Elephant Paints Self-Portrait

Some of you may have seen this already - but here is one of the best videos I’ve seen youtube: Elephant Paints Self Portrait.
While you are at it, check out the Asian Elephant Art and Conservation Project website.

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Interesting charts reveal international news coverage

The Online Journalism Blog posted revealing charts depicting the world through the eyes of editors-in-chief, in 2007. Countries swell as they receive more media attention; others shrink as we forget them. Here are three examples:
New York Times:

 
The Economist:

The Blogosphere:

The authors of the charts use them argue that, contrary to what many […]

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Neighborhood Restaurant

Jess and I have a new favorite restaurant in our neighborhood, called Encore. It opened a few months ago in the now renovated Lowenstein Theater, right next to the aforementioned Tattered Cover book store. The service is always great, the atmosphere is fun and the food is delicious (and comes fast). I only wish I […]

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Funding for Youth Programs

I met with the Grant Writer of ACC today for lunch to discuss various foundation and corporate funding opportunities. There are a lot of grant making organizations out there and the first challenge is to find them and once they are found, to match the funding mandates of the organization to an aspect of […]

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How do you dance?

A few weeks after I met my future wife for the first time, she invited me to go to tango lessons together with her friends. There is a Tango Club at CU, and they organize classes every Friday night. It was during those Friday nights that I completely fell head over heels in love […]

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Worst Blogging Drought Yet

Life Comments (0)

This has been the longest blogging drought that I’ve been in yet. I blame the coming wedding on August 2nd. I really had no idea so much time goes into planning a wedding.

Grant Grigorian @ July 9, 2008

J.K. Rowling on the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination

Speaking, Life, Language, Writing Comments (0)

I watched J.K Rowling deliver the Harvard commencement address last night (thank you Brad Feld for the inspiring post).

It was great! I loved the way she spoke - she has such a modest, almost shy voice - which she used to effectively to communicate so much passion.

Grant Grigorian @ June 12, 2008

MicroPlace.com

Development, International Comments (1)

For several years now, I’ve been an avid supporter of Kiva.org and the micro-lending community in general. So when I read about MicroPlace.com on the Private Sector Development Blog I immediately became a member. I don’t have a lot of money to “invest” here right now (what with the wedding coming up) but I am definitely going to keep in touch.

As some of you might know, Kiva.org has experienced explosive growth (they raise about $1million every 12 days) with their model of collecting small contributions from people on the internet and investing them into micro loans. When the microloan is paid back, you get your money back - but with no interest. It definitely feels much more productive and is more fun (you get to choose who you want to give money to) than donating. Check out my Kiva page here.

With MicroPlace.com, you get to truly invest your money with the a microlending organization and get some interest back (1.5% - 2% per year). Yes, the interest is small, and you can easily beat it by opening a CD at any US retail bank, but where is the fun in that?

Grant Grigorian @ April 13, 2008

Pretty Puppy All Dressed Up

Whembley Comments (0)

I don’t think these pictures need explanation. Just a cute puppy in her new dress.

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Grant Grigorian @ April 11, 2008

Colorado Senate Race 2008: Schaffer(R) vs Udall(D)

Data Visualization, Colorado, Politics Comments (0)

For the past few months I’ve been following the Colorado senate race between the Republican Bob Schaffer and the Democrat Mark Udall. Someone once told me that if I want to get into politics, I should seriously consider volunteering for a local race, like for senate. So, I’ve been reading up on Mr. Schaffer to see I can get excited about supporting his campaign. But everything I’ve read so far suggests that Mr. Schaffer is much more conservative than I am, so I am reduced to wrestling with the notion of supporting someone based solely on their party affiliation.

Regardless of how I feel about the candidates, I still think it’s fun to follow closely contested political races, even if only from a distance

Here is an interesting chart I found a few days ago from the Center for Reponsive Politics at OpenSecrets.org, comparing Mr. Schaeffer’s and Mr. Udall’s fund raising efforts.

Sources of Campaign Donations:

In-State vs. Out-of-State

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A whopping 60% Mr. Udall’s money is coming from out of state, compared with only 30% for Mr. Schaffer!

I am not entirely sure what political implications this statistic has on Mr. Udall’s candidacy, or what percentage of funds should be amassed from within the state for the candidate to be able to claim true representation of his state; but I can’ imagine that this reflects well for Mr. Udall.

Grant Grigorian @ April 6, 2008