#new years cruise australia

[parkavegifts]

Unforgettable Australia Day Bucks Party Celebration On A Day Cruise Sydney

As the sun rises over the glistening waters of Sydney Harbour on Australia Day, a unique opportunity presents itself for an unforgettable celebration – a Bucks Party Cruise Sydney that combines the thrill of the occasion with the breathtaking beauty of the Australian waterline.

This Australia Day, why not take your Bucks Party to the next level by immersing yourselves in the heart of Sydney’s iconic harbour and getting onboard one of the famous and luxurious Australia Day Sydney Harbour Cruises for making the most of your Australia Day celebration?

A Bucks Party Beyond The Ordinary: Over The Water, On The Cruise

A Bucks Party is more than just a celebration; it is a momentous event marking the transition from one phase of life to another. And what better way to honor this transition than by embarking on an extraordinary journey aboard a Day Cruise Sydney? From the moment you step on board, you're stepping into a world of excitement, luxury, and adventure.

Sydney Harbour, with its world-renowned landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, provides a stunning backdrop for any celebration. Australia Day, a day of national pride and festivity, only adds to the electric atmosphere. As you set sail on your Bucks Party Cruise Sydney, you will be surrounded by the charm and energy that Sydney Harbour exudes.

Bucks Party Cruise Sydney is not just a mode of transportation. It is an experience in itself. With modern amenities, comfortable lounges, and open decks, the cruise offers the perfect blend of relaxation and excitement. Feel the gentle breeze in your hair as you take in the panoramic views of the harbour.

On this day, the harbour comes alive with vibrant festivities, from dazzling fireworks displays to cultural performances and water parades. The sparkling waters, against the backdrop of the iconic Sydney skyline, create an ambiance for the celebration of Sydney Harbour Australia Day that is simply unparalleled.

By choosing to celebrate your Bucks Party on one of the famous Australia Day Sydney Harbour Cruises, you are ensuring that your party is part of something much larger – a city-wide celebration of unity and national pride.

Unmatched Luxury & Entertainment Awaits For You Onboard

A Bucks Party Cruise Sydney is all about luxury and entertainment. Indulge in gourmet dining, with a spread of delectable dishes that cater to every palate. Raise a toast to the groom-to-be with premium beverages, letting the celebrations flow as smoothly as the waters beneath you.

On-board entertainment options, from live music to interactive games, ensure that there is never a dull moment when you are on board a Sydney Harbour Australia Day cruise. The backdrop of Australia Day Sydney Harbour Cruises adds an extra layer of significance to this celebration.

The Day Cruise Sydneystrikes the perfect balance between adventure and luxury, excitement and relaxation, celebration, and reflection. It is an opportunity to enjoy the company of friends, honor the groom-to-be, and savour the beauty of Sydney in all its glory.

As the day transitions into night, the harbour lights up, and you will find yourselves dancing under the stars, the music and laughter mingling with the gentle lapping of the waves – all while enjoying the celebration of Sydney Harbour Australia Day to the fullest.

Conclusion

As you look ahead to your Bucks Party, consider the magic of celebrating on a Day Cruise Sydney. With the allure of Sydney Harbour, the spirit of Australia Day, and the luxury of a cruise, you are creating a truly unique experience. This celebration will undoubtedly be etched in your memories for the ages – an unforgettable journey of friendship, joy, and shared moments.

For more details visit our website rumrunner.com.au.

[batshit-auspol]

With the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, many of the former empire's resources were sold off to the highest bidder, and their $14 billion space shuttle program was no exception.

Seeking to recoup some of that eyewatering spend, in 1998, the "Buran" (Russia's answer to the American Space Shuttle) was offered up for sale on eBay for $10 million.

No serious offers were received - with most people assuming the listing to be a joke, until the New York Post confirmed the sale, with Russian authorities stating they "actually have two" if anyone is interested.

(Pictured: A later auction of a smaller scale Buran in 2005)

Sensing an opportunity, a group of Aussie entrepreneurs including Australia's first astronaut and the lawyer for Prime Minister Paul Keating offer to lease the shuttle from Russia, to put it on display in Australia during the Sydney Olympics.

After gaining permission from the Kremlin for the lease, in 1999 the Russian military briefly stops bombing Chechnya in order to dismantle the Buran, and it is placed on a barge to be shipped to Sydney on the (soon to be infamous for other reasons) Tampa shipping vessel at a cost of $5 million.

Once in Sydney, after a disastrous few months on display where crowds failed to flock to the shuttle exhibition featuring such compelling educational offerings as "activities is to assist in the development of issues of nutrition and hygiene at home" (an actual quote from their website) - the leasing company declared bankruptcy and washed their hands of the space shuttle completely.

The Buran Gift shop where you could buy soviet space ship themed football jerseys, in case you needed one of those

One of four people listed on the lease, described as a business partner of the Prime Minister, also claims he never knew he was a director of the company, which went on to cause a lot more problems.

This whole debacle presented a slight issue for the cash strapped Russian authorities, who had now only been paid $100,000 for the 9 year lease of the shuttle instead of the $600,000 they were owed. Eventually the decision was made to abandon the once $1 billion Soviet pride and joy in a Sydney carpark, where it resided for a year under a small tarpaulin.

Failed attempts to be rid of the shuttle included a 12 day auction hosted by an LA radio station, where listeners were offered the chance to buy the shuttle for $6 million, however all bids turned out to be pranks and the shuttle remained.

Multiple attempts were also made to sell the shuttle to Tom Cruise, with the exacerbated movie star's representatives repeatedly telling the insistent traders that he was not interested in owning a Russian spaceship.

Eventually a Singaporean group dismantled the shuttle and shipped it overseas, however Russian authorities soon reported they once again had been failed to be paid for the lease. Singaporean representatives responded that they definitely had paid for the shuttle, and that they simply couldn't remember when or how much was paid.

Representing the Russian government, Lawyer Suhaila Turani told the Wall Street Journal “I feel sorry for the Russians. They’re good in space, but they’re very naive in business.”

For a time the shuttle was abandoned in the storage yard of event company Pico, with the company owner telling the Wall Street Journal "I just want this thing out of my life" after three years of being stuck with it.

A few years later the shuttle was found by German journalists dismantled in a junkyard, and it was then bought and shipped to Germany to be put on display a museum, so all's well that ends well (except they dropped it from a crane while trying to set it up, but it polished up okay).

