Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways!

How do you sell Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways?

You take this video:

And turn it into this video:

Then you support this campaign:
Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways INDIEGOGO Campaign <— $479,295 So who is this guy who re-created this original Solar Roadways Indiegogo campaign from Scott and Julie Brusaw and turned it into this completely new masterpiece? I aim to find out. Whoever you are - Way to TSOIGDH Solar Roadways, into Solar FREAKIN' Roadways! Genius. [Huffington Post on Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways]
[Architect Magazine]
[EcoWatch]

Quad Quadcopter Copter Drone Magic – DJI Phantom 2

[VimeeeeeO] <— 244,000 Here is a quick reminder to myself… Open my quad-copter trainer I purchased over a year ago … then buy one of these :) [DSLRPros Phantom DJI Aerial Flight Drone]

Now go fly that dji phantom quad quadcopter from DSLR Pros to new heights. The future of possible is in my fingertips.


[YouTube] <— 199,344 [DJI Homepage]
[National Geographic Drone Review]
[25 Random Phantom Tips and Mods]

Kevin Pearce – National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Nominee


[YouTubeUlar] <— 9,119 Today Ashley Cooley and I purchased two tickets to the 2014 Craig Hospital PUSH Dinner where Snowboarding star Kevin Pearce will be the recipient of the Craig Hospital Inspiration Award. Pearce was recently selected as one of the National Geographic Adventurers of the Year amongst several other, and somewhat crazy adventurists... Adventure Educators - Amy and Dave Freeman
Alpinists – Raphael Slawinski and Ian Welsted
Big-Wave Surfer – Greg Long
Climber – Adam Ondra
Community Builders – Stacy Bare and Nick Watson
Explorer – Sarah Marquis
Long-Distance Swimmer – Diana Nyad
Skier – JP Auclair
Sky Runner – Kilian Jornet
Snowboarder – Kevin Pearce

KevinPearceCrashReel

If you haven’t taken the time to watch “The Crash Reel”, which documents Kevin Pearce’s recovery from a crash in Park City, Utah where Pearce sustained a traumatic brain injury, I would highly recommend you point your iTunes or Apple TV this direction.

Pearce was attempting a cab double cork while training in the halfpipe on December 31st, 2009 — only 49 days before the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Pearce spent 34 days in critical care at University Hospital before being transferred to Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado to begin his rehabilitation.

“The Crash Reel” documents Kevin Pearce’s remarkable recovery while educating about the effects of traumatic brain injuries specifically tied to Action Sports. Defining the art of snowboarding and tracking Kevin Pearce from childhood to a professional career as the only snowboarder with the ability to beat Shaun White, the dynamic story line of The Crash Reel brings together every emotion related to overcoming such incredible odds.

I personally can not recommend a better documentary film for anyone to watch and am excited to see what Jake Manley and the media team at Craig Hospital have created for the upcoming 2014 PUSH Dinner.

Hashtag – Love Your Brain – #LoveYourBrain

[2014 Craig Hospital PUSH Dinner]
[Love Your Brain Campaign]
[The Crash Reel Homepage]
[National Geographic Adventurers of the Year]
[National Geographic Interview of Kevin Pearce’s 2014 Running of the 2014 Sochi Olympics]

Time to go to Lake Tahoe

[Vimeeeeeo] <— 11,400 Hmmmmm... Justin Majeczky has figured out some good timelapse and tracking techniques to make candy for your eyes. Because of this - and a couple *other* things ... I think I will be visiting Lake Tahoe this weekend :) Awesomeness work Majeczky.

Shot with Canon 7d, 5d mkii and 5d mkiii,. Moving shots were accomplished by using the Dynamic Perception Stage Zero Dolly with the Merlin Acuter telescope head.

Kevin Pearce – “The Crash Reel”


[YouTube] <— 3,789

The Crash Reel

Fifteen years of verite footage show the epic rivalry between half-pipe legends Shaun White and Kevin Pearce, childhood friends who become number one and two in the world leading up to the Vancouver Winter Olympics, pushing one another to ever more dangerous tricks, until Kevin crashes on a Park City half-pipe, barely surviving. As Kevin recovers from his injury, Shaun wins Gold. Now all Kevin wants to do is get on his snowboard again, even though medics and family fear this could kill him. We also celebrate Sarah Burke who crashed in Park City and died January 19, 2012.

