My Z News

The world is still reacting to the news that legendary musician Prince passed away a few days ago. From sharing their favorite songs on Facebook to slipping on a pair of headphones and listening to his greatest hits alone in their bedroom, everyone is coping with his death in different ways.  When we lose an icon like Prince, the normal routine seems to be put on hold for a bit while we adjust to what the world without this person means. One could write volumes on everything Prince has done for music, fashion, and entertainment, but there’s no greater indication of his legacy than the tributes paid by fellow artists. On Thursday, the Broadway cast of The Color Purple performed a powerful rendition of “Purple Rain” following their evening show. Oscar and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson took the stage, along with the rest of the cast, and informed the audience how much Prince meant to each and every one of them. She then invited the audience to join them in singing one of Prince’s most iconic songs. “His music will live on and he will live through his music, so we want to keep him alive today with his song,” said Hudson, before turning things over to Cynthia Erivo. What follows is a truly stirring moment – one in which Prince himself feels alive through the voices of those whose lives he touched. Don’t forget to SHARE this moving performance with your family and friends. H/T: The Color Purple Read more: http://www.wimp.com/the-cast-of-the-color-purple-delivers-a-touching-tribute-to-prince/

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Remember those scenes in Disney movies where the princess would open the window and birds would fly in and chirp sweetly to her while helping her brush her hair? This woman is sort of like the real-life version of that. Only instead of a delightful songbird trill, this magpie does its best every imitation of a little girl laughing as the woman tickles its feathers. Did the magpie come up with this on its own or is it imitating a familiar sound? It’s most likely that the magpie was imitating a familiar sound that it had picked up in the yard. Magpies are masterful imitators, and can mimic everyday noises like cellphones, car engines, barking dogs, even other bird calls. Magpies are considered to be one of the most intelligent animals in the world and one of the only non-mammals able to discern its own reflection in a mirror. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/bird-laughter/

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SOOO-o-oeeyyy! While it might look strange spelled out, that word is the cornerstone of hog calling. Farmers call their hogs in this manner when it’s feeding time, but these calls are also done recreationally in competitions across the country. Competitors are typically given 30 seconds to do whatever they’d like, and are often awarded more points based on how long they can hold certain calls. Creativity, costumes and props are often encouraged, making it quite the spectacle for everyone watching.  The following clip is taken from the Hog Calling Contest at the 2010 Illinois State Fair. As you can see, the participants manage to be silly and have fun while still demonstrating mastery over their craft. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/hog-calling-competition-state-fair/

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Weasels don’t get much love on the Internet. Even though they’re awfully cute, we tend to be far more concerned with videos of cats and dogs. Don’t get me wrong, cats and dogs are cute too, but how often do you get to see a video about a weasel? Weasels are lovely little creatures who are related to both minks and ferrets. Despite their small size, they are great predators, as their thin bodies allow them to chase prey into burrows and other tight spaces. Typically, weasels have red or brown fur with a white belly, but some species are known to shed their fur and regrow an entirely white coat during winter. This gives them some top-notch natural camo and helps them become better hunters in the snow. Ozzy, the weasel in this video, doesn’t need to do any hunting, though, since he lives in a house with the man who rescued him. Now, he spends his days lounging and playing with toys like this giant one that resembles a ferret. If his behavior looks odd, you should know that it is perfectly natural. The colloquial term for this behavior is a “war dance.” Many believe that weasels use this technique in the wild to disorient prey before striking. Ozzy’s owner says that “in domestic animals, the war dance usually follows play or the successful capture of a toy or a stolen object and is commonly held to mean that the weasel is thoroughly enjoying itself.” So, the next time you are excited about something, give Ozzy’s war dance a try. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/ozzy-the-weasel-plays-with-toy/

