Shark Week + Cat + YouTube =

Shark Cat Video!

I don't know about the rest of you, but that video, titled "Shark Week. #SharkCat cleaning Kitchen!" [seriously, people, get yourselves a style manual; the editor in me is cringing*] raises a lot of questions for me as a cat owner, namely...

1. There are really shark costumes for cats? Really?

2. How on Earth did she get that cat into a shark costume? (And apparently, this is not the first time.)

3. Was that cat on drugs? I cannot imagine any cat lasting more than a few seconds on a Roomba (or iRobot), or in a shark costume. (See question 2.)

4. Is there really a #SharkCat meme?**

Also, what is the fascination with Shark Week? All I can say is those sharks have a really good PR firm. (Seals take note.)

*It should be "Shark Week: #SharkCat Cleaning Kitchen!" or "Shark Week: #SharkCat cleans kitchen!"

**Yes, there is.

Finally, a cure for the terminally hip

Are you ironic? Do you possess more than one Apple device? Do you watch Girls on HBO? Do you buy Fair Trade? Do you have a Tumblr blog... or a beard? Then you may be suffering from HIPSTER. Fortunately, now there is a cure, Unpretensiousil (aka Dedouchefin).


Unpretentiousil Medicine Commercial To Heal Hipster

Many thanks to friend of the blog (and recovering? hipster) Another David S. for sending me this video.

I want a pony... and a wombat... and...

I don't really want a pony (unless I find someone to take care of it for me). But I do love this amusing video of a dancing Shetland pony titled "The Pony #DancePonyDance" put out by UK mobile broadband provider Three.



"Silly stuff. It matters." Indeed.

And while I may not want a pony, I think a wombat would make a rather nice pet -- at least this little wombat.



[H/T to CuteOverload.com]

How cute is that wombat?! (Also, I just love saying the word wombat. Wha? No, wombat.)

All right. Back to work, people. (Sigh.)

The Evolution of Mom Dancing

Friend of the blog David T. posted this video titled "Evolution of Mom Dancing," featuring Jimmy Fallon and First Lady Michelle Obama, on his Facebook page, and I just had to share.



(Wow, I never realized how much I looked like Jimmy Fallon, or danced like him.)

Okay, ladies, now shake your hips twice, same side, and let's all do just the hands part of "Single Ladies." And be sure to share your new dance moves with your daughter. ;-)

This is ruffing awesome

It's been, like, months since we've had a viral video that has inspired dozens of parodies. And I know you, like me, were beginning to worry.

But now, my fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over (or beginning all over again, depending on your point of view).

I know I speak for over 90 million YouTube viewers when I say, Thank you Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (and Wanz) for giving us "Thrift Shop" (which is not safe for work or those with virgin ears).



More importantly, thank you, Pet Collective, for giving us Barklemore and the "Thrift Shop" parody "Pet Shop," which is barking adorable.


That was ruffing awesome.

(To see other "Thrift Shop" parodies, click here.)

Some pig

What would Sunday be without a little bacon?

Alternate title:  What a ham!

Love this video of a little pig rescuing a baby goat from drowning.



That'll do, pig. That'll do.

LMFAO + NASA = Latest YouTube hit

Houston, we have a video.

Presenting "We're NASA and we know it" -- or what happens when a bunch of Mars happy geeks do a parody of LMFAO's "I'm sexy and I know it," featuring the Mars Curiosity rover and video of Mars.



Crane lower that rover.

Back-to-school ads? In July?

While the teenager is already pining to go back to school (strange girl), I am still enjoying summer. And I was totally unprepared to see back-to-school ads in the middle of July. School just ended June 22! But I have to admit these back-to-school ads from Target, which all feature parodies of some of my favorite 1980s songs, are pretty awesome.

First up Target's "Science Teacher" ad featuring Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science":



Next, Target's "English Teacher" ad featuring The Go-Go's "We Got Beat":



And finally Target's back-to-school ad titled "Music Teacher," which does a riff on Cameo's "Word Up!":



Makes me wish we had a Target close by (though I am so not ready to go back-to-school shopping).

UPDATED: And this just in from Staples, a commercial titled "It's back to school time!" featuring  Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough":



Seriously, what is with all the 1980s new wave music in these back-to-school ads? (Not that I'm complaining.)

Let's go goat surfing now...

Every goat is learning how,
Come and go goat surfing with me!



At San Onofre State Beach
They're shooting the pier.
At Rincon they're walking the nose.
We're going goat surfing to the islands this year,
So if you're coming get ready to go.

Let's go goat surfing now,
Every goat is learning how,
Come and go goat surfing with me!

[More about Goatee and Pismo, the surfing goats, here.]

World's greatest bartender?

Only in Ukraine would mixing drinks be considered a million-hryvnia-worthy talent.

Presenting Ukraine's own Alexander Shtifanov, the world's greatest bartender...



on Ukraine's equivalent of America's (or Britain's) Got Talent. For those who like their cocktails shaken, not stirred.

Wonder if the judges got to sample Shtifanov's talents....

(Hey, anyone else have the urge to down some vodka? No? Must be my Ukrainian roots. Just remember, it's always five o'clock in the Ukraine. Hа здоровье!)

Now that's a marriage proposal!

It was a beautiful night. Isaac was looking for something dumb to do.

Hey Amy, Isaac wants to marry you.



Love the dancing Jews.

