Friday Round Up is Grateful for the Small Things

Well color this girl extremely emotional today.

1. I just have to start with this Chilean mine collapse thing. Have you heard? 33 miners are trapped well below the earth’s surface, they’ve been there for a while and they will be there for a while. There are several amazing things about this story. First, their spirit. These men are literally trapped in the earth and what do they do? They sing songs, they pray together, they play games together they’ve established a daily routine, have meetings, ration food, help each other through every little thing. There’s a small communication hole where rations and letters can be sent through and through the hole you can hear them singing the Chilean national anthem. Like, seriously? You guys are amazing. I just can’t imagine. The families are sending down notes and knickknacks:

The family of Edison Pena, a 34-year-old mechanic, have their own surprise gift for him: a photo of US rock and roll legend Elvis Presley.

“Hang in there, because soon you’re going to be more famous than Elvis,” they wrote in a note accompanying a photo of the singer.

That’s the part that made me start sobbing at my desk.

2. Second, they’re not telling these guys when they will get out, because they don’t know. Early estimates are saying CHRISTMAS. They’re not telling them because there are no psychological studies in place to deal with something like that. They’re breaking it to them gently… you might not make it out by Chile independence day (in Sept) but probably soon after… An absolutely mind blowing story. I have hope that they’ll make it.

3. Pfeeeew sorry to start with something to heavy! Let’s go with something fun! Last night I had awesome seats at a NY Liberty WNBA game, check it:

I know I said “who wants to see girls play sports” a bunch, but really, I do. It was really fun!

4. Check out the list of impressive stats about the Liberty head coach Anne Donovan:

- She is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
- Donovan played pro ball in Shizuoka, Japan and Modena, Italy from 1984 to 1989
- A three-time Olympian, she earned gold medals in 1984 and 1988
- Donovan was selected to represent the USA at the inaugural Goodwill games
- In January 2006, USA Basketball named Donovan head coach of the 2008 Beijing Olympics US women’s team
- Her USA team won the Gold medal, beating Australia

Color me impressed.

5. The Daily News brought Jerry Stiller to visit the Astoria home of the Costanza’s. What followed is a really heart warming visit between old people. So sweet in fact that I insist you watch this:

6. I have bad news for you movie fans, they let M. Night Shyamalan make another movie (presumably they made this before the Air Bender was out in theaters). Embedding is disabled but check out the trailer for Devil HERE and come back.
…
What? uuuuugh.

7. In better news they let Ricky Gervais make a new tv show! yay!

8. I feel like I was probably late to the College Humor “Hardly Working” party but Julia found this video yesterday: Hardly Working – LFO if you’re feeling like you hadn’t been creeped out in a while (not in a MNS creep out, but in a I need to take a shower creeped out way).

9. Lots of videos today! Really if you think about it videos are a pretty new medium. Kodak released these shots of some of the first color test shots taken in 1922.

10. Pretty impressive that it took less than 100 years for us to devolve into this:

Sorry about this everyone. It’s been a rough week.

ps. I feel bad for honeydew melons.