Who we are, and what we’re doing! My name is James Rojas, and my partner is John Kamp. We are urban planners who make up the Place It! team. For the past 15 years, we have been fighting the good fight to make community engagement for planning our cities more creative, collaborative, and inspiring. We have developed innovative engagement methods that focus on memory, working with your hands, model-building, and experiencing and reflecting on the world around us with our senses. Through over 1,000 Place It! workshops across the country and world, we have seen participants not only be transformed and empowered by the workshops but also have their creative, visionary ideas come to life.  People who come to our workshops always ask us afterwards, “When are you going to write a book about this?” Well, now we are. We’ve signed a contract with Island Press and will be writing a book on not only what we have learned from our hands-on way of doing community engagement but also what you can learn and then apply to your own work in urban planning, design, community organizing, public health, landscape, psychology, and more.    What We Need & What You Get The thing is, writing a book is immensely time-consuming – not simply because of the writing itself but also because of the sheer number of interviews we are conducting: we will be interviewing a huge range of people including those who have participated in our workshops or used the method on their own; psychologists who work in art therapy; and urban planners working on the inside.  So this is where you come in: we’re looking to raise $10,000 to pay for both the writing hours and the interviewing for the book. This will also include any travel we need to make to conduct the interviews around California (we always travel by train for a nice, low-C02 ride!).  We have a generous donor who will match whatever amount you donate, so if we reach $5,250 (Indiegogo charges 5% in fees – hence the extra $250) on here, we’ll reach our goal of $10,000!  As far as what you get if you donate, here is how we can break it down: 1. Donate $1 - $199: receive our monthly newsletter (to go live upon completion of the crowdfunding campaign) on the progress of the book, including profiles of folks we are interviewing, photos (we’ll try to make them glamorous, even though writing a book can feel like anything but), any useful and relevant insights we’ve made, and recent articles we have written that are relevant to the book. 2. $200 - $499: receive a free copy of the book, plus the aforementioned monthly newsletter 3. $500 – $1,000: A Place It! workshop in your neck of the woods (travel costs for workshops within California waived; outside of California, we’ll need those covered), a free copy of the book, plus the aforementioned monthly newsletter   The Impact Given our 15+ years of workshops on the ground, and the constant demand for us to write a book about these experiences, and the extensive network of people we have brought into the Place It! orbit, we are confident that this book will not only be a meaningful and inspiring read but also help shift the conversation on our cities and how we engage people in shaping and improving them in times of great uncertainty and change.  Can we deliver? Well, even before signing the contract, we had already gone through a year polishing up our proposal and writing sample chapters (yes, even before we signed a contract) for the editors based on their feedback. Since signing the contract, we’ve created two massive spreadsheets to organize and schedule the writing of the book and the interviews. Long story short: we are ones who keep our noses to the grindstone, deliver on promises, and meet our deadlines.   Other Ways You Can Help If you can donate money, that is awesome. If not, perhaps help us out by sharing a link of this campaign with your networks and spreading the word about the game-changing work Place it! is both doing and writing the book about.

The Teaching Well takes an organizational health approach to education by interrupting the chronic teacher turnover cycle at both the individual and systemic levels. In the last two years, our work has retained 56 teachers at schools across California, and saved our school and district partners over $1 million in turnover-related costs. This is an exciting moment of expansion for The Teaching Well: help us grow our work into more schools across the state! The Teaching Well is a non-profit organization that was started by teachers for teachers.  We believe that the health and well-being of educators makes a critical difference in school culture, teacher retention, and the lives of students. We work in partnership with schools to more effectively leverage the brilliance of their educators, by providing tools for healthy dialogue, emotional regulation, and mindful stress resilience. Our comprehensive model includes professional development, mindful mentoring, school site research, and executive leadership coaching to build sustainable, thriving school systems informed by teacher voice. Nationally, our teachers leave the classroom within the first five years, and in high-need communities like east Oakland where The Teaching Well started, teacher five-year attrition is a staggering 70%. Teacher burnout comes at a huge cost to student learning and relationships with communities that are often most in need of stability. Teacher churn also has a massive financial impact on an already strapped system: according to a 2014 study by the Alliance for Excellent Education, nationally we spend $2.2 billion each year replacing teachers who leave the classroom. The financial, systemic, emotional, and relational costs of teacher turnover are staggering, and we at The Teaching Well have developed a model that interrupts this cycle. The Teaching Well provides teachers with a greater capacity to build positive teacher-student relationships and create an environment conducive to learning by facilitating time for teacher well-being and self-care. We increase teacher retention rates and help schools save money that would otherwise be spent on training new teachers at district and school levels, rebuilding lost instructional expertise, rebuilding staff camaraderie, and rebuilding and introducing new teachers to relationships and resources in families and community.

