I don't remember puking on Jenny Johnson last night, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it!

This is a student film by yours truly. This is my first time at the reigns (pun intended), and I think I did alright. That being said, I think it definitely needs work, and next time round it'll be better. I promise. There's cursing, an Asian accent, and a COUGAR! Preeze let me know what you think.

COUGAR HUNTER from Thomas Raines on Vimeo.

Waka Flaka Flame at the Apple Store!!

He came in on iPad release day with his rag tag entourage.

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

iPad Madness at the Apple Store MacArthur Center

Here are some pics from the Virginia Pilot of the Apple Store on the morning of the iPad launch. There were about 200 people waiting outside before we opened our doors.

The whole story can be read here:
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/04/hundreds-line-macarthur-center-anticipated-ipad

iPad, You Mad.

I will be one of the first to admit I was very skeptical of the iPad. From what I could gather, it seemed like a big iPhone. Cool, I guess, but what's really the point? Many people shared the same sentiment since it's announcement at the end of January this year. Before it had even come out, there were parodies released, and many jokes made at the expense of Steve Job's new brain baby. Despite all of this, there still seemed to be an enormous amount of people withholding judgment, anxiously awaiting it's arrival, just so they could see it first for themselves.

I don't know about you, but I have never seen a company drum up interest for a product like Apple now does. It constantly astonishes me that a consumer device draws this kind of news attention. Especially, when no one can figure out what the point of it is.

Then it dawned on me what Apple is doing. Think about the iPod, it is the most popular portable mp3 player in history. Why is this? MP3 players existed before the iPod, and sure it's nice to use, but how did it get so popular so fast? Why is the iPhone so popular?

iTunes. Think about it. What was the problem with digital music players? It was intimidating for anyone but the younger generations to use them. The issue of where and how to get music on these devices was a big one. Especially, if you weren't very technologically inclined. iTunes provided the user a friendly, easy, and legal way to procure digital music. And you could copy the CDs you already own to it rather easily as well. Plus, the iPod is a fantastic device to operate. You bring those two factors together, and you most certainly will have a winner.

So why is the iPhone so popular then? One, it combines your favorite digital companion with a phone. Two, iTunes plays a key role in the functioning of this device as well. If you have bought music from the iTunes store, it can only be played on an Apple device (iPod, iPhone, iPad) or the iTunes music player. This means you have a vested interest in any device that lets you use music you payed for. Why buy something non-Apple? It just doesn't make any sense, you won't be able to use the music you bought on anything else anyway.

This brings me to the App Store. A place, within iTunes, where you can purchase applications specifically intended for the iPhone and iPod touch (and now th iPad). And the best part is, anyone can make an App, and sell it in the App Store. For all to see. Everything you'd want to do on a touch screen device of that size, you could now do with the iPhone and the App Store. There have already been over One Billion Apps downloaded via the App Store, and still counting. This has attracted millions of people, billions of dollars, and more permanent members than ever to iTunes. And the Apps, just like iTunes music, are proprietary. Meaning, if you want to continue to use the App you payed money for, you must use an Apple product. Starting to get the picture?

This brings me to the iPad, the final piece in the puzzle. This baby combines the music playing ability of the iPod, the ability to do everything the iPhone can (but better), and it also doubles as an eReader. This means that books and print media can now be purchased through iTunes, just like music and Apps. Oh, and did I mention you can download movies and TV shows off iTunes, and watch them on any of the three devices. Of course, you can't play them on anything but Apple products, but who cares. Chances are you've already got one anyway.

This is why Apple is genius. This is why everyone cares about the iPad so much. iTunes has made accessing digital media super easy. Anyone can download music, any kind of application (from games to productivity), and now books newspapers, and magazines can be had there too. BUT, only if you use their devices.

Oh, and for the record, the iPad is sick. I want one. I think it will be useful for school. Plus, it's a joy to use, and I've already bought a ton of great Apps for my iPhone ;)

My Favorite Use of Photoshop

I was at work the other day, and a couple of my coworkers were getting all worked up over the new version of Photoshop coming out soon. Apparently it can do some pretty neat things. But this got me thinking about my favorite kind of photoshopped image, and I've got to say this is it by far.

Neckbeards 101

Urban Dictionary defines neckbeards as slovenly nerdy people who have no sense of hygene or grooming. Often related to hobbies such as card gaming, video gaming, anime, et. al. It's essentially a nerd's derogatory term for a nerd. If you hear this being murmured by a gaggle of acne ridden anime fans, now you know that they aren't casting a spell on you, but merely making fun of their own kind.