Mazel tov.

This is how you propose marriage, people!

More about Isaac Lamb's awesome karaoke "Marry You" proposal to girlfriend Amy Frankel here.

Your future President?

I'd been watching this video titled "Harvard Baseball 2012 Call Me Maybe" trend on YouTube, but I didn't click on it, because I thought it was about baseball (even though I am a baseball fan) -- until the teenage daughter of a friend of the blog emailed it to me last night.

My first reaction: To call in my teenage daughter, who was already halfway down the hall when she heard "Call Me Maybe" blasting from my office. (She loved it.)

My second reaction: One of these Harvard guys could well be our future President. (Currently eight presidents have Harvard degrees.) So, meet your future President (or Senator or Cabinet member), people. Anyone care to guess which guy it will be?



Note: These really are Harvard baseball players... who will, for the foreseeable future, not need any help picking up women (judging by the teenage and twenty-something chick action these boys are getting on Twitter).

You can't handle the cute!

[Warning: This blog post contains excessive cuteness and its inherent sweetness could make your teeth fall out.]

Monday morning blues? This unbearably cute video of the first artificially created polar bear cub should have you smiling in no time!



Still feeling low? Then check out Pudsey the dog's audition for Britain's Got Talent:



Even curmudgeon Simon Cowell cannot resist the cute.

Too much cute? Then how about a video of two adorable bunnies... in Dixie cups... exploding?



I don't know about all of you, but I feel so much better now.

Time for another '80s music blog post

It's been a long day, and I could use a little 1980s new wave music. You?

First up, Duran Duran "Girls on Film"...



Followed by a little George Michael singing "Faith"...



Anyone "Wanna Be a Cowboy"?



And finally, anyone else fancy a little Adam Ant -- and "Goody Two Shoes"?



Don't drink, don't smoke. What do you do?

The JibJab guys say "Buh-Bye" to 2011

Buh-bye, 2011 -- and good riddance.



Amazing the JibJab guys could fit everything in in just over two minutes. (And is it just me or does the whole Charlie Sheen meltdown seem like ages ago?)

Here's to a bright, shiny, blizzard- and power-outage-free 2012! (I'd include "without celebrity hijinks, more GOP debates, political rankling, or financial debacles," but we all know that ain't happening.)

Gay and atheist presidents didn't get us into the war in Iraq or the financial crisis

Love this video from Second City titled "The Partisans: Rick Perry -- Weak, man."



Beware God-fearing vagina penetrators!

[H/T Balloon Juice]

Yet another '80s music blog post

Some people have comfort food. I have comfort music.

And what could be a nicer way to end the week than some classic 1980s alternative/new wave music? (That would be a rhetorical question, by the way.)

First up: "Make a circuit with me," from the Polecats, which has been playing on the mental jukebox ever since Steve Jobs died.



That led me to the (English) Beat's "Mirror in the bathroom" (technically from 1979 but I didn't hear it until the 1980s).



Which led me to "Save it for later" and pretty much the whole General Public oeuvre. (God, I miss WLIR.) Sadly, I could not find a video for "Hot you're cool." Bummer.

Then I got into this whole Talking Heads thing.


Talking Heads Girlfriend is Better by Celtiemama

(Loved Stop Making Sense. Great concert movie.)

Which led me to the Tom Tom Club and "Wordy rappinghood":



What are words worth? Also, that Tina Weymouth is lookin' good!

I don't know about all of you, but I feel ready for the weekend now.

[For more great '80s music, click on the "1980s" tag, below.]

Boys will be boys

All of you who have a little brother -- or whose younger child is a boy* -- will relate to this video, titled "Smack that -- Little brother video bombs sister."



Little bro got some moves (and a sore behind, methinks)!

Smack that, indeed.

*Don't share this video with Bryan, Dave S.

Elvis tribute (favorite Elvis song clips)

It was 34 years ago today that Elvis Aaron Presley suddenly died. And to mark the 34th anniversary of his death, I wanted to share three of my favorite Elvis Presley video song clips.

First up, "Bossa Nova Baby," from Fun in Acapulco:



Dig those crazy moves!

Next, the classic "Viva Las Vegas," from Viva Las Vegas:



Showgirls!

And then there is this classic scene and eponymous song from Clambake, which I love not so much because of the song (which was typical Elvis movie drivel) but because of the awesome bikini dancers:



Did people really throw parties like this back in the 1960s?

Got a favorite Elvis song? Let me know via the comments.

Old Spice Guy vs. Fabio vs. Darth Vader iPhone repair

Tired of hearing about the debt ceiling? Depressed by politics as usual? Work? All those back-to-school ads in July? Here are some things to make you smile again.

First up, Isaiah Mustafa (aka The Old Spice Guy) goes Mano a Mano against "Italian model" Fabio (Lanzoni) to see who will be the next Old Spice spokesmodel.





Part of me is tempted to vote for Fabio, who is, like, 55? 60? now. (That must be some portrait he has in his attic.) But my armpits belong to Isaiah Mustafa.

Also worth a viewing, this brilliant (albeit slightly warped) video from comedian Mark Malkoff to determine exactly how far the Apple Store's customer service (or hospitality) extends. FYI, the segment titled "Darth Vader iPhone Repair," at 2:02, is hands-down my favorite.



Finally, getting back to our political crisis du jour, here's yet another reason Republicans need to vote on raising the debt ceiling: