Freedom Service Dogs is an organization that rescues dogs from shelters, custom trains them, then pairs them with various clients living with disabilities. The dogs are trained to assist in the daily living for the clients by picking up items, turning on and off lights, going for help and learning over 50 other commands. The work done by this organization and the dogs has shown improvements in client lifestyles psychologically, socially and even economically. http://youtu.be/_zN6oDoNRpE
Colorado Gives Day: Firefly Autism
Firefly Autism is a center located in Denver, Colorado dedicated to teaching and family focused therapy. Focusing on autistic children and their families, Firefly Autism is able to transform the lives of these children for the better. http://youtu.be/ptbSf11Ehos
How To: Make Your New Years Resolution
Sure, I make new years resolutions. But I usually wait until sometime close to February to decide what they are. I'm not sure if that amounts to procrastination or introspection. What is for certain, is that I can't rush it. And my resolutions need to really mean something to me. I mean, we should all resolve to eat healthier and exercise more. To be kinder to the people around us, and patient with those who challenge us. (which is a really nice way of saying they bug the crud out of us!) I believe our new years resolutions should focus on real self-improvement. It's sometimes hard to pinpoint exactly what is going to fix what is broken in our lives.
If you're serious about it... allow me to share a bit of brilliance from one of my favorite, contemporary, thought machines. I just love the mind of Jennifer Fulwiler*. She has an incredible gift for bringing big thoughts down into reasonable nutshells.
Today, Fulwiler shared her take on New Years Resolutions for the Overwhelmed. Are you with me?
It's all about making sure your actual priorities are in line with your stated priorities.
Being as overwhelmed as I am, the main problem was that I didn't know where to start. When I thought of "things in my life that could use improvement," I would become overwhelmed by the flood of options that came to mind. So I made up a little life inventory list that included all the most important areas of my life (not necessarily in priority order):
- MARRIAGE
- RELATIONSHIP WITH THE KIDS
- SPIRITUAL LIFE
- HOMESCHOOLING
- HOUSEKEEPING
- HEALTH
- SOCIAL LIFE
- WORK / OUTSIDE COMMITMENTS
There were only a couple of areas where I felt that all was going well and few improvements could be made. For each of the others, I asked myself the following questions:
- What is the biggest problem I am I having in this area?
- What are the causes of that problem?
- What has been preventing me from solving that problem?
Okay, maybe that still sounds like a lot of work... but when she shares the process of her resolution revolution - it's about as easy as it gets. Here is Jennifer's take on Spiritual Life - which could just as easily substitute for making time for meditation or yoga, or whatever anchors your day:
- What is the biggest problem I am I having in this area? I'm not starting the day with prayer. This always leads me to have a lax attitude about prayer (and many other things) for the rest of the day.
- What are the causes of that problem? I've been sleeping in because I'm staying up too late.
- What has been preventing me from solving that problem? The kids have gotten totally off schedule during the holidays, and are staying up way too late. I desperately need an hour or so of wind-down time to myself after the little ones are in bed, so that means that I'm always up late too.
This was quite revelatory for me: I had never made a connection to my children's drifting nighttime schedule to my prayer life, but through this exercise I realized that things had gone off the rails in that department exactly when we started getting lax about when everyone went to bed. Even more interestingly, that same issue kept coming up in other areas of life: The examinations for Relationship with the Kids, Housekeeping, Health, and Work all revealed connections to this issue of everyone's nighttime schedule being in disarray.
And there I had a clear goal for the new year: Establish reasonable bedtimes for everyone in the house. It's simple, it's doable, and I expect that if we can see improvements in this one small area, they will radiate out toward many other areas of life.
If that doesn't help you focus your resolution making, it's possible that resolutions just aren't for you.
If that's the case, feel free to follow my example; I make sure to have at least one fun resolution each year. You know. Set yourself up for success!
One year I resolved to inject more color into my wardrobe. Another, I gave myself permission to buy accessories like jewelry, belts and scarves. The year I decided to buy and wear more prints and patterns taught me that I don't really like to see myself in prints and patterns. But I learned which ones I do like - and I no longer let the mass of solids in my closet make me feel bland. Turns out, I have a thing for texture and unique stitching details.
Maybe for you, it's trying new foods or traveling to new places. Seeing the tourist attractions in your own state that you never bother to explore.
