amp

Floyd & Associates unveils new website

Floyd & Associates has launched its new e-commerce website: www.sampleboards.biz.




amp

Lakeview Farms to Acquire noosa from Campbell Soup Company

Campbell purchased noosa as part of the Sovos Brands, Inc. acquisition in March 2024.




amp

Good Morning, News: City Council to Vote on Clean & Safe Contract, Vision Zero Gets an Audit, and Trump Taps Elon Musk to Lead DOGE (Do You Even Want to Know?)

by Taylor Griggs

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! 

Good morning, Portland! There's rain on the menu for today, but you probably didn't need me to tell you that. Hopefully you know how to layer for November in Portland by now. Anddddd that's all the small talk we have time for this morning, so chop chop. It's news time. 

IN LOCAL NEWS: 

• Portland City Council is set to vote today on a five-year contract renewal for the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe district, as well as a major expansion of the service area it covers and a fee hike. A couple weeks ago, when this item was first brought to the council, many Portlanders testified against the contract renewal. Now, four incoming city councilors (Mitch Green, Sameer Kanal, Tiffany Koyama Lane and Angelita Morillo)—along with community organizations and dozens of residents, have penned a letter to the current City Council asking them to postpone the contract renewal. 

Why the negativity for Clean & Safe? Well, as an excellent new article from our Courtney Vaughn details, the Clean & Safe district is overseen by an organization that has significant overlap in its management with the Portland Metro Chamber, AKA the Portland Business Alliance. The new contract would funnel a good portion of the $58 million contract to the Metro Chamber, which they will spend on lobbying efforts for private business interests. The program is also convoluted and lacks oversight, and it contributes majorly to the criminalization of homeless people in downtown Portland. So there's a lot wrong with it. Read the article for more of the details, and stay tuned for City Council's decision today. 

• The Portland Auditor's Office has released a much-anticipated (by me, at least) report on the Portland Bureau of Transportation's (PBOT) Vision Zero Action Plan, which the city adopted in 2016 in an effort to eliminate traffic crash fatalities and serious injuries. But in the eight years since the Vision Zero plan was adopted (and been updated twice), traffic crash deaths have increased in Portland, especially in the last four years. In 2023, 69 people were killed in traffic crashes on Portland streets. Given the current reality, it's understandable that people are questioning how effective the Vision Zero program is. 

While the Auditor's Office isn't seeking an overhaul of the program, the report recommends PBOT makes several key changes to improve Vision Zero outcomes. The audit report says PBOT should create a better project evaluation system, install more speed cameras, and use more qualitative data to determine the most equitable safety projects. According to PBOT, most of the concerns expressed in the audit report have already been addressed in the most recent Vision Zero update.

PBOT leaders did say they are hopeful more traffic safety improvements will be possible when Portland finally (fully) transitions to its new, less-siloed form of government in January. The report just came out this morning, so there hasn't been much in the way of community response yet, but I'm sure it will spark some Thoughts, capital "T." 

•  On a related note, the World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims is this Sunday, an annual day to honor the many lives lost prematurely to traffic violence. Community organizations Families for Safe Streets, BikeLoud PDX, and Oregon Walks will join PBOT, elected leaders, and community members for a gathering at Portland City Hall. Find out more about the event here

          View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Families for Safe Streets PDX (@fss_pdx)


• Here's a painful fact, courtesy of a new investigation from OPB and ProPublica: Despite President Biden's repeated promises to save old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, the Bureau of Land Management is allowing timber companies to log such forests now more than in the last 10 years. Biden's BLM is on track to log 47,000 acres of public lands during his four years in office— about the same amount that Trump oversaw during his first term in office. And, get this: This is after Biden made an executive order to protect mature and old-growth forests in 2022! Considering the rare beauty of these forests—and, more importantly, their importance to ecosystems and ability to mitigate carbon emission—this is very unfortunate. The Biden administration hasn't answered for the BLM's actions, or if they're planning to take steps to further protect old growth forests in preparation for the next Trump administration. Let's hope he makes some changes while he still can, because we all know Trump will be a lot worse. 

• Rene Gonzalez, after losing his bid for mayor, is seeking donations of up to $579 because his campaign is in debt. I wonder if anyone will pay him. 

