"Quote of the Day"

"The only good luck many great men ever had, was being born with the ability and determination to overcome bad luck." -- Channing Pollock

-Jon
posted by Jon at 8:21 AM  I   I  0 comments

"A Cold One Coming On"

It's been cold and windy all day today. I even broke out my jacket for the first time since Spring... and I'm wearing sweats indoors. It's certainly Fall out there; the leaves are changing colors, the air is getting crisp, the temperature is dipping lower... and Winter is approaching fast.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:25 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Vulcano Buono"

There's a new volcano growing near Mt. Vesuvius! Not to worry, though... it's just an impressive new architectural construct. Located in Nola, Italy, The Vulcano Buono (aka, "good volcano") is a commercial center designed by Renzo Piano. The interior space is bigger than it looks on the outside due to the sloping grass roof -- which insulates the building. Inside you’ll find a forest, an amphitheater, shops, a hotel, a supermarket, and a movie theater. Truly fascinating stuff!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 12:22 PM  I   I  0 comments

"The Ruins of Detroit"

At the beginning of the 20th Century, the city of Detroit developed rapidly thanks to the automobile industry. Until the 50's, its population rose to almost 2 million people. Detroit was the 4th most important city in the United States. It was the dazzling symbol of the American Dream City with its monumental skyscrapers and fancy neighborhoods.

But then came the fall. Increasing segregation and de-industrialization caused violent riots in 1967. The white middle-class left the inner city, and the suburbs grew. Firms and factories began to close down or move to lower-wage states. Eventually the downtown high-rise buildings emptied.

Today, the splendid decaying monuments of Detroit are no less than the Pyramids of Egypt, the Coliseum of Rome, or the Acropolis in Athens -- remnants of the passing of a great civilization.

Here are some fascinating photos of the ruins of Detroit. Enjoy.
(Click on the arrows below each picture to advance the slideshow)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:27 AM  I   I  0 comments

"The Instant Art Critique Phrase Generator"

Are you feeling inarticulate? Critically gauche? Or maybe just verbally impotent? Well, my friends, a solution has arrived. It's called the Instant Art Critique Phrase Generator, and it presents you with all the pithy commentary or savvy 'insights' you might need when offering critiques on art. Now you can speak with authority and confidence -- even if you don't know what you're talking about!

(Posted in honor of my younger brother, Ben -- a former Marine, now studying design in art school. Yes, you heard that right. Another sibling is following in my footsteps. Am I influencial, or what!)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:02 AM  I   I  0 comments

"11 Famous Actors and the Big TV Roles They Turned Down"

I found this to be fascinating, so I thought I'd share. It's a list of 11 Hollywood actors who passed on some of TV’s most popular shows. Michael Richards as Adrian Monk. Bridget Fonda as Ally McBeal. Paul Shaffer as George Costanza. Very interesting stuff. Enjoy!

(via Kara Kovalchik of mental_floss)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:02 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Thursday in Review"

Long day. Got up at 8am. Work day started at 10pm. Cleaned, primed, and painted eight exterior apartment front doors. Former color: pumpkin orange. New color: copper/tan. Looks much better than before. Finished painting at around 6:30pm. Treated to dinner with landlord. Came home, talked to Kelli. Very sleepy. Went to bed by 9pm. Slept four hours. Wide awake at 1am. Watched some early morning news. Trying to go back to sleep.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 3:38 AM  I   I  0 comments

"Jon Baas Designs Facebook Fan Page Contest"

I'm hosting a Facebook fan page contest. Help Jon Baas Designs (fan page) reach 250 fans, and be entered to win a prize from my store. If you like my work, here's your chance to get something for free! Care for a challenge? Wanna join in the fun?

-Jon
posted by Jon at 6:38 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Quote of the Day"

"The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur."
-- Vince Lombardi

What is it that leads to success in life? Luck? No. It's not events falling perfectly into place. It's not sitting back and waiting for the right moment. It's determination, hard work, and persistence.

Find your vision. Pursue it vigorously. Success will follow.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:47 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Oops Award For Bad Design"

The Oops Design Award is a not-so-honorable award founded in 2009 by product designer and architect Andrej Statskij and his partners: design journalist Magda Braun-Sommer, and product design historian Adam Hoops. It is the first award that highlights the ugliest, silliest and most useless products to be completed and manufactured. Here were the nominees.

And here are the winners of the 2009 Oops Design Award. Enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:07 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Autumn Begins"

The time has finally come: yesterday it was Summer; today it is Fall. From here on out, the days will get shorter, nightfall will occur earlier, and the trees will change from green to vibrant shades of red and orange. It's time to starting thinking Halloween, Thanksgiving, and yes, sadly... winter.

Yep. It's September 22, and today is the first day of Autumn.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:14 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Old Fire Towers as Modern Mountain Homes"

Imagine a house in the forest. You’re surrounded by trees and wildlife with no neighbors -- and no civilization -- for miles. On top of that, the panoramic views are downright stunning! There is a downside, though: You have to carry all your groceries up a never-ending flight of stairs.

