F-Cinci! 23-17 Pittsburgh

this is most likely the only time i will ever post about sports...don't get me wrong, i'm a fanatic, but there's way too many sports blogs that i read...and they say it all for me :) what a game today! parker had some amazing carries this week...holmes proves again that he can catch, roethlisberger was seemingly on his game, and oh yeah...we kicked the living crap out of the bungles. a team that has truly sucked ass for a very long time, and has let their recent success go straight to their heads and have become a pack of neighborhood brats that deserve to be beaten relentlessly. pittsburgh played a great game with, surprisingly minimal mistakes. roethlisberger threw his 23rd interception, but was accurate for the rest of the time. we came to this game to do one thing, and totally accomplished it. cinci will have to wait to talk s*** again till next year because today, they ate it. steeler nation baby.

It Rocked!

yep, it was totally amazing. i highly recommend that you see this movie. aside from it's unbelievable artistic genius, it's got a pretty good, and slightly hard to follow plot line. buy it, steal it, borrow it. just watch it.

directed by: Richard Linkslater
other film credits: School of Rock, Slacker, and Dazed and Confused

here's a quote from the director:

“There is kind of an animation ghetto that exists in the industry. From the beginning, we lived with the Hollywood truism that adults don’t see animated movies. But I have always had the response that, yeah, adults don’t go see animated movies until they do! All it takes is one movie.”
~ Richard Linklater

for all of you who don't know what rotoscope technology is:

images courtesy of warner bros.

1. Film

Director Richard Linklater shoots with digital cameras. Since details are added by animators, there are minimal costumes, props, and sets.

2. Animate
Artists use Wacom digital pens and tablets connected to Apple G5s running Rotoshop software to trace the movement of actors in a scene. Not every frame is hand-drawn; the software fills in the gaps.

3. Enhance
The animators use Rotoshop's masking, warping, and blending tools to enhance the 3-D effect. Then they add scenery and adjust the color. Some elements take weeks to complete.

4. Render
The completed sequences are processed for eventual output to film. One 15-second scene that started out as a 26-Mbyte file took an hour to convert into a whopping 486 Mbytes.

-wired

A Scanner Darkly

i've been waiting for this movie to hit dvd for a very long time. i'm absolutely blow away by the sheer artistic amazingness behind this film. it's not the first of it's kind, but it's the first to be at least not so "indie". i know that we haven't been impressed with keanu recently, well...maybe ever...at least not since the matrix...and bill & ted's excellent adventure (which are the only half-decent films this jamoke has ever made). by the way, if you liked the lake house, you should be shot. the replacements was half way there, but still not good...and johnny mnemonic is only good after a 12 pack, but only if you mute the movie and make up dialogue (you should try this). let's face it, keanu sucks...but, i feel that a scanner darkly will be great. apparently, they shot this flick on straight video, then added animation over top of every frame. that's cool, but also, you've got an incredible cast behind...well maybe in front of him. robert downey jr., woody harrelson, rory cochrane & winona ryder. i just grabbed this flick the other day and intend on watching it over the holiday and posting my review. i'm dropping a copy to my man japps, and maybe he'll leave a comment or two when he sees it. i've been so busy lately with all the crap that's going on in my life, i.e. why i haven't posted since dec. 12th. things are getting less hectic for the moment and i will be back to my usual "when ever the hell it happens" posting schedule :)

Atari + Fossil = The Shizer!

how much do you love this watch? it's the atari/fossil team up Breakout watch. i used to love this game on atari, and can now enjoy watching the pixel bounce like it used to on my 2600. fossil is offering this one and two more (centipede and asteroids), with prices ranging from $80 - $130. a friend of mine bought this exact watch at a fossil outlet in PA and only paid $20. i love the idea, i love the design, and i have to have one.

