Author: CaptainJaq

I am a father as well as a world traveling, dog loving, scuba diving, book collecting, writer - currently residing somewhere in Eastern Europe. His words have been spoken by Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and Robin Hood, been read by David Copperfield, and criticized by his 7th grade English teacher. He'd like to thank the members of the Academy, although he doesn't know why. In his spare time, he's a university professor and a kick-ass uncle.

What Makes a Hero and the True Measure of the Human Spirit: Walter Lippmann’s Stunning Tribute to Amelia Earhart – Brain Pickings

“The world is a better place to live in because it contains human beings who will give up ease and security and stake their own lives in order to do what they themselves think worth doing.…

Source: What Makes a Hero and the True Measure of the Human Spirit: Walter Lippmann’s Stunning Tribute to Amelia Earhart – Brain Pickings

Charity of Ideas | David Magazine

Industry Leaders, Technology and Social Justice Converge to Create New Possibilities for Tikkun Olam (Healing the World)

Source: Charity of Ideas | David Magazine

My second piece this month is about people who are changing the world. Gives me a little bit of hope. Not as much as the kids in this picture, but still….

“Adults-Only” Puppet Show | David Magazine

This is What Happens When Two Genres Collide, Puppetry Meet Improv.

Yeah… so one of the pieces I did this month was about puppets and improv – but even better, I got to interview two of my friends and gush about what an amazing show they’re doing!

Source: “Adults-Only” Puppet Show | David Magazine

Magic – Live and otherwise

14095822_10154399304143665_5366482407314087398_nSo… A few months back, say around May or June, I got an offer to cover Magic Live for Magic Magazine. The problem of course was that the baby, who had yet to be born, was due July 1st and going off to Vegas for a magic convention with a 6 week old at home didn’t particularly strike me as the best idea in the world. But I really wanted to go. But 6 week old baby.  Continue reading “Magic – Live and otherwise” →

An Ancient Device Too Advanced to Be Real Gives Up Its Secrets at Last | Big Think

I’ve long been fascinated by the Antikythera mechanism and what it could have been used for, how it was built, etc. Now, an interesting article, An Ancient Device Too Advanced to Be Real Gives Up Its Secrets at Last, gives some possible insight.

To be fair, though, I’m also fascinated by the Nazca Lines in Peru, I once did a diorama project on my explanations for the Bermuda Triangle, and have gone looking for The Loch Ness Monster (not in any organized official way, but I did take a tour boat out onto the water). Pretty much any unexplained phenomenon is okay in my book (and I’m really excited out new cable package included The History Channel in English!)

The Monki Has Landed

Pirate ARG-DetailsSo at 3:30 in the morning on July 12th, Rasa wakes me up to say “it really hurts” and we should probably go to the hospital. Granted, we were scheduled to be there at 7am anyway, so our 3:30 wake up call was only 90 minutes ahead of schedule. Turns out, we needed the extra time because when your wife is in labor, the movies just don’t do it justice. There’s no madcap dashing about trying to flag down cabs or traffic cops pulling you over only to turn on the sirens and lead you to the hospital once they’ve learned the full extent of your situation. Nope. It’s a lot of coaxing someone who can barely walk down three flights of stairs and calling a friend to come and make sure the dog gets taken out so you don’t come home to an “extra” surprise.  Continue reading “The Monki Has Landed” →

BBC – Culture – The monsters hidden beneath the sea

Okay, I admit it. I’m a sucker for underwater monsters. Give me a giant squid, a Kraken, an octopus of unusual size, hell, even an overgrown shark and I’m there. For me, America said it best – “The ocean is a desert with its life underground and the perfect disguise up above.” It’s that “perfect disguise” which makes it interesting. No matter how calm, there could be any number of unknown dangers lurking just out of sight. 

This is why, despite being terrified of the water, I’ve been certified as a scuba diver, twice. In another reality, I’m a marine biologist, who spends his days as a dive instructor on a tropical island and doing research on the side. In this one, though, I’m just a writer who likes the monsters hidden beneath the sea

How To Create Monsters & Mythological Creatures

So one day my friend Ian Rowland directed me to the site of his friend Gianni Sarcone, a designer of optical illusions. Specifically, the post on How To Create Monsters & Mythological Creatures. That’s an example over there to the left. 

Once you see the method, like a number of magic tricks, it is deceptively simple. And yet, the results are awe inspiring. As someone who has a penchant for the idea of urban fantasy (I’d love to write one, just don’t quite see it so instead, I read ’em) all I can see are a number of powerful beings trapped in static forms or natural figures waiting to make themselves known in that luminal time between dark and light. 

Maybe you’ll be able to find inspiration here. Or maybe you’ll just enjoy some clever photography. Either way, it’s definitely worth a look.