By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs

Yesterday at The Times Center in New York City, I had the opportunity to attend the press conference announcing the new Capital One Cup.

The Capital One Cup is a new premier award for excellence in on-field performance in Division I college sports. It awards one men’s and one women’s NCAA® Division I athletics program for their cumulative on-field performance across multiple sports during the fall, winter and spring athletics seasons.

Once the seasons are done, $200, 000 will be awarded to the winning program (men's and women's sports) for graduate level scholarships. The winners will be announced during the annual ESPY awards.

After the press conference I had a chance to speak with ESPN's Rece Davis who hosts College Gameday and is an Advisory Board member for the Capital One Cup. We spoke on the new Capital One Cup and San Antonio Spurs' rookie James Anderson.

As Rece and I meet, he gives me a hearty handshake.

Jeff: The Capital One Cup has to give a new competitive... (more)

Hello! I’m Sweet Pea, a 10 year old female Miniature Schnauzer mix who is looking for a loving family to take me home. And just so you know, there really couldn’t be a more perfect name for me! I have been described as an irresistible young lady and I know I’d be a great companion for your family. I am good-natured with so much love to give. I’ll even jump up on your lap so you can run your fingers through my lovely curly coat! I’m friendly, calm, happy, and curious; you would think I was a puppy! I hope you will fall in love with me and let me into your wonderful home. Stop by the San Antonio Humane Society today and see if I’m your lady!

Adoption fees for Dogs:

25 pounds & under - $125

26 pounds & over - $89

This adoption fee includes: spay/neuter surgery, first set of vaccinations, microchip, de-wormer, flea and tick prevention, collar, tag, complimentary wellness exam within the first 5 days after adoption and 14 day complimentary follow up care at any one of the participating VCA animal hospitals, and one... (more)

San Antonio … Next week, the San Antonio Prefreshman Engineering Program (PREP) will hold its Closing ceremony to celebrate its 32

PREP’s 2010 Closing will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 30, 2010 in the Convocation Center on the UTSA Main Campus, 1 UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249.

Astronaut and electrical engineer José Moreno Hernández will present the Closing’s keynote address.  In 2001, Hernández began working for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.  In 2004, he was chosen for astronaut training, which he completed in 2006.  Last summer, he took his first trip into space on NASA’s STS-128 Space Shuttle mission, making history as the first astronaut to tweet from space in Spanish.

Between 3,500 and 4,000 individuals are expected to gather for... (more)

San Antonio … Researchers at UTSA are one step closer to combating the devastating effects of chlamydia in infected women.

A leading cause of sexually transmitted disease, Chlamydia trachomatis affects approximately 4 million new people in the United States each year, the majority of whom are women. The disease has little effect on men, but causes major damage to the reproductive systems of women, and can lead to ectopic pregnancies and even infertility.

Ashlesh Murthy, research assistant professor in the Department of Biology and a member of the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, recently received a two-year $144,500 RO3 grant from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease within the National Institutes of Health to uncover new ways to counteract and prevent the side effects of the disease.

Murthy has worked with mentor Professor Bernard Arulanandam on other projects related to the disease.  Most notably, the UTSA pair teamed with UT Health Science Center scientist Guangming... (more)

San Antonio … The Institute for Cyber Security-Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (ICS-CIAS) at The University of Texas at San Antonio has been selected to receive the Air Force Association’s 2010 Hoyt S. Vandenberg Award for its role in developing Cyber Patriot, the world’s largest high school cyber security competition.  Established in 1948 to recognize the most outstanding contributions in aerospace education, the Vandenberg Award is one of the Air Force Association’s highest honors.

