Some time ago I made a blog entry talking about a neat publication called JPG which only printed photos submitted and voted on by its users. Unfortunately, it looks like they have hit on hard times:

“Today is a particularly sad day for all of us at JPG and 8020 Media. We’ve spent the last few months trying to make the business behind JPG sustain itself, and we’ve reached the end of the line.”

You can grab the back issues and whatever else over at JPG before the ship sinks completely on Monday.

I haven’t been blogging much lately.  Why?  Because I just moved with my wife into a big new house!  So, we haven’t really been up to much except planning moving, buying stuff, thinking about moving, actually moving, cleaning and setting up.  And I do realize that there is a lot I could be blogging about dealing with the process… but you know what?  I’m beat.  So, I’ll be back soon now that we are 90% settled and hopefully I’ll have more time to ruminate here.

(On taking interesting photos) “In the end it’s really not about exotic travel but about seeing the exotic that is all around us. In the past few years virtually all of my images have been captured, literally, between meetings.”  Source

Also: “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”  Source

The sea of black, the beaming heat on their faces
Their figure emerges from the wasteage
Eyes transfixed with a piercing gaze
One hand clutching a sword raised to the sky
They wonder how, they wonder why
The sky turns white it all becomes clear
They felt lifted from their fears
They shed tears in the light
After 6 dark years
Young bold soldiers, the fire burns
Cracks and smoulders
5 years older and wiser
The fires are burning on fire, never tire
Slave warriors in the forests and on higher
We sing, hear the strings rising
The wars over, the bells ring
Memories fading, soldiers slaying

Words by Mike Skinner
Photo by Jon Van Dalen