November 30, 2008
A unique colorful excerpt from Jessa Crisspin's book review and insight of Alex & Me
A TALE OF ALEX, BIRD WITH A WALNUT-SIZED BRAIN (AND WHAT A BRAIN IT WAS)
Alex learned elements of the English language to identify shapes, colors and sizes.
For 23 years, Alex the African Grey Parrot had been surprising scientist Irene Pepperberg
with his skills, skills no birdbrain was supposed to have. One day in 2000, working at MIT’s
Media Lab, Pepperberg soared beyond surprise to sky-high astonishment. She was engaging
Alex (so named in honor of the “Avian Language Experiment”) in sounding out phonemes, the
individual sounds that make up words.
Alex had already made progress on this task. If shown a tray of plastic letters, the kind
parents affix to a refrigerator door to stimulate their kids’ alphabet learning, he responded
correctly to questions. Shown an array of letters that included, say, a red "Ch," a green "N"
and a blue "S," and so on, when asked, "What sound is blue?," Alex answered “Ssss….”
That day, some of MIT’s corporate sponsors had flocked to watch Alex do a demo. Alex
answered a phoneme question correctly, but then piped up with “Want a nut.” Like students
everywhere, Alex liked a good snack now and again, and to push his luck with his teachers.
Wanting to keep him on task, Irene pressed Alex with another question, and got the correct
answer and immediately, another “Want a nut.” A third Q&A round followed, but this time
Alex underscored the seriousness of his craving with the avian equivalent of italics: “Want a nut.”
At this point, Pepperberg writes, Alex “became very slitty-eyed, always a sign he was up to
Fascinating data began to come in. Alex responded to questions posed in English that, for
instance, asked him to describe or to count objects. Significantly, the key questions were
novel, assuring that answers were not memorized ones or offered by rote. This too is captured
on film: When presented with a tray full of objects of varies shapes and colors, Alex was asked
“How many blue block?” He responds accurately: “four.” When Irene held up two keys, one large
and green, the other smaller and gold, Alex correctly answered questions like, “What color bigger?”
(Answer: “Green.”)
Alex & Me offers enough detail about training methods and data results to demonstrate that
it’s genuine comprehension at work here: Alex understands what he’s saying.
Alex accompanied a student to the lab’s restroom one day. This wasn’t his first exposure to a
mirror, and in the past he acted scared of the “strange” bird looking back at him. This time was
different. Alex looked attentively at his reflection and asked, “What’s that?” Told by the student,
“That’s you, you’re a parrot,” Alex looked some more. “What color?” he asked. And that day Alex
learned a new color: Gray.
Alex the African grey parrot, famed for his role in cognition research conducted by psychologist Irene Pepperberg, passed away at the age of 31 in the fall of 2007.
November 22, 2008
chicagotribune.com
By Wendy Donahue
Tribune reporter
Obama's call for change doesn't extend to his blue ties
When President-elect Barack Obama met with John McCain on Monday to talk teamwork, his tie was blue.
When Obama met President George Bush at the White House to talk transition the Monday
before that, his tie was blue. Bush's was too. No news there. But, after a campaign defined by
"change," few political style watchers guessed that Obama would perpetuate this necktie trend
that Bush propagated some eight years ago: powder blue as the new power red. Whether Obama's
choice is calculated or subconscious, good reasons exist for hueing to blue.
"It's the color attached most to dependability and constancy, a message that Americans want to
believe in troubled times," said Leatrice Eiseman, director of the Pantone Color Institute and author
of "Color: Messages & Meanings" (Hand Books Press, 2006). "Obama has used blue most consistently
[with this idea], representing a kind of grace under fire."
Obama has worn red, too, including Sunday on "60 Minutes." But rather than a blazing Reagan
red, it has skewed closer to wine—tinged with blue, which provides a little more depth of character,
Eiseman says.
Bold red neckwear still has its place, but it's shrinking, said Joe Lupo, part of the styling team Visual
Therapy, with offices in Chicago and New York. He is co-author with Jesse Garza of the upcoming book
"Life in Color: Visual Therapy's Guide to the Perfect Palette" (Chronicle Books).
