 |
| Home | Biography | Filmography | Meet Jon | Blog | Artist | Forum | Freelance | Store |
OFFICIAL BLOG :: Jon Baas
"Fritz, the Feline Photographer" Meet Fritz, the cat photographer. Every day, Ramona Markstein lets her cat Fritz wonder the neighborhood while wearing a camera that takes photos every fifteen seconds. Ramona then posts Fritz’ photos on the Web. -Jon I I 0 comments "T-Shirt Thursday: Humor T-shirts" In an effort to show off some of my popular (or new) t-shirts, artwork, and gift ideas exclusive to my online store, Jon Baas Designs, I've decided to feature a few of them here on my blog every Thursday. I call it, "T-Shirt Thursday". Feel free to comment, and enjoy! Today's Featured Designs: (click on each image to see available products)
More T-shirts & Gifts: .... Actor T-shirts .... Occupation T-shirts And for those of you who like to shop, weekly sales and coupons are available on the front page of my store. Feel free to use them for special discounts! Have a wonderful Friday everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments
"Lego Celebrates 50 Years!" Today, LEGO turned fifty years old. And these days, the plastic toy building bricks are everywhere, with thousands of sets covering all sorts of themes -- from Star Wars to Harry Potter to Pirates. Every year, about 19 billion LEGO bricks are produced. That translates to 2.16 million LEGO pieces molded every hour, or 36,000 every minute! More than 400 million people around the world have played with LEGOs bricks. And if all the bricks sold in one year were collected and put together, they would circle the earth five times... or connect the Earth and the moon ten times over. The LEGO company got it's start back in 1932 when Ole Kirk Christiansen, a Danish carpenter, almost went bankrupt. During a depression, he had lost so much carpentry business that he started making wooden toys and selling them from his workshop. Two years later, he named his company LEGO (from Danish words "leg godt" meaning "play well".) LEGO's first product was a wooden toy duck. Ole Kirk didn’t invent LEGO bricks, though. He was inspired by the earlier "Kiddicraft Self-Locking Building Brick" patented by British inventor Hilary Fisher Page. In 1947, LEGO released their first bricks, and many years later, they bought the rights to the Kiddicraft block as well. In 1958, the modern-day brick design was developed, and bricks from that year are still compatible with the bricks of today. The first mini-figures (or minifigs) were released in 1978 for the Town, Space, and Castle playsets. When they were first created, LEGO decided their (always happy) faces should have only one color: yellow. And they never had any sex or race... or movable arms or legs for that matter. In the 1980's, with the arrival of the LEGO Pirates set, new facial features (evil/good/happy/grumpy) were released. And in 2003, the company finally released different skin colors. Today, LEGO features hundreds of building elements that be combined in endless combinations. In my opinion, they've truely become the most creative toy ever manufactured. Learn more about LEGO. "At 50, Lego still going strong despite high-tech toy world" -Jon I I 0 comments "Wacky Weather" Current temperature: 41°F. Last week our temperatures were sub-zero with frigid wind chills. This week, however, we're above freezing, and it feels like Spring. Yeah, this is one strange winter! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Till Death Do Us Part" Well folks, I've got some exciting acting news: I've been cast in another murder mystery. This time, however, it's of the "Murder Mystery Theatre" kind, and hosted as a charity fundraiser event. Generally, for those unfamiliar, this kind of theatre event is one where guests pay to attend a live show with interactive audience participation. The actors play a cast of colorful characters -- one of whom is the murderer -- and the audience must collaborate to work out the clues from the performance, props, and setting to solve the crime. And guess what?! All of you are invited! Til Death Do Us Part And for those of you curious which role I'm be playing? I'll be the Best Man... but you'll have to show up as a guest to learn any more. Mum's the word. Afterall, this *is* a murder mystery! :) Oh, and yes, you read that right, this fun little event is being performed on Valentine's Day. So, if you're in the Milwaukee area, and looking for a place to take your sweetheart, then you're invited! Come be a guest at a wedding/murder. The meal is catered, the mystery lively (at least one would hope so!), and my character is giving a toast! Don't miss it! Have a wonderful Monday all! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Movie Friday: "Stardust" Another Friday, another movie. However, this week, my selection is a little different. It has to do with a recent Hollywood film few people seem to know about: "Stardust" -- a wonderful little tale of fantasy, adventure, romance... and magic. In our tale, a young man named Tristan longs to win the heart of Victoria, the beautiful yet uninterested object of his desire. To do so, he vows to retrieve a fallen star, and his quest takes him to the mysterious and forbidden land just beyond the walls of his English village. While inside this strange land, Tristan finds his star, however it has transformed itself into a beautiful young girl named Yvaine. And, unfortunately, Tristan isn't the only person seeking this star. Lord Stormhold's three living sons (as well as the ghosts of their four dead brothers) each desire the star as they vie for the local throne. And if that's not enough to contend with, the evil witch, Lamia, covets the star to make her young again. As Tristan battles these threats, and struggles to survive a quest far greater than he could ever have imagined, his adventure changes. He grows up. And he must now win the heart of his fallen star, while discovering the true meaning of Love. Starring: Robert De Niro, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Peter O'Toole, Sienna Miller, and Ricky Gervais. Based upon the 1998 Neil Gaiman novel by the same name. Today's short film is the first ten minutes of "Stardust". ... [video] And after that begins the young Tristan's fantastic adventure into Stormhold... and a date with true love. But you'll have to go rent the movie to see that. :) I'll leave you with one more short film clip, though, just because. A bonus, if you will, and my favorite scene from later in the movie. Here poor Tristan has been turned into a mouse. But it's a moment that actually ends up offering the fallen star, Yvaine, a perfect opportunity to explain just how simple and beautiful Love really is. ... [video] Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend all! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments "Quote of the Day" "Love withers with predictability; its very essence is surprise and amazement. To make love a prisoner of the mundane is to take its passion and lose it forever." -- Leo Buscaglia -Jon I I 0 comments
"The Wheels of the Law Revisited" Today I went to court. And it was quite an adventure. For those of you new to my blog, or those of you who haven't been around since summer, here's the backstory: My landlord has a friend whom he's known since he was young. For 22 years, that friend lived in an old apartment building in downtown Milwaukee -- a large four-floor residential structure built in the 1930's containing around 50 apartments. Recently, this friend moved out of that location, and into the nicer apartments that I currently live in across town. However, when he moved, his former landlord (aka, the big real estate company that owned the building) decided to take advantage of him, and make his move a nightmare. This came in the form of fraudulent charges, inaccurate rental claims, cleaning fees, broken repair promises, flared tempers, etc. The building manager even chose to fabricate excuses to hide the truth. Since the real estate company, and my landlord's friend were not on good terms, I was asked to become a third party (unfamiliar to the manager/owners) and help build a case for the defense. So, back in July, I was asked to inquire of any open apartments in that building, and see if I could take a look at the unit my landlord's friend had vacated. I was instructed to be curious (as a prospective new tenant would be), take subtle notes of the condition I saw things in, and ask a few specific questions -- questions designed to clarify the manager's conflicting statements. As it turned out, the mission went off without a hitch, the manager was unaware of my under-cover operation, and I acquired answers that incriminated the real estate company. I returned with my findings, reported them as asked, and prepared to serve as a witness in court. A few days later, we (my landlord, his friend, and myself) arrived at the massive Milwaukee court house, and were ready to plead our case. However, the owners chose to stall the proceedings with an adjournment (aka, they legally postponed it until a later date). And they did this two more times until today -- our fourth appearance at the courthouse. So, here we were, the three of us back in court ready to go. This time, though, one of the owners, as well as his lawyer were there in attendance. The judge/commissioner got things started, everyone was sworn in, and the testimony began. At first things didn't look good. The owner's lawyer had the upper hand, and our well-prepared defense seemed rather shaky and weak. But after it came time for my testimony, things started to look up. I put a kink into the company's claims (and might have even blown the whistle on some under-the-table dealings by the building manager). With further testimony similar to my own, the tables had been turned. In the end, the judge's ruling was in our favor. My landlord's friend was still bound to pay a bit of unpaid rent (which was anticipated from the start), but ALL of the real estate company's other thousand dollar claims -- fraudulent rent fees, sneaky damage charges, cleaning claims, move-out charges, fabricated repair charges -- were voided. Had I not been there to give testimony, my landlord's friend would have been up a creek without a paddle. And he might have lost the case. It's a really nice feeling having been part of a victory like this. Granted, other than serving as a witness, I