Wednesday, March 10, 2010
What Alice And The Hatter Have To Teach Us
What Alice And The Hatter Have To Teach Us
What's Your Reaction:
Move over, "Avatar!" After its first week in theaters, Tim Burton's new version of "Alice in Wonderland," starring Johnny Depp, is drawing record crowds. True, there's chit-chat about the good news/bad news of this rendition, and its 'Burton-esque' darkness. The fact is that this classic Lewis G. Carroll tale is an enduring story, as apt for our times as when it was penned in 1865. What makes this story timeless? While some are convinced Carroll's story was political, the deeper dimension has to do with identity crisis, something even our ancestors faced before each developmental leap
Falling Down the Rabbit Hatch
No matter what rabbit hatch finds us, we still have choice. Simply put: how do you choose to respond? Alice opens wide her senses, follows clues, wrestles with the unexpected. Ultimately, she risks becoming herself. Up 'til then, she's let her circumstances define her. We are not our circumstances, or present life events, despite the fact that the collective believes that we are. Whenever there's an evolutionary leap in human awareness, on either individual or collective level, we are challenged to redefine who we believe, and expand the box. But first, the tumble. You don't have to be a shaman to slip down the hatch. We all fall. In fact, this is the Fall. We fall from Grace, smack into the Dark Night whenever we invalidate our own true nature, pretending we are not inextricably linked to the rest of nature. But, then, it's human, and stories arrive for a do-over just in the knick of time to help us course correct.
"Who Are You?"
Initially, Alice is confronted by the hookah-smoking blue caterpillar: "Who are you?"
The fact is that neither Carroll nor Walt Disney studios have a corner on characters who challenge us to rethink the essential questions every day of our life. Our own 'caterpillars' come in many form. Maybe it's the news covering natural disasters like those in Turkey, Chile, and Haiti -- catalyzing our examination of whether we are 'our brother's keeper?' Or, do we 'check-out' and change the channel? When we read the fact that soldier suicides for January 2010 outnumber all the military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, combined for the same time period, what's our reaction? Do we simply shrug it off? Meanwhile, back home, who amongst us doesn't encounter some street person carrying a cardboard sign, while straddling a highly trafficked stop light? Two weeks ago, a man held his cardboard in front of my car that read "Needy." Last week, on 45th N.E. in the University District, a young woman's placard read: "Pregnant. Struggling. Need help." Were Alice to hold a sign, it might look like "Indecisive, self-doubting." The caterpillar's question is a question for our times.
What Sign Are You Holding? If you were holding an invisible sign that described you, what might it say? In the aforementioned, the sad thing is that we too often define ourselves as though we were our conditions. You are far, far more than this. In fact, when we see our identity as our life events, we box ourselves in, diminish, as the Hatter put it our "much-ness." No small wonder that the constant refrain in Burton's storytelling was this: "Who are you because you are not the 'real' Alice!"
A Significant Lesson for our Time.
Well, then, if we are not the sum total of our circumstances, what is the Truth? Who are we? Desiderata put it this way:
"You are a child of the Universe;
No less than the trees and the stars;
You have a right to be here." -- Desiderata
Will the Real Alice Please Stand Up?
If our 'inner Alice' has a right to be here, along with the moon and the stars, who might we be today if we embraced our own "much-ness," if our real-Alice-ness stepped through our confusion and doubt? What bold act might you take? What adventure might be yours? Here's what poet Mary Oliver has to say:
"There is no adventure like loving the world,
Or some portion of it.
Or some spirit encased in some particular body.
This year I turn (I think, I don't keep exact count),
seventy-three.
Every day my feet grow heavier, my spirit grows lighter,
I have been so blessed." Mary Oliver
Four Prescriptive Teachings:
1. Reclaim your 'much-ness.' Maryde, a 37-year-old gifted client's been hesitating to "do what she really wants, to open an orphanage," because she's afraid to give up the security of her C.P.A. practice, which leaves her drained, and confused ala Alice. Confusion comes when we break fundamental agreements with ourselves, to tell the Truth about what really lights our fire, rekindles the flame of our unique 'much-ness.'
2. "Get a bigger pan." Amazing composer/performer by the name of Karen Taylor-Good sings about a man who goes fishing, lands a beauty of a trout, throws it back, and is asked 'why?' Says he, his 'pan's too small.' Her solution? Get a bigger pan! How many times do we toss back into our depths our best ideas, deepest inspirations, greatest joys? We play too small. Do yourself a favor and check out www.karentaylorgood.com
3. Clear away the clutter that obscures who you are. Meaning, decide to shift your story. Otherwise, we stay in permanent rabbit-hatch-mode that defeats the imperative of our nature: growth. What saved Alice is her decision to recognize her confusion, her ailing heart's delight, and she ran in the direction of her fascination: the white rabbit. While our lives are not brought to us by Walt Disney, there is a 'take-away' here. Follow the direction of what holds the greatest life, away from that which is stale.
4. Tame your dragon. Eliminate what does not rejoice you, pass on those e-mails and social network affairs that have nothing to do with keeping you moving in the direction that's vibrant, regenerative, and uplifting for your own Spirit. Retire the need for approval-seeking. Life's an adventure. Live it to the hilt. Says Oliver:
"When it's over, it's over, and we don't know
any of us, what happens then.
