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There's few things more exciting to the gaming community than the launch of a new console generation. I always harken back to being a little kid and finding a Super Nintendo waiting for me under the Christmas tree. That little box opened up an entire new world of possibilities for me: new kingdoms to save, princesses to rescue and Super Bowls to win. I'm pushing 30 now, and not much has changed. When I opened up the box for the Xbox One, I found myself absolutely giddy thinking about the possibilities that were waiting for me.
Microsoft has absolutely filled the Xbox One to the brim with features, and it's a bit overwhelming at times. While there's still a lot left to roll out, there's a very strong argument that this box could be the new centerpiece of your living room in the years to come.
What follows here is a comprehensive, detailed review of the Xbox One, split into six parts and covering as much relevant information as possible. Read the entire review in order, or select from the table of contents below to jump to whatever section interests you. For those of you only interested in the final score, it is posted at the bottom of each page.
Part One Opening
The Xbox One's design did come under fire from the internet when it was first unveiled, and I understand why. It's hard not to look at it and be reminded of VCRs of old. That being said, it grew on me pretty quickly. The glossy coat plays off the matte finish which make up the landscape of the box and the large air vents on top of the system resemble something I'd expect to find on the ISIS space station.
No one will mistake the One for a small system. In fact, it's fairly massive. Weighing in just under 8 pounds while measuring 13 inches wide and three inches tall, it will take up some hefty real estate wherever you place it. Add in the signature Microsoft oversized powerbrick, and you have a piece of hardware that is going to be thrust into sight whether you like it or not. I spent a good amount of time dealing with cable management, but I can't imagine fitting this into a space any less than 14 or 15 inches deep.
While there haven't been any reports of issues yet, I'd also advice that the shelving should leave a bit of breathing room for heat. I was unable to get an exact temperature reading on the unit we reviewed, but even when giving ample room, it was a bit warm to the touch at times. This is to be expected with any console of course, and it appears to be something Microsoft has expected as the system and power brick both have a plethora of cooling vents. The power brick itself even has its own cooling fan this time around. I don't see any reason to panic or worry about a repeat of the Red Ring fiasco, but I wouldn't push my luck too far with any system at this point.
Part Two: Hardware
The actual hardware of the system is fairly impressive. The Xbox One features an 8 core AMD CPU and 8 GB of DDR 3 RAM powering a 854 MHz GPU. While these numbers won't wow PC gamers very much, it's a fairly drastic step up in terms of raw computing power from the last generation.
The One also has your standard Gigabit Ethernet port as well as 8012.11 a/b/g/n wireless capabilities and the slot loaded Blu-ray drive can install games to the included 500 GB hard disk. Additionally, you'll find three USB 3.0 ports, a digital audio out, the Kinect sensor port as well as HDMI input and output (but we'll get into that later).
The system itself is remarkably quiet, albeit not silent. It's easily one of the least noisy consoles out there as aside from a sudden roar when the system launches a game, it's a simple whisper of the fans turning.
My one true complaint with the hardware at this point is the hard drive. Unlike the Playstation 4, the Xbox One features an internal HD that can't be swapped out. Microsoft has mentioned the possibility of additional storage options, and that will become a necessity sooner rather than later. The 500 GBs will be eaten up fairly quickly with games taking up 20-50 GB each, and I really would rather not have to deal with proprietary drives like we did with the 360.
Part Three: Controller/Kinect
The Xbox One's controller is just short of a masterpiece. The Xbox 360's controller was easily my favorite since the Super Nintendo's, but Microsoft did a magnificent job of refining things here. There are a few tweaks that I haven't quite gotten accustomed to yet, but this is a fantastic piece of hardware overall.
The new triggers both feature upturned ends and a "U" shape, allowing you to rest your fingers on them a bit easier, as well as featuring haptic feedback. Playing through Need for Speed, feeling my finger vibrate as I pushed my engine to the max was a brilliant little touch that added a great deal of immersion.
The new D-pad may not be the finest I've ever played, but is so far ahead of the 360's subpar offering that it's hard not to gush over it. It's extremely responsive and offers a fulfilling click sound as you use it.
The new shoulder buttons also feature a satisfying click, however, they seem a bit harder to push when compared to the 360's controller. They appear to be more trigger based as opposed to strictly being an analog button, so it's a bit harder to push them in from certain angles. This is by no means a massive issue, but it did pop up while playing Dead Rising 3 just enough for me to notice it. I imagine this is something I'd adapt to fairly quickly, however.
One detriment to everything having that great click sound is that it can be a bit loud at times. Playing Killer Instinct with a friend, we found that the combined sound of two controllers being slapped around ended up being louder than the system itself. With the TV on, this was essentially negligible, but those of you who like late night sessions with headphones on may find the click to be just a bit too loud to anyone else in the room.
The sticks themselves have been altered to be slightly concave, allowing the tips of your thumbs to rest near the middle without slipping out. This is aided by a textured edge that really offers a fantastic grip. The dead zones are diminished too as they seem to move much smoother and have the perfect amount of resistance.
Overall, the controller feels just a bit smaller in my hands, and perhaps just a bit lighter, but that may very well be the placebo effect in place. The grips have been redesigned too and the new removable battery compartment allows the back of the controller to fit perfectly in my hands.
Microsoft has doubled down when it comes to using the Kinect with the Xbox One, making it a mandatory part of the experience. While this seems like a great idea, I'm a bit torn over it. The fact that developers now know that everyone has a Kinect means they can keep that in mind when coming up with new ideas, but it's also something that can feel tacked on at times.
You can use the Kinect for almost anything you would use the controller for when on the dashboard, but this ends up being part of its downfall too. Sure, I can wave my arms to switch screens or use my voice to change the TV channel, but often times these things can be done faster by simply grabbing the remote. I have high hopes that there's still room for improvement on this tech, so maybe by the end of this generation it'll be a flawless experience, but for now it falls just a bit short of what it could be.
The only other issue I really had with Kinect is that it does still take in the wrong commands from time to time. Stepping away from a film to check on dinner, I must have said something to my buddy that sounded like "play" as the film we were watching resumed even though nobody was in the room. I had similar problems playing Need for Speed too as it would sometimes restart missions if I wasn't being careful about what I was trying to say.
One last thing I want to touch on that I really do thing is great is Kinect's auto log-in feature. Simply by walking in front of the camera, it will recognize me and sign in my account automatically. For households where multiple people play regularly, this is an extremely useful and welcome feature.
The Kinect undoubtedly has a lot of promise, and there are things that I've come to rely on it for to the point where I have to wonder how I ever survived without it. However, it's obvious that this tech is still in its infancy and has some growing to do before we can see its true potential. If Microsoft can continue to improve the voice recognition, it may become a crucial part of the experience for many gamers, but as of right now, it's not always the best option.
Part Four: UI/Interface
It's no secret that Microsoft is extremely proud of the Windows 8 user interface, so we really shouldn't be shocked to see a variation of it here. What might shock some gamers though is just how well it works.
The home screen prominently features a main tile that shows the running application and is surrounded by smaller tiles that show some of your recently accessed apps to ensure quick switching. There's a bar on the right that shows off some featured content too, but outside of that, everything on the main screen is stuff you would be looking for.
One of the selling points of the Xbox One is the console's ability to multitask. I was able to minimize my Dead Rising 3 game and bring up Skype to take a call just as I would be able to on a PC. Being able to juggle multiple apps simultaneously may seem like such a minor thing, but it became something I grew to rely on fairly often, especially when used in conjunction with the Snap feature.
Snap allows the Xbox One to place certain applications and lock them to the right side of your screen in conjunction with whatever else you're doing at the time. As the system grows, this is definitely something I imagine myself getting a lot more use out of, but even in the early stages it showed promise. I was able snap my cable box to the side of my screen and watch Aqua Teen Hunger Force while playing through Killer Instinct. This has the potential to be an absolutely killer application of the system, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where it goes.
The downfall to all of this is that every single thing the Xbox does seems to be in an individual app. Calling up my achievements to see what I just unlocked meant backing out of the game momentarily and opening the app as opposed to being able to just being able to bring it up like I did in the 360. It's a pretty jarring break when you're trying to play a game and I do hope that its remedied in the future.
The Xbox One has also taken its first steps into the world of video game streaming and sharing. While it doesn't yet feature the Twitch.TV integration that's found on the PS4, it does feature the ability to record gameplay on the fly and upload it to the Skydrive. Whereas the PS4 features a share button right on the controller, you're able to simply tell the Xbox to start recording via Kinect implementation.
With the HDMI input on the back of the box, the Xbox One is also able to take in a signal from your cable box and run it through the interface. While I'm not an avid TV watcher, I have to admit that the approach being used here is pretty novel. The OneGuide essentially replaces the menu system for your cable box, allowing you to search for channels and even snap your TV to the side if you'd like to keep playing a game. The One will "learn" what TV you have as well as the specifications of your cable box and channel lineup, allowing it to control everything from one central location.
The issue here is that it's not always easier to use as opposed to simply grabbing the remote and doing it on your own. I'll admit, being able to tell the Kinect to switch to NBC was pretty fantastic, but I wonder how much time I was really saving here. If you're more of an avid TV watcher than I am, you may get more use out of this feature than I've been able to, but it's definitely a neat little aspect of the box.
It also has the ability to maintain a full audio system, but that's sadly not something we were able to test at this time.
