Awesome Etc

Check out this vintage rejection letter from journalist Lafcadio Hearn to his paramour; their relationship ended when she sent him a photograph of her in a low-cut dress. Harsh. (Thanks Billy!)

National Geographic offers a fascinating series of videos that showcase young men from Sudan and their cultural observations of America, as they are introduced to it for the first time. (Thanks Tyler!)

A story about a man with a unique job – he’s just like a process server, except he deals with more personal matters. This could be spun off into a short film or a sitcom. Directed by Kosai Sekine.

(NSFW for language) The keen and perceptive “scienticians” in this video here propose a new technology that may bring texting to a standstill: The Phone. Watch, laugh and learn. (Thanks Sean!)

Awww, a rosy-cheeked angel. Surely she can’t be capable of doing anything remotely close to evil. There’s no great twist here, but the troll face at the end is just asking to be turned into a .gif.

YouTube user alkulaib and his friend could only stand in awe as a lazy but colossal sand storm descended upon them. The transition from normal day to silent darkness begins at 2:30.

Protect the things that matter most, courtesy of Aperture Science, as they reveal the consumer edition of their deadly gun-totin’ turret. Guaranteed to fire 65% more bullet per bullet.

Youtuber Vi Hart explains the right way to eat candy buttons, and how to make music with those edible dots in her xkcd inspired clip “How to Eat Candy Buttons Like a Recreational Mathemusician.”

Sir Richard Branson opens up his seemingly limitless checkbook to launch Virgin Oceanic, a project designed to visit the unexplored depths of our seas. He should invite James Cameron along.

Watching a pro football game, you lose perspective on just how fast the players are running relative to one another. Let’s put them up against your average sportscaster for a reality check.

We’ve checked out the mind- and physics-bending juggling and trickery of guys from A Normal Day before. Here, they’ve compiled a bunch of their best tricks into a single, 2-minute reel.

After being rescued from a pile of debris floating off the coast of Japan since the March 11th tsunami, Ban the wonder dog is reunited with her owner – and much tail-wagging did ensue.

Earl seems like a mellow and healthy cat, so imagine our surprise when he resorts to a human gesture we only use when we’re desperate. Come on now, give him… whatever it is that he wants.

A killer and his victim share a special moment as the executioner takes a momentary pause from his murderous ways in this short film by Alfa Primo. At once hilarious and brutal.

L.A.’s just-opened Tempest Freerunning Academy teaches you how to bounce off walls, fly through the air, and perform out-of-this-world acrobatic feats. Plus, you can be Super Parkour Mario.

To celebrate Pixar’s 25th anniversary, YouTuber NkMcdonalds made this montage of memorable scenes and lines from the studio’s movies. Pixar sent him a goodie bag in appreciation of his video.

Ever wondered how they get those model ships into bottles? Watch this video and learn. Julia Morley’s LEGO ship-in-a-bottle build makes our brains hurt. We’d never have the patience to try this.

Nature never really works quite the way you’d expect. Take, for instance, this tenacious bird that incessantly taunts a cat. Of course, things have a way of working out…

Joey the War Horse is a stunningly lifelike puppet made by the Handspring Puppet Company. We’d recommend you watch the whole video, but if you want you can skip to 9:00 to see Joey in action.

(NSFW: Language) This dude found himself completely alone on one of DC’s Metro trains and went a little nuts in his solitude. What would you do if you had the whole subway car to yourself?

A reel-to-reel tape recorder remembers his wife and child as he lies on his death bed, his counter about to reach its limit, in this stop-motion film made by Tom McDermott for his dissertation.

To ensure his dominance at a Pillow Fight Flashmob, Matthew Borgatti built this mighty yet fluffy pillow mace. Matt used a yard of cushion foam and bags of poly-fill to forge his weapon.

Turn down the lights, burn some incense, and let your mind drift as this massive marimba takes you on a musical journey through the woods. A promo for NTT’s odd-looking Touchwood SH-08C phone.