Drone Delivery Knocked Down

If you're expecting an Amazon order to come directly to your door via drone, it's time to lower your expectations. The FAA shot down approval for drone delivery, in a DOT request for comment document. While Amazon Prime Air isn't mentioned specifically in the document, the decision clearly limits drone use for hobby and recreation.

"Clearly, commercial operations would not be hobby or recreation flights," said the FAA report. "Likewise, flights that are in furtherance of a business, or incidental to a person’s business, would not be a hobby or recreation flight."

The wording would seem to knock down drone use for other commercial purposes as well, including aerial photography for real estate or other commercial production.

This may not be the final word on the issue. The notice of interpretation with request for comment opens the issue to a period of public consideration. The FAA will receive comments from interested parties on this decision before procedding. If you would like to add your comments, you'll find guidelines for doing so within the report linked here.

Those Notorious Clouds - Denver & Beyond

 

Clouds by Olaf Breuning is an installation at the corner of 60^th Street and 5^th Avenue, Central Park, NYC. Each year I look for cloud installations to remind me to keep looking up, because the sky is the limit (yes I find cheesy cliches to be funny). Breuning’s Clouds were at last week’s Art Basel in Switzerland, on what looked like a miniature scale, as you can see people about the same height as the clouds. Now everyone knows if your work is showing at Basel you are the cat’s meow, as Basel brings in an outstanding quality of artwork and attracts collectors and museums internationally. Basel is the premier global art show, which brought in 92,000 attendees over a six day show.

I think of the many artists I admire, and the how they incorporate objects representing nature and place them into unpredictable areas. Last year 2013, I was impressed with Skyline Cloud by plan:b arquitectos for their utilitarian purpose and design. Skyline Cloud was commissioned by the Biennial of the America’s, which will be in Denver next year, 2015.

Click Here To Watch on Vimeo.

Skyline Cloud by Plan:b architects Draft Urbanism / Biennial of the Americas 2013 Curators: Paul Andersen / Carson Chan / Gaspar Libedinskyfilmed and directed by Cristobal Palma edited by Francisco Jullian music by Sebastian Vergara © 2013, Estudio Palma

Another notorious cloud installation, in Denver is seen by all travelers coming to Denver via Denver International Airport. Cloudscape by Christopher Lavery has been recognized by the Public Art Network as one of the top sculptures installed in 2010. DIA explains, “The clouds, which are hollow structures made of corrugated metal and cellular plastic, range in size from 16 to 40 feet, and are mounted on a steel base along the western side of outbound Peña Boulevard to greet people arriving in the Mile High City. Lavery took his inspiration for the sculpture from Colorado's vivid sky and sunsets.”

Olaf’s cartoon-like Clouds beg the question why? Why here? Why clouds? Is it a disruption from the norm? Or just for fun? I took a look at the website; publicartfund.org to find out more. Here is what I found:

Olaf Breuning’s installation, Clouds, towers nearly 35 feet above this plaza. Held aloft among the trees of Central Park by rudimentary steel supports, the six bright blue clouds are made of polished and painted aluminum and were cut to match a hand drawing by the artist. Calling to mind the set design of a school play or child-like drawings of the sky, the idea for this work is inspired by one of the artist’s staged photographs. For this earlier work, Breuning used cranes and cherry pickers to raise large blue drawings of clouds high in the air, creating a momentary scene to be captured by the camera.

Interested in situations that bend reality to the whims of his imagination, Breuning’s forays into film, sculpture, drawing, and photography often propel viewers into a world that borders on the surreal and underscores the humor of everyday life. Clouds dramatically transforms the skyline of the park into a playful fictional tableau, inviting us to experience the stage-like quality of a New York City street with a new sense of wonder and possibility.

Have you seen any other public works of art that are similar to Clouds? If so please post them on my Facebook or Twitter.

20 Common Grammar Mistakes That (Almost) Everyone Makes

Very often I find myself questioning my writing and more importantly my grammar. The article was originally posted by Jon Gingerich on January 31, 2012 and has helped me in countless ways and is definitely worth a reshare. Who and Whom This one opens a big can of worms. “Who” is a subjective — or nominative — pronoun, along with "he," "she," "it," "we," and "they." It’s used when the pronoun acts as the subject of a clause. “Whom” is an objective pronoun, along with "him," "her," "it", "us," and "them." It’s used when the pronoun acts as the object of a clause. Using “who” or “whom” depends on whether you’re referring to the subject or object of a sentence. When in doubt, substitute “who” with the subjective pronouns “he” or “she,” e.g., Who loves you? cf., He loves me. Similarly, you can also substitute “whom” with the objective pronouns “him” or “her.” e.g., I consulted an attorney whom I met in New York. cf., I consulted him.

Which and That This is one of the most common mistakes out there, and understandably so. “That” is a restrictive pronoun. It’s vital to the noun to which it’s referring. e.g., I don’t trust fruits and vegetables that aren’t organic. Here, I’m referring to all non-organic fruits or vegetables. In other words, I only trust fruits and vegetables that are organic. “Which” introduces a relative clause. It allows qualifiers that may not be essential. e.g., I recommend you eat only organic fruits and vegetables, which are available in area grocery stores. In this case, you don’t have to go to a specific grocery store to obtain organic fruits and vegetables. “Which” qualifies, “that” restricts. “Which” is more ambiguous however, and by virtue of its meaning is flexible enough to be used in many restrictive clauses. e.g., The house, which is burning, is mine. e.g., The house that is burning is mine.

