ASYLUM - For all mankind

Argentinian Antarctic cruise ship the Clelia II and its 160 passengers were left at the mercy of what we're calling "massive angry waves of doom" (they might be more accurately described as "rough seas") on Tuesday after its engine conked out.

Things got scary when a 30-foot wave washed over the deck and took out windows on the bridge in 55-mph winds.

The ship was sailing from the Antarctic peninsula back to Argentina through the notoriously rough Drake Passage when it got into trouble.

Video of the Clelia II being tossed around like a dinghy in high waves was filmed from another ship, the National Geographic Explorer, which responded to the Clelia II's distress call and "stopped to monitor the situation" before managing to get a satellite phone over to the stricken vessel.

The ship is currently returning to Argentina under a naval escort, and, luckily, no one on board was hurt. Keep reading for some pretty chilling video that might make you seasick.

Our happy hour fact to amaze your drinking buddies with.

More dogs than cats will be getting a present this Christmas.

A survey of 1,000 pet owners by AP-Petside.com has found that 53 percent plan on buying their furry friend a gift this holiday season. Among dog owners, that percentage is 56, whereas it is only 48 percent for cat owners.

Women are slightly more likely to buy their pet a gift than men, and the percentage of folks buying presents for their animals has increased from 43 percent in 2008, despite the bad economy.

We can't even imagine the hurt on the adorable little faces of the 47 percent of pets who won't be getting anything under the tree this year. Some people are monsters.

Why is Santa so jolly all the time? Sherry? Senility? Or is it something else?

John Toomey the 68-year-old Santa who had been working the holidays at the San Fransisco Macy's since 1991 (until he was fired), might have the answer.

"When I ask the older people who sit on my lap if they have been good, and they say, 'Yes,' I say, 'Gee, that's too bad'," he explained.

"Then, if they ask why Santa is so jolly, I joke that it's because I know where all the naughty boys and girls live," he added. "Everything was going OK until this couple came in. I don't know why they reported me. I don't think I said anything untoward."

The firing whipped up a minor media storm in San Fransisco, and John was back at work as Santa within two weeks and on double the money he was being paid previously. For a video of the suggestive St. Nick, keep reading.

So here's the deal: You're a filthy, stinking rich son of a bitch and you're about to get even richer now that President Obama has agreed not to let your taxes go up. What are you going to do with all that extra dough?

You could give that money to a worthy charity ... and when you're done laughing until you pass out, you could take that money and buy this working replica of the "Tron" light cycle.

Our close, personal friends at Parker Brothers Custom Choppers in Melbourne, Fla., have completed most of their custom-designed light cycle line inspired by the new "Tron: Legacy" movie opening next week. That means the ones that weren't on back order are officially on sale, and the best part is they are completely street legal. You can drive them down any road and make your regular neighbors very confused and your geekier neighbors very jealous.

But it gets better: A video from Parker Brothers' recent test run shows a sneak peek of the bike on display for some kind of Playboy cover shoot. So, either that means we're finally going to get to see "Tron" and "House" star Olivia Wilde naked in a place other than our heads, or millions of disappointed readers will know what it's like to see Jeff Bridges going the full monty.

The bike has two sets of spoke-less wheels, a seat that lets the rider lie forward without looking too uncomfortable and it somehow makes some very sharp turns. These guys could build a 2.0 model that emits a laser trail wall, and it wouldn't faze us. Prepare for amazement in the video below, user.

Our friends at FilmDrunk have the first trailer for "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," which will be the third installment in the "Transformers" live-action franchise.

In an odd twist, the trailer focuses on the Apollo 11 moon landing, and the first moon walk. We see footage of iconic newscaster Walter Cronkite, but none of the film's star, Shia Lebeouf.

The first two "Transformers" movies rode the formula of a popular toy, lots of explosions and Megan Fox's sex appeal to about $1.5 billion in worldwide box-office revenue.

