May 2012
13 posts
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Finding Angelo: or how an American obtains Italian... →
Here is a list of the documents required for me to become an Italian citizen: (please note these all need to be translated into Italian and have an apostille…whatever that is)
Your maternal great grandfather’s birth certificate from Italy Your maternal great grandmother’s birth certificate Your great grandparents’ marriage certificate Your maternal great grandfather’s certificate of...
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6½th Avenue Gets Greenlight: Pedestrian Passageway... →
YES!
Basically, there are currently random passageways (privately owned) through buildings sitting in between 6th and 7th Avenues. But, it’s not easy to cross the street at those points, and it’s rather disjointed. So, the city is creating new, raised crosswalks, street paint, and stop signs to hopefully ease traffic and make these public spaces more inviting and usable. It’s...
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Fun Facts About Sutures →
This interesting post from a class I wish I took at the Brooklyn Brainery is worth a read. Gotta love random skills!
The banana at left is how I assume they teach medical students suturing.
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Umbrella Etiquette
Inspired by the rain outside and the severe ankle jab I received on the subway from a golf umbrella this morning, I present to you my tips for proper umbrella use.
Hold the umbrella upright and tightly. The handle should be fairly perpendicular to the ground and centered on your body. This achieves maximum dryness for you and minimum water runoff onto other people. Of course, you may need to...
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Interview with Liz Haag, Lipstick Reader
I met Liz Haag through the improv comedy world, and now know her to be a woman of many talents, including lipstick reading. I interviewed her about this unique skill to learn more:
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Jen Bokoff: I’ve heard of lip reading (tough enough!), but how does one become a lipstick reader?
Liz Haag: It’s a good question. When I was just out of college and studying acting, I got a job...
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Worldwide Mural Map →
A lot of neat murals to discover! This is a very much incomplete database, but those available on the map are fun to explore. Also, you can submit murals that you have seen. Let me know if you do!
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“Duke was one of the first employers to make benefits available to same sex...”
– Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president of administration at Duke, following the approval of Amendment One in North Carolina. While the voters’ decision is extremely disheartening and causing ridiculous action already, we shouldn’t overlook the statements being made by those opposed to the...
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“If you don’t like the world the way it is, change it—one step at a time....”
– Marian Wright Edelman, 72, president of the Children’s Defense Fund, in her advice to her 25 year old self
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“If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound...”
– Thomas Edison
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Via USA.gov: How and Why You Should Write a Social... →
Social media is a part of daily life, but what happens to the online content that you created once you die?
If you have social media profiles set up online, you should create a statement of how you would like your online identity to be handled. Just like a traditional will helps your survivors handle your physical belongings, a social media will spells out how you want your online identity to...
April 2012
41 posts
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The farm bill was passed with the Healthy Food...
April 27, 2012 – New York, NY – Yesterday with wide bipartisan support, the Senate Agriculture Committee passed the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 (also known as the Farm Bill), which for the first time will officially establish a national Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) at the United States Department of Agriculture with $125 million. The inclusion of HFFI is a...
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Walking for Water: Results and Reflection
Last week, I wrote about the global health issue of potable water access. I wore a pedometer for exactly one week and tracked all (8 oz) glasses of water consumed during that same time period. 25 miles and 30 glasses later*, I learned some things:
I don’t drink nearly as much water as I should each day.
I walk more than the average american (afterall, this is NYC) but not as much as I...
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Dans Le Noir - In The Dark (sensory dining...
Take a bite out of life’s mysteries and dine in the dark. Surprise yourself with tastes, textures, smells, and seasonings of food you’ve never noticed before. Dans Le Noir provides not only a novel experience but also possesses depth to rival the darkest oceans. Servers are visually impaired and profits benefit worthy causes like The Vision Charity.
The blind lead the blind-folded in a sensory...
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Beautiful and fascinating visualization of Pi →
It’s explained a bit here, but take some time to play with the image here. My phone number first appears at the 2,816,009th decimal digit of pi and never appears again! What about yours?
