Quay Brothers Retrospective in New York City! "On Deciphering the Pharmacist's Prescription for Lip-Reading Puppets," Museum of Modern Art, NYC

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I just had the honor to view the beautifully installed and revelatory Quay Brothers retrospective "On Deciphering the Pharmacist's Prescription for Lip-Reading Puppets" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. I have long been a fan of the Quay's work, and still, this exhibition had much to astonish, delight and surprise, situating the Quay's work within the larger context of an avant-garde tradition, and revealing the Quay's oeuvre to be much broader and richer than expected. Surprises and highlights included pen and ink drawings evoking a slightly less whimsical Edward Gorey, a mini-exhibition of the of the kind of Polish theater posters from the 1960s which inspired much of their work, and paintings by a scientific illustrator who mentored them in high school. Also of special interest, at least to me, was a collection of 8 mm Eastern European travel films which The Quay's collected as inspiration for their work; these grainy and blurred snatches of dark and forgotten streets, shop windows with wax mannequin heads, and church interior possess much of the atmosphere, mystery, and powerful detail evident the Quay's best works; they serve as both an excellent introduction to the exhibition and an illuminating key to their film work.

If you are able to visit the exhibition--which I very highly recommend!--make very sure not to miss the bottom floor portion of the exhibit, where you will find a collection of The Quay Brother's dioramic film decors installed in what feels like a furtive peepshow, a sort of perverse and surrealistic Musée Mécanique. Here you can immerse yourself in the tiny and exquisite sets from such films as Street of Crocodiles; Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme; The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes; and The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer; their wealth of detail rewards a careful and slow eye. Also, make sure to set some time aside to watch the films, many of which play in mini-theatres set up within the exhibition; the ballet piece The Sandman was an especial revelation to this viewer; dance and the Quays go surprisingly well together.

As we see in this exhibition, the through line of The Quay's long and storied careers--which has spanned drawing, painting, film, animation, theater and graphic design, and dioramic "film decors"-- is a sense of mysterious and compelling atmosphere created by an exacting and exquisite attention to detail: the craquelure of antique objects, a perfectly fractured piece of glass, the patina of caked on dirt, the hand-rendered imperfection of calligraphic script, the artful use of shadow, and, above all, a wonderful wit and humor that counterbalances the unapologetic inscrutability of the work. Do not miss this exhibition! You will never look at the work of the Quay Brothers the same way again. In a good way!

The exhibition will be on view at New York Museum of Modern Art from August 12–January 7.You can find out about the exhibition here. Also, the museum will be hosting a series of screenings of Quay Brothers films running the duration of the exhibition; you can find out more about that here.

All above images were taken in the exhibition.

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On The Curious Victorian Phenomenon of Exactingly Produced Miniature Butcher Shops, Collector's Weekly, 2012

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PETA would never approve: This grisly 1840 doll-sized butcher shop with miniature animal carcasses and a floor covered in sawdust and blood would be shockingly graphic to our modern sensibilities. After all, here in the 21st century, we like to remain cheerfully oblivious about where our meat products come from.

But in Victorian times, such detailed model butcher shops were not uncommon, says Sarah Louise Wood, a curator at the Museum of Childhood at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The real question is: Why exactly do such things exist?
--Baby’s First Butcher Shop, Circa 1900, Collector's Weekly, Lisa Hix

Find out more by about this forgotten art by reading the entirety of "Baby’s First Butcher Shop, Circa 1900"  on the Collector's Weekly website by clicking here.

All images drawn from the Collector's Weekly website. You can see larger copies by clicking on images, and find out more by clicking here.

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"Objectify This: Female Anatomy Dissected and Displayed," Exhibition Curated by Street Anatomy's Vanessa Ruiz, September 7-29, Chicago

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Just received notice of the very exciting looking exhibition "Objectify This: Female Anatomy Dissected" curated by Vanessa Ruiz, founder of the wonderful Street Anatomy Blog; images from the show above, and full info follows:

'OBJECTIFY THIS: Female Anatomy Dissected and Displayed', a group exhibition of paintings and illustrations featuring the underlying anatomy of the female body.

