Boy am I glad I waited until now to write this!
First off, and I’ve said this before, I am not the type of fan that seems to be the norm for people my age. By that, I mean I don’t just hate everything that happens. I like to let things play out before I make my decision.
Well I have let the WrestleMania buildup season play out…and it was just bad! Aside from a few moments scattered here and there, Raw’s have failed to produce moments that I would deem worthy of a WrestleMania build.
The last two days have actually produced moments that got me more excited for the Granddaddy of the All more than almost anything that we’ve seen on Monday nights. Roman Reigns was a guest on ESPN’s SportsNation and was interrupted by Paul Heyman…who went on to give a typical Paul Heyman type promo.
This came after WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar went on SportsCenter in prime time to announce that he was done with MMA and had officially signed a new deal with WWE. This was a HUGE announcement for WWE and HUGE for the Showcase of the Immortals. So much so that I am starting to get that WrestleMania fever that I am so used to this time of year.
So let’s take a look at the card this year and make some predictions. Looking at the card, yeah, I’ve seen better. But like I said before, let’s let things play out.
Pre-Show
Tag Team Championship
Cesaro & Tyson Kidd (c) vs The Usos vs The New Day vs Los Matadores
Just like last year, the pre-show gets a four-way tag title match to get the crowd ready for the main show. And once again, based on the teams involved, this should get the crowd going. This match is eight solid performers that I am sure will take it up an extra notch since their match got bumped to the pre-show.
With the recent injury to one of the Usos, I was holding out hope that they would be removed from the match. Nothing against Jimmy and Jey, but ever since the surprise we got at the Royal Rumble, I have been very anxiously awaiting the return of the Dudley Boyz! The tag team division needs a boost…or a 3D!
Until then, I see Cesaro and Kidd walking out still the champs.
AJ Lee & Paige vs The Bella Twins
In a perfect wrestling world, this match could create one of the biggest moments in WrestleMania history. Imagine it – after the match, all four are still going at it. John Cena and Daniel Bryan come down to help separate and hold back their respective significant other. While doing this, they shove away AJ – nothing too hard, just a nudge. That’s when Living Colour hits the speakers and AJ’s significant other comes down to her rescue. We have the return of CM Punk!
Well, that won’t happen, but this match will. We’ll give the nod to The Bellas in this one.
But if this match is what ends the show on Sunday…well…
Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship
Bad News Barrett (c) vs Dean Ambrose vs R-Truth
Vs Dolph Ziggler vs Luke Harper vs Stardust vs Daniel Bryan
A lot of people have had a problem with how this match has been built. I disagree – I like what they’ve done. Over the last month we have seen nothing but chaos from these seven competitors and the belt itself.
That’s what this match is going to be – chaos! From WrestleMania 21-26 the money in the bank ladder match was consistently the most chaotic and exciting match on the card. Expect more of the same with this match.
I really don’t have a problem with any of the competitors wining this match as long as their name doesn’t rhyme with scar-ruth. With the way they he has been made a bit of a fool, I can see Bad News grabbing his belt back here.
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
This is the match that should have been the launch to a great career last year. Well that didn’t happen. So let’s try this again.
Based on the entrant list, there really aren’t too many names that would make sense winning. Kane and Big Show dominated the Royal Rumble in January…WWE better not make that mistake again!
This one is simple. Based on the crowd reactions over the last few months and the eruptions at the face turn teases, its time to finally light the fuse and watch Damian Mizdow explode!
Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins
This has the potential to steal the show. Orton and Rollins have done a great job building this match up (something you can’t really say too much this year). Rollins showed us at the Royal Rumble that he is ready to put on amazing matches with the top tier talent
We should see an exciting back and forth match here. But after a few years of doing jobs on the grandest stage of them all,
I can see Orton come out on top here.
US Championship
Rusev (c) vs John Cena
I would have nothing but praise for the buildup for this match…had the buildup not included a match at Fastlane. I still don’t agree with the fact that this is a rematch. The Fastlane match should not have happened.
With that being said, this still should a good match. The obvious logic is that Cena wins since Rusev won at Fastlane.
That can’t happen!
The fact that Rusev is still undefeated should mean something. Beating Rusev should be something that is done by someone that is ready for a career boost, not someone who has already had one of the biggest careers in history. It doesn’t make sense. While it would give the US Championship a much needed shot of credibility, Rusev needs to walk out with the title.
Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker
By far the best build up this year…and it was ALL done by one man!
Bray Wyatt is a legit star. He is ready and needs to be placed firmly at the top of the card. No better way to take that place than by beating the Deadman at WrestleMania – worked pretty well for Brock!
But can that really happen? After 21 straight wins, could the Undertaker lose two years in a row? I can see it happening which would actually lead to the dream matchup we have all waited for next year with The Undertaker vs Sting.
So can it happen? Sure it can. WILL it happen? … yep! Bray Wyatt wins!
Triple H vs Sting
I just got a a little giddy typing Sting when talking about WrestleMania.
I started watching Survivor Series a little late and was lying in bed watching the end on my computer about 85% asleep. When the lights went out and the crow sounded, I shot up! FINALLY! The biggest name to never enter a WWE ring was entering a WWE ring!
All that being said, this won’t be the five-star technical wrestling match that it could have been when WCW was bought in 2001…but it will still be an entertaining match to see.
The end won’t be a surprise at all – Sting wins.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns
When Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble, the immediate crowd reaction showed that WWE had to spend the next two months doing nothing but building Reigns up to being the badass needed to beat the Beast.
Yeah…that didn’t happen.
It started off solid. A win over Daniel Bryan at Fastlane and a few solid Raw performances. But the fact that the WrestleMania title match participants weren’t in the same ring until the Raw before WrestleMania was a head-scratcher. Hopefully you had stopped the head scratching before the face to face meeting last Monday because the tug of war that ensued probably would have made you dig to your skull.
But oh what a difference a day or two makes.
On Tuesday, Brock Lesnar went on SportsCenter and announced that he signed a new contract with WWE. If not for that announcement, the end of the match was a foregone conclusion. Obviously Vince would not have someone not under contract hold the title…just ask Bret Hart!
But that simple announcement has added the intrigue needed to aid this match. But that alone may not be enough.
(To take a page out of my confidence pool posts) Here is my BOLD PREDICTION for WrestleMania. To give us the WrestleMania moment that this show needs – we will see a double-turn. Paul Heyman, upset that Brock seemingly held his job up, aligns himself and helps Roman Reigns win the title. Reigns goes heel with Paul Heyman in a much needed boost for him. And Brock becomes a face, which has we saw during the Royal Rumble build, the fans are more than ready for. Do you remember the reaction when Brock came out and beat the holy hell out of Seth Rollins? Electric!
If that happens, the lack of solid build for the match will be forgiven.
It’s WrestleMania! What do you think will happen at the Show of Shows? Let me know on Twitter @Tadigity24.
What do we mean by internet privacy?
Internet Privacy is about the collection of personal data across various electronic devices and websites. This information can be split into two distinct categories: information that can identify you, and information that cannot. The former group is basically any information that is collected that can be used to identify a person specifically (perhaps the vast majority of data now collected). Non personally identifiable information is used, for example, by websites to decide how best to present their design to the most viewers.
So, how do companies actually track you online? Some websites want to save a cookie on your computer which informs them of your past browsing habits on that site. This can be helpful at times, such as when you go back to a website and you don't have to log in every time.
Some larger sites, like Google, will save all kinds of things (though you can turn lots of it off), especially since they offer so many products through which they can see what you're doing. By using these products, you're giving a profile of your activities to the company that owns the products, and they save this data in order to display advertising directly relevant to you.
Social media takes all of this a step further. On sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, not only are you giving out the standard info you would when you make an account, but most users voluntarily post all kinds of information about their specific interests. They can build their profile on you from content in your posts, the sites you link and the pages you follow in order to provide very specific targeted ads.
Why do they collect all of this info?
Online retailers will keep track of everything you buy, but I think most people would expect that. Most of them will also pay attention to everything that you looked at while you were visiting the site, including times when you go there but don't buy anything. This doesn't necessarily benefit end users (unless you're a huge fan of targeted advertising), but it's gold for the retailers. By looking at yours, and everyone else's habits on their site, they can charge more for advertising or possibly give preferential treatment to certain products or sites.
(Check out our discussion on Internet Privacy and Net Neutrality)
Even if someone isn't selling a product directly to you, sites that are frequently used, like Google, will give the same preferential treatment to the highest bidder. Have you ever noticed how on many google searches, somewhere on the first page are a couple of ads that look just like the rest of the links? It might be a sidebar, or it could be colorful and very tempting to click on - after all, companies pay big bucks to put those links there.