Unfortunately, there is a lack of music applications available for the Xbox One at the current time, the only one being Xbox Music and an audio CD player. I'm sure this will change in the future, especially if Microsoft wants the One to be your living room centerpiece, but it's a bit disappointing. Having all of this power and not being able to fully utilize it by streaming music from my desktop or from Pandora natively is feels like a real letdown.
All in all, the UI of the Xbox One is attempting to compete with Apple for the centerpiece of your living room, and in trying to do a bit of everything it falls just short of being perfect at anything. I'm immensely happy with it as the new centerpiece of my apartment's entertainment system, but I'd be lying if I said that the One didn't still have some growing to do in order to meet its full potential.
Part Five: Games
Very few people are looking at buying the Xbox One as an all in one entertainment box though and the main question to be addressed here is: How does it perform as a gaming machine? Any credible journalist would state that it's almost impossible to judge a console's long term potential based on its launch window, but I've found that there's plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the One.
The launch lineup of Forza Motorsport 5, Ryse: Son of Rome, Dead Rising 3, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, NBA 2k14, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, Madden NFL 25, Need For Speed Rivals, FIFA 14, Just Dance 2014, Battlefield 4, LocoCycle, Zoo Tycoon and Crimson Dragon isn't bad at all for a brand new system, however, just like with the PS4, most of these titles aren't system sellers.
The One requires that all disc games be installed onto the internal hard drives before playing. These installs are fairly massive (ranging from 25-50 GB it seems), but you are able to start playing once the game has installed enough data to unlock the single player. While it's scary to think how quickly we may end up burning through the 500 GB hard drive, I have to admit that the install times are fairly quick and the benefits to these installs are immediately obvious as traditional loading times in game have drastically been diminished.
Admittedly, I did encounter a few issues. Need for Speed failed to render a distant texture for a moment and characters in Killer Instinct did not immediately show when selecting their portrait, but being able to jump right into a game is still a fantastic feeling and is worth the extra space taken up on the hard drive.
Of course, each game looks different and you can read more about how each one runs in their individual reviews, but even at this very early stage in development, the visual power of the Xbox One is very impressive. Killer Instinct may have gone a bit overboard here, but the sheer amount of particle effects present when performing some of the more advanced combos was outstanding. The visual acuity that developers have been able to put into these games shows a great deal of power, and it's only going to get better as they become more comfortable with the hardware.
I'm going to be that guy here and I'm going to directly compare the One to the PS4 in terms of pure power. And, regardless of what some people may think, right now they are dead even. If you're concerned with buying one console over the other simply due to graphical power, you cannot go wrong with either system. Time will tell if one is able to break away due to any number of reasons, but at the time of this writing they are absolutely identical.
Part Six: Conclusion
At the end of the day, you're reading this review to answer one simple question. "Should I buy an Xbox One?" I hate to use this cop out answer, but I'd say that it depends. The Xbox One definitely deserves a place in your home, but just not right now.
At the current time, it's very hard for me to honestly state that there's a need to buy either next-gen console. With each system only really having one "must play " title each (Dead Rising 3 and Resogun, respectively) and a lack of true console selling features, it's hard to justify buying in right now. Once the holiday season is over and we start seeing fresh games released, that may change. But at the current moment, I don't feel that purchasing either system is a necessity.
Buying an Xbox One now is less about buying a gaming system and is more about buying potential. There is a massive amount of potential here waiting to be unleashed, and I won't be shocked to see the One have massive commercial success down the road. With a better selection of games and more apps available to be downloaded, the Xbox One will no doubt become a powerhouse in the gaming industry.
Personally, I'm extremely happy with the system so far, and I don't think you'd go wrong buying in now if you don't feel like waiting. I think our very own Jonathan Lack stated it best in his PS4 review. "We are coming off the best and most creatively rich generation in video game history – whether the next one can match it has yet to be seen." He stated that the Playstation 4 is one hell of a start, and now that we've been able to have hands on time with both systems, the future definitely looks bright for gamers.


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iHub Research By Angela Okune / November 4, 2013
New Draft AU Convention on Confidence and Security in Cyberspace that you should review
By: Faith Morara & Nanjira Sambuli (Umati)
A draft convention, dubbed the "African Union Convention on Confidence and Security in Cyberspace," has been put forth by the AU. If ratified, the convention will affect a large part of the ICT sector across the continent. The growing developer communities, including those at the iHub and other ICT Hubs will be impacted. The convention was drafted by the African Union Commission (AUC) with little (if any) consultation from major stakeholders in Africa Union Member states, and is scheduled for passage at an AU meeting in January 2014, if none of its members oppose it. A majority of the public remains unaware of the existence of this draft.
Discussions with various stakeholders from industry, academia, and NGOs have highlighted numerous shortcomings. Should the draft be ratified in its current state, certain provisions will have substantial negative impact across the continent. Some of the contentious clauses and issues include:
The AUCC draft attempts to address the ongoing issue of online hate speech but is flawed in that it fails to define the speech it is attempting to curtain and therefore leaves room for subjective interpretation. Specifically, Article III (34-37) is problematic in that it does not define the racist or xenophobic content it is attempting to curb. Furthermore, the clause makes the same mistake found in the NCIC 2008 Act, which fails to include hate speech against gender and sexual orientation, two additional groups that the Umati project has found to be targets of online hate speech. [See Article III (34-37)].
Article II (20) of the AUCC gives full authority to members of a data protection authority who are not held accountable to anyone else and can operate with free rein ("Members of the protection authority shall not receive instructions from any authority in the exercise of their functions"). The lack of checks to this power are problematic.
Regarding mobile money and mobile banking transactions, Article I (4) compels that a person or corporation engaging in electronic financial transactions (e.g M-PESA) must provide full identity information as prescribed in the clause. Such a requirement is risky as it remains unclear how such data will be protected and how confidentiality will be maintained.
It is without a doubt, that Africa is faced with a security gap in a world characterized by the globalization of risks, crimes and threats to cyber security, and that African states are in need of innovative criminal policy strategies, as stated in the draft convention's conceptual framework. Laudable articles in the convention include the prohibition of direct marketing through any form of indirect communication including messages forwarded with automatic message senders, facsimile or electronic mails in whatsoever form, using the particulars of an individual who has not given prior consent [See Article I (9)]. (We all know how irking those 'spam' messages can be!)
Different stakeholders have come together to lobby against the ratification of the AUCC, in its current form. The public should also understand that once it is ratified, all countries within the AU (including Kenya) would be required to adopt it, contentious clauses and all.
Google, iHub, iLab Africa and Strathmore University's Centre for Internet Protocol and IT Law (CIPIT) are among the stakeholders who have signed the petition pressing the AU to review the document before it is ratified. Given the anomalies provided, which will likely have adverse effects on businesses, individual rights, and freedoms, it is crucial to incorporate greater public participation in revising this legislation. The industry has already recently suffered legal setbacks with the passing of the Kenya 2013 VAT bill, which already has and will continue to dampen growth of the national ICT sector (for more information, see an earlier iHub blog post).
Other disconcerting trends include the recent passing of the Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill, that has worrying clauses that give the government immense control over the Communications and Multimedia sector. These clauses pull back the gains the country has made in ensuring Freedom of the Press, crucial for democracy, transparency and accountability. There are quite a number of challenges to beset the media industry if such a bill is passed and it also takes away society's right to information and hits at the guarantee to freedom of speech that is enshrined in the Constitution. The Miscellaneous Amendment Act 2013 also purports to put a cap on foreign funding for Public Benefit Organizations in the country. These moves can be interpreted as dissent on freedoms that have been fought for and are currently enjoyed by Kenyans, as well as enshrined in our Constitution.
What can you do?
Write to your legislator. If you don't know who your legislator is, Mzalendo is a great tool to help you find out! Then, pull out your pen and paper (or keyboard and printer)! Write a letter to your relevant legislator and attach a copy of the AUCC draft pointing out the contentious clauses in the draft.
Share widely!
Time is of the essence as it is only two months before the AU meets to discuss on final passage of the AUCC. We will continue to share more information on next steps that we'll be taking to ensure that the African Union lawmakers take heed to our worries and concerns with the proposed convention.
The Draft AUCC Bill is accessible here.
Other analyses into the draft convention can be found here, here and here.
Share the post "New Draft AU Convention on Confidence and Security in Cyberspace that you should review"
7 Comments
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Adolphus lwova at 12:27:32PM Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Do you have any details on how many sittings or how long it took to have this draft , participants and their backgrounds ? This draft should be reviewed , it is very broad .Sign the public petition to the AU +1Reply
Mwas Gichuru at 12:35:53PM Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Wonderful piece.I agree with you.We need to upgrade and enhance cybersecurity in our continent.
Keep up.
Elisha Kamau at 12:47:34PM Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Quite informative….Reply
Nanjira Sambuli at 23:47:48PM Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Hi Adolphus,
As yet, we haven't yet been able to access such information. Should we acquire it, we'll be sure to follow up with an update.
For now, do spread the word. Thanks.Reply
Review of the African Union draft Cybersecurity Convention by iHub & Way Forwards | Draft African Union Convention on the Confidence and Security in Cyberspace at 17:59:37PM Thursday, December 19, 2013
[…] iHub Umati Project penned down this review of the AU draft cyber-security convention. In there, they have laid down what one can do, […]Reply
iHub Research's 2014 Tech Outlook: Predictions, Convictions…and Questions at 11:47:21AM Saturday, February 15, 2014
[…] laws are necessary, the proposed convention has some problematic clauses that have been highlighted at length, such as the lack of consultation with stakeholders in its drafting. While voting on the convention […]Reply
Tirelo Ramasedi at 07:28:26AM Friday, July 4, 2014
Great piece and more important insightful view!Reply
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2010-11-17 / Schools/Sports
FBHS Presents Long Island and the Civil War November 21
Long Island and the Civil War, a 60-minute illustrated program exploring Long Island's role in the War Between the States, will be presented Sunday, November 21, at 2:00 pm in the Board Room of Village Hall, 361 Main St., Farmingdale, by Harrison Hunt.
