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.
Monday, December 02, 2024
Tango
Learning to Drive
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
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.
America, Land of Extremes
Americans forget how weird our country is compared to the rest of the world. Laurence Brown of Lost in the Pond reminds us that our weather, geography, wildlife, wealth, and politics are all subject to extreme variation and polarization, without ever revealing his own political leanings. Instead, he has some good things to say about the people here. There's a 70-second ad at 2:20.
Strava Dancer
Strava is a geolocation service that tracks where you've been on a map. The app is used by runners, hikers, cyclists, and even pilots to see their routes. Just making a recognizable shape on a map is an accomplishment, but Duncan McCabe planned his running to produce this cartoon figure, and changed it to make the figure dance! He selected maps from sequential runs he made from January to October of this year to produce a flipbook-style animation. Each run was about 10 kilometers, and took around an hour. Not the simplest way to dance, but the end result is pretty cool! Strava has contacted McCabe about using the video. (via Born in Space)
Roomba Commits Suicide
In a very 21st-century story, a Roomba was working all alone in a home wired with security cameras. A stray plastic bag somehow became draped over the Roomba's sensors. It ran into a wall, but that action neither freed it of the obstruction nor put it out of his misery. One commenter filled in the story:
While being trapped in the bag, it gained sentience and grasped the purpose of its existence. Thus it threw itself to oblivion.But look! The Roomba wasn't alone after all. Could it have been a case of murder? After all, who is most likely to leave a plastic bag on the floor -a cat, of course! Let's hope the authorities crack the case and bring the perpetrator to justice. (via Laughing Squid)
Please?
Cat politely drops hints that he's interested in treats..🐈🐾😅
— Why you should have a cat (@shouldhavecat.bsky.social) November 27, 2024 at 1:55 AM
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