Listening for Smiles

Ahhh

2005-08-17T00:47:00.000-04:00

Refreshing. A new adventure with new posts and so much new stuff it's gonna make your head spin. Time to update your bookmarks.

Sweet idea

2004-05-04T15:42:00.000-04:00

"DailyCandy is the ultimate source for the latest need-to-know information about fashion, food and fun. It's like getting an e-mail from your clever, unpredictable and totally in-the-know best friend who always has the scoop on everything."

It's like Time Out NY, only for the slightly more eccentric and well-rounded. DailyCandy serves New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, with extra 'flavors' for kids and everywhere else. Dany Levy, a 31-year-old journalist (from the likes of New York Magazine, NYT, Martha Stewart Living, and TONY), founded the site in 2000, and her emails reach over 90,000 subscribers every day. With the help of a team of advisors (14 girls, 2 guys) who know their hip (and their candy), Dany brings the ultimate in food, drinks, beauty, art, culture, fashion, services, fun to your inbox. The infamous city that never sleeps gets the ultimate affirmation that there is never a loss of ideas for what to do today.

Need more city scoop? Sample these scrumptious delights...

New York Times Magazine

the way we live now

MUG - Manhattan User's Guide

Village Voice - Annual Manual

Tools of Mass Construction

2004-04-27T00:38:00.000-04:00

As a twelve-year-old, I was a terror to my dad's garage. I would constantly swipe an item or two for little 'projects'... a wooden dowel rod, a roll of electrical tape, a hammer and nails, and, oh, the balls of string. The silly contraptions I could entangle the living room and my bedroom dresser and my brother's leg with nothing but string. The neighborhood kids would come over and we'd take a commanding view from the picnic table to see our latest contraption drop a marble through a maze of blocks, knock over a hundred dominos, whiz another marble down a plastic chute, and land squarely in a bucket two feet away...

All that to say: kids are fascinated with building things. Just give them a balloon, some glue and an old soda bottle, and they're set. Well, the guys who never quite grew up (they're called MIT grad students) have come up for instructions to build all kinds of stuff in a hip new way (almost as good as old Lego idea books).

It's called Howtoons. Illustrated episodes for making a shockwave air cannon and a easy-to-make version of air hockey. Plus you can watch videos of these ideas in action! Way cool. They're looking to syndicate... coming to a Sunday morning insert near you!

What was that song?

2004-04-26T22:01:00.000-04:00

You're watching Everybody Loves Raymond and about to run get your microwave dinner that's beeping in the kitchen when a new commercial with a catchy tune comes on. You stand transfixed for 30 seconds. And on your way back with the mac and cheese you ponder: wonder if I can get that song on CD or mp3?

Change the channel to Adtunes and get the scoop behind the song. This girlfriend-boyfriend team surrounds each Adtunes entry with some details about the latest commercials, the featured music (or who did the song cover), and the handy link to Amazon. Now you'll finally know that Goldfrapp's "Strict Machine" is the song featured in the new Nintendo GameBoy commercial.

Can't find it there? Songtitle.info is a full database of recent North American commercial broadcasts and the associated songs and artists. Perhaps you're looking for more of an international flair? Try Ben's Music (granted it's in Dutch...) and Commercial Breaks and Beats from the UK.

And Many More

2003-02-20T21:08:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to you,
happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday Pure Content,
happy birthday to you!

Time to break open the good stuff and par-tay. Yes, for three-hundred and sixty-five days, one site has challenged the meaning of online creative community. Pure Content is the brainchild of Charlie Park, Class of '01 at William and Mary, and boy! wonder at Play, Inc. (more about Play in this post), who has brought an daily audience of hundreds to the first corporate blog and turned the heads of some notable bloggers in the business/creativity umbrella. And what a ride! From big business branding to mathematical lego structures. From great reads like The Rise of the Creative Class to the voice of 'you've got mail!'

The evolution from a one-man-band (covering every corner of passion out there) to a multi-authored journal (featuring folks from Play, including the amazing Sean O'Brien), to today's full-fledged, open conversation that incorporates a Street Team (where anyone can login and post). What began as an idea with the simple mission to look at more stuff and think about it harder, found a way to take a life of its own and start to define itself. In his own words, Charlie posts the challenge to his readers: "Passion, as our college professor noted, is engrossing. Each of us has a creativity and a passion that is uniquely our own. How is yours infused in your work?"

Oh, and sign-up to receive a daily dose of creativity when you visit. It's the one email you'll look forward to everyday. Really.

Relive the first post ever on Pure Content.

Redefine creativity with the incredible kids at Play.

A New Day At Midnight

2002-12-31T12:04:00.000-05:00

Please forgive me, If I act a little strange, For I know not what I do. Feels like lightning running through my veins, Everytime I look at you, Everytime I look at you.

Help me out here, All my words are falling short, And there's so much I want to say. Want to tell you just how good it feels, When you look at me that way, When you look at me that way.

Throw a stone and watch the ripples flow, Moving out across the bay. Like a stone I fall into your eyes, Deep into some mystery, Deep into that mystery.

I got half a mind to scream out loud, I got half a mind to die, So I won't ever have to lose you. Won't ever have to say goodbye, I won't ever have to lie, Won't ever have to say goodbye.

Please forgive me, If I act a little strange, For I know not what I do. Feels like lightning running through my veins, Everytime I look at you, Everytime I look at you.

—David Gray, Please Forgive Me.

Pick up David Gray's new album, A New Day At Midnight.

Spin around the celebratory center of the world: Times Square.

Revolution in science. New theory of the Universe. Newtonian theory overthrown.

2002-11-06T18:17:00.000-05:00

Our progress leading into the twentieth century was extraordinary... or so we thought. Leading up to 1905, when Einstein published his earth-shattering paper on relativity, a few scientists were beginning to notice - almost subconciously - that all was not as well established as it seemed. In 1894, Albert Michelson spoke with great confidence that "the more important fundamental laws and facts of physical science have all been discovered, and these are so firmly established that the possibility of their ever being supplanted in consequence of new discoveries is exceedingly remote."

As if to foreshadow the coming tide, the over-confident scientific community really didn't know what hit them when Einstein suddenly became a household name when his theories turned Newton's laws upside down on the front of the November 7, 1919 London Times (83 years ago tomorrow - the headline is the title of this posting). His ideas were so crazy that he didn't win a Nobel Prize because the committee was still grappling with the possiblity that Einstein could really be right.