Oooms...the awesomest memory sticks ever!

maybe this is old news, maybe not, but i stumbled over these little works of art today and thought i'd blog about them. oooms are really cool memory sticks that i believe are made in the netherlands...or somewhere over in that area, they look cool and i'm going to try to buy one....they start at about 45 euro for the 256mb and go all the way to a gig for about 70 euro. i gotta have one!

Talladega Nights on DVD!

I'm not going to sleep tonight. talladega nights comes out on DVD tomorrow. I'm not saying that this is Will's best film, cause it isn't, i don't really know why, but this is my favorite work of his. i really feel that Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was his absolute best so far, i don't know why, but I'm kinda drawn to this one. maybe it's that i think rednecks are funny...maybe it's because it's funny that America is very much a lazy, uneducated culture. i absolutely HATE nascar, so that's not it. this movie is really a shot to the balls of any dumb, lazy, nascar loving redneck...and the best part is that they probably bought the most tickets to see the show. you gotta love that people will show up, pay $11 to see a movie where they are the punchline. they laugh, tell everyone it's their favorite movie ever, and then buy it on DVD when it comes out. it's kinda like Borat, you know. he's like an anti-anti semite, just trying to prove a point about our culture by being vulgar and racist and everything else he does, just to make his victims relax enough to show their true colors. i read the greatest article about Sacha Baron Cohen in the Rolling Stone a while back and forgot to post on it. if you missed the article, i really recommend that you pick it up. before i read it i really thought that his comedy was genius, after reading the article, i realized that he wasn't so mindless, he's really, really smart. anyways, you can see him in talladega nights as french driver, Jean Girard. i'll leave you with a favorite quote:

Dear Lord baby Jesus, we thank you so much for this bountiful harvest of Dominos, KFC, and the always delicious Taco Bell. I just want to take time to say thank you for my family. My two sons, Walker, and Texas Ranger, or TR as we call him. And of course my red hot smokin' wife Carley, who is a stone cold fox.

WTF!?

"It’s been my dream to have four babies by 30,” the 25-year-old heiress announced, reports Life & Style Weekly. And Hilton thinks she’s highly qualified for motherhood, explaining: “I look after animals, so I’d have a lot to give my kids.”

-msn.com

i suppose it's all coming to an end now...paris wants to have children. i'm totally dumbfounded and have nothing else to say.

i'll make a real post later.

The 2006 Bill*BORED Awards

paris hilton and britney spears may have made the greatest decisions of their lives over the weekend by backing out of last nights 2006 Billboard Music Awards. if you missed it, you lucked out.

Hilton and Spears had been tapped to co-host the annual awards show, but Spears backed out on Friday (Dec. 1), leaving the hosting duties to Hilton.

Yesterday, (Dec. 4), Hilton also backed out of hosting the 2006 Billboard Awards, leaving the prestigious music industry event without a host for the entire evening.

"It is my understanding that some satirical references ridiculed some of her peers," the heiress' publicist, Elliot Mintz, told the Associated Press. "Paris did not want to say anything that could appear hurtful or embarrassing about people she knows."

-allhiphop.com

it's somewhat of a shame that they missed the event, my guess is that the jokes were gonna be pretty damn funny. funny enough to maybe make the show great, or at least swallow able.
i have never seen a larger collective of shitty performances in my life. is there no such thing as a band that performs....apparently, no one gives a shit anymore. just produce the Jesus out of your self in the studio, and sell a whole bunch of records...forget about the concert. i feel bad for people that actually buy tickets for fergie shows this year. she could tour with led zeppelin with bonham resurrected from the grave and the show would still suck. i'm off track, and that was a bad example, but you get the picture. before i begin, I'd like to say that i absolutely *hate* nickelback, my opinions on this band are completely biased, but correct :)



First off: the performers. Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson and Gwen Stefani were the only performers last night that didn't totally suck. i must say that the stand-out shit storm was definitely the dutchess herself, fergie, (or 2/3 of black eyed peas if you wanna get technical), who looked intoxicated as she nearly fell over for almost her entire performance. It's unfortunate that Brandon Flowers from The Killers had lost his voice because they may have redeemed the whole night. Ludacris & Company were so-so, i've seen him better. and finally the fray was nearly unbearable.


