Author: Tony Markovich

Box truck drops box, box jumps back into truck — twice

This is a story of a box truck and its bouncing baby box. An automatic transporation-focused Twitter bot named @tw_kotsujiko run by @90ntyan posted an amusing video this week of a storage box falling out of a moving truck and bouncing back into the truck's cargo area. What seemed to be a trick or prank of some sort was likely the result of a perfect blend of air flow and pressure that directed the box back to its home. 

Via Jalopnik, the video was filmed on a highway in Asia. The box truck is seen driving with the rear door open and several pieces of cargo inside. Specifically, there appears to be at least three mid-sized boxes made of cardboard or styrofoam. 

At six seconds in, the box falls, hits the pavement, does some flips, and drops right back into the truck. Then it falls off again, bounces again, and perfectly places itself in the corner of the truck, aligned with the other boxes. Despite the opportunity to venture into the great outdoors, the young box simply coudn't muster the will and might to leave the nest. 

The text attached to the video roughly translates to, "certainly there is a Karman vortex behind the truck." A second translated comment reads, "Some people are debating Kármán vortex and slipstream, but they both mean the same phenomenon. The former is the 'vortex' that can be formed behind, the latter often refers to the act of using it." According to NASA, "von Kármán vortices arise when winds are diverted around a blunt, high-profile area," a phenomenon first described by physicist Theodore von Kármán in 1912.

We're not qualified to detail the exact science behind it, but basically the box, which apparently has nothing remotely weighted inside, falls out, is kicked up by one air stream, and is kicked back in by another. *Aaron Paul voice* Yeah, science! 

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Spanish legend Toni Bou does a motorcycle trials ride in his house

Those who know what's good for them, including much of the world population, are staying inside right now. As a result of the spread of the coronavirus and the resulting COVID-19 sickness outbreak, many cities, states and countries are under lockdown orders from various levels of government. It's the perfect time to get creative and find alternative ways to stay busy and self-entertained. For legendary Spanish motorcycle rider Toni Bou, that means doing a trials ride inside the house. 

Asphalt & Rubber came across this fun clip of multiple-time world champion Bou, who A&R calls the greatest of all time, turning his house into an obstacle course. The Repsol Honda Team rider uses what appears to be a Honda Montesa Cota 4RT motorcycle to complete his morning routine. Once he gets up, and puts on what look like Crocs as shoes, he flicks his bike toward the bathroom, and does a wheelie to put the front wheel up on the counter while he brushes his teeth. 

While mostly maintaining an even balance on the motorcycle, he then goes to the closet to get his full riding gear. After taking a ride downstairs in his elevator (none of this would be possible without a sprawling abode), he grabs his espresso and temporarily gets off his bike to build a couple quick obstacles. He uses his kitchen stools as bunny hop props and shows off the incredible control he has with his motorcycle.

Bou then takes his talents outside to use a small walled-in patio for some wall rides and more hops. For his last trick, Bou drives the motorcycle down a set of stairs, including a 180-degree turn, and puts it away on an elevated bike stand in his garage. Pretty amazing stuff. Check out the full video above and enjoy the resulting motorcycle trials YouTube hole you'll inevitably fall into. 

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Nebraska State Patrol reenacts ‘A Christmas Story’ in its vintage ’50s Ford

The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) made news in Summer 2019 when word got out the force was still occasionally using a 1993 Ford Mustang SSP, but that's not even the coolest car in its police family. The NSP also has a fudging cool 1950 Ford Mainline police cruiser. In the spirit of the holidays, some of the officers put the classic on camera and reeancted the flat tire scene from A Christmas Story. It's no 1937 Oldsmobile Six, but it does the job.

When we previously spoke to NSP about the Mustang, we also inquired about the Mainline that was seen in occasional social media posts. While the SSP was still in service, the Mainline was not, and we were told it was not running at that time. Whether or not somebody was able to get it going for this video is unclear, as the opening scene presents a fake driving scenario, but the next scene shows the car rolling to the sound of a fluttering engine. We couldn't get a hold of the NSP this time, but our guess is the movement was the result of a big push, and the sounds were part of the movie magic.

