Daily Bits

Online Video

Old Old Spice Guy Versus New Old Spice Guy

by

Old Spice Guys
Old Spice Guys

So what are you doing at 12 noon (Eastern Standard Time) today? In case you do not have anything better to do, or you just feel like slacking on a Tuesday morning, why don’t you tune in to the biggest duel of the year?

The Web has been abuzz with news about the new Old Spice Guy, Fabio. Just in case you have been hiding under a humongous rock, let me tell you a little about Fabio. He’s this Italian fashion model/actor who became world famous because of his appearances on the covers of tons of romance novels. You know that hunky guy with long, flowing, blond hair? That’s Fabio. Why Old Spice has chosen him to be their new brand ambassador, I have no idea. But whatever floats your boat. [Read more…] about Old Old Spice Guy Versus New Old Spice Guy

This Is What Leonard Nimoy Does These Days

by

Ever wondered what the famous Leonard Nimoy has been doing in the past years? Many of us know him as Spock and nothing else, but some of you may not know that he is also a photographer. In fact, last year, he held an exhibit called Secret Selves at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

A lot can happen within a year, though, and it seems that the venerable Spock has had another career change in the recent months. That is, if Bruno Mars and his recording label can be believed. Now I have nothing against Bruno Mars, but let’s just say that he is not part of my daily playlist. (If you are averse to his music, bear with me. You won’t regret it.)

Anyhow, his song title “The Lazy Song” has an official alternate video, which will make the day of Spock-lovers (both my hands raised). Then again, if you have no sense of humor, you just might want to send Bruno Mars a death threat for daring to portray your idol in such a way. If you feel that way, think again. Vulcans may not experience emotions like we do, but Leonard Nimoy is very much human.

Enjoy!

Addicted to Tetris? You’re Not the Only One!

by

Tetris. Remember those days when your mom would threaten to smash your Game Boy because you wouldn’t stop playing that highly addictive game with blocks of various shapes falling from the “sky”?

This game is arguably the most popular game ever, and it has withstood the test of time. Created in 1984 by Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris has been distributed all over the world for practically all kinds of interfaces. From the personal computer to handheld consoles to mobile phones – anything that can be used to play a game has been used to play Tetris.

For some, Tetris may just be that – a mere game. For others, Tetris means so much more. Various studies have been done to study the effects of Tetris on the human brain. One study claims that playing Tetris – especially during the first few times – makes the brain more efficient. Another study has shown that general cognitive functions become better due to regular playing. Yet another study showed preliminary results that patients deal with traumatic events better when Tetris is used as part of their therapy.

Here’s a firsthand testimony as to what Tetris can do to a real person. Have you ever heard of James Clewett? He is the 1999 Tetris world champion and a certified Tetris addict. This guy has not let his addiction get in the way of pursuing the rest of his life goals, though. If anything, he has gone beyond what the average person does (though he has already done that by becoming world champion). Pretty soon, this Tetris world champion is going to be a doctor as well – in the Dr. Sheldon Cooper way, that is.

Watch the Confessions of a Tetris Addict – you will walk away with a gem or two.

Angry Birds for Real

by

It’s been a while since I last played this overly addictive game, but there is no denying that there are still people who are only starting to get hooked. Unsurprisingly, businesses will continue to ride this wave as long as it can bring them benefits. And Deustche Telekom is not exempt from this.

Earlier this month, the telecommunications giant teamed up with Rovio, the creators of Angry Birds, to promote their new services. In a Spanish town called Terrassa, they set up a real-life Angry Birds scene, complete with pigs, birds, bricks, and what-have-you. To top it off, this talented band provides a jazzed up version of the game’s theme. Never mind that the people who participated in the event were all invited to be there and paid (I assume). The whole thing still looks fun.

Some of you may be sick of the birds by now, but this video just might change your mind.

I wonder if this will set off a string of copycat events?

Star Wars in LEGO: Condensed Version

by

Have you ever tried telling the entire story of Star Wars to someone who has no idea what it’s about? You probably would need at least an hour and nifty story-telling skills to do the job. That or show that person this video telling a fast paced version of the story. In LEGO.

Now Star Wars LEGO is not a new thing. Try googling “Star Wars LEGO” and you will see countless results. This video is something else, though. Not only are the minifigs and the sets set up so they look really cool, but the background music and the narrative are also noteworthy. It’s not technically epic (whatever that means), but no one can say it is not funny and attention-grabbing. I can only imagine how much this kid has spent on buying all those LEGO pieces!

That is the more recent video that dzine123 uploaded, but sometime last year, he also had a similar video.

Now you can either use these videos for bedtime stories or you can actually transcribe the narrative and tell the story on your own. Either way, you are sure to have the Star Wars story understood by kids of all ages!

Duct Tape Wave Machine

by

What do you do when you have a lot of spare time, a lot of duct tape, some shish kabob skewers, and rubber stoppers for Erlenmeyer flasks? ((Refresh your memory: an Erlenmeyer flask is a piece of equipment used in the lab. It is characterized by a flat bottom, a conical body, and a cylindrical neck.)) Well, if you’re YouTube user RDSQC, you will make your own wave machine, take a video of it in action, and upload it for the entire world to see!

As you can see, this is not the wave machine that you use to make waves in pool to simulate the ocean’s movement. (Duh.) If I am right, this is actually a DIY version of a Shive wave machine, which was named after Dr. John Shive. He developed the machine back in the 1950s when he was working at Bell Labs.

So what’s the point in having a machine like this? (Aside from the fact that the guys look like they were having fun making the machine move.)

The purpose of a Shive wave machine is supposed to demonstrate how slow transverse waves move. In order to make this machine, the rods (shish kabob sticks in this case) have to be placed at regular intervals. In conventional wave machines, the rods are attached to a wire spine. In a MacGyver-worthy move, this DIY-er decided to use duct tape.

I don’t know what practical use the average person will ever have for one of these machines, but RDSQC, MacGyver would be so proud of you! ((Source: RDSQC))

Now if you happen to adore physics, you can see videos of “real” wave machines here.