So I try not to miss anything.
I think, in my whole life, I have never missed
the full moon
Or the slipper of its coming back.
Or, a kiss,
Well, yes, especially a kiss."
=================================
5 Easy Ways to Stay Inspired (Video)
5 Easy Ways to Stay Inspired (Video)
Inspiration comes and goes when it pleases. It's independent of our desires, doesn't respond well to force, and refuses to be controlled. Inspiration is a force not to be wrestled with. You can try but it will slip under the cracks every time. So how do we maintain access to inspiration so we can continue to direct our efforts in a useful productive manner with as much ease and efficiency as possible? Seems only reasonable to make a deal with inspiration and give in.
5 Ways to Stay Inspired.
1. Open up. Inspiration doesn't respond well to tightness we can practice softening our strong opinions and our desires. Once we learn how to be easy in our bodies and minds, all the good stuff pours in our direction. If inspiration is like water then we can carve out a path for it to flow.
2. Allow others to inspire you. We get so caught up in doing everything for ourselves, including inspiring ourselves, that it's exhausting, and not at all useful. Take a look around you. Look at your friends. Open up to your friends and take in the caring and good intentions they hold toward you. We spend so much time closing ourselves to protect from scary things that we forget that when we do open to the world inspiration can flow.
3. Take care of yourself. When your body and mind is healthy and functioning correctly, all things necessary are lined up for inspiration to flow through you. Eat well, sleep well, and practice well. It's best to give our bodies and minds as much opportunity to live to the fullest as we can. If we are healthy and vibrant we also can live longer, and be inspired longer. Bonus!
4. Make a change. It takes a huge amount of courage to actually take a good look at yourself and decide to make a change. It's easy to talk about it, think about it, and even plan to do it. Compassion, reflection, action. Make it happen.
5. Have a good time. The universe is set up to work in your favor. It takes loads of self-work to realize, and continue to realize that. The world is full of amusement. Enjoy yourself. A good start is not taking ourselves so seriously.
Try this yoga routine the next time you are wanting to gain some inspiration. It's designed to open up the body and the mind so you can step into inspiration without squashing it!
Inspiration comes and goes when it pleases. It's independent of our desires, doesn't respond well to force, and refuses to be controlled. Inspiration is a force not to be wrestled with. You can try but it will slip under the cracks every time. So how do we maintain access to inspiration so we can continue to direct our efforts in a useful productive manner with as much ease and efficiency as possible? Seems only reasonable to make a deal with inspiration and give in.
5 Ways to Stay Inspired.
1. Open up. Inspiration doesn't respond well to tightness we can practice softening our strong opinions and our desires. Once we learn how to be easy in our bodies and minds, all the good stuff pours in our direction. If inspiration is like water then we can carve out a path for it to flow.
2. Allow others to inspire you. We get so caught up in doing everything for ourselves, including inspiring ourselves, that it's exhausting, and not at all useful. Take a look around you. Look at your friends. Open up to your friends and take in the caring and good intentions they hold toward you. We spend so much time closing ourselves to protect from scary things that we forget that when we do open to the world inspiration can flow.
3. Take care of yourself. When your body and mind is healthy and functioning correctly, all things necessary are lined up for inspiration to flow through you. Eat well, sleep well, and practice well. It's best to give our bodies and minds as much opportunity to live to the fullest as we can. If we are healthy and vibrant we also can live longer, and be inspired longer. Bonus!
4. Make a change. It takes a huge amount of courage to actually take a good look at yourself and decide to make a change. It's easy to talk about it, think about it, and even plan to do it. Compassion, reflection, action. Make it happen.
5. Have a good time. The universe is set up to work in your favor. It takes loads of self-work to realize, and continue to realize that. The world is full of amusement. Enjoy yourself. A good start is not taking ourselves so seriously.
Try this yoga routine the next time you are wanting to gain some inspiration. It's designed to open up the body and the mind so you can step into inspiration without squashing it!
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
08 Ayumi Kinezuka Presents Her Fresh Crop Tea 1
http://samovarlife.com/08-ayumi-kinezuka-presents-her-fresh-crop-tea-1/
08 Ayumi Kinezuka Presents Her Fresh Crop Tea 1
08 Ayumi Kinezuka Presents Her Fresh Crop Tea 1
A Japanese Tea Gathering at San Francisco’s Urasenke Society
http://samovarlife.com/a-tea-gathering-at-san-franciscos-urasenke-society/
A Japanese Tea Gathering at San Francisco’s Urasenke Society
A Japanese Tea Gathering at San Francisco’s Urasenke Society
How To Get Into Tea
http://samovarlife.com/samovar-promo/
Introducing Jesse Jacobs, owner of Samovar Tea Lounge
http://samovarlife.com/how-to-get-into-tea/
How To Get Into Tea
Published by SamovarLife on April 27, 2009 under Tea Features, Tea Videos
http://samovarlife.com/tea-ware-video/
Introduction to Tea Ware Video: Tea Ware 101
http://samovarlife.com/choose-the-right-tea/
Choose the Right Tea
Introducing Jesse Jacobs, owner of Samovar Tea Lounge
http://samovarlife.com/how-to-get-into-tea/
How To Get Into Tea
Published by SamovarLife on April 27, 2009 under Tea Features, Tea Videos
http://samovarlife.com/tea-ware-video/
Introduction to Tea Ware Video: Tea Ware 101
http://samovarlife.com/choose-the-right-tea/
Choose the Right Tea
Delicious tea and food pairings
http://samovarlife.com/tea-tasting/
Delicious tea and food pairings. Pick the perfect food to bring out delicious flavors in antioxidant rich tea.
