John Gushue . . . Dot Dot Dot

A rare peek at a snow leopard

Infrared cameras were used to capture a snow leopard on the move in China, in this video posted to the Guardian's website. Very cool. 

 

And if you thought you were good with a spray can ...

... get a load of this guy.

This is what a 12,500-foot freefall looks like (for a camera)

This video was a bit of an accident. The fellow who intended to shoot his own skydiving experience instead accidentally knocked the GoPro camera off his helmet, and then watch it soar to the ground.

Remarkably, the camera landed fine, even without a case. The recording on the way down brings a new meaning to dizzy!

 

And now, this ad for sensible shoes

Two minutes of runway models falling down: this video has been flying around the interwebs this week, and for an obvious reason ... it's hard to not look at it, just out of curiosity. One thing that strikes me is how often the models are wearing shoes that look like they came out of a 70s sci-fi movie, or were cobbled together, pun intended, a minute or two before the show. 

In many cases, ouch. 

Ready, steady, yo-yo!

This is a cool little video from Brazil that turns motion and perspective around. Through motion-tracking, the yo-yo appears static, while everything else appears to move. Enjoy it.

More on this here.

 

Crow on snow

This Russian video, of a crow repeatedly sliding down a roof, has been an online phenomenon this week, not to mention the source of debate about what exactly it means. Is the crow working, by using a tool? Is it just having fun? Does it watch snowboarding videos through windows? Whichever, it's fascinating. 

8 hours in Brooklyn

This video shows just how well ordinary video equipment can be used. It was shot in one eight-hour stretch in Brooklyn this summer. You can read more about it here. 

Fantastic shots. 

8 Hours in Brooklyn from Next Level Pictures on Vimeo.

U.K., G.B., England ... what's the diff?

Asked ... and answered. (Hint: one's an island.)

A trick of the eye

Watch carefully ... and think about how we watch. An illusion produced by New Scientist.

Recycling, a la flashmob

A clever way to make a point.

Rock, paper, scissors, crosswalk

Crosswalk Rock Paper Scissors from Brian G Cheung on Vimeo.

The nose that fascinates and terrifies

A mom blows her nose, to the fascination,momentary terror and delight of her infant son. She records it.

In less than a week, more than 4.6 million people have seen the video.

It's not hard to see why!

The tsunami that washed over Japan

I've seen video like this numerous times today, and I still find it fascinating. (At this writing, about 2.4 million people have watched this Associated Press clip alone.)

Earlier this evening, I was talking with Martha about it, about how surreal the images were. I've never seen anything like it, except in the movies, and the image that came to mind first (trite as it sounds) was that it seemed like a special effect from a Harry Potter movie, of blackness sweeping over England.

Unbelievable.

A one, and a two ... Tic Tac orchestra

Bet you'll never look at breath mints the same way!

 

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

The Canada Song

I know very little about Wilbur Sargunaraj, who apparently has been a bit of a deal on YouTube for more than a year, but he has generated some buzz with a video called The Canada Song, all shot during a recent video to Ottawa. [Read The Ottawa Citizen's coverage here.] I lived in Ottawa for two years, and while the deep-freeze temperatures were uncomfortable, I loved how the city makes the most of winter. If you have the opportunity to skate (or even just walk) down the Rideau Canal when it's frozen, seize it. 

In the meanwhile, have a look at this.

 

 

 

Why too much gravel can cut down on your snowclearing productivity

The caption as posted to YouTube:

CALHOUN, GA— A maintenance truck loaded with two tons of gravel fell through a parking deck while clearing snow from its top level in northwest Georgia.

James was not injured and no one else was in the parking deck at the time.

Gordon County Administrator Randy Dowling says the county last month received a report saying the deck, which was built in the mid-1980s, was structurally sound, and noted that the beams did not collapse during the incident.

Pee-Wee Herman and shots, shots, shots

Too funny. Almost.

Anderson Cooper and Chairy, together at last.

Slow-motion fireworks

Compelling. Not as thrilling at all as the real thing, but wonderful nonetheless.

 

A train moves in hypnotizing slow-motion (but it doesn't feel that way)

Here's what happen when you record high-quality video on a high-speed train as it glides through a station, and then slow it down. Notice how sometimes you can see people moving, slightly. It was recorded in Bath, England, and you can read more about it here.

Snow White gets updated for the Lady Gaga generation

Walt Disney set such a high bar for animation with 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that it still dazzles, even though it's so very old-fashioned.

This is a reinvention of the original: a song called Wishery, sampled from the movie's original sounds, and released by someone with another name that possibly comes from drawings: Pogo. Have a listen. 

My Christmas display this year

Just kidding. This is insane.

 

 

MoneyGrabber

One of my favourite songs this year comes from Fitz and the Tantrums, who are from L.A. but sound (to my ears) like they were recording 20-odd years ago in London, after listening to Stax, Motown, David Bowie, T. Rex, Harold Melvin .. you name it.

 

Daniel Radcliffe, A+ science student

Kudos to the Harry Potter star for knowing who Tom Lehrer is, let alone being able to knock off The Elements (almost) perfectly. From a recent appearance on Graham Norton's BBC show.

 

The quasi-rap song my sarcasm-loving son likes

I tend to skip over several Flight of the Conchords songs when they come up in shuffle mode in the car, but I let Hurt Feelings play ... and my son laughed. Yes, there's the odd naughty word, but the 10-year-old still covers his mouth when he hears them. 

And, yes, I laugh too. 

Souped-up shopping carts (by way of VW)

Volkswagen had a bit of a ride last year with a viral web hit about fun, a staircase, music and human behaviour. (I blogged about it here.)

This summer, the theme is "fast lane," and a series of videos like the one below. As with the stairs, the brand - let alone the product - is practically immaterial.

Which, I assume, is the point of how the branding in this campaign works.