The cause/affect competition “is a biennial, international design competition that celebrates the work of designers and organizations who set out to positively impact our society.” Once all of the entries have been judged by other socially-conscious designers, the selected work will be shown during the exhibit and awards ceremony in the fall, along with being featured on both the cause/affect website and the AIGA National Design Archives. There will also be a People’s Choice Award of $5,000 to the winner’s favourite non-profit organization. Entry forms can be found online. As for the actual submissions, they can be sent in many forms—everything from print, television and radio ads, to media kits and promotional items, can be submitted. So get those submissions in before June 24th, 2011! All entries ‘must promote or support social good … Read entire article »

Credit: smarterdating.org Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and France have found that the part of the brain that controls reading actually doesn’t require vision at all. Their brain imaging studies of the blind reading Braille showed that they used the same part of the brain that people with sight use when they read. This could be because reading is actually a recent invention and there just hasn’t been “enough time for evolution to have shaped a brain-module dedicated to reading,” Dr. Amir Amedi explained. Source: Hebrew University of Jerusalem … Read entire article »

(AP Photo/Courtesy Marcia Machtiger) A feral puppy in Oklahoma is creating quite a stir! One of five stray dogs that had been euthanized with two injections of a sedative, he miraculously made it through alive! Upon discovery, the puppy was immediately seen by a veterinarian and deemed healthy. When the puppy’s survival was posted on a pet adoption website, it quickly caught the attention of a few people — one of which named him after the Disney character Wall-e. However, it was when the story was shared via Facebook that Wall-e’s story really became popular. So popular, in fact, that hundreds of people across North America are now vying for the chance to adopt him. Wall-e will be placed in a foster home as the search for a permanent one continues. … Read entire article »

Photo Credit: thenextweb.com The world watched in horror not too long ago as news of Japan’s latest and most severe earthquake and subsequent tsunami spread. However, few felt the terror more deeply than the family of 25-year-old Canon Purdy. A former English teacher, Purdy had just made it back to Japan the morning of March 11 to see her students graduate. Aware of this fact and unable to contact her sister, Megan Walsh turned to Twitter for updates on the evacuees. Luckily, she was able to get in touch with Today’s Ann Curry who had arrived to cover the earthquake and resulting tsunami. Moved by her family’s plea, Curry made her way to the middle school that Purdy had taught at which had been turned into an evacuation center, armed with her sister’s picture. Thankfully … Read entire article »

After searching just a small section of the sky for the last year, NASA’s Kepler telescope has found more than 50 potential planets that seem to be hospitable enough to sustain life. This is really exciting for astronomers since the more planets there are, the greater the odds that life exists elsewhere in the universe. In order for NASA to consider a planet hospitable, it needs to be the proper size, composition, distance from its star for water to form, as well as hold a temperature between 0 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that as promising as these finds are, even a planet that’s considered hospitable doesn’t necessarily mean it has life (Mars is a good example). Also, if some of these planets are found to contain life, it could … Read entire article »

by Brandee Cote (News Correspondent) When you’re having a tough day, laughing tends to be the last thing on your mind. A small smile, if you can manage it, or even an attempt at a fake laugh can do wonders for your mood. It works. Not able to differentiate between fake and genuine laughter, your body will always release endorphins. So if you want to trigger those wonderful endorphins the next time you have a bad day: 1. Practice smiling 2. Open your eyes a little wider than normal 3. Make some typical laughter sounds 4. Use your stomach muscles to simulate the vibrations that laughter brings 5. Put it all together and repeat until you feel better You’ll find that the more you practice your fake laugh, the easier it will become. Remember that even a small … Read entire article »

Tradition dictates that every 365 days, we should be preparing for the New Year by resolving to change the things that we’re unhappy with. While these well-intentioned resolutions often start out with a lot of passion and commitment, most are forgotten within a month or two. To ensure that your resolutions are kept: 1. Choose an obtainable goal. Avoid ones that you’ve previously failed at. 2. Limit the amount of resolutions that you choose to take on. 3. Create a plan that includes steps, contingency options and a reasonable amount of time to achieve the goal. 4. Hold yourself accountable by writing and talking about your goals. 5. Reward yourself for each accomplishment. The desire to begin the New Year anew actually originates in 153 B.C. when the Romans began to acknowledge Janus, a mythical king. … Read entire article »

There are still a few places that are experiencing the effects of North America’s recent economic hardship. Arizona in particular seems to be seeing the worst of it with its unemployment rate remaining at 9.7 percent, meaning nearly one in ten residents are unemployed. Because of this, foreclosures are becoming commonplace across the state. However, amidst all of these tragedies comes a story of two families who are taking the phrase “love thy neighbour” to new lengths. Finding himself unemployed this past June, Michael Toczko and his family watched their home fall into foreclosure. Devastated, they began the difficult task of informing their neighbours of the news and apologizing for hurting their property values. It was during one of these visits that the Larger family offered to take them in. An experiment … Read entire article »

The Magic Kingdom just got a little more special: BabyCakes has moved in! Their deliciously infamous gluten-free, vegan cupcakes can now be found at Disney World! In an attempt to provide healthier options through the Orlando, FL mega theme park, McDonald’s has been replaced with other restaurants as well. Yes, you read that right. Cupcakes are a healthier alternative to a ‘Happy Meal’. It certainly makes more sense to have your little prince or princess bite into a sweet, gluten-free, vegan cupcake as opposed to a grease-laden chicken nugget, doesn’t it? With more than 20 million visitors each year, it’s my hope that this healthy, cruelty-free Cupcake Revolution continues to catch on. Spread the cupcake love! … Read entire article »

If you’ve managed to avoid news sources lately, you might be unaware of the media’s newest fascination: Ted Williams. Now known as the homeless man with the golden voice, Williams became an overnight YouTube sensation when he was interviewed by Cleveland Dispatch. Receiving more than twelve million hits, the video quickly became one of YouTube’s most watched. A former radio presenter, Williams began drinking and using drugs in the early 1990s which inevitably led to the loss of his job and family. Homeless for the last ten years, he realizes now that in order to reclaim his life and take advantage of the great opportunities presenting themselves, he has to get sober. Presently undergoing treatment, we can only hope that he comes through it healthy and ready to take on … Read entire article »