YouTube of the Whenever: Warmest wishes for the holidays.

For this installment of YouTube of the Whenever, a little something to warm those cold winter nights and get you into the holiday spirit: a virtual fireplace, complete with Christmas music.

YouTube of the Whenever: The final countdown.

Since I haven't done a YouTube of the Whenever in a while....

After 30 years and 135 missions, the Space Shuttle program is about to come to a close. Yesterday at 11:26 am ET, Space Shuttle Atlantis started its final mission: a 13-day journey to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.

Contrary to what some people believe, this does not mark the end of the USA's space program. It does, however, mark the beginning of a hiatus in American manned spaceflight. In the interim, the Russians will send people to and from the ISS.

I'm going to miss the Space Shuttle; watching it take off (even from South Florida!) was one of the perks of living in Florida. I will, however, be keeping an eye on the various commercial enterprises who are hoping to establish a presence in the final frontier. Things have looked pretty good for them so far.

Godspeed, Atlantis.

YouTube of the Whenever: Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all, and what better way to celebrate with a funny video about Christmas in Merrie Olde England! Enjoy.

YouTube of the Whenever: The Last Days of Soviet Russia: The Reckoning (Part 3)

A great escape, an epic swordfight, and a funny (if thought-provoking) conclusion.

The fall of the Soviet Union can best be explained in two words: human nature. Humans are generally good-natured, but tend to be greedy, lazy slobs. In a perfect world, communism (and other utopian ideals) would work - but ours isn't a perfect world. Democracy and capitalism (with a reasonable degree or regulation) are the governmental and economic systems that best suit a species that values free will. Anything else falls short in some way or another.

YouTube of the Whenever: The Last Days of the Soviet Union: The Reckoning (Part Deux)

As promised, here is Part 2 of of The Last Days of the Soviet Union: The Reckoning. When we last left our hero, he was traveling throughout the Soviet Union, making a documentary. In Part 2, he continues his quest, traveling from Moscow to East Germany (where he barely escapes with his camera), taking a side trek to the Kazakh SSR before finally ending up in Vladivostok. Unfortunately, the KGB have set a trap for him.

Will our hero escape? Stay tuned for Part 3 to find out!

YouTube of the Whenever: The Last Days of Soviet Russia: The Reckoning (Part 1)

Here's a little-known gem from YouTube: a college Economics student's project about the fall of the Soviet Union. In this 3-part movie, a disgruntled nail factory worker (who looks an awful lot like my friend Danny from Pokemon League) obtains a video camera and sets out to make a documentary film exposing the Soviet Union's glaring economic problems. Along the way, he talks to peasants in Ukraine and city-folk in Moscow, who express their complaints candidly. All the while, the KGB is hot on his tail - sorta.

Will our hero succeed in his task, or will the KGB catch him in the act? Stay tuned for Part 2 in a few days!

YouTube Video of the Whenever: Going to the bathroom in space.

Rumor has it that the most commonly asked question at the Kennedy Space Center is: "How do you go to the bathroom in space?" In this YouTube video, Col. Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency explains how. To sum it up: it's all about suction.

Thanks for watching, and be careful the next time you wish upon a shooting star!

YouTube of the Whenever: Dungeons and Dragons, Satan's Game.

Now here's a classic that never gets old: 8-Bit Theater's take on the Dead Alewives' "D&D" skit. It's funny becuse it's sooooo true. Any D&D player's who's anyone has been in a session like this, and anyone who claims otherwise is probably lying through their teeth. The addition of Fighter, Black Mage, and company only makes it funnier.

YouTube of the Week - Pokemon is Satanic. Riiight.

Well, since this particular YouTube video is spreading like wildfire among the geek community, and since this is a Pokemon blog, I simply had to post and comment on it.

It's a short screed (circa 1999-2000) by a televangelist on the evils of Pokemon. Yes, Pokemon. My comments are below the video.



Anyway, the preacher says that Pokemon teaches children how to use magic powers in real life. I wish it did; it would sure make my life a whole lot easier. Trouble is, the powers Pokemon use aren't even magic; they're fully "natural", just like claws, fangs, and venom in the real world. Also, anything in any imaginary world has absolutely no bearing on the real world; anybody who thinks so is either delusional, lying, or possibly both.

Sure, there may be a Devil, and he wants to mess us up real good, but aren't there better (or worse) things out there the Devil can use for his own ends than Pokemon? Gangs, drugs, war...all those cause far more suffering than a video game.

As for children fighting and killing each other over Pokemon cards, it wasn't the cards that made them do it; those children were probably maladjusted to begain with. If it wasn't for Pokemon cards, those exact same children might have fought each other over basketball shoes or leather jackets.

Russian roulette isn't a game, it's just stupid. Gaaaaahhh. X(

The preacher then goes into the same hackneyed tripe about D&D and rock 'n' roll that was old back in the 90's. It wasn't true then; it isn't true now.

Saying some people can't be saved or can't go to Heaven because of the games they play is un-Biblical. Methinks our preacher would do well to re-read the Good Book a few more times, starting with the fourteenth chapter of Romans.

Well, I've said enough. If there's anything I missed ranting about, please make a comment!

YouTube of the Week: Hidden Messages in the Soviet National Anthem

Well, not quite. More like laugh-out-loud misheard lyrics - and visuals to go with them.



Thanks to Dr. Buzzo of www.depletedcranium.com (quite possibly the most irreverent skeptical site out there!) for creating this masterpiece!

Belated YouTube of the Week: Christmas Tree Fire Safety

Well, the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa season is upon us, and many of us are decking the halls and trimming the Christmas tree. In the spirit of the season, I bring you this YouTube video, with some advice from the National Christmas Tree Foundation (yes, Virginia, there is such a thing) on how to keep a live Christmas tree fresh, green, and (most importantly) fire-resistant. Basically, if you treat your live Christmas tree as if it were a giant cut flower, you're OK.



Happy Holidays!

YouTube of the Week: Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Pikachu Balloon

A lot of other blogs seem to have an "X of the Week", so I decided to jump on the bandwagon. Every week, I will (or at least will try to) feature a cool or interesting (and usually family-friendly) YouTube video that most of us might not know about.

Today is Thanksgiving Day, a time for us to thank the deity of our choice - be him Jehovah, Arceus, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster - for all that is good in the world before settling down for an enormous, belly-busting feast. It is also a time for watching football, holiday movies, and, most imprtantly, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Today's YouTube video is that part of the Macy's parade we geeks all wait for: The Pikachu balloon. Enjoy it in all its yellowy goodness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4WkNWYGXC0

(Until I find out how to embed a YouTube video into Blogger, a link will have to do. I apologize.)