(via Bad Newspaper)
Saturday, April 30, 2022
The 1989 Outrage Over Batman
Ah, I remember it well. When Tim Burton announced that Michael Keaton would play a darker, more serious Batman in his upcoming movie, everyone was gobsmacked. Michael Keaton? Mr. Mom? He was a comedian! Batman fans were suddenly afraid that their favorite comic book superhero would be changed into an object of ridicule. And now Michael Keaton is often ranked as the best Batman actor ever. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
I Will Survive
A couple of musicians walk along the Crown Heights area of Brooklyn
playing the Gloria Gaynor hit "I Will Survive." More and more musicians join in until it's a rollicking
musical celebration. Everyone gets a
solo! They end with a surprisingly plausible fade by descending the
steps into a subway station. This is actually a collaboration between
three bands, Too Many Zooz, Lucky Chops, and High and Mighty Brass Band. (via Laughing Squid)
Becoming Sumo
Abdelrahman Shalan is the first professional sumo wrestler from Africa, or the Middle East. Born in Egypt, he left his family at age 16 to live and train in Japan. He is now known as Ōsunaarashi, which translates to The Great Sandstorm. It’s not the kind of dream most of us could relate to, but he is putting his all into making it happen. (via Laughing Squid)
Tweet of the Day
(via Everlasting Blort) http://www.everlastingblort.com/Because you want to see and hear a baby chimpanzee eating grapes on a Mickey Mouse blanket. pic.twitter.com/zStyjxdOrW
— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) February 21, 2021
Friday, April 29, 2022
A Marx Brother on I've Got a Secret
I've Got a Secret was a fun celebrity game show from back when entertainment mattered more than winning, and rules were mere suggestions. By 1954, the celebrity panel couldn't expect Harpo Marx to look as young as he did in the movies, and Chico knew Harpo well enough to totally embody his persona. What's funny is that Chico keeps forgetting how many beeps mean "yes" and how many mean "no." A good time was had by all. (via Boing Boing)
Miss Cellania's Links
Luna the Owl Adopts Two Owlets.
DC Superhero-themed Wedding Bands. Because nothing signifies a serious permanent commitment like comic book superheroes.
It's the Very Republican Duo to the rescue! The latest from Tom the Dancing Bug.
A Ranking of the Actors Who've Played Batman in Film.
Evidence of Earliest Aurora Found in Ancient Chinese Texts. It dates back to the tenth century BC.
These Adoptees Were Brought to the US as Babies. Now Some Fear They Were Stolen. (via Digg)
The Republican blueprint to steal the 2024 election. (via Fark)
Watch this Sea Lion Get a Taste of the High Life.
Comic of the Day: Clean my room, robot! (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Les Pyramides d'Égypte
There are more ancient Egyptian secrets than we can imagine waiting to be discovered underneath the sands of time. If only we could find the remote control! This video from Kheops Pyramides lets us in on one story that no one ever believed because there was no hard evidence to be found. (via Kuriositas)
Tweet of the Day
(Thanks, WTM!)200 IQ dog. pic.twitter.com/KSp3xJ0whd
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 20, 2022
Thursday, April 28, 2022
The Dark History of Zombies
You're thinking Haiti, aren't you? That's the answer if you're discussing the origin of zombies with your friends, but this TED-Ed lesson starts even further back. How zombies were regarded in Haiti is more chilling than any movie about undead brain-eaters. The zombie metaphor was true horror, because it was a little too close to the truth. Maybe you should reserve a little sympathy and respect for zombies. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Cute Effects
Believe it or not, these are all real. Google will take you to an explanation of each. Some are matter-of-fact, like the Cheerios effect or the Butterfly effect. Some have a cute story behind them, like the Woozle effect. And others are named after the scientist who wrote about it, like the Perky effect or the Stroop effect. I would particularly recommend the story behind the Dr. Fox effect. This comic is from Randall Munroe at xkcd.
What if Tommy Wiseau Directed Batman?
If you've ever seen The Room, you will get a laugh our of this. It's a spot-on impression of Tommy Wiseau; not so much with Batman. (Thanks, Tiago Salviatti!)