I find it difficult to write about this film – simply because I strongly believe ‘the crash reel” is something everyone should just watch… and pay attention to. The soundtrack continues to get better with each viewing and the enjoyment of seeing other people finally learn about the severity of brain injuries and the consequences behind them is mind opening.

Love Your Brain - #loveyourbrain - Tee Shirt

#loveyourbrain Tahiti Blue Tee Shirt

There are so many levels of integration as to why this documentary hits so close to home with me…

  • My mom is a brain injury specialist
  • I practically grew up at Craig
  • Half pipe half pipe half pipe
  • Stephen Murray
  • Sarah Burke – CR Johnson
  • Action Sports
  • Directing and story telling

[Interview with Director Lucy Walker]

Yard House “We Are Yard House” Web Video Campaign – Genius


[YouTubeUlar] <— 6,332 On March 5th, 2013 the Yard House decided to drop a new series of videos to support their "We Are Yard House" campaign they started a year ago. I'm not going to lie, this is rejuvenating to me because I feel as if Yard House was a dying brand in my book following their $585 million dollar sellout last year to Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, Eddie V’s).

At the turn of the century the Yard House was iconic into where I conducted a lot of business due to it’s atmosphere, music, beer and former leader Steele Platt. Steele created a very unique environment based on good music and beer. His automation ability to control all the music at all times in all of his restaurants using an iMac and MegaSeg was revolutionary and ahead of it’s time – kind of like his first restaurant project, the Boiler Room at the Tivoli in Downtown Denver.

Kids, you have to remember this was before your iPhones, iPods and iTunes and way before Apple owned the world. Free wireless internet was all the rage and to see someone who believed in technology (and beer) the way we do was refreshing. I remember emailing Steele from his Colorado Mills Yard House (opened in 2003) thanking him for the awesomeness he was creating, and I’m pretty we sent him an original iPod as a friendly gesture on behalf of Apple Rockies.

We eventually quit populating our bodies into the Yard House as time wore on… they initiated a 45 minute time limit on their free internet, removed the option to drink out of a full yard glass, and honestly – I think it just became a little too popular and busy for us. In no way is that a bad thing in business, but it certainly is difficult to maintain the same “cool” experience to your initial users as you move forward with sizing.

I have nothing against the Yard House, I just feel as if they haven’t reached out to me lately and their new “We Are Yard House” campaign finally fills that void. These stories are long enough to demand respect, which good work is granted, but short enough to keep my attention clicking through them.


[Bringing the Beats to Yard House] <— 1,579 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnAY81xIWL4 [Beer Head] <— 1,767 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iecTCKUIEkU [We Are Yard House (2012)] <— 26,932 If I were to re-open my creative services, these are the kinds of videos I would be producing. They are very similar to the Apple videos I've done in the past... only with cooler toys, cameras and shot options now :) [Steele Platt – Yard House bio]
[Steele Platt – Boiler Room – King of Kegs]
[Yard House $585 Million Acquisition]

Colorado Doesn’t Suck – COIN Innovation Challenge

[VimeeeeeO] <— 6 Colorado doesn't suck... and here is your chance to show it. The Colorado Innovation Network (COIN) is giving away $50,000 in their Glorious Failure Challenge – In Search of Success.

Once a geologist. Once an entrepreneur. Once a mayor. This is Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.

We’re Coloradans and we do not shy away from a challenge. We’re risk takers.

Not just because we are pioneers, cowboys, skiers and rock climbers.
…but because we are entrepreneurs, industry leaders and INNOVATORS.

Innovation is a spirit and style fostered and propelled by bold, courageous and strategic risk taking. It’s a mentality, and an attitude.

It’s turning roadblocks into building blocks and obstacles – even glorious failures – into opportunity. It’s eternal perseverance.

The INTEGRITY of a glorious failure is in the learning, adapting, and pivoting. All of this affords and fuels innovation.

Like myself, Colorado has a history of entrepreneurs who have turned challenges, even failures, into success. What’s YOUR story of GLORIOUS FAILURE? Are you an entrepreneur with a high-growth-potential idea?

Submit your story of glorious failure and innovation, and you could be awarded the Colorado Innovation Network’s innovation prize.