Lupo approved, for instance, of Obama's red tie at the Grant Park rally Nov. 4.
"He used the cool blue and soft approach to win the election," Lupo said, "but clearly stated that
he's here and means business [on Election Night]. I seriously doubt that he will need to drag out
the red tie too often going forward, and hope that he chooses not to."
Indeed, "with our country in disarray, it isn't the time for politicians to come around as so
bullish. That's what happens when you wear red," said Michael Fisher, men's editor for Stylesight,
a trend forecasting firm based in New York.
That may be one reason that blue ties have exploded at the retail level, with not just politicians but
also businessmen buying into the many variations. Blue, Fisher said, conveys confidence and importance
without seeming sinister or overly sober. When Obama and Bush both wore blue last week, it showed
"that this is not the time to take hard stances on ideology but to remain open-minded and unified," Fisher said.
"In the old days it was just navy, and probably a light blue or two, but we literally have at least 30
shades of blue out there now," said Michael Ostrove, senior vice president for the luxury menswear
purveyor Paul Stuart, which just opened a shop at 107 E. Oak St.
Another tie color that has sold well at Paul Stuart this fall is Ostrove's personal preference as well as
the top color trend in women's fashion this fall: purple.
Before the election, Obama seemed to share his wife's penchant for purple, which, as a mix of blue
and red, upholds the virtues of blue while standing out a bit more.
"Wearing these non-traditional colors shows a level of individuality, which suggests leadership,"
said Greg Shugar, an attorney who operates the Naperville-based TheTieBar.com, which sells ties
for $15 each. "Of course, the guy has to have something smart to say as well."
All of this talk about color and symbolism inevitably draws skepticism, Eiseman knows.
"People say, 'Well, I don't think about that.' But when we reach inside our closets every morning,
we know our hand goes for a certain something because it's speaking to us," she said. "Maybe
subliminally."
Blue has climbed in popularity all over the world because of its universal associations, she said,
particularly for sky blue.
"No matter where you live, the earth may shake and the water may come, but the sky is there.
It's the color your mother said to you as a child: 'Look at that beautiful blue sky.' You can do all the
pleasurable things—play ball at the park, go swimming—because the sky is blue. And if there are clouds,
the clouds are going to disperse. And there is going to be a blue sky."
November 19, 2008
Lee was recently asked....
Do you think there has been a recent resurgence in the color yellow? If so,
why do you think that is?
As the next door neighbors on the color wheel (orange and yellow-green) have gained so
much more acceptance in the last few years, it opens the door for yellow to be more accepted
by consumers. So it feels fresh and new, while at the same time there is some familiarity
because of the relationships to orange and yellow-green.
Why are people attracted to the color? What is the color associated with?
Yellow is always associated with light, especially sunlight, so it is perceived as warm, inviting
and cheerful. And in spiritual terms, it is thought of as the color of enlightenment as well. It
is a great color for bringing light into an environment, especially in a north facing room and if
you get depressed on gray days, yellow really makes you feel like there is sunshine present.
I've heard many designers say that yellow is the hardest color to get right in
terms of paint color. Why do you think that is? Do you have any advice for people
who would like to incorporate yellow into their interiors?
It can be difficult as even the slightest bit of green as an undertone can get very green
looking on the walls, especially if there many windows in a space surrounded by reflected
green of foliage, trees and such. If you like greenish yellow, that is not a problem, but most
people prefer their yellows just a bit more subtle and not too blatant. So it is really important
to test the color in the room before committing to a yellow. They can always be ‘dirtied’ a
bit— or go to the creamier side and that fits many comfort levels.
November 15, 2008
Laguna Hills Flowers
Flower Therapy Induces Happiness and Positive Feelings
Flowers have an immediate impact upon stressful or depressive states by bringing delight and
happiness in our lives and providing a long term positive effect on our good mood. There has been
developed a new type of complementary therapy called flower therapy. It is thought that our emotional
states can be elevated or turned from negative into positive ones through flower therapy. The multiple
benefits we receive from this therapy are related to the form, color and smell a flower gives off. Flowers
provide us with a pleasant view and a beautiful smell, inducing emotional health through synesthesia.