Next: The Winners. Blige snagged up 9 deservedly...she's been making music since i was 5 or something...lots of longevity there. T.I. grabbed 5, also deservedly... "king" was an incredible album. Other winners last night included american idol winner carrie underwood, rihanna (who is tall as hell...my god!), chris brown, the fray, nelly furtado featuring timbaland and nickelback <---F-them. "nickelsack" is definately the worst band EVER, and if you like them, you should be shot. they must be holding guns to the heads of dj's across the country for radio play, or maybe they sold their souls to the devil for success. either way, they suck and that guy in the front has stupid hair.


overall, last night was mostly disappointing...there were a few highlights, but i guess that's popular music for you. i hate the stations that play it, so why would i like the show that rewards it. all i'm saying is this...when you pick your performers, make them audition their acts....or at least go see them live before you book them. that way you'll at least know that musically your show will be entertaining. i mean, that's what we're watching for anyways right?

wallhogtv_ep1.avi

Check out Wallhog TV Episode 1!

Wallhogs: Now Open For Business

Wallhogs opened it's doors to the public yesterday and i'm very excited to purchase a hog of my own! The service is really cool...and really fun! just set up a free account with them, upload as many pictures as you like, and then choose which one(s) you'd like to have made into either vinyl wallhogs, glossy posters or canvas prints. i created an account with them while i was writing this post. i did it and uploaded a hi-rez image all in under 5 minutes. the process was streamlined and very quick. i'm going to have a canvas print made for my wife as a christmas gift. i'll post when i get it and let you know how fast the shipping was. i forgot to mention that they will be offering tons of cool stuff in their hogalogue featuring cool wallhogs from some pretty famous movies, along with wallhogs of super hot celebrities and rockstars...like gwen stefani! i strongly recommend that you get a wallhog for yourself so go get one today!

Respect The D!

i just picked up the new D release yesterday, and after reading tons of crappy reviews on this record, i must say, i'm stunned. "The Pick Of Destiny" is a great record. my only disappointment is that it's only 33.6 minutes long (according to itunes). kinda short for 15 tracks, but who cares?...the quality is unbelievable. Jables is still screaming the F word and talking about his balls, and Rage Kage is still the sickest classically trained player out there. with their powers combined they are the greatest comedy duo of all time. my favorite track thus far is entitled "Classico". the track is under a minute long, but it Kyle playing a medley of classical tunes while Jack adds lyrics that are just as much vulgar as they are disgusting. i have yet to see the movie, but i hear it's great. if i get a chance this week i'll check it out and post about it fo' sheezie.

ahhh...the holidays, here at last.

bah humbug! thanksgiving marks the start of the "big show" for general commerce. when satan run companies can fill children's heads with B.S. about their product and drive parents into fist fights at Toys R' Us just to get their kids a bunch of crap that isn't any more fun than the box it came in. i can't take it. every year it just gets worse and worse. corporations make toys, then commercials, and hype this crap up so much that come black friday, (which now starts thanksgiving day) people are punching each other, all over what really is a piece of s***, just for their sugared up bratty kids.