Stealing this from the other site because y’all need to see it. Anyone gonna donate $579 to Rene Gonzalez’s failed campaign for mayor??? @pradapdx.bsky.social

[image or embed]

— Taylor Griggs (@taylorgriggs.bsky.social) November 12, 2024 at 5:11 PM

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: 

• President-elect Donald Trump (ouch) has asked Vivek Ramaswamy (ouch again) and Elon Musk (commentary unnecessary here) to lead a new government agency that he plans to create in order to regulate federal spending. The new agency will be called the Department of Government Efficiency, which just happens to create the acronym DOGE, a reference to the Shiba Inu meme of the mid-2010s and the joke cryptocurrency by the same name that Musk promoted. Apparently, a Department of Government Efficiency needs to be run by two people. I hope I am adequately conveying my tone of contempt here. 

As ridiculous as this all is, it's also extremely bad. Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy's plan is to fire thousands of federal employees, cut necessary regulations, and ultimately destroy many of the most crucial components of the federal government. All we can do is hope that SOME Republicans in Congress (we don't need all of them!) will realize how idiotic this is and block Trump's attempt to create a new government agency, which he can't do without congressional approval. Or can he? The limit to this idiocy knows no bounds.

However, given these men's volatility—which is replicated in many others in Trump's sphere—it does seem pretty likely that they'll all be in a huge fight by the time Trump takes office. I do think there are some major catfights on the horizon, if that gives you any comfort in these trying times. 

fundamentally this is what Trump administrations are all about: the guys. there will be new guys every week. they will startle you, you'll be astounded by them, and then as quickly as they appeared they will fade into an indistinguishable mass, leaves on the forest floor.

[image or embed]

— Peter (@notalawyer.bsky.social) November 12, 2024 at 4:39 PM

• Here's something that will NOT give you comfort in these trying times: Despite the hope last year would mark a global carbon dioxide emissions peak, humans are burning more fossil fuels this year than we did last year. The world is on track to put 0.8 percent more carbon into the atmosphere than in 2023. Though this is not surprising, it IS actually crazy behavior from humanity (and let me be clear, it's a tiny minority of humans leading the charge on this, though a substantially larger minority are eagerly/mindlessly participating in burning fossil fuels at a rate incompatible with the future of life on this planet). Good thing we will have strong climate leadership in the White House come January. NOT!!!! 

• One way people are attempting to #resist Elon Musk after he helped Trump get into office and will now seemingly play a key role in his administration? Leaving Twitter, AKA X, the social media site he bought and ruined. Bluesky may be the place to be now. (I am finding it much more pleasant.) 

In the week since the U.S. presidential election, Elon Musk has used X, the social media platform he owns, to reiterate his support for President-elect Donald Trump. Some of X’s users have decided they want to post elsewhere. Among the largest beneficiaries of that desire is Bluesky. nyti.ms/48JtYAt

[image or embed]

— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) November 12, 2024 at 10:46 PM

 

• Okay, here's some actual good news: The U.S. House voted down a bill that would've helped Trump censor and persecute his political opponents. The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act had previously received bipartisan support, but after Trump was elected, some Democratic lawmakers (and The Intercept) raised alarm bells. The bill would give the U.S. Treasury Department complete authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it deems are "terrorist supporting organizations," which Trump could use to enable the destruction of nonprofits that the future president doesn't politically align with. WHEW. 

• Finally, please watch this video of a little boy and his crow friend. ???????? Bye bye! 

          View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Dogs | Puppies | Family (@yourpaws.global)


 

 

 

 




amp

Former heavywieght champ Mike Tyson to fight YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul

The Friday bout pits the 58-year-old former heavyweight champ against a much younger opponent whose fame is rooted in social media.