[thinking-emoji]

Photo-spoiler free PEOPLE article

wonderful article by the amazing Raven Brunner, but it unfortunately includes extremely cute photos of dnp on stage and in their stage outfits. So here's the spoiler free version for all you hardcore spoiler-fighters

Dan Howell and Phil Lester Say Seeing Fans on Tour Now That They're 'Older and Bit Gayer' Has Felt 'Radical and Freeing' (Exclusive)

Dan Howell and Phil Lester are currently one month into the North American leg of their tour Terrible Influence and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look

By Raven Brunner | Published on November 1, 2024 11:00AM EDT

Dan Howell and Phil Lester are cruising through the United States! 

The two British YouTubers are currently one month into the North American leg of their third joint tour Terrible Influence – and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look.

The duo will continue with stops in Chicago, Toronto, New York City, Nashville and more, before bringing their show to Australia in December. 

"Being able to see our audience in real life, now that we're all older ... and we're a bit gayer, feels so radical and freeing," Dan and Phil said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. "We've had so many people joke [that] this tour has felt 'healing' and to see people from all different walks of life feel like they are welcome at our tour makes us so happy."

They added, "Getting to perform a new show that contains so many spicy personal and professional revelations is a thrill. It's truly a DGAF new era and to see people hollering at some of the controversial moments and shedding a tear at the end makes it feel so good every night."

When it comes to traveling the states, the two continued, "The U.S.A. is so huge, we can't believe driving across the middle takes so long. From Texas and the midwest to the upcoming east coast leg - our propaganda is spreading across the nation and we're so happy to be here saving democracy, one brainwashed viewer at a time."

The show sees Dan and Phil on tour together for the first time since their 2018 hiatus from their shared YouTube channel DanandPhilGAMES, during which they both came out as gay and grew their personal brands. During this time, Dan wrote the #1 New York Times bestselling mental health book You Will Get Through This Night and embarked on a solo comedy tour We’re All Doomed, while Phil continued to grow his own YouTube channel AmazingPhil. 

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE ahead of their arrival in the U.S., the two – who have been on YouTube together for over 15 years – spoke about the reactions to their first few shows as they began their tour in September with a stop in Belgium.

"We have had so many funny memes and reactions to it," Phil, 37, told us at the time. "Seeing the buzz on social media the first night we did the show, because no one knew anything about it or what it was going to be, was just a reminder of how hilarious our audience is.”

Dan, 33, added that the show is helping people come to terms with their past and also their future. 

"It has also been amazing seeing all the different kinds of people that come to the show because we have had people that are like, 'I’m old now and identify as a real person' – not someone that spends all their time on YouTube," he said. "All these people have grown up and gone on so many different journeys in the direction of their lives, and yet it feels like they all got to come together and feel like they were welcomed."

Dan continued, "They all got to laugh and feel like they could have some weight taken off their shoulders for who we were, for who they used to be [and] for how scared they should feel about the future. The fact that everyone’s left feeling invigorated about themselves for what the next chapters of their lives could be, I think we are really proud of that."

The new territory of the show also poses new "danger," as Dan said.

Phil has experienced two accidents while working on the show, the first of which occurred during a rehearsal and resulted in a broken rib. Then he fell off the stage during a tour stop in Sweden, after which he wrote on social media, "people think ‘phil is going to fall off the stage’ is an old joke until i actually fall off the stage."

"We joke about this,” Dan explained. “People are like, 'Dan and Phil need to stop exaggerating.' But you don’t even know the extent to which we don’t tell people half the stuff Phil has done."

"I need to be wrapped in bubble wrap at all times," Phil agreed, before adding, "To be fair, it is very dark on the stage. I thought I was leaning over the edge. There was no edge. I did a very stylish barrel roll off the front of the stage and thankfully it wasn’t very high."

He continued, "But the rib was another thing. I won't say much because it'd be a spoiler, but we were rehearsing a very active part of the show and I bent myself in a way I should not have bent myself."

Beyond the challenging physical aspects of the show, Dan noted that the specific scene also includes an emotional element where they are "jokingly being quite confrontational about a lot of things that would have, in the past, been considered sensitive topics – whether it is about us and our audience, or just like people on social media and what this culture is."

As for what the duo enjoys most about touring the United States, Dan quickly noted that "Phil is looking forward to sugar."

"Yeah, I have a sugar issue,” Phil confirmed. "Everything in the U.S. has more sugar in it. So that’s always quite exciting. The pancake stack I am going to get as soon as I arrive in America is going to be legendary."

Dan added, “You’ll find that’s essential. If someone wants a free selfie with Phil, just turn up to the local IHOP at 2 a.m. and see Phil just going, 'More maple syrup.'"

The two shared a story from their 2018 tour Interactive Introverts where their bus broke down "in the middle of Texas" and the only place nearby was a Denny’s. "So we ended up going there having a Breakfast Slam at like 3 a.m. I was like, 'I think I get American culture,' " Dan explained.

"This is it. The Slam,' " Phil added.

Meanwhile, Dan is most looking forward to "bus life."

"A lot of people go, ‘Touring! Don’t you just hate it? Imagine being on a bus cramped up with all those people?' And I’m like, 'I love it.' Get me out of the house," Dan shared. "We are not meant to just be spending all day in our head, being anxious about stuff. We are meant to go outside. And I found that the only way I can do that is to book a tour and commit to dragging myself outside of the house.'

Following their return to YouTube and their joint brand, Dan said that they are living "in this radical present where we are just seeing how things go." However, they are still aware of the demand for them to take on more big projects, particularly in relation to their former jobs as presenters on BBC Radio 1 where they hosted a weekly radio show and interviewed A-list celebrities like Taylor Swift and Fall Out Boy at special events.

"Yeah, that was really fun," Phil recalled. "I think there was a lot of anxiety for me doing the radio because you have to press a lot of buttons, you are live – so I can say anything. Anyone knows that me, unfiltered and live, is a dangerous mix, especially when you are the BBC."

Dan added, "People keep asking us. They are like 'Dan and Phil, we need you to get back doing these presenting jobs. You want to come back? Do the radio, do this award show.' We are like, 'Oh, my! Maybe we’ll do it for the people.' "

He continued to note that people are also "begging" him to return to his solo YouTube channel, but for now, they are focused on the tour. 

