The Monday OT: George Carlin on soft language

Why George Carlin? This is why:

George Carlin at the peak of his considerable powers, taped in 1990 but daisy-fresh 30 years later. There are many highlights to choose from, but perhaps the moment when he harks the phrase "shell shock" back to the fate of Vietnam vets is when his genius shines brightest. If you've never seen this before, take 9:26 out and make your day better. If you've seen it before you won't be able to resist. Only a little swearing and mostly done elegantly. Youtube here.

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The Friday OT: Fatboy Slim; Praise you

For the girl who aced her exams.



Youtube here, and a fun video winner of wonderful stupidity it is.

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The Friday OT: Bad Bunny; Yo perreo sola (I twerk alone)

You might know Bad Bunny for showing up in the Superbowl halftime show this year, down here we know him as the biggest star in 2020's music universe. This track/video is the mega hit of LatAm lockdown, he's taken the generic and normally rather samey reggaeton genre and got creative, whipsmart lyrics and unafraid to push all limits (and offend anyone listening who wants to be offended, a key ingredient).

No surprise he sings about sex, but the vid isn't X-rated and is the best this year, any language. LatAm needs Bad Bunny, IKN approves. Youtube here.

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The Real Friday OT: Angela Gheorghiu - Ebben? Ne andrò lontana

Main man RH sent this over because he thought it matches the week well. He's right. Do not listen to this for the first time while operating a moving vehicle or heavy machinery, it can cause involuntary shaking.

Do listen to this if you're the person who often laughed at all that warbling opera shtick but also kind of wondered what so many people saw in it, because here you get a full-on straight shot in just 3:41. For the record, what people like about opera is how it blows their freaking socks off on a regular basis. From 'La Wally', the Youtube is here.

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The Friday OT: Chopin piano sonata N°2 (Opus 35), 3rd movement

Not so many people know that Chopin wrote one of the most famous melodies in the world, even fewer have heard the whole of the movement and it's worth giving it a whirl. Once you are past the initial reaction and listen not only to the parts you know but also where Chopin takes the piece, it shows its solemn beauty. It's easier to understand why it has become so popular a piece:

The late great Arthur Rubinstein does the honours in the youtube here. Dedicated to those of you long silver on margin.

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The Friday OT: Gregory Esayan; Healer (elypsis remix)

The hi-res Spotify version I downloaded last week is a full scale six minute hallucinatory drug trip without having to ingest a thing. No downer afterwards either, you'll feel great all day:



You get this Youtube version, consider it a gateway drug.

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Video: Mountain Fever -Crisis on a Mountaineering Expedition

This short film is a dramatization of what could happen on a mountaineering expedition into the high places of the world. It begins with one climber joining his mates in their tent to inform them that one of the other members of the team has gone missing. From there, things escalate quickly. You'll have to watch all the way to the end to get the full effect, but it is worth the pay off.

 Mountain Fever from Kabakon Film & Medien on Vimeo.

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Video: How Snowshoes Are Made

Here's a fascinating short video for the gear nerds amongst us. It takes us to the MSR manufacturing center in Seattle, Washington where we learn how the company puts together its iconic line of snowshoes – most notably the excellent Lightning Ascent snowshoe. For anyone who has ever wondered how your favorite gear is built, this video is for you. You might just be surprised by how much thought and care goes into assembling these products. Check it out below.

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Video: How to Ski Steeps by REI

Our friends from REI are back today with another "How to" video. This time out, they share some tips on how to effectively and efficiently ski steep slopes. Here, we get a look at the basic skills needed to take on these challenges, helping beginner skiers to master the techniques to help them not only get down safely, but have a great time doing it. And if you like this clip, the team has also put together a second video on how to ski moguls too.

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Video: How a Drone Helps One Veteran Deal with PTSD

Most of the time we see a drone as a tool that helps us capture amazing photos and video from the air or for use in some other job. But, they can simply be fun to fly too, which is what David Daly discovered. As a combat veteran, Daly has struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for years, although he has learned to keep the symptoms at bay by taking his DJI drone for flight on a regular basis. His story is a fascinating one and another indicator that drones can play a number of roles in our lives.

