tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20471305768832341552024-03-14T12:56:53.359-05:00Nifty Nation.Consistent thoughts & contributions about pop culture, social media, and American life.Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-75274550112447586842008-05-15T16:33:00.004-05:002008-05-15T16:44:44.464-05:00Found on Flickr: Blood TreeI've really been slacking on both my "Music Monday" and "Found on Flickr" series. I suck. But I'm posting today, because I came across this beautiful image on Flickr, titled "Blood Tree."<br /><center><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=bloodtree.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/bloodtree.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br /><br /><i>(Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ksaad/" target="_blank">Flickr member ksaad</a>.)</i>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-54120209380859623842008-05-13T14:09:00.006-05:002008-05-15T16:46:58.319-05:00"Oh f*%k" as heard on the evening news!Earlier today I was reading a post on a blog called <a href="http://corrinrenee.com" target="_blank">Oh Hey!</a>, and it really made me take a step back and think about some things. I'm not someone who gets offended very easily; I tend to think of myself as pretty liberal, and hold the philosophy of "if you don't want to see it then look the other way." <br /><br />The instance that instigated this was a recent "mishap," we'll say, of a news reporter while broadcasting live on the air. Apparently something irritated the female anchor and she was caught saying "f*%k" (not on camera though). Personally, I thought it was very humorous, mostly because television news personalities are typically so well-put-together and proper. So this action just showed her having a human moment. I <i>can</i> imagine, though, that for some more...refined individuals, and parents, this might've caused a little anger. After all, we Americans <i>do</i> pretend like we're much more open-minded than we really are, and we usually make bigger deals of things than are really necessary. At least that's my opinion. Judge for yourself:<br /><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iFADA1LPSX0&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iFADA1LPSX0&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br /><br />See <a href="http://niftynation.blogspot.com/2008/04/mileys-continued-controversy-art-or.html" target="_blank">"Miley's continued controversy..."</a> for similar topic.Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-35423493520741265952008-05-11T10:30:00.002-05:002008-05-11T10:40:41.041-05:00¡Feliz día de la madre!¡Feliz día de la madre! That's "Happy Mother's Day" in Spanish. I'm not Hispanic and neither is my mother, so I don't really know why I'm even discussing this.<br /><br />I'll just say "Happy Mother's Day" to all those wonderful women in the world who are kind, loving, giving mothers. We appreciate you, and are eternally grateful for your decision to have us.<br /><br />You can learn more about the history of Mother's Day and how it's celebrated world-round by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_day" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-82137034744197838072008-05-11T10:00:00.000-05:002008-05-11T10:41:35.177-05:00Sexy kitty?I <i>love</i> comics, especially when they're really good (of course, that's subjective). A friend of mine forwarded me this entertaining cartoon yesterday. I have a cat and so does she, so we both found it funny.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Unknown-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Unknown-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-22985653689717095272008-05-11T09:59:00.000-05:002008-05-11T10:25:31.702-05:00Tom Cruise: Living in a new light?I'm not an avid fan of Oprah Winfrey's (hey...she does some good things), and am certainly not one of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_cruise" target="_blank">Tom Cruise's</a>. And this was <i>way</i> before the outbreak of "crazy" episodes a few years back. Yes, you know exactly what I'm referring to. However, I was interested in checking-in with Oprah's two-part interview of Tom Cruise this past week, just to see what the conversation between the two would entail.<br /><br />The "Friday" interview, at Cruise's home in Colorado, was actually somewhat interesting. He & Oprah discussed said outbreaks, and Tom seemed to have returned from his vacation to Weirdoville. However, I could barely stomach the "Monday" show, which found a who's-who of Hollywood-mites doting over how great Tom is, and how much he deserves his 25-year-in-the-business recognition. I'm sure they all mean what they're saying, but to me it came off as another publicity stunt to try to rebuild Tom Cruise's image. Perhaps I'm wrong.<br /><br />EW.com recently <a href="http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20198620,00.html" target="_blank">published an article</a> asking the question: "A Star is Reborn?" Is he?Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-49604397686324698642008-05-10T09:34:00.002-05:002008-05-10T09:42:57.613-05:00If you only had "4 Minutes"Several days ago <a href="http://ridetoremedy.com/" target="_blank">my friend Courtney</a> IMd me at work, with the message of "You only have 4 minutes," or something to that effect. It was a nod--or maybe a tease--to my affinity of Madonna music, and her current single <a href="http://www.amazon.com/4-Minutes-Madonna/dp/B00171NTU4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1210430500&sr=1-3" target="_blank">"4 Minutes."</a> She then asked me if I only had four minutes what would I do? My response:<br /><br />Live.<br />Laugh.<br />Love.<br /><br />Well, that's pretty much what I do anyway. So I guess I'd continue doing that. I wonder...what would <i>you</i> do if you only had four minutes?Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-29309921273073064382008-05-01T18:42:00.003-05:002008-05-01T18:48:20.877-05:00Found on Flickr: Cloud BeachClouds are amazing, and I'm pretty much <a href="http://niftynation.blogspot.com/2008/04/10-things.html" target="_blank">enamored with them</a>. I think I inhereted this from one of my family members, who says she's going to be "put in charge of making clouds" when she goes to Heaven. So I had to post this photo for today's feature:<br /><center><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=413781058_55c220d836.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/413781058_55c220d836.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br />I'm not sure where this is, but I want to be there!<br /><br />Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/petervanallen/" target="_blank">Flickr user petervanallen</a>.Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-11031854979643913372008-05-01T18:39:00.002-05:002008-05-01T18:40:44.463-05:0010 Sounds I Like10 Sounds I Like<br /><br />Sounds. They can bring us immense pleasure or they can annoy the snot out of us. Interestingly enough, the same sound can bring one person pleasure, and another pain. Let's focus on the pleasurable sounds in this post (well, pleasurable to me); hopefully they're enjoyable to you as well.<br /><br />10 sounds I like:<br /><br />1. <b>Air conditioning.</b> It's so calming to me. Wherever I'm at--even if it's not at home--the sound just makes me want to take a nap.<br />2. <b>Rain.</b> Hard rain. See comment on number one for action!<br />3. <b>Music.</b> Music I like, of course. This is extremely diverse for me. If you're interested in seeing what kind of music that is, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ashkened" target="_blank">visit my MySpace profile</a>.<br />4. <b>Wind blowing in the trees.</b> It's extremely calming.<br />5. <b>Laughter.</b> Hearty laughter. I'm talking from-the-stomach-can't-control-myself laughter. This is probably my favorite. Laugh on, my friends, laugh on. (This was also on my list of <a href="http://niftynation.blogspot.com/2008/04/10-things.html" target="_blank">"10 Things I'm Fond Of"</a>.)<br />6. <b>Crackling fire.</b> I don't get to hear it too often because I live in florida, but I still love it.<br />7. <b>The ocean.</b> <i>So</i> peaceful. I always enjoy it from a distance though; I don't go in the ocean.<br />8. <b>Acorns cracking.</b> I like to step on them. Stomp on them. Crush them with the heel of my foot. I just love hearing the sound of acorns cracking.<br />9. <b>Purring cats.</b> Now that's the sound of satisfaction.<br />10. <b>Cheering crowds.</b> Particularly when it's at a concert and the fans are screaming for an artist they love. I've never witnessed this more than at a Madonna concert.Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-72785895799105226652008-04-29T14:16:00.003-05:002008-04-29T14:22:52.568-05:00Multiple personalities.I've no idea where I ran across this, but when I read it, it amused me:<br /><br />"If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?"<br /><br />-- <a href="http://twitter.com/irbaltimore" target="_blank">Tim Poggioli</a> (I believe this is the correct person.)Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-25553070418805219722008-04-28T14:04:00.003-05:002008-04-28T14:10:07.881-05:00Miley's continued controversy: Art or Inappropriate?<a href="http://www.mileycyrus.com" target="_blank">Miley Cyrus</a> is huge. If you pay any sort of attention to mainstream media there's no escaping her. She's all over the place right now. I'm over twice her age and don't follow her, and <i>I</i> know who she is. <br /><br />Apparently Miley, daughter of country music star(?) <a href="http://www.billyraycyrus.com" target="_blank">Billy Ray Cyrus</a>, just shot a spread for <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com" target="_blank">Vanity Fair</a>, and one of the photos featured is causing quite a controversy. Said photo, by famed photographer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Leibovitz" target="_blank">Annie Leibowitz</a>, shows Cyrus glancing into the camera, her bare back showing and her body only covered by a blanket.