Monday, August 12, 2013

What is Squatch Watchers?

Squatch Watchers is a web series about a team of Bigfoot believers that are searching for the mysterious and elusive beast.

So, wait? Is this fictional?

No! The Squatch Watchers are comprised of real people and the series will document our search for Bigfoot. The first season will comprise of five episodes with a running time of around ten minutes each. Each episode begins with the team arriving in a new area of California and extensively searching it for any sign of Sasquatch. Local residents will be interviewed; scientists will be consulted to ensure the validity of this search. No rock will be left undisturbed until we declare an area is free of any Bigfoot.

Why are you looking for Bigfoot? Aren’t there TV Shows that do that?

We’re all big believers in Bigfoot. Sadly, television is doing a poor job of actually performing a real search. Most “monster” shows will show up in an area, and then leave that area without finding anything or even making any determination at all! WE WILL NEVER DO THAT.

We’re not a television show that wants to keep the mystery going. We want to solve it. Now, this doesn’t mean that the show will be boring. No sir! We are internet comedians after all. Each episode will be the perfect 50/50 mixture of comedy and actual Bigfoot hunting.

Who the heck are you guys?

We already told you. We’re the Squatch Watchers!

Be more specific!

The Squatch Watchers are made up of Gene Shaw, Jerry Ahern, Jason Inman and Jen Trani.

Jason and Gene will be co-directing the series. Each has years of experience in film, internet and commercial production.

Jason currently produces, shoots and edits for Youtube comedy duo, Rhett & Link. He also creates videos on his own YouTube channel (Jawiin) which has over 2.5 million views collectively.

Gene is no slouch either. He has over a decade of experience in graphic design and illustration. His other credits include several AAA video games, best selling iPhone/iPad and Android apps and feature film editing and visual effects.

Jason and Gene are also no strangers to shooting in the woods. Check out The Walking Dead Christmas Special, a video they co-created that won Best Parody Video at the 2013 Geeky Awards.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/827962922/squatch-watchers

Monday, August 5, 2013

Support this Indiegogo and help raise funds to build a community center in Kenya

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kikoko-aid-inc/x/4210124

I am a former Montclair State University student, and current Montclair, New Jersey resident. I visited Kikoko, Kenya in 2009, and after seeing the poor standards of living, I decided to start a charitable organization where, together with the help of global supporters, we would be able to make a difference by eradicating poverty, encouraging education, and building Kikoko’s economy. I am originally from Kikoko village and this cause is dear to my heart.

Kikoko Aid’s mission is, “To provide assistance, aid, comfort, care, nourishment, clothing, education and satisfaction of the development needs of the residents of Kikoko Village, in the Eastern Province of Kenya, including, but not limited to, providing recreational, educational, and employment opportunities, and such other charitable benefits for the residents. To receive, and administer funds and property, and to apply the income and principal thereof for our charitable purposes.”

Our goal this year is to build a community center where residents will be able to go when in need. We plan to equip the center with modern technology, and educational materials to help the children of Kikoko have a fair chance in this competitive world.

Kikoko Aid’s future goals will all be around improving Kikoko community in general, e.g. renovating schools, providing food and clean water, improving the local clinic, creating job opportunities by renovating and running a rundown community bakery, among other projects.

To learn more about Kikoko Aid, please visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kikokoaid

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kikoko-aid-inc/x/4210124

Go Ahead and Sang The Blues Kickstarter

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1801442760/go-ahead-and-sang-the-blues-brick-fields-album-201

“Go Ahead And Sang The Blues!” This says it all!