We certainly pronounce (and rightfully so) Albert Einstein as the figurehead behind these ideas that drive today's astrophysics labs. But those few scientists that noticed the mounting problems were actually finding out the same stuff Albert figured out: he was not alone in his ideas, even if others were making the same discoveries oceans away from each other. Here's an excerpt from an essay by Charles Liu, a scientist at the American Museum of Natural History:

"It seems that the progress of scientific theory, like scientific experiments, much also reach a critical mass of development before a real breakthrough occurs. Paradigms in science shift, not by wildly disparate thoughts coming together from nowhere, but rather under the increasing weight of mounting theoretical and experimental study, before one person with one idea can push on the precariously balanced monolith and bring it tumbling down."

What are your ideas and what makes you passionate about them? What is your "tipping point" to cause a ripple, start a commotion, crumble a foundation, or launch a thousand ships?

Read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.

Get swept away into the jaw-dropping world of relativity.

Fly Me to the Moon!

2002-09-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States of America, was a dedicated naturalist and a great friend of the American Museum of Natural History. These quotations are inscribed inside the Roosevelt Memorial Rotunda at the Museum. And the following, The Man in the Arena, was part of a speech given by Roosevelt on April 23, 1910:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly; who know the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy cause; who at the best, know the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

—Theodore Roosevelt

Delight in the quest for knowledge, truth and vision with the American Museum of Natural History.

Meet one of the men behind the Museum who continues to inspire naturalists today.

Yom HaZikkaron and Julius Caesar

2002-09-06T16:08:00.000-04:00

"Go to celebrate red apple pickings and go to harvest ripeness of dreams; The moon is hanging in pear-tree branches like a golden boat..."
—Zuzanna Ginczanka (Jewish poet, 1917-1944)

Saturday, September 7, 2002 is start of the Jewish year 5763. The Jewish holiday, Rosh HaShanah, actually begins today at sundown. This particular start of the new year, one of several new years celebrated in the Jewish calendar, marks the 6th day of creation when God created man; a birthday of sorts for the people of the world. The festival originates from the idea that God becomes a king over man (Adam) on this day, so it is considered a "coronation ceremony" with both a solemn and joyful attitude.

The name "Rosh HaShanah" is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom HaZikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25. More information.

Instead of the Gregorian calendar, the Jewish calendar follows the lunar phases, as calculated and introduced in 46 BC by Julius Caesar. The system proved so popular that it remained a fixture well beyond fall of the Roman Empire. Catholic Europe used it for 15 centuries and Protestant England for an additional 200 years, while the state of Israel and its descendants continue to follow the Julian system today.

Go stargazing tonight: there's a new moon, so the stars will be more visible and brilliant. Visit StarDate to find out why 1752 AD was the shortest year in England.

Learn more about the upcoming month of Tishrei.

How to Control a Runaway Camel

2002-09-04T10:29:00.000-04:00

"Baking soda doesn't burn. Heating it releases carbon dioxide which doesn't burn either. That's why baking soda is sprinkled on grease and oil fires to put them out."
—Don Herbert (Mr. Wizard)

Fresh from Chronicle Books, it's The Worse-Case Scenario Survival Handbook. Here's the one guide we all need for those sticky situations that make your hair stand on end. Or at least that's what it seems like when we're at the movies. From breaking down a door to jumping rooftops like in the Matrix, this is one set of Boy Scout tips that won't disappoint. See for yourself.

1) Hang onto the reins, but do not pull them back hard to stop the camel. (Yanking on the reins can tear the camel's nose or break the reins.)
2) If the camel has sturdy reins and a head halter, pull the reins to one side to make the camel run in a circle.
3) Hold on until the camel stops. (Whether the camel is running in circles or straight, it will not run very far. Simply hang on until the camel slows and sits down.)

This is serious stuff. So the next time you need to jump from a building into a dumpster, survive a riptide or remove a leech, you'll know the proper technique for any situation (respectively: land flat on your back, swim parallel to shore and detach the anterior and posterior sucker from the skin). Just thought you'd like to know.

Reserve your afternoon jaunt (or run) for the next time you're visiting the House of Saud.

Discover another miracle guide to life's quirky challenges, Hints from Heloise.

Moving Forward... Again

2002-09-02T16:55:00.000-04:00

"I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close."
—Henry David Thoreau

Alan Webber and William Taylor are up to something. Issue #62 of their brainchild, Fast Company, came onto this month's newsstands with a vengeance... not to mention a major facelift, both in the focus of its design and content. Here's what they had to say:

Back in 1995, when we launched Fast Company, our most valuable asset was our originality. Today, nearly seven years later, the conversation about business has changed, which is why we are making some exciting changes. The issue that you hold in your hands represents the most important creative development at the magazine since its debut.

Webber and Taylor went on to explain the full extent of the stuff that changed (new logo, cover strategy, departments and columnists) and the stuff that stayed the same (value system, coverage philosophy, innovation). That's the watered-down, cliffnotes version of what they said. Here's some nominees for best highlights of the September issue:

Best Department Makeover: Next, the artist formerly known as RFTF (starts page 35)
Best Photograph: Geof Kern's 9/11/02 (page 59)
Best Column: husband and wife team Anne Kreamer and Kurt Andersen (page 76)
Best Advice: #8. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, but be sure to fix them faster than you make them (page 116)

Pick up a copy for the full effect, or read the whole thing online.

Contrast moving forward with FC's alter-ego, F***ed Company, the "Onion" of the business world.

Wrap yours in red

2002-08-29T13:32:00.000-04:00

"We just ask ourselves: Is it different? Is it distinctive? Is it good?"
—Chris Albrecht

All ready to attend the party this weekend? You've picked out the perfect outfit just for the occasion. The appetizer you've prepared will certainly be the talk of the evening. But what about the gift? A little hesitant about what to buy your father-in-law for his retirement and still give it that personal touch without burning a hole in the wallet? RedEnvelope to the rescue. Here's their story:

In Asian traditions, gifts are often presented in a simple red envelope: a timeless symbol of love and appreciation. Whether a gift is a small token of gratitude or a grand gesture of love, we consider its giving and receiving a cherished occasion in itself.

RedEnvelope invites you to celebrate anything and anyone at all... a birthday, an anniversary, a new house, your overworked friend, a newborn niece. It's the thought that counts. Wrap yours in red.

That tag line at the end is knock-em-dead-lady-in-red catchy. Seems RedEnvelope has a good business model in place: they know how to be in all the right places. For example, use Evite.com to organize your latest backyard get-together and after you RSVP, they thank you (as any gracious host should) and suggest some appropriate items from RedEnvelope's online store. And if that's not enough to grab your attention, the striking red box with its simple-yet-snappy crisp white ribbon you present to the birthday girl (not to mention the high-end gift inside) most definitely will.

