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The End Of The World As We Know It
2007-10-09 15:56:41
One day a year or so ago I had set my alarm clock to wake me up with some radio music.  I awoke to REM’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).”  I let it play without hitting snooze because I like that song and don’t usually hear it very often.  To my surprise, when the song ended, there was silence, and then the same song began again.  And then ended.  And then began again.  “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” kept playing for fifteen minutes, on an autonomous loop (or so it seemed).  I thought, “Oh god, what happened?  Was there a disaster on the news?”   Then I was calmed by an interlude between sessions of the song which included a recorded call to the station.  A normal-sounding woman said, “I told my friend that you keep playing the same song over again, and she couldn’t believe it.  She’s here with me now, and even listening to you guys, we can&


The Future Is Going To Be Incomprehensibly Complex
2007-10-16 15:12:32
This article spells out how inventor Ray Kurzweil, who's been making frighteningly accurate predictions about the future for years, sees our future.  His whole take on the level of society's progress differs from your Average Joe's concept of the same in one basic way:  Joe sees things moving linearly, but Ray sees them progressing exponentially! Take for example the  human genome project.  Originally scheduled to finish up in its fifteenth year, it had only completed mapping 1% of the human genome by year 7.  Nobody thought it would be on time.  But every subsequent year, the amount of progress doubled, until it did indeed encompass 100% in year 15. Kurzweil says that most people can't comprehend the nature of the future as he sees it, because they look at things from a point of view ground in the present rate of things.  But if you take into consideration things like, "Moore's Law," which says that processing power for computers will double
Read more: Future , Going , Complex

Eat Way Less, Live Way Longer?
2007-10-15 15:51:53
Caloric restriction has been shown in mice to be an effective way to extend their lifespans.  How does it work?  Basically, mice eat half as much as normal, and their bodies go into survival mode, making the most use of what little calories they get.  That means that aging, an unessential process, is curtailed.  What's really interesting is that there are two distinct methods in which the mice can get the same "live longer" results.  #1)  Basic Caloric Restriction — Eat half of what you'd normally eat, day in day out.  That means that for every scrap of food a mouse would eat, he or she can only eat every other time.  So it's like a diet that you never break from.  And that can be tough for some people. #2) Intermittent Fasting (the cool one) –  Eat every other day, but when you eat, eat as much as you want.  Yes, that's right.  Mice that were only allowed to eat every other day, but could eat as much as they wanted, still gaine


New Reason What Doesn't Kill You Will Make You Stronger
2007-10-14 15:07:35
In "The One," Jet Li played a dimension-jumping killer, whose victims all shared one thing in common.  They were him!  Alternate versions of himself, from different dimensions.  Every version was connected by a multidimensional link of power.  Whenever one of him died, the dead guy's portion of that link was divided among the rest, causing all of them to become stronger, smarter, and faster.  His goal was to kill all the other versions of himself, until he became, "The One," essentially a god. Now to the old phrase, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."  It makes sense that surviving a life-threatening scenario will strengthen you.  You'll be more experienced, more aware, and better prepared to escape a similar deadly event in the future.  However, let's take the argument behind "The One" into account.  According to scientists, for every possible outcome of an event, there is a distinct, separate universe in wh
Read more: Reason

The Genius That Was Pete And Pete (Endless Mike, The Bus Driver, and Everything)
2007-10-13 15:40:35
When Pete and Pete first came on, I didn't really like it.  I found it hard to identify with any of the characters.  Near the end of its run, when some episodes were replayed, I was able to sit down and enjoy some of it.  After it was cancelled, I realized there was more to it than I originally thought. Endless Mike — What a cool concept.  An individual so powerful, so legendary, that they are endless even when standing right over there.  I remember one episode where the older Pete was trying his hand at wrestling, and was ultimately pitted against Endless Mike.  That was a threat he wasn't prepared to face, so he desperately tried to lose as much weight as possible.  Problem was, Endless Mike followed him down the weight class ladder.  Whatever Pete did, Mike went one step further.  I think Pete ended up yanking out a molar at one point.  Endless Mike gave up a kidney.  He was that nuts. One day when I was channel surfing I saw that Pete and Pete was on.  I
Read more: Driver , Everything

