Drew's Nugget of the Month

Peppershock's i48 Sci-Fi Adventure

2009-06-11T12:14:00.004-06:00

Sci-fi!
Sci-fi?
Sci-Fi...
We had mixed emotions when we were given our genre this year.
It's a tough one. Most people think sci-fi and instantly cliches starting popping into mind. Space, aliens, fantasy lands, etc.
We chose to go with a mix of space, alternate reality and folklore.
Congrats and many thanks to those that participated with the Peppershock team this year...your names appear in the credits...probably multiple times. :)
One credit we missed was Mark Spear - Original Custom Music.

Below is what we came up with.
Enjoy.

This is the short film Peppershock produced for the 2009 i48 Film Festival and Contest. The Genre was Science Fiction.

Peppershock Recruiting for i48 2009 Film Festival

2009-04-24T17:06:00.001-06:00

Peppershock is looking for actors, crew, fire eaters, snake charmers, executive producers, etc.

May 29-31, 2009

48 hours of short film product-o-rama fun!
drew@peppershock.com

preview peppershock i48 films of years past @ http://www.youtube.com/user/peppershock

Remember that scene in The Incredibles?

2009-02-27T14:47:00.006-07:00

Like a scene right out of the movie...
Army Reloads on Sticky Foam Weaponry

Photo courtesy Wired.com

Quickie Way to Search ALL Craigslist Sites at Once

2009-02-11T04:45:00.004-07:00

I came across this a while back and recently had the need to use it again...so I thought I'd share it.
www.searchallcraigs.com is a site that searches within the confines of all the Craigslist sites across the country. Rather than having to select a certain city each time you're looking for something on Craigslist, you can simply use www.searchallcraigs.com to do the dirty work for you.

Here's an article on cnet that discusses this a bit more.

A Quick Note on Social Networking

2009-01-15T03:56:00.009-07:00

The essence of this blog is fun new gadgets, technology and "nuggets of wholesome goodness" that I run across.
Fa cebook isn't necessarily new...but it definitely qualifies under the "nugget of wholesome goodness" category (or the "addictive social media" category).

If you're familiar with Facebook, or perhaps even have a Facebook account, you already know some of the great benefits to this social phenom. To me it's been a great place to connect with other community members that I already see and work with on a regular basis as well as reconnect with people I haven't talked to in years. (and load photos remotely from my Blackberry of Rhea and I rockin' out at the Nine Inch Nails show and our two little boys passed out after an exhausting Costco run.)

I like to think of Facebook as the "business casual" or "Jeans Friday" version of social networking. It's a place where members conduct business, gain new insights, get referrals, etc. It's also a place to learn a little bit about these business colleagues on a more personal level.
Share books, movies, music...create groups for people with like-minded interests like, "People in My Cupboards."

If you don't have a Facebook account already, I highly suggest it. There are also groups available for families to setup. Keep in touch across the world by posting articles, photos, videos etc. while keeping it private within your family.

Only pet peeve with FB...people who CONSTANTLY update their status with useless information. Shelly is driving to work. Dave is washing his hair. Jon is robbing a bank. Shouldn't we be focused on living our lives more-so than sharing with the world what we're doing at every moment in our day? It can be a bit excessive...and Shelly, shouldn't you be watching the road instead of one finger typing on your smart phone? Just an observation.

Facebook; another nugget of wholesome goodness...shared with you.

iMakeDecisions is the premium iPhone decision making tool.

2008-11-11T07:17:00.002-07:00

The latest and greatest application for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

A blurb from the site....

iMakeDecisions is the premium iPhone decision making tool. No longer will you have the stress of making decisions.

Let iMakeDecisions help you choose where to dine, decide when your product should launch, pick the color of your bridesmaids’ dresses, determine who should pick up the tab, select the name for your child, choose which movie to watch, pick your mood for the day, determine the value of your house, accept or reject the job offer, turn left or right, pick a new hairstyle, determine if a country has weapons of mass destruction, choose your college major, create your stock portfolio, pick your vice presidential running mate, determine guilt or innocence, select who to fire or hire, clarify your love life and/or select a candidate. iMakeDecisions can make all those decisions and more! Imagine having a decision-free life both personally and professionally.

Zombie Pumpkins!

2008-08-29T09:39:00.003-06:00

It's only late August. I know.
But I love Halloween and this cool
weather we're having is very reminiscent of late October
...and Jack-O-Lanterns.

About 5 years ago I ran across this site.... zombiepumpkins.com
Awesome jack-o-lantern patterns...updated throughout the year with new designs.
The designer's name is Ryan Wickstrand and I've been praising his name for years.
If you're not a big fan of pumpkin guts and later, the rotting pumpkin on your front step, perhaps now is the time to rethink your feelings.
With Ryan's designs there's no more triangle eyes, jagged teeth, plug in a candle and call it good. No, with Ryan's designs every pumpkin turns into a piece of art.

