Tag: entertainment
Bee Gees – I Started a Joke
An evening pause: In honor of the passing of Robin Gibbs on May 20. This performance was recorded live at Festival Hall in Melbourne, Australia in 1971.
Bridge Day rappel
An evening pause: Bridge Day 2011: An 800+ foot rappel from the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. The event is held each fall, when they close the bridge to vehicles so pedestrians, base jumpers, and rappellers can enjoy it. I’ve done this rappel four times, twice as part of the safety team.
On the clip below, the rappel itself begins at 3:40. As this was this guy’s first rappel on the bridge, he takes it very slow, which is okay as it gives him time to enjoy the view.
“I have never felt more like a nerd in my life.”
An engineer has proposed in great detail building the USS Enterprise for the purpose of exploring the solar system.
If you build it they will come: An engineer has proposed using the USS Enterprise from Star Trek as a model for building an interplanetary spaceship for exploring the solar system.
Though similar in scale and appearance to the USS Enterprise (“it ends up that this ship configuration is quite functional,” Dan writes), the “Gen1 Enterprise” would be functionally very different. Firstly, the main nuclear-powered ion engine (boasting 1.5 GW of power) would strictly limit the Enterprise to intra-solar system missions, being incapable of anything approaching faster-than-light speeds. However, Dan claims that the Gen1 would be capable of reaching Mars from Earth within ninety days, and reaching the Moon in three.
The website is Build the Enterprise.
If you build it they will come: An engineer has proposed using the USS Enterprise from Star Trek as a model for building an interplanetary spaceship for exploring the solar system.
Though similar in scale and appearance to the USS Enterprise (“it ends up that this ship configuration is quite functional,” Dan writes), the “Gen1 Enterprise” would be functionally very different. Firstly, the main nuclear-powered ion engine (boasting 1.5 GW of power) would strictly limit the Enterprise to intra-solar system missions, being incapable of anything approaching faster-than-light speeds. However, Dan claims that the Gen1 would be capable of reaching Mars from Earth within ninety days, and reaching the Moon in three.
The website is Build the Enterprise.
Antonin Dvorak – From the New World, Symphony #9, 2nd movement
An evening pause: The most beautiful melody from the second movement of Antonin Dvorak’s 9th Symphony, “From the New World,” performed here by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andris Nelsons.
The art of flight – extreme snowboarding
Starland Vocal Band – Afternoon Delight
A Lego replicate of the Antikythera Mechanism
Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time
MIT students last week turned a whole building into huge game of Tetris.
A good hack: MIT students last week turned a 21-story building into a huge game of Tetris. More here, including links to video.
A good hack: MIT students last week turned a 21-story building into a huge game of Tetris. More here, including links to video.
Andrea Glass – North Wind
An evening pause: Nice song, from Andrea Glass.
The Monkees reunion – Daydream Believer
An evening pause: R.I.P. Davy Jones. This reunion performance, which included Davy Jones, Mickey Dolenz, and Peter Tork of the Monkees, occurred on June 16, 2011 at the Beacon Theater, New York City. Less than a year later, Davy Jones had passed away.
Though the audio isn’t great, the joy of the song and those singing it comes through loud and clear. Go here to hear the song as performed in 1967.
Liam Clancy – A Place in the Choir
Celtic Thunder – Atmos, Druids, Deus Meus & Dulaman from Voyage
Five things you didn’t know about Silly Putty.
News you can use: Five things you didn’t know about Silly Putty.
News you can use: Five things you didn’t know about Silly Putty.
A very merry unbirthday to you!
An evening pause: Truly Walt Disney’s most frenetic and surreal animated films.
Twinkle twinkle little bat,
How I wonder what you’re at.
Up above the world you fly,
Like a tea tray in the sky.
The amazing Skidboot
Bob Newhart – air traffic control
The Piano Guys – Cello Wars
An evening pause: In honor of the 35th anniversary today of the premiere of Star Wars in 1977, a beautiful and silly rendition by the Piano Guys.
For those who were not alive in the 1960s and 1970s, it is hard to explain the impact of Star Wars. For more than twenty years, science fiction fans had dreamed of seeing a really good space opera science fiction film on the big screen. Sadly, we saw disappointment after disappointment instead. Except for Forbidden Planet (1956) and television’s Star Trek in the 1960s, practically every science fiction film about space exploration told childish stories that made no sense.
And then came Star Wars.
The battle of the bulges, 1940s style
An evening pause: As you giggle at this, be forewarned: seventy years from now what you consider sane will be considered just as absurd.
Henri
An evening pause: “The monkey mocks me with each flip.”
Only those who have explored deeply into the avant-garde French film world will truly understand this classic.
Harp music of Paraguay, played by the Japanese
Puffer fish chases laser
Strange Charm: A Song about Quarks
Rod McKuen – Jean
An evening pause: This Rod McKuen song, “Jean,” performed here live by him on the Johnny Cash Show on February 4, 1970, was originally the title song for the wonderful movie The Prime of the Miss Jean Brodie (1969), starring Maggie Smith.
Piff the Magic Dragon
Russian flash mob – Putting on the Ritz
An evening pause: From frigid Russia, some Russians put on the Ritz.
The Little Mermaid – Part of That World
The world’s eight most unique paths.
The world’s eight most unique paths. With pictures.
The world’s eight most unique paths. With pictures.