My Z News

When rain pounded parts of California earlier this week, everyone was caught off guard. Extreme drought had become a fact of life for the state’s residents over the past few years, so worrying about excess precipitation was akin to a distant memory. However, thousands of people were left stranded and suffered property damage because of the inclement weather. The situation became especially dire for those who were out on the road when caught in the chaos of the storm. Even though the water was quickly rising, the driver of this Lamborghini Gallardo decided to take a chance in traversing the flooded streets of San Diego. Though the car made it through, it should be noted that driving through high water is incredibly risky. Because the engines of many sports cars are in the rear, the vehicles can be almost completely submerged without significant amounts of water entering the engines’ intake. However, this does not apply to the vast majority of vehicles out there. Also, when a large portion of any vehicle is submerged, it is at risk of being swept away by the water’s current. For smaller cars, all it takes is about 12 inches of rushing water. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/lamborghini-drives-through-flooded-water-street-san-diego-river/

Read More...

Santi Serra has got quite a relationship with his horses. His training method is a little bit … different from most. As he says: “Usually it takes from six months to a year to achieve complete harmony. At the beginning I only attempt communication from the ground, with freedom, then once the harmony has been established, I tame them and ride them. Once the bond becomes solid and the harmony is instant, we move together in freedom, we often go to the sea shore and I ride without saddle and bit. I spend many hours with my horses in the silence and darkness of the night, during which a deep feeling is established between us. My goal is for the horse to feel free even when it is with me, to keep intact its nature and to have fun with me and ensure it is happy.” Whereas most horse training is a bit more concerned with obedience, Santi Serra’s at least from his own perspective, seems to be about establishing a rapport and friendship with the horse. Certainly he expects certain commands to be followed, but he seems to want the horses to “agree” to it rather than obey. It makes for quite the interesting show, for sure, but also quite the … interesting personal life: “We have such a relationship of friendship and love that she is even jealous of me. When I and my girlfriend, Nicole, embrace, she approaches us and stares straight into Nicole’s eyes as if she were a jealous girlfriend.” Read more: http://www.wimp.com/man-horse-acrobatic-skill-relationship/

Read More...

When you go to the theater to watch a show, there’s one thing that’s for certain: the performers will stay onstage. Sure, there are some exceptions, like the iconic chandelier scene in “Phantom of the Opera” or the dazzling acrobatics at a Cirque du Soleil show, but most productions tend to keep the action away from the crowd. Britain’s Got Talent, however, is not “most shows,” and the audience at a recent audition learned that in the most surprising way possible. The audition began just like any other. A man named Nicholas Bryant sat down behind a piano and told the judges that he was going to play them a song. Based on Simon’s reaction, the judges found the idea of a simple song on the piano a little boring. Nicholas wasn’t even going to sing, just play the piano … how cool could that be? Well, you’re about to find out. In what has to be a Britain’s Got Talent first, one man seated behind a piano transforms into an enormous flash mob that’s rocking out to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” Little did the audience know that his fellow musicians were hiding amongst them the entire show! Everyone from horn players to electric guitarists emerge to make Nicholas’s performance absolutely unforgettable. And just wait till you see who’s hiding up in the balcony … Don’t forget to SHARE this surprise performance with your friends and family! H/T: Britain’s Got Talent Read more: http://www.wimp.com/a-surprise-flash-mob-audition-on-britains-got-talent/

Read More...

It’s hard to imagine any snowman-related movie rivaling the classic Frosty the Snowman, but Lily & The Snowman might just have it beat. In only two minutes, this commercial tells a lovely story about a little girl, her snowman, the wonders of childhood, the trials of growing older and the magic of storytelling. Most feature-length films don’t even cover that much! It’s no wonder “Lily & The Snowman” is an advertisement for a movie theater, considering it embodies everything we love about movies and the stories they tell. Our lives get busy and our priorities change, but we should never forget the thrill of getting lost in a great story. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/lily-and-the-snowman-animated-short/

Read More...

There’s no doubt about it, Serena Williams is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. She is on the verge of tying Steffi Graff’s long time record of 22 major championships. She also may win the 2015 Grand Slam, which consists of winning all four major tournaments in one year, with a win at this year’s U.S. Open. For over a decade, Serena and her sister Venus have held a level of dominance in tennis that has rarely been seen in the professional level of any sport. Serena shows no sign of slowing down either. She has won just as many tournaments in 2015 as she has in any point of her career. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/serena-williams-greatest-of-all-time/

Read More...

We’ve seen some pretty amazing skiing videos over the years here at Wimp. Whether it’s incredibly artistic or just a show of raw talent, something about the graceful moves of skiers and pristine natural beauty of the slopes seems to make winter sports an ideal subject for film-making projects. That’s certainly the case for this video from YouTuber Nicolas Vuignier, who came up with an entirely novel way of filming his skiing. It’s not the most high-tech method. The equipment amounts to an iPhone and some string. It’s not the most complex. It’s just a simple film of Nicolas skiing through a run. But this low-tech solution used to capture an ordinary ski run somehow manages to hypnotize all the same. Because when the footage is played back in slow motion, the results end up looking like something straight out of The Matrix. This improvised “bullet time” film-making rig actually took Vuiginier a year to perfect. Getting the phone to stay upright and stable as he swings it around his head must have been quite the challenge, but it paid off in the end. The footage is mesmerizing and quite frankly some of the coolest, most unusual snow-carving we’ve ever seen, and it’s all thanks to a simple-but-well-designed invention. We hope for the sake of everyone that this unique device ends up being marketed. It would make just about any trip down the slopes on anything more interesting and just beautiful to look at it. It certainly spiced up this particular footage. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/centrifuge-iphone-ski-year/

Read More...

