A Bird, A plane, a... What the heck is it?

UFO Hunters: Pine Bush Sighting

Something unusual over Pine Bush... Watch the video...

CACTUS NEWS BRIEFS

Happy Holidays…

Here is brief recap and links of events that we have reported on during 2008.. Click on the respective links on each story…

Jeremy Kirk receives a mysterious letter in the mail that turns out to be viral marketing scheme. The Viral campaign turns out to be better that the series itself… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBrCk7c3d-I

The story on Cactus Blog Spot… http://cactuspix.blogspot.com/2008/05/something-weird.html

CUPICtv hits YouTube… http://cactuspix.blogspot.com/2008/03/cupictv-has-launched-on-youtube.html

JASON vs. eHARMony… Jeremy Kirk and Rod Washington produced and directed an increasingly popular fan film for YouTube… http://cactuspix.blogspot.com/2008/02/jason-vs-eharmony.html . It has also spun a few imitators, one of them being rather cocky, even borrowing our name and cutting and pasting our description from our own video page. Hint, before you boast how much better your film is than ours, learn the basics of filmmaking. See our video… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcr6ZwknUP0

2008 was a big blogging year for us… Check us out… http://cactuspix.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-07%3A00&updated-max=2009-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=29.. And Mike has caught blogging fever and he's blaming me… http://sleeves-rcwmediaworks.blogspot.com/

METRO GRAND OPENING

Metro Video Blog Entry # 2.. Opening day of Phoenix Metro Light Rail service and I took some random footage... First is from The Phoenix Marketplace on the corner of McKinley and Central, the location was Monroe and 1st Avenue.

NON DIS-CLOSURE????

Wondering what has happened to the finacial institution ballout money? So is everyone else...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

UTAH WILDERNESS ON THE AUCTION BLOCK???

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow report about how the Bush Administration in it's last moments of power are trying to pull a fast one, before January 20th. Hmmm... Check out the video...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

ME RANTING… NO!!! This is about the Cactus!!!

Yes, as I told my partner in crime, Mike, we are still making indie films and will start up again, next year. I know that Jeremy has a ton of ideas for simple short films, and he is chomping at the bit to have them produced. So, all of you that are involved with us and our projects, you'll be hearing from us.

You can see one of Jeremy Kirks ideas here… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcr6ZwknUP0/watch?v=mcr6ZwknUP0

In other news, we have recently launched CactusNews on YouTube, the companion to this blog site. We have a few VideoBlog entries that are worth viewing and if you are subscriber to my facebook and our MySpace page, you'll get regular updates.

Check out CactusNews right here… http://www.youtube.com/CactusNews

Visit us on facebook… http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=594829490&ref=profile

And our MySpace Page… http://www.myspace.com/cactuspixmovies

CAKE DENIAL!!!

A father asks the question, why don't you like my three year old son and how come the only place that would put his name on a birthday cake is "Wal-Mart!!!!"

Well, read the story and judge for yourself...

Cake request for Adolf Hitler, 3, denied

EASTON, Pa. (AP) — The father of 3-year-old Adolf Hitler Campbell, denied a birthday cake with the child's full name on it by one New Jersey supermarket, is asking for a little tolerance.

Heath Campbell and his wife, Deborah, are upset not only with the decision made by the nearby ShopRite, but also with an outpouring of angry Internet postings in response to a local newspaper article about the cake.

FAITH & REASON: Are we expected to live up to our names?

Heath Campbell, who is 35, said in an interview Tuesday that people should look forward, not back, and accept change.

"They need to accept a name. A name's a name. The kid isn't going to grow up and do what (Hitler) did," he said.

After ShopRite refused the request for the cake as inappropriate, the Campbells got a cake decorated at a Wal-Mart in Pennsylvania, Deborah Campbell said.

About 12 people attended the birthday party on Sunday, according to Heath Campbell.

The Campbells' other two children also have unusual names: JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell turns 2 in a few months and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell will be 1 in April.

Heath Campbell said he named his son after Adolf Hitler because he liked the name and because "no one else in the world would have that name."

Campbell said his ancestors are German and that he has lived all his life in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, which is across the Delaware River from Easton.

End of story...

Wow... What an idiot, seems a little lighthearted a phrase that I can use at this point.

VIDEO BLOG: THE VALLEY METRO 1.

Video clips of the new Valley Metro light rail that is undergoing testing. The Valley Metro is due to open December 27, 2008.

Video Blog: 2009 AZ AUTO SHOW

Highlight video of our recent visit to the annual AZ Auto Show over Thanksgiving weekend.

http://cactuspix.blogspot.com/2008/12...
Link to our latest blog about the car show...

WINDS OF CHANGE!!!!

2009 ARIZONA AUTO SHOW, SHORT AND SIMPLE!

Over the holiday weekend we visited the annual car show that was held at the all new Phoenix Convention Center in down town. This visit spun much excitement for me, as I see a shift towards the right direction for automakers, fuel efficiency and thinking green. Maybe you might argue that the BIG THREE had to shift out of economic necessity. This may be true, and anyone who doesn't have their head in the sand and has been watching the news lately knows that we are at a crossroads, economically and environmentally. It's time to recognize that hey crude oil is a finite resource, and our nation's dependence on it for the only fuel source is beyond idiotic. Would the BIG THREE continue with foolhardy attempt of business as usual? I hope not.