Humans Are A Dog's Best Friend
Ze Frank takes on the persona of a Bassett hound to explain how dogs and humans relate to each other. It’s dog food ad, but it’s not intrusively so. The story of the human’s date is lovely, sticking random things the man found in the garden into their mouth holes.
Tweet of the Day
(via Everlasting Blort)Master of disguise over here pic.twitter.com/dljjymLgA1
— Dustin Growick 🦖 (@DustinGrowick) April 10, 2022
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
The Beetle and the Damselfly
This is a love story, but it's not for children, because nature is metal. Don't watch this with the sound off, and don't listen to it while doing something else, because you need both the audio and visuals to get the full effect. Get ready to start caring about the fates of two random insects in a swamp. The story is gentle and inspiring, dark and absurd, tearjerking and hilarious all at once. For some reason, I feel the need to apologize for all the above.
The Greeter's Guild
Troy Hawke from the Greeter's Guild talks to customers as they enter the British hardware store B&Q. In Britain, people don't want to be told what to do, even if it's "have a nice day." Troy Hawke is a character created by comedian Milo McCabe. He's been doing the greeter bit for eight years now. You can see more of them at Laughosaurus.
An Honest Trailer for Moonfall
Moonfall is a bonkers science fiction disaster movie involving the moon's orbit degrading to the point that it causes chaos on earth. So it contains conspiracy theories, space travel, aliens, artificial intelligence gone rogue, multiple unnatural natural disasters, dystopian survival tactics, and heartwarming family stories which involves at least three heroes sacrificing their lives for someone they love. Could they possibly have mashed any more disaster movie tropes in there? In any case, Moonfall was a box office bomb. Screen Junkies delivers this Honest Trailer in shorthand English to illustrate how dumb it is.
Miss Cellania's Links
Monkeys Do Love Alcohol. Science went to great lengths to prove it.
The Black Aerialist Who Dazzled Gilded Age Paris.
The Bird with the Green Lantern Mask.
Three-legged Dog Jumps in River to Save Baby Otter.
Check out crazy footage caught by a shark who decided to taste a camera.
The 19th-Century Woman's Secret Guide to Birth Control.
Why Apple’s Steve Wozniak’s paradoxical plan to solve space junk just might work. (via Damn Interesting)
120,000 Brain Scans Show How Brains Grow and Shrink Over a Lifetime.
Comic of the Day: Skeletons aren't punchlines, until they are.
Russian Driver Hits Dog
Or did she? Watch and learn. I'll go ahead and tell you, this is not the sad video you might expect. In fact, whatever you might expect, this is not that. (via Neatorama)
Tweet of the Day
You've heard this song before, here and here. (via Everlasting Blort)If they were to watch this in the Kremlin 🇷🇺 they might start to understand what they are up against 🇺🇦. pic.twitter.com/ev4U20IzAG
— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) April 16, 2022
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Batman Then and Now Mashup
The Caped Crusader has come a long way from from the campy style of the mid-'60s Batman. Now he's a dark, brooding, action-not-words type. Corridor saw the new movie The Batman and asked, why not both? And that's why we now have a version of The Batman with Adam West, the Penguin, and the Riddler having traveled through time. (via Digg)
Feline Affection
How do you know if a cat likes you? If a cat craves touching you, especially if they've already been fed or have received a back scratch, you must be special. But you came here to watch a compilation of cute cats showing affection to their humans, to get a good dose of endorphins to make your day brighter. Here ya go!
Fingersnapping Super Mario
I can snap my fingers as well as the next person, but I never knew until today that you (or at least some talented people) can make snapping fingers play different notes. Emil Axelsson is pretty good at it. Watch closely and you’ll see that he’s not snapping the same fingers over and over, but different fingers to make different tones. Enjoy his version of the Super Mario Bros. theme.
