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FYI Friday, April 26: Week in Review

LIFE

url-4 Conscious Business, Crowdfunding and Social Impact Investing

Crowdfunding thought leader Rose Spinelli and Richard Branson Award Winner Shayan Nahrvar, CEO of Raise5.com, were ready to talk about funding in the new capitalism at the Conscious Business Network last week, formal presentations in hand.

Powerpoints were quickly abandoned as they chose instead to offer basic introductions and then quickly begin to answer members’ penetrating questions. “What about the migration of ‘investing solely to make more money’ to investing from both heart and bottom line? FULL ARTICLE.

3003586-slide-slide-4-6-simple-rituals-reach-your-potential-every-day 6 Simple Rituals to Help You Reach Your Potential Everyday

It’s Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. Two San Francisco entrepreneurs are pitching their ventures to potential investors today. They’d both agree that this is one of the most important days of their lives. This is the story of Jane and Joe…

Jane was up until 4 a.m. putting the final touches on her deck. In fact, she spent the entire weekend fixed in her apartment, preparing the presentation. This morning, she woke up late and rushed putting together her most “investor-worthy” attire. She slammed a shot of espresso, grabbed her computer, and ran out the door feeling hungry and tired. She arrived right on time but felt anxious and flustered about the events of the morning. Joe, on the other hand…FULL ARTICLE.

news-510x286Not Watching the News as a Spiritual Practice

Yesterday morning, on Google+ (my social network of choice) I shared a newspaper article by novelist Rolf Dobelli, called News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier.

The lede of the article is “News is bad for your health. It leads to fear and aggression, and hinders your creativity and ability to think deeply. The solution? Stop consuming it altogether.” That’s the story in a nutshell. FULL ARTICLE.

ENVIRONMENT

suntech-china-0076-5396-b_lg.jpg.492x0_q85_crop-smart  Solar Power Accounted for 100% of New Energy on U.S. Grid March 2013

Granted, it was only 44 megawatts. According to the latest data from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), March 2013 was a very special month for the U.S. power grid. For the first time ever, all of the new capacity added during the month came from solar power. Granted, it wasn’t quite an ordinary month for the grid: No other sources added any capacity, and solar officially grew by 44 megawatts, a respectable amount for a single month (that’s more than half a gigawatt annualized). FULL ARTICLE.

bike4.jpg.492x0_q85_crop-smartSandwichbike Finally Rolls Out to Market

Le Corbusier once wrote that “creation is a patient search” and for industrial designers before the age of Kickstarter and Indiegogo, it really was- a search for funding, for marketing, for manufacturing capabilities. It can take years. TreeHugger Warren first described the Sandwich Bike in 2006, writing, “Inspired by IKEA, the Sandwich Bike comes flat packed in a cardboard box…”FULL ARTICLE.

HEALTH

ribsHow Much Protein Should You Be Eating?

The answer – wait for it – depends on who (and what) you are. Your goals, your age, your activity levels, your size, and your health status all impact how much protein you need. And although individual protein requirements ultimately depend on dozens of variables that we can’t really know, there are some baseline intakes that can serve as a foundation for different groups. Let’s take a look… FULL ARTICLE.

Picture 3 These Wooden Kitchen Knives Look Amazing, But Would You Use Them?

This pair of knives are a concept by FDRL, an Ottawa-based design consultancy. There is absolutely no denying that, resplendent in sleek Maple, they’re beautiful objects—but who the hell would use them?

The guys at FDRL explains that the “knife gives the appearance of being lightweight; however their weight is balanced to ensure that they can be used by any level of chef”. It also claims that the wood is sealed and food safe to allow for easy cleanup. All of which is great!FULL ARTICLE.


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Something to Ponder…

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The working world can seem crazy, and all of us intrinsically strive for personal achievement. But what does success really mean to us? What is success, actually?

Dr. Joyce Brothers, a media personality, psychologist and advice columnist presents an intriguing perspective on such a coveted “thing.” He says,

“Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.”

Definitely some food for Tuesday thoughts. Take a moment and check in with yourself – what mental patterns have you been holding onto? Have any of these interfered with your own successes? Observe what comes up. A simple awareness of what’s really happening inside begins to dissipate any inhibiting think pattern.

Breathe, enjoy and start making success for yourself. 🙂


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Too Busy to Meditate? Read THIS!

Meditation is a practice that, once cultivated, can reset your brain to optimal functioning.

Some of us here at ODC have struggled to find the time, but definitely feel the difference when we’re on track with the practice. Highly recommended article below. Namaste! 🙂

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This morning, like every morning, I sat cross-legged on a cushion on the floor, rested my hands on my knees, closed my eyes, and did nothing but breathe for 20 minutes.

People say the hardest part about meditating is finding the time to meditate. This makes sense: who these days has time to do nothing? It’s hard to justify.

Meditation brings many benefits: It refreshes us, helps us settle into what’s happening now, makes us wiser and gentler, helps us cope in a world that overloads us with information and communication, and more. But if you’re still looking for a business case to justify spending time meditating, try this one: Meditation makes you more productive. FULL ARTICLE. 


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FYI Friday, March 29: Week in Review

Can you believe March is almost over? Here are some awesome highlights from the past week…

LIFE

original-1How Many Tetris Pieces Would You Need to Build a House?

It was the game that defined a revolution in handheld gaming, but during the countless hours you spent playing Tetris and neatly organizing falling tetrominoes, did you ever stop and wonder how many of those piecesyou’d need to build a full-size house? Probably not, after all what kid spends their time imagining about home engineering?

But the folks over at Movoto did…FULL ARTICLE.

You Should Wear Red on Your Online Dating Profile

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If you want to improve your chance of getting a date on any online dating site, you should wear a red shirt. Slate took a look at various studies comparing the same person wearing different colored clothes and each time, red was the most successful color. Do it. Change your online profile now. FULL ARTICLE.

TECHNOLOGY

Volkswagen’s e-Up! Debuts

e-up_look-ma-no-exhaust.jpg.492x0_q85_crop-smartAt the annual Press and Investors Conference on Friday in Wolfsburg, the home of Volkswagen, the company’s first bet in the all-electric vehicle market made its debut. With a range of 93 miles (150 km) and recharging to 80% of capacity in just 30-40 minutes, the e-Up! should interest commuters but may also offer options for people willing to stretch their wings on the emerging electric-charging infrastructure. FULL ARTICLE. 

Slow Internet Due to ‘Biggest Attack Ever’

imgres-1A squabble between a group fighting spam and a Dutch company that hosts Web sites said to be sending spam has escalated into one of the largest computer attacks on the Internet, causing widespread congestion and jamming crucial infrastructure around the world. FULL ARTICLE. 

HEALTH

fearDo Fear and Anxiety Define Your Health Journey?

Think for a minute about the health messaging sources in our culture. Think of the pharmaceutical ads in every magazine and television show. Think of the medical talk shows and evening exposes on obscure conditions, the nightly newscasts depicting the ravages of epidemics in far flung corners of the globe and “expert” sound bytes warning of pathogens closer to home. Then there are the messages themselves. How many doom and gloom health statistics and inflammatory stock images do you encounter in a day? How many times do you hear “Ask your doctor if [insert medication] is right for you”? FULL ARTICLE.


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Something to Ponder…

Take a moment in your day and consider this…

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What comes up for you? Simply notice without judging or analyzing. This simple exercise is an opportunity for you to step closer towards your dream.

Happy Hump Day! !

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