Have you guys picked up that I like rugby yet?
Remember, start following [ http://joelwitwer.wordpress.com/ ]

First off, thanks for bearing with me as I moved. Life is a little hectic as I'm getting adjusted to Zambia so posts may still be a little sporatic. Also remember, I'm transitioning over to [ http://joelwitwer.wordpress.com/ ] so head on over there and bookmark that sucker! Or add it to you feedly (a rad google reader replacement). Right now there is content up that was never posted here.

Thanks for bearing with the roughly two months of no posts. I've been in Iceland for a good 5 weeks of the lapse and now I'm currently packing up my life and moving to Zambia for a year. I'll try and keep the posts coming, but they may be a bit sporadic for the next month.

Also, I'm moving this blog over to joelwitwer.wordpress.com. I'll be double posting both here and the wordpress site until the end of August, but you should start using the wordpress one from now on!

Glad to be back,

Joel

This is just plain fantastic!

How about a music video filmed completely on the International Space Station?!

Mother's Day was a while ago, but this video is great no matter what day it is.

"We cannot become starched Christians, too polite, who speak of theology calmly over tea. We have to become courageous Christians and seek out those (who need help most)."

- Pope Francis in http://tinyurl.com/bc543az

Once again, it's great when big companies go outside of the box with their adverts.

Pure, bearded gold.

This guy's wife drank a bottle of wine and told him a joke, which he, as any good husband would, promptly turned into an animated short.

Once again, this video is a little longer than the ones I normally post, but it's a good one.

A Mother's Day video I made for Northridge Church here in Rochester, NY.

This promo is DEFINITELY one sided, but it does get the blood pumping and excited for June 8th!

Sidenote: All the clips in this video are from a game between Ireland and the USA in this past worldcup. Ireland won 22 - 10 which you never would've guessed from the clips they chose.

I love what big companies get creative with their ads. I also love the 'underground' shot at 15s.

If you live in Rochester, chances are you've already seen these clips. For those of you that don't, The Amazing Spiderman 2 is currently filming a chase scene here. They have Main St shut down and filled with NYPD cruisers and NYC taxi cabs.

Here's some steampunk rock'n'roll to mess with your day.

These guys.

Rochester: A City of Quality

This video has also made the rounds here on the interwebs, but it's incredible none the less.

A little bit longer than the videos I usually post, but it's an incredibly well made and interesting short film, especially if street art sparks your interest.

This video made the rounds on the interwebs last week, but it's still cool and an incredibly well made video!

This entire video is made with CG.
Have fun picking your jaw off the floor.

I believe I may have posted this a year or two ago, but I recently came across it again and it blew me away just like the first time I saw it.

"The kingdom of God is for the burn outs, the broken and the broke. For the drug addicts, the divorced, the HIV positive, the herpes ridden. This is for the helpless, for those who have no hope, for the outcasts that have been created by the church and the outcasts of society created by us. The kingdom of God is for the brain damaged, the incurably ill, for the barren, for the pregnant too many times, pregnant at the wrong time. This is for the over employed, the under employed, the unemployable, and the unemployed. This is for the swindled, the shoved aside, the left aside, the replaced, the incompetent, and the stupid. This is for the emotionally starved and the emotionally dead. The kingdom of God is for the bigoted, murders, the child molesters, the brutals, the drug lords, the terrorists, the perverted, the raging alcoholics, the over consumerists, the incredibly ugly, the dumb, the ignorant, the starving, the filth, the filthy, and the filthy rich. The kingdom of God is for everyone."

- Darren Rouanzoin

This made rounds on the internet last week, so there's a good chance you've already seen it, but it's too good not to share!

This guy blows all my excuses for not playing rugby (too sore, too tired, etc) right out of the water.

Some really interesting faces.

Whether you like his policies or not, he seems like a pretty rad guy.

Previously: Kid President.

I can't even imagine this.

It's a long one, but there's some good music in there!

While my jury is still out on Nike being involved in skateboarding, this ad is just straight up rad.

I've posted some Kailynn West covers before, but here's a sweet little music video she did and I dig.
Caution: language

Previously: Rich Girl Cover // Thrift Shop Cover

And now Disney movies are ruined for me.

The hate I feel towards his hat is overcome by my love for this song.

"True freedom requires sacrifice and pain. Most humans beings only think they want freedom. In truth, they yearn for the bondage of social order, rigid laws, materialism. The only freedom man really wants is the freedom to be comfortable."

- Sons of Anarchy (TV show)

Probably the best cover of this song that I have seen so far!

My friend works for the production company that made this fantastic video!

I made this video a few months back for Smokestack Cowork. It never ended up getting used for anything, but I'm still pretty proud of the way it turned out!

Previously: Smokestack Bloopers.

