February 14, 2010 by traveler.

See…not everyone hates the snow! Shanti, the snow leopard in the Akron Zoo, looks like she’s having a great time. A fresh snowfall brings such pure joy (until it gets all slushy and gray).

Check out the video of Shanti playing.

Wish I could enjoy the snow- instead I am nursing a sunburn after spending a little too much time under the Saudi sun. Not quite the same.

Posted in Video, Environment | No Comments »

December 25, 2009 by traveler.

Merry Christmas everybody! Here is a great Christmas nugget closer to my neck of the woods.

Hope you have/had a Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali (I know, it was way back), and/or Ashura.

Posted in World, Weird, Video, Funny | No Comments »

October 11, 2009 by traveler.

Talk about Outta Left Field. I’m not sure where this came from (and I totally missed out on all the predecessors), but you gotta check out this awesome stop-motion video featuring Mr. Bean and Michael Jackson:

If you liked that (and what’s not to like?) there are plenty more. Patrick Boivin even has some ‘interactive’ videos, although they aren’t quite as compelling as the sit-back-n-watch variety. Love this stuff- need more! Good work, PB.

Posted in Comedy, Weird, Art, Video, Toys, Funny | No Comments »

October 7, 2009 by traveler.

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

I was all excited to see Pee Wee Herman’s new stage show. As a kid who grew up with the classic TV series (and movies), I was naturally surprised and excited to see the Pee Wee character the way it was born- live on stage. I will be back in LA around the end of November, and Pee Wee Herman show was high on my list of things-to-do when I’m back.

That was before they decided to cancel all shows and open at a bigger venue in Jan/Feb 2010! What a bummer! No plans to be back in LA around that timeframe, so I might just have to catch up with some DVDs. Not the same!

Kinda dumb to get worked up over Pee Wee Herman, but hey- not many other nostalgia-inducing live stage performances of Saturday morning tv shows these days.

Posted in Gripes, Comedy, Retro, TV | No Comments »

October 6, 2009 by traveler.

The time has come for the final segment of the Cairo/Giza Photologue. When we left off, we were admiring the royal boat used to transport Khufu to his pyramid. I left the boathouse and turned around for a great view of Khufu’s Pyramid.

Looking at this view, I really have an appreciation for how long the Pyramids have been around. They have seen countless clouds passing by, and withstood the ages in excellent condition. The inside has naturally aged well also. Unfortunately you can’t take photos inside, but the climb is worth the near-heart attack. Typically the burial chamber is the only chamber open to the general public, but it is not what I imagined as a kid. I pictured some Indiana Jones type tomb, but of course the Pyramids aren’t like that. As opposed to tombs of ‘commoners’, the Pharoah’s tombs are very sparse. There is no real adornment inside, and no heiroglyphics explaining the Pharoah’s life. Other tombs had extensive inventories of all that the person owned in life, but the Pharoah’s tomb has no such list. The reason is that an inventory would be redundant- the Pharoah owned all of creation.

Heading outside, we pass this great view of Khafre’s Pyramid. The cap is all that remains of the outer layer of the Pyramid. Like Khufu’s Pyramid, most of the finishing stones have eroded over time. Still, I think Khafre’s ‘toupee’ adds character.

Ah, the World-famous Sphinx. It is believed that the Sphinx’s head is actually that of Khafre. The Sphinx lines up with his Pyramid, and it may be his way of trying to top Khufu. The Sphinx is naturally a metaphor for the Pharoah- the human head symbolizes intellect, and the lion’s body symbolizes power. And he’s been working up a powerful hunger lately. It’s true- the Sphinx now gazes longingly at a KFC & Pizza Hut. Gotta thank Yum Brands for bringing a touch of class to a timeless treasure.

Well, time to pack up and head back into Cairo. What a terrific riverfront- especially near sunset. I didn’t see any crocodiles or reed baskets floating in the water, but I guess that’s only natural since Cairo wouldn’t be the Middle East’s most populated city if everyone were being eaten by crocodiles. My childhood imagination never lines up with actual travel experiences ;)

One more picture to add-

Cairo’s streets are notoriously dangerous. After crawling through cramped traffic, we finally reached a nice open stretch of highway. And what else would you see on a highway but a man on a bike skitching a bus? When you’re riding a bicycle in the middle of a busy highway, you need a break every now and then.

The other Egyptian highlight I have to mention is Koshary- If you’re a huge starch fan like me, then don’t miss out on Koshary. Macaroni, spaghetti, rice, lentils, chickpeas, tomato sauce, fried onion, with a garlic oil Da’a sauce? Rice pudding? Heaven?! Abou Tarek is the place to go for authentic, inexpensive Koshary. It’s so good you might find yourself getting a few orders to go. Strangely Abou Tarek’s website is now a GoDaddy parking page, so here are some Flickr images of the restaurant and their Koshary. Yum!

Well, that does it for the Cairo/Giza Photologue- happy travels.

Posted in Photologue, World, Travel, Pics | No Comments »

September 24, 2009 by traveler.

Since the Segway hasn’t injured enough users, Honda has released a motorized, self-balancing unicycle to really amp up the hurt. You know it’s up to the task, because Honda included the balancing skills of their Asimo robot. (Fall 1, Fall 2).

Wow- I can close my eyes and picture all the fractured ankles. If you enjoy laziness and danger, the new U3X is a dream come true.

———
Check back soon for the second part of my Cairo/Giza photologue.

Posted in Tech, Junk, Weird, Video, Toys, Funny, Design, Gear | No Comments »

September 7, 2009 by traveler.

