Radioactive Jam

Just not blogging right now.

Lotsa work and fun family stuff coming up, so I’m taking a month off. Technically. That is to say, while I might post something over the next few weeks, most likely I won’t.

Not closing teh blog tube. Just temporarily inactive.

See you soon, feiends.

is plurking.

Plurk might be the single greatest time sucking black hole I’ve ever encountered on the internets. Plurk is essentially a web-based messaging interface (they do have a limited mobile ‘face as well but I haven’t tried it). An individual “plurk” is a simple 140-character message which will typically take on a life of its own and become a response-filled thread. It’s like mini-post blogging - and commenting - at hyperspeed. It’s fast. It’s relentless. It’s insane.

It’s. A. Blast.

It’s not for the faint-hearted. If you’re ADD or even just easily distracted, proceed with caution. Allow yourself a little time to get addicted acclimated and you’ll be fine.

If you check it out, will you be able to make sense of what you see? Probably not right away. If you sign up and start plurking will you begin to enjoy yourself in short order? Absoplurkinglutely.

Stop in and plurk me sometime, eh?

Regarding my current visit to the barren hostile fine state of Oklahoma, wise guy blog feiend Anaglyph asked:

Does the wind really come sweepin’ down the plain?

Yes. Yes, it does.

Though I am in Oklahoma.

For a week.

I’ll try and catch up.

The Radioactive Realms - whatever that means - may soon become a sovereign nation. Proposed name: Wazootystan. As your radioactive overlord I am pleased to inform you that leaving a comment on any post here automatically qualifies you for citizenship in Wazootystan.

I cannot tell you how much this excites me, but I can say this: granting Wazootystan citizenship to every commenter is almost the least I can do.

Update: now working on a Wazootystan national motto. Choices so far include “Teh few. Teh Proud. Teh Stoopid Wazootys.” and “Something is technically wrong with us.”* Yes, I need help could use a little help here. Ideas, Wazootyzens?

Also if anyone knows how to get .wz assigned as our top level domain… yeah. Not holding my breath on that one.

* The phrase “Something is technically wrong” comes from one of Twitter’s (unfortunately) many and diverse error notifications. The “with us” addendum was suggested by Twitterfeiend mxbx as something that would look nice on a t-shirt.

By all means read the CNN story, but I think the headline says it all: Monkeys control robots with their minds.

If, like me, you now have visions of monkey-controlled, marauding red-eyed robots destroying everything in their path, have no fear. I am sure this technology will only be used for good.

I tracked down our illustrious Radioactive Jam staff member and resident meta-geneticist Dr. Francis Enstine (”Don’t call me Frank.” “Okay.”) and asked him about this monkey-brained robot research project. Dr. Enstine (”Call me Frank.” “Okay.”) seemed quite excited about it. He said, and I quote, “Plausible deniability!” then suddenly remembered he had an urgent appointment “somewhere” to do “something.”

Robots controlled by the minds of monkeys, my feiends. It doesn’t get any better than this in the radioactive realms.

While the CNN article linked above was released today, the technology has apparently been around for awhile. In fact, this article from November 2000 adds a truly disturbing fascinating twist: monkey brain signals - transmitted over the internet - controlled a robot arm 600 miles away.

Let’s review, shall we? Monkeys can control robots using their brains, and thanks to the magic of the internet they can do so from hundreds of miles away.

I heart technology, don’t you?

A grateful radioactive hat tip to blog and Twitter feiend Omar for bringing the CNN story to our attention. Thanks!

Coming soon to the radioactive overlord near you.

You know you want one, or you know someone who would. Admit it!

I don’t often visit the “I Can Has Cheezburger” website, home to all things Lolcat, but I saw this image and– well. You will understand I am sure.

Of course it’s not really true, that “hear the ocean” thing.

Well, maybe when there’s a riptide…

Monday, May 19th 2008: Bucky T - my very own titanium spork - made it to The Big Time. Yes my feiends, Bucky T’s picture was featured on the front page of ThinkGeek!

That’s our Bucky T being held aloft by a trusty robotic minion!* Can you believe it? Is this totally cool or what?! It’s not still there - ThinkGeek rotates their featured products - but I saved a screenshot; click here (or click the pic above) to see Bucky T in full contextual glory.

Please join me in offering hearty congratulations to the inspiration for fine haiku, the stalwart, zombie-making facilitator extraordinaire, our one and only radioactive titanium star: Bucky T!

And if you’re feeling particularly generous, head over to ThinkGeek, buy yourself a spork, and tell them “Bucky T says hello.”

* I submitted the picture to ThinkGeek sometime last year. You can see a bigger version on the ThinkGeek :: Titanium Spork :: Action Shots page.

As your Radioactive Overlord I command you to Send Your Name to the Moon. Or at least read the linked web page, then decide if you want to be like me (and more than a half million other people) and Send Your Name to the Moon.

And while I’m probably neither the first nor the last to do so, I thought it might be nice to send a certain someone else to the moon as well.

Ms. Audrey Meadows - this one’s for you.

A space cadet’s salute of thanks goes to Twitterfeiend geosteph for making me aware of this opportunity. What about you, my blog feiend? Will you add your name to the NSA CIA FBI DHS IRS LRO database?