ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

On second thought -- an alien "cousin" of his perhaps?
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pye-Rate]

Music for cats

http://www.salon.com/2015/03/03/scientists_designed_music_specifically_for_cats/

[Pye-Rate]

Doctor Who theme on harps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R061gfebd7Q

[Pye-Rate]

Star Trek theme on harps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n2dGwYcp9k

[Brent Gair]

A visit to the first car show of the year yesterday put me in a doo-wop mood.

https://youtu.be/TlZdqQn6qjU







Definitely not doo-wop but for years I tried to find a fairly complete video of Little Peggy March singing I WILL FOLLOW HIM. Finally, a decent version has appeared on youtube.

https://youtu.be/SmNOs9SpKmw?t=46s

[orzel-w]

While watching those two, I noticed another video of The Diamonds singing "She Say". One of my old favorites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0qd2u8n9hc
_________________
...or not...

WayneO
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[Brent Gair]

When I first got into classic pop music, The Diamonds were among my very first favorite groups. That was sometime when I was in jr. high school circa 1971. Funny thing is, of course, that "classic" pop was less than 15 years old. Now, I have socks older than that (no, I'm not kidding).

Right now, I have an overwhelming urge to go dancing. I think it's because I'm finally coming out of a long period of being sidelined. After having my prostate yanked out around Labor Day, I headed into a long winter wetting my pants...that makes you feel pretty old. But I'm back with functioning plumbing, the snow has melted, and I want to make up for some lost time.

I remember several years back a girl telling me, "Hey, you are a terrific dancer". To which I replied, "Whatever you do, don't look down!". Truth is all of my rhythm is concentrated in my upper body. A girl dancing close to me will be fooled into thinking I can dance. However, anybody looking at my feet will observe my lower body moving as if my feet are encased in concrete while stuck in a giant ball of playdoh.

Fortunately Chubby Checker has provided a dance lesson for guys like me:

https://youtu.be/JyaxcvHSyZY?list=RDJyaxcvHSyZY

After mastering the basics, we move on to more advanced stuff.

https://youtu.be/im9XuJJXylw

[scotpens]

I can remember when it seemed everyone was doing the Twist. It was the simplest dance in the world to do -- just pantomime drying your butt with a towel while stomping a cigarette out on the floor. Then there were the more advanced moves -- little hops and jumps and that clockwise-counterclockwise thing with the forearms.

As for me, I've never been able to dance worth bupkes -- not even an easy dance like the Twist. I have absolutely no sense of rhythm. In high school, I was voted "Least Likely to Boogie."

[orzel-w]

Ah, The Twist; the universal dance. Good for upper-body movements.

I hadn't danced much before I learned the hustle. But after a while I found the footwork had become subconscious and I could work my upper body movements almost independently. The footwork is very basic. Here's a good video showing the basics. You don't actually have to do it from a closed position with your partner the way they're demonstrating, as it works fine without touching as well. Be sure to pay attention to what he says about bouncing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THWooDuU-eY

I've even simplified it further by substituting a simple toe touch on occasion for the left foot's quick-step, and by picturing a sort of "K" pattern. It's actually a backwards "K", where your left foot follows the angled legs of the K. Your right foot just steps forward and backward, while your left foot taps out to the side and back.

So the pattern is: Weight on LEFT foot, step forward on RIGHT foot, tap toe of LEFT foot straight out to the side and bring it back alongside the RIGHT foot. The count so far is R1-L2-L3, one for each foot movement. The underlined L denotes a toe tap to the side without putting your weight on it. On counts 4-5-6, do the same thing moving backwards: Weight on LEFT foot, step backward on RIGHT foot, tap toe of LEFT foot straight out to the side and bring it back alongside the RIGHT foot.

So, all your right foot is doing is stepping forward and back on counts 1 and 4. All your left foot is doing is touching straight out to the side, then coming back alongside your right foot on counts 2-3 and 5-6.

When you get to a stage of comfort with this basic pattern, you can then occasionally switch out the left foot's toe tap for a left foot quick-step. That's where instead of just tapping to the side with your left foot, you actually transfer your weight to it momentarily and lift your right foot off the floor, then quickly place it back down, all in the time it would have taken to tap your left toe.

I know it sounds complicated in writing, but so does trying to describe very simple operations on a computer. So what you do is practice these steps at home for hours on end until you can do them without thinking about them, like while reading a book. Then you can focus on your upper body moves for the real show.
_________________
...or not...

WayneO
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[Pye-Rate]

I haven't been able to dance since arthritis buggered my hip. Except I can still do the twist while standing on one foot, sometimes. High risk of face-planting the ground.

[Pye-Rate]

This i going out on a limb for music.

http://www.sciencedump.com/content/what-it-sounds-when-you-put-tree-rings-record-player

[orzel-w]

What'll they think of next?
_________________
...or not...

WayneO
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[Pye-Rate]

M.C. ESCHER put to music. Pretty cool video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAD0BtEv6-Q

[Brent Gair]

Gairtown...where the 1980's live forever.

As I've mentioned before, my life peaked in the mid to early 1980s. Kinda' sad that I've been coasting downhill for 30 years but such is life. In 1983 I was driving the 'Vette, had a hot chick, had my health and was making big money. So anything from that era just brings a flood of good memories.

I really like this Tracey Ullman song from '83. Trivia, the word "Ba-bee" at 1:43 is not sung by Tracey. It was out of her vocal range so it is voiced by song writer Kristy McColl.

https://youtu.be/WBE_FKTrt_Q

And another tune from the early 80's...and I don't care how gay it is...it just puts a smile on my face.

https://youtu.be/sdPky0i7sx4

[scotpens]