while writing this post i am reminded of one of the most messed up stories that i could ever tell. a few years ago, i was at a local wal-mart getting some necessities with Kelli (now my wife). we purchased what we came for and left the store. here's where it gets great. we're almost to our car when we hear a woman, voice raspy from too much smoking with an incredibly thick pittsburgh accent, rocking a "Cops" sweatshirt from the early 90's, yell "Hey B***h!" to a roughly 90 year old woman who was completely innocent looking and, not to mention, totally un-fit for a fight. now apparently, this old woman had taken the last "tickle-me-elmo" from the shelf, and this monster of a white trash skank was actually trying to punch her in the face because she thought it should have been hers! all this in front of 3 of her own children and some dude (husband or boyfriend) who was not stopping her from assaulting this poor defenseless old woman. the woman did punch this old lady and was apprehended by security and most likely arrested in full view of her kids, one week before christmas over a stupid muppet. F-THAT. i haven't seen anything like that since, thank god, but i know that stuff happens all the time. i'm sure that you've all heard about the people that were shot waiting in line for the much anticipated PS3 and all the fights that took place waitning in line. i think that it's all bullsh** and it really stems back to corporate advertising. i'm sure you can remember commercials between your favorite saturday morning cartoons for what you thought were the greatest toys ever in the world, and i'm sure that your parents put up with at least a little crap to get you that cabbage patch kid or atari or what ever it was. now a days, these commercials and all the hype that they create make the kids beg and beg, so that parents will feel that they fell short if it's not under the tree come christmas morning, so they'll go out and literally fight for them.

The first known fatality occurred at a Wal-Mart in Secaucus, New Jersey, a woman repeatedly stabbed a man with a kitchen knife taken from the housewares section to prevent him from buying the last Xbox 360. Another sad incident transpired at a Tucker, Georgia Toys R Us. One woman bludgeoned another to death with a baseball bat over an American Girl doll. She was heard yelling at her victim, "hasta la vista, baby."

-theuncoveror.com

this is a very sick world. lemme know what you think...and if you have a story, we're all ears!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The Rad Report is...Rad!

I totally love the Rad Report! my wife forces me to watch celeb news shows on channels like E! and VH1...at first i really didn't enjoy all of that stuff, because, well, most celebs are idiots. after a few months, i really got used to watching those shows and now, if i miss them, i feel kinda empty for the rest of the day...wow. anyways, i came across this Rad Report a little while back, and really got into it. it's just like all those shows that i watch with my wife, except way cooler. i get the really funny celeb stories, ok good stuff, but then i get something really cool like this, which by the way is the coolest surfing video that i have ever seen. thanks Rad Report for making my world cooler!!

The Blood Brothers ROCK!

what a great record! The Blood Brothers are the hottest thing out of Seattle since Nirvana. This record totally blew my mind, mixing punk and hardcore so damn well. this is another one of the great bands that i never would have heard of if it wasn't for myspace. they did a promo over there about a month and a half ago and offered their entire record for listening. i gave it the ol' front to back and immediately went to best buy and grabbed the last copy. i really appreciate the use of the incredibly shitty organ that appears through most of the album, and the viscious vocals that tear their way into your soul. i absolutely recommend this album to everyone i meet, so i'll recommend it to you...go buy it...right now!

Hail to thee, Almighty 12oz Red Bull!

thank you Red Bull, for finally making a larger can! i am a huge fan of this stuff...a great alternative to coffee...ever have a jager bomb with starbucks?! i think not! maybe they've had these for a while, or maybe they're new everywhere...either way, they're new at the 7-11, and damnit, i love that! if you see one, definately grab it...the experience is worth it!

One more quick one...

i love this guy...he's a great friend of mine, and well, now he has a mouth full of grass! i've known him for a short amount of time, a little over a year, and he's a freakin' riot.
ladies and gentlemen, Jarrett Laudadio!
(be sure to pay attention to his arms, they don't help him at all)

FINALLY some talented sketch comedians!

about a month and a half ago i was fooling around on channel101 and found a comedy troupe called The Blame Society. Matt Sloan and Aaron Yonda (creators of these masterpieces) are responsible for some of the funniest short episodic comedy that i have seen in a long time. Weather it's The Fun Rangers, Judge McCourt or The Salsa Chassis, you'll be rolling in seconds...guaranteed. i'm completely overwhelmed by just how dry they can get, and just how funny a purposely crappy line can be. their punchlines are perfectly executed. kudos, keep making em' guys, and i'll keep watching!

here's one of my favorites...Judge McCourt

The Internet2

so i've been reading tons about this Internet2 (a.k.a UCAID: University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development) stuff, and to tell you the truth, i'm fairly excited about 100 gigabits/sec transfer rates. can you imagine youtube in HD?!?!

