I love almost any video that Tom Scott puts out. His latest, from his Tom Scott Plus channel, is fantastic. The teaser: "She's blind. I'm blindfolded. We're going to fly a plane." Check it out!

This new Technology Connections video is great, and has me wanting to buy a new can opener.

I had a general idea about how optical mice work, but I didn't know the specifics. This nicely animated video gives a short, high-level overview of exactly what's happening. It's remarkably well produced.

Here's another terrific Tom Scott video, this time showcasing a shooting range in Switzerland where you shoot over a busy road. The technology behind the electronic targets is pretty neat. One more reason why Switzerland is one of the best places on Earth!

I didn't know this, but Judy Sheindlin (of Judge Judy fame) was interviewed back in 1993 on CBS' 60 Minutes. This interview is what essentially launched her career as a television judge. It's fascinating that her personality on television is essentially the same one she used in New York's family court system. It turns out that she's pretty much herself!

This follow-up video from Technology Connections on dishwasher soap is fascinating (the video is in response to a previous one on dishwasher detergent packs). It's over 45 minutes long, so you'll need to make time for it, but I give it a high recommendation. The previous one is also well worth a watch, though he provides a very quick overview of it in this video.

Here's a fascinating video on the history of the man that started the Chef Boyardee brand. I had no idea!

Tom Scott's YouTube channel is always a delight, but his most recent video on why YouTubers have to declare ads is a real treat. It's long-ish (30 minutes), but I highly recommend it.

I stumbled upon the following museum lecture from 2015 on YouTube, highlighting the carnyx, a Celtic war horn that was used thousands of used ago (and only recently reconstructed!). If you have 45 minutes and an interest in either history or music, I highly recommend watching.

Another great philosophical video from Essential Craftsman. If you know someone of an impressionable age, be sure to share it with them.

I love trains, and I love mechanical automation. This really great video is an intersection between the two, and explains the process used to replace rail on an active railroad. Fascinating stuff!

I was recently (and randomly) recommended the following video on YouTube, in which marbles race in a Formula One format on surprisingly well constructed tracks. This is the first "race" of the 2020 "season," complete with podiums at the end of each race, "yellow-marble" track cautions (at least one occurs in race 2), and a season-long point system for each team.

I cannot stress how ridiculous this all is, but it's oddly satisfying to watch. Also note that the first 60 seconds of each video can be skipped (the video below starts at the 1:00 mark for your convenience).

I watch far more YouTube these days than I do actual television. A series I just started is How to Build a House from the Essential Craftsman channel. In this series (that is still being released, as of this writing), they walk through the entire process of the house building process. From doing due diligence on the lot itself, to getting the building permit; from preparing the concrete forms to actually selecting the type of concrete (who knew there were different types?). I'm only about 15 or so episodes in, but it's been really eye opening in terms of the amount of work that actually goes into building a house.

Each episode teaches you something new, which has been a lot of fun. I recommend this series if you're a fan of This Old House or if you have an interest in how things are made. Here's the first video:

I stumbled on this video over the Christmas break, and I've watched it several times now. Lots of good advice in this video on being more productive, and how working both smarter and harder, is a key to success.