<br /><br />The controversy bubbled-up because Cyrus is merely 15-years-old, and some are questioning whether this is "art," or simply a young girl being taken advantage of. This spread comes on the heels of "questionable" (I use this term loosely; what others consider questionable, I typically do not) photos of Miley that have appeared on the Internet.<br /><br />As with situations such as this I tend to keep my personal opinion out of it; however, I am a fairly liberal person...and <i>not</i> a parent...so my feelings on the matter might differ from many others.<br /><br />Here's the photo from Vanity Fair:<br /><center><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Picture7-1.png" target="_blank" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Picture7-1.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br />What are your thoughts on the situation? Do you think this photo is inappropriate, given Miley's age? Or is it simply a tasteful art shot? I'm curious to know....<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Photo67.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Photo67.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><>Social Citizen<>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-47230264899625578652008-04-28T09:47:00.003-05:002008-04-28T14:49:37.806-05:00Music Monday: Naive SongFrench.<br />Electronica.<br />Strange.<br />Madonna producer.<br />Victoria's Secret.<br /><br />All of these words or terms can be associated with today's featured artist & video. It is noneother than <a href="http://www.mirwaisonline.com" target="_blank">Mirwais</a>. His music is definitely unique; so much so that Madonna recruited him to head the production on her albums <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Music-Madonna/dp/B00004X01U/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1209410564&sr=1-11" target="_blank">"Music"</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Life-Madonna/dp/B00008S2VG/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1209410735&sr=1-25" target="_blank">"American Life."</a><br /><br />Mirwais's sound is most certainly electronica-driven, and very much European. I purchased his CD <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Production-Mirwais/dp/B000059T41/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1209410540&sr=1-1" target="_blank">"Production"</a>, immediately after first hearing "Music," and one of my favorite tracks on the album is "Naive Song," the video for which is displayed below. While one of the most "mainstream" on the album, "Naive Song" is catch and easy to bop your head to.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KVVpaNbhP7k&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KVVpaNbhP7k&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Photo1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Photo1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><>Social Citizen<>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-61019679947061989272008-04-26T13:56:00.002-05:002008-04-26T13:57:21.972-05:00It's the jam!I just heard a great quote on a reality television show:<br /><br />"I'm the jam! I don't understand why anyone wouldn't want to butter their bread with me."Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-77199789471380023612008-04-18T20:26:00.003-05:002008-04-18T20:32:39.420-05:00From Me to Nifty: A Plea to My BlogDear blog:<br /><br />I've been thinking about you quite a bit lately. Actually, you and me and how we've been working together. I love you very much, and enjoy spending time with you, but don't feel we're as close as we can be.<br /><br />I like writing about pop culture, social media, and life in general, but most of the time I don't feel like we really talk about things that are very significant or make a difference in people's lives. And this--ultimately--is what I want and expect from our relationship. <br /><br />So through this post, I urge the both of us to ponder what direction we want to take moving forward, and be open and communicative with one another. Of course, our readers play an important part in this, so if they have any thoughts or opinions on this matter...we must listen to them.<br /><br />Thank you for hearing my cry, blog, and I look forward to our growing relationship.<br /><br />Love, <br /><br />Social CitizenSocial Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-30542701440260731852008-04-18T16:52:00.006-05:002008-04-18T20:15:18.067-05:0010 Things I LoatheLast week I started a series titled "10 Things," and I kicked it off with "10 Things I Love." When thinking about the topic for this week's, I thought it only appropriate to counter the "love" post by things, well...I don't love. But I don't believe in the word <i>hate</i>, to I present to you "10 Things I Loathe."<br /><br />10 Things I Loathe:<br /><br />1. <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lying" target="_blank">Lying.