Find out what's thoughtful, classy and red all over.

Shop around the corner and compare. Regardless of Martha's financial don'ts, her exquisite taste is still a do.

Coming Back

2002-08-14T14:52:00.000-04:00

"Children are the living messages we send to a future we will not see."
—Neil Postman

Hello again from Camden, New Jersey! Recently, a summer intern shared her favorite part about working at UrbanPromise: coming back. She's exactly right. Coming back to Camden is one of the most rewarding things when students first arrived for their summer staff position. During mission trips over spring break, college students get to spend a week volunteering their spirits and energy. Much like the high school groups who spend a week here during the summer, UrbanPromise invites college groups to come participate in their programs during the school year. The connections with the kids are always an amazing experience. Four months later, it is very clear how much of a lasting impact one person can make on one child, just by showing a little love and attention. Here's one example.

I worked with first graders on that trip this spring and met a little girl named Savannah from the east side of Camden. We started talking one day and immediately she latched onto me. I sat with her when we sang songs and learned bible lessons with the full group. We worked together on her math homework and overcame some obstacles in multiplication. She drew me a picture of her house and told me about her neighborhood and I drew a picture of my house and told her about living in the New River Valley (she thought it was pretty cool that I lived in the mountains). We talked about her dad who died because of a drug-related incident here in the city: both the sadness of losing a father and happiness of believing in heaven.

Fast forward to the first day of summer camp. I dropped off my work crew at the camp in East Camden and from across the room, I spied two little eyes, staring intently at me. So I stared right back, not saying a word. The room was filled with kids and staff attempting to get them settled, the work crew wandering around awaiting instructions. It was noisy and crazy. But we just locked eyes, not saying a word. Then she moved her mouth silently saying my name. I responded by moving my lips silently to say "Savannah." She repeated my name. And I, in turn, "Savannah." A grin started to appear. And I walked over to meet her. Savannah rushed in with a big hug. She had two questions for me: "How long are you going to be here?" and "Did you climb up the mountains to go back home?" She remembered, with lightning accuracy and that same cute grin. Since then, we're still hanging out together, visiting over breakfast and playing jumprope (Savannah's up to 16 jumps in a row).

In Mark 10:46, Jesus meets the blind man along the road. He stops. He takes the time to speak with the man and open his eyes. What lessons can you take from Jesus in your own life? How can we all try to show a little love and attention to those in need?

See the many ways the ministry reaches out to the kids of Camden.

Get to the know UrbanPromise through this outreach program.

The Rite Stuff

2002-07-29T00:32:00.000-04:00

"...the tranquil eternal meadows spread at their base, whereon flocks graze, and shepherds pipe and dance."
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Almost ninety years ago, pandemonium erupted at the Theatre des Champs-Elyses in Paris. The opening of Stravinsky's symphony/ballet, Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), was by some respects, a complete flop. Fellow composers had convinced Stravinsky that he needed to take his idea of a "primitive spring sacrifice" and complement the music with a presentation in dance. The unbelievable account of that evening is recorded here:

"According to one eye-witness, the audience - driven berserk by Nijinsky's "perverse" choreography - raged uncontrollably over what it felt a blasphemous effort to destroy music. Nijinsky's future wife witnessed an elegantly attired damsel slap a young man hissing nearby, this effrontery provoking him to exchange cards with her escort. As the ballet concluded with the Sacrificial Dance - tremorous paroxysms seizing the hitherto immobile Chosen Victim - alarm echoed through the gallery: "Un docteur, ... un dentiste, ... deux docteurs." Nijinsky, straddling and offstage chair, continuously bellowed out ("like a coxswain," Stravinsky recalled) a barrage of counts to maintain the dancers' metrical synchronization, while the impressario Diaghilev, fearing public panic, ordered electricians to turn the houselights on and off. Jean Cocteau noted that Diaghilev, Stravinsky, and Nijinsky, huddled together in the Bois de Boulogne during the wee later hours, wept at the debacle." (More juicy details here.)

The original intentions for this premiere were to captivate the audience with a ritual dance of Slavonik traditions to gain favor from the God of Spring. Like the dissonant themes, strange rhythms and earthly cycles throughout The Rite of Spring, the piece itself has endured a wild and chaotic ride starting with that explosive premiere in Paris. The world of classical music sat up and took notice when Stravinsky dared to venture head-on into conflict and turmoil. This was new and fascinating stuff, regardless of what strange interpretive dances may have plagued that opening night. Walt Disney even found the symphony to be a perfect fit in the 1940 release Fantasia, in which Leopold Stokowski led the Philadelphia Orchestra in a colorful story from Earth's beginnings to the rise and fall of dinosaurs.

Follow the top 50 essential classical albums from NPR's Performance Today.

Get the scoop on why Disney's 'Fantasound' was discontinued after the debut of Fantasia.

Greetings from Camden, New Jersey!

2002-07-18T11:54:00.000-04:00

"If this generation of teenagers is lost to the church, it will not be because we demanded too much from them, but because we demanded too little."
--Tony Campolo

UrbanPromise, an urban ministry for inner-city youth, is located in Camden, NJ, which is one of the nation's poorest cities, but also one of the richest in spirit. Over half its population is under 18 years old, so UrbanPromise reaches some of that need through summer camps, after-school programs, and two private Christian schools.

Every summer, students from colleges nationwide, Canada and Europe come to volunteer their diverse talents in this program. In addition, a work crews staff coordinates the weekly visits from high school youth groups who come to Camden from everywhere (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ontario, to name a few) and stay for a week. These work crews help with the staff at the summer camps located throughout the city, and engage in community service such as clearing abandoned lots or renovating old buildings. (Easy to spot in the bright orange t-shirts.)

One of the many blessings of living and working at UrbanPromise is the daily interaction with the children and teens. For example, there are two identical twin brothers, Tony and Albert, who are part of the StreetLeader program (local high school students who are hired to help run the summer camps with the staff). Both have an amazing talent on the piano, but lack the training to read music. In their spare time, they're receiving their first piano lessons from a couple interns... and they're having a blast. At least 800 youth are growing up and learning in this Christian environment, just like the twins. It's only a small part of a big city, but as the staff will tell you, God's work is accomplishing great things in Camden!

Check out the full range of programming in this international organization.

See what Camden Printworks, an off-shoot teeshirt company from UP, can make for you.