Three years later, I have documented the origin of these wells, and confirmed my suspicions: burros dig wells. Burro well-digging has never been described in the scientific literature. Burros are introduced species that are commonly described by the scientific community as "scourges". Nearly all primary scientific effect-studies about them focus on how burros overgraze and outcompete native species. Yet these studies have failed to yield generalizable understandings because of weak methodologies and their failure to consider the ecological context of apex predator control. This is the essentialist paradigm that this well-digging phenomena  forcefully brings into question.  I am now doing my PhD research on this phenomena, which connects to a growing body of scientific thought that is shifting our paradigms about introduced/invasive species. As this paradigm changes, conservation biology may transition from a field focused in many ways on 'belonging' and 'nativity' to one focused on process and ecological context.From my preliminary data, it appears that burros are significantly increasing water availability in the desert. I have found sites that are very arid, with limited and intermittent surface water, where burro-wells maintain access to subterranean water throughout the year. Furthermore, in certain contexts, these burro-wells appear to function as vegetation nurseries; significantly more cottonwood and willow seedlings germinated in abandoned burro-wells than in adjacent riverbank zones.  With a small grant from ASU I was able to buy several trail cameras and have documented 13 species using these wells, including bighorn sheep, and I am surely missing many smaller bodied species. In fact, javelina and cattle appear to use these wells at a greater frequency than even burros.  This research is revealing a more nuanced understanding of this introduced species. Not only is this relevant to the management of wild burros, but also to the paradigms which shape our understandings of ecological communities in general. I am currently unfunded during the summers, when this field work takes place. Any donation you can make will help me buy gasoline and field equipment (cameras, batteries). While I have set a humble benchmark for this fundraising site, if I were to be able to work on this project full time next summer, 2017, (~$8000) I would be able to gather more data to understand how this behavior, and burros in general, interact with their local ecosystems. Primarily, I need to map the distribution of this behavior, of these well-features, across the larger southwestern landscape to understand how common this phenomena is, and to what extent it influences the availability and persistence of water.If you are interested in reading more about some of the new perspectives emerging in ecology and conservation, visit the papers below, or email me for the pdfs.

Overview(Photo at left: old classroom.) Help us realize the next step in building quality education in remote Ladakh, India. We've already built a student hostel and eight classrooms but require four more for computer/science labs. This rammed-earth, passive-solar school (Nursery to Grade 10) has been designed and built with the community, and aims to build resiliency against rapid globalization affecting this unique Tibetan Buddhist society. This project is supported in part by the 14th Dalai Lama.New SDPS passive solar, rammed earth campus in progress (phases 1-2). Classroom block in foreground with hostel block in background. We are fundraising to build the third building: computer/science labs.     “Our vision is to make Spring Dales Public School one of the finest so our children can receive quality education right at their doorstep, without facing emotional separation from their parents and their village."Tsewang Norboo, Principal of SDPS Where is Spring Dales Public School?Spring Dales Public School (SDPS) is located in the village of Mulbekh which is located in the Himalayan area of Ladakh ("land of high passes")- in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in northwestern India. Mulbekh is a treacherous seven hour drive from the state capital of Leh. What are the challenges to education in Ladakh?In 2010, we (Martin and Kate) were fortunate to establish a close relationship and collaboration with Mr. Tsewang Norboo, the Principal of Spring Dales Public School (SDPS). In his small village of Mulbekh we heard him speak passionately about the unique culture, language and identities of a traditional Tibetan Buddhist society that is struggling to educate their children in this harshly remote Himalayan region.The more Principal Norboo explained his community's deep concern that the exodus of young people being educated elsewhere is threatening the future of their community, the more we felt compelled to lend our skills to the community in any way they needed.Please take a few moments to watch these brief clips that effectively highlight the significant challenges to remote traditional Tibetan Buddhist societies, like Mulbekh, and the effects of children being educated so far away from their families and communities (Zanskar valley is close to the Mulbekh valley):  Mountains: The most dangerous school run in the world (Human Planet, BBC, 2011 What is the community's solution?The Mulbekh community has an ambitious and bold solution to lower the exodus of young people from their remote region.Providing equal access to quality, local education means the region's children and youth don't have to leave their parents, siblings, grandparents, families and communities for larger centres elsewhere in India. By slowing this mass exodus, and by providing a school curriculum that emphasizes a blend of traditional and modern education, the sharing of knowledge between generations is able to flourish.  