amp

Basic Black: Voting Matters in Black & White

October 17, 2014 Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Charlie Baker are in a dead heat in the Massachusetts governor's race. The margin of error in the polls for both candidates is slim, but can voters in communities of color fill the margin with a victory, sending one of them to the governor's office? Are the campaigns of the independent candidates resonating with black, Latino, or Asian voters? This week on Basic Black, we look at how the candidates for governor are delivering their message to communities of color in the race to the finish line on November 4. Panelists:
- Latoyia Edwards, Anchor, New England Cable News
- Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News
- Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University
- Marcela Garcia, Regular Contributor to the Boston Globe's Editorial and Op-Ed Pages
- Paul Watanabe, Director of the Institute for Asian American Studies, UMass, Boston




amp

12,000-year-old stones may be oldest example of wheel-like tools

Dozens of perforated pebbles from an archaeological site in Israel may be early examples of spindle whorls, a rotating tool used in textile making that was a step towards inventing the wheel




amp

Master portrait artist Zimou Tan launches Kickstarter campaign for book celebrating the Gospel in art

Months after his successful solo exhibition featuring a compelling selection of his religious paintings billed “The Lord was There” in New York earlier this year, Christian master portrait artist Zimou Tan is now on a mission to make his work more accessible to art lovers of faith and he launched a Kickstarter campaign Tuesday to help him reach it.




amp

Karen's Witch by Martin, Ann M.

A fresh and fun graphic novel series spin-off of The Baby-sitters Club, featuring Kristy's little stepsister! Karen Brewer lives next door to Mrs. Porter, who wears long robes and has wild gray hair. Mrs. Porter has a black cat named Midnight and always seems to be working in her garden. Karen isn't supposed to spy on her neighbor, but she's determined to prove that Mrs. Porter is a witch named Morbidda Destiny! Mrs. Porter is getting ready to have a special meeting at her house, and Karen is su




amp

Sylvester Cancer Researchers Share Findings in Oral Presentations at the ASH 2024 Annual Meeting & Exposition - Tip Sheet

Research findings from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami will be presented at the Annual Meeting & Exposition of the American Society of Hematology in San Diego, Dec. 7-10.




amp

Sylvester Cancer Tip Sheet: Researchers Present Posters at the 66th ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition

Hematology researchers from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami are authors or co-authors on more than 70 posters to be presented at the Annual Meeting & Exposition of the American Society of Hematology in San Diego, Dec. 7-10. Links to each abstract are included in this tip sheet.




amp

Stent em forma de ampulheta poderia aliviar a intensa dor toracica causada pela doenca microvascular

Um estudo da Mayo Clinic sugere que um stent em forma de ampulheta poderia melhorar o fluxo sanguineo e aliviar a dor toracica intensa e recorrente em pessoas com microangiopatia.




amp

Stent em forma de ampulheta poderia aliviar a intensa dor toracica causada pela doenca microvascular

Um estudo da Mayo Clinic sugere que um stent em forma de ampulheta poderia melhorar o fluxo sanguineo e aliviar a dor toracica intensa e recorrente em pessoas com microangiopatia.




amp

NJ Becomes First State to Have Statewide Law Enforcement & Mental Health Alternative Response Program in Nation

ARRIVE Together of Middlesex County, NJ, run by University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC) at Rutgers Health, has expanded its partnerships to include the East Brunswick, South River and Cranbury police departments, making New Jersey the first state in the nation to have a statewide law enforcement and mental health alternative response program.




amp

NJ Becomes First State to Have Statewide Law Enforcement & Mental Health Alternative Response Program in Nation

ARRIVE Together of Middlesex County, NJ, run by University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC) at Rutgers Health, has expanded its partnerships to include the East Brunswick, South River and Cranbury police departments, making New Jersey the first state in the nation to have a statewide law enforcement and mental health alternative response program.




amp

Los Angeles comedian, 'Parks & Recreation' writer Harris Wittels, 30, dies in possible drug overdose

File: (L-R) "The Sarah Silverman Program" writer Harris Wittels, comedian Sarah Silverman, executive producer/head writer Dan Sterling and actress Laura Silverman, arrive at Comedy Central's Emmy Awards party at the STK restaurant Sept. 21, 2008 in Los Angeles.; Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Mike Roe with Jennifer Velez

Harris Wittels, a comedy writer who worked on "Parks & Recreation," has died at 30, the Los Angeles Police Department's Jane Kim tells KPCC.

Wittels was discovered by his assistant around 12 p.m., Kim said, and was already dead. Kim said that Wittels' death was a possible overdose, but that the Coroner's Office would determine the cause of death. Wittels had attended drug rehab twice.