Lay and Lie This is the crown jewel of all grammatical errors. “Lay” is a transitive verb. It requires a direct subject and one or more objects. Its present tense is “lay” (e.g., I lay the pencil on the table) and its past tense is “laid” (e.g., Yesterday I laid the pencil on the table). “Lie” is an intransitive verb. It needs no object. Its present tense is “lie” (e.g., The Andes mountains lie between Chile and Argentina) and its past tense is “lay” (e.g., The man lay waiting for an ambulance). The most common mistake occurs when the writer uses the past tense of the transitive “lay” (e.g., I laid on the bed) when he/she actually means the intransitive past tense of “lie" (e.g., I lay on the bed).

Moot Contrary to common misuse, “moot” doesn’t imply something is superfluous. It means a subject is disputable or open to discussion. e.g., The idea that commercial zoning should be allowed in the residential neighborhood was a moot point for the council.

Continual and Continuous They’re similar, but there’s a difference. “Continual” means something that's always occurring, with obvious lapses in time. “Continuous” means something continues without any stops or gaps in between. e.g., The continual music next door made it the worst night of studying ever. e.g., Her continuous talking prevented him from concentrating.

Envy and Jealousy The word “envy” implies a longing for someone else’s good fortunes. “Jealousy” is far more nefarious. It’s a fear of rivalry, often present in sexual situations. “Envy” is when you covet your friend’s good looks. “Jealousy” is what happens when your significant other swoons over your good-looking friend.

Nor “Nor” expresses a negative condition. It literally means "and not." You’re obligated to use the “nor” form if your sentence expresses a negative and follows it with another negative condition. “Neither the men nor the women were drunk” is a correct sentence because “nor” expresses that the women held the same negative condition as the men. The old rule is that “nor” typically follows “neither,” and “or” follows “either.” However, if neither “either” nor “neither” is used in a sentence, you should use “nor” to express a second negative, as long as the second negative is a verb. If the second negative is a noun, adjective, or adverb, you would use “or,” because the initial negative transfers to all conditions. e.g., He won’t eat broccoli or asparagus. The negative condition expressing the first noun (broccoli) is also used for the second (asparagus).

May and Might “May” implies a possibility. “Might” implies far more uncertainty. “You may get drunk if you have two shots in ten minutes” implies a real possibility of drunkenness. “You might get a ticket if you operate a tug boat while drunk” implies a possibility that is far more remote. Someone who says “I may have more wine” could mean he/she doesn't want more wine right now, or that he/she “might” not want any at all. Given the speaker’s indecision on the matter, “might” would be correct.

Whether and If Many writers seem to assume that “whether” is interchangeable with “if." It isn’t. “Whether” expresses a condition where there are two or more alternatives. “If” expresses a condition where there are no alternatives. e.g., I don’t know whether I’ll get drunk tonight. e.g., I can get drunk tonight if I have money for booze.

Fewer and Less “Less” is reserved for hypothetical quantities. “Few” and “fewer” are for things you can quantify. e.g., The firm has fewer than ten employees. e.g., The firm is less successful now that we have only ten employees.

Farther and Further The word “farther” implies a measurable distance. “Further” should be reserved for abstract lengths you can't always measure. e.g., I threw the ball ten feet farther than Bill. e.g., The financial crisis caused further implications.

Since and Because “Since” refers to time. “Because” refers to causation. e.g., Since I quit drinking I’ve married and had two children. e.g., Because I quit drinking I no longer wake up in my own vomit.

Disinterested and Uninterested Contrary to popular usage, these words aren’t synonymous. A “disinterested” person is someone who’s impartial. For example, a hedge fund manager might take interest in a headline regarding the performance of a popular stock, even if he's never invested in it. He’s “disinterested,” i.e., he doesn’t seek to gain financially from the transaction he’s witnessed. Judges and referees are supposed to be "disinterested." If the sentence you’re using implies someone who couldn't care less, chances are you’ll want to use “uninterested.”

Anxious Unless you’re frightened of them, you shouldn’t say you’re “anxious to see your friends.” You’re actually “eager,” or "excited." To be “anxious” implies a looming fear, dread or anxiety. It doesn’t mean you’re looking forward to something.

Different Than and Different From This is a tough one. Words like “rather” and “faster” are comparative adjectives, and are used to show comparison with the preposition “than,” (e.g., greater than, less than, faster than, rather than). The adjective “different” is used to draw distinction. So, when “different” is followed by a preposition, it should be “from,” similar to “separate from,” “distinct from,” or “away from.” e.g., My living situation in New York was different from home. There are rare cases where “different than” is appropriate, if “than” operates as a conjunction. e.g., Development is different in New York than in Los Angeles. When in doubt, use “different from.”

Bring and Take In order to employ proper usage of “bring” or “take,” the writer must know whether the object is being moved toward or away from the subject. If it is toward, use “bring.” If it is away, use “take.” Your spouse may tell you to “take your clothes to the cleaners.” The owner of the dry cleaners would say “bring your clothes to the cleaners.”

Impactful It isn't a word. "Impact" can be used as a noun (e.g., The impact of the crash was severe) or a transitive verb (e.g., The crash impacted my ability to walk or hold a job). "Impactful" is a made-up buzzword, colligated by the modern marketing industry in their endless attempts to decode the innumerable nuances of human behavior into a string of mindless metrics. Seriously, stop saying this.

