Google Pranks HTML5 Users on YouTube

I love this one. HTML5 is a new web standard that Google is pushing for the Internet. One of the on-going projects they have for it is an HTML5 version of YouTube. The project is currently undergoing opt-in trials. You can turn on HTML5 for YouTube here. 

I signed-up for the trials earlier this year. I really haven't felt any difference between viewing videos in Flash and HTML5. That's great news as when HTML5 finally becomes widespread, that's one less buggy plug-in to worry about (i.e. Flash) in your browser. Imagine my surprise when I was viewing a video on YouTube and right clicked it to find a..... "Save Video As" option! That's great! No more using extensions and/or plug-ins for downloading videos on YouTube! 

It's always been an unspoken rule to make downloading videos online just difficult enough so that the average Internet user is unable to do it easily due to copyright issues. So this was really, I thought, a bold feature to have on YouTube. YouTube of all places! The standard example of people harking copyright infringement! Well, imagine my reaction when I clicked on that "Save Video As" option and I got this (click on the link). 

Well, I gotta give whoever is responsible props for it. But still, you break my heart YouTube. You break my heart. 

Sound Sculptures by Zimoun

This is an amazing video. Snatched from Make:

"Zimoun's art makes use of motors and other machine hardware en masse to create some strange and quite elegant installations"

Zimoun : Sound Sculptures & Installations | Compilation Video V1.5 from ZIMOUN VIDEO ARCHIVE on Vimeo.

These are installations I would love to see and hear the artist discuss. Great Stuff.

Darn Kids Pie

I've been playing around with the blog settings this weekend and made some changes. Immediately noticeable is the new template. But the real biggie is that "Kastilyong Buhangin" is now "Pinoy Pie". I'm also no longer on the blogspot address as I've switched over to a custom domain (fancy!). There's no need to update your links as all previous links will automatically redirect here. But it would be nice if you did as it would help my Google PageRank for www.PinoyPie.com. I've been wanting to use Blogger's Custom Domain every since they released it back in January this year. I held back as there were still issues I was waiting for Blogger to resolve before I moved over. This issue in particular:

For those of you who switched their blog*spot blogs to Google's custom domain for blogger, you may have run into some unexpected errors, mainly being only able to publish either directly to your domain (example: mycoolblog.com) or to the "www" address (example: www.mycoolblog.com) but not both. (link to full article)

Well, Blogger hasn't addressed it themselves yet and I got tired of waiting for a fix from them. There were already people out there who came out with quick fixes. This particular one from instabloke helped me. The only drawback was that I had to switch over my domains to GoDaddy.com for it to work. Well, I was planning to do it anyway as there were services in Dotster.com, where I was originally registered, I had to pay for which is free on GoDaddy.

I changed the name to something with a more universal appeal. My old URL address was a mouthful and non-Filipinos find it hard to remember. This one's short and sweet and easier on the fingers to type. Plus, it stays faithful to the unexplainable relationship with pastry of this blog.

So let's get to business. My links of things to blog about have been piling up quite a bit. So I'm gonna dump a bunch of things on 'ya. I'm gonna follow a theme though, you know, just for the sake of having a theme.

Kids Are the Darnedest Things

Yes they are. They don't just say the darnedest things, they are it. I have a lot of respect for the mothers and fathers out there. I'm not sure I can handle kids myself. I like going to visit them and maybe play with them when I do, but I'm really not sure if I can live with them. They should have a petting zoo with kids instead of animals for people like me. Oh, I just realized, I already have such a setup. It's called being an uncle.

We'll start with an old clip from Jay Leno. It's real funny, check it out:



You gotta look at the bright side. At least the kid knows how to call 911. That will come in handy in case of a real emergency, you know, like division.

I gotta say, I sympathize with this kid. I know exactly how she feels. Everybody, meet Little Becky.



And finally, here's a beautiful site you should give a visit: scary.net. It's a collection of beautiful, dark, creepy, and touching animations done by Katy Towell entitled "Childrin R Skary". Watching them is like being told a bedtime story. Her work reminds me of Tim Burton, Neil Gaiman, and Mono. My favorite of the ones I've seen so far is "The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten By Absolutely Everyone (Even The Postman)". Oh yeah, have a tissue handy for this one. Great stuff.

A Happy Find

You know those people who roam beaches carrying metal detectors looking for god-knows-what? They must get real feeling of satisfaction when they actually find something of worth. I had a moment like that this weekend. That wonderful surprise when you find something unexpected and the awe one might feel while examining a newly found treasure.

Enter Happy Slip, an internet rising star. It would have been something if I her found a few months earlier. That would have been a discovery. Now she's already had a featured review in YouTube and is now one of the top subscribed to directors in there. Here's her YouTube Stats as of today:

#14 - Most Subscribed (All Time)
#13 - Most Subscribed (All Time) - Directors
#39 - Most Viewed (All Time) - Directors

She was also featured in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. And if you're wondering why in that paper, well, she's Filipino-American. But the real top indicator when you're already too late in discovering a potential internet star is when they already have their own online store.

You can see all her videos here. Note that she does all the video/audio editing, the writing, and almost all the acting in her videos. Here's my top 3 favorites videos:
- Morning Meest
- Mixed Nuts
- Love At First Sight

Here's one where she talks about herself: HappySlip Vlog #1. So check her out. See her videos, subscribe to her channel, leave comments and tell her I sent you. Maybe I'll get a Happy Slip mug or shirt out of this.

Wow. YouTube just used to mean watching things like these for me (well, still does):

• Professional Sports Brawls - Cause there's nothing like multi-millionaires getting punched in the face.
• Celebrity Hijinks - Cause there's nothing like multi-millionaires embarrassing themselves.
• Bushisms - Cause there's nothing like the most powerful man embarrassing himself.
• Jackass Inspired Stunts - It's educational. Reminds you every time why common sense is important.

I mostly catch videos when they become viral, like the Mentos Experiments and the Will It Blend videos. And then there are those that are just wonderful. These are old ones that have already been featured in other viral sites that they're some of my favorites: