Smartphone app saves victims from muggings

Can your smart phone get you out of a jam? This new app proposes to do just that, offering you one-tap protection aimed at keeping you safe. Called S-O-S Quick Capture, it uses your phone's camera and messaging system to alert others that you're in trouble.

Download the app for under $3, and set up a list of emergency contacts. Then if you ever need to, with one click the app takes a series of pictures that sends the images via text message and email to your emergency contacts, including 911, along with a message that reads, "Emergency! I may need your help right now."

It also sends a geo-location of where you are. This video illustrates:

Facebook foibles

This clever video is intended for those who are tempted to air their dirty laundry on social media. If you know someone who does, pass this along. (We'd all appreciate it!) Follow it up with this post that explains the "Top 10 rules of etiquette for using Facebook responsibly in and around relationships."

S.O.S. for bartenders

A free text messaging system that's now being tested for use in Melbourne, Florida, drinking establishments will allow bar managers to send emergency alerts on their smart phones. Bars throughout the community can sign up and get real-time help with unruly patrons, warn other drinking establishments of a potentially troublesome drinker making the rounds and generally help prevent alcohol-related crimes and accidents.

Designer Clint Hill, community liaison for the Space Coast Tech Council, offered to devise the streamlined communication system for downtown bars using open source software.

"The cool thing about these SMS alerts is that it doesn't matter if you've got a smart phone or a flip phone. You can receive the messages no matter what," he said of the Short Message Service technology. "It's a program that's meant to prevent crime as opposed to just responding to crime."

"Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget"

This music video by Home Free is just pure fun. Watch it and see if it doesn't put a smile on your face.

Champagne taste on a martini budget

Ain't that a kick in the head? Nissan's new TV commercial advertising its Murano automobile uses a remix of a song that became one of cool crooner Dean Martin's biggest hits. Here's the original. Here's the remix. Personally? I like them both. And you?

As blogger "I Love Dino Martin" posted: "And who has Nissan chosen to be the vocal spokesperson for this swingin' 'social car?' Well, likes of course pallies, none other then our Dino croonin' a remix of 'Ain't That A Kick In The Head.' Now likes ain't that the coolest of cool choices?!?!?! Likes there simply ain't anyone more social then our Dino and his charmin' croon is the perfect choice to helps the Nissan pallies win over tons of today's youth to pickin' the Murano."

Yep. Ultra cool. Even while it's sizzlin' hot.

Gone to the birds

An untold number of Surfing Safari columns ago, I posted an item about a murmuration of birds. What? You say you didn't see that? And you're not quite sure what a murmuration is? Well, not to worry. Here's a story about a murmuration of thousands of starlings that formed a graceful syncopated dance in the skies over the Negev desert near Rahat in Israel.

The coolest place in the world to worship

On a remote 6,600 foot mountaintop in Romania, services are offered by priests in a 20-foot-high church made of ice.

From The Blaze: A cross lies on top of a church built entirely from ice blocks cut from a frozen lake before a religious blessing service at the Balea Lac resort in the Fagaras mountains, Romania, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

The 46 x 23-foot Ice Church is constructed each year from chunks of ice architecturally fitted together with a chainsaw and "cement" made of water and snow.

From The Blaze: A Romanian priest prays inside a church built entirely from ice blocks cut from a frozen lake after a blessing religious service at the Balea Lac resort in the Fagaras mountains, Romania, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

It is a replica of an old church in Transylvania and accessible only by cable car. The water is taken from a lake and blessed by priests. Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant clerics hold services there until the snow melts.

From The Blaze: A man shoots video on a mobile phone of Romanian priests inside at church built entirely from ice blocks cut from a frozen lake before a blessing religious service at the Balea Lac resort in the Fagaras mountains, Romania, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. The blessing was performed jointly by priests from all Christian denominations in Romania, and the church, built at an altitude of over 2,000 meters, will host all types of religious events like weddings and baptizing ceremonies as long as the cold weather lasts. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)