Affect and Effect Here’s a trick to help you remember: “Affect” is almost always a verb (e.g., Facebook affects people’s attention spans), and “effect” is almost always a noun (e.g., Facebook's effects can also be positive). “Affect” means to influence or produce an impression — to cause hence, an effect. “Effect” is the thing produced by the affecting agent; it describes the result or outcome. There are some exceptions. “Effect” may be used as a transitive verb, which means to bring about or make happen. e.g., My new computer effected a much-needed transition from magazines to Web porn. There are similarly rare examples where “affect” can be a noun. e.g., His lack of affect made him seem like a shallow person.

Irony and Coincidence Too many people claim something is the former when they actually mean the latter. For example, it’s not “ironic” that “Barbara moved from California to New York, where she ended up meeting and falling in love with a fellow Californian.” The fact that they’re both from California is a "coincidence." "Irony" is the incongruity in a series of events between the expected results and the actual results. "Coincidence" is a series of events that appear planned when they’re actually accidental. So, it would be "ironic" if “Barbara moved from California to New York to escape California men, but the first man she ended up meeting and falling in love with was a fellow Californian.”

Nauseous Undoubtedly the most common mistake I encounter. Contrary to almost ubiquitous misuse, to be “nauseous” doesn’t mean you’ve been sickened: it actually means you possess the ability to produce nausea in others. e.g., That week-old hot dog is nauseous. When you find yourself disgusted or made ill by a nauseating agent, you are actually “nauseated.” e.g., I was nauseated after falling into that dumpster behind the Planned Parenthood. Stop embarrassing yourself.

To view the article and read it in its entirety please visit – http://bit.ly/1nC17P6

Dumb Ways to Die

Have you ever seen a news report on an accidental death and simply thought, "Whoa. What a dumb way to die!" Perhaps it's not the most sympathetic reaction. But don't we all have a threshold for stupidity? Mine is people who don't follow the basic rules of the road. I'm truly aggravated when an ambulance is trying to get through traffic and none of the drivers seem to know to get over and let them through. "Move Right for Sirens and Lights!" ring a bell? Or the dozens (or more) videos on YouTube featuring someone with their clothes on fire and their friends stupidly fanning the flames. "Stop Drop and Roll" much?  Last winter, a video of a series of would-be-rescuers crashing through the ice made the rounds on national and local news. Apparently, few people know that you shouldn't put all your weight in one spot on weak ice. There's not a catching saying for that one. Maybe, "Distribute your weight so the ice doesn't break" could catch on.

We can try to be tactful to teach people, but it seems mocking them is more effective. Although that wasn't actually the intent when the Australian Suburban Railway Network created a public service announcement to prevent accidental injuries on and around train tracks. The video features some darling animated characters meeting untimely death due to stupid behavior. Poking a grizzly bear, sticking a fork in a toaster... you name it. It ends with animated deaths that hit a little too close to reality, around a train station. The ad was criticized for making light of serious injuries, but it got 2.5 million views on YouTube in the first 48 hours. When the jiggle was released to iTunes, it jumped to the top ten in the first 24 hours. Three days later it was the sixth most popluar song globally.

Did it have the desired result? According to Wikipedia, Metro Trains reported a more than 30% reduction in "near-miss" accidents, from 13.29 near-misses per million kilometers in November 2011 – January 2012, to 9.17 near-misses per million kilometres in November 2012 – January 2013. However, a Victoria employee roundly dismisses those figures citing reduction in risky behavior as being "social media bullshit".

I can't dispute the figures, but I'd say you can make common sense as memorable as possible, and most people will still be injured needlessly. Perhaps the necessary information just doesn't come to mind when they specifically need it. I mean, why else would a teenager try to shake a fire out of her dress, giving the flames more oxygen? (see clothes on fire video by clicking the link.)

2014 Adobe Creative Cloud Launched Today

Today Adobe announced the 2014 Creative Cloud, which included faster production options and new tools, such as the Creative Cloud pen. Technology has changed the face of art. The computer as a tool opens up where, who and how you work. Experimenting with new software allows you to do that. To see what you missed in the keynote address click here.

Adobe CEO, Shantanu Narayen spoke today in NYC. He is most excited about, “all the cool innovation that is worked on all around the world every day.” Adobe aimed to re-imagine how creatives will work with CC in the future. CC is updated every 12 to 18 months, with that product lifecycle Adobe is showing constant engagement with their customers.

Digital Media SVP David Wadhwani has spent 12 years at Adobe, and was super excited to walk through new products today. The next frontier for Adobe is experience. Wadhwani says ¾ of creative are working beyond one medium. Optimism is one thing Adobe says they see as a trend in creatives; however work is expected to be completed faster and is more complex. Adobe wants to help creative meet those demands.

The Creative Cloud Pen lets you draw without needing to carry several colors and pencil sizes. It also links to the Creative Cloud, lets you bring in your settings, keep a clipboard and share work with your network. Sketch, Ink, Line, and Slide are tools to use with the pen. Ink and Slide are available today on adobe.com. The pen sells for $199.99, and is sold by Adobe’s partner Adonit.