"Well," says the objector, "I should like to know how you would manage matters if the ruffian should actually break into your house with settled intent to rob and murder. Would you shrink back like a coward and see your wife and children slaughtered before your eyes?" I cannot tell you how I might act in such a dreadful emergency - how weak and frail I should prove. But I can tell how I ought to act - how I should wish to act. If I am a firm, consistent non-resistant, I should prove myself no coward; for it requires the noblest courage and the highest fortitude to be a true non-resistant. If I am what I ought to be, I should be calm and unruffled by the alarm at my door. I should meet my wretched fellow-man with a spirit, an air, a salutation, and a deportment so Christ-like, so little expected, so confounding, and so morally irresistible that in all probability his weapons of violence and death would fall harmless by his side. I would say "Friend, why do you come here? Surely not to injure those who wish you nothing but good? This house is one of peace and friendship to all mankind. If you are cold, warm yourself at our fire; if hungry, refresh yourself at our table; if you are weary, sleep in our bed; if you are destitute, poor, needy, freely take of our goods. Come, let us be friends, that God may keep us all from evil and bless us with his protection."

 - Adin Ballou in Non-Resistance in Relation to Human Governments

I love these guys and this video.

And this is why people love Mila Kunis.

"As white evangelicals have captured material resources, they in turn have been captured by the comfort of the middle class. Addressing the felt needs [of the poor] involves the possibility of releasing monetary resources to support such outreach, and it involves setting priorities from self-aggrandizement to sacrifice. Instead of limiting one's concern to self and the nuclear family, the Christian must broaden the circle of love. This will mean time spent to help others,energy expended rather than guarded, and an orientation of giving rather than getting. Comfort and recreation time may have to assume a secondary role to compassion and redemption time."

 For many, the cost is too high. They feel they have worked too hard to get to the apex of middle/upper-class life and don't want to give up the rewards and risk their resources. As a result most middle class churches have been uninterested in ministry to those with significant needs who require more than an occasional guilt offering."

From, "Planting Urban Churches," and the essay by Craig Ellison.

( Edited by Harvey Conn). 1997

This video was all over the internet a few weeks ago, but it's still great.

Feast your eyes on the newest Fortress cover: Build Me Up Buttercup

Ladies and Gents, I once again present Lamon Luther, just because I dig what this company is doing!

(during the decades of urban-suburban out-migration) "... the American dream became the practical theology of the people of faith and upward mobility became the sign of God's blessing on the faithful. Little thought was given to a theology of community that provided the framework for Christians to live interdependently rather than independently. Nor was a theology of neighbor part of the Christian dialogue during this period. 'Neighbor' became a word so broadly used to describe any and every human relationship that it lost its meaning. And when 'neighbor' was neutralized, it no longer specifically included the people who live next door. Thus loving one's neighbor lost its practical impact in everyday living. Also lost was a theology of place that raised the issue of deployment of God's people. Without such a theology, the people of faith begin to drift toward places of personal convenience and comfort with little reflection on the strategic kingdom importance of where Godly neighbors are located." 

From, "Restoring At-Risk Communities," p. 77; 

Chapter entitled: "Relocation-Living in the Community"

Best short film I've seen in a good while!

I can hardly even wait for Iceland!

I would love to have an indoor workshop like this. My current one is just a tiny step above being outside ...

Besides some lame title slides, this is a pretty cool video.

If you don't already love Josh Garrels, you should.

I got to see these guys on Wednesday and they were absolutely incredible!
Thanks to Chris for shooting this video at the show!

I love the covers this girl puts out!
Check her out: Kailynn West Music

Liam Neesons and Bruce Willy!!!

People are awesome.

You know that person you knew of in high school, but didn't really know and then you find out that they're doing awesome things now and you wish you could've been just a little cooler back then so you could've been friends? Well this in mine.
Check her out, Kailynn West.

To make up for my lack of musical talent I become friends with people who are friends with amazing musicians.

Not being able to see would make skating so much scarier. This kid is braver than I'll ever be!

Innovative set design really adds to a video.

Social justice/activism and woodworking. Does it get better than this?!

This kid's skating is the closest you'll ever see to skateboard video game combos!

My friend The Organic Bird and her niece covering 'Come Away to the Water' from The Hunger Games!
Stunning.

I'm still just really digging this band!

I am obsessed with this band at the moment!

A lyric video for Kingsfoil's song 'American Veins.'
Check it.

Walk Off the Earth are back at it again! This time with a Taylor Swift cover!

These Canadians are absolutely ripping up their coastline!

Oh hey, Jason and Erica got married!

Oh man, this guy.
This. Guy.

We are never ever ever ... breaking up.

What a beautiful example of Christ's love!

These facial expressions!

In case you need yet another reason to fall in love with the idea of Iceland, this band is from there.