"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first." -- Ronald Reagan

-Jon
posted by Jon at 3:44 AM  I   I  0 comments

"“When I hear somebody sigh, "Life is hard," I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?""
-- Sydney Harris

-Jon
posted by Jon at 1:44 AM  I   I  0 comments

Thirty-one years ago, on this date, I was born. February 18, 1980. Today, I add another digit to my age. And while "31" isn't all that notable of a number, I still think we should celebrate. Days like this only come around once a year. So... who wants cake and ice cream? :)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 12:52 AM  I   I  0 comments

This past Sunday, the musical theme to the computer game, "Civilization IV" made history. It became the first song written specifically for a computer/video game to win a Grammy award. The song's composer, Christopher Tin, accepted the 'Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists' award for the piece, titled: “Baba Yetu”. The lyrics are actually the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili, and the vocals are by the Soweto Gospel Choir.

The video above features the song, with visuals from the game.

And, get this.... I just purchased a copy of "Civilization IV". It's in the mail as I type this. Might even arrive today. How's THAT for ironic timing! Now I'm even MORE excited to play this game!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 3:02 AM  I   I  0 comments

"When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water."
-- Dana Barzilay (found on Twitter)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 2:54 AM  I   I  0 comments

Have you ever taken a photograph that seems to have a magical quality to it, mostly because of the way the light has been captured in the shot? Odds are, you took that photo during one of the two times of day photographers call "the golden hour".

The first hour of sunlight makes the first golden hour. As the sun rises, the light is soft before growing brighter by the afternoon. At the end of the day -- in the hour before sunset, the sun is close to the horizon again. As in the morning, the light travels in an oblique manner and so, instead of hitting objects straight down, it hits them at soft, dramatic angle.

Here are some stunning photos depicting "the golden hour".

-Jon
posted by Jon at 2:25 AM  I   I  0 comments

Reusing old abandoned military bunkers can prove to be a creative task. Despite the negative images they conjure, they can also make amazing homes, restaurants and hostels, as well as a great many other uses. Here are some some photos depicting repurposed military facilities. Enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:44 PM  I   I  0 comments

I'm going to make a bold prediction. The Green Bay Packers will win the Superbowl today, and the Milwaukee Brewers will play in the World Series this Fall.

UPDATE: (Sunday, 10:02pm)
Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers! They did indeed win the Superbowl this year. That leaves the Milwaukee Brewers to do their part. One down. One to go.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 6:45 PM  I   I  0 comments

Kronid Gogolev is a professional woodcarver from Russia. His works are dedicated to Karelia and it's wild nature, as well as rural Russians and their village life. His works can be found in his native Sortovala town, as well as the collections of Moscow and St. Petersburg museums, and some private collections in the USA, Japan, Germany, Finland and Sweden.

Take a peek at these photos of Gogolev's woodcarvings. They're truly spectacular!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 2:02 AM  I   I  0 comments

I love the work of Improv Everywhere. They're a comedic performance art group based in New York City, and their goal is to carry out pranks -- which they call "missions" -- in public places. You may have heard of their annual "No Pants Subway Ride", or their choral performances in unexpected places.

For their latest mission, they had an ice skater get stranded alone on the public ice rink in New York's Bryant Park. Then, over the course of a few minutes, they unexpectedly transformed him from a novice into an expert. All the while, stunning the other skaters who watched from outside the rink. It was a project in collaboration with Ice Theatre of New York.

Take peek at the skating video, as well as attached photos and recap. Enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:24 PM  I   I  0 comments