YouTube stuff

[LotusHead]

In the last day or two, I have discoverd www.YouTube.com (mostly from Myspace stuff...)

Behold:

Once you discover youtube.com, you either register or not, and then play with search button.

My first Search engine went like this.

Muppets.

The Muppet Matrix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LDd-9t1BEQ

Muppets lead naturally to a search for Labyrinth (Up there with The Dark Crystal and Meet the Feebles.).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkOQdn-uc2A

Speaking of The Dark Crystal… Damn.
No videos of Moxen.

No Mox either…. (well, worth anything).

Without Moxen… Budget?

Budget yields nothing. Trust me.

Goth! What’s more cool than Goth? (other than cool people…)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpHztg0gceI
This yields funness. One of my 2 Goth Roomates (I was 3rd Gothest, right?) got to share his "Save Card" for PS2 with local n00bs who finally realized that Vacaville is HardCore.   You ain't NOBODY unless you unlock ALL the cool weapons/Scenes/Abilities/Etc of every videogame. Or beat say, Web 8/11 or 8/10 games overall. (I lose count. but Vacaville=HardCore.)

Well, if Goth produced something memorable, why not try something risky? Like Pwn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZaN0kcWWq0

This is what Pwn yields. Somewhere, somehow, somebody got his/her vengeance, and somebody else suffered for it., rueing the day the messed with the first person.

Well, some TMD users might have had fun with what I dug up in the last, say, day.
Others are already savy to this kind of tech.

For the record. I DID search for Black Lotus.... and my results were not worth posting here... but they exists, I guess...

Anyone else want to share a www.YouTube.com excursion?

Edited July 29, 2006:
Shot by LotusHead in Sacramento: Daisy Spot singing Sugar Cane. Don't you wish your town had awesome bands like ours?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CD40LlgjYw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISuLxDjptd0

More Daisy Spot

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4TIDJpq0Zjk"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4TIDJpq0Zjk" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
I don't know if this last bit works. PM me with "It works and is hella cool" or "It doesn't work"

[Kowal]

Who has seen V for Vendetta?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9rzMaAucI4&search=c%20for%20cookie%20vendetta

Also, Jacob linked me to this earlier.  Seems old, but I hadn't seen it yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc9y5ayeeb4&search=george%20washington

[Dozer]

Do a search for "DCLugi" or click this link. That guy has some of the consistently funniest stuff on all of YouTube. I most recommend "Someone tell Sam Jackson he's my bro" and especially the video summary of the ensuing comments that DCLugi made. It sums up every internet user out there.

[Bardo]

A routine search for Sufjan Stevens once turned up this little gem.

[LotusHead]

Do a search for "DCLugi" or click this link. That guy has some of the consistently funniest stuff on all of YouTube. I most recommend "Someone tell Sam Jackson he's my bro" and especially the video summary of the ensuing comments that DCLugi made. It sums up every internet user out there.

I couldn't finish any of the videos. They were too funny!!! lol!

[LotusHead]

I recently bought an "iPod" kinda thing.

I have taken a walk (instead of driving) 3/4 days as of late.

This is extra excercize that wouldn't have normally been done since I own a car and live in Suburan NorCal.

However, iPods can be dangerous, because it is like a BIONIC MAN IMPLANT into your ear because iPods weigh so little and have like no moving parts....

That being said, I will be hit by a car due to involuntairly ButtShaking/DancingInTheStreets while listening to this song on my IPotd.

They are from Brazil.  Home of Sepultura.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7agPOt1XZz8

[Godder]

I know how to save YouTube stuff because some of these are so pricelessly funny, they have to be retained for future amusement, but how does one convert the resulting FLV files to AVI, MPEG or WMV? A free program would be very useful...

[Magi]

I'm pretty sure YouTube is one of the best things ever to come from the internet.

[LotusHead]

I'm pretty sure YouTube is one of the best things ever to come from the internet.

It is only possible because Digital Camera's all have Video Recording possibilities, not to mention modern CellPhone Video Capabilities.

Luckily, I have a Digital Camera with VidCapability (my cellphone sucks, but works).

Someday, TMD will hear LotusHead perform a song on www.YouTube.

EDITED to avoid Spamming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkrSTppq5sA Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange Mix Vid.

More EDITED to avoid Spamming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xadaDPZOO1Q

Even More Editing to avoid even more Spamming:
Magic: The Gathering!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JVewMSPyWc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yA7oTFUPpw

[Bardo]

Not sure if bumping is allowed in this forum... Ah well.

This has been haunting me for the last few days.

[dicemanx]

Not sure if bumping is allowed in this forum... Ah well.

This has been haunting me for the last few days.