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An introduction to support on Envato Market
- Envato staff look over every item before it can be sold on Envato Market.
- Technical items contain help files to introduce you to the item and its components.
- Authors can choose to support their items but this is optional and may vary.
Hands-on support for this item is provided by PixFlow
Frequently Asked Questions
How to change pie charts color?
You should go to "assets > js > custom.js" and go to line 334, here you can change the color of pie charts using "barColor" and "trackColor".
When to contact Envato Support
Authors are experts on their own items, but if you're having trouble using Envato Market you should come straight to Envato Support.


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Special coverage: the ISIS threat
Becky Bruce | posted Sep 12th - 7:59am
KSL Newsradio goes in-depth on the ISIS threat in a special edition of Utah's Morning News
Seatbelts save lives in Tooele County crash
Peter Samore | posted Sep 11th - 8:08am
Three people who rolled 75 feet down an embankment off I-80 are alive to tell the story, because they were wearing their seat belts.
The debate about "bribing" children
Paul Nelson | posted Sep 10th - 6:16am
Is it ever acceptable to bribe your child?
KSL morning host will accompany father on Honor Flight
Marc Giauque | posted Sep 9th - 10:30pm
Amanda Dickson's father came from a tradition of military service. Though he initially aimed for Annapolis, David Dickson Jr. ended his career as a corporal in the Marine Corps after the war.
Troopers search for armed suspect who stole SUV
Whitney Evans | posted Sep 8th - 11:01am
Police are still searching for a man who they say is armed, stole an SUV and fled from police.
Manhunt, bombing examined at police conference
Peter Samore | posted Sep 5th - 4:40pm
A rogue ex-cop case, the Boston Marathon bombing and police cooperation are just some of the issues examined at the Salt Lake Valley Violent Crimes Conference.
Debate over Utah's public lands continues at 50th anniversary of Wilderness Act
Dave Cawley | posted Sep 3rd - 10:20am
Anniversary of landmark federal wilderness law's 1964 signing prompts reflection, call to action over the future of Utah's wild places.
Speed bumps plague the trucking industry
Paul Nelson | posted Sep 3rd - 7:24am
A shortage of truck drivers across the country is hitting Utah hard, as the industry seeks new hires.
Crash sends 300 pounds of broccoli across I-80
Mary Richards and Nicole Vowell | posted Sep 3rd - 6:55am
UHP reopened I-80 eastbound near Tooele Wednesday morning after a truck carrying 75,000 pounds of broccoli crashed.
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Instead of abandoning her, a dying Utah man is turning his cat over to the Humane Society. His last wish: to get a call that she's been adopted.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I wouldn't flame you, but there is a big difference between "DM LF2M" and "Scuse me plz."
Abbreviation in the LFG channel helps to keep clutter down, and is generally accepted as the norm. The names of instances, and often long, and complicated. Also, when advertising, you are not just asking a specific person for help, but offering a spot in your group.
Also, it is expected that people ask for groups and players in that channel, so it is not just some random request.
When you run up to someone and say "scuse, wtb pr0t plz" you are directly targeting them with a request. You could just use the courtesy to ask in a more polite manner. You will get a positive response much more often when you ask that way.


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museum of ancient glass, zadar, croatia by maraid http://flic.kr/p/g8QcNA
Another hot day.
(via Cuore | who killed bambi?)
Cuore, designed by Liviana Osti, includes two glass carafes shaping a human heart when joined together…
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(via Assault Rifle Glass Smoking Pipe | who killed bambi?)
Assault rifle glass smoking pipe, by Robert Mickelsen.
Assault rifle glass smoking pipe, by Robert Mickelsen.
(via TYWKIWDBI ("Tai-Wiki-Widbee"): This glass fish was made 1900 years ago !)
The exhibition Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World contains nineteen of the roughly 180 glass vessels found in the ancient Kushan storerooms at Begram. Many have very close parallels from the Roman world which also support a date of about 100 AD for the sealing of the rooms. These include mosaic glass and ribbed bowls, facet-cut beakers, a drinking horn, a jug decorated with gold foil, another that appears almost black, and a stunning series decorated with scenes painted in brightly coloured vitreous enamels. All functioned as tablewares but, whereas some are very common, others were probably relatively expensive.However, some of the vessels found at Begram remain something of a mystery and these include as many as twenty-two which are in the shape of fish and other creatures. Three of these are shown in the exhibition. They were made by inflating the glass while it was hot and adding trails of glass to the body, and sometimes in a different colour, to create very distinctive fins. The composition of the glass resembles that of Roman glass made in Egypt yet there are no known parallels, either complete or fragmentary, for these vessels from the Roman world.
You can read more details at The British Museum's blog, via Mental Floss.
Brutal Simplicity theme by Kevin Burg


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Asthma Health Center
Chronic Cough: Common and Often Vexing
Setting Expectations
Lim advises patients to understand that finding a solution may take time. He suggests that patients find a nearby doctor since repeated appointments will likely be needed.
"It's just the nature of the diagnostic process. It's not that the doctor isn't doing his best," he says.
Lim adds that doctors should quickly be able to rule out the conditions patients fear most, like cancer.
Patients should "work with somebody they trust, who's accessible [and] willing to see them back," says Lim. "You need somebody who's interested in the subject, interested in people."
Doctors should give patients start-and-stop dates for each approach they try, says Lim.
Scanning the Sinuses
Lim and colleagues also checked CT sinus scans of 132 chronic cough patients.
Those patients had already failed treatment for rhinitis, reflux, and asthma. Nearly three-quarters of patients who were clinically suspected of having a sinus problem had abnormal CT sinus scans, and about a third had acute sinusitis, the researchers report.
The researchers aren't recommending CT scans for most people with chronic cough. The patients they scanned had already tried other approaches. Having a history of sinus problems or sinus surgery may also push sinus problems higher on the list of possibilities, says Lim.
Today on WebMD
Pollen counts, treatment tips, and more.
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Events in January 2013
|Maria Doyle Kennedy
Maria Doyle Kennedy
7:30 PM - Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Rivoli, Toronto, ON
|Diemonds Bad Pack Tour (kick off date)
8:00 PM - Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The Casbah, Hamilton, ON
|Sak Noel with DJ Rhiannon
Sak Noel
10:00 PM - Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Barracuda Pretty, St. Catharines, ON
Ticket Availability
If the tickets you are looking for are not available, please check back as our inventory is constantly updated. All tickets issued as eTickets. You can print your tickets from your My TicketScene account page.


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Kobuk Valley National Park
It has been awhile since we have been to Alaska, almost a full year. Normally people wouldn't see that as being a long time, but since I retired we have spend the last ten years of our lives becoming expert travelers and spending most of our time and money going from place to place. Most of the time we stay in the U.S. because it's easier and there is a lot to see here when you really look. About a year ago we made plans to visit all the National Parks in the U.S. that looked interesting. Over this last year we have visited most of them, and we are narrowing down on the list of available parks to visit.
We decided to head to Kobuk Valley National Park, located in north Alaska. Finding a hotel or place to stay in Alaska is usually easy, but this far up north in the Northwest Arctic Borough it wasn't so easy. When we finally found a place to stay we made plans to fly in. Now it is our tradition to rent a vehicle every trip, we always enjoy choosing and driving around in brand new cars. But this time of year up in Alaska we wouldn't be able to drive without local help, so for the first time in nearly a hundred trips we did without a rental car.
When we landed in Fairbanks we were driven to our lodge in the bitter cold. The roads were completely iced over so it was slow going, but we asked if they could take us to Kobuk Valley in the morning and they simply said "Well see what the roads look like." Early in the morning they showed up and said we could go and the whether was good for the park this time of year.
When we got there we were told that we were visiting the best part of the park. The guides walked with us for almost fifteen miles up the hills till we hit some of the most spectacular views. The park is roughly the size of Delaware, so there wasn't a chance in the world we would get to see the whole thing. They said most people take flights over the park, but we were thoroughly enjoying walking along the streams and cresting the high rolling hills.
If we ever return to Kobuk Valley we will be sure to take a flight. If you do visit be sure to pick a better time of the year where it is easier to get around and you don't freeze after stepping out of the car.


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We've seen and heard little of Crytek's classical fisticuffs sim Ryse since the game showed its face at E3 2011, and when I recently accosted Crytek's Cevat Yerli for details as to this most ambitious of Kinect projects, he was reluctant to give away much. Fans of Roman-punching can rest assured, however, that "development is tracking very well".
"We're are on track with all our plans," Yerli told OXM at a Crysis 3 event. "The game is really shaping up well, but that's pretty much all I can say at the moment." He was equally unwilling to be drawn on release dates. Asked whether Ryse would skip 2013, Yerli replied simply: "I don't know." The game's debut trailer is below.
One reason for Ryse's repeated delay could be that Crytek is adding a multiplayer mode - Crackdown 2 studio Ruffian Games is rumoured to be involved.
