Blogger on Summer Vacation

As above.

So until I come back, here's a 3-hour soothing video of the beach for you awesome folks, just because.



Blogging again soon.

From Bike to Mattress

Fair trade I suppose.

Alright, you can't make this story up.  A guy riding his bike gets sideswept by a pickup truck but in a very fortunate twist of fate, instead of hitting the hard pavement, the biker lands on top of a soft mattress.  Wait what?  Yes, the truck that hit the biker carried the same mattress that saved his very life.  Sounds impossible right?

Well keep going to see for yourself.

Unlucky Tractor Man is Unlucky

Sh*t happens sometimes.. sometimes always.

Some bad days are exceptionally bad.  They're so bad that describing them as bad is like describing a nuclear explosion as a big bang.  It's like waking up on the wrong side of the bed at the wrong time in a wrong place with a bad headache, a bad stomach, and a bad black eye (both eyes) from a bad party the previous night. It's like the Inception of bad days.

The guy in this video has that.

Keep going to see it.

Oh Wow, Wireless Electricity Is Really Here

I kid you not.

Back in my teaching days.. Yes, I used to teach Computer Science in College and Graduate School... Not the sexiest job for a man based on surveys I know, but it was my first serious job so.. there was this lecture I gave on technological innovations and we were talking about Bluetooth (it was new back then.. makes me feel real old thinking about it) and I jokingly said that someday there would be wireless electricity as well. I remember the class laughing when they imagined themselves walking over a wireless electrical connection and electrocuting themselves.  That was less than a decade ago.  Now lo and behold, it's actually here.

It's called WiTricity, a research that had its beginnings in MIT back in 2006.  Led by Professor Marin Soljačić, a team of physicists started working on the model and came up with what they call a Source Resonator, which when paired to a another coil (receiving device), will deliver electricity to an appliance. Wirelessly.  The secret?  Magnetic field.

Keep going for more info.

Cosplay Costumes for Less than 2 Dollars

They're so terrible they are awesome.

Cosplay costumes can be very expensive.  I got to know this when I asked for the price of an Akatsuki jacket a couple of years back - no, I'm not into cosplaying and was not planning to use this on such, just wanted to own one for daily use (worse?) - I had to pick my jaw from the ground when the lady told me it was for $70.  The good lady upon seeing my reaction said that they were genuine high-quality ones, not some cheap knockoffs.  Well she's right, they were indeed not cheap.  Needless to say, I left that store without the jacket and my pocket not $70 poorer. 

Now if you love cosplaying and don't want to spend tens of dollars for a costume piece then perhaps you should take a page from this guy's book.  His name is Anucha Saenghcart and his costume creations are able to capture the essence of the character using nothing but stuff you see around your house.  You know, like brooms and flour.  Creativity level 99.

Keep going for some more of his creations.

Your Head Belongs To Me Now, Said the Lioness

Three words - you're in deep sh*t.

Wait, that's four.  But that don't matter, you're about to see a guy, possibly an animal trainer, a zookeeper, a masochist - I don't know, your guess is as good as mine - having his head get stuck inside the mouth of a lion. The question is, how the hell do you get yourself into such situation?  And more importantly, how do you get yourself out of such situation?  Resorting to aggression would certainly be a bad idea.  Reason out with her, get to her good side?

The lioness certainly does not look like she's letting go anytime soon.   I think she misses the taste of fresh meat.

Go for the jump to see the video.

Living Forever May Just Well Be Possible Soon

Or at least your heart could.

We all heard of the stories of The Fountain of Youth and the countless quests of finding them, afterall, it is man's ultimate dream, become an immortal.  Now although this invention isn't a fountain and it's still a long way off from making you immortal, researchers at the University of Washington has taken mankind a step closer into, maybe, just maybe, realizing such dream someday.  The device as shown in the video has kept a rabbit's heart alive and beating perfectly..  Big deal.  Outside, without the rest of the rabbit.

Give or take  15 years, we could have this device out for people's use, allowing our hearts to beat virtually forever.  Or at least as long as the battery does not run out.. or the chips burn out.. or the tiny cables snap. Pfft. Minor details.  All in all, I would still prefer this than become an immortal by being bit by a sparkling vampire.

Keep going for the video.

Rottweilers Can Make You Hit the Hight Notes

Yes, even thieves can hit them too.

This is a funny clip of a thief that hid in a swamp and got himself up close and personal, too up close and personal to his liking, with a 60 kg Rottweiler. Though the actual biting/clawing is not shown, we can still hear the terror in the guy's screams. Probably his nuts are being threatened by the dog.

Hit the jump to see the video.

Horror in Just Two Sentences

Who said that you needed a full book to get a good fright?

Here's a collection of twenty horror stories that are told in just two sentences. Yes, two sentences are all it takes to send some chill down your spine.  I especially like #3.

Hit the jump to see the rest and let your imagination run wild. Abloo! bloo! bloo!

The Gravity-Defying Skateboard A.K.A Hoverboard from Back to the Future 2 Commercial Is Fake?

Sadly it is. Yes.

So hold your horses, don't go running to your favorite gadget stores just yet, hovering skateboards are not available for sale.  Because despite of the actors, athletes, musicians, and what not, there are no hovering skateboards in real life buddy.  Maybe they got one in Area 51, I don't know, I'd love to take a look but I think I have a bigger chance of seeing Superman in real-life than actually seeing the insides of that facility. Conspiracy I tell you.