Tea & Food Pairings featured in the segment:
White Tea
Poached eggs, buttered sour dough toast with honey, sauted greens, steamed veggies, and desserts like vanilla ice cream and flan all help to bring out the subtle floral sweetness of this beautiful Chinese White tea.
Puerh Tea
Quiche, omelettes, nutella on toast, bittersweet chocolate, robust red wine and cheese, and spicy foods all pair really well with this earthy, espresso-like aged Chinese tea.
Green Tea
The succulent, floral, aromatic quality of jasmine flowers blended with organic, fair trade Chinese green tea pairs really well with rich, robust, smoky, heavy foods. Brioche French Toast, bacon, smoked fish, huevos rancheros, red meat, baked swordfish, sauteed onions and garlic are all ingredients and flavors that pair greatly with this tea.
Tea & Health:
Seasonal, whole leaf Tea is healthy, as it's got less caffeine than coffee, loads of antioxidants, and a natural, fresh delicious taste that comes only with artisanal whole leaf leaves sourced from small family farms around the globe.
It's soothing, and simultaneously uplifting, actually known to stimulate the same brain waves that yoga and meditation do!
And, organic, Fair Trade tea is good for the environment as it is sustainably harvested from small scale family farms.
Tea is romantic, and perfect for valentine's day. Bring health and clarity to life and your loved one by giving them artisanal tea.
Tea is easy. Brewing whole leaf tea is simple and fun, just add a pinch of fresh tea leaves to hot water, steep, and enjoy.
Tea is about connecting: Living today in our modern world people have the need to connect, slow down, and take time for appreciating life. Tea delivers that.
Romance Tea Set featured in segment, $79
About Samovar Tea Lounge:
It raises the bar as the first tea company to launch an unprecedented eco-friendly packaging design consisting of 100% compostable materials. Recognized for its award-winning tea menu and leading role in the burgeoning American tea movement, Samovar develops innovative eco-conscious solutions for everyday small business needs.
Samovar's ingenious packaging utilizes 100% post-consumer cardboard for its exterior shell and a wood pulp fiber liner to retain maximum freshness of their handcrafted teas.
A pioneering Bay Area green business, Samovar proudly introduces a sustainable container that, if composted, would turn to soil within a couple of months. The new container will be available in October 2009.
Samovar holds an exclusive partnership with Eva Lee and Chiu Leng of the Hawaii Tea Society as they will supply artisan tea made in America.
Samovar's goal is to further put America on the map for the production of premium artisan tea. After eight years of continual farming in Volcano Village on the Big Island, Samovar is the first mainland outlet to feature the limited edition Hawaii-Grown Oolong and Hawaii-Grown Black Tea, which will be released on September 1, 2009.
Samovar recently prepared a custom tea blend for His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The tea is named after The Dalai Lama himself, its titled Ocean of Wisdom. The tea accompanied The Dalai Lama as he presented "The Missing Peace" project at various art institutions across the U.S. Ocean of Wisdom is available for purchase at Samovar's three Bay Area locations and online at
Samovar is the exclusive retailer of "Gyokuro Inoka Hill," which took 1st Place in the All Japanese Gyokuro Tea Competition last year. No one else in the world sells this tea, not even any retailers in Japan. It's for only politicians and dignitaries in Japan, and Samovar customers.
Almost all Samovar teas are organic and fair trade certified.
Samovar utilizes many eco-friendly sustainability practices in their design and building efforts. They use many reclaimed and renewable resources as they design new locations. Their latest locale features a 1200 year-old, 20-foot naturally wind fallen redwood tree from Marin, CA serving as the tea bar.
All tables are from wind fallen old growth trees, and the FSC certified wood flooring comes from sustainably managed US forests. All the metal work utilizes materials from turn of the century food processing facilities.
Samovar allocates 1% of their profits to an education budget for standout employees to travel to other countries to research new teas firsthand, attend national industry and restaurant conventions, and take tea education classes.