Nowhere is it written that new years resolutions have to be hard or no fun. I think we should just hope that they enrich our lives in some way.
*Jennifer Fulwiler writes her personal blog at ConversionDiary.com and also blogs for the National Catholic Register. She is also the author of her upcoming book about her conversion from Atheism to Catholicism. Find more details on her blog page!
When Clicking "Like" Translates to Real World Action
Call me stuck up, but I have always been a proponent of Action before Theory. Given the opportunity, I would rather take an active role rather than discussing it over coffee. This is the reasoning that lead me to Uganda in 2009, instead of re-posting an Invisible Children video. This is what always bothered me about sites like Facebook and Twitter; people "like" and share videos rather than getting themselves involved. Granted, it does help to raise awareness of issues, but I never really believed that it could translate to action in the real world (IRL). Apparently I was mistaken. According to surveys done recently, and reported at the Business News Daily site, more than half of users on 4 of the 5 biggest social media sites report having taken offline action because of online interaction. Some of the most common of these are offline meetings between people, attending events (such as a conference) and participation in activities, such as sports. Each of the big social media sites specializes in their own way at getting people involved (Facebook tends to be more social oriented LinkedIn tends to relate to job changes) but these finding are good news for anyone hoping to inspire action. So remember, the next time you find yourself faced with a tragic Youtube clip, get involved, make a donation or join a 5K to raise funds for a cause. Imagine what could happen if over 1 billion people took their support one step farther than Facebook . Therein lies the power to move (metaphorical) mountains.
Interested? Want to learn more? Check out the original post here. Do your social media habits ever make the transition from digital idea to physical action? Tell us about it in the comment section!
Driving Force Radio - Arzu Studio Hope
A beautiful solution to a life-long challenge in Afghanistan. How to provide sustainable income to Afghan women with few skills and fewer options. Enter Connie Duckworth. Shortly after she retired from a distinguished career, a friend called to say she'd put Connie's name, "...in for something." Something was a bi-partisan commission for Afghan women, and the State Department was looking for a business representative. Connie was inspired.
It took some stops and starts, but eventually it was clear that they should capitalize on the Afghan women's incredible rug weaving skills, which just happens to be the only culturally acceptable paid work for women there, and target a socially-conscience consumer market. ARZU Studio Hope was born.
Duckworth talks about the challenges, successes, and flat-out serendipity surrounding this wonderful organization, on ICOSA's Driving Force Radio program.
You can listen to the podcast, linked above -or- watch our video version in two parts.
You'll also find Jan Mazotti's interview with Connie Duckworth in the next issue of ICOSA Magazine (Page 86)
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We hope you are inspired by this incredible story. And if you're in the market for custom rugs for your home or business or corporation, please visit arzustudiohope.org
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Globally Impacting on a Google Scale
Google, once just a search engine, has now become an engine of active change in the world. Recently Google has started what it calls the Google Global Impact Awards, designed to honor and support organizations utilizing innovations in technology to increase their impact. Google has given out $23 million to groups who excel in their own way. These organizations address issues from wildlife endangerment to problems in the school system, and each has managed a unique solution to their issue. I have listed all of the recipients and highlighted 3 that I found most interesting.
World Wildlife Fund ($5 million) - With the money given by Google, the WWF hopes to bring modern technology to bear on poachers and protect endangered species more effectively. The grant gives enough funds to the WWF to start testing on the use of aerial drones and more advanced tagging and tracking systems, to better monitor the animals and watch for poacher activity. These systems help to ensure the survival of some of the most beautiful and rare animals on our planet.
charity: water ($5 million) : Many organizations exist to help bring clean water wells to remote areas of the world, but the process of monitoring and upkeep of the wells can be costly to the point of near impossibility. charity: water installs wireless transmitters on the wells which gauge water flow, and provide information to keep the wells in working order and usable. The organization utilizes GPS tracking into their process to effectively monitor each well as well as provide transparency for their actions. In fact, pictures of each well are GPS tagged on Google Maps to show each position of each well they monitor.
Consortium for the Barcode of Life ($3 million) : Illegal trade in endangered animals is a big money industry, yet enforcement of these crimes can often be difficult. In order to correctly identify many of the species, it is necessary to consult a professional taxonomist, which is costly, time consuming and in some cases impossible. The Consortium for the Barcode of Life is working to analyze and sequence the DNA of each of these endangered species, and create a barcode to identify the specimen. These barcodes can be used to effectively identify endangered species without the expense of a taxonomist. This innovation will assist local authorities in properly dealing with those who illegally trade endangered species.
