Have you ever wanted superpowers? Students at the University of Illinois at Chicago have built a suit mimicking Spider-Man’s “SpiderSense” by using sensory receptors to “feel” their environment.
Read the full story at Medill.
Conner Forrest
My take on socio-cultural discourse…
Category Archives: Culture
Aspirin may lower the risk of melanoma in women.
Aspirin is not just for headaches anymore. A recent study found that women who take aspirin have a lower risk of developing melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, than women who do not take it.
Read the full story at Medill.
Doctors warn against attention-boosting drugs for undiagnosed kids
The American Academy of Neurology took a formal stance Wednesday on the use of attention-altering drugs by children who do not have a formal diagnosis. In a position paper, the academy outlined the ethical issues for treating healthy children with such drugs, a concept known as neuroenhancement.
Read the full story at The Northwest Indiana Times.
App Lifts Veil on Government Policy for Chicagoans
I recently wrote a story on Open City’s 2nd City Zoning app for the Medill News Service. You can read the full story on Medill’s website.
The Nadus Films Story
Many people have been asking me about Nadus Films. Here is their story:
BBoy for Life
My recent work with Nadus Films took me to Guatemala City, Guatemala to meet young people in the heart of the ghetto and help tell their stories. Here is the official trailer for BBoy for Life:
You can find more information and videos on our Kickstarter Page.
University of Louisville to host Farm to Campus Conference on Friday
The first ever Farm to Campus Conference will be held on Friday, January 20th.
The full story at WFPL.
Born to Run
As a long time runner and an avid fitness buff, I often explore different techniques, ancient and modern, of the exercises I love. Running, especially, led me to the debate on barefoot running; the concept that the human body is designed to run extreme distances, unaided by technology, without breaking down. This led me to pick up a copy of Christopher McDougall’s book, Born to Run. Published in 2009 by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, the premise of the book began with McDougall’s adamant search for a reason why he couldn’t shake the pain and injuries associated with running. Since McDougall shared my affinity for fitness and discontent with injury, I figured it was worth a read. Little did I know it would change my life.
Christopher McDougall got his start in writing by working with the Associated Press. He was a war correspondent in Portugal and Africa and he also spent some time in Europe. He later returned to write for U.S. magazines like Outside, New York Times Magazine, and Men’s Health. His work for these magazines led to his book writing, first with Girl Trouble and now with Born to Run. He is a three-time National Magazine Award finalist and is currently a contributing editor for Men’s Health.
The plot of Born to Run ultimately centers on McDougall’s study of a lost Mexican tribe who resides in the deadly Copper Canyons. As McDougall seeks to explore why he cannot seem to run without being injured, he is turned on to this odd tribe. The Tarahumara people have practiced running techniques that allow them to run for hundreds of miles at a time and chase down anything in their way. These people are seemingly immune to most diseases and live peaceably in solidarity, away from the modern world. McDougall meets a mysterious loner named Caballo Blanco (the White Horse), an American who lives among the Tarahumara, and works alongside him to run like the Tarahumara do. After being prompted by Caballo, McDougall returns to the Canyons to unite with a handful of other Americans and Tarahumara and set off on a 50-mile foot race through the desert, pitting American technologies against the lost art of natural running.
As a former news writer, McDougall is well versed in how to report on a phenomenon and make it accessible to the public at large. He writes with passion and conviction, his care for this people is displayed throughout. His work is easy to follow without being sophomoric. As a narrative, this work of nonfiction is riveting. It is by no means the next Hollywood action blockbuster, but McDougall engages the audience and follows through. The suspense is constantly building as the reader works toward the monumental race at the end, and there are numerous twists and turns along the way. McDougall also does well to add humor where necessary in his book, as is evidenced by his description of his running cohorts. This is also the beauty in the details of his descriptions, he paints a vivid and imaginable picture of the places that he visited and the people that he met that you almost feel as if you know these people and you know these places.
As a whole, I feel that this is a book that should be read by all runners, but by no means is this a book that only caters to that specific demographic. McDougall wrote this book because he felt passionate enough to tell the world about this people. He lived the experience and does well to relate it to the average reader’s life. This story holds the reader in a way that only a real-life adventure can and I give it my highest praise.
22 July 2010
Louisville’s Art Outreach
“LVAA stands for the Louisville Visual Art Association. We provide art education, community outreach, exhibitions, and services for local artists.” Thus is the description I received from Mary Margaret Carlton, the Communications Coordinator for the association. LVAA, which celebrated its centennial year last year, just recently celebrated another advancement – a full transition to the digital universe. With a new website and aggressive use of social media such as facebook and twitter, LVAA has brought Louisville art to the rest of the world. They have also commenced to help local artists and artist groups utilize social media to their benefit. Their aim in doing so is to serve the artists in the Louisville area and connect the Louisville community to the visual arts emerging here. The use of such media has had a dramatic impact on turnout for the events they host.
LVAA, founded in 1909, is the oldest arts organization in the state of Kentucky. Serving upwards of 1000 artists a year, they host a plethora of events and classes to educate Louisvillians on the arts. The newest events they had added to their annual roster are the Louisville Buy Local First Fair and the Louisville Paint-Out, both in 2009. According to Carlton, the Buy Local First Fair hosted over 4,000 people last year and they have plans to expand this year. “We were excited to start the fair because it’s an event promoting Louisville local culture featuring artists, craftsmen, farmers, and businessmen,” said Carlton. The Paint-Out was also highly successful as the only plain-air competition in Louisville. The artists were required to go around the city and paint or draw original works and bring them back to be judged for cash awards or exhibition opportunity.
Although the new events were a hit, the most successful event is one of the longest standing – The Louisville Art Auction. In speaking on the auction Carlton said, “In Conjunction with the University of Louisville we host the Louisville Art Auction which is an upscale fine art auction representing local and regional artists. All of the proceeds benefit our Children’s Fine Art Classes program and the U of L Mary Spencer Nay Scholarship.” The auction is a means to bring local and regional art to the public eye and raise money for charities. The LVAA’s Children’s Fine Art Classes work with students who are visually talented students to help advance the skills they possess. The Mary Spencer Nay scholarship is awarded to University of Louisville students on the basis of merit and pays the entire in-state tuition costs for a full year. The auction is scheduled for November 12th and a large turnout is expected.
The most recent impending events for LVAA are the Ragin’ Cajun party on August 7th and the Vian Sora exhibit opening on August 10th. The Ragin’ Cajun is a party to be hosted at the Water Tower to showcase Louisiana art, music, and culture. Vian Sora is an Iraqi-born artist who has relocated to Louisville with her family. Her vivid paintings draw from cultures and traditions of the Middle East and are highly character-driven. You can find more information on LVAA and it’s events at www.louisvillevisualart.org, and you can find more information on Vian Sora at www.viansora.com.
Louisville Visual Art Association has been a staple in Louisville art and culture for decades and it continues to serve the Louisville area artists and community. Their events strive to educate and inform the public on the visual arts and give back to the community that supports them. They are a not-for-profit organization that provides a continuum of visual arts programming and community outreach.
28 July 2010
Conner Forrest 