Why should cyclos be banned in Saigon?

by Grant Martin on

Anna’s earlier post today about the ban of cyclos, the three wheeled transportation so popular in Vietnam, highlights on an important change taking place in Vietnamese society. Yes, many tourists and visitors enjoy cyclo rides from time to time (I know I’ve taken a few), but this ban will do wonders for the traffic situation in Saigon.

Traffic, you see, is a little difficult in Saigon, largely in part due to the number of motorbikes and poor signaling. The sheer volume of motorbikes in the city is staggering; transferring into the city from Ho Chi Minh airport, I was baffled by the number on the street. So with fewer cyclos taking up precious vehicle space, hopefully traffic can streamline itself into a more efficient pattern.

I took the following video in the middle of a weekday, so traffic is light. During weekends, rush hour or holidays, the number of motorbikes is absurd.

Crazy cross-wind landing caught on video

by Grant Martin on

If you’ve ever been on your final approach during landing and noticed the plane shifting around laterally, you’ve experienced cross-winds. Usually this phenomenon is mitigated by proper runway placement, which is why you’ll usually see runways going in different directions at larger airports. But if the winds shift or if the airport only has one runway, pilots will occasionally be forced to land in a heavy crosswind.

Kent can tell you more, but to cut to the chase, wind blowing on the side of the airplane during landing is not an ideal environment. It makes it really difficult to land. Check out this video of an A320 landing in heavy cross-winds in Hamburg. Scary huh?

“We Are The World” impersonated by the Japanese

by Abha Malpani on

I watched this video 3 times in a row, it is freakishly fantastic. Apparently the song has been #1 on the Japanese pop charts for four centuries. I’m not sure what that means.

Anyway, they’ve really paid attention to every detail of the original 1985 version and I loved seeing all our western stars played by Japanese impersonators; it’s funny, fascinating and endearing at the same time. Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen will make you split into laughter, Tina Turner looks shockingly real and Cyndie Lauper (have ear plugs ready for her bit) is just helium-tastic! Ray Charles will probably not like his Japanese version but Michael Jackson will love his, as Japanese style he almost looks normal. Enjoy!

[Via Giggle Sugar]

“TSA Gangstaz” rap video teaches airport security

by Justin Glow on


There’s no way this video was actually made by the TSA, but if it were, I’d have gained some new respect for them. Unfortunately I don’t think they’re quite this clever (or vulgar, for that matter). Their Myspace page says their record label is “Kanye Southwest Produkshuns.” Also from the Myspace page:

Shit Jacked Recently: 2 AirMac Laptops, Ralph Lauren Chaps Cologne, Nintendo DS Light, 5 bottles of Johnny Walker Blue, Size 13 Nike LeBron James VII kicks, 440 Ounces of bottled water, One Kobe steak, La Mer Skin Cream, Platinum Microphone Medallion, G4 Attack of the Show Sweatshirt, 6 cases Vitamin Water, One Puggle, 5 ounce Dry Idea Cologne…

Genius. (Video is very NSFW!)

I’ll jack your gold-plated pen knife, bitch, and that’s reality, you better lose you pre-9/11 mentality

[Via Boing Boing]

Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full

by Grant Martin on

For any of you aspiring commercial pilots out there, a word of advice: buzzing the tower is not cool. You are not Tom Cruise, and that jumbo jet is not an F-14.

So found out Captain Ian Wilkinson after his employer fired him for making a low pass at Paine Field out in Washington.

Check out the video of the event that triggered the controversy. Not very flashy by airshow standards, but from a “COMMERCIAL PASSENGER SAFETY” standpoint I can see the concern.

Thanks to our friends at Gizmodo and Metlife for the info.