September 7th – September 29th
Design Cloud Gallery
118 N. Peoria St. 2N, Chicago, IL

Opening event Friday, September 7th, 6–10p.m. with burlesque performances by Chicago's Vaudezilla troupe.

Throughout time, female anatomical illustration has evoked a multitude of feelings beyond simple academic representation. It's one of the reasons why the male form has been the exemplum of the human body throughout time, with the female being illustrated only as the variation in terms of reproductive organs and surface anatomy. This gallery show seeks to portray females only in relation to other females. It will compel viewers to question the objectivity surrounding ‘female anatomy’ and define—or re-define—their own perceptions through the art, perspectives, literature, and live burlesque performances.

Featured artists: Fernando Vicente, Jason Levesque, Cake, Michael Reedy, Emily Evans, Danny Quirk, Pole Ka, Tristan des Limbes, Amylin Loglisci.

You can find out more by clicking here.

Images, Top to bottom (click on images to see larger version):

  1. "American Housewife" by Fernando Vicente
  2. "Anatomical Meluxine" by Jason Levesque, 2012
  3. "Christina" by Danny Quirk, 2010

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Libertarian Party can't get traction; despite Nevada's leanings, party lags in registration

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Gary Johnson is interviewed Tuesday at the Reno Gazette-Journal. / Liz Margerum/RGJ Libertarians approach politics based on the moral principle of self-ownership. Each individual has the right to control his or her own body, action, speech and property.

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Libertarian Party can't get traction; despite Nevada's leanings, party lags in registration

CSU Channel Islands benefits from its unique name

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On paper, it's California State University Channel Islands, but many students call it Channel Islands or simplyC.I.

To the chagrin of university officials, some call it sushi andsea-sucky.

Whatever you call it, the youngest school in the Cal State system is a big draw simply because of its name. It doesn't hurt that "islands" is in the title. Students and faculty members are lured by the prospect of beach life and the seasidebreeze.

"It gives us a buzz," said CSU Channel Islands President RichardRush.

When the school opened its doors a decade ago, officials had to break the news to some students that classes were not actually held on anisland.

"In the beginning, people asked, 'Where do you take the boat?' " Rushsaid.

A prospective student from New Jersey, who thought the California waves would lap up against the campus, said his main reason for applying was to join the surfclub.

"We had to write him to say, 'Not quite,' " said J. Handel Evans, who led the development of the university as the planningpresident.

Naming the Camarillo school was an important milestone, particularly in early fundraising efforts for theuniversity.

"One of the most important things during this process is surprisingly getting the right name so you have something to talk about," Evans said. "When I came here, it was the Ventura Project, but when it was named, it became auniversity."

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CSU Channel Islands benefits from its unique name

Fresh fires burn Canary Islands

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11 August 2012 Last updated at 19:19 ET

Spanish firefighting teams in the Canary Islands are struggling anew to contain forest fires said to have forced some 4,700 people from their homes.

On the island of Tenerife, the blaze has cut road links and power lines.

On the neighbouring island of La Gomera officials say the fire has destroyed part of a nature reserve with "incalculable ecological value".

Spain has been hard hit by forest fires after its driest winter in 70 years.

Blazes are also raging in the mainland region of Galicia.

Fires first erupted on La Gomera a week ago, but by Monday the blaze was thought to be under control and aircraft used to help put out the flames had even been sent elsewhere, regional official Nancy Melo told the Associated Press news agency.

But on Friday the islands' government said the fire had now intensified, and a fresh blaze had begun on Tenerife.

About 2,500 people have been evacuated on La Gomera, along with some 2,200 people on Tenerife, the Agence France-Presse news agency quoted the regional government as saying.