Running car or not, the two-minute clip is pretty cute, if not hilarious. Just like in the movie, four people are "riding" in the car when the tire blows. The father, played by the lieutenant colonel, gets into the pit stop mindset for the tire change. Son Ralphie, played by a trooper in the backseat, comes out to help, but the whole thing blows up when the lugnuts go flying. That's when Ralphie blurts out the infamous curse word. You (should) know how the rest goes.

Below the NSP video is the original clip for comparison. And for another look at the immaculate Mainline, check out State Trooper Plates, which which has a fantastic photo of the cruiser in its former glory.

Watch this GMC pickup crash through a wall into a Florida airport terminal

A man in Florida has been accused of driving his pickup truck through airport grounds and through a wall into the airport's baggage area. It is unclear whether or not the incident was on purpose or an accident, but the shocking scene was captured by numerous cameras and angles. The driver sustained serious injuries but nobody inside the airport was hurt. 

The wild crash happened at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport at about 3 a.m. on December 19, 2019, according to the Herald-Tribune. Reportedly, the 2015 GMC Sierra was seen driving erratically on a nearby highway earlier in the night, but officers were unable to catch the driver. The truck ended up driving through a chain-link fence, down a service road, and through a wall into the airport's main terminal.

As seen in the clips, the truck smashed through the wall and hit a car rental service desk, behind which two people stood. Luckily, the secured desk prevented the truck from hitting the employees, and they escaped without any injuries. The area was mostly empty due to the late hour.

In addition to the damage caused to the building, the truck also hit a luggage conveyor belt. Total damages are estimated to be around $250,000. Read more about the crash on WWSB or the Herald-Tribune.

Ecto-1 is the barn find of a lifetime in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’

Following the women-led "Ghostbusters" reboot in 2016, a completely new chapter in the franchise will be born in 2020. "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" will feature a fresh cast, a modern story and cutting-edge cinematics. Yet, one thing will remain the same: the famous Ecto-1. The first trailer for the upcoming film shows the classic movie car — a highly modified 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Futura Duplex — still has a little gas in the tank, even after sitting in a barn for more than 30 years.

"Afterlife" follows a character played by Finn Wolfhard (Mike from "Stranger Things") as he, his sister and his mom are evicted and move to an inherited farmhouse in Summerville, Oklahoma. The property, previously owned by the kids' grandfather, turns out to be a secret storage facility for all of the old Ghostbusters gear. Grandpa was Dr. Egon Spengler.

The research, the uniforms, the ghost traps and the Ecto-1 are all tucked away and out of sight. Trevor, Wolfhard's character, finds the automotive relic and is able to start the old box of bolts. He and his sister Phoebe are then seen careening the Ecto-1 through a field and testing out the car's gunner seat in town. 

Paul Rudd enters the picture as Mr. Grooberson, a teacher at the kids' school who shows an interest in Phoebe's ghost trap. As somebody who remembers the Manhattan Crossrip well, Grooberson schools the kids on the past and, with them, explores their connection to it all. 

The trailer closes with a Bill Murray quote from the original film: "Call it fate, call it luck, call it karma ... I believe that everything happens for a reason." He, along with Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver, are expected to have some sort of involvement in the new movie, though it's unclear what that will be. We'll find out more next year when "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" opens summer 2020.

P.S. How about that Ford Ranchero GT?

Car jumps 12 dealership vehicles in wild Florida accident

A Florida man can now say he has successfully jumped 12 cars in a Toyota Camry. It wasn't on purpose, but hey, that detail can be left out. According to ABC Action News, the driver reportedly became dizzy before ramping up an embankment and crashing into a nearby dealership. Somehow, nobody was seriously injured. 

Employees and customers at Crystal Ford Lincoln, which is on the west coast of Florida, had one of the shocks of their lives when a white Camry soared through the air, slammed into the parking lot and collided with a few parked cars. At around 1:30 p.m. a driver reportedly felt dizzy while on U.S. Highway 98 and hit an embankment at full speed. His Camry traveled 139 feet in the air and reportedly cleared 12 vehicles, many of which were left with dirt trails spread across their hoods and roofs.