There is a trade-off associated with all of this. The products that you can use for free are numerous on the internet, and you are exchanging ads and your private data for use of these products. I suppose that would mean they're not truly free, but they don't cost money. There's nothing wrong with this if it's made plain and clear up front. The problem is that there are still too many people who don't know what they're giving up in order to use things for "free".
We see that this information has been used for advertising and creating a digital profile of someone, but how do retailers actually use it. One company that makes this possible is called Acxiom, a giant company that most people have never heard of. They collect and sell data on individuals for marketing purposes, in categories (they call them "elements") like your net worth, are you a heavy Facebook user, or are you in the market for a new Japanese luxury car. This can get even more personal, including: how you get your medical insurance, if you've ever written a letter to a politician, your age, race and gender. Check out this New York Times article to learn a lot more than I can teach you about this data collecting giant.
On a much smaller scale, we here at drinkfive look at some data from the visitors to our site. We're able to glean some basic information from people, such as what browser they're using, how big their screen is (so the site can display properly) and how long they spend on the site. This is all information that has no monetary value to us, but can help us make our site better.
We can take it a step further and look at Google Analytics (remember all those apps I mentioned earlier - they definitely can prove useful) for our site. This will tell us the country of origin (hello to the 29 Australians who accessed our site in the last month), how people are getting to our site and a myriad of other stats. We can take this information and use it to make our site better and the casual browser doesn't need to give up any real personal info.
So what, if any, protections are there?
There's not a whole lot in place when it comes to private companies collecting public info. Yes, companies like Acxiom are building their database entirely on publicly available records. However, the problem is that most people don't even know they're on a list and it's notoriously hard to even find out what information they have on you, and even harder to get removed from the list. For now, there's not much regulating a private company collecting and selling public information to other companies. To me, it's scary how good they've gotten at it, how intrusive it's become and how nobody wants to do anything about it.
First Amendment, protecting our right to free speech, expression and freedom of the press. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens from unreasonable search and seizure, and that probable cause is required for a warrant that would violate that right. One might think those rights are being infringed upon if the government is spying on you, as Edward Snowden revealed.
In a broader sense, we (Americans) are covered by the
Edward Snowden was a government employee and contractor who collected (and subsequently leaked) thousands (perhaps millions) of classified and top secret documents on a variety of topics including overseas drone strikes and foreign and domestic electronic surveillance. As a systems administrator, he was given access to a vast number of these documents, including some he believed proved that the United States was conducting illegal operations. These include drone strikes against countries we are not at war with, such as Pakistan.
One of the revelations that hit closest to home was the existence of the PRISM surveillance program. This program, in conjunction with at least nine major US internet companies is used to collect internet communications from foreign nationals. The documents released revealed that almost all of the data collected with PRISM comes from Yahoo, Google and Microsoft. This is all certainly alarming news to anyone who is paying attention, because while it’s sort of assumed that companies will use our data for their own profits, it was scary to learn that data was just being handed over en masse to the American government without a warrant or even probable cause.
What is Net Neutrality?
While not being directly related to your security on the internet, it still is very relevant to the average user’s online experience. Net Neutrality is the idea that all data on the internet should be equal, regardless of the source, users, site, platform, devices, and mode of transmission. Examples of this are that P2P transmissions should be treated the same as granny looking up recipes and your cousin playing games on Xbox. Service providers want to be able to charge places like Netflix (specifically Comcast, which has products that directly compete with Netflix) more money to use their network, thus resulting in a tiered internet, much like the model that television has now.
This has been a big issue in the news lately, as the FCC has recently ruled (or, if you've got some time, check out the entire 400 pages) that broadband internet access is a utility and is considered a telecommunications service and not an information service. The FCC established three “Bright Line Rules” which can sum up what this means for the internet.
For normal people, things shouldn't change too much in their day to day online experiences. The landscape shouldn't change too much in the future, though this doesn't mean that the government (specifically the FCC) will be interfering much in the regular operations of the internet. As FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in response to allegations that the FCC has secret plans to regulate the internet: “This is no more a plan to regulate the Internet than the First Amendment is a plan to regulate free speech. They both stand for the same concept.”
We’re getting closer folks!