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Prospect Heights, Brooklyn: Quiz Time! Restaurant... →
neighborhoodr-prospectheights:
Hey Neighborhood Mavens,
Here’s a trivia question for you. What hotspot in the neighborhood has this text on a fun sign in their bathroom?
We like to keep our restroom clean.
Gentlemen: the toilet is lower than it appears, so adjust accordingly.
Ladies: please remain seated for the entire performance.
HINT: They have a great deal on mimosas!
[Note: No real...
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So much to learn about.... bedbugs?
The ancient Greeks ate #bedbugs w/ meat and beans to treat fevers, w/ beans for snake bites and w/ with wine/vinegar to get rid of leeches (@brookeborel)
Who’d have ever thunk?!
I’ve been following Brooke on Twitter for awhile, and she’s always tweeting fun facts about bedbugs.
The scientific name for the common #bedbug is Cimex lectularius, which translates to bug of the...
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8 Core Beliefs of Extraordinary Bosses →
Good article on how to recognize and be a great manager.
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WatchEvery time I remember that there are people who live in space, my mind is blown. This time lapse is really neat to watch, and it’s amazing to think that it literally represents some people’s worldview. Wow.
(Original article from TIME, even though I’m still feeling weird about their advertisement.)
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With My Own Two Hands, Ben Harper
Love this song....
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Co-Editing Prospect Heights Neighborhoodr
I’m now one of several editors of the Prospect Heights Neighborhoodr blog thanks to Alisha. Basically, this means I can post content and finalize submissions. I would love to help continue making it relevant and fun, so give us a follow and let me know if you have any ideas, tips, or good vibes to share!
I will try not to cross post so as not to bore non-Brooklynites, but there may be the...
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Widget Alert! Gmail Meter is a Must-Have!
I manage both the receipt and sending of an extraordinary number of emails a day both at work and in my personal life. I’m constantly looking for ways to streamline and simplify what needs to happen with each email, and I finally found some truly fascinating insights courtesy of Gmail Meter. I ran a report of my personal email for March and learned:
Daily traffic looks something like...
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“I believe in humanity. I love humanity. And I believe the world will change for...”
– Jacob Biber, Norwich Bulletin, 1985
On today, Yom HaShoah, we remember those who died in the Holocaust, those who worked to protect the safety and freedoms of others, and the stories of those who survived. Most importantly, we pledge to never let such an unfathomable tragedy happen again, and to do...
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Skills: Win at Rock-paper-scissors
According to Graham Walker, coauthor of The Official Rock Paper Scissors Strategy Guide, here’s how to win:
1. Play paper first. Rookies tend to lead with rock, so paper is the safest opener. If you win, claim victory; if not, start the next throw right away, because of course it’s two out of three.
2. Exploit copycats. Casual players often switch to the object that just beat them....
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How to Write a Grant Proposal, Take 2 →
I’m teaching again after a successful first run and tweaking topics here and there. So, sign up and/or share with your networks! Last time the class sold out quickly, so don’t wait!
[Editor’s Note: As of April 23, the class has filled up. Put your name on the waitlist though to find out first the next time it’s offered or if any spots open up!]
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Interview with Shelly Huang: DIY Bride
When a friend requested that I pick up subway maps, for his friend who is soon to be married, I was intrigued. I love anything with a DIY touch, and Shelly Huang’s idea for her wedding makes me smile. I talked with her to learn more:
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Jen Bokoff: Your idea of making 1000 paper cranes out of NYC Subway maps for wedding decorations is amazing. Where did it come from?
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Conquering Food Deserts →
The question remains: If there is real demand for fresh food in food deserts, why don’t supermarkets open up there? Why don’t they regard them as food emerging markets? Well, it takes two things: innovative businesspeople who are willing to pursue opportunities where others see only problems — and creative government subsidies to make the economics work.
Bornstein’s article in...
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Free Concerts and Beer hosted by the New York...
The New York Historical Society is hosting a new free concert series (jazz, rock, classical, and more!) every Friday night at 6:30pm from April 20 - June 1. Share with your networks!