Tweet of the Day
Japan only sends their best. (via Fark)The inventory of weapons and resources being sent to Ukraine for use against Russia is becoming quite varied, as seen in this footage tonight from Bryansk. pic.twitter.com/ydSroFZARj
— J. Michael Straczynski (@straczynski) April 25, 2022
Monday, April 25, 2022
Carreiros do Monte
In the town of Funchal on the island of Madiera in Portugal, workers once used wooden sledges to transport lumber down the mountains to the cities and ports. Once easier cargo transport was developed, the sledges were repurposed for tourists. The hills are just as steep as they ever were, but now the sledges are fitted with wicker couches for people to ride while being pushed downhill at terrifying speeds by Carreiros do Monte. Tom Scott tried it out so you don't have to. But if you want to, the Carreiros do Monte will be greasing the skids and resoling their shoes for you.
Bygone Features in Older Homes
If there's something you don't understand in an old house, there's probably a good reason for it being there. I wrote a lot more about it in this post at Homes and Hues.
The Curse of the Blackened Eye
The video for Orville Peck's song "The Curse of the Blackened Eye" has the truth following him around. Or maybe it's memories or something. Keep your eye out for little details in the visuals, like the tentacles, the kids wearing fringe on their masks, or the way Peck gets rid of the specter that haunts him at the end. Read more about Peck at The Walrus.
Miss Cellania's Links
A Robotic Beehive May Help save the Honeybees.
Whatever Happened to the World's Fair?
He came in fifth in the race, but was first in style.
The ESPN Sports Meme Hall of Fame Inaugural Class.
Skeletons in Video Games. A catalog with more than 2000 entries so far. (via Boing Boing)
How The Flash Was Renamed 'Flush Man' In Argentina.
The #1 cause of death among American children is no longer auto accidents.
An archivist almost randomly finds a rare photograph of America’s youngest serial killer. (via Strange Company)
Comic of the Day: The Mask Mandate.
Out of Hand
When we say we are going out to “find ourselves,” we usually don’t mean it literally. That journey is literal for a disembodied robot hand! He wants to find himself, “or at least as many pieces as possible.” Pull yourself together, hand! After making the rounds of film festivals, this short by Simon Fink is now available to the rest of us. (Thanks, Simon!)
Tweet of the Day
Every once in a while I think about this tiktok and wonder if I'll ever make anything this joyous. (Probably not... but something to aim for!) https://t.co/xD5FKzIb4w
— mangesh hattikudur (@mhattikudur) March 19, 2021
Sunday, April 24, 2022
Canon in D Gets Jazzed Up
You know Pachelbel's Canon in D. Pianist Hiromi Uehara performs the classic tune in ways you've never heard. It starts out in the most familiar manner, but gradually she adds jazz elements while keeping the basic bass line intact. Tony Williams transcribed Uehara's improvised performance so you can follow the insanity of what's she's doing in real time underneath the performance video. Note how she skillfully adds a half-beat at around the two-minute mark in order to synch the music with the offbeat clapping from the audience. She also alters her prepared piano during the song. The metal ruler gives it a harpsichord sound, but changing it while playing can't be easy. (via reddit)
This LEGO Walking Machine Flips to Move
When you see how this gadget moves, you can't help but say "whoa!" JK Brickworks calls it "unconventional, impractical, and completely awesome," so he had to make one of his own out of LEGO blocks. The original was the Bear Mobill toy from Bandai, but the LEGO version gives us a close-up look at how it's designed, constructed, and why it works. Once he got the first version moving, he started working on the "Imperial" version, which isn't finished, but already resembles an AT-AT from the Star Wars universe. While this contraption does not solve any transport problems for the real world, it makes a fascinating toy, which means it's perfect for Star Wars. (via Laughing Squid)
Young Frankenstein Bloopers
Gene Wilder could not keep a straight face during the filming of Young Frankenstein. Cast mates said they would have to do each scene up to 15 times in order for Wilder to make it all the way through. Can you blame him? I couldn't keep a straight face during the entire movie. I had to go back the next night to catch all the jokes I laughed through and missed the first time. Believe it or not, there were more than twice as many jokes in the original script, but director Mel Brooks cut all but the very funniest ones, which left us with only the gems. (via Mental Floss)
The Photographer is Swarmed
When you're a wildlife photographer, the goal is to blend in with your surroundings, so that you don't scare off the animals 😂
— Jess 🌻 (@jessi_asli) April 8, 2022
🔊 sound up
credit: pets_usa pic.twitter.com/uLpEiJWA95
South African photographer, videographer, guide, and conservationist Nick Kleer was apparently the "high ground" that meerkats look for to stand up on and get a good look at the surrounding terrain.