Finalists, as selected by the community and a panel of expert judges will receive recognition at the 2013 COIN Summit and an awards package, with the overall winner receiving Fifty thousand dollars in cash!

We need your submissions and your votes. So spread the word about the Innovation Challenge!

YOU are the future of innovation in Colorado.

Congratulations to Mr. Dave Momper for his Post Modern contribution to this project and for sharing this awesomeness with me.

[Enter the Glorious Failure: In Search of Success Innovation Challenge]

Stout – A Forever “Bottle Opener” Object by Lance Atkins


[Kickstarter-licious] <— 100 backers $3,345 Congratulations Lance Atkins for your first 100 backers on the newest "Forever Object" - The Stout Bottle Opener. You have 33 days remaining to grab one of these bad boys that you can apparently put anywhere as a permanent bottle opener for all your badassness bottle opening needs.

I would like to attach one of these beautiful bottle openers to a Blackbox Case — or maybe a truck driving around in mud with my GoPro!

Go get em Lance … Forever Objects Rule

[Stout Bottle Opener – Kickstarter] <— 100 backers [Stout Bottle Opener – Facebook] <— 1

TED – Elizabeth Gilbert – Your Elusive Creative Genius


[YouTubeUlar] <— 1,392,643 I was surprised to see the date on this February 2009 TED video and the fact it took over 4 years to reach me. When Elizabeth Gilbert speaks about the genius of creativity and where does it come from… it directly reminds me of an interview I conducted in 2010 with a true musical genius, Doug Smith.

I really enjoy how Elizabeth talks about the source of creativity and her Ruth Stone Example. Doug couldn’t explain where his creativity came from either… other than it hitting him with a ton of bricks from somewhere above. He was simply the messenger to transcribe the grand message and deliver it to our ears through his grand piano.

To conclude, Elizabeth brings up a very good point to ponder…
is creativity directly linked to suffering?

[Elizabeth Gilbert – Facebook] <— 80,049 [Ruth Stone]

The Perlorian Brothers – Social Farter

[VimeeeeeO]

I’ve recently had this idea to change the word “work” to “fuck”. It’s a play on words to call out the people in this world that are always just too busy to do anything worthwhile or fun… the people that always have excuses to not go skiing, or to not grab a drink or to NOT hang out. No no no no no. They are wrapped into their own world of being too busy… “working” all the time.

In your reply to these non-existent people in our lives… swap “work” to “fuck” and see how long it takes them to understand what you are doing.

“Ohhh, I’m sorry you fuck from 9 to 5.”
“You have to fuck on the weekends!?”
“You fuck all the time.”
“Well, when your done fucking – maybe we can hang out.”

The way I envision the advertisement for our public service campaign about getting people out of the office in their mind — would be a mix between Budlight – Swear Jar and the above beautiful ad I found today from The Perlorian Brothers [Vimeo], [Facebook – 2321].

The Social Farter is a genius PSA by the Canadian Ministry of Health’s Quit the Denial campaign.

[Quit the Denial – Social Farting] <— 346 [Quit the Denial – Social Nibbler] <— 10 views [Quit the Denial – Social Earwax Picker] <— 15 views I found these while researching old advertising methods and came across Calvin Cline’s 1980 campaign with Brooke Shields when she was 15 years old.

Future of Gaming – Microsoft IllumiRoom + Bungie


[YouTubeUlar] <— 441,095 Ummmmm, I've never been a fan of Microsoft ever... and especially since they acquired Bungie back in 2000 to steal Halo away from the macintosh platform in favor of their unreleased XBox platform.

Not many people realize how integral Bungie was to the Macintosh platform for keeping Apple’s computing platform more awesome than the others (Windows)… but it’s true. If you can remember Pathways Into Darkness then you most certainly will remember Marathon, Myth, and totally fucking awesome Oni.

Obviously Marathon was finally ported to Windows in 1996, and the entire trilogy is now available for free on all platforms – but that didn’t completely change the company from abandoning the Macintosh platform as Bungie’s developing platform of choice. Bungie loved Apple and during the 1999 MacWorld Keynote Address Steve Jobs allowed Jason Jones to unveil Halo for the first time to a public audience to showcase Apple’s new adoption of OpenGL.