Comedy Central, where Wittels worked on "The Sarah Silverman Program" and "Secret Girlfriend," confirmed Wittels' death, as did the comedy show he appeared at Wednesday night.

Comedy Central tweet

Meltdown Show tweet

Wittels was also well known for his @Humblebrag Twitter account and later book, helping to popularize the idea online of the false modesty of bragging while trying not to look like you're bragging.

Wittels had spoken about his struggles with addiction in places including Pete Holmes's podcast "You Made It Weird" in a November episode.

"I just really stopped caring about my life," Wittels said on "You Made It Weird," explaining how he got into doing drugs. "I just really started to think, well, if I'm only here for 80 years, then who cares if I spend it high or not?"

Wittels received his first big break when Sarah Silverman saw him performing comedy and gave him a job writing for her Comedy Central show.

Wittels also wrote for HBO's "Eastbound & Down," several MTV awards shows and the American Music Awards. He had a recurring role on "Parks & Recreation" and was a regular guest on the "Comedy Bang Bang" podcast.

Comedians, actors and fans mourned Wittels' death online.

Harris Wittels Storify

See Wittels in a scene from "Parks & Recreation":

Wittels on Parks & Recreation

Listen to Wittels on "Comedy Bang Bang":

Wittels on Comedy Bang Bang

This story has been updated.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




amp

Off to Tampa for the GOP convention

Larry Mantle

The news seems better on Tropical Storm Isaac and its potential threat to next week's events. However, from network news, you'd never know it mattered much if the storm damaged other countries or American cities outside Tampa. Isaac coverage is a wonderful example of how we as journalists care so much about something when we'll personally be affected.

Monday morning at 10 we begin our live coverage from the convention. Patt Morrison will follow at 11 with an hour of regular talk programming. I'll be back at 1 p.m. for another hour from Tampa, followed by Patt at 2.  We'll follow this schedule for the days of the convention, Monday through Thursday.

Patt will make her way to Charlotte, North Carolina for the Democratic Convention the following week. It will be fun to compare the cultures of the two conventions, aside from the platforms and PR spin we'll be exposed to for two straight weeks.

 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




amp

The RNC in Tampa is closing out

Larry Mantle interviews Tom Brokaw at the 2012 Republican National Convention.; Credit: Lauren Osen/KPCC

Larry Mantle

Our trip to the RNC in Tampa is coming to a close, but we’ve spent time with so many interesting people that our memories will stay strong.  We hope you’ve enjoyed the photos, tweets, and blog postings that have expanded our coverage beyond what we provide live on the air two hours a day.

This is the first political convention where KPCC has used multiple ways of bringing you here without time off from work or having to take a plane ride.  There are many great stories to tell and people to share.  We trust our photos give you a more complete sense of how much goes on at a massive convention like this.

For KPCC journalists, it’s particularly exciting to interact with you in these new ways.  We welcome your tweets and retweets (@AirTalk), comments on our blog postings (www.kpcc.org/blogs/politics), and feedback on our “AirTalk” segment pages. 

All this helps create a real-time way to connect listeners and users of social media in one big conversation.  We hope you enjoy taking part in the convention with us, as much we enjoy sharing it with you.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




amp

Off-Ramp blog posts moving to spiffier dwellings

; Credit: John Rabe

John Rabe

Dear Off-Ramp fans,

What is a blog, after all? Words and images.

And what is a radio story on the web? Words, images, and sound.

Can't they live together in harmony? We say YES.

And with that in mind, we're killing the Off-Ramp blog page.  

But don't fear; we're not cutting back on content: everything that would have found a home here - Marc Haefele's art reviews, recommendations for fun events, etc. -- will now be on the regular web page of the Off-Ramp radio show

All the old blog entries will continue to stay on this page as an archive, like Catherine Deneuve's fading vampire lovers in The Hunger.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




amp

Black Box to leverage India's digital & AI boom to drive high-growth tech opportunities

Black Box Ltd, Essar's technology arm, has unveiled an ambitious growth strategy focused on India, aiming to position itself as a strategic partner for global technology companies expanding into the region.




amp

Campbell announces reorganization plans, management changes

Campbell Soup Co. plans to reorganize its businesses into three divisions, each headed by a president. In addition, Irene Chang Britt, president–Pepperidge Farm and senior vice president–Global Baking and Snacking, will leave the company.




