YouTube’s number 1 video of all time, both in views and in favoritedness, was made by a guy from Cleveland, it turns out. Nearly 56 million views- that’s not bad. The video, embedded below, is pretty awesome. It’s called Evolution of Dance.

From the Sydney Morning Herald last year:

Uploaded in April [2006], Judson Laipply’s creation has amassed an astonishing 36 million views. The clip shows the comedian and motivational speaker from Cleveland, Ohio, dancing a six-minute routine encompassing 32 songs spanning more than 50 years of music and dance. “I just love the fact that people enjoy the dance and use it as a pick-me-up to their day,” he told Icon. Following his YouTube success, Laipply says he has received loads of exposure for his business and has begun “leveraging my success into other ventures that I hope will be big”.

(Via Read/Write Web.)

Walker linked the other day to Columbus’s 2012 Bicentennial website and I’ve only gotten around to visiting it just now. My god that picture of Mike Coleman is huge! Is the site supposed to be about the city, or about him? It looks like electioneering to me. You can see it for yourself here.

It occurred to me that there’s no way that his picture is that big even on his campaign site, so I checked it out. Here are unresized and unretouched screengrabs from both sites. They’re both cropped to 500 x 333. First here’s “Columbus’s site”:

That’s actual size! Look how big the mayor is compared to the city. And from Mike Coleman’s campaign site:

The pics look like they were taken at the same session. The 2012 one is also used on the campaign site, cut off above. See the campaign site here.

Alright Blake Lewis and Chris Richardson fans. Here is your moment. (Warning: ears may become damaged.)

Wow, those girls can squeal! And I need just one more “Oh my God!”

That was from the American Idol tour Columbus performance on Saturday at the Schott.

(OK, I’m an American Idol fan. I held out for 5 long years, then watched last season and was instantly hooked. I know this will get me de-linked at donewaiting.com.) Here’s the videographer’s post.

The 20th Dublin Irish Festival kicks off today at 4. It goes the whole weekend. The festival website is here, or print out a schedule here (pdf). Interesting bit of history behind the festival:

Dublin, Ohio, resident Mary Margaret McLernon traveled to Ireland in 1987. That same year, in August, Dublin attained city status. During her visit, McLernon discovered that Dublin, Ireland, was preparing for its 1988 millennium celebration.

“I thought it would be great to establish a connection between the two Dublins, especially since we would celebrate our first anniversary as a city the same year that Dublin, Ireland, would celebrate its 1,000th anniversary.”

Jazz & Rib Fest has already started. It’ll be going on all day today, tomorrow, and Friday Sunday.

Now in its 28th year, Jazz & Rib Fest brings together some of today’s most popular and innovative jazz artists with mouth watering ribs from across the country. Don’t miss this Columbus summertime tradition.

It’s behind COSI and at Bicentennial Park. Here’s the schedule and a map.

(Photo: From the site, uncredited.)

Did you know that there are time capsules in a small museum at Port Columbus airport?

I happened to be waiting at the airport recently and noticed that they have a museum of sorts showing the history of Port Columbus. I had never noticed it before, probably because it’s not well marked, and not visible from most places in the airport. Much to my surprise I found three time capsules in a glass display case….

The time capsules consist of a tall cylinder, and two smaller boxes. The cylinder was created in 2004 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the airport. The taller of the two boxes commemorates the 1929 original terminal opening, and the dedication of the new terminal in 1958. The shorter box commemorates the 1981 remodeling and expanding of the terminal. All 3 are to be opened in 2029 to celebrate 100 years of flight in Columbus.

22 years. Mark your calendars.

ThisWeek has a mostly good review for Black Creek Bistro in Old Towne East, which is into the local foods thing:

Here’s a novel thought: a restaurant that not only adopts the sacred “think globally, buy locally” mantra but really puts it into practice.

That’s exactly what’s happening at Black Creek Bistro, which has a built-in supply system. Father-and-son owners Kent and Jamie Peters run a farm in Canal Winchester where they harvest a number of ingredients for their menu. The bill of fare is largely comfort food with a few contemporary brushstrokes.

The duck sounds good.

