Kickstarter

The website Kickstarter is a crowdsourcing website. Kickstarter allows you to show people your invention and if they like it, they will help you fund it. On Kickstarter you have a time-limit to when you have to reach your goal but you can make your goal anything. If you are someone who helps fund on Kickstarter, the inventor will give you something in return. As a class assignment, we were given $500 (fake) to spend on any ideas in Kickstarter that we wanted to help back. Here are the 5 projects I decided to fund.

The first project I decided to fund was Revolights.  Revolights allow you to ride in the night with lights on your wheels. I decided to donate $250 to this project. Doing so will get me :

[THE YELLOW JERSEY] ... Receive a brand spankin' new, pre-ordered set of the finalized, CUSTOM Revolights! You'll not only get your lights before they are released to the public, but you'll also be able to cruise your Revolights in style after selecting the (legal) taillight color of your choice from our color palette. Your name will be added to the revolights.com website as a "Yellow Jersey Backer". Via exclusive team member updates, you'll also be able to access key project milestone updates all the way through your lights' shipment (+ rewards listed above - [THE GREEN JERSEY] rewards). Note: shipping to Canada add $20, international add $30 to pledge amount.


The second project I decided to back was Hot Cakes. Hot Cakes is a cakery that needs money to help finish the cakery so they can continue to make their delicious organic treats. I decided to fund them $100. This will get me:

Salted Peanut Butter Level: This is one of our favorite cookies we make so we want to name you, who is so generous and giving, after its amazing, indescribable flavor - much like our gratitude for your gift. If you pledge at this amount, we will give you a sweet Hot Cakes tote bag, 2 jars of our Caramel Sauce (your flavor choice), 2 of our famous Molten Chocolate Cakes in mason jars, a dozen cookies (of your choice) and a pair of our adorable Get Your Hot Cakes undies! What a package (no pun intended ;). *Shipping not included


The third project I decided to back was AIRbudz. AIRbudz allows you to listen to music and still hear whats going on around you. I would spend $15. This would get me:


With a pledge of $10 the backer will receive one of the first packages of AIRbudz in any color option and a carrying case exclusive to Kickstarter pledges. Add $10 more for each additional AIRbudz and carrying case you want (i.e. 3 AIRbudz and 3 carrying cases = $30). (Please add $5 for shipping to Canada and $12 for international shipping.)


The fourth project I decided to back was Hickies. Hickies is a new kind of laces that allows you to turn any pair of sneakers into slip ons. Hickies are laces without the bow tying, the knots and all the struggle. I would spend $100 and I would get:


NEON COLORS EDITION! KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVE. GET 4 NEON COLORS PACKS: green/pink, yellow/green, pink/yellow, orange/yellow. (US shipping included, shipping to Canada add $10, international add $15 to pledge amount)


The last project I decided to fund was Stemrack. Stemrack allows you to bring your phone with you when you ride your bike. It attaches to your handle bars and keeps your phone,ipod,ect. safe and accessible while you ride. I would spend $35 and would get in return:

Custom Color Stemrack - You can pick the base and rack colors. Includes Shipping (AK, HI, International please add $5 )

Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing is when you use ideas, information etc. from the general public (usually via internet) and end up with a final product such as t-shirts,designs, etc.

One example of crowdsourcing is 99designs.com . This website allows you to set up a design contest. When you start your design contest, people from all over will send in ideas to compete for your prize. All you need to do is pick your favorite design and an award winner and you'll recieve the final design and the copyright to the original art work. 

Another example of crowdsourcing is istockphotos.com. This website allows you to find the perfect picture you want to use, buy it using iStock credits, and then you can use it almost anywhere you want.

Texture!

This is a picture of my tree from winter. The tree's bark was rough and dry and the snow was smooth.

Pursue Passion: Demand Google 20% Time at School

Today I read the article Pursue Passion: Demand Google 20% Time at School. It talked about Google's 20% plan and how students should be introduced to  it. Google's 20% plan is to spend 20% of their time at work(equivalent to one work day) pursing what they like. Now, Google wants to bring this to school to prepare students for college. Most students have trouble selecting a major in college because all throughout school we are forced to learn the basics. Teachers don't allow students to follow their passion. Google believes that by allowing students to spend 20% of their school time working on what they love, we can accomplish impossible things and prepare our students for college.  

Personally, I like this idea. It would be good for students to work on things they like. Not only will it allow students to be creative and expressive but it will provide new ideas to fix some of today's problems. This is a great project idea and I believe the younger students it's introduced to, the better.

Waste Land

In class we just finished watching the movie "Waste Land". It was a beautiful movie showing the life  of the trash pickers. Vik Muñizwas able to turn their dirty garbage into a masterpiece and an experience those pickers will never forget.


Overall, I really liked the film. It showed me a kind of living I haven't seen before. before this film, I didn't know people like that existed I just assumed peoples things that weren't recycled like glass or plastic were just put with the trash in landfills. But, that's not the case in Brazil. They may have the largest landfill in the world but that doesn't stop them from doing whats right. The trash pickers pick out things that can be recycled. They spend all day in trash just to be able to support their families. They stay in heaps of smelly trash digging through it and get no credit for what they are dong. They may not get all the recycling materials but they get a lot. Like Valter said, "99 is not 100".


When  I first heard about the film, I could tell it was going to be a great movie and as I watched the movie my mind didn't change. I was able to hear about the lives of the pickers. All of them different, heart-touching stories that made you think about what you have. Watching the film also made me think about much trash I consume and it made me want to change that. I felt bad about how much trash me and my family made and I know it can be lower. Another problem that makes us consume more garbage is the plastic. Almost everything is individually wrapped now a days. Just the other day i got a toy and i had to open three plastic bags just to get to the toy.It's ridiculous.

Vik Muñiz helped the people of Jardim Gramacho by showing them the power of art. He took pictures of them doing their job showing their lives. He then allowed them to make the art. He made a big copy of the picture, and used trash to fill in the empty spots. The trash represented their jobs since they're trash pickers. He the sold the pictures at an auction and gave them part of the profit. Vik also gave them inspiration. He showed them that if they wanted to they could accomplish more than just working with trash.


I think that it's better to have an honest job no matter what it may be rather than a dishonest job. Even if society doesn't approve of your honest job, if they were in your situation they would do the same thing.

I really enjoy watching this film. I  recommend you watch this film.

Looking In(:

Driving home from practice all I could see was snow. I got home and saw the snow falling on the trees perfectly and tried to capture it. This is me "Looking In" through my window(even though the blinds are down) through the tree branches.

Winter(: