jon's stuff...

I will be away for a while.

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:47:23 -0500

I will be away for a while.

via apod: Explanation: This starry night sky sparkles above the...

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:01:57 -0500

via apod:

Explanation: This starry night sky sparkles above the Black Hills of South Dakota and the United States’ Mount Rushmore National Park. The historic site features enormous sculptures of four US presidents; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, carved into the southeast face of granite cliffs. Above the monumental symbols of the country’s independence and early history, the night features stars and constellations familiar to northern skygazers around the world. Most noticeable are the stars of Ursa Major and the asterism known as the Big Dipper, almost resting upright along the cliff edge near picture center. Follow the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle to get to Arcturus, the bright yellowish star in the lower left corner. Of course, a line extending through the dipper’s two right most stars points to the upper right toward Polaris, planet Earth’s North Star.

Religious broadcaster builds $4M home despite layoffs at his ministry

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:01:21 -0500

This is shocking. Oh wait, no it’s not.

CHARLOTTE (AP) — A religious broadcaster is building a $4 million home in a gated, lakefront community in western South Carolina at the same time that the ministry has cut jobs and reset thermostats to save money in its new headquarters.

Inspiration Networks’ CEO David Cerullo is building the 9,000-square-foot home on a lot that overlooks Lake Keowee, The Charlotte Observer reported Monday. Inspiration Networks has drawn scrutiny for up to $26 million in incentives it won from South Carolina to move from Charlotte to Indian Land, S.C., in Lancaster County. The network’s revenues are expected to approach $100 million, largely donations from people who are told God favors those who donate.

In addition to laying off workers, the newspaper reported, the ministry froze wages and stopped making contributions to 401(k) retirement accounts. The thermostat on the network’s new building was cut to 65 degree during the winter.

This is cool.

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:00:56 -0500

This is cool.

New Zealand

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:00:59 -0500

New Zealand

Happy 4th of July

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:37:39 -0500

Happy 4th of July

Would you trust a glass floor that’s an inch and a half thick...

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:47:00 -0500

Would you trust a glass floor that’s an inch and a half thick when suspended 103 stories in the air? People in Chicago today can find out at the Sears Tower, which opened its new set of glass balconies for public viewing. “The Ledge,” as they’re collectively called, hangs 1,353 feet in the air. With transparent walls and ceilings, visitors say its like floating in the sky, and the view is, of course, spectacular. Don’t worry, those glass floor can withstand five tons, but just to be safe, jumping up and down is probably not a good idea.

Click the photo to see more.

Not far from reality…

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:00:00 -0500

Not far from reality…

An albino baby turtle swims with green sea babies turtle in a...

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:55 -0500

An albino baby turtle swims with green sea babies turtle in a pond at Khram island, about 30 km (19 miles) from Pattaya, east of Bangkok June 17, 2009. Special care is given to around 15,000 green and hawksbill baby turtles hatched and housed at the navy’s conservation center each year. Once the baby turtles’ shells are big and strong enough to protect them from various predators at about six-months-old the young turtles are released to the sea. Picture taken June 17, 2009.

Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane interviewed!

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:01:00 -0500

Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane interviewed!:

On the rear wall, perched on top of a wooden cabinet, is a silver tray of spirits, centred around a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s. A substance which, eight years ago, was indirectly responsible for saving MacFarlane’s life. He was due to be on the American Airlines flight that hit the North Tower of the World Trade Centre on September 11, but missed the flight by ten minutes because he’d been boozing the night before.

This is the man, after all, in sole control of over $1 billion worth of some of the planet’s best comedy. On whose hunched shoulders the success of both American Dad!, and his other better-known series Family Guy, rest. The man who’s just added to his workload with a spin-off called The Cleveland Show, plus his own hugely successful YouTube channel and a feature-length Family Guy movie.

Jack Bauer's Worst Hours

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:01:06 -0500

Jack Bauer's Worst Hours:

A look at the worst of Jack’s bad day’s over the past 7 seasons.

Photo

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:58 -0500

Photo

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 04:00:51 -0500

Astronauts aboard the international space station captured this...

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:00:54 -0500

Astronauts aboard the international space station captured this striking view of Sarychev Peak in the Kuril Island chain, northeast of Japan, on June 12.

Volcanologists are excited about the picture because it captures several phenomena that occur during the earliest stages of an explosive eruption.

Click the photo to see the high resolution copy.

Photo

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:54:18 -0500

Great Wall of Facebook: The Social Network's Plan to Dominate the Internet — and Keep Google Out

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:56:43 -0500

Great Wall of Facebook: The Social Network's Plan to Dominate the Internet — and Keep Google Out:

A great article on Facebook vs. Google:

Today, the Google-Facebook rivalry isn’t just going strong, it has evolved into a full-blown battle over the future of the Internet—its structure, design, and utility. For the last decade or so, the Web has been defined by Google’s algorithms—rigorous and efficient equations that parse practically every byte of online activity to build a dispassionate atlas of the online world. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg envisions a more personalized, humanized Web, where our network of friends, colleagues, peers, and family is our primary source of information, just as it is offline. In Zuckerberg’s vision, users will query this “social graph” to find a doctor, the best camera, or someone to hire—rather than tapping the cold mathematics of a Google search. It is a complete rethinking of how we navigate the online world, one that places Facebook right at the center. In other words, right where Google is now.

All this brave talk might seem easy to dismiss as the swagger of an arrogant upstart. After all, being Google is a little like being heavyweight champion of the world—everyone wants a shot at your title. But over the past year, Facebook has gone from glass-jawed flyweight to legitimate contender. It has become one of the most popular online destinations. More than 200 million people—about one-fifth of all Internet users—have Facebook accounts. They spend an average of 20 minutes on the site every day. Facebook has stolen several well-known Google employees, from COO Sheryl Sandburg to chef Josef Desimone; at least 9 percent of its staff used to work for the search giant. And since last December, Facebook has launched a series of ambitious initiatives, designed to make the social graph an even more integral part of a user’s online experience. Even some Googlers concede that Facebook represents a growing threat. “Eventually, we are going to collide,” one executive says.

Click the headline to read the rest.

Ed McMahon; March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009 “He was a good...

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:18:15 -0500

Ed McMahon; March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009

“He was a good broadcaster and a great Marine.”

R.I.P.

Photo

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:00:57 -0500

Photo

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:00:57 -0500

"Five Rules For Life" - compilation post

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:20:42 -0500

"Five Rules For Life" - compilation post:

Every 40 submissions or so, I do a compilation post based on what I think are some of the most compelling, unique, and thought-provoking rules across all submissions. This is the second installment.

It is not an easy exercise, as every rule in every submission carries great value. But these stand out for reasons I cannot fully explain.

Enjoy!