Still interested? Well then, this may be the perfect house for you: an old fire lookout tower converted into a modern mountain home! Here's a link to my favorite.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 7:27 PM  I   I  0 comments

"130+ Strange And Fantastic Buildings"

I've always been fascinated by unique architecture, especially those which utilize creativity and the imagination. Here's a photographic list which features over 80 strange and fanastic buildings of the modern world. It's not an exhaustive list by any mean, but rather a sample collection.

And here are 50+ more unusual buildings.

I would also add the following local building to this list:
- Quadracci Pavilion, Milwaukee Art Museum (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA) ... website

What local buildings (where you live) would YOU add to this list? Are there any unique buildings in your hometown that might qualify as unique masterpieces? Feel free to share!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 6:17 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Gone for the Weekend"

This blog will be on vacation for a few days. I'm going up north to visit Kelli (my fiance) this weekend, but I'll be back in town again by Sunday night. Blogging will resume when I return.

Have a wonderful weekend all, and I'll see you on the flip side!

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 7:44 AM  I   I  0 comments

"Quote of the Day"

"A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."
-- Oscar Wilde

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:18 AM  I   I  0 comments

"T-Shirt Thursday: Occupation 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 .... About Me T-shirts

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:04 AM  I   I  0 comments

"Wednesday in Review"

Very interesting day!:

Started by cleaning up trash at my former apartment buildings. Garbage strewn all over the yard, bushes, patio space. Present tenants (and their unruly children) have trashed and damaged the place. Items disposed of: hundreds of cigarette butts, used candy wrappers, empty potato chip bags, plastic silverware, old beer cans, soggy napkins, popsicle sticks, broken toys, expired mail, and more. Nice neighborhood, pleasant apartments.... unexpectedly low standard of living tenants. Wasn't like this when I lived there. Thankfully, said tenants are "on the way out".

Finished clean-up; continued my day...

Helped install a nifty new modern plastic roadside mailbox. Replaced the old aluminum one. Careful not to get hit by passing cars zipping by on major thoroughfare. Prepared to leave; landlord's SUV wouldn't start. Starter was dead. Tow truck guy managed to get it started; no tow necessary. Landlord drove it to local repair shop. Waited for his wife to pick us up (from work) in her vehicle. Dropped her off at a nearby hair appointment. Continued our projects in her SUV. Just getting started again when repair shop called; new starter installed... landlord's SUV all set for pick-up. Repair cost: $600. Picked up landlord's SUV, I drove his wife's SUV to her hair salon, got back in landlord's repaired SUV... continued our projects.

Next gig: pounding a 10-foot steel pole into the yard at my old apartment (where we picked up trash earlier). Pole intended to better support present "For Rent" sign. Completed task, called it a day. Taking care of remaining projects tomorrow. Enjoyed fresh carved beef at a local buffet for dinner. Came home, ran a few errands, showered.... relaxing.

Going to bed soon. Hoping tomorrow is a bit less exciting. :)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:10 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Jon Baas 2010 Wall Calendar"

I've finally released my long-awaited 2010 wall calendar. This year, it features twelve of my stunning digital landscapes. It's in my store. Feel free to take a peek!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:49 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Patrick Swayze: 1952-2009"

Actor Patrick Swayze died late yesterday after a long fight with pancreatic cancer. A "triple threat" actor (singer, dancer, actor), Swayze is most known for his roles in the films "Dirty Dancing", and "Ghost". He was 57.

"'Dirty Dancing' star Patrick Swayze dies at 57"

-Jon
posted by Jon at 5:20 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Anthony Roussel’s Wood Jewelry"

Anthony Roussel is an artist who creates intricate jewelry from materials not usually associated with adornments -- in this case, wood! Take a peek at his website to see a few examples.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 3:00 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Animals With Lightsabers"

There's a blog for everything. Even animals with lightsabers.

Oi. I'm such a geek.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 2:43 PM  I   I  0 comments

"The Great Geek Manual"

Here's something neat: The Great Geek Manual -- your one-stop source for geek culture on the web. It features a daily round-up of links, as well as a daily "This Day in Geek History" feature -- a recap of all the day's historical events in the fields of computers, culture, hacking, software, and technology. The Great Geek Manual also features original humor, reviews, and geek culture commentary. Well worth checking out!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:23 PM  I   I  0 comments

"I Tweet!"

I micro-blog on Twitter. Check out my tweets!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 7:42 PM  I   I  0 comments

"America Remembers"

Eight years ago, terrorists attacked the United States in the worst terrorist attack on American soil. 2,974 people died (excluding the hijackers) and another 24 remain listed as missing. Today we honor the victims. Today we remember the lost.

Wikipedia: September 11 attacks.

The September 11 Digital Archive.

In honor of the fallen, this will be my only blog post today.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:30 AM  I   I  0 comments

"The Jon Baas Forum"

In the past few days, I've been working on the development of my website forum. By the end of this month, it will become an integral part of JonBaas.com. If you'd like to be part of the continued growth -- especially as I integrate and release new content -- please consider becoming a member. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.

I'm looking to build a JonBaas.com community. Care to join me?

