Pinguistic background distinction

Rare is the case when i do not find stop-motion animation endearing. It is quite simply magic. Magic is great. You know what else is great? Yup, penguins. Imagine my sheer delight when we stumbled upon Pingu, the clay animation import from switzerland, while browsing netflix instant viewing options. Olivia has never sat mesmerized by anything on a screen for that long without being distracted or bored. After six consecutive 5-minute episodes our family has become borderline obsessed with the antics of this adolescent penguin who, along with his family and friends, speak a gibberish penguin dialect not unlike that of our friends at comedy sportz.

Upon further research i discovered even more fascinating information regarding this apparently controversial series which was produced by the pygos group. According to that expounder of great knowledge, wikipedia:

A few episodes of the show were removed from rotation or edited due to perceived offensive material. One episode was Pingu's Lavatory Story, which contained graphic depictions of uncensored urination and alcoholic references. Pygos was unable to censor the urine, leading to the banning of the episode in 1990, the year it was produced. 

I know, right? And if that isn't enough to make you quit your job and get on the Pingu bus, check out was else this darling little animated powerhouse delivered us... 

Before you say anything else, you're welcome.

Do you like penguins?

My wife and I spent Sunday evening catching up with our friend Elisa on the southside of Broad Ripple. We spent a good deal of our time together taking advantage of the beautiful Spring weather while talking about ice cream, enjoying ice cream and talking about enjoying ice cream all before I passed out on Elisa's couch... not from the ice cream, mind you, but from the sheer lack of sleep the previous night before opening up shop at the S*Bux that morning.

While chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool with the girls outside the Dairy Queen, Elisa shared a story with us about a trip that the school her sister teaches at took to the aquarium in Chicago. When the class was through with their visit and boarded the bus to return to school, several students began giggling at a young teenage boy with autism as his ever-present backpack began sloshing back and forth. Upon hearing the commotion from the back of the bus, one of the teachers apprehended the backpack to investigate. What do you suppose this teacher found in the boys backpack? Nothing but a small penguin. I don't know what I was expecting to be in that backpack, but I'll tell you a penguin wasn't even in my top five guesses. All I can say is 'bravo!' I've never heard of a young boy with autism kidnapping a penguin from an aquarium before. Maybe I just don't get out much. Anyways, it just goes to show that people are mad about penguins. I suspect that the young lad was trying to rescue the tiny penguin in hopes that he might return to his arctic homeland and lead his brethren in a dance what might restore peace and harmony to the planet earth.

Speaking of penguins, I saw this parody of Dora the Explorer on Saturday Night Live again on Saturday evening. If you've ever been subjected to numerous episodes of Miss Dora, you'll no doubt find this cartoon as hilarious as my wife and I did.