"Scientists are racing to move gigantic amounts of data by 2007, when CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will switch on. This huge underground particle accelerator will produce some 15 petabytes of data a year, which will be stored and analyzed on a global grid of computer centers."

-internetnews.com

i'm sure tha some of you have already heard of this since this has been being developed since 2004 (or at least that what i could find out), when scientists

"transferred 859 gigabytes of data in less than 17 minutes. It did so at a rate of 6.63 gigabits per second between the CERN facility in Geneva, Switzerland, and Caltech in Pasadena, Calif., a distance of more than 15,766 kilometers, or approximately 9,800 miles."

-internetnews.com

my good friend anthony turned me on to this whole thing earlier this year, and we've both kind of been watching this concept continue to take shape. who's developing you ask? 208 universities and tech companies like cisco, comcast, intel and sun microsystems, to name a few. apparently, sometime in december, they're gonna launch this internet2 between chicago, new york, and washington, for health care and research purposes. totally cool or totally scary...you be the judge! let me know what you think about all of this...it's been a huge topic at the local watering hole.

*update*

A gigabit is as follows (thanks for pointing that out junior!):
In data communications, a gigabit is one billion bits, or 1,000,000,000 bits. It's commonly used for measuring the amount of data that is transferred in a second between two telecommunication points. For example, Gigabit Ethernet is a high-speed form of Ethernet (a local area network technology) that can provide data transfer rates of about 1 gigabit per second. Gigabits per second is usually abbreviated Gbps.

Greatest. Drink. Ever.

there's not much more to drinking than the Irish Car Bomb. i know it sounds scary, like maybe it belongs in some part of the movie The Departed, but it literally is the best drink i have ever had. when i think about the ingredients my stomach turns, but when it goes down it tastes very much like a cafe mocha. very smooth. very tasty. i suggest that you try it out sometime...oh, but if you're planning to order it @ a bar, be sure to have some cash, they tend to run about $5 locally, and $6 or $7 in the city. money well spent!

here's the recipe (with much thanks to idrink.com):

Irish Car Bomb Recipe

Rating:	92 % (of 1720 votes)
Ingredients:	1.0 pint Guinness Draught 1.0 shot Bailey's Irish Cream 1.0 shot Jameson Whiskey
Directions:	Fill a pint glass 2/3 full with Guinness. Fill a double shot glass with the Bailey's and Jameson. Drop the shot glass into the pint of Guinness, and chug.

enjoy! let me know what you think of it!

My Idea:

ok so here it goes,
3 months a go (or so) i was brainstorming about this really cool idea with a friend of mine (scott). he was telling me about this idea that he and his wife had for the city of greensburg. they really love this city and would like to leave their mark here, so to speak. He conveyed their plans to me and i listened. i spent some time alone that night thinking about what he was telling me and my mind was just exploding with all of these ideas to make his idea a nationwide seller. over the past few months we have been sharing ideas about what we could offer different communities so that they could show themselves off so to speak. i need to be very vague with my explanations until we've got everything in order, so i'm sorry if this is confusing you. now we're ready to make this thing work. we've got the interest on a small level, so we'll build the working prototype and launch it for greensburg. in the mean time, i've got to get us some dough. i'll be meeting with some friends of mine to find out some tips on where to begin, as well as tell you all about some leads that i already have. as time goes by, i will be very much more in depth about what this app. and will be keeping you up to date with our company's growth, up to and after our launch.

Welcome to my blog!

My name is John Beavers. I never finished college and I plan to make a name for myself in the internet business. This blog will document my life, ideas, and my start-to-finish journey to becoming an entrepeneur and investor. I will be posting about my research, points of view and thoughts and feelings on where the web is headed. Stay tuned for more posts, I'll be posting as often as possible!