Have you seen his other animation?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNu8u_Kpa00

Also conveys an interesting message (based on your interpretation that is). This guy is a genius!

[Shock Wave]

Not sure if bumping is allowed in this forum... Ah well.

This has been haunting me for the last few days.

Have you seen his other animation?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNu8u_Kpa00

Also conveys an interesting message (based on your interpretation that is). This guy is a genius!

They were interesting videos, but I wasn't able to come up with a definitive message. Does anyone have any ideas?

... wait. The Kiwi video finally clicked. I still haven't drawn a conclusion from the Pinata video though. Anyone?

[sean1i0]

Well, my interpretation of the pinata video is a little morbid, but I think that this is the tale of a little girl with schizophrenia who goes nuts and starts murdering people.  The end of the story would then of course be that she is institutionalized...but I digress.  I believe that this video was intended to capture for us how confusing/sane the fall into the depths of insanity can seem for those on the inside looking out.  The girl is obviously mentally disturbed at the very beginning of the short film from her conversation with the doll and then with the pony.  Signs of sickness are further strengthened when we have the scene of the pony "killing" the girl's doll friend; at this point the girl, for the first time, accepts murder; at first it's a shock to her, but then she accepts it for the betterment of her self.  This is a selfish act which prompts entire new lines of thought within her.

It is quite interesting, however, that when the pony is tied up, he is completely unaware of the nature of his plight, even unto the end; this symbolizes the girl's own unawareness of her plight as well as its completion upon the end of this scene.  By the end, she is no longer sure what is real, but decides that the pony did exist and that selfishness can again be fed, where upon she realizes that she is capable of inflicting sweet revenge on those who murdered in the same way that they murdered.  The cannibalism is another way to show the insanity and depravity of her acts and state of mind.

Those are my 2 cents on it, but I firmly believe that there are innumerable ways to interpret this masterpiece.

[Vegeta2711]

That Kiwi thing is the best thing I've seen on YouTube ever and is one of the few things I've seen on the internet (movie/clip wise) that made an impact on me.

Like... to work for what has to be a huge period of time on a dream that most would never even contemplate, let alone attempt. Then to finally gain that dream is touching. The ending left open gives this piece a bit more impact than had the creator chosen to end it with a 'for sure' peace of mind thing.

[nataz]

Jordan: Where did the concept of "Kiwi!" come from? Was it based on something that you experienced? If not, are you able to relate to the story in "Kiwi!" on a personal level?

Dony: "I don't know if this will disappoint, but to be honest I didn't spend much time thinking on this. Kiwi is not based on any personal experiences that I know of yet... at least I know I wasn't reaching into my soul or anything for this story. Who knows, maybe I may relate to this Kiwi someday. Really, I just wanted a story that would allow me to be expressive and play with different emotions like happiness or sadness. I decided on this story, because I wanted to create a character that people will like, and then do something to that character, and see if the audience reacts strongly to it. I think it worked out!"

[ELD]

The ending left open gives this piece a bit more impact than had the creator chosen to end it with a 'for sure' peace of mind thing.

That Kiwi is freaking dead.  There's no question what-so-ever - He went splat.  Saddened the crap out of me.  He could have packed a damn parachute.  It amazes me that some people are in denial about his death.  Makes me wonder what it'd be like to observe reality through their eyes.  Oh, maybe that man isn't a junkie, maybe he just really needs a cup of joe.   

I enjoyed a couple feature videos up now
Love Corner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2xIEXpA3UY

Lasse Gjertson's new video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzqumbhfxRo

[dicemanx]

The kiwi had to die for the message to be clear. That the screen faded to black before impact wasn't to create ambiguity or offer some sense of hope - it was to cement the idea that the "death" was a foregone conclusion even before the actual construction of the forest began. The kiwi's death was not a sad event - it was symbolic of man's sacrifice to achieve his goals and dreams. There is no parachute; no means of circumventing that sacrifice. We all die eventually, but many never live - the kiwi had a choice, and he chose to live.

What's particularly poignant about this short film is the response from those watching it - the sadness they feel reflects the fact that often we don't understand or appreciate the sacrifices some make to achieve their goals. We don't "get" why someone might choose a life of poverty or celibacy, or devote themselves to a particular cause or endeavor even if that means putting their life at risk. That the kiwi was able to achieve his dream in the end was supposed to be the cause for happiness, even if it came at the expense of his life. For it to be truly sad would be for the kiwi to not take the risk and continue "living", but not achieve its dream.

It is a difference between living to exist, or living for your dreams...

[nataz]

Ha, my bad. I actually forgot to put the link with the quote. That quote is from the maker of KIWI! in which he answers a whole bunch of questions, including "does the kiwi die?".