All of this directly supports the revitalization and vitality of the unique Ladakhi culture, traditions, language, Buddhist faith, local economies, and identities.Building a quality school campus (including student accommodation) for the region will attract more students to be educated locally. This will dramatically slow the region's exodus of young people to larger centres, and will also attract quality, permanent teachers, thus lowering the high teacher turnover, while increasing stability for the students.Given the harsh climate - where temperatures can rise to 30+ degrees celsius in the summer and drop to -30 in the winter with no heating system - passive solar and rammed earth technologies were chosen as they use local materials and provide unprecedented year-round comfort. Students will no longer have to take their classes sitting outside on the ground in the winter (inside is too frigid to hold a pencil)! The old classrooms are so cold and dark that classes are often taught outside in the colder months.SDPS Class 10 student being recognized for academic achievement with her classmates looking on. Assemblies are held outside in the colder months as indoors is too cold. What we have accomplishedSecured funding from His Holiness the  14th Dalai Lama and The Dalai Lama TrustNew classroom block (eight classrooms) opened and inaugurated by the 14th Dalai Lama's brother Tenzin Choegyal in 2015New student accommodation block finished in 2014Solar plant built in 2011 - (the only building in the region with 24h electricity!)Internet connection since 2011 (first building in the region with internet!)Infrastructure Development Plan created between 2010-2013Long and Short-term School Development and Action Plan formulated in 2011SDPS Management Team formed between 2011-2012International Scholarship Program implementation started in 2012 SDPS Constitution revised between 2012-2013Student and teacher exchange with Literacy India in Delhi in 2012Prototype building built in 2011Generous support from the 14th Dalai LamaSince 2011 this project has been officially supported by His Holiness the  14th Dalai Lama and The Dalai Lama Trust. With the school Principal and Secretary, we had the honour to present our project in a private audience to His Holiness at his residence in McLeod Ganj, India. It was a highlight of our lives!Other generous supporters have included Hnuti Brontosaurus (Czech Republic), Himalayan Dialect (France), and Omprakash (USA), and dozens of individual international sponsors.Presentation of the project to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in his residence at Mcleod Ganj, India (June 2011). From L-R: Principal Norboo, Secretary Eshey, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Kate Kittredge, Martin Knap (June 2011).South entrance to the student hostel (in progress), highlighting traditional Ladakhi design (2012).South entrance to the classroom block (2014).Typical classroom on the ground floor of the new classroom block (2014). What we needThis summer we would like to start construction - foundations only - of the next building!  Once completed the new Computer and Science Laboratory building will accommodate four classrooms - Computers, Biology, Chemistry, Physics. As with the previous two buildings, this new building is entirely based on the use of passive-solar energy and uses primarily local resources.  Enhanced traditional techniques - such as rammed-earth walls, clay roofing, wooden window decorations in the ancient Ladakhi style - are used.In order for the school to comply with regulations of the State Department of Education of Jammu and Kashmir, to maintain the school's status, and to be able to continue operations in the future we need to build this Science Laboratory and Computer building by Spring 2019.Foundations estimate:Construction material                               $20,000Construction tools and equipment       $3,500Labour                                                             $1,650Local management                                     $1,350Excavation                                                      $500Contingency                                                  $3,000​____________________________________________________________________TOTAL                                                      $30,000** Any funds raised over $30,000 will be carefully utilized on the main structure (phase 2) in 2018, with on-going full reporting to you, our backers. What does your support mean to the community?Providing quality, local education means the region's children and youth don't have to leave their parents, grandparents, families and communities for larger centres elsewhere in India. Slowing this mass exodus of children encourages the sharing of knowledge between the generations, directly supporting the revitalization of the unique Ladakhi culture, traditions, language, Buddhist faith, local economies, and identities. Spring Dales Public School emphasizes all these important pieces in their curriculum and daily activitiesYour support will mean that the Computer and Science Laboratory building is the next step in the completion of the region's premier school campus. Improved scientific and technological knowledge and skills means the students won't have to leave their communities for quality education, and will have more options for their personal and professional development in the future.Importantly, a quality and well-equipped computer and science lab building will also help the school to stay in operations after Spring 2019, when the next government inspection is scheduled for permitting.It is difficult to explain how much each action of support means to this community. Their gratitude is immense, expressive and so heartwarming!  What do you get for your generous support?Satisfaction You will get the satisfaction of directly supporting a meaningful project in one of the most unique areas of the world. Good Karma (or whatever you want to call it!)Who doesn't want a little more good karma floating around the world, right? :)Perks Check out the large selection of "Perks" we have put together with the school community! From handmade cards made by the students to blessed prayer flags coming at you in the mail, to local monastery tours and traditional Ladakhi cooking courses...  If you plan a trip to Ladakh we will  even help to personally tailor your trip to your needs and desires!This is Mutop who is in Kindergarten at SDPS. Martin and Kate sponsor his annual education for the equivalent cost of three nice restaurant meals in Canada.      What happens if we don't reach our goal?If we do not reach our entire fundraising goal this year, we will keep your generous donations safe until next year, and will source other funding in the meantime, so we can start the foundations and main structure at the beginning of next year's building season. SDPS Kindergarten students taking their classes outside, as inside is too frigid in the colder months (October, 2013).we areAs established professionals, in the fields of community planning, architecture and engineering, we feel very fortunate to have been volunteering for SDPS since 2010.We invite you to read the "Team Profiles" section to learn more about us, Principal Norboo, and the rest of our stellar fundraising campaign team!Kate and Martin at Spring Dales Public School, Mulbekh, India (2012).SDPS Management Team (L-R: Construction Manager, Tsering Samphel; Teacher and Scholarship Program Manager, Stanzin Lhamo; Principal Tsewang Norboo; Vice Principal Chamba Gills; and Project Estimator, Tsering Morup). “Let’s join hands for a wonderful cause of educating our children for a peaceful and happy tomorrow because today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens. Let’s help them now, so that they can help others tomorrow.” Project Details Our approachIn 2010 Martin spent two months travelling around Ladakh learning about the culture and traditions and researching local resources, education,  architecture and building methods. In 2011, with members of the SDPS Management Team, Kate and Martin spearheaded a collaborative design process through extensive community-based, mixed methods research to learn what the community (students, parents, teachers, management, directors, alumni, community groups, etc.) envisioned for their new school.  From there, intensive designing and planning led to the construction of a prototype building in 2012, followed by the student hostel (2013) and first classroom block (2014).Introducing the new school campus designThe new campus design uses passive solar, rammed earth technologies and follows the requirements of the State Department of Education (Jammu and Kashmir, India). Passive-solar technologies ensure the warming of buildings during the night and their cooling during the day. The campus in progress