"This Dan and Phil comeback was so lowkey," Dan said. "Literally we had no plan for it. Phil was like, 'Just sit down, play The Sims, play a little card game,' and it is the most light, casual content ever. People were so enthusiastic about it and now they are like, 'What is the future?' People are begging us to do radio, they want us to do a podcast, they want us to do all this other stuff that their favorite YouTubers are doing. So now, we are like, 'Okay, we hear you, Dan and Phil 2.0 when we get back from this tour.' Honestly, it sounds like a threat."

"Yeah," Phil agreed. "What is it going to be? We are not sure but we are excited about it."

Tickets for Terrible Influence are now on sale.

[your-resident-boat-person]

A BOAT PERSON YEEEEEES BOATS BOATS BOATS BOATS BOATS DO YOU HAVE A REASON FOR LOVING THEM? YOU HAVE A LIST OF FAVS AND THEY ARE GREAT ARE THERE ANY YOUD RECOMMEND PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT OR THAT YOU WANT TO INFODUMP ON SPECIFICALLY SORRY FOR THE CAPS I AM VERY VERY EXCITED

Okay, so, if I had to give a reason for liking ocean liners, the answer is probably that I'm a mega-autist. However, it started in the 5th grade. Like everyone else, Titanic was my gateway drug. That eventually expanded into other ocean liners.

If I had to recommend one to learn more about, it would easily be the SS America.

She had a long and storied 55-year-long career. I highly recommend the documentary by Oceanliner Designs on YouTube. However, I will give an abridged version of her story beneath the cut. It's a thrilling story, so if you're interested, don't read this; go watch his video. Its better:

Designed by the famous naval architect William Francis Gibbs, she was launched on August 31st, 1939. The day before World War II began. She was actually part of FDRs new deal program, meant to help the United States recover from the great depression. Her construction employed thousands of people, and nearly every state contributed to her in some way. She was built to a 3 compartment standard, meaning with 3 of her 14 watertight compartments flooded, shed stay afloat. This is actually better than most modern cruise ships, I might add. She was completed on April 16th, 1940, but given all the U-Boats everywhere, she couldn't exactly serve as a transatlantic liner. So the maiden voyage of this ocean liner was actually a Mediterranean cruise. United States Lines actually painted two giant American flags on each side of her hull, with the text “AMERICA UNITED STATES LINES” in big, bold letters, just in case they somehow did encounter a U-Boat.

America was a neutral country at the time, so that kind of thing was important to advertise. Eventually, the US got pulled into the war, and the SS America was requisitioned as a troopship and renamed the USS West Point. I don't know if this is confirmed, but I suspect that it's because if she were lost in the war, announcing that a ship bearing the name of our country had been lost to enemy action would be a huge blow to morale. When her running mate, the SS United States, was constructed, the US government tried to pressure William Francis Gibbs into giving her a different name for this exact reason. It didn't work. I love him. Anyway, here's a picture of her during her service.

The SS America carries the honor of being one of the few ships to never have a single death occur on board during the war. She might have actually been the only one. Anyway, in 1946, she was returned to United States Lines and renamed back to SS America. This time, when they repainted her back to her civilian colors, they ditched the name and flags on the sides of her hull. (Thank god.) Her career with USL was successful, if uneventful. In 1952, the SS United States was introduced. The Big U was about 267 feet longer, twice the size, and twice the speed. Given that the SS United States is still, to this day, the fastest passenger ship of all time, America had a little bit of trouble keeping up. America's passenger numbers fell after this, but she still had many loyal passengers who preferred her. The SS United States’ interior design was a tad lackluster compared to the SS America.

With rising operating costs and competition from air travel, she was deemed an unnecessary part of the USL fleet. In 1964, they put America up for sale. She was bought by Chandrice Line, which serviced the postwar emigrant run from Europe to Australia and New Zealand.

America was renamed Australis and served them until 1977, when, faced with ever-increasing fuel costs, could no longer compete with air travel. She is remembered to this day by many of the emigrants as being a very happy ship, but Chandrice didn't exactly maintain her very well. On one voyage, part of her hull opened up, and a compartment partially flooded. The crew was unable to fix it, and for the rest of the 3 week voyage, she had an awful list over to one side.

Now comes the most shameful part of her career. In 1978, she was bought by Venture Cruise Lines for 5 million dollars. Seeking to capitalize on nostalgia, they offered 5 day cruises to nowhere. To prepare her for this new role, they repainted her in what was definitely her second-ugliest configuration, and they gave her her old name back.

And then they kinda… stopped. They made no effort to modernize her (a ship constructed in the 1930s), and her interiors were, for lack of a better word, a dump. The swimming pool was full of garbage bags, toilets were overflowing, and there were rats and bugs everywhere. It was a nightmare. Truly, a predecessor to the poop cruise from hell. The passengers on her first cruise actually mutinied, and the ship barely made it past the Statue of Liberty before the captain turned her around. The health inspection board was called in, and they examined the ship. They gave her a score of 6.

Out of a possible 100.

Venture went bust, and America was put up for sale again.

Shockingly, the ones who bought her were Chandrice Line again, for 1 million dollars. Meaning they profited 4 million dollars while also getting their ship back in the process. She was renamed AGAIN to Italis, and her forward funnel was so corroded that it had to be cut off, giving her an extremely ugly and unbalanced profile. Even to the lay person, most can tell at this point that she looked very sad.

Her final years with Chandrice were short and uneventful, only lasting 2 years. Chandrice wanted to completely modernize her and have her serve as a modern cruise ship, but this never happened. She then bounced around from owner to owner. First, she was the Noga, intended to become a prison ship. Then she was the Alferdoss, but only the port bow was the Alferdoss, because they only put the name on one side of the hull. So the starboard bow and the stern were still the Noga. She was nearly sold for scrap, but after they scrapped the lifeboats, they defaulted on their payment and pulled out. Then, she was bought by a Thai investment firm, which intended to completely restore her and convert her into a 5-star hotel, much like the Queen Mary had in the 1970s. After a short period of drydocking, it was found that, despite the neglect, her hull was in remarkably good condition. The trip from New Zealand to Phuket, Thailand, was a long and dangerous one. Approximately 100 days. A Ukrainian tug won the contract, and in 1994, they set off…

only to immediately turn around due to the weather. They tried again, and again the weather turned against them. The tow line snapped, and they sent crew aboard to try to reattach it, but it was no use. They were airlifted off by helicopter, and the SS America, now named SS American Star, was set adrift. There was no one aboard, and the ship had no power. Seemingly tired of the years of neglect and mistreatment, the SS America decided to go out on her own terms. She went aground at Playa de Garcey, off the west coast of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. Within 48 hours, the pounding waves broke her in two.