Of possible relevance: it's claimed the next Xbox will ship with a new and improved version of Kinect, which is capable of tracking things like thumb joints and facial expressions. Thumbs? They're good for eye-gouging with.


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Dragon*Con 2012
James will be a guest at Dragon*Con, being held Labor Day weekend, August 31 – September 3, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Click here for more information.
James will be a guest at Dragon*Con, being held Labor Day weekend, August 31 – September 3, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Click here for more information.
To purchase the book in advance, go here.
James will be returning to Atlanta, GA this summer to appear at Dragon*Con. The convention will be held on September 2 – 5, 2011.
Find out more information and buy event tickets at dragoncon.com.
Tickets for the Chicago Comic Con and Atlanta DragonCon Private Parties are available on the "Private Parties" tab of James' facebook page located here.
Don't miss out on two very special private parties with James – spaces are limited!
Saturday, August 21st in Chicago (during the Chicago Comic Con weekend) and Saturday, September 4th in Atlanta (during the DragonCon weekend) there will be a private party with James that will include: a concert, photo session and intimate Q & A session. These events will be held in a private room with seating for all in a nearby restaurant where finger foods and drinks will be served (there will be a cash bar for cocktails).
Tickets will go on sale July 6th via a link posted on James' Official Facebook Page at 12 noon, EDT. All payments will be made through PayPal. You may purchase as many tickets per order as you'd like. Tickets are non-refundable, however, they are transferable.
James will attend this year's DragonCon in the US. The convention will be held in Atlanta, GA on September 3 – 5, 2010. Further details to come. Find out more about DragonCon and buy event tickets at dragoncon.com.


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I've purchased some Physicians Formula Sexy Booster swag which I've packaged up in a little gift bag and will be gifting to one lucky reader!
Take the jump to enter!
I've purchased some Physicians Formula Sexy Booster swag which I've packaged up in a little gift bag and will be gifting to one lucky reader!
Take the jump to enter!
Bath & Body Works has launched a new scent entitled Sparkling Blackberry Woods.
This is a mix of sparkling blackberries, warm woods, creamy cocoa, and warm musk.
I'm not a fond fan of some of Bath & Body Works other "woodsy" blends so I'll probably skip this. But it could potentially be cause for great excitement for those that enjoy fragrances like Twilight Woods, Cranberry Woods, etc…
It's available in:
It's launched in store as well as online.
If you sniffed it do share your commentary about it. Would love to hear. I must admit I wasn't impressed with Forever Red so I'm kinda veering away from fragrances Bath & Body Works does lately. I'll stick with candles, anti-bacs, and fragrance oils from them!
Yes to Grapefruit has a new Brightening and Dark Spot Treatment Collection for Spring 2013. I've been seeing a variety of trends for Spring 2013 and I'm sure one of them that will be back this year is dark spot and brightening skincare products.
Last year we saw a huge increase in the brightening skincare market as well as dark spot treatments. This incredible boost in the market was met by great excitement for those of that have turned to Asian skincare products for many years to brighten our skin. Finally the US market is catching up! Dark Spot Treatment are also blown out of the water this year with both mainstream drugstore picks as well as higher end ones launching all around the board. So far my personal favorite has been from Philosophy!
I'd be highly interested to give Yes to Grapefruit's new collection a try though as it is a good deal more affordable.
Take a look!Read More...
Iman Skintone Evener BB Creme SPF 15 ($20) is one of the latest drugstore BB Creams to hit the market for Spring 2013. As we get closer to the Holidays end and Spring starts down its nose at us we'll probably start to see the next generation of BB Creams hitting mid-range counters and of course, drugstore shelves. Lumene has a new BB Cream launching soon as well as Urban Decay (two to look forward too!). CC Creams will also see some development come Spring with a larger focus for Summer 2013 I'm sure.
Iman's $20 price tag isn't drugstore beauty budget friendly but it might just be worth checking out if you're a deeper skin tone!Read More...
I'm dreaming of a new Kate Walsh Boyfriend Perfume for Spring 2013. Kate has consecutively released two fragrances over the course of the last two Spring seasons. Typically these appear in January and February with teaser videos appearing between those two months.
I am VERY eager to see if she's doing something new again this Spring. The original Boyfriend fragrance is one my signature scents and I absolutely adore it. I've likened it to a hard hug from your husband or boyfriend. It's just so warm and comforting. How Kate managed to bottle up a masculine scent and make it completely sexy and alluring for women is a mystery to me. But she did it and everyone I talk to that tried it, LOVES it.Read More...


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Grab your bike and head for the trail with the Muddyfox Hypersonic Country dual suspension mountain bike. It comes fitted with high quality Zoom forks and Shimano EZ-Fire gear shifters. It also has disc brakes fitted at both ends to give you superior stopping power when you're tearing around the trails.
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Muddyfox Country 26 Inch Mountain Bike - Men's. 146/8919
Cash price £179.99
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BKYSC Crown Heights Henley featured on Designed Good with an interview with TVP's Jon Goldmann
Featured in Designedgood.com
This week at Designed Good, we are lucky to be featuring a brand with a full story we can trace from beginning to end. The Vanity Project defines transparency: They were conceived for reasons we can relate to, and they are committed to partnerships and principles they can spell out clearly. This week, we caught up with Jon Goldmann from The Vanity Project, an initiative that is making the things you want to wear – T-shirts and sweatshirts – into tools for making a real difference. "We want to create conversations around the clothing," Jon told us.
Indeed, The Vanity Project itself grew out of conversations that Jon remembers with his friends Omri and Jason, who founded The Vanity Project while they were at Northwestern University. When Jason's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, he struggled with feeling powerless, since her recovery was not in his control. He and Omri began doing more volunteer work in the Chicago area.
With exposure to nonprofits and charities, he realized how strapped they were for time and resources – they needed help with outreach and branding, and the T-shirts that were supposed to accomplish this were often the forgotten-in-the-laundry-basket variety.
They launched The Vanity Project a year ago to help more people make a real impact by wearing something they'd be excited to pull from their closet hangers.
They have teamed up with about 30 small and medium-sized nonprofits to design and sell clothing that captures their mission – while also supporting them financially. The Vanity Project donates 51% of their net profits – again, a transparent specific we can latch on to – to the cause that inspired that specific piece of clothing.
We admire the set of criteria that guides The Vanity Project towards their nonprofit partners. Jon described their process for connecting with leaders of charities as such: "Are these the type of people we'd want to sit down and have a beer with?"
But his statement is less about discovering whether they're PBR-bound or strictly Guinness fans. Rather, they're interested in identifying charities that they have a real ideological connection with and who are committed to their own success.
They have big ideas about conscious consumerism at every level and want to bring the nonprofit community together. "We want to be a thought leader in the space," Jon said.
And we're excited because at the end of the day, The Vanity Project is not just interested in how people look outwardly at the world around them, but also how people think about themselves. That's the origin of their business's name: The idea of looking in the mirror and deciding if you are representing your values with what you wear – whether you #WearReal.http://www.designedgood.com/products/bkysc-crown-heights-henley#post
Check Out The Vanity Project at Gowanus Nite Market
Featured in Time Out New York
Browse the wares of around 25 indie vendors and food trucks—such as Design Hype, Dana Made and the Vanity Project—at the Gowanus Nite Market, an after-dark bazaar held in a film-prop warehouse. The second edition of this monthly fair features an exhibit of five local artists, including Marthalicia Martarita, who will be painting live. Resident DJ Chela spins a mix of hip-hop, pop, funk and disco. For more details, visit gowanusnitemarket.com.
Radical: Vanity Project's T-Shirt For Architecture For Humanity Raises Money For Hurricane Sandy Victims
By Raquel Laneri. Featured in the Architizer Blog on Archetizer.com
Call it radical chic. The Vanity Project, a T-shirt company that works exclusively with nonprofits, has teamed up with Architecture for Humanity for its latest charitable top. The Rebuild One Block shirt, designed by Filipino studio utwentysix, will help Architecture for Humanity raise money to rebuild homes ravaged by Hurricane Sandy in hard-hit Far Rockaway and Breezy Point in Queens. Oh, and do we have to tell you the shirt is pretty killer? Soft gray cotton, with a blue-and-red image of a clenched fist holding a T-square—a play on the labor symbol for unity and resistance. "If the Occupy Movement were architects, this would be their shirt," says Architecture for Humanity Co-founder Cameron Sinclair.
The Vanity Project will donate 51% of the proceeds from each shirt sold to Architecture for Humanity. The new design is available now for $35 on TVP's website and will be sold through other e-commerce platforms in the coming weeks.
Straight Shootin' with Jason and Omri from The Vanity Project
Featured on Social Entrepreneurs on Roozt on Oct 29, 2012.
The Vanity Project co-founders Jason Sochol and Omri Bojko
To celebrate the release of their Fall 2012 line, we asked The Vanity Project co-founders and NYC natives Jason Sochol and Omri Bojko everything you'd want to ask two successful social entrepreneurs. TVP works with non-profit organizations to design high-end graphic shirts and hoodies based on their logos, and 51% of the proceeds from every sale are donated back to the cause. Wow! Find out what makes Jason & Omri tick:
The Vanity Project co-founders Jason Sochol & Omri Bojko
Roozt: Where do you usually find yourself around noon on a Sunday?
Jason: Gearing up to watch the Ravens.
Omri: Biking to one of New York's many street festivals, like Smorgasburd Flea Food Market in Brooklyn.
Roozt: What are the top 5 most played songs on your iTunes right now?