OverviewThe Teaching Well takes an organizational health approach to education by interrupting the chronic teacher turnover cycle at both the individual and systemic levels. In the last two years, our work has retained 56 teachers at schools across California, and saved our school and district partners over $1 million in turnover-related costs. This is an exciting moment of expansion for The Teaching Well: help us grow our work into more schools across the state!The Teaching Well is a non-profit organization that was started by teachers for teachers.  We believe that the health and well-being of educators makes a critical difference in school culture, teacher retention, and the lives of students. We work in partnership with schools to more effectively leverage the brilliance of their educators, by providing tools for healthy dialogue, emotional regulation, and mindful stress resilience. Our comprehensive model includes professional development, mindful mentoring, school site research, and executive leadership coaching to build sustainable, thriving school systems informed by teacher voice. Nationally, our teachers leave the classroom within the first five years, and in high-need communities like east Oakland where The Teaching Well started, teacher five-year attrition is a staggering 70%. Teacher burnout comes at a huge cost to student learning and relationships with communities that are often most in need of stability. Teacher churn also has a massive financial impact on an already strapped system: according to a 2014 study by the Alliance for Excellent Education, nationally we spend $2.2 billion each year replacing teachers who leave the classroom. The financial, systemic, emotional, and relational costs of teacher turnover are staggering, and we at The Teaching Well have developed a model that interrupts this cycle.The Teaching Well provides teachers with a greater capacity to build positive teacher-student relationships and create an environment conducive to learning by facilitating time for teacher well-being and self-care. We increase teacher retention rates and help schools save money that would otherwise be spent on training new teachers at district and school levels, rebuilding lost instructional expertise, rebuilding staff camaraderie, and rebuilding and introducing new teachers to relationships and resources in families and community.Currently, we are working with 14 schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, and in the 2019-20 school year, we would like to expand this powerful work to an additional 8-10 schools to create pipelines of school sites that invest in teacher wellbeing and retention. Every dollar you contribute helps us grow our work to more teachers, more students, and more communities. Please join us this #GivingTuesday as we enable more educators to #TaptheWellWithin!

The Interactive Stage is a unique STEAM toy that's fun for the entire family! Work with your kids to build their own version of the Interactive Stage while introducing them to the world of theater magic and programming concepts. Together you can direct, design and create your own stage performance.The Interactive Stage is an open-ended toy that:• Incorporates,theater arts, engineering, visual programming and storytelling. It sparks creativity and imagination  • Empowers and motivates self-directed discovery and learning• Ideal for ages 5-10Our Baby Monster Group StoryMy husband and I are both engineers and together we have two daughters. As we raised them we looked for toys to get them interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), but we soon found that none of the STEM toys we bought held the interest of our daughters for long. Many parents encounter this issue but rather than be dissuaded by the STEM toy options out there, we decided that we'd try to change the landscape by inventing our own product.Our third version of the prototype will soon be ready for manufacturing.   In this version, you will have a software application optimized for young children's experiential programming through real-time feedback of all the electronics.  As our early backer, you will receive all software feature improvement and updates that can grow with your child's continuing interest in performing arts.  This version of the hardware will include a robust theater stage for placing LED light strips, a motor, an RFID sensor and a micro-controller.  It will also come with RFID stickers, puppet stands and puppet templates.  The electronics are transportable to any existing play-set that your child already owns. While it is our first time doing so, we have experienced companies to guide us through the process.  The biggest challenge is the high cost of manufacturing and shipping, but we have consulted many experts to get the best estimates possible for getting the product manufactured, tested and shipped to final users.  According to The Harris Project:Only 1 in 5 students feel “very confident” when it comes to learning STEAM subjects. And hands-on learning tools have the potential to improve educational outcomes that prepare students for the future.According to Claire Shipman, author of The Confidence Code for Girls:Between elementary school and high school, girls experience a 30% drop in confidence.Interactive Stage Projects That Our Students Have Created:      Over the past two years, we have inspired over 200 students to create original stories, parades and concerts with the Interactive Stage at our workshops and after school programs.  We’ve seen students' excitement as they begin with creating a show from scratch and moving along to programming lights and motors. All the while, they are just doing what they do best, imagining and playing. Furthermore, they are being exposed to engineering and programming without being formally instructed to do so.   

