Gizmodo: fighting

Light Saber Jousting With Segways

John Mahoney — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:00:00 EDT

Vice TV, going where no other news outlets dare: This time, it's Segway instruction from an NYC weirdo named Itsy, then stage combat light saber lessons with the NYC Jedi Academy in Brooklyn. Then, fight!

I must say the results are kind of unimpressive. Nothing like heading to North Korea. But hey, it's May Fourth. [VBS TV via Gothamist]

Radio Shack Employee Punches Out Customer Over Return

Sean Fallon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:29:06 EDT

If you frequent Radio Shack, here is a tip for you—they take their return policy (or lack thereof) very seriously. Apparently, trying to return something can get you punched in the face.

At least, that's how one Radio Shack employee in Eau Claire Wisconsin handled an irate customer trying to make a return. How the incident played out is unknown, except that the customer asked to speak to a manager and that's when the 52-year old employee's fists started flying. I'm not sure if fistifcuffs are part of store policy, or the pent up frustration of a middle-aged man scraping by as a clerk in an electronics store. Either way, make sure to read the fine print and save the receipt before making a return at Radio Shack. [JSOnline via Fark]

Cat vs. Printer: The War of the Ages

Dan Nosowitz — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT

In round 2 of Cat vs. Printer, we have to raise the electronic fist of the printer in victory. The cat takes (invisible) punch after punch, only striking back rarely and feebly. [via Geekologie]

Current Dangers to American Families: Al Qaeda, The Econopocalypse, and Netflix Queues

Dan Nosowitz — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:00:00 EDT

Renting a movie used to mean a quiet night in with your significant other, or a significant amount of alcohol. But these days, virtual warfare has broken out over Netflix queues, threatening to destroy relationships.

The New York Times did some hard-hitting investigative reporting and found out that women like movies with Hugh Grant and emotions, and men like movies with Samuel L. Jackson and explosions. With couples sharing a Netflix account, suddenly digital sabotage is a viable way to maintain these rigid standards of gender roles. So wifey ordered The English Patient, eh? Just move that down to number 78 in the queue and bump your favorite, Face/Off (starring John Travolta as Nicolas Cage and Nicolas Cage as John Travolta) up to the top. She'll be none the wiser!

But then your wife might discover your treachery, and bump Face/Off for something even less masculine, possibly featuring Sandra Bullock or Kate Hudson. This will not stand!

You can see how this queue-wrestling could turn into outright passive-aggression (aggressive-passion? No, that sounds hot, not hurtful). Luckily Netflix has a way to split an account called Profiles, so you can get an equal dose of shit blowing up and charming handsome actors being handsome and charming. I guess the Times couldn't tell all the sad couples they interviewed about this feature because then they'd all be happy and there'd be no article. [New York Times]

Punching Bag Changes Color Just Like a Video Game Boss

Mark Wilson — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:40:00 EDT

Remember playing something like TMNT arcade, and Bebop and Rocksteady would grow increasingly red, tempting you to throw in quarter after quarter because every moment seemed like the moment they would be defeated? This punching bag works under the same philosophy, though it turns from red to a sickly yellow, as if your opponent is leaking bile or slowly wetting all of their clothing. Also, it lights up where you punch it, making it appear* that you have lightning powers.

* Sorry, your mom wanted us to tell you that you never had lightning powers. Also, she said that you owed her $5 from that time you borrowed money to beat Rocksteady and started crying because your lightning powers weren't helping. [stefangross via boingboing]

Two-Legged Robot Wars: Kung Fu Fighting and Floating Head Smackdowns

Sean Fallon — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:00:02 EST

Who has the strongest two-legged robot in the world? The Robo-One ground championships currently being held in Japan aims to find out. Twenty-five competitors are duking it out in "a spectacle strikes a close resemblance to a real boxing or mixed martial arts match as robots trade jabs, dodge punches and eventually knock out opponents with a crushing blow." Check out the bot with the floating balloon head. It is the cutest death blow ever. [Reuters via Spluch via UberReview]

Japanese Ultimate Fighting Robots League

Jason Chen — Sun, 07 May 2006 13:58:14 EDT

~~Fans~~Nerds of the Robot Fighting League—the one that was on Comedy Central—are proud of their metal creations. But in the end, they're just Roombas with hammers and saws attached.

Our tech-inclined friends over in Japan, however, have taken it to the next step. We've never lost money by overestimating their love of humanoid robots, but this just blew our minds. The Japanese have an actual Ultimate Fighting Robots league where the contestants actually look like robots should.

Unfortunately, the bots are only about a foot tall, but this is a step in the right direction. Kudos, Japan. You're working hard to bring the inevitable Human-Robot Wars upon us that much quicker.

Video

Ultimate Fighting Robots Part 2 [TechEBlog]