Lunch Lady Blues

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) began in 1946 during Harry Truman’s presidency. The purpose was to reduce nutritional deficiencies in the enlisting military as a “measure of national security”. After all, you can’t have a robust military when those enlisting aren’t well enough to even qualify. Things have changed over the decades. I’m sorry Mr. President, but lunch isn’t what it used to be. I was on the lunch program as a child. Lunch consisted of a featured food, fruit, a vegetable, and milk. I hit the high life when my middle school included a salad bar! Upon entry into high school, however, I saw a new trend emerge. Instead of a cafeteria, the school had booths that served burgers and fries. And it wasn’t cheap, which was incentive enough for me to bag my own lunch. Nowadays, foods that were once made from scratch have now been replaced with Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. What happened?

In an effort to increase student participation in the lunch program, schools enlisted the help of familiar fast food companies. As the popularity of this trend grew, so did student waistlines. Once this trend established itself, schools no longer needed cooking equipment so they were removed. As the quality of food has declined, so too has academic performance in many schools. A 2010 study of 34 countries showed that we ranked poorly particularly in math and science.

On an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, they visit an elementary school in Lyon France, where the chef spends less per child than the average American elementary school, only these kids aren’t eating processed, preformed, packaged food. Food is served on plates rather than Styrofoam trays. Everything is made from scratch and the only beverages are milk and water. The featured lunch was pumpkin soup, fresh salad greens, homemade crème fromage blanc with chocolate and orange slices for dessert. The kids were ravenously enjoying several helpings of soup…something rather unheard of in the U.S. What a wonderful experience to be exposed to such culinary diversity at that age!

Watching the children’s demeanor on the show was revealing. These were bright-eyed, inquisitive and focused children that weren’t hyperactive, overstimulated, or misbehaved. Considering the number of cases in the US of children with ADD and behavioral issues, one might wonder if malnutrition is to blame. A paper written by Rita Rausch is a study on how junk food or unbalanced diet affects brain function.

Is the key component to unlocking the potential of brilliant young minds within what they’re being fed? If this is indeed the case, perhaps it’s high time we revisit the lunch program with new vigor and bring back our lunch lady.

Clinicas: Continuing the Conversation in Mexico

In the summer of 2013, Denver played host to the Biennial of the Americas, which is a celebration on art, culture, dialogue and ideas for countries in the western hemisphere. At the 2013 event many countries were represented in day-long clinicas and symposiums to address topics that affects all countries. The Biennial of the Americas describes clinicas as “a diverse and innovative gathering of leaders from across the Americas will participate in a series of facilitated, peer-to-peer workshops called clinicas. Clinicas are unique to the Biennial of the Americas experience as they offer a select group of invited specialists in their field the opportunity to interact with other innovative though leaders on a variety of topics.” The invite-only attendees discussed in an open dialogue issues such as environment and public health, water, energy, innovation, conscious business practices, education, technology, and the new normal.

The viewpoints from the morning clinicas were then reported out to a public audience in the evening while the content was used to drive the panel discussions.

The education conversation has recently continued in Mexico City during the trademission this week with Governor John Hickenlooper and various leaders from Colorado. The clinica topic of education was discussed with greater in-depth analysis of physics, soft skills, scale and socioeconomic issues and workforce development. The next clinica coversation is on energy and will take place during the week-long trademission.

Photo Credit: The Biennial @thebiennial

Rural Town Versus Twin Twisters

Pilger, Nebraska didn't stand a chance against twin tornadoes that barreled across the plains and right through the small town on June 16th. With a population of 378, it's the sort of small, country town with probably two square blocks of century-old store fronts, and as many bars as there are churches, say two or three of each. In communities like this, people are close. You can't help but know everyone else in the area, and as townspeople took shelter they all, likely had a fairly good idea where everyone they knew was. As Gene Oswald, a nearby farmer told an Omaha World Herald reporter about taking shelter in a relative's basement with his nephew, who at one point peeked out a window and told Oswald, "Gene, there’s stuff flying above the co-op,”.  Surely both men had an idea which friends and neighbors were taking shelter at the co-op. Five co-workers were huddled in the co-op office’s vault. Others were safe in the meat locker of the Pilger Store next door.

Meanwhile, this funnel was cutting a swath, heading straight into town. As I watch the video of the tornado crossing land that is very familiar to me (my family farm is about an hour north of Pilger) I remain detached until I see the water tower hover above the trees that surround the small town, and suddenly tears flow. The water tower makes it real, as it indicates that there's a community nestled among the trees you see from highway.

Here's an Omaha World Herald slide show of the damage in Pilger.

That's what community looks like on the open plains of Nebraska. Trees point to where people have gathered. There were few trees on the plains until people planted them. You can see for miles across the open prairie, with nothing impeding your view. Just miles of corn rows, alfalfa fields and pasture lands. It's stunningly beautiful. God's country.

So when I clicked through comments accompanying a news report of the Pilger tornado, and read random bits of outrage from fellow Americans, questioning why anyone would live where a tornado could wipe everything out, well, I got a little spun up.

We can pose that question to any area of the country. Why would anyone live where hurricanes hit? Or build a city below sea level (New Orleans, I'm looking at you.) Why would anyone live where there are earthquakes, landslides or floods? People are afraid of the unfamiliar. The thought of a hurricane is more terrifying to me than a tornado. Hurricanes cover more square miles, and the damage can extend for miles from the eye of the storm. Where I'm from, tornadoes are familiar, and random enough to rarely seem like an omnipresent threat to any one person.

The fact is, in the 50 years that my parents have lived on our family farm, not a single tornado has hit it, or touched down within ten miles of our property. As far as I know, we can say the same for the fifty years my grandparents lived on the same land. Building a home, and life and a livelihood in our little corner of Nebraska has been a good risk for the past 100 years.

