I'm a big Star Trek geek. So, when I came across this video, I had to share.

A few months back, Doug Drexler and Michael Okuda (artistic creators for Star Trek) came across a stripped, full-size shuttlepod set piece left over from the show, "Star Trek: Enterprise". It was in poor condition at the time, but has since been restored, redressed, and made to look realistic and like-new. Here's a video tour of the finished shuttlepod. Geek your geek on, and enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 3:06 AM  I   I  0 comments

On this Memorial Day, I'd like to take a moment and thank my four younger siblings for their service in our country's armed forces: One sister in the Air Force, one sister in the Navy, and my two brothers in the Marines. I'm proud of all four of you! Your dedication, service and sacrifice are not forgotten.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:21 PM  I   I  0 comments

What happens to the tanks, planes and ships after a war is over? Quite a few of them are just left on the battlefield to rust and rot. Here's a collection of fascinating photos depicting the remains of war.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:56 PM  I   I  0 comments

Creativity fascinates me. And one of the most interesting places to find creativity, is in the workplace. These days, companies are trying to become more and more distinctive. Brands are always designed with this in mind, that's no surprise there. However, you'll also find this in the overall look and feel of some well-known corporate headquarters.

Here are some of the most creative offices of famous companies. Enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:44 PM  I   I  0 comments

This creative project took about 30 hours of actual work, spread out over five weeks. When completed, it would have been the largest 3D domino pyramid in the world, with a total domino count of 13,482. Unfortunately, this masterpiece never reached completion. The whole thing toppled -- by itself, with just 439 dominoes to go. Take a peek.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:24 PM  I   I  0 comments

OfficePOD is a modern cubicle designed for people who work from home. It's designed to be a dedicated workspace in your backyard, that will allow you to create a physical boundary between work and home. It comes with an integrated desk for a laptop, plenty of storage space, and a secure locking system.

As cool as this idea is, to be honest, I'm pretty happy with my inside home office. Second floor. Former bedroom. There's just something peaceful about having a permanent space for my work -- inside the walls of my home. Afterall, that's why I work -- at home.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 12:17 PM  I   I  0 comments

There's a new Star Trek CCG (customizable card game) coming out this summer. Bandai America Inc. (Bandai) has acquired a license from CBS Consumer Products to release a set of 300 cards and other game accessories. Here's a sneak peak at some of the upcoming cards.

I still collect the original Star Trek CCG (1E) as released by Decipher. Unfortunately, they lost their license in 2005, and I've had to grow my collection via Ebay. I'm not sure whether I'll get onboard with this new CCG series or not. We'll see. It's nice to see this overall resurgence in Trek-related merchandise.

Clearly, the Star Trek franchise is far from dead and gone.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:59 AM  I   I  0 comments

The history of Cambodia in the 20th Century is full of struggle and conflict. One place that depicts these traumatic events is the Bokor Hill Station. It's an eerie ghost town that has been abandoned not once, but twice. Here are some photos. Take a peek.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 1:48 PM  I   I  0 comments

What happens when Star Trek meets M&M's? You get this: M&M's dressed as Star Trek characters. Thanks to The Hamilton Collection, they've become reality! Chocolate AND Star Trek -- two of my favorite things. Check 'em out!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 1:37 PM  I   I  0 comments

I've always liked the Katy Perry song, "Firework". And I admire creativity, especially when it comes to taking something great, adding your own unique spin, and making it even better. That said, enter Mike Tompkins. He did an a capella cover of "Firework", and recorded all the vocals. Give this a watch, you'll see what I mean!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 1:37 AM  I   I  2 comments

One thing I'm fascinated by is ruins. Abandoned history. Long-forgotten ghost towns. To me, there's beauty in those places; untold stories. To be honest, some day, I'd love to grab my camera, go exploring, and document the lost history that I find along the way. That would be exciting!

For now, though, other people's photos (and artwork) will have to suffice.

That said, here's a neat collection of post-apocalyptic artwork. I know... it's fictional, and you won't find these 51 scenes in real life. Nonetheless, they caught my attention. And, since they're related to my love for abandoned places -- and the stories they tell, I thought I'd share. Take a peek, and enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:29 PM  I   I  0 comments

Thanks to some Photoshop wizardry, we have a picture of what the Statue of Liberty looked like in her younger years. She's oxidized a bit since then, but she's still as beautiful as ever!

