Cruz the African Grey really, really likes to watch Sesame Street. Guess who his favorite character is.
Friday, October 23, 2026
Parrot Must Have His favorite TV Show
Broken Peach Does "Thriller"
We check in with the Spanish band Broken Peach at least once a year for their new Halloween video, and this year they bring us a hard rock version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller." They also incorporate parts of "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell into the song, and a small taste of a surprise song at the end.
This song is so Halloweeny that they don't need their full body skeleton costumes, and instead they dress like Jackson in the original 1984 video. Broken Peach's signature glitchy twitchy dance moves are still part of the act.
Miss Cellania's Links
Where to See the World’s Most Famous Preserved Body Parts.
When a comedy writer addresses a congressional hearing. Well worth staying until the end. (via Fark)
A Simpsonian look at Trump, Putin, and Musk! The latest from Tom the Dancing Bug. It reminds me of this 2016 episode.
Mammogram or Tenth-Grade Boyfriend? (via Nag on the Lake)
Prisoners look after a kinkajou, zebu and ostrich at Monroe County detention center in the Florida Keys. It is the only correctional facility in the world with its own zoo. (via Damn Interesting)
US inequality is getting worse in ways you might not expect.
100 Years of Halloween Costumes in 3 Minutes
This “100 years” video is from Mode. It runs down Halloween costumes over the past century, with one for each decade. The selected costumes certainly do not represent all Halloween costumes of the era, but the ones featured show the influence of pop culture as it progresses. This is fun to watch, and I’m glad they didn’t use the cheapest store-bought costumes available during those times. Still, I kind of wish that someone would do the same thing with more costumes and less dress-up time.
Both Right
Girls! Girls! You're *both* right! Bask in the novelty.
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@mrsbettybowers.bsky.social) October 20, 2026 at 7:57 PM
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Thursday, October 22, 2026
The True Story of Halloween
Dick and Tommy Smothers have a bit of leftover sibling rivalry about their childhoods, so Dick lets Tommy tell the story of how Halloween originated. Tommy has to make it up as he goes, but it's a pretty good story. This is from The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
The Longest Day of an Election Worker's Life
The people who work at your local polling place are just people, somewhat more civic minded than most, who volunteer for an increasingly difficult job in order to make our democracy work. They go through training, and do their very best to make the process go smoothly for citizens who cast their votes. Many current and former poll workers came into the comments to say how accurate this video is. The least we can do is appreciate their efforts.
Bizarre Cephalopod Reproduction
Warning: this video contains marine animal sex and plenty of jokes about it. After all, it's a True Facts video from Ze Frank. He offers classroom-friendly version of his videos, but admits that this one might be difficult to translate.
We've already been through the argument over the plural of octopus many times, but what about cuttlefish? If there are two, is it cuttlefishes or cuttlefish? It's important because it takes two cuttlefish to make babies. But they don't quite cuttle the way you'd expect. For one thing, cephalopod sperm is delivered in biological packages that are about as complex as a space ship to overcome the effects of living underwater. The different species shown here use a variety of methods to deliver them. Male octopi use an arm, which might even detach. Squids, cuttlefish, and octopi know what they're doing, although it looks all wrong to us. The result is eggs laid and a new generation hatched, even if it kills a parent.
Epic Harry Potter Dance Routine
Walden Grove High School in Sahuarita, Arizona went all out for their Homecoming Assembly, with an elaborate dance modeled on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The PAC Dance Team and the Advanced Dance club came together for an entertaining recap of the Harry Potter stories, as Harry and his friends battle Voldemort and his evil forces. Well done! (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of the many movies based on Sherlock Holmes novels by Arthur Conan Doyle. This 1939 version stars Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Watson, and is closest to the book of all the films. The two actors would go on to star in 13 more Sherlock Holmes movies. The Hound of the Baskervilles received mixed reviews at the time, but is now a classic. (Thanks, WTM!)
The 2026 Squishing of the Squash
Since 1999, when a prize-winning 828 pound pumpkin was donated to the Oregon Zoo, the annual Squishing of the Squash has been a premiere event. Local farmers donate excess produce, and the elephants love it. For them, it's a combination of a ball game, a treasure hunt, and snack time. The crowds of humans love it, too.
This year, the star of the show was an 18-year-old Asian elephant named Samudra. She was offered a 500 pound pumpkin that was stuffed with apples, sweet potatoes, and lettuce. She had fun playing with the gourd until it cracked open, revealing the surprise banquet. This will be the last Squishing of the Squash in Oregon for Samudra, as she is moving to the St. Louis Zoo next year. Her little sister Tula-Tu, only 20 months old, got her own smaller pumpkin. (via Laughing Squid)
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