Caine's Arcade: Cardboard arcade become a reality, inspiration for those who dare to dream

[Los Angeles Times] "Caine's Arcade" -- a short film about a 9-year-old boy who built an elaborate cardboard arcade in his dad's used auto parts store in East L.A. -- is one of the sweetest videos we've seen all year.

And now it's going viral: The 11-minute video has picked up 1 million views  on Vimeo in just two days, and another 438,000 views  on YouTube.

"Caine is a killer," filmmaker Nirvan Mullick, who directed the video, wrote in a recent tweet. "He has been making thousands of grown men weep at work."

RELATED: Caine's Arcade viral video raises $100k for scholarship fund

The star of the film is 9-year-old Caine, a precocious little boy who spent his summer vacation at his dad's used auto parts shop in East Los Angeles.

To pass the time, Caine -- who loves everything about arcades -- started building his own arcade entirely out of cardboard boxes, eventually taking over almost the whole store, while his dad sold auto parts on eBay in the back.

The first game was a basketball game with a little plastic hoop that he got at Shakey's and taped to a cardboard box. He also made a soccer game with two little plastic green army figures acting as fixed goalies, and he even created a claw machine with an s-hook and a piece of yarn.

Since school started back up, Caine's Arcade is only open on weekends, when Caine gets out his turquoise Caine's Arcade T-shirt that he designed himself. It says "staff" on the front and "Caine's Arcade" on the back.

Caine charges $1 for four turns at the arcade, but for $2 you can get a handmade fun pass that allows you 500 turns for one month.

When you win a game, Caine will climb inside the box and push tickets out a slot. The prizes include his old matchbox cars, silly sunglasses and bubbles.

He also attached calculators to each box, which he uses to verify the validity of the fun passes he sells.

In other words, it's just like a real arcade, except a million times better.

Mullick discovered the homemade arcade when he fortuitously stopped into Caine's dad's auto parts store to get a handle for his '96 Corolla. Smitten with Caine and the arcade, he asked Caine's father, George, if he could make a film about the arcade and the answer was yes.

But the father warned the filmmaker that Caine doesn't get many customers.

"Well, actually, it's kind of like a joke around here because you are his only customer," he says in the film. Well, Mullick changed all that.

In the film, he explains how he decided to create a flashmob of people who would arrive at Caine's Arcade eager to play some games.

He created a Facebook event for the mob, which got posted on Hidden LA, and then got posted on Reddit, and suddenly people from around the world were lamenting that they weren't able to go to Caine's Arcade.

It's worth watching the video to see Caine's reaction to the crowd of people lined up outside of his cardboard arcade, but we suggest you have a box of tissues nearby.

When it was all over, Caine told his dad that it was the best day of his life.

And if this story isn't sweet enough, Mullick set up a scholarship fund for Caine, which has already raised more than $80,000.

WT - Steve Fabes, The Daredevil Doctor, Cycling 6 Continents, 5 Yrs, 50000 Miles

Dr. Stephen Fabes (UK) setting off on his Santos Travelmaster

The Daredevil Doctor from Lou Hamilton on Vimeo.

I've recently joined friends/supporters of Dr. Stephen Fabes (UK) who is cycling 6 continents to investigate professionally and clinically the severe tropical diseases (HIV, AIDS, Malaria, TB) that remain epidemic in developing and undeveloped countries around the world. His bicycle World Tour will cross 6 continents, and he's blogging about it here. This is a brief introduction to the documentary that will be reported back on his WT expedition. Steve's chosen a custom built, Santos Travelmaster. All sounds good for Dr. Steve Fabes, great to see another WT cyclist setting off supporting excellent charities. If your interested in following his expedition, supporting his cause, or offering WT moral support, keep up with him on his 6 continent, 5 year, WT Bicycle Expedition.

