Monday, August 31, 2009

Photo

Monday, August 24, 2009

Rare Helen Keller Video

With her teacher Anne Sullivan from a 1930 Vitaphone newsreel.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Where Writers Write

More photos here.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Les Paul

A rock icon dies.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

GOP Comeback! A How-To Guide In 12 Easy Steps.

1) Lose the anger and resentment. Talk politics without getting a nosebleed.

2) Restore the GOP as an intelligent movement. Joe six-packs with common sense don’t always make great leaders. It’s okay to aim higher.

3) Have faith and be spiritual, but don’t ever use religion as a weapon against people you disagree with.

4) Restore good sense, responsible spending, and the reward of hard work as the primary party message – not morality narratives.

5) Stop suggesting that anyone who opposes you isn’t patriotic or doesn’t believe in God.

6) Appeal to young people.

7) Accept that America is a constantly morphing cultural mixing pot. Don’t lose your noodle just because there are a couple of Puerto Rican kids on Sesame Street.

8) More William F. Buckleys and George Wills - people who can sway you with ideas. Less cable news circus clowns.

9) Stop blaming the media for all your problems. If you can’t figure out how to deal with the press, get out of politics.

10) Win elections by bringing people together, not driving them apart.

11) Acknowledge that the scientific theory of evolution makes at least a little bit of sense.

12) Don’t ever carry a sign that reads: God hates fags.

Photo

Read about this accidental photo via Neatorama.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Video

Bugs under lights.

flight patterns from Charlie McCarthy on Vimeo.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Graphic

Circa 1970's announcement for opening of PATH train station beneath newly completed World Trade Center, New York. Via Abandoned Stations.

Friday, August 7, 2009

When The Fringe Begins To Define You

Every time Sarah Palin makes a speech referring to people in small towns as "real Americans", I always think, "Jeez, that's a pretty quick way to alienate a lot of voters." It takes only a simple Internet search to see that 80 percent of Americans live in cities.
The suggestion that all these citizens are somehow not real, not patriotic, or not American is patently absurd. Tell a mother in New York City who lost a child on 9/11 that she hasn't sacrificed for her country and watch the look on her face.
Americans - small town people, big city people, white, black, Hispanic are all Americans.
There is an excellent post today at the Daily Dish that is an accurate description of what's been going on in this country for the last six months - and it's well worth a click on the link.
I too wonder why more conservative politicians have not stepped forward to say, "Hey, calm down." I have a feeling the first one who does could make a fresh new leader for the Republican party. Someone who is ready to shed the resentment, anger and fear that has come to define the new conservatism. But where is this person?

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Yas Marina Circuit

A graphic illustration made available by the Formula 1 Etihad Airways-- shows a rendering of the Yas Marina Circuit that will host November 15, 2009 the season-ending finale to the Formula One calendar.

Film Family Portraits

Paintings by Kirk Demarais. More at Creative Review.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Photo

Quote

"There is always room at the top - after the investigation." - Oliver Herford

Monday, August 3, 2009

Lightning And...

This photo was taken Thursday night, April 2, 2009 by a photographer on an oil rig south of Ft Stockton, Texas who thought he was capturing a shot of lighting. He didn't know what was next to it.