Time for OuttaLeftField’s second photologue- Cairo/Giza, Egypt. The Great Pyramids of Giza were built in 1889 as a centerpiece for the World’s Fair…no, that’s not right. Ah, yes. The Great Pyramids of Giza were built ~ 2500 BC as a resting place for the Pharoahs before their journey into the eternal life. As a kid I was always fascinated with the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and of course the Great Pyramid of Giza is the only original Wonder still standing. Visiting this site makes me feel like an ancient explorer (aside from the pushy crowds and ever-present vendors). It is all worthwhile to see a view fit for a Pharaoh.

Here is a picture from the ‘classic’ angle. Technically this was towards the end of the tour, but it sets the scene quite nicely. While Khafre’s ‘capped’ pyramid appears to be the tallest, it is actually smaller than Khufu’s Great Pyramid (left). Khafre was clever enough to put his on higher ground and using a steeper slope, so his pyramid has the illusion of being tallest. As you pull up to the Great Pyramids complex, you are confronted by the scale of Khufu’s pyramid (aka the Great Pyramid).

This is the largest pyramid, and the only one to have burial chambers above ground. Oddly enough, the other pyramids all have the burial chamber below ground, not actually ‘inside’ the pyramid itself.

Before heading inside the Great Pyramid, we visited some of the smaller tombs in the complex. I learned that VIPs (Pyramid architects, etc) sometimes scored a tomb near the Pharoahs, and they would include an inventory of all they had in life. For instance, they would write all the oxen a person had, all the goats, chickens, etc so that when he/she made it to the afterlife he/she would have all the same things as in the ’short’ life. Heiroglyphics also explained a bit about who the person was, which is handy since I would be very forgetful if I woke up and my brain had been pulled out of my body.

I call this one “Pharoah’s Entourage” but that’s a misnomer. This appears in one of the lesser tombs, and it is a depiction of different stages of the person’s life. It is hard to tell, but they progress from young to old, left to right. Off-camera to the left are the childhood sculptures. From here we move on to another attraction- the fully reconstructed boat buried for Khufu.

The boat is about 80% original. The original ropes are still on display, and it is incredible how well they survived. Egyptologists are not entirely sure, but they believe the boat may have been built for the sole purpose of transporting the Pharoah’s body to his Pyramid. The low deck signifies that this boat was solely for use on the Nile river- the Mediterranean waters would have sunk the boat.

Well, my internet connection is really spotty, so I will have to bring part 2 of the photologue a bit later. Enjoy the pics, and stay tuned for more Pyramids and the famous Sphinx.

Posted in Photologue, World, Travel, Pics | No Comments »

August 23, 2009 by traveler.

Wow- that was a long drought. Sorry for the delay. I am back and better than ever (perhaps) and ready to bring you more. Keep an eye out for my latest Photologue. But first…

Do you like Legos? 80s Videogames? 8-bit Music? No? Well, if you did, you would totally dig this Youtube masterpiece. And it was so easy to make- only 1500 hours of work! What could be easier?

There is so much to love in this video, but I particularly enjoyed the Karate Champ references. If you liked this post, you may enjoy my Lego Mario post. And the 8-bit trip video even included a hint to my next Photologue post. Here’s a clue- it is the scene with the pyramid. Oh wait- that’s a terrible clue. Yes, my Photologue features my trip to the Great Pyramids of Giza. Stay tuned.

Posted in Video, Art, Weird, Toys, Nintendo, Style, Retro, Design, Games | No Comments »

July 18, 2009 by traveler.

What hasn’t yet been said about the King of Pop? MJ has seemingly been on TV more after his passing than during his entire lifetime. It struck me that there was one aspect not entirely explored, however- the worldwide urge to recreate his performances. Browsing Youtube videos yields a TON of tribute videos, and I’ve saved you the trouble of sifting for the golden nuggets. Here’s a small sampling of MJ’s influence- the 23 Best Michael Jackson Youtube Tributes.

MJ around the world-

Thriller- Phillipine prison

Thriller- Sydney Opera House

Thriller- Indian ‘homage’

Billie Jean- Saudi dance (Billie Jean added to unrelated dancing video)

Billie Jean- Yemeni kid

Beat It- Mariachi version

Beat It- Eritrean kid

Dangerous- Chinese kids

Billie Jean- on Britain’s Got Talent

Does the costume make the performer? Here are a few more MJ tributes-

Beat It- Mini Michael Jackson

Smooth Criminal- Mario style

Worst MJ dance EVER (but kinda funny)

Of all MJ’s performances that people love to recreate, Thriller is by far the most popular. There are dozens of Thriller versions on the net. Here are some of the best-

Frame for frame LEGO remake

OU Marching band

Darth Thriller

US Marine

W&M University (new record?!)

‘13 Going On 30′ clip

Enthusiastic 3-year-old Girl

Mario Paint recreation

There is also a meme of Thriller dances at weddings. Here are two of the best matrimonial Thrillers-

Groomsmen Get Down

Entire Wedding Party

No tribute would be complete without a performance from the real deal. Here is Michael himself performing “The Way You Make Me Feel” with Britney Spears. Britney is then at her peak, but is still no match for Michael.

MJ & Britney- The Way You Make Me Feel

Posted in Comedy, Junk, Weird, World, Video, Retro, DJ, Old News, Funny, Music | No Comments »

July 6, 2009 by traveler.

And try to avoid doing this…

(warning- language)

Posted in Weird, Video | No Comments »