The Bay Area is getting ready to be taken over for WrestleMania week!
Some can say that the show is only as good as its main event. Some will also say that some of the “main events” weren’t the real main event of the show (i.e. WrestleMania 18).
As we get ready to see Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns close out this year’s version of The Granddaddy of Them All, let’s take a look back and find out what was the best main event (last match of the night) out of the first 30 WrestleMania’s.
#30
MATCH – Lawrence Taylor vs Bam Bam Bigelow
TITLE/STIPULATION – None
WRESTLEMANIA – XI
LOCATION – Hartford Civic Center – Hartford, Connecticut
For those of you that are relatively new to the wrestling world – yes, I am referring to THAT Lawrence Taylor!
The countdown starts with the worst main event on what many (including me) consider to be the worst WrestleMania.
Credit where credit is due though. The match itself was not all that bad. The fact that THIS match was the main event of the show was bad though. Diesel and Shawn Michaels put on a great WWF title match earlier in the night – simply having that match last would have made this show look a little better.
Having an outsider in the main event of the biggest show of the year is just wrong.
#29
MATCH – Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs Rowdy Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
TITLE/STIPULATION – None
WRESTLEMANIA – I
LOCATION – Madison Square Garden – New York, New York
For the same reasons as the previous match, the inaugural main event finds itself towards the bottom of the pack. The fact that this was the main event in the very first WrestleMania give it a leg up on the LT/Bam Bam match. Having Muhammad Ali on the outside is a big help as well.
#28
MATCH – Bret Hart vs Yokozuna/Yokozuna vs Hulk Hogan
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship (both times)
WRESTLEMANIA – IX
LOCATION – Caesars Palace – Las Vegas, Nevada
This probably would have been a little higher had the event ended with the Bret Hart/Yokozuna match. However, they decided to continue the show and make people realize that the WWF wasn’t ready just yet to move on from the 80s and randomly give the belt to Hogan.
One year later WrestleMania ended with Bret Hart lifted up in a ring full of new stars as the WWF started what they called “The New Generation.” Much smarter move.
#27
MATCH – Hulk Hogan vs King Kong Bundy
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship/Steel Cage Match
WRESTLEMANIA – II
LOCATION – LA Sports Arena – Los Angeles, California
The main event of an event that technically had three main events – one for every city the event was held in. The event itself was on part with the aforementioned WrestleMania 11. Three times the cities and about one third of the excitement.
#26
MATCH – The Miz vs John Cena
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XXVII
LOCATION – Georgia Dome – Atlanta, Georgia
The Miz was in the main event of WrestleMania…that’s really all that needs to be said for this one.
If it wasn’t for The Rock’s involvement this match would be a lot closer to the bottom - more so than it already is.
#25
MATCH – Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice
TITLE/STIPULATION – None
WRESTLEMANIA – VIII
LOCATION – Hoosier Dome – Indianapolis, Indiana
A few “why”’s come out from this event.
1 – After nearly a decade of debating who is the biggest star in the industry, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were FINALY in the same organization. Why not make that the main event for WrestleMania?
2 – It ended up being Flair/Randy Savage for the title – why not have THAT be the main event?
#24
MATCH – The Rock vs John Cena
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XXIX
LOCATION – MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey
Do you remember the movie Airheads with Adam Sandler and Brenden Fraser? One of the running jokes was that the band’s name was The Lone Rangers – how can you plural The Lone Ranger? Well, on that note, the biggest reason that this match is this low on the list is the fact that it was a rematch for a yearlong match labeled as “Once in a Lifetime.”
#23
MATCH – Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit
TITLE/STIPULATION – World Heavyweight Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XX
LOCATION – Madison Square Garden – New York, New York
This match was great! A whole lot of back and forth…and forth…action from start to finish ending with the culmination of a man’s long journey to the top of the industry. How could a match with all of that find its way this low on the countdown?
…
…oh yeah…
#22
MATCH – Triple H vs Big Show vs Mick Foley vs The Rock
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XVI
LOCATION – Anaheim Pond – Anaheim, California
Nothing really worthwhile to say about this match. The match had plenty of star power plus the additional element of “A McMahon in Every Corner” but really didn’t provide a memorable moment. The best takeaway from this one was The Rock hosting Saturday Night Live and the other three competitors making cameos a few weeks prior to the event.