amp

Nutri-Bites Whole Grain & Soy

Nutri-Bites Soy Crisps and Soy Balls from Cereal Ingredients Inc. are available in a variety of protein content and sizes.




amp

More from NSC 2011 Congress & Expo

NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard gave a presentation on Tuesday on a recent study of the supply and demand for OSH professionals in the next 5 years. Demand (25,000 pros are expected to be hired by U.S. industry) far outstrips supply (13,000 college graduates in OSH will be available).




amp

ISHN survey: Employee attitudes & behaviors continue to challenge EHS pros

The most pressing issue facing EHS professionals in the new year, according to ISHN’s 2015 EHS State of the Nation subscriber survey, is an age-old challenge that has been reported in ISHN State of the Nation surveys since the 1980s – dealing with the safety and health attitudes and behaviors of line employees. Consider:




amp

EHS pros in 2015: mature, experienced & graying, according to ISHN poll

According to ISHN’s 2015 EHS State of the Nation subscriber survey, overall, income figures, budget resources and staffing levels, job satisfaction and job security show much more stability, and in a number of cases growth, than reported in ISHN State of the Nation surveys 5-10-15 years ago.




amp

TyreGo.ie Launch Tyre Changer & Wheel Balancer Package

TyreGo.ie is now offering excellent value with their new Tyre Changer & Wheel Balancer packages.




amp

Atlantic Tire Voted "Best Mechanic" for Fifth Straight Year by Cary Magazine Readers

Atlantic Tire & Service, a locally owned and operated automotive care and repair center with shops in Cary, Raleigh and Durham, NC., was recognized by readers of Cary Magazine as the "Best Mechanic" in Western Wake County.




amp

Attend the 2013 Atlanta Camping & RV Show and Stay at Nearby Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta Airport Hotel

Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta Airport Hotel (North I-85) provides affordable accommodations to guests attending the Atlanta Camping and RV Show at Atlanta Expo Center South from January 25-27, 2013.




amp

NEW! www.PartsforSnowPlows.com Has Added More Discount OEM Meyer & Fisher Snow Plow Parts in Stock!

For newly added discount Fisher and Meyer snow plow parts - in stock - visit www.PartsforSnowPlows.com. Lowest prices - fastest shipping!




amp

Atlantic Tire & Service Hires Two Additional Service Advisors Wessell and Chase to Help Shape Customer Service Experience at Local Shops

Atlantic Tire & Service is pleased to announce two new Service Advisors who will be responsible for handling customer service needs and advising customers on recommended services when appropriate.




amp

TyreGo.ie Launch Easy Balance Balancing Compound for Truck & Commercial Tyres

TyreGo.ie has recently launched its first batch of Easy Balance Balancing Compound to the website.




amp

Accident Lawyers in Atlanta, McAleer Law, Recommend Defensive Driving in Winter, Even in "Hotlanta"

Accident lawyers in Atlanta, McAleer Law, know defensive winter driving is important, even in this city. The weather may be favorable most of the time, but snow and ice are not complete strangers, and practicing proper driving techniques is advised.




amp

Arizona Crime Victim Attorney, Law Office of Sara J. Powell Volunteers for "Walk Like MADD" Event March 16, 2013

Sponsored by the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers nonprofit organization and billed as the "Mother of all Walks," the event will be held at the Phoenix Zoo, 455 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona 85008.




amp

J. Martinez & Co. Fine Coffees Explains the Difference Between Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee and High Mountain

J. Martinez & Company offers an explanation of the differences between Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee and High Mountain.




amp

The Mad Hatter Holiday Festival, Parade & Tree Lighting creates a Wonderland of enchantment with California's most whimsical holiday happening in the historic downtown of Vallejo

The Mad Hatter Holiday Festival attracts thousands of people to the historic downtown district of Vallejo with its creative lighted and fire shooting Wonderland recreations that turns the city into a fantasy world for children and adults alike.




amp

Overall softening of biz sentiment in US in Oct: S&P Global

The US headline business activity net balance fell to 30 per cent in October from 41 per cent in June and was the lowest for two years, an S&P Global survey found. Despite this, firms were still more optimistic than the global average net balance of 24 per cent. Inflation expectations were a bit above the global average. At 37 per cent, the manufacturing net balance was the highest for a year.