DonorsChoose.org ($5 million) : Where Crowdfunding meets needy schools and field trips. Teachers post their needs on the site and donors can choose and donate to provide necessary funding for school projects and trips. Projects reach their goals with a 70% success rate.
Equal Opportunity Schools ($1.8 million) : Programs designed to find talented children and get them to the right education level in their schools. Keeps children engaged and interested in school while providing them better opportunity to learn at higher levels.
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media ($1.2 million) : Designed to change the way that children are impacted by female role models in children's media by working to create a positive presence of women in shows children watch.
Give Directly ($2.4 million) : Donations made go directly to the cell phones of families in Kenya where the recipient uses the funds to help change the way that their family is able to live.
Each of these organizations is working hard to change our world for the better through better innovation in technology. If you want to learn more about the Impact Awards or any of these organizations you can find it at the Google Global Impact Awards site.
ICOSAPHONIC: Best Blogged Tracks of 2012
Chances are if you aren’t the Curiosity Rover, you have undoubtedly been beaten senseless by the likes of viral music in 2012. The Call Me Maybe’s, the Gangnam Styles, and who can forget the countless covers of Goyte’s Somebody I Used to Know (cue Star Wars Edition). 2012 ushered in the billion-view music video, but if you’re ready to unstick these tunes from your head, ICOSAPHONIC has our favorite blogged tracks of 2012. Passion Pit - Constant Conversations Their sophomore release, Gossamer, delivers a wider scope of Passion Pit's patented synthpop extravaganza , with a more earnest and emotionally charged feel to the tracks, especially noted in the downtempo confession "Constant Conversations". Passion Pit was formed out of Cambridge, Mass. by brainchild and lead singer Michael Angelakos in 2007.
Tallest Man on Earth - 1904 Swedish Folk singer Kristian Matsson throws out booming folk ballads that harken back to the age of Bob Dylan. "1904" is an airy sentimental track that has been gaining traction with indie bloggers this year, with his third studio release Dead Oceans.
Father John Misty - I’m Writing a Novel Under his new moniker of Father John Misty, J. Tillman's Fear Fun album is chalk full of experimental folk rock. "I'm Writing a Novel" delivers a full on honky tonk jam, infused with danceable psychedelic references to existential philosophers, while somehow remaining lighthearted.
Grizzly Bear - Yet Again Released as the second single from the band's fourth studio album, Shields, "Yet Again" continues the haunting indie space walk by Grizzly Bear. The toms beat heavy over precise erie harmonies and compliments a dreary rain-drenched afternoon quite well.
Electric Guest - This Head I Hold The meteoric rise of Electric Guest could be attributed to their singable Motown-like melodies, as well as their playful music videos. Lead singer Asa Tacone, whose brother is part of The Lonely Island with Andy Samberg, dances on top of this upbeat track of their debut release, Mondo.
The Shins - Simple Song The Shins are back with their fourth studio album Port of Morrow, and the first single "Simple Song" marches right into your eardrums and doesn't leave. Explaining the origins of the song, lead man James Mercer revealed that he wrote the song in the living room of his apartment, shortly following his marriage and in the period leading to the birth of his first daughter.
Grimes - Oblivion The most blogged artist of 2012 according to The Hype Machine, Canadian artist Grimes and her catchy dream pop add a new flavor to the music blogosphere. This third album, Visions, was recorded entirely on Apple's Garageband in Grimes' apartment over a three-week period.
Tame Impala - Elephant Rounding out our list is Tame Impala, or ɐןɐdɯı ǝɯɐʇ if you're Australian (which is where the band is from). The psychedelic rockers give off a Beatles vibe in this track from their newest album, Lonerism, which dropped in October this year. There you have it, our best blogged tracks of 2012, if we missed one, join the conversation in the comments below. Also if you prefer to listen in a seamless playlist, use our 8tracks player below:
How To: Apps to Jumpstart your Resolution for the New Year
The New Year is almost upon us, and that means an abundance of New Years resolutions to be made. Michael Gowan at TechNewsDaily compiled a list of 5 handy apps to have if you want a little extra support in achieving your goal.
MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter (Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows) - Free
This app provides a simple way to tracks your food consumption and provides a support community of other users.