#21
MATCH – John Cena vs Shawn Michaels
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XXIII
LOCATION – Ford Field – Detroit, Michigan
Same situation here. Cena and Michaels put together a solid match but it was on a show that had too many other memorable moments.
#20
MATCH – Yokozuna vs Bret Hart
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – X
LOCATION – Madison Square Garden – New York, New York
The second of two title matches on the show, WWF basically righted the wrong it made the year before at WrestleMania IX. So much so that Vince himself was quick to exclaim that THIS was the start of “The New Generation” as Razor Ramon and Tatanka hoisted Hart on their shoulders.
#19
MATCH – Sycho Sid vs The Undertaker
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XIII
LOCATION – Rosemont Horizon – Chicago, Illinois
Bret Hart’s involvement aiding his heel transition added some intrigue to this one. Really though, the main, and possibly only, reason this match is remembered is the image of The Undertaker with the belt to close a WrestleMania. LONG overdue!
#18
MATCH – Triple H vs Randy Orton
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XXV
LOCATION – Reliant Stadium – Houston, Texas
Decent match but really The Game and The Viper had no chance. The two had the unenviable task of following what many, including me, consider to be the greatest match in WrestleMania history with The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. They tried, but the crowd was just too blown up.
#17
MATCH – Chris Jericho vs Triple H
TITLE/STIPULATION – Undisputed WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XVIII
LOCATION – SkyDome – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Same exact situation here. The Toronto crowd was electric for The Rock and Hulk Hogan earlier in the night. Both Triple H and Jericho has said that The Great One and the returning legend should have ended the show knowing how worn out the crowd would be. They were right, and it showed.
#16
MATCH – Randy Savage vs Ted DiBiase
TITLE/STIPULATION – Finals of WWF Championship Tournament
WRESTLEMANIA – IV
LOCATION – Trump Plaza – Atlantic City, New Jersey
This was a solid way to end the first ever WWF Championship tournament as Savage won his fourth match of the night to become the champ. If anything, it was nice to see a change after Hulk Hogan’s four year run with the belt. A change indeed … even if Hogan was in the ring to help Savage celebrate … and then win the belt back at the next WrestleMania. Gotta love change!
#15
MATCH – Sgt. Slaughter vs Hulk Hogan
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – VII
LOCATION – LA Sports Arena – Los Angeles, California
For a guy that had been back with the company for less than a year after a seven year absence, Slaughter held his own. A bloody Hogan, very taboo for the time, added a lot to this match that ended what was built as the most patriotic WrestleMania. And go figure – the American hero beat the Iraqi sympathizer.
#14
MATCH – Triple H vs Batista
TITLE/STIPULATION – World Heavyweight Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XXI
LOCATION – Staples Center – Los Angeles, California
The beast was indeed unleashed. The classic student vs teacher battle was fantastic way to end a jam packed card. The first title win for Batista ended up being the start of a spring full of great matches between the two.
#13
MATCH – John Cena vs Triple H
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XXII
LOCATION – AllState Arena – Chicago, Illinois
This may be a little local bias. The match was good, don’t get me wrong. But what made this match fun to watch was the atmosphere created by the Chicago crowd. I credit this event as being the start of all of the Cena hate. On behalf of the Windy City…you’re welcome!
#12
MATCH – Edge vs The Undertaker
TITLE/STIPULATION – World Heavyweight Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XXIV
LOCATION – Citrus Bowl – Orlando, Florida
Just like WrestleMania 13, it is always a plus to have WrestleMania end with the image of the conscience of the WWE in the middle of the ring with the belt. I think that this was one of the more underrated WrestleMania’s and it was capped with a very entertaining way to keep The Undertaker’s streak alive.
#11
MATCH – Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XIX
LOCATION – Safeco Field – Seattle, Washington
A great match from two of the best ring generals in the business. This match had plenty of action in it. It says a lot to how entertaining this match was when the memorable moment involves Lesnar nearly breaking his neck on a botched shooting star press.
#10
MATCH – The Rock vs John Cena
TITLE/STIPULATION – None
WRESTLEMANIA – XXVIII
LOCATION – Sun Life Stadium – Miami, Florida
Once in a Lifetime…when we thought it would be seen once in a lifetime. The match was set the night after the previous WrestleMania and the match lived up to the hype. The crowd was intense and the two icons of their respective eras kept everyone on the edge of their seat from bell to bell.