amp

Heimtextil 2025 set to take carpets & rugs to new heights in Frankfurt

Heimtextil 2025 expands its Carpets & Rugs segment with new halls and over 300 exhibitors, featuring a Belgian Textiles area by Fedustria. Highlights include a Carpet Lounge by Cover Magazine, expert talks on trends, AI in design, and sustainability, plus guided tours. The event, showcasing global innovations and partnerships, runs from 14-17 January, 2025, in Frankfurt.




amp

Canada’s Lululemon & Disney unveil magical limited-edition collection

Lululemon and Disney have launched a 34-piece limited-edition collection blending Disney nostalgia with Lululemon's performance and casual styles. The 'Happily Ever Active' campaign celebrates movement with ambassadors like NBA's Jordan Clarkson and Olympian Colleen Quigley. The collection is available online and in stores worldwide, featuring items like Align Tights and the Define Jacket.




amp

UK's Burberry launches first virtual scarf try-on for holiday campaign

Burberry has introduced its first virtual scarf try-on experience in its ‘Wrapped in Burberry’ holiday campaign. Partnering with AR provider WANNA, the immersive experience lets customers view iconic Burberry scarves in real-time, with over 50 styles and two classic options. Available online and in select stores, customers can share images and directly access product pages for purchases.




amp

Germany’s H&M teams up with Glenn Martens for 2025 designer collection

H&M is partnering with Glenn Martens for an Autumn 2025 collection. Known for merging streetwear and couture, Martens joins a line of iconic designers H&M has collaborated with since 2004, when it launched its first designer collection with Karl Lagerfeld. This initiative has made top-tier fashion accessible, reflecting each designer’s unique vision and values across two decades of partnerships.




amp

AI-Powered Customer Service: Use-Cases and Real-World Examples

Cognitive/AI technologies for customer engagement are white hot. No wonder professionals, who had removed AI from their resumes, are scrambling to add it back in!




amp

Ampersand, the Aftermath

The first Ampersand web typography conference took place in Brighton last Friday. Ampersand was ace. I’m going to say that again with emphasis: Ampersand was ace! Like the Ready Brek kid from the 80s TV ads I’m glowing with good vibes.

Imagine you’d just met some of the musicians that created the soundtrack to your life. That’s pretty much how I feel.

Nerves and all…

Photo by Ben Mitchell.

For a long, long time I’ve gazed across at the typography community with something akin to awe at the work they do. I’ve lurked quietly on the ATypI mailing list, in the Typophile forum, and behind the glass dividing my eyes from the blogs, portfolios, and galleries.

I always had a sneaking suspicion the web and type design communities had much in common: Excellence born from actual client work; techniques and skills refined by practice, not in a lab or classroom; a willingness to share and disseminate, most clearly demonstrated at Typophile and through web designer’s own blogs. The people of both professions have a very diverse set of backgrounds from graphic design all the way through to engineering, to accidentally working in a print shop. We’ve been apprenticed to our work, and Ampersand was a celebration of what we’ve achieved so far and what’s yet to come.

Of course, web design is a new profession. Type design has a history that spans hundreds of years. Nevertheless, both professions are self-actualising. Few courses exist of any real merit. There is no qualifications authority. The work from both arenas succeeds or fails based on whether it works or not.

Ampersand was the first event of its kind. Folks from both communities came together around the mutal fascination, frustration, challenge and opportunity of web type.

Like Brooklyn Beta, the audience was as fantastic as the line up. I met folks like Yves Peters of the FontFeed, Mike Duggan of Microsoft Typography, Jason Smith, Phil Garnham, Fernando Mello, and Emanuela Conidi of Fontsmith, Veronica Burian of TypeTogether, Adam Twardoch of Fontlab and MyFonts, Nick Sherman of of Webtype, Mandy Brown of A Book Apart and Typekit, and many, many others. (Sorry for stopping there, but wow, it would be a huge list.)

Rich Rutter

Rich Rutter opened the day on behalf of Clearleft and Fontdeck at the Brighton Dome. Rich and I had talked about a web typography conference before. He just went out and did it. Hats off to him, and people like Sophie Barrett at Clearleft who helped make the day run so smoothly.

