Interactive Video Object Manipulation

Interactive Video Object Manipulation is a video by Dan Goldman of Adobe's creative technologies lab showing up-and-coming video manipulation tools.  Basically, it's like new features for a video-Photoshop.  He says if you like 'em, blog about them, and I am.  Features include moving speech and thought bubbles, direction arrows, and object manipulation. Check it:

In Dan's words: "This demo illustrates our research to bring interactivity to video editing: Our system analyzes videos using computer vision techniques, enabling interactive annotation, browsing, and even drag-and-drop composition of new still images using video footage.

This is a joint research project of Adobe and the University of Washington." 

(From Buzzfeed)

118.com

118.com is, "free the web-based directory search service of 118 118, the UK's most called service for finding businesses, people, train times, film & cinema details and much more besides."

Basically, you can spy on people making stupid querries.  They're really trying to rope you into the paid service, but I just like watching it tick by for free.

(From Metafilter)

Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals

Cooking Mama: Mama Kills animals is the perfect game to make you feel crappy about having eaten turkey. It's a Peta game that has you plucking a turkey and disemboweling it. It's not really a "fun" game. It's a pretty, graphic game with an overbearing point.

The worst part is at the end, when it gives you an opportunity to see a video about turkey farming and slaughtering.  If you don't have any time, skip to the end, when it actually shows a conscious turkey hanging upside-down by a meat hook, then a butcher slices its throat open.  I swear I'm not posting this to make me feel smug about being a vegetarian, and I certainly don't support attacking and defacing other people's property (like fur coats).  I just really like games and not eating meat. 

Bonus: The aforementioned Peta propaganda video. It's narrated in that condescending voice, so just skip to the end:

(From Guy)

Fifty People, One Question: New York

Fifty People, One Question: New York is a video on Vimeo by Crush & Lovely that asks 50 random people the same question: what do they wish will happen by the end of the day?

Simple, tastefully done with charming music.  And I will take this opportunity to wish YOU a happy Thanksgiving! 

(From Buzzfeed)

Take On Me: Literal Video Version

Take On Me: Literal Video Version is the famous AHA video, but instead of the orginal song, the images are set to replaced lyrics that describe what is going on in the video.

"Lyrics/singing: Dustin McLean 
Voices: Jason Nash, Josh Faure-Brac, Priscilla McLean
Thanks: Jonah Ray"

Best line: Pipe wrench fight. 
Bonus: if you click through the link, you will see Youtube has a newfangled widescreen format.
(From Justin, Wilmar)

Helicopter Game

Helicopter Game is an oldie-but-goodie simple computer game. You're a helicopter. Pressing the mouse button makes the 'copter go up, not-pressing it makes it fall down.  Time makes it go forward, and crashing into obstacles makes you lose.

According to one Cammie, "Here's one that took up a good half of my freshman year of college."

Voilá.

(From CamBo)

LIFE photo archive hosted by Google

LIFE photo archive hosted by Google

is a collection of Life magazine photos, some of which haven't ever been published.  According to google:

"Search millions of photographs from the LIFE photo archive, stretching from the 1750s to today. Most were never published and are now available for the first time through the joint work of LIFE and Google."

This single link improves the interweb's image search signal to noise ratio by about 1000 percent. Enjoy!

(From LizC, Digg)

Eddie Izzard on the Second World War

(NSFW with the sound on.) Eddie Izzard on the Second World War is a well-known stand-up routine that explains imperialism and World War II in 8 minutes or so. An oldie but goodie, this is a favorite of history teachers and History Channel buffs everywhere.

Wikipedia accurately describes Eddie's comedy style as "expressed in rambling, whimsical monologue and self-referential pantomime." This particular bit was recorded for the Dressed to Kill video and DVD in 1998, during a performance at the Stage Door Theatre in San Francisco, California. Perhaps a fitting setting, considering next to the hilarity of his comedy, the second thing most people notice about Eddie is his appearance:

"He regularly cross-dresses both on and off stage and makes it clear that cross-dressing is, for him, neither a part of his performance, nor a sexual thing — he simply enjoys wearing make-up and clothing which is traditionally perceived in the West as female-only. He remarks in one of his shows, 'Women wear what they want and so do I.' According to Izzard, 'Most transvestites fancy women.' He dismisses claims that he is a male homosexual, saying he is either a straight transvestite or a 'male lesbian'. He has also described himself as 'a lesbian trapped in a man's body,' but this is not generally taken to mean that he actually identifies as a transgender lesbian.' "

Grade: A+.
(From Wikipedia. )

PSA on Digital Conversion

PSA on Digital Conversion is a humorous Youtube video that explains what you have to do to switch from analog to digital TV in 2009. It's so simple, this grandma can do it.

Actually, it's not simple at all. It's totally complicated. And she can't. And it makes me sad to smirk at old people. Sigh.

Best line: "How many W's?!"

NON-SEQUITUR BONUS:  Flight of the Bumblebee on the marimba! Just as random as it sounds.

(From Metafilter and Clusterflock)

Shift 3

Shift 3 is the latest iteration of the Shift game on Kongregate.  You run around a maze with the right and left arrows, jump using the space bar, and shift to turn things upside down and make spaces into surfaces and surfaces into space.

If it sounds confusing, that's because it's hard to explain but easy to play. Incredibly addictive, and the "surprises" scared the wits out of me.

(From your mom)