Mark Daniels returns to Columbus for a Clippers game and writes a great post with a lot of Columbus history:

In 1977, the Columbus Clippers, affiliated with the Pirates, began play in the newly renamed Franklin County Stadium. While the place looked a lot like it had in former days, changes were made. The press boxes were updated. Old wooden seats were replaced with new metal ones. An additional 3000 seats were added in a bleacher section that stretched next to the left field foul line. AstroTurf, then the rage, was installed. The old ballpark was, for the late-70s, a gorgeous and up-to-date venue. It was said at the time that only the New Orleans Super Dome, home field for the Zephyrs, was a better minor league park. In 1985, the stadium was rededicated as Cooper Stadium.

It’s always been a great place to watch a ballgame. Through the years, whenever I’ve taken friends who had previously only seen professional games at major league venues, their response has been enthusiastic. The experience is like a revelation to them.

And for good reason! At the stadium now affectionately called ‘The Coop,’ you’re right on top of the games. You can see every pitch and because your angle of vision is usually so good, you even have a legitimate bases for arguing with the umps’ calls.

I shared that feeling of revelation when I attended my first game there earlier this year. Being used to games at the enormous Yankee and Shea stadiums, the intimacy of watching a game at the Coop is a completely different experience. I hope that’s retained at the new park.

I had never heard of this before, but apparently Columbus hosts the biggest ferret show in the country every year. PBS is airing a documentary on it tonight. Here’s the blurb from The American Ferret Association:

FERRETS: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE is an endearing and amusing celebration of America’s most playful, mischievous pets - not to mention their distinctive owners. At the annual Ferret Buckeye Bash in Columbus, Ohio - the largest and most popular ferret show in the country - hundreds of top breeders, seasoned experts and ferret enthusiasts pamper and parade their pets in a quest for prizes and prestige. Mark Lewis’ FERRETS airs Wednesday, July 18, 2007, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET on PBS.

I imagine there aren’t many Giuliani voters there. I guess the program is about last year’s show. This year’s will be held on August 25, 2007.

Eric at Cap City Savvy has found the urban car of 2007. It’s not, as I had guessed, the Geo Metro. Eric had some requirements, and the Metro scored pretty well, by my reckoning:

1) It has to be able to haul some stuff around….

Check.

2) It needs to be able to get over 30 mpg in the city on regular gas….

Check. Mileage varies by options and year, but the 1990 hatchback, for example, got 45 highway / 38 city.

3) It has to cost less than $20k….

Double check.

4) It has to be safe (antilock brakes and as many airbags as you can stick in a car).

Twin airbags were standard on later models, 4-wheel anti-lock brakes were an option on all models. (See here.)

5) It has to be somewhat enjoyable to drive….

Well soap box racers are fun.

6) It has to have the following features: remote keyless entry, power windows, an iPod jack, and a halfway decent stereo.

iPods weren’t invented yet, but you can get all those installed.

The main problem with the Metro is that they stopped making them in 2001. However, a descendant, the Suzuki Swift, is still being made, but is only available in Japan and Europe. But, good news, it’s coming to the US in 2010.

(It’s a slow news day.)

Katie Parker at Columbus is okay covers CAPA:

I just got back in town… and right in time for one of the best things about summer - the movies at the CAPA Ohio Theatre on 55 E. State St. You can check out the list of shows right here. The first one, which I missed was Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, but The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is this Weds - Fri, July 18-20. (one of the best movies of all times, btw)

Also coming up, two of my favorite movies, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, this Friday, and The Sound of Music, Saturday and Sunday.

From Business First:

Downtown workers and residents may be in line for a suburban amenity to sweeten life in the urban core.

City officials have had preliminary discussions about turning 80 acres in the Whittier Peninsula into a nine-hole golf course. Stalled plans for development in the old industrial area, plagued by contaminated and unsettled soils and the threat of flooding, have prompted the discussions.

Paul Bonneville at RetroMetro thinks it’s a good idea:

Honestly, in my opinion this is currently one of the highest and best uses for the peninsula given the hurdles that would be faced to develop the site. Between soil compaction issues and contamination and being in the flood plain, the costs and risks far exceed the benefits of developing the peninsula at this point in time.