Everyone knows a neckbeard, some of you may actually be one. I wouldn't consider myself a neckbeard, but no nerd ever would. That being said, there are days when I just roll out of bed, sans shower/shave, and book it to class. I do make an attempt to cover up my unkempt appearance by wearing a hat to hide my bed head, and at the very least brush my teeth. But I didn't bring this up to divulge my own poor grooming habits.

The reason I bring up neckbeards is that I'm starting to notice the term begin to bridge the gap into popular culture, and I thought it'd be appropriate to share a few examples. You know, to clarify....and so you too can point out dirty nerds and mock them without remorse.

A neck beard in it's early stages. Intermittent showering patterns begin.

Neckbeards begin to become proud of their achievements as they must endure heavy ridicule to reach their goal.





A senior neckbeard sited at my place of employment. Note the cut-off jeans and fanny pack, a signature style of old school neckbeards.





A highly advanced neckbeard. He intimidates other neckbeards by showcasing his realistic toy guns, and dull knives.

Thomas Raines RIP 1988-2010

Cell Phone Pics - Apple Store Edition

An appropriate chapter name.

Not a business man. But a business, man.

After stealing diamonds from jewelry store around the corner, she decided she wanted an iPod

These tails mark them as furries (google it). But a special disturbing weird kind of furry known as a yiff (again, worth a search). Reminiscent of nambla (North American Man Boy Love Association)

Matching father and son. I wish me and my dad did that.

Get like Steve. Dude's got like 4 jobs, and he volunteers.

Meet Steve Adams: Father, Fire Station Captain, and part time nerd at the Apple Store.

To say Steve lives a busy life is an understatement. Consider the following: He has children (little ones mind you), leads a crew of impressive individuals whose sole purpose is smiting nature's scalding fury into ashes (and rescuing the occasional cat, and/or senile geriatric). And (because he owns a time machine) he's also one of those nerdy/trendy dudes that will help you pick which revolutionary product will enrich your life for the next 5 minutes.

"So he's a busy person, good for him. Why do I care?"

Despite all his nerve racking responsibilities, he still manages to be a ridiculously nice individual. So nice in fact, he and his fire department cronies, along with a crew from New York, went to Haiti only four days after it was decimated by that fateful earthquake. At this point, I want to explain a few things. As we all know, Haiti has suffered a natural disaster that no one could have anticipated. But, massive destruction as a result of an earthquake doesn't have to be as severe as what occurred in Haiti. Consider this, throughout the United States' history, Americans have lived through dozens of earthquakes that scored much much higher on the Richter scale than what occurred in Haiti ( 7.0 M_w).



So why did nearly every structure across the entire island disintegrate?


Well, from what Mr. Steve Adams witnessed, it all has to do with building codes and quality standards. Steve is a Fire Station Captain, it's part of the job to be familiar with structural weaknesses. The lives of his men depend on it. And it was immediately apparent to Steve that Haitian building codes are much less strict than their American and European counterparts. Structures were built on slopes without proper foundations or containment structures, improper building practices were used, insufficient steel, and insufficient attention to development control, all resulting in a nation of structures not capable of withstanding even a minor earthquake.

By the numbers: there are over 280,000 collapsed or severely damaged buildings, an even more staggering 230,000 dead, some 300,000 injured, and an estimated 1,000,000 homeless according to the Haitian government. And the death toll is expected to rise.

Steve experienced the chaos first hand, "We had people come up to us asking for help recovering dead bodies buried under the rubble. It was tough because we were there to rescue survivors. Not the dead." At this point the standard Steve grin had gone absent. "Haiti's infrastructure essentially didn't exist because the destruction was so severe. The only glimmer of organized government came from the likes of NATO, and crews like us. As a result, there was a degree of lawlessness among the people. Gun shots became a regular thing while there."

I, like most of you, had already gathered this from the news. Regardless, it's still shocking to hear first hand accounts. I wanted to know more
of what he'd seen, so I asked him what was the craziest thing he witnessed while there? He responded with an uncharacteristically somber answer.

"I saw a police man wildly chasing after a man. They scurried through the rubble until the man being chased fell. The policeman, gun drawn, caught up to the fallen man. And then proceeded to point his gun right at him. I never found out what the man did, but the so called 'police officer' shot him dead, right then and there. No one saw it coming, and there wasn't anything we could do. It was just sad to see something awful like that take place."

Steve remained alarmingly calm when describing back the shooting he witnessed. A lot calmer than I was just listening to him. So I asked him why he was so nonchalant about his experience.