Why would anyone live in the states frequently stricken with tornadoes? I'll tell you, it's for the time in between tornadoes. For the endless blue skies that meet at the horizon with endless prairie. The pleasure of seeing miles upon miles of fields of the deepest green sweet corn, and how it dances in a breeze. To crest a hill to see a handful of strong, beautiful quarter horses running to the fence line. To walk down a country lane, during a warm summer rain.

True, I left Nebraska for Colorado, where the cold isn't as bitter, mosquitoes are less populous, and where hay fever can't make me miserable. It wasn't that  tornadoes that drove me away.

We all love something about where we live. When a horrific natural disaster strikes, we need to support each other through it. Not criticize an entire state as uninhabitable. We need to feel grief for the lives lost, in this case two lives, a five-year-old girl and a motorist.  Now is the time to pull together to help a town recover.

True Fatherhood

Our current culture in the United States has devalued men and the importance of fatherhood. Think of the movies and television shows that portray fathers as the buffoon, can't do anything right, and wildly out of touch with their children. It's a funny thing about media influence, if you tell someone something enough, they start to believe it. They'll meet your expectations, even if those expectations are low. As a result we now live in a society in which there are too many children whose fathers have abandoned them. If not completely out of their lives, they're no longer in their homes, after separation or divorce. This father-deprivation has an untold impact on children, who will never feel complete.

Father Faustinus Anyamele insists that children have the inalienable right to a healthy relationship with both parents. That even in situations of divorce, parents must work together to ensure that their children see their parents respect one another and work in the child's best interest.

As a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Denver, Faustinus works with children in his ministry, teaching in schools, and counseling families, Father Faustinus is on the front lines, feeling the impact of the broken family. In his book, The Father They Wish to Have; The Act of True Human Fatherhood and Its Consummation, Father Faustinus shares his insight and offers real strategies for men to maintain a strong paternal relationship with their children. Strategies that are applicable for divorced and separated fathers, as well as for dads doing their best to build a strong family unit in one home.

In our interview, Father Faustinus shares his thoughts on the father - child relationship.

"Every child deserves attention, and they know when attention is given to them." says Father Faustinus Anyamele, "And there is nothing that disappoints a child like feeling that his or her father doesn't give him or her attention. At least to hear his or her story, if it doesn't make sense, try to make sense of it."

Father Faustinus emphasizes the importance of fathers, and their true value to their children. This is a program you will want to hear, and we believe you and your children will be served by listening.

The book, The Father They Wish to Have is available in Denver area, Catholic book stores like Gerkens, at Barnes & Noble, and on Amazon.com

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Faustinus is the oldest of six children. His own father died when Faustinus was young, and his uncle, a Catholic priest, took responsibility for the children, and helped their mother. Young Faustinus persisted in his seminary education, and to this day has a very close relationship with his family.

Listen Saturday at 10:00 AM on KNUS 710 –  Please let us know what you think of our program, either by commenting here or on Facebook at Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA or join the discussion on Twitter @ICOSAMagazine.

Things To Do In Denver This Weekend: Jewelry Show

The International Gem and Jewelry Show will make its way back to Denver this weekend. Starting today, Friday, June 13 and ending on Sunday, June 15^th the show hosts over 150 booths and worldwide vendors. The jewelry variety is in abundance from costume jewelry to beautiful diamonds and gemstones. The traveling show continues on to Santa Monica, Houston and Oaks, Pennsylvania.  The Denver Mart is located at 451 East 58^th Avenue, Denver, 80216.

Show hours are:

Friday - 12:00p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday – 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday – 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For more information on the show and to receive excellent coupon deals please visit, www.intergem.com. Children under 8 are not permitted.

The show is definitely a must see! If not you’ll have to wait until the September show for some wonderful jewelry.

Photo Credit: www.pouted.com

Brazil's Painted Streets

As the world cup begins, Google Street View is an immersive way to vicariously enjoy the art and atmosphere. Click the image below to check out Brazil's painted streets:

Enjoying Vegas on a Budget – Part 5: Entertainment

I recently returned from a weekend-long vacation in Las Vegas. Over the past few days I’ve been discussing inexpensive ways to enjoy Vegas from the airfare, car rental, lodging and food and today talking about entertainment.  There is never a shortage of entertainment in Las Vegas. Whether its people watching on the strip or on Fremont Street, taking in a show, watching a bride and groom and their wedding party celebrate the joyous occasion. Entertainment

I was never one for shows in Las Vegas. When I first turned 21 all I wanted to do was gamble. As I got older my interest turned from gambling to the shows. Shows can be very expensive if purchased directly from the box office. A website that I stumbled upon several years ago has saved me money and allowed me to see shows that 1) I never knew they existed or 2) shows that I normally wouldn’t watch.  This website www.vegas4locals.com offers coupons for shows, dining and nightlife, tours, attractions, hotel, health and wellness, shopping, wedding and event and services and products.

Some examples of the savings from this website include free ticket to a show with a two drink minimum or 2-for-1 admission. If it’s a 2-for-1 admission my fiancée and I will split the cost of the one ticket, let’s say $50, whereas we both only pay $25. We’ve seen everything from magic shows, impersonator shows, game shows, and so on…shows we normally would not see.  Another great website is www.cheapovegas.com/promo-shows. This website offers percentages off shows such as Jabbawockeez, Cris Angel, Rock of Ages, O, and Love.