UTSA’s ICS-CIAS will share the 2010 award with Northrop Grumman and Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), partners that also support the Air Force Association’s Cyber Patriot competition.  The annual competition, based on the ICS-CIAS’s National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, engages savvy computer science students and educates them in cyber security principles and tactics as a way of introducing them to cyber security careers.  To prepare for the competition, teams of students train... (more)

San Antonio … On Wednesday, July 7, UTSA’s Interactive Technology Experience Center will extend a Texas-sized welcome to five winners of the Czech Republic’s national science fair.  The stop is part of an eight-day tour across the Alamo City to engage the Czech students in a program of scientific and cultural exchange.

“When we were approached with the possibility of hosting the Czech students at our robotics camp, we didn’t think twice,” said Can Saygin, director of the UTSA Interactive Technology Experience Center which hosts the robotics camps.  “We knew this was something we couldn’t pass up.  It was a great opportunity for our own students and for our visitors from the Czech Republic.”

Five regional science fair winners will accompany the Czech visitors to UTSA’s robotics camp.  They hail from John Jay Science and Engineering Academy, James Madison High School’s Agriscience Magnet Program and Philosophos Academy home school.  Together, the students will develop, build and program robots... (more)

SAN ANTONIO – Next month marks the beginning of a diversified internet experience for the 210TV.com audience. On July 19th the site will roll out its very own Radio Station and Online Store. 

“This internet radio station will be a great way to give local artists incredible exposure not only locally but on a global scale… I think that many great local artists are overlooked and/or go unheard,” says Rafael Nieves, Founder of 210TV.com. “My goal is to make San Antonio a major hub of the music industry in the mid-west across all genres.”

Beginning this Friday from 4pm-6pm, local artists in and around the San Antonio area are invited to stop by the C4 Workspace located at 108 King William Street to submit a CD of their original music. Submission requirements are as follows:

• Person submitting will need to provide a legal form of identification
• This person must also sign a release form granting authorization for 210TV to play their music online
• CD must include jewel case and track information 
• Acceptable genres...

National advertising, direct and digital communications agency Campbell-Ewald (C-E) celebrated the opening of its first office in San Antonio with a ribbon cutting and open house event Wednesday night.  C-E welcomed approximately 150 guests including city representatives and many well-known business leaders to its new home in The Historic Finesilver Building that will serve as the agency's South Central hub office.  Ramiro Cavazos, President and CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Greater San Antonio Chamber President Richard Perez were among the guests and participated in the ribbon cutting.

C-E's San Antonio Managing Director, Kathleen Donaldson addressed event attendees with remarks about San Antonio's diverse business culture and strong dedication to community making the city a 'perfect fit' for Campbell-Ewald.  The 100-year-old agency is headquartered in Detroit with offices in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.... (more)

(San Antonio) … Organic Chemistry doctoral student Hector Aguilar at The University of Texas at San Antonio will soon meet the cream of the crop in his professional field.  The Corpus Christi native is one of 94 students from the United States who has been chosen to attend the 60^th Annual Interdisciplinary Meeting of Nobel Laureates, scheduled for June 27 to July 2 in Lindau, Germany.  At the international conference, Aguilar will discuss chemistry breakthroughs, network and dine with the world’s finest chemists and chemistry students.

This year, 683 students from 69 countries are expected to attend the invitation-only meeting.  Aguilar is one of three attendees who were invited from the state of Texas.  Twenty-five Nobel laureates in Chemistry will also be present at the conference.  They include 2003 Nobel laureate Peter Agre, who clarified how water is transported in and out of the body, and 1997 Nobel laureate Sir John Ernest Walker who, with co-recipient Paul Boyer, unraveled the... (more)

(San Antonio) … Organic Chemistry doctoral student Hector Aguilar at The University of Texas at San Antonio will soon meet the cream of the crop in his professional field.  The Corpus Christi native is one of 94 students from the United States who has been chosen to attend the 60^th Annual Interdisciplinary Meeting of Nobel Laureates, scheduled for June 27 to July 2 in Lindau, Germany.  At the international conference, Aguilar will discuss chemistry breakthroughs, network and dine with the world’s finest chemists and chemistry students.

