BeforeProfit

Just came across an article on Fast Company about the re-design of the penny.

Are you kidding me. With all the talented designers in this country, we get this?

Britain had a competition to re-design their currency, and they got this incredible coinage. Why can’t we have a design off for ours too? I’m sure it would probably end up costing less than it did to pay for this overpriced garbage design.

I’m not entirely sure why, but I find both of these car crash videos fascinating.

This one gives you an entirely different perspective to a multi car pileup. (no gore, but it is real, hopefully no one was badly injured.)

The second video is pretty much the best cinematic car crash ever produced. And is in my opinion a work of art. (This one’s got some gore, but they’re actors so everyone ends up okay in real life)

The last is quite timely considering the season. It’s like the car version of pinball. (HEADS UP!!)

As I was in the library I overheard an entertaining conversation between some older people. They were talking about technology.

One gentleman was inquiring about how he might be able to preserve his record collection. The group seemed to think putting the records on to CD would be the best idea, since CD’s are the new big thing.

Another person brought up “those iPods” and how he should get one of those. That was quickly dismissed though because “those things are so small. They have tiny speakers, I won’t be able to hear anything”.

Yesterday, after spending the entire day in bed sleeping, drinking peppermint green tea, and eating soup, I got a craving. It was as if my body just needed a ton of carbs and protein from all that glorious rest. Or maybe it was fighting off the sickness, which is almost gone now!

The task of cooking steaks on the grill seemed like way too much work. So, using my “make shit up as you go cooking skills” I went for the cast iron.

To prep I rubbed the steaks in a light olive oil, and then coated with ground peppercorn medly and garlic pepper.

After a few minutes on each side, over medium heat, they came out delicious. Not quite in comparison to a steak cooked on the grill, but easy. If there was a steak cooking battle between cast iron, and George Foreman, the cast iron would probably win first round hands down.

Leave George to the burgers and chicken. Steak needs it’s juices.

I love me some mashups.

Especially when someone lays Biggie over something really contrasting like Miley and makes it sound pretty darn good.

Everyone seems to be in love with the pants on the ground song.

I’m not. I think it is stupid, and lacks creativity.

If he added a bit more to it than just repeating pants on the ground pants on the ground maybe it would have appealed to me more. Or if it was on something other than the television show American Idol.

My roommate and I had a rather amusing back and forth tonight about the spreading of the song.

DP: “Brett Farve is even singing the song, did you see that video?!”

Me: “Yea, I heard about that, but I’m not going to watch it. It’s dumb”

DP: “OH YOU’LL WATCH A BITCH SHIT IN A HOT TUB, BUT YOU WONT WATCH THEM SING PANTS ON THE GROUND?!”

Me: “Hahahahahahahahahaha….. I forgot about that hot tub video.” {immediately searched youTube for the hot tub video, and had a good laugh}

Instead of putting the hot tub video here (if you really want to know what I’m talking about, just search for it) I’ll leave you with this gem that is immensely more entertaining and funnier than the Pants On The Ground Guy:

2009 seemed to be my year of a photographic fasting. I did very little in the picture taking area last year. This year I’d like to turn that around and dust off some of the cameras I’ve come to love.

To get things rolling I headed out to the state park block house in North Muskegon. I armed myself with my 30d and the Canon A-1 film camera. While you’ll get to see the digital shots right away (see below) I’m more excited about the stuff on film. The A-1 is equipped with a buttery 50mm 1.4 lens, buttery referring to the feel of the focus on it. It’s got none of that fancy auto focus business going, and you’ve gotta use your eye and coordination to work it (My coordination is getting better… I think).

Since the film I’ve got stockpiled can’t be developed at the local hour lab developer I’m faced with two options. Dig out the developer tank and reels from photo classes, or find an online outfit to handle things. While developing it myself wouldn’t be that tough, I’d still probably want to get digital with it to put online, so I’m leaning to the outsourcing option.

If you’ve got any leads on good places that will develop, scan, and mail the negatives to me let me know.

Here are some shots from today I rather enjoyed.

I’m also going to be on the lookout for some FD mount wide angle lenses to take another stab at night photography with film. If you come across anything, or your uncle has a few old lenses collecting dust, please let me know.

This image is incredible.

Photographer: Lin Zhipeng

So are the rest of the 64 photos by 64 photographers.

Wow.