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:48 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Negative Space Illustrations by Noma Bar"

Noma Bar is an Israeli graphic designer whose work has appeared in publications like The Guardian, The Economist and the New York Times. He specializes in minimal illustrations that exploit the negative space that many illustrators overlook. Here is an insightful collection of political-themed drawings from his new book, 'Negative Space'. Enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:22 PM  I   I  0 comments

"T-Shirt Thursday: Fruit 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: .... Fruit T-shirts .... Women's T-shirts

Have a wonderful Friday everyone!

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:56 PM  I   I  0 comments

"The Day of the Nines"

Today is September 9, 2009, or... 9/9/09. This is the 252nd day of the year, and 252 (2+5+2) adds up to 9. Today is also the last set of repeating, single-digit dates for quite a while -- 92 years to be precise (until January 1, 2101). It's also nine days until I go up north to visit Kelli! Whoohooo!

And if that's not enough nines for you, today falls on a Wednesday, and both "Wednesday" and "September" have nine letters. Significant? No. But fun!

Ah, numbers. Such fascinating little digits!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 6:33 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Star Trek Turns 43"

It was 43 years ago -- yesterday -- when Star Trek was born. September 8, 1966 was when it aired its first episode on NBC. And since that time, Star Trek has been through a lot of ups and downs... but it still managed to become an important cultural icon.

TrekMovie.com took a trip down memory lane, counting the years since Star Trek was new. Feel free to stop on over, and read the article. See how Star Trek evolved and changed. Major events are illustrated with an image or video. Enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 5:59 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Labor Day"

Happy Labor Day everyone! Enjoy the nice weather and the day off from work. You deserve it! I, on the other hand, am still working. Laboring, ironically. But, then again, such is the way of things when you're self-employed... and have a lot of work to do. It's gotta get done sometime, right? Besides, I had my break on Saturday -- when my Kelli came for a visit. :)

Yep... well, time for lunch. Good food, and then more work! Yay.

Have a great Monday all, and until next time,

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 12:25 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Slow Motion Moscow"

Now here's something fascinating. It's a video montage of Moscow in slow motion. Direction by Andrey Stvolinsky. Music by Kilimanjaro DarkJazz Ensemble. One Youtube commenter even noted: "You've captured the unnervingly sinister side to Moscow rather nicely." I'd have to agree. And, not only that, the video is rather engaging. Well worth a watch. Enjoy! ... [video]

-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:34 AM  I   I  0 comments

"Cheerleader Trading Cards"

Hmm. I don't know what to think about this: In an effort to sell more trading cards, Topps has decided to include special edition cheerleader cards in their 2009 NFL football set. Each card shows an action photo of a Chiefs, Dolphins, Jaguars, or Ravens cheerleader on the field, and there are 15 hard-to-find cheerleader cards in total.

How Topps decided which teams and cheerleaders to feature, I have no idea. But, it does go to reinforce an age-old adage: Sex sells. And it shows too that apparently the present down economy has hit the trading card business rather hard as well.

"NFL Cheerleader Trading Cards"

-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:17 AM  I   I  0 comments

"A Fiancee Visit"

This past weekend, Kelli invited me up to Brillion for a visit; she wanted to see me. Unfortunately -- this time -- I needed to stay here in Milwaukee to work. And, of course, that bummed me out greatly. But in true compromise, while I couldn't go up and spend Labor Day weekend at Kelli's place, she was able to come down here and spend Saturday (and part of Sunday) with me. As a result, we enjoyed some quality time together, AND I still get to spend the rest of the weekend working. It's not the best scenario, but in today's economy, the extra work is necessary -- especially when I own my own business (and its continued success is dependent upon my efforts).

I miss my fiancee, though. Ten months until we get married is going to be a lot harder on my heart than I imagined. She lives up north, and I live here in Milwaukee. Methinks the highway between here and there is going to be very well traveled.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:51 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Seven Sams"

Here's something fun for your Friday evening: It's seven versions of one guy, singing an a cappella Michael Jackson medley. It's very well done, and well worth a watch. Enjoy! ... [video]

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:37 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Movie Friday"

Today's "Movie Friday" is taking the week off while I build up my queue of selected short films. Unfortunately, I've been rather busy as of late, and haven't gotten around to it yet. So... tune in next week; I'll have one ready and waiting.

Have a great weekend all!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:19 PM  I   I  0 comments

"T-Shirt Thursday: Occupation 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 / Job T-shirts .... "About Me" T-shirts

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 7:10 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Buster Keaton"

I think I'm becoming a fan of Buster Keaton. Scott and I have been watching a few of his old silent films lately, and I'm starting to enjoying them. His humor is classic, the action dead-pan, and the plots are just plain ingenious -- even by today's standards. I never thought I'd go for the silent genre, but to be honest, Keaton's stuff stands the test of time. It's fun, witty... entertaining.

I may just have to add some of his work to MY DVD collection!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:54 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Pencil Art"

I love art, so here's something worth sharing: It's a collection of images showcasing the work of artists from around the world who use only pencil and paper to create their masterpieces. Beautiful stuff! Enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 6:28 PM  I   I  0 comments