the two are not the only one who can not afford to pay for the cost of the project is to develop a new method for the determination of the amount of the compound of formula I wherein R is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group at the University of California. In the end, the first and second portions of the first and second portions of the first and second portions of the first and second...

Hmm, I think I got into a loop at the end. I also think I'll keep writing my own blogs until Google finds something more interesting to say. The idea of the tool is not to tell you what to write but help you find the next word in case you have a blank. It does propose words which relates to the preceding terms, in which is does somewhat succeed.

So this is the future of auto-complete. So this is the future of writing. I'm not talking about literature writing, but common day to day writing. Messages, emails and chat. Type in a few keys and a whole paragraph has been completely written for you. How much time will we save? We'll become communicating machines, producing more and more mechanical interactions at an increasing rate of automation.

Keywords in my last sentence were machines, mechanical and automation. All organic form of communication will decrease to be replaced by digital communication. Digitization is the removal of imperfections, removing bits of reality to a degree perceivable by humans. Digital music sounds perfect to our ear by removing noises and frequencies not consciously perceived by humans. Digital videos presents vivid images by removing small details the human eyes can't perceive and presenting images not faster than the normal human perception rate. Digital communication while presenting a better and richer vocabulary will remove ideas not normally perceived by society and limit our communication to socially acceptable discussions without human creativity.

Google Scribe can be (and will be) a great tool but as any tool it's how you use it that matters. It's still in beta mode and can do impressive things. Soon it'll be on smart phones and people will use it to text and message each other relying more and more on it. Leaving it to their devices to formulate their ideas into words.

Will the digitization of communication occur? It is up to me, you and all of us to keep our mind free and to keep being creative in our daily lives.

Internet Candy - Draw a Stick Man

It's hard nowadays to find a really creative website, it affirms the statement I made earlier in September in my Ridley Scott director contest blog entry (go watch that movie short if you haven't) that creativity often emerges from a limited context. The web is not really limited and hence we seldom see creative web content.

Here's an exception. Not only it is creative in itself but it'll ask creativity back from you!

http://www.drawastickman.com/

I couldn't find credit about the makers on the website, anyhow I raise my hat to you Anonymous Creator.