Scotland's Turntable

 In a bygone era, musical discoverability was an easy thing - if you had money to burn and the ear of an influential program director or two. Some bands and artists ran up the charts with almost supernatural dexterity and a seemingly permanent exemption from the laws of gravity. Others played their hearts out and it was never enough. Today, new platforms have made it both easier and harder to get noticed. Algorithms analyze your choices on platforms like Spotify and YouTube to craft new suggestions. But sometimes good old word of mouth survives in hallowed spaces such as this Facebook group which combines nostalgic vinyl imagery with song suggestions. It's an elegant fusion of past obsessions conquering new horizons. Music varies from the eclectic, mystical pop of Kate Bush, the gritty realism of Tom Waits, hard rocking Led Zeppelin, Blue Oyster Cult and Scorpions, Marillion to the electronic work of Kraftwerk, Gary Numan and Ultravox. As expected, there's a fair amount of eighties Britpop classics and rarities, but there are also new vinyl re-issues and limited editions featured. I loved seeing records in non-standard colors or even picture disks. In a few cases, even the label art was beautiful. And occasionally something truly obscure gets to be aired again.

Members: 34.1k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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Dance Accepts Everyone

Founder Adam Boreland created the dance-positive Facebook Group Dance Accepts Everyone in response to a news anchor's comment about Prince George's ballet lessons. According to an online biography, Adam is a highly trained professional dancer who has taken on principal roles in productions of Swan Lake, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Moulin Rouge and Peter Pan. From the perspective of someone with zero training in dance like myself, Adam's beautiful dexterity and grace seems almost super-human and impossible to achieve, but his infectious joy opens the door for anyone to join in. There is a somewhat humorous clip of a high kick gone wrong and the triumph of a smiling, tap-dancing granny of almost 102. A sinuously emotive sidewalk performance. A vintage Audrey Hepburn clip. Catch Adam himself live for his inspiring Monday Motivation sessions. Other posts highlight the way dancing informs other aspects of lives. Its ability to heal and rejuvenate. The way dance celebrates the union of music and movement.

Members: 412.2k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

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Windmills

In the arid Karoo of South Africa, windmills are lifelines, to supply scarce water to man and beast. They also serve as lone landmark in a landscape that seems almost featureless. One could almost say that they emphasize the atmosphere of desolation. But they can also be found in Namibia, Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Iowa, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya. In the American Great Plains, windmills transformed the terrain from desert to breadbasket of the nation. Penong in Southern Australia features 20 restored windmills as a roadside attraction. Dutch windmills are a completely different kettle of salted herring, partly because they fulfill a different function. Shorter and stockier, the iconic windmills of the Netherlands serve to take charge of an over-abundance of water, in a country that is partially below sea level. From the Middle Ages, mills stood at the heart of a community's economic activity, used in the production of flour, mustard, snuff, cocoa, oil, chalk and even paint. They can even be used for communication - the position of the sails can be used to share important messages such as deaths, weddings or even warnings during time of warfare. If you know of a windmill you'd like to share with the world, this Facebook group is the platform to show it.

Members: 67k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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