Anyway, if you think for a second that the commercial you saw was real, sorry, got news for you.

Hit the jump to see the viral commercial.

Sabi Sand Lion Wars

The end of Africa's most infamous pride.

If you have been watching nature documentary channels, chances are you have heard of a group of 6 nomadic male lions, dubbed the Mapogo Coalition, that took control of the vast Sabi Sand Game Reserve in Africa in 2006.  These lions are considered legendary in their conquest of the Sabi Sand for many reasons but mainly for their notoriety.  You see during a pride takeover, male lions kill off other male lions, females that resist, and the cubs, to make sure that the pride members from thereon would be from the invader's bloodline. This is their normal behavior.  The Mapogo brothers however pushes it up a notch, not only they would kill, but they would also regularly eat them, quite unheard of really in the world of lions.  Two of the dominant males of the coalition named Mr. T and Kinky Tail separated from the group and established their sub-territory within the game reserve.. A bad move since there are a number of nomad males that are also vying for control.

The videos after the jump show the two brothers successfully defending their territory, albeit for the last time from another nomadic group, The Majingilanes.  The two were able to kill off one invader that got isolated from his group.  Later that day however, four of the Majingilanes strike back, Kinky Tail, alone but undeterred, charged at them.  Not exactly a fair battle but that's how it is.  TIA bru.

Keep going for the videos.

Sao Paolo FireFighter Saves a Family of Five

I needed this after that murderous poor excuse for a father.

Here's the video of firefighter Marcelo dos Santos, atop his jet ski, saving a family of 5 that had been swept over to deeper waters in White Beach Bertioga.  No doubt these folks were swept by strong undertow currents that can drag you out to sea in a matter of seconds.  Good thing there was this collected firefighter near them as they were clearly, as you'll see in the video, moments before drowning.  Watch the ordeal in first person perspective thanks to dos Santos' camera capturing the entire event.

This guy should be given a medal of honor, mainly for saving their lives, secondly for pulling up the chubby guy's trunks up (thereby saving ours).

Just hit the jump already.

Boy of 13 Builds Nuclear Reactor

By doing so, he becomes the youngest fusioneer to date.

Beating the previous world holder who was 14 years old and beating me by a good 50+ years.  I can hear your sarcastic grunts, ok, by a good 100 years then. Fine, 1000 years. Satisfied?  Anyway, what did I make when I was 13..  Honestly, I can't even remember what I did when I was 13.  I vaguely recall the classes let alone the lessons that the teachers were trying to teach us. I do remember learning how to play a sound by blowing into my clasp hands though, which I didn't know then is called Hand Ocarina. You don't know how?  Go here.

Hit the jump to see the actual demonstration of the nuclear reactor.

Let There Be Light!

A pillar of light, that is.

This video, taken by YouTube user, Shinji Kawamura, could easily be seen as several things.  The first impression it made to me is that of a portal to another dimension or to a parallel universe.  It could also be the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites in the book of Exodus. Or the beam of light that beamed down Mr. Bean or Mr. Spock.  However you wish to see it, there is one thing that is sure, and that is I'm hungry.  So while I grab myself a snack, why don't you go ahead and watch the calming light after the jump.

Keep going for the video clip.

This Is How A Real Man Screams

Remember this similar post?

This one is like that, only not as funny and several times scarier.  There is no panic-induced girly voice from the driver, nothing of that sort.  Instead, you get a controlled, manly, NOOOOOO!!!!  Because he is Russian and Russia does not tolerate effeminate behavior for Russian men.  No sir.  I'm sure he'd get into trouble with the law if he as much as screamed like the guy in the first post.   But girly-scream or not, I bet he needed to change his pants after that.

Hit the jump for the clip.

When Conference Calls are In Real-Life

How appropriate, I was just from a 3-hour conference call.

I'm sure when the question "Who likes attending conference calls?" is asked that only four kinds of people would be likely to raise their hands.  One, the company's CxO level employees, because more or less they own the company and that it is also the perfect time to rub in their x270 salary gap with the rest of the employees.  Secondly, the middle management guys because it's the perfect time to rub elbows with the big guys upstairs hoping to be part of their elite circle someday.  Third, the slacker type employees who excel in finding excuses not to do his job (we all know of at least one).  Lastly, the weirdo who likes to breath heavily into the phone and gets his kicks listening to people's voices.

*ping*
Host:  Who just joined the call?
<silence>
Host:  Who just joined the call?
<hahhh hahhh hahhh>
Host:  I can hear you breathing?
<silence>
Host:  Who is this?
<<hahhh hahhh hahhh>
Host: ...

Hit the jump to see the funny clip.

The Chicken Whisperer

For when you need to kill your own food.

When I was small, my dad kept chickens in our backyard for our consumption.  I remember feeding small chicks, seeing them grow, and forming some sort of bond with them.  Well you know how it is being young, even an ant becomes your pet.  Eventually the day comes when the family needs to cook some chicken soup.

Now who gets to chop the chicken's head off?  It's either my dad or my older sister.  It's a nasty business I tell you.  Our eldest brother and I could never bring ourselves to kill one.  What can I say, I've a soft heart for the bird, but man, were they delicious.

Keep going to for the short clip.