Johnny Cat Watches Star Wars for the First Time

(YouTube Link)

This was the look on my face when I first saw Star Wars, as well. Hello, bro cat.

The Artist

No, not the movie everyone and their dog is telling me I should see. This is a short video, with great music, featuring fantastic artist Thijme Termaat with a fresh painting style.

(YouTube Link)

Meet Johnny Barnes – The Happy Man

Take ten minutes of your day to watch this. You’ll have a better day, most certainly.

(Vimeo Link)

(via mental_floss)

This is Why I Love Portland

A brown vehicle, surprisingly tasteful in its wildly gothic external decor, stops at a light. Amid the various brownish skulls and headstones adorning the SUV-ish car, I spot a sign saying “Thank You For Your Patience During Our Remodel,” and the active rear window wiper has been fashioned into a waving hand. Inspired by two comely girls waiting on the corner, the driver rolls down his passenger window, and out blares “Break on Through” by The Doors. Accompanying the song is a lip-synching monkey puppet, singing to the girls, who squeal and delight in this spontaneity.

This is an example of shit that happens in Portland every day, and why I adore it.

WWII Rescue of Downed B-29 Crew

This is some amazing footage of a submarine crew rescuing 12 aviators as their bomber is shot down off the coast of Japan during WWII, and the veteran who sees the film for the first time 60 years later.

Thanks, Wendylady!

Breathtaking Aurora Borealis

(Vimeo Link)

Even though the Northern Lights are a common earthly phenomenon, when viewed through time-lapse high definition, and set to “Now We Are Free” from the Gladiator soundtrack, the effect is decidedly otherworldly. The profoundly beautiful and smooth video was shot near Russia by Terje Sorgjerd.

Yes, full screen for ultimate winnage.

Saturn Fly-By

(Vimeo Link)

Back in grade school, I once got in trouble with my teacher for goofing around during class, and as punishment I was to copy an article out of the encyclopedia. I ended up choosing Saturn for my chore, and have considered it my favorite non-Earth planet ever since. That’s why I’m agape at this CS5 rendering of available photographs taken by the Cassini spacecraft, launched by NASA to study our ringed neighbor; the project is called “Outside In” and Vimeo user stephen V2 explains it best in a comment at the link:

What I’ve done (since this is an art film) is take the photograph… and create a flythrough using many other images Cassini has taken. It’s kind of the only way to do it – necessity is the mother of invention here – if you only want to use real photographs.

Note: this was not done using CGI or 3D effects. It really is representative of what it’s like to be the Cassini spacecraft.

Link to the photograph.

The song is the lovely, ubiquitous “Adiago for Strings” by Samuel Barber.  | via kottke.org

Death of a Console TV

Just like that, eh? One minute I’m watching a movie on my old 90s era console TV, no sign of fatigue, no loss of visual perfection. The next thing I know the whole thing just conks out. Suddenly my TV is as dead as Dick Van Dyke.

Silver lining time: I guess I finally have a real excuse to buy an HD style futuristic TV. Can a Blu-Ray player be far behind?

Three Triceratops Pluto

Even though “scientists” made some observations, and their announcement regarding Triceratops and Torosaurus has been reversed, and even though I agree with the Pluto call, this is a fantastic reboot of the ultra-nerdy Three Wolf Moon meme.

It was already known that triceratops skulls changed throughout their development, but not that the final result was a torosaurus. Torosaurus will now be abolished as a species and specimens reassigned to Triceratops, says Horner.

On a side note, I recently re-watched Jurassic Park. I was surprised to notice something I’d never caught… When Nedry steals the frozen embryos, the ones marked Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus are misspelled as Stegasaurus and Tyranosaurus.

More Awesomeness From Inception

(YouTube Link)

Besides the obvious link between Edith Pilaf and the actress Marion Cotillard (Mal) somehow interweaving through the fantastic plot, YT user camiam321 noted the superb connection between Pilaf’s song and the Hans Zimmer theme also playing throughout. This is one well thought-out movie, damn if it ain’t.