Karma called...she'll be over in a few.

2008-08-25T10:20:00.006-06:00

The nugget of the month for August is not a new piece of technology or podcast. No, this month I thought I'd write about a term that gets tossed around a lot...sprinkled on for flavor...but isn't really an essential part of many people's lives' anymore.

Integrity.

It means many things. It means working hard for the right reasons. It means taking care of people, service. It means the golden rule. It basically means, Karma.

When I left a past employer to start out full time with Peppershock, a client of that past employer requested that Peppershock take over their account. They really liked me and the work I did for them. I politely refused, explaining that I wasn't comfortable burning bridges. I also took into account the respect that I have for my past employer and the people that work there. At my going away party I was asked by the GM to stand and to be recognized for the integrity I showed in handling that situation. I still have a great relationship with and many friends in that organization because I acted with integrity.

Acting with integrity isn't always about business either. It's the way in which you handle yourself on a day to day basis. It's about your thought process and decision making. Should I or should I not do this thing...will it benefit me but screw a bunch of people in the process? Will Karma be standing at my door, waiting?
And it's not about doing the right thing out of fear of Karma. It's about doing the right thing because you want to. Karma is just that "beware of dog" sign posted on the fence. Keep your distance and everthing will be fine.

I could go on and on forever...ranting and raving about how many people I encounter each day that don't act with integrity. I guess my point for writing this was just to get whoever reads it to think about their actions. Think a bit more before you decide. Yes it may be more difficult, take you more time, benefit you a little less...but more than likely it will be the right thing to do.
Don't steal, don't be lazy, don't cheat...cause Karma just called...she'll be waiting at your door. One of these days...she'll be there.

A little something to leave you with...
My best friend since I was 5 years old told me once, "Do what you say you're gonna do."
It's been my motto...a great rule to live by.

Adobe Media Player Comparable to iTunes

2008-07-22T12:01:00.004-06:00

Tagline from Adobe Media Player site, "Watch what you want, when you want."

The Adobe Media Player acts similarly to iTunes whereas viewers are able to subscribe to and automatically download content to their library. Whether the content is a TV episode produced by a large network, a video podcast or personal videos, viewers can manage as well as publish their own content.
Participating networks include Blip.tv, CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and more.

The most interesting aspect to this player in my opinion is the ability to play .flv videos.
.flv stands for Flash Video. It's a high quality, small file size video format that is being widely adopted as the standard for web video. Many HD web videos are delivered in this format. As video producers, we're excited about this player because it allows us to deliver our High Def video to businesses and consumers alike without losing much quality and without the file being incredibly huge.

Hooray for Adobe Media Player! <--Link to download Adobe Media Player

BYP Lounge Series_006 Featuring Tim White, Ph.D., President, University of Idaho

2008-06-12T10:27:00.004-06:00

Audio adjustments until about 1 min :30 secs...then it cleans up and sounds fine.

Death Grip with a Vengeance - an i48 Winner!

2008-06-09T10:32:00.003-06:00

Peppershock and Associates participated in i48 for the 5th year in a row...and we finally won something! ...Best Use of Dialogue in the Open Category.
Congrats to everyone that helped out this year...you can stop by the office and admire our wonderful little trophy.
In case you missed our masterpiece...it's posted below.

Boise Young Professionals Mayor Bieter Unplugged

2008-06-05T01:14:00.002-06:00

Boise Young Professionals Mayor Bieter Unplugged

Lounging Series with Steve Hanks, Former CEO, Washington Division of URS

2008-05-05T11:29:00.009-06:00

Click here to download .mp3

Steve Hanks, former CEO of the Washington Division of URS. In the summer of 1978, Steve became a corporate attorney at international engineering and construction company Morrison Knudsen Corporation, Boise . Following a stream of promotions in the legal department, he was named senior vice president and general counsel in 1992. In 1999, he led the acquisition of the government services business of CBS’s Westinghouse Electric Company, a move that doubled Morrison Knudsen’s size and greatly expanded its market reach in nuclear services and environmental remediation. Steve was named president of Morrison Knudsen in 2000, the year it acquired Raytheon Engineers & Constructors. He led the integration of Morrison Knudsen, Westinghouse Government Services and Raytheon Engineers & Constructors into a much larger engineering, construction and management company named Washington Group International. In 2001, he became chief executive officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Washington Group International. In addition to the positive impact Steve made for Washington Group and the engineering and construction industry, he also has made a difference through community service. His past service includes being president and director of the Boise Public Schools Education Foundation and the Discovery Center of Idaho, a hands-on learning center for youth. He currently is president and a board member of the Western Region Boy Scouts of America and serves on the National Board of the Boy Scouts of America, the Danny Thompson Memorial Leukemia Foundation, Inc., and the Business Roundtable. He also is a director of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., a global designer and manufacturer of welding and cutting products.

