(via Bits and Pieces)
Tuesday, December 03, 2024
Does Earth Exist in the Star Wars Universe?
Where does the Star Wars universe end and where does our familiar world begin? The simple answer is Disney World, but that's not satisfying at all. We are told that the events of Star Wars take place long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, so the light (and/or video signals of some sort) from that galaxy might just now be reaching us here on earth. But that's just one theory. The real question is: just how realistic do we want Star Wars to be?
The Art Of Storytelling explains some of requirements of a shared universe, and how some similarities between that fantasy world and our own can be tolerated while others cannot. Egregious errors in Star Wars stories make it difficult to fantasize about the reality of that galaxy so far, far away. For those who like to think that the events of Star Wars could be real, those errors can induce rage. And outside of the political realm, no one feels rage like an avid Star Wars fan. (via Laughing Squid)
Senator Beauregard Claghorn
Andrew Gelman sorts things into categories. One of his categories is called "Foghorn Leghorn," defined as a parody that is more famous than the original. Many of the old Warners Brothers cartoons fall into this category, as they parodied stars, slang, and news of the day which are passé, while the cartoons live on. But why Foghorn Leghorn? The Warner Brothers rooster was a parody of Senator Beauregard Claghorn, a radio character on The Fred Allen Show played by Kenny Delmar.
Claghorn had an unshakable obsession with the South, and would proudly voice his disdain for the North in humorous ways. For instance, the Senator refused to ever wear a "Union suit" or drive through the Lincoln Tunnel when he visited New York City, and he claimed to drink only out of Dixie cups. The Senator even rebuked Allen for saying the word "no" in his presence, saying "N-O.. That's North abbreviated!!"Delmar, as Claghorn, starred in the 1947 movie It's a Joke, Son! which featured the above clip. The entire movie is available at YouTube. Later in his career, Delmar found that Warner Brothers had copyrighted Foghorn Leghorn, and he had to get their permission to perform as his Claghorn character. (via Metafilter)
Monday, December 02, 2024
Tango
I've never watched the show Dancing with the Stars, but the algorithm sent me this intriguing video from the show's recent season finale. Mark Ballas and Derek Hough show us how the original Argentine tango is done. When the dance was developed in the 19th century, it was done by two men. An article at E News says it was because men "outnumbered women in their communities at the time." Commenters at YouTube are a bit more forthright and tell us that women just weren't welcome at community events, which makes more sense.
Ballas and Hough are the same size and have the same high skill level, so they look like mirror images while dancing. And their technical perfection doesn't interfere with the emotional power of the dance. The two have known each other since they were 12 and had the same dance teacher, so their synchronicity shouldn't be surprising.
Learning to Drive
I wish these stickers were available when I was learning to drive. We had one that wasn't as funny when I taught my kids to drive, but they didn't cry, because they had automatic transmissions. (via reddit)
Peace Song
"Peace Song" by Fat Dog is a pretty good song, but the video is amazing. The main character draws attention for his appearance, which get stranger throughout the story. But what he does and everyone's reaction is the real story. (via Everlasting Blort)
Fitting In
Why fit in when you can break down barriers? This comic is from Oz the Terrible. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
The Real Story Behind the Dog that Climbed a Pyramid
About a month ago, you may have seen a viral video of a dog atop the Great Pyramid of Egypt. It was an amazing moment, and people wondered how the dog got up there and why, and worried about how he could get down. The video left everyone with the wrong impression, but not in the ways that you'd expect.
No, the dog atop the pyramid is not faked. His name is Apollo. He is a stray, but Apollo is famous among the locals in Giza for pulling this stunt anytime he pleases. He climbed down from the heights on his own just fine. And it's not the Great Pyramid; it's the Pyramid of Khafre, the second largest pyramid in Giza at 448 feet tall. Also, the paraglider you see in a selfie shot is not the paraglider who took the footage. The man you see added himself before he posted the video to Instagram.
Still, Apollo is a real canine climber. Read his story and the facts behind the viral video at the New York Times. (via Nag on the Lake) https://nagonthelake.blogspot.com/
Miss Cellania's Links
The No Shave November Guys Unveil Their 2024 Christmas Portrait.
Exploitation, Fame, and Tragedy: The Story of Violet and Daisy Hilton. (via Strange Company)
The Godzilla Humidifier. (via Everlasting Blort)
Allee Willis may be the most influential artist you've never heard of. She wrote diverse songs that sold over 60 million records.
Let’s Talk About the Bidet, the Bathroom’s Best-Kept Secret.
56 Really Dumb Things People Said.
New Jersey “19th century” “eclecticism.” A rather bad case of a McMansion gone wrong.
The best holiday gift: cash. (via Fark)
Stairway to Heaven -The Beatnix
The Beatnix were a Beatles tribute band from Australia. The performance is from the TV show The Money Or The Gun, but I'm not sure how old it is.
Morning Concerto
(Thanks, WTM!)This is what I came to the internet for pic.twitter.com/boSh3XZCkq
— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) November 27, 2024
Sunday, December 01, 2024
Duck Amuck
Duck Amok is a classic Merrie Melodies cartoon from 1953. Daffy Duck is annoyed, frustrated, and enraged by an animator who puts him in surreal and ridiculous situations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)