Pop a ‘lude, slip into your white polyester suit and gold chains, and break out the Bee Gees records, before you read this item from those dancin’ freakazoids at the BBC:
A 76-year-old French woman with dyed red hair and a business-like look in her eye can legitimately lay claim to one of the most important inventions of the last century: the discotheque.
As Ace of Spades writes, “Ummm… maybe to Andrew Sullivan”:
It’s hardly any wonder the BBC reports the news the way they do when the staff considers strobe lights, velvet ropes, & I’ll Tumble 4 Ya to be the zenith of Western civilization.
Apparently the disco just edged out radio & radar, penicillin, and, you know, human flight for the distinction.
Dr. Jonas Salk is said to be wearing a big Cat in the Hat chapeau and a necklace of glow-sticks wonderin’ where all the love is.
Found via Steven Den Beste, who has his own list of which inventions from the previous century that changed the world:
Arbitrarily limiting myself to five, I’d say they were, in order:
1. Semiconductors
2. Synthetic polymers (i.e. plastics)
3. Heavier-than-air flying machines
4. Nuclear weapons
5. AntibioticsThat’s based mainly on the extent to which they did, or will, change our lives — whether for good or for ill.
I’m not sure if I’d rate those items in the same order, but it’s hard to argue with Steve’s list.
…Unless your name is Deney Terrio, that is.
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