Yesterday a plane crashed into the Hudson River and before the Coast Guard was on the scene to rescue passengers, the first visual was already on the web.

A man named Janis Krums was on a ferry going across the river that fortuitously pulled up to the fast-sinking plane 5 minutes after its splashdown. Using the micro-blogging website Twitter, he posted the picture that he took on his iPhone. Though he was not on the plane, he is the second person to break a plane crash using Twitter, and giving the public a eye witness account of what’s going on without a stupid reporter asking dumb questions like, “What were you thinking?” and “How do you feel now?” Caused by a flock of birds getting sucked through one of the engines, the crash was also caught on several survaillance video cameras attatched to various buildings along the river. It’s quite a remarkable series of images.

All in all, it’s a scary thought to be standing on the wing of a slowly sinking air plane after it’s just crash landed into a river during one of the coldest weeks of the winter. It’s even scarier to think that the gawker of the 21st century could upload images of what he or she is watching in real time. It’s not scary to the Joe and Josephine Public of the USA, but just ask any local reporter or news anchor about how quickly their job could be replaced by some guy with an iPhone and a Twitter account. Just to remind you, Sadam Hussein’s hanging was easier to watch on youtube than it was on CNN. That’s scary as shit.

Ant Subterranean Structure

This is a pretty cool video on what ants build underneath our feet…it’s mind blowing and beautiful.

Five days from now, President Elect Barack Obama will be sworn in to his Presidential office. I’m excited, and nervous, to see where this new leader will take us. Will we be inspired by him, like we were when Bush stood on the rubble after 9/11? Will we be ashamed by him, like we have been these last seven years of Bush’s presidency? What will history say of President Obama? What will we say? 

They say history repeats itself, and it does - but only when we have forgotten. Once it slips from our collective consciousness, we are bound to recreate the mistakes history has so delicately taught us not to make. It’s in this state of mind, that I was delighted to find that Hulu, partnering with iCue, has shared all of the Presidential inaugurations ever recorded on video. President William Mckinley’s inauguration has no audio, but the familiar ticking of the film provides a glimpse into March of 1901. President John F. Kennedy is in color, the first President to be so, and his familiar accent makes me smile. On Tuesday, President Obama will be the first to be streamed live onto the internet, and I’ll be happy to watch, knowing that he stands in the same place all our presidents have stood. Knowing that he has the capacity to be exactly what we need him to be. Knowing that as long as we never forget our history, as long as we never let the lessons history has taught us slip from our consciousness, we cannot fail. 

Inaugural Speeches

And so, my fellow Americans…until next time.

-Jess

Since my graduation has been looming, and since the economy has taken a nose dive, it’s become apparent to me that I will be working at my father’s company come graduation. Originally, I was kind of bummed out with not being able to enter my chosen field, but I soon came to realize that working for the man (especially when doing something you love) soon robs you of your will to live. I decided at that moment, that I would open my own production company. Since starting at RIT, I really fell in love with the idea of screen printing. It’s easy, it’s cheap, but it’s so cool. (Andy Warhol screen printed Marilyn Monroe’s face in crazy pop art colors.) So, I decided that I’d open a t-shirt company.

Make: Learn How to Screenprint

See? It’s easy. I’ve named my production company Right Coast Productions, and I’ve recently designed a logo. What do you think?

I’m excited about it, in any case, and I’ve already started designing ideas for shirts. Maybe you’ll buy one someday. Until then…

-Jess

Here it is, my New Year’s Resolution. Sure, it’s two weeks late, but I don’t like you either. It’s my goal to post every day with something interesting: a photo, a website, an insight on the life of a broke, single college girl. I’ll twitter in between, perhaps post twice daily, but all in all, it’s time to do something a little different. And hopefully become a better writer.

Today:

Star Wars Map

Yes, that’s right. The galaxy map for Star Wars. I know, you’ve been looking for it for years, and here it is. Now you know where Tatooine is in relation to Hoth. Fun, huh?

Photoshop Adbusting

Saw this and cracked up…this is exactly what people should see when they see billboards: all the layers on the image.

Peace and chicken grease,

-Jess