Well, the auto show was interesting, my last visit was to the 2006 show and my mindset back then was slightly different than it is now. Yes, back then I was still looking at Hybrids and more fuel efficient cars, but I was also looking at the cool cars and trucks. This year, my thoughts were fuel efficiency and the environment. Okay, some cool cars were on the agenda as well. You'll see it in the upcoming video.

In the past I never paid much attention to visitors' idle chatter or conversations around the cars that I was sampling. In the years that I attended the show, the first one that I attended in AZ was 1995, I've had only one incident with a patron that was what I would consider a negative interaction. At the 2000 auto show, myself and two friends sat in the all new Toyota Echo, and the conversation was admittedly negative. As far as looks and feel, we felt that it was the worst car in the Toyota line and that we wished that they would bring back the Tercel. We weren't downing it for its fuel efficiency, it had one of the best, but I could strap some RC motors on a skateboard and call it fuel efficient, wouldn't be pleasing to drive. We expressed that opinion amongst ourselves inside the car. Unbeknown to us that a proud owner of an Echo was within earshot, she stuck her ugly face in the passenger window and blurted out, "MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT ONE OF THESE AND WE LOVE IT." She then walked away. I think that she was within earshot when my friend from the rear seat retorted at an elevated level, "I'M SORRY… FOR YOU!!!!"

Recently, I do believe that my mindset has changed when I visit these venues. I want to know what is on the minds of the average American. I want to know if I am alone in wanting to see less dependence on foreign oil. I am not, but I want to hear it from people who not just environmentalist or economists. So as I admired and took pictures of the cars, I heard some of the conversations, and I wasn't trying to listen either. For what I gathered from that alone, and mind you this is no way scientific, people are looking at cars more economically and conservatively. Many liked the idea of alternative fuels and hybrids. Many were commenting on the EPA ratings on the vehicles and the lack of ratings on others. But having your ears open can lead to hearing the other side as well.

I was in the Volkswagen section and a group of guys walked by and made comments about how these aren't cars for a real man. They proceeded to Chevy to look for a full sized Silverado. I'll save my comments on that for the next blog entry. And it gets worse. "Ha, I'll buy a Volvo, as soon as you buy an Audi," and sadly they were serious. Then the finale… We were walking from Chrysler to Toyota and one lady made a comment after her husband made positive comments about how he liked the direction that car companies are going with the green and fuel efficiency. He liked what was available now. "These cars are too small; I'd rather have a full-sized SUV."

Well, until the next car show…

Beaded Dreams

Beaded Dreams... Beaded Dreams is a small arts and craft business operated locally by owners Kristi and Dameon Kuhl. From leatherwork, to beads and jewelry, the Kuhl operate a booth at the Downtown Phoenix Market http://www.phoenixpublicmarket.com/ every Saturday from 8AM and 1PM... beadeddreams@hotmail.com

Burn The Man: Obama

Burn The Man: Obama

THE HILL: Update!!!!

True event... One day in the summer of 2001, Jeremy Kirk made his routine hike up the small mountain behind his mother's house. On that day, he encountered a mysterious helicopter and it's occupants at the top of the hill. Pictures of the hill and the antenna were added to this updated video.

WAKE UP AMERICA!!! NO John McCAIN NO Sarah PALIN!!

WAKE UP AND TAKE A STAND... THIS CAN'T HAPPEN!!!!!

Deiboldocrackedictatorship, The U.S.A.

McCain Caught in MORE Lies! Already...

McCain's distortion of the truth....

Mountain Dew commercial - Chuck Norris for PepsiCO

We like to thank Mister Norris for doing his part in the battle to control the ITGs!!!!

The 9-11 Tribute at the RNC - And Olbermann's Reaction

THE HILL

Jeremy told me about these incidents a few days after they occurred and we were wanting to make a short about it, like I always do with true life stories of friends and family... sorry Doug and Mike... But,I felt that I would make an interview vid instead.

The Hubble Deep Field: The Most Important Image Ever Taken

This is an amazing video....

CUPICtv UFOs A Brief History

A short montage showing UFO drawings, photos and artist renditions of aliens.

MYSTERIOUS AIRCRAFT

Check out our latest webisode as CUPICtv presents a brief history of X-planes and historical UFO sightings in this six minute video.

MYSTERY SOLVED - VIRAL MARKETING

Well, from what has been gathered about the mysterious red sealed letters, it is morethanlikely part of a clever viral marketing campaign. From what was provided in postings on both JC Hutchins site and Screen Rant it is related to a new vampire series to debut on HBO, TRUE BLOOD.

The hunt for clues led people to a website, http://revenantones.com/ that shows a chair in front of a blue screen and a countdown. After the clock winds down to zero, a lady appears, sitting in a chair, wearing headphones and occasiionaly rambling about entry into the site.