</a></b> This is really at the top of the list. I have very little tolerance for lying of any kind. This also falls into the same group with stealing, cheating and hatred; they seem to all have their root in the same soil.<br />2. <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocrisy" target="_blank">Hypocrisy.</a></b> Very, very close to lying, in terms of its place on the list. I can't stand hypocrites. If you are one, don't come near me.<br />3. <b>Humidity.</b> Rather ironic since I live in Central Florida, and humidity plagues us during the summer. <br />4. <b>When people use their signal in a turn-only lane.</b> I have no idea why this bugs me but it <i>always</i> has. I mean, if it's a turn-only lane and you're in it, it's pretty much a given that you're turning. You don't really need to signal!<br />5. <b>Really bad reality television.</b> Of course this is subjective, but for me it's programming like pretty much anything you can find on VH-1 (<a href="http://www.vh1.com/shows/series/rock_of_love_2/splash.jhtml" target="_blank">"Rock of Love with Bret Michaels"</a>, <a href="http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/i_love_new_york/series.jhtml?extcmp=SEO_SSP_Y" target="_blank">"I Love New York"</a>) or MTV (<a href="http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1584650&vid=221353" target="_blank">"A Shot at Love"</a>, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1585159&vid=225525" target="_blank">"The Real World: Hollywood"</a>)<br />6. <b>Spiders.</b> Shivers. The creeps. Get them away from me.<br />7. <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001401/" target="_blank">Angelina Jolie.</a></b> Sure, she's a good actress, but every time I see her on TV she seems more "I'm a humanitarian and so much better than you," and I don't need this Hollywood lifestyle attitude. I don't know, I just do buy it.<br />8. <b>Mustard/mayonnaise.</b> Have never, never, never liked either one of these. One of my aunt's always use to try to sneak mayo on my ham sandwiches when I was a child. <i>Not</i> a wise decision to do to someone who loathes mayonnaise.<br />9. <b>Alarms/alarm clocks.</b> Mornings are not my friend. In fact, I've often said nothing should begin before noon. I love to sleep, and anything that interrupts that is bound to end-up on my "loathe" list.<br />10. <b>Close-mindedness.</b> I don't really have any thoughts on this one. That's how much I loathe it.<br /><br />Do any of these 10 points line-up with things you loathe? If so, I'd certainly be interested in hearing about it.Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-39646791810312376652008-04-10T18:20:00.005-05:002008-04-10T19:06:16.182-05:00Found on Flickr: Night dreams...I'm intrigued by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreams" target="_blank">dreams</a>. Particularly the spiritual and psychological interpretations they hold. So when it came time for today's "Found on Flickr" feature, I was led to do a search for dreams. Iknew immediately when I saw "Night dreams..." that I had my photo:<br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/proverbs31/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Picture56.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br /><br />Something about it intrigues me, and invokes emotion.<br /><br />This photo comes courtesy of Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/proverbs31/" target="_blank">Proverbs 31:10</a>.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Ashupcloseandpersonal.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Ashupcloseandpersonal.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-28220431725352195562008-04-10T10:06:00.003-05:002008-04-10T10:11:11.188-05:0010 Things...My friend over at <a href="http://ridetoremedy.com/" target="_blank">RidetoRemedy.com</a> recently started a series where she blogs the entire alphabet. Think "A is for..." and "B is for..." and so on. At first I'd told her that I was going to borrow her concept, which she was fine with. But then I decided to start my own series.<br /><br />True, there are probably countless other bloggers who have the same series--which I suppose could be a rip-off of <a href="http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/" target="_blank">David Letterman's "Top 10"</a>--but I don't personally know anyone so that's makes me feel fine about it. Plus mine's not really a "top 10" list so much as 10 random things. <br /><br />So I'm going to begin a weekly series called "10 Things." I'm not sure if I'm going to post on the same day every week, or just post randomly. Guess you'll have to check back to find out. To kick off "10 Things," here are 10 things I'm fond of:<br /><br />"10 Things I'm Fond Of"<br /><br />1. <b>Coffee in the morning.</b> Loads of it, with lots of cream and sugar. "Make it blonde," I say.<br />2. <b>Clouds.</b> Big, fluffy clouds on a sunny day. Sometimes I want to catapult myself into the sky, and bounce from one cloud to the next. But then I remember that's not physically possible.