She was declared a total loss and promptly abandoned. The waves quickly ate through the stern, causing it to deteriorate very quickly. The bow, however, remained standing, up until about 2008, when it began collapsing into the sea.

It's difficult to imagine that at one point, this was the grand old lady of the seas.

By 2013, nothing of her was left standing above the surface.

Along with her eye-achingly beautiful appearance, she had an extremely long and storied career. So that's why she's my favorite liner of all time. Most liners only last 25 to 35 years. Hell, the SS United States was only in service for 17 years. The SS America had a 55-year-long career. 74 if you count the time she spent wrecked, as she frequently got visitors. She was a truly outstanding ship, and I'm devastated that she couldn't be preserved. If it's any consolation, Phuket was struck by a major typhoon in 2004, so America was probably doomed regardless. If I could pick one liner from history to undo the fate of and magically preserve, it would EASILY be her.

[scotianostra]

On September. 27th 1938, Queen Elizabeth, the world's largest ocean liner was launched on the Clyde.

The Queen Elizabeth was the sister ship of the Queen Mary, which was christened four years earlier, I covered this yesterday.

Unfortunately, her role as a luxury liner was short-lived - with the outbreak of the Second World War the following year, the Queen Elizabeth entered service in February 1940 as a troopship and didn’t return to her original role until October 1946.

The Cunard line’s enormous luxury ocean-goer was built on the river Clyde to sail between Southampton and New York, named after the Queen Consort (later the Queen Mother).

Following the outbreak of World War II, the security of Queen Elizabeth became a major concern for Cunard-White Star and the British Government. It was not safe to keep the ship in Scotland, as it was well known that she was a tempting target for the Luftwaffe.

Queen Elizabeth was painted in military grey before departing Clydebank for what was rumoured to be a short journey to Southampton. However, once in open sea the ship’s course was altered – Queen Elizabeth’s maiden voyage was to New York!

Thus, the untested and untried ship – then the world’s largest ocean liner – made a secret dash across the Atlantic to the safety of America. She arrived unannounced in New York, surprising officials and New Yorkers alike. Queen Elizabeth berthed alongside Queen Mary, Normandie and Mauretania Queen Elizabeth was requisitioned for wartime service on 13 November 1940.

The ship sailed to Singapore where she was refurbished into the world’s largest troop carrier. During the works, defensive armaments and a degaussing coil (to protect against mines) were fitted.

On 11th February, Queen Elizabeth sailed from Singapore bound for Sydney, Australia, arriving ten days later. Here the conversion into troop ship was completed and Queen Elizabeth undertook her first trooping voyage to the Middle East, carrying troops to Suez.

Queen Elizabeth later sailed to Canada, and carried troops to Sydney, while in 1942 the Admiralty considered possible future uses for the Queens. Their trooping capacity meant they were the most valuable large troop transports in service. When the USA entered the war in December 1941, the future use of Queen Elizabeth along with Queen Mary changed. Ultimately, the ships were most valuable operating the trooping service on the North Atlantic, and following a major overhaul Queen Elizabeth commenced this service. She remained in Government requisition for the rest of the war.

At the end of the war, Queen Elizabeth was famous on both sides of the Atlantic. The ship, which had carried over 750,000 troops, now commenced work repatriating those troops as well as the war brides.

Queen Elizabeth was released from Admiralty service in 1946. Her post-war overhaul and refurbishment was carried out both on the Clyde and at Southampton. This overhaul saw luxury passenger interiors installed aboard Queen Elizabeth, in preparation for civilan transatlantic services. Additionally, ship was painted in Cunard livery, while the machinery was overhauled.

Queen Elizabeth was given her full sea trials, and then officially accepted by Cunard. The ship made her maiden peacetime passenger voyage to New York on 16 October 1946.

Queen Elizabeth proved a popular ship and over the coming months the ship was well booked. On 17 April 1947, Queen Elizabeth ran aground near Brambles Bank as she made her approach to Southampton in thick fog. The ship was later successfully refloated.

In September 1951 Queen Elizabeth made her 100th peacetime transatlantic crossing. But as more passengers took to airline services, Cunard realised that they needed to upgrade Queen Elizabeth in order to keep her relevant in a changing world with a particular focus on longer duration cruising

As such, during a refurbishment in January 1952 the ship’s fuel capacity was increased allowing her to sail longer distances without refuelling. Additionally air-conditioning was fitted throughout, to allow the ship to undertake voyages into warm climates. Four years later, Queen Elizabeth was fitted with stabilisers, which greatly improved passenger comfort.

When Pan American World Airways flew the first Boeing 707 service across the Atlantic, the future for Queen Elizabeth was in doubt. By 1962 the decline in the number of passengers on the Atlantic shipping service (they had moved their business to airliners) led to an announcement that the ship would be used more and more for cruises.

Cunard gave Queen Elizabeth another major overhaul in Greenock, which involved an interior refurbishment and the creation of an outdoor swimming pool on Queen Elizabeth’s aft deck. This was combined with a new lido area which, it was hoped, would allow the ship to attract more cruise passengers.

Sadly, the 1966 Seaman’s Strike meant that the refreshed ship was laid up in Southampton for a number of weeks, which further impacted on Cunard’s financial viability. On 8 May 1967, Cunard announced the fates of the two Queens. Queen Mary was withdrawn from service later that year, while the Queen Elizabeth was to be retained until Autumn 1968, by which time it was hoped the QE2 would be ready as her replacement.

Queen Elizabeth was initially sold to a group of Philadelphian businessmen, who intended to turn her into a floating hotel in Florida. The ship made her final transatlantic crossing on 5 November 1968 before she was withdrawn from Cunard service.

Once in Florida, the ship was opened to the public, however this venture didn’t last and the ship was closed in late 1969. In 1970 the ship was auctioned and bought by C.Y.Tung, Hong Kong, who planned to convert the liner into the world’s largest Floating University.

Re-named Seawise University, the ship sailed for Hong Kong to be converted. The transformation was almost complete when a series of fires broke out aboard the ship, causing her to burn out and sink in the harbour, a sad end to a beautiful ship.

You can find more pics and info on the link below, including an 8 minute video. Among the pics you will see that although Queen Elizabeth was a luxury liner, it was not this way when it was in service during WW2, troops were crammed into every available space.

[randomvarious]

1990s Indie Rock Playlist

Fucking finally! A 90s indie rock playlist for Spotify! I've had a YouTube version of this one for a few years now—and that one is both significantly better and longer—but now you all have *something* that's a whole lot more easily accessible too 👍.