"It was a Christmas miracle, you know, for it to happen with that amount of people and nobody to get hurt seriously," said dealership sales manager Bruce Azevedo. "We had customers that were over here to the right, some customers that were behind me, and some customers also over here to the left. We had 15 to 20 people on the lot at the time."

Four cars were hit by the identified flying object, and damage is estimated to be in the thousands. Watch the crazy moment above and read more at WTOC and ABC.

Bond does a machine-gunning Aston Martin donut in first ‘No Time to Die’ trailer

James Bond doesn't just drive an Aston Martin. He doesn't just do donuts, and he doesn't just shoot machine guns. Double-oh-seven does donuts in an Aston Martin DB5 while Gatling guns pop out of its headlights and snipe his enemies. The stunt is one of the most eye-popping visuals in the first official trailer for the newest film in the Bond franchise, "No Time to Die."

For the last time, a Bond trailer debuts with Daniel Craig as the lead man, and it puts all of the information we've been collecting throughout the past few months into an action-packed 2½-minute clip. The trailer starts exactly how we'd hoped, with a car chase between the DB5, Jaguars, and some motorcycles.

Even before the new footage, Aston Martin detailed exactly which cars we'll see in the new flick. To some degree, the  Valhalla, the  DBS  Superlegerra, the  V8 Vantage, and the DB5 will all make appearances. While the DB5 seems to be Bond's vehicle of choice, the trailer shows newcomer Nomi (played by Lashana Lynch) driving the DBS. In addition to the Range Rover seen flipping in the clip, we also expect to see the new Land Rover Defender in the film. 

As is typical of any Bond story, 007 seems to get caught in a trap, as he navigates his relationship with Léa Seydoux as Madeleine Swann and chasing Rami Malek, the new villain Safin. Here's the synopsis straight from YouTube: 

In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

We also see appearances from Ralph Fiennes as M, Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Jeffrey Wright as Leiter. "No Time to Die" releases April 8, 2020.

World’s first esports racing arena could find a home in Miami

Miami is experiencing a sort of sports venue boom right now. Just a few years ago, the Miami Dolphins unveiled a renovated Hard Rock Stadium, David Beckham is in the process of bringing a new MLS soccer arena to the city (supposedly), and now Millennial Esports says it's building what it claims to be the world's first dedicated esports racing arena in South Beach.

Esports have been exploding in popularity over the past 10 years, but any time there's been a massive event like the Fortnite World Cup or the FIA Gran Turismo Championship, it takes place in a preexisting event space or sports venue. The 2019 League of Legends World Championship, for example, takes place at at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France. Millennial Esports wants to shift that trend.

In partnership with Florida-based racing simulator company Allinsports, Millennial Esports Corporation will build a 12,000-square-foot arena in the Wynwood entertainment district in Miami. For reference, a football field is roughly 57,000 square feet, so it's not huge. Based on the photos, it sort of looks like a live set for a TV show with massive screens up front.

The company plans to use the space for local and global esports racing leagues and competitions as well as general esports events. Furthermore, the building will also serve as a training academy facility for digital drivers. The space will feature 30 racing simulators, and professional drivers will have the option to install full-size simulators. 

Millennial Esports has plans to build numerous dedicated facilities around the globe as the sport and industry continues to expand. The Miami facility is scheduled to open in 2020.

Custom cabinetry gives this Subaru Outback camper cred

Where there's space, there's wood to make it more functional. At least, that seems to be the ethos at customization shop Solid Wood Worx. The Huntington Beach, Calif.-based company has turned vehicles such as the Ram ProMaster, Nissan XTerra, Toyota 4Runner, and Ford F-250 into small, livable mobile homes. The most recent project is a Subaru Outback, which uses a unique series of cabinets to meet a fairly complex checklist of asks. 