Jason: "My Passion" by Akcent, "Power Happy" by Con Bro Chill, "Lights" (Bassnectar remix) by Ellie Goulding, "Black Velvet" by Ferry Corsten, "Come With Me" (Jidax Remix) by Steve Aoki.
Omri: I'm more of a Pandora guy so I'll give my top 5 artists—Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes, Florence + The Machine, Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys, The Beatles.
Roozt: What are you most passionate about and why?
Jason: I want to create natural, convenient systems to make our society more sustainable. Whether it's recycling or using more environmentally-friendly sources of energy, there are many opportunities to make small, seamless changes that can have a huge impact. Trying to change human nature is a losing battle—we need to work with human nature and steer its natural impulses toward doing good. TVP is an example of this. Our desire to look good should not be shamed. Rather, we should harness that desire to do great things, like helping those in need.
Omri: I'd say I'm most passionate about two things. The first is just to create things. It's unbelievably rewarding…the day after one of our first events in Chicago I saw a person in my neighborhood wearing a shirt of ours. That alone put a huge smile on my face and justified every risk we took in starting TVP. The second thing is creating systems that improve society through increased efficiency. JFK said something to the effect of "there is no problem that mankind cannot solve." I truly believe that and am committed to being a part of the solution.
Roozt: Who inspires you the most?
Jason: Lincoln, Washington, John Lennon, Muhammad Ali….and Russell Crowe in Gladiator. People who fought against the status quo and held on to a near impossible vision of the future.
Omri: People being true to themselves and going against the grain when it is so much easier to just go with the crowd. Whether it's a kid standing up for another on the playground or a revolutionary leading a struggle against oppression, being true to yourself is the one thing all great leaders have in common.
Roozt: What's the story behind starting your company?
Jason: It's hard to say when the story starts, but if I had to pinpoint it, it was the day Omri and I were sitting in a coffee shop in Chicago, and he turned to me and said: "What if we put really cool charity logos on soft vintage tees?" Intrigued, I responded: "Go on…" If you did a CAT scan at that exact moment I'd bet you'd see something like cerebral fireworks exploding all over the place.
Omri: Jason and I were both working in finance in Chicago. We felt unfulfilled with our jobs and began to volunteer with local non-profits. One thing we noticed was how much of a burden doing T-shirts was on their already strained resources; we also noticed (as everyone else does) how bad the shirts produced for charitable events are. At the same time, I found myself becoming increasingly disenchanted with the retail graphic clothing market. I'd walk into any major retailer or even small boutique and couldn't find anything that adequately expressed anything about me. Why would you wear something that said "Varsity Soccer Team 1975″ when you were not on the soccer team or alive in 1975? So we looked at the market from both angles.
Jason: We started out calling a few charities to gauge their interest. Immediately they were intrigued—"Wait, so you're going to pay for them, produce them, sell them, and send us checks? And there won't be unsold boxes of shirts in our offices anymore? And these are actually going to look cool and be good quality? What's the catch?" We sold our first round of shirts in 2011; in 2012 we held our official launch at New York Fashion Week. It was a huge success, and from then on we began raising capital, securing office space, establishing relationships with printers and suppliers, reaching out to retailers, and engaging new non-profits. Now we're ready to scale.
Roozt: Why are you committed to giving back through business?
Jason: I think corporate social responsibility is very important—and logical—given businesses only exist because of their consumers. It's unfortunate that there's so much animosity out there right now between businesses and society. We exist because of our consumers. We know that. We all have a lot to be thankful for, and a great way to do that if you're a business owner is to give back—that could be personally, or it could be baked into every transaction, like our apparel at TVP.
Omri: In my mind this is just the next evolution of our society and economy. I really don't like the traditional non-profit model of just asking people for money. Once I started volunteering, I thought to myself that there has to be a better way to engage people and get them invested in a cause. I'm also a big believer in capitalism and its ability to make our world a better place, when harnessed correctly. We can afford to incorporate a way to give back into our business model—this is also something that consumers do and should demand. Unchecked consumerism got us to a bad point as a country and we believe conscious consumerism should and will be the next paradigm.
Roozt: Any wise words for aspiring social entrepreneurs out there?
Omri: The first thing I would tell anyone starting any business is to prove your concept on a small scale, see if people buy into your idea and it's economically feasible. After that (and I know this sounds like a huge cliche) it's just to persevere. Along the way at literally every step there are people who tell you that you cannot get it done, especially when it comes to social enterprise, which by definition isn't solely profit driven—people will tell you it's crazy and you can't do it. Screw that! Keep trying.
Jason: One of our partner charities has a great slogan that comes to mind: "Lead The Fight." No one else is going to. Don't look around for someone to do it for you. If you know how, or see the way, then do it. Don't make any excuses or feel bad for yourself. Somebody somewhere has it way worse. Be thankful for the opportunity and honored to play this role.
Omri: If you start 10 endeavors and 9 of them fail but one succeeds you are a successful business person. Go out there, take chances. What's the worst that can happen?
New York Called Omri Bojko and Jason Sochol
"I was told a story about elephants eating farmer's crop. The elephants were eating these farmer's livelihood so the farmers were shooting them. An elephant expert came out and advised the farmers to plant chili next to their crop because elephants hate chili. So the farmers followed instruction and sure enough the elephants went elsewhere. The chili, in turn became a desired commodity that the farmers ended up selling and making a decent amount of money from. They made enough that the famers were able to actually allocate grazing land for the elephants."This story is all about connecting the dots to better our environment. It is about finding solutions to problems in a way that encourages a conscious and environmentally friendly lifestyle. In the same way Omri and Jason are providing an outlet for people to live their lives more consciously by being mindful of what they wear and supporting causes they care about at the same time. The two are connecting fashion and philanthropy in a powerful way and I certainly hope they can succeed in raising awareness and inspiring people to #wearreal.
Make sure to visit their website here to #wearreal and follow them on Twitter and Facebook. Keep updated on The Vanity Project on The Busy Signal.
A Nice Shout Out from our friends in Thailand!
'The Vanity Project' เสื้อยืดมีดีไซน์สนับสนุน+ส่งเสริมกิจการเพื่อสังคม
14.10.2012| CREATIVE, DESIGN | 217 Views
เชื่อว่ามนุษย์ใจดีอย่างชาว CreativeMOVE หลายครั้งก็อยากอุดหนุนสินค้าเพื่อการกุศลอย่างเต็มอกเต็มใจ แต่หลายหนก็ซื้อเพราะแค่อยากช่วย ไม่ได้ปลื้มดีไซน์แต่อย่างใด เผลอๆ ซื้อไปก็ไม่ได้ใช้งาน เก็บเข้ากรุไปซะงั้น สินค้าที่ไม่น่าจับจ่าย จึงส่งผลให้การระดมทุนเพื่อทำงานสังคมชะงักงันไปได้เหมือนกัน หลายองค์กรก็เข้าใจปัญหานี้อย่างดี เลยจับมือกับนักสร้างสรรค์ออกแบบสินค้าการกุศลให้ได้ลุค ช่วงนี้เราจึงเห็นสินค้าเพื่อการกุศลที่มีดีไซน์ใช้ได้จริงในชีวิตออกมาไม่ น้อยเลย
The Vanity Project ก็เป็นอีกหนึ่งโครงการที่มุ่งเป้าสู่คนรุ่นใหม่หัวใจสาธารณะ โดยหยิบเอาเสื้อยืดมาสื่อ ใส่ดีไซน์ให้ความหมายการช่วยเหลือสังคม The Vanity Project ทำงานร่วมกับองค์กรไม่แสวงหากำไรหลายด้าน อาทิ การศึกษาและเยาวชน การช่วยเหลือผู้อดอยากและยากจน ด้านสาธารณสุข สิ่งแวดล้อม สังคม รวมถึงวัฒนธรรม โดยนำโลโกขององค์กรนั้นๆ มาจัดวางอย่างสวยเก๋บนเสื้อยืดคุณภาพดี เนื้อนุ่ม ทำจากฝ้ายออร์แกนิคผสมโพลีเอสเตอร์รีไซเคิล ซื้อใส่แล้วยืดอกได้ ไม่ใช่แค่ด้วยดีไซน์ แต่ยังมีความหมายของการให้ เพราะ 51% ของราคาเสื้อที่จ่ายไปนั้น จะนำกลับไปบริจาคแก่องค์กรที่เลือก (ตามโลโก้บนเสื้อยืด) และทุกครั้งที่หยิบมาใส่ เสื้อยืดยังช่วยสื่อสาร กระตุ้นการรับรู้ต่องานด้านสังคมขององค์กรนั้นๆ ด้วย
มากกว่าความเป็นแฟชั่นหรือโปรดักท์ดีไซน์ The Vanity Project ยังยืนอยู่บนพื้นความคิดของ Collaborative Design ที่ออกแบบระบบประสานความร่วมมือจากหลายแห่ง ดีไซน์และองค์กรการกุศลที่ไม่ทำงานโดดเดี่ยวแยกจากกันแบบนี้แหละ จะยิ่งช่วยให้การสร้างสังคมที่ดีมีพลังมากยิ่งขึ้น
อ้างอิง: The Vanity Project, Facebook
Credit/ที่มา: http://www.creativemove.com/creative/the-vanity-project/#ixzz2APxb67D4
Re-Imagined Logo Tees
Featured in the October 2012 issue of BBP, the Official Business Monthly of the Promotional Products Association International.