Additionally, upon check in at your hotel ask the clerk at the front desk for coupons or show specials. Many hotels also offer 2-for-1 show deals or dramatically reduced show rates.

Here are some other free entertainment options in Las Vegas:

• The Aquarium at the Silverton
• Bellagio Conservatory
• CBS Television City Research Center at MGM Grand
• Circus Acts at Circus Circus
• Ethel M Chocolate Factory
• Hershey World at New York New York
• Fall of Atlantis at Caesars
• Fountains of Bellagio
• Freemont Street Experience
• Liberace and the Art of Costume at The Cosmopolitan
• M&M’s world
• P3 Studio at the Cosmopolitan
• Grand Canal Shoppes
• Sunset Stampede at Sam’s Town
• Volcano at The Mirage
• Welcome to Las Vegas sign – I recommend going at 4:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m. We went and not a soul was out there.
• Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo
• Shops at the Stratosphere

Whatever you may choose to do in Vegas I know you will have a memorable time and save money for your next trip!

Ensor is Scandalous & Defiant

We have all seen art we don’t like. Sometimes we even feel disturbed by it.  Just think that could be the artist’s intention.  Do you ever think art doesn’t make sense? Or even worse think how can that be art? You are not alone.  Some people walk into a museum and think this is boring, why am I looking at this, or what does this mean? In my experience it’s more enjoyable going to a museum if you already know the meaning of the artwork. One museum that does an extraordinary job at providing patrons resources before visiting is the Getty.  The Getty is a leader in the art world of research, conservation and philanthropy. Today through September 7^th the Getty will exhibit, “The Scandalous Art of James Ensor.”

Scandalous, Wicked and Shocking = James Ensor.

In the 1880’s and 1890’s Ensor was considered scandalous and defiant.  It was a time of social and political unrest in Belgium, as well as a real up-swing in culture. Ensor's art at that time became fantastic, bizarre and grotesque.  Even his peers had trouble accepting his work.

Take for example the drawing, “Plague Above, Plague Below, Plague All Around.” Notice the sun spewing vomit down below on everything.  On the left there are two men facing each other, one with snot coming from his nose and the other smoking.  In the middle is a group of 4 people sitting with a pile of poop below them.  What could that mean? The woman on the right holds a seemingly dying baby, and has snot coming from her nose.

This drawing certainly represents class distinction. Is it the upper class that is wrongfully surrounded by the rougher lower class? Or is it vice versa? That is for the viewer to determine.

To view the mobile tour of the exhibit click here.  And remember at the most basic level art is to look at and simply considering what you see before you, is good enough.

The Power to Yelp Yourself

I have long held the notion that one of the best things the internet has given us, is the ability to review products and services, and share those reviews in an organized manner. Sure, sites like Yelp.com can be a place for crotchety complaining types to announce their gripes to the world, but sometimes, the right people listen. For years, it's been a sick joke that city health inspectors in our country's biggest cities overlook the obvious filth of New York City restaurants, most TV SitComs have centered an episode or two around it. (Enjoy the video featured below!) I'm sure if the exaggerations are close to true, it's unfortunately so in almost every city.

In the not-so-distant past, New York City health inspectors struggled with proper, current inspections, in part because patrons of such restaurants rarely reported their bad experiences to the health department. Then along comes Yelp, and those complaining types started writing reviews. Suddenly, they're no longer so shy about telling the world if they experienced food poisoning or observed a family of cockroaches seated at the next table.

According to this article on Mid-Market Pulse, those NYC health inspectors scoured through about 300,000 Yelp reviews, finding hundreds of unreported cases of food-borne illnesses. They searched for words like "sick", "vomit", "diarrhea" and "food-poisoning", which lead them to customers who were sick as a result of their visits to three common restaurants which were found to have additional health violations.

So yeah, Yelp has become a game changer. Instead of reporting violations to government sources, government sources found the place diners do complain. Thus, a partnership was born. Last year, Yelp announced it's intention to share food safety information directly on it's review pages. Right next to hours of operation and menu price breakdowns, in major cities like New York and San Francisco, you'll see the restaurant's health score rating.

It's unclear why those scores aren't available in all cities, but it's safe to assume that it depends upon cooperation between Yelp and each city's Health Department. So while we in Denver do not yet benefit from that easy access to food safety scores, we can still search Yelp reviews ourselves. Or take advantage of the information provided when traveling.

Personally, I love the fact that this rating system is in progress. It's one more way the internet has given power to the people to make decisions that really do impact our health and safety.

Enjoying Vegas on a Budget – Part 4: Food

I recently returned from a weekend-long vacation in Las Vegas. Yesterday I discussed the lodging options of my trip with much needed advice on watching out for bed bugs at these hotels…gross!  Today I am discussing food options. Food

When I first started going to Las Vegas I was about fourteen years old…a long, long, long time ago! I remember seeing advertisements on the strip for $2.99 steak and eggs. Those days on the strip are long gone. Most modern hotels now have expensive eateries with weird food or expensive buffet options. Most buffet prices range from $16 for lunch to $35 for dinner (A listing of buffet and prices can be found at http://govegas.about.com/od/dining/a/lvbuffet.htm). I cannot justify spending that much money on lunch for one person. Food can be found inexpensive in the city but you must search for it.

Palace Station (2411 W. Sahara Ave, 702-367-2411) offers a yummy buffet at the low cost of $5.99 for breakfast, $6.99 for lunch, $7.99 for dinner and a Sunday champagne brunch for $8.99. This affordable buffet is all possible with a “boarding pass” players card. Sign-up is easy and takes no time at all. With many different food options everyone in your party is satisfied.

