Frederick Prete

It was a chance meeting with a praying mantis that changed the course of Frederick Prete’s life.It set him to wondering how a mantis’ visual system distinguishes complex objects (its next meal, for instance). That question morphed into a PhD dissertation in Biological Psychology at the University of Chicago.

Vision has a personal meaning to Frederick. He watched his father’s sight falter until he was completely blind at retirement. And as it turns out, Frederick’s own sight requires ongoing attention.

He’s directed his work as a scientist, researcher and inventor toward increasing mobility for children who are visually impaired.

Frederick has developed a system that signals when people or objects are near. His prototypes embed distance sensors in jackets which “see” in several directions. The wearer receives gentle vibrations when things move about him or her. Read more…

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Vegetable Woman

She’s out on the sidewalk every morning building pyramids of the day’s fruits and vegetables.

She opens earlier, closes later, and operates on Sundays when the supermarkets are closed. Whatever it takes to survive.

Her shop straddles the typical Barcelona intersection with angled corners which make it feel like a small plaza.

The facing of her store is no more 20 feet across. Its inside is lit by institutional ceiling units and there is zero attempt at appetite appeal. She writes the prices by hand.

The fruits and vegetables aren’t photo-shoot perfect like we expect in the U.S. They’re picked to be eaten within a shorter time and you soon realize they’re much more delicious for it. Read more…

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Jack Birdsall

Things happened recently that set the young barista on a very different path in life.

He earned his undergrad degree. He met a wonderful woman at church and they married. He started his first salaried job.

As a student he focused on writing and directing for movies and television. His university sends exceptional talents into that field but Jack has decided not to head off to Los Angeles or New York.

Filmmaking fame and fortune will have to come later. Read more…

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