On La Gomera, the flames have devoured some 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of land, AFP said.

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Fresh fires burn Canary Islands

Professor talks about alliance of Nason, ARHS

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Three health care trends underlie the recently announced plans of two local hospitals to create a countywide health care system, according to a health policy and administration professor at Penn State.

The increasing need for hospitals to adopt information technology, assume financial risk based on patient outcomes and to coordinate care across a variety of settings is forcing hospitals all across the country to consolidate, said Dennis Shea, in the aftermath of the announcement by Altoona Regional Health System and Nason Hospital.

The Affordable Care Act has accelerated the trend, he said.

Hospitals need to get bigger so they have the extra resources to handle the changes, he said.

They need those resources to afford the expensive investments in information technology, to take on the risk of getting paid based on patient outcomes and to vertically integrate - providing neonatal to nursing home services - which allows them to coordinate care better, according to Shea.

"These are three very powerful forces," Shea wrote of IT, risk acceptance and care coordination in an email. "Organizations that are able to pull this all together will be able to give much better health care at lower cost."

They can provide "a connected range of services" helping patients transition from hospital to rehab to home "without slipping backward" into expensive repeat hospitalizations, he said.

They can also maintain the kind of continual research that allows them to keep up with best practices, he said.

There will be problems with hospitals left behind, Shea noted.

"These trends make it very, very difficult for smaller organizations to thrive," he said.

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Professor talks about alliance of Nason, ARHS

Hospital unions votes in St. Louis set stage for tense talks

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Health care is among the few sectors of the national economy where unionization is actually increasing. One local sign: nurses at St. Louis University Hospital and Des Peres Hospital recently pulled off rare votes to organize workers at local health institutions.

Collective bargaining talks have begun, and may not be easy. Nurses want not only increased pay and benefits, but also improved staffing ratios they say will enhance the quality of patient care.

We expect the tenor of the discussions to be professional as nurses put forward their proposals for improvement to patient care, said Andrew Prediletto, principal negotiator for the nurses at SLU Hospital. We hope to reach agreement as soon as possible, but there is no set timetable.

The votes came against a backdrop of setbacks for unionization efforts at local hospitals in recent years. Nurses at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur voted to decertify their union affiliation in 2007. Nurses at St. Louis Childrens Hospital voted down an attempt to unionize in 2003.

SLU Hospital nurses voted by a 3-to1 margin in early June to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee-Missouri, an affiliate of the 175,000 member National Nurses United, the nations largest union and professional association of registered nurses. Des Peres Hospital nurses voted by 2-to-1 margin three weeks later to unionize.

The bargaining agent will represent about 600 registered nurses at SLU and 250 nurses at Des Peres Hospital.

Nurses see this process as an opportunity to make improvements in staffing, said Prediletto, whose union is headquartered in suburban Washington. We anticipate discussing an improvement of wages benefits and working conditions Weve had meetings at both hospitals, and weve issued proposals.

Phillip Sowa, the chief executive of SLU Hospital, said in a written statement that additional days of bargaining are being scheduled for the coming months. We will continue to negotiate with them in good faith, he said, and we remain focused on our ultimate goal of providing high-quality health care to this community.

The hospital maintains that it offers competitive wages and benefits, and that its management promotes a positive work environment.

Walter Kopp, an independent hospital consultant based in San Anselmo, CA., said the nurses union likely will face tough talks.

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Hospital unions votes in St. Louis set stage for tense talks

Stem cells may help prevent post-injury arthritis

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Researchers may have found a promising stem cell therapy for preventing osteoarthritis after a joint injury.

Injuring a joint greatly raises the odds of getting a form of osteoarthritis called post-traumatic arthritis, or PTA. There are no therapies yet that modify or slow the progression of arthritis after injury.

Researchers at Duke University Health System have found a very promising therapeutic approach to PTA using a type of stem cell, called mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), in mice with fractures that typically would lead to them developing arthritis.

