All posts by Chris

socially-conscious clothing

Anthropology, Beauty and Fashion, Shopping, Sports

Nate sent me two links that you might be interested in.  First comes Capsters, culturally sensitive sportswear for Muslim women:

Created by young Dutch designer Cindy van den Bremen, Capsters are sleek head coverings made from comfortable, stretchy fabrics… Covering a woman’s head and neck as stipulated by Islamic or cultural tradition, they make it possible for women to participate in sports and physical activities without having to worry about their headscarves shifting.

Of more interest to me personally are TOMS Shoes,  socially-conscious footwear that are taking the LA fashion scene by storm:

Not just casual chic slip-ons that were spotted all over L.A. this summer, TOMS Shoes give new meaning to ‘two for the price of one’. For each pair purchased (USD 38), TOMS gives a pair to a disadvantaged child in South America. Materials and shoes are produced and manufactured in Argentina under strict ‘no sweatshop’ guidelines, ensuring fair labor practices and minimal impact on the environment.

Good to hear about these things.  Perhaps my dream of a Whole-Foods-like clothing store is getting closer to feasibility…

on learning and unschooling

Education

I could have used this new form of homeschooling back when I was in high school.  From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Five years ago, frustrated with the pace and depth of a Chicago Public School gifted program, Abby withdrew from eighth grade and entered uncharted territory — a branch of home schooling often called “unschooling.”

Under this ultimate form of “child-directed” learning, Abby used no set curriculum. She called her own hours, worked at her own pace and, most important, followed her own interests — without taking tests or receiving grades. Some days, she’d wake up, grab a bowl of cereal and go back to bed with a book.

Happy Solstice!

Holiday! Celebrate!

From my brother John:

Solstice Trivia
The solstice (from old English meaning “sun-standing-still”) is the time of turning, when the days change from shortening to lengthening.  It is often seen as a time when we can leave behind that which we don’t want to carry into the new cycle and begin anew with goals of intention.

Though often thought of as a Celtic celebration, the return of the sun has been celebrated in nearly every culture, east and west.

The Solstice is at 4:23 PST, December 21.

An interesting article can be found on the web site of Project Astro Utah.

Happy Solstice, everyone!

NASA and Google team up

News, Space, Technology

Apparently NASA and Google have solidified a year-old relationship that uses Google technology to index and deliver NASA content.  From Ars Technica:

In the first of many tasks that will be worked on by the new alliance, Google will work with the ARC to make NASA’s information available on the Internet to anyone who wants to see it.

Sounds like a great partnership to me.  Google Maps Mars?  Hubble Image Search?  Maybe even a searchable archive of communications transcripts like the ones Glen worked on?