This year, 683 students from 69 countries are expected to attend the invitation-only meeting.  Aguilar is one of three attendees who were invited from the state of Texas.  Twenty-five Nobel laureates in Chemistry will also be present at the conference.  They include 2003 Nobel laureate Peter Agre, who clarified how water is transported in and out of the body, and 1997 Nobel laureate Sir John Ernest Walker who, with co-recipient Paul Boyer, unraveled the... (more)

Sure we love the lotions, potions, moisturizers and cleansers to keep our skin healthy, but what about some other stuff - Like food, tea, herbs, and sleep! Keeping your skin looking healthy and radient shouldn't mean spending every last penny on some fancy products.

So let's look at some natural products and ways you can have that youthful looking glow!

We've all heard that oily, greasy, fatty foods are bad for the skin, because it'll make our skin look exactly like that! However, foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids (like tuna and fish) are actually pro-skin... And tasty! Vitamins A, E and Zinc are also skin loving supplements.

Herbs can also be useful in general cleansing of the skin of different types. Effective skin cleansers can be made using vegetable oils. For a toner, use rosewater for dry skin and witch hazel for oily skin. You can also infuse herbs and use the water as a toner.

Skin hydration is very important, especially for people with dry skin. Drinking lots of water is one way of keeping skin hydrated.... (more)

By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs

I recently had an opportunity to participate in a Q&A with former Spur, Brent Barry.  With the Spurs vs. Suns series well underway, I asked him who is the Spurs x-factor in the Spurs vs. Suns series.  Here is what he had to say:

Jeff from www.projectspurs.com

Who is the x-factor from the Spurs who will have to step up in the series against the Suns?

BB: Well the x factor for me is the same guy that was the reason for them beating Dallas in round 1. That's George Hill. I know he struggled last night to find a shot but I think he has to stop waiting and asking for Richard Jefferson to step up and start to be curious about George.

Thanks to NBA.com for allowing me and Project Spurs to participate.  Click HERE for more articles on the Spurs at Project Spurs.

By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs

Spurs forward, Tim Duncan, was named to the NBA All-Defensive second team for the 13th time in his NBA career.

The NBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of center Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs, guards Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and Thabo Sefolosha of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and forwards Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks and Anderson Varejao of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Duncan has been selected to the NBA All-Defensive team 13 consecutive seasons.

Congratulations Timmy! Well deserved.

By Robby Lim, Project Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs tried to steal another game one in Phoenix, this time it was the Suns' turn to shine. Steve Nash led the Phoenix Suns to victory, scoring 33 points on 13-19 of shooting from the field and added 10 assists and 3 rebounds in 37 minutes of action.

But how did the Suns win this one? Let's dig into the numbers.

56 - The Spurs should be one's dominating the paint, instead the Suns outscored the Spurs 56-48 on inside points.

51.9 - Did the Spurs leave their 'D' in Dallas? In this game, it looks like it when you allow a team to shoot 51.9% from the field in the playoffs you're in trouble.

33 - Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker each scored 20 points or more for the Spurs. However, Amare Stoudemire, Jason Richardson and Steve Nash did the same for the Suns; only Nash scored more with 33.

27 - The Suns were able to run in this game beating the Spurs on fastbreak points 27-20.

21.1 - The Spurs shot an atrocious 21.1% (4-19) from behind the arc, including 0-... (more)

By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs

Once again, the kind folks at WOAI TV in San Antonio invited yours truly to be a panelist for the Sports Roundtable.  On this episode we discussed game one of the Spurs vs. Suns series.  Questions asked were should Spurs nation panic?  When did the Spurs lose the game and many more. Leave us your comments on game one.

Click HERE to view the WOAI Sports Roundtable with Project Spurs.

(April 26, 2010) … UTSA students from the Colleges of Architecture, Business, Engineering and Sciences will convene tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering (BSE) Building for the 2010 UTSA Student Conference.  The 2010 annual conference, now in its fourth year, provides UTSA students with the opportunity to present research projects or exhibit other significant accomplishments.