See some really dangerous animals at Kleer's Instagram gallery. (via Everlasting Blort)
Bonobo Builds a Fire
Watch a bonobo, a close relative of the chimpanzee, start a fire with a match. Once he builds the fire, he does the natural thing next -he toasts marshmallows! No, this behavior wasn’t observed in the wild; he was taught to do this. But you wouldn’t know how to start a fire and toast marshmallows if your parents hadn’t taught you how, either. See, they aren’t so different from us, really. This clip is from the BBC TV series Monkey Planet, which is apparently about apes, too. (via Viral Viral Videos)
Tweet of the Day
Babe, you ok? You’ve barely touched your Banana Sardine Boat pic.twitter.com/UYnD94hk2Y
— 70s Dinner Party (@70s_party) April 11, 2022
Saturday, April 23, 2022
The Savanah Bananas
The Harlem Globetrotters of baseball is a minor league team in Georgia called the Savannah Bananas. https://thesavannahbananas.com/ Only launched in 2016 after the Savannah Sand Gnats moved away, they've taken the baseball world by storm by focusing on fun and entertainment more than winning (although they win, too). You'll find more entertaining links about the Savannah Bananas at Metafilter.
Is Sour the First Taste?
Almost all animals can taste, and almost all animals have the same receptors for taste, those for sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami (also called savory). The interaction of these receptors help guide an animal to foods that are beneficial to them and away from foods that are not. Scientists are looking into the genetic records to find out how these tastes developed and why. It turns out that no vertebrates have ever lost the ability to taste sourness. It appears that the ability to detect sourness was useful even before animals began judging the usefulness of possible foods they encountered. What's really interesting is the reason why humans are attracted to sourness when other animals aren't. (via Damn Interesting)
Tweet of the Day
(via Everlasting Blort)Stay calm and just blend…😏😂🦮🐑 pic.twitter.com/8h2jnihyYi
— Fred Schultz (@FredSchultz35) April 10, 2022
Friday, April 22, 2022
The Greatest Con Man of the 20th Century
Financial crimes can be irresistible to the greedy and the desperate, and there are always a lot of greedy or desperate people. Victor Lustig got away with so many schemes because he conned people who were willing to break the law themselves. You might already know Lustig's story, but you'll still want to watch this video because it's quite funny in the way it tells the tale of his outrageously successful exploits over a quarter-century. Don't miss his list of ten rules for conmen. (via Digg)
An Indoor Treehouse for a Pet Squirrel
Patty Robinson found a baby squirrel with no family around, and took him him. He was so young his eyes weren't even open yet! She fed him and cared for him, and named him Bunk, expecting to set him free eventually. But Bunk bonded with her, and won't leave! Oh, he tried, but he loves Patty and decided he is her squirrel. To make Bunk's life as fun and comfortable as possible, Patty turned her home into a squirrel environment for him, complete with tree branches, cubbyholes, climbing poles, toys, and window perches to run around on. You can get a good look at one corner of the room in this video. And here's the "tree" part. See more of Bunk and his adventures at Instagram.
(via Laughing Squid)
Miss Cellania's Links
The Man Behind the White House Easter Bunnies. (via Metafilter)
5 Shows That Could Have Saved CNN's Paid Subscription Service.
How to Stop Your Cat from Waking You Up at 4AM. (via Fark)
How Did Plants Become Predators? (via Damn Interesting)
Seven Skills to Teach Successful Kids. (via Digg)
The Strangest Reasons People Send Food Back.
Alpacas May Be the Answer to Chronic Inflammation. (via Damn Interesting)
The 10 Most Confusing Sci-Fi Movies, According To Reddit. (via Fark)
Comic of the Day: The purse-snatching. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Magic in the Air
A 1941 short designed to introduce Americans to the concept of television. Since production of TVs stopped during World War II, hardly anyone had one until 1946.
