Check out these five free desktop image editors, courtesy of the Rapid E-Learning Blog, that range from simple photo editing to high-range photo capabilities.

Picasa: Picasa manages simple photo tasks like cropping, basic editing and enhancing and cataloging photos.  Picasa may be particularly useful if you take a lot of your own photos.

Photoscape: Photoscape provides filters and features in addition to basic photo tasks and editing.  

Paint.net: Paint.net is recommended by E-Learning most.  It handles more complex graphics editing needs.

PixBuilder Studio: PixBuilder combines the features of a basic image editor with multiple formats and layering techniques.  It also uses less memory and is more easily portable via USB. 

GIMP: GIMP most closely resembles Photoshop and is a great resource for those who desire more compatability without the expense.  The user community around GIMP is also very active.   

Read the original post: http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/5-free-desktop-image-editors-for-e-learning/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RapidElearningBlog+%28The+Rapid+E-Learning+Blog%29

The goal of the Youth Action Institute is to turn out young AIDS activists and leaders. Since its first year in 2005, C2EA brings a diverse group of 14 to 29-year-olds to a college campus and teaches them to become the AIDS policy-makers and protest leaders of today and tomorrow. While some of the hundreds of participants through the years arrived with a bit of knowledge about AIDS, most were just energetic young people from different walks of life — inexperienced but eager to learn.

Adult-supervised but youth-run, YAI seeks to educate and inspire a generation vulnerable to a disease they often know little about. Most participants did not grow up during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, when Americans were dying of the disease at alarming rates. However, the rate of young people diagnosed with HIV is rising, particularly among young black men who have sex with men.

2012 marks the eighth the YAI and will be occurring in Washington DC, just a few weeks before the International AIDS Conference and in the heated race for U.S. President.

Pre-Conference Fundraising
All applicants that are invited to attend the conference are required to raise $600 to help defer costs. This is also a good way for participants to get into the community and get a feel for the obstacles and possible setbacks that might occur when planning their summer project.

Post-Conference Project
As a participant you will be asked to partner with an AIDS Service Organization (ASO), community-based organization, religious institution, youth group, LGBTQ group, school or other entity to carry out a grassroots organizing project that will be carried out during summer 2012 and may be continued after. Organizing projects should link youth priority issues, C2EA demands (treatment, research, prevention & respect), pressing local needs and development of grassroots networks. We encourage participants to develop a project that is particularly relevant to your community surrounding HIV & AIDS.
Know any youth who might be interested in partipating? Print the Application Form Here:  2012 YAI Application

Looking to join today’s webinar on Deficit Reduction and HIV services?
Go here to register in advance or join the webinar after it has started.

Having trouble accessing the webinar?  Use this quick-reference guide to help solve audio and visual problems.

Download webinar slides here.

Background Info:

The Congressional Super Committee didn’t reach a budget deficit reduction agreement before Thanksgiving, meaning automatic federal budget cuts will go into effect in 2013.  The media says the Super Committee failed, but the lack of agreement might result in critical protections for programs that are vital for people with HIV.

-Are the automatic budget cuts a win or loss for people with HIV?
-What do automatic budget cuts mean for health reform, Medicaid and Medicare, and under-funded HIV prevention, care, housing and research programs?
-What can our community do to continue to protect these programs
-What happens next, and how can you explain what’s happening to your community without making everyone’s eyes glaze over?

If you have a hard time spelling “s-e-q-u-e-s-t-r-a-t-i-o-n”, this webinar’s for you!  Please join AIDS Foundation of Chicago, AIDS United, and Treatment Access Expansion Project/Harvard Law School for a live webinar on Thursday, December 15 at 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT/11 a.m. MT/10 a.m. PT.