Now, it's not really easy to describe what exactly makes an indie rock song an indie rock song in the first place, but you tend to know it when you hear it; and with this first iteration of a Spotify version of this playlist, we start with a total of 11 songs that run from shoegazey, noisy fuzz to smoother and more melodic power pop-leaning college rock stuff. And we've got a couple very brief explorations of specific scenes here too, with a few tunes from mid-90s Australia and then a handful from late 90s Philadelphia.

Plus, most of these are pretty dang obscure as well, with most selections having play counts somewhere in the low single-thousands; but we kick off with a total, unmissable classic: "Ginger" by Washington, D.C.'s Lilys, a song and band that I first discovered in the most unlikeliest of ways as a completely random bonus track on a retrospective 80s synthpop and new wave comp that celebrated beloved Bay Area radio DJ Steve Masters 😂. This killer 1993 tune is by far this playlist's most popular one, currently sitting at over 377K plays.

This playlist is ordered as chronologically as possible.

Lilys - "Ginger" Even - "Stupid Dream" Flanders - "Shameless" Challenger 7 - "Wait a Lifetime" Transient Waves - "Wavelength" Sunbirds - "Rocket" Line - "Hollow" Photon Band - "Here Comes Some Changes" Intro to India - "The World Is Waiting" Lenola - "Sids" The Asteroid No. 4 - "Tricks of the Trade"

But as I mentioned up top, there's a whole lot more great stuff on the YouTube version of this playlist, which contains more than double the amount of songs that are on the Spotify one, and thus I think really cements its own status as being a genuinely indie playlist, because you can't find most of it on any of the streaming platforms!

With this superior version, we've got tunes from the early 90s, including a much less known version of Brian Jonestown Massacre's "Evergreen," and a great, slow, and heavy one called "Salvation" by Los Angeles' Sacred Miracle Cave. Then we head up to Canada for a bunch of tunes from the Sonic Unyon label, including a few tracks by Treble Charger (aka NC17), whose "Red" has been rated by many as one of the single-greatest Canadian alt rock tunes of the entire decade. And there's a music video in this Canadian section too, for a spacey gem by SIANspheric called "I Like the Ride." 🚀🤘

Then after that, we head down to the mid-90s Philly scene, with the deeply underheard "Calling All Cars" by Slumber, which only has 77 plays, and The Asteroid No. 4's "Car Thief Millenia," which only has 95 plays. And then to close out, we have a couple tunes from Cali label Devil in the Woods, with the catchy, keyboard-assisted "Dirt Bike Rider" by Snowmen, and a rare, live performance of "Snowball" by Modesto's Fiver.

The Charlottes - "Could There Ever Be" Sacred Miracle Cave - "Salvation" Spot 1019 - "HHH" The Brian Jonestown Massacre - "Evergreen Treble Charger - "Red" NC17 - "Cubicle" Sponge - "Colourful Hat" Eric's Trip - "Evie" By Divine Right - "Out of It" SIANspheric - "I Like the Ride" Treble Charger - "Even Grable" The Asteroid No. 4 - "Car Thief Millenia" Slumber - "Calling All Cars" Snowmen - "Dirt Bike Rider" Fiver - "Snowball"

And this playlist is also on YouTube Music.

Now, you've probably never heard of almost any of these bands before, but I promise you that there is a metric ton of gold in this collection of songs. Go and hop in your '94 Taurus and cruise the highway with this thing; you will not regret it.

Spotify playlist is 11 songs and runs for 53 minutes, but the YouTube one is 26 songs and runs for 118 minutes. So if you want more of this terrific indie shit, you know which of these options to choose.

Next week we'll be taking an eclectic trip out to late 90s San Francisco.

Enjoy!

More to come, eventually. Stay tuned!

Like what you hear? Follow me on Spotify and YouTube for more cool playlists and uploads!

[livingforstars]

Shuttle Engine Blast - January 1st, 1996.

"The Space Shuttle Discovery's orbital maneuvering system (OMS) engine firing produced this dramatic flare as it cruised "upside down" in low Earth orbit. Discovery was named for a ship commanded by Captain James Cook RN, the 18th Century English astronomer and navigator. Cook's voyages of discovery established new standards in scientific exploration and brought extensive knowledge of the unknown Pacific regions, including Australia, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Island archipelago to Europeans. NASA's four-orbiter Space Shuttle fleet began a new year of operation on January 11th, 1996, with the launch of the shuttle Endeavour (STS-72). Also named after one of Cook's ships, Endeavor was the latest addition to the shuttle fleet."

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

New SpaceTime out Monday

SpaceTime 20240902 Series 27 Episode 106

Dream Chaser space plane launch delayed until next year

Sierra Space have confirmed that the new Dream Chaser space plane won’t be ready to fly until next year.

NASA discovers a long-sought global electric field on Earth

Scientists have for the first time, successfully measured a planet-wide electric field thought to be as fundamental to Earth as its gravity and magnetic fields.

New Australian lunar rover unveiled

A Perth based consortium has revealed a prototype of their proposed new Australian lunar rover as part of NASA’s Artemis Moon resource harvesting mission.

The Science Report

Australia to produce cruise missiles at a new plant near Newcastle.

A drug currently used to treat type 2 diabetes could potentially reduce the risk of dementia.

A new study has shown that dogs understand words from soundboard buttons.

Skeptics guide to time slipping

SpaceTime covers the latest news in astronomy & space sciences.