“Go Ahead And Sang The Blues” is going to be a solid blues album which will include some down home, old school style blues and feature some of Arkansas’ favorite blues musicians. Our rythmn section will include international blues bassist John Davies and drummer Johnny Arredondo, We have approached international blues harmonica player RJ Mischo and blues guitarist Earl Cates to lay down a few tracks as well. We will have other guests on this album too and are excited to be working with blues promoter Charles Ragsdell who will also be producing the album. “Go Ahead And Sang The Blues” will include at least 9 new original songs as well as our versions of an old Lightening Hopkins tune, an old Sister Rosetta Tharpe tune and a song written by Chicago blues singer Karen Carroll. How many songs we track will depend on our budget. We are excited about this CD because the original tunes are close to the heart and have been getting a tremendous response at the live shows. There will be no holding back on the emotion that these songs need in the vocals or musicianship.

Making an album is very expensive and can be very difficult for independent artists to accomplish without some sort of support. The most common support would be to borrow the funds, find an investor, or sign with a label to support the cost. We wanted to keep out the middle men and include our listeners so we thought, why not involve our listeners in helping toward making this album possible rather than going through an investor or label. This keeps it personable and independent. Independent artists are like small cooperation’s all over the globe and we must come up with creative ways to support our cooperation’s. The listeners are the ones who make it possible for us to do what we do and are the ones who support our small cooperation’s, so they should be put first and involved in this process. In return we thank them personally and strive to continue to put out good medicine.

We have already had $2000 donated to this project. We estimate that it will take around $7000 to complete it in the manner we hope to. If we are to raise more than our goal then that will allow us to order more bulk CD’s and invest in more dynamic promotions. We are able to record this album at such a low rate because of the kindness and generosity of those involved.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1801442760/go-ahead-and-sang-the-blues-brick-fields-album-201

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Valta: energy usage simplified – #kickstarter

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/671204280/valta-energy-usage-simplified

New Kickstarter project combines smartphone

and wireless technology to end energy waste

Toronto June 23, 2013 – Smartphone users will soon be able to control and monitor any electronic appliance in their home or office with the touch of a button, if a Toronto-based start-up has their way.

The valta system, as it’s called, launched this week on Kickstarter. It is a ‘smart’ outlet, phone app, and power system that creates an RF network and allows users to control and monitor devices in the home and office.

The valta system is designed to do things that other so-called ‘smart’ systems cannot do, say company representatives.

Standby power detection: Valta is the only product on the market place that can detect unused devices in standby mode, which enables us to send push message to your mobile device to remind you to turn it off. By doing this, valta aims to change user behavior to adopt a more sustainable usage pattern for the long term.

Geofencing: Valta’s app has the capability to detect whether you are at home or away automatically through your smartphone. A valta user can set the app to turn off devices when away from home, and turn back on upon arrival home. The system is designed to avoid “Ooops, I forgot” moments while at the same time saving energy.

Extremely low power usage: By leveraging 915 MHz RF, valta sockets use less energy than any of its competitors (0.6 watts). Most energy management solution uses Wi-Fi, which consumes more energy, and in many cases, more energy than the standby power consumption of the devices they are monitoring. Why should anyone use a power-saving system that might use more power itself?

Better connectivity: Most people use Wi Fi for their Internet connectivity, so interference is a given. By leveraging 915 MHz RF, valta gets better range and less interference than Wi Fi or other solutions. Valta sockets have a minimum range of 100 meters, while Wi-Fi modules typically have a range of 50 meters.

Sleek Design: Most similar products in the market place are clunky and impractical. Sockets are large and cover up the entire wall plug, which takes away from practicality of the product. Valta sockets are sleek and minimalistic and designed to look good in the home or office. Plugging one in does not interfere with the customers from using the other plug for other purposes.

For more information on the kickstarter launch visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/671204280/valta-energy-usage-simplified?ref=live

About Valta:

Valta was started to bring transparency to electricity usage. The company founders wanted the masses to understand how energy is being used and wasted, and what we can do about it. Most energy management systems only allow you to turn on-and-off electrical devices remotely. The ones with energy measurements to help you manage usage are too technical and require insider knowledge and background to navigate. Some of this can be quite difficult to understand. The goal at Valta is to make energy management easy to understand by creating an elegant, yet simple to use system that can truly help people manage their energy usage without sacrificing their life style. Valta believes being energy efficient no longer just means turning down the thermostat, or turning off the light when you leave the room, it means eliminating energy waste. Valta provides a tool to use energy without wasting it, and help users to adopt more sustainable usage patterns.