Their findings could lead to a therapy that would be used after joint injury and before signs of significant osteoarthritis.

The scientists thought the stem cells would work to prevent PTA by altering the balance of inflammation and regeneration in knee joints, because these stem cells have beneficial properties in other regions of the body.

"The stem cells were able to prevent post-traumatic arthritis," said Farshid Guilak, Ph.D., director of orthopaedic research at Duke and senior author of the study.

The researchers also thought that a type of mice bred for their super-healing properties would probably fare better than typical mice, but they were wrong.

"We decided to investigate two therapies for the study, said lead author Brian Diekman, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Guilak lab.

"We thought that stem cells from so-called superhealer mice would be superior at providing protection, and instead, we found that they were no better than stem cells from typical mice. We thought that maybe it would take stem cells from superhealers to gain an effect as strong as preventing arthritis after a fracture, but we were surprised and excited to learn that regular stem cells work just as well," he said.

Certain people appear to fall into the superhealer category, too. They bounce back quickly and heal well naturally after a fracture, while other people eventually form cases of arthritis at the fractured joint, said Guilak, who is a professor of orthopaedic surgery and biomedical engineering.

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Stem cells may help prevent post-injury arthritis

Column | Twitter captures the spirit of Ramadan

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Invited to write an essay on spirituality in Ramadan, I felt hard-pressed to capture the breadth of Ramadans transcendent lessons or portray its significance to those unfamiliar with the religious tradition.

Beloved in the collective consciousness of Muslims around the world, fasting the month of Ramadan remains a consistently adhered to religious practice in Islam today.

A 2011 survey on work productivity by Dinar Standard found that 98 percent of a sample of more than 1,500 Muslims from Muslim majority countries and Muslim minority countries, including the United States said they planned to fast the whole month.

When reduced to its rules, Ramadan may sound unusually harsh to an observer. Able-bodied adult Muslims are required to abstain from all eating, drinking and marital sexual relations between dawn and sunset each day for a full month.

Recommended night prayers and charitable acts further tax ones sleep and primary focus. Yet by altering daily schedules and adopting these ascetic practices for 30 days, Muslims collectively seek to control physical appetites in order to review and improve their spiritual condition, an exercise in faith.

Interestingly, a similar psychology and timeline are used for quitting bad habits or adopting healthy ones in the popular press today.

Although the purpose of Ramadan is to cultivate and review ones faith annually, the scope of its impact is as diverse as its practitioners.

Sampling the popular social media network Twitter illustrates this neatly. Under the topic #Ramadan- Reflection the following tweets were sent between July 20 and 28:

aayloush _@aayloush:

One may think food is extremely important but its amazing how little food we need for living and how grateful we become.

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Column | Twitter captures the spirit of Ramadan

Institute aims to blend faith, creativity

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Published: Saturday, August 11, 2012, 12:01 a.m.

That's the vision of the Institute for Spirituality and the Arts.

The institute is a ministry at Edmonds United Methodist Church that offers classes aimed at blending spirituality and creativity.

"Our mission is about putting these things together in interesting ways and acknowledging that they are very closely connected," said Andrew Ryder, the program's director.

Ryder, of Lynnwood, teaches theater at Seattle Pacific University.

One of the institute's key tenets is that there is a spiritual dimension to all human experiences, Ryder said. For example, one of the classes taught computer skills to older adults to give them the opportunity to be more connected to the church and community. A class this past spring talked about sacred gardens within the Islamic and Christian traditions. Another class, in development right now, will explore astronomy and the scientific and spiritual aspects of the universe.

People usually have to pay a fee for classes, though organizers hope to recruit instructors who'd be willing to donate their time.

Ryder said he hopes participants will give back to the community by creating art or using new skills learned at the institute.

The goal of the program is to make many of the classes accessible to children and adults of all abilities.