From what I can see, the site has recycled the clock and at the time of this posting is now at 008:32:01... More information to follow...

Here are some useful links for you...

http://screenrant.com/archives/is-this-a-new-movie-viral-camp-1666.html

http://revenantones.com/

http://jchutchins.net/site/2008/05/21/videopdf-down-the-rabbit-hole/

RED SEAL LETTER

True story- Yesterday Jeremy Kirk, writer, received a letter in the mail with no return address and a weird stamp. inside was a black envelope containing a vellum card with strange markings and an odd red seal. Is this some sort of viral marketing ploy. It is a mystery. Several other are coming forward claiming to have received the same letter, but symbols vary.
This is report was also posted on our blog page... http://cactuspix.blogspot.com/

There's a growing list of responders who have had the same experence on JC Hutchins' site... http://jchutchins.net/site/2008/05/21...

There are images of the different card that people have received on this site... http://chishio.jp/ It's roughly a Japanese word for blood.

SOMETHING WEIRD!!!

Okay, so far no one has an explanation for something that my good buddy, Jeremy Kirk, got in the mail yesterday that has everyone stumped. When he went to pick up his mail, he found an envelope that was made of what can be best described as vellum paper. On the front of the envelope was his name and mailing address and a weird Stamps.com net-stamp with a weird logo on it; the initials "tb." Inside this envelope was another, smaller black envelope with no markings or print except that it was sealed with a wax stamp. Inside was a card that seemed to be made with the same vellum paper as the original envelope. The card has a series of symbols or hieroglyphs in a weird order and a red seal or stamp that was put their by hand.

This had Jeremy so baffled that he spent most of the day searching for an explanation. The one possible conclusion that mostly everyone is coming to is that it is some sort of viral marketing campaign. Possibly. Then a few people have said to me, "Hey Rod, come clean, this is some stunt you are pulling for CUPICtv." Well, I will not hesitate to drop the name of my new pet project, and I am a bit jealous that I didn't come up with the idea, because it is clever and it is freaking out Jeremy, but NO. This is not a campaign that is in any connection with CUPICtv. See, I just dropped the name in this blog a second time...

Other explanations vary; The aliens are saving resources and are not making crop circles but are using the US Postal Service instead. Alien abduction victims are getting these appointment cards that are telling them they are about to get probed. The list goes on.

If you know what the heck this is then contact us... info@cactuspix.com

Maybe it is a stupid viral ad campaign, (jealousy talking), and that he will get the answer in the near future.

MYSTERIES UNKNOWN #3 - SQUAWKER

The latest episode is available. Visit CUPICtv on YouTube.

RACE KNIGHT!!!

Race Knight will explore the history of race in the United States and how it continues to shape our country today. We will explore the obstacles we face and the possibilities that our future may offer. If you attended Gender Knight or heard about the program you do not want to miss this powerful event. Race Knight will challenge you to think about your role in society and what part you may play in its future.

I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain. James A. Baldwin

“I am working for the time when unqualified blacks, browns and women join the unqualified men in running our government” Cissy Farenthold

Race Knight "A Knight At The Races" May 14th &; 15th 2008 @ 6:00-9p.m 10850 W. Garden Lakes Parkway Avondale, AZ West View High School Auditorium

.. The Hosts of Race Knight...The students of TUHSD!

Learn more about the event by visiting http://www.myspace.com/genderknight
and visit their facebook profile

CUPICtv HAS LAUNCHED ON YOUTUBE

We are proud to launch our newest channel, CUPICtv, where you will be able to see archival footage, clips, short subjects and scenes from the new documentary project. This will be the place that we will launch the new webisodes of the series that are in the works.

The CUPIC Online site and the CUPIC MySpace site are being revamped as well.

Stay tuned and we will keep you updated.

http://www.youtube.com/CUPICtv

http://www.cactuspix.com/CUPIC/index.htm

http://www.myspace.com/cupicdiary

Sending my first blog entry via text.;)

Creating Allies for Social Change

Creating Allies for Social Change
Common Ground Training/Travel to Learn LLC
www.commongroundtraining.com

Common Ground Training will be discussing privilege and how understanding this reality plays a role in building relationships with potential allies. Our workshop will begin with a few norms/definitions and move quickly into our objective: Individuals will be able to identify/recognize their privileges in order to create common ground with other community members in order to create social change. Individuals will participate in an activity (Privilege Walk) that unveils their privileges. Attendees will listen to statements and react to them based on their life experience.

Processing will take place during a presentation that explores the levels of privilege awareness. There will be several small activities throughout this presentation. These activities include listening practice, self reflection, and oral responses.
The workshop will conclude with an action planning session to create a blueprint for ally building.

7th Annual Local to Global Justice Teach-in

Workshop Session 6

When: Sunday, March 2nd 1:30-2:30 pm

Where: at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

JASON vs eHARMony

Our latest short written, directed and starring Jeremy Kirk can be seen on the our You Tube site. Jason Voorhees tackles internet dating, but first has to slash through all of the red tape...

To view, click on the link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcr6ZwknUP0