Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke who co-wrote the screenplay of (and acted in) Before Sunset have recently separately written and directed movies. 2 days in Paris, by Julie Delpy, which VSL describes as a  cross between Annie Hall, Before Sunset and Four Weddings And a Funeral has already been released (in US) and The Hottest State which Ethan Hawke describes (on BBC’s Talking Movies) as a clichéd tale of Boy finds girl – boy loses girl – boy finds self is out on 24th August (in US).

Is it alright if one downloads the torrent after the release date?

From Businessweek’s CEOs Must Be Designers, Not Just Hire Them. Think Steve Jobs And iphone:

In the world of business, there is no value proposition left for most companies in controlling costs or even quality. All that outsourcing has leveled this playing field. Cost and quality are commoditized today, merely the price of entry to the competitive game. Design and design thinking—or innovation if you like–are the fresh, new variables that can bring advantage and fat profit margins to global corporations. <snip>
Let me emphasize this. I think managers have to BECOME designers, not just hire them. I think CEOs have to embrace design thinking, not just hire someone who gets it. I think many business schools have to merge with design schools, not just play poke and tickle with them.

Videos:

Movie Trailer – The Darjeeling Limited

TEDtalks – Design can make you happy

My video consumption (beyond Youtube) over the Internet has increased a lot recently. Signs of things to come.

Moving to the mountains can add some years to your life.

Moving to the mountains, rather than living in lowlands, can keep you going longer, even if you have high blood lipids and high blood pressure. Adaptation to altitude helps the body cope with lower levels of oxygen, and walking uphill regularly aids the heart.

For more tips read this article on Psychology Today.

How to raise money from VCs – Tips from a guy who made it!

A very romantic bank advert:

[via VSL]

A Japanese TV Show featuring Rube Goldberg Machines:

[via VSL]

Businessweek in their article on how ideas specific to the developing world are attracting VC money talks about a startup called CosmosIgnite:

MightyLight is the brainchild of New Delhi-based Cosmos Ignite Innovations, a Stanford University-incubated startup by Matthew Scott and Amit Chugh that aims to provide simple products for the world’s poorest people. And Cosmos got its start with backing from Vinod Khosla, a veteran Silicon Valley venture capitalist.

Mightylight is a 100% solar powered 1 watt white LED light that costs about Re 2000/- ($50).

:O It’s the 25th anniversary of emoticons :O and Yahoo has launched emotiCONTEST – your signature expression can be part of their new set emoticons. :O

<trivia> According to a survey happiness and flirting are the most often used emotions expressed by the users of Yahoo Messengers through emoticons. </trivia>

[via Alootechie]

New phrase discovered: laptop-aside moment
Definition: An event of utmost importance (during which one is willing to push even one’s laptop aside)
Origin: First used at Toto’s to describe my fascination for Seinfeld.