"Sure, that was a crazy sight, and horrible. But that's life, the world keeps spinning. The Haitians come from a much poorer background and standard of living than you and I. As a nation, they were already struggling, but as a people, they are fighters. Out of all the chaos, I saw a people with a strong will to live. They have a toughness that you rarely see here in America, I believe Haiti will come back as a better nation than before. I really do have hope for them."









It was at this point Steve's phone was ringing off the hook. He had to go, so after a fist bump, warm smile, and a call to the wife, he was gone. But I did overhear him talking to the missus about what he had to do. I think it was go rescue a cat, pick up the kids, sell some iPhones, make dinner, perform CPR, and finish a puzzle or something.

I really enjoyed my talk with Steve, and definitely learned a thing or two about taking things in stride. It's hard for me to fathom how he does so many things at once, but he does it, and well. It's pretty impressive. No one can resist even a small smirk when he's around. Like the terminator, he looks human, but after you shoot him six times he just keeps going. That's why I admire him. Despite his ridiculous schedule, Steve makes time to give back, all the while maintaining the utmost positivity. Even random acts of mother nature's fury have a positive light. Human? Maybe. Cheerful? Affirmative. A machine? Without a doubt.




Photos Courtesy of Steve Adams

Flickr Picture

DSC_1802.jpg
Originally uploaded by acd111

My blog is about people I meet, and the most interesting people I meet are normally at the Apple Store.

Youtube Video

In class youtube assignment:
I decided to post a video I edited, with people I've met (thus relevant to my blog). This is a video I did for a Virginia Tech undergrad engineering project last year, called The Blind Driver Challenge. They provided the footage and pics, and I edited them together.

It's a pretty cool program that has received a lot of media attention. The discovery Channel even did a piece on them (http://news.discovery.com/videos/news-blind-drivers-hit-the-road.html).

Here is their site:

http://www.me.vt.edu/blinddriver/

rainesproductions@gmail.com

Image Test 2 - People Who Should Never Have Babies

It's one thing to be famous for being famous. It's totally another to try and trick people into thinking they can do it too.

Guns Don't Hurt People

I'm not one for violence, nor theatrics, but something happened to me and my girlfriend recently that made me seriously consider owning a gun.

Last weekend, my girlfriend, her friend, and I are sitting down at the local Dunkin Donuts enjoying a nice cup of joe and a few bakery delights, when (what I assume was) a homeless man proudly enters the establishment. Announcing so all could hear, "There's a new sheriff in town! Bitches!", which, remarkably, no one paid attention to. This makes the homeless man angry. And did I mention he was 6'4", and big? Like, he could have done well at sports if he didn't get addicted to crack, kinda big.

And as it happens, my girlfriend and her friend are both young attractive females. And conveniently, right in the crack head juggernaut's line of sight. So he strolls over and addresses the friend by slamming the open chair into our table, and stating "Listen when I'm talking to you bitch". And without waiting for a response, storms into the bathroom. Weird.

At this point, the entire store is quietly aware that a giant homeless man was showering in the Dunkin Donuts men's room. And everyone at the table was rightfully shaken up over what had just occurred. But our conversation continues on. That is until the homeless man comes back out.

First, let me describe to you how the restaurant is laid out. The three of us were sitting at a round table with four chairs. Me, facing the bathroom, my girlfriend to my left, and the friend directly across from me.

The homeless man quietly exits the bathroom, and leans on the door frame. Then he proceeds to stare at me for the next minute or so. Alright, maybe he's like a wild animal. Don't make eye contact. So, I try hard to seem like I'm paying attention to the friend, and avoid the crackhead's glazed stink-eye. Bad idea.

This is where it gets weird. He then walks over to the table and grabs our dirty napkins. Yup, he grabs our trash. And says, "Pick up your ****ing trash bitch!", and proceeds to throw away our used napkins, while yelling "Buy me a ****ing doughnut!". At this point, my girlfriend (who tends to get carried away sometimes) says "Get a job, and buy your own doughnut!". My heart sinks, and I start to scan the room for weapons. Aside from an apple fritter, luke warm coffee, and a chair, I draw a blank. The gf had mace, but that was in her purse out of reach (and I didn't think of it). The bum then threatens to cut my girlfriend's throat. Insert expletive here. At which point, my 5'8" caucasian self warns, "You better back the **** off!", which garners only a snicker from the crack head behemoth. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared at this point.

Luckily, like a raccoon to aluminum foil, a shiny new quarter in the tip jar catches his eye. Did his crack-riddled brain think the employees would take payment for food out of their own tip jar? As everyone stares in terror/disbelief, my girlfriend yells at the statuesque (pussy) manager to call the cops. Which culminates in the manager asking the crack giant to leave.