Press Kit:

Here are our product videos posted on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__EuXVfpSKg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_ot-8XFJkY

Here are our product videos posted on vimeo:

http://vimeo.com/69059874

For product pictures, we have posted on behance at the following link for ease of download: http://www.behance.net/gallery/valta-remote-energy-management-system/9488837

Media Contacts

Toronto:

Jeff Lin

416-689-8288

Jeff.Lin@valta.com

Denver:

Tom Boyd

Flat Earth Media

970.331.3715

tom@tlrboyd.com

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/671204280/valta-energy-usage-simplified

Friday, July 5, 2013

Slender Man: Plush Toy – Kickstarter

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1336904045/slender-man-plush-toy

Slender Man is a 32″ plush created with the finest fabrics and materials. He is soft, yet durable toy.

Slender Man is a soft plush doll created with the finest fabrics and materials. He is soft, yet durable toy.

My two oldest girls came up with the idea for the Slender Man doll. I was working on another series of monster figure drawings when my girls ran into the studio proclaiming, “We need to make a huge, soft, creepy, Slender Man doll!” The idea was born. The three of us worked up a three foot sketch together to figure out just how tall and skinny he should be. Only four weeks later they were able to hold the finished doll in their tiny hands.

My youngest daughter adores him, (pictured below) referring to him as “my quiet friend who does not speak.”

Nevermore’s 32″ Slender Man toy is being produced with the permission of Victor Surge; the originator and man responsible for the initial photographs and writing behind Slender Man.

PRINT #1 “Come to Me”

Artist: Santiago Germano

PRINT #2“Search Party”

Artist: Denae Wilkowski

Detail of “Search Party.”

PRINT #3 “I’ve got your dolly”

Artist: Brenden Wilson

There are a limited number of 11 x 14″ Slender Man illustrations being offered with the doll as well as individually. Each print is limited to 30 and will be signed and numbered by the artist.

Slender Man (a.k.a Slenderman) is a mythical creature often depicted as a tall, thin figure wearing a black suit and a blank face. According to the legend, he can stretch or shorten his arms at will and has tentacle-like appendages protruding from his back. Depending on the interpretations of the myth, the creature may cause memory loss, insomnia, paranoia, coughing fits (nicknamed “slendersickness”), photograph/video distortions and can teleport at will.

On June 8th, 2009, a “’paranormal pictures” photoshop contest was launched on the Something Awful (SA) Forums.[1] The contest required participants to turn ordinary photographs into creepy-looking images through digital manipulation and then pass them on as authentic photographs on a number of paranormal forums. Something Awful users soon began sharing their faux-paranormal creations with layered images of ghosts and other anomalies, usually accompanied by a fabricated witness account to make them more convincing. On June 10th, SA user Victor Surge posted two black and white photographs of unnamed children with a short description of “Slender Man” as a mysterious creature who stalked children.

“We didn’t want to go, we didn’t want to kill them, but its persistent silence and outstretched arms horrified and comforted us at the same time…” – 1983, photographer unknown, presumed dead.

One of two recovered photographs from the Stirling City Library blaze. Notable for being taken the day which fourteen children vanished and for what is referred to as “The Slender Man”. Deformities cited as film defects by officials. Fire at library occurred one week later. Actual photograph confiscated as evidence. – 1986, photographer: Mary Thomas, missing since June 13th, 1986.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1336904045/slender-man-plush-toy

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Super Zero- a film that celebrates the average, the eccentric, and the powerless. #Kickstarter

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/811236299/super-zero-0

A geeky, shy and terminally ill teen rises from utter insignificance to become a Zombie Assassin and mankind’s last hope for survival.