1. Indiegogo payment says Contribution. What does this mean? Will I get a ROYBI?Yes! Your contribution on Indiegogo does not mean it's a donation. When you pay for ROYBI, you will receive your device. We guarantee to ship your order in November or your money back.2. My payment is not going through or after purchase, I get an email that my contribution was failed. What should I do?Please contact your bank and ask them to clear Indiegogo's purchase. Some banks have additional security measures. You may also try to use another card. If you still have an issue, please contact us directly.3. Who is responsible for customs fees?Shipping to your country may incur some customs fees. To guarantee a low price, regardless of location, we decided not to include these in the final price. We recommend you find out about your customs regulations and fees, so you can receive your ROYBI hassle-free

Overview>Texte Français en dessous >Texto en Español abajo >Versi bahasa Indonesia di bawah Ancut Garden Oasis is a locally-owned living & learning space, bound by permaculture ethics and Bali's Tri Hita Karana philosophy: Harmony with spirit, harmony with others, and harmony with nature. Our goal is to raise a minimum of $5000 USD to build a dormitory accommodation, then continue to fund a shared kitchen, shared bathroom, and rainwater storage system to be used by guests & the local community! OUR GOALSOur first goal is to create a dormitory space where local volunteers, international guests and workshop participants can stay and learn permaculture with us. Our dorm and site will also be ready to be used as an evacuation point, community kitchen and/or safe zone for any future natural disasters (since September last year, Emas Hitam has been involved in Agung Siaga’s relief efforts for Mt Agung’s eruptions, and recently the Lombok earthquakes through volunteering, donation sorting and logistics support).The following are our funding milestones:$5000: Dormitory Accommodation (foundation, structure, bunk beds, interior fittings, roofing, and balcony)+$1000: Shared kitchen (foundation, structure, traditional Balinese kitchen, natural oven, rocket stove, greywater system, water filter, plumbing, sink, cooking supplies)+$500: Rainwater storage system (platform, rainwater tank, bamboo casing, piping, taps, mesh filter)+1000: Shared bathroom (foundation, roofing, structure, dry compost toilets, solar showers, greywater system)+$2500: Family bungalow with separate bathroom (foundation, structure, beds, interior fittings, roofing, balcony, dry compost toilet, shower area)If we achieve over $10,000, we will propose other facilities- voted on by our donor community, such as a shared living space or transportation to collect village waste!Image: Dorm design OUR ‘WHY’Why not?Because we can, because we have to, because we want to! We understand that the old system is dying, as well as the old way of doing things. We know how to find regenerative solutions based on collaboration that are bound by the ethics and principles of permaculture. We want to design Ancut Garden Oasis (AGO) as a whole system, where each element and human being can achieve their highest purpose- trusting each other, and creating a community life that can be an example for others.HO WE ARE  We are a group of friends who share a similar vision of how we want to live our lives. We all come from different backgrounds and have had successful lives so far, however each one of felt that there was something missing. We found it when we connected with the land. Working together, we realised the impact that we can have by teaching people how to grow their own food and regenerate their land. So together with the local community, we created Ancut Garden Oasis. We believe we can have a positive impact in our world, by caring for people, our Planet and with the fair redistribution of our surplus. We want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, and we know that we cannot do it alone.OUR STORYAfter Kadek graduated from Vandana Shiva’s Navdanya University in 2015, Kadek and Feny were inspired to co-found Emas Hitam Indonesia (EHI) with the support of other young Indonesians in December 2015.Since this time, the team have been actively contributing to food sovereignty and sustainability movements in Bali and across Indonesia. Our trainings include:Sekaroh, East Lombok (June-July 2016): EHI trained a group of 32 farmers struggling to grow a single crop of corn each year, teaching them how to regenerate their soil applying permaculture design principles.Karangasem, East Bali (Nov 2017): The EHI team delivered a customized workshop for 3 villages on nitrogen-fixation, the use of vetiver grass as erosion prevention, and how to create a sustainable business growing moringa oleifera.Malaka, Io Kufeu, West Timor (Aug 2017): EHI’s training introduced the concept of regenerative agriculture to 3 communities dealing with unsustainable farming practises. In November 2017, we co-created the JAGA Indonesia Festival: Celebrating Agroecology and Seed Freedom- a free event for over 250 Indonesian farmers, students, government representatives and activists in Bali and Java. Kadek’s Navdanya University teachers came especially from India to share their practical workshops on agroecology, food sovereignty, liquid compost, and seed-saving.Additionally, we have been involved in training, consulting and speaking engagements including Ubud Food Festival, Slow Food Bali events, IDEP’s Introduction to Permaculture Course, and Udayana University’s Earth Day student workshop.

Short Summary: In recent years i have been working in a simple graphical real-time circuit simulator in my sparse time. I actually have the "bare bones" working, that is: the gui, circuit simulator core and the interface to a good avr simulator (simavr). So it's possible to simulate an avr microcontroller hooked to external electronics components at real time. This is what you can see in the video. Now i want to have some arduino boards and shields integrated in the simulator as well as develop it to be an usable aplication for everyone and release it as open source software. Brief description of the simulator: The core of the aplication is an electric circuit solver and a set of basic electronic elements, it's written to be gui-independent, so it could be used in other guis. The gui uses Qt C++ framework, so it's platform independent and takes advantage of all the high-level facilities that Qt provides. The avr simulation is done by a lightweight, fast C simulator (simavr) interfaced directly to the graphic pins trough efficient IRQ hooks. So it's possible to simulate an avr 16 Mhz at real time in a Pentium-D 2,8 Ghz (60% cpu load). The Goals: - Develop the gui to be easy to use and bug-free. - Add a basic set of graphical electronic components. - Add a basic set of output devices, including 7-seg dispalys, lcd... - Integrate a basic set of Arduino Hardware: boards and shields. - Add a plotter and an oscillocope view. - Port to as many platforms as possible, at least Linux and Windows. - Translate to as many languages as possible, at least English and Spanish. - Create and maintain a webpage with updates, help, tutorials, examples... - Any other? How: All the suporters will participate in the develop process: - Suggesting what components and features they wish. - Voting which of the suggested will be implemented. So the decisions will be taken by all the people participating in the project. Your contributions will go to: - Desing and maintain webpage. - Professional developer assistance. - My full-time dedication for 3 mounth, what is the expected time for this first release (afther the campaign is closed) . This campaign is flexible funding, so if the goal is not reached the work will go... slower, without professional asistance or less features, but will go... In the other hand if the goal is exceeded i will add a code editor + arduino toolchain. Other Ways You Can Help Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help: Ask folks to get the word out and make some noise about your campaign. Translating to your language. Colaborate in tutorials, help, documentation. Remind them to use the Indiegogo share tools!