The show is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through Apple Podcasts (itunes), Stitcher, Google Podcast, Pocketcasts, SoundCloud, Bitez.com, YouTube, your favourite podcast download provider, and from www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com

SpaceTime is also broadcast through the National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio and on both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

SpaceTime daily news blog: http://spacetimewithstuartgary.tumblr.com/

SpaceTime facebook: www.facebook.com/spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime Instagram @spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime twitter feed @stuartgary

SpaceTime YouTube: @SpaceTimewithStuartGary

SpaceTime -- A brief history

SpaceTime is Australia’s most popular and respected astronomy and space science news program – averaging over two million downloads every year. We’re also number five in the United States.  The show reports on the latest stories and discoveries making news in astronomy, space flight, and science.  SpaceTime features weekly interviews with leading Australian scientists about their research.  The show began life in 1995 as ‘StarStuff’ on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) NewsRadio network.  Award winning investigative reporter Stuart Gary created the program during more than fifteen years as NewsRadio’s evening anchor and Science Editor.  Gary’s always loved science. He studied astronomy at university and was invited to undertake a PHD in astrophysics, but instead focused on his career in journalism and radio broadcasting. Gary’s radio career stretches back some 34 years including 26 at the ABC. He worked as an announcer and music DJ in commercial radio, before becoming a journalist and eventually joining ABC News and Current Affairs. He was part of the team that set up ABC NewsRadio and became one of its first on air presenters. When asked to put his science background to use, Gary developed StarStuff which he wrote, produced and hosted, consistently achieving 9 per cent of the national Australian radio audience based on the ABC’s Nielsen ratings survey figures for the five major Australian metro markets: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.  The StarStuff podcast was published on line by ABC Science -- achieving over 1.3 million downloads annually.  However, after some 20 years, the show finally wrapped up in December 2015 following ABC funding cuts, and a redirection of available finances to increase sports and horse racing coverage.  Rather than continue with the ABC, Gary resigned so that he could keep the show going independently.  StarStuff was rebranded as “SpaceTime”, with the first episode being broadcast in February 2016.  Over the years, SpaceTime has grown, more than doubling its former ABC audience numbers and expanding to include new segments such as the Science Report -- which provides a wrap of general science news, weekly skeptical science features, special reports looking at the latest computer and technology news, and Skywatch – which provides a monthly guide to the night skies. The show is published three times weekly (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and available from the United States National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio, and through both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

[qnewsau]

Tom Daley drops one last Speedo video before Olympics ends

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/tom-daley-drops-one-last-speedo-video-before-olympics-ends/

Tom Daley drops one last Speedo video before Olympics ends

The Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony wrapped this morning but overnight, British diver Tom Daley has squeezed in one last Speedo thirst trap, getting his diving friends in on it too.

The out Olympian put up the video after teaching himself, his diving partner Noah Williams and fellow Brits Jack Laugher, Kyle Kothari, Jordan Houlden, and Anthony Harding the viral dance moves to Charli XCX’s Brat track Apple.

All six of the athletes wore speedos and shoes as they filmed on a rooftop before they went to the closing ceremony in Paris.

“BRAT Summer Olympics ,” Tom wrote.

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Tom Daley (@tomdaley)

“How did you get them to agree to this?” one follower asked Tom.

“I already miss the Olympics,” another person said.

Helpfully, Tom tagged all of the Olympians who joined him in the video. They’re all below:

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Tom Daley (@tomdaley)

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Noah Williams (@noah_w9)

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Jack Laugher MBE (@jacklaugher)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kyle Kothari (@kylekothari)

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Jordan Houlden (@jordanhoulden)

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Anthony Harding (@antharding00)

Tom Daley won silver in Paris

The Paris Olympics closing ceremony wrapped up early this morning (AEST). Actor Tom Cruise and American musicians including Billie Eilish performed as Paris handed the Olympics over to the next host city, Los Angeles. They’ll host in 2028, before the Olympics comes to Brisbane in 2032.

Earlier, Tom Daley and his diving partner Noah celebrated winning the silver in the men’s synchronized 10-meter diving.

Tom won his first gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and took a long break after his triumph.

The British superstar athlete said he returned to the sport because of his family, specifically his six-year-old son Robbie.

“Robbie was like, ‘Papa, I want to see you dive in the Olympics’. And that was that,” Tom told BBC Sport.

“When your kid asks you to do something, you do it.”

More on the Paris Olympics:

Adele reckons Aussie Raygun was ‘best thing at the Olympics’

Olympic pole vaulter’s bulge costs him a medal in Paris

Tom Daley models jumper he’s been knitting poolside

Tom knitted diving partner Noah Williams a ‘c**k sock’

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[chompinatthebit]

Thanks for the fun, Paris

The two and a half weeks that were the Paris Olympic games are now in the books, it was a great event with a lot of elite athletes competing at the highest level. No matter what your itch is, the olympics will scratch it, I watched everything from table tennis to water polo. Obviously living in the USA, I root for the American athletes to do well but it's fun watching other nations celebrate medals. It's time to reflect on the games, taking a look at what these games will be remembered for as we are on the road to 2028.

I think we can all agree that the idea of breaking or break dancing being involved in the Olympics was going to be intriguing. I can say that it will be remembered for a while, probably not for the best reasons, it was defined by a woman from Australia earning a zero. I'm sure that you've seen the routine, if not, please check it out. As of right now it seems like breaking will be one and done as it won't be returning for the 2028 games.

This was a redemption tour for Simone Biles, re-establishing her dominance after a rough performance in Tokyo back in 2020. In Tokyo she pulled out after citing her mental health, she didn't look like her normal self at all. She medaled in Tokyo but you could tell something was off, didn't want to make it seem like she did nothing. In Paris, Simone earned gold medals for the individual all around, team all around and vault. She added a silver medal for floor exercise, 4 total medals with her expressing joy and confidence that seemed to be missing in Tokyo.

This is 16 year old Quincy Wilson who made his Olympic debut in Paris and earned a gold medal as part of the 4x400 meter relay team. The coolest part of his winning a gold is the fact that he became the youngest ever to win a gold medal, now he becomes someone that I will be looking out for in 2028.

There were many more moments but that's every Olympics, whether it's summer or winter. The 2028 Olympics will be in Los Angeles as was introduced during the closing ceremonies with Tom Cruise lowering in to the arena and taking the flag to LA.

LA will see the return and introduction of 5 sports that weren't part of the Paris games. Baseball and Softball will be making a return, they were last played back in 2008. Lacrosse and Cricket are also making a return, but they haven't been in the Olympics since 1908 and 1900, respectively. Squash and Flag Football will be brand new to the Olympics. I'm excited to see them all in 2028, are you?

Make sure to follow me both @chompinatthebit and @passionandprecision with my co-host who you can also follow @jorissportsstories. Let me know what you think.

Until next time...

[heartofsix]

Six 2024 Production Guide!

New year means new opportunities for chaos for Six! I got a lot of great reviews from my Boleyn Tour update post, so I thought I'd do another one for what we know about Six going into 2024 - by production!

West End

Current cast is contracted until February 2025, so no major cast change this year

Natalie Pilkington is set to return as Universal Swing after being away for Panto

So far, no change in the alternate system (no second/third covers or alt costumes), but that very well could change

Broadway

Current cast is contracted for a year, so likely a December cast change again

The remaining 2.0 alternates (Ayla, Aubrey, & Kristina) will leave on March 4th

It is unclear whether or not the 3 new alternates will join before or after the current alternates leave

Cassie will likely leave before the Broadway cast change, similar to Marilyn

The first sing-a-long will be on March 6th!

