Is it my imagination or is the quality of junk in the thrift stores better around Christmas?

( My finds since the last posting... )

A Japanese man married his video game character girlfriend in real life. Supposed done tongue in cheek, it is hard not to imagine this being a more common and more serious occurrence in the future, for several reasons:

(1) Increased social isolation of individuals;

(2) Video characters that are increasingly complex and human-like, as AI advances;

(3) Inability of some individuals, particularly males, to find partners. Sexual selection is increasing the number of males in relation to females across the Middle and Far East. For example, in some parts of India, there are 150+ boys born for every 100 girls (the normal ration is 105 boys born for every 100 girls).

Some science fiction postulates that males or females will increasingly turn to homosexuality once their opposite sex is difficult or impossible to find; I think however that virtual partners are the more likely, inevitable choice.

Satire is dead. People this dumb defy imagination.

I've always had a thing for Martha Stewart. Strong, prim, sophisticated, extravagant, she fascinates and intrigues me (and scares me a little too, but in a good way). This video only adds to my esteem.

This app can be used to edit video files, if for instance you want to remove commercials from a movie, or extract a snippet for use elsewhere. I just tested it, it works great, though the interface is a bit blah.

A tutorial on its use can be found here: www.digitalfaq.com/guides/video/edit-mpeg-womble.htm

The app can be downloaded here: www.giveawayoftheday.com/womble-mpeg-vcr/

Remember it's only free until the end of the day.

My favorite:

Unfortunately no video exists of this crazy prank, but it sure backfired on its perpetrator: one afternoon at a large bank an employee sitting at his desk consuming an egg and cress sandwich has what he thinks is a prankster’s stroke of genius – gleefully he adds some water and cress seeds to the keyboards on a Friday night prior to a bank holiday Monday and heads off, extremely pleased with himself. The next Tuesday, managers came in to find overgrown cress growing from all the keyboards. Not only did they throw a hissy fit, but they contacted IT support who created a storm and sent a global memo to all staff about eating and drinking at their desks – resulting in the banning of all eating and drinking at employee’s desks. Was it really worth it? We think not.


Revenge of the bullied:



More at www.businesspundit.com/8-innocent-office-pranks-that-went-horribly-wrong/

"I always remind people from outside our state that there's plenty of room for all Alaska's animals -- right next to the mashed potatoes." --Sarah Palin, "Going Rogue"

[I can imagine an alien mouthing this quote, while supping on a human chop.]

Every living thing holds a deep-seated respect and reverence for other living things. The only living things lacking such sentiment are serial killers and fundamentalist Christians, in other words, the morally retarded.

Somebody must be pulling my leg: www.camelammo.com/whatIsIt.aspx

Perhaps it is meant to be a chindogu: www.designboom.com/history/useless.html

I've added another thrift store to be weekly round, the Goodwill store in Owings Mills.  Unfortunately, I've found nothing there, other than a Hal Roach comedy record.  This is surprising, given that the store is in a well-to-do neighborhood; but perhaps it is being pecked clean by that flock of middle-aged women that are forever waddling up and down its isles.  I'll give it another try in three or four weeks.

( But I've made a few finds... )

Removes selected object(s) from a picture file.  Nice piece of software.

( I tried it on a lol image... )

Free until the end of the day at www.giveawayoftheday.com/inpaint-2-0/

Source: www.subtlesexuality.com/main.shtml

Creative protest for Public Option/Health Care Reform (from violet_tigress1 's blog )



From a grassroots protest group Billionaires for Wealthcare ( www.billionairesforwealthcare.com/ ).  It must be such a rush to pull off something like that!

Pretty cool

www.happymeal.com/en_US/standalone.html

Blood Energy Potion is our newest pre-order. New from the makers of Mana and Health Energy Potion comes Blood Energy Potion: the world's first synthetic blood beverage. The fruit punch flavor packs 4 hours of energy along with iron, protein, and electrolytes. Not only does Blood Energy Potion have a similar nutritional makeup to real blood, but it has the same color, look, and consistency of blood. Get real blood nutrients without that real blood taste! The re-sealable transfusion bag style pouch provides the convenient delivery of fluids for vampires and humans alike! Contains no real blood, just synthetic!

At www.urban-collector.com/blood-energy-potion-48-pack-oct091652.html

(Cheer up, that's only 3 in frog-years!)

This week: the Discovery Health channel series "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant"

I know that women have given birth before without realizing they were pregnant, but I thought this was a rare occurrence, and not frequent enough to fuel a weekly television series!  Are Americans becoming so out of touch with their bodies and so obese that this is now a frequent occurrence?  Moreover, who would want to watch this show, and why?  For the humor?  I was eating a Big Mac in the Mall when my water broke...    

Is this the first wave of the alien assault?

I suppose it was inevitable.  She will be in the November issue--

www.eonline.com/uberblog/marc_malkin/b148065_ay_caramba_marge_simpson_gets_nude.html



In a similar vein, I wonder if at some point in the future an AI could run for public office.  It could start with a small, technically orientated position like Chief of Sanitation, and could end of course at the level of President.  Cartman for President!