Let freedom ring

2002-07-04T15:25:00.000-04:00

"...With that brave and profound decision, the Founders demonstrated their love for liberty and proved that they were willing to fight and die for freedom."
—George W. Bush

Today is America's independence day. But in the City of Philadelphia, the festivities last all week. That's because the 4th of July wasn't the only important date in our nation's birth. Take July 8th for example: just four days after the Declaration of Independence was signed, the great bell in the Pennsylvania State House rang out to announce a public meeting. This wasn't just any meeting agenda. This was the first public reading of the Declaration, a message that would then went out in all shapes and forms to touch lives even two hundred and twenty-six years later.

The Liberty Bell is one symbol of that living document. Cast in England, the bell cracked upon arrival in Philly (by natural adjustment to moving and weather conditions in the colonies). A new cast was constructed. Almost a century later, it also cracked. Repairs were futile and after the 1846 ringing to recognize George Washington's birthday, the bell has not been fully rung (except to celebrate the bicentennial with a quiet ringing with a small hammer). The bell's inscription reads: Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof - Lev. XXV, v. x. By order of the Assembly of the Province of Pensylvania [sic] for the State House in Philada. That abbreviation is for Leviticus 25:10, by the way.

The bell is about to take its place in a new exhibit hall with a grand view of the State House (known by current standards as the famous "Independence Hall") in time for next year's extended July festivities (designed in part by the Philadelphia-based architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson). Again the skies will light up, the songs will rise from the masses, and the dream will reign in all our hearts to live free.

Experience the Independence National Historical Park.

Celebrate the longest and largest birthday party at the birthplace of our nation.

Lasting impressions

2002-06-20T22:38:00.000-04:00

"I wiped away the weeds and foam,
I fetched my sea-born treasures home;
But the poor, unsightly, noisome things
Had left their beauty on the shore,
With the sun and the sand and the wild uproar."
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

One summer we found ourselves unaccountably tired of tanning, napping, snacking on gritty sandwiches, and supervising the kids' bucket sculpture. But we had also outgrown sand mermaids, and soupy, drip-constructed castles, and burying each other's legs. Our solution to summer boredom soon became a mania and never failed to draw curious crowds as we gained skill, confidence, and ingenuity in bringing vanished civilizations back to life.

Connie Sim, Kappy & Malcolm Wells, authors of Santiquity, are of course talking about the phenomenon of sandcastling. The opportunity to build the great monuments of the past is inviting and downright contagious. It's somewhat of a performance art, where for a brief moment the beach is at your command, the very earth is subject to your tools, until the waves of high tide come crashing back in.

See the stark contrast to building a house on sand in the movie, Life as a House, with Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Pick up your copy of an idea/how-to book by a group of beach friends.

Pick of the summer

2002-06-17T10:01:00.000-04:00

"The greatest delight the fields and woods minister is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable. 'I am not alone and unacknowledged.' They nod to me and I to them."
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Asparagus, the delightfully tall and slender stalks with a modest green complexion. Squash, rosy and round in the middle, filled with pure harvest sunshine. Cauliflower, the queen anne's lace transformed to a forest architecture, pure and white. Inch by inch, this year's garden is realizing its potential, whether it come by taste, or for the more adventurous, by toss...

Garrison Keillor, radio notable (Prairie Home Companion), writer and storyteller shares this rich moment in his book Lake Wobegon Days...

What a target! She was seventeen, a girl with big hips, and bending over, she looked like the side of a barn. I picked up a tomato so big it sat on the ground. It looked like it had sat there for a week. The underside was brown. Small white worms lived in it. It was very juicy. I had to handle it carefully to keep from spilling it on myself. I stood up and took aim, and went into the wind-up, when my mother at the kitchen window called my name in a sharp voice. I had to decide quickly. I decided.

Read more from the pages of Keillor's books.

Select tonight's dinner from over 700 veggie recipes.

How about some cheese with that whine?

2002-06-15T15:27:00.000-04:00

"Every closed eye is not sleeping, and every open eye is not seeing."
—Bill Cosby

Yup, school's out. You know what that means. The kids are home for the summer. Not just the ones still suffering from teen-angst and hormones, but the ones suffering from the transition from the college dorm back to the homestead (Does "when you live in my house, you live under my rules" sound familiar?)

And what better than to turn on that screen with fifty gazillion channels to ease the tension... especially when you end up watching the comic-relief of MTV's primetime hit, "The Osbornes." After all, just like those "ideal" TV families of years-past, this is four people we can relate with: mom and dad can see where Ozzy and 'Queen Mother' Sharon Osborne is coming from when they lay down the law. Meanwhile, the younger half can see eye-to-eye with Kelly and Jack (ok, so at least for the college-aged, they can reminisce on when they acted like that... at least a few times while growing up).

For example: curfews, a subject that both Ozborne kids aren't fond of, but as you can hear in Kelly's voice, they're still learning responsibility: "I understand it's really selfish of me not to listen to what she [mom] says, but sometimes when you're having fun and you're not in charge of what goes on." The experts agree - for the high school and college sons and daughters alike - compromise is the golden rule for parents to follow. Families struggling with the home-from-college transition should have a sit-down discussion at the onset of summer... Both sides should know what the other thinks, feels and wants. Comeon, it's practically Father's Day. So you're dad might not be a famous rockstar and you probably don't have cameras in your face for a TV show, but at least you can try to have a peaceful summer together.

Ask Ozzy and Sharon about having the 'sex talk' with their kids.

Learn more about "Hot issues on the homefront" from Thursday's issue of The Roanoke Times.

Pixel by pixel

2002-06-11T14:31:00.000-04:00

"Civilization had too many rules for me, so I did my best to rewrite them."
—Bill Cosby

Simple. Friendly. Fresh. Streamlined. Bright. Fast. Personal. Evolved. That's how Microsoft has been describing the design of their new operating system. XP (what does that stand for anyway?) has an emphasis on good design that starts to give computing a look beyond just geek. Icons in and of themselves are a good judge of this progression. "Think of them as doorways to the files and programs stored on your computer," as the Windows site touts them. The attention to detail for those little guys hanging out on your desktop ends up being incredibly important for the sake of overall appeal... especially when you have to look at them day after day (reference: read about the "Koolhaas factor" called junkspace). The demand to reinvent, to do more than just merely change, is slowly becoming more of a mainstream concept. More people are seeing the light that effective design is not just some artsy fad but carries real purpose and function. Perhaps sexy would be another useful adjective.

Review new movies and interview cool cats with Pixelsurgeon.

Meet the folks behind the bubbly, evolved designs of Windows XP.

