(via reddit)
Monday, December 15, 2025
Ríu Chíu
The Monkees may have been a musical group manufactured for TV, but they were all talented musicians. Here they sing the 16th century Spanish Christmas carol "Ríu Chíu" a cappella on their 1967 Christmas episode. That performance was broadcast live, and the song went over so well that they had to record it later to include in their compilation albums. (via Metafilter)
Red Baron vs. White Death
Nice Peter and Epic LLOYD of Epic Rap Battles of History only release a new video maybe once or twice a year now, but they put a lot of thought into each one. Not only is this one clever, it's so fast-paced that you'll need to see it more than once to reap all the highly-accurate historical details in the rap, and then again to catch all the visual details. It pits two of the world's most renowned warriors against each other.
Simo Häyhä was a Finnish farmer and sniper who racked up more than 500 kills in the Winter War of 1938. He became known to the Russians as the White Death. You don't know dread until the snow begins speaking Finnish. Baron Manfred von Richthofen was a German flying ace credited with 80 air battle victories in World War I. And they can both throw flyting words.
The Red Baron has a lasting reputation that allows them include references to pizza, Snoopy, and Meet the Fokkers. Finnish commenters helpfully explained a few terms used here. "Sisu" is a Finnish term for determination, grit, and courage. "Paskapää" means shithead. This video contains NSFW language. (via Boing Boing)
70 People from 70 Countries Imitate Americans
Condé Nast Traveler asked folks from other countries to show what an American is like. They pulled up US slang, put on their best American accent, and planted a big smile on their faces, because we're known for that. Taken all together, they seem to have the same stereotype of what an American is like. Did they get that from tourists, or from the movies? I would guess movies. Mean Girls, to be specific. The woman from South Africa talking about Texas is my favorite. Or maybe Japan, when she just imitated us eating. (via Tastefully Offensive)
Sunday, December 14, 2025
A Jackson 5 Hanukkah
Y-Studs is a Jewish a cappella group that remakes familiar pop songs into celebrations of Jewish life and holidays. Their new song for Hanukkah 2025 is a medley of Jonas Brothers songs. It's a nice performance, but sadly I did not recognize any of the tunes, because I am an old lady. But I looked into their catalog, and their Hanukkah song from last year is right up my alley.
If you liked that, you can revisit other Y-Studs songs I've posted before.
Bearded Dragon Overcomes the Odds
Valerie Musser knows bearded dragons- she has five of them! She sometimes dresses them up and poses them in miniature kitchen scenes for fun, as you can see at Instagram.
Winny came as a rescue when she was abandoned in front of a pet shop. She may have been considered a defective dragon, as a veterinary workup determined she has muscular dystrophy. Not only that, but Winny was malnourished and full of eggs! Would she survive long enough to lay those eggs? Good food and loving care in her new home helped, but Musser still kept her fingers crossed. And Winny came through like a champ!
Even though all the bearded dragons are treated like royalty, Musser has made extra accommodations for Winny's health. At Facebook, you can see how a bath mat helps her walk without sliding, and an improvised vibrating device helps her digestion. Winny has found the perfect family and is living each day to the fullest.
Air Force One Press Conference
In the opening skit for last night's Saturday Night Live, the president addresses various topics in the news to journalists while flying on Air Force One, making as much sense a usual. He only insults one woman journalists because she's the only one there.
Dropping a GoPro Down a Well
Mathany Green House is a sustainable off-the-grid home in upstate New York. When their well was installed, they sent a GoPro camera down into the newly-drilled well because the driller said there were limestone caves down there. As the rope is fed, you see what the inside of a modern day drilled well looks like. Then all you can think is "How deep is this well?"
It's 120 feet deep. Or maybe more, but that's as far as the camera went down. Most of it is under water. They either reached the bottom, ran out of rope, or gave up when the light was gone. The caves were reported to be at 110 feet, but we can't see anything that far down. Still, the video is mesmerizing as it plunges further and further into the depths. The ride might be a little claustrophobic if you are so inclined, but you can pretend you're traveling through a wormhole into another dimension, if that helps. (via Geekologie)
Saturday, December 13, 2025
The Prince of Egypt
The Prince of Egypt is a 1998 animated film about Moses from Dreamworks. The story follows the account of Moses' life from the book of Exodus from his adoption in infancy to his receiving of the Ten Commandments. The movie is notable for its lovely visuals and memorable songs. The biggest was "When You Believe" which won an Oscar, but my personal favorite is "Through Heaven's Eyes."
Dick Van Dyke Turns 100 Years Old
Happy Birthday, Dick! Actor, comedian, singer, and dancer Dick Van Dyke was born on December 13, 1925. Van Dyke became famous for this performance in the 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie, for which he won a Tony Award. That got him the starring role in The Dick Van Dyke Show from 1961 to '66 -and three Emmy Awards. He was cast in the 1964 movie Mary Poppins, which garnered him a Grammy Award for his performance on the movie's soundtrack album. He's been working steadily ever since.
Other notable facts from Van Dyke's life include how he dropped out of high school to join the military as a pilot during World War II. He was rejected by the Army Air Force for being underweight until they accepted him as an entertainer. Van Dyke also wrote several books, including one for children based on his experience as a Sunday school teacher. There are other lesser-known facts about Dick Van Dyke's life and career you can read about here.
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