I get a kick out of you

The two images above will show you just how much email I got last week while blogging for Just Jared. It was intense! The first screenshot shows so many results for the search term “[Just Jared]” (that’s what all the comments start with when they are emailed to me) that Gmail just didn’t even bother showing an exact number. They just wrote “1 - 20 of thousands“. I thought that was great. The second screenshot shows how my trash count for the last 30 days. Mind you, not all of it is Just Jared email, but more 2/3 of the emails in my trash are.

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Karena sends over an interesting and thought-provoking email about the future of cars and special devices called Event Data Records (or EDRs). Event Data Recorders are basically “black boxes” (like those in airplanes) for cars that record anything from your current speed to whether or not you use your seatbelt. Of course, EDRs are meant for consumer and driver-passenger safety, but many people think that EDRs can be used for non-safety related issues as well — in particular, ticketing.

Tied into GPS navigation computers, EDRs could give interested parties — your local cash-hungry sheriff, for example — the ability to take automated ticketing to the next level. Since the data recorders can continuously monitor most of the operating parameters of a vehicle as it travels — and the GPS unit can precisely locate the vehicle in “real time,” wherever it happens to be at any given moment — any and all incidents of “speeding” could be immediately detected and a piece of paying paper issued to the offender faster than he could tap the brake. That’s even if he knew he was in the crosshairs, which of course he wouldn’t. Probably they’ll just erect an electronic debiting system of some sort that ties directly into your checking account — since the paperwork could not keep up with the massive uptick in fines that would be generated.

Speeding cameras are one thing, but the thought of automatic ticketing is just crazy. Why? Well, for one, I know just about NOBODY who drives the legal speed limit (in most places in NY, it’s an annoying 50 mph). Do you know where you’d be if you drove the proper speed limit?! Not where you need to be, that’s for sure! And if you are where you need to be, it’s for damn sure you were late getting there! And since the brains behind EDRs are machines, it would probably mean that going 51 mph in a 50 mph zone would land you an automatic ticket. That’s kinda ridiculous if you ask me. I totally understand that all of this is for people’s safety, but it’s a bit absurd the way that this can be abused by governments and local law officials. Heck, it’s already being abused by some car rental companies, so really, nothing’s out of the question in regards to this car technology.

Now for some cool car news: Speed is an art installation by Aram Bartholl that is bringing elements of video games into the real world. For this installation, Aram is installing the large neon blinking arrows found in the Need For Speed Underground 2 game into a real city street. [via]
The installation will be realized in September 14 to 17 at Bohnestrasse, in Bremen (Germany - other artists participating to the show). The 4, 24m high arrows are animated like in the game in three steps. In total there will be 9 arrows but only 3 at a time will be visible.
I think this is one of the coolest art installations I’ve ever seen. Probably because I can relate so well. I used to play Need For Speed Underground 2 non-stop!

The other day I learned something about the song A Praise Chorus by Jimmy Eat World. Today, I learned the true meaning behind Third Eye Blind’s first hit single, Semi-charmed Life. I knew it was about drugs, but who knew there was so much more to it. It’s all explained thanks to Wikipedia. Wikipedia is the best!

Blow Up would be a fantastic Photoshop plugin to purchase and get my hands on. The plugin basically blows up and enlarges photos to incredible sizes without degrading quality (impossible claim — what they really mean is that the quality will not degrade as much as traditional enlargement methods). The Blow Up plugin for Photoshop is $199.

For those who care, Time magazine has now switched to Friday delivery instead of Monday delivery. This is good for advertisers because it means that the magazine is in people’s hands for longer periods of time over the weekend, thus leading to higher ad intake.

I can’t wait until the Borat movie comes out. This is gonna rock so hard. Here’s Borat’s official homesite. Yep, it’s real.

Here’s a video of Mute Math playing Reset. Man, I miss seeing them live.

More Mute Math playing Chaos. I really can’t wait for them to come back to the city.

The coolest urinals you’ll ever see (by a mate who probably likes to pee). Har har har! But wow, imagine peeing in one of these. You’d probably personally clean it if you accidentally pee’d on the side. They look so cool, but dang are they expensive.

Who has ever heard of somebody training goldfish? Not I. But apparently, the Japanese have done it, and they haven’t just done it, they did it to the supreme by making the goldfish do sychronized swimming. Amazing! And here I was thinking that goldfish had a 3-second memory. Not true! Read below:

A common misconception that goldfish only have a three second memory is completely false. Scientific studies done on the matter have shown that goldfish have strong associative learning abilities, as well as social learning skills. In addition, their strong visual acuity allows them to distinguish between different humans. It is quite possible that owners will notice the fish react favorably to them (swimming to the front of the glass, swimming rapidly around the tank, and going to the surface mouthing for food) while hiding when other people approach the tank. Over time, goldfish should learn to associate their owners and other humans with food, often “begging” for food whenever their owners approach.

Taken from Goldfish entry on Wikipedia.

Lots of videos today. I can’t get enough of the entertaining content that’s available on YouTube. If you hate, it, too bad. My site, not yours! That kind of reminds me of the i hate cutiemish video. :)