The 2010 conference is themed “Promoting Engineering, Science, Business and Architecture for a Green Energy Texas” and will be opened by John Frederick, provost, and Robert Gracy, vice president for research at 9 a.m. in BSE 1.112.  Throughout the day, participants will gain professional presentation experience, network with their peers and faculty, and learn about graduate education and professional opportunities. The event will also include a special session on career building, organized by a panel of faculty and industrial individuals.

The conference agenda also includes five keynote presentations,... (more)

It's that time again - the time where we have hot weather, summer vacations, roadtrips, and drives to the beach. But is that all? You also have sunscreen, cleansers, and moisturizer issues. 

The problem with people and sunscreen is, they they tend to avoid putting "more" on after a certain time. Yes, it's understandable you're trying to get a nice tan, but do you understand you could get skin cancer?Apply sunscreen before you leave the house - Even if you're not going to the beach, just walking outside is enough to get sun-burnt! 

Use a daily moisturizer. Our skin is most likely going to get oily and/or dry during the summer, so using a moisturizer can help heal and keep your skin from getting too oily or dry. 

Cleanse your face in the morning and at night. It's crucial that we wash our faces at least twice a day. This cleanses our faces from any dirt and oil that sticks to the surface of our skin and clogs pores. Cetaphil and Clearasil are great cleansing products.

If... (more)

Beware Texans the heat is back! Now that the nice cool weather is pretty much gone, our almost normal temperatures are coming in. Time for the beach! But wait! Don’t forget something… Sunscreen!
The most common mistake people make during the summer is not using sunscreen, or not using enough of it. Sunscreen needs to be applied every several hours, even if it’s waterproof. Another common mistake is going into the water right after applying their sunscreen – Don’t do it! Sunscreen needs to “set-in” for at least 20-30 minutes before heading out into the water. So try putting on the protection before leaving your house to go to the beach.

Avoid harsh cleansers and over exfoliating. Since it’s summer, we’re bound to sweat a lot and feel dirty, which causes us to use harsh cleansers to make sure we’re “super clean.” Unfortunately, doing so will just hurt your skin, not help it. You might try using a body-wash with moisturizer in it, or a face wash that won’t over dry your skin, like Cetaphil. Cetaphil is one of the... (more)

Want truly fabulous skin -- glowing, vibrant, and, yes, younger-looking skin? Make sure you're putting foods for healthy skin on your plate.

"You could have sallow skin, dry skin, older-looking skin. It's not going to happen overnight, but starve your skin long enough, and it's going to show," she says.

What's more, some health experts believe that when your diet is missing certain foods for healthy skin, other, even more serious skin problems can result.

Elaine Linker, PhD, biochemist and co-founder of DDF Skin Care, says a number of conditions, such as acne, can cause you to suddenly break out. And some chronic skin conditions, such as eczema, may be linked to diet.

What Are Foods for Healthy Skin?
Most experts say eating a balanced diet is the best way to get your share of good food for healthy skin. Still, a number of specific skin treats are more likely than others to give a boost of glowing good health to your complexion. Here's what experts say are the most important:

Low-Fat Dairy Products. One the most... (more)

(April 7, 2010) … A team of researchers including Associate Professors of Mechanical Engineering Hai-Chao Han and Yusheng Feng at The University of Texas at San Antonio and Associate Professor Merry Lindsey at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio has received a five-year, $1.8 million RO1 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the causes of arterial tortuosity, also known as artery twisting or curling.

The research will eventually lead to treatments for varicose veins and twisted arteries.  Varicose veins affect 25 million Americans, and nearly half of all women, according to the National Institutes of Health.  Twisted arteries are associated with atherosclerosis which occurs when fatty tissue deposits cause hardened arteries and leads to coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. according the American Heart Association.

In collaboration with researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and Georgia Tech, Han’s team... (more)