It's all gone quiet

Hi,

We have no email or websites at present since 6pm 020907.. it's a bit strange, a bit scarey considering I alone get 100+ emails a day and have now received nothing or been able to send .. ouch. And The guys at Yadabyte have no idea when things will be working again.
Until then if you need me and you've thought to look on our blog then email leapmedia@mac.com

sorry for this hassle.
matt



Message for Mat Ripley Director of Yadabyte below.
Monday, 3 September 2007
Yadabyte Server Issues
Its been a hell of a day. Our server went down this morning and hasn't been up since.

These things happen - although this happened to us in many years of serving; when it did go bad it went it in spades.

But whats been really terrible is the appalling support that www.1and1.co.uk internet have been providing us. We have been lied to, passed all around the globe between the Philippines and basically treated as worthless - which considering the large amount of money we pay them is even more frustrating.

1and1 are supposed to be the biggest ISP in Europe, and they are pretty big in the states too. They guarantee great uptime and speed but I guess when it comes to it, as a company you need to get judged by how you deal with the bad times too.

Clients have been understandably calling us all day to get the low down and I have been unable to give them any real information, its been stressful to say the least.

One of the real issues I have with them today is the fact that their entire support infrastructure has no connection with the hardware, as in the servers. So the guys and gals in the Philipines cant do anything about the hardware issues, like we are having.


At 8 am we were told to call back in 30 mins.
We call back they have no idea about it, but then escalate it.
We call back again, another escalation ; by 10am uk were were supposedly at the highest level.
Then we get told its a problem with UDP flooding (we didn't think that made sense)
Then we get told its a BILLING ISSUE - I cant believe this so chase it up with their accounts department. No billing problem - what ind of internet system allows such misinformation?
We can see now that they are doing something on the server. not sure what but now, over 12 hours after the initial report maybe we will have our sites, and most importantly our client sites, back up.
Stay tunes... and if this has affected you... sorry

Mat
Posted by Mat Ripley

Gracie 1 Bo 2

reasons to be cheerful Part 1

we're sorted

Thank you to everyone who sent in proposals, cv's and ice cream. It was a great and unexpected response from lots of talented and passionate, for the environment individuals. And we've got someone and they start on our study next week with support from Martyn and Justin of Envision.

We're really excited to see just what all our clients and Leap have done over the last 'nearly' 3 years and to quantify it into a visual presentation.. whether good or bad...watch this space.

Next for us we want to hear from some of Cornwalls nice and talented designers to assist on some of our projects.

matt

a very special project

Hello everyone

We are looking for someone to take on a short-term research project. We estimate it might take 4-8 weeks (this is flexible), and it would need to be completed by the end of September latest.

The aim will be to map/quantify the environmental benefits (and any adverse impacts) to date of our operations and approach to work for our clients. ie Carbon footprint, hourly design versus carbon usage/equivalent, equating the amount of recycled material we've used for us and our clients to trees, landfill, energy, water etc. How much benefit does it make that leap has investments in various windfarms, gets its electricity from Good Energy, offsets using bio-gas/lighting projects in Kenya and many other aspects.

This might suit an undergraduate with environmental audit knowledge/skills. Some of the work would need to be undertaken from our studio, but much could probably be done remotely. Or a live project as part of a degree.

This is a new adventure for us and we would like a passionate, meticulous individual with the appropriate skills to work through this new and exciting stage of Leap. The end results will be illustrated for an event in October showing why Leap is very different to any other design agency.

You can find out more about Leap by visiting the website ( www.leapmedia.co.uk ) and more about this opening by phoning me on 01726 68672 or emailing cwillcocks@leapmedia.co.uk. Please forward this message to anyone you think might be interested!

RE:SOURCEFUL LEAP

we've been on this all year, it's been our biggest single project to date and it's been great. We've named it, branded it, designed every aspect of it. Had our team helping out at Royal Cornwall Show with the RE:SOURCE team, vaccumming before the pre-launch on Friday 29/6/07 and generally having our usual design fun.