A New Way To Play Monopoly: Nuclear Style
2007-10-12 15:24:04
Here's a fun way to spice up your game of monopoly. If you've ever gotten frustrated by a player who seemed to own the entire board, you'll love this. Before you start, make a rule that all players agree to, which stipulates that at any time, any player can "nuke" another player out of the game. That's all there is to it. Start the game and let the chaos ensue! The way Nuclear Monopoly works is that it will prevent any one player from making an enemy out of another by becoming a "have" in the midst of "have-nots." One way to avoid being nuked in Nuclear Monopoly is to make sure you're never the #1 richest player. If you stay #2 or #3, you can wait and watch as #1 grows more and more powerful, until finally someone nukes him or her out of the game. Nuclear Monopoly creates a balance between players, because when all the standouts get nuked, everybody will try not to stand out. It's kind of like a reality show, like "Bigges
Read more: Style

Friday, June 13, 2008
2007-10-11 21:32:11
 Today is Thursday, October the Eleventh, in the year of our Lord, two thousand and seven.  And tomorrow's Friday the 12th.  Ooh!  So close.  A Friday the 13th in October is perfect!  Just like Monday, February 13th is perfect for Garfield.  The next Friday the 13th in October comes  in 2017.  That's pretty far off.  Why not worry about simpler dates?  Like the next Friday the 13th, of any month?  When's that going to happen again…?  That would be June 13, 2008.  That's the earliest Friday the 13th of any month, from this day forward.  I wonder what it will be like?  Probably boring.  Unless you're graduating around that time.  For all you really hardcore Fri-13ers out there, maybe you'll plan some "Halloween In June" extravaganza to close out another school year with all your friends.  A Halloween party in June — sounds like fun!  Just make sure to wear light, breathable costumes in the summer heat…


Help Free My Friend, The Bear
2007-10-10 21:38:18
Today, an terrible injustice occurred.  My friend the Bear was arrested and put in prison.  He didn't do anything, but of course, the powers that be are blind to the truth.  So I've decided to help the Bear in any way I can.  I wanted to bail him out, but they said bail had not been set.  I asked when it would be, if ever.  They said the Judge would not set bail unless a sufficient number of people would speak on behalf of the Bear and vouch for his character.  I think the Judge has a problem with bears, and needs to be reminded that some are still good people.  That's why I created Save That Bear.  It's a web page where people can go and share their feelings about my friend the Bear, and fight for his freedom. Please help to end this injustice by casting your vote on this situation: Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. In a time where the innocent are put in jail, my one wish is for


The End Of The World As We Know It
2007-10-09 15:56:41
One day a year or so ago I had set my alarm clock to wake me up with some radio music.  I awoke to R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)."  I let it play without hitting snooze because I like that song and don't usually hear it very often.  To my surprise, when the song ended, there was silence, and then the same song began again.  And then ended.  And then began again.  "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" kept playing for fifteen minutes, on an autonomous loop (or so it seemed).  I thought, "Oh god, what happened?  Was there a disaster on the news?"   Then I was calmed by an interlude between sessions of the song which included a recorded call to the station.  A normal-sounding woman said, "I told my friend that you keep playing the same song over again, and she couldn't believe it.  She's here with me now, and even listening to you guys, we can'


If Walls Could Talk — In The Future, They Will
2007-10-20 16:59:07
Today I had the idea that you could walk into a room and your friends, who were watching TV, were now on the other side of the screen. That would mean that the TV screen is really a portal to another location. Or, it could be a monitor with a feed from a camera somewhere. It got me thinking: What if in the future, technology is so advanced that it allows us to get complacent, lazy even? Say you want to go see a friend. As it used to be, you'd give him a call. Before phones, you could write a letter or go in person. Now, we can instant message each other. In the future, what if we take things one step further? Imagine a room in your house in which the walls act as both cameras and televisions. So you enter the room, and say, "Let me see Jenny." Your house calls her house, or apartment, or wherever she is. How does it know where to find her? Maybe she's got a chip in her head. Let's not worry about that. Ok, so the network finds her, and a CGI oper
Read more: Walls , mdash , Future