The film follows 19-year-old engineering prodigy Josh Hershberg, an overweight, introverted and terminally ill gamer kid who has given up hope that he matters to the world. As Josh contemplates what future, if any, is worth looking forward to, a zombie apocalypse breaks out and quickly ravages the planet.

Josh suffers from a rare form of brain cancer. For some reason, this tricks the zombies into sensing he’s already dead and they simply ignore him. As the world crumbles around him, Josh takes advantage of his condition. He utilizes his engineering expertise to craft ridiculously powerful weapons to obliterate the undead and save the rest of humanity.

Think of Josh as a cross between Leonardo da Vinci and ‘Lardass’ from Stand By Me.

Unlike most films, Josh isn’t asked to change who he is. He’s the same shy, geek-culture lover he’s always been. He’s just like so many of us; a good person who tries hard, but has never been given the platform to succeed. But, since the world is flipped upside down, he now possesses ‘God Mode’ and is the most powerful human being on the planet!

THE APOCALYPSE:As a result of unprecedented events, the world’s water supply is vanishing. Luckily, the Mars rover has discovered a massive untapped reservoir under the Red Planet’s surface.

A sample of that liquid is on its way back home to be studied when the rocket carrying the payload crashes while re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. Society quickly learns this water is not our salvation, but instead carries a horrific microbe that infects the population.

Friday, June 21, 2013

DVD educational Kickstarter video – How to build your own cnc router

DVD educational video – How to build your own cnc router

by Sam Faix

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1151413310/dvd-educational-video-how-to-build-your-own-cnc-ro

A DVD educational video detailing step by step the construction of a DIY CNC router.

New cnc router design

DVD Educational Video – How to build a Computer Controlled Router

This project will be the production of a DVD video detailing the construction of a DIY open source cnc router. All steps of the construction will be documented and explained, including material sourcing, fabrication, assembly, and hardware/software configuration. Final CAD design drawings of the cnc system will be open source.

Drought in the central Texas area has devastated the trees in the area, killing more than 500 million trees state wide. We have partnered with a tree removal company which has now given us access to a huge amount of timber resources that would be destroyed otherwise. A cnc router prototype has been constructed and a new design has been created – one specific to the use of rough cut wood slabs. This new design will allow for massive wood slabs to be loaded via forklift, and easily secured for machining. The cnc router will be capable of cutting intricate relief carvings, joints, and curves.

The unique feature of this cnc router design compared to others is the table top. It will be made from evenly spaced 2×4′s mounted to a slotted iron frame. The 2×4′s will provide an ideal securing surface for rough wood slabs, and allow material to be loaded via forklift.

Funding of the project will cover the cost of 4 industrial stepper motors, stainless steel rails and ball screw drives, power supply, 4 axis cnc controller, basic pc, 3KW water cooled spindle, variable frequency drive, and structural iron material.

The final open source CNC design and implementation details will be freely redistributed online in order to accelerate the innovation of the technology. Any pledge of $25 or more will receive a video of the construction of the CNC machine as well as the final CAD design plans – everything necessary to build your own CNC machine. We have no goal of mass producing the CNC machine at this time, only the production of the DVD and the construction of the unit. This will be an interim step to a possible mass production design.

We are overworked and underfunded. Every pledge will help. Thank you for joining us in this project which is sure to be an adventure in engineering and art!

The DVD will be shipped internationally at no extra charge!

Rustic Cutting Board – $50 Pledge

Military Plaques – Marine, Army, Navy, Airforce Available – $60 Pledge

Edison Quote Plaque – $75 Pledge

Wildlife Carving – $200 Pledge

Rustic Coffee Table – $1000 Pledge

Rustic Bookshelf – $1500 Pledge

Refrigerator Magnet – $15 Pledge

Prototype cnc cutting religious relief

Rustic Desk – $2500 Pledge