Author: James Edward Mills

Film preview, Interview, Special Events / 16.04.2012

Happiness is one of those aspects of the human experience that's hard to define. But scientist Richard Davidson has made it his life's work to study exactly what it means to be happy. Founder and chair of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, Madison Davidson uses the scientific method to explore the human brain in order to discover how people experience and cultivate their sense of well being.             Before speaking at the 6th annal Earth Day Conference hosted by the UW Nelson Institute...

5Point, Adventure Media Review, Film Festival, Interview, Mountain Film / 12.04.2012

photo by Ben Knight The 5Point Film Festival has a new executive director. Justin Clifton spent six years on staff with the Mountain Film Festival in Telluride . Last summer he come over to the Roaring Fork Valley where he’s plying his expertise and vision to guide an exceptional adventure media event in Carbondale, Colorado. In advance of this four-day mountain movie menagerie, set to start on April 26th, Clifton shared a few thoughts on his new role and what we can look forward to on the cinema...

Adventure Media Review, Film preview, Green Economics, Mountain Film, Special Events, Sustainable Living / 11.04.2012

  There is no greater joy than the gift of happiness. And in celebration of Earth Day “Happy” is coming to Madison. To be more specific the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin is hosting a presentation of Roko Belic’s award-winning feature film “Happy”. The movie will be followed by a lively panel discussion on the topic of happiness hosted by yours truly. After seeing the premiere of this amazing motion picture last year at the Mountain Film Festival in Telluride I knew it just had...

Adventure Media Review, Film Review, Kids in Nature / 10.04.2012

A new short film by Nirvan Mullick could make you rethink what it means to play outside. Caine's Arcade is a heartwarming true story about a 9-year-old boy who turns his dreams into reality with a couple of cardboard boxes and a roll of packing tape. In a world where children often restrict their play to commercially derived electronic games it's encouraging to see the creation of games born of imagination and the selfless desire to share fun. Caine Monroy is a little boy in East Los Angeles who...

Breaking News, Social Media, Sustainable Living / 10.04.2012

Everyone needs a burst of energy. But who would have thought it would take the form of an actual battery! Today I’m very pleased to announce that Rayovac has signed on as a major sponsor of the Joy Trip Project. Starting next week reporting on the business art and culture of the sustainable active lifestyle will be supported in part by this Madison, Wisconsin-based provider of portable energy and light solutions. "It is important for us to work on projects that push the limits of products or ideas," said...

Adventure Media Review, Business, Diversity, Kids in Nature, Outdoor Recreation / 05.04.2012

Recently outdoor shoemaker KEEN Footwear launched an ad meant to appeal to people who seldom see themselves depicted in nature. And in doing so the company made a rare overture of welcome to a much-underrepresented segment of our population committed to playtime outside, the African-American Family. As part of its campaign called “Recess is Back”, KEEN aims to encourage people from all walks of life to remember the importance of play. In a strategy designed to be as diverse as possible the new ad includes a black couple with...