This is a great tool, thank you Joel! Basically you enter an address and Walk Score looks it up in Google map automatically collecting a list of interesting places you can reach on foot and finally computing a walkability score. How easy it is to move on foot in your neighborhood? Do you need a car? The place where I work got 80 out of 100 which is defined as “Very Walkable: It’s possible to get by without owning a car”. In fact I own a car by I never use it to go to work. I usually ride a bicycle and believe me, it’s great. I can’t stand the stress of traffic jams.
Google led the creation of Open Handset Alliance, a consortium involving a number of telco and manufacturers . As its first act the Alliance released Android, an open source operating system for mobiles complete of SDK and API. The SDK includes a working emulator and half a dozen example applications. The idea to establish an open platform for mobile developers is very good but not particularly new: project Openmoko has been working to a similar concept for several months and went as far as to release a developer version of the handset. Read the rest of this entry »
A mere few months after I’ve enjoyed The Final Four at the Birdland in Manhattan, yesterday I’ve had the opportunity to listen again to one of the most important jazz players and composers worldwide, this time at the Jazz Club (A.K.A. Il torrione) in Ferrara. Steve Kuhn played in a trio, together with Billy Drummond (drum) and David Finck (bass). Read the rest of this entry »
Apple started to sell iPhone in Europe. In Germany the price is €399 for the handset, that is $586! Either they don’t get currency exchange or they think ripping off Europeans is OK. Moreover, on top of that you need a mandatory 24-month subscription plan at €49 a month (100 min/month voice calls). In total it’s €1575 ($2316!).
By comparison, at the same price I can buy a Blackberry Curve 8310 (more feature rich with GPS receiver, SD memory, MMS) and a subscription plan with flat data and 400 min/month voice included. And there’s no 24-month term: I can stop this contract after one month if I don’t like it, and pay just for that.
No wonder few people cared when Apple stores opened in Germany last night…
This was taken last September at the Ferrara Balloons Festival. There were many huge balloons, some of them with crazy shapes. You could even buy a ticket to ride one. An interesting thing: I discovered balloons are better flown in the morning or in late afternoon, apparently because the hottest and coldest hours make navigation harder.
Last time I’ve been in New York, one night Ale brought us to Ludlow Street. Ale is a fan of Lower East Side, and I definitely approve his taste. That area is filled with strange and interesting places, for both dining and having fun. That night Ale brought us first to the Back Room (which I already knew, maybe I’ll talk about this in a different post) and then to Mehanata, a Bulgarian bar and dance floor. Read the rest of this entry »
1495, Japan is collapsing under US attacks. Their navy has been defeated at the Mariana Islands and now the last line of defense before invasion of the main land line is Iwo Jima, a black volcanic isle in the middle of nowhere. 20000 men are there preparing for the battle. They know they are in huge disadvantage and they’re going to die under US sheer power, but no matter what, they will fight to delay invasion as much as they can. To improve their resistance, they hide in tunnels they caved under Mount Suribachi, desperately trying to find a meaning in all of that, most of them taking off their lives hugging bomb, under cultural pressure. Read the rest of this entry »
Last time I’ve been in Rio de Janeiro I spent my best night at Rio Scenarium, a sort of samba dance floor with real Brazilian live music and a stunning choreography right in the center of Lapa, the historic center of ancient Rio. During daylight, this place is a huge antiquarian’s shop three floors high, with all sorts of things hanging from the walls and from the roof. At night, two thousand people easily fit in to have fun, dance, drink caipirinha and meet people. Last year this was declared as one of the top 10 bars worldwide by The Guardian.
The setting is so surreal that I first I was speechless, like I were in a different time-space. Colors everywhere, strange things surrounding joyful people, wonderful traditional music, party atmosphere. Definitely a must if you happen to travel to Rio.