OVERVIEW: "I really don’t think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don’t mind the failure but I can’t imagine that I’d forgive myself if I didn’t try." – Nikki Giovanni Over a year ago I launched a campaign to fund a mobile bookstore. While some may deem the campaign unsuccessful, as it only raised 2% of it's funding, (thank you to the 10 contributors) our support has grown tremendously since then. We were even featured in our local magazine, Tulsa People. Although most of our programming and resources are not for profit, Mocha Books is still a retail business, which cannot survive without financial support. So, here is why we are here - again. Why not? "I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try." Over the last year the focus has been less on bookselling and more on reviews, supporting indie authors and hosting local events, but the goal to be an accessible bookstore for the community has always been in the rear view. So why not give it another shot? The community needs this! The most important reason above all other reasons - COMMUNITY. Sharing and connecting with our online community is why Mocha Books has grown as large as it has. The demand for a business like Mocha Books is apparent and now it's time to take it to the streets. Building a community offline, locally, is the next step and can be achieved by creating a space that is easily accessible. What's more accessible than traveling into our neighborhoods of the ORIGINAL Black Wall Street. You may even find us in your state! THE VISION: "Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything." Mocha Books was founded in 2017 as an online bookstore to advocate for literacy, community and diversity. As a mother, educator and youth worker I know first hand the importance of literacy in and out of the home and building relationships through shared reading experiences. It was/is equally important to build a community around literacy that provided books with windows AND mirrors because #representationmatters. Mocha Books is a unique, active bookstore that serves both readers and authors. Once word spread about the services we offer, the demand grew fairly quickly. By going mobile we are able to reach and serve that we wouldn't have otherwise. Readers of all ages will discover 50+ author profiles, reading tips & worksheets, book reviews, local community events, bookclubs and other literacy resources. Authors can request services such as advertising, book reviews, signings and how to get books placed in the bookshop. Illustrators, and publishers are also welcome to collaborate. OPERATION: FUND A MOBILE BOOKSTORE "Yes, We Can" - Barack Obama Are you still with me?! Great! Yes, investing in any business can be risky and expensive. We are more than books. When you purchase services [such as storytime] and other products it helps Mocha Books to stay in business and will also help us fund the mobile bookstore. Our goal is 18,000. I know that it may seem like a lot, but it will cover the cost of many things that are required to make this a success. Here's what your contribution will support to make our mobile bookstore a reality... Purchase and renovate a bus, truck or van to house Mocha Books - As an investor your opinion is of great value. Polls will be posted regularly on social media to assist us on the purchase and renovation. Mobile vendor license/permits/Insurance Inventory - most of the books Mocha Books carry are by independent authors but second-hand gems are also stocked. Again, your feedback is of great value and we welcome your book suggestions! Indiegogo - platform and credit card fees, perks and shipping cost. If we surpass our goal, funds will be used for programming, website maintenance, and office space. Other Ways You Can Help A great way to help us keep Mocha Books open and on the road is to spread the word!! You never know who might stumble across our campaign. Share, share, share! Connect with us and show love on social media, phone a friend, or send a smoke signal. We need and appreciate it all. Help Mocha Books make reading fun again!