As you probably know, Lady Liberty was made out of copper. But over the years, oxidation has caused a green patina to cover that copper. As a result, the statue we know today looks very different from the symbol of freedom that our ancestors saw when they came to this country. Pretty cool, huh!

(imagery via Hipmunk Blog)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 8:31 PM  I   I  0 comments

Here's something fun. Remember that scene from the Tom Hanks movie, "Big", in which he plays Chopsticks on the giant floor piano? Well, here's a video of two FAO Schwartz employees playing Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor -- on a similar piano. Take a peek! ... [video]

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:07 PM  I   I  0 comments

I just thought I'd take moment and drop a quick note for my readers. I'm entertaining a guest this weekend, so blogging is on vacation until Monday. Until then, have a great weekend.

And don't forget Mother's Day!

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:42 PM  I   I  0 comments

The bland Ford Crown Victoria taxi is a thing of the past. Meet the future New York taxi cab, a minivan by Nissan called the NV200. It won "The Taxi of Tomorrow" competition, and will be on the streets of New York within the next few years.

If it goes over well, it'll probably be in other cities as well.

What do YOU think of the new design?

-Jon
posted by Jon at 2:59 AM  I   I  0 comments

Why would an ancient civilization -- often advanced for it's time -- suddenly cease to exist? The only things left: it's artifacts and abandoned architecture. Conspiracy theorists would have their say, everything from alien abduction to time travel. But in truth, the reasons are far more mundane: natural disasters, climate change, invasions and economic upheaval.

Here are 12 fascinating civilizations that vanished... and we don't know why.

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

Started in the late 1960s as as a form of expression for political activists and street gangs, graffiti soon emerged to be a cultural pillar of hip hop. Nowadays, youngsters use it to express their ideology and passions. Sometimes, those passions fall into the realm of Star Wars.

Here are 32 photos of some amazing Star Wars graffiti from around the world.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 5:39 PM  I   I  0 comments

"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."
-- Mark Twain

-Jon
posted by Jon at 4:31 PM  I   I  1 comments

Late last night, an elite team of U.S. Navy SEALS attacked Osama bin Laden's luxury hideout in urban Abbottabad, Pakistan. Their mission was to kill the mastermind of the 9-11 terrorist attacks on American soil -- attacks which killed nearly 3,000 men, women and children.

Today, as the world celebrates the end to that decade-long manhunt, we also remember the brave rescue workers and innocent civilians who lost their lives in the the 9-11 attacks. In addition, we honor the many military personnel who have given their lives in the resulting war on terror so that we, here at home, can remain safe and free.

According to the New York State Health Department, 836 responders, including firefighters and police personnel, died as a result of 9-11. Among the 2,752 victims who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center, 343 were firefighters and 60 were police officers from New York City. Another 184 people were killed in the attack on the Pentagon. And 44 people died aboard United Airlines Flight 93, when the passengers overtook four hijackers and crashed the plane into a Pennsylvania field.

The majority of September 11 casualties were civilians, including individuals from over 70 countries.

Following the events of 9-11, a company that etches artwork into glass commissioned me to create a special piece honoring America, it's heroes and those who gave their lives on September 11, 2001. The original piece can be seen above. It's created with colored pencils, and is inspired by the now-famous 9-11 photo of three firemen raising the American flag over the debris at Ground Zero in New York City.

The original commission was to be printed as a full-color poster and sold as such from the company's website -- in addition to their modified etched-glass version (seen here). However, that idea never came to be, and only the etched artwork was made available. Nonetheless, it quickly became a top seller.

Since the original full-color version was never used, I was able to regain rights to it, and have since chosen to share it with others on my own website/store. It remains a favorite here as well.

With the news of Osama bin Laden's death, and the strong emotions that exist throughout the world today, it seemed like a good time to once again share this piece with others. I post this to honor the 9-11 victims, as well those who gave of themselves so that freedom, prosperity and justice may prevail.

Freedom is not free. We must always remember those who pay the price.

UPDATE:
If you wish to own a poster or print of this original artwork, titled "Homeland Heroes", you can find it in the Homeland Heroes section of Jon Baas Designs.

-Jon


posted by Jon at 1:15 PM  I   I  0 comments

The news is official. As of late tonight, 9-11 terrorist mastermind, Osama bin Laden is dead. U.S. Navy SEALS killed him, his son, and others in an attack on his luxury hideout in Pakistan. His death brings an end to a decade-long manhunt.

"Obama: Al-Qaida head bin Laden dead"

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:29 PM  I   I  0 comments