My Z News

Why buy something when you can make it? One little boy did just that when he wanted a set of drums. Some children would be content just to beat on an old pot, but this young man took things a step further, building a complete drum set with its own working bass pedal.  Once the drums were finished, he sat down to bust out a kicking solo. Somewhere Buddy Rich is wiping a tear from his eye. Keep on rocking little guy. Hopefully someone will identify you and get you a proper set of drums. You’ve earned them.  Read more: http://www.wimp.com/kid-plays-homemade-drums/

Read More...

The Temptations are a legendary American vocal group. Part of the star-packed roster of Motown Records in the 1960s and 1970s, they were known for their choreography, harmonies and coordinated wardrobe. Having sold tens of millions of albums, they’re one of the most successful groups in history, and their legacy is still deeply felt throughout R&B and soul music to this day. Before they were famous, however, they were just a group of young singers hoping to make it. Their big break came in the late part of 1964, when Smokey Robinson caught part of their show and was inspired to write a song that could feature group member David Ruffin on lead vocals. Eventually, the band persuaded Robinson to let them record a song he’d written with Ronald White for his own group, The Miracles. That song was “My Girl.” “My Girl” was written by Robinson for his wife, Claudette, and was meant to be a song that could be belted out but still be melodic and sweet. It became an instant classic, reaching the top of U.S. charts and becoming the first number-one hit for The Temptations. Today, it’s ranked 88 on Rolling Stone‘s “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”  Read more: http://www.wimp.com/temptations-perform-entertaining-dance-to-my-girl/

Read More...

Don’t tell these people that bagpipes are just for playing hymns. The Moscow District Pipe Band showed just how versatile these instruments are in an invigorating four-minute classic rock medley. Music from AC/DC, Kiss, Europe and Dire Straights all make an appearance. There’s even an encore performance of the title track from Jesus Christ Superstar. Though there may not be fire pumping out of their pipes like this guy, the Moscow District Pipe Band’s show looks like a great way to spend your next St. Patrick’s Day. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/bagpipe-band-plays-classic-rock-acdc-kiss/

Read More...

In the world of sports, it’s often the unsung heroes that make all the difference. No Super Bowl winning team could become champions without their offensive line, and even the offensive line couldn’t do it without the help of the equipment staff and trainers that get them ready for every game. You don’t see those people on SportsCenter each day, but they are as much of a key to success as any quarterback or million dollar head coach. In Sao Paulo, Brazil, there’s a new group of unsung heroes that are making a big impact in the local tennis community. During the recent Brasil Open, a group of stray dogs were used as “ball dogs” for the tournament. Their job was to gather loose balls around the court and collect them for future use. The job is usually done by young adults who take their role very seriously, but these dogs were having the time of their life.  As seen in the video below, these rescued dogs viewed the opportunity as the greatest game of fetch ever played. These dogs deserve it too, after a hard life spent on the streets. Now, they can live a new life serving a very beneficial purpose. We can only hope more tournaments across the world take note and use “ball dogs” for future events. It would certainly make Wimbledon much more exciting. H/T: CNN Read more: http://www.wimp.com/tennis-dogs-brazilian-open/

Read More...

Science is all around us and even if you don’t think you’ve got the supplies to experiment at home you probably do. This video showcases 10 fun experiments involving liquids that you can try from the comforts of your own home. With just a few simple household items like food coloring, an old juice bottle, and cooking oil you’ll be on your way to learning how to start a fire using water and light, or creating optical illusions in glasses. Some of these require a little more effort than others — we’re looking at you dancing liquid on a speaker — but for the most part, these can all be easily recreated in the comfort of your own home. If you’ve got kids, this is a fun way to get them interested in science without letting them know they’re learning something. It’ll be our little secret. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/ten-science-tricks-with-liquid/

Read More...

“Mnozil Brass” is a brass septuplet from Austria comprised of seven incredibly talented members. Sometimes, however, not everyone feels like playing a certain song. When this happens, well… they’ve got to multitask. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/brass-band-multitasking/

Read More...

Some doodles were meant to stay on the page… Read more: http://www.wimp.com/its-alive/

Read More...

For Rastafarians, reggae is not just music – it’s part of their DNA. The genre was born in Trenchtown, a prominent ghetto of Kingstown, Jamaica, where poor blacks would gather in the 1960s to not only to listen the radio, but discuss matters of social activism. As they combined influences of blues and ska with the island way of life, a new kind of music emerged. Thus, reggae was born, and who better to introduce it to the world than Bob Marley. Before Bob Marley, Jamaicans did not have a prominent voice in media. As America fell in love with songs like “No Woman No Cry,” “One Love,” and “People Get Ready” they were simultaneously asked to consider matters of inequality. Just consider his lyrics in the ever-popular “Redemption Song” which say: “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery/ None but ourselves can free our mind/ Have no fear for atomic energy/ ‘Cause none of them can stop the time/ How long shall they kill our prophets/ While we stand aside and look?” For anyone truly listening, it’s impossible to hear Bob Marley’s music without examining social injustices in the world. Like those who came before him, Nicholas Murray, better known as Conkarah, is deeply rooted in reggae and the way of life that comes with it. Born to an English mother and Jamaican father in 1985, he left his home in Kingston as a young adult to study at the University of West Virginia and travel around the U.K. However, it wasn’t long before he had to move home to (in his words) “be close to the heartbeat.” In this video, he and his 14-year-old sister, Rosie Delmah, put a reggae spin on Adele’s “Hello.” If you’d like to hear more about his music and mission to “spread positivity” be sure to check out his Facebook.    Read more: http://www.wimp.com/reggae-hello-cover-rodesha-conkarah/

Read More...

The sight of a frozen lake might inspire you to think about peace, beauty, or the majesty of nature, but it’s probably never given you visions of fiery explosions. Today we’d like to change that, and, hopefully, encourage you not to smoke by a frozen lake ever again. In this video, you will witness a man crack a hole in a frozen lake, strike a match, and create a plume of fire. This phenomenon isn’t caused by pollution but instead is thanks to an incredible act of nature. What he is igniting is methane gas. The gas is produced by degrading bacterial organic matter in the mud at the bottom of the lake. When the top of the lake freezes over this gas gets trapped under the ice. When enough builds up, the fire can last for a long time, even long enough to boil a pot of coffee, as you’ll see.  Read more: http://www.wimp.com/setting-a-lake-on-fire-with-natural-methane/

Read More...

Whenever I go to pump gas, I get annoyed at the TV screen that shouts at me while I’m just trying to fill up my car. I’m already paying too much for gas and now I have to get subjected to advertisments and news reports? That having been said, if this happened to me at the gas pump, I probably wouldn’t mind so much. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/gas-pump-news-anchor-eggs-driver-into-singing-his-heart-out/

Read More...