On The Brink Of Incredible Things
2007-10-19 16:29:40
Lately I've been getting the feeling that we could achieve great or terrible things in the near future. Our economy, our world politics, and our rapidly advancing technology all seem to be coming together to say, "Something big awaits just beyond the horizon." But will it be good or bad? The Bible says no man shall know the end of days, and maybe that's why things seemed so "normal," even while unprecedented actions were being taken by our President, both at home and abroad. What if we're just accepting it all as not an "end of the world" kind of thing because we simply don't see how it all fits together? I realized that there is a definite possibility that there's a method to this madness, and that everything that's happened in the news has taken place for a reason. But of course, that's how pure paranoia is born. "Everything matters! It's all a massive conspiracy!!" Haha, right. Ok, so if we forg
Read more: Brink , Incredible

Have You Ever Dreamed About Your Old Life?
2007-10-18 15:55:29
In life, there can be many changes. Sometimes we move from one place to another. When school ends, we get a job and start living "in the real world." When we finally become adults, our childhood is left behind. But our minds remember it all. And from time to time, we haphazardly get to re-experience the past — in dreams. Have you ever dreamt you were still back in school or still a kid? There's the kind of dream where you're a person you've never been, doing something you've never done, and you don't think twice about it. Then there's the dream where you are as you used to be, and you don't think twice about it. You don't remember the present. Ever had a dream like that? What if you dreamed you were reliving college, and then as you were waking up, you realized you were in your old college room? For the first few moments, you'd still think nothing of it, as the dream blended with reality. But how long before it fa


My Friend The Bear Rots In Prison And Nobody Cares
2007-10-17 18:14:41
Our "Save That Bear" campaign has yet to make a difference, as no one has taken a trip to our Bear Dedication Page to pay their respects to my innocent friend and vote for his release. The Judge must be laughing away in his mansion, what with the fact that he doesn't have to worry about who's innocent and who's not anymore. The people just don't care. If they hassled him and forced him to right the wrongs that are at work in the system, then he'd be worried. But that hasn't happened yet. And so the Judge is complacent. That's his weakness! The Judge underestimates us. He doesn't think we care enough to fight for the rights of one of our own. Most of us haven't realized that when you give up the rights of someone else, you give up the rights of everybody! The Bear says he doesn't really like the food very much, so he hasn't been eating a ton of it. He seems thinner.
Read more: Prison , Nobody , Cares

Get The Bomb Shelter Ready - The Fear of Nuclear War Is Back!
2007-10-25 16:00:46
I remember just a few years ago I started wondering why we no longer seemed afraid of nuclear war. I had seen videos depicting the fear shared by members of my parent generation a few decades ago. I figured, "Well, the threat isn't that big a deal anymore." But then I wondered, if we still have the technology, there's still a threat. Sure, foreign countries aren't really in the news all that much (this was a few years ago, mind you) as being threatening in a nuclear sense, but that could change. Every time I heard another country became a nuclear power, I felt like one of the geeky kids cheated his way into the popular clique. "India has The Bomb? What in the world happened?" The media wasn't really mentioning nuclear war as a major issue. Movies depicted end times scenarios, but that was about it. We focused on "lesser" battles, non-nuclear confrontations. And slowly, steadily, various nations began acquiring nuclear technol
Read more: Shelter , Nuclear

Is This It? Are We At The Precipice Of The End?
2007-10-24 16:59:33
The last couple of Popes have been worried that George W. Bush could be the Antichrist. Fidel Castro is worried Bush could set off WWIII. Bush himself is worried that Iran, once nuclear, will destroy Israel, launching WWIII. The Mayan calendar is set to end on December 21, 2012. Technology is at the point where a chip implanted into people could become the "mark of the beast." In the Book of Revelations, it says "And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." Could "number of his name" refer to the number of the "man," and not the "beast?" In that case, the number of your name could be your social security number. Throughout history, people have been afraid of the end of the world, and have often expected and anticipated it. It hasn't happened yet. But right now, in 2007, with so many different variables seeming to come together, could this really be it