BYP Lounge Series_004 Featuring Steve Appleton_CEO of Micron

2008-04-30T16:44:00.005-06:00

We were having technical difficulties periodically throughout this recording. We apologize for the obnoxious static.

For the Love of Politics - BYP Event Podcast

2008-03-18T21:09:00.005-06:00

March 18 - For the Love of Politics Six young, politically involved panelists discuss how they got into politics and how young professionals can get involved. The focus is on involvement in politics, rather than debating specific political issues.

BYP Lounge Series_002 Featuring Linda Copple Trout - Former Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice

2008-03-07T08:42:00.008-07:00

This is only a short excerpt from the full discussion.

BYP Lounge Series_003 Featuring Mark Rivers - Developer of BoDo

2008-03-07T08:38:00.003-07:00

If You Love Graphic Tees and Great Design, You'll Love Threadless.com

2008-01-21T15:35:00.000-07:00

A great business model...create a community of t-shirt lovers, graphic designers, allow them to vote, mix in some cash rewards and you've got yourself an automated machine.
Threadless.com is a site that allows users to upload their t-shirt designs for other users to vote on. The designs with the most votes are the ones that get printed and sold. You can find a design to fit any personality.

BYP Lounge Series Podcast - Featuring Former Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus

2007-12-07T09:14:00.001-07:00

Drew's First Nugget - Fun New Technology

2007-12-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

Storage start-up fits 250 hours of HD content on one disc

Posted by Erica Ogg

An Israeli start-up has created a way to store a whole lot of data on optical discs using fluorescence.

The TeraDisc looks like a regular CD, except it's chartreuse and see-through. Mempile says its disc will start off able to store 600GB to 700GB and in a year will be able to write 1TB worth of data. There are two physical layers of plastic, but 200 virtual layers on the one-sided disc. That means 250 hours of high-definition content or 300,000 digital photos. HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc can currently hold about 50GB of data on dual-layer discs.

(Credit: Mempile)

The TeraDisc gets its green/yellow hue from the molecules used to store the data. A red laser writes the disc by focusing on a particular point, causing a chemical reaction so that the fluorescent molecules change state. The laser reads the disc by looking for the presence or absence of fluorescence.

The TeraDisc will need its own drive, which won't be all that different than optical drives currently on the market, according to Beth Erez, Mempile's chief marketing officer. TeraDisc will have little to no effect on the so-called format war between Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD because their market is in pre-recorded formats, and is actually "a battle over revenues and intellectual property," Erez said. She sees TeraDisc as a way for consumers to archive their purchased content.

Mempile will eventually license the technology and so far is in talks with several Asian manufacturers, according to Erez.

Click here to read entire article.

Drew's Nugget of the Month

Peppershock's i48 Sci-Fi Adventure

Peppershock Recruiting for i48 2009 Film Festival

Peppershock is looking for actors, crew, fire eaters, snake charmers, executive producers, etc.

May 29-31, 2009

48 hours of short film product-o-rama fun!drew@peppershock.compreview peppershock i48 films of years past @ http://www.youtube.com/user/peppershock

Remember that scene in The Incredibles?

Quickie Way to Search ALL Craigslist Sites at Once

A Quick Note on Social Networking

iMakeDecisions is the premium iPhone decision making tool.

Zombie Pumpkins!

Karma called...she'll be over in a few.

Adobe Media Player Comparable to iTunes

BYP Lounge Series_006 Featuring Tim White, Ph.D., President, University of Idaho

Death Grip with a Vengeance - an i48 Winner!

Boise Young Professionals Mayor Bieter Unplugged

Lounging Series with Steve Hanks, Former CEO, Washington Division of URS

BYP Lounge Series_004 Featuring Steve Appleton_CEO of Micron

For the Love of Politics - BYP Event Podcast

BYP Lounge Series_002 Featuring Linda Copple Trout - Former Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice

BYP Lounge Series_003 Featuring Mark Rivers - Developer of BoDo

If You Love Graphic Tees and Great Design, You'll Love Threadless.com

BYP Lounge Series Podcast - Featuring Former Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus

Drew's First Nugget - Fun New Technology

Storage start-up fits 250 hours of HD content on one disc

Posted by Erica Ogg

An Israeli start-up has created a way to store a whole lot of data on optical discs using fluorescence.

48 hours of short film product-o-rama fun!
drew@peppershock.com

preview peppershock i48 films of years past @ http://www.youtube.com/user/peppershock