Short Summary Hi, I'm Jessica Marshall and I've been drawing story sketches for animated TV shows and movies for almost 10 years. I've spent a lot of time making likable characters find friendship, purpose, and self-esteem. They've gone on high adventures and sang passionately about wanting to belong in a confusing world. And after the 2016 election cycle, I never felt more like one of those characters. I became a news junkie before the winner was even announced, asking the same questions many were: What is a superdelegate? What's the difference between a caucus and a primary? Does my vote even matter? I remember as a kid there were shows like Schoolhouse Rock that broke down how a bill became a law and the Preamble to the Constitution. Are there shows now that speak about our government's inner workings? I have yet to find them. And Schoolhouse Rock, although beloved, seems pretty dated. It was released 43 years ago. I was suddenly on a mission to create an animated series that would teach simple civics lessons like on Schoolhouse Rock, with music, but with narrative storytelling from a kid's point of view. What if ​Glee boarded the ​Magic School Bus and took a ride to ​The West Wing. But with the insanity of this political climate, it feels as if time is of the essence. And being that my resources are limited I've decided to produce the idea as a kids narrative podcast. I believe the idea is solid and the message is more vital than ever before. The podcast will be a six-episode season to launch in February (the beginning of primary season and the 2020 election). But I need your help. I am overjoyed to report that many talented people have stepped forward to help me create this show. And for their efforts and dedication, they deserve compensation. I am no Scrooge McDuck and so I need to raise funds to pay for talent and equipment. What we need & What you get You see it. And you're on board to help us start a conversation about civics with the future generation of voters. But you've got questions. What would I do with the money you contribute to this campaign? The money will pay for writers, voiceover talent, musicians, sound editors/technicians, recording space, web services, perks, and advertising. And what do you get in return? Well first, all your dollars will go into bringing you and your kids a fun podcast to sing along to in the car. Hopefully, it will start good conversations with them about freedom of speech or why we vote...and keep them entertained all the way to school! Being that this is a podcast we have unique opportunities to honor your contributions. Whether it is a shout out at the end of the show, naming a character after you or your child, or giving you the most prominent title of executive producer. We have also made some campaign buttons and bumper stickers to promote the show and Gloria's run for Student Body President. If we do not reach our financial goal... the funds will still go to this endeavor. We will just have to find other ways to raise the remaining dollars. We will also make cost-effective choices to make the project the best it can be with the resources we receive from you- our constituents. The Impact Throughout the process of writing and pitching this idea to various people. I have heard repeatedly, "If ever there is a time we need a show like this, it is now." Now, when our democracy seems shakey and we question why the founding fathers made the decisions to write the Constitution as they did, we may wish to reflect. What are the values that are integral to that document that we find important as Americans? More than ever before our kids are pushed to excel at math and science to keep up with the changing global market. Because of this effort, some subjects have been lost in the classroom. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor noticed a civics curriculum was one of those subjects. She started an online initiative named iCivics to engage older kids. It is a valiant effort that deserves more press. I believe that kids even younger than this can start to understand some basic principles such as leadership, community, and the power of your voice. My goal with this podcast is to start those conversations outside of school and hopefully bring them back into the classroom, too. Risks & Challenges I am confident we will create a fantastic podcast that will be well received. I know this just from the talent that has already stepped forward to join me on this mission. The obstacle that we have to overcome is awareness. I'm sure that the more people know about this project, the more they will agree that there is a need for shows like this that teach the value of being an engaged citizen. We plan to cast a wide net to attract attention through social media groups within the animation, political and educational communities. Our podcast will have characters that represent the American experience at large. We hope that kids from all over the States will see our characters as friends to cheer for and become inspired by their ability to affect change at their elementary school through civic action.

Overview Hello booklovers! I am Melissa Bourdon-King; bookseller. mother, CAREgiver, and all-around passionate individual. This summer, Once Upon a Bookstore will be opening in Kelowna, but I need your help to fill it with stories! The lease is signed, the concept complete, and construction on this beautiful space aimed to connect Okanagan families to literature and community is underway. Now I need your support. Please help me connect families to each other through their next great read! Bookstores are all about cultivating stories. They are the heartbeat of a community, and they reflect the interests, passions, needs and desires of the communities that house them. Thank-you for taking the time to explore my pitch page. My name is Melissa Bourdon-King, and I will be opening Once Upon a Bookstore in the heart of Kelowna's Pandosy Village in July of 2019. As you read a little about me and my vision, it is my sincerest hope you will discover your own desire to be part of the continuing story of Once Upon a Bookstore. A window into my story I have been a bookseller for more than twelve years. My passion for the industry began in a high-school classroom in Toronto when, in a mandatory career class, I was asked to think about my dream job. At 15, I hadn't ever really thought about what kind of job I was interested in, but I did know where I loved to be-- Mabel's Fables Children's Bookstore in Toronto. Since the age of 3 my mom had taken me there to find fantastic reads, and it was still the best place to browse around, chat with the amazing staff, and find that next magical something. Sitting in that classroom I thought, "Who wouldn't want to work at a bookstore? I'll pretend to apply there!" Except the application became real. With the help of my mom, I wrote a cover letter, sent in my resume and was hired! I could not have been more thrilled, nor could I have known that working there would shape my identity and set my course: a lifelong passion for books. It is hard to describe what it is about bookselling that is so intoxicating, but I will tell you that for the two years I wasn't working in a bookstore, I longed for the familiar satisfaction of knowing I'd put the perfect book into someone's hands. When I worked at Mabel's Fables, I planned events, I met authors, I read to children, I played 'can you help me find the book whose title I can't remember?' with customers. I used my creative brain, my management brain, and my community outreach brain. Bookstores house stories, and stories have the power to change lives, and