<br />3. <b>Candy.</b> And I mean <i>candy</i>. Not chocolate. Candy! Hard candy. Soft candy. Sweet candy. I love it all!<br />4. <b>Sleeping.</b> Particularly when it's not interrupted by the harsh reality of an alarm clock.<br />5. <b>Vacations.</b> Haven't had one in over two years, but I love 'em.<br />6. <b>Music.</b> I almost feel safe in saying this is the thing I love the most. Music makes me happy, and I enjoy all kinds.<br />7. <b>Love.</b> Love of any kind. Friends. Family. Lovers. Sharing a bond with another person is a great feeling. I'm glad to know that this feels like.<br />8. <b>Laughter.</b> Contageous laughter. From-the-gut-tears-coming-out-of-my-eyes laughter. There's nothing better.<br />9. <b>The Internet.</b> This is probably obvious given <a href="http://izea.com" target="_blank">the company I work for</a>, as well as the fact that I maintain two-and-a-half blogs (this one and <a href="http://pulseofcentralflorida.wordpress.com" target="_blank">Pulse of Central Florida</a>, which I co-author with a good friend of mine). I just love how fast it changes, and am stimulated by the creativity of individuals who are coming up with new ideas.<br />10. <b>Life.</b> Sometimes it's bad. Most of the time it's great. But not matter the situation I am always happy to be alive, and consider myself blessed to have such an enjoyable existence.<br /><br />I'm sure you have things you are very fond of. What are they? Do we share any?Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-24122525900233187262008-04-07T18:34:00.008-05:002008-04-07T19:05:43.870-05:00Music Monday: I Feel It AllYou may not know her name. You probably don't even know her face. But I'm willing to bet you know her music...at least one of her songs, that is. While <a href="http://www.listentofeist.com/" target="_blank">Feist</a> has been fairly well-known in her native land of Canada, she's only recently broken-thru stateside within the past year. Yes, with that "iPod" song. It's called "1234" and no matter how you may feel about this particular song it's unarguably different than anything that's been played on American radio in the past few years. (I wrote a post on <a href="http://blog.myspace.com/ashkened" target="_blank">my MySpace blog</a> a while back, featuring one of her other videos.)<br /><br />Feist is unique. Feist is different. Feist is...well, talented. And <a href="http://www.junoawards.ca/" target="_blank">Canada's Juno awards</a> seem to think so as well. In fact, Feist was honored with five of the evening's awards last night in Toronto, including <b>Pop Album of the Year</b> and <b>Artist of the Year</b>. Not too shabby! <br /><br />Here is the song she performed at the awards ceremony:<br /><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xxiEl5_4Z7Y&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xxiEl5_4Z7Y&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br />But this song isn't the "Music Monday" feature. Actually, that goes to one of my favorite tracks off of Feist's monster album <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reminder-Feist/dp/B000NPE7YC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1207612217&sr=1-1" taarget="_blank">"The Reminder."</a> The song is called "I Feel It All," and it's upbeat, entertaining...with a video to compliment it.<br /><br />Check-it-out:<br /><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IcgfdtkcIW0&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IcgfdtkcIW0&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br /><br />If you want to learn more about Feist <a href="http://www.listentofeist.com/" target="_blank">visit her official website</a>, or take a look at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/feist" target="_blank">her MySpace page</a>.Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-80890813858795305732008-04-06T15:50:00.008-05:002008-04-07T17:53:58.618-05:00Now you too can be the next da VinciRecognize this historic painting? You should. It's the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_lisa" target="_blank">Mona Lisa</a>. And it's probably regarded as one of the most beautiful, and most well-known paintings in history. But now, through the beauty (or however you view it) of technology, you have the power to make your own Mona Lisa. Well, sort of.... Unfortunately, though, yours won't live in the <a href="http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLocale=en" target="_blank">Louvre</a>.<br /><br />You can make this:<br /><a href="http://www.cite-sciences.fr/francais/ala_cite/expo/explora/image/mona/en.php#" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Picture45.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />...look like this:<br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Picture46.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Picture46.