If The Net Went Down, What Would Happen?
2007-10-23 17:57:52
Mass hysteria!!! But seriously, what would happen if all the computers everywhere suddenly no longer had access to the internet? All the servers go down, and suddenly we've got no email, no instant communication, and no online banking. Transactions are frozen in limbo, money is tied up, and people can't get word to one another as quickly and easily as before. Enter the cell phone. Everybody starts texting or calling one another, using mobile devices as a way to bridge the communication gap that was suddenly created by a global lack of internet access. Everyone calls everyone else all at the same time, and overload whatever cellular systems hadn't already been taken out with the World Wide Web Crash. So now there's no internet, and no cell phone. People again switch tools, and move to land lines. But there are far fewer land lines than cell phones. Indeed, many households with four cell phones have at most two separate land lines. Half the calls that would h


SkyNet Is Real, And Consolidating Its Power
2007-10-22 17:33:03
Have you heard of the Storm Worm? It's a virus that is subtly spreading through cyberspace. It gets into your computer through an infected link, and once it's in, gains control over your system. It has very few noticeable symptoms. That means that your computer could be infected right now, and you wouldn't even know it. Apparently, thousands and thousands of computers are already affected, and there's no way to stop the Storm Worm from spreading to thousands more. All the computers infected make up a network that gives incredible power to whoever is orchestrating this whole thing, because all those computers can be used to run programs, send files, visit websites, and do pretty much anything the virus' creator wants. So far, however, very little has been done with Storm Worm computers, which is why they're so hard to find. A few web sites have been attacked, including one aimed at describing exactly how the Storm Worm works, but that's been ab


Nintendo Entertainment System and the Wii: Pioneering A New World
2007-10-21 15:30:04
Remember Nintendo ? The original, I mean. I remember when it first came out, it was THE THING. Everybody had to get one. If you weren't playing Nintendo, you were behind the times, man. But now, what has happened? Are games and game systems still that important? I'd say yes if you're a gamer, but no if you're not. If you're heavy into video games, then of course the newest, coolest system is where it's at. But Nintendo broke down barriers when it came onto the market. Are there systems that still do that? Sega Genesis came out, and it was a competitor. It took things to the next level, but it wasn't amazing the way the Nintendo was. The NES was outstanding because there wasn't really anything like it (if you weren't into Atari). So all the systems that came after it were really just upgrades, but not earth-shatteringly new, completely unique, never-seen-before inventions. Even the X-Box and PS3 seem just like faster, cleaner, mo
Read more: Entertainment , System , Wii , World , New World

This Blog Has Moved
2007-10-27 18:47:32
I've decided to move this blog on over to Misinterpreted.org. That frees this site up for promising new developments. Stay tuned! (Famous last words)


New Book: Under a Green Sky: Global Warming, the Mass Extinctions of the Past, and What They Can Tell Us about Our Future
2007-10-26 18:06:47
I came across this book today, and all I can say is wow. It describes how the five mass extinction events of the past worked. Four of the five, including the one that killed all the dinosaurs, involved greenhouse gases reaching a level that we could reach in 100 years if we're not careful. That would mean the death of over half of earth's inhabitants. The way things work now, there's a cycle in the ocean, with water moving around enough to be oxygenated, allowing the right creatures to live. If it gets hot enough, that cycle will stop, the water will no longer be oxygenated, and those creatures will be replaced by bacteria. These bacteria will produce hydrogen sulfide, and much of the ocean's life will die. Worst case scenario? In 100 years, humans will have caused the 6th mass extinction event, and the sky will be green. So this got me thinking. If we've got all the evidence, and all the reason in the world to change our destructive ways and clean up
Read more: Green , Global , Future , Global Warming

