Dancing: Ups, Downs and All-Arounds

Whirling Dervishes
(Public Domain)

Dancing has played a major role in numerous religious gatherings.  Sufis have long practiced physically whirling forms of meditation in order to better connect with  Allah.  This practice was initiated in the 13^th century by the well-known mystic and poet, Mevlana Rumi.

Although also called “dancing,” the erratic movements of Donald Trump’s appendages seem more like neurological quirks than like sacred rituals.  His own wife hinted that such antics belong more in the closet than on the presidential stage.

Even humanoid robots have been criticized for prioritizing jiggling over tasks at hand.  As a team of “tin men” shimmied their way through a Consumer Electronics Show, bystanders “were impatient for them to become more useful, not just a promise of things to come.”

Resources

https://news.yahoo.com/news/tech/ai/meta-ai/articles/dancing-isnt-enough-industry-pushes-072304136.html    

Come and Get Me

Fire Ants
(Public Domain)

Self-sacrifice for the good of others has long been associated with certain religious doctrines.  People who exemplify such teachings are often heralded as the best that humanity has to offer.

Yet these heroes may be no match for the average ant.  Consider this: When a young ant catches an infection that could threaten the rest of the colony, it emits a chemical signal that essentially says, “Come and get me!”

Worker ants then come and do exactly that.  They proceed to “bite holes in the pupae and inject poison,” thus killing the ailing ant and disinfecting the nest.  Erika Dawson of Austria’s Institute of Science and Technology explained “that the sick pupae only produce the smell when worker ants are nearby, proving it is a deliberate signal for destruction.”  She therefore called this “an altruistic act.”

Resources

https://news.yahoo.com/news/articles/come-kill-sick-ants-invite-160502687.html

Marital Borders: Open or Closed?

(Public Domain)

Borders are a fact of life, yet they need not be completely open or tightly shut.  The sweet spot is generally somewhere  in between.  Where to draw that line is a question to be wrestled with: often politically, and sometimes personally.

A female shopper recently asked another woman’s husband to assist her in reaching for an item on the upper shelf.  He then turned to his wife, eyeing her for a nod of approval.  What followed was an online wifely rant regarding the so-called nerve of that female shopper.

This rant led to comments ranging from approval of such marital boundaries to criticism of the wife’s alleged insecurity. Many responses were based upon assumed inside knowledge about their marital history and commitments.

It is unknown whether said husband and wife had prior agreements regarding third parties, perhaps based upon former incidents.  Although reaching for an item seems like a one-time deal, long journeys sometimes begin with a first impromptu step.

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/georgia-woman-asks-man-to-reach-item-on-top-shelf-at-kroger-then-his-wife-intervenes-and-just-like-that-she-becomes-the-kroger-lady/  

   

             

Miss the Kiss

 

(Photo by Stephencdickson)

Although George Clooney (after a “talk” with his wife) has decided to forego on-screen smooching, he has way more to do than just sit around missing that kissing.

For the past 10 years, he has been a dedicated family man to Amal and their twins.  Claiming no arguments with the Mrs. during that entire time, he likely figures, “Why rock the boat?”

After all, his boat has already navigated many a channel, hosting shipmates such as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Julia Roberts.  At 64, he is not quite washed-up, but is on his way back to shore.

This is a realization that not all elders attain, especially those who have been Hollywood’s darlings.  Kudos to George for prioritizing pursuits more amenable to silver hairs than to silver screens.

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/celebrity/george-clooney-reveals-he-will-no-longer-kiss-women-onscreen-after-discussion-with-wife-amal/