The ministry took root about two years ago, when church members were hosting classes for children. The institute has since teamed up with the Center for Sacred Arts, a multi-faith organization based in Seattle.

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Institute aims to blend faith, creativity

After Curiosity, uncertainty lingers on NASA's Mars program

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PASADENA, Ca. (Reuters) - This week's arrival of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity set the stage for a potentially game-changing quest to learn whether the planet most like Earth ever had a shot at developing life, but follow-up missions exist only on drawing boards. The United States had planned to team up with Europe on a trio of missions beginning in 2016 that would culminate in the return of Mars ...

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After Curiosity, uncertainty lingers on NASA's Mars program

Nanotechnology Comes to TedTalks, with Mixed Results

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For all the TEDTalks that there have been, few have adequately addressed the topic of nanotechnology, with the possible exception of Bill Joys ironic path from nanotechnology doomsayer to cheerleader.

That is why when I saw that venture capitalist and Nanoholdings CEOJustin Hall-Tippinghad been given a forum to discuss nanotechnology for the illustrious TedTalks last year, I had to give a listen (see video below).

Hall-Tipping did not disappoint. As you will see in the video, he provides all the gee-whiz nanotech applications one could hope for and throws in some emotion to pull at our heartstrings.

Hall-Tipping highlights three technologies in the video that, as he explains, exhibit exquisite control over the electron and could change our current energy paradigmwhich, according to his calculations, is doomed to ultimate failure. Two of the technologies come from research originated at the University of Florida; the third comes from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Hall-Tipping says that one of the technologies developed at the University of Florida will result in a world that doesnt need artificial light to illuminate our nights. In this case, I believe he is referring to the work of Prof. Franky So, developer of lightweight night-vision technologies. Thats great, but if Hall-Tipping really expects that nearly ubiquitous night-vision capabilities are going to spell the end for artificial light, I think he may have overstated his point.

The other University of Florida technology that Hall-Tipping highlights uses carbon nanotubes embedded in transparent polymer films to absorb the suns energy and release it indoors during the winter. And as Hall-Tipping describes it, the same film will flip it back in the summer, preventing solar energy from heating living spaces when you want to keep things cool. This application seems to be built around the work of John Reynolds and Andrew Rinzler.I suppose this work could be adapted to collect solar power and reflect away sunlight, but I would like to see some figures on energy conversion efficiency before I start disconnecting myself from the grid.

In the final technology, from the University of Texas at Dallas, nanomaterials (of the carbon nanotube variety,we assume) enable a device that, according to Hall-Tipping, can park an electron on the outside, hold it until it's needed, and then to release it and pass it off. The machine that accomplishes this electron parking, dubbed eBox, has apparently been around since 2009. A prototype has been running for over a yearwithout, it seems, any effort to commercialize it.

Later in the video, Hall-Tipping makes the cogent point that water shortages are already becoming acute around the world and that energy-intensive desalination is a problematic solution based our current energy paradigm. But removing the grid, or depending on solar power to change the dynamics, seems to be missing the point of a lot of nanotech research related to desalination. I suppose Hall-Tippings company is not backing those horses.

Finally, Hall-Tipping makes his concerns about water shortages personal when he reveals a photograph that he has carried with him for the last 18 years; in it, a young girl in the Sudan is dying of thirst. A truly heart-wrenching image, and as Hall-Tipping says, one that should never happen. But maybe that girl would have been better served by rather simple nanotech-based solutions for providing clean drinking water instead of reinventing the electrical grid.

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Nanotechnology Comes to TedTalks, with Mixed Results

Dr. Mark Cichon Named Chair of Loyola Department of Emergency Medicine

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Newswise Dr. Mark Cichon, DO, has been named chair of the new Department of Emergency Medicine of Loyola University Medical Center.

Cichon formerly was head of the division of Emergency Medicine within the Department of Surgery at Loyola. As of July 1, the division is elevated to department status.