The weirdest part of this entire exchange were his parting words. As he walks past our table out the door, he says to my girlfriend "Eat beef! You want beef, you got ground beef! Just wait, eat a hamburger and die!". What the hell does that mean. Is that prison slang?

Who really cares. I hope he gets hit by a car while he's rampaging around the streets in a crack fueled tirade.

So why did I bother to tell you this?

Well, what if I ran into this upstanding citizen heading to my car? Even worse, what if my girlfriend is with me? What if he breaks into my house looking for things to trade for more crack?

Needless to say, this whole ordeal got me thinking. What if I got a gun? Don't get me wrong, I don't ever, ever want to kill anyone. But if that colossal crackface came at me or anyone I love, I sure as hell would like to take him down, and make sure he stays that way. So, to satisfy my curiosity, I went to the gun range downtown with a buddy, and we shot off a few rounds.

We went to Bob's Gun Shop off Granby Ave, in downtown Norfolk. If you're a newcomer, it's $20 for a gun rental, two targets, and 50 rounds. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

And to be honest, a gun wouldn't do much good in most all the situations listed above, because it'd spend most all its time locked up at my house. But, I definitely would gain some piece of mind, which in my eyes, is hard to put a price on.

Plus, guns are fun toys!

WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT!

Bobs Gun Shop from Thomas Raines on Vimeo.

What this blog is all about.

My first post doesn't necessarily reflect the focus of this blog, but it does reflect the randomness of what I will be reporting. I plan on chronicling all that happens in my life, from people I meet, to activities I participate in.

So why should you follow me?

Well, I happen to meet a fair amount of interesting people where I work (Apple Store). Sounds dumb, but where I work is located next to a popular concert venue, and as a result, a fair amount of famous people come through before/after performing.

Example:
-Natasha Bedingfield (whos a bitch by the way)
-The dude who invented the piss test - not famous but made $36 Million off that thing
-Travis from Gym Class Heroes
-Robin Williams - nice guy
-And that bitch writing that fat person book I blogged about

To name a few.

Also, I do cool s***. I don't just sit around getting high or drunk all day (only when appropriate). I'm a car fanatic, a film enthusiast, and too friendly for my own good.

Some things I have planned that you readers can look forward to:

-I'm filming a poker run (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poker_run) for a local car club
-I'm attending the F1 Canadian Grand Prix this summer - Huge int'l gathering of drunk car fans
-I'm (very slowly) building a car, combining two into one - 1984 BMW 318i M50/5-Lug swap
-I'm a giant nerd. I work at a computer store for pete's sake.
-Most everyone finds my life at least mildly intertesting.

And if this doesn't entice you, my next post is on guns. And I have a video as well. Plus, my last blog was on fat people. CHECK IT OUT!!!!


-Thomas

Clarification

I want to clarify something about my first blog post. I do not agree with anything that lady had to say. I posted the story, not at the expense of people that are overweight, but at the expense of that horrible woman. And in hopes that some of you might keep an eye out in the coming months and fire back at her hate book in any way you see fit (insert form of cyber vigilantism). So please, do not take offense. And if you really feel angry, hit me up. I may or may not know this woman's name ;)

Image Test 1 - My First Blog - Fat People Shouldn't ****?

A few days ago, I met a lady who was in the process of writing a book. She didn't immediately say what the book was about, but she said it's going to be a book and blog combo. I thought this was a cool way of promoting a book, and I then proceeded to bug her about the subject of her up and coming work. She was very hesitant, and said "It's very offensive", she then looked for people possibly within earshot and continued with, "It's going to be called Fat People Shouldn't F***." I could see why she was so hesitant. She paused for a sec to check my reaction, and after realizing I wasn't going to punch her in the face, she went on to explain herself, "I'm just tired of picking up the slack for fat fu***! I may sound like a horrible person, but obese adults are costing us millions, and ruining it for their kids as well! For instance, just the other day a 300+ pound lady sat next to me at the movie theater, and proceeded to drench my thigh in sweat because she couldn't contain herself to one seat...I've had it!" Discussion like this went on for about fifteen minutes, with me quietly listening, and her digging her own personal tunnel to hell.

I came to find out that she was a successful writer of business manuals (whatever those are), and from what I can tell, that about sums up her literary chops. So it's hard to say how this will end up, but I think she's either going to fail miserably, or gain mediocre success and be assassinated by a fat man.

Regardless, I'm going to keep an eye out and watch the carnage unfold.