Exercise: Fitness Buddy (Android, iOS) - $1
This app provides over 1,000 unique exercises, personalized routines records what areas you've worked and how hard.
Stop Smoking: Livestrong MyQuitCoach ( iOS), QuitNow! Pro (Android) - $4 & $3 respectively
Both apps break up the quitting process into personal, attainable goals and show your progress to help motivate you along the way by tracking how long you've gone without smoking and providing a community of support for when cravings are worse.
Saving Money: Mint.com (Android, iOs) - Free
This app helps keep track of your spending, budgeting, track and change your habits as needed. It also features built in bill reminders, and security measures to keep your personal information safe.
Organization:Astrid (Android, iOS) - Free
This app helps keep your goals and to-do lists synced across all personal devices, includes the ability to share with friends and family to keep you honest and in touch.
Hopefully these can help you achieve your goal of self improvement, I know I'm already planning out which ones to use. Happy New Year!
Original Article found here
A Very Special Starto Holiday Special... It's Special!
It's our 1st Annual StartoTV Holiday Spectacular!
Today, Joel Wishkovsky, co-founder and CEO of CardGnome.com joins Chris Franks & Sandy Grason in the Starto studios to talk about the latest news start-ups need to know this holiday season.
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Special Thanks to:
Joel Wishkovsky- he is the co-founder and CEO of CardGnome.com, a startup in Boulder, Colo. that offers thousands of independently designed greeting cards for any occasion. Joel blogs about startups, (http://joelwish.com/), builds businesses, solves problems, and thinks creatively about the world around him. He loves mountaineering and traveling off the beaten track. Reach Joel via email [email protected] or on twitter via @JoelWish.
** Aksels.com - for Chris Franks' awesome wardrobe **
Here are the links to the stories we covered on this episode:
Are You Ready for the Digital Holiday Shopping Rush? (Infographic) http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225046#
Fast Company- 20 Tech Trends that will define 2013 http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671397/20-tech-trends-that-will-define-2013-selected-by-frog#1
Google's Top Search Terms of 2012: What's in It for Business Owners http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225278
Forbes- 7 Tech Gifts from Rising Startups http://www.forbes.com/sites/caroltice/2012/12/13/the-entrepreneurs-holiday-shopping-guide-7-tech-gifts-from-rising-startups/
3 Tips for Safe Holiday Shopping Over Mobile Devices http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225229
Don’t forget to check out our Facebook page “StartoTV” and follow us on Twitter @startotv-
Happy Holidays from the entire StartoTV Family!
Heritage Camps Gives Adopted Children an Appreciation of their Racial Identity
A Sense of Security for Those Fighting Breast Cancer
Sense of Security gives breast cancer survivors financial aid to help pay for necessities such as rent, food and medical bills.
Denver Botanic Gardens-Live Colorado Gives Day
Denver Botanic Gardens is open all year long and has lots of great things to do & learn.
Energy Outreach-Live Colorado Gives Day Interview
Energy Outreach helps low income households afford home energy.
Rocky Mountain PBS-Live Colorado Gives Day Interview
Harris Ravine from Rocky Mountain PBS dropped by the Icosa Media studios on Colorado Gives day to talk about the exciting projects going on at Rocky Mountain PBS.
El Pomar & Boettcher Foundation- Live CO Gives Day Interview
This Colorado Gives Day El Pomar & Boettcher Foundation are giving away Diamond Anniversary dollars to celebrate 75 years of giving.
Denver Philharmonic-Live Colorado Gives Day Interview
Denver Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1948 and has some wonderful performances for your to check out, including their Young Artist Masterclass Competition.
IMA Foundation at Colorado Gives Day
Young Philanthropist-Live Colorado Gives Day Interview
Young Philanthropists Foundation teaches kids to give back to their community.
Colorado Gives Day: We Don't Waste
Colorado based organization We Don't Waste aims to tackle one of the biggest problems facing the U.S. today, which is hunger. It is estimated that fully 40% of food that is produced never gets used while in Colorado up to 22% of children aren't receiving adequate nutrition. We Don't Waste aims to change this, by engaging distributors in the effort to save food from the landfill and put to use where it is most needed. By involving restaurants and catering services, We Don't Waste is able to distribute quality, nutritious food to the hungry populations. [youtube width="560" height="315" video_id="G5bYg0EtTvU"]