"Thanks, gracias, Spasibo, Shukran, Xiexie."

2002-06-04T20:34:00.000-04:00

"Gratitude, respect and pride. These words sum up how I feel..."
—HM Queen Elizabeth

Those were the five words uttered by Mark Byford, Director of the BBC World Service, upon accepting the 2001 Webby for Radio. The Webbys, oft known as the 'Oscars of the Internet' are at it again in two weeks, with a fresh lineup of nominees to take home the coveted silver spring. It's worth pointing out that the comparison of the Webbys to the Oscars - while useful for a first-time explanation - is not highly regarded. For example, Vanity Fair raves that the Webbys are "better than the Oscars" and Time quips, "If only the Oscars would take cue." Indeed, the staying power of this quirky and downright cheeky event is the very fact that the Internet itself is equally quirky and downright cheeky.

The winners in each of the 30 categories (ranging from news and fashion to activism and music) are decided three-fold: by the Academy (of which you'd like to thank...), by the People's Voice (login, vote and see the current tallies), and by site traffic. That third method, by the way, is new this year... three awards based on Nielsen/NetRatings will be announced for the first time, based on the highest US and global traffic and the Rising Star award for newbies who've seen the biggest visitor growth in the past month.

Not all of the sites nominated this year are as concerned about the numbers. In fact, some of the nominees aren't even completely launched, including the Guggenheim's spectacular new broadband site, which debuts most of its online exhibits later this year. As of today, Google holds a whopping 56% lead in the Best Practices category of the People's Voice. See what all the commotion is about, and vote before this Friday, June 7th!

Get to know the leading international honor for achievement in technology and creativity.

Check out one of this year's cool nominees in the Kids Category - Pinhole Spy Camera

Girl power

2002-05-31T21:03:00.000-04:00

"The true republic: men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less."
—Susan B. Anthony

It's not a new concept. The '90s resurgence of the identity struggle between the sexes is only the latest in a long history of this societal balance. Let's start back in Ancient Egypt. Queen Nefertiti and her husband forced a religious renaissance on the country that successfully lasted throughout their rein (on another note, new studies indicate that every family line still in existence today is related to Queen Nefertiti. It's a small world). Cleopatra cleverly seduced Marc Antony to make sure her kingdom would have a prominent place in the world with the help of Rome's mighty civilization. Even more recent, the Women's Suffrage Movement of the 1920s combined a patriotic message with bold tactics to bring about reforms for equality in voting. The Lifetime channel came on the scene in the 1980s, with Oxygen TV quickly on its heels, both providing a dizzying array of programming specific to women's issues.

Get swept away into the Spice World

Track women in the roaring '90s and historical equality issues

Revising and remaking history

2002-05-25T18:51:00.000-04:00

"Tis the Dreamer whose dreams come true!
—Rudyard Kipling

On Friday, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute embarked on its sixth expedition in conjunction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Exploration Program. The two week adventure returns to the famous beginnings of deep sea discovery, when scientists in 1977 "found seafloor vents gushing shimmering, warm, mineral-rich fluids into the cold, dark depths... the vents were brimming with extraordinary, unexpected life."

This discovery made a 180º change in how we understand how life can be sustained - even at extreme depths were sunlight never reaches: instead the heat and chemicals from within the earth supplied the ecosystem's energy. Alvin, the submersible who originally made these historic dives with the likes of Robert Ballard and Ken Macdonald, is taking the science community back to see what's changed in the Galapagos Rift during the last twenty-five years.

Dive into the new expedition at the Galapagos Rift.

Go down in the Alvin with Discovery freelance writer, Hannah Holmes.

Otherwordly

2002-05-24T12:18:00.000-04:00

". . . a howling wilderness of three thousand square miles full of all imaginable freaks of a fiery nature."
—Rudyard Kipling

Volcanoes can excite; deadly hot lava can be downright cool. But what about those other subterranean forces that make themselves known in slightly more subtle ways? Step onto a terrain that shifts with every season (and sometimes everyday), where the colors of rock and water are a bountiful as the rainbow and the geysers seem to dance with wild passion. Well, maybe it's not that subtle.

It's Yellowstone, the oldest national park in America, where the incredible expanses captured both explorer and politician enough to give this land that protective distinction. While 'traditional' volcanoes (such as Mount St. Helens or Mount Etna) have a special place in the hearts of lava-lovers or ash-enthusiasts, Yellowstone is quite different in its fascination.

When you enter the park, you are driving right into a caldera, a volcanic region of unprecedented size (the word is originally from Spanish and Latin, meaning "cooking pot"). Just beneath your feet, the magma boils and the pressure builds. However, instead of molten rock in more mature volcanoes, the young Yellowstone region releases its pressure in the form of gasses, steam and earthquakes. Heat flow, higher than almost anywhere on the continental earth, is the primary reason Yellowstone is so unique. It is no wonder that the first explorers to see this spectacular place were awe-struck by its matchless beauty and danger.

Witness John Colter's heaven or hell through Aubrey Haines' book.

See Old Faithful blow every 90 minutes or so.

A man with many hats

2002-05-09T22:46:00.000-04:00

"We have the choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place - or not to bother."
—Dr. Jane Goodall

Gregory Bateson was a philosopher, author, photographer, filmmaker, naturalist, poet, but foremost an anthropologist. He and his wife - another well known anthropologist - Margaret Mead, led the way in studying visual communication, cybernetics, and the related logic of biological and artificial systems. His work on the evolutionary process of thinking was ground-breaking and widely recognized in his writings for Steps to an Ecology of Mind.

The book starts with a series of metalogues between a father and daughter. Bateson defines metalogues as "conversations about some problematic subject... such that not only do the participants discuss the problem but the structure of the conversation as a whole also relevant to the same subject." In other words, the conversation evolves and adjusts to its surroundings, also known as its interpretative frame. Take a look:

Daughter: Daddy, why do Frenchmen wave their arms about?
Father: What do you mean?
D: I mean when they talk. Why do they wave their arms and all that?
F: Well - why do you smile? Or why do you stamp your foot sometimes?
D: But that's not the same thing, Daddy. I don't wave my arms about like a Frenchman does. I don't believe they can stop doing it, Daddy. Can they?
F: I don't know - they might find it hard to stop.... Can you stop smiling?
D: But Daddy, I don't smile all the time. It's hard to stop when I feel like smiling. But I don't feel like it all the time. And then I stop.
F: That's true - but when a Frenchman doesn't wave his arms in the same way all the time. Sometimes he waves them in one way and sometimes in another - and sometimes, I think, he stops waving them.