As if that’s not cool enough, they also are hosting not-too-expensive beer tastings complementing their History of New York Beer exhibition, on Saturday afternoons at 2 or 4pm, starting on May 25th.
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Happy Tax Day! If you're #ProudToPay, tweet it.
Learn why people are #ProudToPay taxes today, and share some of your own reasons! At the end of the day, we should feel very lucky to live in a country where taxes support the public good and many freedoms that we take for granted, even if we do grumble while money leaves our bank accounts.
Tax Day is also (perhaps ironically?) the day that we are most supportive of eachother and our communities....
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Walking for Water: DIY Education and Chance to Win
Starting today, I am wearing a pedometer to track how far I walk each day and how much water I drink to put the global issue of potable water in perspective as Earth Day approaches. 2.2 million people in developing countries, most of them children, die every year from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene, and 80 percent of diseases...
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“If you want to create a network, awaken the possibilities in those that you...”
– Mike Worley, as excerpted from his On Building A Network contribution to Three Thoughts On. Very true!
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FREE Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12 →
I’ll be there all day; check it out and pre-register! There will be lots of great workshops, speakers, and of course, food. See you there!
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Triptrop NYC: the city just got even more...
Everything about this incredible mapping tool made by Brooklyn Brainery co-founder Soma makes me happy. It drives me crazy when people think, for instance, that the Upper West Side is just too far to visit me in Prospect Heights, or that Long Island City is really inaccessible. New York City is one of the best cities in the world for countless reasons, and one really is that it’s quite...
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Top Ten Grant Proposal Mistakes
Writing a grant and feeling like it’s not quite there? Here are some top mistakes to check your proposal for and fix before you submit!
TYPOS!
Redundancy
Length (too short if it’s missing components; too long if I forgot what I read 5 minutes ago)
Vague (use examples! numbers! color!)
Dry (a little passion is good)
Leaving the reader with questions (anticipate and attack!)
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Death and Taxes Collide as Fatal Crashes Mount on... →
This is sad but not all that surprising. Stress can really make people act less than perfectly, and a nation of (unnecessarily!) stressed out individuals definitely could cause crashes.
Deaths from traffic accidents around April 15, traditionally the last day to file individual income taxes in the U.S., rose 6 percent on average on each of the last 30 years of tax filing days compared with a day...
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Chutes and Ladders: Not just a kids game anymore
Still playing Chutes and Ladders with the kids? Are you losing or feeling bored? Let math help you climb that ladder of enjoyment!
DataGenetics gives a fascinating mathematical breakdown of Chutes and Ladders. Learn what squares are most likely to land on, how many rolls will complete a game, and what would happen if you added more ladders.
Maybe it’s time for you host a game night with...
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World Happiness Report: It's not all about money →
I can’t wait to delve into the first ever World Happiness Report. Commissioned by the United Nations Conference on Happiness, this report is a compilation of data that reflects environmental, social, physical, and structural factors that might impact happiness throughout the world.
Ariel Schwartz, a writer for Co.Exist, brought this study to my attention in her recent article. Among the...
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Wind Map = Art + Science Data Visualization
This map, which is zoomable and changes periodically as new data is received, is the most sincerely gorgeous map of wind I have ever seen. It was built to be a personal art project, but is also fairly accurate. What an amazing power our country has to use wind for energy; it’s such a rich resource!
The self-described technologists also have done other projects employing visualizations to...
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Required Reading for Today: Storytelling, Brains,...
Telling Tales With a Tear and a Smile, New York Times, featuring my storytelling teacher Adam Wade, who is a Moth champion with unconditional love for all of his students and the art of storytelling. It’s incredible what power a good story can have on the audience and on the orator.
The Make-Your-Own Schoolhouse, New York Times, featuring the Brooklyn Brainery, a skill-sharing adult...
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WatchSherry Turkle: Connected, but alone? A TED talk well worth watching. Please do share your thoughts in comments if you watch; I’m very curious to hear them as I haven’t fully formed my own.
We all need to focus on the many many ways that technology can lead us back to our real lives, our own bodies, our own communities, our own politics, our own planet; they need us. Let’s talk...
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