Just turned 30 and still kicking it / 30 recién cumplidos y todavía disfrutando
I have been blessed to be able to celebrate my 30th birthday today, surrounded by family and with lots of messages from friends all over the world. In reality I cannot complaint too much, I just turned 30, I have a beautiful wife and daughter, I have hundreds (if not thousands) of friends all over the world, I have traveled to places I could not imagine, I have lived in 6 countries (and soon that will change to 7), I have seen some magnificent things and tasted many flavours and aromas that still remind me of those places visited. My first 30 years have come and gone very fast, but I can say that I have enjoyed the passing of those years to its maximum.
30 are gone, but there are many more to come with their own flavors, challenges and successes, so let them come, I can say that now I feel ready for them!!
He recibido hoy la bendición de poder celebrar mi cumpleaños número 30 rodeado de familia y con muchísimos mensajes de mis amigos de todas partes del mundo. En realidad no me puedo quejar mucho, acabo de cumplir 30, tengo una bella esposa e hija, tengo cientos (si no miles) de amigos esparcidos por todo el mundo, he viajado a lugares que no podía imaginar, he vivido en 6 países (lo cual cambiará dentro de poco a 7), he visto algunas cosas maravillosas y he probado muchísimos sabores y aromas que todavía avivan los recuerdos de esos lugares visitados. Mis primeros 30 años pasaron muy rápido, pero puedo decir que disfruté su pasada al máximo.
30 se fueron ya, pero todavía faltan muchísimos más por venir, los cuales estarán llenos de sus propios sabores, retos y logros; así que déjenlos venir que ahora me siento preparado para ellos.
The 2008 China Olympics have passed already (some time ago but I had not blogged on it) and with it a new image has been given to the world about China and their capabilities to organize such an outstanding event and as we say in Spanish "Botar la casa por la ventana" which literally means to throw the house through the window or to do it with splendor.
US lead in total number of medals with 110 medals in total, while China finished on top with 51 Gold medals and 100 medals in total. That's an outstanding result when compared with 1 Bronze medal that my beloved Venezuela got, but hey one is better than nothing, right?
I wanted to share some great links about the Olympics, specially pictures from the Olympic games which I have found on the web:
You have got to check this page at The New York Times which has an interactive map showing graphically the quantity of medals won by each country in all the Olympic games since Athens 1896!
The big picture blog has the best set of pictures I have seen of the opening ceremony
Sports Illustrated has an underwater slideshow of the 100m butterfly final where Michael Phelps won by .01 seconds, you have to see how close it was!!
The Daily Mail has a story of how photographs helped overturn a result in taekwondo, giving Britain the chance to win the Bronze and taking china out
Stern from Germany has very unusual and sometime humorous set of 150 pictures from the Olympics, you should not miss.
Sports Illustrated has a great photo archive of their coverage of the Olympics
If you are into photography (as I am) you should check this 360 degree high resolution panorama, shot by Kari Kuukka from a photographer's corral before the men's 100m final.
London has now a big challenge to host the Olympics in 2012 after this amazing show put up by china, so preparing for that The big Picture posted a great looking set of pictures of London shot from above and at night.
I hope you enjoyed the Olympics and that you enjoy these links too
¡¡No se pierdan este video que está increible!! Y pensar que RCTV fue cambiada para que los Venezolanos disfrutaran de esto
Este es Willy Oviedo, comentarista deportivo de TVes y quién tuvo una pequeña confusión al cubrir la noticia sobre Michael Phelps al ganar su octava medalla de oro. Según el Michael Phelps nadó en 1972, cuando los juegos Olímpicos fueron en la Alemania Nazi y Hitler no le quizo dar sus medallas de oro ¡No te lo pierdas!
White Americans to represent 46% of US population by 2050
According to the Census Bureau Thursday released projections, by 2050 whites will make up 46% of the US population (down from 66% today), blacks will make up 15% (a relatively small increase from today), Asians will raise to 9% (from 5% currently); while "Hispanics" will account for 30% (up from about 15% now).
The U.S. population is projected to grow from about 305 million people today to 400 million by 1039 and 439 million by 2050. While it's over 85 population is projected to more than triple to 19 million by 2050.
US is still far behind China or India on population, but that's a significant increase in population and in retired population, which as in many other developed countries will put big pressure on retirement funds. And the quantity of "Hispanics" is expected to increase from 49.7 million in 2010 to 132.7 millions by 2050, that's about a 267% increase!!
A global television audience of more than three billion people watched in amazement as a series "video footage from a helicopter" of giant footprints outlined in fireworks proceeded through the night sky from Tiananmen Square to the Bird's Nest stadium - except they were watching a computer animation 3D graphics sequence that took almost a year to produce.
While the dramatic display actually happened as portrayed on television, members of the Beijing Olympic Committee said it was necessary to replace live video with computer-generated imagery because the city’s hazy, smoggy skies made it too difficult to see, according to The Beijing Times, which first reported the story.
"Seeing how it worked out, it was still a bit too bright compared to the actual fireworks," "But most of the audience thought it was filmed live - so that was mission accomplished."Gao Xiaolong (the man responsible for the animation) told the China's Beijing Times.
Now honestly, how many of you thought there was something fishy about those almost perfect fireworks? This definitely raises the bar for the next computer animated films and interaction of CGI with real world news, footage, video, etc.
The small Dutch town of Hengelo in the eastern Dutch province of Overijssel is testing a new "air-purifying concrete", which could lead to a breakthrough in the fight against pollution.
Experts from the University of Twente developed and tested the concrete paving stones which contain a titanium dioxide-based additive. Under the influence of sunlight they bind the nitrogen oxide particles emitted by cars and turn them into harmless nitrates; which can then be washed clean with rain.
One half of a road under reconstruction is being paved with the new green bricks, and the other half with the ordinary variety. "By measuring the air quality in both areas, we will be able to show the efficacy of the bricks," said the statement.
The road is expected to be finish by the end of the year, with the first air measurements being taken early next year, and first results by next summer. So keep your eyes open for this!