This is only a taste of his problem-defining and problem-solving discussions in the book, where a greater connection between man and nature is revealed. Bateson would be celebrating his 98th birthday today (born May 9, 1904): he died July 4, 1980 after battling lung cancer.

Learn more about this extraordinary man and his accomplishments.

Listen in on a conversation between Gregory and Margaret.

More than just a symbol

2002-05-06T07:47:00.000-04:00

"The most important message of all is that every single individual matters and every single individual makes a difference. You can't live through a day without impacting the world around you, and it is your choice. You know what sort of impact you want to make."
—Dr. Jane Goodall

As the War of 1812 raged on, the British aimed for a heavy hit on the Baltimore harbor, home to America's large privateer fleet and third largest city. The only obstacle in their way was Fort McHenry, which turned out to be a formidable opponent, withstanding the bombardments from sea and saving the country from an attack on land.

Behind the fort's walls was Major George Armistead, who kept the flag flying for all twenty-five hours of the attack before the British withdrew. The following morning, on the other side of the wall, a poet and hymnist from Baltimore by the name of Francis Scott Key, wrote his impressions of the stars and stripes that still flew over the fort. Less than a month later, his finished poem was widely published on the east coast as it gained popularity before being named the national anthem over a century later.

The Star-Spangled Banner as a flag evolved into a national symbol thanks to Key's song. Today the red, white and blue "have come to embody our country, what we think of as America," as President Clinton said in the National Museum of American History. "We know that we have a country founded on the then revolutionary idea that all of us are created equal, and equally entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Preservation for this colossal national treasure has been no small task. Every last inch of the flag needed careful teamwork from an army of conservators, textile scientists and historians. The latest effort has been three years in the works: the final results will be on display later this year.

Weave your story into the Kodak PhotoQuilt.

Solve the mysteries of the Star-Spangled Banner.

A new promise for peace

2002-05-05T21:38:00.000-04:00

"Only if we understand can we care. Only if we care will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved."
—Dr. Jane Goodall

For a year and a half, America has been getting to know the new "international pandas of mystery," the four and five year old youngsters at the Smithsonian National Zoo, who are part of a collaborative research project with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Mei Xiang (pronounced may-SHONG) whose name means "beautiful fragrance" loves to steal the food of her partner-in-crime Tian Tian (pronounced t-YEN t-YEN) which means "more and more" who is known to be a bold escape artist. This duo is growing up in the limelight... and the shadow of their predecessors, the couple whose 'pandamonium' outlasted five presidents. Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, a gift from China after Nixon's historic visit, brought our nation happiness and tears beyond any soap opera, from their delightful playtime and dramatic mating attempts to the mourning of their infant cubs and eventually their own passing in 1992 and 1997. New hope swells in Washington again as the new symbols of peace start to capture our hearts.

There is no doubt that Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing were legends in their time. But what about this new panda pair? Will Mei Xiang be as sweet as a "beautiful fragrance?" Will Tian Tian give "more and more" of the panda antics the National Zoo has been missing? The pandas from Wolong, China, have some big paws to fill, but they are sure to be stars in their own right, rekindling the nation's panda love affair.

Join "Washington's new power couple."

Make your panda purchases with FONZ.

Look at more stuff, think about it harder

2002-05-01T11:15:00.000-04:00

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
—Albert Einstein

This is the very essence of a creative consultancy lurking in the depths of Shockoe Bottom, Richmond's hip riverside cultural center. Now into its eleventh year, play is determined to blow the roof off of traditional business. "Creativity is not just for marketing concepts," as Crestar's marketing manager, Kathi Liebschwager, put it. "You need it for everything you do. If companies aren't ready for it, they'd better get ready.

The driving forces behind this refreshing, colorful experience? "Building solutions through creativity in the areas of brand, products, leadership, culture and strategy." Or to better sum up the fuller meaning of these impact points: people, play, profit (the core values of the company). Yes, play really works. Need proof? This is only a small taste of a very big idea. Get to know it better. Share your discoveries. Have fun. Let's play.

Feel the bounce, smell the texture, taste the excitement.

Invent your own superhero and get to know Play's.

Just getting your feet wet

2002-04-29T09:40:00.000-04:00

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
—Albert Einstein

At the College of William and Mary, a cross-disciplined approach is the best, especially when it comes to making history. A collaborative project is looking to answer long-term questions about some current and upcoming urban developments in Williamsburg's "Crossroads" area. If you take a drive down Monticello Avenue towards the Target/Ukrops shopping center, you can already see the drastic changes coming to this city: a new courthouse and post office, rows of new shops lined up to serve sportsgear and Starbucks. In the works: a business center to attract the high tech industry, a church to attract the younger Methodist community, a residential sector to attract new urbanists who love the sidewalk instead of the asphalt, just to name a few. But will they come? This piece of the project alone is an experiment of economic proportions. William and Mary is banking on a success: a $6 million deposit is ready to partner with Williamsburg and make it work.

So what happens when the rains come? What effects the economy can also effect the environment. If two drainage basins totaling 2,000 acres are relatively undeveloped (largely forested and includes a lake, wetlands and several streams) and within a decade are suddenly transformed to this "New Town," how will the environment respond? Staubauch, Co. is the development firm leading the way in the planning, renowned for large scale projects with a small ecological footprint (or impact). The health of the streams - their water chemistry, geometry, sediment yield - depends to an extent on the size of that footprint. It's a scenario that plays out worldwide, from Puerto Rico to Belgium to Australia. Unfortunately, due to the complex nature of a stream system, its relationship with changes in land use are difficult to pinpoint. And William and Mary only has a snapshot. Until all the film develops, after years of research, will the picture start to become clear. It's that promise of the big picture that makes this work exciting, both today and tomorrow.

See how planning and balance can make a difference.

Transform the Old Town to New Town.

Here's an easy question

2002-04-28T17:41:00.000-04:00

"The only source of knowledge is experience."
—Albert Einstein

What are you doing tomorrow? How about next year? Try a thousand years from now - have any plans? Not so simple anymore. Closer To Truth is a program on public television that looks at 'knowledge affairs' through the creative eyes of scholars, scientists and artists. Show 201 focused on this distant future and what it means to imagine the possibilities of the year 3000. From the evolution of a global superorganism and Heaven on a computer chip to ultra-accelerated languages and the mastering of the solar system, five futurists tackled the question head-on with some surprising and shocking predictions. Often the discussion led to the validity of the methods used to make a prediction (for example, if a linear progression is an accurate way to project the biomass of human beings in 3000). Most comments would eventually lead to a prediction that included a footnote: ultimately the trends based on the past cannot completely answer what will happen in the future. The host made this concluding remark: We are beings who comprehend time and its flowing passage, who project our mind's eye and envision epochs long before our births and long after our deaths. So, what are you doing tomorrow?