It's an incredible project and we were really pleased to win the tender and to be involved at such an all inclusive level. We tried to do as much as possible sustainably even though we were slightly out of our safe zone... till points made from recycled material and completely designed by Leap, everything on wheels so the interior can be changed to fit demand. A welcome area that allows star products to be slotted in an out and doubles up as a sales point. Car park signs made from recycled substrates and car tyres, banners using recycled foamex, jute bags, huge illustrated wall vinyls and even toilet signs made from shape cut recycled yogurt pots.

thanks to the RE:SOURCE team for letting us play and we wish you the greatest of journeys with your brilliant project.

quick change wow

you've got to watch this link, just shows we don't need fancy special effects, lots of lights etc.... fast, simple and brilliant....but how? Title is the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB-wUgnyGv0&eurl=

Don't let me do live action

It was nice to be asked but I think I should avoid cameras for the near future. An experience nonetheless. Takes a little while to load but check me out and feel free to draw fake beard etc. on me.

http://www.cornwallbusinessweek.co.uk/podcasts.html

Right time to listen to some Jamie T, far too many blogs for one week.

Coming soon to a book shelf near you

We designed it, Eden will hold the launch party in July and Emma Mansfield from Eden wrote and researched it. So go get yourself a must have copy of the 168 page cd size Little Book of Cornwall! And as Leap were involved it's super sustainably produced, using 75% recycled stock with the remainder FSC, vegetable based inks, produced by Emma, Claire and myself at our studio which of course uses renewable electricity supplied by the lovely Good Energy folk. And just in case we purchase half an acre of the endangered Amazon forest through the newly established Cool Earth (note, we are still checking out the feasibility of offsetting through locked CO2 and endangered rainforests, we are designers afterall so are relying on some of our clients to come back with the authenticity of our idea). And we thank Emma for bringing her project to us, and for investing in having her books environmental impact reduced.

Even the display stands that will be used to sell the books are made from nicely crafted and printed rcycled cardboard.

Good luck Little Book of Cornwall and Emma Mansfield.

Playing with CDs

As an ongoing result of the awards we designed and created for the 2006 Cornwall Sustainability Awards, we have yet again been commissioned to design the above awards for the Environment Agency and The Hub in parthership with the guys at Ecoincentives. Our very talented Unlocking Cornish Potential designer, Claire England very nicely designed the 19 awards which we had made out of a fantastic plastic made from recycled CDs and our trademark acrylic offcuts from the signage industry. Again finished with wood purchased from Heligan Gardens, Cornwall and a sustainable cork base.

As you can see England did good, 19 awards in total including concept, design, make and supply fo the boxes to carry them off in. From Leap never having made an award before let alone winning awards we have now produced 36 awards of varying style and materias for 4 award ceremonies. Next we need to start winning some ourselves. Although it does make us look good when all the awards are left lying around our design studio:)

Leaped - Energy in Regional Development Learning from European Best Practice Conference

Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership asked Leap to pitch for the brand and all supporting design of their upcoming conference 3 months ago. They very nicely decided to work with Leap and over the last few months we've produced the logo, various print based items. FSC branded wooden pens and a very nice jute folder produced by Go Jute www.gojute.co.uk

The ‘Energy in Regional Development – Learning from European Best Practice’ conference on 29th June will showcase six major energy projects which are being very successful in supporting their regional and local economy and have been chosen by the European Commission as best practice. The event is being organized by the Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership (CSEP), a partnership of 72 organisations including the local authorities of Cornwall, health and private sector representatives, to create a sustainable energy future for Cornwall’s communities and businesses. The conference is being sponsored and funded by EDF Energy.

The project has been great to work on with Lindsay, Kate and Jasmine from CSEP even though Leap is not afraid to mention we seem slighly cursed on the job. We haven't had any gypsy cross out path recently, so not sure why 2 days before one of our printers was supposed to deliver the original printed conference booking form, that they phoned and said they couldn't print it. Thankfully the excellent Hannah from Peninsula Onesource stepped in and turned it around in 2 days. Then the branded pens turned out to be different from the sample we had used to cost and design with. And finally the jute folders got stuck in Columbo, Sri Lanka and arrived late but luckily we'd allowed room for delivery probelms just in case .. But we got there in the end and CSEP got all their required material in time for their big day.