The Vanity Project T-Shirts for Charity
Featured on Style Quotidien on September 24, 2012
The Vanity Project collaborates exclusively with non-profit organizations to produce high-end clothing in order to raise money and build awareness for important causes. The partner organizations represent a variety of social issues including education and youth development, hunger and poverty, the environment, disease support and prevention and social equality. The Vanity Project serves as a platform to support these great causes by offering t-shirts, sweatshirts and hooded sweat jackets for sale with 515 of the proceeds from every sale going directly back to the organization featured. The heather purple tee on the left is made partially from eco-friendly fabrics and supports the AAC, an organization that spreads awareness and raises funds for children living with Asperger's Syndrome via the NYU Langone Medical Center. The tee in the middle of made from 100% organic cotton and supports Action Against Hunger, a global organization that works to save the lives of malnourished children and provide safe and sustainable water supplies through the efforts of over 4,600 humanitarian professionals. The 100% organic cotton acid green tee on the right supports the Fiver Children's Foundation, a comprehensive youth development organization that empowers children from underserved communities to develop life skills and to reach their full potential through year-round mentoring and counseling programs, a character building residential summer program, and partnerships with schools and community based organizations. There are many other styles and colors to choose from, and each piece helps to support one of the partner charities. Prices range from $32 for t-shirts to $58 for a zipped hoodie. Sizes are unisex and range from XS-XXL.
A World Where We #WearReal
by Lena Lam Featured on Ethical Ocean on September 14 2012
Imagine a world without insecurity. A world where people can live without fear and be who they really are. In this world, people wouldn't make decisions based on fear; they wouldn't do something based on peer pressure or what social norms dictate; they wouldn't do what everyone else is doing just because it's deemed "cool." In this world, everyone would express themselves for who they truly are and individuality would be encouraged – not shunned. In this world, people would not only be real but #WearReal clothing that has purpose and meaning.
This is a world that Omri Bojko dreams of. This is a world he aims to help create through The Vanity Project, an organization Omri co-founded with his business partner Jason Sochol. "To me", Omri begins, "there's nothing scarier than a loss of individuality. Our work is trying to create a world where people don't only feel good but also look good expressing themselves for who they are and what they care about."
Back in 2009, Jason's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer (thankfully, she's okay now). It inspired Omri and Jason—two history grads from Northwestern University turned finance industry professionals—decided to start volunteering for non-profit organizations in Chicago. Their collective experience across all the organizations they donated time to brought them to one common realization: The t-shirts these non-profits make are terrible.
"Even worse was the fact these NPOs had to devote resources to getting these awful shirts designed and printed—both human resources and financial," Omri explains. The pair saw an opportunity in the retail market to help NPOs with their brand strategies and community engagement, as well as design high quality tees with artistic and meaningful graphics.
"Our products create a tangible bond between the NPOs they're for and the individuals that support them. What good is a shirt that raises money or spreads awareness for a charitable cause if no one can tell what the cause is?" For Omri, it's a chance to "help organizations leverage their brands."
And that is exactly what The Vanity Project has done for many non-profits including Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Asperger's Awareness Council, The Children's Aid Society, The American Fallen Soldiers Project, and Buffalo Bayou Partnership, to name a few. By creating unique designs through tweaking current logos, or in some cases designing logos from scratch, The Vanity Project is able to produce exclusive designs to print on ethical t-shirts. 51% of the profits from each shirt go back to the organization featured (and in some cases 100% goes back to the organization, through special partnerships).
Although The Vanity Project is a relatively new company, it has already seen the impact of its work. "From a financial standpoint, the NPOs we work with make money. Some organizations have received several thousands of dollars through our collaboration. In addition, we were able to take the workload off their hands and provide them with a superior product that showcases their brand and organization extremely well."
The tees are also helping to expand their NPO partners' reach. "We have sold shirts for organizations in Chicago to people in Alabama and for a New York-based organization to people in Oregon. We are reaching people across the country who previously did not know about these causes. Our work is reenergizing the community of these NPOs and allowing them to view themselves and the work they do differently. It's pretty rewarding and amazing to see this happen."
Maybe the world Omri dreams of is not as far from reality as he thinks. One thing's for sure: The Vanity Project is leading the path to its creation.
The Vanity Project
Charity merchandise gets a design boost
by Kat Herriman in Cool Hunting Style on 9 August 2012
Fed up with their positions in finance in real estate, friends Omri Bojko and Jason Sochol embarked on a quest to find something more meaningful to do, and thus created the The Vanity Project (TVP) in 2011. The two Northwestern grads had begun volunteering for non-profit organizations around Chicago after being inspired by Sochol's mother's fight against breast cancer, and in the process discovered a pattern among the merchandise created for various fundraising events. "We noticed that the charities' funds were always being drained into creating the merchandise for their events, especially those T-shirts that are always too boxy and that no one ever wants to wear afterward," says Bojko. "We thought, wouldn't it be great if someone could create T-shirts that measured up to these awesome causes?"
"We saw the place for something mutually beneficial where charities could raise money and simultaneously people could support their favorite causes with T-shirts they'd want anyway," says Bojko. "The Vanity Project is a platform that non-profits can use to do that. We are a non-profit merchandise solution." Working on a case-by-case basis, TVP has grown by collaborating with charities such as Twist Out Cancer and The Story Pirates.
Each collaboration is tailored to the charities' individual needs. However, the basic model is that TVP helps charities tweak or redesign their logos and then takes on the cost of buying and printing the shirts, which most non-profits struggle to afford. After the tees have been printed, TVP crew also works with the organization to spread the word, including selling the merchandise through TVP's store and other retail locations. At the end of every quarter, TVP gives the charity 51% of the profits from their merchandise.
Jenna Benn, founder of Twist Out Cancer, a non-profit that uses social media to bring cancer survivors together, was one of TVP's first clients. "I had just started Twist Out Cancer and we partnered with The Vanity Project as a way to get our name out at some of the big events we had been planning," says Benn. "Now that we are more established, we are thinking of designing yoga mats and yoga pants."
To purchase a T-shirt or to learn more about The Vanity Project, you can go to their website.
Fit Young Professionals stick up for Buffalo Bayou's running trails with hipster fashion, spirited mixer
By Joel Luks
06.18.12 | 10:39 am
Joggers need running trails. The Buffalo Bayou has them, though some are in need of tender loving care.
That would be the rationale for Bayou Buddies teaming up with Brian O'Neill's Running Club for Thursday evening's spirited mixer at BlackFinn American Grille.
These 150 young professionals on the scene with a penchant for beautifying the city's urban waterways never sprint away from a challenge, this time supporting fundraising efforts to maintain and improve the paths that, in turn, keep them in good health.
Moreover, the throng raised awareness for a pedestrian bridge at Jackson Hill and a cantilevers pass at Shepherd and Memorial that would protect runners at such a busy turnaround, and rallied colleagues to attend a June 27 community meeting at United Way to discuss how $30 million from the Kinder Foundation is enhancing the 160-acre, 2.3-mile tract from Shepherd to Sabine Street.
As they say, running releases endorphins, endorphins make people happy and happy people can achieve anything.
BON club founder Dave Lee thinks that it's all about fitness, fun and philanthropy — though romance is a side effect as three couples who met through the club are now engaged and another just walked down the aisle.
Add hipster fashion-for-a-cause to that list. The Buffalo Bayou Partnership sold graphic tees designed through a new collaboration with The Vanity Project and branded neckties in three colors — just in time for Father's Day. The raspberry, royal and sky blue buffalo-patterned ties are still available at À Bientôt, Rebecca & Drew, Tootsies, Leslie & Co. Ladies Store and online.
COTG Interview Series Presents… The Vanity Project!
[L to R; Co-founders Omri Bojko and Jason Sochol wearing The Vanity Project hoodies - Bojko wearing Chicago Coalition For The Homeless logo; Sochol wearing American Friends of The Israel Sport Center For The Disabled logo]
Two twenty-somethings living in Chicago are unhappy at their jobs as respective traders and real estate analysts. Sounds familiar, right? While our generation is known as one to be indecisive, coddled by our parents and their upper/middle-class lifestyles and not strongly career driven, we are going to dive into the lives of two individuals who do not fall into these stereotypes. They used their friendship and passion for entrepreneurship to form a unique new retail/charity driven company called The Vanity Project.
Consisting of two Northwestern alums and college buddies, we explore with co-founders Omri Bojko and Jason Sochol the history behind the company as well as how it plans to grow and make itself a relevant company in the struggling non-profit world and competitive retail industry.
"It's more of a personal journey as cliche as that sounds… I was ill prepared for the new world after college," said Bojko of his post-college life.
Both Omri and Jason were very involved in their local communities by working with various non-profit organizations during their time in Chicago. Around the time after Jason's mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer (and now fully recovered!) they both sat down to discuss how they could make a profitable business by working with non-profits and have them see the benefits.
Co-founder Omri realized, "there are so many inefficiencies in how non-profits operated… Just because I'm a non-profit doesn't mean I can't run a successful business."
Here is where the idea for a retail based company was born – use non-profit logos and add them to casual apparel and sell. The idea is to "take a charity logo, make it cool to wear the logo and represent a charity or something socially conscious," explained Sochol.
When Bojko wasn't working, he would run from store to store, including places like Urban Outfitters and find the apparel/materials he thought would be most comfortable, easy-to-wear and marked the breakdown of materials. He recognized that, "fashion and clothing is the most prevalent form of self-expression we have and I feel it's completely under-utilized."
