My imagination was captured by this image…it’s dream like quality just got me thinking. Its the shot of Joe Kittenger jumping out of gondola attached to a helium balloon at 102,800 ft. He did it in 1960, and set world records for highest parachute jump, longest free fall (4 min 36 sec), and fastest speed achieved by human being (614 mph). Now, after forty years, someone else is going to attempt to break that record, and by a significant amount.

Red Bull Stratos is the latest attempt by Felix Baumgartner to tempt fate. He’s going to push the limits of the human both physically and mentally. The plan is to break Kittenger’s skydiving record by a long shot, taking it a few notches up in the stratosphere to 120,000+ ft. The BBC is going to document the event. Now most people will brush this off as a marketing stunt, or a death wish on the part of Mr. Baumgartner. I on the other hand view it as a source of inspiration and act of contemporary hero(ione). What he’s going to do symbolizes so much more in my opinion, and it comes at an important moment in time. This feat has the ability to alter our perceptions of reality…

It feels like this effort has the ability to provide a cataclysmic subconscious affect on people out there. There’s never been a better time to make a dream come to life. Maybe its promoting an employee, or quitting your job of 8 years, or maybe just simply going back to school. Whatever it is, a level of commitment must be made.

Now more than ever we need more people taking chances. Kind of tired of the ‘wait and see’ attitude that’s has settled in around us these days. Indecision is paralyzing our ability to do anything. Things, ie, people, need to loosen up already. Felix can’t sit in the gondola forever, he’ll drift into the inhospitable environs of outer space. At some point he’s going to jump. That’s why what he’s going to do matters ultimately. Having the gall to lay something on the line would do all of us some good these days.

People need to stop asking questions like ‘are we there yet’, or ‘is it fixed yet’ and just jump off the balloon already? It’s time to come back down to Earth and deal/make shit happen.You’ll fall for bit, and there’s a chance you may encounter catastrophe, but there’s a higher likelihood you’ll have a parachute to guide your way down…I have a feeling Felix is going to prove humans have the stamina to make the impossible, well possible…

Only when you lose everything, are you free to do anything –Tyler Durden

Vanishing Point from Bonsajo on Vimeo.

Extremely rough translation of text posted up with video courtesy of Google:
Long ago, the Middle Ages, knights wore badges by going into battle, defend that, Christendom, which Dulcinea. Later or at the same time I do not know, artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, weavers, printers and engravers had arms which repeated figures of speech of their business to invent the nobility of spirit. Today marks replenish themselves in this ancient heraldic tradition and invade our lives that becomes fully “marked” by the signs of international companies. It was time to take stock of this ancient practice, even at the cost of tarasconnade most facetious. The credits of the film are innumerable, I can mention. I invite you to quietly read the names of countless volunteers who have participated in the creation of this masterpiece.

More work and insights from Peter Gabor can be found on his blog. You can toggle/translate languages on Peter’s blog from the left hand column. Thanks to Alex Henry of Cypher13 for sharing this little piece of wonderlust with me!

Adam Haynes for FUEL TV. Animation by Royale. Awesome.

Chairman Ting – Bicycle wall art from carsonting on Vimeo.

Via Format Magazine

Again, can’t help but hear Spanish words when listening to Japanese…

1500 hours worth of laboriously moving LEGO bricks went into this fast-paced 8-bit music video. FRESH. 8-bit-Trip.

(Turn the sound down though…?)

VIA Buzzfeed

Absolutely gorgeous time-lapse video from photographer Peter Belanger. Love the music, the peek into post production/layout, as well as that clever transitional turn to the sky.

Its been a long time, since I last saw an episode of Fat Albert…it was a fave!