If you have the ability to leave the strip and head to North Las Vegas many casinos, known as “the locals casino” still offer steak and eggs for $3.99, prime rib for $5.99. Two restaurants in particular Cadillac Jacks located in the Opera House Casino (2542 N. Las Vegas Blvd, 702-649-8801) and Maddy’s Paddy Cafe in the Poker Palace (2757 N. Las Vegas Blvd, 702-649-3799) offer great menu selections from breakfast, sandwiches, large size entrees not exceeding $7.99. These dishes are delicious and fun.

If you cannot leave the strip the website www.restaurant.com is perfect for buying gift certificates to restaurants located inside the hotels. For a $25 gift certificate you only pay $10.00 and can get up to $25.00 worth of food. After the first time purchasing from this website they send promotional codes for even greater discounts.

Food is in abundance in Vegas…just watch out for the excellent discounts!  Check back tomorrow as I discuss great places to find discounts on entertainment in Sin City.

Photo credit: www.tripadvisor.com

Right Brain, Left Brain Time Frame

In almost any business, it seems inevitable that the creatives and the business managers will lock horns occasionally. When our company launched ICOSA Media, there were surely some misunderstandings when the creative team came on board. The parent company had run successfully for 30 years with business types who all understood one another, how they work and how they get results. Then suddenly there were video and graphics teams in the mix, who rely on inspiration and creative juices, and feel deadline pressure in a different way. You may have seen similar conflicts in your office, between the managers and the programming team. Have you considered that the conflict may be about how each group plans and uses their time?

I came across an old article recently, which explains the difference between "Makers"and "Managers". It goes back to 2009, written by English programmer and venture capitalist, and co-founder of the Y Combinator, Paul Graham - but the observations are as true today as ever.

Graham describes the Makers as programmers, but his theory applies as well to creative fields like graphics design, writers and video producers. Managers are the bosses, who view their day in one hour blocks, just like a typical appointment book. As Graham says, "When you use time that way, it's merely a practical problem to meet with someone. Find an open slot in your schedule, book them and you're done." Makers, on the other hand, prefer to use time in larger blocks, "... like half a day at least." says Graham, "You can't write a program well in units of an hour. That's barely enough time to get started." The same is true for graphics or video production. You can't always edit a video in an hour. It can take half a day, or an entire week, depending on the assignment.

That's why Makers hate meetings. When Managers want to meet for an hour at 2:00, it can throw off a Maker's entire day. Instantaneously, an afternoon of productivity is split into two pieces too small to really accomplish anything. Graham points out that if he has a meeting in the middle of the day, he's not likely to start on an ambitious project that morning.

Both types of schedules work great on their own. It's when they want to work together that things get hairy. Managers just want to "Grab coffee." Makers just want to be left alone. When a manager wants to make an introduction or bring in a client, a maker has two choices according to Graham, "We can meet with them, and lose half a day's work; or we can try to avoid meeting them, and probably offend them."

Again, Graham's observations were written five years ago, and I think the corporate world has made some progress in adapting to the varied schedules of Makers and Managers. But here's something to think about; do you consider the perspective of your co-workers when you plan meetings, or even pop in for a quick conversation? You might be throwing a wrench in their productivity. Can you adapt your schedule to work with meeting planners? Maybe you can request meetings at the end of the work day so you can work continuously through the day. How do you handle differences in workflow?

Botero's Art is Worth Millions

Most Denverites know the 13’ voluptuously round sculptures, “Man” and “Woman,” at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA), by Fernando Botero.  Botero is considered the most famous Latin American artist, and Denver has two of his sculptures, continuously on display. And wait for this, Botero's 1969 "Man Going to Work" was the top lot in Christie's line-up for last Wednesday’s sale, with a pre-sale estimate of up to $1.8 million. Botero's painting shows a corpulent wife and baby waving off a man, while a man in the background looks over a garden framed by a volcano and mountains. That incredible amount for one painting makes me wonder the value of the sculptures at DCPA.

Click Here For Audio:  Virgilio Garza, Head of Department, Latin American Art, discusses Fernando Botero's Man Going to Work (Hombre yendo a la oficina).

Axel Stein, Latin American art chief at Sotheby’s said, “During the first half of May there were practically $2 billion in sales at auction houses in New York of modern, impressionist, and contemporary art, something that seems to never have happened before… There is a contagion of optimism.”

Botero Sculpture Bidding

Botero paints and sculpts comically proportioned people, animals and plants that are caricatures and sometimes satires to Colombian society. The exaggerated forms are eye catching.  “Man” and “Woman” have graced the courtyard of DPAC since 1998, but did you know that Botero is still alive today—80 years old, and one of the world’s most wealthiest artists.  His work is in more than 50 museums and galleries in Europe, Asia, Middle East and the Americas.

Botero’s latest book was published this past April, and can be found on Amazon.

“This publication is comprised of more than 20 new pieces by Colombian painter, draftsman and sculptor Fernando Botero (born 1932), probably the best-known Latin American artist working today. The book, handsomely bound in linen with a tip-on reproduction of the painting "The Street," revisits the most iconic subjects of the artist's six-decade career, including examples of Botero's bullfighters, circus performers, imbibers, musicians, reclining couples and society women. In addition to his new works, the book also includes archival photographs of the artist as a child, at exhibitions and in his studio, as well as an interview conducted by the book's editors. In the interview, Botero discusses his august career and turning 80: "from the point of view of my energy to work, I feel like I'm 30 ... What makes me work like this is the curiosity of what my next painting will be, what I will find," Amazon.