Under their model, 51% of profits made from the purchase of each item go back to the charity featured. The Vanity Project is in charge of manufacturing the product and creative/marketing, if requested by the client. Most of their clothing manufacturing is handled by Alternative Apparel and "as a result, everything we produce adheres to socially responsible standards," states Sochol. They are currently selling t-shirts, sweatshirts, tanks and just began thermal wear. Eventually they hope to expand into other accessories including hats, scarves and other basic wear.
Since many of these small organizations don't have the money or resources to dedicate towards marketing techniques, The Vanity Project is filling that void by providing aid in this area where both sides can exchange resources.
"We're almost an agency for these non-profits," said Bojko. We're going to help you develop your brand, market you…You have little organizations that are doing such good grass-roots, hands-on stuff. They're not just advocacy groups, they're really helping people out and those are the ones that need us more than anyone else," says Bojko of their work with local organizations.
As anyone who starts a new business knows, it starts with a lot of cold calls. To start with small steps when reaching out to Chicago-based organizations, "We started with the Chicago Coalition For The Homeless. It was a cold call, but they perked up immediately," says co-founder Sochol after explaining their thorough business plan. They've been working with them ever since.
Since these initial calls, they now acquired permission of logos for nine organizations that they are working closely with, including Rainbow House, Boys and Girls Club, Aspergers Awareness and their first children-based organization Story Pirates. Sochol and Bojko have an interest in working with a variety of non-profits both on a local and national scale.
Said Bojko, "Our goal is to have a very wide sweep of organizations that represent all major causes including equal rights, environment, education, homelessness, medical, disease prevention."
"We came into this with a good heart and that was the importance for this entire thing.. But, people want to look good too. If we can provide them with a seamless way to look good and buy things that are good quality, we will build brands out of these causes and direct people towards learning about charities," proclaims Bojko. They hope that by seeing these logos, people will eventually learn to remember their associations to the non-profits and share that information with others.
Some fashion brands they used as inspiration to start The Vanity Project include Levi, Urban Outfitters, Vicarious by Nature, Free People and E. Village vintage shops. Bojko and Sochol see what brands like these are doing to increase social consumerism, which makes the timing for The Vanity Project an ideal one.
To market themselves in the fashion landscape, they've traveled to various cities selling their merchandise at festivals charity and other related events. They also just hosted their first sponsored event during NYC Fashion Week this month, which was a big success.
As of February, they have revamped their website so you can purchase items, learn about the non-profit organizations and upcoming events. They are also continuing to explore funding opportunities — if anyone would like to know more information, don't hesitate to reach out to me directly.
To summarize The Vanity Project, it was best stated by Bojko: "When people tell you that you're nuts, you know that you're onto something good."
Read the original article here:
3rd Annual Asperger's Awareness Benefit Raises $50,000 for Foundation
Using iPad's at guest check-in was not the only aspect of the 3rd Annual Asperger's Awareness Benefit inspired by Steve Jobs. Ian Ross and his board of directors proved their drive and dedication after the success of their first benefit in 2009 by following Jobs' words to live by: "When you do something and it turns out pretty good, go and do something else wonderful."
For the 3rd year in a row, the Chelsea Art Museum was filled with generous donors dressed in everything from glitter gowns to top hats and sunglasses, celebrating their hard work and accomplishments with the AAC Organization.
The 3rd Annual Asperger's Benefit was run by The Asperger's Awareness Council to raise awareness of Asperger's Syndrome, a high-functioning form of Autism and to increase funding for the NYU Child Study Center where services are provided. The Benefit had close to 1,000 guests and raised over $50,000, an impressive $30,000 more then in 2009. Sponsors included Alchemia Polish Vodka, Heineken Light, Michael Collins, Pavoneo, Wodka Vodka, Access Gotham and Vanity Project.
General admission tickets sold out nearly a week before the event, as did bottle service and table reservations. Items were donated by sponsors for a silent auction, giving guests an incentive and opportunity to contribute throughout the evening. What seemed to be a guest favorite, and created a buzz through out the museum, was a fabulous introduction to The Vanity Project, which provides comfortable, high-end vintage style apparel, inspired by charitable causes and logos, with 51% of the profits going straight back to the charity.
Thanking all sponsors, contributors, and teammates, Ian Ross took the microphone. Guests cheered making it hard to hear but easy to see how proud and honored Ian's family ,and plenty of other families affected by Asperger's, should feel knowing that the line to enter the benefit did not pause once the entire night.
For more information and donations to AAC please visit: http://aspergersbenefit.eventbrite.com/
—Jackie Heller


text:
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text:
By D. Sofer
This article originally appeared in Yated Neeman, Monsey NY. and is reprinted here with their permission
"A yeshiva," Rav Yechezkel Sarna is quoted as saying, "is a whole world. It is a student's spiritual home, and its rosh yeshiva is even more than a father and mother to him. A young person who doesn't study in a yeshiva is like an orphan." As rosh yeshiva of the famed Chevron Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel, Rav Yechezkel Sarna merited to be a father not only to his students, but also to generations of bnei Torah. During the 40 years in which Rav Yechezkel headed the Chevron Yeshiva, thousands of outstanding talmidei chachamim were inspired by his teachings, and then proceeded to transmit them to their own students.
Rav Yechezkel Sarna was born on 28 Shevat, 5650/1881, in Horodok, a town in Russia's Minsk district. His father, Rav Yaakov Chaim, was the city's shochet and melamed, and later its maggid. He was known for his outstanding acts of chessed, and he became particularly renowned when he aided his townsmen during a highly contagious epidemic.
Rav Yechezkel's mother, Aidel, was the daughter of Rav Shlomo Zalman Buxenbaum, author of Rechovos Ir, a commentary on Midrash Rabba, and a chassid of the Chiddushei Harim. She was also known for her outstanding middos.
Rav Yechezkel received his primary education from his father, as well as at the cheder in Horodok. When he was 11, his father sent him to the Or Hachaim Yeshiva in Slabodka, headed by Rav Tzvi Levitan, a student of the Alter of Kelm. In 5662/1902, he transferred to the Maltsh Yeshiva, led by Rav Shimon Shkop, and then returned a year later to the city of Slabodka to study under Rav Chaim Rabinowitz in the Knesses Beis Yitzchok Yeshiva. When Rav Rabinowitz transferred to Telshe Yeshiva, he invited Rav Yechezkel to join a group of select students that he took along with him. At that time, Telshe was in the throes of a controversy, with many of its students opposing the mussar approach of its roshei yeshiva. When the yeshiva temporarily closed in 5666/1906 as a result, Rav Yechezkel returned to Maltsh. One year later, he went to study in the Knesses Yisroel Yeshiva in Slabodka, where he felt he had finally found his spiritual home.
Although he was only 17 at that time, he was considered one of the yeshiva's most brilliant students. Recognizing Rav Yechezkel's vast potential, the Alter of Slabodka, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, took him under his wing and played a major role in molding his spiritual character.
Describing his special relationship with the Alter, Rav Yechezkel once wrote, "Without the Alter, I would have been like a blind and a deaf person. He opened my eyes and my ears, and I acquired my entire approach to Torah study from him."
With the outbreak of World War I, Lithuania's Jews were banished from their country and the entire Slabodka Yeshiva fled to Minsk. Like all of the yeshiva's students, Rav Yechezkel secured forged affidavits in order to avoid the draft. However, Rav Yechezkel was caught and imprisoned.
Miraculously, though, he managed to escape from prison and flee to the home of a relative, Rav Yehoshua Zimbalist. Soon after, Rav Yechezkel escaped to Smilowitz where the Chofetz Chaim and his students had taken refuge.
Meanwhile, shortly after the Slabodka Yeshiva had arrived in Minsk, which was near the battlefront, it was forced to flee to a safer city, Kremenchug. However, Rav Yechezkel chose not to join the yeshiva on its travels, but remained in Smilowitz, studying for a year and a half in an inn with the students of the Radin Yeshiva.
During this period, he developed close relationships with the Chofetz Chaim and Radin's Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Naftali Trop. This brief period, Rav Yechezkel often said, was one of the most beautiful in his life. Recognizing Rav Yechezkel's unique capabilities, the Chofetz Chaim held him in high esteem. Thus, when the Chofetz Chaim was asked to travel to Memmel to defend a student who had been accused of espionage on behalf of the Germans, he asked Rav Yechezkel to accompany and assist him. Rav Yechezkel never revealed the details of this affair. However, he often related that when he informed the Chofetz Chaim that in the end, the student hadn't been condemned to death, but only to six weeks in prison, the Chofetz Chaim cried out, "Fools! Is the Czar's army certain that it will last even six weeks?" In truth, the young man had been sentenced to six years in prison, but Rav Yechezkel chose not tell that to the Chofetz Chaim so as not to upset him.
Six weeks later, the Communist Revolution took place and the Czar was deposed. The student was freed a few days later.
After the revolution, Rav Yechezkel returned to the Knesses Yisroel Yeshiva in Kremenchug, where he once again assumed his status as a top student. Two years later, he married Pesha Miriam Epstein, the daughter of Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein, one of the roshei yeshiva.
Shortly after the end of World War I, the yeshiva managed to leave Russia and to return to Slabodka, which, after the war, was reannexed to Lithuania. With that, a new chapter in the annals of the Knesses Yisroel Yeshiva began.
At one point, the Alter asked Rav Yechezkel to deliver shiurim in the yeshiva, but he declined the offer, explaining that he preferred to devote the early years of his life to Torah study. Although Rav Yechezkel held no official position in the yeshiva, his influence there was keenly felt.