#9
MATCH – Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker
TITLE/STIPULATION – Career vs Streak
WRESTLEMANIA – XXVI
LOCATION – University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, Arizona
These two had a lot to live up to in the rematch of their instant class a year before. It didn’t quite make it to that level, but the added intrigue from a possible Shawn Michaels retirement added to the excitement. It was odd to see a WrestleMania end on such a somber tone, but it worked.
#8
MATCH – Randy Orton vs Batista vs Daniel Bryan
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE World Heavyweight Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XXX
LOCATION – Silver SuperDome – New Orleans, Louisiana
(Any chance I can get to bring up Hogan calling it the SilverDome I am going to take!)
I have mentioned before about matches that had to deal with going on after phenomenal matches/moments. These three had to follow what many consider to be the most shocking moment in WrestleMania history when The Undertaker’s streak came to an end. The match was really good but the reason that the crowd stayed as with it as they did was the fact that there guy, Daniel Bryan, was finally getting his due! YES! YES! YES!
#7
MATCH – The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XV
LOCATION – First Union Center – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The two biggest stars of arguably the biggest era in the industry collided for the first time with the top prize on the line. The match kept everyone on the edge of their seats until Austin reclaimed his title. If it weren’t for a lackluster rest of the card this match may have even been higher.
#6
MATCH – Randy Savage vs Hulk Hogan
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – V
LOCATION – Trump Plaza – Atlantic City, New Jersey
The Mega-Powers exploded a year after the two celebrated Savage’s WWF Championship tournament win. The two biggest names in the WWF in the 80s created a really intense back and forth match that really had you guessing who would win. At least at the time you would be guessing. Looking back, hard to think Hogan would lose.
#5
MATCH – Shawn Michaels vs Stone Cold Steve Austin
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XIV
LOCATION – Fleet Center – Boston, Massachusetts
“The Austin Era Has Begun!” Jim Ross at it again to help create the atmosphere surrounding this match. The build-up itself was memorable with Mike Tyson getting involved as the special guest enforcer. Above all, the fact that Michaels put on this match with a back that forced him out of the ring for over four years is just inspiring!
#4
MATCH – Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior
TITLE/STIPULATION – Title for Title
WRESTLEMANIA – VI
LOCATION – SkyDome – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Two guys that would never really be considered the best in-ring performers put on a match that fans still talk about as one of the best. This was the first time that two fan-favorites locked up in such a high profile match up. Some thought that it would create a negative split in the crowd. Well it created a split, but that split just helped egg each side on to outdo to other side.
#3
MATCH – Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – III
LOCATION – SilverDome – Pontiac, Michigan
Most say that the success of the WWF was based on the first WrestleMania – I say it was due to this match. The first WrestleMania planted the seed and Hogan/Andre was the blooming flower. An indoor attendance record of 93,173 people was set which was just unheard of for that time! They all came to see that match.
#2
MATCH – Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship/Iron Man Match
WRESTLEMANIA – XII
LOCATION – Anaheim Pond – Anaheim, California
Hour long matches were really a thing of the south. You hear more about NWA title matches that went an hour, but not in the WWF. Pat Patterson came up with the idea of putting Bret and Shawn in an hour long match and was flat out told it would never happen – especially at WrestleMania. “It would be impossible to keep the crowd’s attention for that long” was the reason given.
Something changed Vince’s mind and, in my humble opinion, I think it worked out pretty well. Not only did this turn out to be one of the most talked about matches in WrestleMania history, but it is so without a fall until an impromptu overtime period. Hard to think of two other stars in that era that could have pulled that off.
#1
MATCH – The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin
TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship
WRESTLEMANIA – XVII
LOCATION – Astrodome – Houston, Texas
Many consider this to be the best WrestleMania in the event’s 31 year history so it would need to top notch main event. Add together two of the biggest stars of the company’s history (both as fan favorits), the action starting before the bell rang, 68,000+ people going crazy, a very underrated commentary team of Jim Ross and Paul Heyman on the call and the unlikeliest of unlikely association of Stone Cold and Mr. McMahon and you have pure entertainment in your hands.
So there you have it! What do you think of the list? Should a match be higher? Lower? Where do you think this year’s probable main event of Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns fall? Let me know what you think on Twitter @Tadigity24 .
So.. what are drones, anyway?
