Monday, January 19, 2009

USA Service - Obama's Initiative To Bring Service To Neighborhoods



USA Service - This is a recently announced follow up on Obama’s promise to bring change to the neighborhood level across the nation. From the website: “It’s a tool that will allow you to organize a service event in your community and recruit others to join you. Or, if you’d prefer to join an existing event, the site will direct you to what others have organized in your neighborhood.”

Essentially, if you want to organize to help others in your community, USA Service.org will be the place to go for people interested in working on Obama’s goal of “Renewing America Together.”

As this site was just launched, there should be local service events posted soon.
Share this site with others to get the word out and get involved in service to the neighborhood.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Scariest Suspension Bridge In Japan

For a YouTube IMAX experience. Click on this video.
This is walk through on an old (1950s) wooden suspension bridge in a remote area of Japan. - deep Southern Japanese Alps. The bridge is very narrow and is believe to be Japanese oldest remaining suspension bridge. Oh being remote means if you got stuck on the bridge you are very far from help.

You are walking on two planks and 3/4 through the walk through (around the 4:30 min mark of the video)you are walking on one plank and at times it appears to me there are no planks there. The utterance from the Japanese walker makes me think "Oh My God What Was I Thinking". Hearing the wind constantly adds to the drama.


99.99% of us would say no way no how would I ever do this. The .01% that would try this would definitely IMHO need a check up from the neck up.

P.S. You can view also this video in High Definition.

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

From Ice Storm To Beautiful Landscapes

With the weather the way it is today, ice storm, with the forecast of more snow and cold weather to come -



Here is a visual respite.


Today, I came across a link to this beautiful site of Ralph Cooksey-Talbott a landscape photographer who studied under Ansel Adams in Yosemite in the 1970's.
Cooksey is currently doing vertical panoramic photography.
He calls them Vertoramas. They are works of beauty.
Should help to brighten up your day.
Here are a few of them below:





Photo+of+Oak+on+a+Small+Planet+by+Cooksey-TalbottPhoto+of+Cataracts+Canyon+Waterfalls+by+Cooksey-Talbott
Photo+of+Waimea+Canyon+Rainbow+Vertical+by+Cooksey-TalbottPhoto+of+Moon+Rise+Over+Green+Lake+by+Cooksey-Talbott

Cooksey is offering these vertoroma as free downloads at his site, which one can add to their site or social web page. He also is also offering prints of these beautiful photos for sale.