So Much More To See

Out In The World

Image -David Loh/Reuters/File

Collapse of the World’s Oceans: Scuba diver Charles Ang from Singapore approaches a school of jack fish off the Malaysian island of Layang Layang in the South China Sea April 4. One of six major global crises is the collapse of the world's fisheries. (The Greek debt crisis doesn't even qualify for the list.)

Deforestation: Over 50% of the world’s forests have already disappeared, and much of the rest is in threatened. Deforestation contributes approximately 25% of all global greenhouse gasses, nearly double the 14% that transportation and industry sectors each contribute.

Read about the rest of the six major global crises, at The Christian Science Monitor.

Ahh Nuts

I got a bag of pistachios on sale last week, and finally opened it. I am full! I have eaten more salt in an hour, than I have ingested in months.

Good, though.

All Creatures

Sea Dragon (David Hall)

Frogfish (David Hall)

Another Frogfish (David Hall)

See these and more amazing photos HERE.

Mark Speaks Out

Mark Mlcoch at John's violin shop. 1/20/10

"Somehow, this debate over water has become characterized as a matter of “fish versus jobs.” The argument is that we can have salmon or we can have farming in the Central Valley, but we can’t have both. I think this is ridiculous. We can have both a healthy salmon fishery and a vigorous agricultural sector — we just have to allocate the water fairly and rationally. We need to change the way water is delivered, we need more habitat restoration, and we need to emphasize crops and technologies that conserve water." - No water, no fish, no jobs - Mark Mlcoch

Mark wrote a great letter to our local paper that describes the 'battle' to save the Saramento river from the point of view of a local fishing guide. (A very savy, local fishing guide.)

I am glad to call Mark my friend.

Day To Day

Lassen, yesterday. 5/23/10

The weather here in Redding, has been in a state of flux on a daily basis. I love it. Sunshine, clouds, rain, dry, warm, cool conditions have been on the daily weather menu. After having the warmest winter on record, we are having a cool, late spring. It has been spectacular.

The Viola

The Viola after a light coat of varnish. 5/24/10

The viola and the the e-book are still moving toward completion. John has been preparing the varish for the maple parts, and will apply it in the next day or two. I am experimenting with the imaginative lengths I can take the fluid graphics in the iPad format for the book about this viola.

The Bench Copy 1715 'Strad'

John carves the scroll for the bench copy. 5/24/10

While the viola book is just months from completion, I have already started the follow up book about a bench copy of a 1715 Stradivarius violin that John has been making. I may have mentioned that he received plaster casts of the Stradivarius violin, made in 1715, (the violin, not the plaster casts). I have been photographing and filming the process as he makes this copy, so that it will have documentation, and I will have material for my second e-book for the iPad. I love this stuff.

Today's Relatively Appropriate Song;
Come Rain Or Come Shine - Dinah Washington

Get Well Soon Josh