The best part about this film is that you are all reading really deep into it, and are all wrong...and right at the same time. He wanted to express emotion, a connection to the character, and then he wanted to do something to the character to make you feel more emotion. What emotion didn't matter, just that you felt something strongly. On that level it succeeds.

However, it does make it tough to argue the "true" meaning of the work.

link
http://www.isfat.com/happyjunk/kiwi.php

[Vegeta2711]

The ending left open gives this piece a bit more impact than had the creator chosen to end it with a 'for sure' peace of mind thing.

That Kiwi is freaking dead.  There's no question what-so-ever - He went splat.  Saddened the crap out of me.  He could have packed a damn parachute.  It amazes me that some people are in denial about his death.  Makes me wonder what it'd be like to observe reality through their eyes.  Oh, maybe that man isn't a junkie, maybe he just really needs a cup of joe.   

Well yeah, it's obviously implied that the Kiwi dies. It's that it doesn't SHOW it explicitly, that gives it more of an impact than say showing him go splat. That'd of added a cartoony or an overtly 'ugh' moment to it. Once you realized what the Kiwi was trying to do, it's a bit of a given. However, I'm not surprised that a few people would think he lived. He was smart enough to MAKE all of that, people could imagine he set something up to save himself. Some people can't see the piece as an expression of joy.

I do believe the Kiwi dies.
I also believe it would've lost a lot of impact had the piece not faded to black or had it not included the single teardrop.
That's what I was saying. 

For most artistic pieces, I've generally thought less is more. Sometimes a greater impact is caused by a higher amount of thought for the mind to envision. I had already read the 'kiwi' interview thing. But it doesn't mean that much, what the author was working for and what he creates could be completely different, as long as it inspires people on an emotional and thinking level, the 'true purpose' is still one with itself and the eye of the beholder.

[Matt]

There's a small "thud" noise on the black screen. The kiwi has died executing* his dream. This is not really debatable.

The part in "Pony" that most disturbed me was when he bit the head off the doll. That one moment was more horrifying than all the rest, because that is the moment the audience's innocence is lost. It honestly shocked me, and I found myself asking "Did that really just happen?" I was immediately confronted with the empty, Nietzschean abyss, and I couldn't believe the pure cruelty of it. I felt my mind recoil, reflexively telling itself, "Wait, that can't be right, I must have missed something."

That reaction is what made that monent in "Pony" genius.


*This post was constructed using only the finest Corinthian wordplay.

[ELD]

The thud is irrefutable evidence that the kiwi bites it.  There's nothing subtle about it.  I was really hoping for a chute or something, but BAMN! you get the sound of his death.  The noise of impact really leaves me with a sad/sick feeling.  It is similar to a father who works so hard for a promotion that he never sees his kids.  Cat's in the Cradle for those of you who are familiar.  It shows the sacrifices people make to achieve what they think is important, when their perspective is skewed. 

[Bardo]

The feeling of Kiwi's tear at the end is just crushing. The same with his impotent little wings. It makes me want to cry like a little girl just thinking about it. Transcendent fulfillment just before going splat. For a piece of CG animation, it's a remarkably beautiful little piece.


Edit - Just saw "Pony." I this sean1i0 is right on the money. This is a portrait of mental illness. I don't know what else to say about it, but yeah, this would qualify as a "masterpiece" in my book. Stunning.

Edit 2 - The doll's name is symbolic of something. "Tabula." (I think.) Doesn't that mean "clean" (i.e. tabula rasa)?

[Jacob Orlove]

Wikipedia sez:

Tabula rasa (Latin: scraped tablet or clean slate) refers to the epistemological thesis that individual human beings are born with no innate or built-in mental content, in a word, "blank", and that their entire resource of knowledge is built up gradually from their experiences and sensory perceptions of the outside world.

Tabula would be the tablet part, not the clean part.

The kiwi animation was excellent. Easily one of the best animated shorts I've seen. The real sadness to it, though, is not that the kiwi dies (diceman, ELD, and others had great points there), but that he was born unable to fly.

"On Your Mark" by Miyazaki is also top notch (iit's at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6uUnwB6HkQ although you apparently have to sign up and be 18 to watch it, because it has extremely mild violence). The giant aboveground building is a reference to Chernobyl.

[dicemanx]

The kiwi animation was excellent. Easily one of the best animated shorts I've seen. The real sadness to it, though, is not that the kiwi dies (diceman, ELD, and others had great points there), but that he was born unable to fly.