Red roses enhance the energy in our body and make us more active by stimulating adrenal glands, the
indigo of an iris makes us more confident and tranquil by removing fear or inhibition, sunflowers boost
energy and also make us more optimistic, bluebells release melatonin - the "sleep protein" in our organism
and therefore induce a good night's sleep, orange daisies act favorably upon our lungs and immune system
by keeping away allergenic factors, while lilacs and green zinnias remove stress and anxiety.
Also, the impact of flowers present at workplaces was scientifically proved to enhance productivity and
the energy level, improving at the same time short and long term memory. They also improve companionship
and relationship among colleagues in the workplace.
Leatrice Eiseman is the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute and strongly believes in the
curing effects of these frail and tender plants. She thinks that color therapy and flower therapy are very
much alike due to the fact that they both use color energy in order to improve moods and chase away
sadness and distress. "Color can help us find the balance we seek from our surroundings. And flowers
are an ideal way to harness the power of color to enrich our lives," she says.
Internationally acknowledged color expert Leatrice Eiseman stated that "our response to color is intensely
emotional and flowers can be a catalyst for feelings that stimulate more than just our senses of sight and
smell. An artful floral arrangement has the ability to convey a feeling or create a mood without using
words, just color.
"The color expert recommends us five types of floral arrangements, each for enhancing a different state
of mind, depending on the predominant color. She says that soft yellows and greens, peach shades, warm
pinks and creamy whites form a palette of fragile and tender colors - nurturing colors - that are extremely
beneficial for emanating confidence and cheerfulness all around and caressing sick individuals.
Lavender and pink colors create a romantic environment through inferring intimacy and love feelings. Hot
reds, purples, pinks and oranges create sensuous, passionate and seductive settings for lovers. Light
shades of sea and sky colors - green and blues - make a floral arrangement perfectly suited for a place
in which serenity and peace of mind is needed. Playful and joyous feelings are induced by a whimsical
arrangement of powerful, contrasting colors. This type pf arrangement can be successfully used for
birthdays and any kind of celebrations.
High Point Market Fall 2008 Trends Forecast
By Furniture World Magazine
Featuring insights from leading trend-trackers, manufacturers and retailers, the new, in-depth special report identifies and explores the season’s important product, color, lifestyle and demographic trends, and offers recommendations from leading industry experts on connecting with today’s consumer in the coming months.
“This report comes at an ideal time for buyers across the country and around the world, many of whom are preparing to attend the High Point Market next month,” says Brian D. Casey, president and chief executive officer of the High Point Market Authority, official sponsor of the High Point Market: The World’s Home for Home Furnishings. “With some 2,000 exhibitors set to introduce product here, it’s important for buyers to learn as much as they can about what’s on trend in advance of their arrival here at Market.
Among the trends detailed in the new report:
Sanctuary
Today’s consumers confront a complicated world. From political issues to personal concerns, they find themselves surrounded by problems for which there are no easy answers. According to researchers at Getty Images, one of the world’s largest providers of photography and illustration to the media and advertising industries, people are responding to this confusion by seeking simplicity. Home is perhaps the most natural place to create a sanctuary from the outside world, and home furnishings manufacturers are also seeing consumers trending toward simplicity.
“Cleaner lines, simpler styling and natural materials are catching on. Heavy carving is out. Consumers are interested in and buying minimalist pieces, especially in accents,” says Tom Liddell, senior vice president of national sales at the Powell Company.
Function
While consumers are seeking simple shapes and clean lines, they also have another desire, one that adds a layer of complexity for manufacturers.
“Function is big,” reports Don Essenberg, executive vice president, chief marketing officer at Magnussen Home Furnishings. “Today, a piece of furniture can’t just be decorative. It has to do something, and what it does has to relate to the end-user’s lifestyle.”