Others have written comprehensive, insightful summaries of the day and the talks. Much better than I could, sitting there on the day, rapt, taking no notes. What follows are a few snippets my memory threw out when prodded.

Vincent Connare

Who knew the original letterforms for Comic Sans were inspired by a copy of The Watchmen Vincent Connare had in his office? Or that Vincent, who also designed Trebuchet, considers himself an engineer rather than type designer, and is working at the moment on the Ubuntu fonts with colleagues at Dalton Maag.

Jason Santa Maria declared himself a type nerd, and gave a supremely detailed talk about selecting, setting, and understanding web type. Wonderful stuff.

Jason Santa Maria

Jonathan Hoefler talked in rapid, articulate, and precise terms about the work behind upcoming release of pretty-much all of H&FJ’s typefaces as web fonts. (Hooray!) He clearly and wonderfully explained how they took the idea behind their typefaces, and moved them through a design process to produce a final form for a specific purpose. In this case, the web, as a distinct and different environment from print.

Jonathan Hoefler

Photo by Sean Johnson.

I spoke between Jason and Jonathan. Gulp. After staying up until 4am the night before, anxiously working on slides, I was carried along by the privilege and joy of being there, hopefully without too much mumbling or squinting with bleary eyes.

After lunch, David Berlow continued the story of web fonts, taking us on a journey through his own trials and tribulations at Font Bureau when re-producing typefaces for the web crude media. His dry, droll, richly-flavoured delivery was a humorous counterpoint to some controversial asides.

David Berlow

Photo by Jeremy Keith.

John Daggett of Mozilla, editor of the CSS3 Fonts Module, talked with great empathy for web designers about the amazing typographic advances we’re about to see in browsers.

Tim Brown of Typekit followed. Tim calmly and thoroughly advocated the extension of modular scales to all aspects of a web interface, taking values from the body type and building all elements with those values as the common denominator.

Finally, Mark Boulton wrapped up the day brilliantly, describing the designer’s role as the mitigator of entropy, reversing the natural trend for things to move from order to chaos, and a theme he’s exploring at the moment: designing from the content out.

Mark Boulton

The tone of the day was fun, thoughtful, articulate, and exacting. All the talks were a mix of anecdotal and observational humour, type nerdery, and most of all an overwhelming commitment to excellence in web typography. It was a journey in itself. Decades of experience from plate and press, screen, and web was being distilled into 45-minute presentations. I loved it.

As always, one of the most enjoyable bits for me was the hallway track. I talked to heaps of people both in the pre- and after-party, and in between the talks on the day itself. I heard stories, ideas, and opinions from print designers, web designers, type designers, font developers, and writers. We talked late into the night. We talked more the next day.

Now the talking has paused for a while, my thoughts are manifold. I can honestly say, I’ve never been so filled with positivity about where we are, and where we’re going. Web typography is here, it works, it’s better all the time, and one day web and type designers everywhere will wonder, perplexed, as they try to imagine what the web was like before.

Here’s to another Ampersand next year! I’m now going to see if Rich needs any encouragement to do it again. I’m guessing not, but if he does, I aim to provide it, vigorously. I hope I see you there!

Furthermore

Last but not least, did I mention that Rich Rutter, Mark Boulton, and I are writing a book? We are! More on that another time, but until then, follow @webtypography for intermittent updates.




amp

Wanted Posters Targeting Jewish Faculty at NY Campus

Hundreds of "Wanted" posters targeting members of the University of Rochester community were found glued to campus buildings and classrooms, according to the Department of Public Safety.




amp

IWMW 2008 BarCamp

This year IWMW will be running a mini-BarCamp. [02 June 2008]




amp

S&P confirms Australia’s AAA rating and stable economic outlook

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) has reaffirmed Australia's triple-A credit rating and stable economic outlook, stating that the sovereign credit ratings on Australia benefit from the country's strong institutional settings, its wealthy and resilient economy, and a high degree of monetary and fiscal policy flexibility. “These factors provide Australia with a strong ability to absorb large economic and financial shocks, as was demonstrated during the global recession in 2009,” S&P said.




