I've watched that tornado video a couple times. it really is amazing. If you look up that TIV2 vehicle, it's impressive. Built like a tank with anchors that penetrate into the ground to hold it still.

Here's another video. I don't know how to embed it, so it's at this link. A couple of guys come across an angry bobcat in a foot trap and try to release it. I don't know the story. Did they set the trap or just stumble across it? I have no idea. Cool video though.

I did not know this happened... and suspect you didn't either !

The effect comes at 1:15 to 2:00 if you are the impatient type

Niagara.

That pretty cool! I notice he kept the drone in US airspce the whole time. He got right up next to the Canadian border, but never went across it.

The most entertaining TED Talk I've seen.

Yeah, I'm easily entertained, sometimes.

Dude is amazing. The best twelve minutes you'll spend on the internet today.

This is from last Fall, but I don't remember seeing it here.

Very inspiring TED talk about how changing your body pose for just a few minutes a day can make you feel better about yourself and improve your life. And actually change your hormonal levels for the better.

Imma try to stop slouching.

Wow! J just told me about that TED last night. She was wondering whether she could find it again, since she watched it on Netflix. Watching now.

This one is fun. A steam powered wood mill that manufactures wooden boxes for vineyards and book publishers.

That is neat...a little overly romatic, but neat.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it., and Louis L'Amour is still very popular

i would have Died laughing , of corse i would have rigged a string to make it jump also

So, you think you have a tough commute riding the bus or tube or train!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG-meaGqg-M#at=58

I'll never complain about the Metro again.

As close to a Jonah and the whale experience as you can get!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ut7w...ature=youtu.be

This one has been making the rounds. I've always wanted to go to Kruger but since it is a self guided tour of the park you tend to get large crowds who stop along the way. Still it must have been quite a surprise when the animal jumped into the car. Lucky the cheetah didn't follow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD6wdrVFc0g#at=63

Millions can be helped by this new drug!

http://youtu.be/Hhhq90eJNdA

I was in the perfect mood to watch this video.
It's entertaining, topical and a bit controversial, and simply a few minutes of human nature on display.

He somewhat over represented his academic qualifications. His PhD is in contemporary sociology of Islam, not history of religions. There were other embellishments.

That same Fox News anchor never asked a Baptist college professor why he wrote a book about Islam.

So you're a Doctor of Philosophy, eh !
:right:
That's not a real doctor, is it ?

You studied ' what ? '
:right:
Why would anyone want to study ' that ' ?

But still, you're not a real doctor, are you ?
:right:
Yes, so what good is ' that ' ?

Doc, I have this pain in my arm when I raise it up like this ?
:right:
Yeah, but you said you were a doctor...

What's philosophical about that ?
:right:
Well, why would you ever want to do ' that ' ?

So, did it cost a lot to go to medical school ?
:right:
Oh, but you said you were a doctor...

But why would you want to study ' that ' ?
:right:
Boy, that must be great... being around all those sexy nurses all day.

Well anyway, doctors earn a lot of money. How much do you make ?
:headbag:
Great talking with ya, Doc

You say "embellishments", I say simplifications. He was mercifully and patiently keeping the conversation on the interviewer's level, like any good teacher would. Why would the teacher move on to more advanced aspects of an idea when the student hadn't yet grasped the fundamentals?

I read a little and found that his (PhD) degree is in the sociology of religion, not only Islam. Also, his academic work to that point included a great deal of study and coursework in religion in a historical context (what else is there? religion of today?) giving him justification for his claims to be a historian, in my opinion.
What other embellishments did you notice?

Porn sex vs Real sex, explained with food.

"22% of women will take a hot load in the face?"

Wow, that is surprising. I've only ever done that on accident, or by request.

In a place that had clean up facilities, too, I bet.

You know you're loved when you get that request out in the woods where there ain't even a moist towelette.

CNET.com
Amanda Kooser
August 6, 2013

ScienceCasts: The Sun's Magnetic Field is About to Flip

It'll be more interesting when the Earth flips poles, which is overdue.

Says 'water bomber', but, it's foam, I think. Still cool as hell.

Apparently it's 1620 gallons of water with "flame retardant" mixed in, but still not foam.
Link

I was watching the Teen Choice Awards the other night while surfing around on the Cellar or something, and somebody else had the remote. I was only giving it about a third of my attention, because it was the Teen Choice Awards, and that's really all it deserved. Imbecile after imbecile was getting up there on the stage.

But then they gave some sort of lifetime achievement award to Ashton Kutcher. They showed all these clips from his career, and it occurred to me that he had been around for a while now and has really done a lot of stuff. Much more than you would realize until you start counting it all up. And he was actually pretty talented to be doing all that stuff.

So he get up there on stage, and the first thing he does is start joking about how he's getting the old geezer award at a Teen Choice Awards ceremony. That instantly drew me in, because this was a guy who has actually got a clue about what's going on, and where he fits in.

