Marc Newson

As someone just learning about design and architecture, I have come to really favor the work of Marc Newson. Admirers and critics alike often note that his designs look as if they have been developed for space travel. Now they will be. Astrium, a leading European spacecraft company, turned to Newson to design the interior of its spaceplane, expected to launch in 2011 and take tourists 60 miles above Earth.Check out Marc's web site: http://www.marc-newson.com/

Nest of Dreams

In the last few years I have developed a fascination for architecture and design. There are buildings which capture the imagination of an age I believe, like Bilbao and the Sidney Opera house. I hope to see both of them before I die. Watching and reading news reports concerning the countdown to next summers Olympics in Beijing. I have become fascinated with Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron's National Stadium. Known as the "Bird's Nest" the structure is made of steel elements, interwoven in such a way as to defy immediate comprehension. The tangled form is a highly complex feat of engineering. It may be finished just five minutes before opening ceremonies as some are predicting but in August 2008 it will seat 91,000 people. Here is a link to check out the finalist in the design competition for the stadium.http://www.bjghw.gov.cn/forNationalStadium/indexeng.asp

Dave Eggers

Mr. Eggers rose quickly to literary stardom with his 2001 national best seller A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Which I am re-reading. He parlayed that success the following year into a tutoring workshop for students, supported by volunteer staff of more than 1,500 teachers, writers, editors and parents, at a building known as 826 Valencia (both the workshop's name and the street address) in San Fran.'s mission district. Eggers' aims to make learning fun, the space is fronted by a pirate shop that sells everything from planks by the foot and lard by the pound to parrots and peg legs. Already a wild success in the neighborhood, 826 has now spread across the country. To date, there are branches in 6 cities, with a 7th slated to open in Boston, this month. In keeping with the tradition of quirky storefronts, Boston 826 will sell crpto-zoology essentials. In Seattle, they sell space travel items and in Brooklyn it is Superhero supplies.

children of poets

I have been stuck in my A/C bedroom a lot this week watching TV and reading some. I was following the murders of three college students, who were killed execution-style in a Newark, N.J., schoolyard. Mayor Cory Booker, who took office a year ago, says police are making progress against the city's high murder rate. Billboards in Newark, N.J., read, "HELP WANTED: Stop the Killings in Newark Now!"
The new mayor, elected last year, ran on a campaign promise of reducing crime. Still, gun violence has become an all too common part of daily life.
Last weekend, four young adults, friends who were headed to college together in a few days, were shot at close range, killing three and critically wounding the fourth. Two men have been arrested in the Newark killings, 28 yr. old man, Jose Carranza and a teenage boy.

"The kind of violence that happens in Newark is random. There has never been any animosity between blacks and Latinos," said Ras Baraka, principle of Central High School in Newark and the son of NJ's former poet laureate's Amiri Baraka. The reason he is the "former" Poet Laurete of NJ is interesting. Amiri Baraka was New Jersey’s Poet Laureate at the time of the September 11, 2001 attacks. He wrote a poem titled "Somebody Blew Up America" about the event. The poem was controversial and highly critical of the American government. The poem also contains lines claiming Israel's involvement in an alleged 9/11 conspiracy. After publishing this poem Governor Jim McGreevey tried to remove Baraka from the post, only to discover that there was no legal way to do so. So he then abolished the NJ Poet Laureate title, Baraka no longer holds the position as Poet Laureate in New Jersey. Read more about this interesting man:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiri_Baraka

http://www.amiribaraka.com/

In 2003, Amiri's daughter and Principle Ras's sister, and her friend were found shot to death in a home. Ras himself is very interesting: Ras Baraka has been called "one of the most consistent, courageous, and insightful activists of his generation." The son of revered poet-activists Amina and Imamu Amiri Baraka, Ras inherited their proud tradition of artistic excellence and community activism. A native of Newark, New Jersey and from a family who has lived in that city for over 70 years, His entire life's work is a commitment to the empowerment of people. I know I got off on a tangent here but what if there were more Poets in the World and therefore more children of Poets? I think there would be less killings!

Dog Days of Summer

It's so Hot and Humid. I have and may take a break from blogging due to the oppressive heat. The office here where i type does not have A/C, only a fan. No C/A in the new house, since it is actually an old house. This week when the temp. climbed up to over 100 degrees, here on the East Coast, I was remined that it wasn't too long ago, I was set on moving to Austin, Texas, where for 5 months out of the year it is so HOT & Humid. I take comfort that fall will soon be here. I haven't had too many MS and Heat related problems but lately that has not been the case......

Here's a little information from the National MS Society: The difference is that a true exacerbation is an actual worsening of the disease and lasts from several days to several weeks—or longer. A pseudoexacerbation is a temporary aggravation of MS symptoms, symptoms that have occurred before. The episode comes and goes fairly quickly—usually within 24 hours. It is not related to new inflammation within the central nervous system.
In the overwhelming majority of people with MS, pseudoexacerbations are triggered by heat.

“In fact, anything that raises body temperature can bring on one of these pseudo-attacks, whether it be a fever, the environment—such as a hot bath or sun exposure—or exercise,” Dr. Dunne, explained. “The symptoms are transient and will go away once the body cools off.” This means that if a person has an illness or infection with recurring fevers, the pseudoexacerbation will last until the fever is resolved. Menstrual and hormonal changes can also raise body temperature. I am looking on getting a cooling vest but they are rather expensive plus hopefully by next summer the house will have C/A!!!!!

Eastern Market in Lancaster, PA

T and I visited Eastern Market a few weeks ago early on a HOT Humid Saturday morning and really loved it. We are going back this weekend too.

So as the dog days of summer drag on please make room to come out to Eastern Market and support the local businesses that make our home the original wonderful place we all love !!

From their web site:

Our mission is to develop a self-reliant and sustainable food system and local economy in Lancaster’s urban area through community-based enterprises. Through this pursuit Eastern Market will work to increase access to healthy and affordable food, develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills, and create a safe and healthy place for people from throughout the community to gather.
Goals 1. Provide easy access to fresh, nutritious foods within walking distance of Eastern Market neighborhoods.

2. Provide a wide array of multicultural products serving the rich diversity of our community.

3. Serve a complimentary role to other fresh food sources, such as Central Market.

4. Assist area farmers and vendors with sustainable business opportunities.

5. Generate a sense of local pride and strengthen economic development along the East King Corridor.

6. Serve as a vehicle to educate the community about the importance of nutrition to good health.

Try This

R U a feminist? Try this quiz....I scored 100%! Then again, as a 13 year old, I used to send Gloria Steinem, birthday cards to her Ms Magazine office.

http://www.blogthings.com/areyouafeministquiz/