For more information about Samovar Tea Lounge, visit samovarlife.com
Locations in San Francisco
297 Page Street corner of Laguna Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 861-0303
730 Howard Street
(above the waterfall in Yerba Buena Gardens)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 227-9400
498 Sanchez Street at 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
Phone: (415) 626-4700
Monday, March 08, 2010
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Dreamcatcher
http://esl-bits.net/listening/Media/DreamCatcher/default.html
Dreamcatcher
by Rebecca Casey
All the lights are shining bright down in the city
shining like a million dreams
sometimes I feel like I'm upside down
and all those dreams are falling right past me
Everybody needs a dreamcatcher
someone to be there
when your dreams start to fall
Everybody needs a dreamcatcher
someone to be there
when the bad dreams are all you can see
dreamcatcher, catch me
All the dreams are shining bright in the city
one of them must be for me
sometimes I feel if I could just touch one
that would be enough, enough for me
Everybody needs a dreamcatcher
someone to be there
when your dreams start to fall
Everybody needs a dreamcatcher
someone to be there
when the bad dreams are all you can see
dreamcatcher, catch me
catch me
catch me
Dreamcatcher
by Rebecca Casey
All the lights are shining bright down in the city
shining like a million dreams
sometimes I feel like I'm upside down
and all those dreams are falling right past me
Everybody needs a dreamcatcher
someone to be there
when your dreams start to fall
Everybody needs a dreamcatcher
someone to be there
when the bad dreams are all you can see
dreamcatcher, catch me
All the dreams are shining bright in the city
one of them must be for me
sometimes I feel if I could just touch one
that would be enough, enough for me
Everybody needs a dreamcatcher
someone to be there
when your dreams start to fall
Everybody needs a dreamcatcher
someone to be there
when the bad dreams are all you can see
dreamcatcher, catch me
catch me
catch me
The gift to be simple
'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down
where we ought to be,
and when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained
to bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,
to turn, turn, will be our delight
till by turning, turning we come round right.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Economic Bloggers Documentary
Economic Bloggers Documentary
Economic Bloggers and the Renewal of Entrepreneurial Capitalism Documentary from the Economic Bloggers Forum hosted by the Kauffman Foundation
Why Hire Bashyam Spiro LLP
Hear from Our Clients and Staff from Bashyam Spiro, LLP on Vimeo.
The Raleigh, North Carolina immigration law firm of Bashyam Spiro LLP is committed solely to the practice of Immigration and Nationality Law. By practicing exclusively in the area of immigration and naturalization, we are able to keep abreast of the rapidly changing immigration laws. This makes us your immigration resource and allows us to provide our clients with accurate, timely immigration strategies, immigration news updates, and assistance with green cards, H1b visas, E visas, L1 visas, citizenship, family immigration, and other immigration matters. We remain on the forefront of immigration law integrating the most advanced technology to successfully manage cases and provide an unparalleled level of customer service. Our team of immigration attorneys, talented immigration paralegals and support staff work to expertly navigate our clients through the complex and rapidly changing citizenship and immigration process. Whether you are a corporation seeking inbound immigration or outbound immigration, an individual seeking employment, need assistance with family immigration, or are a student pursuing an F-1 student visa, Bashyam Spiro LLP has the resources and experience that you need on your side . We represent immigration clients in all 50 states and around the world. Call us today at 919-833-0840 - our immigration lawyers are ready to help.
Why Hire Bashyam Spiro LLP
Subscribe to Immigration News Weekly
or Visit Our Immigration News Blog
2010 State of Entrepreneurship Address
2010 State of Entrepreneurship Address
Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, delivers the State of Entrepreneurship Address. The event, moderated by Alexis Glick, features a panel of entrepreneurs and remarks from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Atmosphir is a 3D adventure game and design tool.
Explore thousands of challenging levels filled with puzzles, combat, secrets and old-school platforming
Play with a console-quality 3D graphics engine, right in your browser window
Join your friends in cooperative or competitive multiplayer matches and move up the leaderboard rankings
Customize your character and choose from hundreds of outfits, weapons and special effects
Design your own levels in minutes with a simple but deep editor tool
Atmosphir is coming soon, but please sign up on our waiting list and we'll let you know when it's ready!
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Monday, March 01, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Women in Leadership: Action Plan for Change
November 18, 2008 results of the UC Davis annual study of women in leadership in the top 400 companies in California.
Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen Fund, shares lessons in leadership from her work in venture philanthropy.
MARCH 2009
As a venture philanthropist, Acumen Fund’s Jacqueline Novogratz leads entrepreneurial projects across the globe—many of which put women at the helm of emerging local businesses. In this video interview, she discusses her experience developing other women leaders, the way they have shaped her own approach to leadership, and the different leadership cultures she sees at play in the public and private sectors.
This interview was conducted by Bill Javetski, an editor with the McKinsey Quarterly, in February 2009. It was recorded in the New York office of Acumen Fund.
The Quarterly: One of the secrets of your activity in building entrepreneurialism is focusing on women as workers. Can you talk about that?
Jacqueline Novogratz: I had been in Rwanda where I worked with a small group of women to start the first microfinance organization in the country and, simultaneously, a bakery with 20 unwed mothers. My own background has taught me a lot about the power of investing in women, because you do end up feeding a family and not just an individual.
I worry actually that the international-development community may, in focusing so much on the women, end up demoralizing and devaluing men even further. I don’t want to be glib about just investing in girls. We have to build healthy societies and we have to recognize that boys and girls develop differently and [we have to] find ways really to include, to value, to have high expectations, and to provide opportunity.
