Awesome life-like T-Rex costume

 Posted by Amy Breen on 14 April 2011  Modern Life
Apr 142011
 

I absolutely love this video. The costume is so life-like, and it’s really funny to watch the kids get scared, then see them getting bold, only to be scared again. Even though they know it’s fake, it’s obviously hard to separate what they know with what they’re seeing, especially when it roars at them.

The T-Rex made a visit to promote the show Walking with Dinosaurs.

(Via, which was via)

How to write a hit song

 Posted by Amy Breen on 17 February 2011  Music
Feb 172011
 

As told by Dave Grohl! Isn’t he adorable? And so much sweeter when he’s not hopped up on caffeine.

Dec 222010
 

Puns may be the lowest form of humor, but they still make me laugh.  (Sometimes.)

This was one of those times.

Nov 242010
 

Having worked retail for a long, long time, I have a fair number of stories about odd interactions with customers.  Just about anyone who works some sort of customer service position for any length of time does.  We all have our favorites that we tell at parties, or when exchanging war stories with colleagues.

Sometimes these stories are funny, sometimes just odd.  In any case, I love hearing about the strange people others have had to deal with if for no other reason than to reassure myself that the interactions I have had are not that far outside the norm.

That’s why (particularly at this time of year when retail activity is crazy) I like to frequent (The Customer is) Not Always Right

As the holiday season ramps up, I encourage those of you that work in customer service (or used to) to check it out as a form of therapy.  Or to kill time.  Or for a laugh.

All good reasons.

Lego is awesome.

 Posted by T. Keith Edmunds on 23 November 2010  Everything Else
Nov 232010
 

This is a short film, but it is way too good to keep until Friday.  Plus, I’ll probably forget.  My blog postings have been really lacking lately — I blame it on writing a novel and growing a moustache (I will have more to say on this once Movember is done).  They both take a lot of time and energy. 

But I digress.  Here is the awesome Lego film thingy.

Funny!

You know what else is funny?  The webcomic that had a link to this video — that’s how you got it.  You see the connection?   So — funny webcomic:  Dinger.  We have a permanent link just over there, to the left.  Check it out, if you haven’t done so already.

And if you haven’t, why not?  Everything we post here is gold, baby!

Impressions are fun!

 Posted by Amy Breen on 8 November 2010  Everything Else
Nov 082010
 

This is Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon doing their impressions of Michael Caine on their show The Trip, which apparently revolves around the two of them going to different restaurants to do reviews. I want to watch more!

Also, I think Rob Brydon (the first guy) does a much better job.

(via)

Hitler the hipster

 Posted by Grant Hamilton on 15 September 2010  2G1L
Sep 152010
 

Is it socially acceptable to make Nazi jokes now? I mean, as long as we’re making fun of them, can characters like Hitler be somewhat sympathetic (emphasis on the pathetic)?

Here’s a comic about the Beer Hall Putsch, for example.

I don’t know how I feel about this. But I do know I laughed milk out my nose at the twist ending to this comic about the genesis of Mein Kampf. Serious laughter.

(Thanks? Colin)

Cooking … with ’sner

 Posted by Grant Hamilton on 6 September 2010  Everything Else
Sep 062010
 

That’s “Cooking with ’SNER”, as in making food with Old Style Pilsner — the Canadian version of a hipster beer like PBL. Imagine if the Trailer Park Boys had a cable access cooking show.

Check out Episode 2, in which they make a summer SNER snalad for a starter, then finish with ricotta spinach chicken served on rice and a 6 pack of SNER.

Thanks to my cousin Mitch, who sent this on to my uncle Rod, who passed it on to me. He claims we are going to have a Cheeseburger Picnic — ’sner style — next summer. I will be watching my inbox for the e-vite.

Sep 042010
 

One side: Guy with broken heart can’t get over girl who dumped him.

Other side: Girl is terrified by weirdo creepy stalker.

Whitney Avalon is the singer behind this answer song. It’s a little too obvious in places, but funny.

And, if you still haven’t seen the original, Amy posted it weeks ago as “the greatest song ever” and I replied a little later with my critique.

Oh, it has an actual video now, too.

(via tdw)

 

A new school year is just around the corner.  As an educator, I am often preoccupied with making the classroom as inclusive as possible.  I want to help students succeed.

But I have to admit, I may be guilty of being biased against students that just don’t care.

(Warning:  Language NSFW!)

 

By way of explanation, a few points before the video:

1.  I recently watched all the Back to the Future movies.  They are not without their problems, but I love them.

2.  It’s not Friday and this video isn’t really a short film, but I’ve been terrible about posting anything this summer.  Thus, I’m going to call this video a “make-up” for the lack of short film Friday postings.  It’s that good.

3.  Why does everything seem like so much more work in the summer — even fun tasks like posting here on Absurd Intellectual?

I now present “Why ‘Back to the Future’ is Secretly Horrifying” by Cracked.com:

Jun 132010
 

As they said on Buzzfeed, “I am totally OK with the future of advertising being one long Arrested Development reenactment.”

Jun 042010
 

This is the newest addition to my daily blog-check: ShitAmpersand.com

Yes, it’s a posting of the worst examples of typography — as exemplified by the & symbol.

I’m no type designer, but I know enough about type design to know that, when you’re constrained by the limits of x-height and regular descenders, you can bust loose with the ampersand. It’s where all your creativity can really be expressed (that and swashes, but no one really cares about swashes).

Anyway, I have a feeling that typographers express themselves in ampersand designs kind of like drunks — there are happy drunks and there are angry drunks. And there are awesome ampersands and, well, shit ampersands. Like this one:

Gigi: I had Calamari for a starter last night it was very nice. In future that dish will be forever ruined after witnessing this ampersand.

Jun 042010
 

It takes dedication, training and a whole lot of athleticism, but these guys have developed a fantastic new sport I encourage all Absurd Intellectual readers to attempt at least once this summer.

If you do try, I want to see video.

 

I’ve had my share of embarrassing moments — some of them even as a reporter. Mostly, for me, it’s been when a long interview has droned on and on, and I’ve suddenly been caught daydreaming, unsure how the sentence just ended, with someone staring at me, expectantly waiting for an astute followup question.

Oh, there have been a few headline, um, foul-ups. But at least it’s never been like this:

Man, you have to feel for the guy. He’s really trying!

I like that he’s the one who posted this video, too.