On June 19th, 2000 Microsoft announced that it had acquired Bungie Software and that Bungie would become Bungie Studios underneath the Microsoft Game Division. Luckily the core team of Bungie game developers resisted all of Microsofts efforts to ‘boring’ize the group and they were actually able to finish Halo specifically for the XBox and thus changing the world of gaming… again.

Bungie continued making Halo 2 (2004) and Halo 3 (2007) underneath Microsoft and specifically for the XBox until 5 days after Halo 3 was released and they announced they were leaving the ‘boring’ giant. After leaving they continued development work on the Halo brand for a couple years until finally parting with Microsoft with a new publishing deal with Activision Blizzard in 2010.

And now, finally – that your slightly educated – we can announce the future of gaming… Pathways Out of Darkness — Destiny.

[YouTubeUlar] <— 4,949,334 I just hope IllumiRoom does some stellar work with this game.

[Geek out on Illumiroom – Engadget]
[Geek out on Destiny]

Lennon & Maisy Stella’s Adorable “Nashville” Lumineers “Ho Hey” Cover


[YouTubeUlar] <— 247,624 Ho Hey (feat. Lennon Stella & Maisy Stella) – Ho Hey (feat. Lennon Stella & Maisy Stella) – Single

Last week on ABC’s “Nashville” episode 16, Rayna Jaymes Conrad finally gives into her daughters wish of partying like rock stars and allows them to perform a soundcheck for her. Maddie and Daphne (played by Lennon & Maisy Stella) perform this adorable cover of “Ho Hey” by the Lumineers and instantly give replay credit to their 2012 smashing hit.

Ho Hey – Single – The Lumineers

If you don’t believe these girls are for real, as I didn’t… I suggest you watch this live performance of the two covering the same song last week at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville, Tennessee.

[YouTubeUlar] <— 37,090

The real life Lennon and Maisy Stella are indeed the real thing. They are real sisters from Canada who grew up on a farm without internet and television and nearly play the same age characters in “Nashville” as they are in real life. Lennon Stella (13 years old) and Maisy Stella (8 years old) made themselves famous last May with this instant YouTube hit video [15,507,340 views] performing their unique version of Robyn’s ‘Call Your Girlfriend’ [3,764,522 views].

In real life, Lennon & Maisy’s parents are real musicians performing as “The Stellas” and moved to Nashville in 2009. They won a 2012 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) award for music video of the year for their song “In This House”. Lennon & Maisy are featured in the video and can be seen growing up in the Stellas new song “Riding in the Back Seat” [159,698] music video.

In Episode 3 of “Nashville”, Lennon and Maisy perform a cover of Juliette Barnes’ (Hayden Panettiere) “Telescope” [160,475] during a school talent show which hinted at their future talent ability for the future of the show. Rumor has it, they were signed to appear on “Nashville” before they made themselves famous on the interManets.

To learn more about these future superstars… travel through the links below.

[Stella Sisters Fanpage]
[Lennon and Maisy – Youtube Channel] <— 266,980 subscribers [Lennon and Maisy – Facebook Page] <— 64,054 likes [Lennon and Maisy – A Christmas Interview] <— 433,874 views [Kid President with Lennon and Maisy] <— 527,290 views
[Lennon and Maisy Huffington Post Interview]

Kickstarter 2012 – The Stats

Kickstarter 2012 - The Stats

Kickstarter continues to be the worlds largest funding platform for creative projects. I recently reviewed Kickstarter’s 2012 year in review. The stats are unbelievable and continue to grow as their demographic base increases. Last year Kickstarter collected a total of $274,391,721 million in pledges which is 85.6% of of all pledges given. This does not mean that 85.6% of all projects reach their goal, actually only 44% of all 41,765 projects launched reached their goal. And of those 18,109 kickstarter projects, there were a select few that completely blew out their goal.

Hydle’s 1 favorite kickstarter highlight from last year – The Griz Coat by Buffoonery Factory.

Our successful Blackbox Case project from 2011 pales in comparison to some of the numbers being generated today. I feel like it is time for another Hydle project in the Kickstarter arena again.

Immediate potential projects:
Blackbox Case needs an iPad Mini Case
VersaTowel
Suitcase Speaker + mini Keg