Tweet of the Day
A book I read as a child contained a story I've shared with my kids at the dinner table. A young man got a job on a river raft and was assigned to cook. He didn't know how to cook, but no one complained about the food, so he figured he was doing okay. Still, he hated the job. 1/3
— Miss Cellania (@misscellania) April 20, 2022
My favorite librarian, John Farrier, came up with a book title in no time. I'll let you know if his guess checks out.Everyone turned to look at him, and he then said, "And if there's anything I love, it's soapy beans!"
— Miss Cellania (@misscellania) April 20, 2022
From that point on, if anyone complained about my cooking, someone else in the family will say, "Soapy beans!"
I wish I could find what book that was. 3/3
Thursday, April 21, 2022
A Martian Solar Eclipse
Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos. NASA's Perseverance rover recorded the transit of Phobos across the sun on April 2. Mars rovers have been recording eclipses since 2004, but this is the highest-quality video sent back to earth yet. Phobos is much smaller than our moon, and its orbit is much more eccentric. It's also shaped like a potato. Phobos' orbit is slowly disintegrating, which means it will spiral down to Mars' surface, in a few tens of millions of years. So it's a good thing we have video. (via Boing Boing)
A Classic 70's TV Show Dance Party
I guess you had to be there to understand. If you were, this will bring back some memories to put a smile on your face. (via a comment at Metafilter)
Miss Cellania's Links
Law & Order: Catnip Victims Unit.
This Decor Comes with a Punch Line. (via Metafilter)
Hollingsworth Hound buys a social media app: "Let Tweeting Dogs Lie." The latest from Tom the Dancing Bug.
Sexual Innuendo Is Everywhere, Including… Baby Clothes?
Electric Chopsticks Enhance Foods' Perceived Saltiness. (via Boing Boing)
An Honest Trailer for the Jackass Movies. I would consider this NSFW.
When You Want Live Away from It All. Including modern amenities. (via Digg)
15 Foods That Aren't From Where We Thought.
Comic of the Day: The Wish.
Cat Fishing
“Cat fishing” can mean many things. It can mean using a false identity to fool someone you met on the internet. In the more traditional sense, you can try to catch some catfish. Or maybe you see a cat trying to catch a fish in a pond. Or you can play with your cat using a fishing rod and lure (no hooks). This video shows another level of cat fishing -one cat using a fishing rod to entice another cat!
So the old adage is true: Give a cat a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Give a cat a fishing rod, and you’ll have an instant viral video. (via Arbroath)
Tweet of the Day
(via Everlasting Blort)Grooming human's hair is hard work..🐈🐾🦱😅 pic.twitter.com/7xK5iGg2tk
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) April 13, 2022
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
The Latest in Strandbeests
Theo Jansen has been making his amazing Strandbeest kinetic sculptures for many years, but now they they've taken the next step. Jansen spends the winter designing and testing new ways to make inanimate objects walk, and then takes them out for a spin in the summer. Last summer, Jansen took his latest set of creations called Strandbeest Evolution 2021 out to the beach to see what they would do. Impelled by the wind, many versions of the walking sculptures gracefully trod the sand, and one even took to the sky on gossamer wings! That moment reminds us of the day the Wright Brothers first flew, although the Strandbeest was unpiloted and had to be weighed down to prevent escape. (via Nag on the Lake)
How the Dutch Do Business Park Planning
This guy explains how the work commute is so much better in the Netherlands than in Canada. And Americans laugh, because the US is way beyond suck in that category. But infrastructure that makes life better for everyday workers costs too much for private industry, and will be never be government subsidized because in the US, rural votes are much more powerful than urban votes. Yeah, someone mentioned that in the Netherlands, it's not just cities that have better transportation systems, it's even the small towns.
How to Solve All Your Problems with Crocodile
When you live in a cave, many things can go wrong with your home, but Crocodile had a product that will help. But first, you have to nag the man of the house, er, cave to get around to fixing it. Even if the problem is the nagging. And don't for a minute think that the crocodile is fake. This ad for Crocodile building products does the GEICO cavemen one better. (via reddit)