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Let me start by stating I came across this topic when I was watching the news a couple of days ago. Apparently there is an interactive educational feature somewhere (and I apologize I can't say exactly where; I was doing a search for the story online, and that's how I came across this website). I will continue to do my search and when I stumble across it I'll post it here.<br /><br />So on to making your own Mona Lisa. While somewhat disturbing, online users can now change the expression of this gorgeous painting. Simply <a href="http://www.cite-sciences.fr/francais/ala_cite/expo/explora/image/mona/en.php#" target="_blank">click here</a> or visit <a href="http://www.cite-sciences.fr/francais/ala_cite/expo/explora/image/mona/en.php#" target="_blank">http://www.cite-sciences.fr/francais/ala_cite/expo/explora/image/mona/en.php#</a> to create your own expressions. <br /><br />So, do you think this is too weird? Abeit all in good fun, should historical artifacts like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_Da_Vinci" target="_blank">Leonard da Vinci's</a> masterpiece even be messed with?<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=IMG_1094.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/IMG_1094.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-33418848720323223622008-04-03T14:19:00.004-05:002008-04-03T19:24:41.913-05:00Found on Flickr: LoveI've always been attracted to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_and_white_photography#Black-and-white_photography" target="_blank">black & white photography</a>. I think it's romantic, artistic, and expressive. So when I randomly stumbled upon this beautiful photo on Flickr, I knew it was the one I wanted to feature today.<br /><center><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/annikendreams/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Kiss.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br /><br />This photo comes courtesy of Flickr user <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/annikendreams/" target="_blank">annikenhannevik's photos</a>.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=YogaMaster-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/YogaMaster-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-16337068677264951442008-03-31T16:44:00.006-05:002008-03-31T18:42:15.588-05:00Music Monday: What Do You Want From Me?There isn't really much to say about electronic group <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monaco_(band)" target="_blank">Monaco</a> other than they put out one kickin' debut album...and that they were short-lived. I first heard the song, the video for which is featured here, at a place I worked during college. I was immediately "hook"ed.<br /><br />To read more about Monaco--a side project of New Order bassist Peter Hook--<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monaco_(band)" target="_blank">check-out their Wikipedia page</a>.<br /><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FjMvITKAmXs&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FjMvITKAmXs&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Ashlookingdeepinthought.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Ashlookingdeepinthought.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-51753202902397827662008-03-27T19:28:00.008-05:002008-03-27T21:22:55.830-05:00Another "Good Mother"I've <a href="http://niftynation.blogspot.com/2007/09/music-soul-stirrer.html" target="_blank">written before about my passion for music, and specifically Canadian artists</a>. One of my favorite said artists is <a href="http://www.jannarden.com/home.php" target="_blank">Jann Arden</a>. While she's never really hit mainstream success here in the United States, she is well-known and well-received in her native Canada.<br /><br />Jann recently set out on a US tour to support <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Uncover-Me-Jann-Arden/dp/B000MGUZ7K/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1206665437&sr=8-3" target="_blank">her latest album</a>, which I was super-stoked about. However, due to illness she had to cancel her tour. <i>Major</i> bummer. So to "get my fix" I was watching some videos & live performances earlier on <a href="http://www.youtube.com" target="_blank">You Tube</a>. In doing so, I came across a video of a guy singing one of Jann Arden's most stirring songs, "Good Mother." Now, it's a fact I'm not typically drawn to male artists but <a href="http://youtube.com/user/jaybrannan" target="_blank">YouTube.com user Jay Brannan</a> has one of the most beautiful, emotional voices I've ever heard. And sometimes...in this day-and-age when anyone can essentially be famous...when I see postings like this on video sharing sites, it makes me wonder how much longer "celebrities" will be around. This guy is amazing....<br /><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n7gYQdl5SlM&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n7gYQdl5SlM&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Photo12.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Photo12.