JTV Link

Some pretty sweet new shenanigans with ball contact on other props. I like it.

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are awesome ice dancers from Canada. They are competing tonight here in Vancouver as top contenders for Olympic gold, and I’m all caught up in the excitement in my hometown.
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The title is descriptive enough. Ball size: 2.25″

Sports Science: “World Record Kick to the Groin”
“How much punishment can the human body withstand? Sports Science explores Combat Ki with the help of Rod Sacharnoski and American Gladiator Justice.”
Brings a whole *new* meaning to Ball Contact.
Warning to our gentlemen readers: Cannot be unseen.

Everyone at the Vulcan wishing you a merry Christmas from “scenic” East Oakland, California. Featuring Brian Thompson and Matt McCorkle of Code RED: Circus Conspiracy, who you may know from a previous post on MoM for their Isolation Hoop Report of January 2009. This is the third video of the series to say happy holidays, made by Noel Yee featured in his Christmas Partner poi video. (more…)

Random Hilarity:
How To Make A Beatbox Puppet

Super-cute clip from VideoJug. 2 great beatboxers explain how to make beatboxing sock puppets.

“Shane sings 5 octaves” from www.notverytalented.com

I found a blog the other day which is basically the opposite of our blog. While we at www.ministryofmanipulation.com troll the internet in search of gems that celebrate the dedication of individuals and amazing skill level on the internet, notverytalented.com is drudging through the leftover bins of the internet to find those especially awful and embarrasing ‘talents’.

From their site:

The world is full of super-talented singers and dancers. Those people have no place here. Who does? The guy screeching his way through George Michael’s “Father Figure” at karaoke, the woman warbling misheard lyrics to R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” (“Let’s pee in the corner/Let’s pee in the spotlight”), the freestyle rapper that’s muttering “uhn” and “er” – but still no words yet – around the 1:02 mark, the dancer that looks more like he’s having a seizure than either popping and/or locking.

So what makes for a good bad talent video? Ask yourself these questions: Is the person a legitimately bad singer or dancer? Does watching them make you laugh (and not just texting an LOL to your friend kinda laugh, but an actual laugh out loud in the middle of a staff meeting, warranting a stern look from your boss kinda laugh)? Does the person think he/she is, in fact, very talented? If the answers to these questions is a resounding yes, then welcome home.

Perhaps I should head over there and suggest they watch the amazing Ken Create promo. “Try it! I think you’ll like it!”

This remote controlled bowling ball brings us all one step close to the point when we no longer need to practice. Muhahahahahaaaaaa!
More info on popular mechanics

The Firecrackers are a performance jump rope team made up of talented 4th-8th graders from the Kings Local School District in Ohio. Coached by Lynn Kelley, they perform at venues across the country. Some notable past performances have been at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a Presidential Inauguration and an appearance on The David Letterman Show.

Seen here performing for the US Naval Academy.

Another amazing diabolo video from the young Finnish kids who made ‘Tricka Technology”

William Lamson is a unique Brooklyn-based artist who works in the mediums of video, photography, performance and sculpture.

William Lamson’s work involves intervening with natural and cultural forces to explore ideas of power, control, and human agency. Through the use of homemade props and low-tech devices he engages directly with these forces as a performer, or by passively allowing his constructions to function on their own. Although his performances often involve struggle, and the devices appear to work effortlessly, in both systems chance and inevitability become dominant factors. In each case, his work documents a subtle transformation, a collaboration between forces that are usually unseen or unconsidered and his agency as an artist.

I first came across his work in the (awesome!) pinhead and balloons video featured on MilkandCookies.com, but the blog has been quiet recently (ever since that bad-ass Komei Aoki video last week!) and I thought that his ‘emerge’ video would fit in nicely. Npr.org has a nice writeup of his work, including a neat multi-balloon on ladder popping trick video at the end

Kentaro Kobayashi performs an interactive projection piece.
Thanks to Pich for the link (Kentaro is his new hero, apparently!)