Lots and lots and lots

Well its been a while and things are getting nicely into shape. This is just a quickie to update all who are interested and have been asking. By September we will be six, six very talented and totally brilliant passionate people. We are alredy 6 but this won't be official until September and then an exciting change will happen in October (more to come). So whose new, we have Claire Willcocks whose remit is to free up my creativity, make sure Leap operates in the most sustainable way for staff, clients, environment and financially. And she's already taken a weight off my shoulders an its soooo good to instantly have trust and faith in some one and to know Leap is safe in her hands. Plus she's a total talent and used to much bigger things than Leap

Then there is our Unlocking Cornish Potentila graduate Claire England whose doing lots of good design as well as looking after the creative side of Leap whilst I'm out on projects or visiting existing and new clients of which there are lots.

And then in the wings but with mucho talent and ideas is Mark and Darren who you will see and hear more from soon.

Plans, relaunch of Leap in October with a much broader creative and environmental offering based on a sudden shift in what clients are asking us. It goes way beyond design and print now with Leap writing companies environmental policies, sorting carbon offsetting, consultancy, sponsorships, management training, and ofcourse design, branding, illustration, copywriting and a myriad more. And it will also mean we get all our fab clients in one place so they can all meet each other. I think there will be a lot of interesting conversations and partnering. And it's way past time we partied as it's been such an incredible couple of years.

What else, well next week I'm a spokesperson for Cornwall business week and we've just had a podcast done to tie in with it. Which will do it's rounds on the net I guess and it talks about the hows, why and who Leap are involved with and going beyond. With a host more talks and interviews lined up where we talk about good, the bad and the greedy sides of green business and companies we've interacted with.

Design wise, 29/6 sees the launch of RESOURCE, and excellent reuse centre based in Cornwall. Leap has done brand and all supporting design work from interior design, to furnishings made from recycled materials, toilet signs from yogurt pots and lots of fun and funky graphics. 6/7/07 sees the launch at Eden Project of The Little Book of Cornwall, a 172 page cd size did you know and more of all thats Cornwall. 2 websites for Good Energy, with more in the pipeline. Sponsorship project with the BBC, yet more award design and make for the Environment Agency and The Hub (recycled cds this time are used and our well loved locally sourced and sustainably managed Heligan woods), we've consulted for the Wembley Live Earth concert, lots of fun happenings with St Austell Brewery who were already well clued up on the environment and what they can do but Leap has just rewritten their paper policy and is looking at all their paper based business consumables. As well as many other projects bith design and environment. NAtional Trust we've just completed their Climate exhibition which is made from 100% recycled card and is 100% recyclable. We've even lined up the stand to go to another client a new one at that Shreddy Bed. Thye make animal bedding out of recycled card and then wehn thats finished it becomes compost. So an entire life cycle concept, designed and thought about. Loads more but sure you are bored.

Its a great time though and we have been consulting and advising lots of other design agencies, clothing and jute companies, we advised and sponsored the recent Falmouth students MIlan Furniture show display that is now at Eden. Oh and I'm missing my girlfriend and 2 beautiful daughters Bo and Gracie who have been on holiday in France with the grandparents for the last 3 weeks.

Right I'm done... for now. Keep up the good happenings
matt

The same but different

It's not rolled out yet but attached are two images showing the new Leap logo. It's the same in everyway except the rings are now full of stuff that represents us, our love of life and fight to protect what is around us. The logo contains everything from a mammoth (downer side, extinction), surf board, spray can (I used to do the odd wall spray), bottle of cider (always my main social drink), pencil, eco-bulb, birds, waves, a goat (for my pal and Eden Project boss Ben Luxton for the 3 years I worked there - he has an un-natural love of all things goatish), bicycles and so much more. Each with a positive and occassionally negative meaning but all on a common theme about what Leap and its people are about.