As a full, stand-alone department, the new Department of Emergency Medicine will be better positioned to enhance academic needs for both students and faculty and allow for richer academic growth, faculty development, faculty recruitment and retention. This change aligns with national trends over the past decade, as an increasing number of emergency medicine divisions have become full departments.

Cichon has served as division director for Loyola Emergency Medicine for the past 16 years. Dr. Cichon has shown that he more than meets the academic needs of both students and faculty, said Dr. Richard Gamelli, MD, FACS, senior vice president and provost, Health Sciences, Loyola University Chicago. He also has demonstrated how emergency medicine physicians serve the didactic needs of students as well as serving the continued growth of the faculty within the department.

Since 1995, annual patient volumes in Loyolas emergency division have increased from 29,000 to 53,000 patients. The Loyola emergency department is for many patients a portal of entry to Loyola University Health System for complex care, said Dr. Gamelli, who also serves as Director, Burn & Shock Trauma Institute and Chief, Burn Center at Loyola. The division also has instituted several programs to improve care for critically ill patients, including the Heart Attack Rapid Response Team, Stroke Program, Sepsis Program and Hypothermia Program.

The Loyola emergency medicine division is classified as a Level 1 Trauma Center, providing the highest level of surgical care to trauma patients. The division also has been recognized by groups such as The Joint Commission, the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, the American College of Surgeons for Trauma and the Illinois Department of Public Health for Trauma, Burns, Pediatric and Emergency departments.

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Dr. Mark Cichon Named Chair of Loyola Department of Emergency Medicine

Herbal Medicine Offers Relief of Endometrial Hyperplasia and Adenomyosis, Says Dr. Lee Xiaoping from China

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SIPO of China has recently approved an alternative herbal treatment for endometrial hyperplasia and adenomyosis. Bringing no side effect, the herbal medicine completely treats endometrial disorders, which solves fertility problems for sufferers.Wuhan, Hubei Province (PRWEB) August 10, 2012 A new patented herbal medicine Fuyan Pill offers relief of two endometrial disorders: endometrial ...

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Herbal Medicine Offers Relief of Endometrial Hyperplasia and Adenomyosis, Says Dr. Lee Xiaoping from China

Liberty Comeback Falls Short In Legion Regional Loss

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Posted: Aug. 11, 2012 | 2:02 a.m.

Liberty's American Legion baseball team brought the potential winning run to the plate in the ninth inning Friday, but consecutive strikeouts ended the game as the Patriots lost 9-6 to host Fairfield, Calif., in the Western Regional.

Jesse Keiser's two-run triple cut the lead to 9-6, and Daniel Skelly and Chris Bradford walked to load the bases. Fairfield reliever Kyle Wagner then struck out Griffin Kelly and Joe Maurer.

Liberty trailed 9-1 before Keiser belted a three-run homer in the seventh inning to get the Patriots going. Liberty's other run came in the third on an RBI single by Michael Vargas.

The Patriots fell behind 4-0 after two innings. Fairfield scored a run in the first, then got a two-run triple by Wagner and an RBI triple from Michael Brown in the second.

Fairfield added four runs in the sixth on two hits, as Liberty pitchers walked four and the Patriots made an error.

Keiser was 2-for-5 with five RBIs, and Vargas and Jay Martz each went 2-for-4. Vargas scored twice.

Liberty (27-8) plays Albuquerque, N.M., at 3 p.m. today in an elimination game.

LITTLE LEAGUE - Cheyenne-North Las Vegas fell behind 10-0 after 3 innings and couldn't recover in a 10-4 semifinal loss to Northern California representative Petaluma in the Little League West Regional in San Bernardino, Calif.

Cheyenne, the No. 4 seed, nearly was ousted on the 10-run mercy rule, but extended the game with a run in the fourth against top-seeded Petaluma.

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Liberty Comeback Falls Short In Legion Regional Loss