Esperanto Didn’t Change The World, But It Has Changed Its Speakers

“It did not prevent a century of wars (many fought, notably, between people who spoke the same language). Instead, Esperanto’s speakers were persecuted throughout the 20th century.” (Stalinists thought they were spies; McCarthyists thought they were Commies.) “Esperanto may not have changed the world. But in both its ideals and its practice, it holds out the possibility of transforming the lives of the people who use it.”

Philly Music Fans Riot, Trash Club After Star Singer Is No-Show

“Gerardo Ortiz, a singer-songwriter from California and winner of several Mexican Billboard Music Awards, was set to perform at the Explanada De Philadelphia … Ortiz never took the stage, and several fans reportedly reacted by throwing things at the stage, knocking over and tossing speakers to the ground, and damaging instruments.” (Tsk – just like Philly sports fans.) (includes video)

How Technology Is Blurring The Space Between Mind And Machine

“Some people worry that one day soon we might physically attach computer chips to our minds, but we don’t actually need to plug ourselves in: proximity is a red herring. The real issue is the seamless way in which we are already hybridising our cognitive space with our devices. In ways both quotidian and profound, they are becoming extensions of our minds.”

Barcelona’s Grand Experiment To Take Back Its Streets From Cars

“Barcelona’s system of superblocks — called “superilles” in Catalan — would go well beyond the pedestrian plazas that have sprouted up on the streets of New York City. While those spaces have carved out more room for pedestrians in busy corridors, the superblocks represent a more radical approach that fundamentally challenges the notion that streets even belong to cars.”