Its also to show that Leap is so much more than graphics, print and consultation, it's everything, the way we talk, interact, act, enjoy and of course create.

I hope you like it as much as we do.

matt
(right back to my nippers now, food and play then a walk to the beach..perfect)

It's coming

It's taking a while to show its sel! Whilst in Sinai, Danny who runs the Makhad journey's said that it can be instant or take a year or more for the experience to really show itself .... so I'm still waiting to write what happened. It was good, it was an honour to have been invited and I met some wonderful people, in an amazing place where we were very priveleged guests and it all happended on the Edge ... more to come:)

The picture was one of my many vistas! THe dark scar in the land midway through the picture was the oldriver gully that was my home whilst I spent 3 days and nights on my tod. I chose well.

Matt

Climate Radio

Recently we did a brief interview for RIchard Hoggett of Friends of the Earth who is running the Climate RAdio campaign. My radio career is very short and definitely not a vocation I should ever ever think about, btu good to have been asked and alos interesting trying to fit who I am, Leap, why we do what we do and how we fight climate change through our work in to a whole 25 seconds... I know I talk fast but wow!

If you want to read more or hear the interview follow the link....

Hi Matt

Thanks for helping with the climate radio campaign. Your interview is being aired on Pirate FM from this week and the website has now been updated with your story – the direct link is http://www.foecornwall.org/CLIMATE_CHAOS/Stories/21%20LEAP%20Media.html

There is a listen again facility on this web page so you can hear your edited interview.

Best wishes

Richard

Seasalted

Just a quickie as I'm supposed to be on a non-work weekend doing family stuff and not thinking about my laptop and the various projects to work on this week!

The above images are shots of the recent boarding cards we produced for those super Seasalt organic people. Neil form Seasalt saw some the ScillyWaste ones we produced when Lepa branded the Isles of Scilly based waste awareness initiative, and liked them so much he asked if he could have some too branded of course.

The cards are great as the reverse of each one has a reduce, reuse, recycle tip and an image with the front being functional for use in handing out to people before boarding the helicopter to the Isles of Scilly. And even better, they are made from recycled foamex/pvc, so look good, start conversations (hopefully) and help raise environmental awareness. We now have 300 of these in circulation at British International and they are viewed by over 100000 visitors a year. Not bad for a small and simple design project spend. Even the holders are made from recycled board.

Isles of Scilly Travel are the latest company to want some, this time part sponsored by Seasalt as well as Isles of Scilly Flowers. The latest set will be encapsulated recycled card to do a comparison on usage, print and longevity.

Happy times.
Matt

Another Leap

So far in our 2 year history we've done alot of varied projects, utilising, recycled paper, christmas decorations from recycled materials, pitch pine dredged from the Thames, solar interactive signage and our latest creations are above you!

It seems we've turned into a sustainble trophy design agency! After winning one award and being SME finalist in 2005 at the Cornwall Sustainability Awards, Leap was asked if we would sponsor the 2006 CS Awards, which of course we did (even though it meant we couldn't enter) through design. We designed everything, logo, paper based graphics, certificates and to top it off we tried our hand at making an award that would have a story and create conversations.

To do this we called in our long time super signage creating company Parc and between us we designed the 'flame or leaf' like awards made using local Yew from Heligan Gardens, recycled banknotes set in a resin made from melted car headlamp lenses, off cut acrylic and recycled PVC. Now how much fun is that, and marketing manager for Cornwall College Business, Tracey Johnsons (who organised the awards) commented:

Oh my god they are so sexy!!!!! Thank you so much.

Ok, I wouldn't call them sexy more distinctive.

And at the award ceremony, they were liked so much that local promo company Ecoincentives commissioned us to design and produce a further 16 in partnership with them for the Environment Agency, 6 for their recent Water awards (see close up above) and 10 for an award ceremony in July (still to be designed). Our paper based design days could be numbered ..tee hee:) which my girlfriend will be really happy about as she'll actually see me.