myself had nothing to do with the case itself. But I was an integral peg that allowed the truth to prevail, and I consider that to be quite satisfying. As I understand it, there are still a few matters my landlord's friend has to deal with, but for me, the case is over. I went undercover, I acquired the necessary facts, and I shared them in court. I was honest, I gained a little first-hand experience with the legal system, and, dare I say, I had fun. It was an adventure, and as those who know me well can attest,... I do enjoy a good adventure. I just hope the rest of this case comes to a swift end, and if the building manager did engage in under-the-table practices, he's dealt with accordingly. -Jon I I 0 comments "T-Shirt Thursday: Election 2008 T-shirts" In an effort to show off some of my popular (or new) t-shirts, artwork, and gift ideas exclusive to my online store, Jon Baas Designs, I've decided to feature a few of them here on my blog every Thursday. I call it, "T-Shirt Thursday". Feel free to comment, and enjoy! Today's Featured Designs: (click on each image to see available products)
More T-shirts & Gifts: .... Love T-shirts .... About Me T-shirts And for those of you who like to shop, weekly sales and coupons are available on the front page of my store. Feel free to use them for special discounts! Have a wonderful Friday everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments
"Chewing Gum Sculptures" Italian artist Maurizio Savini uses a strange material for his creations -- pink chewing gum, or as it's called in Italy "American gum." And he's pretty good at it too! -Jon I I 0 comments
"The Other Jon Baas" Earlier today I came across this: It's a Friendster profile for Jon Baas. And no, that's not me, it's someone else with the same name (I don't maintain a Friendster profile). A few years back, I came across one solitary internet source listing a "Jon Baas" (living in New York) who was not myself. Today, however, it's official... I am no longer quite as unique as I once was. Oh, well. At least I'm still the "cooler and more established" Jon Baas! :) -Jon I I 0 comments "Buried... Again." Bah. More snow. According to the recent weather totals, we've just gained another eight inches. It started falling about 11am yesterday, and stopped at around 6am this morning. Just north of Milwaukee, they topped out at 14.5 inches, and they're still digging out. Thankfully, however, it was the powdery stuff -- light, fluffy, easy-to-shovel. So far this winter, we've received 41.2 inches of snow in Milwaukee. That's almost twice the normal amount. The bad news: I hear there's more coming this week. Sigh. -Jon I I 0 comments "Heath Ledger: 1979-2008" Sad. Very sad. Award-winning actor Heath Ledger has died. "Heath Ledger found dead in NYC at age 28" -Jon I I 0 comments
"Three Points Less Super" Earlier today, the Green Bay Packers lost their race to the SuperBowl. The New York Giants beat them in the NFC Championship Game by only three points -- in overtime. It was a thrilling game, a riveting watch, and a heartbreaking loss. But, all good things must come to an end, and this was a very good year for the Pack. As the old adage goes, there's always next year. "Giants, Manning head to Super Bowl, 23-20 in OT" -Jon I I 0 comments
"Alison" Photographer Jack Radcliffe created a visual life story of his daughter Alison, capturing moments in her metamorphosis from infant to woman. He captured her relationships with friends, her rebellion, and underlying it all, her relationship with him. The photos are from 1975 to 2007, and they create a beautiful character study worth investigating. Enjoy. -Jon I I 0 comments "Frigid Milwaukee" How's this for cold: Right now here in Milwaukee, the temperature is 0°F. Tonight, the temperatures will be sub-zero and "bitterly cold" with wind chills approaching -25. But that's not the worst of it! Up in northern Minnesota (International Falls, right along the Canadian border), the current temperature is -13F, with wind chills tonight nearing -45. The temperatures in Alaska, however, are actually warmer (Anchorage = 20F; Fairbanks = 4F). Yeah, you gotta love the climate extremes here in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Cold, frigid, and often unbearably frustrating.... but oh-so pretty when there's snow and ice covering everything. :) -Jon I I 0 comments
"Movie Friday: "Rusty Dogs" Another Friday, another movie. This week my selection is titled, "Rusty Dogs". Today's fun little action film has a strong connection to water sports, boats, foreign women in distress, and.... crime-fighting. It also stars Academy Award-nominated actor Eric Roberts, as well as Chad Allen (of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" fame). All-in-all, it's a thrilling foray into live-action -- a "Move Friday" genre I haven't featured very often. Enjoy, have a wonderful weekend all, and until next time, Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments
"Living In A Garbage Truck" Oooh! Another creative idea: Garbage Truck + Luxury Living = This. Yes, you could live in a garbage truck too, especially if it looked like this one! -Jon I I 0 comments "Public Port-o-Potty Prank" There are good surprises.... and then, sometimes, there are the "knock your socks off", "what's going on", unexpected, kind of odd surprises. Like this one. Enjoy! ... [video] -Jon I I 0 comments
