Commercial Break: Can You Remember The First Time You Saw Yourself?

I can't quite vocalize specifics of the tech being used here, so I'll let the engineers responsible do that for you here. However, I want to highlight a portion of their synopsis that struck a chord with me.

This quite simple experiment touches interesting psychological aspects of self-consciousness, whose complexity can be proved by the fact I already mentioned of the few species that can recognize themselves in front of the mirror.

I'm realizing my next batch of upcoming articles deal largely with how personally I process detail in art and/or the production of said art. When I saw Qbo, looking at himself ... itself, I first thought [skeptically] how much assistance is being used. I hear keyboard clatter, is this playing a role?

Then I let go. I looked at the robot's optical movements as if looking at a car being manufactured. Jigsaw puzzles being aligned but not wedged together. Then the instructor tells Qbo that the reflection is of him ... of it. 

I tried thinking long and hard about the first time I saw my reflection. It was so far back that my consciousness takes for granted how our brains adjusted and have been adjusted time and time again, in how we see ourselves, and how we see each other.

A very human side of me wondered if a 'second Qbo' was there looking at an adjacent mirror, would the litany of pre-programmed reactions have still been "Nice?" What if Qbo's reaction wasn't so cheerful?

I love that the next frontier of artificial intelligence is of aspects of the self-conscious. But I do find it funny that we must build something wholly new, to understand something about ourselves. Thoughts?

Taxidermy Is One Hell Of A Drug

What photo were you looking at when you decided you wanted to make the John Malkovich lion?

So here's the deal, I'm writing up a review of things that have happened to me in the past week. This encompasses my experience with a certain ape-oriented film as well as my San Diego trip. No, I'm not trying to combine the two into one confusing, yet intriguing article. I've actually taken ill in quite a way.

It also doesn't help my recovery, that my body has been enduring quite the heatwave in Columbus. A.K.A. The Humid City With All The Fat Humids. I'm begging you to stay with me here. The next couple articles [this included] will be drug induced [Theraflu to the rescue!]. 

This being said, I rarely "laugh-cry" and pee my pants while viewing the internet. And it's an even rarer occurrance that I admit to said act via said medium. But, what you see above and the images you'll see below are a new kind of funny that my body involuntarily seizes up in laughter/horror.

Click to read more ...

Commercial Break: Science Just F**kin' Killed Mosquitoes

Yes, I know, another video! I'm kinda suffering from the worst kind of block right now. It also doesn't help that I'm running quite the fever after a long [productive] trip.

What you see above is from a TED talk [which we all should watch more of] centered around a constructive use of the blue laser found in most of our tech. Okay, a constructive use other than watching The Wire at two in the morning.

The inner-entomologist in me, is a bit concerned with the future ramifications of such a find. "What if we kill too many mosquitoes?" And other such questions come to mind. 

But still though, this is pretty cool. And I think it's helping me through this mental block.

Maybe I'll write about this San Diego trip after all?

Commercial Break: I Found Some Animal Stuff On The Internet [Work Safe]

So it's been a week since I've posted. I've been holding out on ya Internet. Don't fret, it's all part of my plan of making the times I do post that much more special, and mildly confusing. Let's be honest, that last post was a bit heavy.

Today's topic: Animals are weird to me. I'm pretty sure if I was in the jungle with 99.9 percent of any animal, I'd managed to end up dead and partially eaten.

I say partially, in the case of an animal that just wants to kill me and not devour my [assumed] delicious hind quarters.

Below you'll find more inspiring images from our animal friends, that will not only brighten your day, but hopefully encourage you to make the most of it. Why? Dude there's a hawk eating out of some Nepalese guy's hand. Now quit reading and get to watchin'! 

Click to read more ...

PWND: Wall Street Gets The Vaccine Before You Do

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Oh word? I mean, I guess if it weren't for these guys we wouldn't be able to...well...hmm. I'm not quite sure what were to happen if everybody on Wall Street got sick and specifically the swine flu. Maybe we would lose our way in the world and start eating our own poop [I mean, once we've kept the demons away by flinging our poop surplus]. I could never get a vaccine. I mean...I really couldn't, this has nothing to do with my morals to getting vaccinations, but if you were to include that I would still be hacking up a lung for the sake of someone who may be worse off than I am.

Not Wall Street though. These guys are white collar gangsta. It just goes to show you ... you can't spell Swine Flu without WIN. And Wall Street got this round.

Source: MSNBC

Commercial Break: Cat Opens Jar

See more funny videos and Cute Animals Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Sometime in the not-to-distant future, we will look upon this moment and mark it as the start of when the feline race became technologically evolved. Evolved enough to fatten up their ravenous bellies with treats such as their very disgusting dried pellets. Next thing you know they'll be using their claws as can openers...its only a matter of time before the makers of Fancy Feast succumb to a race they have served for so many decades.

You've Been Warned.

Deepest Living Fishes Caught On Camera

I'm pretty sure we just interrupted their holiday festivus. The thing I find odd is how brightly colored the fish are.  Typically, the deeper in depth the darker the color of most fishies, but hey...I'm no marine biologist.