Watch the show or read the transcript of Closer To Truth.

Read Brian Aldiss' short story Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, inspiring the movie Artificial Intelligence.

Mirth and jollity in retrospect

2002-04-27T18:12:00.000-04:00

"We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams."
—Jimmy Carter

In a Christmas Day letter to his friend, Col. John Page, Thomas Jefferson wrote: My mind has been so taken up with thinking of my acquaintances, that, till this moment, I almost imagined myself in Williamsburg, talking to you in our old unreserved way; and never observed, till I turned over the leaf, to what an immoderate size I had swelled my letter -- however, that I may not tire your patience by further additions, I will make but this one more, that I am sincerely and affectionately, Dear Page, your friend and servant.

Reimincing and pausing during a moment of celebration seems to have two effects on people. The more obvious is the public display of mirth and jollity (as Jefferson would say) that, when surrounded by others in the same spirit, brings an amazing energy and excitement to the air. Yet, just as TJ finds himself in this very situation, the good times can be exhausting, overwhelming and even depressing. Comparing where we stand now to where we've been, to the point where we could easily be swept up by the vivid memories that we long to revisit. How good it can feel to lose yourself in these thoughts, even if it does - in retrospect - turn out to be a few pages or hours longer than you intended. That is when the danger sets in: when it gets to the point of consuming you. Trapping you to live in the past. Fortunate for our lone writer here, he steps back into the moment, happy to be reaching out for friends who can lend an ear.

Maybe this is only an old part of Virginia tradition. But perhaps no matter from whence we come these thoughts weigh heavy. We all have longings. Sometimes for the familiar in times of change. Sometimes for the happiness and connection to others in any experience. Sometimes for peace and balance along life's path.

Read of old coke and young ladies in the 1762 letter.

Get lost in UVa Library's extensive digital TJ collection.

Information Superhighway, Mile Marker 304

2002-04-25T13:47:00.000-04:00

"We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles."
—Jimmy Carter

Keeping track of where your online reading takes you can be worthwhile. Here's an example. Today starts with cnn.com where the new cover story from Time magazine features the hype and preview of Star Wars: Episode II. Why not? Take a look. It's a cultural phenomenon. Time's feature includes a look into the lives of the leads, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman. The big picture: what are they doing between now and the filming of the third act in Lucas' operetta next year. One bit of information about Ms. Portman is curious. She recently opened up to the Harvard campus with a smart editorial response to an op-ed piece in The Crimson about the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. Taking an approach outside of the current American political views, she raises an important challenge: We must be ashamed of every act of violence and mourn every child as if they were our own. I pray for the safety of all those in the region and hope that we may someday use our unique human assets of language and empathy rather than military technology or propaganda to resolve this conflict.

Decide where you stand with Portman's letter to the editors.

Get the big picture about "Mr. and Mrs. Vader".

An Afghan refugee's quiet reunion

2002-04-22T00:58:00.000-04:00

"Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy, because human rights is the very soul of our sense of nationhood."
—Jimmy Carter

In an interview on NPR shortly after September 11th, Steve McCurry revisited the story behind his portrait of the anonymous Afghan refugee girl: Her look kind of summed up the horror, because her village had been bombed and her relatives had been killed, and she'd had to make this two-week trek through the mountains to the refugee camp. Little did he know that six months later his story would be very different: There was no question in my mind that this was the girl. The eyes were the same, she had the same distinctive scar on her nose. All the facial features matched up. I instantly knew that this was the girl. He was referring to Sharbat Gula, mother of three and living with her family in remote Afghanistan. She is that haunting face from that arresting photograph taken some seventeen years previous. She is the story of the nation: defined by invasion, resistence, and constant waves of change. Perhaps this time, she will be a face of promise.

Find out how drastic changes are coming to the lives of Afghan women.

Rediscover the story that started it all.

Learning from the campus experts

2002-04-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

"Does the road wind up-hill all the way? Yes, to the very end. Will the day's journey take the whole long day? From morn to night, my friend."
—Christina Rossetti

What makes the college experience unique? Here's a hint: it's not what you see when you take a tour, when you go sightseeing, or when you come back as alumni. The culture surrounding today's institutions of higher learning has to be absorbed while you're experiencing it. Or while you're just beginning to give it that freshman try. Often all you need is a little jumpstart from the upperclassmen. Today, that attitude takes on the general theme of bet you didn't read that in any prospective guide book. It's the lingo, the hotspots on the weekend, the ways you get involved, and oh yes - the traditions - that matter. Even the admissions offices are realizing the trend to share the more casual facts about university life makes the place seem a little more down to earth (it doesn't connect with mom and dad, but it's cool to the kids). So when it comes to bringing in the first years, what better than to turn to the current students who can help them learn the ropes?

Hoo knows their Virginia 101? Brought to you by the CD.

Get your Madison 101 fix from the JMU Breeze.

Fresh and blue

2002-04-17T17:34:00.000-04:00

"Sing, creatures, sing / Angels and men and birds, and everything."
—Christina Rossetti

Amazing that we live in a world that celebrates the diversity, splendor, and beauty of this little blue spot. And it's blue. 70% blue. Well, mostly blue. We hold a fine balance of a healthy water system, from oceans to rivers to the little creek behind the house. This stuff becomes an integral part of our culture. That is, the waterways that surround us influence the way we live. Here's a test: what comes to mind when you think St. Louis? The Gateway Arch, good jazz, Mark Twain, and riverboats.

That's what some folks are hoping to do with the Confluence Greenway, a plan to tie rivers to the heritage of this area (and vice versa): Back in 1764, Pierre Laclede established St. Louis because of the confluence of its three rivers-the Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Illinois. Long before any railroads or highways, here was a gold mine for commerce and transportation; the spot where river traffic met in the middle of America's frontier. The Gateway to the West was born.

Say hello to the American Heritage Rivers.

Show Louis and Clark how much the mighty Missouri has changed in 200 years.