And so there’s this big, philosophical question around how do you hire, how do you encourage different behavior. Can you—in the dormitories—bring in other activities to bring in reproductive health, to help with microfinance and savings? There’s a really interesting platform here.
The Quarterly: Your story of the bakery in Rwanda was in large part a story about developing the women that you worked with there. What did you learn about leadership from their experience of developing into owners and operators of that business?
Jacqueline Novogratz: I went in as a leader with pure audaciousness. I didn’t have as much humility in that I just assumed—I’m the eldest of seven, I can do the Bad News Bears thing really well, I’m just going to cheer them on—without having the humility of really understanding what their starting place was.
After many mishaps, including having them steal from me and having them not really know how to sell—I mean they would look down the whole time and have to explain to me that they were considered prostitutes by many; for them to go and look somebody directly in the eye and shake their hands was not exactly a Rwandan-woman kind of thing—so I had to learn to have the humility myself to really listen to their perspectives, and yet not stop there; to have the audaciousness to say, “It’s a good starting point, but we want to get you to this other place.”
The real lesson for me was how that dignity is so much more important to the human spirit than wealth. And that what these women, as all of us, needed was to know that we could cover basic needs, but to have the power of being able to say no to things that we didn’t want, that we didn’t want to do. And so leadership as a way of inspiring, listening, and letting people, you know, grow themselves in their own way.
And it was a small experience in some ways, and yet one that I think about all the time that taught me so much about listening and dignity—and laughter as a really, really key component. The more stressed I got, the less anything worked; and the more we could laugh, the more we got done. And so that was probably another really big lesson.
I’m a big optimist. I really believe in setting impossible goals and then making them possible. And I really love people—and I think people feel that from me. So it’s probably that sometimes very confusing mix of optimism, idealism, but also high expectations, lots of discipline, and pragmatism.
Part of the journey that those of us who are privileged, which is pretty much everyone in this country, has to make is not being embarrassed by privilege or guilty for privilege or confused by privilege, but to start from that place of recognizing that your responsibility is to use that privilege in the best way you can to serve the world. And there are lots of ways of serving the world.
The Quarterly: Many women work in social sector, fewer in finance. Let’s say actually fewer lead in finance. You’ve succeeded in both. Any thoughts on the skill set, and why one isn’t more prevalent in the other area?
Jacqueline Novogratz: I think that girls really are relational, and what I love about finance—and what I love about accounting even, which is kind of embarrassing to admit—is it’s another form of storytelling. And if you could teach young people to find the stories in the combination of the balance sheet and the income statement, I think we would see a lot more girls taking leadership in finding that comfort.
I just did a panel for women on Wall Street, and what they spoke about was how rigid our financial institutions continue to be around integrating women into the workforce—particularly after they’ve had children—and that the rules are so driven by a different kind of discipline that the social sector has taken upon itself to reinvent. And that may be more to the point as to why we don’t see as many leaders—women leaders—in finance. It’s a much older club. It’s been driven by a stricter set of rules and expectations.
I have four brothers who all work on Wall Street, and I remember when one of my brothers’ wife had a child. And I said, “Well, is there, you know, paternity leave?” And he said, “Oh, yeah. We have the most liberal paternity leave on Wall Street—but I would never take it, because if I did, everybody would think I was, you know, wimpy.” And I think there’s great truth to that. So there’s a cultural piece that needs to be looked at. Whereas in the social sector, as a woman leader, you have the opportunity to invent the culture in which you want to work and thrive.
Young people often will come to me and say, “I really want to do this, but first I feel like I need to do A, B, C, D, and E.” In some ways I think we’ve put young people, especially, on a track where they have these expectations that they’re going to do one thing after another because that’s what everybody else does—and then they will get this freedom. And I think there are lots of different paths and that the path isn’t always clear, but you just should start; that work will teach you; and that I can’t imagine a more joyful way of living than a life when where you are serving in the spirit as equally of adventure as you are of change. Q logo
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Bloom Box
Watch CBS News Videos Online
February 21, 2010 5:00 PM
Large corporations have been testing a new device that can generate power on the spot, without being connected to the electric grid. Will we have one in every home someday? Lesley Stahl reports.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Koplovitz Discusses Venture Capital for Women-Led Firms: Video Bloomberg Feb. 16, 2010. 12:56 PM EST
http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/play/1310117
Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Kay Koplovitz, chairman of Springboard Enterprises, talks with Bloomberg's Betty Liu about how her company fosters investments in start-up companies led by women. Koplovitz also discusses the availability of venture capital funds. (Source: Bloomberg)
Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Kay Koplovitz, chairman of Springboard Enterprises, talks with Bloomberg's Betty Liu about how her company fosters investments in start-up companies led by women. Koplovitz also discusses the availability of venture capital funds. (Source: Bloomberg)
Vons Hermosa Beach
Just so you know what you are getting into in Manhattan Beach, here is last weeks event
How to Quickly Chill Wine - Screw It #28 - SuppleWine.com
You're thirsty and all you have is warm wine. Fortunately you don't have to wait hours for a cool, crisp and refreshing glass. More info at SuppleWine.com.
