Its not enough to own Vitamin Water, make mediocre music and occasioanlly act.  50  Cent (a.k.a Curtis Jackson) is also taking the directing hat on with “Before I Self Destruct.”

I would make fun of how shitty this trailer makes this thing parading as a movie look but I can’t understand a damn thing anyone is saying…so there.

It seems the little business guy stands a chance. Matt Nadeau, owner of the small Rock Art Brewery in Vermont, was being pursued legally by representatives of Monster Energy drink for what seems to have been an arbitrary and assanine reason.  Matt began seeking a national trademark for his new beer “The Vermonster” and was met head on by a legal team trying to keep him from using the name despite him owning a local trademark first.

Matt put a video on his site explaining the situation and the internet took it and ran with it.  Starting with a facebook group, people sided with the local brewery going so far as to right Monster energy vowing to never by their product again (individuals and businesses).  Its seem that it got their attention and the company has called a truce with the brewery so long as Rock Art stays away from energy drink which was Matt’s original offer.

While Matt was very appreciative of the support he used the opportunity to shine the light on the conduct of big business.

“It would be wonderful to take this momentum and look at the next step. A little bit of reform. I understand big corporations have built their business, but the small guy needs to be able to fight a reasonable battle.”

Unfortunately, Rock Art Brewery doesn’t seem to be distributed here in NY so I can’t try it all day long but if it is local for you I encourage you to give it a go.

The generations before us could feasibly get jobs after graduating and realistically own a home in their lifetime (even if its eventually forclosed).  I recently heard on NPR that with the recent economic turn-down, however, it is said that us twenty-somethings have no such hope and will more  or less be renters for the rest of our lives. Yay.  To cheer you up here is a list of 11 homes 11 homes for under $50,000 courtesy of Money Compare.

And if you’re not convinced of the savings just consider that any one of these houses is worth a year at Sarah Lawrence…some cost less!

This video was created by John Boswell of The Symphony of Science.  It features Carl Sagan, Richard Feynman, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and, Ed Begley Jr.’s arch nemesis, Bill Nye. 

Enjoy

Matt Nadeau started a brewery in his basement 4 years ago and after become a success in his small town he was later able to afford moving to an actual brewery.  Nadeau invented a beer called “Vermonster” as an addition to his small line and had it trademarked in his state.  When he tried to trademark it nationally he got an email from corporate lawyers representing Hansen Beverage Co., makers of the Monster energy drink, for using a similar name.  Their reasoning?  Consumers might get confused.

Despite the fact that Nadeau’s lawyers assure him he is not in the wrong they have encouraged him to give up because the oh so humble Hansen Beverage Co., has the capital to continually sue him into debt and eventual bankruptcy.

Way to push the little guy around for no reason.  Aside from the fact that your drink taste like cough syrup and not the fun kind that makes you hallucinate when you’ve had two bottles.

Rock Art Brewery

To show support for the little guy become a fan of the group on facebook or contact the Hansen Beverage Co. directly.

the Twilight vampires can’t go out into the sun because they glitter?!

So I was late to the Battlestar Galactica party and  I didn’t watch the series until well after it was over earlier this year.  I then proceeded to watch every episode of every season back to back for about a month and half nearly sacrificing my social life and possibly work life.  And I know BSG die-hard fans will disagree very very strongly but after hearing all the hype about how awfully it ended, and finally viewing the last episode, I didn’t think it ended all that! terribly.  I mean it was cheesy as hell and I was very much opposed to the rosalyn/adama pairing (radama?/asalyn?) and I didn’t appreciate getting no explanation about Starbuck or who the imagined Baltar and Caprica were  but, after much screaming and kicking, I accepted it.  My roommate who watched the show before me said she wasn’t really that into the whole robots taking over the earth lesson at the end but I actually thought that was the one part of the plot that made sense and kind of worked for the ending when they reveal… (SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T SEEN IT)

that the series predates earth rather than proceeds it.

Yes it does turn into a whole warning about  letting technology overcome humanity or our sense of humanity but if you’re as obsessed with trans-humansim and singularity as I am then that fear isn’t staved off by much on a day to day basis.

And now in response to Battlestar Galactica’s end the SyFy  (will never get used to that  name) channel has brought us Caprica, the much beloved series’ prequel.  Caprica is set one generation prior to William Adama’s and follows his father who was sometimes referenced on BSG.  Those who watched know Joseph Adama was a lawyer who was alive when the first cylons inventions were breeching society.

I’m getting the made for TV movie from Netflix today but have gathered that Joseph Adama loses his wife and daughter in terrorist attack.  Daniel Graystone, who also loses his daughter in the attack, comes upon her imprinted electronic personality that she embedded at the V Club (a virtual club for teens).  Apparently she was some kind of super genius.  Graystone, through his wealth and tech company, then begins to research how to download this personality into what will be the Eve of the Cyclons. Graystone offers Adama the same chance but Adama isn’t so quick to jump on the band-wagon. This plot-line is what sparks events that lead to the cylon war among the 12 colonies.

We, of course, know how the story ultimately end but it will be interesting to see how we get there.

The benefits of a prequel:

• We get to see the development of the cylons.
• The story, set in a more earth-like atmosphere,  resembles a world we can relate to and current concerns about technology.
• Getting to see young versions of the characters we love from BSG (although probably only the older ones like William Adama)

The potential disaster:

• The obvious chance that they could screw up the story.
• I thought the cylons didn’t look like people until they upgraded themselves but it appears Garystone’ s cylon copy of his daughter will look human (hmmm?)

The new season of Caprica starts January 2010 on Syfy

Okay so that last part is based solely on my fear of robot domination but really would you want this guy riding behind you festering over having to do all the work?

Carl, its creator, took on the project after his son, a former pro biker, challenged him to the task. The result, Joules, will surely ride you to your death on the road to world domination.

Link

*Crossposted on  DOB-C