Chainsaw Carving

Griffon Ramsey Makes Groot

Griffon Ramsey is an artist with a passion for chainsaws. She work out of the FORT, a beautifully raw warehouse art space in east Austin, Texas. Although wood is her medium of choice at the moment, she likes to experiment with a variety of materials. She's inspired by fantasy, magic, tarot, tattoos, pop and alternative culture. 

I found out about Griffon through Roosterteeth because her husband, Geoff Ramsey, works and is the boss of Achievement Hunter for them. She makes a lot of cool sculptures like Elsa from 'Frozen' and other pieces that are put in courtyards of museums. But, my favorite one is Groot from 'Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy'. I always liked stuff from Marvel because the characters in Marvel entertained me more than characters from 'DC'. 

Facta about Video Games

This are a few facts facts that I found about video games that I thought were interesting:

1) They May Help Dyslexic Kids Read Better

In February, the Italian researchers presented evidence that playing fast-paced video games can improve the reading skills of children with dyslexia.The team separated children age 7 to 13 into two groups, one of which played an action game called "Rayman Raving Rabids" while the other played a lower tempo game. When the reading skills of the children were tested afterwards, those who played the action game were capable of reading faster and more accurately.

2) Video Games can be a Pain Reliever

In 2010, researchers presented evidence at the American Pain Society's annual scientific meeting that video games, specifically ones with an emphasis on virtual reality, have proven effective in reducing anxiety or pain caused by medical procedures or chronic illness. The study found that when people undergoing chemotherapy or other serious treatments were immersed in a virtual gaming world, they reported significantly less stress and fear.

3) Video Games can be as Effective as One-on-One Counseling

In 2012, researchers in New Zealand created a novel way to treat depressed teenagerswith "SPARX," a video game designed to give therapy to kids in a way that was more fun and active than traditional counseling.The study included 168 teens with an average age of 15 that had previously sought help or struggled with depression. Half of the group was randomly assigned to "treatment as usual,” which was usually one-on-one counseling over five sessions. The other half played SPARX, a fantasy game where the subjects created avatars in order to squash “gloomy negative automatic thoughts,” and restore order in the virtual world. Each level taught players basic facts about depression, strategies for dealing with intense negative emotions and relaxation techniques.The results for the SPARX group were extremely encouraging. About 44 percent of SPARX players recovered completely from depression while only 26 percent of the control group were no longer depressed.

Fact or Fiction

Video Games Are the Future of Education

As kids all across the U.S. head back to school, they’re being forced to spend less time in front of their favorite digital distractions. Or are they?

Video games are playing an increasing role in school curricula as teachers seek to deliver core lessons such as math and reading—not to mention new skills such as computer programming—in a format that holds their students’ interests. Some herald this gamification of education as the way of the future and a tool that allows students to take a more active role in learning as they develop the technology skills they need to succeed throughout their academic and professional careers.

Some people say that video games do not help your education and can decrease you knowledge. Some things I learned were from playing video games. Some games could help you learn about history or help you with a job you have.

The Inside of a Camera

I have been watching SlowMo Guys for a couple years and they are a very entertaining channel. Some of the stuff they do is dangerous and you should not try at home, but there are little things that you can do at home and somethings you never seen before. This video shows what happens inside a camera.

I am a Video Production major and this is a video that interested a lot. This is a camera that can take pictures if the object is going at a fast speed and not have a blur behind it. The person in this video is Gavin Free, he is a member of Achievement Hunter at Roosterteeth and he has done camera work for many shows and movies.

World's Biggest, Highest Hammock

Biggest Hammock, Must Slackline to it.

Ever wish your living room was 607 square feet? How about if it was suspended 492 feet above the ground, and 213 feet from the nearest piece of solid footing? That was basically the idea behind the "pentagon space net" – a slackline-suspended, over-sized hammock that hung above the Fruit Bowls outside Moab, Utah. World renowned slackliner, 'Sketchy' Andy Lewis, came up with the idea wanted to create a sharable space where everybody could meet in the middle of a canyon. The line suspended by five double-stacked slacklines totalling over 1,969 feet in length. The net itself required two 230-foot climbing ropes, 197 feet of line for the "ring" and 16,404 feet of paracord.The space net hung for over a week and well over 250 people visited the net, with quite a few spending the night. There were over 200 BASE jumps made through a circular hole in the middle of the net, where there was a safe, but wobbly, take-off. While it wasn't cheap – Andy estimates the material and costs to be nearly $50,000 – but, all in all, the project was a major success. “It was awesome because the BASE jumpers wanted to highline, the highliners got to see BASE in person,” Andy said. “It was really cool! And a huge help to all the Moab Monkeys – people like Brian Mosbaugh, Hayley Ashburn, who made it happen!” 

http://www.redbull.com/us/en/adventure/stories/1331698545913/discover-the-pentagon-the-best-multi-line-slackline?wtk=us000028&linkId=11725551

I started Slacklining at the beginning of the school year and I am still doing it twice a 

week, since it's winter time, I would do more if it was nicer out. I am starting to learn 

stuff on the trick line so I could do more than just walk and do yoga poses on it. 