UK Tour

Cast change will occur around July

Shows are currently booked through 28 September

The current cast will perform in Germany & Switzerland from March to April

North American (Boleyn) Tour

Cast change will occur on April 14th (new cast starts April 16th), Adriana (and Wesley and possibly Cassie) will also be staying

Shows are currently booked through July 28th

Australia

A new Australia (and potentially Australasian) Tour will begin in August 2024.

Canada

It is unclear how long the Canadian Production will run, but the cast says they are contracted for a year. So we may or may not have a cast change, depending on if they get an extension or not

Maggie Lacasse (Seymour) is expected to return in January or February

NCL Bliss & Breakaway

Both cruises are on their final casts: Bliss 7.0 & Breakaway 6.0

Bliss will close around February 24th

Breakaway will close around January 26th

Great reminder that the Six the Musical Wiki is a great place to get information! It's constantly being updated with accurate and sourced information by myself and countless other users. Wishing everyone a great year both in and outside of Six!

[parkavegifts]

Harbor Magic: A Vibrant Night On Sydney’s Catamaran Vivid Cruises

Sydney, with its iconic Harbour and stunning skyline, is a city that exudes energy and charm. And when the sun dips below the horizon, it is time for a different kind of magic to unfold – the enchanting spectacle of Vivid Sydney.

As the city lights up with vibrant colors and artistic projections, there is no better way to experience this visual extravaganza than from the deck of a Catamaran Sydney Harbour, cruising through the glistening waters of Sydney Harbour.

Sailing Into Vivid Splendour Of Sydney On Luxury Cruises

Vivid Sydney is an annual event that transforms the city into a canvas of light, music, and ideas. During this festival, Sydney’s landmarks, buildings, and even its famous Opera House come alive with a mesmerizing display of colors and animations.

While exploring the city by foot offers its charm, the experience takes on an entirely new dimension from the decks of the Vivid Cruises. Imagine gliding over the gentle waves, with the cool breeze on your face and the Sydney Harbour Bridge illuminated in a cascade of colors before you.

The Opera House emerges as a beacon of creativity, with intricate projections that dance across its iconic sails. Aboard a Catamaran Sydney Harbour, you are not just a spectator; you're a part of the scene, enveloped in the vivid magic that surrounds you.

Unparalleled Views From Every Angle On The Water

One of the remarkable features of experiencing Sydney from CatamaranCruises Sydney Harbour is the 360-degree panoramic view it offers. Unlike being confined to a single vantage point, a catamaran allows you to witness the transformation of Sydney from various angles.

As you cruise past Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, and under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, each moment unveils a new perspective of the illuminated wonderland. The gentle rocking of the catamaran adds to the experience, creating a soothing rhythm that complements the vibrant visuals.

Culinary Delights Amidst Splendour Is A Must-Have

The magic of a catamaran Sailing Cruise Sydney is not limited to the visuals. Many cruise experiences offer the opportunity to indulge in delectable cuisine and drinks as you sail through the illuminated waters. The laughter, conversations, and shared moments with loved ones become part of the fabric of this extraordinary experience.

Whether you are savouring a gourmet meal or enjoying a glass of champagne under the starlit sky, the culinary experience on the Vivid Cruises adds an extra layer of luxury to your night of enchantment. With friends, family, or fellow travellers by your side on the lavishing Sailing Cruise Sydney, it becomes a shared adventure that fosters connection and awe alike.

A Night to Remember

Beyond the dazzling lights and stunning scenery, a Cruises Sydney Harbour offers something even more valuable – the creation of lasting memories. It is a night when time seems to slow down, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty and wonder that surrounds you.

As the catamaran glides through the water, you might catch a glimpse of the city's skyline reflected in the shimmering harbour. The colors merge, creating an ephemeral masterpiece that resonates deep within. It is a night when the city’s creative spirit intertwines with your own, leaving an indelible mark on your heart.

Concluding, Catamaran Sydney Harbour are not just boat rides; they are journeys into a world of enchantment and wonder. Amidst the vibrant lights and lively atmosphere of Vivid Sydney, the catamaran experience elevates the magic to new heights.

For more details visit our website rumrunner.com.au.

[usafphantom2]

Putin Says Western Bases Hosting Ukraine’s F-16s Would Be Legitimate Targets

March 28, 2024 Russia, War in Ukraine

Putin F-16

F-16 firing an AGM-88 HARM. In the box, Vladimir Putin. (Image credit: The Aviationist, using images in the Public Domain)

Russia warns it may attack NATO bases possibly used to launch Ukraine’s F-16s.

If the F-16s are delivered to Ukraine, Russia could also strike NATO bases from which the jets would launch. The threat was issued by Vladimir Putin during a meeting with a group of pilots at Tver, northwest of Moscow. The Russian President said an escalation could be provoked by the delivery of the promised Fighting Falcon jets, for which training of Ukrainian pilots is underway.

“F-16s are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, and we will also need to take that into account while organizing our combat operations,” Putin said.

“Of course, if they are used from bases in third countries, they would be a legitimate target for us, no matter where they are,” he added.

However, the Kremlin believes not even the supply of these fighters will be able to change the course of the conflict, “We will destroy their warplanes just as we destroy their tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment, including multiple rocket launchers”.

File photo of Danish F-16s. (Photo: Danish MoD)

Ukraine has long been asking its Western partners for the delivery of F-16s. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said last year that at least 42 F-16s had been promised (the number is not known, but according to the most reliable sources, they should be 60), with the first deliveries expected by the Summer of 2024. Meanwhile, Ukrainian pilots, with different degree of flying experience, are at various stages of training, both in the U.S. and in Europe.

The delivery of the F-16s won’t be a game-changer, considering the need to integrate them in the Ukrainian Air Force, the lack of specific experience of Ukrainian pilots on the type and in view of Russia’s massive air force and sophisticated air defense systems. The weapon system requires logistic support, infrastructure and weapons: it will take years before the whole “ecosystem” that is required to sustain effective combat operations with the Fighting Falcon can be exploited at its best.