amp

Victoria the only Australian state with a stable AAA rating from both S&P and Moody’s




amp

Taking stock of national agricultural R&D capacity in Africa South of the Sahara

This report is a timely input into the ongoing development agenda for Africa South of the Sahara (SSA). The 2013 report on agriculture and food systems by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network released a set of post–2015 development goals, including recommendations that low- and middle-income countries increase their spending on agricultural research and development (R&D) by a minimum of 5 percent per year during 2015–2025, and that they allocate at least 1 percent of their agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) to public agricultural R&D. More recently, the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa was adopted at the African Heads of State Summit, necessitating the development of a continent-wide implementation plan. This report, which summarizes SSA’s recent progress in developing its national agricultural R&D systems, is intended to serve as an important input into, and potential benchmark for, the implementation of the science agenda in SSA and the broader development agenda for the region. The analysis is based on comprehensive primary datasets by Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI), the most recent of which was compiled during 2012–2013.

PDF file: 




amp

Botswana: Agricultural R&D Indicators Factsheet

Botswana: ASTI Agricultural R&D Indicators Factsheet

Overall, the number of researchers holding PhD degrees doubled in Botswana during 2000–2011, and the number of researchers qualified to the BSc-degree level tripled.

Agricultural R&D in Botswana is almost entirely funded by the government. Spending on operating and program costs increased significantly during 2005–2007, but contracted again from 2008, when government funding to many public-sector agencies was cut due to spiraling inflation.

Botswana invests a relatively high share of its agricultural GDP in agricultural research. Nevertheless, such a high intensity ratio is not uncommon in countries with small populations and relatively high per capita incomes. Small countries are not able to benefit from economies of scale to the degree that larger countries can, so basic research infrastructure and staffing constitute greater shares of investment.

PDF file: 




amp

Democratic Republic of Congo: Agricultural R&D Indicators Factsheet

Democratic Republic of Congo: ASTI Agricultural R&D Indicators Factsheet

Despite rapid growth in recent years, DR Congo’s agricultural R&D spending remains well below the levels required to sustain its needs; in fact, spending levels as a share of AgGDP are among the lowest in Africa.

Agricultural researcher numbers also grew rapidly in recent years, particularly at INERA and CRAA, although most of this growth occurred among researchers trained to the BSc or MSc levels.

Accounting for just 9 percent of total researchers, women are severely underrepresented in agricultural R&D in DR Congo, especially given that the country’s agricultural labor force is predominantly female.

PDF file: 



  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • English
  • Environment and Production Technology
  • Policies
  • Institutions and Markets
  • Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI)
  • Agricultural Science
  • Technology
  • and Innovation Policy
  • ASTI Country Note
  • Science & Technology

amp

République démocratique du Congo: Fiche d’information sur les indicateurs de la R&D agricole

République démocratique du Congo: Fiche d’information sur les indicateurs de la R&D agricole

Malgré la forte croissance au cours des dernières années, les dépenses de R&D agricole de la RDC sont encore en deçà des niveaux requises pour subvenir aux besoins du pays. Le ratio dépenses/PIB agricole est parmi les plus bas en Afrique.

Les effectifs de chercheurs agricoles connaissent également une croissance rapide depuis quelques années, notamment à l’INERA et au CRAA. Cette croissance est due à l’augmentation des chercheurs de niveau licence/ BSc ou master/MSc.

En RDC, les femmes ne représentent que 9 % de l’effectif total des chercheurs travaillant dans la R&D agricole : elles sont donc gravement sous-représentées, d’autant plus que la main-d’oeuvre agricole du pays est caractérisée par une prédominance féminine.

PDF file: 



  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Français
  • Environment and Production Technology
  • Policies
  • Institutions and Markets
  • Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI)
  • Agricultural Science
  • Technology
  • and Innovation Policy
  • ASTI Country Note
  • Science & Technology

amp

Law Panel Marine Corps Attorney Q&A (November 14, 2024 6:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:00pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center


Interested on what it's like to be an attorney & Marine?  We will host a virtual law panel with three Marine Corps attorneys on Thursday, 14 Nov at 6pm EST.  During this event students and other participants will hear from young lawyers who are currently serving as Marine Corps Officers practicing law. The panelist will share their stories and share information about career paths as aMarine Corps attorney. Attendees will also have an opportunity to have questions answered.