Chef David Dibari Old World cooking with a new twist
Get to know the hottest up coming Chef David Dibari and his new restaurant the Cookery in Dobbs Ferry NY.
Buenos Aires Tours: Culinary Adventures With Teresita
Buenos Aires Tours is all about Cooking Traditional Argentine cuisine. Immerse yourself in our culture by eating and drinking as the locals do. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves for a hands-on experimentation in Teresita's kitchen. We will share regional techniques, ingredients, and family recipes that have been passed down over the generations.
My Life as a grape, Tolosa Winery
Join Tolosa Winery to look into the life of a Pinot Noir grape in the Edna Valley.
Time to Wine Episodes
Time to Wine with Zita Keeley. Food and wine pairing featuring Chef Jesse Jones.
Time to Wine with Zita Keeley. Find out how to make your own wine at A Little Taste of Purple in Livingston, NJ.
Wine Appreciation show presented by Zita Keeley aka "The Wining Woman" www.allidoiswine.com
Winter in the vineyards: pruning with Dana Grande
Vineyard Manager Dana Grande of Jordan Vineyard & Winery talks about the most important vineyard work in winter months -- pruning -- and Jordan's approach to double-pruning its estate vines each season for increased efficiency and vine health
Tallowing oak-cask doors for 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
Before blending our Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon each December, the Jordan cellar team practices the old-world tradition of tallowing (with wax) the doors of our oak-cask tanks. Our 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was blended with Merlot and Petit Verdot, and will reside for three months in our 6,000-gallon oak casks (originally constructed in 1976) before moving to French and American oak barrels for an additional 12 months of aging. http://blog.jordanwinery.com/2010/01/tallowing-cask-doors-2009
2009 Jordan olive harvest report with Dana Grande
Vineyard Manager Dana Grande of Jordan Vineyard & Winery discusses the 2009 olive growing season and harvest. http://blog.jordanwinery.com/2010/01/2009-olive-harvest-report-with-dana-grande/
Martin Ranch Winery - Cooking for Solutions Monterey Bay Aquarium
Dan & I had the pleasure of pouring our wines at the Monterey Bay Aquariums Cooking for Solutions gala event. This is an annual sustainable cuisine event held at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Great chefs, gourmet cuisine and fine wines make this the culinary event of the year—an elegant way to discover how your healthy choices protect the health of the soil, water and ocean wildlife.It was fun to be able to pour at this snazzy event, and the Aquarium at night was spectacular!
Floral design at Jordan with Nitsa Knoll
Director of Hospitality & Events Nitsa Knoll tells the story of how she became enamored with flowers, and also discusses Jordan's approach to floral design and continuing education. http://blog.jordanwinery.com/2010/02/flower-power-my-inspiration-and-continuing-education/
Pizza and Pasta Wines
Tom from Vino 100 Newburgh discusses wines to pair with Pizza and Pasta dishes. To learn more about wine visit www.freewinetip.com
Tour of Yorkville Organic Vineyards
Vineyard dog, Shadow, helps Deborah and Edward Wallo show their organic vineyard in Mendocino County, CA.
Damien Rice ： The Blower’s Daughter
The Blower’s Daughter
And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky
I can't take my eyes off of you
G#m
I can't take my eyes off you
F#m
I can't take my eyes off of you
E
I can't take my eyes off you
As Bs
I can't take my eyes off you
As
I can't take my eyes...
And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...
Oooooooooohh
Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?
I can't take my mind off of you
A#m
I can't take my mind off you
G#m
I can't take my mind off of you
F#
I can't take my mind off you
B C#
I can't take my mind off you
B
I can't take my mind...
B
My mind...my mind...
'Til I find somebody new
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
SpaceClaim Touches a 3D Nerve
SpaceClaim Touches a 3D Nerve
By Sanderson22. 七月 2009 13:52
There’s fresh evidence that computer mice are about to join the endangered species list. SpaceClaim says its 3D Direct Modeling software will be compatible with Windows Touch, due out this fall with the release of Windows 7.
SpaceClaim’s 3D Direct Modeling solutions includes SpaceClaim Engineer, a modeling and simulation tool, and SpaceClaim Style for conceptual design, will both run in the touch environment. On the hardware side it will support several multi-touch hardware tools that will use Windows 7, including 3M, N-trig, HP, Dell, and Lenovo.
The company isn’t releasing any Beta test versions yet. But the system works as effectively as in this promo video, computer mice should be afraid … be very afraid.
Did You Remember The Pork Cartridge?
Did You Remember The Pork Cartridge?
By Kkelly26. 八月 2009 09:02
As if figuring out the proper print cartridge for your home computer isn’t difficult enough, along comes Electrolux with: the 3D molecular food printer. Yes, you read that correctly.
As part of the company’s annual Design Lab competition, undergrad and graduate industrial design students are tasked with coming up with home appliance inventions that are likely to take root in the next 90 years.
Which brings us to one of the more interesting finalists, the Moléculaire, a CNC food printer that prepares everything from basic to complex food recipes using layering printing techniques to create 2- and 3-dimensional foods. The secret is the ability to use small food particles from a multitude of ingredients. Designed by Nico Kläber at the Köln International Schools of Design in Germany, Molèculaire assures every meal will taste great, albeit somewhat geometric. So is cartridge number 45 peas or green beans?