Throughout your childhood you were probably told to sit up straight, but what are the actual benefits of having good posture? The folks at TED Ed have put together this fantastic explanation of how your posture impacts every movement your body makes. Yes, every movement. So sit back and listen while Murat Dalkilinç explains how good posture can improve your quality of life. Just don’t slouch while you do it. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/benefits-of-good-posture/

Read More...

We generally try to stay well clear of politics here at Wimp, because we’ve found that people’s passions can sometimes get a little out of hand. That being said, it’s pretty obvious to just about anyone in this country that politics have us divided like never before. The differences between red and blue states (and the voters living in them) seem to grow bigger every single day, while civil discourse is at an all-time low. It’s enough to make you wonder if people can agree on anything anymore! In order to demonstrate that people are still capable of working together, JetBlue decided to try an interesting social experiment on one of their flights recently. All 150 passengers of flight 603 were told that they would be given a free ticket to anywhere that JetBlue flies to. There was just one catch, however – they were all going to the same place, so they needed to come to a unanimous decision. Led by a representative from the company, the passengers then went through a series of votes to determine their location. First up, they chose to fly somewhere international by a pretty overwhelming majority. As one passenger said, “You gotta get out of the country at least once in your life.” Next up, they chose between the various international destinations serviced by JetBlue. The two most popular choices were Costa Rica and Turk and Caicos, which is where the process really intensified for a while as each side tried to convince the other of the merits of their choice. Ultimately, through patient dialogue and a willingness to compromise, they made their decision. H/T: JetBlue Read more: http://www.wimp.com/jet-blue-experiment-strangers-must-make-unanimous-decision-for-free-flight/

Read More...

It’s not easy growing up. You’ve got to navigate the various hazards of life, learning lessons along the way. You’ve got to take care of yourself (though, for a good chunk of your life your parents will pretty much handle it), and sometimes that can mean going through things that may not be immediately pleasant. Getting shots, eating healthy, correcting any deformities – these are a few examples of things that we all have to do not for short-term enjoyment, but for long-term benefits. One of the most dreaded trials kids have to face growing up is getting braces. Having braces is not fun, at all. You have to be super careful about how you eat, you have to always mind your retainer, you sound weird when you talk (sometimes), and of course, you’ve got a face full of metal – it’s not comfortable, and it’s not attractive. Still, you gotta do it if you want good teeth. It may surprise you to learn (it did for me) that humans aren’t the only animals who get braces. Apparently, dogs can also have poorly aligned teeth that require correction. Recently, the story of one such dog took the Internet by storm. This is Molly Moore and her 6-month-old golden retriever, Wesley. They both live in Spring Lake, Michigan, where Molly works at a veterinary clinic owned by her dad, Jim Moore. Wesley is a happy, fluffy, totally adorable pup. Unfortunately, he’s had some teething problems. When he started getting his adult teeth, they were coming in misaligned. The poor little guy couldn’t even close his mouth properly. Poor Wesley was losing weight and stopped playing with his toys. Molly knew something had to be done. Fortunately, Molly’s dad is a specialist in veterinary dentistry who had the solution: dog braces. While he acknowledges that it’s a bit unusual for animals to get braces, it’s not unheard of. Unlike in people, where braces are often more for an aesthetic reason than a functional one, animals get braces for purely functional reasons. Jim says he does maybe four of these procedures a year, but they always help. Wesley was given an anesthetic while his braces were put on. Here he is afterwards, showing off his new smile! “He’s just so cute with them on,” says Molly, adding that he reminds her of herself with braces at age 12. Unlike a lot of us, Wesley won’t have to hide out for long. His braces should only be on for a few more weeks. He’s already a handsome boy, soon he’ll have the perfect smile to go with it! Here’s to you, Wesley! H/T: BuzzFeed | Harborfront Hospital for Animals Read more: http://www.wimp.com/puppy-with-braces-is-melting-hearts-online/

Read More...

Men and women go through eight weeks of intense basic training before joining the United States Air Force. Throughout the process, they learn airmanship, war skills and teamwork, all in preparation for the job ahead. The US Air Force Honor Guard is meant to be the face of that military branch for our country and the world abroad, so they must be the best of the best. But how does one go about testing the composure and discipline of a soldier who’s faced everything? The answer is simpler than you’d think. Never underestimate the power of comedy to make even the most stoic soldiers break. Defending our country is a seriously difficult job, so it’s nice to see the Honor Guard take a moment to break formation and laugh. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/us-air-force-funny-composure-test/

Read More...