Fox will not be in "Dark of the Moon" -- rumor has it director Michael Bay fired her from the series -- and by now everybody knows that those vehicles will turn into robots, some of which will be good and others evil.

Is this new and unexpected focus on an event that happened more than 40 years ago piquing your excitement for "Transformers 3," which is scheduled for release Fourth of July weekend of 2011? Or is it time to toss the Transformers into the back of the closet with the other old toys?

It's fair to say dudes aren't as accessory-aware as the fairer sex. Whereas women will happily match their shoes to their handbag and agonize for hours over the most suitable necklace-belt-nail polish combination, many men regard a single earring as an unbearably flamboyant indulgence.

This is a mistake. Style-wise, chicks pay attention to the little things -- on you, as well as them.

It may baffle your buds, but thinking a little creatively in your outfit accompaniments will send a complex series of signals to any ladies in the vicinity.

Check out our guide to hooking up via dressing up:

Rolex Daytona Oyster Perpetual Men's Watch Black

Use it to attract: Upwardly mobile ladies

We ain't saying she's a gold digger; we're just saying she's ... unlikely to spend time with a dude who doesn't demonstrate a certain financial clout via his accouterments. There are many reasons to own a Rolex. We're reliably informed they keep excellent time, but the fact remains that wrapping the value of a small family car around your wrist makes a statement to a potential girlfriend. And it isn't that you're a dedicated enthusiast of the horological arts. ($13,450 from Amazon)

It's December, which means it's time for another burst of end-of-the-year "Best of"-lists.

Don't get us wrong, we appreciate the instant nostalgia. However, every time we check out such a compilation, we can't help but wonder, "What about the year's best faceplant?"

Like they can read our mind, our friends at Break.com have just put together a video consisting only of 2010's best faceplants.

Read on to check it out, and make sure you stay to number one, which redefines the faceplant in a horrifying way.

In what was either an earnest interest in science or a desperate grasp for a new way to spend Homeland Security money, President Obama made an appearance on Discovery's "MythBusters" last night to ask hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman to re-test a decidedly old-school method of protecting a city: Archimedes' solar ray.

The tale of a Greek scientist who allegedly set an invading army's naval fleet on fire using the sun and mirrors, this myth had been "busted" on the show twice before. But unlike politicians, mythbusters get third chances.

Was this third time -- featuring considerably more manpower -- a charm? Keep reading to find out and see video of the prez's appearance.

You may remember Christiaan Van Vuuren -- aka the Fully Sick Rapper -- from a piece we put together earlier this year. He's the TB-stricken Aussie who became an Web sensation after bustin' out some serious rhymes in a quarantined hospital room -- where he spent a total of 187 days before being released.

Since his lonesome days spent in medical solitary confinement, he's made massive strides toward raising awareness for tuberculosis. His most recent endeavor includes a truly impressive feat: breaking the world record for the longest rap. Total time? An exhausting nine hours and 20 minutes.

Says Van Vuuren, "I was challenged online by Mother Lemon Bite [a brand of energy drinks in Australia], so I put it out to my own followers on Facebook and Twitter to see what they thought."

After hearing a chorus of positive feedback from supporters, Van Vuuren decided to give this whole cross-country-rapping thing a crack.

Continue on to see videos from Christiaan's massive rap.

We first met Greg, a middle-school teacher from Nashville, Tenn., right before Halloween and marveled at his ability to successfully turn a plain, old pumpkin into a fully carved jack-o'-lantern by shooting it with his trusty Glock

Now he's bringing the firearm fun to Christmas. In his latest video, Greg displays the proper way to chop down that perfect Christmas tree using only a 12-gauge shotgun.

Greg told Asylum the thickness of the tree is a factor in how many shots it takes to "chop" it down, but so is hitting the trunk in the right spot -- something the marksman excels at.

In the video, Greg jokes about selling Christmas trees based on how many bullets are required to free them from the earth.

Read on to check out it and see a bonus video of Greg using his unique methods to open a Christmas gift.