"Happy little trees": Bob Ross' 70th Birthday

If you watched any daytime PBS programming from the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties, you're certain to have seen The Joy of Painting with artist Bob Ross. Google celebrates what would have been his 70th birthday today with a Bob Ross Google Doodle on their main page.

My own artistic talent is confined to three-dimensional work such as gaming miniatures and terrain. Starting with a blank canvas and creating a scene is a huge challenge for me. If you watched Bob's show -- or attended his painting classes -- he encouraged you and made you believe that anyone could create art and love the process.

I think it's particularly fitting that the "g" in the Google art is blue. I can remember him saying on the show many times,"Perhaps a little more Phthalo Blue here... Phthalo Blue..."

Always upbeat, always engaged with the viewer, and always full of wonder for the beauty of the natural world, he created miniature worlds in his landscape paintings, and invited you to do the same. What I will remember is that optimistic joy, love of animals, and genuine passion for life that he projected on every show.

Bob Ross passed away in 1995.

Mental Floss has a great list of "5 (Happy Little) Things You Didn't Know about Bob Ross."

Lights out for energy efficiency -- Earth Hour tonight

On Saturday, March 29, 2008, Earth Hour invites people around the world to turn off their lights for one hour – from 8:00pm to 9:00pm in their local time zone. On this day, cities around the world, including Copenhagen, Chicago, Melbourne, Dubai, and Tel Aviv, will hold events to acknowledge their commitment to energy conservation.

See the offical Earth Hour page and Google's Earth Hour page.

More climate news to worry about

Remember what I said about a tipping point?

Scientists take 2007's temperature

Scientist: 'Arctic is screaming'

Ominous Arctic Melt Worries Experts

Can the Planet Be Saved in Bali?

EU Threatens to Boycott US Climate Talks

EU gives U.S. ultimatum on climate

Environmental blog roundup

I neglected to post anything for Blog Action Day on Monday, so I'll link to this list of environmental blogs on buzz.blogger.com. Take a look.

The Tipping Point

We could be reaching a tipping point where the danger to the environment is so apparent that the public demands action.

First the depressing news:

Scientist: Pollution destroying pre-Aztec Mexican ruins (CNN)

'Doomsday Clock' moved forward (CNN)

'Smoking gun' report to say global warming here (CNN)

...but some reasons for hope:

Crunch year for planet Earth (CNN)

CEOs call for action against climate change (CNN)

Evangelicals, scientists join forces to combat global warming (CNN)

Polar bears may get protection (CNN)

Businesses try to outpace U.S. regulators on emissions (IHT)

Wal-Mart: A giant gone green (IHT)

Bush Goes Green? (Time)

How to Seize the Initiative (Time)