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-63586798958791630822008-03-27T16:57:00.004-05:002008-03-27T19:28:24.195-05:00Found on Flickr: New Years in San Francisco<a href="http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/" target="_blank">San Francisco</a> is probably one of the most amazing US cities. A few years back when I visited there for the first time I wasn't sure what to expect -- my anticipation was for it to be like New York City. And while San Francisco is certainly a bustling, busy city, it is <i>nothing</i> like New York City.<br /><br />San Francisco is laid back. Nobody's in a hurry to get anywhere. It's very bohemian. And I love it. So when I came across this photo on <a href="http://flickr.com" target="_blank">Flickr</a> I had to feature it on "Found on Flickr."<br /><center><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=SanFranciscoNewYears.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/SanFranciscoNewYears.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br /><br />This photo comes courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmichel67/" target="_blank">Flickr user *Christopher*'s photos</a>.<br /><br />Have <u>you</u> ever visited or lived in San Francisco? If so, I'd love to know how you feel about the city.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://niftynation.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Photo14.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-66928369163362691212008-03-24T17:01:00.006-05:002008-03-24T18:25:31.718-05:00It's my one-year-birthday! (Well, for this blog anyway.)Tomorrow is my one year blogging birthday! Yup, I started this "Nifty Nation" blog exactly one year ago tomorrow, <a href="http://niftynation.blogspot.com/2007/03/maiden-postleaving-nyc.html" target="_blank">while I was in New York City for a conference</a>. And while there have certainly been slumps, and what I would refer to as weak content, overall I feel I've provided something interesting and entertaining to the folks who've stopped by.<br /><br />I will continue to do my best to create original, engaging content, and certainly always appreciate feedback and suggestions. After all...you're here reading what I'm producing, so I want to create content that's intriguing to you.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com"><br /><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/100x20-digg-button.png" width="100" height="20" alt="Digg!" /><br /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Photo32.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Photo32.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-29945318779564698912008-03-24T11:00:00.001-05:002008-03-24T15:12:49.301-05:00Music Monday: Fear (of the Unknown)<a href="http://www.vamp.org/Siouxsie/" target="_blank">Siouxsie and the Banshees</a> was one of the most intriguing bands of the 1990s...to me, anyway. I just thought they had an interesting sound, supported by an even more interesting image (particularly lead singer Janet Susan Ballion, aka <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siouxsie_Sioux" target="_blank">Siouxie Sioux</a>).<br /><br />1991's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Superstition-Siouxsie-Banshees/dp/B000000OSB/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1206303476&sr=1-11" target="_blank">"Superstition"</a> was the album that originally caught my eye--thanks to the track <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=FBm-m67d3Bg" target="_blank">"Kiss Them For Me"</a>--and was probably their most mainstream. The video featured here, however, is a remixed, more radio-friendly version, of the song "Fear (of the Unknown), off of the aforementioned album "Superstition." <br /><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MZcdSUikf0o&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MZcdSUikf0o&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Photo73-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Photo73-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047130576883234155.post-34005781507624567622008-03-23T18:39:00.006-05:002008-03-23T18:48:15.972-05:00This is me.I'm taking a tip from my friend V, who owns-and-manages <a href="http://globetrottingv.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jetsetters and Globetrotters</a> (a travel blog)...although I'm <i>always</i> ratting on her about updating more often. At the end of each post she includes a small photo of herself, and I think it adds an entertaining, personal touch. <br /><br />So I'm going to start doing the same. I hope you--my readers--enjoy this little feature, and that it helps you be a little more connected to me and my blog (after all, isn't that what blogging is all about?).<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/?action=view¤t=Photo48-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z118/AshKenEd/Photo48-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Social Citizenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059751510592951039noreply@blogger.com0