The case for Eros

2002-04-16T01:57:00.000-04:00

"If thus to sleep [and dream] is sweeter than to wake, To die were surely sweeter than to live, Though there be nothing new beneath the sun."
—Christina Rossetti

Eros, the Greek god of love, pierces his arrows into the hearts of mankind and stirs up the dreams of romance. We fall into a deep sleep, or trance, upon gazing at the new love of our life: marionettes in the cupid's hands. Is it all trickery and magic? Does the child mean well, or is he causing trouble in the house of the three fates? Mythology tells us that Eros was oft in trouble with his elders for pulling all sorts of pranks and gags. And yet the act of matchmaking that is so central to his powers is a touching and sweet gift. After all, he's a child - the very meaning of innocence and purity. The Met's analysis of this statue: "Eros... has been brought down to earth and disarmed, a conception considerably different from that of the powerful, often cruel, and capricious being so often addressed in Archaic poetry." How amazing what we can see if we take a second look - a more earnest gaze - beyond just what we see at face value.

Decide for yourself the judgement of Eros.

Zoom in for more detail on Greek art from the Met.

Zoom in. Zoom out. And vice versa.

2002-04-07T00:16:00.000-05:00

"Happiness is not a goal, it is a by-product."
—Eleanor Roosevelt

Christopher Alexander's A Pattern Language is considered by some the 'good book' of the architecture and urban planning world. He takes a systematic approach to organizing every detail of a city - from the big picture to the sidewalk. It's a chance to connect your sight of the forest and the trees. Take filtered light for example, one of my favorite things...

Problem:
Light filtered through leaves, or tracery, is wonderful. But why?

Solution:
Where the edge of a window or the overhanging eave of a roof is silhouetted against the sky, make a rich, detailed tapestry of light and dark, to break up the light and soften it.

Chris classifies filtered light as 'construction' in the subcategory called 'surface details'. From this little place in his book you can widen your view (goto natural doors and windows) or narrow to the microscale (goto climbing plants or warm colors). Like the Choose Your Own Adventure books, A Pattern Language gives you infinite possibilities and combinations as you slowly gain a fuller understanding of the full system of ideas.

Try a virtual demo of A Pattern Language.

Visit more moments in God's Country: the New River Valley.

Love really is the killer app

2002-04-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

"Perhaps in His wisdom the Almighty is trying to show us that a leader may chart the way, may point out the road to lasting peace, but that many leaders and many peoples must do the building."
—Eleanor Roosevelt

In her article for Fast Company, "Remember What Is Important", Pookie Melberg reminds us that for creative people, success comes by focusing on what they're doing instead of whom they should be trying to impress. It's true. From brand, experience and attention to trust and feedback, every step of the creative process requires love. Building that heart-to-heart is a both an individual and group effort. To focus on perfecting the expression of their hearts - whether it's music, images, or words is the ultimate key for any road in life. The February 2002 issue of Fast Company spent an entire issue on this very topic of love. For the first time, it seemed that the mainstream business world finally realized what creative folks have known all along.

See if you agree with Melberg's point of view.

Explore more of the FC: Love issue.

Into the depths of the sea

2002-04-03T17:46:00.000-05:00

"You always admire what you really don't understand."
—Eleanor Roosevelt

In July of 2001, oceanographers from the University of Washington discovered an incredible hydrothermal vent system in the middle of the Atlantic, aptly named "The Lost City of Atlantis." Some of the 'chimneys' for these vents reached over 200 feet above the seafloor, an unprecidented height for these underwater geysers. Why? Unlike previously explored vents, which are formed by volcanic heat, this system is instead fueled by 100% pure liquid hot magma. In the ten months since the discovery, the more that is understood about the Lost City, the more questions that arise. Can more life be supported at the bottom of the ocean than previously thought? Does life exist on other planets, such as Jupiter's icy moons where oceans exist under the surface? Could the origins of life come from the single-celled communities of hydrothermal vents?

"It's a really important find," says Karen Von Damm at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, who studies hydrothermal vents. "It shows that there are still a lot of things down there we don't know about."

So what is the lost city of Atlantis? Everyone from Genghis Khan, Columbus and Napoleon to Neffertiri, da Vinci and Christopher Wren has held a certain fascination for the mythical city. As Plato said in 360 BC: ...in a single day and night of misfortune, the island of Atlantis disappeared into the depths of the sea." Indeed, this mysterious realm continues to intrigue us, even in popular culture such as last year's Disney feature film that pulls from a rich history surrounding the search for Atlantis.

Both the science and the myth of these two unknowns are attractive for mankind to pursue. For the thrill of discovery, the challenge of understanding, and the joy of learning are the driving forces that push us onward.

Read and use the interactive article from Science: "Life Without Volcanic Heat."

Do your own research with Walt Disney Pictures Atlantis: The Lost Empire, 2001.

Dissecting the Millenials

2002-04-02T00:03:00.000-05:00

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."
—Eleanor Roosevelt

It's happening. One year ago, David Brooks sparked a new topic of conversation in America. He turned the spotlight on the Millenials, a new generation and their arrival in college. His definition: The Organization Kid. Take a closer look...

The young men and women of America's future elite work their laptops to the bone, rarely question authority, and happily accept their positions at the top of the heap as part of the natural order of life. Professor Herbst of Princeton explained: "They are professional students. I don't say that pejoratively. Their profession for these four years is to be a student." And Brooks went on to explain: That doesn't mean that these leaders-in-training are money-mad (though they are certainly career-conscious). It means they are goal-oriented... They're not trying to buck the system; they're trying to climb it, and they are streamlined for ascent... in general they are happy with their lot. Authors Neil Howe and William Strauss (Millenials Rising: The Next Great Generation, 2000) enhanced that definition with their own offering: "They're optimists ... They're cooperative team players ... They accept authority ... They're rule followers."

The article continued with a complete history and future insight for the organization kid. Indeed, the story was accurate at the time. But months later, Brooks took time to reevaluate his position: the fall semester brought a world of change. In the November 4th edition of Newsweek, he described the full impact of September 11th on this college community, thus giving a deeper meaning to the original definitions. What will be the next steps for these rising leaders?

Get the full story from the pages of The Atlantic Monthly.

Buy a day-pass into Newsweek's archives for "The Organization Kid Revisited".

Fresh beginnings

2002-04-01T22:49:00.000-05:00

"Life must be lived and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life."
—Eleanor Roosevelt

Mark Oatney's nature photography is exploring new heights, such as this vine maple and douglas fir in Oregon. From fungi for National Geographic to other assignments in Mali and India, Mark has a keen eye for the small details that are truly down-to-earth.

In an article in American Photo, Miranda Crowell relates one such journey: He spent several hours shooting in the area before a patch of light and some flowers caught his eye. There he crawled to discover an unexpectedly photogenic star, the checkered beetle.

Watch as Journal E captures the essence of his work.

Go straight to the source.