Like many people, I sometimes want to touch the art the Denver Art Museum (DAM), but know that would get me thrown out, maybe right into Oldenburg’s dust pan. Does Claes Oldenburg’s, “Big Sweep,” symbolize what happens to patrons when they get out of order? You get swept out with the trash? I bet not, but if you would like to touch some mega millionaire’s artwork, i.e. Botero’s sculptures, you can do it at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts .

Botero's, "Man" and "Woman" is part the Denver Public Art Collection, managed by Denver Art & Venues, to see more of the collection click here.

Enjoying Vegas on a Budget – Part 3: Lodging

I recently returned from a weekend-long vacation in Las Vegas. On Friday, I discussed the transportation portion of my trip and gave rental car options and bus options.  Today I am discussing lodging options. Lodging

There is an abundant amount of lodging options in the city of Las Vegas. I love to stay at hotels. I love it so much that my fiancé and I used to do “stay-cations” at home in Denver that was until recently when a work colleague gave me a website-The Bedbug Registry, www.bedbugregistry.com. This website is now a basis for where I will stay at any hotel. Not only do I look at the Bedbug Registry but I also rely heavily on the reviews from www.tripadvisor.com.

I usually use www.hotels.com for booking my hotel rooms. On this trip, however, this website was outrageously priced for the hotel I wanted to stay in – The Stratosphere. I love the Stratosphere. It is far enough away from the strip that it’s not so busy, yet it’s clean and convenient to access by car.

I suggest signing up for hotel promotions through their websites to once again learn of secret or upcoming sales. I received an email from the Stratosphere offering better rates than hotels.com. I usually use hotels.com or any other third party sites to obtain points towards free stays.  In my experience hotels.com offers the best rewards program that is easily redeemable and in a quick turnaround time. On this trip I had booked my room at the Stratosphere using the company’s website and promotion directly.

That was until I saw a commercial from www.trivago.com. I decided to do a search to see if I was getting the best rate. To my surprise, the Trivago website offered the same exact room at $170 less than the best rate I could find. Hotels typically rise in price from Tuesday through Thursday. On Friday they tend to drop in price especially if you are looking to stay at the hotel over the weekend. Hotels would rather sell a room at a lower cost than receive $0 and the room remains empty. Last-minute deals can work in your favor only if there is not a convention or sell-out of the hotel. I would not recommend waiting until the last minute to book a hotel unless it’s a quick staycation.

Once again it all depends on the days of the week and time of the year you are traveling to Vegas. Summertime rates soar while it is less in the Fall and Wintertime. Also be on the lookout for major conventions taking place in the city as that will increase the price of hotels based on the demand. Because I was arriving on a Wednesday and staying through Monday I was able to get the hotel for $27/night as opposed to arriving Thursday which would have made the rate $178/night.

D-Day: Then and Now, 70 Years Later interactive

On the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion, Getty Images photographer Peter Macdiarmid composited photos from 1944 into images taken now. At the Gaurdian online, there is an interactive feature with these photos and see the differences over 70 years.

See all the photos at the HuffPost article here.

The Huffpost describes his process: "He pinpointed the locations of 1944 photos and traveled around England and France to recapture the same angles and scenery today."

"As a photographer, it was really fascinating to stand in the footprints of people who recorded history," he (MacDairmid) told The WorldPost."

Sugar Junkie Undergoes 21-Day Detox

My husband and I recently saw the eye-opening movie documentary Fed Up, narrated by Katie Couric. The documentary is focused on how over time we’ve become a nation of sugar addicts thanks to the introduction of soft drinks and processed foods. Clever advertisement and product placement entice us to consume their products. After hearing the alarming information on how sugar in its various forms is woven into the fabric of our culture, I knew we had to do something so, following the guidelines of The 21 Day Sugar Detox, we embarked on a dietary adventure.  

I’ve been hooked on sugar since infancy when I was bottle fed Nestle Quick & milk. As a diabetic, I watch my sugar intake to maintain stable insulin levels. I eat pretty clean 75 percent of the time. But when I go off the wagon, it’s more of a derailment that results in a sugar and chocolate binge which I pay for later in feeling ill and having spiked blood sugar.

Will I be able to endure 21 days of no sugar, no grains, no starchy veggies, and little fruit save green tipped bananas and green apples? Time will tell. No sugar substitutes are allowed since they’re chemical nightmares on the body. I’m allowed butter and other fats, veggies, nuts, and meats of all kinds. Some may consider what I just described as your typical “paleo” diet. I simply call it real food. A lot more thought and preparation is involved with this kind of eating. The recipes I’ve tried so far have been quite tasty, not surprising given the amount of fat allowed. Fat means flavor, baby! Not to mention that fat is satiating.

While I’ve been brainwashed to think this would be 21 days of deprivation and torture, my body is telling me otherwise. I did endure withdrawal symptoms the first couple of days, which included a hammering headache and major cravings. But on day 5 things had shifted. I’m filling up on less food; the difference between quality and quantity and adding fats. The best part is my blood sugars have been stable.

The jury is still out on what long term benefits will be produced, but if my current results are any indication of what this detox can offer, I’d say it holds promise.