"Charging Normandy With an Army of Three" Here's something amazing: In only 4 days, 3 graphic designers filmed and recreated the assault on Normandy Beach (D-Day), and they did so with only three soldiers, a shoe-string budget, and a simple video camera. The final results are quite spectacular! Here's how they did it. ... [video] The full making-of feature will air on the BBC, June 1st. -Jon I I 0 comments
"Wisdom of the Day" "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other." ... Have faith. Trust God. Worry not. I I 0 comments
"Pack Attack: Championship Bound" I'm not much of a football fan these days, but I decided nonetheless to accept Scott's (roomate) invitation to join him in front of the big flat-screen television in our living room for today's afternoon game. It was the Green Bay Packers' divisional playoff against the Seattle Seahawks, and being a Wisconsinite, I do like to see my Pack win. :) So, Scott and I grabbed some snacks, set them out in front of the couch, and enjoyed crackers and cheese, pretzels & olive dip, and doritos as we watched a thrilling contest. Despite a heavy snowstorm that kept burying the field in white (requiring the yard lines to be shoveled just so the game could continue), and a 14-point deficit in the first five minutes, the Pack pulled out a 42-20 come-back victory that vaulted them into their first NFC Championship game appearance in a decade. They'll play the winner of tomorrow's New York Giants/ Dallas Cowboys game in the NFC Championship game next week. And if they win that game, they'll be going to the SuperBowl! How cool would that be! Yeah, I'm still not much of a rabid Packer's fan, but, like I said, I like to see my team win. And spending some male bonding time with my best friend is always nice too. "Favre leads Packers into NFC title game" Have a wonderful Sunday all, and until next time, Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments "Internet Game: White Dwarf" This little game will keep you busy for a while. It's called White Dwarf, and the object is to collect the green circles with the big white circle. Dodge the red circles. And touch a blue circle to collect your points. Simple, yet fun. Enjoy! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Friday in Review" Painted most of the kitchen and bathroom of an apartment. Listened and sang along to 80's rock music on the radio. Ran some errands with Scott (roomate). Talked to Jenny. Made a tasty pizza for dinner. Stayed awake for for about 32 hours straight, thanks to caffeine and the inability to sleep (reason unknown). Going to bed soon; Hoping to finally get some sleep. -Jon I I 0 comments "Movie Friday: "Bill Gates' Last Day at Microsoft" Another Friday, another movie. This week: "Bill Gates' Last Day at Microsoft". For those unfamiliar, Bill Gates is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, software executive, and the chairman of Microsoft (the company that earned him his millions). On June 16, 2006, he announced that he would move to a part-time role within Microsoft this coming July, and dedicate his efforts to a full-time career in philanthropy. In today's documentary-style film feature, we take a humorous look at Bill's last day in the office. We also get to see his secret nerd/geek persona. Very cute! And, as a bonus, there's a star-studded cast too, featuring: Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, George Clooney, Matthew McConaughey, Bono, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Al Gore, Jon Stuart, Brian Williams, Jay Z, and quite a few notable employees from Microsoft. Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend everyone! -Jon I I 0 comments "Snow Falls in Baghdad!" Snow fell in Baghdad this morning for the first time in over 100 years. Summer temperatures in Baghdad are routinely around 120 degrees and winters generally mild. But this week has been unusually cold and blustery, with overnight temperatures more than 10 degrees below normal. On Thursday morning, the thermometer hovered around freezing after a low of 27, and the Baghdad airport closed because of low visibility. I guess if Southeastern Wisconsin can get rare tornadoes in January, then the Baghdad desert can get snow. I guess God's keeping us on our toes this year. :) "Snow day in the sands of Baghdad" -Jon I I 0 comments
"Internet Game: Untangle" Here's another challenging little game. It's called Untangle, and the object is to fix the lines in each geometric shape so they don't cross each other. It starts out simple, but don't be fooled, it rapidly becomes a mind boggler. Have fun! -Jon I I 0 comments "Snowy White Rain" It's snowing again. Two to four inches are expected. With the unusually warm January we've been having, it's the wet slushy stuff this time. And with the warm rainy days lately, the heavy snow that had been on the ground was all melted away. Little gray remnants of the once-giant snowbanks are all that remained on the exposed grass. I even saw buds on the local lilac trees! But, the snow is back, and everything is white again. Odds are, though, it'll rain this weekend, the snow will melt, and we'll be back to Spring-like weather -- in January. Go figure. -Jon I I 0 comments "T-Shirt Thursday: Love T-shirts" In an effort to show off some of my popular (or new) t-shirts, artwork, and gift ideas exclusive to my online store, Jon Baas Designs, I've decided to feature a few of them here on my blog every Thursday. I call it, "T-Shirt Thursday". Feel free to comment, and enjoy! Today's Featured Designs: (click on each image to see available products)