Free Wallpapers From Mozart's Ghost
2007-11-27 21:01:29
Yesterday I was surfing bored, so I thought I'd look to see if the "Mozart 's Ghost " page from "The Net" had become real yet. To my surprise, there does exist a Mozart's Ghost Online site, although it doesn't really resemble what was shown in the movie. I perused it a little, and found some pretty awesome downloadable wallpapers. I know that there are other sites with far more wallpapers to sift through, but I wasn't expecting to find any souvenirs at MGO. I thought it was great. I picked one I thought was neat, set it up, turned my computer off, turned the TV on, and was amused to see "The Net" randomly being aired! How's that for coincidence?
Read more: Wallpapers

Black Friday And Sweet Deals (Well, Just One)
2007-11-26 21:17:57
I don't usually go shopping on Black Friday . It just seems like way too much of a hassle to me. So seeing as how I haven't been participating in the event for a while, I've apparently lost sight of the incredible savings one can achieve through a 12-hour wait in line. I recently read in the paper that some people were able to get their hands on whole computer systems for just $200. That includes tower, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and maybe even printer. To me, that is unbelievable. Way better than the best deals I've ever seen. Of course, I'm assuming the stuff is relatively new. It goes without saying that similar deals can be found with obsolete models. As soon as I read about that one deal, it all began to make sense. Waiting in line to shop is like waiting in line for concert tickets, or waiting to sign up for that really great course taught by that really attractive professor. It isn't just mob shopping. There are deals to be had! So now I&#
Read more: Sweet , Black Friday

A Commercial I Hate: "Watch Me Move, Got My Juke!"
2007-11-25 21:25:00
When this commercial was first aired a few weeks ago, I thought it was stupid. It's like, "Hey, look at these dancers! Aren't they cool? Our product must be good! In fact, it's lame. But don't pay attention to that, look at the dancers!" "Watch me move, not my Juke (cause it's stupid), Watch me move!" That's the vibe I got. Then I noticed something. The first dancer makes a somewhat odd face while dancing, but it's no big deal. The second dancer makes a horrific face. It's not very appealing. Here's a link to the commercial so you can see. It happens at 0:10. Weird, huh? I find myself shielding my eyes every time I hear that familiar jingle. If you didn't get a good enough look, just wait until it comes on TV again. I think you'll be unpleasantly surprised. And there's still one more reason this commercial bothers me! Juke… Juke… I know it's like Jukebox, but the word se
Read more: Commercial

When Worlds Collide: Peter Petrelli and Scrubs
2007-11-24 19:12:25
I don't usually watch the show, "Scrubs ," but today I made an exception and tuned in for a little bit. During one episode, a woman was remarking on a rooftop beach how death had been a motivator in her life. She said, "It forced me in the 8th grade to ask Peter Petrelli to the sock hop." "Heroes" has become one of my favorite shows, if not #1. And whenever I hear the name of a character I like, which is pretty much all of them, I think, "Awesome!" It's like randomly hearing the sound of an electric guitar and being blindsided by the sudden and brilliant Force of Cool! Almost as soon as I heard the woman say "Peter Petrelli," I thought, "Did I hear her correctly?" I had to check the net. Surely there must have been other reports from people who made the same connection. After a little while, I came upon a search query that gave me what I was looking for. Yes, other people caught the quote, and they were just as
Read more: Worlds

Dignified Reader's Digest Cracks Dirty Joke
2007-11-23 20:26:47
Recently, while perusing an old issue of Reader 's Digest , I came across something so unexpected, so shocking, so bizarre that I decided it was up to me to tell the world. The March 2002 edition of Reader's Digest features a front cover on the upper right-hand corner of which is the face of Bruce Willis. At the very top of the same cover is a red bar featuring a message in white text which reads "Reverse Your Memory Loss." Goody! Let's do that. Turning to page 101, we can see the headline, which reads, "Total Recall," and beneath, "How to get it — well, most of it — at any age. By Anne Underwood and Russell Watson." Here's something important on the next line. It says, "From Newsweek." So, the story was originally featured in Newsweek, and Reader's Digest decided that it was worthy of making it into their exclusive, clean, and inoffensive pages. Reading the article, there's nothing majorly out of th