Functional features such as charging stations for cell phones and iPods, flexible styling, pieces that can serve multiple purposes, and storage are all trends that fit consumers’ lifestyles today. Michael Slone, of Florida based retailer Slone Brothers Furniture, finds that his customers are not only asking, “How does it make my life better?” but are also focused on one particular functional feature. “It’s all about storage, storage, storage,” he says. “Case goods sell on how they help the customer meet her storage needs.”
Color: Pantone’s View
“I tend to be wary of phrases such as ‘what people want,’ ” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and one of the world’s leading experts on color. “People are different, not everyone wants the same thing.”
In her PANTONE VIEW home + interiors 2009 forecast, produced specifically for the home furnishings industry Eiseman’s eight palettes offer a full complement of on-trend colors. The Pantone home palette is included in the Fall Trends Report with a characterization of each palette label, “Wine Country,” “Honesty,” “Discerning Tastes,” “Reveries,” “Wanderings,” “Solar Energy,” “Breathe Easy,” and “Animate.”
Michelle Lamb, senior editor of The Trend Curve and a top trend-tracker recommends the purple hues for those looking for the one, sure-fire shade in any of these color directions. Since its last trend cycle more than a decade ago, Lamb reports that this time “the hues are on the red side rather than the blue, acting first as a bridge between blue and red, ultimately replacing both.”
Pattern: Simply Complex
In patterns, Lamb sees more decorative complexity complementing the streamlined forms of furnishings. “Right now, this is a small movement, but I expect mini-floral designs, simple stripes, plaid and denim to take on this highlighting role,” she says. “I’m also seeing textural embellishment, such as embroidery and crewel coming on the scene.”
For the urban inspired consumer, the design direction connects to the ‘60s and ‘80s in a movement Lamb calls Graphic Arts and Eiseman illustrates in the Animate palette.
Wood finishes will be getting lighter, with medium shades having the greatest appeal. “Eco- concerns have led to an increased use of reclaimed woods,” Eiseman notes, “And they’re being combined in some fascinating ways. Though some are a little funky, they’re all artfully executed. I think this movement arises from the younger generation’s putting environmental concerns ahead of the old design rules,” she states.
Tuning Into Style
Technology continues to drive spectacular growth in home entertainment furnishings, “especially as the transition from housing bulky TVs in armoires to showing off high-tech panel screens accelerates,” Michelle Lamb says. “Today, most solutions offered for flat screens look more like the TV stands of the 1970s. So simply upping the style quotient for these pieces should result in even more sales.”
Though dominated by the Baby Boom generation for the past 20 years we are seeing a seismic shift in the home furnishings demographic focus, the 35 – to 54- year-old woman. Baby Boomers, defined as people born between 1946 and 1960, are aging out of the target demographic. In fact, most of our customers now belong to Generation X – born between 1963 and 1980.
“There is a sea change in who’s buying and going to buy home furnishings,” says Magnussen’s Essenberg. “The Baby Boomers are still out there, but their influence is on the wane. Generation X is taking over and Generation Y (born from 1981 – 2001) is beginning to come on.”
The prevailing myth that the Baby Boomers are the largest of the three generations is busted by the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimates. The Boomers are actually the smallest of the groups, with just under 77 million people. Generation X will contain approximately 84 million people, and Generation Y will come in with just under 82 million.
In our target demographic there will be about 31 million GenX and 22 million Baby Boom women between the ages of 32 and 56 years old next year. To maximize this opportunity, our industry will need to respond to the Xer’s different worldviews and home lives.
Michael Slone finds the buying cycle has been greatly compressed. “Today, the average time spent in the store is half what it was 10 years ago,” he says, “More consumers are using the Internet to select the stores they’re going shop. We’ve made a considerable investment in our website.”
About the High Point Market Authority: The High Point Market Authority is the official sponsor of the High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina. Featuring an extensive selection of exhibitors spanning every category, style and price point and attracting tens of thousands of visitors from more than 110 countries twice each year, the High Point Market is the driving force of the home furnishings industry.
