Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 143)

In this volume of my Favourite YouTube Videos,  we question our cats, prepare for winter and get a spring in our step.

• First, let's all take a minute to appreciate that cat's don't have thumbs, because cat's are jerks and their thumblessness is really our only defence. Here Simon's Cat reacts to a door being closed, which we all know is bad news in cat world.
• Next, let's take a minute to prepare ourselves for winter (it's coming, I hear) and make sure we have the power of love to stand up to the cold. To help us, Dael Kingsmill tells us about The Snow Queen.
• Finally, let's take a minute to put an upbeat song under our wings to go on and take on what ever comes next. Mr. Smooth McGroove helps us out, with the Secret Garden Theme from Little Big Planet 3.

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 125)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we take a look at the fancy computing of yore, learn to draw bunnies and then figure out how to produce a very successful six season television show.

• First, we start out with some of the history of the Apple Macintosh from Computerphile. The original Mac was definitely a departure from how computers would have been seen up to that point (see the smiley face when it boots), although I would love to take the chance to compare it to the Lisa which Apple was also producing at the time. If you're interested in more Macintosh history, checkout folklore.org which is a collection of stories written by the folks who created the Mac.
• Next, we stop in to learn how to draw a bunny with Simon Tofield of Simon's Cat.
• Finally, Adam Savage takes an hour to talk with Vince Gilligan, just at the end of Breaking Bad. I've never watched Breaking Bad, but I'm always kinda interested in stories of TV production. There are probably spoilers, but it has been more than two weeks since then.

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 114)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we take the day to give our cats the best and worst presents ever.

• First, Simon's Cat meets a spirit of Christmas terror, deals with it appropriately (I think) and then gets a prize! 
• Second, he puts his new found powers to less ... kind purposes.
• Third, he gets hold of the very best cat toy ever!

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 110)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we talk technology and learning, spiders and raindrops.

• First, on SciShow Talk Show, Hank Green talks to Professor Rick Hughes about education and technology. I particularly like the concept of the "Comfortable Consumer vs Competent Creator". I think it's difficult for students in Computer Science to distinguish between the things that are part of the underlying mathematics and logic of computation and the things that are part of the computational structure's people have created. It's also difficult then for students to know when they need to create new things for themselves and when they should use the tools that already exist.
• Next Simon's Cat encounters a spider, and comes out quite a bit better than Simon ... or the spider.
• Finally, Nataly Dawn does a beautiful cover of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." I think the cover is beautiful, but as a Calgarian, I'm a little confused by the song. Usually raindrops are hurled at my face by powerful wind or are snow. Still, this one makes me happy to listen (and makes me think of lemonade). 

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 94)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we face the the distant past, travel and the love we hold for our family and friends.

• First, Bryan Cranston reads Shelley's "Ozymandias". I've never seen Breaking Bad, but I assume it's a pretty nifty ad, but mostly I'm into it because it's Bryan Cranston reading "Ozymandias". Nothing besides remains...
• Next, Simon's Cat encounters the dreaded suitcase.
• Finally, Hank and John celebrate Esther Day 2013.