F-16 Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte walk near an F-16, in Eindhoven, Netherlands, August 20, 2023. (Photo credits: REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw)

However, in the short and mid term, the “Viper” (as the F-16 is nicknamed in the pilot community) will be a quick upgrade from the current MiG-29s: the “new” jets will be used to detect, hunt and engage cruise missiles, helicopters, UAVs and Russian fighters, and to conducting air strikes on Russian targets with stand-off missiles. The F-16s can also be used to fire the AGM-88 HARM missiles (a type that was not “natively” compatible with the Ukrainian combat aircraft but was integrated with the MiG-29 and Su-27) and JDAMs bombs in SEAD/DEAD (Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses) missions that are particularly important on the Ukrainian battlefield.

We will see.

MiG-29 AGM-88

A screenshot of the video shared by the Ukrainian Air Force showing the moment an AGM-88 HARM is fired by a MiG-29.

About David Cenciotti

@theAviationist via X

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

[fuckyeahfightlock]

Well, that's more like it! Scary movie for today was a rewatch of 2009's psycho-horror/sorta-slasher Triangle, written and directed by Christopher Smith, starring Melissa George.

Jess, the stressed-out single parent of an autistic son, takes an afternoon cruise with a new romantic interest, Greg (Michael Dorman), and some of his friends, on his sailboat (they keep calling it a "yacht" but it's just a slightly-big sailboat). The friends are a married couple, a woman they want to fix up Greg with, and "an 18-year-old boy" named Victor, played by a clearly not 18-year-old Hemsworth with grapefruits for biceps. Remember on The Good Place when Tahani settled for Larry Hemsworth, the least attractive Hemsworth brother, who is not only a doctor for orphans but also quite handsome?? So funny. Anyway, Triangle has a Hemsworth.

I'm not sure why this movie full of Kiwi and Aussie actors and made by an Australian, in Australia, is set in Florida and everyone uses (mostly-passable) American accents. Maybe because the titular Triangle is meant to be the Bermuda Triangle? But bruh, you can put a Triangle anywhere, in any ocean. If we believe any given Triangle exists, we'll probably also accept that many Triangles exist. Anyway, the accents are only mildly distracting in that way that you for sure know one of them is not American, and suspect most of the rest of them also aren't, but it's fine.

On this sailboat/yacht trip, weird stuff happens! First the wind dies suddenly, all at once. While radio-ing the Coast Guard, Greg hears a woman crying for help who can't seem to hear him when he replies. A very odd looking, hyperlocal but massive storm capsizes the boat. An oldy-fashionedy cruise ship suddenly appears out of the fog, and while they spy at least one person on a high deck, the ship appears to be abandoned once the friends board.

I won't spoil this film, except to say that yes, that oldy-fashionedy cruise ship that rescues our heroes is Not of This Time. Jess must solve an ongoing. . .some might say looping. . .puzzle in order to save herself and find her way back to her son. ("Maybe that's true in your world," says Greg at one point, and Jess replies, "My world is at school, waiting for his mother to pick him up." It's so delicious and made me love her.)

If you love a thriller and can stand some blood along the way (gunshot wounds, bonks on the head with heavy implements), this movie is such a fun watch. I really can't recommend it enough. I loved it the first time I saw it, and I loved it again today. It's on Prime with a long reel of ads before it plays, or on Tubi with ad breaks.

[madamlaydebug]

July 6, 1957: Althea Gibson won the Wimbledon championship, becoming the 1st black athlete to do so.

Gibson cruised through the opening rounds of the 1957 Wimbledon without losing a set. The final was similarly uneventful, as Gibson’s vicious ground strokes flustered Darlene Hard in every game. The entire match took only 50 minutes, she defeated Hard 6-3, 6-2.

After Queen Elizabeth presented the new champion with the trophy, Gibson, overcome with emotion, could only say: "At last! At last!"

Later that day, Gibson and Hard teamed up to capture the ladies’ doubles championship, thrashing Mary Hawton and Thelma Long of Australia, 6-1, 6-1.

Althea Gibson won both the Wimbledon and the U.S. Open titles in 1957 and 1958, and was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in both years. She was the 1st black woman ever to win the award. #Tennis #Wimbledon #BlackHistory

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2006 - Number 29 - Belle Perez - "El mundo bailando"

Back to Belgium already for a breakout star from a previous Eurosong. In 1999, Belle Perez (real name Maribel Pérez) took part in Eurosong with Hello World and that song endeared her immediately to coders and Belgians. By 2006, she'd already had four studio albums releases, switched to Latino pop often sung in Spanish, and was now hosting a live music show in the Netherlands.

Getting Belle on Eurosong was a statement of intent from VRT. She was a big and popular enough star to get the country pulling for her from the outset. She already had fans outside her native Flanders with hits not only in Belgium, but also the Netherlands, and, oddly, New Zealand and Australia.

She was hoping her 2006 song El mundo bailando (The World is Dancing) would not only get her to Eurovision, but would also break her in the German-speaking part of Europe with planned releases in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The song was composed by Fernando De Meersman, Juan Guerrero and Patrick Renier and is a Latino party song based on a theme of love, love, peace, peace - the most stereotypical of Eurovision subjects - although in 2006 that stereotype was perhaps not quite as strong as it became in the subsequent decade.

Not only has Belle got the voice and looks, she has stage presence expressed with every gesture she makes. I'm not sure about the basic staging she has here - surely just Belle on her own would suffice? Given the theme of 2006 Eurovision - Feel the Rhythm - and the sense that the entire shebang was a party, this song would have been completely perfect for the Athens stage. It's fun, fully danceable and catchy as hell.

It also made its way serenely through the heat (winning it by miles), the semi-final and into the Eurosong '06 final where it was one of the favourites to win. It did well with the juries, being one the three big-scorers with them. It cruised to victory with the Radio station jury, however the televote let Belle down. Whoever was watching and voting didn't appear to want a Spanish language song representing Belgium. Belle finished third.

The consolation was that the single of El mundo bailando topped the Belgian charts for three weeks, spending a total of sixteen weeks on the chart in total. It also went to number seven in the Netherlands. The big breakthrough in German language countries didn't materialise, presumably because she wasn't on stage in Athens.

Given the success of the song, I don't think this would qualify as a disappointment and Belle went onto bigger things. She's still touring and performing with a greatest hits tour on this December (2024). There were five more albums after 2006 as well as a slew of singles coming out almost every year throughout the 2000s and 2010s.

Just to prove her Eurovision credentials, and show just how great she would have been, here she is from 2018 doing a medley of songs that the Gipsy Kings have recorded - kicking off with Nel blu dipinto di blu