Slacklining is a nice way to relieve stress and to hang out with people who know how 

to do it and learn how. I plan on getting my own line soon to practice more. I am not a 

fan of heights so I might not go as high as Andy Lewis and his friends.

Flash Embed

Distractions while driving

Texting and Driving

     When I am in the car by myself and I am driving I do not touch my phone until I reach my destination. My family knows I do not do that and they know it is bad to do, but I still see them do it. When I am in the passenger seat and someone from my family is driving they will sometimes pick up the phone when it rings and it will make me nervous becaus ethey usually answer it when we are on a busy road. I do not tell them anything I just give them a worried look on my face. If they see my face they usually put it down and let me or who ever else is in the car with us answer it.

     I know a few people who got in crashes due to distracted driving, but it was the person who crashed into them who was distracted not the people I know. Many people overestimate how well they drive. Some people I know say they are good at driving(which they are), but not when they get distrated by their phone. I would usually see them slow down and almost make the car behind us hit the car because they are more worried about a text then the saftey of us and the car.

Netflix Is Developing a Live-Action ‘Legend of Zelda’ Series

Interesting series, Yes or No?

     'The Legend of Zelda' is one of the most popular video games ever made, and now there is a work in progress series made for 'Netflix'.     
     The video streaming service is in the early stages of developing a live action series based on “Zelda,” about an ordinary boy named Link who must rescue a princess named Zelda and save a fantasy world called Hyrule, said a person familiar with the matter. As it seeks writers to work on the show, Netflix is describing it as "Game of Thrones" for a family audience.     
      Netflix is said to be working closely with Nintendo, the Japanese game developer that has made about 20 “The Legend of Zelda” games since the original, which was released in the U.S. in 1987. Nintendo is very protective of its intellectual property and has allowed few adaptations over the years. An animated “Legend of Zelda” series ran for just one season in 1989. A 1993 movie based on Nintendo’s “Super Mario Bros." was an infamous bomb.

     As it is still seeking a writer to work on the series, Netflix has a long road to travel before a “Legend of Zelda” series actually becomes a reality. It’s also possible that Netflix or Nintendo will kill the project before it gets off the ground. A Netflix spokeswoman declined to comment. A Nintendo spokesman said the company “doesn’t comment on rumors and speculation.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2015/02/06/legend-of-zelda-netflix-series/

I like to play video games, when I am at school I don't bring my Xbox, but I do play Minecraft. When I am at home I play 'The Legend of Zelda' games sometimes. I think my favorite one so far is 'Twilight Princess' food the 'Wii'. I think it would be interesting to see a series about the game, but it depends if the series will be about a previous game or it will be different.

First Swimming Dinosaur "Half-Duck, Half-Crocodile"

Only Dinosaur that lived in water?

     The fearsome Spinosaurus is one of the icons of the dinosaur pantheon. It was larger than T. rex (and larger than all other carnivorous dinosaurs, in fact), and on its back it sported a sail taller than an adult man. Now, researchers have discovered something even more astonishing about this ancient beast. Spinosaurus was the only known dinosaur adapted to living almost entirely in the water. 

     Around 97 years ago, in a river system now known as Africa, the Spinosaurus sliced through the water, snaring fish in its cone-shaped, interlocking teeth. New fossils reveal that the 50-foot-long (15 meters) dinosaur had a host of adaptations for an aquatic lifestyle, including flat, possibly webbed feet and nostrils high up on its head.

     With a guide to lead them to the Spinosaurus site, the researchers discovered even more bones, all from the same individual dinosaur. They soon realized that these bones were very strange indeed. They were very dense, without the hollow medullary cavity found at the center of the long bones of the arms and legs in most animals. Dense bones like these are found in marine animals and function as a sort of buoyancy control.

http://www.livescience.com/47797-swimming-dinosaur-found-spinosaurus-was-adapted-for-aquatic-life.html

     I wasn't really big into science too much as a child, but when I see something that I think is interesting I'll read it. When I was younger I liked dinosaurs. I read books, magazine articles, and went to museums and I also watched then Land Before Time movies. I think my favorite dinosaur was the T-Rex because it was one of the most dominate dinosaurs back then. When I first saw this article it got me excited because I'm more it science now and it was cool to read about dinosaurs again.