even if they don't dramatically alter someone's path, reading books shapes people. Do you remember some of your favourite books as a child? I do, and they are titles that continue to hold an important place in my memory because I was forever altered by reading them. People remember their favourite books, especially books that moved them as children, and they speak about them with a reverence that is hypnotic. At the beginning of 2018, I was doing a lot of self-reflection, and I decided to take a leap of faith and attend the Paz and Associates Bookseller Bootcamp in Florida (http://pazbookbiz.com/owning-a-bookstore-the-wo... the conference really opened the floodgates for my creative brain. I was surrounded by like-minded, passionate individuals, and their camaraderie fuelled me. The name and a logo idea for the bookstore popped into my mind, and from there, the ideas just kept coming. I thought about all the community endeavors I wanted to cultivate and support, from bookclubs and private shopping nights, to school bookfairs and parent night fundraisers. I want to create a safe and welcoming space for local community groups (moms, dads, bookclubs, etc). I would like to provide meeting space to community organizations, like Girl Guides of Canada, and host family-friendly events like board game nights and art classes. Deciding to open my own children's bookstore has at times been a scary and daunting prospect. For every exciting idea that I get fired up about, there is usually a financial or administrative hurdle that needs to be overcome. Despite the wealth of experience I have in the industry, I know that the entrepreneurial route is filled with unexpected challenges and obstacles. Yet I consider myself privileged to know that following this path is my passion, and that knowing this is my passion is a gift. Regardless of the challenges, this is something I am doing because I have to-- because it is who I am. Once Upon a Bookstore's Story In order to open Once Upon a Bookstore, a total investment of about $140,000 is needed, and more than $70,000 of this cost will be filling the store with inventory- books, toys, games, puzzles, art, etc. The remainder of that money has gone/will go to construction costs, renovating, purchasing furniture and fixtures, legal fees, city and building permits, hardware, software, insurance costs, and prepaid expenses like having a telephone and internet service. While finances and financial management are an important part of any healthy business, costs are not what Once Upon a Bookstore is about. My vision for this bookstore is about filling a hole I see in our community, and using my passion and expertise to meet that need. Kelowna is home to more than 24,000 children, and that number more than doubles when considering the Okanagan region. As a parent myself, I volunteer my time on the Parent Advisory Council for my daughter's school and also serve with Girl Guides of Canada. I take my daughter to swimming lessons at Parkinson Rec, and to dance classes around the city. I see how many families there are and I want to foster their ability to be part of something they consider theirs--a store guided by their needs. Bookstores are a place to buy books, of course, but they can also be so much more. Once Upon a Bookstore will be such a place-- an event space for the community. It will connect local, Canadian and international authors and illustrators with Okanagan readers. It will unite new moms and dads with classes, support systems and safe spaces. It will welcome families of all shapes, sizes, varieties and cultures to feel safe and find their stories on our shelves. It will encourage creativity in all forms through workshops, classes, and discussion groups. It will listen to new ideas and be a base point to launch those new ideas, for young and old. It will give back to the local community through supporting literacy efforts, school groups, and community-minded organizations. In short, Once Upon a Bookstore will grow and evolve based on what its community--you--needs it to be. The Impact Here is how your dollars will help contribute to Once Upon a Bookstore's story: First of all- THE PERKS! The perks are for you! They are an acknowledgement of your part in our story. We have so many exciting offerings: stickers, bookmarks, magnets, tote bags, recommendation shelves, subscription services, bookstore birthday and cocktail parties! My personal favourite perk is asking you to 'Be My Book Valentine'. Many hours were spent thinking about what perks would best represent my gratitude for your support, and which ones would be the most fun to experience. This project is not just for me, it is for our community, our children, our families, our friends. This campaign is about bringing together booklovers, and having them contribute, so what they love being available in a store. So many beloved children's books have shaped people's lives, I want to hear those stories and be able to share those stories with everyone who walks through the door, or who discovers us online. Once Upon a Bookstore is going to be warm and welcoming, where families always feel accepted, and where parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends can ask for help finding the perfect book and know they are receiving expert advice from a passionate individual. Bookstores are the heartbeat of local communities. We provide safe spaces and nurture the local market- from hosting events, to promoting local and Canadian authors and illustrators, to being a safe space for the community to meet, whether bookclubs, mom groups, classes for parents and babies, discussion groups, or art classes. These are just a few of the ideas I have to bring together families in Kelowna. For over twelve wonderful years, I worked for, and then managed an independent children's bookstore in Toronto. Some of my favourite memories are hosting author events, both in store and in school classrooms, and watching the magic of an author interacting with a child. It is this magic that I hope to bring to the more-than-24,000 Okanagan school children If you are looking for more information on the value that independent bookstores can bring to a community, this link really encapsulates the goals of Once Upon a Bookstore: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2019/1/8/lo... Even if this goal is not fully funded, every penny raised will go towards making sure the store is full of stories, so that I can continue to focus on supporting the community and building relationships that will help us all thrive. Risks & Challenges Let's be honest, there are a lot of risks, and many significant challenges in opening any bookstore, let alone a children's bookstore. Amazon's deep discounting and large warehouses are probably at the forefront of people's minds as being the biggest challenge bookstores face. But there are some really important things online retailing just cannot provide: the most important one being personal service. Check out the link below: Personal service and community-building are the foundations upon which I will build Once Upon a Bookstore. I love children's books, and my endless enthusiasm extends not only to the books themselves, but also to the authors, illustrators and publishers who bring stories to life. Once Upon a Bookstore will play an important role in contributing to the ecosystem of the bookloving community, and we have the strength, resilience, expertise and grace to tackle any challenge that comes our way. Should we feel unsure in the face of a new challenge, we can turn to our bookselling colleagues, whose community always offers each other help and support.