Let's start with a basic definition: a drone is a remotely controlled unmanned aircraft that can perform any number of tasks automatically or with remote prompting. As of now, the definition doesn't get a whole lot more specific than that, which means that even more generic RC airplanes and helicopters could be given the same label as more sophisticated drone technology that costs several thousand dollars.
We assume that as the technology matures and different tiers of these unmanned aircraft are naturally formed, we'll also adopt more terminology to better organize the mess of products available.
When someone mentions drones in a conversation, most people immediately think of models that are being used in the military (like the MQ-1 Predator or MQ-9 Reaper) or the recently emerged plans of Amazon to use drones for super-quick package delivery. Surely this is because when we see drones in the media that is just how they are currently represented. I think it's important to shine a spotlight on the other uses for drones though, such as monitoring crops and cattle or conducting search and rescue.
Tune into the Retrospectical Podcast (Drones - What are they, who uses them and what does the future hold?)
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Dividing up the drones..
When talking about all of the different types of drones out there and being used right now, public awareness about many of these is lower than it should be. Likely this is because (with the exception of the military) there simply aren't very many out there just yet. Here is a quick breakdown of industries that drones are being utilized in:
New FAA Regulations
In 2012, Congress told the FAA to create rules for the emerging drone marketplace and after some time with no news, they finally complied earlier this year (January 12, 2015). Two categories of drones were broken out in these new regulations: 55 pounds or less, and less than 4.4 pounds. These categories were labeled "Small unmanned aerial system (UAS)" and "micro-UAS" respectively.
Download the FAA's proposed drone regulations here.
It's important to keep in mind that at this stage these are only proposed regulations rather than laws that have been passed, but most people in the industry agree that these rules were much needed. Some of the proposed regulations include: daylight-only operations, maximum speed of 100 MPH and maximum altitude of 500 feet, operators must be 17-years-old and pass a series of tests and certifications - some of which are to be readmitted after a set amount of time.
Those rules may seem understandable - even necessary - but one that a lot of drone operators are already up-in-arms about is that you may not be allowed to operate a drone out of line-of-sight. This means that the aforementioned Amazon business plan of sending out drones to deliver packages would not be allowed under these rules. Also those wanting to use drones for the agriculture industry over large amounts of land would not be able to. A debate and controversy looms here, and we'll certainly be seeing and hearing more about this in the next few years.
Where do I start as a hobbyist?
Quad-copters and other multi-rotor drones may be the best start for someone looking to get one for themselves and explore the industry as a hobbyist. They are more stable and powerful than traditional airplanes or helicopters and are generally also easier and more simplistic to repair, based on their designs.
You can buy quad-copters relatively cheaply now (the Syma X1 is only $40, for example) but those with more features like built-in cameras or video cameras, GPS, larger batteries, the ability to carry items in flight and other advanced options will cost significantly more, even up to $10,000 for the top-of-the-line models for enthusiasts.
The DJI Phantom is one of the more popular starter drones - it comes with a high-definition camera, a high altitude range and GPS functions. It's around $500 so there is definitely an initial investment but not one as insurmountable as it used to be.
Looking to the sky..
We all want taco-copters and pizza-copters (don't we? C'mon guys, get with the program!), but in order for there not to be complete chaos in the skies, the FAA regulations we talked about earlier may prevent this from happening - at least in the short term. I'm not giving up hope just yet, though, and as with any other industry there will be new developments and regulation changes in the coming years which may open up new business models for companies that are currently exploring the use of drones.
When Amazon initially brought out its now famous video introducing the possibility of drones delivering packages with only a very small (30-minute) wait after the initial order, people were skeptical (and rightly so!). But now they've already gotten to advanced drone prototypes and have applies to the FAA to begin real-world testing.
Google has numerous projects in the works.. some for delivering items (small and large) bought from the internet, but others for self-powering drones that could hover almost indefinitely in the stratosphere (Project Titan) and deliver internet access to places that either don't have it currently, or have been affected by a disaster that may have disabled it.
Increasingly, there has been a focus on the development of drones that can fly autonomously. Interesting that this development coincides with all of the projects that are currently going on with automobiles - looks like the Jetsons may actually be a reality at some point in the next 20 or 30 years. Regardless of how you feel about this industry, it will grow and mature in the coming years and bring with it innovations and ideas that were previously thought impossible. I'm just happy that I get to experience all of this as it happens.