The Most Satisfying Video in the World

[Old Crow]

The title may be a bit of an overstatement--but these video clips are compelling to the point of being almost hypnotic.

[angstlessk]

1. I want that tomato cutting knife

Okay on wth the rest

[Old Crow]

2. Yeah, that's got to be about the sharpest knife I've ever seen.

I think it could slice your finger off and it would be about two seconds before you realized it.

[angstlessk]

3. I did like the taffy, but still want

that knife cutting the tomato

[Old Crow]

4. I'd have to say my favorite...

... was the two robots working together to arrange the 9-volt batteries for packaging: one to assemble them in groups of four, another to orient the groups of four in the same position. Really amazing.

[passiveporcupine]

5. the tree chipper kind of gave me the kribbles

and it seems like a waste of wood too. But certainly a faster way to clean out trees than having the chop them down and limb them.

I loved watching the glass blowing.

[Old Crow]

6. "Kribbles"? LOL

Never heard that word before, but it makes me laugh nonetheless. Is that like "the creeps"?

Yeah, I didn't get good vibes from that tree destroyer. It just seems like such a violent and undignified end for something that took years to grow.

Bonus Question #1: To my mind, one of these clips was an odd-man-out. Can you guess which one?

Bonus Question #2: How would you describe what makes most of these clips (save one; see Bonus Question #1) a set?

[democrank]

7. Terrific!

Love the can crusher

[Old Crow]

8. Glad you liked it!

It took me awhile to realize it, but that can crusher is a Frankenstein machine composed of a car engine's piston and a deli meat slicer.

[democrank]

11. The deli meat slicer was one thing I I loved about it.

"Making do" is a very important part of my life. I`ve seen so many inventions that old timers have cobbed together...little piece from here, little scrap of metal there, some string, couple hooks...and bingo! I absolutely love that.

[lamp_shade]

9. Thanks. That was a kick.

[yuiyoshida]

10. That was odd...

but cool.

[3catwoman3]

12. I have toured the Corning glassworks plant...

...a couple of times. Watching master glass blowers is totally mesmerizing.

May I please have the answers to the bonus questions?

[Old Crow]

13. Bonus Question Answers!

I'm no authority, of course, so if you can improve or expand on these answers, please do.

#1. The video of the ribbon eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita) is the odd-man-out, as it's a video of nature that has no human influence (aside from the videography itself).

#2. To answer the second question, I'll need to borrow a word you just used: What makes most of these videos a set is that they are mesmerizing examples of human ingenuity.

Here are Webster's definitions of two of the key words there:

mesmerize: to hold the attention of (someone) entirely : to interest or amaze (someone) so much that nothing else is seen or noticed

ingenuity: skill or cleverness that allows someone to solve problems, invent things, etc.