Noticed by Motor1, the Outback belongs to an adventurer named Sean who is setting out on a six-month climbing trip. She reached out to Brian, a woodworker and former cabinet builder, at Solid Wood Worx with her vision of the Outback as a sleep-in camper. She wanted a flat place where she and her 80-pound dog could sleep, a slide-out kitchen with stove and fridge, storage for climbing gear, storage for clothes, and a designated space for a water supply. Possibly the biggest ask was an integrated solar panel with a battery and inverter for off-the-grid living. Brian made it all work. 

With the solar panel and spare tire hitched to the Thule roof rack and out of the way, Brian built an interior platform that stretched from the rear hatch to the back of the front seats. Since this eliminated any use of the rear seats, they were taken out. The platform itself has built-in drawers, and the upper portion is split into two functional spaces. The right side has just enough room to fit a small mattress, but Sean looks small, so it should work perfectly. Beneath the bed is the sliding drawer that stows the camp stove. On the left side is a massive amount of storage that doubles as secondary kitchen prep space. On top of that is a small fridge that opens on top like a cooler. 

With the kitchen area in its "out" position, a secondary panel opens up to the space where the spare tire used to be. Inside that, Brian's team fitted the wiring, fuses and equipment for the solar panel's battery storage. For this project, Brian used a 100 amp-hour battery and a 100-watt solar kit from Renogy. That power feeds an inverter, a few USB plugs, and the small fridge.

Looking through the rear passenger door, there are even more storage spaces for things such as clothes, bedding, shoes, and a laptop. The water tank slides in behind the front seat. 

In most of his builds, Brian uses three-quarter-inch nine-ply pine plywood that he gets from Home Depot. It costs roughly $35 for a 4x8 sheet, and each piece weighs about 60 pounds. He says he uses it because it is almost always readily available and because it generally has less marks, a nicer finish, and is more often a straight piece of wood. Other plywoods are also more likely to chip or cut poorly, which is an obvious issue for quality control. For lighter builds or saving space, he occasionally uses five-ply boards.

In some of his videos, Brian even lays out some plans and instructions on how to build your own drawers or start a van build of your own. For more information on this and other cool projects, check out Solid Wood Worx on Instagram or YouTube.

These school bus-themed YouTube tracks are the songs of summer

In two areas of the country, from two completely separate sources, school bus-themed music videos have surfaced on the internet this summer. One, from the official Michigan City Area Schools account, takes a light-hearted approach to the serious topic of stopping for school bus drops and pickups. The other, from a Florida driver named Mr. Jay, remixes "Old Town Road" into a jokey song about life behind the wheel of a school bus. 

A remix of a Lil Nas X remix, "Washboard Road" is titled after a particularly bumpy route in East Pasco County, Florida, that Jay Heilman drives on a regular basis. Heilman says he heard his students singing "Old Town Road," and he freestyled the chorus off the cuff: "I’m gonna take my bus down the washboard road, I’m gonna drive until my mirrors fall off."

Heilman was poking fun at the road, but he says his mirror actually did fall off on two separate occasions. The rest of the song has lyrics about the kids' constant complaining and pedestrian drivers not stopping when his stop sign is out. The full lyrics are written in the description of the video on YouTube.

The second video, which has equally high levels of production value, is all about safety. "Stop Arm," a reference to the collapsible stop sign on school buses, starts with a statistic: "On just one day, April 23, 2019, Michigan City Area Schools bus drivers recorded 38 motorists ignoring their extended stop arms. Please STOP, before you hurt a child. (It's the law)." The sad and frustrating message then goes black and the video transitions into a group of drivers who start singing, "STOP! when the arrrrrrmmmm is ouuuuutttttt" to the tune of the hit song from The Supremes, "Stop in the Name of Love." 

The video pays special emphasis to the part of the law that states both sides of traffic, including oncoming traffic, must stop when a school bus has its stop sign out. We've written about these rules time and time again, but with the school year starting back up, it's never a bad idea to remind the masses. Watch both videos above and below, and please be careful driving around school buses this season.