And then he proceeded to give probably the best awards show speech I have ever heard. Lookout posted this over on FB because he thought it was great, and that made me realize that this was a speech that deserves to be seen. So here it is. Sorry for the poor video quality.



The guy could be a teacher. He tells the audience what he's going to say. Then he actually says it in some detail with great examples, and then finally, he finishes by reminding the audience what he just said.

I like this guy. And now I respect him too.

it was good.

and he's right on target, too. mostly. *spoiler, I'm gonna reference his points* opportunity looking like work, yep, it does. but, not all hard, good work provides opportunity. sometimes it's just a grind. the hard work arc he describes is traced by countless others, a vanishingly few of which result in the same pinnacle upon which he rests there on stage. hard work *is* important, unquestionably. but starting conditions are also crucial, and so are other things less tangible things like poverty and education and gender and skin color that have a tremendous influence on "opportunity" (which still requires work, granted).

being sexy, itself, is a huge part of opportunity as it translates into getting the desirable attention of those who could deliver opportunity. still, his point about what is "sexy", a term that is accepted by and embedded in the psyches of his audience is well played by him, as he suggests to them a different definition of "sexy"; being smart and thoughtful and generous. good on him for delivering a better and healthier mindset wrapped in paper they already like (or did he just give them the opportunity to improve themselves by adopting this new attitude, leaving the hard work of living up to these standards of "sexy"?)

make a life, not live a life... a little vague, and the supporting arguments he makes are not ones I agree with. I don't agree that "all this you see around you was made by people *no smarter than you*". I don't agree with that. LOTS of what I enjoy, take for granted, was thought up and produced by people lots smarter than me (usually in very specific areas, but we're talking about very specific aspects of life). I really like the message he's trying to deliver "you can be anything and make anything you can dream up, just like everything you see around you was dreamt up by someone" (paraphrasing), and he saves this important exhortation for the end when he's got his maximum momentum, but it doesn't follow for me. the second part of his point, to live thoughtfully, with an eye for what could be and don't be a sheep--that's good advice and I agree with it.

It was a good speech, and he delivered good points well. He was talking to a very receptive audience ("WEE LUV YOOOOOOUUU", which always helps). I think he's got a handle on it.

Oh, there were some flaws in his speech, but it was outstanding compared to the ones that surrounded it.

Thoughtful and sexy on rye bread with some mayonnaise.

Eeeasy there Sparky...

thought this was pretty cool!

helicopter firefighting with pool water

pretty impressive, especially with that fence to the right

Wow, he makes maneuvering that helicopter look so effortless.

Forget the fence to the right, I was worried about the tail rotor hooking the wall out back. Must not be close as it looks. I hope not, anyway.

Dean Zimmer is available for musical projects













But you have to rock.

I want one.

The white flag had me laughing.

Cute.

That was Popdigr's favorite part.

Fooled ya !

Even after waving the white flag, it did not give up and quit.

Awesome. Now I feel like a pussy (and I should) for complaining when I have a torn TFCC, separated AC joint, lumbar spasms, or bursitis.

Pffffffft. Whatever dude, just so long as you ROCK!!!

That brightened my day. Imma try to always rock.

I was talking to my brother in Taiwan the other day and he mentioned this video of a rock slide from all the rain they had last week.

Close call!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6SFMUSCaX8#t=35

I recommend the full screen mode!

http://youtu.be/LYAAy8Q_smU

On NPR this morning, I heard the story of work recently published in Science. It's the first instance of mechanical gears found naturally occurring in the wild.

Apparently the nymph planthopper insect likes to jump to move around. And to jump well, it need both legs to kick off at exactly the same time, otherwise it goes off in the wrong direction, or just spins around. Since its nervous system isn't yet up to the task, it uses gears that interlock so when one leg starts to kick off, the other leg does too.

In order to film this extremely fast movement, the scientists glued the little critters to the table on their backs, and tickled their tummies while filming with an extremely high speed camera they could then slow down.

The video clearly shows gears!



Attachment 45435

That's fairly awesome.

that's awesome!

Makes me wish I could fly.

Time lapse of Burning Man from afar. The night time lights look really cool. Maybe I'd like to go after all. Even though the dust storms look terrible.

Made me think of "Jeremiah Johnson":

Jeremiah and Caleb had just seen a hawk flying (we'll sub 'eagle' for 'hawk' here)

Love this video of the old Dodge truck and how it gets past most muddy obstacles that would stop the best 4-wheel drive. I think the wheel spokes helped it get traction!

http://www.youtube.com/embed/nq2jY1trxqg?rel=0

Amazing! I love how they just get out and roll it over.

Sometimes ya takes ya fun where ya finds it.

Wow! That's a steep ditch.

Heavy.