In 5684/1924, the Lithuanian government tried to enlist the majority of Knesses Yisroel's students into the army, threatening the very existence of the yeshiva. Since Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein was in America at that time, Rav Yechezkel tried to have the decree averted, but to no avail. After consulting the Alter of Slabodka, the decision was made to transfer the yeshiva to Eretz Yisroel. Immediately, the Alter sent a telegram to Rav Moshe Mordechai, asking if he approved of the plan. Rav Moshe Mordechai, in turn, wired back his consent, and promised to make every effort to raise the funds necessary for the yeshiva's relocation.
In Iyar of that year, the Alter sent Rav Yechezkel to Eretz Yisroel to choose a site for the yeshiva and to coordinate its establishment there. He also charged him with securing visas for the students. After evaluating various options, Rav Yechezkel chose the city of Chevron as the yeshiva's new home. Consequently, Knesses Yisroel became the first Lithuanian yeshiva to transfer to Eretz Yisroel.
During that year, Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein and Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel arrived in Eretz Yisroel. They were joined the following year by the yeshiva's mashgiach, Rav Leib Chasman. It was at that point that Rav Yechezkel assumed a significant role in the yeshiva's leadership, delivering shiurim and coordinating study schedules. The Alter approved of his efforts and praised him highly.
In the beginning of 5687/1927, the Alter fell seriously ill, and Rav Yechezkel began to deliver mussar discourses in the yeshiva. That same winter, Rav Nosson Tzvi was niftar. At the levaya, Rav Yechezkel told Rav Yitzchok Hutner, "Two types of builders contribute to the establishment of every spiritual edifice. The first are "yotzrim," "masterminds and planners," while the second are "otzrim," "keepers and guardians." Now that the "yotzrim" have left us, we must don the mantle of the "otzrim."
In the years that followed, the Chevron Yeshiva became a great citadel of Torah. Its students' hasmada was at its peak, and the sound of Torah study reverberated through its halls day and night.
But then, on Shabbos morning, 17 Av, 5689/1929, disaster befell the Jewish community of Chevron. Trucks filled with shrieking Arab rioters from Yerushalayim arrived in Chevron and drove through its streets. Mobs headed toward the home of the Grodzinski family, intent on shedding blood.
At that very moment, Reb Dan Slonim, the Jewish community's parnass, mounted his horse and rushed over to the home of the British governor, where he demanded that the governor control the rioters and protect the Jewish residents. "Lock yourselves in your homes, and nothing will happen to you," the governor replied.
Friday night arrived, and all of the city's Jews remained in their homes.
Despite the great risk to his own life, Reb Dan Slonim managed to inform all of the Jews that they should come to his home, because his Arab friends were guarding it and had promised that no harm would befall anyone in the house. Sheltered by the darkness, Chevron's Jews crept out of their own homes and took shelter in Reb Dan Slonim's securely locked house.
Shabbos morning, horrifying shrieks were heard: "Itbach Al Yehud. Jihad!"
The mob headed straight for Reb Dan Slonim's home. He tried to ward off the incited Arabs and to plead with them for peace. But no one paid him any attention. Moments later, a sharp iron rod landed on his head, and he fell to the floor wallowing in his own blood.
The mob then burst into the house, and brandishing knives and rods, went from room to room, beating and killing every Jew in sight.
By the end of the infamous Chevron Massacre, 69 Jews had been murdered, including 24 of the yeshiva's students. Many others were injured.
Although Rav Yechezkel was greatly pained by the tragedy, he did not plunge into despair, but rather directed all of his energies toward rebuilding the yeshiva. It wasn't easy to reassemble the yeshiva's survivors, many of whom had suffered traumas a result of their experiences. Nonetheless, Rav Yechezkel merited special Siyatta d'Shemaya and succeeded in reestablishing the yeshiva in Yerushalayim. He renamed the yeshiva "Chevron," in memory of the kedoshim who were massacred in that sacred city. While Rav Leib Chasman, the yeshiva's mashgiach, dedicated himself to encouraging the students, the task of raising the necessary funds for the yeshiva and ensuring its smooth functioning fell on Rav Yechezkel's shoulders. He traveled extensively to raise funds, even making a trip to the United States.
In a letter to Rav Isaac Sher of Slabodka, he wrote, "The first weeks were very difficult, since the students were both destitute and despondent. But by the 15th of Elul, they returned to themselves, and by Rosh Hashana, the yeshiva began to function in full force."
At first, the yeshiva was located in a shul in Yerushalayim's Achva neighborhood near Geula. Shortly afterward, Rav Yechezkel purchased a spacious building on Chaggai Street in Geula. This building not only housed the beis medrash, but also a dormitory and apartments for the yeshiva's staff. Once the yeshiva was established, Rav Yechezkel returned to his own spiritual pursuits.
Over the years, he had produced thousands of students, many of whom became prominent roshei yeshiva and rabbanim in Eretz Yisroel and abroad.
He also founded the Yavneh Talmud Torah and the Tiferes Tzvi Yeshiva, which served as a mechina, or preparatory yeshiva, for Chevron. In addition, he established kollelim for the yeshiva's alumni, not only in Yerushalayim, but also in Tel Aviv and Petach Tikva.
As the yeshiva grew, he was once again forced to travel to America to raise funds. At times, the yeshiva's financial situation was so dire that debtors issued orders confiscating Rav Yechezkel's property. But even when the Rav himself lacked food for his family, he made certain that the yeshiva students did not go hungry.
When his father-in-law, Rav Moshe Mordechai, was niftar in 5694/1934, five years after the Chevron Massacre, Rav Yechezkel was officially appointed rosh yeshiva of Chevron.
As tragedy befell Klal Yisroel with the start of World War II and the Holocaust, Rav Yechezkel expanded the scope of his activities far beyond his own yeshiva.
He was among the founders of the Vaad Yeshivos, and he was also active in the Vaad Hatzalah, alongside Rav Chizkiyahu Yosef Mishkovsky, the av beis din of Krinki. After the founding of the State of Israel, Rav Yechezkel played a vital role in the spiritual rescue of immigrant children, and he served as one of the leaders of the Chinuch Atzmai Torah School Network.
While Rav Yechekzel helped establish many new yeshivos, he firmly opposed the founding of yeshivos that sought to include secular studies in their curricula.
In a letter to a friend, he wrote, "It is a miracle that no alien hand had undermined the yeshivos hakedoshos and that they have remained in their traditional format."
Although he shunned political involvement, Rav Yechezkel had a strong affinity for Agudas Yisroel, and he was an active member of its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.
Despite his involvement in numerous projects on behalf of the klal, raising and improving the spiritual and learning level of the students at Chevron Yeshiva remained Rav Yechezkel's lifework. He delivered shiurim in halacha and mussar every week at the yeshiva, as well as shiurim in his own home. For seven years, he also delivered discourses on the laws and meaning of Shabbos.
His students still fondly remember these shiurim, which were unique in their content and style.
Over the years, Rav Yechezkel functioned in complete harmony with the yeshiva's mashgiach, Rav Yehuda Leib Chasman. With Rav Yehuda Leib's petira in 5696/1936, Rav Yechezkel assumed that role himself.
As rosh yeshiva and mashgiach, he acted warmly toward his students, who brought him great joy. This attitude is apparent in one of his letters, in which he wrote, "Yesterday, I entered the yeshiva close to midnight, and found thirty students studying with exceptional fervor. At that time, I thought, 'Fortunate is the generation which has merited such young people. May Hashem protect them and bless them.'"
Over the years, his brothers-in-law, Rav Aaron Cohen and Rav Moshe Chevroni, were appointed roshei yeshiva of Chevron, while Rav Meir Chadash was appointed mashgiach. Later, Rav Hillel Paley, Rav Simcha Zissel Broide and Rav Avrohom Farbstein were also invited to become roshei yeshiva there.
During his final years, Rav Yechezkel decided to move the yeshiva from the bustling Geula neighborhood to the quiet section of Givat Mordechai. However, he was unable to bring this monumental project to fruition because he was niftar before the building was finished.
During the last few months of his life, his extreme weakness could not deter him from davening in the yeshiva, or from delivering his shiurim.
One motzaei Shabbos during his final weeks, he made a special effort to go up to the yeshiva for Ma'ariv. When he reached the staircase leading to the beis medrash, he learned that davening had ended. Nonetheless, he continued to climb the stairs.
When the bachur accompanying him remarked that Ma'ariv was over and that he needn't climb the steep staircase, Rav Yechezkel replied, "Davening in public is mi'derabbanan, while greeting the bnei yeshiva with a 'gut voch' is included in the mitzva of 'love your neighbor as yourself,' which is de'oraisa."
In Av of 5729/1969, Rav Yechezkel was taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital for intensive treatment. Two days before his petira, he told one of the roshei yeshiva, "It is Elul and the students are surely studying with added hasmada. My illness won't disturb their Elul mood." He was niftar on 6 Elul and was buried beside his father-in-law, Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein, on Har Hazeisim.
On Erev Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, the yeshiva moved to its new quarters in Givat Mordechai. All of the students assembled in the yeshiva's study hall on Chaggai Street. Sifrei Torah were removed from the arks, and amidst singing and dancing, the students climbed aboard busses that were to bring them to their new home. Many people from all over the city joined in this stirring and impressive procession. Although Rav Yechezkel Sarna was not there to see the realization of his dream, his spirit was keenly felt, as it still is today at the Chevron Yeshiva, some three decades since his passing.


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