ION Electrifies Sportbike World
ION Electrifies Sportbike World
By Kkelly8. 九月 2009 09:17
Diehard motorcycle riders will tell you there’s nothing like the feeling of having a V-twin between your thighs while carving through a back-country road, but when you have something as sexy as Tom Miceli’s ION electric sportbike you may be ready to rethink that power only comes from an internal combustion engine.
While earning his BS in Industrial Design at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, Miceli dedicated one semester to developing and designing the ION on a “minimal” budget. The results are astounding: the 84 volt lithium battery-powered bike uses an AC motor that generates 105 lb.-ft. of torque and 46 hp with regenerative braking. Range is estimated at 60 miles with a top speed of 81 mph.
Miceli displayed the bike at the Southern Energy and Environment Expo 2009…and actually took it out for a spin, where he called it “kinda scary.” Just watch the video to see what he’s talking about:
Automist Wins Dyson Award
Automist Wins Dyson Award
By Kkelly9. 九月 2009 13:17
While you may be familiar with James Dyson from his appearance in the vacuum cleaner commercial dissing four wheels in favor of the maneuverability of a giant ball, what you may not know is that he sponsors a design award, cleverly named the James Dyson Award. Participants are required to design a product that “solves a problem.” For this year’s award, more than 400 ideas were submitted by designers in 21 countries. The winner: Automist, a home water mist fire suppression system that can be integrated into any existing water tap. It was designed by two U.K. Royal College of Art students, Yusuf Muhammad and Paul Thomas, who had read that conventional home fire extinguishers are often misused or too slow to put the fire out. Their solution: use a wireless heat detector to trigger an under sink water pump to activate mist nozzles under the water tap when a fire is detected.
In addition to the name-brand honor, their ingenuity results in a £10,000 ($16,500) grant to fund development of the invention for commercialization, along with another £10,000 for the university.
solidThinking Harnesses Mother Nature’s Design Approach
solidThinking Harnesses Mother Nature’s Design Approach
By Kkelly16. 九月 2009 09:00
When it comes to shapes, there’s no better inspiration than nature. Whether its the bone structure of the human body or the shapes found in a spider web, the ability to mimic natural forms has been an almost-elusive task. solidThinking has come up with new software technology, called “morphogenesis,” that it says can mimic nature
Included as part of the 8.0 Inspired software package, morphogenesis takes initial shape definitions outlined by the designer and then “grows” the most efficient shapes around the initial structure. “With the debut of morphogenesis form generation, designers are provided with an environment to replicate biological growth processes in nature where structure develops and takes shape in response to environmental stimuli,” says James Dagg, vice president of software development at solidThinking.
The addition of morphogenesis also paves the way for designers to easily and cost-effectively modify forms without having to conduct complex computations, thereby permitting more experimentation.
Watch this video to see how morphogenesis can change the way you approach industrial design:
SketchBook Mobile
Autodesk: Yes, there’s an app for that
By Kkelly28. 九月 2009 14:47
On average, 6.6-million apps are downloaded from the Apple iTunes store every day.
That number may get a bump from designers, now that the Autodesk SketchBook Mobile is available for the iPhone and iTouch. Based on the paint engine that drive’s the full-blown SketchBook Pro, these portable versions—the there the free SketchBook Mobile X and the $2.99 SketchBook Mobile—that allow you to not only create back-of-the-napkin sketches, but even create usable art.
Upon hearing about the app at the annual IDSA conference last week, I immediately hit iTunes to download the free version and needless to say I was impressed. While the diminutive size of the iPhone screen provided some limitations in terms of developing detailed drawings for novice users like myself, several design professionals have already used the app to create some pretty cool stuff. What’s even better is that you can email copies of your ideas to friends and colleagues right from your iPhone.
Microsoft’s Mice Get Touchy
Microsoft’s Mice Get Touchy
By Kkelly6. 十月 2009 10:47
Those of you who haven’t been following the advent of Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system are probably unaware that it incorporates multitouch technology, which recognizes more than one finger touch at a time. Yes, Apple’s already done that, we know. So in an effort to make this technology useful and distinctivel, Microsoft Research has developed a family of five mice that utilize it interesting ways, like being able to flick a cursor across the screen, or pinching to shrink photos. Yes, Apple. . . .
We could try to explain how each one works, but you’d probably much rather see them in action:
Say Goodbye to Training Wheels
Say Goodbye to Training Wheels
By Kkelly19. 十月 2009 09:16
It’s been a right of passage for generations of toddlers: the day when your parents break out the crescent wrench and take the training wheels off your bike. The day usually ends with success as you travel down the sidewalk balancing your two-wheeler with relative ease, but that usually comes after a few bruised and scraped knees or elbows. What if there was a way to skip the pain and move right to the reward?
A new innovation called the Gyrowheel has been designed to help make the ordeal of graduating from training wheels more enjoyable and less painful. The wheel replaces the traditional front spoked wheel with one packed with a spinning disc that uses a rechargeable battery pack to spin independently at various rates to stabilize the bike, even when it’s rider-less. Think of it as something similar to the way a Segway balances itself and you get the idea. The speed of the disc can be adjusted based on the comfort level of the rider.