Letter to Mike Rosenfield: Short-Notice Charity Cycling Campaigns

Hi Mike,

I'm glad Jenn introduced you. Well, short-notice fund-raising...??? I think you should consider setting up an account with KIVA.ORG - A micro-lending, non-profit organization, then you set out to make a Facebook group and Website about your tour in Japan. I haven't even started the charity fund-raising yet, as I am training for the big ride in 2012 and getting media attention well in advance. Kiva is simple, and you can raise money in Korea with a few poker tournaments or other activities, but on short-notice, it won't be easy. You want the message out there, and you should canvass all your friends and family to make a small donation. Later, when you finish the tour, you can take the funds in the Kiva account, and loan them to various entrepreneurs in developing countries, I think this is your best strategy on short notice! Keep me posted on your cycling and charity campaign, & I wish you an excellent bike journey!!

On the road again, and I can't wait to get out again!

Cycling Daebudo Island, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea - September 2009.

Fueled on raisins. Powerhouse for cyclists!

Spinning recirculates your blood oxygen levels, invigorating your life!

The long and empty roads, the storms approach in the distance, powerlines dot the horizon

Spinning creates energy in an otherwise tired body of bones, tendons, muscles and fat stores

The best weather as two fronts collide, the cool air with the warm, the atmosphere is amazing!Cycling Warrior on a mission to ride out the storm into the night in South Korea

I rarely post a video to Korean-World. Here's one I would like to share with you. While cycling on the recent training rides to Daebudo Island, I picked a day with a mixture of wonderful light rains, gusty winds, and clear skies. Cycling is a lifeline. It is a hobby turning into a mission to travel 1/2 way around the world in 2012, dubbed "One, Arctic to Argentina 2012" Supporting a charity is just as important to me, as cycling itself, so with a charity mission to support, and people behind/ahead of the distance on the bike, I will conquer something before thought to be impossible by many. It really comes down to riding 100km (60 miles) per day, back-to-back, and carrying on a normal life on the road. Perhaps, the look of the person becomes a little rough on the edges, but the spirit becomes more apparent, and the joy can conquer any pain that comes with long-endurance event. I plan to test my meddle, my stamina, my endurance, my will to help others. Can anything really stop me, perhaps only nature or God? But I will ask them to help follow me, and we will team up the entire distance, so you could say I now have powerful allies that can make riding a joy down in my heart. Cycle long, cycle far, enjoy each revolution of life, enjoy your life! ~Brian Bikes.

WT: Letter to Kevin Shannon, Adventure Cyclist for Combat Stress

Kevin Shannon, Adventure Cyclist, Charity Activist with his bicycle [visit Kevin's Expedition Site: here!]

Hey Kev,

I did a follow-up interview with The Korea Times (National English News) for September 2009.

I'm about 7kg lighter now. I've started my Masters & have been studying long and still teaching ESL, so getting the hard bits of cycling in there too, I dropped a lot of weight.

What fuel is recommended for cyclists fueling up [days before the ride]: pasta mixed with raisins, peaches, apples, tuna, tomatoes, etc...[while riding]: throw anything in there that's fresh -amazing raisins, green/red juicy apples, fruits-go nuts on fruit energy, great energy for hard days on the saddle. I experimented with fruit, after meeting my vegetarian friend/cyclist Murray DP in South Korea. Murray is joy to cycle with, a lean/mean machine on the bike, and fueled on vegetarian foods [no meats in this man, except on his bones!].

What did I learn from Murray the Healthy Cycling Guy? I then realized all the bulky fuel snacks (cookies, bars, etc..) was a bunch of garbage holding my legs down like bricks, and not making cycling a pure joy as it should be. So, I switched to fresh fruit & I'm happy to say that this is definitely the fast-track for healthy power-cycling for hours on the saddle.

I'll be bundling up to train through the winter. But shedding the weight by eating right! That's my update from here!

Kevin Shannon is going on a "Zero Emissions Cycling World Odyssey" in support of his chosen charity, Combat Stress, helping traumatized war veterans regain a healthy life after their military duty has ended. You can follow Kevin Shannon's Cycling World Tour by Bicycle here. All the best/safe keeping to Kevin on his quest to bicycle Around the World for Charity.