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Video: Get a Whale's Eye View of the Antarctic

The Minke Whale is one of the least studied and understood species in the whale family and in an effort to get to know them better, researchers recently attached a camera to one of the creatures as it swam in the waters of the Southern Ocean. The video below gives us a whale's eye view of the Antarctic, providing a brief glimpse into the Minke's world.

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Video: Six-Year Old Surfer Shows Us All How It's Done!

Monday's often have a way of humbling us. It's the start of a new week, and things don't always go our way. I don't mean to pile on if you're having one of those days, but this video is just too great not to share. It features a six-year old surfer by the name of Quincy Symonds, aka "the Flying Squirrel." Quincy started surfing at the age of four, and now looks like a natural. In fact, she's probably better than most of us watching this short film about her adventures. This just might be the cutest thing you see all week. Enjoy!

A small surfer makes big waves from ABC Open on Vimeo.

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Video: Kilian Jornet's Path to Everest

Last spring, mountain runner Kilian Jornet completed his Summits of My Life project by reaching the top of Mt. Everest not once, but twice. Now, a documentary film about that expedition is about to be released and we have the teaser trailer for it below. That's really all the set-up you need. Can't wait to watch the full film.

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Video: How to Run 100 Miles

For most people, the thought of running a hundred miles sounds absolutely ludicrous. For others of us, it is something we'd love to aspire to. This video is for the second group of people. It features Brendan Leonard of Semi-Rad fame as he prepares for, and eventually takes part in, the 102.9-mile (165 km) Run Rabbit Run ultra in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. For anyone who has ever dreamed of becoming an ultra-runner, this video is both eye opening and inspiring at the same time.

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Video: How to Ski Powder

After providing a series of excellent short videos on how to care for our outdoor gear, REI returns with a new clip that offers tips on skiing soft powder. You would think that this wouldn't necessarily be all that tough, but the change in conditions can be hard to shift to if you don't have much experience in fresh snow. This video will offer some suggestions on how to handle the change. It doesn't offer much advice on where to find said powder this year, as it has been in short supply in some areas.

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Video: Speedflying on a Mountain Bike

We've seen speedflying in multiple videos before, but usually it involves a skier floating down the mountain with a parasail attached to his or her back. In the case of this video, it appears that professional mountain biker Kilian Bron is taking the sport to the next level by speedflying on a mountain bike instead. He catches a lift from good friend Eliot Nochez, who helps him drift down the mountain, before eventually dropping him off on solid ground. In the process, it looks like a new adventure sport is born.

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Video: Iceland in Winter

This video was shot as part of a travel photography workshop that was conducted in Iceland in the winter. As you would expect, it features some of the amazing landscapes that the country has become so well known for. When you have places like this to shoot, it's hard to take a bad photo, and the video is simply spectacular too.

Iceland Photo Tours - Winter Image Spot from Dennis Schmelz on Vimeo.
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Video: Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey Trailer

In 2017, the outdoor and climbing community lost a true icon when Fred Beckey passed away. For many, Beckey was the first "dirtbag" climber, living out of his van and traveling from place to place just so he could keep pursuing the sport he loved. Now, he is the subject of a new documentary called Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey, which is making the rounds on the adventure film circuit now.  Below, we have the official trailer for the film, which should give you an indication of what it is about. For some, it will no doubt be an introduction to the man who left a lasting legacy on climbing, for others it is a reminder of what made Fred so great.

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Video: All-Star Team of Antarctic Climbers Share Story on CBS This Morning

It is always great to see mountaineering and exploration get some mainstream press in this day and age. In this case, it comes from the television show CBS This Morning, which recently shared video footage from an expedition that we covered way back in December in which Alex Honnold, Cedar Wright, Conrad Anker, and a host of other great climbers traveled to the Antarctic to take on a group of challenging peaks. Those three men were on set to talk about their adventure and you can watch the interview in the video below.

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Video: A Misty Mountaintop Wedding

A fire lookout tower on top of a mountain in the state of Washington isn't usually the place where you'd expect a wedding to be held. But that is exactly where Devin and Brendan Cleary exchanged their vows. In this video, you'll join the couple on their special day, which looks like it was an amazing experience. There is apparently a trend towards "adventure weddings" that some couples are choosing to pursue, and this is an example of just such an outing. It is certainly a memorable way to tie the knot.

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