But would you likewise be sad for someone who was born blind or deaf, or without a silver spoon in their mouth, or born into an ethnic minority that is discriminated against, or have to deal with tourettes or asthma or CF early in their childhood? Such individuals don't always see themselves as disadvantaged and don't want to be pitied; instead, they have certain challenges to overcome, but this is true of everyone born on this earth - it's just that we have various "starting points" in life, with some people being "farther ahead" while others "lag behind" (such views being consistent with our skewed perspective). The idea of someone being truly alive involves the notion of overcoming personal challenges or fulfilling personal goals and the resulting happiness it generates regardless of starting point, which often cannot be directly understood or appreciated by others.

To wish that the kiwi could genuinely fly might take away the joy of working towards and achieving that dream, as short-lived as it might have been.

[Jacob Orlove]

It's not pity for the idividuals, but disappointment that the world is imperfect. I'm sad for kiwis in general, not for this specific kiwi (well, not disappointed for real kiwis, but for all the kiwi-representations implied by the short).

[ELD]

The real sadness to it, though, is not that the kiwi dies (diceman, ELD, and others had great points there), but that he was born unable to fly.

The kiwi being born unable to fly really doesn't create any strong  emotions for me at all.  That is just how life is.  I was born unable to fly, and yet I want/get any pity.  I believe the kiwi wished to be something different than what he is.  I feel his issues with self-esteem lead to his early demise.  He was simply unable to accept his natural limitations.  Instead he wanted to be able to fly the same way that other birds do.  This is different than excelling despite our natural limitations. 

People who play wheel chair basketball enjoy sports in spite of their limitations.  Someone acting as the kiwi would not be content with that.  They would have to be able to dunk to feel ok about themselves.  They'd set up a catapult and launch themselves into the air so they could slam dunk the ball just once, even though the 10 foot drop will result in their death.  His obsession was not a healthy or admirable one. 

[Dozer]

That... that was a really sad story. *sniff*

Time to get better! Free Hugs!

Also, if you really are down and need to be cheered up... 1:40 min full of the very contagious laughter of quite a funny child. One of the most popular YouTube vids.

[Shock Wave]

The real sadness to it, though, is not that the kiwi dies (diceman, ELD, and others had great points there), but that he was born unable to fly.

The kiwi being born unable to fly really doesn't create any strong  emotions for me at all.  That is just how life is.  I was born unable to fly, and yet I want/get any pity.  I believe the kiwi wished to be something different than what he is.  I feel his issues with self-esteem lead to his early demise.  He was simply unable to accept his natural limitations.  Instead he wanted to be able to fly the same way that other birds do.  This is different than excelling despite our natural limitations. 

People who play wheel chair basketball enjoy sports in spite of their limitations.  Someone acting as the kiwi would not be content with that.  They would have to be able to dunk to feel ok about themselves.  They'd set up a catapult and launch themselves into the air so they could slam dunk the ball just once, even though the 10 foot drop will result in their death.  His obsession was not a healthy or admirable one. 

I respect all of the above points, which were well stated. This is the message I interpreted: Understand and respect your limitations. However, it's very difficult to say whether or not his choice was an admirable one. There is a fine line in life between being responsibly ambitious and being obsessed with "achievement". Really, what it comes down to is what you're willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals. In the kiwi's situation, it sacrificed a lifetime for a very brief moment of happiness. Was it worth it? It's hard to say. Could the kiwi have experienced the feeling of happiness if it had lived its life in any other way? If not, then I don't believe its death was in vain. I believe everyone, at some point in their life, has an intimate understanding of what makes them happy. Once you know what you want, and you know you can achieve it, it's very difficult to go through life without naturally advancing towards your goals. Human beings live in pursuit of happiness, and those who do not have not yet realized what they want from their lives.

Here's what I've been considering: Is it worth spending a lifetime and paying the ultimate sacrifice to achieve what you perceive to be your dream, or "key to happiness", or is it better to go through life less aggressively and enjoy the pastiche of little miracles that occurs along the way?

Consider: At the end of our lives, we will all bear the burden of self evaluation. When the kiwi is shedding a tear, it's possible that he is thinking, "Wow, am I ever an idiot for committing suicide just to feel the wind through my feathers. It's not even anything special. I wonder what I could have done with my life instead?"

I agree with ELD that we should strive for excellence and pursue our goals, but there comes a point at which the sacrifice involved in achieving our goals is actually greater than the reward of achieving them. It's up to us to draw that line.

[Vegeta2711]

In conclusion, Bo Jackson knows his Tecmo Bowl. (Obvs this is only hilarious if you have a clue what tecmo bowl was)

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

[ELD]

This is one of the better Fan Films I've seen.  It's been out for a while, but it's still solid.  It's not funny, but neither was Kiwi!  Enjoy.

Batman: Dead End
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjp0I_okX0w