Posts from — January 2008

I just wanted to point out that right now We Evolve Everyday Design is still under construction. In the near future I plan on posting updates on our new theme while its in the making.

Samantha @ wee-design.com

During this week’s World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Bill Gates announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be pledging $306 million in grants to fund farming in in poor/developing countries. Personally I think this is wonderful. It’s about time someone (with plethoras of cash) stepped forward and donated a HUGE amount of money.

“If we are serious about ending extreme hunger and poverty around the world, we must be serious about transforming agriculture for small farmers, most of whom are women…The challenge here is to design a system including profit and recognition to do more for the poor. ” said Gates

Gates received a standing ovation for his announcement at the suggestion of U2 front man Bono. Gates, is to step down from the computer giant later this year.

source: CNN and Gizmodo

Personally I think this is ridiculous, granted kids these days dont go outside enough, but I believe that should be up to the parents and/or guardian of the child.

The Sierra Club — a group dedicated to environmentalism and preservation — has proposed that a tax be levied against kids who choose video games or computers rather than venturing out-of-doors. The tax, also being referred to as “No Child Left Inside,” would ostensibly encourage kids to get up off of their fat, lazy back-ends and hit the trails, mountains, and waterways of our nation’s parks and other natural treasures… by further taxing video games and TVs. Recent studies have shown links to obesity, lowered academic scores, and the rise of attention-deficit disorder in America’s kids to increased time spent indoors, though we suspect the problem lies with bad parenting rather than an entire industry of game-makers and electronics companies. Would adding a one-percent sales tax on our gear (and penalizing children who have plenty of good reasons to stay inside) increase kids’ desire to head outdoors instead of “finishing the fight?” We’ve got our doubts.

What are your thoughts?
Source G4TV and Engadget

Here is a quick update on the devastating passing of Heath Ledger.

He was found dead in his bed in one of his residences in Soho by his housekeeper at 3:35 PM ET today. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ they believe it was not a crime, adding prescription pills were found near his body.

According to NYPD a masseuse arrived at Ledger’s apartment and was let in by a housekeeper. When he didn’t answer his bedroom door, the housekeeper and the masseuse opened it and found him unconscious. They attempted to wake him, and when they couldn’t they called 911.

We’re told when paramedics responded, the actor was in full cardiac arrest. They attempted to perform CPR on him, but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ledger may be best known for his groundbreaking role as Ennis in “Brokeback Mountain.”

Story developing…

Today at 3:35pm, 28 year old Heath Ledger was found dead in his Soho apartment by his house keeper. The story is still in development.

Heath Ledger has a 2 year old daughter with fiancee Michelle Williams.

For follow up on this story head over to TMZ.

Here are some screen shots from the up and coming Iron Man game, made by Sega. It will be inspired from the new movie set to be released May 2, 2008. The movie is directed by Jon Favreau. Images are from G4TV.

Back in middle school I remember learning chess every Wednesday in English class, due to my teachers love for strategy. We learned about the game, and it helped us build our process for thinking ahead. During that time I recall going to the library’s and watching a movie called Searching for Bobby Fischer.

“I don’t play the old chess,” he told reporters when he arrived in Iceland in 2005. “But obviously if I did, I would be the best.”

I never found out what happened to Bobby Fischer, but this morning I was informed that Bobby Fischer had died due to kidney failure yesterday in Reykjavik hospital.

Fischer became the first U.S.-born world chess champion, after the defeat of Spassky in 1972.

Written, published, and designed by yours truly. Please take the time to check it out, and maybe even purchase it. Your support is greatly appreciated. Also email me for information on getting an autographed copy of Insatiable Broken Rose Petals.

If your like me, you can not wait to see what kind of new technology is being release in 2008. But even better, what kind of eco-friendly tech gadgets are we going to see on the market. More and more each day they are trying to come up with more effiecnt ways to keep the air we breathe a little more cleaner, by using renewable energy technologies, such as fuel cells, kinetic energy, wind and solar power. Recently while I was watching the CES 2008 convention on G4 TV they showed all new tech toys. I also recently found out that CES is making the leap to “go green” by becoming carbon neutral and incorporating the use of sustainable and energy efficient practices. This is even just the beging. Greener Gagdets, a one day confrence that is set to take place on February 1st, 2008 in New York City, gathers all industry leaders, entrepreneurs, journalists, and designers to discuss the details for the greening of the consumer electronics industry. As listed on the Greener Gadgets site, the topics of discussion will include:

• Environmental initiatives from leading consumer electronics companies, such as take-back and recycling programs
• New environmentally sensitive materials, product lifecycle and design for sustainability
• Innovations in renewable energy technologies, such as fuel cells, kinetic energy, wind and solar power

Many of us are aware of the growth of green in almost every other industry, and many are waiting patiently for it to take off in the consumer electronics industry. Greener Gagdets believes that are is a “tremendous growth opportunity exists for companies that position their products to meet the global shift towards sustainable products and socially responsible supply chain practices.”

Join them for this rare opportunity to gain insight on the consumer electronics, computing and mobile techolongy as they prepare to enter it into the Green Era. Greener Gadgets presents to you representatives from HP, Nokia, Sony, Philips, Intel, EPEAT, the Green Electronics Council, IDEO, Engadget, Earth2Tech/GigaOm and many others to be announced on their website.

I must say, when I read Veerle’s Blog on Layer Tennis I was clueless of what it was. After reading further I come to learn this this was once called Photoshop Tennis. This year is different though, instead of sticking to just Photoshop they decided to incorporate other forms of media such as Flash and After Effects.

What’s Layer Tennis?

Layer Tennis is a live design event, this year it is taking place in Chicago. As mentioned above it started off with the title “Photoshop Tennis”. It all goes down as two designers swap the file for the event the are in i.e. a Photoshop PSD, back and forth in real-time, adding to and personalizing the file at hand. As mentioned in Veerle’s article each designer gets fifteen minutes to complete a “volley” and then it gets posted to the site. Along side the competitors there is always a third party, a writer, provides play-by-play commentary on the action, as it happens.

This year Veerle is going up against Cindy Li, we want to wish them and all the other participants the best of luck. Layer Tennis is a production of Coudal Partners in Chicago and is presented by Adobe Creative Suite 3. To view old matches and get info on the upcoming matches check out the Layer Tennis Forums. I suggest checking out these wonderful artist while they are put on the court and conquer that game of Layer Tennis.