The Gyrowheel will be available in early December, which is about the time when you might want to divest of your investment in Band-Aid stock.
Listen Up
With the exception of those people on infomericals with the big rigs on their heads, most people who use hearing aids prefer to be somewhat more discrete in their use, particularly in public. Consequently, some of these people have found themselves in awkward situations at social or business events because they didn’t want to have to go through the all-too-obvious and often-complicated volume-adjustment routine. So they simply agree and end up with. . .an anchovy pizza.
This issue formed the impetus behind the development of new “sweep” touch volume activation technology developed by design firm Stuart Karten Design and Starkey Laboratories for Starkey’s new S Series line of hearing aids.
The bottom half of the hearing aid is completely touch-activated, allowing for quick and easy volume adjustment. An upward sweep of the finger along the surface turns the volume up, while a downward sweep results in lower volume. A quick touch of the device switches operation between digital listening modes.
“By giving patients more control over their hearing aids, I hope we’re giving them a greater sense of freedom in their lives,” says Ron Pierce, SKD’s director of strategy and research. Finding a way to mix design and technology in a form that can make people’s lives easier should be the goal of every product developer.
Bike Storage 3.0
In Japan, where more than 18 million bicycles are sold per year to people who use them for daily transportation, even to and from work. Consequently, people-powered transport is one of the biggest growing sectors in the Japanese economy.
Having millions of bicycles on the streets daily means those bikes have to be parked somewhere. Traditional bike racks are an eyesore, not to mention the fact they leave bikes exposed to elements, and who wants to commute with a wet seat?
One town in Japan has come up with an innovative way to store bikes that’s both convenient and dry. The “bike tree” is a fully-automated storage system that can store up to 6,000 bikes in one location for a small monthly fee. The bikes are fitted with an electronic tag that transmits data to the tree. Once the bike is inserted into the retrieval slot, the tree recognizes the size and weight of the bike and then grabs it and places it in the rack system. When the owner wants to retrieve their bike, they simply swipe their mag stripe card through the reader and their bike is delivered to them in minutes. It’s interesting to watch the tree in action:
The Future of Musical Instruments?
The Future of Musical Instruments?
By GSV18. 十二月 2009 08:50
Or is it something that is going to cause a reboot of Thomas Dolby, Kraftwerk, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer?
It’s called the Eigenharp Alpha from Eigenlabs. It features 120 keys, 12 percussion keys, two strip controllers, a breath pipe, and even pedal inputs. And there is even what can be described as “disco lighting” up and down the neck.
The company’s creative director Richard Campbell calls it “The most expressive musical instrument ever made.” It is certainly one of the most digital. And it isn’t cheap: While it will be introduced in the U.S. next month, you can pick one up in the U.K. for £3950.
By the way, if you watch this video and get to about the nine-minute mark, the guy on the left is playing an instrument that Eigenharpers may not recognize. It’s called an “acoustic guitar.”
Fast Chinese Train Is, Well, Really Fast
Fast Chinese Train Is, Well, Really Fast
By GSV29. 十二月 2009 08:28
On December 26th, while you were, perhaps, in a long line at a department store trying to return that gift you’d received, a line that moved with all of the alacrity of a tired, wounded snail, a group of folks in China were setting a land-speed record.
The Harmony Express passenger train traveled between Guangzhou to Wuhan, a distance of some 1,100 km, in less than three hours, averaging 350 km/hr. According to a story in the Financial Times, this speed is significantly faster than that of the Japanese Shinkansen or the French TGV trains, which have a maximum service speed of 300 km/hr.
And the “fast” train in the U.S., the Acela, brings to mind the aforementioned snail—comparatively speaking—as it travels the 300 km between Boston and New York in 3.5 hours, for a speed of about 86 km/hr.
In the event that you want to see a fast train—labeled the “fastest”—check out this video which, as you’ll note from the fact that the guys are speaking French, is not the Harmony Express::
Get Published Now
If you've got a manuscript, there's never been a better time to get published. This video from Author Solutions will tell you how to get started on your publishing journey. For more information, visit www.authorsolutions.com.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Nooka Augmented Reality Accessorizer: Not real but it should be
Nooka is one of our favorite brands and these guys created a new way to try on a Nooka watch at home. By using augmented reality technologies – albeit technology that may not work quite yet – you can try on any watch just by putting on a specially coded bracelet. The system senses the position of your hand and lets the Nooka watch appear in 3D right on your wrist. It’s honestly an amazing idea and someone better patent it before Trojan and Victoria’s Secret get their hands on it.
We’ve seen a few of these, including Avatar toys that come to life on your screen, but never have I seen them shown in such a compelling and fascinating manner. If you were flipping through a magazine would you stop and take a photo of a little bug in the corner of the page or are you more likely to peel of a intriguing watch and go to a website to see something even cooler?
AR is finally getting to a point where the uncanny valley has finally been reached. Expect amazing things in just the next few years.
Thanks, Dr. Mark Wright
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