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Many people have a fish tank in their house … not many fill it up with molten aluminum, though. Thus, it’s fair to say that the Backyard Scientist is not just anyone. The popular YouTube vlogger can summarize his mission in one simple sentence: “I like to make videos on all the crazy stuff I do.” Recording from his home base in Florida for the past few years, he’s experimented with all sorts of ideas, from woodburning with electricity to attempting to make fireballs. His real-life “mad scientist” vids could definitely be classified as dangerous, but they’re also incredibly popular. His channel has racked up over 500,000 subscribers and more than 61 million views; another molten aluminum video involving a watermelon has been watched nearly 23 million times on its own. As daring as he is, the Scientist also reinforces that what he’s doing is dangerous. Molten metal can be extremely risky to mess with (although the guys at Mythbusters have some compelling evidence to the contrary), and no one wants to end up in the emergency room after engaging in some backyard science. While he has been doing this stuff his whole life, he’s also “experienced burns, cuts, temporary hearing loss, shocks” and more and, therefore, encourages viewers to think long and hard before recreating any of these experiments. Molten aluminum might look like fun, but it takes knowledge, preparation and the right equipment to handle it safely. It doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive equipment, though; in keeping with his name, which denotes the homemade and DIY nature of his experiments, the Backyard Scientist even made his own foundry and crucible, which can be seen in this video. “The foundry is cement and perlite, and the crucible is just an old propane cylinder cut open,” he’s revealed. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/backyard-scientist-molten-aluminum-fish-tank/

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Today we bring you a story about the healing power of love. Breeze is a pony who was found wandering in the Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England, shortly after his birth. Unable to find its mother, the little pony fell into a state of shock due to dehydration. Thankfully rescuers from a local equine sanctuary found Breeze before it was too late. While Breeze recuperated, the rescuers faced a problem. Without his mother around the poor orphaned pony was lonely. Their solution was to give Breeze a giant teddy bear to snuggle. As you’ll see in the video, Breeze quickly took to his bear as a source of comfort. Sometimes we all need a friend, even orphaned ponies. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/orphan-pony-teddy-bear-friendship/

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Rumor has it that cracking your knuckles makes them get bigger and can cause arthritis. But is it true? Cracking knuckles is a habit that a lot of people pick up due to soreness or stiffness. And knuckles aren’t the only joints that people habitually crack, though they might be the most common. Vox decides to take a look at the science behind cracking knuckles and whether or not it really has an effect on your health. There are a number of studies to back up both ends of the spectrum, with excessive cracking causing health issues and being completely uneventful. Check out the video to learn more. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/crackknuckles/

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You might know Improv Everywhere from their non-seasonal antics, whether it’s combining break dancing with ballet or stuffing a marching band into a port-a-potty. This highly organized troupe of professionals and inexperienced volunteers takes the notion of a flash mob to new levels. In fact, this latest endeavor from these talented pranksters actually gives a whole new meaning to the term “flash mob,” with an on-demand light display that stuns viewers and freezes participants in place. It’s well worth a watch if you need a little extra Christmas cheer in your day, or if you just like a good surprise. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/light-switch-christmas-flash-mob/

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Growing up you know Santa is watching you. He’s making a list, checking it twice, it doesn’t matter if you lie, he knows if you’re naughty or nice. This year, though, things are a little different. Santa Claus is still coming to town, but this time, he has a lie detector. See the hysterical results when these kids are put to the test. Do they deserve a new bike? We’re about to find out.  Read more: http://www.wimp.com/santa-kids-and-a-lie-detector-test/

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Spring is in the air and I, for one cannot get enough. I’m not a winter guy at all, so the warmer weather is a welcome relief. I also love seeing all the signs of life returning. There are buds in the trees and birds are starting to chirp again. If you live in the countryside, then you’re probably also very familiar with the fact that spring also brings about a lot of birth. Spring is a great time for a lot of animals to have babies because it affords their offspring several months of maturation time before the winter sets in again.  Recently, passengers aboard Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Safari boat got to witness the miracle of birth up-close and personal off the coast of Dana Point, California. A pod of 40 false killer whales (a type of dolphin) emerged right alongside their boat and pushed up against it. After a sudden spurt of blood, a newborn calf popped out! Captain Dave, who was out with a different tour group when this incident occurred, said that in his 20 years of being on the water, he’d never managed to see anything like this himself. False killer whales are part of the dolphin family, just as killer whales (orcas) are. Like most newborns, this calf only measured about five feet in length, but over the course of the next two years, it’ll grow up to be anywhere from 10-15 feet in length and weigh as much as 1,500 pounds.  H/T: Dolphin Safari Read more: http://www.wimp.com/tourists-witness-live-dolphin-birth/

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