Things I Am Thankful For
2007-11-22 19:16:46
Happy Thanksgiving! In honor of this, the day of Thanks, I'm going to share a few things of which I'm deeply appreciative. In no particular order, I'm thankful for: clean water fresh air television digital music the internet the power of open source free speech pumpkin pie apple pie pretty much any kind of pie technology's vast horizons my health, family and friends life in the year Double-O Seven [cue Bond Theme]
Read more: Thankful

Are You A Net Addict? It's A Serious Affliction.
2007-11-21 18:24:05
A little while ago I made a post about how I felt I was "Getting Absorbed Into The Net." Then today I read an article on nytimes.com about how Korea takes "web obsession" seriously to the point that there is a boot camp to cure it. I couldn't believe it. Really? There are people who have lost their lives to the net? Even if that were true, big deal, right? Then I remembered stories about people sucked into MMORPGs. Apparently (and this probably has happened more than once) a young guy killed himself after losing his character in the game. It was like the game was his whole life, and he couldn't imagine going on living after it was over. So this is serious. I'm a fan of the "Ghost In The Shell" anime. I'm more familiar with the show than the films. The setting is a futuristic world in which the net has become a true virtual reality, brain-to-net interfacing has been achieved, and prosthetic bodies are in apparent widespread us


Mac vs. PC Is Really Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates
2007-11-20 16:17:14
It's all so obvious now! I can't believe I didn't see it before! The actors don't represent computers, they represent CEOs! The first time I saw these ads, I thought what seems to be the general idea on Wikipedia: The Mac is more casual because a Mac computer is easier to use, while the PC is more formally-dressed because a personal computer can sometimes require complex, formal knowledge to operate. A simple example is how Macs try to minimize the wires and hookups, while PCs have a lot of connections that need to be made by a user. (Although the color coding for inputs really makes things simple now.) Anyway, last night I was watching one of the latest "Get a Mac" ads, and I suddenly wondered, "Hey, why do they use these guys? I mean, they're not totally unappealing, but some might call them nerds. Even the casual guy. So why not use a bodybuilder on one side, like on the left, and not have the glasses and Bill Gates -style hair&hellip
Read more: Steve , Bill Gates

The Green Reich
2007-11-19 17:21:49
When any movement starts to gain steam, there's always the danger that those at the forefront, those in control, will abuse their power. To what sinister ends can the trendiest environmentalists manipulate the public? For what true purpose are the governments of the world working in unison to get us citizens to "clean up our act?" Could Going Green be a bad thing? If we ever run out of oil (which my sources tell me is impossible, as our oil reserves are infinite) we'll be forced to move on to either less efficient, dirtier technology, or more efficient, cheaper, cleaner technology. Let's hope we go the latter route. But either way, Big Oil is finished. No more money. And in that event, we'll have less reason to interfere with oil-producing nations. Our military spending will take a nosedive, international relations will improve, and the world just might quiet down a little. We can't have that! Not any of it! We must maintain the status quo,


Best Store-Bought Pizza: Digiorno Ultimate 4-Meat
2007-11-18 21:25:00
I love pizza with meat. Especially pork. I love pepperoni, sausage, ham, and bacon. So I was thrilled to learn that Digiorno has a pizza with those four meats as the predominant toppings. In fact, the only other thing besides those meats and the crust is the sauce and cheese. It's awesome. And the crust! It's got some sort of magic oil reserved for deep dish pizza at Pizza Hut. Not the kind of orange, greasy stuff that drips off lame cafeteria pizzas and leaves a stain on your napkin. This is the mother of all pizza crust oils. Barely there, but you know it's there. It adds so much. The sauce doesn't overpower the cheese or meat. The cheese is subtle, too. It's as if the sauce underlays the cheese, which cushions the best part of the pizza — the meat! If you're looking for an artery-clogging, jaw-dropping, do-it-yourself non-delivery full-on meat-packed pizza, Digiorno Ultimate 4-Meat has you covered!
Read more: Store

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