JohnOhab.com

MG performs a seemingly perfect mime of this George Washington statue inside the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA.  Unfortunately, that full set of teeth is going to cost her 50 points. Sorry, MG. It’s just not your day.

The Washington DC Metro authority has announced an upgrade program to improve cell phone reception in 20 of the busiest metro stations. Under this program, AT&T customers such as myself will finally be able to make calls, send text messages or surf the Web. Pretty cool.

I would also like to  request a few additional areas of increased AT&T reception. I’ve highlighted them above in red.

Nice six pack

“Nearly four feet tall” — the boy or his stream of urine?

Welcome to the new and improving JohnOhab.com!

In an effort to simplify my life, I’ve merged my official website, JohnOhab.com: The Greatest and Best Website in the World, with my Blogspot journal, The Greatest and Best Journal in the World, into one all-inclusive website. I’ve hopped on the Wordpress bandwagon, eliminated much of the clutter, and will now rely on applications created by actual web developers to improve site functionality and appearance.

All of my content has been migrated, but the presentation and various functions will continue to be added over time. I’ve already added a “Share/Bookmark” button to the bottom of every post and page. If you read something you like, you can easily email to friends, add to your favorite feed reader, or share directly on your social networking service of choice.

In the near future, I will add comment authentication via Twitter, Facebook, Google, etc, which will allow users to post comments using their preferred identity and share across platforms. Think of it as The Greatest and Best Website in the World 2.0.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or if there are features that you would like to see added. The website will continue to evolve over time, and I’m always looking for a few good ideas (especially if the ideas involve incorporating the Arizona Cardinals or me miming public statues).

Given that the “stair” appear to be on fire, I’ll be using the elevator. Thanks anyway.

Recently, my colleague Bioephemera introduced me to Crayon Physics, an innovative physics puzzle game that relies on nothing but your imagination, creativity, and ability to wield a miniature crayon. Watch the video above and check out the demo – you can get familiar with the basic maneuvers and even create your own levels. If you’re interested in a real challenge, Crayon Physics Deluxe is now available for a nominal fee.

I can’t promise that you’ll learn much about actual physics, nor can I promise that you will atone for past failings like me. What I can promise you is heaps of fun, over 70 different puzzles, and the opportunity to create and share your own levels over the Internet. I can also promise you a bizarre musical arrangement that mixes Gregorian chanting with that relaxing music you always hear during deep tissue massages. Thankfully, this imaginary world of oddball physics also includes volume control.

Topics: physics, puzzles
Location: at home
Duration: any
Cost: low cost
Gear: computer, internet
Level of Difficulty: easy

Best People Ever

On May 2, 31 current and former AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellows, AAAS staff members, and friends spent their mornings cleaning and painting Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School in Washington, DC, as part of Servathon 2009 hosted by Greater DC Cares. Our team, “AAAS You Can Believe In”, raised $2980, ranking 5th among 359 teams (comprised of 3549 volunteers) taking part in 65 projects throughout the DC area.

Check out those swanky yellow and green doors!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Because there is nothing wrong with promoting a little stability and security in this world. Taken from a defenselink.mil press release located –>here<--.

Army Command Expands Role in Promoting Stability, Security in Africa
By John Ohab
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2009 – The U.S. Army Southern European Task Force officially has assumed its new role as the Army component for U.S. Africa Command, an effort to build and strengthen relationships with African army organizations and national and international partners.

Army Maj. Gen. William “Burke” Garrett III, the commander of SETAF, U.S. Army Africa, spoke with online journalists and bloggers yesterday about SETAF’s expanded role in promoting security and stability in Africa.

“Our transformation symbolizes America’s enduring commitment to Africa,” Garrett said during a Defense Department bloggers roundtable. “As U.S. Army Africa, we are America’s premier Army team dedicated to achieving positive change on the continent.”

For more than 50 years, SETAF has deployed throughout Europe, Southwest Asia and Africa, providing command and control for contingency operations, crisis response, disaster relief and humanitarian missions. Since the 1990s, SETAF has worked with African nations to conduct military training and provide humanitarian relief in countries such as Liberia, Rwanda, Uganda, Congo and the former Zaire.

In the coming years, SETAF, operating as U.S. Army Africa, will continue to grow and build capacity to meet the requirements needed to coordinate all U.S. Army activities in Africa.

“Instead of simply responding to crises, we will seek out opportunities to strengthen the capacity of African land forces and their institutions, so they can prevent conflicts and contribute to peace,” Garrett said.

Garrett said he will spend 50 percent of his time stationed in Africa along with about 600 Army personnel engaged across the continent. U.S. Army Africa will use all aspects of the Army, including the Guard and Reserve, which offer important “niche capabilities” such as civil-affairs coordination and well-drilling units.

Because of the enormous cultural diversity across African nations, U.S. Army Africa has teamed with U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command to provide soldiers with the requisite skills and cultural awareness to work effectively with African partners.

Garrett described U.S. Army Africa as a 21st-century organization focused on small units, effective cooperation programs and sustained security engagement.

“[U.S. Army Africa] is not an episodic, flash in the pan, noncombative evacuation operation,” Garrett said. “It’s sustained day-to-day engagement with our African partners. That’s never been done in Africa.”

Currently, U.S. Army Africa leads a number of efforts focused on military education in Rwanda, Liberia, Ethiopia and Ghana. The National Guard heads the State Partnership Program, which links U.S. states with African nations to promote regional stability and civil-military relationships. In the future, U.S. Army Africa seeks to build lasting relationships with nongovernmental organizations and businesses operating in Africa.

U.S. Army Africa’s mission to provide a sustained security engagement marks a departure from the United States’ traditional approach to promoting peace and stability in Africa. Garrett considers this to be “America’s acknowledgement that Africa is rising in strategic importance.”

“We share a bond of humanity with their people,” he said. “And, from our point of view, by investing in that common humanity, we can advance our common security.”

(John Ohab holds a doctorate in neuroscience and works for the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)