Powercast - wireless charging!

I came across a reference to this on the Howies site and found some more info, it could be interesting.. maybe not. We have two laptops and 2 imacs and the latter have wireless keyboards and mice which use rechargable batteries. However it's always slightly peeved me that although they no longer have wires they still need replaceable batteries! Hopefully this might mean the problem will soon be over. I'm sorted on my mobile and Ipod though as we have a solio solar charger in the office for those...

Word out:)


A Pennsylvania start-up says it has the answer to one of the biggest problems in mobile phones: battery life.

After three years of keeping its technology under close guard, Powercast has come to CES 2007 to get consumer and manufacturer attention. Powercast is a radio frequency that is transmitted over a small area, and its energy is "harvested"--wirelessly--to give power to small devices like cell phones.

While it's presented as wireless power, Powercast isn't just a replacement for a universal charger. Instead, it's meant to either continuously charge a battery or replace the need for them altogether.

It works like this: a transmitter can be placed anywhere--in a lamp, for example, that is plugged into the wall and sits on a table. The transmitter in the lamp sends out a continuous, low RF signal. Anything with either AA or AAA batteries set within its range--and equipped with a Powercast receiver, which is the size of your fingernail--will be continuously charged.

"Our solution is, if talk time (on a cell phone) is 5 1/2 hours, by trickle-charging (it) at work, now talk time is 10 hours because the battery never gets to dead," John Shearer, CEO of Powercast, said in an interview.

There are many applications for Powercast, said Shearer, but the company is making the PC peripherals market a priority. Think a wireless keyboard or mouse with no battery, or a hermetically sealed battery that the customer never need access again.

Major CE and IT manufacturers will have to agree to build Powercast capability into their products, and thus far Powercast is revealing only Philips as a future partner. The first Powercast product will come to market by the end of 2007, the company says.

Hidden Art

I saw this (online not in real life) and I love it, goes by the name of Blu.

Woo hoo

Just how good is this weather! After a lush longboarding 2 hour surf at Watergate on Saturday (followed by an excellent Pheonix burger with my nippers, pals and Clare), the suns just kept up the good vibes. The last couple of morning walks to work have felt really good (not that my usual walks or cycles are bad, even in the rain it's ace to just have the freedom that my walks give), short shirt and jeans and it's as good as summer. I'll take some snaps soon of what my walk/cycle looks like.

Other news, off to the launch of the Sexy Green Car Show at Eden tomorrow, should be interesting. Last night at my old pad Eden again for a great little show and tell session by Tim and Tony with some great insights in to Eden's hopeful next build phase. Make sure you vote for them when the time comes.

It was also interesting as Eden's new build will be titled the Edge and has a lot of basis in dry arid regions of the world. Exactly where I was 6 weeks ago in Sinai! And the edge is a fitting title for similar regions and peoples around the world and was one of two aspects that filled my thoughts whilst I spent time in the desert. The other was the memory of water that surrounded me.... but I will write fully about Sinai and my time there in the near future.

Right time to work, it's been another lightning paced day with time spent talking to St Austell Brewery about design and sustainability and Leap will be consulting with them in the future - which is nice. Artworking the June Energy in Regional Development conference work that Leap have just branded and a few other tasty projects. One day I might actually do the portfolio so you can see some of the 300 projects we've been part of in the last two years instead of all my old work currently shown!!

Bye bye, enjoy sunny tiimes.
matt x

Fallujah - one to watch

http://www.fallujah.co.uk

This is based on the case study done by Scilla Elworthy of what really happened in Fallujah. I was lucky enough to be on the same journey party as Scilla on my recent time in Sinai (which will appear on our blog in another week, 1 month after my return). If you can, book seats now! And let us know what you thought of it.

Matt

ps Snow swirled around me as I did my daily walk (sometimes cycle) to work today! I soooo wanted to run back home and grab my two under two daughters Bo and Gracie and show them. It's gone now, as quick as that, swirling cold life then gone. The sun is out now and blue skies abound.. I love not having to use a car to get to work:)