More T-shirts & Gifts: .... Occupation T-shirts .... Women's T-shirts And for those of you who like to shop, weekly sales and coupons are available on the front page of my store. Feel free to use them for special discounts! Have a wonderful Thursday everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments
"Quote of the Day" "I think God likes to surprise us sometimes and wait awhile so that when we do receive something, we appreciate it even more and it is twice as sweet." -- Carrie Goertz -Jon I I 0 comments
"January Tornadoes" Here in Southeastern Wisconsin, January is usually the coldest month of winter. Blizzards and heavy snowstorms are common, and the normal high temperature is about 28 degrees. This year, however, seems to be an exception. Yesterday's record high in Milwaukee was 63 degrees... and it didn't bring snow or blizzards, it brought rain, lighting, and multiple tornadoes. The town of Wheatland (about 12 miles from where I grew up) was hardest hit. More than 100 homes were damaged, and 26 destroyed, with winds reaching 140-150 miles per hour. The destructive force of these twisters is estimated in the millions. Miraculously, only fifteen people were injured, with a broken arm being the most serious. "State Of Emergency Declared For Tornado-Ravaged Area" -Jon I I 0 comments
"Battle of the Sexes" Soccer balls vs. handbags. Remote controlled cars vs. toy dogs. What happens when an army of men, and an army of women go head-to-head? Who would win? Here's an advertisement that tests that theory -- and in an epic battle sort of way. ... [video] Enjoy, and have a wonderful Monday everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments "Plunger Pro" Word of warning: if you're drinking something, please put your mug down before watching this. Trust me; you don't want beverage sprayed all over your computer! Ready? Ok... Here's a rather peculiar stunt performed live on a German television show. It features a guy throwing toilet plungers at a line of backs. Uh. Yes, you heard that right... toilet plungers and human backs. See for yourself. ... [video] I just hope those guys got paid. -Jon I I 0 comments
"Olympic Highlights" Here's something creative: In a world of jaw-dropping special effects, good old-fashioned cleverness can still impress! Here's a video of 9 Japanese students performing "Olympic Highlights" in front of a live television audience. And no, it's not quite what you expect. Just watch... and enjoy! -Jon I I 0 comments "Internet Game: Cursor*10" Here's something to keep you busy for a while: It's a simple. yet maddeningly fun internet game called Cursor*10. I won’t give away how it’s played -- you'll have to discover that for yourself -- but the object is to race up the staircases to the 16th floor. Have fun... and good luck! -Jon I I 0 comments "The Human Calendar" The concept behind the Human Calendar is simple: make a calendar consisting of photographs of people holding a placard. The current date is the guy or girl that everyone’s looking at! Clever! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Movie Friday: On Vacation" "Movie Friday" will be taking the day off as I refresh my dwindling collection of short film links. Stay tuned, though, because I'll be back again next week with yet another exciting movie! Have a wonderful weekend all! -Jon I I 0 comments
"T-Shirt Thursday: Election 2008 T-shirts" In an effort to show off some of my popular (or new) t-shirts, artwork, and gift ideas exclusive to my online store, Jon Baas Designs, I've decided to feature a few of them here on my blog every Thursday. I call it, "T-Shirt Thursday". Feel free to comment, and enjoy! Today's Featured Designs: (click on each image to see available products)
More T-shirts & Gifts: .... Love T-shirts .... About Me T-shirts And for those of you who like to shop, weekly sales and coupons are available on the front page of my store. Feel free to use them for special discounts! Have a wonderful Thursday everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments "Wisdom of the Day" "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." These two Bible passages are of great comfort to me today. Hopefully there is something in them for you as well. Have a wonderful Thursday all, love unceasingly, and until next time, Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments
"Happy New Year, Everyone!" Welcome to 2008! May it be a joyous, productive, and successful year for all! -Jon I I 0 comments + Full Blog Archive I Blog Home |
 Blogging Since 2002! Blog Home 
Stories I Tell: Blogs I Read: Performances I Enjoy: Recent Posts: Blog Archive: Subscribe: |
